tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-252264142024-03-19T04:40:42.482-07:00travel spotI have a lot to say about travel; I have a little to say about everything else.Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.comBlogger1077125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-54587712313978859282024-03-18T05:42:00.000-07:002024-03-18T05:42:47.167-07:00So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, GoodbyeLast Friday was my last day of work. I was going to write a witty recount of my time there and talk about my feelings about leaving, but I don't think I quite have it in me yet. My brain is on half mast; I have DNFed three audiobooks this month and have not read any eBooks. All I can do is listen to podcasts and sometimes not even that, so I have reverted back to listening to music in the car. <div><div><br /></div><div>This month so far, I am batting 250 on books, and my one hit was only a single. I read Lisa Jewell's Watching You and it was just okay. I don't know if that is my mindset or if the book is not that good, so take my review with a grain of salt. I then DNFed Everywhere an Oink Oink (annoying Hollywood producer) and I Didn't Know I Needed This (annoying Twitter influencer) and started Murder in The Family twice and just could not get into it, so I realized that it's not you, it's me, and decided to just give it a rest. I think I may be ready to give it a shot again, but I need something light and funny and fun. Does anyone have a suggestion of a quick and easy read? No Emily Henry please. <br /><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of music, I found an old SanDisk music player among my things and it still works! It cost maybe $15 and it holds about 3G of music, and it was about half full. It was so fun to turn it on and see what I was listening to when I last used it, which was probably at least ten years ago! I also added more songs on it so I will have something that doesn't drain my phone battery that I can listen to when I am on the road. The playlist includes a variety of songs like Shaggy's It Wasn't Me, So What by Pink, Jesus Walks by Kanye, Believe Me Natalie by the Killers and Sex Is On Fire by Kings of Leon. I also have a playlist on my phone as a backup that I have dubbed Pick Me Up, and will be used when I am feeling discouraged or tired and need to be pumped up. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidIR9Ae5HweKjiWkG5ivRiNtdPXS9_bUAFX8L-8zB_rmDZcldsShbtRKtQsGfo1E-2rMpd0EM4pnMFTcUGKB71w7qqCjyR_hhKpBgtmijaV3h0sEhqT8hIpIZk-dv7mHm-ESHk7fqxdVC9pupRq8_EK37IusDDxpMpTWA4DP5KOJmxuEp7pBSg/s4032/PXL_20240313_011249981.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidIR9Ae5HweKjiWkG5ivRiNtdPXS9_bUAFX8L-8zB_rmDZcldsShbtRKtQsGfo1E-2rMpd0EM4pnMFTcUGKB71w7qqCjyR_hhKpBgtmijaV3h0sEhqT8hIpIZk-dv7mHm-ESHk7fqxdVC9pupRq8_EK37IusDDxpMpTWA4DP5KOJmxuEp7pBSg/s320/PXL_20240313_011249981.MP.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Testing out the SanDisk</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXrlGLe6QyqObElnYAq6cBtqnKcINVTkCoWop19m9hQsn7X7MovdGB6IPM4iWVgvgVdZXegUzWve4rYhoVx53rc2-d7o8YM4sK4ZiwT1aY0SiUpMLLW5KhfONFQcCMzR4B18BJJBgM_iBH0rgvzVKBFuo_6Y2ORuOrj-n_ir4kM5GtUWoRroU6/s4032/PXL_20240313_011308694.PORTRAIT.ORIGINAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXrlGLe6QyqObElnYAq6cBtqnKcINVTkCoWop19m9hQsn7X7MovdGB6IPM4iWVgvgVdZXegUzWve4rYhoVx53rc2-d7o8YM4sK4ZiwT1aY0SiUpMLLW5KhfONFQcCMzR4B18BJJBgM_iBH0rgvzVKBFuo_6Y2ORuOrj-n_ir4kM5GtUWoRroU6/s320/PXL_20240313_011308694.PORTRAIT.ORIGINAL.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It still works!</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of that, if you are interested, I would love to get one song recommendation to add to the pick me up playlist from each of you. FYI, I listen to all genres, and would be just as happy with Pantera or Snoop Dogg as I would with Taylor Swift or James Taylor. So lay it on me folks! If you are one of my shy lurkers (you know who you are Berreaux!) you can text me or email me your suggestion. </div><div><br /></div><div>As I said, I have also been listening to more podcasts. If you love hearing a short story made long, I have one about this too. I used to use Stitcher as my podcast player. It was great, I had all of the settings down and everything was copesetic. Maybe six or ten months ago, they closed up shop and told everyone to migrate their playlists, and suggested Google Podcasts. I am an Android user and a fan of the Google suite, so I did what they said and have been very happy with the transition so far. However, about a month ago, Google Podcasts announced that they would no longer be around and that we would need to migrate our playlist again. Sigh. I don't mind learning new things but that is kind of annoying. So I moved everything to YouTube Music, which is where I listen to and get my music from. However, I don't love this platform for various reasons. So I am going to try out Podcast Guru, unless one of you has a suggestion for a great podcast app? Like I said, I am an Android user and I don't want to pay for the app. Any suggestions? And if so, why do you like the one you are using? </div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of podcasts, one of my go tos lately has been All the Hacks and I just listened to <a href="https://www.allthehacks.com/fomo-patrick-mcginnis/https://www.allthehacks.com/fomo-patrick-mcginnis/">a great one about FOMO and FOBO</a>. I had never heard of FOBO but it is the Fear of Better Options, meaning that you do not make a decision right away because you think something better may come along after you do. It really hit home with me, as I don't really have too much FOMO, but I definitely have a case of FOBO from time to time. It is not unusual for me to turn on Netflix and spend half an hour trying to decide what to watch before finally giving up and turning the TV off. It is not unusual for me to put an alert on a flight price rather than buying one right away, in the hopes that the price will go down later or that the flight will be at a better time. I try not to be, but often am guilty of analysis paralysis. </div><div><br /></div><div>In the podcast, they talk about being an optimizer or a maximizer, both who want to get the best that they can out of the choices they make and it is fascinating to see how much I can relate to much of this. The opposite is a satisficer, who will pick something that is "good enough" just to satisfy. Supposedly, maximizers will take longer to make the decision, but it will often be a better decision due to the research put in, versus satisficers, who will choose quickly, but be happier in the long run. I take a long time to make decisions and often have to ask many questions to be sure I know exactly what I am getting myself into before I make the plunge. I know this is annoying to many of my satisficer friends, but to loop this back to work for the grand finale, has served me well in my industry over the last ten years! </div><div><br /></div><div><b>What fun book should I be reading now? What is your one pick me up song? What podcast app would you suggest I use? Are you a maximizer or a satisficer? </b></div></div></div>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-45116949664932284972024-03-11T04:49:00.000-07:002024-03-11T04:49:13.573-07:00A Million Tiny ThingsI know that I am not the first person to ever sell a house or make a big change, and I even know that some of you have very recently done this (<a href="https://girlinaboyhouse.com/">Nicole</a>, <a href="https://lifeofadoctorswife.wordpress.com">Suzanne</a>) without nary a peep about any of the annoying things that one must do in order to make this happen. Ladies, I applaud you. It is something that is not high on my bucket list, but it is One Of Those Things that must be done in order to get to the next step of your life, hopefully a Good one, or even a Better one than you were at before. <div><br /></div><div>Of course this makes me think about all of those things that we do to get to something beyond them. Even something as simple as hiking is sometimes not that fun, but you know that the beauty that you will behold will make the trudge worth it. It is almost a kind of type two fun, where the activity itself is often not that fun in the moment, but when you look back you talk about how fun it was. Will I look back and wax poetic about selling stuff on FB Marketplace in six months or a year? Currently I do not think so, but you never know! </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgXZ95poo-dgbjItvuJrwVKRk6xu54hBAtCuXHOlUg3vm5JY-30urhec68ZbdKFu0Nqt7lAZV-mF5YpBnki1cF8bnb6vqOzrDKleojopsDHFJLJjyjQNurrWR4JGYwMa7lzFLom4yb43CVcsH57SSG2rp911ZSrLQjOqeDgsjO6K2FrKl4ManI/s5052/IMG_20180913_094924-PANO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1798" data-original-width="5052" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgXZ95poo-dgbjItvuJrwVKRk6xu54hBAtCuXHOlUg3vm5JY-30urhec68ZbdKFu0Nqt7lAZV-mF5YpBnki1cF8bnb6vqOzrDKleojopsDHFJLJjyjQNurrWR4JGYwMa7lzFLom4yb43CVcsH57SSG2rp911ZSrLQjOqeDgsjO6K2FrKl4ManI/w640-h229/IMG_20180913_094924-PANO.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gratuitous hiking photo: Healy Pass in the snow - Banff, AB</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I feel like I have a million tiny things to do. In case I did not mention this in my last post, I am selling my house, but not only that, I am paring down my belongings to a few boxes, mostly of mementos, camping gear and a few reference and childhood books (I just could not help myself!!) This means that much of my last several months of life has consisted of working on my unsuccessful side hustle, sorting through stuff, throwing stuff away and giving stuff away. I do not want to bore anyone too much, but I could tell a whopper of a story about how hard it is to get rid of a simple couch (it is hard). </div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, you do want to know why? Well, after having no luck selling it, I tried to donate it to Habitat For Humanity, who by the way is very picky about their items. They do not take any patterned upholstery, sleeper sofas or anything that has oak. They also will not accept anything that has ANY stains or nicks, no matter how tiny. They will not take anything made of particle board or that is painted. So, in a nutshell, they basically do not want used furniture unless it has been wrapped in plastic and never used. However, after speaking to a woman on the phone, submitting an application and submitting photos, the couch was accepted. I was more proud of this day then when I was accepted for college. The truck arrived, the driver disembarked and after looking at the couch, he turned his nose up in denial at it, as if it had just let out a silent but deadly fart, because it had a tiny water mark on one arm. Not only that, but when he was moving out the items that he did accept, he must have also scraped something dirty on it, causing it to have a black smudge on it after he left. I had submitted a request for about 20 things and they only took about 10 of them, and they were not the large items that I really wanted to get rid of. </div><div><br /></div><div>A few days later, I phoned option number two, Out of the Closet, to see if I could schedule a pickup and was told that I had to specifically call back on the next Tuesday to schedule a pickup for their next pickup day, which was March 15th. When I called back on Tuesday promptly at nine, I was told that I was going to have to call back on March 18th to schedule a pickup for their next day, which was March 28th. This simply would not do. </div><div><br /></div><div>A few days later, I had my brother come with his truck so that we could take the couch, and several large items to Salvation Army, whose website said that they accepted furniture. We pull up to the donation center and we get denied, as they state that they do not accept any furniture. At this point, we already have the car loaded with half of the items, including the couch, and my armpits are starting to smell bad from the fear that this is going to be a lot more difficult that anticipated. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-sL8Op1IfmO5MNs5myNHJaM12rXKqox4uKDLM686BNUtUEBMZ5PrkDA7gX-Rx47yiU0Ut28IEPqGU2Dco3lb1ZmXIhvkktCoD6gX6qZbWjjPiavoiQztSoaCE9UY61FQeB40cWq7Ymf0kNeIWfPk9hAQ6LLedBjFvEEUk-DPfSjMhHOkl47n/s4032/PXL_20240307_212609411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-sL8Op1IfmO5MNs5myNHJaM12rXKqox4uKDLM686BNUtUEBMZ5PrkDA7gX-Rx47yiU0Ut28IEPqGU2Dco3lb1ZmXIhvkktCoD6gX6qZbWjjPiavoiQztSoaCE9UY61FQeB40cWq7Ymf0kNeIWfPk9hAQ6LLedBjFvEEUk-DPfSjMhHOkl47n/w300-h400/PXL_20240307_212609411.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Broski, the truck & the accursed couch.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I decide to try Out of the Closet, which is down the street from the Salvation Army, so I call them and speak to a nice lady named Brenda who says that yes they do accept furniture, but not if it has any stains or nicks. I tell her that I am going to come with a truck and she says she will come out to look at the stuff when we get there. I get there, go in and get her and she comes out and looks at everything and says that yes, they will take everything. I wanted to kiss her! We unloaded everything and then told her that I had a second load, and even showed her photos and she said she would take all of the second load too. We went home, loaded up the rest, came back, unloaded it and got the heck out of dodge as fast as possible. I kept waiting for Brenda to start chasing me from the back screaming, "wait, this couch has a tiny stain, take it back!" and me yelling, "sorry Brenda, possession is 9/10ths of the law! It's yours now! Have a nice day!" </div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, this story is just one of many similar ones and although it has not necessarily been stressful per se, there are some things that have not been my favorite. For example, I do not really like having strangers in my space. In the last six months, I have probably had no less than 100 people come onto my property, whether it is to buy something, fix something, look at something, load something up or take something. On the other hand, I sold a ladder, a bike rack and a BBQ, all things I was worried that I would have to take to the dump. And thirdly, I talked to all of the people who bought these things, and I was even friendly, which simultaneously makes me feel a little bit like I need a social break and a little bit amazed that I can do things that I hate, and am even okay at faking them fairly well. </div><div><br /></div><div>I am not done yet. I still have so many things to do. This week, I have my Global Entry appointment, I have to put my car up for sale and I need to get my bike tuned up. I will have at least two more trips to the donation center, one more night with the girls, and much packing and cleaning to do. I hope to be fully done by this weekend, and will spend Saturday hopefully out on the trails, basking in the (fingers crossed) sunshine and the beauty that is the Pacific coast, before heading out. </div><div><br /></div><div>In one week, my house will be empty, I will be the proud owner of nearly no possessions, and I will be free to go where the wind takes me. Did I get everything done that I wanted to get done, the way that I wanted to do it? Nope. But I have accomplished a million tiny things, one tiny thing at a time, and that is good enough for me. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Have you ever sold your house and/or all/most of your possessions, or moved from one place to another? If so I would love to hear your thoughts about the process! How did you feel? What was the hardest part? What do you hope you never have to do again? </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><i>P.S. I was telling my friend K this story, and she said she just hired people to come and take everything. They recycle or donate 80% of the items and it cost her about $200 to have them come the next day. This is not a sponsored post, but maybe if you want to avoid the hassle of DIY, hire <a href="https://nixxitjunk.com/area/oakland-junk-removal-service/">someone like this company</a> in your area! PPS but she won't have the "fun" stories that I have, will she?! </i></div>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-46960987950230691592024-03-04T03:00:00.000-08:002024-03-05T16:32:03.782-08:00Round The World (RTW) Episode Five<p>Over the years, I have stopped working to take various longer adventures around the world. The first was in 1999, when, after taking a semester of French, I signed up for a work abroad summer program and went to Bordeaux to work in a French supermarket. I <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2011/03/whole-pack-age.html">overpacked</a>, bungled around with the language and learned very quickly how to summon help and to be relieved to hear "j'arrive." <br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5P1Hwy1H4ZrHnavnwW5H8ygIdycny2eMvRp8Tw3tPpYtDlm5KcAuO1Syc8Zj4HMpApFSN7rjuUsvtC5resLWrdOE-fqNGutKvtgbZNz7yetxQPD8JUj-DyaiUOsi3s_DrOubcNUlsbiuPx3SmwGkfRZJFKLX3g6NaT3u0lET6Yv2YnREyb5V/s1504/1999%20Bordeaux2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1504" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5P1Hwy1H4ZrHnavnwW5H8ygIdycny2eMvRp8Tw3tPpYtDlm5KcAuO1Syc8Zj4HMpApFSN7rjuUsvtC5resLWrdOE-fqNGutKvtgbZNz7yetxQPD8JUj-DyaiUOsi3s_DrOubcNUlsbiuPx3SmwGkfRZJFKLX3g6NaT3u0lET6Yv2YnREyb5V/s320/1999%20Bordeaux2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tour de France, 1999 (Lance Armstrong won that year)</td></tr></tbody></table><p>In 2004, I quit my job and went to live in London. After being there for a couple of months, and doing some local traveling in Europe, I stayed in Paris for a month before moving to Istanbul. This was my first version of a round the world trip. During this trip, I did a lot of things wrong (not fully understanding the entry restrictions, running out of money WAY faster than expected, etc.) but I learned a lot and had a great time despite my trip only lasting about six months in the end. <br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8KJFw43IPOxuEZcSIflQXmnP1ToR-AIzaT_9PbdgHVrWG4bP9XTWEUs4VdQ-xyiAfJ3BsO_fgK2tWJAAnheY12K4qXebVc-Vot2VyphFTJlDtdsJQNbU8Ov-QfXmaEphDVBjp4Fn9K0kEhk6NvyeMPeAJP1YopKsA-oOjQFdZCuIu23YF5v5/s1280/picadilly-circus_1242714073_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="1280" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8KJFw43IPOxuEZcSIflQXmnP1ToR-AIzaT_9PbdgHVrWG4bP9XTWEUs4VdQ-xyiAfJ3BsO_fgK2tWJAAnheY12K4qXebVc-Vot2VyphFTJlDtdsJQNbU8Ov-QfXmaEphDVBjp4Fn9K0kEhk6NvyeMPeAJP1YopKsA-oOjQFdZCuIu23YF5v5/s320/picadilly-circus_1242714073_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">London 2004</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Since then, I have taken a sabbatical and/or quit my job to travel the world three more times. In 2006, I spent about four months traveling in Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia, including the Philippines and Borneo. In fact, as I mentioned <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2024/02/a-lifetime-of-blogging.html">in this post</a>, my first ever blog post was in April 2006 from Vietnam (<a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2006/04/comments-laos-march-30-april-3.html">how quaint it was</a>)! <i>That means that in just two more years I will be celebrating my 20 year blog-iversary, woof!</i> In 2008, I spent <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/search/label/South%20America">almost a year in South America</a> and in 2010, I did a <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/search/label/Round%20the%20World">year long round the world trip</a> (Europe, Africa, India, Nepal, South Korea, China, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand). <br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidEYYa9SzWHpp4gWDtqPQTuXvlCX2i5iByvoDcYsqQ8pU2btOVt7l43MoEvLsSxVE-01lUm4VXJLpq9dc-jcaqLH31qjE7NkMLsZ39ETxhDu_-hfJeVonLUKlj-OoFH_2otU-pn6C-a2zD2SoHAj0dAoV4aIOFUADSmZR_A1YCS0mXfbTirn4/s1280/china-town---singapore_560700845_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidEYYa9SzWHpp4gWDtqPQTuXvlCX2i5iByvoDcYsqQ8pU2btOVt7l43MoEvLsSxVE-01lUm4VXJLpq9dc-jcaqLH31qjE7NkMLsZ39ETxhDu_-hfJeVonLUKlj-OoFH_2otU-pn6C-a2zD2SoHAj0dAoV4aIOFUADSmZR_A1YCS0mXfbTirn4/s320/china-town---singapore_560700845_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Singapore 2006</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga6onb4DXsT9OnVZ7zubpu_TEd9FzT4iBVTNFGR0d0Zeg_UIO5Dfeul64xupb8TGvc0sDSjUAwiIfjaOy4RhIi5W1Vk0MqCEwTdOKh05d9xPsU9wBuQOkNFi1hPFeXi2yUvQB0kkp1o93R-am6zEp17J197qbrMPvr051H5ZMytAfKNXy0o2n2/s1280/lake-atitlan_192813810_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga6onb4DXsT9OnVZ7zubpu_TEd9FzT4iBVTNFGR0d0Zeg_UIO5Dfeul64xupb8TGvc0sDSjUAwiIfjaOy4RhIi5W1Vk0MqCEwTdOKh05d9xPsU9wBuQOkNFi1hPFeXi2yUvQB0kkp1o93R-am6zEp17J197qbrMPvr051H5ZMytAfKNXy0o2n2/s320/lake-atitlan_192813810_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guatamala 2006</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GAvek36e_OlfyhpYT9npBDD0m8BdRjYa_kw1Seb5KH126QG0VkUH5DVxSP7RSnk7jVyYyAT3pqCO206Kgq2fCsFdZllx7_ahT2Q_rxBd-JrLvMGEa_aUmllMq8hjN2zVPl0tJLN9MTs9HxWq-T0adcktGMkGYCSNMPEQgwz3I8Oa-uLAHoxL/s1280/whitehaven-beach-stinger-suit_560228822_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GAvek36e_OlfyhpYT9npBDD0m8BdRjYa_kw1Seb5KH126QG0VkUH5DVxSP7RSnk7jVyYyAT3pqCO206Kgq2fCsFdZllx7_ahT2Q_rxBd-JrLvMGEa_aUmllMq8hjN2zVPl0tJLN9MTs9HxWq-T0adcktGMkGYCSNMPEQgwz3I8Oa-uLAHoxL/s320/whitehaven-beach-stinger-suit_560228822_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Australia 2006</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OjH-xCWGWlZtsSgDSUsBowdkZUTgr5apB1hbZ4Y4CrwSKENV3mzXqTs2-IqQVjrSTKfg9fAKmFMxf4MROFfgPLwj2mWgAMSd_9pJzk_2ZxYnmMjMNw6C3kdii5-ArvbCkDaKUSSo7FgWsVAQmbhjuGu9jBCdpJ97MkZIqs9au5OYNHqrInCt/s1600/DSCF7163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OjH-xCWGWlZtsSgDSUsBowdkZUTgr5apB1hbZ4Y4CrwSKENV3mzXqTs2-IqQVjrSTKfg9fAKmFMxf4MROFfgPLwj2mWgAMSd_9pJzk_2ZxYnmMjMNw6C3kdii5-ArvbCkDaKUSSo7FgWsVAQmbhjuGu9jBCdpJ97MkZIqs9au5OYNHqrInCt/s320/DSCF7163.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chili 2008</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvowF7X9or56-IAcJ-VhUpBnqnkSdvwBEq0Vw9s-71Cyg60jDP_U-GeoeqZZbgg298EZaPiRKoHui-wbHjJ5EVBUzB87vsNeox5PSynHFE5k_2FCZ9V4mIMS5a_iDX4o4rpu-6sqMnGWDCZEsNML4iey_am3cxYtmc3YGAEjtGmhEr-QloLYJE/s1600/sao%20luis%20(19).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvowF7X9or56-IAcJ-VhUpBnqnkSdvwBEq0Vw9s-71Cyg60jDP_U-GeoeqZZbgg298EZaPiRKoHui-wbHjJ5EVBUzB87vsNeox5PSynHFE5k_2FCZ9V4mIMS5a_iDX4o4rpu-6sqMnGWDCZEsNML4iey_am3cxYtmc3YGAEjtGmhEr-QloLYJE/s320/sao%20luis%20(19).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brazil 2008</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBYLi9A6ne7wk2LmYX9trb5QZH_6OrFeqnKYtKNFsiDsxzfsn2QhHjD7TdG_vf9RgsNrEDPTX1WLccHprxLB_S2bVcSJdCGsGgwu96xo7nfyn07Ls3_VgZagSKbCOWbks8KQoytmRxVtKOwW3_bMQXy1nIjDAt_F6DotNQVB0xj0ri9gGm1vFU/s1600/DSCF0992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBYLi9A6ne7wk2LmYX9trb5QZH_6OrFeqnKYtKNFsiDsxzfsn2QhHjD7TdG_vf9RgsNrEDPTX1WLccHprxLB_S2bVcSJdCGsGgwu96xo7nfyn07Ls3_VgZagSKbCOWbks8KQoytmRxVtKOwW3_bMQXy1nIjDAt_F6DotNQVB0xj0ri9gGm1vFU/s320/DSCF0992.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peru 2008</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhia3CV5UkuLkqy-KarFTfC-vvGVrI2G9LRfScReZI9yBmqmKlPfKIxNK00GFja2Jfor9qxhVqiPUYWPN22ya20KMfY_c0hGfEu9Zk6AtEwvfN6s6neB9F6CS8dN-FxpfFucAJTYWFLblBgFS25Pkog05IVK8Bq_SoSjPaIDOy6fIoGSwgjZH24/s1600/P8150781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhia3CV5UkuLkqy-KarFTfC-vvGVrI2G9LRfScReZI9yBmqmKlPfKIxNK00GFja2Jfor9qxhVqiPUYWPN22ya20KMfY_c0hGfEu9Zk6AtEwvfN6s6neB9F6CS8dN-FxpfFucAJTYWFLblBgFS25Pkog05IVK8Bq_SoSjPaIDOy6fIoGSwgjZH24/s320/P8150781.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South Africa 2010</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBQYgn_G7AF6xHMp-KtM5seUtiSSimduAWZbp1tWL86p4VqGfmLLXZNrC9IiYZylV4BUCrJJBly7K0rolmdoVtgmtasQ7tPZPw_AdnVhWdw38IdSVM-mXiqTfZMMlDR_LOC6mKIrXF4oq3Qyn5HjPIfImIpKGLkqPoyRbx_uyBnOnA-fEF3KC/s2560/PA120350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="2560" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBQYgn_G7AF6xHMp-KtM5seUtiSSimduAWZbp1tWL86p4VqGfmLLXZNrC9IiYZylV4BUCrJJBly7K0rolmdoVtgmtasQ7tPZPw_AdnVhWdw38IdSVM-mXiqTfZMMlDR_LOC6mKIrXF4oq3Qyn5HjPIfImIpKGLkqPoyRbx_uyBnOnA-fEF3KC/s320/PA120350.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nepal 2010</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Every time I have decided to do this, it has been a nervous combination of excitement and fear. Quitting your job and going off into the great unknown is scary, but also traveling to countries you have never been to is fun! However, there is always that element of the unknown and sometimes it feels a bit intimidating to be doing this every day or week or month as you move from place to place. We get so used to our daily routines, and so comfortable with them, even if we are also sometimes stuck in a rut and want change! </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Nc8LX59XRePQA4rBOR64YT82JUf5zbP8IVdMqGpHtMTb26z5hjPJ7L2h0SpE3GUp9_4f3JdGlR1y4LVOTXItY2oExzPYBxNWcfsrTmyvyw68MNZlyghOq8Cvk-iyte1XBu8p4R-CUGnpOT82qM-IjHg-GY2TbQa4Dg5o7TqP8H2Ctgh_bYi-/s1280/view-of-taksim-across-the-bosporus_1242971887_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Nc8LX59XRePQA4rBOR64YT82JUf5zbP8IVdMqGpHtMTb26z5hjPJ7L2h0SpE3GUp9_4f3JdGlR1y4LVOTXItY2oExzPYBxNWcfsrTmyvyw68MNZlyghOq8Cvk-iyte1XBu8p4R-CUGnpOT82qM-IjHg-GY2TbQa4Dg5o7TqP8H2Ctgh_bYi-/s320/view-of-taksim-across-the-bosporus_1242971887_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Istanbul 2004</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><br />So this post is to tell you that <b>I am ready for episode five of the RTW travel adventure</b>. Since my last big trip in 2011, I have pretty much only gone somewhere every one or two years and I want more! So, at long last, basically 25 years since my first big adventure, I have decided once again to step out of the rut and jump back into excitement and fear...This includes quitting my job, selling my house, selling/donating/tossing all of my things, packing up my meager belongings into a backpack and/or onto a bike and hitting the road. </p><p></p><p>This space will still be manned, and I will probably also be resurrecting my Instagram page if you want to follow along there too (the link is in my Who Am I page). </p><p>Currently, I plan to start by doing some biking around the northern/Midwest states of the US and southern(ish) part of Canada. I know this is a bit broad, but if you are in one of these areas, and I can pedal to your house or town, I would love to meet for a coffee or a meal! Let me know if that sounds like something you would want to do (you can comment below or my email is on my Who Am I page). After that, I will likely be doing some slow travel (staying in places for ~ a month at a time) and will start in Asia (I think?) at first and then...to infinity and beyond? The world is, once again, my oyster. </p><p><b>Have you ever done any extended traveling? If so, how do you keep from getting burned out? Have you ever stayed in one place for a month or more? </b></p>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-66935213966922094952024-02-26T03:00:00.000-08:002024-02-26T03:00:00.147-08:00Confessions & Randoms<div>Happy Monday everyone! I hope that everyone had a great weekend and that spring is starting to show in your neck of the woods. In the Bay Area, it finally stopped raining and on Saturday it actually got above 70! I was very happy and celebrated by taking a nap (inside). I know it doesn't make sense, but I left the windows open, so I don't feel too guilty about it! </div><div><br /></div><div>Before I get to the confessions, here are a few random thoughts churning around the old noggin. </div><div><br /></div><div>Today I have a plumber coming to fix a leak under my kitchen sink. It is going to cost me more than my last vacation, which makes me cringe big time, and reminds me of the joys (!!) of being a homeowner. This is one of those things <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2023/08/urgently-hiring-personal-assistant.html">I want my personal assistant to take care of </a>and I will just write a check. It will not be a happy check, but at least I don't have to deal with the guys in my house and things possibly going worse than I already imagine. Just tell me when it's over please! </div><div><br /></div><div>On the reading front, I have really been enjoying thrillers lately. I think my brain capacity has diminished recently and it is just so much easier to listen to a fluffy thriller than anything more substantial. The last one that I read and enjoyed was <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62334530-none-of-this-is-true">None of This is True</a> by Lisa Jewell. I also just finished <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/75668302-kill-show">Kill Show</a>, which came highly recommended by <a href="https://lisasyarns.blogspot.com/">Lisa</a> and <a href="https://ngradstudent.blogspot.com/">Engie</a>, and it did not disappoint. Due to my lowered brain function, I have also been getting back into podcasts. I just cannot concentrate enough for much more at this moment. Some of my favorites lately have been <a href="https://www.adventuresportspodcast.com/">The Adventure Sports Podcast</a> and <a href="https://www.allthehacks.com/">All The Hacks</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>I went skiing with my Dad last week and it was a great day. We got snow on Wednesday and we skied on Thursday and it was sunny and nice with great fresh snow! The only thing that was a bit of a bummer was that my ski boots, which I have had since high school (that is a long time!!) broke in the middle of a run, so we had to rent boots. However, that did not stop us from having a great time. Lately I have only been skiing maybe once a year and this was the perfect day for my one day this year! </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfj-toaT6lr_OocJbEnKrFlL2p1HKP0E6_JfzNE4RBUH1aQh99khG9fLkr7bJzaMdRtZSZzV1HRnxR7NTJKpUZlRbG9HLbV7JBTzk3RvjFQHzU3ich5QRJOcKu7_yb1qKea9SRLm-HbOeri1O2l46e0X_QIDZMNjkfpksvLO_iX4ZSS9ulody1/s4032/PXL_20240222_195612374.