Become a World Traveler

Travel to These Unexpectedly Amazing Countries

Why Go Where Everyone Else is Going?

July 11, 2025

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“To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive.” – Robert Louis Stevenson.

The question I get most often from people about our travels is “what’s your favorite country?” Honestly, I don’t love that question, because after visiting 147 countries, there are really only a handful I wouldn’t return to. Certainly, there are ones I like more than others…but choosing a favorite? Impossible. When I look back at all my travels, I find I am most fond of the countries that were unexpected for beauty, kindness, cost, culture, food and people. Some of our favorite experiences have been in lesser traveled destinations, where we met few other people like us. And today with over-tourism in places like France and Spain – finding the hidden gems is our goal and pleasure. So instead of telling you what my favorite country is, let me encourage you to travel to these unexpectedly amazing countries, full of adventure with fewer crowds.

EUROPE

I have visited almost all the European countries in Western, Eastern and Central Europe. There are still a few on my list. And though I of course have enjoyed time in the most popular countries like France, Spain and Italy, these are not on today’s list. You probably have also visited places like France, Spain and Italy, but have you considered travel to these unexpectedly amazing countries?

Poland

Why go to Poland?

Poland has everything the other European countries have, but it is so underrated as a destination. We spent three week traveling around Poland (by train) and loved it. The history, particularly WWII, is astonishing. The food (pierogies for the win!) is outstanding and the cities are gorgeous. Poland was home to Frederic Chopin, Marie Curie, Roman Polanski, Helena Rubenstein and many more. Poland has a rich arts and music culture, beautiful public squares, many performance facilities, and delicious food. Not all Poles speak English, but that adds to the charm of the place, and we absolutely loved all the wonderful locals we met.

Don’t Miss

Krakow for the beautiful square, musical performances, and a tour to Auschwitz. Don’t miss the small towns of Poznan and Wroclaw. Be sure to visit Warsaw to learn about the Jewish Ghetto and to see the public art. See posts I wrote about the amazing food of Poland here.

Bulgaria

Why go to Bulgaria?

We spent the month of June in Bulgaria early in the Grand Adventure travels. We chose Bulgaria because it is not in the Schengen so it did not count against our 90 Schengen days for other Europe countries. But we were so unexpectedly enamored of the food, the fabulous history and beaches. And it remains one of the least expensive countries we have ever visited.

Bulgaria has surprising Roman ruins that you can visit without any other tourists around. We met some of the most amazing people, who were so genuinely grateful that we chose their country. Even those we met who spoke no English were so happy to meet us, and hugging was not uncommon. Bulgaria, like many Eastern European countries has had many conflicts and political changes over the millennia. But the people take it in stride and are proud and patriotic. Bulgaria is popular with Russian tourists and we met only one other American couple during our 30 day visit.

Don’t Miss

Sofia the capital has incredible history right under foot. Veliko Tarnova was our favorite, a fabulous mountain town built hanging above a river. Great hiking there. And Sozopol on the Black Sea was gorgeous and the beach here was incredible.

Malta

Why Go to Malta?

Becoming more popular, but still under the radar, this island nation was such a big surprise. If you go consider spring or fall, not during the summer when it does get crowded. We stayed in the city of Valletta, which reminded me of Dubrovnik. It is a magical place. We rented a car a couple of days to get outside of Valletta and visit Peter’s Pool, Blue Grotto, Mdina & Rabat. We took a day trip to the tiny island of Gozo, which would be worth a longer stay if you had the time. Everyone speaks English, but Malta has its own language as well called Maltese. I would love to go back to this relaxing, beautiful and unique place.

Don’t Miss

Valletta is beautiful, has cheap and delicious food and wine. Read all about our wonderful visit here Marvelous Malta.

Georgia

Why Go to Georgia?

Last fall we visited the Eastern European countries of Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan over a three week period. We loved them all but Georgia really settled into a place in my heart. We spent the majority of our time in the capital city of Tbilisi, with some incredible daytrips outside of town to see the mountainous beauty of this country. Everyone spoke English and the people were kind and welcoming. Georgia struggled after the fall of the USSR but has come back strong. Yet like many countries around the world, mine included, an authoritarian leader has emerged, and the people are once again fighting for their rights. I loved the resilience of these people and the patriotism.

Don’t Miss

The food. Unexpected and incredible, the unique cuisine of Georgia is one of the best in the world. I took a food tour and a wine tasting tour (their wine is incredible) and loved every mouthful. Be sure to visit the thermal baths in the city of Tbilisi and make the trek to Kazbegi and Gudauri – stunningly beautiful. Read more about why I love Georgia here.

Cyprus

Why Go to Cyprus?

Cyprus will forever be in my heart because of the many kindnesses afforded us when we were locked down on this island nation in the early days of the world-wide pandemic. We were very lucky to find ourselves stuck here, despite not being able to move around the island. Luckily we made friends and felt safe and had everything we needed. We loved the people so much, two years later we returned for a ten day visit without restrictions. Read about it here.

Don’t Miss

Incredible UNESCO heritage sites throughout the island. Beaches that rival anywhere. Take a tour and cooking class with Cyprus Taste Tours. Eat all the food that is much like Greek, but also very much it’s own. If you are so inclined, you can walk across the UN Protected Border to Northern Cyprus for lunch and then walk back.

CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA

There are handful of countries, mostly island nations, I still have not visited in Central and South America. But I have spent a lot of time in the most popular destinations like Costa Rica, Belize, Brazil and Argentina. But the ones I had my favorite experiences in were;

Honduras (Roatan)

Why Go to Roatan?

The island of Roatan, just off mainland Honduras, is not plagued with some of the crime and issues found on the mainland. And direct flights to the island from Miami are easy, skipping going through the mainland. We spent an entire month in the tiny town of West End, and loved the relaxed Caribbean vibe. Though the beaches in the town were not great, there are many beaches on the island that are remarkable. If you don’t have a car, it can be difficult to get groceries, but we found a driver who was helpful to us when we wanted to tour or to go to the super market. It’s a very laid back experience and worth a visit.

