This page has a continually changing collection of tips for your own travel, including things I have learned in our travels, as well as places that might interest you.
Here are some favorite places Judy and I found during our travels. I am not doing any trip reports about travels before November 2015, but I’ll include a few links (in green) to places with useful trip reports by us or others.
Some of our favorite destinations over the years:
Gangga Island Resort North Sulawesi, Indonesia Lovely place to relax and snorkel
Maldives Indian Ocean, south of India Exquisite islands with fabulous snorkeling
Island of Rab Croatia, Europe The old town is delightful.
Torres del Paine Park Patagonia region of southern Chile, South America
Safe travel tips:
Forgive me if some of this seems obvious. It wasn’t all so to me when I started traveling the wide world.
In busy, crowded streets, and walking, you are at risk of getting run over by fast, quiet people, bikes, motorcycles, tuk-tuks, cars, trucks and buses. Improve your chances by moving predictably–don’t meander sideways without looking, don’t flop your arms out suddenly, and don’t multitask, trying to walk and read texts on your phone at the same time.
Stay awake and aware of where you are, and whether that is a safe place to be. You’d be surprised how many people wander the world obliviously and put themselves in spots such as at a corner where vehicles tend to cut the corner fast and may not see you in time.
If you are biking, apply the above rules, plus a few more. Remember that pedestrians probably won’t hear you zipping up behind them. Make some noise, and be ready to slow/stop if you encounter one of the oblivious wanderers that I mention above. Be ever vigilant for car doors that may open suddenly in your path, or someone who is about to pull out into traffic.
If you are driving, be a quick learner who follows the maxim “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Remember that in many other countries, the drivers all grew up knowing the unwritten rules of how to signal what you’re going to do–and will expect you in your car to know them, too.
I have been living in AirBnB apartments all over the world. Judy and I began using AirBnB early, and have found it to be a great help. With few exceptions, we found exceptionally comfortable accommodations with gracious hosts. I recommend using AirBnB. Read the reviews carefully, looking for what matters to you. I look especially for ‘comfortable bed’, ‘quiet’, and am careful about ‘smaller than expected’ or ‘noisy’. Be cautious with exceptionally cheap listings, or ones with few or no reviews.