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfj-toaT6lr_OocJbEnKrFlL2p1HKP0E6_JfzNE4RBUH1aQh99khG9fLkr7bJzaMdRtZSZzV1HRnxR7NTJKpUZlRbG9HLbV7JBTzk3RvjFQHzU3ich5QRJOcKu7_yb1qKea9SRLm-HbOeri1O2l46e0X_QIDZMNjkfpksvLO_iX4ZSS9ulody1/w400-h300/PXL_20240222_195612374.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely day on the slopes</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Today, something big is happening in my life (aside from the plumber) and I will talk more about it next week. However, I am both looking forward to it and dreading it in equal measures. Stay tuned to find out what the heck I am talking about! And now, onto a few confessions...</div><div><br /></div><div><b>I am not very good at spelling.</b> Yes, I read a lot and I know a lot of big words, but sometimes I still can't remember if "protein" is "I before E" or not. By the way, why IS the E before the I in protein? It does not make any sense. Also, if I can write it down and look it it, my spelling is better, but if I have to spell it out loud to someone, I am slow and I have to look inside my head at a whiteboard in order to get the letters out of my mouth. I think in general I am more of a visual learner and will remember things much better if I read them or write them down than if I hear them (over the phone for example). </div><div><br /></div><div><b>I sometimes hoard food. </b>No, I am not like the chicken girl in Girl, Interrupted, but I do like to have something on hand in case I get hungry. I also do like to buy things on sale, so if it is a two-for-one, I will buy two of them. I also shop at Costco, although I am trying not to do that as much, as there are certain things you just don't need a two year supply of (although I will continue to buy the five dozen egg pack and the two pound bag of coffee). I bought a huge bag of protein powder a couple of years ago, and I finally just had to throw it away (gasp!!!) as it was a little sweet for me, and I barely used it. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>I eat expired food. </b>I do not like throwing food away. I will eat expired food in most cases (obviously not rotten eggs or moldy veggies or anything) and have some spices that date back to the teens (does curry spice REALLY go bad?) that I finally just threw away. Plus there are some arguments about "sell-by" vs "use-by" vs "freshest by" dates. If it smells fine, I will usually go for it. This really disgusts some of my friends and family members. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>I schedule a lot of my text messages. </b>Since I get up super early (usually around 4 am), and this is also when my brain is working at its best, I often reply to texts or send texts to people then. However, I am loving the schedule feature, and will usually set the text to go out around 8 am instead of the hour of the dead that I am actually sending it. There are a couple exceptions to this, such as when I know the person keeps their phone on silent at night, or if I know they get up super early too (Hi Mom!). The other thing I do, so I won't forget, is schedule texts like birthdays or anniversaries when I think of it. Otherwise the day will pass before I know it and I hate being the person to wish someone happy birthday a day late. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>I have never cleaned (or used) my fireplace. </b>Some people like to sit in front of a crackling fire at night. Some people love the routine of starting a fire. I am not one of them. I bought a house with a fireplace and I have never used it. Therefore I have never cleaned it. I grew up in a house with a woodstove, which was our only source of heat, and making a fire (and chopping and carrying wood) is a chore to me. I also do not like smelling like smoke, even when camping. I can make a fire in a jiff if needed for survival, but it is likely I am not going to just do it for fun. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Your turn! What random things are happening in your life? Do you ever schedule your text messages? Do you have (or use) a fireplace in your house? </b></div>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-16842344499812094302024-02-20T04:18:00.000-08:002024-02-20T04:18:45.596-08:00A Lifetime of BloggingLately I have been going through some of my old posts. I had an idea that I was going to relabel some of them and try to tidy things up a bit. But then I realized it was a huge undertaking and would probably not really be that helpful to anyone but me, so I binned it. However, it did make me think about my blogging journey and I thought I would have you all join in with me in talking about your own journeys too! Please feel free to answer any or all of the questions including links if you like! If you do not have a blog, feel free to tell me when you started reading blogs and what kind of blog you like reading the best! <div><br /></div><div><div><b>When did you start blogging and why? </b>I started blogging in 2006 while traveling. I had been writing a mass email at the time, explaining where I was and what I was doing but found it easier to post it online and that way people could come and look at it when they wanted and it would all be in the same place. However, blogging was fairly new to me and my friends and family and I did not really get many comments for a long time! </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdG8r6T1MpOjoIgoa6-T4JBrf8F4cYqPBGgEtbq1EpPHnhprOHQlcoMrh88So2YIstb9GCkdAJs-AFeW_ou2C_D_jKHFT-fnevs_a4f9ducIE0TgtH8pukSp4rHJDF_9J6yDnuvly0xxUbIxrSSbJFhxuY2-4mvicfUN6-w4NMWiPCyXNC527r/s1600/P5220396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdG8r6T1MpOjoIgoa6-T4JBrf8F4cYqPBGgEtbq1EpPHnhprOHQlcoMrh88So2YIstb9GCkdAJs-AFeW_ou2C_D_jKHFT-fnevs_a4f9ducIE0TgtH8pukSp4rHJDF_9J6yDnuvly0xxUbIxrSSbJFhxuY2-4mvicfUN6-w4NMWiPCyXNC527r/s320/P5220396.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Egypt 2010</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><b>What was your first blog post about? </b><a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2006/04/comments-laos-march-30-april-3.html">Here is my first post</a> (excuse the naivete and bad formatting! I swear, I got more polished eventually) It was about a bus ride from hell that went from Laos to Vietnam. It was a long ride, it was hot, our bus broke down...but here is the silver lining, according to 2006 me: <i>After the breakdown there were really no problems except that I saw a bucket of pigs feet soaking in water right near the toilets and I thought how glad I am that I am a vegetarian... </i>(FYI: I am no longer a vegetarian).</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>What is your most used label and why? </b>I am going to cheat on my own question and answer the top three. Feel free to do the same. <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/search/label/lists">Lists</a> (314 times), <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/search/label/Travel">Travel</a> (243), <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/search/label/Running">Running</a> (233). And why? Lists is so general and crosses a lot of other categories. Travel makes me glad, since this is the travel spot, not the running spot or the food spot. Running has been around for long enough that it makes a podium spot, I guess! </div><div><br /></div><div><b>What is your most viewed post? And why do you think this is the case?</b> <a href="https://stephanywrites.com/">Stephany</a> is going to get a kick out of this, but my top post is actually <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2013/04/take-five-orlando-guest-post.html">a guest post that she wrote about theme parks in Orlando</a>. I am guessing it is because it has the word Disney in it. The second most popular is a post I wrote about <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2011/02/sign-thai">strange signs you find when abroad</a>. I am guessing it was popular because I used the word $ex in one of the captions... <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2010/10/10-reasons-why-nepal-is-better-than.html">Mr. Lovely's 10 reasons why Nepal is better than India</a> was also a big hit. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Do you answer comments on your blog? If so, what method do you use (email, post on blog, etc.)? </b>I do answer comments! I used to always respond via email because if the commenter put in their email, blogger would send the comment to my email and I could just reply to the person via direct email. It seems that is not really the case as much, and so a lot of people don't have their email linked, so I just reply on the blog itself. However, I find that harder, since the person has to go back and check rather than knowing I responded, so I do try to email people back if I have their info. NOTE: If you are anonymous, please state your name in the comment so I know who you are (unless you don't want me to). </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Do you go back to see if a blog post that you commented on got replies? If so, how do you keep track? </b>Yes, I do go back, although it is much more helpful if I get an email letting me know that there is a response. Probably only a handful of the people I follow have this though. So my current method is to keep the tab open to the comment and then check it later to see if there is a response, although this is not really a very efficient method. I will be interested to hear if people have tips or tricks for this. </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>What blog that you still read now have you read the longest? </b>This won't come as a surprise to most of you, but I have to give a shoutout to <a href="https://lisasyarns.blogspot.com/">my OG Lisa</a>. A down to earth Mom of two living in MN and working in the finance industry, she gets it done! Also, she commented on my site when nobody else did, regularly! I have a lot of one comment posts from the beginning and it is almost guaranteed it is her. She is thoughtful and responsive and she taught me that it is okay to go out on a limb and support another blogger as they get started, even if you are the only one. Thanks Lisa! (P.S. there are so many other great people out there, and I just can't stress <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2023/04/connections.html">how important ALL of these connections are</a>!) </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Do you post on other forms of social media regularly? If so, where? </b>I am very poor at most other social media forms. I have accounts, but rarely post! I don't get the same sense of connection from most of them and I also find myself wasting time on them when I do log on (as in looking at posts on FB of the children of a girl I met while traveling in Australia in 2006 who I have not kept in touch with). </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>If you talk about people in your real life, do you use their real names? </b>I may have at the beginning, when nobody read my "online journal" but as I started to gain traction, I made code names for most people. Perhaps it's overkill, especially with all of the things that we all post online these days, but I still want to respect other people's privacy as much as possible. </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>If you could get paid to blog no matter what you are writing about, what would your focus/theme be? </b>I would probably write about travel, but I would hopefully have to <u>be traveling</u> in order to get fodder! However, even if it was just about past travels, it would probably still be fun. </div><div><br /></div><div>Your turn! </div><div><br /></div><div>When did you start blogging and why? </div><div>What was your first blog post about? </div><div>What is your most used label and why? </div><div>What is your most viewed post? And why do you think this is the case?</div><div>Do you answer comments on your blog? If so, what method do you use (email, post on blog)? </div><div>Do you go back to see if a blog post that you commented on got replies? If so, how do you keep track? </div><div>What blog that you still read now have you read the longest?</div><div>Do you post on other forms of social media regularly? If so, where?</div><div>If you talk about people in your real life, do you use their real names? </div><div>If you could get paid to blog no matter what you are writing about, what would your focus/theme be? </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Please feel free to answer any or all of the questions including links if you like! If you do not have a blog, feel free to tell me when you started reading blogs and what kind of blog you like reading the best! Or if you are a private writer or journal keeper, what do you normally write about? </b></div></div>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-25787070340808478582024-02-12T03:00:00.000-08:002024-02-12T03:00:00.151-08:00Things I Do Not BuyI noticed the other day that although I have not bought <b>toilet paper</b> since March of 2022 (a 24 pack), I still have seven rolls left in my overflow stash. This could be partially because I bought a bidet in September 2022, which has drastically cut down on my TP use! The other thing is that I am at work four or five days a week for eight or ten hours, so many of my potty trips are at work. However, I was quite surprised to find that it had been that long when I looked back at my Amazon history. I do suspect that I probably had several left over before I bought the last pack, but I am surprised to still have some left! <b>Question: How many rolls of TP do you go through each month? </b><div><b><br /></b><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyF2F9HpCK7Sp3r4Qoiidqsoe6728PVuO8dD88aAYqmb_cenh9UeXhs7wgwLnR6OIcGmva6yll51fBFNItmdq4X_hBewHzewZ707R7-MzZmZn-IP5EJPzTbk_ID8cn1Tl7H1pJa4GUF4IIfEsNk7n3yi6tiiG5fSrFCj-x_2zuCxG9iZlJIMHI/s4032/PXL_20211116_165659357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyF2F9HpCK7Sp3r4Qoiidqsoe6728PVuO8dD88aAYqmb_cenh9UeXhs7wgwLnR6OIcGmva6yll51fBFNItmdq4X_hBewHzewZ707R7-MzZmZn-IP5EJPzTbk_ID8cn1Tl7H1pJa4GUF4IIfEsNk7n3yi6tiiG5fSrFCj-x_2zuCxG9iZlJIMHI/w300-h400/PXL_20211116_165659357.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sign in hospital bathroom. Hands? Really?</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>The other thing I rarely use is <b>paper towels</b>. I bought a Costco pack of 12 rolls when I moved into my house in May 2015 and I (a) still have two rolls left and (b) have given away at least six of them if not more. I just do not use paper towels! If someone comes over for dinner I will use them but otherwise, I use a rag to wipe the floor or the counter (a clean one!) and if I am eating dinner alone, I just use a dishrag as a napkin too. I have a set of older dishcloths that I use for those kinds of things, and a set of new ones that hang on the sink for wiping dishes or whatnot. <b>Question: Do you use a lot of paper towels, napkins, cloth napkins, or dish towels? </b></div><div><br /></div><div>I have actually never used <b>Doordash or Uber Eats</b>. Once at work, I had to order for a group, so I have a Doordash account, but I have never had food delivered to my house. I tend to cook at home and am happy to eat oatmeal for dinner if I have not had a chance to go shopping, or I have a commercial district with restaurants and a grocery store about a half a mile from my house so I can just walk to get food. A coworker of mine ordered Chipotle through Doordash and he said that it cost like $40 with the delivery, food and tip, and I cannot imagine spending that much on Chipotle. You do you and all, but that is not where I want to focus my spending personally. <b>Question: What is the weirdest thing you have ordered for delivery? </b></div><div><br /></div><div>After having several purges and getting rid of many <b>books</b>, I set the goal to not buy anymore until I had read (and given away) the ones on my shelf that I had not yet read. Confession: I still have a couple on my shelf that I have not yet read, but except for those two, I am reading 100% library books now. In the past 10 years, I have bought very few books. I did go to Powell's in Portland about five years ago and I used a gift card that was given to me to buy a few travel books. However, I am now down to only about 20 books on my shelf, which are mostly books from my childhood, and I do not have any plans to buy more books any time soon! <b>Question: Do you still buy books? </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd3bdDGNdTERqxzv2msBRdK7zUVzV7gQKxjHbySHgyPWf4fulRd7L0zOIJ2pXx8Xs3VmCcL1rvJA_XtJdEdHIpImM5enFPTDmUunT2UDO2k_XmprKgxAMJl4R_dKqWSGDFhSV8RKdq1PMOXRePXAYAegTROLaCm18sCsndhdGmIFbJLafoBAfe/s1700/20150327_110810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1492" data-original-width="1700" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd3bdDGNdTERqxzv2msBRdK7zUVzV7gQKxjHbySHgyPWf4fulRd7L0zOIJ2pXx8Xs3VmCcL1rvJA_XtJdEdHIpImM5enFPTDmUunT2UDO2k_XmprKgxAMJl4R_dKqWSGDFhSV8RKdq1PMOXRePXAYAegTROLaCm18sCsndhdGmIFbJLafoBAfe/s320/20150327_110810.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Powell's is awesome. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>I love going out to eat as much as anyone else, but there are a couple of things that I never order at a restaurant. The first is <b>spaghetti</b>. Don't get me wrong; if I am at an Italian restaurant and they make their own pasta, I will go to town on some ravioli or tortellini, but I will likely not order spaghetti. The other thing is <b>roast chicken</b>. If I am going to pay for meat at a restaurant, I feel like it should be one that I don't or can't cook. Fois gras? Yes please. Duck? Sign me up! Rabbit stew? You betcha! Roast chicken? Nah, I can make that at home. <b>Question: Is there something that you rarely or never order at a restaurant? </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRoCo5OUXd7C6sfqeht3tyIaYcOFM8kRKcDW1GxL1aMGtD7tz9mxr5u9cAdmVarGQPy1jDFBTd3BWEizUgKNOV5mhNXgPGaCKKxUjkqXq5FdyR3ciCPQoUWi8Nkip1F1gyIgt7y9oaIYQPqMODItjptHJHZ8WFazELx5gBuYqAoo9R4NYkaw8/s2048/20140227_124854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYRoCo5OUXd7C6sfqeht3tyIaYcOFM8kRKcDW1GxL1aMGtD7tz9mxr5u9cAdmVarGQPy1jDFBTd3BWEizUgKNOV5mhNXgPGaCKKxUjkqXq5FdyR3ciCPQoUWi8Nkip1F1gyIgt7y9oaIYQPqMODItjptHJHZ8WFazELx5gBuYqAoo9R4NYkaw8/w400-h300/20140227_124854.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exception to the rule: chicken and waffles!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>Years ago, I realized that it is so much easier when hiking or traveling to just bring <a href="https://www.ob-tampons.com/">smaller tampons</a> with me. I should have swapped long before that, but at that point, I finally made the switch to applicator-less tampons. I hated using the <b>plastic tampons</b> due to environmental issues and the ones without an applicator are not really any different. I do wish that I would have heard about or tried the Diva cup earlier, as I think that would have also been a good way to not have to use/carry so many feminine products on long hikes! <b>Question: Have you tried the Diva Cup (or equivalent)? If so, what are your thoughts? </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>List of questions: </b></div><div>How many rolls of TP do you go through each month? </div><div>Do you use a lot of paper towels, napkins, cloth napkins, or dish towels? </div><div>What is the weirdest thing you have ordered for delivery? </div><div>Do you still buy books?</div><div>Is there something that you rarely or never order at a restaurant? </div><div>Have you tried the Diva Cup (or equivalent)? If so, what are your thoughts? </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Feel free to answer one or all of the questions above, or tell me what things do you NOT buy? </b></div></div></div>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-73007517752864614462024-02-05T03:00:00.000-08:002024-02-05T03:00:00.144-08:00Winter in the Bay AreaWhile it is not unusual for January to be rainy in the Bay Area, last month felt like it was raining almost all of the time. Maybe this was because I needed to patch and paint my front porch and the patch needed at least 24 hours to dry properly and I wanted a few clear days to do the paint job. We patched it on December 16th and I did not have a chance to paint it until late January. So in my mind there was not a stretch of clear days in that period. I actually looked it up, and here is what I found. <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_JbZC0H9DczjgiXnBLNJKeSY-xkWPeGugiqHXaT8tajUa5srNPY3gcS7kFfoza0rTGCzfZr02LjBqKKrp29XmZdNqsWKQCSJVug-y1YdcfAHHxTMkF30I-vu4OE8g5SIwCA3VXWLequVgvn-JSDJDC4KGiFxSCuHJRSyX-D2UEoN43WuRDPZ/s1892/Screenshot%202024-02-04%20063932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="1892" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_JbZC0H9DczjgiXnBLNJKeSY-xkWPeGugiqHXaT8tajUa5srNPY3gcS7kFfoza0rTGCzfZr02LjBqKKrp29XmZdNqsWKQCSJVug-y1YdcfAHHxTMkF30I-vu4OE8g5SIwCA3VXWLequVgvn-JSDJDC4KGiFxSCuHJRSyX-D2UEoN43WuRDPZ/w400-h241/Screenshot%202024-02-04%20063932.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lot of cloudy days! (grey = cloudy)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfvLVa_6VroImpZgO10A9IbSfcjAVrYVqm_CHoBPc13oeucnbLoRUo8Fm6678v9DhWEuINhQzvKJDQLYflcxMFdJ9JEzAssFocf-YHh4lAsopK9wkfBShtIRvaOMih7OoORAkzuW2Rq7OpH1XqAhHyqdguzg2uQttT3NGTUJnSslReyy5ghoB/s1867/Screenshot%202024-02-04%20063958.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="885" data-original-width="1867" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfvLVa_6VroImpZgO10A9IbSfcjAVrYVqm_CHoBPc13oeucnbLoRUo8Fm6678v9DhWEuINhQzvKJDQLYflcxMFdJ9JEzAssFocf-YHh4lAsopK9wkfBShtIRvaOMih7OoORAkzuW2Rq7OpH1XqAhHyqdguzg2uQttT3NGTUJnSslReyy5ghoB/w400-h190/Screenshot%202024-02-04%20063958.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But maybe not as much rain as I thought? (I painted on the 28th)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>However, having said that, there were several times that I had a marvelous walk or hike and did not get rained on at all! The <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2024/01/west-coast-adventures.html">day of the crosstown trail hike</a> was perfect, and last Tuesday I went out for my normal after work run along the bay, which is generally about six miles, and it was so nice I did double the mileage! I went all the way from my office to Hoppers Hands / Fort Point, where I watched the surfers catch some waves under the Golden Gate Bridge. It was so beautiful and it made me remember why I like running, but I was definitely a little sore a couple of days later!! It was completely worth it though. </div><div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_Zy7CyQDFpoeIjsOwDEFCzPcQrSBuVBTRE4DHvHzSq-sDz7XVaJRZ3-THVHgROxc3XB4yV8U3M3nUc1NcjoIFb0rlxS_LQzczQaHUwXAT_gaftgnfO-heWznqqg2GWFTMxHq3HtmQ8SEgodRuWwPZjnibD4KQ2G9nuKGmqJnSxMU9xC2KhCd/s2065/Screenshot%202024-02-04%20065936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="945" data-original-width="2065" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_Zy7CyQDFpoeIjsOwDEFCzPcQrSBuVBTRE4DHvHzSq-sDz7XVaJRZ3-THVHgROxc3XB4yV8U3M3nUc1NcjoIFb0rlxS_LQzczQaHUwXAT_gaftgnfO-heWznqqg2GWFTMxHq3HtmQ8SEgodRuWwPZjnibD4KQ2G9nuKGmqJnSxMU9xC2KhCd/w640-h293/Screenshot%202024-02-04%20065936.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Headed out to Fort Point from Crissy Field.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>FYI, here is what it looked like two Tuesdays before this! </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9jmBRScuvCopZZ5N5TWiXFdPj22c7TVXMngRgxdCYgUty8ywakyZv7bPB88ghp2v59S1YWgMd6F5-LQpN6Mq3TlrjuEbG6_rR_NBMT8pQbkOc65_Zh5A8lJMXw6eBKxgxbz305lF2Fhjp8IprvSyEi_jhSB5lwE7MgFkD-xXg5Td7n7sEMu3T/s4032/PXL_20240102_220303933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9jmBRScuvCopZZ5N5TWiXFdPj22c7TVXMngRgxdCYgUty8ywakyZv7bPB88ghp2v59S1YWgMd6F5-LQpN6Mq3TlrjuEbG6_rR_NBMT8pQbkOc65_Zh5A8lJMXw6eBKxgxbz305lF2Fhjp8IprvSyEi_jhSB5lwE7MgFkD-xXg5Td7n7sEMu3T/w400-h300/PXL_20240102_220303933.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got completely drenched on this run!</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>I would say that my least favorite weather when doing outdoor activities is probably rain. When you are backpacking, being wet all day and setting up your tent in the rain is really not that fun. Trying to get warm while also not getting your only dry item (your sleeping bag - hopefully!) wet is not that fun. Having to put wet clothes back on the next day and start hiking is not that fun. Going out for a run when it is raining is hard mentally. In fact, I don't mind running in the rain too much, but I prefer it if it is not raining when I start running; it is just hard mentally to step outside knowing you are immediately going to get wet. Commuting to work by bicycle is also not that fun. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwAZNHIK2dkQXOE9xKB6lkUSMmOFcIJF0IXibhA9-8CE4LEXz0DNr0PIva1hX7-qGetGWrpPdwrZW7Sx_ByZTkKTVUw-EFOxKLnBJaZwBygxt-54ri4tdYVDCa5Z8oEpnhJqfSsNkbbmbH6dxWe4a7dCJ0_qmiCr0F9Fb008rvvic44m85e931/s3264/PXL_20240122_125633134.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwAZNHIK2dkQXOE9xKB6lkUSMmOFcIJF0IXibhA9-8CE4LEXz0DNr0PIva1hX7-qGetGWrpPdwrZW7Sx_ByZTkKTVUw-EFOxKLnBJaZwBygxt-54ri4tdYVDCa5Z8oEpnhJqfSsNkbbmbH6dxWe4a7dCJ0_qmiCr0F9Fb008rvvic44m85e931/s320/PXL_20240122_125633134.MP.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Headed to work.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>I know this is probably easy for me to say, since I do not live in a place where it is -30 F in the winter, but for outdoor activities, I would rather have snow or (slight) cold than rain. Obviously I do not want to freeze my butt off, but I can put on an extra layer at least. I hate being wet. </div><div><br /></div><div>The silver lining is that this January the lows have not been that low. Usually we get down into the just below freezing or just above freezing area, but we have had pretty steady temperatures lately and I often don't even have to put on the heater. Don't get me wrong, I do have to wear socks and an extra sweater, but the winter has been fairly mild. The blue bars in the chart below are the actual lows, whereas the blue line is the average lows. Check out the 31st; the low and the high were almost the same!</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8-3U-E-6PEjThuoku2JvnJaZ20YmKjBN-RxC-USXAsLbrCRmcKrXCkYgRdQVsB5QpnNpRlmXaO1vmtoZNHPRGph4dzIUtRHPO0UNfCvF5UsTaA-1ISfMH1SUQlNjoFKX_bmiiSZCQtWCv1Hmh6jZnz66PJPnA40t4SOeux1zlQCo9MSCu7AY/s1195/Screenshot%202024-02-04%20063727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1195" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8-3U-E-6PEjThuoku2JvnJaZ20YmKjBN-RxC-USXAsLbrCRmcKrXCkYgRdQVsB5QpnNpRlmXaO1vmtoZNHPRGph4dzIUtRHPO0UNfCvF5UsTaA-1ISfMH1SUQlNjoFKX_bmiiSZCQtWCv1Hmh6jZnz66PJPnA40t4SOeux1zlQCo9MSCu7AY/w400-h224/Screenshot%202024-02-04%20063727.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The arrow points to the day I had the great run (almost 70 degrees!)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Last week the predictions for the next 6 or 7 days was rain, and for Sunday and Monday (yesterday and today) it was supposed to be a bomb cyclone or an atmospheric river or some hoo-ha. So dramatic. They even had signs on the freeway saying not to travel both days and a tornado warning. The city of San Jose even declared a state of emergency due to flooding. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzHMVmQ3VhBME9FTwTfZCKTNXT1e8HcDUYDw2rwgRJwoqsKlpDocz8eahEYv-LaWA1hPmpTV8hIN2X8cyT0yhuaTb-3KufSdheo8oU6MYUoAMV9efkuqjcD6F4dgyCJarOess4o4FSlZoVPrEJrMHODe4BZWuT7QKDO0GBAYD0APqUwwuCeNq/s860/Screenshot%202024-02-04%20180451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="265" data-original-width="860" height="99" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzHMVmQ3VhBME9FTwTfZCKTNXT1e8HcDUYDw2rwgRJwoqsKlpDocz8eahEYv-LaWA1hPmpTV8hIN2X8cyT0yhuaTb-3KufSdheo8oU6MYUoAMV9efkuqjcD6F4dgyCJarOess4o4FSlZoVPrEJrMHODe4BZWuT7QKDO0GBAYD0APqUwwuCeNq/s320/Screenshot%202024-02-04%20180451.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>So yesterday I was planning to go out for a run but it was pouring when I would normally start, so I decided to put it off. However, it was basically 100% chance of rain, with not even one hour that was not supposed to rain. But, around 7:30 it sounded like it was slowing down a little, so I decided to chance it and I did not get rained on until about midway through my run! I got about 45 minutes of basically no rain. The last half was wet but I did what I wanted, I started with no rain! Also, at the end of the run, I saw my third ugly Tesla truck!! I saw one in Monterey, then another last week in Danville, and this one was in Oakland. I guess they are hitting the streets! </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgTCQ3ZhmxdMlDkaeeZv87YFIrWchzkSx7ISOycCRsdOqhV8jb6NKbibnZTw7lmvu4JFy0AT8UDYrEAkSN3-MoIAdmctYKBHAGsa_M4Vc7rhgycfA4wgYyEKU2MzwUW0M2IOsgdYJwhYXNf4aiNVktF7sqL5zFrpwFpIbyHoNbZGmqnOfD7lnS/s4032/PXL_20240204_173137526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgTCQ3ZhmxdMlDkaeeZv87YFIrWchzkSx7ISOycCRsdOqhV8jb6NKbibnZTw7lmvu4JFy0AT8UDYrEAkSN3-MoIAdmctYKBHAGsa_M4Vc7rhgycfA4wgYyEKU2MzwUW0M2IOsgdYJwhYXNf4aiNVktF7sqL5zFrpwFpIbyHoNbZGmqnOfD7lnS/w400-h300/PXL_20240204_173137526.