Don’t Miss

Do an island tour with a guide to hit the main spots around the small island including the most beautiful beaches, hidden restaurants and the local microbrewery. Other fun spots including Daniel Johnson’s Sloth Sanctuary and the Roatan Botanical Gardens. Read about our Favorite Things in Roatan here.

Guatemala

Why Go to Guatemala?

We enjoyed a self-guided three week tour of Guatemala, arriving by a small open air boat from Belize. Our visit included Lake Flora and Tikal Mayan Ruins. We adored Antigua and were witness to the spectacle of Semana Santa over Easter. And we left our heart in Lake Atitlan…one of the most beautiful and peaceful places I have ever been. The people are quiet and kind. Curious and welcoming. Few people speak English except in the cities, but we had no problems.

Don’t Miss

Gorgeous and historic Antigua is incredible. Do a walking tour, history tour and take a Cooking Class. Lake Flora and Tikal are incredible for the beauty and history. And sit back and relax for a few days at hidden Lake Atitlan. Read more what I loved about Guatemala here.

Bolivia

Why Go to Bolivia?

Long on my bucket list, Bolivia did not disappoint. A remarkable place. Difficult to get around as an independent traveler (but not impossible), we chose to do a group tour while in Bolivia. We have no regrets about that choice – Intrepid Travel and our guide made the experience unforgettable. I recommend it highly. Bolivia has its issues (like everywhere) but it is fast becoming a popular tourist destination. I recommend you go soon.

Don’t Miss

La Paz was astonishing and seeing the way of life at 12,000 feet is worth the trip. Hands down the best thing in this country is the Uyuni Salt Flats. Stunningly beautiful and indescribable . Reaching the highest altitude I have ever been at was worth it for the views, even though I was sick for a couple of days. Read more about our ten day tour and all we did here. Go to Bolivia!

AFRICA

The continent of Africa is huge, and incredibly diverse. Each of the 54 nations that make up Africa have their own cultures, foods, geology, history, language and people. No two are alike, and it’s one of the reasons we have enjoyed visiting this continent on several occasions. I encourage you to travel to these unexpectedly amazing countries –

Namibia

Why Go to Namibia

When we get the question “What is our favorite country?”, we often list off a dozen or so, and Namibia is always on that list. We had one of our most favorite travel experiences in Namibia. We hired a guide from Wild Wind Safaris to take us for ten days around this remarkably diverse country, and we loved every minute of it. From ocean to mountain to the best safari of our three, Namibia has it all. Learn about our Safari here. Learn about the rest of Namibia here.

Don’t Miss

Everything about Namibia was incredible. If you don’t have ten days though, do a shorter tour and don’t miss Etosha National Park (mind blown) and the astonishing Sossusvlei Dunes. Otherworldly.

Madagascar

Why Go to Madagascar?

Oh My Gosh – it is awesome. The people in Madagascar are generally very poor, but they are also the hardest working people I have ever met. Other than in the very large and crowded capital city of Antananarivo, we felt so safe and welcome. The reason to visit Madagascar is for the incredible nature and wildlife – particularly the lemurs, found nowhere else in the world. We did a private tour (there are so many tour companies to choose from) and really felt we saw a lot of the country in ten days. However, there is much we didn’t see, and I would love to go back. Read here about why I am Mad about Madagascar.

Don’t Miss

Most tours will take you on generally the same route. You definitely want to see Avenue of the Baobabs (also called Baobab Alley), and lemurs, lemurs, lemurs! I had no idea there were so many different kinds. I also LOVED all the chameleons, and others: lizards, insects, butterflies and birds. Be sure and have your guide take you on a night walk – fascinating!

ASIA

Central, East and SE Asia all have a wide variety of culture and people, and the food is also incredible everywhere you go. I loved Vietnam and Japan and Indonesia but I encourage you to step out of the box and consider:

The Stans

Why Go to the Stan Countries

Okay so what are The Stans? When I refer to The Stans I am talking about the five Central Asian nations of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. We visited all five of these countries on a 28 day tour with Intrepid travel last fall. I LOVED IT! I was worried about a 28 day tour but Intrepid is so great, our guide was incredible and each of these countries offered all that I dream of in a destination. History, culture, nature, beauty, food….and so much more. Did I have a favorite? Nope. But Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan definitely stand out.

Don’t Miss

The incredible cities of Samarkand and Khiva in Uzbekistan. The night market in Khujand, Tajikistan. Hiking Charyn Canyon and Issyk Lake in Kazakstan, Skazka Canyon and eagle hunting in Kyrgyzstan. Check out Intrepid’s tours to this remarkable region of Asia. I can’t say enough good things about the experience.

Borneo

Why Go to Borneo

We made a quick visit to Borneo from Malaysia (where we spent a month) specifically to see the endangered orangutans. We stayed at the incredible Sepilok Forest Edge Resort, right next door to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center. Not a zoo but a place for endangered orangutans to come, at their own free will, to get additional and much needed nourishment. Seeing these creatures, not behind fences, but walking around the wild was so astonishing. I loved it so much.

Don’t Miss

Don’t miss the Sepilok Orangutan Center, and the nearby Labak Bay Proboscis Monkey Reserve. Both incredible. I highly recommend staying at the Sepilok Forest Edge Resort, and if it’s the season, sign up for an evening firefly boat ride.

Philippines

Why Go to the Philippines

I have to say, our month on the Philippine island of Panglao was one of the most unexpectedly pleasant places we have been anywhere in the world. It was our first time in the Philippines, and we really had no expectations. What we found was sunshine, inexpensive restaurants, kind people, beautiful beaches and THOUSANDS of scooters.

Don’t Miss

One of our most astonishing days on Bohol was visiting the Philippine Tarsier Foundation Sanctuary and getting up close and personal with the endangered, fascinating and teeny Tarsier. Our other absolutely do-not-miss thing is snorkeling with a guide off of Napaling Reef on the NW side of Panglao. One of my favorite snorkeling experiences ever.

