Twenty Questions (E13): 2025 What I Learned

Happy New Year! Learning, seeing and doing new things is something that I love doing, and I hope to never stop doing it, ever! If you have been around for a while, you know that I always like to do a recap of some of the new things I learned over the prior year. Last year, I did a list of 24 things, the year before that, it was 23 things, and the year before that, 22 things. Since we just wrapped up 2025, I thought I would incorporate the list into one of my 20 year lists, even if it is kind of cheating a bit. So here you have it! 25 new things for me for 2025! 

In 2025, I...

1. Learned that the Ampersand (&) was made from the ligature et. I went to a very cool exhibit at the library in Riga for the 500th anniversary of the Latvian written word where they were talking about how books are made, and how languages get morphed and created. The Latin word "et" means "and" but it was written kind of as one letter crammed together when done in cursive and so eventually it started to look like our current ampersand. 

2. Went to several new to me countries: I revisited several countries that I had been to before, but even then, I got to either experience a new city in a country I had been to before or see a previously visited city from a different perspective. However, I also went to several countries that I had not been before. I talked a little about some of the interesting places I saw in 2025 in this post, but here are some new to me countries, in the order visited: Gibraltar (territory), Poland, Georgia, Armenia, Latvia, Lithuania, Kosovo, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Wales, and Morocco. 

Riga, Latvia

3. Learned more about the German occupation of Poland. I learned a lot about this in both Krakow and Warsaw, but especially in Krakow. I went to the Schindler factory / museum (from Schindler's List fame) where they went through each of the years and spoke about how the Jewish people were rounded up into the ghetto and subsequently onto trains bound for work or death camps. It was quite moving. 

Auschwitz

4. Rode a bike on the left side of the road. I did a bike trip from one side of Wales to the other and it was mostly on dirt and smaller roads, but I did have to ride on the left, which was  first for me! 

Lon Las Cymru

5. Tried bread in several new places. I like most breads, and am always down for trying new ones everywhere! One of my favorites (don't tell all the others) was khachapuri in Georgia, which often has cheese in it! They also have a non-cheese version called puri, which is shaped like a boat and is cooked on the side of an oven similar to a tandori. 

6. Did an overnight(s) backpacking trip in... Turkiye (Lycian Way), Montenegro, Albania & Kosovo (Peaks of the Balkans), Romania (Via Transilvanica), Bulgaria (Pirin Mountains), and Scotland (Affric Kintail, Cape Wrath, West Highland Way, Skye Trail).

Old Man of Storr, Isle of Skye

7. Went skiing in the Alps. Not only was this easy (FYI getting to the ski hill without a car in the US can be hit and miss) but it was also a lot cheaper than it would have been for me at home. For a bus ride, lift ticket and equipment rental it was only about $90 USD, plus I got wine and pizza afterward, and my total bill including that was only around $110 USD. France for the win! 

8. Went on a cruise ship. I always figured that I would not be a "cruise person," but I needed to get home and I decided to try a repositioning cruise to see how it went. For those who don't know, this is when the cruise line needs to move the ship from a colder place (i.e. Europe in winter) to a warmer one (i.e. the Carribean in winter) so often since they have to move it anyway, you can get a pretty good deal. My flight home would have been about $550, but a cruise (plus flight) was about $900 for 15 days, which of course includes food, accommodation and entertainment. I met a ton of fun people and had a great time and am glad that I tried it, even though I am still not 100% sure that I would call myself  a "cruise person." Stay tuned. 

Somewhere in the Atlantic

9. Had 120 seconds of fame. On the cruise, I signed up for what I thought was a trivia show, but ended up being me getting up in front of everyone in a chair with a spotlight and a microphone. The contest was where the MC asks you questions and you are not allowed to say the words "yes" or "no" or nod or shake your head. I lasted about 110 seconds, which was longer than anyone else so far, but I did not win. I am not a fan of being (literally) in the spotlight, but I felt like I did okay, although my sweat quotient was quite high! 

10. Watched the news in French. When I was in Lyon, that was when the Musk gesture fiasco was happening and I turned on the news to see what I could find. The funny thing was that when they dub over people like Musk or Trump, the voice DOES NOT match the guy, and so it was kind of comical to watch Trump speak in a high pitched French voice on the news. 

11. Visited two silk worker cities. Both Lyon, France and Macclesfield, England were big hubs for silk making. In Lyon you can see the traboules, which were stone passageways used by the workers to stay dry and transport the silk faster. Additionally, many of the restaurants, called bouchons, were started as a way to feed the workers quickly and inexpensively. In Macclesfield, I visited a silk factory, where they are still using the original looms from the 1800s. 

Macclesfield silk factory

12. Climbed Wales highest mountain...and saw nothing! Mt. Snowdon is 3,599 feet tall and can be hiked in one day. There are several different ways you can take to get to the top, including a train. I took the Pyg track up and the Miners track down, which is roughly a 8 mile round trip. The day I climbed it was a very foggy and rainy one and I got to the top and there was no view to speak of. However, it was still a fun experience, although I would like to go back on a more sunny day, if possible. 

View from the top of Mt. Snowdon

13. Borrowed a tent from a stranger. In Türkiye, I mentioned that I did not have a tent yet and a woman from Switzerland let me borrow hers. I used it and sent it back to her afterward, and was super glad to have been able to have it! Funny enough, I actually once swapped a Europe guide book for a tent, but in that case, I did not have to give it back. 

