 When I tell people I'm about to go on another adventure, they always seem shocked and then wistful...So I ask them what's the one thing that holds them back from traveling? They always say the same thing....Money. And the thing is they have no idea how much a trip actually costs. They just believe that can't afford it so don't go any further. It becomes an unattainable dream. Something to imagine when they are caught in rush hour traffic or working a double shift. Some impossible fantasy that only happens to a select few. ~Sigh~ But you know what? It's not really about Money -- It's about CHOICES. What do you choose to spend your money on? Travel or a new, over priced car? A new luxury purse or a cruise? Sticking to a budget and watching your spending can allow almost anyone to save enough for a trip.  I have found if it's really important to you, you will find a way to make it happen. For me, hands down I would rather have the experience of travel than a new, shiny "thing". But that's what I choose. Which would you pick?
See you at the airport~  Hey! How are things? I'm in the middle of planning a trip today and was thinking about some of the more interesting questions folks ask me when I'm traveling. Now don't get me wrong, for me travel is a way of life and meeting interesting people and having adventures is part of the fun. But I must be very approachable, because people do not hesitate to ask me off hand questions at every turn. Is it just me or does this happen to everyone?  Most often asked question or statement:  "You don't look like your passport!" Said by every customs agent everywhere. I usually reply, "Thank God! Because I was ill then," or something like that. They have never given me any real grief over it, so I must not look THAT DIFFERENT, lol (The picture is rubbish and I will not post it, lol but take my word for it!) But I honestly don't tend to look the same in any pictures and since I color my hair as a hobby, I do tend to look different everyday. (As you may have noticed on here.) Next common question: "Where's your husband?"  They usually look uncomfortable when I tell them he has passed away. I don't get offended anymore when people (men) ask. I guess for some people (men) it's tough to imagine a woman traveling that much? Another really common question I hear is: "What are you doing here?" or "How did you get here?" People seemed surprised that anyone would visit their region or even their countries. Usually I answer pretty straightforward, by telling them a plane or a train or a bus or whatever. I always run into people who have never left their own countries and cannot image anyone coming all the way from America to see their area. Travel really is a mindset as much as anything else.   (Actual Rotterdam station) Leaving Rotterdam, Norway a youngish train attendant was talking to me about which route was best to take to get to the port and seemed to be caught off guard by me returning to America via a ship. "How long does it take? It takes 6 months, right?!" Funny but a lot of people still seem to think it takes months to cross the sea. #WTF?!  We are going on a bigger ship than this! It usually takes about 7 days to make the crossing from NYC to Southampton UK. It takes a bit longer from Norway but still not over 2 weeks even with stops along the way. The number one question French women ask me, when they find out I grew up in south Texas: "Are cowboys real?"  Yes, they are. But most of them are not like on TV. Another common question I hear is: "Is Trump for real?" It is usually asked by everyone who sees my American passport.  Your guess is as good as mine! Another common question or actual statement I hear often in England is: "There is nothing older than 200 years in America! Nothing there to see so you come to Europe!" Ugh! I usually just smile at this and walk away, because its not my job to educate people.  But if you want to learn more about ancient sites in America I'm working on another blog post... This is Chaco Canyon in New Mexico it was occupied from around 800A.D., to the 1,200s. There are plenty of Native American sites across America that are even older.
What are you often asked when you travel? I'd love to hear so leave me a comment below. See you at the airport!  Hi and Happy 2018! Currently in America the weather has gone ape shit bananas...*Yes, that's the technical term. Have you seen all the crazy snow/blizzard/crazy storm picture coming out of the East Coast? I have friends flying in and they have been stuck in NYC for a day already and are unclear if their flight will take off tomorrow or not. They are chill, no pun intended, so they seem to be making it okay. I was digging around on my camera looking for old pictures of us together and found some photos of January 2015. Oddly I didn't post these here. I only did one post for Jan 2015 and it was random crap found on my phone. Life changing it was not...but I am glad for those memories. (Because apparently I am getting Alzheimer, based on the one post "found on my phone"? WTF I was in England in Jan 2015. You would think I would have found something to blog about?) Anyway here are the picture I found on my camera.... (Damn, did I just do it again?)  This was taken on a snowy night visit to the Long Meg standing stone circle. It was freezing! It's located at Little Salkeld, Penrith CA10 1NW, UK "Long Meg and Her Daughters is a Bronze Age stone circle near Penrith in Cumbria, North West England. One of around 1,300 stone circles in the British Isles and Brittany, it was constructed as a part of a megalithic tradition that lasted from 3,300 to 900 BCE, during the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age.[1] The stone circle is the sixth-biggest example known from this part of north-western Europe,[2] being slightly smaller than the rings at Stanton Drew in Somerset, the Ring of Brodgar in Orkney and Newgrange in County Meath.[2] It primarily consists of 59 stones (of which 27 remain upright) set in an oval shape measuring 340ft (100 m) on its long axis. There may originally have been as many as 70 stones. Long Meg herself is a 12ft (3.6 m) high monolith of red sandstone 80ft (25 m) to the southwest of the circle made by her Daughters. Long Meg is marked with examples of megalithic art including a cup and ring mark, a spiral and rings of concentric circles.