5 Clever Ideas That Will Enhance Your Future Travel Life

April 7, 2020

What do you need for your future travel life?

Are you missing the exhilaration of an upcoming adventure? Do you dream about your future travel life? You do know that we will travel again! No question. Will it feel different? Absolutely. Will there be new rules in place? Most assuredly. However, an adventure to a new or favorite destination will fill you up again in ways you may have forgotten.

Like you, I have been house-bound, safe at home for a while, although it feels like an eternity. Do you feel that as well? But my dream of strolling through a new city or tasting a delicious local dish has never left me. I know we will be out there again, discovering and living our lives as we have in the past.

While we are patiently doing our part to keep the virus from spreading, it is essential to keep our thoughts lively and hearts full.

Plan ahead, get organized, dream BIG, research, create, prepare, and make lists! How about a recipe for a successful future travel life! Here are a couple of suggestions for you.

Can’t Travel Today? 8 Ways to Help You Dream Now & Play Later

March 18, 2020

Got travel challenges?

Are you wondering what to do now that we can’t travel freely? I know we all have to do our part and therefore, armchair travel is best for now.

Traveling is my passion, my career, and what lights me up. I am always thrilled to hear about your latest trip and the vacations of others. I can live vicariously or better yet; I can find adventure too. Since we are not currently traveling, and many of us have chosen to cancel or postpone travel arrangements, maybe now is the time to dream about your next trip?

Life is busy and we don’t always take time to enjoy the process of the hunt! To create the perfect trip or vacation, a carefully researched itinerary is the best way to go! Now is the time to get down into the teeny tiny details!

It’s Fun to Let Your Hair Down & Be a Tourist (Sometimes)

February 21, 2020September 9, 2019

It’s ok to just be a tourist

As travelers, it can be a struggle to decide when to just fit in to the landscape, enjoy the surroundings, soak up the local culture and take in what this new city has to offer. However, sometimes it is FUN to take that selfie on the famous bridge and be a tourist. Heck everybody else is! Right?

When I was in Prague last summer the crowds on the famous Charles Bridge were so large that you literally had to jump in the stream of fellow tourists and swim upstream. People were everywhere. They stop in the middle in order to take just the right photo, they bump into you, they are (mostly) clueless. When facing a situation like this, you have to take a deep breath and forge forward.

A Girls Trip to Seattle – My Favorite Itinerary Can Now Be Yours!

February 21, 2020September 4, 2019

A girls trip to Seattle has been on my radar for quite some time. I am kind of embarrassed to admit how long it took for me to coordinate this trip for three dear, long-time girlfriends. Two of them have been to Seattle several times, but we had one newby in the group, Barbara.

Barbara has been all over this great big beautiful globe, but never has spent any time in one of my favorite cities! We managed to coordinate three different schedules around Karin’s trip to Alaska, made a date and stuck to it! It was a miracle of timing, but we did it!

Sitting in First Class Isn’t Always a Party – A Travel Story

February 21, 2020August 30, 2019

A Funny Travel Story About Sitting in First Class

On a recent short flight to Seattle my sweet, frequent-flier husband gave me his upgrade to sit in First Class.The airline had just renovated the seating in this area of the plane and the cabin was spacious and clean.

I looked forward to just sit and drink my tea and read my new book in peace…. But this is NOT what happened.

The Terrific Benefits of Seeking a Travel Blog for Advice

February 21, 2020May 28, 2019

Seeking a Travel Blog for Advice

I think this subject may be divided into two camps; those that understand the value of a travel blogger and those that don’t. I of course fall into the former. Let’s discuss.

How can a travel blog help you?

Today, everyone really does their homework, whether it is for a major purchase, a minor purchase or to plan their next vacation. Vacations are expensive and often travelers may only take one trip per year or on a rare occasion and really don’t want to make a mistake.

Here’s where the travel blogger can help. Are you traveling in the Midwest? The South? On a European vacation? A river cruise? Somewhere fabulous and tropical? How about the Southwest? France? Are you planning a scuba diving excursion? I know a travel blogger that has been to and is an expert in each of those possible destinations. I could give you many more examples, but this will get you started. When you plan a trip, go to Google, and type the destination for where you want to go.

