Tag Archives: random

Adventure, Blogger, Czech Republic, Photography, Prague, Travel, Uncategorized, Wanderlust

Prague – I Could Live Here!

August 13, 2018 polley93 9 Comments

Greetings! And as always, thank you for spending some of your moments with me. Moments are important, as once they are spent, they are gone. So I genuinely appreciate the moments you have chosen to spend here with me.

This is basically a part two of my “have to go somewhere” time where the first part was in Budapest (post on that earlier if you would care to check it out) I went with my sister, and from Budapest we ventured to Prague. Wow! I wasn’t expecting what we found!

The city is in a word WONDERFUL. Everything. Public transit, the food, the people, the architecture, the cobblestone side streets and the surrounding areas. The more Sis and I explored, the more we knew we just HAD to come back for a longer amount of time. I truly believe I could live here. I loved everything about it.

Every view was magnificent.

The St. Charles Bridge was like walking through history.

We made a point of getting to the main town square to see the infamous Astronomical Clock. Amazing.

Clay colored rooftops everywhere.

We took a side trip and I wasn’t quite ready for what we were about to experience. Picturesque church looking building with adorned grave sites in the garden. Walked down a wooden staircase to this:

Yes, everything made with human bones. The church was to be built on a graveyard and instead of building over it, the graves were gently dug up and the remains adorn the inside of this building? Seriously? I found out that this is world famous and after I got home I actually saw a piece on this very thing on National Geographic. Honestly? My visit was brief……….

The colors were fantastic. Everywhere.

I felt like I was in the middle of a painting. The skies were perfect, the wind was crisp, the views were never ending. It literally took my breath away.

Quaint cobblestone streets were hidden but easily discovered and it was the perfect afternoon just meandering down them. Quaint shops, fantastic doorways, friendly people.

“The City of a Thousand Steeples” is a perfect name for this fabulous city.

I found not one thing I did not literally love about Prague. It is an expensive city to explore. A nice hub for traveling to other major cities by train if you so desire. An adventure awaiting literally around every corner. Pilsner beer galore. I could go on for days.

Prague. If you haven’t been there, put it on your list. You will definitely not be disappointed. Next time I go, I definitely want to go for more than a few days. t feels like a perfect city to write in, so spending a month there and finishing my book is something I want to seriously consider.

Even though I simply could not do this fantastic city justice with. simple blog post, I hope you enjoyed my snapshot of Prague, Czech Republic.

Until next time……….be kind……….always,

Polley93

Solvang, California

August 1, 2018 polley93 5 Comments

Greetings and welcome to my Wednesday morning share session. Noteworthy is that I will start posting on Sundays so yes, there will be a double this week! I welcome your input and ideas for subjects to include as I will be adding lifestyle topics to my collection of randomness.

As I pondered what to write about this week, I ran across a photo and the memories came flooding back. This side trip was 100% spontaneous as I traveled north to a work assignment on the 101 in California. I was in Santa Barbara and I caught a conversation about some town called “Solvang” and all I needed to hear was “Gosh it was just like being in Europe”. I googled. I went. Simple.

“Solvang” translates into “Sunny Field” and taking the beautiful drive there it was quite clear that the town was named appropriately. It is about 35 miles through hills and fields from Santa Barbara on the CA 154 highway. This picturesque town was basically founded and created in 1911 by a group of Danes that headed west to get away from the harsh midwestern winters. It is small, about 2.5 square miles and about 5000 or so people reside there. And the group that started this whole thing did it with the intention of keeping it 100% Danish and Dutch, or as close as possible. A taste of home I suppose. I must say after experiencing this place, they were successful at doing just that.

The first thing that truly catches your eye, is of course. The working Windmill. It is huge and greets you as you approach this amazing place.

You immediately have that European feel, as the streets are lined with merchants, restaurants, bakeries, sweet shoppes and small businesses just like you will find in any European city. You won’t find a Walmart, a Target, a grocery chain or anything commercial here. Just privately owned businesses owned by friendly people eager to share with you stories of their town.

This town is quite small. I parked my car and truly took my time. I walked the entire main road and back again. Talked to people, ate some lunch, meandered in the local bookstores (Hans Christian Andersen is Dutch and very visible in the bookstores), and was back to my car in four hours.

Bet you can’t guess what I chose to eat for lunch here at this adorable pub. Put your guesses in the comments……

This is truly a hidden gem. It feels very popular when you arrive, cars lining every road and the sidewalks sprinkled with people, but it didn’t have that “crowded” feel and the pace was slow. If you happen to be in mid Cali, on the coast, it certainly is worth the 35 miles out of the way to experience a little taste of Europe right here in the USA! It is truly authentic, spotless, well manicured, quaint, and was worth every minute.

A true taste of Europe on a side highway in mid California! Who knew?

Short and sweet this time as I share with you one of the surprises I have found on my many impromptu adventures. I have always maintained that you don’t have to have a bottomless bank account and huge time away from work to have an adventure. We are all capable of creating our own adventures, and getting out there and finding our pretty. I have made this a lifestyle, as adventure can be as close as your back garden. Just get out and GO!

As always, I appreciate you stopping by and sharing your moments with me here today. Please leave a “like” if you liked what you read, and if you would be so kind to leave a comment so I can know you visited my little corner and to leave a suggestion on future content.

As I mentioned before, I will be including lifestyle topics that are near and dear to my heart. By all means feel free to add to my ever growing list. I will go ahead and thank you in advance for doing just that.

See you Sunday!

As always……….be kind.

Polley93

Adventure, Budapest, Hungary, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized, Wanderlust

Budapest, Hungary

July 25, 2018 polley93 7 Comments

Greetings! And welcome back to my little nook of randomness. I apologize for last week, I somehow got logged out of my blog, and it is basically a nightmare! All is well now and here we go. So grab a cup of coffee and read on….

I am constantly researching, collecting notes from my travel groups, reading, etc about trips to faraway places, so that when I DO get to hop on a plane, I’m already somewhat familiar with the place I’m venturing to. I love to go to places for the first time, and for this trip? It was Budapest and Prague.

Why those two places you ask? No truly romantic or poetic response to that question. I just wanted to go somewhere. (Besides, a bucket list thing that I just HAD to see………. The Shoes…..) Didn’t have a boatload of money, and it was cheap! I had this planned for a few months and planned to go by myself, but sister had great interest so she came along with. I had zero idea what to expect. We went in late October so it was the very tail end of fall, so the weather would be chilly but not cold. In a word? Perfect. For this week, I will be sharing with you the wonderfully unique city of Budapest, Hungary.

After an uneventful, but very pleasant long Haul flight straight through from Phoenix Arizona to Budapest, Hungary with a short stop in Zurich, Switzerland, we landed safely. We had a spare seat in the middle of us so it was very comfy. Sister caught up on every movie imaginable and I read and wrote. No complaints. I personally love long haul flights. There is just something magical to me about getting on a plane, and getting off in a faraway land.