14. Drank rakija. Rakija is a high alcohol (40% - 60%) drink made from plums and served in Serbia and Bosnia (and Croatia). However, many countries have a similar thing, usually made from plums but also made from other fruit; in Bulgaria it's called Rakia; in Romania it is Palincă. 

15. Learned to pivot. Whether it is financial, physical or emotional, things do not always go the way that you expect. This is okay, and I am getting better at leaving my old expectations behind and moving on to the next thing. I was watching my friend's 11 year old daughter's soccer camp the other day, and a kid made a mistake, and the trainer told him not to think about it for a second more, and to move on to the next play, and I think this can be true in life too. I don't think stewing over what could have been is healthy, and that instead, we should all move on and start figuring out the next play. 

16. Went to the border of Russia. One day I would like to actually go to Russia, but for now, I will probably hold off. However, I did go right up to the border when I was in Georgia, and I also met many Russians when I was in Georgia and Turkey. I obviously don't want to put myself somewhere harmful, but I also am a firm believer that we should not judge a people or a place by their leader. Side note, Iran is also on my list for someday. I have heard that it is a beautiful place. 

Kazbegi Region, Georgia

17. Realized the importance of community. I don't think this is something that is completely new, but it is new for the situation that I am in. Moving around a lot can be isolating and it took me a while to figure out where to even find likeminded people. However, I am figuring it out and am finding that there are a lot of people out there like me, making their way around the world, month by month. It just takes a while to get it all sorted out, but I am getting there! 

18. Learned to love (?) WhatsApp. You may remember a post I wrote at the beginning of the year (why does that seem so long ago?) where I talked about the frustrations of communicating with different groups of people from different places on different platforms. I still sometimes get annoyed or overwhelmed by group texts (especially when I wake up in the morning and there are over 100 missed messages) but I have to love the fact that I can communicate with anyone anywhere for no extra cost (remember the days when you had to use a phone card?) Also, many foreign businesses actually use WhatsApp to communicate, which is great when you are traveling, as otherwise you may have to incur international calling fees to call people, as your regular phone number is usually still from your home country. So, yay WhatsApp (and Telegram etc.) as it has helped me to get things done and make friends while far from home. 

19. Learned how to say toilet (restroom) in several languages! You may know that I have a standard list of things I learn in each language for each country I go to. I usually just tell ChatGPT (Chad) to give me the list for the next few countries, and then I sreenshot it and put it as my phone screensaver (lock screen) so that I can access it easily in each place. Here is my basic list that I usually start with: Hello, Good morning, Good day, Goodbye, Thank you, Toilet, Water, Where is…?, Do you speak English?, I don’t speak...the local language. Luckily the word for toilet is very similar in most languages (or you can always just do the pee pee dance and most people will understand)! 

Romanian: Toaletă, pronounced toh-ah-LEH-tuh

Albanian: Tualet, pronounced too-ah-LET

Lithuanian: Tualetas pronounced too-ah-LEH-tahs

Latvian: Tualete pronounced TOO-a-leh-teh

Russian: Туалет pronounced  too-a-LYET

French: toilettes pronounced twah-LET

Georgian: ტუალეტი pronounced too-ah-LEH-tee

Turkish: tuvalet pronounced too-vah-LET

Dutch: toilet pronounced twah-LET

...and then there's Armenian: Զուգարան – ZOO-ga-ran

Lock screen

20. Took a train across Türkiye. I rode the Dogu Express, which goes from Ankara to Kars, all the way across the country of Türkiye. It took over 24 hours and was quite the adventure, although it was not the longest time period that I have ever spent on a train! 

Bonus five! 

21. Learned patience. I am not a patient person, and I would not say that I have perfected this at all, but I do think that I am getting better at realizing that there are some things that I just can't control and it does not make any sense to try, or to be stressed out when I can't control them. I still have a way to go, grasshopper, but I am working on it! 

22. Navigated local transportation in Türkiye etc. The Turkish (and the Georgians and Armenians) often use a little minivan as their transport. In Türkiye it is called a dolmuş; in Georgia and Armenia, it is called a marshrutka. In all cases, it is difficult (for a foreigner) to figure out: where it leaves from, where it goes, how much it costs, when it leaves. It is like a (not so) fun scavenger hunt, where you have to find the station, or gas station, or side of the road, where the minivan leaves from, and then figure out where it goes and then also figure out how to let the driver know when you want to get off. Most of these stop wherever someone needs to get on or off, so it is kind of confusing, but it also quite nice if you need to be dropped at your cousin's driveway, as long as it is along the route! PS did I mention that in Georgia and Armenia the signs are not always in Latin letters?

Transport in Georgia

23. Splurged! I am a frugal person, but there have been a few things that I have splurged on that I think have been worth it. For example, I pay for a(n overpriced) travel related credit card that I basically cringe every time I get charged the annual fee. However, it has given me some respite for hectic days due to lounge access, as well as some travel insurance and perks, and has "forced" me to do some fun things in order to recoup my fee, so all in all, I think in some cases comfort or low-stress is worth paying for. This is also something I am still working on though, and I will still probably continue to balk at paying $20 for a salad in a restaurant. Such is life. 

24. Tried new foods! Hellim, the Turkish cheese, Ćevapi, the Balkan meatball in tube form, Romanian Mici and Papanasi, Baltic quark, Polish Żurek, and don't forget Burek, Börek, Byrek, Boreg, and Brik! I love food and trying new food is such a fun part of traveling (and life)! 