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty ugly eh? </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The bomb cyclone never manifested, but we did have some really heavy wind and I was out of power for about two hours in the middle of the day. Luckily, I had charged my phone so I just made myself a cup of tea (yay for gas), did the dishes and tidied up the house while listening to my audiobook. So basically exactly what I would have done anyway. </div><div><br /></div><div>So now that it is February, and Punxsutawney Phil has predicted an early spring, here's hoping that means less rain for this month!! I guess that also means I will have less excuses to not go outside and go running or biking? Time to get my butt in gear! </div></div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of rain, I heard a joke! If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring? </div><div><br /></div><div>...Pilgrims! </div><div><br /></div><div><b>How is your winter going so far? Do you think we are overreacting to the weather? Have you seen the new Tesla yet and/or do you like it? </b></div>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-55760909738927020532024-01-29T03:00:00.000-08:002024-01-29T03:00:00.163-08:00The Not So Successful Side Hustle: An Update<p>You may recall that <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-not-so-successful-side-hustle.html">I recently started an unsuccessful side hustle</a>. I never claimed to be an entrepreneur and I definitely am not much of a salesperson, but last year I thought I would try my hand in selling some stuff online. The last time I posted, I was just trying eBay, but I asked for your opinions on FB Marketplace and you all said to do it, so I did. </p><p>I won't say that it started off easy. First of all, I was afraid. I don't really love people knowing my details and FB shows your name and could possibly involve your address. I am not a huge fan of people coming over to my house, unless it is specifically scheduled, and I do not really want people inside my house. However, I decided to do a Shonda Rhimes and call this "the year of yes" and just get comfortable with being uncomfortable. </p><p>The first thing I listed was a stationary bike. I immediately got three replies, all offering me the exact amount I had listed it for. Hurray!! Or should I say, hurray? My Spidey senses went up, I looked at the profiles of the buyers and all of them were created in 2023 and had no personal info. I blocked and reported all three. My first adversary, slayed! After that, weeks went by with no further inquiries. </p><p>I decided to try something a little more simple, cheaper and that did not need two people to lift it. I listed an end table, had an inquiry the next day, and had a pleasant conversation with the buyer over messenger. However, our times were not jiving, so face to face pick up was going to be difficult. I decided at that moment to offer to leave it on the porch and she could get it when she could and just leave me money. I figured if she wanted it that bad, she could just take it. However, she was super sweet, came and got it and left me money and then communicated (gasp!) that she had done so. I was converted! </p><p>After that I listed a bunch of other things and after about six months, I have mixed feelings. Firstly, there are a ton of flakey people. So many people ask if the item is available and even if I reply right away, they ghost me after that. I have had people ask questions about details that are in the description (and I always include dimensions, info about stains, chips, tears etc.). I want to tell them to read the bloody description and stop wasting my time, but I usually don't. I have had people fully commit, ask me to hold the item, set up a time and then ghost me. I have had people set up a time and then come an hour early! People are strange. </p><p>However, I have had some good ones and I thought I would give a seller's perspective on the perfect buyer. </p><p><b>(1) </b>The perfect buyer does not use the auto inquiry "Hi, is this available?" (often used even when the items are plural, by the way). </p><p><b>(2)</b> The perfect buyer has personality and says something like, "Hello [insert seller's name here], I was wondering if this was still available. If so, I would be able to come and get it today." <i>***side note, are there a lot of sellers who don't take down their listing even if they have sold the item? There must be, because I get A LOT of "is this still available" inquiries. It's still listed! <u>Yes it is still available</u>!***</i></p><p><b>(3) </b>The perfect buyer sets up a time to get the item as soon as possible. An actual time, not "tomorrow" or "later today" or my favorite, "after 9 pm." (they clearly don't know me). The perfect buyer then messages their ETA when they leave, when they are 5 mins away and when they are outside. I love these people! LOVE THEM. </p><p><b>(4) </b>The perfect buyer does not set up a time, come to my house and THEN ask if they can get the item for half off. The perfect buyer haggles in advance, settles on a price and then sets up a meeting time. </p><p><b>(5) </b>The perfect buyer pays cash, in exact amounts, but I will not be mad if they want to use Venmo. </p><p><b>(6) </b>The perfect buyer sends a photo of the item later, happy in its new home. 🧡 </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQE_hhVYnQYVvvut8h8AU_ONbD0p8zziXd_y4dxOxV6U6yhHxI2foHbKsfHiv48VBRv69OKxVrek6zpVFmMe0uEuHwlgdO9Wx3hrK0ee0jtWREaiP-D7Qk1MhkbOrvnsEx563UyAsdRHaOKtE3Gg_8cT9O9Ybm4YlA7cOZ1Ev5ZmcHj24k3eP/s1402/Screenshot%202024-01-22%20191356.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="747" data-original-width="1402" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQE_hhVYnQYVvvut8h8AU_ONbD0p8zziXd_y4dxOxV6U6yhHxI2foHbKsfHiv48VBRv69OKxVrek6zpVFmMe0uEuHwlgdO9Wx3hrK0ee0jtWREaiP-D7Qk1MhkbOrvnsEx563UyAsdRHaOKtE3Gg_8cT9O9Ybm4YlA7cOZ1Ev5ZmcHj24k3eP/w400-h213/Screenshot%202024-01-22%20191356.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>So clearly everyone is different, and I am sure the buyers out there have some horror stories about the sellers (and I want to hear them!) but it seems like sometimes common courtesy is just lacking. I actually went down a wormhole of <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/FacebookMarketplace/">this reddit thread</a> and wow, there really are some way worse horror stories than I have had! </p><p>But wait, let me tell you about <b>the saga of the suitcases</b>. I have a set of suitcases; there are three of them, they are hard sided, they have four spinning wheels. They are nice suitcases. I only used the smallest of the three a couple of times, but I decided I was a backpack person and they sat in the garage for years. I listed them for about half of what I got them for, even though they are essentially unused. Since I listed these cases, I probably have had almost a thousand clicks on them. And for some reason, everyone who is interested in the suitcases has some issue or other. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQ5MurUmSUe03-ESuCxjxKDNNwexd_uciw4_FAgXrMKjuidV23P4Fjst1YO9CLxnvhqpDW7WkQ9KwGJIeA6Ox2-Ytrv-AQ9vJkbEkdroEa8x0NGBfhApVw2g4nB6gSbKUNSOKIzJYl3o2E58xMSLQrAeRHmmtSrei-br2wLTjUX137tTeNXXX/s1412/Screenshot%202024-01-22%20190853.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1225" data-original-width="1412" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQ5MurUmSUe03-ESuCxjxKDNNwexd_uciw4_FAgXrMKjuidV23P4Fjst1YO9CLxnvhqpDW7WkQ9KwGJIeA6Ox2-Ytrv-AQ9vJkbEkdroEa8x0NGBfhApVw2g4nB6gSbKUNSOKIzJYl3o2E58xMSLQrAeRHmmtSrei-br2wLTjUX137tTeNXXX/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-22%20190853.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The accursed luggage. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>The first guy seemed like a creeper as he did not ask any questions about the cases, but just asked for my address right away, so I ignored him after that.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_m8ZiDFs3StSUgs24RLaM3nc-t4UQkcecCs0_0xpa_Bj3xmw5OpA3AYEMHlQQU7GyikxPDcufvZYXED742jOjSHVgvPHoqSCj_UD3qMnv4kTsNAIkqVhzuhUqedUY1OJTVrJnw25MwuNsIlFme1ht1-MfgVuAHv6VwkWj0lltzJxAgUu3X9u3/s595/Screenshot%202024-01-22%20183823.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="157" data-original-width="595" height="84" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_m8ZiDFs3StSUgs24RLaM3nc-t4UQkcecCs0_0xpa_Bj3xmw5OpA3AYEMHlQQU7GyikxPDcufvZYXED742jOjSHVgvPHoqSCj_UD3qMnv4kTsNAIkqVhzuhUqedUY1OJTVrJnw25MwuNsIlFme1ht1-MfgVuAHv6VwkWj0lltzJxAgUu3X9u3/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-22%20183823.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>This lady told me she wasn't a flake, which made me suspicious. Also that looks like a copy-paste. Hm. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHlyPjNI5l76xCb_InjeIVMHDOWDh-jjofoMYPOWi2Yt7dTB6lYkiru8iNRpABeA5bn2BgCWdkylC_udMvTcRnaeyftjPpDQBGhWO69U1TzntaFcMIg7htIN-4ICMGqcsI-FZRGYlxBYClwOoGPR7vxOMSV_Aj5NLLfw7-2JJu7iqNVRhh3Nz/s510/Screenshot%202024-01-22%20184004.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="510" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkHlyPjNI5l76xCb_InjeIVMHDOWDh-jjofoMYPOWi2Yt7dTB6lYkiru8iNRpABeA5bn2BgCWdkylC_udMvTcRnaeyftjPpDQBGhWO69U1TzntaFcMIg7htIN-4ICMGqcsI-FZRGYlxBYClwOoGPR7vxOMSV_Aj5NLLfw7-2JJu7iqNVRhh3Nz/s320/Screenshot%202024-01-22%20184004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Several other people set up times and then ghosted me. Here is an example. (before this first clip, I told her I would be available from 12 pm to 1 pm). <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOG8p4HWjMmM3WoYfahpZtG7gsIMdqIPH8DeYqJGVZxXGak2u4v-mc8Yz8B4PB8F0bI_D9MBB0aoiANvW6sRd72tI2Y3OJiFS-X5GJac1c_jBRrC4XbRU7doFOaDWZew7kK0hDaVX3O7A25Wmp3eI9B1X4709jdx3L3Hj7UAdic_pBPq1uIWFB/s1415/Screenshot%202024-01-22%20184430.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="1415" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOG8p4HWjMmM3WoYfahpZtG7gsIMdqIPH8DeYqJGVZxXGak2u4v-mc8Yz8B4PB8F0bI_D9MBB0aoiANvW6sRd72tI2Y3OJiFS-X5GJac1c_jBRrC4XbRU7doFOaDWZew7kK0hDaVX3O7A25Wmp3eI9B1X4709jdx3L3Hj7UAdic_pBPq1uIWFB/w400-h194/Screenshot%202024-01-22%20184430.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>At 12:57, no word. So I messaged her. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYV1cAXIXGjJ2ZrakyV2ACX3mI9F1duNOTO9TskXQoOh6g6qTe-dHmecQ5GKrFpON2CG3xM972f48c9C_bjSm91NGfriZWDnvpd7heDJcLmLC4e8M-cLShU_d7loS9h2ROEtqcoB0ataHqYcBQCsjglS9EpMk5OZXeJ3Q0t_-ldZ3ZwRdkqHUG/s1425/Screenshot%202024-01-22%20184503.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="1425" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYV1cAXIXGjJ2ZrakyV2ACX3mI9F1duNOTO9TskXQoOh6g6qTe-dHmecQ5GKrFpON2CG3xM972f48c9C_bjSm91NGfriZWDnvpd7heDJcLmLC4e8M-cLShU_d7loS9h2ROEtqcoB0ataHqYcBQCsjglS9EpMk5OZXeJ3Q0t_-ldZ3ZwRdkqHUG/w400-h155/Screenshot%202024-01-22%20184503.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After this, she gave me another thumbs up and then the next day, did not show, did not message, nothing. <div><br /></div><div>Here is another good one. This lady messages me on Tuesday afternoon and says: <i>Hi do all the wheels work smoothly? I just had to return a luggage set to a lady on market place. The wheels ended up being all wonky and not wheeling properly. I’m leave for a long trip Thursday and need something durable.</i> </div><div><p>So I am thinking that she sounds like one of the ladies I used to serve at Nordstrom; they would buy shoes but as they were buying them would complain about shoes and you knew, you JUST knew that they were going to wear them once and then return them (which goes against your commission if they do) after wearing them. Also, their party or whatever would be the next day and they would complain about how they just can't find anything perfect (and you would be thinking that it doesn't seem strange to you!) yet! </p><p>BUT I message her and tell her that the wheels work great but I am only available Tuesday evening, not Wednesday. She goes on to then ask me my address (why!) and I give her the general area, thinking that we have a sale. Then she asks for $25 less than the listed price, which by the way is about 25% less, and when I counter, she doesn't agree, but just asks if we can set up pickup for tomorrow, and I reiterate that I am not available Wednesday and then... she ghosts me. Mind you, this exchange took place over six hours. So she texted me at the last minute (for her vacation) and then draws out the conversation and then doesn't want to come and get it as soon as possible!? I don't get it. </p><p>On the other hand, if you ever DO want to get into a side hustle, for some reason around here, plants are the way to go. Remember <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2024/01/looking-back-purging-progress-report-q4.html">I talked about emptying out my plant room</a>? Well, I was going to just put them all out on the curb with a "free" sign, but I thought what the heck, I will give FB a shot. I listed about 15 indoor plants and over the next day, I sold about 9 of them and made almost $200! Listen, I listed them cheap, including the pots, but I was going to give them away for free, so I was super happy. Drinks are on me! Plus, if you recall, many of these were propagated by me, so aside from the pot and the time, they didn't really cost me much to begin with! </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYXRoKCP3_g9FwPDki45dYMyy_OdO2D2N1yEomV16-VhRlRfALJS54S4sO_WUnwACa61p5bdhMJND95spCImCu_FRRgrP7B_j1nv09pBEL3OMNy3zDPUH7ajAqsMh7FImTcUIrfP2t6AN5xC2V2LaQJjur5PyIx2oCyRD6kk2UoA4U1IfxCSn/s4032/PXL_20240104_185746332.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYXRoKCP3_g9FwPDki45dYMyy_OdO2D2N1yEomV16-VhRlRfALJS54S4sO_WUnwACa61p5bdhMJND95spCImCu_FRRgrP7B_j1nv09pBEL3OMNy3zDPUH7ajAqsMh7FImTcUIrfP2t6AN5xC2V2LaQJjur5PyIx2oCyRD6kk2UoA4U1IfxCSn/s320/PXL_20240104_185746332.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plants for sale!! </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Do I know how to make a short story long, or what!?!? Thank you for listening, and thanks to those of you who commented on my original post and prodded me to just give it a shot. </p><p><b>Do you have buyer or seller horror stories? Are people in your area as flakey as the ones here? But most importantly, why are the suitcase people so weird!?!?!? I need hypotheses! </b></p></div></div>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-31315196889980879742024-01-22T03:00:00.000-08:002024-01-22T04:25:50.077-08:00A Few of Elisabeth's Thoughts On Travel<span style="font-family: inherit;">As you know, I love to travel! I am always curious about how other people plan, how they started their travel journey, where they have been and what they liked. I think that talking to others is a great way to get ideas for future trips and also a great way to form connections with other people. I also love to ask questions and am a very curious person, although I think that some people are not as impressed by it as others!! Luckily, my guest is not only an avid traveler, but she also doesn't mind me picking her brain and is happy to answer my questions with gusto! </span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">She probably does not need much of an introduction, so I will get right to it: please welcome my guest for today, <a href="https://optimisticmusings.com/">Elisabeth</a>. I was drawn to her because she loves to travel, is friendly and easy to talk to, is frank about her feelings, is a staunch thrift store shopper, and is just an all around good person. But enough out of me, let's get to the Q and A already! (Also, you can find <a href="https://optimisticmusings.com/guest-post-welcome-kyria/">my answers to Elisabeth's questions over on her site</a> today!) </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For the readers who don't know you, please tell us where you are from, a little bit about who you are and one thing that even those who know you may not know about you. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">I have lived my whole life on the Eastern side of Canada. I was born in New Brunswick, moved to Nova Scotia as a toddler, moved back to New Brunswick as a teen, and then moved </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">back</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> to Nova Scotia as an adult! Aside from the winters, I am a Maritimer at heart. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6gHh_0wPdjNTepC-7hX2RbLXiTbFjon_mQt16PWhi-2hvSS301TELHAv9oooZq9adQ73IlCgaaXkZ837NymeyAoikFU8cNw6OFG1BfeAAQ5zEopPnomCbcQeFLDP2HW0CGVK9Zk906EIkOvndogXUXxnTCXU3n9BXiFQiFNYPBJDqPzYzJCB/s2016/Elisabeth%20Guest%20Post_Question%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6gHh_0wPdjNTepC-7hX2RbLXiTbFjon_mQt16PWhi-2hvSS301TELHAv9oooZq9adQ73IlCgaaXkZ837NymeyAoikFU8cNw6OFG1BfeAAQ5zEopPnomCbcQeFLDP2HW0CGVK9Zk906EIkOvndogXUXxnTCXU3n9BXiFQiFNYPBJDqPzYzJCB/s320/Elisabeth%20Guest%20Post_Question%201.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Baby Elisabeth</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">I’m married to an incredible man named </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">John (here's <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://lauravanderkam.com/2023/10/time-life-work-marriage-the-frosts-on-starting-and-running-businesses-together/&source=gmail&ust=1705259590306000&usg=AOvVaw2Rhy1WlpW6f5Cj08yRgFxW" href="https://lauravanderkam.com/2023/10/time-life-work-marriage-the-frosts-on-starting-and-running-businesses-together/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">some backstory on our entrepreneurial history together</a>) - and we have two children; a 12-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">I had to think for a while about what surprising fact I might not have shared before (this may hint that I’m an oversharer). Most people know I hate water on my face, have a crazily sensitive back, and am a direct descendant of William Wallace (aka Braveheart). </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">What I </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">don’t </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">think anyone knows is that, in another family setting, I likely wouldn’t be writing these words today. Because of some high risk factors my mother had been warned not to have any more children after her third…seven years later she found out she was pregnant with me. My parents were shocked and the doctors were not amused. They told my mother in no uncertain terms she needed to terminate the pregnancy because they were certain I would have life limiting challenges. That wasn’t a decision my parents could support ethically, so my mom spent the rest of her pregnancy assuming I was going to have severe mental and physical limitations.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(Another lesser-known fact: a month after I was born, I won a local beautiful baby contest. My parents still have the trophy.) <i>(K: I get that; you were a cute baby!) </i></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If I were to come and visit you for a three day weekend, where would you take me and why? </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXJkiebCoG0M3QvK9WRhSCNYEGdXtZBq8vuVfQD13HxUF7_J_X9wDa-eq8EY0GnOJZeR3xbKHE39pknWd2dYNguRv73Qdp47qqBj82hBPB0BS2fMtYk_Z_R5fG94TQhcknddmkevnAytJM-3hDrHD-a9OXfz9-Jo0R3ZtRIJosJz5wltzIIGfF/s1200/Elisabeth%20Guest%20Post_Question%202.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXJkiebCoG0M3QvK9WRhSCNYEGdXtZBq8vuVfQD13HxUF7_J_X9wDa-eq8EY0GnOJZeR3xbKHE39pknWd2dYNguRv73Qdp47qqBj82hBPB0BS2fMtYk_Z_R5fG94TQhcknddmkevnAytJM-3hDrHD-a9OXfz9-Jo0R3ZtRIJosJz5wltzIIGfF/s320/Elisabeth%20Guest%20Post_Question%202.png" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This collage belongs on a travel website!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></p>First, I’d say: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Oh goodie! You will LOVE Nova Scotia</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">. Then I’d get down to organizing an itinerary.<br /><br /></span></span><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Day One</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: We’d start the day at our local farmer’s market to grab a fresh breakfast and coffee while listening to local musicians play outside. Then we’d hike the waterfront/dykeland trail all the way to Grand Pré (a Unesco World Heritage Site). We’d walk back to town (an 8 km round trip) for a well-earned lunch at my favourite local eatery: the Naked Crepe. We’d wander around the various stores in downtown Wolfville for several hours and pop into my favourite cafe for a warm drink and some baked goods before driving out to Scott’s Bay for an evening of beachcombing, complete with a bonfire, seaside picnic, and incredible views of the setting sun.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Day Two</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: We’d hike Cape Split (one of the most famous trails in all of Nova Scotia; about 13 km return), picnicking at the summit. Then we’d make our way to Blomidon Provincial Park to take in the soaring bright red cliffs, and trek through the mud to the water's edge. On our way home we’d stop at Medford Beach, which is located just fifteen minutes from my town but it looks like another planet. We’d explore all the formations before heading home to clean up and then I’d make a home cooked supper (Chicken Mango Curry, rice, and cornbread). </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Day Three</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">: We’d start at Peggy’s Cove - perhaps my favourite spot in all of Nova Scotia - followed by a trip to the South Shore. We’d spent a few hours walking around Lunenburg and Mahone Bay (quaint little towns full of colourful shops), followed by a stop at a local white-sand beach.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSiWySxuHsua_jJqdUZ_TnNUmOXaHJenKS6ypQhCxBJ6FlressF6LycWJIniT3l7MDGBmQ3WmmfyvVAwl30vNdcfHpVKIr1-1RgwnkDs9OvAGK1pxnyzdzOxq05n9UPL-QknSE7h_uVlbm3bB0yu375QI51fOHUoRwRtL_MIaGHZnIc3ITyGoB/s3897/Elisabeth%20Guest%20Post_Question%202%20Cape%20Sable.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2923" data-original-width="3897" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSiWySxuHsua_jJqdUZ_TnNUmOXaHJenKS6ypQhCxBJ6FlressF6LycWJIniT3l7MDGBmQ3WmmfyvVAwl30vNdcfHpVKIr1-1RgwnkDs9OvAGK1pxnyzdzOxq05n9UPL-QknSE7h_uVlbm3bB0yu375QI51fOHUoRwRtL_MIaGHZnIc3ITyGoB/s320/Elisabeth%20Guest%20Post_Question%202%20Cape%20Sable.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cape Sable</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent;">If we had a bonus day, I’d hire someone to take us out to Cape Sable - an island just off the coast of Nova Scotia with one of the tallest lighthouses in the country (103 ft.) and a whole lot of sheep. It’s breathtaking and you would love it. <i>(K: That all sounds perfect, plus I see you added some hiking; thanks! Also I can't wait to try your curry and cornbread! Also I am so glad that Peggy's Cove made the list.) </i><br /><br /></span></span><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>What was the first place you remember traveling to, who were you with and what did you do? </b></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbd-NKHNX9HSlB6ZEZ_ELBhBEcgcAKZl3U1wiNZP9k5Jleh3MAgfD9LLXNPWafGPrk4oeiCp7pVBNKi-kt0EWZKW25SPJ1ba1QMCGe7q3-cu4pgOX85XmWfu-0aMdF5jgyyv2KoHgTfoK2Q9hT5BtxPdm5VMKvJaVdR31lWSf4WfIWhFtSfW9n/s3963/Elisabeth%20Guest%20Post_Question%203%20(The%20Lake).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2972" data-original-width="3963" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbd-NKHNX9HSlB6ZEZ_ELBhBEcgcAKZl3U1wiNZP9k5Jleh3MAgfD9LLXNPWafGPrk4oeiCp7pVBNKi-kt0EWZKW25SPJ1ba1QMCGe7q3-cu4pgOX85XmWfu-0aMdF5jgyyv2KoHgTfoK2Q9hT5BtxPdm5VMKvJaVdR31lWSf4WfIWhFtSfW9n/s320/Elisabeth%20Guest%20Post_Question%203%20(The%20Lake).JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;"><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><br /></span></p>I’m going to cheat and answer this three ways. <br /><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The first place I traveled regularly was our family cottage. It had no electricity or running water and it was the most magical place on earth. We’d go for 3.5-4 weeks each summer and be completely off grid. I LOVED it. My siblings were a lot older, so in later years it was just me with my parents, but early in life it would have been our whole family of 6. I’ve been there every year since birth, so that doesn’t really feel like the answer you’re looking for?</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The next travel adventure was taking a 2.5 hour ferry from Digby, Nova Scotia to Saint John, New Brunswick to visit my maternal grandmother. These trips were SO exciting and I always went with just my mom. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The last memory I'll share is when I was 11 - the first time I left Canada. We drove to South Carolina for my sister’s wedding and I thought it was the most exciting thing I’d ever done in my life. Everything looked different. Miles instead of kilometers on speed signs, gallons instead of liters of milk at the grocery store. I was enraptured. I turned 12 on the day she got married <3 <i>(K: I bet that was fun; my first experience in real life with km and l was when I was in my 20s!) </i></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If the above was not by plane, tell us a little about the first place you went to by plane. Do you remember how you felt about flying for the first time? </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I flew to St. John’s Newfoundland when I was 19 for a conference where I presented research from my Honour’s thesis. I don’t really remember how I felt; likely very embarrassed that I was the only one who had never flown and nervous I would mess it up somehow. <i>(K: my first international flight was alone and my parents came with me to the gate! Remember those days?) </i></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What travel experience has been your favorite so far? And tell us one place we should go to if we go there ourselves. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">I don’t know if I can answer this? I have loved </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://optimisticmusings.com/travel-3/&source=gmail&ust=1705259590306000&usg=AOvVaw0_2-GDNu_ZUZMfpl739DCr" href="https://optimisticmusings.com/travel-3/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Paris and Rome</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> the most, but I wouldn’t want to go there alone. I always prefer to travel with someone (preferably John), but if I had to explore a place alone, I’d likely pick NYC. <i>(K: I love NYC and could wander the streets for hours and never get bored)</i></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I will give you $10,000 but you have to spend it on travel to somewhere you have never been before. Tell me where you would go and what you would do. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span>Either the Amalfi Coast - it just looks so beautiful - or Scotland. I know the latter is an odd choice, but I’ve always wanted to go for some reason; maybe because my family roots are strongly tied to that region? </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent;">I also really want to go back to Iceland, but technically I've already been there...albeit just on an extended layover. <i>(K: I have Iceland on my short list and can verify that you would love Scotland!) </i></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What is your opinion on traveling abroad with children? Is there an age that is too young? Are there certain places you would go or any you would steer clear of?</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17726ESkIMaxl703r9B1caze2DnOen046c976g1C_98-uBWY36it86EYpc55WQ1G9d3L4dicpSH1wdvJ3EALiW0C1ALK9mRdOkB8qtreOELBBCHrHX8fiwoydzMFSNb3fvrx7dUtwtM_vpAFG5ajY-uzC7fvZNB2gWX_7ukSjYXCFHWKaboTz/s3986/Elisabeth_Guest%20Post_Question%207%20(New%20York).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2182" data-original-width="3986" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17726ESkIMaxl703r9B1caze2DnOen046c976g1C_98-uBWY36it86EYpc55WQ1G9d3L4dicpSH1wdvJ3EALiW0C1ALK9mRdOkB8qtreOELBBCHrHX8fiwoydzMFSNb3fvrx7dUtwtM_vpAFG5ajY-uzC7fvZNB2gWX_7ukSjYXCFHWKaboTz/s320/Elisabeth_Guest%20Post_Question%207%20(New%20York).JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Elisabeth and fam in New York</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">How do I put this delicately? </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">If I had the choice, I would always travel without kids at this point</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">. John and I have done: Sydney, Australia (not to be confused with Sydney, Nova Scotia), the Dominican Republic, Paris, and Rome solo while my parents watched the kids. It didn’t feel like we could ask my aging parents to keep managing that responsibility, hence taking the kids to </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://optimisticmusings.com/christmas-treasure-hunt-2023/&source=gmail&ust=1705259590306000&usg=AOvVaw0XwFC7imwOuVdKM1SxOEnZ" href="https://optimisticmusings.com/christmas-treasure-hunt-2023/" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Barcelona</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I would rather be going just with John.