re: Coming into a small inheritance.. what to do with it? UpDated

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Sure, it can be done for less, but for two people, a decent international 2 week vacation is going to run about 7-10K. Hell, I spent about $5k for a week in NYC earlier this year. When I go on vacation I don't prefer to bum around and skimp on any expireinces.

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I've done an average of two int'l trips a year for the past decade, and I've never spent CLOSE to $7K (exclusive of airfare). Nor have I "bummed" around.
I never stay in chain hotels, and I never share a bath. A little research and advanced planning will save you tremendous dough. The most meaningful experiences often cost very little. Example: the Scavi (archaeological excavations beneath St. Peter's in Rome) cost a whole 12 euros...you descend beneath the square to visit the first century Roman cemetery where St Peter himself was buried. It is an exclusive tour--just 60 ppl per day--but it is not pricey. You simply need to make reservations well in advance and to do enough advance research & planning to know that it's even there.

Ditto for food--it's easy to spend big bucks eating mediocre/ordinary food. I'd rather pay 120 eu/night for an apartment and eat exactly what I want for breakfast in my PJs than spend 10-15 eu/person for a restaurant breakfast every day for a week.

My point is that travel can be life changing without being extraordinarily expensive. I spend less on a European jaunt than most people do in a week at DisneyWorld or a week at the beach in August without backpacking/hosteling or feeling deprived. It's all about researching your options (and traveling off season).