Meat in tube form: Bosnia, Serbia, Romania

Papanasi - basically a donut with whipped cream and berries

25. Learned to value that which I sometimes take for granted. This category encompasses a lot of things, but mostly, I think that there are people who keep me sane, let me know that I am cared for, and encourage me to continue to do what I am doing. Not to say that I did not appreciate this before (or ever), but for each year or day that goes by, I realize more and more how good I really have it, when it comes to support from both near and far (literally!) I have enjoyed all of my meet ups with friends, both new and old, and also am always happy to come home to the usual crowd. I also of course appreciate all of you reading and commenting here today! Happy New Year! Here's to this year being even better than the last! 

2025 fun with friends!

What new thing did you do, see or learn in 2025? What is your favorite foreign food that you tried in 2025? 

What I Learned, Looking Forward, Looking Back: December 2025

December was an interesting month, and not a relaxing one, as is often the case. However, it was filled with good people, good food and sometimes even good weather! This is the last monthly wrap up for 2025 but stay tuned for my 2025 "month by month book" later this month! 

Please copy and paste the questions at the end and add your answers to the mix! 

Where was I? Atlantic Ocean, Florida, California

1. What is the name of your last month's chapter or the theme of your last month if you prefer that? 

January: Baguettes and Many Steps
February: In Like Minnesota; Out Like Hawaii
March: Wet and Wild
April: My Life is in Ruins, and Beaches Too
May: Al Fresco
June: Tales as Old as Time: The Christianity and Wine Versions
July: Quick and Dirty: the Baltics and the Balkans Adventure
August: The Dark Tourist
September: Recharging The Batteries
October: Blown Away
November: Baby, It's Cold Outside
December: (Not So) Calm Seas

2. What did you learn last month? 

I learned a lot about sea turtles! I listened to a lecture by a biologist and learned about what the different types are, what they eat and how long it takes before they reach the age of maturity (10 years in some cases) and have to find their old hatching grounds to lay their own eggs. The one most of us are probably most familiar with is the Green sea turtle, which is the one with the pretty shell (like the one in Finding Nemo) but there are six other types! 

3. What was the weather like where you are? 

It was nice on the Atlantic, rainy and warm in Florida, nice on the California coast, but there has been a nasty tule fog in the Sacramento valley that is also quite cold and has been lingering! At my parents for the holidays, it was rainy (and the Sierra got a big snow). Then we got a King tide and a lot of rain, which caused a bunch of flooding and a shut down of the 101 freeway! Woohoo. 

Donner traffic cams on the afternoon of Jan 4

Marin county on the afternoon of Jan 3

4. What event last month was your favorite?

It's hard to pick one specific event, but I would probably say in general, it was spending time with loved ones! 

5. What was the best thing you read, listened to or watched last month? Although it feels like due to visiting, I got no reading done, I actually did read a few good things. 

Book: The Correspondent & The Impossible Fortune (Thursday Murder Club #5) 

Movie/Show: My Dad and I got hooked on the Norwegian holiday TV show Home for Christmas (Hjem til Jul) on Netflix which was totally silly and very Hallmark movie, but of course it was fun to see how it all turned out. 

Podcast:  I'm enjoying Lives Less Ordinary and Things Fell Apart on BBC

6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

I told K's kids that if they swore, they would have to pay me $1 per swear word. The youngest, L, who is 11, asked if we could clarify which words were bad. I said of course we could and asked which she needed clarification for. She said, "what about the C word?" and I told her that definitely that was NOT allowed. She said, well can we confirm what it is (you know she just wants to say all the bad words but have permission to do it) and I said sure, but we won't repeat it ever again afterwards, and she says....Crap!

Of course I said, yes that is a bad word, but I thought you meant a different one and she wanted to know what it was. I did not enlighten her. 

7. What are you looking forward to this month?

I am hoping to do some cycling if I can get my butt in gear (pun intended!) and rent a bike and figure out where to leave my stuff etc. This is where I want to go. Photos and stories TBD! 

Your turn! To copy/paste, highlight the text below and click CTRL-C, then put the cursor in the comment box and click CTRL-V.

DECEMBER:

1. What is the name of your last month's chapter or the theme of your last month if you prefer that?
2. What did you learn last month?
3. What was the weather like where you are?
4. What event last month was your favorite?
5. What was the best thing you read, listened to or watched last month? 
6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

JANUARY: 

7. What are you looking forward to this month?

Bonus question! Do you think crap is a bad word? Where do you draw the line for an 11 year old? 

Twenty Questions (E12): 2025 Best of Books

Happy Holidays! As you know, every year, I give you a list of some of my favorite reads from the year. According to Goodreads, I read 139 books in 2024 and DNFed an additional 12, which comes out to roughly 56,112 pages. Here are a few stats.  

Breakdown by star rating:
5 stars (loved/it was great): 14 (9%)
4 stars (liked a lot/it was good): 72 (47%)
3 stars (liked a little/it was okay): 40 (27%)
2 stars (barely liked/it was not that good): 12 (8%)
1 star (it sucked but I finished it): 1 (1%)
0 stars (DNF): 12 (8%)

Average rating including DNFs: 3.32
Average excluding DNFs: 3.61

As you can see, I am getting better at abandoning books I don't like, although this year I did not do it as much as last year (8% vs 13%). Also four stars was my most common rating once again (last year it was 41%), and due to there being a higher percentage of five star ratings (last year was 4%) I brought my average rating up from last year (3.48). 

Here's my list from last year, or you can find a list of all of my favorites from prior years on my bookshelf page or on Goodreads. 