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">All that said, we did take our daughter to Denmark when she was a toddler. We have some great memories but it was also pretty miserable since her sleeping and eating was thrown completely out of whack. I’m a bit nervous about Barcelona and definitely would prefer to only travel with my kids (internationally at least) once they’re both teens.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JoyqlwxuihenrekIb8jsGne-ipqlnIfKKRqpZm48HX4tw06URLWdwUZ6aiTys1n88dw59fIidSPrjv03TIZbleRcTBdq_x-luZD06FgvhgZC9Yx2Cscer6PYUypN-V25l8JBJ54isp3kivdOWkcwHZImjwO9xLCzYkdB8kUHQKBZc3Nb3KDV/s2816/Elisabeth_Guest%20Post_Question%207%20(Denmark).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2816" data-original-width="2112" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JoyqlwxuihenrekIb8jsGne-ipqlnIfKKRqpZm48HX4tw06URLWdwUZ6aiTys1n88dw59fIidSPrjv03TIZbleRcTBdq_x-luZD06FgvhgZC9Yx2Cscer6PYUypN-V25l8JBJ54isp3kivdOWkcwHZImjwO9xLCzYkdB8kUHQKBZc3Nb3KDV/s320/Elisabeth_Guest%20Post_Question%207%20(Denmark).JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby A in Denmark</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Other people have very different feelings about traveling with kids. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">On the other hand, we have done </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">a LOT</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> of road trips with our kids and keep them very engaged with local adventuring. I never went outside the country before I was 12, so the things our kids have experienced already in life far outpaces my own. <i>(K: they may not know it now, but these travels will shape them so much, and in so many good ways!) </i></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tell us about something weird or scary that happened to you while traveling.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Hmmm. I’m drawing a blank here…I guess I could mention the time we booked the wrong dates for accommodations on the Cabot Trail. Once we realized our mistake, there was literally only one place left we could find an availability. There was a reason it was still available. The door to our motel room was wide open to the outside when we arrived, there were dead bugs all over the floor, and in the morning I realized my feet were getting wet. Turns out a pipe broke flooding our entire room! When John went to tell them at the check-in desk about what had happened, they didn’t seem the least bit surprised. We did </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">not </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">stay for the included breakfast but our daughter loves to retell this story so it has a happyish ending since it provided a lasting family memory. <i>(K: Yikes! I once had a room in India with a poo-scented shower and dead mosquito guts on the walls and it was a horrible night of sleep, but I guess the worst experiences make for the best stories sometimes!) </i></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One state I have never been to is South Carolina and I know your sister lives there! If I went there for the weekend, what would you suggest I do? </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Charleston is lovely; walking across the Ravenel Bridge, strolling through the battery and looking at all the cool architecture makes for a great active adventure. The beach at Sullivan’s Island is lovely on a sunny day.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">In Columbia - where she lives - the Riverbanks Zoo is wonderful if you have kids in tow. I’m not a zoo person, but this is my favourite of any I’ve visited. I also really love their new riverwalk; it snakes along a river and the whole (long!) path is lined with tall black lamp posts. It looks like something out of Narnia. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8RK1RuN1T8IfiDX3TqsblqonT9RuV2AMwDH1nJQWLEib4pHD_Xzrv8IoBmT6SomjPZ1gwFsgKAUTyJOlAAjE1oZb4Wg6yUkOda_qYyDuXEi-_fEftC48T1-vw5l1I8LqhduwoZf0ydfstjjDIdBSjx7Qt5QODrFBYcZOVpv4zxr8Q5x1shUa/s4032/Elisabeth%20Guest%20Post_Question%209%20(River%20Walk).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8RK1RuN1T8IfiDX3TqsblqonT9RuV2AMwDH1nJQWLEib4pHD_Xzrv8IoBmT6SomjPZ1gwFsgKAUTyJOlAAjE1oZb4Wg6yUkOda_qYyDuXEi-_fEftC48T1-vw5l1I8LqhduwoZf0ydfstjjDIdBSjx7Qt5QODrFBYcZOVpv4zxr8Q5x1shUa/s320/Elisabeth%20Guest%20Post_Question%209%20(River%20Walk).JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Columbia River Walk</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />I’d also highly recommend befriending my sister and having her family take you out on Lake Murray for some tubing, a delicious picnic, before rounding out the evening by watching the sun set over the water. <i>(K: Sign me up! I love new friends and tubing and picnic sounds great!)<br /><br /></i></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tell us about your travel planning process. Do you and your husband share tasks or does one of you do more planning? How far in advance do you plan? Do you stay in AirBnBs or hotels or BnBs, etc.!!? </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">John books the flights and hotels. He consults me for the broad things - dates, general locations - but does all the rest of this process. We generally stay in hotels. He gets points by staying at many chains, and we make use of the bar fridges to store snack/breakfast items. We generally book plane tickets 4-5 months in advance, book accommodations 2-3 months in advance, and I start planning 2 months before we head out.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://optimisticmusings.com/rome-planning-packingand-how-much-did-it-cost/&source=gmail&ust=1705259590306000&usg=AOvVaw2Zx0SXWkVcMqYzvmF6lfWN" href="https://optimisticmusings.com/rome-planning-packingand-how-much-did-it-cost/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">generally handle most of the itinerary</a>. First I pull together a (very) rough draft of places from my initial research. Then I like to use search strings like “Best Free Things to Do in X” and “Hidden Gems in X.” I’ll read a dozen “Hidden Gems” articles, see what overlaps between them, and write down places I think would be especially interesting for us. Then I research each spot and pin them to a Google map if they seem to warrant a visit. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once the map is complete, I look for patterns and try to group our activities within a set radius each day (for example, for our Toronto/NYC family road trip in 2022, we spent our first full day in New York in midtown, the second day in Lower Manhattan/Brooklyn, and the final day in uptown). <i>(K: I love using Google map pins! I did this with the Alaska trip and it made things so much easier!) </i></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What is your perfect day when you are "on the road"? </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span>Waking up refreshed, but early so we get to our first stop early to avoid lines. (The weather would be perfect of course; not too hot, not too cold.) </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent;">We’d grab a coffee along the way, and maybe a local pastry or breakfast smoothie. </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">After touring the first place, we’d meander for several hours, looking at local architecture or visiting some of those “hidden gems” I've discovered in my research. John would take lots of incredible photos. </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">We’d enjoy a leisurely lunch and then head to another “main stop” before strolling around until we see a little market or store where we’d pick up supplies for a simple picnic enjoyed in front of a famous monument or square where we’d watch the sun go down and enjoy the magical transformation of a city/town/lake at night. (<i>K:</i> <i>This sounds like a great day to me!) </i></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Do you have any follow up questions for Elisabeth? Who is the travel planner in your household? What place(s) would you go to if you had $10,000? </b></span></span></p></div>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-56181647867044451842024-01-16T03:00:00.000-08:002024-01-16T03:00:00.291-08:00West Coast AdventuresHappy Tuesday and for those of you who had yesterday off, I hope that you had a great long weekend! I had an adventure filled several days actually, and drove more last weekend than I have in a couple of months! First was a stop to <b>Grass Valley</b>, a town where gold was discovered in 1850. Their main mine, the Empire Mine was the richest hard rock mine in California, producing 5.8 million ounces of gold in its operating history of 106 years. Just to put that in perspective, currently one ounce of gold is sold for about $2,000.00! I spent a couple of days spending time with family, playing games and hiking around Empire Mine, which is now a park with dirt paths for hiking. <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLsuECCcNKa8HpRQVvPvuWyI3n_yCw9s8vh6zgdiWW82bkoAJSlcHZIXncp1692OUxBinRLp6ypL2ayY42-wq8JSrvQEZ9lrBNSPA9J-VWAp2YVgW70UU9xkN1-rXgGHZC3sA3dou0z5HG81mkQetFq_iz-gE4vLYFv6FviwkCwHR2BWsHju1/s4032/PXL_20231222_010554604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLsuECCcNKa8HpRQVvPvuWyI3n_yCw9s8vh6zgdiWW82bkoAJSlcHZIXncp1692OUxBinRLp6ypL2ayY42-wq8JSrvQEZ9lrBNSPA9J-VWAp2YVgW70UU9xkN1-rXgGHZC3sA3dou0z5HG81mkQetFq_iz-gE4vLYFv6FviwkCwHR2BWsHju1/w400-h300/PXL_20231222_010554604.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mill St. Grass Valley in December</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><div>Next, I headed to Monterey and Carmel for the annual MLK girls trip with K, A & L. We had a great time searching through the tidepools for fancy shells, eating candy, playing in the waves and watching the sea otters try to crack things while floating on their backs (they are so cute!) We also drove the 17 mile drive, which winds along the coast and has some great views! I think the girls were happier to just find shells on the beach and were not as impressed by the drive, but we had fun all the same! It rained a bit on Saturday and Sunday, but overall we had pretty good weather and I even got a tad burnt! </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBpjpEATm7yT5mTzh9jjijEjtpEllYQpYqn6l1srYdSF6zKLQDjBjaTgeDrVL8slRzx5iklWNmFF8hCEFoey83KYg54HV4MFRvMiHRSOGHHn6rp_4v60H2bCmwfpsRClSrRSZuvTfgLCXa2Gqol2iRFmQh-qx3DVXj6aYztbJy6QUaYa5oSPZ9/s4032/PXL_20240114_205943121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBpjpEATm7yT5mTzh9jjijEjtpEllYQpYqn6l1srYdSF6zKLQDjBjaTgeDrVL8slRzx5iklWNmFF8hCEFoey83KYg54HV4MFRvMiHRSOGHHn6rp_4v60H2bCmwfpsRClSrRSZuvTfgLCXa2Gqol2iRFmQh-qx3DVXj6aYztbJy6QUaYa5oSPZ9/w400-h300/PXL_20240114_205943121.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carmel Beach</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilpiOno92BiVIhU4OGaG9z-xauwbQP4FiC1dA80ZHEFnFErvGy5s5FE7YM9jbV_C-ANvkRDT0pEnj-2m7MLheNGf28amZtmH82HVMbTlJWeg0xwCx8E2Q9Yk2adZ355pFAeiROMVaOIcq0AAO7toLihMqVDCte7Q9HnRMe7x7Tl_rkyMjhNdbW/s4032/PXL_20240114_190246055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilpiOno92BiVIhU4OGaG9z-xauwbQP4FiC1dA80ZHEFnFErvGy5s5FE7YM9jbV_C-ANvkRDT0pEnj-2m7MLheNGf28amZtmH82HVMbTlJWeg0xwCx8E2Q9Yk2adZ355pFAeiROMVaOIcq0AAO7toLihMqVDCte7Q9HnRMe7x7Tl_rkyMjhNdbW/w400-h300/PXL_20240114_190246055.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lone Cypress Tree - 17 Mile Drive</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0e_qdmMrbFrDTMu1Rum4k4hf7xIEO3iC1yzudz2_jSbmUlSjjX4bvVd8Nxwd6FgcwNUxd0Gr-7ztLHgcha_XzWdhT5h76vHOBYs6ugrQWFOMhZQyuJehP7fbRd21yGIgit-LweS2HmDAiimziVK35iGPEnhEtOZso-ncq8rYkE2yLZN_Wq2Y0/s4032/PXL_20240114_175412567.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0e_qdmMrbFrDTMu1Rum4k4hf7xIEO3iC1yzudz2_jSbmUlSjjX4bvVd8Nxwd6FgcwNUxd0Gr-7ztLHgcha_XzWdhT5h76vHOBYs6ugrQWFOMhZQyuJehP7fbRd21yGIgit-LweS2HmDAiimziVK35iGPEnhEtOZso-ncq8rYkE2yLZN_Wq2Y0/w400-h300/PXL_20240114_175412567.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L looking for otters at the Monterey pier.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><div>On Monday, I went with a friend to hike San Francisco's <a href="https://crosstowntrail.org/">crosstown trail</a>, which is a 17 mile trail that goes from Candlestick Point, which is on the southeast side of town to the Cliff House, which is on the northwest side of town. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_E9gUOa6m8QO8Tfn6rG7Xlvoq26f-E8XhGYx1YFOu-u3P4W_VRfnDWfcI7q1Aoi8YRIp7-vm19c3znIKclgT3hHgvPnl-bdtHc6iN1kVX6EEd5ldr5YkxjAJZxR3KIzcGrR3Sq0V6bPLRSLJAVhvWvtjU-kQcLc1QyHdqNYnM3Gr6WuIruyp0/s1610/Screenshot%202024-01-15%20175821.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1327" data-original-width="1610" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_E9gUOa6m8QO8Tfn6rG7Xlvoq26f-E8XhGYx1YFOu-u3P4W_VRfnDWfcI7q1Aoi8YRIp7-vm19c3znIKclgT3hHgvPnl-bdtHc6iN1kVX6EEd5ldr5YkxjAJZxR3KIzcGrR3Sq0V6bPLRSLJAVhvWvtjU-kQcLc1QyHdqNYnM3Gr6WuIruyp0/w400-h330/Screenshot%202024-01-15%20175821.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crosstown trail map (<a href="https://crosstowntrail.org/plan-your-trip/">found here</a>)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>It is actually a really cool taste of the city, and goes through some neighborhoods and parks that I had never been in before. It also tries to go on a lot of dirt, so it would randomly just pop into the trees on a path that you may not have even noticed. It also went on a lot of hidden stairways (<a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2023/11/10-things-to-do-in-san-francisco.html">which I have talked about before</a>) and I found some of those too that I had not been on before. All in all, it was a great way to see the city in a different way than I had seen. However, it did go through some of the places on my <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2023/11/10-things-to-do-in-san-francisco.html">10 things to do in San Francisco</a> list too, for example, we went on Irving Street and stopped there for pho! </div></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8y2G5KN4X4DtW9OTrfeibkwaOXBoUt1clrVKh-EqNmrlcnOw8KifrdfkfvhbohkZQBmxXZTBiq8Lj6FWuOLB5jJOWHH0uQ-8NyYfc2wruRsf4neJJ8it-z3AZ4Ug2msMYqVcqQg0mlZoS13J0iZ5ttOUHJozv3HYPJTe43E7VgZTIAzNvvy8/s4032/PXL_20240115_185718944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8y2G5KN4X4DtW9OTrfeibkwaOXBoUt1clrVKh-EqNmrlcnOw8KifrdfkfvhbohkZQBmxXZTBiq8Lj6FWuOLB5jJOWHH0uQ-8NyYfc2wruRsf4neJJ8it-z3AZ4Ug2msMYqVcqQg0mlZoS13J0iZ5ttOUHJozv3HYPJTe43E7VgZTIAzNvvy8/w300-h400/PXL_20240115_185718944.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">16th Ave. tiled steps - very cool mosaic! </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZaYVmT-OjI2x1ICCuCcr5m0cnySUnu300cELpHJfRecfawHzFbXPFj8NjP0WNjp0fko81kghCxUJI0o2pwEa7jPBBP2NtaOwbdgY0z9yaGck0hYuGo9R5U8xZZRRZteld_45DVq5JJMLb0gxI_IPehP1qTiJQnNHzmLcZ73VJP5Q0rcMawsXk/s4032/PXL_20240115_185600645.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZaYVmT-OjI2x1ICCuCcr5m0cnySUnu300cELpHJfRecfawHzFbXPFj8NjP0WNjp0fko81kghCxUJI0o2pwEa7jPBBP2NtaOwbdgY0z9yaGck0hYuGo9R5U8xZZRRZteld_45DVq5JJMLb0gxI_IPehP1qTiJQnNHzmLcZ73VJP5Q0rcMawsXk/w300-h400/PXL_20240115_185600645.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">16th Ave. stairs with Ocean Beach in background.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmVVhQwDf8zS7rg5ih0uklzMDhUcShMt-BykjmxOL6-wYwya2CYY6q21w57UTSZoeqg4aXzDdrMWt1-IE36cWeGkr_Cl9RCv4N51YbTykb0sGf0rr5nM2MQtE_b4hmFAXdq4KI5U8Dfik1JuWK_sSmk0Jhtz4bViuiMpSrF3cGwQJBhzr4m_Cm/s4032/PXL_20240115_185034708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmVVhQwDf8zS7rg5ih0uklzMDhUcShMt-BykjmxOL6-wYwya2CYY6q21w57UTSZoeqg4aXzDdrMWt1-IE36cWeGkr_Cl9RCv4N51YbTykb0sGf0rr5nM2MQtE_b4hmFAXdq4KI5U8Dfik1JuWK_sSmk0Jhtz4bViuiMpSrF3cGwQJBhzr4m_Cm/w400-h300/PXL_20240115_185034708.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moraga stairs with downtown San Francisco in background.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiccrvmx3rEe9sx1e9qSFFQ_My_gf4jQwe2sKt55VKFV1_pjVsTld0ywdqTD3Vm5t5sCVGTbvsWjctwyVc-bnXApdHmP9zabmmqZWURfSMoWutNd9niKTM6N87YJHxBgMwZ7mWdGmLj6p9XteuuM7IeArC2C-ALbox5jNHqbr0dKMkaQm521hAX/s4032/PXL_20240115_214504389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiccrvmx3rEe9sx1e9qSFFQ_My_gf4jQwe2sKt55VKFV1_pjVsTld0ywdqTD3Vm5t5sCVGTbvsWjctwyVc-bnXApdHmP9zabmmqZWURfSMoWutNd9niKTM6N87YJHxBgMwZ7mWdGmLj6p9XteuuM7IeArC2C-ALbox5jNHqbr0dKMkaQm521hAX/w400-h300/PXL_20240115_214504389.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ocean Beach</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>This was the second "town tour" walk I have done in the last month; the first was the same kind of thing in the city of Pacifica on new year's weekend. So now I think I need to make one or find one for Oakland and that can be the next one in the tour of the town series! Maybe I will try to include <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2023/03/tales-from-trails-hidden-neighborhood.html">some of my favorite nooks and crannies</a> on my next tour! </div><div><br /></div><div><b>How was your weekend!? Have you ever been to the California coast? Have you ever done a walking tour or a long walk around the neighborhoods of your town? </b></div></div>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-80654628630081311642024-01-08T04:35:00.000-08:002024-01-08T04:35:25.369-08:00Looking Back: 2023 Money Pie<p>Who is ready for a slice of money pie? As you may know, <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/search/label/money">I always do a debrief with myself at the end of each year</a> to see where all my money has gone! I also do a quarterly net worth statement just to get a read on where things are, but I will not be posting that here! :) </p><p>In 2023, I am happy to say that I decreased my overall spending from 2022 by about 12% and came in below my yearly (8 year) average by about 9%. The main drivers of this decrease were the travel and home categories, which I will talk more about below. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZkT60Mru8vDE7nHiMH070SF-mArM5JtcqnH89OaYS-MHiDCTQ7mpK9bpOMh9Q8AtoY4D3Pf48g3EF2oxdIPRkWNN6Xuj_0C0ppi5ZnE57Mn5PNo5hJAqpW7DOpCAO7InZsYJNRO0pMj1nZLwejQ-FtnDABo8Fl-O0sJ4P7jN7hCLlQxjWD_-m/s1345/Screenshot%202024-01-07%20123640.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1160" data-original-width="1345" height="552" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZkT60Mru8vDE7nHiMH070SF-mArM5JtcqnH89OaYS-MHiDCTQ7mpK9bpOMh9Q8AtoY4D3Pf48g3EF2oxdIPRkWNN6Xuj_0C0ppi5ZnE57Mn5PNo5hJAqpW7DOpCAO7InZsYJNRO0pMj1nZLwejQ-FtnDABo8Fl-O0sJ4P7jN7hCLlQxjWD_-m/w640-h552/Screenshot%202024-01-07%20123640.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Here are the categories in the order of largest percentage to smallest. </p><p><b>Home: </b>63.2%. Interestingly, last year my home category was 63.7% of my overall spending and in 2021 it was 64.1%, so I guess no matter how you slice it, the home category continues to be almost two thirds of my spending! This category includes mortgage, utilities, taxes and insurance, as well as other misc. items, such as home improvement, maintenance and furnishings. 80% of this number is mortgage and property tax. You may remember <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2023/01/looking-back-2022-money-pie.html">that I mentioned last year </a>about how I was paying a little extra into my mortgage? This year, given the good rates on cash, I stopped doing that and put the money into high yield savings instead. Due to this, I decreased the actual dollar spending amount in this category by about 13% from last year. </p><p><b>Transportation:</b> 12.2%. This normally includes Lyft/Uber, public transportation, car insurance, maintenance, registration, gas, tolls & parking, but this year I added bike maintenance and parking fees to the category as well. Despite commuting by bike from July to December, I still had public transportation costs, but the main culprit in this category was body work after my car got broken into. I also got four new tires for the Red Rocket and did a full body tune up on Bertha. </p><p><b>Travel: </b>6.6%. This category includes airfare, car rental, lodging and any groceries, dining out or transportation incurred while traveling. Although I did not travel internationally and much of my travel consisted of tent camping and eating my own meals, some of the other costs incurred during travel were quite expensive this year. I went to Alaska, and the rental car alone was about $1,500!! It was an SUV though and we actually slept in it several times, so saved on hotels, thank goodness. However, even with this, I spent about 50% less on this category than in 2022. </p><p><b>Misc.:</b> 4.4%. This category includes gifts, haircuts, legal fees, fees for credit cards, tax prep software and education expenses. I had to pay for my yearly CFA dues, legal fees to set up a trust and annual credit card fees, but other than that, the bulk of this category was for gifts! (PS no haircuts in 2023 😊)</p><p><b>Groceries:</b> 3.7%. This category went down by 38% from last year, mostly due to the fact that part of my purging process was to stop buying new stuff until I had used up older stuff! I would say that I did a pretty good job and have had fun being creative with cupboard items, but I still bought the regulars like butter, eggs, fresh veggies and cheese. My other saving grace for this category was less trips to Costco and/or only allowing myself to buy what I went in there for! I do have a tendency to grab yummy looking things oh a whim, but this year I put a stop to that! Funny though, out of my six visits to Costco, I bought tortilla chips on five of them. Some habits you just can't break. </p><p><b>Dining Out:</b> 3.5%. This category includes eating out, coffee and booze. This one is a little misleading this year, as I decided that in an effort to spend time with people and have experiences rather than buying more things, I would enjoy meals with them! Given this, I bought meals for friends several times. I could technically call this "gifts," but for now I am going to leave it as dining out. However, it does inflate this category a bit, and I had a 200% increase over last year. </p><p><b>Entertainment:</b> 3.1%. This category includes music, theater, sporting events, cycling and running & camping expenses. In 2023, I went to two shows (Les Mis and Book of Mormon), a couple of sporting events, but my biggest categories for this are still running (32%), hiking (20%) and cycling (19%). My biggest purchases were race fees (three races), a new GPS watch and a new rain jacket. </p><p><b>Health:</b> 2.6%. This category includes health insurance, out of pocket costs, massages, medicines and vitamins etc. This year most of my visits were covered as preventative, so the bulk of this cost is the insurance itself. </p><p><b>Shopping: </b>0.8%. This category includes toiletries, clothing, misc. home items & appliances, electronics and books. Basically this year I bought three things in this category: a new camera, a 3-pack of underwear that I hated and feminine products. Trying to purge more has really made me think about things more before buying. Also some of the camping etc. items I did buy are included under the entertainment category. </p><p>I do also put some money aside for investments and saving each year, but since this money is not yet "spent" I do not count it in this analysis. I also do not include income taxes, but if I did, they would probably be my highest category! However, since I don't have much control over them, I am going to leave them out for now. </p><p><b>Do you do a yearly review of your finances? Do you have a budget? What is your biggest spending category? </b></p>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-70180585202729532842024-01-04T04:38:00.000-08:002024-01-04T04:38:12.573-08:00Looking Back: Purging Progress Report Q4<p>Well folks, the year has ended and it's once again time to be accountable for <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2023/01/little-by-little-month-by-month.html">what my plans were at the beginning of the year</a>. As you know, I try to purge a little each month every year so that I don't get a glut of things that I have to eventually go through all at once. My three areas I wanted to work on for the last three months of they year were reading nook, health and plants. </p><div><div><b><u>Reading Nook</u></b>: This is a room with several bookshelves and a nice chair to sit and read in, plus it has windows on two sides, so it has a lot of light. For this reason it is also my plant room. I wanted to read some books on my shelves and get rid of them, as well as get rid of the books I have kept with the intention of reading again but not reread. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXm4R6stdRlvBSAzg40z1cMbE0jjk50OQEL8z7QWdHMueU9ahD28bA7FmNG6rUtj4fqyAd6D9icHuS9hmun3M_0BrGPxfDJFjweuQvebG_DLa6BFa4GMPNfyYZRUy1CzZiyagQmErQUU932BZB-x12RL5ksaFL8F_etbiPQlaPHGzCpWH_gkfz/s3264/20151026_164003_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXm4R6stdRlvBSAzg40z1cMbE0jjk50OQEL8z7QWdHMueU9ahD28bA7FmNG6rUtj4fqyAd6D9icHuS9hmun3M_0BrGPxfDJFjweuQvebG_DLa6BFa4GMPNfyYZRUy1CzZiyagQmErQUU932BZB-x12RL5ksaFL8F_etbiPQlaPHGzCpWH_gkfz/w400-h300/20151026_164003_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reading Nook -- Before</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipU2yGXO_N0EwvW9Wcm_DXaRmgymTN3AUFcf29QIqbUWMxphyIo9PvMpyEAW-f1Ct0cZ7KEuJl9uGC9yyni_zoKFnDt3GBg44mgbMoYenEv7UZ8-z4B4ubxepW1pCVV-hNCqjfKMiJ4YUu3B4dRt441TtkA4rm9d_cw8cag79NMsFA_8t6k2xd/s4032/PXL_20231013_215931934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipU2yGXO_N0EwvW9Wcm_DXaRmgymTN3AUFcf29QIqbUWMxphyIo9PvMpyEAW-f1Ct0cZ7KEuJl9uGC9yyni_zoKFnDt3GBg44mgbMoYenEv7UZ8-z4B4ubxepW1pCVV-hNCqjfKMiJ4YUu3B4dRt441TtkA4rm9d_cw8cag79NMsFA_8t6k2xd/w400-h300/PXL_20231013_215931934.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reading Nook -- After (don't mind the disassembled shelving)</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>I found I was keeping books just to have them, but decided that if I moved again, I do not want to move boxes and boxes of books just to display them. I have only bought a handful of books over the last 10 years and am really utilizing the library exclusively these days and I don't really reread very many books (with the exception of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, of course). I also do not really love holding up a heavy paper book as much any more! </div><div><br /></div><div><b>How am I doing?</b> I am going to say that I kicked ass in this category. I basically got rid of all books except for a few travel or education books, and a few books from my childhood, and a half a dozen that I have not read yet but still may read. I literally went from three bookshelves to one, and plan to get rid of that one in the next month also. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>What is next?</b> As stated, I will read the handful I have left, get rid of the last shelf and I will have a whole room to play with! <i>Expected completion date: end of January. </i></div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Health</u></b>: I try to get all of my health related things done by November, but if I haven't, this is when I check in with myself and get them scheduled by the end of the year. This works schedule-wise, but it also important for insurance, which often pays a certain amount of dollars or for one preventative visit per calendar year. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>How am I doing?</b> Check, check, check! I did save the best for last and had my mammogram literally the last week before Christmas, but otherwise I was pretty much good to go. <i>Side note: </i>I had a riveting conversation about the dangers of bicycling in San Francisco with the mammo tech while standing in the room half naked. Good times. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>What is next? </b>I need a crown and was putting it off for two reasons. (1) I hate the dentist and I don't want to do it! (2) the insurance I had did not cover it at my dental office, so I switched from a PPO to an HMO and now that it is a new year with new coverage, I can schedule it. I also get dollars from my company towards my HSA if I do certain activities (sleep, water, wellness check etc.) so I will get that done ASAP because compounding rules! <i>Expected completion date: end of February.</i></div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>Plants</u></b>: I love plants and I often make clippings and replant them and so I have a plethora of plants. I didn't really have a plan for these, but knew that I need to start doing something about them. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXuTcNriVlpdpJLBfjqIXDH9e38wBRlA_WQxa3jEsu27JgrM8nYNKD5lajvJkcgb8sc4mILUI588h-KPZ79uFXuJsuQlyAbGtpzOFnCus0CavIK39wW91NcwVAW51vh4-Ya9ldTB0kISqbx-exBb-8hAqbgKi_2movppswni31a0ui-Dt1p8Q/s4032/PXL_20231013_144809481.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXuTcNriVlpdpJLBfjqIXDH9e38wBRlA_WQxa3jEsu27JgrM8nYNKD5lajvJkcgb8sc4mILUI588h-KPZ79uFXuJsuQlyAbGtpzOFnCus0CavIK39wW91NcwVAW51vh4-Ya9ldTB0kISqbx-exBb-8hAqbgKi_2movppswni31a0ui-Dt1p8Q/w400-h300/PXL_20231013_144809481.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Too many plants! And this is just a fraction of them. