- We hoped my son could see his favorite NBA team play during our trip to the US and Mexico.
- My son was devastated when we realized our trip didn't line up with the game schedule.
- So, we split from our group and spent $1,000 to get to a game. The moments we shared were priceless.
Last December, my wife and I took our 18-year-old twins and two of their friends on a graduation trip from Australia to the US and Mexico.
One of my sons, Thomas, plays competitive basketball and is a huge NBA fan. He was most looking forward to us spending a week in San Antonio, where he hoped to see a game with his beloved Spurs and favorite player, Victor Wembanyama.
To save on the high international flight costs, though, we booked our trip nine months in advance — well before the NBA schedule was released.
Unfortunately, the schedule was not kind to us. The Spurs weren't scheduled to play a single game at home during our nine-day stay in San Antonio.
Thomas was distraught. Living in Australia, he didn't know if he would get another chance to see them. I was also disappointed, as basketball has been a key bonding experience between us.
We made a costly decision to salvage his basketball dream
We faced a dilemma when we realized there was a Spurs home game the day before our planned arrival in Texas.
Our group was supposed to be in Mexico at that time, but should the six of us leave Puerto Vallarta a day early to see the game?
After a discussion, we decided that only Thomas and I would change flights and the other four would remain in Mexico. Thomas also checked with his best friend to make sure it was OK to leave him behind since he'd invited him on the trip.
Our flights were non-changeable and nonrefundable, so this change would be costly. We had to purchase new ones and chose flights leaving Mexico at 6 a.m., which cost almost $500 per person.
It was a considerable expense, and I asked my wife whether we could justify it. She said it would create a priceless memory and told me not to focus just on the cost.
I could tell we'd made the right choice when Thomas began wearing his Wembanyama jersey almost daily during the first leg of our trip in California — on hikes, tours, and whenever it was warm enough to go without a jacket.
The unexpected adventure created rare father-son memories
On the day of the game, Thomas and I left our hotel in Mexico at 3 a.m., tired but excited. I was worried about flight cancellations or missed transfers, but we arrived on schedule, giving us plenty of time before tipoff.
We got to the stadium early to explore the fan store and enjoy the atmosphere. The game was amazing, with the Spurs winning and Wembanyama performing well.
Cheering the win together was a highlight, and I'll always treasure the memory of discussing the game the next day over breakfast while waiting for the rest of our group to arrive.
Having identical twins, it's rare for me to spend time with just one son, making this an unusual experience. Sometimes, as a father, I feel haven't dedicated enough time to each individual son — they are almost always a duo.
So, I especially appreciated small moments of our adventure, like chatting on the airplane and sharing dinner at the stadium.
This one-on-one bonding opportunity may have cost $1,000, but it was the best investment of the trip. It created a rare father-son memory that we will remember long after the cost is forgotten.