OCEANIA & SOUTH PACIFIC

Sometimes overlooked and misunderstood, this vast area of 14 island nations is difficult to get to, thus less touristed. But so worth it. Australia and New Zealand, two of our favorite countries, are totally worth visiting. And many people do visit, despite how difficult they are to reach. Although we are not planning to see all of the islands in this region, we do hope to visit a few more in the years ahead. So beyond Australia and New Zealand you should consider something completely different;

French Polynesia

Why Go to French Polynesia

Often mistakenly referred to as Tahiti, the island nation of French Polynesia is made up of 118 islands, one of which is Tahiti. We spent seven weeks on the island of Moorea, with a quick three days on Bora Bora. I loved the laid back island vibe of Moorea, even though there isn’t much going on. We hiked, snorkeled, relaxed, ate great seafood and loved every day. Moorea is a big dive destination too.

Don’t Miss

Moorea can be reached by ferry from Papeete, Tahiti where the international airport is. But to access other islands there is also a small airport on Moorea. We loved our food tour, learning about the unique local cuisine, a mix of many immigrants and islanders. I also took two cooking classes with CookLab Cooking School, and we loved a day trip to Coco Beach.

Papua New Guinea

Why Go to Papua New Guinea

A caveat. This country is not for everyone. It was not a pleasure cruise. Papua New Guinea has lots of issues from crime to poor water and bad infrastructure. But, it also has one of the most ancient cultures still remaining on this planet. It was eye-opening to attend the annual Goroka Festival, where more than 100 tribes descend to spend a weekend dancing and celebrating in their native costume. I will never forget it.

Don’t Miss

The Goroka Festival. Hands down one of the most incredible cultural experiences of my life. Village visit – make sure you have a tour that will take you into the villages to see this ancient way of life on this remote island. Our tour also included some amazing bird watching excursions – and we saw the elusive bird of paradise. It’s far from five-star hotels and first class dining, but it will make you a better person.

Travel to These Unexpectedly Amazing Countries

“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” – Unknown.

We have worked hard, given up a lot, but have no regrets about the travel life we have created. I know some of the places we visit are not for everyone. But I implore you to consider travel to these unexpectedly amazing countries. Choose wisely in this time of both political and travel unrest. Be courteous and kind to host countries, and be aware of the impact you are making. The world is huge. There are so many undiscovered places to visit, many without millions of other tourists crowding the sites and restaurants. Be an explorer not a tourist. Just go.

Thank you for reading my post Travel to These Unexpectedly Amazing Countries. See last week’s post Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Port Gamble Washington. Be sure to see our special collaboration offer with GPS My City at Travel Smart and Easy with GPS My City.

PLEASE NOTE – we are heading out for the first of two North American road trips this summer. I will be posting regularly on Instagram but will not have a blog post on Friday for a few weeks. Wednesday Book Reviews will continue. Follow us on Instagram here.

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Become a World Traveler

Travel Smart and Easy with GPS My City App

Limited Time Offer

July 7, 2025

Laureen

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One of the most frequent questions I get asked is; “How do you find information and decide where to go and what to do when making travel plans?” In today’s world where we have a computer in our pocket, it is so incredibly easy! I can’t imagine trying to live a full-time travel life 30 years ago without the instant access we have now. Today travel apps, travel blogs and Pinterest are my go to source for ideas on places to travel and things to do.

That said, it can also be overwhelming because there is SO MUCH information out there. Where to start? I recommend you narrow it down and one of my favorite apps is GPSMyCity. You have seen me mention GPSMyCity multiple times in my blog posts over the years. It is a great place to get guided map tours, as well as read travel articles from experienced travel writers…like me! It’s fun to Travel Smart and Easy with GPS My City App.

Why GPS My City?

This app is great…and it just keeps getting better. For years we have used it for guided walking tour all around the world. Now, travel writers like myself will have featured articles you can download directly through the GPSMyCity App. Once downloaded it will be available to you to use, even without internet connection.

I am partnering with GPSMyCity, as one of their featured travel writers. For a limited time (July 7-21, 2025) my readers will have access via the GPSMyCity app to three of my articles FREE of charge;

San Marino: Hiding in Plain Sight

One Day in Bratislava, Slovakia

Baku, Azerbaijan: The Good, The Bad and the Beautiful

It’s an awesome opportunity to check out GPSMyCity, and get to know a fabulous travel planning tool. A tool that I have used around the world in many of the 147 countries to learn, grow and experience the rich cultures and history of the world. Just like me, you can Travel Smart and Easy with GPS My City App.

How Does it Work?

First download the GPSMyCity App.

Next use the search bar to type in any destination. Chances are good you will find a travel article (maybe mine!) for the destination you want to explore.

Next download the articles so you have access to them offline…then get ready to explore!

Try It Today

Want to try it? You definitely should. Click and get started at www.GPSMyCity.com and be sure to check out my free featured articles between July 7-21 so you can Travel Smart and Easy with GPS My City App.

San Marino: Hiding in Plain Sight

One Day in Bratislava, Slovakia

Baku, Azerbaijan: The Good, The Bad and the Beautiful

See last week’s Travel Post Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Port Gamble Washington here. See ya Friday for more travel posts!

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Eighth Annual World Travel Awards 2024

January 24, 2025

Laureen

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Location: Around the World

I absolutely love writing this blog post each year. Throughout the year I think about what experiences and places might make this list. And when it’s time to write – it’s a fun walk down memory lane as I reminisce about the previous year of travel. Maybe I can inspire you to travel to some of these places. I know for a fact several of my followers are planning visits to Australia … which was our favorite country from 2023! I hope it’s fun for you to read and enjoy the awards we bestow on our favorites and the best of the best (and a few duds too) from our year of travel; the Eighth Annual World Travel Awards 2024.

We are now into our ninth year of travel as part of The Grand Adventure. What a remarkable ride it has been. Not sure exactly what the next few years will bring…but it’s already open for discussion.