The following books (in revese order of date read) were all five star reads: 

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans: This was a series of letters, mostly written by a 77 year old woman to various people, including authors, family members, friend's children and her next door neighbor. You can't help but like her and so for me this book caught me right off the bat. Her life takes some interesting twists and turns and you find out all about them in her correspondence. I generally enjoy this writing format, and this book was no exception. 

Wayward Girls by Susan Wiggs: I am sure you have probably read books about the wayward girls before, which were (often Catholic) girls who got pregnant before marriage and were sent to a home to have the baby and subsequently give it up for adoption. They were meant to be studying, but often were put to work doing labor for the institution that they were sent to. This one is similar to the others, but was an interesting story of how some of these places really worked behind the scenes. 

River is Waiting by Wally Lamb: Although disturbing, I could not help but get into this book. The other thing that was strange is that although the main character is technically the "bad guy" you kind of want him to succeed in the end. He is a father who commits a horrible crime and gets sent to prison, where he struggles both mentally and physically. The questions is: does he deserve to be punished or do we want him to be forgiven?

Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa: This is a fascinating story of the Israel-Palestine conflicts as told from the perspective of a Palestinian family. I feel like this is not a perspective that I have seen a lot, and so it was interesting to hear some of the stories. 

Heartwood by Amity Gaige: If you have not heard about this book yet, you may be living off the grid. Actually speaking of off the grid, it is a story of an Appalachian hiker gone missing and the subsequent search to find her. If you are not into hiking, you will still enjoy this book, but if you are, it will be even better. Even my brother read and enjoyed it. 

Careless People by Sara Wynn-Williams: There are a lot of books written by people in the tech world, where they talk about how bad or good it is, and some of them are much better than others. I definitely have DNFed several in this space, but this one was not one of them. If you have read or enjoyed Lean In, you may find that this book is an interesting counterpoint to some of items discussed in Sandburg's novel. 

Alive by Piers Paul Read: Funny story, I am fairly certain I may have read this a long time ago, but either way, I liked it again. This is a true story about a Uruguayan rugby team who are flying over the Andes in a small plane when they crash and land on a ledge high up on the side of a cliff. They have to struggle to survive and also attempt to get out of a very precarious situation. Spoiler alert! Some of them live to tell the tale, but it takes a long time for them to get help. 

The Beauty of Your Face by Sahar Mustafah: Interestingly, this book is also about a Palestinian woman, but this time she is living in the US. She is teaching at a Muslim school in Chicago when a shooter attacks. She struggles to mentally heal from the experience and has to delve into her past to come to terms with it. This book discusses the subjects of Islamophobia, living in the US as a Muslim woman and finding community in your roots. 

How to Read a Book by Monica Wood: Do you want to feel good? Read this. A young woman gets out of prison after serving a sentence for drunk driving and she goes to work at a bookstore where she makes an unlikely friend. It delves into forgiveness, family and friendship and... books! 

Look Closer by David Ellis: I love a good thriller, and this came right at the right time. I was in a bit of a slump, and this book is one that you don't have to think much about, but it is entertaining. It's a tale about money, greed, adultery and murder and it helped get me out of my slump. There are definitely some flaws in the writing, but for me it hit the spot. 

Crow Mary by Kathleen Grissom: This is the tale of Goes First, a Crow Native, who gets married off to a white trader, gets renamed Mary and moves with her husband to her new home near a trading post in Saskatchewan. She has to learn to adapt to the ways of the area, and form new friendships with the people there. There is still a lot of fighting between the whites and the Native tribes and over the years, there are many battles, some of which Mary has to fight in, and some of which are devastating to her and her family. I have also read both The Kitchen House and Glory Over Everything, and both books are also excellent reads. 

Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan: A true story about twenty-four-year-old Susannah Cahalan, who woke up alone in a hospital room one day, strapped to her bed and unable to move or speak, with no memory of how she’d gotten there. She becomes labeled violent, psychotic, and a flight risk and this is her story of how she figured out what was going on inside her head. 

By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult: A dual timeline story about a woman in 1581 and one in modern day, both of who struggle a bit in the man's world of playwriting. In both cases, the women are passing off their work as someone else's and this is the story of how, despite the years between them, some things continue to be difficult to overcome. 

Some Honorable Mentions: As my biggest category was the four stars, there are way too many to mention, but to round out my list of twenty, a few others worth a read are: 

Listen For the Lie by Amy Tintera: A woman is suspected of murdering her best friend but she cannot remember any details of the night that her friend was murdered. Years later, a podcaster decides to dig up the past and old stories resurface. 

The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali: This is a coming of age novel set in Tehran, where two young women of different classes grow up in the middle of a country filled with political strife. 

I'm That Girl by Jordan Chiles: Chiles' memoir of her time growing up, and her path to the Olympics. Of course, getting to that point was not easy, but this was even more true due to her race, and this book does a good job of describing the struggle to get there both physically and mentally. 

Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter by Nikki French: This is a very similar plot to Listen For the Lie, as it also about a woman who disappeared several years ago and a podcaster who digs up the past and of course some things that people don't want to be dug up. I guess I enjoy this storyline! 

The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagen: Cate Kay is a famous author and has successful movies made from her stories. However, nobody knows who Cate Kay is. An author writing under a pseudonym, she is an enigma, but one day, she decides to come out of hiding. Of course her past also comes to light and we may be surprised to discover who she really is. 