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><b>How am I doing?</b> This year I gave away a few clippings to different people, but I still have too many.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>What is next?</b> Next up is to either sell some on FB marketplace or give them away for free. <i>Expected completion date: end of January.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>In addition to the above items, this year, I have also kept a bag in my closet for donation items and if I put on a shirt and it is too short, it goes right in the bag. I have taken at least one run to Salvation Army per month this year. I also keep a "to shred" bag, where I can easily throw paper items that need to be shredded and then I can take them to work and shred them little by little. I am also still working on selling some of the more valuable (or sought after) items online. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lyymCOVAJjgHAQfHgiKv_0Mw_ch7KiOWVO_ZRJK83E-fPHm0F-DDqrJZLDGcIPTkR7Bdnhi3hZbgr28uFiKCvgVu3dd3bwtMSwDff4Yd9ZyYpC7VEbLaqxYBs5uDfjcu2feoAzI8dsSGt3YmppSKqsP1LjGJwssh0mEaQRViMwgB1ov_2SrB/s4032/PXL_20231019_002157870.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lyymCOVAJjgHAQfHgiKv_0Mw_ch7KiOWVO_ZRJK83E-fPHm0F-DDqrJZLDGcIPTkR7Bdnhi3hZbgr28uFiKCvgVu3dd3bwtMSwDff4Yd9ZyYpC7VEbLaqxYBs5uDfjcu2feoAzI8dsSGt3YmppSKqsP1LjGJwssh0mEaQRViMwgB1ov_2SrB/w400-h300/PXL_20231019_002157870.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One (of many) load(s) of donations!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I would say that all in all, I think my year of purging went well and hopefully that means that 2024 will be a breeze, as each year there should be less and less things to go through. I really do want to pare it down even more though, as it really is amazing how much stuff we accumulate over the years. My other goal is not try not to "stock up" on things, which is very hard for me, as I like to plan ahead, and to buy things when they are a good deal! There is always room to improve, I guess. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Did you get all of your health check ups done by the end of the year? Do you keep/reread physical books? Did you have any purging goals for 2023 and if so, how did they go? </b></div></div>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-88364194222944403442024-01-01T03:00:00.000-08:002024-01-01T03:00:00.143-08:00Best of 2023: Books<div>Happy New Year! According to Goodreads, I read 205 books in 2023, or roughly 70,000 pages. Here are a few stats. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Breakdown by star rating</b>: </div><div>5 stars (loved/it was great): 14 (7%)</div><div>4 stars (liked a lot/it was good): 80 (39%)</div><div>3 stars (liked a little/it was okay): 75 (37%)</div><div>2 stars (barely liked/it was not that good): 23 (11%)</div><div>1 star (it sucked but I finished it): 0 (0%)</div><div>0 stars (DNF): 13 (6%)</div><div>Average rating including DNFs: 3.2</div><div>Average excluding DNFs: 3.4</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Breakdown by type</b>: </div><div>Audiobook: 165 (81%) </div><div>eBook: 27 (13%)</div><div>Paper Book: 13 (6%) (of these, 8 were from my own shelf)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Published in</b>: </div><div>2023: 63 (31%)</div><div>Other years: 142 (69%)</div><div><br /></div><div>I guess the moral of the above stats is that if a book sucks, I just DNF it, rather than finishing it, hence the case of no one star ratings. Also this year my proportion of audiobooks read increased by about 6% over last year. My number of books read in total increased by about 29%. I would guess that much of this increase is due to the fact that I have been listening to less and less music and/or podcasts and leaning more towards listening to books. I still find the need to pump up a run from time to time with some Lil John, don't get me wrong, but I often stray more towards books. </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: #343a50; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">You can find a list of all of my favorites from prior years on <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/p/bookshelf.html">my bookshelf page</a> or <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/kyriaw">on Goodreads</a>. </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am usually a little bit stingy with my five star ratings on Goodreads. However, this year I had fourteen books that I thought deserved that high rating! Here they are, in no particular order! </span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ5RId0X7B7DwOZmvbZTFV84zR2zSEKsDH34eNARWszbMBo0gR6QDbi4ft_MENtNy_fflLbGSlzG7T4ZqQ8r_lh1KaBU_P6XsIK3hn2Fw042rSpPtZSSGqpUacwFE1LJ2aZxNsIZbSDrGxp-QVlcUn2mKI4fp2Kh1B3TcHLF7AtTBxGYbyvE2c/s1072/Screenshot%202023-12-31%20060037.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="677" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ5RId0X7B7DwOZmvbZTFV84zR2zSEKsDH34eNARWszbMBo0gR6QDbi4ft_MENtNy_fflLbGSlzG7T4ZqQ8r_lh1KaBU_P6XsIK3hn2Fw042rSpPtZSSGqpUacwFE1LJ2aZxNsIZbSDrGxp-QVlcUn2mKI4fp2Kh1B3TcHLF7AtTBxGYbyvE2c/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-31%20060037.png" width="202" /></a></div><div><div><br /></div><div><b style="background-color: white; color: #343a50; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58733693-remarkably-bright-creatures" style="color: #cc3300; text-decoration-line: none;">Remarkably Bright Creatures</a> by Shelby Van Pelt.</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #343a50; font-family: inherit;"> What can I say, this is a cute book. I did not hear all of the hype; I just picked it because it had a bright cover and came up on my list on Libby when I was searching for books. It is about the relationship between an old lady and an octopus and a younger, kind of troubled boy. I enjoyed the characters, the story was engaging but not too fluffy, and I was entertained throughout. </span></div><div><p style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60407689-dinners-with-ruth" style="color: #cc3300; text-decoration-line: none;">Dinners With Ruth</a> by Nina Totenberg.</b> I do like RBG and enjoy learning more about her as well as hearing each different point of view from the different authors I have read. Nina was a reporter who became friends with Ruth despite their age difference. This book details their friendship as well as some of their accomplishments, especially geared toward equality for women. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61355265-the-light-we-carry" style="color: #cc3300; text-decoration-line: none;">The Light We Carry</a> by Michelle Obama.</b> In this novel, Obama talks about her relationships in life, but especially the ones with her mother and her kids. She has some words of wisdom like "start kind" which could be kind of corny coming from the wrong person but from her it makes sense. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61111301-all-the-broken-places" style="color: #cc3300; text-decoration-line: none;">All The Broken Places</a> by John Boyne.</b> This book is about an elderly woman living in London. When a new family moves in downstairs from her, it brings up some memories of the past, which are mostly surrounding her escape from Nazi Germany at age 12 and the fact that her father was the commandant of one of the concentration camps during the war. It goes back and forth between the two time periods, weaving a story of guilt, complicity, grief and remorse and in the end, she has to decide whether or not to reveal some of her long kept secrets. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43345855-quit-like-a-millionaire" style="color: #cc3300; text-decoration-line: none;">Quit Like a Millionaire</a> by Kristy Shen.</b> Although I work in the finance industry, I enjoyed this book because it is written in a simple manner that anyone can understand. Shen talks about growing up in China where her family lived on pennies per day, to moving to the US where she learned how to invest so that she could quit work early and travel the world. Her plan is pretty simple and you may have heard it before but it is still a nice reminder that we can live more simply than we do and perhaps spend more time enjoying our lives now rather than always working so hard to make more money for the future. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58065372-in-love" style="color: #cc3300; text-decoration-line: none;">In Love</a> by Amy Bloom.</b> Get your tissues out for this one. This is not a spoiler, but this book is about a woman whose husband gets diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's and he decides to die with dignity rather than living out his life with the disease. Obviously this is not an easy decision and Bloom goes through some of the struggles that they face as they work through the plan. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56970272-i-must-betray-you" style="color: #cc3300; text-decoration-line: none;">I Must Betray You</a> by Ruta Sepetys.</b> Although this is a YA book, it touches on something that we sometimes forget about here in the US, and that is the fact that as late as 1989, people in Romania were still under communist rule. The main character is a teenager who has normal teenage dreams but is held back by the government oppression and has to decide whether to do nothing or to fight back and risk the lives of his family. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14891.A_Tree_Grows_in_Brooklyn" style="color: #cc3300; text-decoration-line: none;">A Tree Grows in Brooklyn</a> by Betty Smith</b>. This is not the first time I read this book and it will not be the last. It is about a girl in Brooklyn and her family struggling to survive as they go through life. Life is not easy, food is scarce, and some of the lessons are hard, but Francie and her family persevere. The reread was heighted even more by the discussion had as part of <a href="https://ngradstudent.blogspot.com/search/label/ATGIB" style="color: #cc3300; text-decoration-line: none;">Engie's cool blogger book club</a>. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUL6Alz0hF8CCkilbS3dnzaQbwTpvPXykfqSoRb5hCKOC5K7pl0sDR4LdbJ29uJR7nHLJxBsqMwmnxQMQSWFcSpSwrnDfp1kC93wDjfk1Kt6Sir8Dzv5xd5VNT0QLGiTMV_f0MkUK1MqJmDn5_b9fAiCimR05FnO_p-49Uoaad_Qhzzo2DvORI/s717/Screenshot%202023-12-31%20060004.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="677" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUL6Alz0hF8CCkilbS3dnzaQbwTpvPXykfqSoRb5hCKOC5K7pl0sDR4LdbJ29uJR7nHLJxBsqMwmnxQMQSWFcSpSwrnDfp1kC93wDjfk1Kt6Sir8Dzv5xd5VNT0QLGiTMV_f0MkUK1MqJmDn5_b9fAiCimR05FnO_p-49Uoaad_Qhzzo2DvORI/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-31%20060004.png" width="302" /></a></div><br /><p style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60880793-good-for-a-girl" style="color: #cc3300; text-decoration-line: none;">Good For a Girl: A Woman Running in a Man's World</a> by Lauren Fleishman</b><span style="font-family: inherit;">. I really enjoyed this inside peek into the world of elite running. Lauren not only talks about the difficulty of being a woman in a mostly male sport (or at least one where the males are more prized), but she also gets into some of the eating disorders that the young runners had and it was very eye opening. I also read The Longest Race by Kara Goucher (4.5 stars) and was appalled at some of the things that were done to some of the elite running women. </span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/64631561-the-many-lives-of-mama-love" style="color: #cc3300; text-decoration-line: none;">The Many Lives of Mama Love</a> by Lara Love Hardin</b>. This one is all about sex, drugs and rock and roll. Okay, maybe more like drugs, jail and redemption. I am not going to lie; I had no idea who this woman is, but she was the ghostwriter for Desmond Tutu's book and The Sun Always Shines, which I enjoyed. The first chapter had me railing against her, as she dragged her three year old from place to place in an effort to score drugs. I wanted to slap her! Then she gets arrested, and chronicles life in jail, which I found fascinating. When she finally gets out, it is a struggle to manage life, try to find a job, not break parole, find housing, and stay clean. She finally does all of this, becomes a successful writer and even gets to meet Oprah and the Dali Lama in the end! So yes, it is a feelgood "rags to riches" kind of story, but I enjoyed hearing the ins and outs and some of the struggles that people face in a world that I am not part of. </span></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61295403-a-heart-that-works">A Heart That Works</a> by Rob Delaney</b>. Get your tissues out again; this is a father's heart wrenching story about his young son getting diagnosed with terminal cancer. I didn't really know who the author was, but he is a comedian and actor, and he does a good job of putting his emotions into this book but still making it light, if that even seems possible. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59345230-drowning">Drowning</a> by T.J. Newman</b>. I know that I joined the momentum train on this book, but I found it was a fast, easy, entertaining read. Was it profound? No. Did it make my runs go by faster? Yes. A plane goes down over the ocean and it hits the water, bursts into flames and sinks. What happens to the passengers? Do they survive? And if so, how? Read on to find out. (P.S. I also read Falling but was not as enamored by that one). </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63922274-go-as-a-river">Go As A River</a> by Shelley Read</b>. This is a story of a girl growing up in Colorado in a farming town in the 40s. It goes through her life of love, her relationship with her family, the hardships of life at that time and her struggles to get by. There were some details in the story that sounded so real that I had to fact check and they were real! </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62322008-strange-sally-diamond">Strange Sally Diamond</a> by Liz Nugent</b>. <a href="https://birchwoodpie.blogspot.com/">Birchie</a> recommended this with the caveat that it was strange and she was not sure what to think of it at first. It was a thriller about a woman in her 40s who lacks the mental maturity of someone her age. When her father dies, she puts him out with the trash, just as he has told her to do. This gets the attention of the police and the surrounding community, as well as the media. Due to this she later gets some unwanted attention and finds out things about her past that she did not know about before. It's twisted and dark, but I enjoyed every minute of it. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;">A couple of additional <b>nearly five star reads</b> were You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith, Kindred by Octavia Butler, I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai, and The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #343a50;"><b>What was your favorite book of 2023? Do you mostly read audio, eBook or paper books? </b></div></div>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-45188050940028178382023-12-26T03:00:00.000-08:002023-12-26T03:00:00.139-08:00What I Learned: 23 New ThingsHappy Boxing Day! I hope that everyone had a great weekend and a great holiday with their loved ones. This week is a short one workwise, plus we have another three day weekend to look forward to next weekend! I thought that I would start wrapping up the year early by getting started on some of the year end lists. Last year, <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2023/01/what-i-learned-22-new-things.html">I went over 22 new things</a> I had learned, seen, done and new places I had gone over the year. I really like injecting new things into my life, as it keeps things fresh, even if it <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2022/12/on-being-uncomfortable.html">is sometimes a little uncomfortable</a>! I liked the list so much that I decided to do it again, so here we have, in no particular order, 23 new things from 2023. <div><br /></div><div>1. <b><a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-last-frontier.html">Alaska</a>.</b> This was one of the 50 U.S. states that I had not yet been to. I had a great time hiking, running, looking at mountains and glaciers and experiencing light basically all night. I did not see the Northern Lights though, so this is still on my wish list for now. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5uUPXI3ofG5MccTde2cGq3oiyuon1z_VmYmYJ1FUm2OahMenU31DMAA84GUjTH_QZunaKpj8XdAr_H_OCf9SckTK951Q8BOWLjO6PRge5GexqNFnUhujKxyXtOzsyoBnN9xs7mAahStoAzFR0sxQNEEa3bIQk-aCI-Tv522jLN_zssbrcgAOJ/s4032/PXL_20230801_045926702.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5uUPXI3ofG5MccTde2cGq3oiyuon1z_VmYmYJ1FUm2OahMenU31DMAA84GUjTH_QZunaKpj8XdAr_H_OCf9SckTK951Q8BOWLjO6PRge5GexqNFnUhujKxyXtOzsyoBnN9xs7mAahStoAzFR0sxQNEEa3bIQk-aCI-Tv522jLN_zssbrcgAOJ/w400-h300/PXL_20230801_045926702.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking the Bomber Traverse</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>2. <b><a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2023/04/north-bay-overnighter-my-first.html">Overnight bikepacking for the first time</a>. </b>At the beginning of the year I finally took Bob out for his first off road experience. I biked from my house to the Samuel L. Taylor state park, which is a cool camping and hiking area in the redwoods. I spent the night there and then biked back home the next day. It was very fun, a little harder than I thought it would be, and it made me want to do it again (see #22)! </div><div><br /></div><div>3. <b><a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-not-so-successful-side-hustle.html">Selling stuff on the internet</a>.</b> Before this year, I had never really sold anything on the internet. As I have mentioned before, I broke the seal with shoes as they are rectangular and easy to ship, and then moved onto other things. Are there scammers and bots and people from Nigeria messaging you? Yes. Can you ignore/mute them? Yes. Was it as bad as I feared it would be? Nope, in fact it was not bad at all. As an added bonus (?) I also am now quite proficient at Venmo, which I was not really a user of before. However, if you want to sell on FB marketplace, you gotta get used to using Venmo. </div><div><br /></div><div>4. <b>Hiking the Arizona Trail (AZT).</b> For Easter weekend, I took an extra day off and spent five days hiking on the Arizona Trail. It was much different than what I am used to in my neck of the woods, which was fun. Also, I got lucky that it was a high snow year and so I had enough water and it was not scorching hot. For those who don't know, this trail is normally hiked in the spring or fall, as the summers can get into the 110+ range at times. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOY12LOQNC0UXYHBRNIgoSCgdmyxqagVkTOMcKaO2wdNu9T-xrKhcU0x2w_CPp2nkPRIU2_0NCV6A5TY-Z26MFIC5BEHIsYsDQgZXfS1NbqTLzTsqA4ogGjCMVuYtMET9Gg4qBhqElaVL-guLWCGPAn8B1Bz54jYwAuuyyVQwAYVgwZ8ao3MgI/s4032/PXL_20230406_130159244.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOY12LOQNC0UXYHBRNIgoSCgdmyxqagVkTOMcKaO2wdNu9T-xrKhcU0x2w_CPp2nkPRIU2_0NCV6A5TY-Z26MFIC5BEHIsYsDQgZXfS1NbqTLzTsqA4ogGjCMVuYtMET9Gg4qBhqElaVL-guLWCGPAn8B1Bz54jYwAuuyyVQwAYVgwZ8ao3MgI/w400-h300/PXL_20230406_130159244.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picketpost Mountain - AZT</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>5. <b>Life on Mars.</b> I have a friend who is doing a Mars simulation, meaning that she is stuck in a habitat for a year as if she were actually living on Mars. This deserves a post of its own, but for now <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/chapea/">you can read about it here</a> if you are interested. Being on Mars means that there are no phone calls, no video calls, basically no real time communication. Even emails are delayed due to the "distance" from Mars to Earth. Luckily we can send emails up to a certain size, so I have been sending her voice recordings so that she can hear my voice from time to time. I never really liked the sound of my voice, but I have gotten used to it, as I often listen to my last recording before sending a new one so that I can remember what I already talked about. </div><div><br /></div><div>6. <b>Not quite a century aka </b><b>97 miles in one go.</b> Bertha and I completed a century minus three this fall. I know, I know, I should have just ridden another THREE miles to get to 100 but I didn't feel like it. I know that if I can do 97, I can do 100, and I will do it eventually. This was from Davis to Oakland and it was quite a journey. What I learned from this is that I prefer non-city riding over city riding. </div><div><br /></div><div>7. <b>Ninth (and penultimate?) Quad Dipsea. </b>After you run the Quad Dipsea ten times you get a fancy finishers jacket. I keep telling myself that I just have to run it one more time and then I am done!! We shall see though, as I know many a friend who has said that and is now on their 13th or 14th time. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ZGcefz-nYHIBtE44HumtXgk0Rjx3-bst2m0QweU2h40Hr6d4iJ7lxvjG4W1oQ9zX5_ux_kUuBgIlkZ-xxX_vPJ5Az9F1ylTzISr1f38EXeOqlvZWLn6znowlf3t7jWaWZO4Nr_5W6G-Nk39gzJ0u39m8cXo1yQ90wW5KlWrBkrQxwFQMMTHD/s4032/PXL_20231125_164926478.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ZGcefz-nYHIBtE44HumtXgk0Rjx3-bst2m0QweU2h40Hr6d4iJ7lxvjG4W1oQ9zX5_ux_kUuBgIlkZ-xxX_vPJ5Az9F1ylTzISr1f38EXeOqlvZWLn6znowlf3t7jWaWZO4Nr_5W6G-Nk39gzJ0u39m8cXo1yQ90wW5KlWrBkrQxwFQMMTHD/w400-h300/PXL_20231125_164926478.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Headed downhill to Stinson Beach during the Quad Dipsea</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>8. <b>Watch a Japanese movie.</b> I do not know what the style is called, but I watched The Boy and the Heron. My brother loves this style, and so do K's kids, but I was just ho hum on it. I am not opposed to cartoons; I love Finding Nemo! However, I am not sure the two dimensional drawing style or the pace of the movie was my favorite. When I said this to my brother he said that this style is "very beloved" and he was sad to hear that... 😞 I guess one thing I did like was the background scenery drawings, as they resembled watercolors. </div><div><br /></div><div>9. <b>Hike to Lake Aloha in the snow.</b> Last winter was a very high snow year and this meant that even in July, hiking was very snowy! However, although it was difficult to get to, we had Lake Aloha basically to ourselves and it was beautiful. To top it off we had to jump in for a swim, even while avoiding the icebergs! </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8VOkQ_K9sqWTjZ0zuCL6d0dqy5TbyHG4K41ne1RQ7o7PKV46PY2GRdym1rGdaZT9i7PTfvtH_q3rVFhcCHQRVIgy2jJrNHEVkoHLUzuS3JVnMVDcLutob_g9sjhk1k0DFlaOwQmq-z4dAYbW2dBGeskJbPx0yg01DFHCEKTQX3wRWc6lxWeiQ/s4032/PXL_20230715_203035298.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8VOkQ_K9sqWTjZ0zuCL6d0dqy5TbyHG4K41ne1RQ7o7PKV46PY2GRdym1rGdaZT9i7PTfvtH_q3rVFhcCHQRVIgy2jJrNHEVkoHLUzuS3JVnMVDcLutob_g9sjhk1k0DFlaOwQmq-z4dAYbW2dBGeskJbPx0yg01DFHCEKTQX3wRWc6lxWeiQ/w400-h300/PXL_20230715_203035298.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camping above Lake Aloha</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>10. <b>Switch from Comcast (Xfinity) to Sonic.</b> My Comcast was getting very expensive, at about $75 for just internet. So I decided to finally take the plunge and try a new carrier, Sonic, which has fiber and was only $39 per month. My first three months were free, the speed was great, and then it got bumped up to $39 BUT...as it always is, the price was more than I thought. They charge $10 for a voice line, which I do not use but cannot cancel, and with the taxes and the router rental (which I could not use my old one for), it ended up being $70!! Haha. I guess I am saving $5 and it IS fast, so there's that. </div><div><br /></div><div>11. <b>Mendocino.</b> I had driven past Mendocino before but never stayed there, and it was a treat. It is a small coastal town and you can walk along the bluffs. It was a rainy weekend when we were there, but we had fun walking on the beach, eating and riding on the skunk train! </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZccsyPUmB56n0fIy-VfXbA1N2vm_fuRAli0MVfRGY4kmNg9WenL0IruPxwdNyUMrxvYbfhxbBlXzUxAoeLsHgegnGRAeBgv4lRwbuBVTrCOHbpiFm6W-aH1LMbsvsFxcTwQ3B-j1G3yEoSVU2YmQrv9Q3xcJQdcB-kc51QEHh2pvOCIY4BS8/s4032/PXL_20230115_225239838.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZccsyPUmB56n0fIy-VfXbA1N2vm_fuRAli0MVfRGY4kmNg9WenL0IruPxwdNyUMrxvYbfhxbBlXzUxAoeLsHgegnGRAeBgv4lRwbuBVTrCOHbpiFm6W-aH1LMbsvsFxcTwQ3B-j1G3yEoSVU2YmQrv9Q3xcJQdcB-kc51QEHh2pvOCIY4BS8/w400-h300/PXL_20230115_225239838.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pacific coast near Mendocino</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>12. <b>Ride to Santa Rosa for the weekend.</b> On New Years Day I rode to my brother's house in Santa Rosa from Richmond, which was my longest ride ever at the time, and was about 55 miles each way. Later in the year, I beat my own PR by riding from my house to his, which was about 75 miles each way. </div><div><br /></div><div>13. <b>Ride the Amtrak with a bike. </b>The weekend that I rode 97 miles was part of a journey I took where I took the Amtrak from Oakland to Auburn and then over the next two days rode from Grass Valley back to Oakland. The experience was good and I would like to do some more train rides, and knowing I can put my bike on them fairly easily was a relief. Maybe one day I will just ride off into the sunset and if I get tired, I will take the train back home. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy7gRca4UnyfftQml_JVEJiOxEF9Pp6wW9p60HydWDBhkktZElUAfE1vNVXzTMOLmOUxtR6eGeUg1JwViWFJxBAsv-FpwOOUG443wq0wj8K-ckTok9Ut6vh1GtHUkyogH6MkuMEat9NO4JTOERMhJuKAr7mko3N9rzfJz2nxKBJfEIhn6iCqYO/s4032/PXL_20231027_231532077.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy7gRca4UnyfftQml_JVEJiOxEF9Pp6wW9p60HydWDBhkktZElUAfE1vNVXzTMOLmOUxtR6eGeUg1JwViWFJxBAsv-FpwOOUG443wq0wj8K-ckTok9Ut6vh1GtHUkyogH6MkuMEat9NO4JTOERMhJuKAr7mko3N9rzfJz2nxKBJfEIhn6iCqYO/w400-h300/PXL_20231027_231532077.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bike car on Amtrak</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>14. <b>Throw away all old Christmas cards. </b>I was saving these because now a lot of them have photos and those are memories! However, now there is Facebook and other places on the internet where I can find photos of people so I decided that I did not need to keep them in a box that I never look through. I have to say, it feels like a weight has been lifted. I am sure I will have moments where I wish I had that cute photo of three year old soandso, but right now, it feels good. </div><div><br /></div><div>15. <b>Three Michelin star dinner. </b>For a client dinner, we went to SingleThread, a three-star Michelin restaurant in Healdsburg, which is part of the Sonoma county wine region. I am not going to lie, I don't think the bang was worth the buck. I am glad I got to try it, but I will probably not go there again. </div><div><br /></div><div>16. <b>Complete</b> <b>a snowshoe race.</b> In February, <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2023/02/weekend-travel-minneapolis.html">I went to see Lisa for her birthday</a> and we did a snowshoe race. It was fun but we used old school snowshoes and there are actually running style ones that would be easier to run in. However, we had a great time chatting and staying warm by moving as fast as possible and drinking the (warm) water at the aid stations! </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1kPA5ONXa8-cs3C2_0PEj6N4pqeDYr7glMA8HNf-SrRcq3apAbtIXGrL1UmcYRf30_DA2YGKR4y134MnToQ2zCYOwl5FWvCgkasujz8nAWBA6fDsnM5BhrWoN_-5qOnpnm5FwskysgLB8mbYtXCsSdPX4rlDk1XQugGAerQrkngExpeCnEobt/s4032/PXL_20230205_162954495.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1kPA5ONXa8-cs3C2_0PEj6N4pqeDYr7glMA8HNf-SrRcq3apAbtIXGrL1UmcYRf30_DA2YGKR4y134MnToQ2zCYOwl5FWvCgkasujz8nAWBA6fDsnM5BhrWoN_-5qOnpnm5FwskysgLB8mbYtXCsSdPX4rlDk1XQugGAerQrkngExpeCnEobt/w400-h300/PXL_20230205_162954495.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lisa getting it done! </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>17. <b>Gluten free biscuits and gravy.</b> B&G is my favorite breakfast item. However, in 2022 I realized that wheat gives me some tummy issues so I have been avoiding it ever since. I was very sad to give up both biscuits, which are obviously made of flour, and good sausage gravy, which is thickened with flour. But Lisa and I found a good GF bakery near the snowshoe race and they had B&G and they were really good! I meant to try duplicating it on my own, but I have not gotten around to it (however, I have done a bit of GF baking and I find that the results are actually pretty good!) </div><div><br /></div><div>18. <b>Bike accidents.</b> I am very careful on the bike, but I would be amiss if all I did was talk about the good. In Spokane, I hit a goat head thorn, blew a tire, and tumbled (and skidded face first) right on the pavement. Luckily I was wearing gloves and the car next to me was stopped. In Oakland, I got hit by a car turning right. Luckily, he was not moving fast and I just bounced of his passenger door and onto the ground. I took a trail ride and went over a bump and accidentally squeezed the front brake too hard and went ass over teakettle over the handlebars. Luckily all of these have been minor, but accidents do happen! </div><div><br /></div><div>19. <b>Driverless cars.