2024

What an incredible year. We have had a wonderful year of travel; both long stays and short, independent travel and guided. Though we prefer longer stays (and we had some good ones) this year included more short stays than in the past. This resulted in the greatest number of countries ever – TWENTY FOUR! The list includes; Thailand, Singapore, Italy, San Marino, Spain, Andorra, Greece, Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia, Austria, Slovakia, Madagascar, USA, Armenia, France, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, United Arab Emirates.

Destinations – 24 Countries & 2 US States

Favorite Country – Madagascar

I never imagined Madagascar would be my favorite country of this travel year. But we were astonished and enchanted by the beauty, the wildlife and the people. Madagascar had been on our bucket list for a very long time, and it was worth the wait.

Favorite City – a tie between Athens Greece and Vienna Austria

With so many destinations it really is hard this year to choose one favorite, and these two cities charmed us. We returned to Athens after having a poor experience the first time and I am so glad we did. It is remarkable. And Vienna with its astonishing beauty is definitely one I hope to visit again.

Favorite Town – Khiva Uzbekistan and Alberobello Italy

For overall history, beauty and unique experiences these two lovely towns, though very different from each other, were our two favorites of the year. Khiva Uzbekistan and Alberobello Italy

Favorite Island – Crete Greece and Honorable Mention to Sicily Italy

My husband and I discussed this category in depth and finally settled on Crete with an Honorable Mention to lovely Sicily. We had long stays on both, during off season in both, which gave us a great opportunity to experience the heart of these remarkably unique places. We would love to return.

Most Expensive Country – Austria

We only visited Vienna on our six days in Austria, but Vienna is expensive. Despite staying a bit outside of the historic core, our hotel was expensive. And despite loving all the food we enjoyed, it too was very expensive. But this city is worth a visit, no matter what.

Least Expensive Country – Thailand

For budget travelers, Thailand is the place

We spent a month on the island of Koh Chang, doing very little. We didn’t love our Airbnb, but it was comfortable enough and cheap. However it was so far away from anything including a supermarket or even a restaurant, we had little reason to spend any money during our month long stay.

Accommodations

More hotels than in past years but also several Airbnb’s, and some wonderful yurts!

Favorite Airbnb – Crete Greece

We loved this big beautiful stone house with swimming pool we rented with friends in Chania on the island of Crete. A restored historic home was perfect for a group. Another smaller unit next door we might consider in the future.

Favorite Hotel – Singapore

Comfortable, clean and affordable Singapore Oasia Hotel

We stayed in ALOT of hotels this year (35), it’s hard to even remember them all. But we chose the Oasia Hotel in Singapore as our favorite. In fact we just booked that same hotel again for next March. The best thing about this hotel was it was affordable, in a city that can break the bank, and the staff was great, room was comfortable and the location was excellent. I’m sure this will be our go-to for layovers in Singapore from here on.

Best Airbnb for Service – Yerevan Armenia

Some Airbnb’s you never hear from your hosts, while others are helpful and kind. We had several exceptional hosts this year, but we give this award to our host David in Yerevan Armenia. When we were in a car accident (see more about that below) he made sure we got to a hospital, served as our interpreter and would not accept any compensation for giving up his Sunday to assist us. It’s rare we have emergencies like this, but we are forever grateful to kind people like David.

David never left our side at the Emergency Room

Most Expensive Airbnb – Chania Crete

A caveat is needed here – This Airbnb was three bedrooms with a pool and we shared the cost with two other couples. It was beautiful too and we loved our stay at $174 per night.

We loved this place in Crete I would like to go back.

Least Expensive Airbnb – Baku Azerbijan

Although it smelled of cigarette smoke, our older apartment in Baku also came with an amazing view – for only $35 a night.

Best View – Koh Chang Thailand

Although we had some issues with this property and the host, we gotta say the view was unparalleled.

Most Unique Accommodations – Kyrgyzstan

Biggest Yurt ever is where we had our meals

Our tour through the Five Stans had us staying in hotels, home stays and yurts, and our favorite was the Almaluu Yurt Village in IssyKuhl Lake, Kyrgyzstan. Comfy and warm, the unique and historic style of nomadic housing is beautiful and functional and now I want one for my own!

Food & Drink

Favorite Cuisine – Sicily and Georgia

Sicily is all about the freshest ingredients

Kachapuri is Georgia’s national dish. So good!

Vastly different, the cuisine of these two unique places were amazing. Sicilian food (don’t call it Italian) is fresh and full of flavor and the Sicilians are so incredibly proud of their food. In Georgia we were astonished to stumble on the unique and flavorful cuisine influenced over a thousand years by travelers along the Silk Road.

Best Food Tour – Bologna Italy & T’bilisi Georgia

Again it’s a tie. We do a lot of food tours. The best ones include unique hidden places, tidbits of history and insider knowledge, served up with a knowledgeable and humorous guide. I highly recommend both of these tours if you visit Bologna and Tours and the City or T’bilisi with Culinary Backstreets.

Best Cooking Class – Crete Greece and Honorable Mention Koh Chang Thailand

The Crete class was amazing, a family affair in a beautiful new cooking space. With our friends we were welcomed by the family at Veerna’s Kitchen and enjoyed a marvelous experience. We also had a tasty and fun day with Bunny at her Napalai Thai Cooking School in Koh Chang Thailand.

Outdoor oven at Veerna’s Cooking School, Crete

Delicious foods at Napalai Cooking School Koh Chang Thailand

Best Meal – Mother Wolf Las Vegas Nevada USA

Best meal of the year, surprisingly in Las Vegas

We spent a few days in Las Vegas in June, specifically to attend a concert of my husband’s favorite artist Elvis Costello. We were traveling with another couple, and before the concert we enjoyed one of the best meals I have ever had at beautiful restaurant called Mother Wolf. If you visit Las Vegas you must eat there.

Most Unique Food – Tajikistan

I bet you never heard of Qurutob. I sure hadn’t. But it is the national dish of Tajikistan and it is an acquired taste; dried sour yogurt is rehydrated and mixed with a delicious selection of grilled vegetables, bread and meat. We loved it!