From Here to The Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Prestley: Luckily, Lisa Marie's daughter recorded some stories with her mother before she died and this is a memoir put together by daughter Riley about Lisa Marie's life growing up with Elvis as a father. It was not an easy life and it was interesting to hear a little bit more about the behind the scenes world in the Prestley household. 

On The Hippie Trail by Rick Steves: Who doesn't love a good travel story? If you haven't heard of Steves, he is an avid traveler with several TV shows and books (and free walking tours!). This book was about one of his first journeys in the 70s from Istanbul to Kathmandu overland, and the adventures he had along the way. I loved seeing this adventure through fresh eyes and he has some lines in this book that I completely agree with. 

I will leave you with a few lines about his experience from the end of his book: 

"I believe that if more people could have such a transformative experience, especially in their youth, our world would be a more just and stable place. Travelers understand that the big challenges of the future will be blind to borders and we'll need to tackle them together, as global citizens and as a family of nations. And most fundamentally, travelers know that the world is a welcoming place filled with joy, love and good people. 

Young or old, rich or poor, backpack or rolling suitcase, the best way to understand this is to experience it firsthand. To get out there and get to know our neighbors. To build not walls, but bridges. 

I believe anyone can still stow away on the Reality Express like [we] did, get their fingers dirty in other cultures, wallop their ethnocentrism, and come home with the most valuable souvenir: a broader perspective." 

What was your favorite book of 2025? Do you mostly read audio, eBook or paper books? 

Twenty Questions (E11): 2025 Best of Travel

First of all, I just want to say sorry that I have been absent in communicating, reading and commenting, but I am not going to lie, I came back from being away and out of service for the last several weeks and marked all my feed "as read." I will be catching up slowly, but will also probably not be 100% on in December either, as my focus will be spending time with family. Now, onward! 

One of the most common questions I get asked about my travels is...what was your favorite place? As I have mentioned before, I liken this to choosing my favorite child, or my favorite book, which I believe is near to impossible. I mean, obviously I am my parents' favorite, but other than that, choosing a favorite is hard! Just kidding Broski! So instead of choosing a favorite, I will tell you twenty (in no particular order) destinations that I really enjoyed in 2025! 

Don't forget to add your two cents in the comments: what were some of your favorite destinations, vacations or trips in 2025 and why?? 

1. Hiking and eating in Mesita, Georgia 

Mestia

2. Cycling, beaches and history in Riga, Latvia 

3. Mountain sports in Bansko, Bulgaria 

Bansko

4. Turquoise waters in Kaş, Türkiye 

5. Slate houses, valleys and mountains in Snowdonia, Wales 

Betws-y-coed

6. Tapas, architecture & history in Granada, Spain

Granada

7. Architecture, food and wine in Dijon, France

8. Hiking the Via Transilvanica, Romania 

Sighișoara

9. Peaks of the Balkans hike through Albania, Montenegro & Kosovo

10. Riding across Wales on the Lon Las Cyrmu route

Lon Las Cymru - Yup, that's snow!

11. Learning about the textile mills in Macclesfield, England

Silk factory

12. Cave churches and rock formations in Cappadocia, Türkiye 

Cave church

13. Learning about ancient wine and religion in Georgia and Armenia

14. Sarajevo and the beautiful Bosnian mountains (and Mostar of course!) 

Stari Most, Mostar

15. Hiking and exploring the Isle of Skye, Scotland

16. Seeing Auschwitz and Krakow in the dead of winter 

This pile of prosthetics made me cry

17. Living on the beach for a month in Costa del Sol, Spain

18. Learning to make Khinkali and Khachapuri in Tbilisi, Georgia

Khinkali making

19. Skiing in the Alps in Valmorel, France

Valmorel

20. Trying to speak French again in Lyon, France

What were some of your favorite destinations, vacations or trips in 2025 and why??

What I Learned, Looking Forward, Looking Back: November 2025

Despite being a bit chilly, November was a great month! I had some time to wander around, regroup, pet cats, hike some high peaks, spend time with friends, hug children and see some beautiful sights. 

Please copy and paste the questions at the end and add your answers to the mix! 

Where was I? England & Wales

1. What is the name of your last month's chapter or the theme of your last month if you prefer that? 

January: Baguettes and Many Steps
February: In Like Minnesota; Out Like Hawaii
March: Wet and Wild
April: My Life is in Ruins, and Beaches Too
May: Al Fresco
June: Tales as Old as Time: The Christianity and Wine Versions
July: Quick and Dirty: the Baltics and the Balkans Adventure
August: The Dark Tourist
September: Recharging The Batteries
October: Blown Away
November: Baby, It's Cold Outside

2. What did you learn last month? 

I learned about the textile trade in England. In Manchester, it was cotton and it was very important, which is how they became as big of a city as they are. Also during the Civil War they decided to stop buying cotton from slave owners, which meant that they had to source the cotton from Egypt and other further afield places, therefore driving up the prices. There are also a lot of well known bands from Manchester. Can you name one? 

I also learned about the silk industry in Macclesfield, which was kind of like the "end of the silk road" as London would send the silk there to be processed. I got to see an old loom in action, which was so cool, but very, very loud! I can't imagine working for 10 or 12 hours a day in that kind of environment! 

Silk looms

3. What was the weather like where you are? 

It was a tad chilly, with some rain at the beginning and by the end, on one of the colder days, it was about 17 degrees F! On that day, I was riding a bike, and it was icy! 