The first things that were truly different was every sign you came across, very unique and impossible to pronounce. Every word looked like it had too many consonants in it! The second was the money. We got both Hungarian Forint and Czech Crowns since we would be making our way to Prague as well on the trip.

We settled into our hotel. Small and simple but very comfortable with twin beds and everything you need. It felt like a little girl sleepover! The first day after an amazing European breakfast, we went right outside of our hotel and started walking. Little did we know we were right around the corner from Heroes Square. The architecture of just a normal city road was something to behold. Ornate at times, rigid at others, but all fascinating. As always, with anything Europe, you can literally smell the history. Here are a few from our walk there and the square with all of the beautiful statues etc.

During the few days we were fortunate enough to stay and explore this beautiful city I was amazed at the years and the history. It was truly different. The city was clean and somewhat organized. Actually it is two cities separated by the river and bridges. One side is Buda, the other side is Pest. Hence; Budapest.

We didn’t speak the language but had very few problems finding anything or getting around. Although we didn’t understand many things on any given menu…..there was endless supply of the countries mainstay dish. Goulash! And yes I ate it every chance I could get. Each time it was a little different, but every time it was absolutely delicious!

We managed to get to an elevation to truly see the city. It was a little overcast, and sprinkled rain, but the view literally took your breath away. The colors looked like it was straight out of a painting. You had the subtle blues and grays of the sky framed with the brilliant oranges of fall. The air was crisp. I think we stood there for a long time just taking it all in.

One thing about Budapest, is that there seemed to be a surprise around every corner. You just never knew what you were going to see.

Churches were ornate and bathed in years. The architecture was extreme, the details were endless, the following photos certainly do not do these places justice. There seemed to be a combination of buildings cloaked in deep history, coupled with a newer modern age as well. The ghosts of Communism always lingered.

I was mesmerized by things as simple as a “normal” window or a doorway.

Somehow and some way along our travels we managed to cross a border into Slovakia! Another country crossed off the list! Hungary and Slovakia are separated by a river, and this is how we magically got to get a small taste of another country. No passport stamp though! Boo!

Sometimes, the most profound moments are experienced in a simple surrounding. Perhaps something or somewhere, that few would notice more than a photo op or a “what is this all about”. But I remember reading about this very simple memorial in Budapest, Hungary some years ago and put it on my lengthy list of “have to see’s”.

I have always been borderline obsessed with WWII and the Holocaust. I’ve read many books, seen films, etc. I’m not sure why. It is always an emotional journey for me, not understanding the whole concept of attempting to literally eradicate an entire population of people. I still struggle with it. I have been told I’m a “severe empath” and I seem to be drawn to those moments in history. And those places. And I was certainly drawn here.

The Shoes on the Danube Bank is a memorial in Budapest that was conceived by film director Can Today. He created it on the east bank of the Danube River with sculptor Gyula Pauer to honor the people who were killed by Militiamen during WWII. The men, women, and children were lined up on the side of the river bank, ordered to take off their shoes and face the river, shot in the back so they would fall into the water.

The memorial isn’t big. Isn’t flashy. And honestly? Not easy to find. It is a quiet small place on the river edge, and easily missed. It was a dichotomy of sadness and beauty. Of silence and of screaming. I found my shoes. This one thing, made this entire trip worth taking to me.

I will never forget the shoes…….

Budapest and surrounding areas are truly fascinating. The colors. The choices in architecture, the random things and wares for sale. I could have walked those streets endlessly!

What will I take away from my few days in this foreign city? There are a few things that will stay with me. First, of course, is the shoes! Loved the goulash. The money was confusing at first but once you grabbed ahold of the exchange rate ($10 US = 2800 Forint) we could figure it out. At first glance the numbers were overwhelming. In Budapest there didn’t seem to be much respect for personal space, that was very clear! I got used to being very close to people I didn’t know. The prices (after figuring out above) were very inexpensive. Weather was mild even in late October. There was reasonable English and people were friendly once spoken to. Paprika is the countries pride and major export, so you can find it everywhere. Didn’t realized there were so many variations of Paprika! Always something beautiful to look at! City transport was decent and wonderful city to walk in. And spending an adventure like this with my sister was something I will tuck away in my heart forever. Too many laughs to count!

Would I go back?

In a heartbeat!

I hope you enjoyed my story from Budapest. Please leave a comment or a “like” so I can know you stopped by. And any comments on the photography is very welcomed as I am always trying to improve. And any subjects you are particularly interested in let me know and I will create a blog post about it!

I truly thank you for spending your moments with me!

Until next time………as always……..be kind.

Polley93

Adventure, coastline, England, lighthouses, Northern California, Photography, Road Trip, Scotland, Travel, Uncategorized, Victoria, BC, Wales, Wanderlust

Five Years of Travel

July 11, 2018 polley93 5 Comments

Greetings! And welcome to my newly revamped little corner of the world. This is a place I share my adventures, my stories, my photography, my books in progress, (I really am writing books…..) and whatever else crosses my path on this wonderful journey we call life. I admit, I haven’t been the most reliable blogger, but it took me a few months to settle some of my life down before I could get on with this new phase. I have spent several weeks organizing my Lightroom library, trying my best to forge a friendship with my MacBook, trying to figure out where the heck I’ve been, and relocating yet again (am in Northern Arizona until end of November right before I leave for Italy but thats a whole other blog post…..) For those of you who are new, welcome! And for you faithful who have patiently waited for me to rev it up again….welcome back.

I plan on posting a new blog every Wednesday morning, about 9am MST. I have a lengthy list of subjects as I have learned (and continue to learn and save those little pearls!) about how to travel far and cheap, (did you know you can fly from Denver to Paris one way for less than $200?) minimalist packing and how it works well, many many destinations, my year journey to plan and prepare to go abroad for three months next year (yes, on my own. Yes, backpack only….. yes I’m planning on writing a book while I’m gone as well so stay tuned) So? Please add your name to my email list for reminders on new posts, leave a comment with suggestions or your thoughts on any given subject, I’m sure this will be entertaining, and hopefully educational on some level.

I absolutely love to travel, anywhere and at anytime. It is my true passion. There is nothing I love more than going someplace new. I keep it simple, pack light, and bring a journal and a camera. I have many adventures to share and even more in the planning phase. Alas, that gainful employment is necessary, but it also affords me to take off (after much sacrificing, saving, cutting back, and throwing odd dollars and change in a jar). I started basically traveling for a living with my profession, that being a Family Nurse Practitioner. I work in Family Practice which is very demanding, and I prefer to go to places where I can treat the poor and homeless. It has sent me to some very interesting places. About five years ago I started working this way, and about four years ago I started truly downsizing. At this point, my belongings are in a storage unit, I gave up my rented home, and gave away my car. I basically live out of a little more than a suitcase, hence; my blog name.