Best Beer – Samarkand Uzbekistan

One of our free evenings in Samarkand we went looking for a micro brew pub. My husband has an internal radar for micro brew pubs. And we found Sam Craft. It was worth the search on a rainy night.

Best Wine – T’bilisi Georgia

I tried a lot of wine in T’bilisi. Here enjoying several on my food tour.

I learned while in Georgia that this country is considered the earliest place where wine was made, based on 8000 year old findings of wine making. The Georgian people take this very seriously, and all the wine we had was excellent. Back in the USA we looked for and found some places to purchase delicious Georgian wine…it is now part of our wine cellar.

Culture

Most Authentic Cultural Experience – Kyrgyzstan

Yurt Making – not many artisans left. This family welcomed us into their home to learn how it’s done.

We only had four days in Kyrgyzstan, but it was some of the most memorable days of my travels. And two authentic cultural experiences happened on the same day; spending time with a Master Eagle Hunter and a Yurt Building Family. Both these occupations are UNESCO Cultural protected ancient activities. I feel so blessed to have had this opportunity with these people.

Most Amazing Man Made Structure – Matera Italy

Matera Italy was mind blowing – I had never heard of this place that dates back to the Paleolithic period

How to choose the winner when we visited Rome, Barcelona, Athens and amazing Uzbekistan? But we decided on one of the most unique places we have ever seen, an unexpected and new to us city of cave dwellings from thousands of years ago…the remarkable city of Matera. With a history of continuous occupation dating back to the Paleolithic (10th millennium BC), it is renowned for its rock-cut urban core, whose twin cliff side zones are known collectively as the Sassi. If you go to Italy – it’s a must.

Most Incredible Natural Sight – Baobab Alley Madagascar

I had been dreaming about seeing this place with my own eyes for years….and I was not disappointed. Nature is so amazing. Grateful that Madagascar has protected the Baobab trees.

Best Gardens – Schonbrunn Palace Vienna Austria

Well the incredible mansion/ Palace (Castle?) of the Hapsburg Dynasty just outside of Vienna was astonishing in itself, but the gardens…Wow. Hands down my favorite of all the gardens we saw this year.

Best Market – Khujand Market Tajikistan and Chorsu Market Tashkent Uzbekistan

This is only one part (the meat part) of Chorsu Market in Tashkent Uzbekistan

I loved this market in Khujand Tajikistan

If you read my blog posts much you know that a good, authentic market is possibly my favorite thing to do in any place we visit. And both of these, Chorsu in Uzbekistan and Khujand Tajikistan were all about the locals finding what they need from meat to produce to cheese and even clothing and shoes. It was perfect.

Best Museum – Azerbaijan Carpet Museum Baku Azerbaijan, Honorable Mention Belvedere Vienna Austria

The building is designed to look like a rolled up carpet.

We visited dozens of museums over the past year. So it was very hard to pick even two in this category. We considered everything from the amazing Acropolis Museum in Athens to the Gangster Museum in Las Vegas. But our choice for the top two are the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum and the Belvedere Art Museum in Vienna. Though very different both house incredible works of art and are housed in magnificent architecturally unique building.

The Kiss by Gustav Klimt at the Belvedere

Best Walking Tour – Chania Crete & Night tour Baku Azerbaijan

We arrived in both Chania and Baku with not a lot of knowledge about the history (both recent and ancient) of either place. A good walking tour is always helpful in these situations. In Chania our group of six hired a guide who was born and raised in the town, was funny and informative and spoke excellent English. In Baku we did a night tour with five other “new” friends – the city absolutely sparkled at night and we learned some amazing history we would have completely missed without this excellent tour and guide.

Best Overall Historical Site – Athens Greece

We are so glad we returned to Athens for a longer visit after having a awful one day tour off a cruise ship decades ago. This time we explored this amazing city and all it has from top to bottom. It really is a remarkable place.

Best Performance – Spanish Riding School Vienna Austria and Honorable Mention Elvis Costello Las Vegas Nevada

I did not realize what we were getting into when we went to the Spanish Riding School performance in Vienna but it was unlike any horse performance anywhere in the world. Astonishing. And a wonderful concert in Las Vegas with Elvis Costello deserves an honorable mention.

I have never seen anything like the Spanish Riding School performance in Vienna

Elvis Costello still rocking after all these years

Best One Day Tour – Georgia

Georgia was incredible – this is Gergeti Trinity Church

In T’bilisi we hired a guide to take us to the Gudauri region, several hours outside the city and near the Russian border. This is a popular ski area, and also popular for tourists to hike and enjoy waterfalls and to visit the famous Gergeti Trinity Church. We lucked out with gorgeous weather on our visit…only a week later they got their first snow.

Best Multi-Day Tour – The Five Stans Intrepid Travel

After postponing this trip a few times due to the PanDamit, it finally happened for us in 2024. A 28 day tour. We were hesitant if 28 days and five countries would be too much. But thankfully Intrepid Travel made this an exceptional experience with very few bumps along the way. This was our second time using Intrepid and I think they have my loyalty.

Best Tour Guide – Svetlana with Intrepid Travel

One of the reasons Intrepid has our loyalty is they know what makes a good guide. Patient, smart, empathetic, funny and able to function on no sleep! Our guide in the Stans was Svetlana and she was absolutely remarkable.

Nature

Best Sunrise – Koh Chang Thailand

Every morning with my coffee. It was the best thing about this Airbnb.

Best Sunset – Madagascar

A dream come true in Madagascar being here at sunset.

Best Beach/Lake – Lake Ohrid North Macedonia

On the lake enjoying a beautiful sunny day

Hiking above Lake Ohrid in North Macedonia

What a lovely surprise both on and off the water, Lake Ohrid in North Macedoni

Best Hike – Zingaro Natural Reserve Sicily and Mount Rainier Washington State

Zingaro Nature Reserve was a short drive from our Airbnb in Scopello Sicily

My favorite place in the world, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington State USA

We hike ALOT – around the world and at home in Washington State. Our favorites this year were very diverse, stunning and inspiring.