</b> I knew they were around, but it still made me do a double take when I saw my first driverless car in San Francisco. I signed up to try it, as they offer ride shares, but still have not had a chance yet. There have been some controversies over these, but aside from a couple of kinks, I think a robot is probably better suited to driving than many of the humans I see operating motor vehicles. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-SLIv0zJQJg_8TBvYommfQZt639wp66FnNDO4YA4uhrPjz2MQUpSxjvyluMSRoqNqQoEpwjSutNC_o_bLnyBXkGq8OWmGgGY322YDgW0gwiXkJm8fsaExSqdxScHMgkwsaM75neji0_Sg1mOOl7LzOd63x4JJexfUCYXNQrMWz6iOTdt4FHY/s4032/PXL_20230509_000315072.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-SLIv0zJQJg_8TBvYommfQZt639wp66FnNDO4YA4uhrPjz2MQUpSxjvyluMSRoqNqQoEpwjSutNC_o_bLnyBXkGq8OWmGgGY322YDgW0gwiXkJm8fsaExSqdxScHMgkwsaM75neji0_Sg1mOOl7LzOd63x4JJexfUCYXNQrMWz6iOTdt4FHY/w400-h300/PXL_20230509_000315072.MP.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Cruise car with nobody at the wheel. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>20. <b><a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2023/06/looking-back.html">Hike in Castle Crags State Park</a>.</b> I have driven by and even hiked near Castle Crags, but had never been inside the park before. In June, for my Dad's birthday, my family went and hiked up to the Crag Dome, where we had a great view of Mt. Shasta and the surrounding area. For those who don't know, Mt. Shasta is about 14,180 feet high, which I think makes it the 5th highest mountain in California. It is volcanic and is part of the Cascade Range, which extends all the way to BC and includes well known mountains like Hood and Rainier. </div><div><br /></div><div>21. <b>Drive through the eastern part of Oregon.</b> Once you leave Bend and head east, it just gets more and more sparse and the trees go away and it gets hot and there are no amenities. Really, there are none! We almost ran out of gas. We also camped off the side of the highway and there were these huge crickets, which could be Jerusalem or <a href="https://www.wweek.com/news/dr-know/2022/07/09/whats-so-mormon-about-mormon-crickets/">Mormon crickets</a>, but whatever they were, they were gross and they hitchhiked in my car and I kept finding them in random places for days afterward. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjokQ4Zgbn3-_VPcUyYRDEJ7Xken3GbNFduMMxmxMVDPhmpfE20XFcOT-Ocv03BGcijieP7TdedKvTpbfGxlOgoJ6Acc5QzcZXhWwvmCV1WDJnnIjLvXZwWWR9fCPqcwKETcOpfojKTSliZsocq_9za__849W7BU0NzP1_tnPnAi3TS_ULUYOy9/s4032/PXL_20230708_031404032.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjokQ4Zgbn3-_VPcUyYRDEJ7Xken3GbNFduMMxmxMVDPhmpfE20XFcOT-Ocv03BGcijieP7TdedKvTpbfGxlOgoJ6Acc5QzcZXhWwvmCV1WDJnnIjLvXZwWWR9fCPqcwKETcOpfojKTSliZsocq_9za__849W7BU0NzP1_tnPnAi3TS_ULUYOy9/w400-h300/PXL_20230708_031404032.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">High desert of Oregon</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>22. <b><a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2023/09/buses-boats-and-bicycles.html">Bike across Washington state</a>. </b>K's daughter A told everyone that I rode across the US, but I had to tell her that I may someday, but this trip was only across WA! It was a lot of fun, I really enjoyed the Olympic Peninsula and the varying scenery of the state as a whole. This trip had a lot of firsts: longest multi-day ride, first time taking the bike on the ferry, lots of new rail trails, riding through Seattle and riding through a two mile long tunnel! </div><div><br /></div><div>23. <b>Soccer mom duties.</b> Once a week I go and spend time with my friend K and her daughters A and L and often on weekends I will chauffer and spectate whatever sport is happening for the season. This has now been a regular thing for a couple of years, and it has been fun to be chauffer, confidant, game buddy, soccer/lacrosse "mom," bike instructor, cook and friend to all three ladies. Even though sometimes it is hectic and we don't have time to chat, more often than not, it is a chance to catch up a little with what is happening in each of their lives, which is priceless.</div><div><br /></div><div>So there you have it, 23 new things in 2023. There were many more than this of course, but these were some of my favorites. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>What new things did you do/learn/try or places did you go in 2023? How do you feel about driverless cars? How do you feel about the Japanese drawing style? </b></div>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-40908216378776333202023-12-18T03:00:00.000-08:002023-12-18T03:00:00.134-08:00Where Did You Find That Book? <p>My work husband G once asked me how I find so many different and good book recommendations. He is an avid reader, but prefers non-fiction and does not belong to any book clubs or the like. He joined Goodreads because I told him about it and now I am his only friend, which means that he sees ALL of my ratings and comments about them at work. He is not really a social media person, but loves being able to keep track of his books, which I find very dear. I have recommended a few fiction books to him which he has really loved (The Nightingale, The House in The Cerulean Sea, A Tree Grows In Brooklyn) even though his genre is usually non-fiction. </p><p>To answer his question, I told him that I have a multitiered process. </p><p>First of all, my number one method for getting good book recommendations is<b> from other bloggers</b>, and I keep them in a list and make a few notes. I also do <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/kyriaw">rate them in Goodreads</a> once I am done; the notes I keep in this list are very basic. Here are a few examples.</p><div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="color: #333333;"><b>Birchie:</b> </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Social-Climber-Novel-Amanda-Pellegrino-ebook/dp/B09VLDB1FK/ref=sr_1_1?crid=I1B2AYQ3T25K&keywords=the+social+climber+amanda+pellegrino&qid=1699820258&sprefix=the+social+clim%2Caps%2C112&sr=8-1" style="background-color: white; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102); box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">The Social Climber</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px;"> by Amanda Pellegrino</span></span> <span style="color: #2b00fe;">(put on hold 11/13)</span></div><div><div><div><div><br /></div><div><b>NGS/Lisa: </b>Kill Show <span style="color: #2b00fe;">(put on hold 12/01, hard copy only, no audio)</span> </div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Stephany</b>: Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb <span style="color: #2b00fe;">(put on hold 10/24)</span></div></div><div><br /></div><div><span><b>---------------- READ ------------------------</b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span><b>Emily: </b>An Evil Heart</span><span> </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">(on hold 10/06) </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">READ, thought it was good.</span><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="color: black;"><br /></b></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b style="color: black;">Elisabeth/Nicole: </b><span style="color: black;">I Feel Bad About My Neck </span><span style="color: #2b00fe;">(borrowed 6/28) </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">READ, really liked it. Great read about getting older as a woman. Humorous.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><span><div><b style="color: black;">Jenny: </b>Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory (Deena Kastor) <span style="color: #2b00fe;">(put on hold 9/28)</span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> </span><span style="color: #990000;">READ, thought it was good. Definitely different from the other two running lady books I read this year.</span><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span><span>[<i>S</i></span><span style="color: black;"><i>ide note, in case you are wondering, they were Good For A Girl and The Longest Race</i>]</span></div><div style="color: black;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: black;"><span>The other thing I do is I <b>poach my friends' feeds on Goodreads for five star reviews</b>. This is actually not one I do very often, as I am not really a social media scroller; I generally get on, add my updates and get off without really looking through the feed. However, sometimes I will see a five star and I will go to Libby and put that on hold. For these ones, I don't really make a list or notes. </span></div><div style="color: black;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="color: black;"><span>I also <b>peruse the Goodreads annual choice awards</b>. Each year a winning book is chosen from each genre. However, there are also about 10 nominees for each category and I often will add books from the top ten to my holds list. For example, here were some of the top nominees (and the winner, Weyward) for this year's historical fiction category (one of my favorite genres). </span></div><div style="color: black;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="color: black;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7j12rayuCLxCwGR-BGZGWZYAZeffc02GUds3knGxFh-ai7S78Zm_dbL71kNL-Yj_EYIrCC1IRjhiUt_EFIrIBgfqZnNTU4kkDtXisy7Cntx-j5K6gwNKgkGbsZoKnZ9uJMI7nJuKL1yrZZr7mbolnmjZR_FelV49tpDIlZ1sV916WRXYqSvrC/s1230/Screenshot%202023-12-11%20193600.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="1230" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7j12rayuCLxCwGR-BGZGWZYAZeffc02GUds3knGxFh-ai7S78Zm_dbL71kNL-Yj_EYIrCC1IRjhiUt_EFIrIBgfqZnNTU4kkDtXisy7Cntx-j5K6gwNKgkGbsZoKnZ9uJMI7nJuKL1yrZZr7mbolnmjZR_FelV49tpDIlZ1sV916WRXYqSvrC/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-11%20193600.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qtxgxjBIoKzo6HFeE4CDsRMneGpXfbVNOOjbki89z7OPVLlKlnIW4jQeCw3Cm-Y36_f-hCXMYZzfjFmdK6uSwaMj64lNNxYDBfARZAYBgunvIPph6_C5_QdW6VZfZL8U6cuF6_YcG6HQPsoQIcwJNv77hXteyG21d2NT9dFY8NPQqSzOSCiF/s1210/Screenshot%202023-12-11%20193623.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="1210" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qtxgxjBIoKzo6HFeE4CDsRMneGpXfbVNOOjbki89z7OPVLlKlnIW4jQeCw3Cm-Y36_f-hCXMYZzfjFmdK6uSwaMj64lNNxYDBfARZAYBgunvIPph6_C5_QdW6VZfZL8U6cuF6_YcG6HQPsoQIcwJNv77hXteyG21d2NT9dFY8NPQqSzOSCiF/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-11%20193623.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />However, I will also <b>peruse the prior years nominee lists</b> if I am looking to fill my holds bin. Sometimes there are books on the old lists that I have still never read. The good thing about this method for me is that I can tell by a glance on Goodreads if I have read it or not, because more likely than not, I will not always remember! </div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">I also <b>use Libby</b> in two ways: (a) if I need a book now, like I am desperate, I will check the "available now" filter and just see what is out there and in this case I am not too picky. If I see a thriller from an author I know (or think) is not total crap, I will borrow it. I also have some in the pocket, like I still have not read all of the Louise Penny books, so I am saving some of those for a rainy day! (b) I may also filter by "popular now" although more and more I have read a lot of the first ones that come up, but I will still scroll down and then either put them on hold or borrow them if they look interesting. In this case, I will admit, I sometimes DO judge a book by its cover. Sorry! </div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">Lastly, and not least, I get <b>recommendations from IRL friends</b>! These are more few and far between but they are still there. My friend K's Mom was reading Lessons In Chemistry the last time we were together and I was so excited to hear what she thought about it after she was done (and she loved it! and apparently there is now a TV show too, which is supposed to be pretty good). </div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">Also, you may wonder how I keep track of what I want to read. I used to mark them as "want to read" on Goodreads but I found that once I had the "wish list" function on OverDrive, which then transferred over to Libby, it is just easier to either put them on hold right away, borrow them right away, or put them on my wish list on OverDrive/Libby right away rather than trying to manage two lists. </div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">So there we have it. If you are looking for a book recommendation, you can find a <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/p/bookshelf.html">list of some of my favorite books here</a>. And if you want to poach my five star shelf, you can <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/kyriaw">find me on Goodreads here</a>. </div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;"><b>How do you find new books? Where do you get book recommendations? How do you keep track of your TBR (to be read) list? </b></div><div style="color: black;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="color: black;">P.S. Only one more week until Christmas!! 🎄</div></span></span></span></span></div></div></div>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-63342827527426832272023-12-11T03:00:00.000-08:002023-12-11T03:00:00.147-08:00Gift Ideas For Active People<p>I hope that everyone had a great weekend and is getting in the holiday spirit! I made a wreath for my door; it looks like a five year old made it, but it smells so good! The weekend was a little chilly here; it was in the 30s in the Bay Area and it snowed about a foot or so in the Sierra last week. I guess winter is here. Personally, I like a white Christmas, but since this year Christmas is on a Monday and I have to drive home to work on Tuesday, I don't want it to snow too much because that means I may have to drive it it. Ideally it would snow on Sunday, be white until Monday morning and then melt off just in time for me to leave. </p><p>Even though most of you have probably already done your shopping (right?), I thought I would give you some ideas in case you have an active friend in your life for whom you have no idea what to get. Never fear, here are ten ideas for you, in no particular order, based on some of my favorite things I use very often, and have tried and tested*! </p><p><a href="https://www.rei.com/product/171491/salomon-adv-skin-5-set-hydration-vest">Solomon Hydration Pack</a> ($140) - It took me a long time to get one of these, as it is a little expensive, but it really is the best one that I have had. I like it so much that I have actually rebought it three times now. The only thing I would say I don't like is that I had to rebuy it three times, mostly due to stretching of the netting/pockets. However, I would say each one lasts me about 2-3 years and I get a lot of mileage out of them! </p><p><a href="https://a.co/d/0EFgbql">Altra Lone Peak</a> Trail Runner ($90) - This shoe is good for hiking or trail running and has a nice wide toe for people with Flintstone feet like mine. It has a zero drop, which may take a little getting used to, but is very comfortable once you do. It is also very lightweight, which is good for use and also for traveling! </p><p><a href="https://www.stance.com/performance/run/">Stance Socks</a> ($15) - I also use these for both running and hiking; for running I like <a href="https://www.stance.com/stance-performance-tab-socks/TABSOCKSPERFMIDATHLETICBLACK.html?dwvar_TABSOCKSPERFMIDATHLETICBLACK_color=athletic_black&cgid=run">the ankle sock</a>, but for hiking the crew is better. They have a compression function so are a little hard to get off and on sometimes, but they are really comfortable and I get no blisters! They are pretty expensive for a sock, but for that reason are a good gift! </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHfL6FBtu3HPqQYKxcav8SKR4tSDTuP7FtoBXm8YGgiREM1L3qE7dX0c9iTSFO8xzRUPOSPIo-RNxLpcRQde7nDiHExcySRTSDVz2cIQSITLdVoph4-Iw_I6ZqphAGDEGH95_QoMACrQizUBGFRwdRXYjxovP9xyAdb3Q4QsI201vRT4-mOcE9/s4032/IMG_20210228_055503470.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHfL6FBtu3HPqQYKxcav8SKR4tSDTuP7FtoBXm8YGgiREM1L3qE7dX0c9iTSFO8xzRUPOSPIo-RNxLpcRQde7nDiHExcySRTSDVz2cIQSITLdVoph4-Iw_I6ZqphAGDEGH95_QoMACrQizUBGFRwdRXYjxovP9xyAdb3Q4QsI201vRT4-mOcE9/s320/IMG_20210228_055503470.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Socks!</td></tr></tbody></table><p><a href="https://www.patagonia.com/product/womens-houdini-windbreaker-jacket">Patagonia Houdini Windbreaker</a> ($100) - This is a very lightweight windbreaker and it zips into its own pocket so that when folded up it is perhaps about as big of a deck of cards. I usually just keep it in my hiking pack just in case and it has come in handy on unexpectedly cold days. </p><p><a href="https://www.rei.com/b/yaktrax/c/all?s_kwcid=PS_Google%7C401_&s_kwcid=PS_Google%7C21700000001699351_43700078342148928%7C58700008582217019%7CNB%7C71700000115458076&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA4NWrBhD-ARIsAFCKwWt7trMpTtOLkDhGdr-7v6mXIyxZBDgtQUMep5Q_ruHC0ps2xD1ujr8aAkkbEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds">Yaktrax</a> ($25) - These are little snow chains you put over your sneakers in the winter for added traction. Full disclosure --> they do not work as well on ice; they are better for softer snow, but there are some that have more spiky bottoms which are a bit more grippy. If you are going to really be in ice and/or climbing, microspikes or crampons may be a better bet. </p><p>Snacks! ($5- $10) - When running, I usually eat squeezy applesauce, protein bars and dried fruit. When hiking, I will eat the two latter items, and some other great hiking snack ideas for your favorite person include beef sticks and jerky (these <a href="https://tcsjerky.com/collections/zero-sugar">no sugar ones by Tillamook</a> are my favorite), TJs dried mangos and coconut, TJs salted almonds and <a href="https://shop.thinkproducts.com/think-keto-protein-bars-chocolate-peanut-butter-pie">Think bars</a>. Many hikers also swear by Snickers and peanut M&Ms! </p><p><a href="https://www.patagonia.com/product/ultralight-black-hole-mini-hip-pack-1-liter/49447.html">Fanny pack</a> ($35) - I used to make fun of my Dad for wearing a fanny pack in the 80s and now he makes fun of me! Actually he doesn't but isn't it funny how things come back around? I got a fanny pack as swag for a race and I put it in a drawer with a sneer, until a few years later I needed it for something and I put it on and I was hooked. I gushed so much that broski and Dr. G had to get one for themselves too. When hiking or biking, it is so handy to have all of your things within reach: phone, sunscreen, bug goop, TP...it makes things so much better. Sorry Dad; you were right! </p><p><a href="https://goodr.com/collections/running-sunglasses">Goodr sunglasses</a> ($20) - My friend K's sister loved these and recommended them to me, as they are grippy plastic/rubber and they don't bounce when you are running. K decided to buy us both a pair and although I laughed when I saw the ones that she got me (they are pretty obnoxious colors), I really do love them. They come in various (obnoxious) themes and colors so you can really show your style, like maybe Nessie's Midnight Orgy or Donkey Goggles. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3TDIvFov0mGuySsLRxjYVOI2P_ShOaGdo1fttaiKcxYe19v57jgJelWrrfnkih6gfpY9isHRqchIpbZbQMF874alrsUXgLaB1mkvmV_D4VFDozajL2iEben_THv3Z0lajhndbJCd-87prF3Cyv1yqvsit8mFdkab1cd1n4YkE_UjZsXlqFt2/s3264/PXL_20230912_162007850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3TDIvFov0mGuySsLRxjYVOI2P_ShOaGdo1fttaiKcxYe19v57jgJelWrrfnkih6gfpY9isHRqchIpbZbQMF874alrsUXgLaB1mkvmV_D4VFDozajL2iEben_THv3Z0lajhndbJCd-87prF3Cyv1yqvsit8mFdkab1cd1n4YkE_UjZsXlqFt2/w300-h400/PXL_20230912_162007850.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bright, eh? These are called "Everglades."</td></tr></tbody></table><p><a href="https://a.co/d/cBJtJUP">Hand Warmers</a> ($1) - these are a great stocking stuffer and we actually used to use them for skiing, on both our hands and our feet. They are inexpensive and are a nice treat to have in your pocket when hiking on a chilly day. I gave one to my coworker and he used it at work one day when they had the AC up too high! I guess they are good for a lot of places! </p><p>*<i>I am not sponsored by any of these companies, but if any of them want to sponsor me, I would be happy to oblige! </i></p><p><b>Have you tried any of these items and if so what do you think? What is on your Christmas wish list? What must have item would you recommend to me? </b></p>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-9034961202151833332023-12-04T03:00:00.000-08:002023-12-04T03:00:00.153-08:00Travel Wish List + Paint By NumbersI work with several financial advisors and they each have a different take on estate planning. One of them once said that he told his kids he would rather them take the money out of his warm living hands than his cold dead ones, meaning that he would rather do things with them now than give them money later for them to do things without him. It may seem crass to talk about, but that is literally what I do every day, talk about things that to many people are taboo. He does have a point too; I really do think that sharing experiences now is priceless and would rather spend my parent's money on vacations with them now than get it from them after they are gone. 😁 <div><br /></div><div>That was a joke (hi Dad!)!! But seriously, regarding my parents, I would rather they spend their money on something they have always wanted to do; they worked hard to get to where they are now. I hope they use up every penny of their money by the time they go. For my own money, I would rather go for a dinner or weekend away with friends or travel or have an experience rather than a thing. Obviously there are bills and stuff, but I have really been trying to avoid spending on things that will just break, go bad, or be used just once before sitting gathering dust. I am not saying that everyone needs to do it my way; you do you! I bought a stationary bike during the pandemic that I barely use; I am not immune to idiocy. I am saying that lately I have been trying to ask myself if I really NEED something and if not, that money I have "saved" is going into the travel and experiences fund. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, let's get to the fun part! This summer, I had planned to go to one of the following: Bulgaria, Romania, Norway, Iceland or Taiwan. I know, this seems like an odd list, but these are just a few of the many places I would like to go. At the beginning of the year, I set flight alerts for all of them and waited for the prices to come down. You may already know where this is going, but the prices did not come down, they went up and it was ridiculous how much a two week vacation was going to cost. So I decided to double down next year and try to do a longer trip so I can justify the crazy cost of the flight. So that is the plan; next year I will make plans to go to one of those places. </div><div><br /></div><div>But wait, there's more! Last week, <a href="https://thespectacledbean.com/2023/11/29/show-and-tell-where-ive-been-in-my-lifetime-where-i-wont-be-this-december">Ally Bean posted this chart</a> and of course I had to fill out one for myself. (<a href="https://tenpages.github.io/us-level/us.html">you can fill one out here</a>). I won't lie, I was a little confused between stayed here and visited here, but decided that "visited" means stopped and ate but did not stay the night. You decide how you want to play it. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzmbc46AsV_Mfse3zroRrLv-MAZhKdUce-OVTju6UhFKBfXXrA1U2AlvTAXePNRTK2nGiYUZ1YmkSWUXXoJzjjFkcgB9RJNAl-67WXLWtRFe8Dkbd569J8_D9eM_BgOIjPb2o96Pu25IpYVhz5sohUruwv2zHczotCTHqOhuDJoA8ew4lqnju/s2300/US%20Level%200.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2300" data-original-width="2300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzmbc46AsV_Mfse3zroRrLv-MAZhKdUce-OVTju6UhFKBfXXrA1U2AlvTAXePNRTK2nGiYUZ1YmkSWUXXoJzjjFkcgB9RJNAl-67WXLWtRFe8Dkbd569J8_D9eM_BgOIjPb2o96Pu25IpYVhz5sohUruwv2zHczotCTHqOhuDJoA8ew4lqnju/w400-h400/US%20Level%200.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>So of course I have all of the white states above on my wish list too. I actually have tentative plans to go to Montana next summer. I have heard AR has some really pretty scenery and mountain biking, so I can't wait to check it out. MI, WI and OH are in a strange (geographically, not mentally) but beautiful part of the country, so <a href="https://gratefulkae.com/">Kae</a>, <a href="https://birchwoodpie.blogspot.com/">Birchie</a> and <a href="https://ngradstudent.blogspot.com/">Engie</a>, don't be surprised if I show up on your doorstep someday. SC is probably best to visit in winter and I won't lie, ND and SD just seem cold and flat. <b>Can anyone tell me what I need to do and where I should go in any of the white/blue states above?</b> Help! </div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, I also had to do the same thing for Europe. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAn3stlxH6ntcR6voOB2df2zEf6TE5uhZnEAKdIXCSpe6FWHGwMRab0-9YcFUWjt9O1h_0Lakqf2-effjsfW_jskOiGvfbcLOxBfJ-_sriGsFD0TB7jKSVsM3JGD2D8oipCCTQFy90e2ohBTqwwKuqgC1B2x5CtdwC-z92na9yneujfvwh6Ew/s1892/Screenshot%202023-11-30%20044858.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1435" data-original-width="1892" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAn3stlxH6ntcR6voOB2df2zEf6TE5uhZnEAKdIXCSpe6FWHGwMRab0-9YcFUWjt9O1h_0Lakqf2-effjsfW_jskOiGvfbcLOxBfJ-_sriGsFD0TB7jKSVsM3JGD2D8oipCCTQFy90e2ohBTqwwKuqgC1B2x5CtdwC-z92na9yneujfvwh6Ew/w400-h304/Screenshot%202023-11-30%20044858.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div>Doing this made me realize that I have a lot of gaps to fill. So many gaps and so little time! So I really hope to get a chance to see many of the white ones in the map above over the next few years. <b>Have you been to any of the above white countries? Which one(s) and what did you think and what should I do and see if I go there? *</b>*FYI I am NOT a "check it off the list" traveler. I would rather stay one month in one place than try to go to 10 different countries in a month. Also, I have returned to many of the orange countries above rather than go to a white one, as a two week vacation really is not enough time to see an entire country! (off soapbox now)**</div><div><br /></div><div>So there you have it, a very small slice of my travel wish list. Your turn! If you feel like painting by numbers, fill in the map and let me know (1) what your score was (2) what white gaps in your map would you like to visit first. If you do not feel like painting, tell me what is on your travel wish list. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>What kind of experiences or things do you find priceless? What is the best state or country you have ever visited? What places are on your travel wish list?</b></div>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-76396009775068605532023-11-27T04:34:00.000-08:002023-11-27T04:34:24.649-08:00What I Love<div>I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and is ready for December to be here! Here are a few more things that I have been loving lately, in no particular order. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Shampoo Bars.</b> My favorite one is <a href="https://bodyandearth.shop/collections/shampoo-bars">this one</a> by Body and Earth, but I also like the <a href="https://a.co/d/fRcDXfx">Love Beauty and Planet two-in-one</a>, and it smells fantastic. If you are new to these, you may sometimes miss the foaminess of your regular shampoo, but people, that is just a tactile add on and does not do anything to get your hair clean! I have found these great for traveling, as they do not count toward your one quart rule, plus you can also use them as soap, so technically they are three in one. Some of the 2-in-1s are better than others with the conditioning part of the bar, so you may need two different ones depending on your hair type. I have thin hair so I don't really use a lot of conditioner anyway, so these are perfect for me. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tuesday runs. </b>I have been running in the city before going home after work on Tuesdays and it has been great. If I go home, it is a lot harder to get back out of the house so I decided to do this, even if it is just a couple of miles, as a way to keep myself motivated regarding exercise. I always feel better afterward, plus my route goes right by the water, so if I had a bad or unmotivating day at work, it is a great way to clear the mind and focus on the beauty of the day. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQgu-zVqgTtchm5c6qwneZPaKCY523evahAnRIPfuRVlCJStSqtQtyQ7l60vvYuUKqP5YCrnZztVI3ZUqL8SRPSQi6iq3lCQOZepJxllJCiYDL1xbJJdRA2Z8uSX2M-M40ZuowOxzFqZk0VVUN9rsoC1J8P12uSkCVN3KQ3q-5BoMatpvTXYfn/s4032/PXL_20231114_220323143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQgu-zVqgTtchm5c6qwneZPaKCY523evahAnRIPfuRVlCJStSqtQtyQ7l60vvYuUKqP5YCrnZztVI3ZUqL8SRPSQi6iq3lCQOZepJxllJCiYDL1xbJJdRA2Z8uSX2M-M40ZuowOxzFqZk0VVUN9rsoC1J8P12uSkCVN3KQ3q-5BoMatpvTXYfn/w400-h300/PXL_20231114_220323143.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuesday Run Day - Fort Mason</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><b>Bertha.