I love planes, trains, long car trips being the driver, walking, buses, trams and trolleys. I have had major trips abroad, I have taken day trips in my car, and everything in between. I was reminded recently, (when I was whining about wanting to get up and go again) that I am a very well traveled person. Am I really? I started a list, started gathering photos off of Lightroom (thousands and thousands) and realized that during the past five years of traveling with my vocation, mini side trips, well planned tours, sporadic long weekends, and not needing much of an excuse to take off and go……the list of places is long. Surprisingly long. So as I sit here writing about it today and having a VERY difficult time picking out photos, I feel completely thankful. I also feel extremely excited, as the feet are getting restless again……

So this is what this week’s blog is about. Five years of travel. There are individual blogs planned for the major destinations (San Francisco, U.S. East Coast, Budapest, Prague, London, the South, and a blog post dedicated to the different doors of the world that I seem to be obsessed with plus more I’m sure) Keep in mind, I work full time, sometimes VERY full time, but I have truly mastered the art of capitalizing on cheap flights, holiday days off of work, creative planning, minimal packing, and just not making excuses and just GOING. So get a tasty cold beverage, find a comfy place to sit, and get a taste of the past five years. It has been quite the journey! (and if I can do it, being a single mom, working very full time, living on a very tight budget……then I truly believe that anyone can…..you just have to WANT to!)

So strap yourselves in, and here’s a thumbnail of some of the adventures I’ve had over the past five years. Some planned. Some not. Had to save for some, and others just filled up the car, made a sandwich, grabbed my camera and went.

PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY, CALIFORNIA

I have gotten to drive the Pacific Coast Highway three times…..This is definitely a “have to” for anyone and everyone. It’s endless, gorgeously breathtaking, and a peaceful way to spend a few days. There is no wrong place to stop. It’s all fascinating.

SCOTLAND

I experienced Scotland with my mum, including pubs, kilts, William Wallace, Celebration of the Haggis (delish!) and spending the afternoon at a Scottish Sheep Farm.

WINE COUNTRY, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Wine Country in Northern Cali….what can you say? It’s everything that you’ve heard. Miles of winding roads and vineyards as far as the eye can see.

WALES

Experienced a taste of Wales, and this is one quirky place! The language, the street signs are an adventure in itself. This is one country I would love to thoroughly explore. Put it on the list!

VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA

I had a four day weekend and a total of $500 to spend. Total. (Airfare, Accomodation, food and extras) and went to Victoria, British Columbia. Rode in a little puddle jumper airplane, walked for miles, ate great food, and took too many photos to count. Fascinating place. Highly recommend. Thanks to a $188 flight, AirBnB, and Groupon, the total weekend cost me $496 total. Gotta love minimalist traveling!

SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NAT’L PARKS

Had the opportunity to visit Sequoia National Park twice. The giant Sequoia trees are literally majestic, extreme, and fascinating. I got to go there once with my son which made it really awesome. I drove straight through the park and experienced life above the clouds at Kings Canyon National Park.

MULTNOMAH FALLS, OREGON

I got to drive up to Portland and see Multnomah Falls. This place is pure magic and you feel the strength and incredible beauty of Mother Nature as you stand in front of this magnificent sight.

NORTHERN CALI

I spent the longest time I’ve ever spent at one assignment in Ukiah, California, a total of 16 months which translates into 500 consecutive nights in a hotel room. It was worth it as I experienced coastal sights that took your breath away, lighthouses, and towns that I fell in love with including Ft Bragg and Glass Beach and Mendocino.

SAN FRANCISCO

I was an hour and a half from San Francisco so I got to go there a couple of times. Fresh sourdough bread, the Golden Gate Bridge and trolley cars.

UNITED KINGDOM

London with my mum along with Chester, York, Stratford Upon Avon, Windsor (where both Her Majesty the Queen and the leader of Ireland were at the time, so there were flags everywhere) and Bath. And I got to see my beloved Peter Pan statue in Hyde Park.

IPSWICH, SUFFOLK, ENGLAND

Mum and I got to go back to our hometown of Ipswich, England.

MENDOCINO, CALI

Mendocino deserves another mention. Northern Cali.

CAPITOLA AND THE DEPOT INN

My favorite Bed and Breakfast: Depot Hill and Capitola

RANDOM FINDS

Random drives to find some “pretty”.

YELLOWSTONE NAT’L PARK

Drove through Yellowstone National Park on the way to work assignment in NewTown, North Dakota.

EAST COAST

Experienced the East Coast when I was on assignment in Middletown, CT.

ZION UTAH

Zion in Utah

MONTERREY CALIFORNIA

Monterrey California was very cool. Eating seafood out of paper as you walked. Everything was pretty. And when I saw the interesting mileage sign? This is the day I decided I should experience Dubrovnik, Croatia. Which I added to my three month Euro trip next year.

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY

I needed to go someplace and I needed someplace that 1) required a passport and 2) was as cheap as possible. So I headed off to Hungary! My sister decided to come with which was an extra and unexpected blessing! Will have its very own blog post as just far too much happened!!

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC

2nd leg of that impromptu sister trip was Prague, Czech Republic. We both decided we could live here. Again, a specific blog about this fascinating place! Can’t wait to go back!

CHARLESTON AND SAVANNAH

The South, Charleston, Hilton Head and Savannah and yes, I broke my arm…..

There were definitely more side trips, but I’m sure you get the picture. I have traveled far and wide with what I had at the time and the list turned out to be surprisingly long. Very humbling.

This was kind of like a list. There will be more specific posts coming I promise, at least 12 are in the works as I type this.
I have pretty extreme plans coming up for the next 12 months. I plan on working hard, saving all I can and making all of this happen. So please stay tuned. I will be posting one time per month about my year plan to travel Europe next year for three months with a backpack. A lot goes into doing something like this at my age, so I am starting now. I also have a trip planned in December and another in April. I realized I can’t wait anymore. Time isn’t waiting for me.

So my time is now.

Thank you so much for spending your moments with me! Please leave a comment so I can know you stopped by.

Until next week……..as always…….be kind.

Cheers,

Polley93

Adventure, England, Photography, Scotland, Travel, Uncategorized, Wales, Wanderlust

Touring UK with the Gnome – Pt 2

December 17, 2017 polley93 2 Comments

Greetings! And welcome to my little nook…..this is well overdue. I posted about my trip to the UK with my mum (affectionately known to me as “my little British gnome”) a few months ago, and promised a “part two”. Life happened, along with many distractions, and probably a move knowing my crazy life. The first post is back a few months so look it up if you want to see the first part of our UK tour, which covers Great Britain.

This one covers the areas of Wales and Scotland. It was well beyond description, and mum often refers to it as “A trip of a lifetime”. I am hoping the photos tell the story of how a daughter planned a trip for her mum, and how they ventured three countries together, laughed more than humanly possible, tried many things for the very first time, walked more miles than either of them thought was possible, and created too many memories to count. I hope you enjoy sharing our adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed going back over these many photos as I edited and chose, made me smile, laugh out loud, and certainly remember.