You can type for example: Best things to do in Maui? What is the best time of year to visit Napa Valley? What should I do in Los Angeles? You get the idea. Google will offer up different websites and you are off to the races. (I have written a post about each of those topics). Most often Google will take you directly to the post, if not, when you get to the travel blog, use the SEARCH BOX and type in what you are looking for. Whether it is a city, state or country, if the blogger has been there, the post will pop up.

Suitcase Adventures: Let’s Talk About Packing for Your Next Trip

February 25, 2020April 2, 2019

Let’s talk about packing for your next trip.

I am no expert, but I do pack an awful lot! I travel a couple of times a month for all types of weather and experiences. Sometimes the trips may be for a few days and others a week or two. Last summer I spent a month in Europe. Sounds pretty glamorous doesn’t it? My Viking Cruise and family trip were back to back on purpose. This saved a lot of flying time! However packing for a month was a bit daunting, I managed. Poor me.

I have explored other blogs and articles about how best to prepare and everyone seems to have a little different take on the subject of packing. Some writers even get super specific, getting down to items like toothbrush and toothpaste.

I believe most of us can remember to bring those things and need more of a general conversation rather than how many shirts/pants/pairs of underwear I need. I talk with my travel friends to learn their tips and tricks as well. We can all learn from each other!

Some people are once a year travelers and would love some extra guidance, others may just be looking for a clever idea to add to their already sufficient packing system. Here we go…

Food Photography Trends & A Colorful Restaurant Doing It Right

February 25, 2020March 8, 2019

Food Photography Trends

Do you take pictures of your food? Do you think it is silly? I have actually been doing this for years, way before Instagram came along. I have always loved the beauty of the presentation of a dish. I saved the photos just for me, but now I have a convenient way to share my passion: social media.

Do I photograph every thing we eat? No, not everything, but a lot of it. My poor Instagram husband, doesn’t touch his plate until I give him the green light. I try to do it quickly and of course with no flash. Flash is a food photography no-no. For one it makes the food look ugly, two, it is such a rookie move and three, it definitely disturbs the other restaurant guests.

A Simple Travel Tip of Epic Proportions & Thanks Alaska Airlines!

February 25, 2020March 1, 2019

A travel tip for you!

I recently returned from the trip of a lifetime in Iceland. The time difference is eight hours and on my return trip I had to fly from Reykjavík to Seattle, go through customs, layover 2 1/2 hours and then fly home to Los Angeles. I was definitely tired. So happy for the experience but travel can be exhausting, everyone knows this. But mistakes can happen.

Want to Learn French From Dualingo ? – If can I do it, anyone can!

February 25, 2020November 29, 2018

Welcome Back Laura! This Guest Adventurer writes the fun blog called CoastofIllinois.com. She is a land-locked beach bum who works days as a nurse and shares her land-locked life with her husband who recently retired from a career in law enforcement; just scratching the surface of their sit-com similarities. They have two grown children who still insist on Sunday dinner and a cat who has no interest in bettering himself, unless he can learn how to open his tiny food cans. A fixer-upper sailboat takes up a good portion of time these days, as does preparing for more travel adventures inspired by good food, Hemingway stories and Jimmy Buffet music.

Want to Learn French From Dualingo – I did it!

Salut!

Je suis Laura.

Je suis 57 et j’apprende le francais.

Okay.

I admit it. I cheated on the last half of that sentence and had to check everything with Google translate. But the feelings are solid.

I am 57 and I am learning French.

The first question I tend to get, when I admit this out loud is:

Why?

The most sensible answer is that my husband and I plan to do some pretty extensive travel in the upcoming years. We have traveled a small amount and when we have been in countries where English is not the first language we tried our best to learn at least some polite phrases: Hello, Good-by, Thank-you, Those aren’t my children…

We didn’t want to be those ‘ugly Americans’ who give the rest of us a bad name.

A more personal reason is the fact that, while I am a good one half German descent, I am a solid – one quarter, last name Jolie, drinks coffee from the saucer and loves bread, straight from Paris to the coal mines of the Midwest, French.

According to my husband, my mocking dismay of things with the typical French movie concierge ‘pftttttttt’ is genetically rooted.

The second question is sort of a quizzical, humoring, aren’t you a little old for this, HOW?

My answer to this is a little more convoluted.

The easy answer is: Duolingo. Which I will get to in a bit.