[3][4][5] Infra-red aerial photography has identified several undated enclosures that seem to pre-date the Long Meg circle in the area. There is also the smaller stone circle of Little Meg (Maughanby) close by.[6]" From Wiki  You know I love visting standing stones and old megaliths. I am also sure I have pictures of this in the daylight.  That was serious snow! Hope you are warm and cozy where ever you are.  Catch you later-  I hope your having a good week. It's craziness like always here, lol. But even so, I took the afternoon off to unwind and enjoy the thunderstorms, soon it will be ski season and snowstorms. Simple pleasures are really the best...you know? Soft, fuzzy sweaters, a big cuppa hot tea, a good book and add the delicate smell of amber candles for a prefect afternoon. Today has been relaxing and life is good. #win  Sending more Keurig Love! I think I owe you about 6-8 book reviews by now, (true story) but instead of writing them up, I'm busy reading more books and shopping on line. #MoreGoodtimes  Did you read any of these? If you follow me on Goodreads you know I've read 18 or so of my 25 books for the yearly reading challenge. I actually have read more, but I can't be bothered to update my file yet.  I really wish I had more time to read, but we do what we can, right? I also have about 5,000 road trips to write up. We have been taking advantage of the wonderful weather and exploring the desert and surrounding towns.  :D More about those adventures soon.  I so love living here. Also I have been fake baking and experimenting with new Raw Vegan dishes. Except more on that adventure very soon...  Meanwhile, I'm going to get back to reading. Catch you later ~
 Meanwhile, it's time for another adventure!  At the Isleta Casino and Resort today! :D  The weather is much warmer today and look at that blue sky! We took a road trip to the casino... (No gambling pictures, but with a 30,000 square foot casino you can imagine what it was like!)  Going in for an impromptu afternoon of gambling and shopping! It's not that far from my home, but with the winding mountain roads it takes about a half an hour to get there.  Don't be fooled, the place was pretty full. It's very clean and the locals all love it.  My phone died a fast death about here, as I was walking in, lol  I had my other camera in my new vegan clutch (see previous post, lol) but took very few pictures in the resort...  Does any of this look familiar? The hotel lobby was used in the recent filming of Midnight, Texas.   Ancient and modern designs meet.  Something for everyone.  Native bead and leather work. We had a nice time and I was still back home for chai at a decent hour. #WinWin Speaking of winning, I won a bit on the slots. #GoMe! And yes, I bought baby pumpkins while I was out, lol. (Do I know how to live or what??)  See you tomorrow for the next adventure!  How many Travel Rewards Programs are you signed up for? When I travel I spilt my time between Gite's (Holiday Homes owned by individuals) and hotels. Making the decision often comes down to the location and the length of stay. When I stay in a hotel I choose a hotel chain that I am familiar with, if possible. If you have ever booked online, flew 10+ hours, boarded a train, cranky child in tow, only to get to your "Boutique" hotel to find it less than err, promised, then you learn quickly to always find a chain you can trust! And always, always stick with them! Marriott is one of my favorite hotels, because no matter where you are in the world you are assured of the quality and a fair price. Plus with over 4,000 hotels in 70 countries you can easily earn rewards!  And those rewards can be used on hotel stays, flights, rental cars, cruises and vacation packages. #Win! But don't just take my word for it, Marriott Rewards is ranked No. 1 in the Best Hotel Rewards Programs by U.S. News. They evaluated 17 loyalty programs associated with major hotel brands across several indicators of excellence and not surprisingly Marriott won!
I also am a member of Wyndham Rewards Program. The hotel group's partnered with Amtrak and numerous air carriers also allows you to earn even more miles or points. You can earn points on car rentals, too, thanks to Wyndham's partnership with Avis and Budget. So points add up quickly and more points equal more trips! And I'm a happy member of the IHG Rewards Club. With over 5,200 properties throughout 100 countries, you can find a room! Through the IHG Rewards Club, you can earn rewards within IHG's extensive network of hotels, including Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Hotel Indigo and Staybridge Suites properties. I actually stay in IHG properties pretty regularly and am always happy with the hotel. Choose IHG for amenities and locations. I'm a member of the Hilton Honors program, but rarely stay with them. Although I'm pretty sure I didn't get my point for my 5 day stay in NYC last February. Hmmm, need to send an email tonight. My newest hotel rewards program- Stash Hotels See, one time I was in New Jersey, (read about it here) and I booked through Hotwire. So it was an "unknown" hotel, (you learn the name after you pay on Hotwire). It ended up being a property owned by Stash Hotels. I signed up for the program on a whim, because I liked the staff and the hotel was very charming. Not what you might imagine when I say New Jersey, lol. How many hotel rewards programs do you belong to? Do you have a favorite I didn't mention here? I'm actually in the middle of planning a trip today and am trying to decide if I should stay in a Gite or Hotel? It's a solo trip so I don't need the extra room and I don't plan on cooking...So I guess I'm calling the Marriott! See you at the airport! |
Author Welcome to my travel blog, my healthy Vegan lifestyle blog and my life! It's a lot, but it's my passions and I just love to write about it. Here I share tips, stories and photos from my adventures and life. This is the place where people can find daily inspiration to travel and motivation to live healthier lives and laugh a bit too! 
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