WALES

Leaving the UK we entered into Wales. Neither of us had ever ventured outside of the borders of England so everything was new. The countryside over in the UK as a whole is literally breathtaking. The greens are simply intoxicating, and Wales was no exception. The combination of mysterious history, coupled with the innocence of a simple view of sheep grazing in front of architecture thousands of years old, is quite a sight.

The towns we visited (can’t pronounce but just knew we were in Wales) all were full of character. Small shoppes lined the streets, selling their wares or foods. You could smell years in the air, the breezes were cold, but there was always a warm scent of something baking near by.

And more…….

And…..well……there were no shortages of bakeries……

And no shortage of flowers…….

EDINBURGH SCOTLAND

I never realized that so many shades of gray could actually be beautiful, but it most certainly is. There is just something magical about being surrounded by so much history and walk along streets that have been there for longer than your homeland has even been in existence. It felt comparable to be walking in some kind of a story. With each corner sharing with you it’s secrets.

The accents were extreme. Yes, the language was most certainly English, and you could recognize the English words, but you still felt as if you were listening to a foreign language. The Royal Mile was probably my favorite, with each building taking on a personality of its own. Each shoppe with a personality just aching to be known, and color sprinkled about.

Personality for days….. The people were friendly and welcoming. Pubs were more present than any other establishment, times about a hundred.

And…..of course…….The infamous William Wallace was everywhere! Couldn’t help but feel like yelling out…..”They may take away our lives, but they’ll never take our FREEDOM!!”

THE SCOTTISH COUNTRYSIDE AND HIGHLANDS

Amazing as you traveled north just how different the landscape became. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I didn’t expect it to be so rugged and so desolate. Once in a while you would find a small spattering of homes, but for the most part, the land was untouched. Raw. Clean. And went on for as far as your eye could see. (And snow. Wasn’t expecting snow!)

EXPERIENCING A WORKING SHEEP FARM IN SCOTLAND

We could have never anticipated being able to experience such a thing. Away from technology and the business of clicking and scrolling and driving and clocking in and out. We met a man who had spent his life working this farm, harvesting wool for various suppliers. This farm and lifestyle had been in his family for generations. He knew nothing else. And it was something I will not soon forget.

It was cold and windy. We sat on a wooden bench and watched these trained sheep dogs herd these sheep. It was simply amazing! He used sounds that no one else would pay any mind to and these dogs just took off in all directions, usually as one group in unison. Herding this huge group of sheep. It really was a sight to behold. What was even more mind-boggling, is when the “show was over” he shared with us that three of his dogs were 100% blind! What????

ST. ANDREWS ….. GOLF ANYONE?

Architecture for days……

SCOTLAND…….AND TRYING HAGGIS FOR THE FIRST TIME

Haggis is very strange. Made out of all kinds of things that I would never normally eat. Wrapped up and cooked in an animal stomach lining???? Seriously? But? Hell, we were there and couldn’t actually not TRY it, right?

What I wasn’t expecting is the “Celebration of the Haggis” routine before hand. There were young girls dancing in traditional costumes, bagpipes, and the pub owner literally dancing some kind of a jig with the Haggis proudly displayed on a plate as he sang loudly and danced and paraded the plate in front of all of us present. It was crazy enough that we just joined in! I’m still not sure I understood what we experienced, but it was certainly one for the books!

And guess what? The Haggis? It was simply delicious. And we all had a complimentary shot of traditional Scottish Whisky too.

The experience as a whole was definitely one of those “bucket list” things. For any of you second guessing whether or not to go on a trip with your parent? I highly recommend the experience! It will be one to be remembered and supply you with laughs and memories for the rest of your life.

I sure hope you enjoyed our adventure. I know we sure did!

Until next time…….be kind……always.

Polley93

aka Tink

Adventure, Travel, Uncategorized, Wanderlust

Top 12 Solo Travel Tips

December 10, 2017 polley93 5 Comments

Greetings and welcome to my little nook of random. For those of you returning, welcome back! And for those of you visiting for the first time, welcome! Make sure you subscribe so you can follow along on this journey! All photographs on my blog have been taken by me in various places.

My blog usually consists of Travel, Photography, Minimalism, and the occasional post about writing a book. For today, I am going to spend some time answering the number one question I get faced with: “How can you travel so much solo?”

The short answer is, if I didn’t travel solo, I probably wouldn’t travel at all. With my crazy nomadic work life, and my desire to go to places I’ve never been, it suits me fine just to get up and go and go by myself. I have learned much along the way, and far too much to completely share it all in one simple blog post, so I will make a dent in it and cover the top 12 tips for solo travel.

A sidenote. This post will be specifically about long haul flights to destinations far that you probably need a passport for. It is a myth that you have to be loaded to go on trips to faraway lands. My recent Budapest/Prague trip was a total of $1450 (airfare, accommodation, daily breakfast, and four side trips or excursions). My entire month excursion to Thailand next May is under $1800 and that includes a week add-on down south on the islands. You can get a one way flight from San Francisco or Denver to Paris, France of $259…..and no, that is not a typo. You don’t have to be rich. You have to be driven, creative and patient. I can dedicate an entire post or two on travel hacks and cheap travel sometime later if the interest is there. Let me know.

Here we go……..

1. RESEARCH BEFORE YOU GO

Get yourself a travel book. There are plenty out there that are good and cover just about everything you need. Moon. Lonely Planet. Fodor’s. If you are on Facebook there are travel groups that have been amazing! Have learned a ton about travel this way! Groups such as Solo Women Travelers. Solo Travel Society. Nomad Women 40’s and up. Solo Female Traveler Network. To name a few. For me? The best teacher is someone who has already done what I would like to do. So that’s YouTube. Every place, food, experience, is all on YouTube someplace.

2. PREPARE FOR LONG HAUL FLIGHT

The flights are no joke and preparation makes it much easier. (again, this deserves a post of its own but for today, will hit the highlights) One must have a neck pillow, eye mask, and ear plugs. A killer playlist and ear buds. Something to read. A one liter water bottle. Mints, toothbrush, Melatonin, and Advil. You get where I’m going. A flight 8 hours or longer is considered long haul and you are literally going to be sitting in a small seat. My flying time to Europe this past Oct was a little over 13 hours. The trip to Thailand is over 20. So comfort is key. Prepare!!!

3. TRAVEL LIGHT

Less is more when traveling and honestly? You don’t need as much as you think. Downsize everything you can. I went to Vancouver/Victoria BC and went with a backpack only (Osprey 40L). It worked just fine. Carry on only is a recommendation. Makes your trip simpler and you spend so much less time on unnecessary tasks and more for the reason you went to begin with. Take necessities only. Trust me on this one.

