Counseling for the Daring Traveler
It all begins when you decide to break away without the “group of tourists” surrounding you. You may be planning to go it alone, with a companion or with a few friends that share your enthusiasm for adventure; and it’s not that difficult! Perhaps this site will offer some helpful advice to motivate you into action, to decide where to go, when to go and how to plan to get there. There may be even a thought or two on what to do when you arrive at your destination. This advice comes from a well seasoned traveler that rarely uses a travel agent or travel agency to plan for me and my traveling companions.
Tired of the virus…
Well ME TOO! And all the wind and rain…makes getting out a challenge. But as this blog moves ahead, let’s put our heads together and start thinking of traveling again; only in a new norm sorta way! Stay tuned…
Homebound Travel…
COVID-19 travel means walking outside around home…if you have paths where you can stay “socially distant” away from others! If you’re living in multi-family areas, wear a mask and walk around the building, in the parking lot…but get outside for some air - It is Springtime and the air helps! BUT do not endanger yourselves and follow all local and Federal guidelines during this pandemic! If you have a state or National Park that is open for day use…use it! The air will cleanse your spirit…
Time to adjust travel priorities…
Rethinking my travel plans…
With the coronavirus still advancing worldwide outside its point of origin…I am seriously reconsidering when and where to travel to in the near term! While my dreams are still alive and well, and my bucket list in tack; timing is the issue (and even cost considerations as my 401K sinks!). Setbacks are a part of life, and at my age, I’ve seen a few! So, what am I doing now? Looking over my travel desires, I am re-prioritizing! I do not plan to make an international trip in the near term. Traveling long distances and in areas where language barriers and medical care may not be to my expectations…why challenge that! There are plenty of great places not far away from me and thus, I am thinking those now make super alternatives…
For instance, I really want to visit New England (for me, riding some of that beautiful country on my motorcycle) and take in some of our wonderful history. It has been on my list, but it was coming after some other major trips (that were both time consuming and high cost trips) …so now it takes on a new priority. Upstate rural New York or the settings of peaceful and quiet Vermont to the rough and tumultuous coastline of Maine seems more attractive to me at this point in time. So in the meantime, I will regularly check https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html for updates and start my trip planning for later this year; probably during the fall to soak in the colors of fall in New England. Stay tuned!
Just for Fun…
Rather that turn to the south for warm weather during the 1st quarter of any given year, try going colder instead. One year we chose to go to Banff, Canada and it turned out to be one of the best trips ever! We did all the cold snowy stuff…ice hiked up frozen river beds, rode snowmobiles and even dog sledded. When we signed up for the dog sledding, we expected to be carted around by some guide while we leisurely sat bundled up in a sleigh…nothing could have been farther from that experience! I mushed my own team with my wife and friend bundled in the sled. From the first yelling of “hike, hike” which makes the dogs bolt…I was in deep trouble back behind that flying machine…I did not know how to turn,, nor did I know that dogs could run and pull something that heavy so fast! Naturally the trail had turns in it…I wrecked the sled, but did not let go and managed to keep the dogs from dragging us back to home base. I did not make a good impression on our single guide for some 4-5 sleds all being operated by tourists! Probably should have been paying better attention to instructions in the beginning. But no broken bones; only lots of laughter and fond memories of the mountains of western Canada.