Overall Natural Beauty – Madagascar

Madagascar blew my mind. What a place.

Best Wildlife – Madagascar

There just aren’t enough words to adequately describe the wildlife of Madagascar. Photos help.

Chameleons and other reptiles where so beautiful but often camoflaged

Best Bird Watching – Madagascar

We have become very interested in birds over the last few years…but even with this interest we never gave much thought to where birds sleep. Or how they sleep. In Madagascar we had the remarkable experience of doing a night walking tour and seeing birds sleeping. And lots of other amazing birds too.

Athletic Pursuits

Best Golf – USA

Golfing in the summer in Washington State is a favorite past-time and we golfed once or twice a week throughout the summer.

Best Place to Run – Sicily

Secluded and beautiful running route in Sicily

Though we had a lot of rain during February in Sicily we got out and ran the dirt roads on the small peninsula where our cute Airbnb was. Rarely saw a car or another human.

Best Pool or Spa – Caldea Spa Andorra

Well that was a fun day at Caldea Spa in Andorra

We spent two short days in the tiny country of Andorra that straddles France and Spain. Our favorite thing we did was enjoy a full day at the famous Caldea Spa.

Weather

Hottest Day – Madagascar

It was great to get out on the water on this extreme hot and dry day

Most Humid – Thailand

Coldest Day – Border Crossing between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan

Icy cold wind greeted us as we crossed the border on foot between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan

Wettest Day – Bologna Italy

It was raining buckets but luckily Bologna’s famous porticoes kept us mostly dry

Windiest – Athens Greece and San Marino

We nearly blew off the mountain top of tiny San Marino

There were people up here in shorts and tshirt…terribly unprepared and turning blue.

Travel

Longest Travel Day – Koh Chang Thailand to Bologna Italy

Thirty four hours door to door – this day included a van, a ferry, three flights and a taxi. A total distance of 5971 miles. Thank goodness we have airport lounge privileges. Our longest single flight was Dubai to Seattle at 7410 miles; but a mere 18 hours door to door.

Shortest Flight – Trat to Bangkok

A quick flight covering 161 miles go us close to our destination of Koh Chang, but we also had to take a ferry.

Best Airport – Changi Singapore

Its worth it to visit Singapore just to see this airport.

One of the best and most beautiful airports in the world – Changi Singapore

Worst Airport – Morondava Madagascar

This place wasn’t the smallest airport we have ever been in, but it nearly was. Departure board was a white board written in colored marker

Miscellaneous

Expensive But Worth It – Five Stans Tour with Intrepid Travel

Of course a 28 day tour covering five countries isn’t going to be cheap. We had cars, planes, trains, vans, subways, all of our lodging, much of our food and the most amazing guide included in Intrepid Travels Five Stans Tour. For two people the cost was $13,530 dollars – just under $500 per day. I don’t regret it.

Each Country was amazing. This is Kyrgyzstan

The Ouch Award – Car Crash in Yerevan Armenia

It doesn’t look that serious. And it would not have been if we had been wearing seat belts.

A difficult lesson was learned when we got into a taxi that did not have seat belts. It wasn’t the first time in our travels where we have encountered this. We should have refused…but we didn’t and five minutes later the crazy driver crashed. At first we thought we were okay, just shaken. But the next day Arne had some serious and frightening symptoms. A trip to the emergency room where he was diagnosed with a concussion. He did not have to stay in the hospital but he did have to lay low for the following two weeks, causing us to change our itinerary to give him time to recover before we began the Stans tour. We are very grateful it wasn’t worse. Seat belts. Always.

Best Photo of the Year

With 24 countries its hard to choose which photo is the best….not to mention I am obsessive about photo taking. But for 2024 we choose these – a collection of Baobab Alley Madagascar. Seeing this was a lifelong dream of mine. And it was just as amazing as I had imagined.

Eighth Annual World Travel Awards 2024

There you have it. The best of the best of My Fab Fifties Life travel of 2024. Amazing, memorable and unique experiences with new cultures and fantastic experiences around the world. What a grand adventure it is. We sure hope you will consider visiting some of these places and enjoying some of these unique experiences too – the eighth annual world travel awards 2024. Please let us know if you do visit any of our suggestions.

High above Bovilla Reservoir in Albania. That road to get here was interesting.

What next?

As I post this annual awards I am on the island of Maui – the first stop of our 2025 adventure. Over the next year we will visit anywhere from 8-12 more countries. Those include the Cook Islands, Australia, Singapore, Bhutan, France, Luxembourg, USA and Canada – with others still in the works.

Friendly and docile chameleons are my new favorite

It takes me weeks to write this post so I hope you have enjoyed the Eighth Annual World Travel Awards 2024. My goal is to inspire you. The world is so amazing…not everyone is going to want to go to places like Kyrgyzstan. I understand that. But I hope you have learned something and perhaps are motivated to step beyond your comfort zone. We hope you will continue to follow us around the globe, comment, pin and share this post so others can follow as well. Thank you and stay fabulous. This travel blog wouldn’t be possible without all of you.

Beautiful memorial in Novi Sad Serbia remembering the 4000 civilians murdered by the Hungarian forces during WWII

More From the Past

If you would like to see our Travel Awards from the past, you can click on any of these links; 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, and 2017.

HAPPY NEW YEAR OF TRAVEL!!! We appreciate it when you comment, share and pin our blog posts – especially this one!! The Eighth Annual World Travel Awards 2024. Stay tuned! Lots of adventures ahead! Thank you.

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Travel Wardrobe – Seven Weeks & Nine Countries

September 6, 2024

Laureen

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After a fabulously full and fun summer in Washington State it’s time for us to begin year nine of the Grand Adventure. Can you believe it? Never thought we would still be doing this nine years later, but here we are. Following year eight, we did come to the agreement however, we wanted to create shorter itineraries. So in the year ahead we have two itineraries, one is seven weeks and one is four months. We will come back to the USA for the winter holidays and leave again in January. So, it’s time to tackle the first itinerary and my travel wardrobe – seven weeks & nine countries.