4. BE FAMILIAR WITH CURRENCY

Get familiar with exchange rates. The currency. How much each bill translates into your currency. Avoid scammers (YouTube again is a great place to learn about this), using a card is safe as you don’t need to carry around a lot of cash, but cash is necessary so learn how much it translates into.

5. ARRIVE EARLY

If at all possible, arrange a flight or flights that arrive during the morning or afternoon. This is such a nice way to start your adventure. There isn’t a sense of urgency. You have the time to take your time. You will be tired and a little off-balance after long flights and time changes, besides, being a traveler at an airport is pretty obvious so daylight hours helps with safety issues.

6. PHOTOGRAPHS AND JOURNAL

Always carry a little notebook around with you. It’s amazing what you can pick up, what you want to jot down so you can remember. Food suggestions, shoppes you’d like to return to, people you meet, things you see. True, we have smart phones now, but I prefer good ole paper and pen.

7. GET FAMILIAR WITH THE CITY

Get a map, or download google maps before you go to your phone so you can use offline, Get the layout of the city. Find a free walking tour (these are in every major city in Europe, usually free and tip only fees, very helpful and awesome to get to know the city by. local!) Find a hop on hop off bus and ride it for a couple of circuits. Saves you time in the long run and you can find things you want to return to.

8. USE CITY TRANSIT

City buses. Trains. Trams. Trolleys. Subways. Try them all. City transport is usually organized and cheap! Avoid taxi’s. Just avoid them.

9. FIND A BENCH AND PEOPLE WATCH

10. TALK TO THE LOCALS

11. TRY NEW THINGS

New Foods!

Try something for the first time!

Spending a day on a working sheep farm in Scotland. (no sheep was harmed, even though that is a humongous knife)

Eating fresh produce as you walk down the street in Chinatown.

Ride on a water plane……..

Walk amongst the giants and drive through clouds!

12. LEAVE THE FEAR AND HESITATION AT HOME

Get out there and find your adventure! For all of these of mine, I look back and wonder how. The list is long. London and all throughout England. Scotland. Wales. Victoria. Across the US a half a dozen times. Budapest. Prague. I guess I just did it. Figured it out. And went alone. The solace of being with your own self is very mysterious. You find things you never thought you’d find, meet people you never thought you’d meet, see things you never thought you ‘d see, and yet you have. You gain a new confidence within yourself and an amazing sense of accomplishment when you come home. You find and meet people who remain in touch and your friends. And your world view grows and grows. And why? Well……easy. You just decide.

So decide. And go. And if you are one of those like me, who have, then please either share your blog site, or your experiences with me! I thank you in advance.

Lots more to come in the coming weeks and months. Travel hacks and budget travel. My journey towards Minimalism. Blog on Budapest and another on Prague. There are destinations in the US I have never posted about. The list is endless.

For now? I thank you for the moments you spent here with me. You are very appreciated. Please leave a comment, suggestion, experience, share with me your favorite trip or destination, or perhaps a destination you would love to go to someday. My bucket list is very long, and in 2018 I plan to make it shorter.

Until next time……..be kind…….always.

Polley93

aka Tink

Adventure, Photography, Travel, Vancouver, Victoria, BC, Wanderlust

Victoria, BC, Canada

November 19, 2017 polley93 4 Comments

Greetings! And welcome back to my weekly rambling blog. If your eyes are reading these words, then I truly thank you for spending some moments with me here today. If you like what you read or experience here, please give my blog a “like” or spend a few moments and post a comment so I know you were here and I thank you in advance for that.

This “nook” of mine covers three main topics: Travel and my random adventures, Life in general (experiences, travel, my stories of sorts, life hacks, photography etc), and Minimalism. For today, it is back to my favorite thing; Travel and photographing new places. If it were up to me I would continually travel to anyplace, anytime and for any reason. But gainful employment kind of puts a damper on that, so I am learning ways to work around that ole time clock, make the plan, buy the ticket, and figure out details later. This is exactly what happened with this trip. And I will forewarn you, there will be a load of photos……

Restless Feet…..

Those of you who know me know that I have a serious case of restless feet and am always looking for the next adventure. At this particular time, I was seriously struggling with work, life, just everything in general. My answer is and always will be going someplace new with a camera. I had limited funds, about $500 that I could spend without guilt. I’m in Northern California at the present time, and started thinking about where I could go. I first looked at the calendar, there was some random Friday off for an Indian celebration day and asked my boss for that previous Thursday off as well, she agreed. So wha la! I had four days, and $500 to create some kind of an adventure. Where oh where to go. I was thinking with limited funds I was looking at driving somewhere, but as I hunted about online, the bill started adding up. So, I figured check the airlines, maybe somewhere has a deal. And if there’s a deal? I’m just the girl to find it. Several sites have sites designed for free spirits such as myself as you can look for flights on price alone. And what do you know…….. found a round trip flight from San Francisco airport to Vancouver Canada, fitting my dates, leaving early, I have a passport, and without thinking too much, five minutes and $180 later, I had a booked seat.

$320 Left……With a List of Things to Pay For……

The priciest piece of any travel is accommodation. I have definitely learned alternative staying spaces beyond the proverbial hotel. So many other options for sure. Since I am a solo traveler for the most part, my typical routine is to get up way early and come back to the place I’m staying post dinner in time for a bath, some review of all the photos I took for the day, and a journal entry before bed. So I looked for AirB&B’s and found two that would work for me. One night in Vancouver and two in Victoria. Total of $120, leaving me about $200 for four days.

I find when I travel cheap, I don’t need to eat a lot. Some energy bars, a refillable bottle of water, a few pieces of fruit and coffee in the morning do me just fine. I’m good with one solid meal and just healthy snacks for the duration. Saves money that way, and for this trip? I had to pinch my pennies. I did pack some healthy protein bars, and a box of crackers in my backpack. Did I mention that I went backpack only? I have an “Osprey” 40L backpack, and that was the only thing I packed and took for the four days I was gone.

Groupon is my friend and I searched the site for inexpensive things to do in both Vancouver and Victoria, I got an all day hop on, hop off bus, a fish and chip lunch at Fisherman’s Warf, another fish dinner, and a lunch in Vancouver. Total? $70 leaving me $130 of my original $500 budget.

The kicker here is that you have to somehow get to Victoria from Vancouver over the water. Yes, there are ferries, but the more I read, it is time-consuming and pretty confusing. Lo and behold, I found (what I thought) was a cheap transport from Vancouver International Airport to Victoria via Helicopter. (yes, another groupon!) Have never flew on a helicopter before and the price was right for $100 round trip, so I figured why not? Ohhhhhh brother was I in for a surprise! In fact, the whole weekend was one whole surprise.

So? I had a whopping $30 to spend. Read on……and travel with me……..

That is NOT a Helicopter!!

Made it to Vancouver. Found the shuttle and went to Harbor Air (or something like that) and went to register for my first Helicopter ride. I was just a tad bit nervous to be honest. And that went to MACH TEN when the very kind lady stated “Oh no dear, these aren’t helicopters, You’ll be flying in the last aircraft parked on the dock” as she pointed…..that way. I finished check in and went outside to see what the heck she was talking about. She was talking about THIS…..