4. What event last month was your favorite?

Its hard to choose! I spent some time in Snowdonia, and loved wandering every day, as well as climbing Mt. Snowdon. The peaks and valleys there are beautiful! However, I also cycled from one end of Wales to the other on the Lon Las Cymru route, and that was quite an adventure! Last but definitely not least, I got to spend some time with Rachel and the kiddos (and the husband of course!) which was great. We even went hiking with the twins and I made a new bestie (Clara)! 

Me and my new besties!

5. What was the best thing you read, listened to or watched last month? November was not a good reading month. I was having trouble getting into any audiobooks, despite having time on the bike or hikes to listen! However, there were a few that were four stars for me. 

Book: A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Arden

Movie/Show: N/A

Podcast: nothing new... 

6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

I was riding the bike on a tiny Welsh road, down a hill and a patch of ice came along and I fell! It was such a slow speed fall (in my mind) and I wasn't really hurt. Also there are barely any cars so I was not in danger of getting hit. However, it was so hard to pick the bike up off the ice and gingerly make my way off the ice with the bike! Also, later I discovered quite a nasty bruise on my thigh, but I had not even felt it when I fell. 

7. What are you looking forward to this month?

Hugging my Mother! 💖(and my Dad of course, but there is something special about laying your head on your Mothers' bosom, isn't there?) 

Your turn! To copy/paste, highlight the text below and click CTRL-C, then put the cursor in the comment box and click CTRL-V.

NOVEMBER:

1. What is the name of your last month's chapter or the theme of your last month if you prefer that? 

2. What did you learn last month? 

3. What was the weather like where you are? 

4. What event last month was your favorite?

5. What was the best thing you read, listened to or watched last month?  

6. Tell us one funny recent story. 

DECEMBER: 

7. What are you looking forward to this month?

Bonus question! Can you name a band from Manchester? 

Help, I Need Somebody

Happy Thanksgiving week to my US friends! Gobble gobble! 

I need help! So I am calling out to you. Here are a few things I am looking for and I thought I would crowdsource to see what y'all had to say about the following. 

I no longer need these!

Unicorn Pants. Sometimes you look for a unicorn, and my unicorn is traveling pants! I want them to be black, in a fabric that I can hike in, lightweight, packable, quick drying, and look nice enough that I can wear them to dinner/out. They don't have to be fancy, but they should be versatile. I don't want to pay an arm and a leg, but I am willing to pay if they are going to last and are good quality, and it would be even better if they have a good return policy. Am I asking too much here? (FYI I tried a pair of Patagonia that did not work, and have heard good things about pRana; have you tried them?)

Offline Feed Reader. I use Feedly, but this is not that helpful when I am out of service and am looking for some quick entertainment or the ability to catch up on news. I would like it to be free and if it is in the format of Feedly, that would be nice (aka clean, easy to sort and categorize etc.) I would also like it to have both mobile and web based (for use on laptop) versions. 

New Pick Me Up Playlist. A couple years ago, I asked for a few pick me up songs from each of you and I got some great suggestions. This playlist got me through almost 9,000 miles of cycling and really helped me on some rough days. It's still good, but I need a refresh! Can you give me 1 - 3 fun peppy songs to keep me inspired throughout the day when I am on a long hike or bike ride? 

Packing cubes. I have some super old ones, but it's time for a refresh! I like these, but I was wondering if anyone had a less expensive version that they like, as I would prefer to pay a little bit less. I would like them to be compressible, I actually don't need more than two or three and it would be nice if they were durable. 

Can you help me? 

FAQ: Traveling Full Time (E1)

As many of you may know, since March 2024, I have been full time traveling around the world, and doing it a bit more slowly, generally one month at a time in one place. I will fill in shorter gaps with 4 days to a week somewhere from time to time, and I also will add stints of hiking or active adventures. 

One month in Antalya Türkiye 

My (our!) friend Elisabeth just announced that she and her family are moving to Europe for a few months next year and she had a few questions for me. She and I talked about most of them already, but I thought I would put some of them here and also add some of the other ones that I have been asked a lot by other people in case they will be helpful to anyone. 

How do I find a long term furnished rental (and get the best deal)? 

Airbnb and Booking.com give a discount for a 28 day stay, so I usually just book my stays through one of them. You could book through a more local provider, but that will require a little extra work and will also be different per country, so for ease, especially if you are just starting out, one of them will probably work just fine. 

Pros of Airbnb: better communication with check in procedure etc., better messaging system, better conflict resolution (as long as you communicate on their app), much better review system (aka renter is also rated, does not show rating until both people rate)

Cons of Airbnb: no loyalty program, usually you pay full amount up front which can add up fast, often less cancellable options, have heard that some reviews may be removed (inaccurate ratings?)

Pros of Booking: loyalty program, can pay later or at least closer to reservation date, often properties that are not cancellable on Airbnb are cancellable on Booking

Cons of Booking: communication is inconsistent, sometimes only cash is accepted for payment, conflict resolution does not seem good

What does the Schengen or the "Schengen shuffle" mean?

The Schengen is a set of countries in Europe that have an agreement, and because of this, they have open borders and essentially for visa purposes act as the same entity. Think of it like the US; you can fly into New York, travel around, and leave from San Francisco, but you don't get to reset your visa time just because you crossed a state border. The same goes for the Schengen, but with country borders. You only get to stay for 90 days out of the last 180 days, so you look back each time at those 180 days, count your days and you must not have more than 90 or you may get barred from coming back. 