Seven Weeks & Nine Countries

Preparing for this trip has been very different from any of our trips in the past. We are excited to be visiting nine countries, eight of these are new to us. Eight are also countries few people visit – but we have had these on our radar for a long time. Next Friday I will have a post with itinerary details. But for today here is where we are headed; Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan – we will travel for three weeks on our own. Next, with Intrepid Travel Group Tour, we will visit Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. We will finish this seven week itinerary with a few relaxing days in Dubai where we have been once before.

Luggage

Packing for this itinerary is unique. We will be leaving at home several of our creature comforts we usually carry including THE MUG and the French Press, as well as my yoga mat, bathroom scale, scrabble game, collapsible cooler and kitchen spices and gear. I am bringing no jewelry, no makeup and very minimal beauty care products. This is all in an effort to check only one medium bag, and carry on our backpacks.

Early this summer we replaced our trusty workhorse luggage from REI with two new REI bags. Those old REI bags have traveled approximately 400,000 miles for the past 8 and half years. We would have purchased the exact same bags, but REI no longer makes these same bags. So instead we purchased the new version.

The day we left on year one in 2016 our REI luggage -we have learned a lot about packing over the miles and years.

My luggage does not need to make a fashion statement. I do, however, need it to be functional, durable, reliable, comfortable and expandable. Our two new mustard yellow bags (won’t get those confused with other bags on the baggage carousel!) will hopefully fill these needs. The medium one (capacity 87 liters) is coming with us on this trip, the large one (capacity 109 liters) on the next trip in January.

Weather

Our seven week trip will see temperatures ranging from lower 80’s Fahrenheit to possible overnight lows in the higher elevations of 20’s Fahrenheit. This kind of temperature fluctuation creates a challenge for packing. I am packing everything from gauzy lightweight dresses to long underwear. It’s all gotta fit in one checked bag and two carry on backpacks.

What to Expect

Most of these countries are Muslim countries while a few are Orthodox Christian. Each culture has a varying degree of modesty expectations. I do not need to cover my head anywhere, however dressing modestly is a courtesy I am glad to oblige as a guest.

We will be in large beautiful cities, as well as tiny rural villages. We will visit UNESCO sites, mosques, parks, theaters, mountains and lakes. Our accommodations will include beautiful hotels, Airbnb’s, tents, yurts and home stays. What a variety!

Travel Wardrobe – Seven Weeks & Nine Countries

So finally, my wardrobe choices. As always I pack a variety of mix and match pieces to hopefully cover all scenarios. Let’s have a look.

Khaki Heavy Hiking Pants

These pants are from Zorali and new this year. They are fairly heavy so will be good in cooler temperatures. I can wear them both on the trail and in a city paired with multiple different tops and sweaters as shown here.

Navy Lightweight Hiking Pants

This is the second year for these lighter weight summer hiking pants from REI. I like the color for both wilderness or city use. I can mix and match with multiple tops and layers for whatever I need.

Cold Weather Gear

I have my fleece lined leggings from Baleaf I bought for our trip to Iceland several years ago. I love these things. If it’s really cold, these leggings with my silk long underwear are toasty and also make great pajamas if needed.

Linen Pants

I love these linen pants I bought last spring in Greece. I have worn them a lot over the summer. They are great for warm weather.

Silk cover is a perfect match and cool too

Chinos

I have been traveling with pink chinos from Talbot’s for many years, and this summer I purchased a new khaki pair. Though similar to both the linen and khaki hiking pants, the weight of these are a perfect in-between option. This will be my airplane outfit for the very long flight out of Seattle.

Something Pretty

Although I suspect pants will be my choice for active travel, I have also packed two dresses and two skirts – all four purchased new this summer.

Long Blue Dress

This dress I can wear as a sun dress or use multiple cover-ups for more modesty. I know this dress will also come with me on the next itinerary to tropical places. I purchased this from Appleseeds.

Gauzy Dress

Wow, this is so comfortable especially in humid climate. Soft and flowy material in a beautiful color, this piece from Chico’s covers both my shoulders and knees.

Two Skirts

This colorful long skirt is linen; it’s cool and comfortable. I have several tops I can mix and match with this, which is new from Talbots.

This second skirt I have worn a lot this summer and I love it. From a company called Pact, I bought it online. It is so carefree and comfortable and easy wash and wear. An absolute perfect travel piece.

What Else

From these photos you can see I have several t-shirts, two tank tops, one long sleeve t-shirt, one long sleeve linen tunic, one button down shirt and one fleece button down shirt. I will bring my raincoat and my fleece puffy coat as well as three pairs of shoes and three hats. I have one scarf and one silk cover up, both I have had in my closet for years. It’s unclear if I will have access to laundry facilities, but I can hand wash most of this wardrobe when needed.

In addition I have two sweaters. The short sleeve lime green sweater is from Talbot’s and I have been wearing this for several years now. But I wanted to point out the olive green sweater with hood, new from Paka. This is an alpaca knit pullover hoodie sweater. So warm and I am hopeful it will be useful for hiking, walking and even sleeping.

Let’s Go

I’m ready to go, and ready to test drive this new and reduced travel wardrobe. Also reduced packing in general in our brand new luggage. I hope you will come back next Friday to see the full itinerary of our upcoming trip. I’m ready to share this exciting adventure. Let’s Go.

Thanks for reading my post Travel Wardrobe Seven Weeks & Nine Countries. We appreciate it when you comment, share and pin our blog posts. Thank you.

See last week’s post A Visit to Seattle’s Pike Place Market

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My Favorite Wildlife Encounters Around the World

June 21, 2024

Laureen

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I’ve been truly blessed with some astonishing wildlife encounters over the past eight years in our world travels. This past year has been particularly memorable, and I thought it would be good time to pull together a post about My Favorite Wildlife Encounters Around the World. I hope you enjoy it.