Uhhhhh…..ok. I didn’t have much time to think about it. I took off in 15 minutes. I grabbed a free cup of coffee. Took a short walk outside to collect myself. And headed down the “gangplank”. A total of four seats and a pilot. The “safety” instructions were presented on an iPad that looked like the original version ever created. No one else seemed to be bothered, all three other passengers. So I belted myself in, took a breath, as the engines revved themselves up.

I was very surprised. It was smoother than a normal plane. The views were INCREDIBLE as you don’t fly very high and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Still yet another thing scratched off the ole bucket list.

Land we did, smooth as satin, and I was in Victoria! It was cool fresh air, crystal blue skies and an entire day to just walk around and explore. I knew this day was going to be kind of slow since I would be with a backpack all day, but it was just fine. I was in no hurry at all. Here are some things I found on my first day.

I found my AirB&B, in a beautiful neighborhood that was a joy to walk through with friendly people, picturesque streets and only about a 15 minute walk to downtown. The AirB&B I stayed at was run by a lovely young couple who were so accommodating I felt very spoiled. I knew it was meant to be when the main theme for their home was Star Wars! The room was comfy and cozy which was awesome. And close to a corner market where I went and bought some cheese, a roll, a banana and an orange for the next day, (so far keeping with my budget just fine)

Day #2 was the biggie in Victoria. I did not carry a backpack, just an over the shoulder carry all for my cameras, snacks etc. I took off really early in the morning, and walked downtown. My hop on hop off bus and fish and chip lunch were on the agenda today. All prepaid thanks to my BFF Groupon.

ChinaTown

This is the 2nd largest ChinaTown location in North America, only behind San Francisco. I found it absolutely fascinating, friendly, simple and real.

And there was an abundant supply of freshness; everywhere.

Feeling Like You Are In a Postcard

So many beautiful sites. From architecture and history, to neighborhoods with all of their own personality and charm, to the endless water that is different depending on where you go. I rode the hop on hop off bus three consecutive times as I simply could not get enough.

Finding the Unique and Quirky Side

Fish and Chips on the Warf

Fisherman’s Warf was a wonderful place just to walk around and definitely have some fish and chips while sitting outside watching the boats and the water. Live music on the corner and lined with houseboats with vibrant colors.

Random

Just some shots of things I found either quirky, beautiful, unique.

Some more…..

Some more……

I saw a castle……

I got a great deal on an official afternoon English Tea. Apparently there is a lot of competition for the buses etc and so I got a $35 English tea for $7.50, and it was one of the highlights of the entire day!

My two very packed full of activities was over. I slept well, got up super early for my “flight” back to Vancouver. One side note…….there was a delay due to “whales on the runway”……and no, I’m not kidding!

I had a very short stint in Vancouver, and to be honest, didn’t experience much of the city. I took a wrong turn on my walking after riding the subway to what I ‘thought’ was the correct stop. Instead of exploring, I got tired and sat under a tree with two homeless gentlemen and talked for over two hours. They ended up wanting to “treat me to lunch” at the Salvation Army. So I went. And ended up being “Macaroni and Cheese Girl” for the afternoon serving up the homeless in Vancouver……

But that’s a story for another time. Here are the two photos I took there……

The top one is my AirB&B, I stayed on the top floor of an Antique Shoppe, and the bottom is the infamous Steam Clock.

All in all it was a beautiful weekend, a beautiful place, and I only went over my budget by $22 for a cab ride back to the airport. I would highly suggest Victoria. It was very British.

Final Thought

Life truly is a beautiful place if you choose to find the beautiful in every day things. No, I don’t get to take off on planes all the time, but when I can, I do. In the meantime, I encourage you to notice the sunshine, appreciate the raindrops, respect the trees, and don’t pick the flowers….just love them where they are planted.

Let me say, that I appreciate your time. It is the one thing we can never get back so when its spent, it is simply gone. So thank you for spending some of your moments here with me.

Until next time……be kind…….always,

Polley93

aka Tink

Adventure, coastline, lighthouses, Northern California, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized, Wanderlust

12 Months of Adventure

November 12, 2017 polley93 3 Comments

Greetings! And welcome to my blog of randomness. I have been working hard on this “nook” of mine, to give it a bit of a facelift, and to create a format with weekly postings (finally!) It is long overdue, and no more start and stops, do-overs, and mini blog comas. My life has been full these past few months, and as many of us do, I had this on the list for the infamous “new year”. But honestly? That is just a glorified and fancy way to label “procrastination” so I decided to start now. So, as always, I appreciate you stopping by. Grab a beverage of your choice, sit in a comfy chair, and read on……..

There has been much going on and much to share. I have a very lengthy list of subjects, Minimalism, Solo travel, Travel hacks and ways to go to amazing places very cost effectively, how to pack small, light, even carry on only, how to find air deals, and many trips etc to cover, so let’s just call this the start of something good, or at least better than it has been in the past.

After I “reasonably” learned how to get around this new MacBook (on my “want” list for years have had it now for months but only now got the courage to dive in……oh brother!) and got Lightroom “reasonably” functioning, I sat down and started making a list of blog subjects. The first one, (and I literally stopped at that) was the places I have gone over the past 12 months or so. I didn’t realize how many places I have been until I started scrolling through photos and making a list that ended up to be very lengthy. I work full-time, as a Family Nurse Practitioner working at a rural clinic up here in Northern California for the time being, so it’s not like I have a ton of time, but I have become a master at “squeezing” an additional day or two off hooked to a holiday weekend, living extremely frugal, saving as much as possible so that I can get on a plane or getting in a car just as much as I possibly can. Those that know me know that I am no stranger to getting in a car to travel umpteen hours just to be in a forest, sit along a coastline, take a few photos, and drive umpteen hours back……..I have been known to sleep in my car!

So this first blog post (first of many I might add) is just a smorgasbord of my very amateur photography in places I have been fortunate enough to experience over the past 12 calendar months. Its been random, and most of it very unplanned. My Adventures range from packing a sandwich and a full tank of gas to anywhere, to a trip to get a passport stamp with the location in Canada being simply due to the cheapest air ticket I could find, to adding a couple of days in San Francisco to a Medical conference just because, to a well thought out and planned excursion to Europe to two cities I have never been to. Each of these will have a blog post just for that one place or experience, but this is just a broad overview of it all.

The above makes it sound like I am rolling in money and let me assure you that I am most definitely not. I have lived my life as a single mother with many challenges that all have been overcome. I struggle just like we all do. I gave up my rented house in Tucson, Arizona, gave my car to my son, stored what I own, and took a job where I travel to remote locations to serve the poorer rural areas. I live in hotel rooms, and very simply. live on a 100% cash basis. No credit whatsoever. So even though you are about to go on a “cliff notes” of sorts of my adventures, please keep in mind that it took me sacrifice, and planning to make any of this happen. In short, I haven’t made a bunch of excuses, I just found a way. I have restless feet, a serious and incurable case of wanderlust, and travel and finding new experiences and adventure is definitely my passion.