The Schengen shuffle usually consists of traveling in the Schengen zone for roughly 90 (or less!) days, then going to a non-Schengen country for 90 (or more!) days before going back to the Schengen zone. However, this is getting harder, as each year more countries get added to the Schengen zone. Currently you can stay in the Europe area, but not be in the Schengen zone if you go to: the UK, Ireland, Serbia, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, N. Macedonia or Kosovo (or the nearby countries of Türkiye, Georgia & Armenia). 

As of 2025

How do I use my phone while abroad (and get the best deal)? 

This is a two step process. 

For your usual phone number, which is needed for two factor authentication (2FA): You will need to port your number to a internet based provider. For US you can port to Google Voice, which costs about $30 one time fee, or Tello, which costs about $5 per month to maintain your US number. For Canadians, you can do the same with Fongo, which has a $25 transfer fee and plans that start at around $10 per month. 

For data: You can buy an e-SIM depending on which country or region you are going to. I use the company Airalo, but there are several options. You will need to download the app, buy the e-SIM you need, and install it over WiFi before you go into the new region/country.  Some examples of prices include: Europe region 90 days + 50 GB = $100, or 30 days + 20 GB = $49. Personally I usually use WiFi for about 99% of my data, and I download things like maps and info for offline use, so I only need 1-2 GB per month. So in my case, 30 days + 3 GB = $13.00. 

Examples for the Europe Region e-SIM

Tip: don't forget to check sites like Rakuten for cash back opportunities; right now they are doing 4% back on Airalo. Also there are often coupons. I got my last e-SIM, which was one year and 20GB worldwide for about $30 after discounts and cash back! Also FYI, even if you are not traveling abroad, this may be a good workaround for in country phone use too! Tello has US data plans or if you use Airalo they range from $9-$45 a month, depending on data use (5 GB - 50 GB in this example). 

How do I get health insurance while traveling? 

There are nomad insurance plans and depending on your health and age etc. you can get them for a fairly low cost. I use Genki's basic plan, which cost about 74 euros per month. It does not cover preventative care, but often that is not very expensive when abroad. For example, I got a dental cleaning for about $60 in Georgia. Also medication can be a lot less expensive abroad, and often in Europe, things that are prescription in the US are over the counter, or you can get them after talking to the pharmacist (no doctor appointment needed).

Genki has a 50 euro deductible and the basic plan covers treatment for any new issues or injuries. There are some restrictions, namely that coverage in Canada and the USA is limited to the first 7 days of each stay and only includes medical emergencies. Coverage in your home country is always limited to the first 6 weeks of each stay and only includes medical emergencies. The higher coverage plan has additional items. 

You can also get a global health plan, like Cigna Global for example. I had this when I was in the US and Canada, and it cost about $250 per month. 

How do you budget and/or how much do you budget? 

I budget $2,500 per month. I started by looking at what I normally spent each year and then adjusted each category with estimates. The most expensive thing for me (about 50% of my monthly spend) is accommodation, so I went on Airbnb to find out what I would pay for a month by doing the following: 

Add guests. Select the following: washer (do not select dryer), kitchen, wifi, TV, Entire Home, #bed/bedroom, #bathroom + any others that are must haves. I also prefer self check in, as it saves you having to coordinate, but that is a personal preference, and sometime coordinating is unavoidable. 

Choose a price around what you would really be excited to get something for (low end). For example, I put in max $1,400 just to see what would come up. You can always go up higher later if needed. I also said 2 BR, 2 bath, 3 beds. 

Optional clicks: guest favorites, if possible cancellation option (ideal if it is cancellable), then click "show X homes" even if it says zero. Zoom out on the map and zoom into the area you want. Then see how much you can get them for. 

As you can see there are options, but you need to dig in a bit to be sure they are close enough to transport, have a couch and a workstation etc. Ones I have messed up on are: no couch, no table to work on (sometimes the counter works, but if you are there for a month you don't really want to do that forever), no oven (if you care), no coffee maker, no microwave (if you care) or no AC (if you care).  If any of them do work, you can then use that number as your accommodation budget! Like I said, for me it is about 50% so I would just double that for myself and know that I would likely come in somewhere around there for a total. Obviously if you already know exactly where you want to go, you can put in a location instead. 

What things are "must brings" from home (aka you can't buy them abroad)?

Not a lot. Literally, your passport and phone is all that you really need. But...some countries have weird rules, like in Poland you can't get ibuprofen over the counter, so if there is a medication you need, you may want to bring a few of them. However, often they are much better, like in the UK they have a magic potion called Lemsip (is a powder you add to hot water for cold/flu) that beats Theraflu in a heartbeat. In some countries you may not find your normal brand of running shoe, but really there is not much that you cannot buy when you are on the road, or maybe just do without. 

What apps are helpful? 

Trainline -- for looking at all countries, all companies of train schedules and prices (then I usually buy the ticket on the actual app, but it is not always cheaper, so you CAN buy them on Trainline as well.)

Organic Maps -- offline maps, has streets AND trails, and it is FREE to download any region or country offline. This is a crowdsourced app, so it also has toilets, water fountains and other items notated. You can route a walking route from A to B and see the elevation gain, all offline. 

Moveit -- in some countries (Turkiye, the Balkans, etc.) Google maps is okay for public transit, but often it does not update the realtime. Moveit shows which buses are coming to the stop where you are waiting and when, and has realtime departures for the line you are trying to catch. Also depending on where you are, Yandex Go also can be helpful for the same thing (Armenia, Georgia etc.) 