</b> Since my car got broken into in July, I have not driven to work once and the old bag (Bertha) has really held up well! It is only about two miles each way, but I haven't had any issues and just like the Tuesday runs, sometimes the ride back home at the end of the day is just what I need after being stuck in the office all day. I highly recommend getting a cheap or second hand bike and doing a few mile loop a couple of days a week if you can; the feeling of the wind in your hair really is priceless sometimes. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><a href="https://a.co/d/45M1J52">This peeler.</a></b> I know that a peeler seems like such a housewife thing to gush about, but this peeler is great! I am sure you have all had those moments where you wonder if the peeler you got is for left handed people, or if it was made for people without thumbs, because it is so much work to peel a potato or even a carrot with it. This peeler had a good handle, it peels without having to be manipulated and it has a sharp end to get rid of bruises or eyes if needed. It is the most I ever spent on a peeler, but (1) you get two so you can gift one of them and (b) it was totally worth it! </div><div><br /></div><div><b>The library. </b>I know <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/search/label/Library">I have said this a million times</a> but I would be lost without the library. I have had a card in pretty much every place I have lived in, including London and New Orleans, and have used it voraciously. Not only do they have books, but most libraries also give you free tickets to museums, but they have book clubs and Spanish classes and resume writing seminars. There are a plethora of things to use the library for and it is definitely something that I am happy to pay taxes for! </div><div><br /></div><div><b>How was your Thanksgiving? What are you loving lately? </b></div>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-25905613084887657592023-11-20T03:00:00.000-08:002023-11-20T03:00:00.125-08:00Let The Games Begin?<p>Last week was one of those weeks were I completely overbooked myself and this week is going to be more of the same. Last week every day I had something after work, culminating in a client meeting and dinner on Friday, of which I was very glad to see the back of, although it went well and we had a good time. Planning for work events with multiple personalities and likes/dislikes is not really my thing, although I always seem to be in charge of doing it, like it or not. Luckily everyone was happy in the end, but if I don't have to do that again for a long time, I will not be sad. On Saturday I went to a wine and music event with my friend E and we were talking about his Thanksgiving plans, which are going to be nothing social, and I was telling him how I completely understand why. Sometimes it just creeps up on you and you need to hide under a rock for a while. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAXC_okNB6p-DaV95pyo9sceZ_MIvZ6k2GcSZJnzZjCuV1FHrLEfWaGYl9Xt087h5KN_E8ZPswoCKxNSYcxprlFbVNiL7vSwN_fuFY3_BYVYOA9akSE1MsAXDX6BR9pB2vk3N29XCfN2lwUsubboQVPTpS7D9xmF26V5l294QD_W0Q0445McI/s4032/PXL_20231118_020345777.PORTRAIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAXC_okNB6p-DaV95pyo9sceZ_MIvZ6k2GcSZJnzZjCuV1FHrLEfWaGYl9Xt087h5KN_E8ZPswoCKxNSYcxprlFbVNiL7vSwN_fuFY3_BYVYOA9akSE1MsAXDX6BR9pB2vk3N29XCfN2lwUsubboQVPTpS7D9xmF26V5l294QD_W0Q0445McI/w400-h300/PXL_20231118_020345777.PORTRAIT.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fancy dinner</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Jd-5kuUiooBfnCxTpFaqgoPqVprydUkjB9MA85Bdp6E4BgpfKoRjRmeUt_j7TkIcPI11PVFrShGC497-F4o_0zFaPPueZZlBHjRbtVHz6bwTKxadWtezvqDVu8OIw4_Rf2gOyCnK8s7mlWqHQkRO6NTfpJq1kojYxkiXFHFG5iESkmDRk_Nr/s4032/PXL_20231119_031007812.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Jd-5kuUiooBfnCxTpFaqgoPqVprydUkjB9MA85Bdp6E4BgpfKoRjRmeUt_j7TkIcPI11PVFrShGC497-F4o_0zFaPPueZZlBHjRbtVHz6bwTKxadWtezvqDVu8OIw4_Rf2gOyCnK8s7mlWqHQkRO6NTfpJq1kojYxkiXFHFG5iESkmDRk_Nr/w400-h300/PXL_20231119_031007812.MP.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wine & music with Les Claypool</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Luckily although this week will be socially heavy, it will be fun and a bit more low key. I only have Thursday off of work, so will have to go back into the office on Friday, although I expect it to be slow, as the markets are not open all day. Then on Saturday, I will run the Quad Dispea, <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/search/label/Quad%20Dipsea">an annual trail race</a>, for which I have not trained enough. It will be painful, but it is kind of the running community's "holiday" get together, where you will often see people that you may not have seen since last year's race, so it will be nice to catch up with them, or at least see them on the course. I am crossing my fingers that it doesn't rain, as there are some steep muddy and slippery rock sections that are much more fun when dry. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7YWGCopvWEcpVfJNM1DY-B6SZIQSvkXcs6uEgzQpVFyIFITMahfIvcjL0UlMlASe8DVIa1AvXvoZpKBXt65nAFpQKqhHoy9o6g1qDwgzKtVT1Fcd9sipRISoRD-Y214yx1Eu45yBYP08H5JGzES5AqlZQuDGDmX6_TVyxCyXfJtqGmU-GYfk/s4032/PXL_20221212_233934315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7YWGCopvWEcpVfJNM1DY-B6SZIQSvkXcs6uEgzQpVFyIFITMahfIvcjL0UlMlASe8DVIa1AvXvoZpKBXt65nAFpQKqhHoy9o6g1qDwgzKtVT1Fcd9sipRISoRD-Y214yx1Eu45yBYP08H5JGzES5AqlZQuDGDmX6_TVyxCyXfJtqGmU-GYfk/w400-h300/PXL_20221212_233934315.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipsea_Trail">The Dipsea</a> trail is known for its 678 stairs</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I am looking forward to Thanksgiving, which will probably just be a low key lunch/dinner, lots of games, some hikes and otherwise just catching up and drinking lots of coffee! I think we are looking at lows in the 40s and highs in the 60s, and no rain, which is a very welcome thing! Last weekend we had some thunderstorms which were good for the garden, but difficult when trying to dash from a car to a restaurant in high heeled shoes, which is what happened to me on Friday night. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxn3Z00TNb_tC_kz0O1TrL6AzUqS1hSalK-GFk8N7o0Q9JKNQKF_eOdlEiXnwnmzK6QAzbb2Y6y4Ou09lH79sSPWoYmhxfeMoCLACUwGfWEuMjvm1cBk7uciEneCUjZyjIUv5-15uEX6obwhhFzCw1kMj0oxtjX_U0uiSzi2RY8IIMKQX0BCzN/s4032/IMG_20171223_152043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxn3Z00TNb_tC_kz0O1TrL6AzUqS1hSalK-GFk8N7o0Q9JKNQKF_eOdlEiXnwnmzK6QAzbb2Y6y4Ou09lH79sSPWoYmhxfeMoCLACUwGfWEuMjvm1cBk7uciEneCUjZyjIUv5-15uEX6obwhhFzCw1kMj0oxtjX_U0uiSzi2RY8IIMKQX0BCzN/w400-h300/IMG_20171223_152043.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quirkle, one of our favorite games</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Besides the rain though, the weather has been pretty good and is still not getting too cold at night; our lowest low has been in the 40s still and the trees are still pretty and golden in most places. Of course, as I mentioned before, this still means that raking season is going strong, and likely will for some time yet. I have really been enjoying leaf peeping walks around the neighborhood lately though! </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Ch3-EuZ_R-HKFxEEmigy2A7NE4pXupkS6O18Ii3GjjkfSZFXf1hFs8JEHL7LOz5TSTdf-ZALgvwWFkf8BOw5WNKFkqRl70Jt05fzTbqDWGuoBvLZd8jM1T_lT1bJXnfWIlX_F0910j9nELPfExtNyNFJQIEByu55Pw-l4vlpetQzR12EU-2Z/s4032/PXL_20231119_170330556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Ch3-EuZ_R-HKFxEEmigy2A7NE4pXupkS6O18Ii3GjjkfSZFXf1hFs8JEHL7LOz5TSTdf-ZALgvwWFkf8BOw5WNKFkqRl70Jt05fzTbqDWGuoBvLZd8jM1T_lT1bJXnfWIlX_F0910j9nELPfExtNyNFJQIEByu55Pw-l4vlpetQzR12EU-2Z/w400-h300/PXL_20231119_170330556.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden leaves</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7UfSY_q3u6ABE6ZpZ6hsIafugAJZ6JjkqeIm_hM3KarvCgXmVBO9_U2mHq7E94LOYhZseBh16d76IzASmdYa2rdUXpEn-T6FT0cUzkA0GiODkyF7L0HIiGISHUcs0FmyiWG2LZM7RSJ9xSZnK7mdv2uWUVfRp6Que_zvtJAKXUc0GL8RXHzO/s4032/PXL_20231112_151550799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7UfSY_q3u6ABE6ZpZ6hsIafugAJZ6JjkqeIm_hM3KarvCgXmVBO9_U2mHq7E94LOYhZseBh16d76IzASmdYa2rdUXpEn-T6FT0cUzkA0GiODkyF7L0HIiGISHUcs0FmyiWG2LZM7RSJ9xSZnK7mdv2uWUVfRp6Que_zvtJAKXUc0GL8RXHzO/w400-h300/PXL_20231112_151550799.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun neighborhood corner</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>After that, November will basically be over, and it will be the last month of the year! My Christmas cards are 99% done, so I will put the finishing touches on them and get them sent out at the end of the month. The other thing I always do in the last couple of months of the year is to get all of the pesky check ups done. I already went to the eye doctor, next up are the dentist (today actually) and all of the lady checks and then I am done until next year! I still have to do some more serious dentistry, but will wait until my new insurance starts in January, and will also do my normal wellness exam (blood panel for triglycerides, cholesterol etc.) in January once the calendar starts over again. </p><p><b>What are your plans for Thanksgiving? Have you done all of your annual exams, dentist appointments, eye appointments etc. yet? What are your neighborhood walks like lately? </b></p>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-25412158988668096912023-11-13T03:00:00.000-08:002023-11-13T03:00:00.133-08:00Am I Wearing Pants? And Other Random StoriesWho remembers this meme? <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw1lABTyjhLt-JZVYn5MYJuIY_uyVnObcoL5hfsV_8HEddt2bNSsw70efmLSKsFdIsGcNe00HHDPb23w7Qpm4J4YNSEho2_WVTviX5jPpnIVIIawQEnlhaWld7FPgjVvozihAi8a9dU2-QgjzmU4lhXcPsOS537BlxzxbMcmg1-z7_ECZ6tRPX/s990/AmIWearingPants_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="990" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw1lABTyjhLt-JZVYn5MYJuIY_uyVnObcoL5hfsV_8HEddt2bNSsw70efmLSKsFdIsGcNe00HHDPb23w7Qpm4J4YNSEho2_WVTviX5jPpnIVIIawQEnlhaWld7FPgjVvozihAi8a9dU2-QgjzmU4lhXcPsOS537BlxzxbMcmg1-z7_ECZ6tRPX/w400-h323/AmIWearingPants_web.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Leg Pants. </span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>I think the meme above was from when it was once again becoming more common to wear leggings out in public for no reason (see --> "are they yoga pants? are you doing yoga?") and it was not always appreciated! These days it is more accepted, but there is still the "leg pants" phenomena, where I wonder if a woman (or man I guess) knows that her pants are the <u>exact same</u> color as her legs. Sometimes I nearly have a heart attack as I pass or come up behind her, thinking she is walking around naked. People, perhaps get a shade a few shades darker or lighter than you? Or maybe you like seeing how many people you can get to do a double take. </div><div><br /></div><div>As a kind of related side note, the other morning I was getting off the train and a lady was getting on the opposite train and I saw that she was wearing leg pants that really hugged her butt tightly and were the perfect color for her complexion. She had a nice fur coat on top and had her hair done up really fancy. Then I realized at the last minute that she was NOT wearing pants, or underwear and that was actually her butt I had been seeing. Good morning to you too!</div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Mean Dad. </span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Two weekends ago I went to A's soccer game. If you come to spectate, you must sit on the same side of the centerline that your kids are sitting on on the opposite side. We arrived a few seconds after the game had already started and so the only place to sit was basically just left of the centerline (by mere inches) meaning that we were sitting right next to the spectators from the other team. There was a girl on the opposite team who was playing on our side of the field and her Dad was sitting a couple of chairs down from us. He kept yelling at her, berating her, telling her all of the things that she wasn't doing etc. (these girls are around 13 by the way). The ironic thing was that he was pretty supportive of the other players, but very critical of his own daughter, who I thought was doing quite well. </div><div><br /></div><div>As Broski and I were sitting there, we chatted about <a href="https://images.app.goo.gl/JF6Q6QPymANMnxFk9">this cool camera</a> that was sitting right on the centerline, filming the game. We even Googled it to find out how much it cost and surmised that one of the parents must really be into sports. My friend K (A's Mom) arrived around halftime and after she arrived, the mean Dad walked away and went to sit further down the field. I was telling her how this Dad was being so mean to his daughter and she was really doing well and K told me that the last time they played this team, the parents got into a huge fight because the parents of the other team were all being rude, mean and unsportsmanlike (i.e. telling their daughters to "take them out!" and encouraging them to hurt the other girls and things like that). Anyway, the game ended, our team won in the last three minutes (boo yeah!) and as we were packing up to go, we noticed mean Dad packing up the camera. We kind of shook our heads at ourselves, imagining him sitting at home with his poor daughter, making her relive everything she had done wrong in the game. </div><div><br /></div><div>Later that week I was having dinner with K and the kids and she told me that she had received a video from a parent using that same camera for L's last game and as she had watched it, she had remembered how good the audio is on these cameras. They sit up off the field about 15 or 20 feet, but she could hear the parents chatting underneath the camera. I asked her what they do with these videos and she said that often the team will review them all together and they will talk about what needs to be improved. So basically, the team that A's team played is going to do the same thing. And if they do, they are going to get an earful about how I felt about mean Dad!! Oops. However, nothing I said was not true, AND they are also going to be able to hear him berating her, so perhaps he will take note. People, we are being watched and listened to no matter where we are! I guess the moral of the story is don't say anything that you wouldn't want a bunch of thirteen year old girls (and their mean Dads) hearing! </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Expiration dates. </span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Last week Nicole <a href="https://girlinaboyhouse.com/2023/11/five-for-friday-the-small-grievances-and-their-associated-upsides-edition/">touched on suggested expirations</a> and I just want to say that I pretty much ignore most expiration dates. This may make me gross in some people's minds, but I am fairly sure that most of them are just a ploy to get you to buy more of their product. Now, I know that if they are old they can be less effective or not as tasty in the case of food, but I don't think I am going to die if I use a 2 year old mascara or eat an expired can of corn. I take them as a suggestion and if it is food, I definitely give it a good sniff before eating it. But I am going to use up that two year old bottle of Jergens and that Costco coconut oil even if it kills me. </div><div><br /></div><div>Having said that, in the past year, I have bought new tires for both my car and Bertha (the road bike) and they are fabulous! I have been using the same tires on Bertha for about 10 years and I was starting to have trouble stopping due to the lack of tread. I even splurged for the fancy brand, and man are they nice. Same thing goes with the car; I have replaced a tire here and there but finally decided to get four new ones at the same time and I feel like a new woman. I also do replace the little things that I can fix myself, like my car cabin air filter (did you know you were supposed to do that? I just learned about it a few years ago), wipers and the engine air filter regularly. </div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpn2RbeWTQuIG7B_PvUG4SLl4ANutLrGhpJqaQoGxkWDYrJlVzxAw26KKlMWoxNrSbHkxjNeCWU6YcMAGxRzoCR3y4QaEgo5cSERxM7cNYZUf5LPFV_XMNGP37s8XLW3PDkYwqURxZRYkXDEZw6Z6-AkoYtFx02DgkzcvIBR63zklgGDOA9IN/s4032/PXL_20230819_130450239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpn2RbeWTQuIG7B_PvUG4SLl4ANutLrGhpJqaQoGxkWDYrJlVzxAw26KKlMWoxNrSbHkxjNeCWU6YcMAGxRzoCR3y4QaEgo5cSERxM7cNYZUf5LPFV_XMNGP37s8XLW3PDkYwqURxZRYkXDEZw6Z6-AkoYtFx02DgkzcvIBR63zklgGDOA9IN/s320/PXL_20230819_130450239.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old girl, new tires</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Fall.</b> </span></div><div><br /></div><div>It is perpetual leaf raking season again. I think <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2023/09/rants-about-trees-neighbors.html">I have mentioned before</a> that my seasons are based on the status of the maple tree in my front yard. September: clean the leaves out of the gutter season. October to December: leaf raking season. January to March: ankle breaking ball pick up season, also coincides with rainy season. April to June: spring break. July to August: removing branches from electrical wire season. I pretty much fill up the compost bin and/or the green trash bin with leaves each week and I still can't really keep up with all of the leaves on the ground. Usually at some point in December there is a huge wind and rain and it knocks many of the remaining leaves off the tree, but I would prefer that just happen early so I can rake them all and be done with it. It is supposed to rain this week so maybe this will be the week it happens? I doubt it, as the tree still has about 87% of its leaves left right now but one can hope. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1UqW5uBGMNgZlyMPOujySdhQ5dUQjy1AVMzbBRhMx67b0RK_udQ_7fAvnG6omOZ-UensVZk5-vzgwiDkWHfnMsTf9tAmzOHKbc3LGTB5r7N9U73s72QB1R_rOECLPB6PMjUfON89MXf_GiGuJZSWlXpdXs0tltvPIK_-D3nCUaGV7KbAC_-G/s4032/PXL_20231105_171242712.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1UqW5uBGMNgZlyMPOujySdhQ5dUQjy1AVMzbBRhMx67b0RK_udQ_7fAvnG6omOZ-UensVZk5-vzgwiDkWHfnMsTf9tAmzOHKbc3LGTB5r7N9U73s72QB1R_rOECLPB6PMjUfON89MXf_GiGuJZSWlXpdXs0tltvPIK_-D3nCUaGV7KbAC_-G/s320/PXL_20231105_171242712.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gutter cleaning season</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><b>How was your weekend? Do parents use fancy cameras to film stuff at your kid's sports events? Do you follow the suggested expiration dates on your products and/or foods? </b></div>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-68324367685026893042023-11-06T03:00:00.011-08:002023-11-06T03:00:00.154-08:0010 Things To Do In San Francisco<p>I know many of you have probably already been to San Francisco, and have done the usual touristy things (Fisherman's Wharf, Ghirardelli Square, Golden Gate...etc.) but thought it would be fun to provide you with a few of the lesser known things to do on your next trip that are a bit less touristy! Or, if you have never been, perhaps you can do a bit of both. This is obviously not an all encompassing list, but just a small slice of the many fun things to do! Everything on this list can be reached by public transportation or on foot, or there are many public bikes and scooters if your feet need a break (<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/edit?mid=1nfSDuoj_Ol1oM40LPTSaFzRIHOFEk2A&usp=sharing">link to below map here</a>). </p><p style="text-align: center;"> <iframe height="300" src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/embed?mid=1nfSDuoj_Ol1oM40LPTSaFzRIHOFEk2A&ehbc=2E312F&noprof=1" width="400"></iframe>
</p><p><b>1) Twin Peaks / <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutro_Tower">Sutro Tower</a></b>: My family has always called the tower Godzilla, and I am not sure why because I Googled it and can only find reference to it being called the Space Claw... It is kind of a monstrosity either way, and was built in 1973 (it recently had its 50th birthday) to help improve the television signal in the city. However, the real reason to go up there is the fun drive (or hike if you are feeling athletic; it is only a couple of miles depending on where you start) up and down and the great view you get from the top! </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdupw6nQhi1Yz4VJCJEUsRoaqbOsLK3yKjqsIMc6MefYdPzvwC-fBdtHT1kgTBcUbS8MIXZlVVYnWEOm3ry5A8WQuCg3IxbyeAql1jjgwRO2rDp4sx9kAU7p0esxsgaP1K1SAsSR37ZIdbC1o-3h2L1kMNK1b0Ddc-BbamxF84Se2O42HvYjNV/s2048/20131208_070202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdupw6nQhi1Yz4VJCJEUsRoaqbOsLK3yKjqsIMc6MefYdPzvwC-fBdtHT1kgTBcUbS8MIXZlVVYnWEOm3ry5A8WQuCg3IxbyeAql1jjgwRO2rDp4sx9kAU7p0esxsgaP1K1SAsSR37ZIdbC1o-3h2L1kMNK1b0Ddc-BbamxF84Se2O42HvYjNV/w400-h300/20131208_070202.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of downtown from Twin Peaks</td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>(2) Golden Gate Park</b>: This is a lot of ground to cover, but a favorite loop of mine is to go and ogle <a href="https://sfrecpark.org/facilities/facility/details/Bison-Paddock-224">the bison in their paddock</a> (2a), walk past the <a href="https://secretsanfrancisco.com/tulip-bloom-golden-gate-park/">Dutch windmills and tulips</a> (2b) (in bloom in February) and then end up at <b><a href="https://www.parksconservancy.org/parks/ocean-beach">Ocean Beach</a> </b>(2c), where you can watch the (kind of scary) waves of the Pacific beat on the shore. If you like walking a lot, you can keep going and head over to the <b>Cliff House </b>(2d), an icon of the city, and the <b>Sutro Baths </b>(2e), where people used to bathe with a view of the ocean! For these places basically being in the middle of the city, they can all be surprisingly quiet. Tip from a local: bring a jacket, no matter what month it is. It gets chilly on that side of the city! </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbyy72SJC2hA4ymt4Hyvq2RhhFQ07KQYbTCsoLOlnYXGv1oEQxINczUUNEzzIuaYDBDbn9h5NE3mQRFgJnFbQSKzccW9oH7EzH1wx2mk8Nks0w3tdidJLT-mGfeDjJsRC0Qpvh6V_zyeZLFHzBU6VqbUCUYkgS4OJu9R8EEe8Vg9AU4pbUgcRU/s4032/PXL_20220419_213111350.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbyy72SJC2hA4ymt4Hyvq2RhhFQ07KQYbTCsoLOlnYXGv1oEQxINczUUNEzzIuaYDBDbn9h5NE3mQRFgJnFbQSKzccW9oH7EzH1wx2mk8Nks0w3tdidJLT-mGfeDjJsRC0Qpvh6V_zyeZLFHzBU6VqbUCUYkgS4OJu9R8EEe8Vg9AU4pbUgcRU/s320/PXL_20220419_213111350.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dutch windmills & tulips</td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>(3) </b><b>Land's End</b>: If you keep walking after the Sutro Baths, you will get to Lands End, a dirt walking trail along the coast, which has some good views of the ocean and the Marin Headlands to the north. Also, this is right near the <a href="https://www.famsf.org/">Legion of Honor</a> (3a), which is worth a look-see (and if you don't want to walk so much, you can split the park and these two places into two groups). </p><p><b>(4) </b><b>Irving Street</b>: Since we are already down near the park, we may as well go to Irving Street for something to eat! There is pretty much anything you could want between 19th St. and 24th St., but some of my favorite things to get are either pho, dim sum or Thai food (<a href="https://www.marneethaisf.com/">Marnee Thai </a> (4a) is a must and if you go, you have to try the kanom krok - even if you don't see it on the menu, ask for it). You also can't go wrong if you just wander, or stop when you are hungry (after your GG park walk you will be!) <a href="https://www.templetons.com/brad/irving-food.html">This guy has a fun map with restaurant names and notes</a>. Oh, and if you feel like straying a bit for a good pizza or bread, check out <a href="https://arizmendibakery.com/">Arizmendi Bakery</a> (4b) on 9th and Irving. </p><p><b>(5) </b><b>Chinatown</b>: Pick up some dim sum to-go from Delicious Dim Sum (5a) and sit in <a href="https://sfrecpark.org/893/Portsmouth-Square">Portsmouth Square</a> (5b) where you will have a view of the Transamerica tower, and watch the locals play their daily board games. They really get into it and it is fun to watch the competitions arise! Plus the area is just so vibrant; it is a great place to people watch. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrOF67AeKQQQyzJBJCQsEiBhdRoylSYQRrq5DPXFNcNb7KApkdYCCHyE1lDIdf7MOvXpZWgF9lKAnpcVcFgnUOt0OEGArdvAVqxHe2V-k10SVFjsY6rEfmjBF_0X0AgTDjK9tWsQNmw2ZOiLadmjy3ZuVg_HFX-WlntNDSBc4cJ-Pew53P-Cuo/s4032/IMG_20200120_095733542.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrOF67AeKQQQyzJBJCQsEiBhdRoylSYQRrq5DPXFNcNb7KApkdYCCHyE1lDIdf7MOvXpZWgF9lKAnpcVcFgnUOt0OEGArdvAVqxHe2V-k10SVFjsY6rEfmjBF_0X0AgTDjK9tWsQNmw2ZOiLadmjy3ZuVg_HFX-WlntNDSBc4cJ-Pew53P-Cuo/s320/IMG_20200120_095733542.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious dim sum!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>After that, if you feel like being a tourist, you can walk down Grant Street, or if you want to see how the locals shop, take a stroll down <b>Stockton Street </b>(5c). Local tip: You can get great prices on fruit and vegetables here. If you want to buy anything from the shops, there are not really proper lines. Just walk in, put your item on the scale next to the register and get your dollars out quick. It is a dog eat dog world out there and you need to be quick to win your right to pay for your goods! Also, I have never paid with a card, so I can't confirm whether they take them, but I would have cash on hand just in case. </p><p><b>(6) </b><b>Filbert Steps:</b> These go from Sansome Street up to Coit Tower, so they are a little touristy, but it is also fun to go up or down them. It is a stairway within a neighborhood and it is fun to check out everyone's gardens and at the same time you get a glimpse of the Bay Bridge and the San Francisco bay. If you feel like doing a loop, I like to go up (or down) Vallejo Street (6a) which is also steep but provides a nice view. If you like hidden staircases like I do, San Francisco has over 600 public stairways (<a href="https://www.urbanhikersf.com/sfstairmap">map here</a>) for you to explore; here is <a href="https://sf.curbed.com/2020/5/19/21264034/best-urban-stairs-steps-sf-san-franciscohttps://sf.curbed.com/2020/5/19/21264034/best-urban-stairs-steps-sf-san-francisco">an article about 11 of them</a> to get you started. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRzFcAJNEw34fsFE6Q-bP2KinC4m_1-5xaRJK_FB2xKViRE2VlZycCKdHeOuA03v_6qK1kevrcLIDCKfXwAQ2IFDl19VcUZcxwFeXcH8jSGXdgDzHw1C1p5Ox3xvQu3kkG59WSHa1DGdzvsuZpwdTBpXfabwS0jtYu5geAkV38Ji9CEr3zNd-3/s4032/IMG_20171121_170600.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRzFcAJNEw34fsFE6Q-bP2KinC4m_1-5xaRJK_FB2xKViRE2VlZycCKdHeOuA03v_6qK1kevrcLIDCKfXwAQ2IFDl19VcUZcxwFeXcH8jSGXdgDzHw1C1p5Ox3xvQu3kkG59WSHa1DGdzvsuZpwdTBpXfabwS0jtYu5geAkV38Ji9CEr3zNd-3/s320/IMG_20171121_170600.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii08KMntcixuD0kG32MKJPuFaYJnrMEYrx46jzY0Np-m7NKrQPT__Lq8RxzdOZNSWMR50e3D1PAUBQwFlKHlTPPBbs3hU31IeHqTUerkjx-IDdBa2VaPKs9aQmytmQvCd-zWJY6oe93rf5WAlgtBuWe-ygmutpLJJV0ukhuQOcaCjFi_1zznqy/s4032/PXL_20231031_212305387.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii08KMntcixuD0kG32MKJPuFaYJnrMEYrx46jzY0Np-m7NKrQPT__Lq8RxzdOZNSWMR50e3D1PAUBQwFlKHlTPPBbs3hU31IeHqTUerkjx-IDdBa2VaPKs9aQmytmQvCd-zWJY6oe93rf5WAlgtBuWe-ygmutpLJJV0ukhuQOcaCjFi_1zznqy/s320/PXL_20231031_212305387.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><b>(7) </b><b>The Murals in the Mission:</b> Head down to Clarion Alley (7a) and scope out the cool murals, and afterward, go and get a burrito. There are so many places to choose from, and you can't go wrong with most of them, but I often end up at either El Farolito (7b) on Mission & 24th or <a href="https://sfeltoro.com/menu.html">El Toro Taqueria</a> (7c). And don't forget to eat the burrito properly, <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2012/05/how-to-eat-burrito.html">which I describe in this post</a>. You can also find more mural locations <a href="https://www.sftravel.com/article/guide-to-san-francisco%E2%80%99s-mission-district-murals">in this article</a>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNtW3r0SWd7rmWXZiXk1nFhxl5MZDCPtOA2E542m5RBe0UcriCd3j2jJJEPT-8qwauPpM1fMa4t_sxGIipY4pPdZUVUij6LRBm3zZPeSaLjFtOaNfc5cYgIEzbOztAx2RlOza374qrKQpo0XBql7yPKzlxzRRbdz6AzW7VoblAeK5PZk9XvjlO/s4032/PXL_20230417_212223814.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNtW3r0SWd7rmWXZiXk1nFhxl5MZDCPtOA2E542m5RBe0UcriCd3j2jJJEPT-8qwauPpM1fMa4t_sxGIipY4pPdZUVUij6LRBm3zZPeSaLjFtOaNfc5cYgIEzbOztAx2RlOza374qrKQpo0XBql7yPKzlxzRRbdz6AzW7VoblAeK5PZk9XvjlO/s320/PXL_20230417_212223814.