So, let’s begin……..

Started off in the beautiful southern Arizona desert……You either love it, or you hate it, but to me? There is nothing quite like it. I find it peaceful, beautiful, and raw.

I try to go to Sedona and Flagstaff Az as much as possible…… Sedona is like stepping into a postcard, and Flagstaff is like stepping back into a simpler time. I love them both.

I pit stop in San Diego California as much as possible…..simply love that town! The beaches, the food, the USS Navy presence, and the bazillion memories I have made there.

Conference in San Francisco that I added a couple of days to…..brought my daughter along and my brother was working out there which made it all the more fun. SF is simply awesome for a short visit, lots to do, eclectic architecture, and clam chowder to die for.

Ventured up the entire California Coastline…… The Pacific Coast Highway has got to ve one of the most majestic drives in this whole country. It’s simply breathtaking. This is but a small taste as I could go on and on and on about the six days I took to drive up that entire coast. I have been fortunate enough to have been able to do it twice now. And I would most certainly do it again.

Started living amongst the California Vineyards……who knew? Incredibly fortunate to be able to live in an area that I would never in a million years be able to afford to do it on my own. It is majestic, peaceful, wineries everywhere, skies that are endless, surrounded by forests and a coastline just an hour away. Truly magical here.

Experienced a little European Dutch right in the heart of California….one of the coolest little secrets I found. Sovang, California. Just a few pages out of a Dutch history book. With architecture, food, wine, and traditions.

Found Lighthouses……my favorite.

Went to Victoria, British Columbia on a whim due to a $180 round trip airfare. I figured the rest out as I went. Stayed in an airBnB, flew in a puddle jumper airplane, went with a backpack only, walked everywhere. It was quite the adventure.

Denver…..beautiful city with beautiful seasons…….and family!

Portland…. or the outskirts of Portland I should say. When the rain takes a just a little break it really is a gorgeous place.

Sequoia National Park……times two….This was one of my all time favorite places. To stand amidst the giant trees is something you just have to experience. No picture or story can do it justice. It’s like taking a step back in time. It is very silent, and spiritual. I was blessed to be able to meet my son there and its a weekend I will not soon forget.

Kings Canyon National Park…….driving above the clouds…..literally.

Mendocino, California, This is a storybook kind of place. The coastline is breathtaking, there is a water cave to find, if you are there at the right time you can see miles and miles of Lillies. It’s small, but worth a visit for sure.

Northern Calif Coastline, Glass Beach…..This area was a landfill about a century ago. I guess Mother Nature didn’t appreciate the garbage being placed in her ocean, so she took the glass…..smoothed it out, and gently placed it back on the beach. This small beach is literally covered in small smooth colored shards of smooth glass. I found it amazing.

Budapest, Hungary, Wow! Who knew? I found literally a flash sale with a traveling company at the beginning of the year. RT airfare via Swiss Air from SF through Zürich, Switzerland to Budapest, then a bus to Prague. All accommodations. Daily breakfast. Four extra excursions (city tours, outlying villages, and another country, Slovakia!! For a total of…….wait for it…….$1450. I kid you not. This beautiful city and total experience needs a post of its own. And once I can figure out how to get all the photos from my Canon camera to this Mac…..I will do just that. Until then, these are iPhone photos, which aren’t half bad.

Prague, Czech Republic. Stage II of my random Europe excursion. I felt like I was in a story book. The architecture alone literally took your breath away. I found it friendly and a true adventure! As above, trying to figure out the photo thing and this will be an upcoming stand alone blog post……it certainly deserves it.

Wow……just wow. As I sit here I am truly humbled. I find it amazing that any of this was even possible and when I look back at it all, I realize why it was all possible. Because I quit making excuses.

I quit saying I don’t have the time.

I quit saying I don’t have the money.

Blah. Blah. Blah.

I quit being picky about where to go and I just went. Sometimes it was $5, an afternoon, and a box of crackers keeping me company on the passenger seat. Sometimes it was scrimping and saving every week to make a bigger excursion possible. But whatever I was capable of doing, wherever I was capable of going, I just went. To anywhere. I encourage any of you reading this to do the same if you want to experience whatever, wherever for whatever reason you choose. You just have to do it.

Next year is a year in the making. Up to this point, I have plans to go to Savanna, Charleston and Hilton Head in March with sister for birthday week. We have committed to going somewhere for a week every year together. Time is fleeing and no more waiting. It is pretty amazing that we met a wonderful couple in Prague that lives in Hilton Head and we have plans for some beers and a Catch up as they went on to Poland. Love how paths cross and new friends are found no matter where you go.

Well! Success! Blog has been rebooted! I so appreciate you if you eyes have reached this far. If you have liked what you have read/seen, please leave a comment or some kind of sign that you were here, I already appreciate you so much!

I will be posting new blog entries every Sunday. No particular order. If there is a place, an excursion that has been mentioned, or a subject you are particularly fond of or curious about, please let me know and I can put it at the top of the ever-growing list.

Until next week, stay curious, and be kind…….always,

Polley93

aka Tink

Adventure, coastline, lighthouses, Northern California, Photography, Road Trip, Uncategorized, Wanderlust

Lighthouses, The Human Need for Hope and John Mayer

May 21, 2017 polley93 1 Comment

Greetings! And, as always, thank you for spending some of your moments here with me as my brain goes rambling down the road to unknown destinations. I sit here in the hotel room I have lived in since New Year’s and John Mayer is on shuffle. It brought me back to still yet another “must get out of room” moment, and I took off in the car for the coast with my friend John playing in the car. He is truly one of the best artists to have blaring loudly in the car as you drive to absolutely nowhere. So I thought I would share that day with those of you who chose to stop by for a visit.

Grabbed my camera, made a sandwich, packed some grapes and stopped for a coffee and started driving west. The coastline is only about 50 miles or less from me but the road to get there is…….interesting. Pretty? Yes, but interesting

Drove down the PCH toward Mendocino and took a random right turn. Lo and behold there was a sign….

LIGHTHOUSE ———— THIS WAY —————->>>>>>>>>>

The day was INCREDIBLY windy and got worse when I got out of the car. But pulled my hoodie over my head and started walking. And walking. And walking some more.

Now, I’m not a small person I’m 5’10” and I had some difficulty standing upright. The wind was brutal, strong To take photos I had to literally back up against something to be able to be somewhat still. The wind was cold, and cut through my Shawshank Redemption sweatshirt that I purposely leave in the trunk of the car for things and times like these. I questioned the logic of this, and should I actually do this on some windy narrow dirt path that I wasn’t even sure would lead to anything? But?