Google Translate --  you've heard it before. Moving on. No, but really, if you don't already know, you can set it to translate (real time) your audio conversation, or you can type in and translate, or you can hold it up to menus, strange things in the grocery store, etc. to read any text you need to translate. Pro tip: Download the language offline so you can use it without using data!  

How do you fit everything in a carry on? 

One bite at a time. No wait, that is an elephant. One word: layers! Also clothing that matches everything else, so you can easily mix and match. I basically carry one week worth of clothing for no matter how long I am traveling for, and for some things, like undies, I carry even less. These items can easily be handwashed, or if you really are in a bind, there are clothing shops everywhere. I also only carry two pairs of shoes; trail runners, which double as hiking shoes, walking shoes, and fancy dinner shoes (who am I kidding; there are no fancy dinners!) and one pair of sandals (which would actually be the fancy dinner shoes). 

I also carry 8 shirts (4 tank, 4 short sleeved), 3 pants (jeans, joggers, capris), 1 shorts, 1 running outfit, 1 sweater, 1 zip hoodie, 1 puffy, 1 rain jacket, 2 socks, 5 undies (the latter two get handwashed most days), a beanie, gloves and a pashmina (can use as scarf or to cover your head or legs in church/mosque/temple). I've talked about merino before, but a merino blend shirt is a good purchase, as it is more durable than 100% merino, it wicks moisture (so it is not hot in the summer) and it magically doesn't stink, so you may not even need to do laundry once a week after all. I also like merino socks for this reason, and have had luck with Darn Tough and Mammut. 

You can see my full packing list with photos in this post.  

The last tip is to leave your toiletries like shampoo or soap behind. Often the Airbnb will have products (and a hairdryer) or you can buy them once you assess the situation abroad. Or you can bring bar versions which don't take up as much space or weight. 

What other things are important to have? 

A VPN, which helps with security, which is important when you are using public wifi all the time, but it also allows you to set your location as your home country so that you can do easier banking, watch your normal streaming shows (they differ by country) and other things that require you to be in your home country (or are just easier if you are in your home country).  I use NordVPN, which I have been happy with so far. 

My portable charger has saved my butt a few times, when I was out longer than anticipated, taking too many photos, or needing to use maps which drain the battery faster.  

An adapter/converter with multiple USBs and input/output prongs. I like this Tessan one, which has three USB A and one USB C so I can charge everything (and use my computer) all at once. 

A collapsible backpack. I use this Osprey model and it has been great. It packs up into a tiny cube and takes up little space, but when folded out, I can easily do a day hike with it or use it to carry groceries. Speaking of groceries, I also carry a collapsible shopping bag. I have used Chico bags forever, so that is what I use, but there are several options available. 

What other things are important to know? 

If you book your train more than 30 days in advance, you often get a good discount. For example, when I went from Frankfurt to Strasbourg, I paid about $65 for a ticket on the day of travel, but would have paid around $30 had a bought it earlier.

You can also put many of the train tickets in your Apple or Google Wallet so you don't have to have a bunch of different train company apps on your phone. 

If you can get an ATM card that refunds ATM fees, do it. Two I know of are the Schwab card (I used this for my very first long journey) and the Fidelity Cash Management Account card. I chose the latter this time around because the interest rate for the cash sitting there was better. Plus if you want you can invest it (but you do not have to!)

Always download maps for offline use (and/or use Organic Maps). I also will often take a screenshot of a train ticket or put it in my Google Wallet so that I can access it if there is no service for some reason. 

 If you can get a travel rewards credit card of some kind, this helps offset the costs of your travel and may even afford you a few nights or so in a swanky hotel. For general travel I like the Chase Sapphire Preferred; for hotel brands I like the IHG card. Just the two sign up bonuses alone for those two cards would get you 1-2 round trip flights and 4-7 days in a hotel. 

I am sure there are some things that I am missing, so I will likely be back at some point with a part II! 

Any questions? Have you ever done a multi month trip to a different place than where you are from? 

Twenty Questions (E10): Aye, I Speak Scottish

After hanging with my friends and their kids in Scotland recently, it reminded me of the first time I heard some Scottish words and wondered what the heck they were saying. My first recollection is the song Loch Lomond, as my Mom sang it to me. If you haven't heard it, the chorus goes: 

O ye'll tak' the high road, and I'll tak' the low road,
And I'll be in Scotland afore ye,
But me and my true love will never meet again,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomond.

So my first Scottish word was probably bonnie, but over the years I learned many more. It is funny though as the different regions also have different accents and the people from Glasgow seem to have the hardest one to understand. So sometimes if they are drunk or I don't know they are talking to me, I don't even understand what they are saying at all! 

Highland cow

Some of these are ones I learned long ago and others are ones I talked about recently with my friend. It would be fun if you copy and paste them into the comments and then just guess what they mean! I will put a link to the answer key at the bottom so you can see how many you got right or close (and you can post again your number if you want to!) Good luck, or should I say lang may yer lum reek (long may your chimney smoke)!!

(To copy, highlight the list, click CTRL-C; to paste, click into the comment box, click CTRL-V)

1. oose
2. hoachin
3. give it laldy
4. crabbit
5. haud yer wheesht
6. peelly wally
7. wean
8. bairn
9. eejit
10. coorie in
11. bluttered
12. steamin
13. piece
14. wee
15. numpty
16. ned
17. jobby
18. manky
19. nick
20. braw

Have fun! Here is the key for when you are done. If you are unable to access it, please email me and I can reshare it with you.