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><b>(8) Crissy Field/Fort Point: </b>If you feel like taking a nice walk along the water, you can go from Crissy Field down to Hopper's Hands (Fort Point) (8a), which is about 1.5 miles each way. If this is too much, there are options: you can park in the Warming hut lot (8b), which makes the walk only about half a mile, or you can drive all the way to Fort Point if the gate is open. Either way, it is a great way to get outside and get some fresh air, plus you have the added bonus of a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, the water, the Marin Headlands and the city! Basically you can't go wrong. Don't forget to <a href="https://www.parksconservancy.org/gateways-article/what-is-story-behind-hoppers-hands-fort-point">touch Hopper's Hands for good luck</a> when you get to Fort Point! </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNklgFBt0Jz39cByeY3WCcSxRhmFJMI_sVVg6TZDlm2dapKmjjYWmEdQamQr3-5EgK-NPPzk8LVZvqpipZxvFTsUlhsYpPNrrDielMpXlXXTK6ZeSphe0p_3vEp5OOQ2ED2iQsd16bD6fOBUfgK2wChXYGeyWc0Jd5-wN7G-JX33XcUZXWfZq/s3264/20130627_172328_4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNklgFBt0Jz39cByeY3WCcSxRhmFJMI_sVVg6TZDlm2dapKmjjYWmEdQamQr3-5EgK-NPPzk8LVZvqpipZxvFTsUlhsYpPNrrDielMpXlXXTK6ZeSphe0p_3vEp5OOQ2ED2iQsd16bD6fOBUfgK2wChXYGeyWc0Jd5-wN7G-JX33XcUZXWfZq/w400-h300/20130627_172328_4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fort Point</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhLIRTNJ8YwFiPs4QY0R1_iqbvqdyrdGRTZ0NdqmCbBFA8MlH3ZU9GDfHojuPl64aJeOHxGS80rlcR9GXzf2x4MkQmez46-uzeodzbB2j9wHJkg31JGHOH0__RRq3ZqcAVKzCjKYdiJiEFI3fMZcn0NexNYYfa18s3HBDA5uk4neUT9bk1Yyd/s2048/20131207_130928_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhLIRTNJ8YwFiPs4QY0R1_iqbvqdyrdGRTZ0NdqmCbBFA8MlH3ZU9GDfHojuPl64aJeOHxGS80rlcR9GXzf2x4MkQmez46-uzeodzbB2j9wHJkg31JGHOH0__RRq3ZqcAVKzCjKYdiJiEFI3fMZcn0NexNYYfa18s3HBDA5uk4neUT9bk1Yyd/w400-h300/20131207_130928_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Crissy Field</td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>(9) Fort Mason: </b>You can go and watch the sea lions at Fisherman's wharf, or you can go to Fort Mason instead and watch them at the marina, swimming around and sunning themselves on the docks. Also, if you are looking for love, supposedly the Safeway (9a) across the street is frequently listed as one of the city's best pick-up spots and is affectionately known as the "Dateway." </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8u_bpOFEOCk7G0LMP13VbYS_BUQby7SSoSGGo0REjaAXIce51Byw9vOhfg2_QHs0C06K7TNobyW3xptHlQKX0hT90Bp7-SCsOjv-n6JnHq7_-GZpxWqlihyx1DE8FtGB3D8CBvEfC9E-62X4Q9DndA35LwTxdY8XvkZMObNRnVdVsm4OTc8_T/s2048/20140124_162124_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8u_bpOFEOCk7G0LMP13VbYS_BUQby7SSoSGGo0REjaAXIce51Byw9vOhfg2_QHs0C06K7TNobyW3xptHlQKX0hT90Bp7-SCsOjv-n6JnHq7_-GZpxWqlihyx1DE8FtGB3D8CBvEfC9E-62X4Q9DndA35LwTxdY8XvkZMObNRnVdVsm4OTc8_T/w400-h300/20140124_162124_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fort Mason / Marina</td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>(10) Biking the Embarcadero: </b>Most people talk about San Francisco's hills and how scary they are when running or biking, but despite the rumors, there are a lot of flat options! The simplest one is to bike along the Embarcadero where you will have to climb a small hill to get to Fort Mason, but after that, you will go back down towards the Marina and Crissy Field where it is flat again. Of course, you can make this a multi-mile trip pretty easily: the Mission is also flat, Ocean Beach/Great Highway are gorgeous, you can even bike to Sausalito (and beyond)! Really the city is your oyster. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3RZJhN9eW_xrpt0S6Db6eKruvBhXg2YHIcR3O0fkqUYaP_lG6rXn4Wm3lfy9fuCwzTDfWGaHsdDsy6CG0G0dVFeUDFQH3CldxDptNti919ecgBn1sypz8rfI961h2RdWymBdZbwsi26KcuX3hDtC0R7IOjuUl9Hq9cQoLVx4-5iEFdqIpPGx/s2048/20141125_151959(0).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3RZJhN9eW_xrpt0S6Db6eKruvBhXg2YHIcR3O0fkqUYaP_lG6rXn4Wm3lfy9fuCwzTDfWGaHsdDsy6CG0G0dVFeUDFQH3CldxDptNti919ecgBn1sypz8rfI961h2RdWymBdZbwsi26KcuX3hDtC0R7IOjuUl9Hq9cQoLVx4-5iEFdqIpPGx/w400-h300/20141125_151959(0).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bay Bridge / Embarcadero</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Well there you have it folks, a handful of fun things to pick from next time you are in San Francisco! Of course feel free to ask questions if you need more information! </p><p><b>Have you ever been to San Francisco? Have you been to any of the places/done any of the things on this list? If not, what is your "local tip" for your neck of the woods? </b></p>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com22San Francisco, CA, USA37.7749295 -122.41941559.4646956638211535 -157.5756655 66.085163336178852 -87.2631655tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-52098878120285503832023-10-30T04:42:00.000-07:002023-10-30T04:42:01.015-07:00Currently<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Happy almost November, Dia De Los Muertos and Halloween! </span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikM-wfMoszgXgswXa1fZXkjHrNOi7n79mga71NJY90RvWrpSBpKro5fT2DOuPXteQcezofDArpfdeYTnvSYpTTsqY65p_9vwu0Nxo4ymFDwrgEP0kJxH56CbBEMPCEuVH_suwybf6WGZ9RavySNaQvE9Ba0tXEQShobi5zGxqVQXusXmTILTQE/s4032/PXL_20231028_203131970.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikM-wfMoszgXgswXa1fZXkjHrNOi7n79mga71NJY90RvWrpSBpKro5fT2DOuPXteQcezofDArpfdeYTnvSYpTTsqY65p_9vwu0Nxo4ymFDwrgEP0kJxH56CbBEMPCEuVH_suwybf6WGZ9RavySNaQvE9Ba0tXEQShobi5zGxqVQXusXmTILTQE/s320/PXL_20231028_203131970.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sal's Tacos in West Sacramento</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;">Reading: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40241546-all-together-now">All Together Now</a> by Mike Carter, which is a book about a man who decides to walk from Liverpool to London in honor of the 1981 People's March For Jobs which his Dad participated in. The original march was a protest to the Thacher government and the high unemployment it brought. I am learning a lot about the little towns in England as well as some of the politics. </span></p><span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;">Loving:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;"> Collagen (I use <a href="https://www.vitalproteins.com/products/collagen-peptideshttps://www.vitalproteins.com/products/collagen-peptides">this one</a>). I put some in my coffee every morning and my fingernails grow so fast! I can't say that I have noticed other changes, but maybe the lack of certain changes is enough for me! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;">Thinking: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;">About traveling. I took the Amtrak on Friday to go to my parent's house and it was so fun. I mentioned it to my coworker and he started looking into longer trips and the conversation made me want to book a train vacation! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;">Frustrated</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;">: With people who play their music out loud in public places or trails etc. This happened a few times this weekend. One was on the Amtrak when the guy next to me put his music on out loud on his phone. The other times were on a bike path and the street. I just find that rude and am not sure why they don't feel the need to use headphones (the same applies for out loud phone calls). </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;">Feeling: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;">Unmotivated to start working on my Christmas cards. I know once I get started and get in a groove it will be fine, but getting started is evading me. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;">Anticipating: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;">This weekend when I will be auntie to A. I will take her to her soccer game on Saturday but before that we will also do some fun things like watch an old movie (maybe Spaceballs, which she has not seen), bake some things and play games. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;">Watching:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;"> Anne With An E on Netflix. It is very cute and is bringing back memories of the books, which I have not read in ages. In fact, it is making me want to go back and read them again! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;">Working: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;">NOT on my Christmas card! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;">Grateful:</b><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;"> </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;">That my family is all happy and healthy and that everyone can still do (and wants to do) our annual Thanksgiving hike before dinner. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;">Listening: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;">To the audiobook <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/53450790">The Perfect Marriage</a> as well as the <a href="https://www.adventuresportspodcast.com/">Adventure Sports Podcast</a>. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;">Wishing:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;"> There were more summer weekends still, so I could go out for one last Sierra backpacking trip! </span></span><br /><br /><span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 16.8px;"><b>What are you listening to? W<span style="font-family: inherit;">hat are you anticipating? Have you started your holiday cards yet? </span></b></span></span>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-43205641239300995372023-10-23T04:35:00.000-07:002023-10-27T04:35:44.194-07:00My Last To Do List: In Case of Emergencies<p>As I mentioned in <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2023/01/what-i-learned-22-new-things.html">my 2022 recap post</a>, one of the things I completed last year was what I call my last to do list. Actually it is more of a file with a bunch of documents and a to do list in it, so let's just call it the In Case Of Emergencies (ICOE) file. If you have not read my first post of this series about trust and estate planning, <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2023/04/my-last-to-do-list-trusts-other.html">you can read it here</a>. </p><p>This is basically a file that you can tell your emergency contact the location of so if something happens to you, they can go and get it and have a one stop shop of where things are and what they may need to handle for you. This is something that <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2023/03/a-walk-down-memory-lane.html">my grandmother</a> had and after she passed away, it was so easy to arrange her affairs, since she had already done most of the work for us. After that, I decided to hone and combine a couple of the lists that I already keep for myself and update my file so that my loved ones would have a roadmap for me. Obviously this changes over time, so I have put it on <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2023/01/little-by-little-month-by-month.html">my yearly purge and organize task list</a> as something I revisit and update once a year. </p><p><b>Important Docs</b>: I basically have a big thick plastic ziplock bag (<a href="https://amzn.to/3Zy5158">like this one</a>) that I keep all of my grab and go important documents in. This includes the lists I will reference below, but it also has things like my trust documents, birth certificate, passport, deed to my house, title for the car etc. I also keep a paper copy of each of my bills so that the account number and phone number to contact are handy. Obviously this could be found online but I like to take the "belt and suspenders" approach. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5hlRxWTnt0zlhKH3d0CPJNaNZde9Rei-bxwQOR7up1JiC1ejTbOUnqP7Nb9-3vnZK4M9641UivXH1cKWhxJD-2L0Be91rv4JFGShqz0zx6QM6S9S9np1FLgZNgOCGoqGmgINbZq-PoQa1USK92qMI37es5A5V6mpSXujta82KPx-OjkBnVTK/s4032/PXL_20221203_173804249.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5hlRxWTnt0zlhKH3d0CPJNaNZde9Rei-bxwQOR7up1JiC1ejTbOUnqP7Nb9-3vnZK4M9641UivXH1cKWhxJD-2L0Be91rv4JFGShqz0zx6QM6S9S9np1FLgZNgOCGoqGmgINbZq-PoQa1USK92qMI37es5A5V6mpSXujta82KPx-OjkBnVTK/s320/PXL_20221203_173804249.MP.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vaccinations! (this can be uploaded online now too)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b>Other Important Items</b>: This is also not on a list, but I keep any old memory cards or external hard drives with photos etc. in the same bag. I know most things are in the cloud now, but I have a lot of older photos that I have not put in the cloud so those are kept on hard drives for the time being. </p><p><b>List of bills: </b>This is a printout of an Excel spreadsheet of what bills I have, how they are paid, when they are due, and how much they normally are. Most of my bills are on autopay, so I have also noted whether it comes from my bank account (like the mortgage) or the credit card that I use for autopay. I only use one credit card for anything I have autopay on and use a different card for any online purchases and a third card for brick and mortar purchases. This way if the card that I carry around with me gets lost or stolen, I do not have to go back and update all of my online and/or autopay details. I also have this list saved in a Google drive folder that I share with my emergency contact so that it can be accessed online as well. </p><p><b>List of bank accounts, retirement accounts etc.: </b>This is also an Excel spreadsheet; I do not put account numbers on this, but it is a list of where the account is, what type it is, and who is the beneficiary. This includes my loan for my mortgage. </p><p><b>List of properties</b>: the deed or deeds should be in the file anyway, but it could also help to keep a list of the address(es) of any properties in the file too. I have also noted who my mortgage is with and approximately how much I have left on my loan (to be updated once per year). </p><p><b>List of email address and passwords</b>: this is also up to you and can be stored electronically and shared instead. You can also get a password vault app that can be shared. However, my list is not long; it only includes sites that I think people would want to have access to, such as my Google account, which is where all of my photos and such are. Also this can be retrieved in some cases after your death, although I did read that the Apple iCloud data is not transferrable. To be safe, I would share your login with someone if the information is important! </p><p><b>Where is this file?</b> Most importantly, tell someone where this file is and how to access it if it is in a safe or somewhere locked. </p><p>Just a side note, as I have mentioned in the past, this file is also the very same one that I would grab if there were a fire heading my way, and because of this, it also has cash in it. I also have a box of photos (hard copies) and a go bag with a change of clothes and some food as part of my emergency prep kit, but if the fire were coming fast, I would just grab the ICOE file and skedaddle. So it satisfies two different purposes. </p><p><b>Do you have a ICOE file or a Go Bag? Is there anything that I do not have on my list that you have on yours? </b></p>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-38599533480204806192023-10-16T04:23:00.006-07:002023-10-16T04:23:47.277-07:00A Scale of Loose to ClenchedA few months ago, my car got broken into. Unbeknownst to me, there was a viral TikTok video about how to hotwire my particular brand of car, which caused a rash of break-ins across the US. I do not watch TikTok, nor would I have watched a "how to hotwire a car in 5 seconds" video, nor did my car dealer send me anything warning me that this was an issue, so I was caught very unaware when it happened. I won't get into all of the details; the short story is that it was inconvenient and expensive and I was without a car for about 10 days. However, the good news is that four of those days were weekends and I had group trips planned so I did not need the car then. <div><br /></div><div>For the other days, I went back to my pre-pandemic method of biking to the train station! I used to do this every day but when the pandemic hit, first I drove to work and then when I started taking public transit again, there was no early train from my station so I had to drive to a further one to get to work, and then there were earlier trains but I was out of the habit. So the vandalism was a blessing in disguise and since then, I have ridden my bike to work about 99% of the time that I have gone into the office! This increases my weekly riding by about 12 -15 miles per week. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLaIa24C7OMBcLT3bvrZwLvBn724cOFGInC4vBQ6oV3z382M7Hp25sVorL1lgtGmXCpHdje2ZFocsOOv-jQdC4lBkvaLythCvt4U2_0oKvCmpHFOYmqTLeBDK0b6IBJ9vlB1pHl2PomOzk69hQVbzdRj0jjwJoSG6hnL7wSl7ZNLcOFsNvZdt/s2899/20130627_170443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2224" data-original-width="2899" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLaIa24C7OMBcLT3bvrZwLvBn724cOFGInC4vBQ6oV3z382M7Hp25sVorL1lgtGmXCpHdje2ZFocsOOv-jQdC4lBkvaLythCvt4U2_0oKvCmpHFOYmqTLeBDK0b6IBJ9vlB1pHl2PomOzk69hQVbzdRj0jjwJoSG6hnL7wSl7ZNLcOFsNvZdt/w400-h306/20130627_170443.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marina Green, San Francisco</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>This also spurred me to ride sometimes on the weekends, or do a longer loop after work on my way home. However, riding in a city is sometimes more of an adventure than you bargain for and there are some things that cause my butt cheeks to clench a little bit and I thought I would share with you my clench scale. Think of it like a normal scale of 1 - 5, with one being loose and comfortable and five being clenched and tense. Here are a few examples. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>1 - Loose and comfortable.</b> Riding along on a nice bike path, or very smooth street, road or trail with no cars, the weather is good, the birds are singing and everyone is in the lane they are supposed to be in, going the direction they are supposed to be going, calling out etc. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>2 - Small pucker. </b>Bike path or lane where cars are using their turn signals and giving me at least three feet of room, if not more. But there are groups of people taking up the whole path, or that have dogs with a leash that covers the entire space or with kids that are unsure of which way they are walking, so I have to take it slow and be careful. Or getting to a four way stop where everyone is stopped, but now that I am there, even though they were first, they wait and then they wave at me to go first and my armpits start to sweat from the pressure of having to get going from a stop in front of everyone, even though I am the slowest vehicle, and I grunt my way across, hoping that nobody gets impatient and just decides to gun it through the intersection. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>3. - Sweaty and tight.</b> Google tells me to turn left at the next intersection when I am on a five lane street in the far right lane and it is rush hour. I contemplate veering left across four lanes to get to the far left lane but when I look up ahead you realize that the left lane takes me onto the freeway. I do not get into the left lane; instead I drop an F bomb at Google and go find the grocery store to buy ice cream. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>4 - You could bounce a quarter off of it. </b>Dude comes from the left turning lane, across three lanes to turn right on a green light with no blinker or any warning, as I am attempting to go straight at said green light. I literally stop myself by putting my hand on his jeep as I nearly careen into him. He does not stop or give one of those "I'm so sorry, I did not see you" hand waves. Luckily I was just getting going on the green, so I was not going too fast yet. After this I ride through a tunnel on a street that Google told me to take, and there is not only no shoulder, but this is also the main thoroughfare for the semi trucks going to unload in the Oakland shipping yards, so I am passed by several of them while I am in the tunnel. I put all my energy into pedaling through as fast as possible and hoping that my little red blinking light is bright and these semi drivers are patient and awake. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>5 - Clenched and tense.</b> Dude opens his car door without looking first, almost sending me ass over teakettle in the middle of a busy pothole laden street with no bike lane, causing me to swerve into traffic. Then I narrowly miss getting hit by a bus that is pulling over to pick up passengers. The bus clearly did not see me, nor did they use their blinker so I would know they were getting over. I get ahead of the bus and 30 seconds later they are passing me again, and I feel the wind from their bulk as they speed by, about six inches from my left elbow. Add pouring rain to this and I may need to make an appointment with a proctologist. </div><div><br /></div><div>So yes, some days are kind of fun and others can be a litany of near misses, sweaty armpits and holy-crap-what-did-I-just-dos. Yesterday I saw three cars run red lights on my two mile commute home. These were not turning from yellow to red lights; they were fully red and the people just decided to ignore the rules. Having said that, I just learned that the following states have a law called the "stop as yield" law, which means that <u>bikes</u> do NOT have to stop at the stop signs, but can instead yield (it seems many Oakland <u>car drivers</u> follow this premise too), and in some cases, can even treat red lights as stop signs, and can go when it's safe/clear. FYI, as you can see, California is not one of them. I do wonder how well these states do with educating car drivers of these rules. I also wish that I knew this before I rode across Washington! <br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICdEYatCiG-BEAf1Z77faX76cwU21glh6ptjvIJpafVWCi95wiFiCuLFD-y0o4C1BfeMRNTZCV8AP-Z-w9cruiA7IEC02Nyb5JBwqOV8ozZnBdVqYNo252jSi87xERJRIhJ9lcglaW7nx8O2Y56IgP4q3-MHrX6zkaTqt5zbY8m0hQVB2vNwz/s1510/Bike%20Stop%20as%20Yield.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="1510" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiICdEYatCiG-BEAf1Z77faX76cwU21glh6ptjvIJpafVWCi95wiFiCuLFD-y0o4C1BfeMRNTZCV8AP-Z-w9cruiA7IEC02Nyb5JBwqOV8ozZnBdVqYNo252jSi87xERJRIhJ9lcglaW7nx8O2Y56IgP4q3-MHrX6zkaTqt5zbY8m0hQVB2vNwz/w640-h206/Bike%20Stop%20as%20Yield.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>So...next time I tell you that today was a five, you will know exactly what I mean! </div><br /><div><b>Have you ever ridden a bike in an urban area? Do you have any pucker stories? Do you live in a stop as yield state and if so, did you know about this rule? Do people follow traffic rules where you are from? </b></div>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25226414.post-70860755816864036792023-10-09T03:00:00.001-07:002023-10-27T04:29:44.576-07:00The Joke Is On Me: ATM Cards<p>Last time I was an idiot, <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/2023/07/the-joke-is-on-me-travelers-checks.html">it was travelers checks that almost did me in</a>. As I grew up and got smarter and more with the times, I stopped carrying traveler's checks and almost exclusively used my ATM card. A lot of countries take credit cards now, but there are still some countries where having cash is a necessary thing and sometime the rate is better through the ATM (unless you get charged ATM fees, but we can talk about how to avoid that in a different post). So I always take an ATM card and a credit card with me when I travel, no matter where I am going. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_-sfp8bJ-idbmNkrEd4OWjxIGsBIGJncE1bBzYMl40kLVhhuqyl7rhvAu9IYyu-dv7OtdcKKWDtwKkvH0VuQQKbh0JgjbdvItKcbWy_CNFtlCZ92OeT9kr-nay1OISAXftzvJ6pXt1cZKPtUSN70q0UddI5iFcfL2Oieb7LqwSheNEYdnGHpZ/s4032/PXL_20220912_080915774.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_-sfp8bJ-idbmNkrEd4OWjxIGsBIGJncE1bBzYMl40kLVhhuqyl7rhvAu9IYyu-dv7OtdcKKWDtwKkvH0VuQQKbh0JgjbdvItKcbWy_CNFtlCZ92OeT9kr-nay1OISAXftzvJ6pXt1cZKPtUSN70q0UddI5iFcfL2Oieb7LqwSheNEYdnGHpZ/s320/PXL_20220912_080915774.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">G<span style="text-align: left;">ratuitous</span> Slovenian mountain scene. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Last year <a href="https://travelspot06.blogspot.com/search/label/Slovenia">I went to Slovenia</a>.<span style="color: red;"> </span>The plan was that I was going to be in a city probably four or five of the fourteen days and would be hiking a point to point hike for the other ten days. This meant that I would not be able to leave things somewhere to pick up; I would have to carry everything I needed for the entire fourteen days on my back. Needless to say, I wanted to pack light. So I carried a lot of items that I could use for both trail and city and I pared down a lot of things, like my toiletries and my wallet, so that I would not be carrying extra stuff. I got rid of my work badge, my extra credit card, my AAA card. I brought bar shampoo. I brought my multi adapter charging station. I was ready and I was excited and I took my pack to work the day before so I could ride my bike to work the next day without the huge pack on my back. I was prepared! </p><p>Then I left the office, got on the BART to the airport, and realized that in paring down my wallet, I had taken out my ATM card. I had only wanted to carry one credit card and I do not think I screwed my head on all the way when I visualized what this meant. I always use a list but this time it was a bit of a hybrid backpacking/city exploring and I did not think about both of them fully. </p><p>You may think that I was headed to Europe, which is not a third world country; why would I even need cash? Well, mon ami, I was going to be backpacking in the remote Alps and there are huts where you can sleep but in my prior experience those huts only took cash. Many of them had no online reservation system, so I could not even reserve them in advance with my credit card. You may think that I could just get out cash with my credit card. That would be true if I knew my pin, which I don't because I have never ever used my credit card to get cash. </p><p>So I sat on the BART as it hurtled towards SFO, wondering how I was going to solve this issue. I did not have time to go home and get the card; I had my emergency $20 with me, but that would not get me far. I knew there were solutions, but what would be the best one, given I was going to be on a plane for twelve hours and then out of the country soon!? I noodled for a minute while sweating slightly due to my own stupidity. </p><p>The solution ended up being the following: luckily (or stupidly, you choose) I had taken a photo of my ATM card, which I kept in a travel folder on the cloud. I would like to say that it was a protected folder, but it wasn't. However, I did use this photo to get the number off of the card, which I then typed into Google wallet. Then, when I got to the airport, I used the tap to pay from Google wallet to get money out of the ATM! Can you believe the technology today? Sometimes when I am wishing that we did not spend so much time on our phones, I think of hacks like this and am so glad that our phones are so dang handy. </p><p>But wait, the story is not to the happily ever after stage yet! I arrived in Amsterdam and went straight to the money exchange counter. A slight side note, I like to cram as much as I can into my vacations, so had booked a flight to Vienna with a layover in Amsterdam. Once arriving in Vienna, I would need to get on the first train out to get to my destination. However, my flight into Vienna was kind of late at night and if I missed the first train, I only had one other option, so I probably would not have time to get money out there. I love to live on the edge, people. </p><p>I work in finance so I know what the exchange rates are and let me tell you, the kiosk at the airport in Amsterdam was NOT a good rate. Of course, what options did I have, given I would be basically going straight up into the mountains as soon as I got to Slovenia. So I got completely ripped off and my dollars barely got me enough to pay for my estimated cost for ten nights at a hut in the mountains. So I knew I was going to have to be frugal. </p><p>Fast forward to day ten of my fourteen day vacation and you will find me at the end of my hike, ensconced in a small guesthouse in the hills near lake Bohinj, one that I booked using Booking.com. Little did I realize, since I booked it from the one spot that had cell service on my way down the mountain, that I did NOT read the fine print and this place...you guessed it...only took cash! Luckily, some of the mountain huts had taken credit cards and I had taken advantage of that to use my card instead, just in case I needed the cash later. However, I had used most of my cash and I literally had to pay the last lady with all of my pocket change, leaving me with about 2 euros to my name. I hoped that when I was in Lublijana I would not need ANY cash or I would be screwed! </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIbfIDy_OD0sm7xkgARf0h_0v9vkWQPdDUQQSiqnA4cG2vQzxg9RtCZ4SHGhDbGOEffDZC0p1QjNdyb3lfv5Izre1Oce1VUzM5iK32xKBj3sRNZZDYGAoUT81pRJPhAOKPJkNhLLLSQSrEDvFos-oy5jbxQXdVxcFsmoKtWcFlRqSApnPiCYLY/s4032/PXL_20220914_074929179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIbfIDy_OD0sm7xkgARf0h_0v9vkWQPdDUQQSiqnA4cG2vQzxg9RtCZ4SHGhDbGOEffDZC0p1QjNdyb3lfv5Izre1Oce1VUzM5iK32xKBj3sRNZZDYGAoUT81pRJPhAOKPJkNhLLLSQSrEDvFos-oy5jbxQXdVxcFsmoKtWcFlRqSApnPiCYLY/s320/PXL_20220914_074929179.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Literally the last of my cash!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Luckily I did not need cash, but this experience made me realize that we have become way too dependent on our phones, upon being able to get things easily at any time and to having the convenience of tap to pay pretty much everywhere in the US (even the street vendors sometimes have a credit card pay option!) As I may have mentioned, my trail name is Prepper because I am generally overprepared, but even I have my moments. So, bottom line is, make a list and always have an emergency stash of cash!! </p><p><b>Do you use cash when you travel? If so, what is your procedure for getting it? If not, have you ever run into any issues due to not having cash? </b></p>Kyria @ Travel Spothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05889638304509763419noreply@blogger.com24