LIGHTHOUSE —————– THIS WAY ——————>>>>>>>>>> so onward I went.

Amazing the simple things that can be so beautiful if you just slow down Take that breath And notice. The fast paced and technology overload is lying to us that life is all scheduled, hectic, stressful and cluttered. The gale forced winds that were cutting through my clothes reminded me exactly of this. A sense of urgency.

Not so. Stop. Slow down. Tuck your phone in a drawer. Notice.

I kept braving the elements, head down and focusing on each step and then I looked up and saw her. My lighthouse.

I think many of us love lighthouses. They are mysterious, majestic, different, and all offer the same human element that we all crave.

Hope.

A beacon in the night. A light in the dark. A warm place to rest your soul. A strong stance, weathering the test of time, of storm, of weather, of tide. It symbolizes the endurance of the human spirit. To stand strong. To face the challenge. To realize the sun will peek her head through those storm clouds. That this storm won’t last forever, but you can do it. Yes you can You can weather the storm. We all can.

Yes lighthouses They say all those things to me. I suppose that’s why I continually find them. And continually seek them out no matter what coastline I happen to be on.

Yes, the storms come. And? They will keep coming. The waters will get choppy. The winds will try to knock you down. You will get tired. You will question whether you can get through or not. You will look around and see nothing but crashing waves.

But hold on. Baby step your way through. Borrow my life mantra of “just keep doing the next right thing”, and the waves will lessen. The storm will calm. The clouds will part.

And you will find your lighthouse.

As always, I truly thank you for stopping here at my rambling thoughts and random photography hideaway. The moments you spend here are appreciated, as they can never be replaced. Thank you for spending them here with me.

Until next time………Be kind………..Always.

Polley93

Adventure, Northern California, Photography, Road Trip, Uncategorized, Wanderlust

Traveling Solo, Adventures and The Land of the Giant Trees

May 14, 2017 polley93 1 Comment

Greetings! And, as always, thank you for spending your moments with me.

Adventure. What is it? In my world, it can be anything you want it to be. I love to travel. I also need to work. So my life has become somewhat of a balancing act. Over the past few years I have learned that Adventure can be anywhere, doing anything, meeting anyone, and for me? It has been solo. Nothing I love more than just taking off to some new place with a camera and capturing its flavor, its personality, and its people.

Some people tend to think an adventure is a well thought out, planned, financed trip of some kind. Vacation time, hundreds or thousands of dollars and packing a week ahead. For me? Adventure could mean a five dollar bill and an hour. I have day trips. These are basically getting in the car, taking roads, traveling for four hours, and having GPS guide me home. Half the time I couldn’t even tell you where I’ve been. A weekend trip is 200 miles or less. An overnight someplace. A three-day weekend means I can go as far as 500 miles. Two nights stay. These are solo and I bring my own food.

I have been asked more times than I would care to admit, the same questions. How can you travel alone? Why do you like to do such random things? And, how can you afford this? Well, I will try to answer those.

How can I travel alone? Well, if I didn’t travel alone for the most part, I wouldn’t travel at all! I have been single for a very long time and have learned that being solo is no excuse for not getting out there and finding what this world has to offer. I look at it as a benefit. No compromising on the where to go, what to do, and cost. If the trip is successful or a dismal failure, it is all up to me. I keep safety factors in mind, and thus far, I have done well.

Why do I like to do such random things? Oh heavens!! Two words for you….WHY NOT? Life has no road map, and therefore, I tend to not have one either on my travels. I have met the most fascinating people, have seen the most amazing things, and have learned life lessons not from a book. I highly suggest (if you have any) getting over your fears, inhibitions, and just GO. You will be so glad you did. Get out of the proverbial box!!

How can I afford to do this? How can I afford NOT to do this? Most of my trips are extremely cheap. It’s a tank of gas, sandwiches and food I bring, and my cameras. If I have to stay overnight for a weekend, I use my infamous hotels.com and find someplace very reasonable. Every tenth night is free. I pay myself a weekly allowance out of the money I work damn hard to make, but I usually don’t spend too much, so when it adds up? I go. My international trips take a little more planning, but I go on those too (next one is October of this year…..passport stamps…..yay!!)

I was fortunate enough to have a three-day weekend, and since I am working in Northern California, I want to experience as much as I can while I’m out here. I decided to go to Sequoia National Park, about 400 miles away. The trip there was very bizarre. Getting through Oakland was no fun. It was flat and nothing forest-like. I was about 100 miles away and was seriously wondering if I was going the right way! How can giant trees be growing around where it was so FLAT?

But? I found Three Rivers, and I was there. I was committed to driving to the park and catching a glimpse of these huge trees before I settled in for the night, so off I went. The park was ten minutes from my motel, and THE TREES were about an hour up the mountain. Oh my…..how glad I was that I went!

Never had I seen things so ginormous. I mean the pictures surely do not do these magnificent statements of nature justice. The forest was silent. Misty. Serene. It was very emotional. All the stress, the traffic, the patients, the drama, the cell phones and computers and demands were? Gone. Just gone. There was this overwhelming nothingness. Just nothing. Just pure air, occasional chirp of a bird. The random quiet “shush” of a breeze, and these towering, magnificent, amazing creatures of nature.

I ventured back to my motel, settled in and slept like a baby. I got up early and had a plan to just be gone. All day. To find what I could find. And to drive to the end of the road. I was amazed at the sprinkle of color I found along the way.

I knew from what I read about these huge trees that the largest tree in the WORLD was right here in this park. It isn’t the tallest, nor is it the widest, but it has the larges MASS of any tree in the world. His name is “General Sherman” and I began my quest to find him. It took quite a hike, and at 7000 feet no less, but I did. He was so big I just stood there for a good long time just staring.

General Sherman is over 2000 years old. TWO THOUSAND YEARS. I wish I could hear his stories…….

After you get through Sequoia, which is a LONG LONG WAY, you enter into another National Park, Kings Canyon. I literally drove through clouds at 5mph, on hairpin turns that were literally 180 degrees, up the mountain range and down the other side. It was literally breathtaking and no way any photo captures its majesty.

The rushing water of King’s River, the huge mountain peaks, the sheer mighty proud stance of the granite and shale mountain sheers. It was just almost too much. I would stop at a turnout to get a photo or get a better view, and if there was anyone there, or someone who would stop, we would all be doing the same thing. Just standing there, looking, still and silent. It was surreal.

I drove to the end of the road. Literally. It was called “end of the road”, I’m kicking myself now for not getting a picture!

I turned back around and just enjoyed the drive. And spent my time going slowly through the land of these beautiful giants.

If you have never been, this is definitely bucket-list worthy. I kid you not. Life changing. Makes you really understand just how small we are. Very, very small. I’m so thankful we had presidents in the past who realized we needed to preserve our wonderful lands and make them National Parks. They are pristine, spotless, peaceful, untouched, raw and real. This is a must see.