My Favorite Wildlife Encounters Around the World

When we started the Grand Adventure Travel Life, I didn’t really set out to discover incredible wildlife. It quickly became apparent however, that fascinating, new-to-us wildlife was going to be a big part of our travels. Wildlife in the jungles, forests and savannas. Birds in the air. Fish and mammals in the sea. Even insects, reptiles and crustaceans became a new fascination for these old folks – always ready to learn something new.

Elephant Family Etosha National Park Namibia

The wildlife encounters listed below are by no means the only ones…but they are some of my favorites. Some of these moments simply took my breath away. Gave me pause. Held me in rapture at nature in all her glory.

Australia

Australia. Oh my God. The land of never ending surprises. Of course there are kangaroos, wallabies and koala. There are also immense collections of bird life, reptiles and bugs. There are so many animals in the wild, and in fact it’s astonishing how many kangaroo get hit by cars. Australia blew our mind – and we are planning to return for our third visit in 2025.

Mama Roo and Joey, Booderee National Park, Australia

Namibia

When we first started talking about Namibia, I wasn’t even sure where it was (just north of South Africa). Our ten day tour in Namibia is still one of our favorite travel experiences. The elephant image below, is in my mind, the best photo I ever took. It was easy though…so much beauty everywhere we turned.

Sunset Elephant, Etosha National Park Namibia

Uganda

To celebrate my 60th birthday we splurged on a Mountain Gorilla Trek in Uganda. Life changing. If you can make this happen once in your life, do it.

Philippines

I’ve told this story before about how when I was a child we had a picture book with a tarsier on the glossy cover. I was terrified of that animal. Seeing it in the wild in Philippines was one of the most amazing things I have ever done. Tiny and harmless, I love these animals so much. We also had one of our best snorkel days in the Philippines…swimming with millions of sardines.

Snorkleing at Ningaloo Reef Panglao Philippines

Madagascar

Our most recent wildlife adventure was a ten-day private tour in Madagascar. I was mostly looking forward to seeing the baobab trees, and was hoping we would see a few lemurs. Oh my goodness. Lemurs and so much more. It was an absolute joy and I am so glad we did this tour.

Fascinating chameleons all over Madagascar

Botswana

Botswana was a quick visit while also visiting Victoria Falls in Zambia/Zimbabwe. But our brief visit afforded us some fabulous wild life encounters including lots of hippopotamus in the Zambezi River.

Curious giraffe, Chobi National Park Botswana

The hippopotamus is one of the most dangerous animals in the world

Papua New Guinea

I did not take this photo (Thank you Canva), but seeing the Bird of Paradise in Papua New Guinea was a dream come true. In fact, we saw several different species of Bird of Paradise, as well as multiple other very special and beautiful birds. Astounding.

Sri Lanka

We loved our visit to Sri Lanka, a country many people overlook. We started our three week visit with a six day tour, that included a visit to Yala National Park. Yala is home to a giant population of Asian Elephants. It was the most elephants in one place I had ever seen. We also had a wonderful up close and personal encounter with a beautiful and camouflaged leopard.

Asian elephant, Yala National Park Sri Lanka

Borneo/Malaysia

I had always wanted to see the Orangutans, and so when we decided to spend a couple of months in Malaysia, I began to research how to spend a few days on the island of Borneo and visit the Sepilok Reserve. We did this four day visit without a tour guide, it was very easy to do. We loved the Sepilok Forest Edge Lodge and the fact we could walk to the Orangatan Reserve. AND seeing the incredible Proboscis Monkeys was an added bonus!

This orangutan just mosied past me on the walkway!

Funny looking and beautiful too – Proboscis Monkey

Costa Rica

Our three week visit to Costa Rica with our dear friends was one of the most memorable trips we have made. Not only did we get to see sloths for the first time, the turtles and bird life was spectacular.

Honduras

We spent six weeks on the island of Roatan Honduras and I would definitely go back. There are several reserves set up on the island to protect and conserve remaining wildlife. I think our favorite moments though were spotting beautiful Red Macaws right near our condo and the giant and docile iguana

The biggest iguana I have ever seen, Roatan Honduras

Iceland

We came for the scenery and the midnight sun, and we were not disappointed. Wildlife was a bonus and our favorite things were the wild reindeer and the beautiful puffins. I did not take this puffin photo (Thank you Canva), we were not this close, but Iceland did not disappoint and I encourage everyone to visit that incredible country.

New Zealand

We loved our seven week visit to New Zealand, although we loved it mostly for the beauty, scenery and hiking. We did not encounter much wildlife on this trip, but at the very end of our visit we stumbled on a biologist tagging Kiwi birds. Kiwi are incredibly shy and are rarely seen by visitors or locals. So to be able to meet this beautiful bird before she was released back into the brush was very special.

Galapagos/Ecuador

Although this trip was before we launched the Grand Adventure, our week touring the Galapagos Islands for my fiftieth birthday is one of our favorite memories of our travel life. Teeming with fascinating animals and bird life, it’s a memorable and once in a lifetime destination. Just go.

Galapagos land Iguana – he smiled at me!

Male Frigate bird showing off, Galapagos

USA

Of course, since I am an American, I have had many opportunities to see wildlife in my own big country. Montana is a favorite, Hawaii too, New England as well as my own great state of Washington where I spend my summers.

Monk Seals are also protected in Hawaii – stay clear

Young Grizzly, Glacier National Park Montana

There is More

There is more…but I think these I’ve listed here remain some of my all time favorites. And I’m not done yet…we have lots more travel in our future, as we explore and show reverence to Mother Nature and the fascinating wildlife of our planet.

My Favorite Wildlife Encounters Around the World

Nature teaches us so much about the fragility of our world, and careful, sustainable travel provides so many opportunities to understand nature better. I have been so incredibly blessed to have had so many amazing up close and personal wildlife experiences – My Favorite Wildlife Encounters Around the World.

See last week’s post A Day Trip to Bratislava Slovakia.

We love it when you comment, pin, and share our blog posts. Thanks and talk to you again soon.

NOTE : With this blog post I end year eight of our Grand Adventure. I will be taking several weeks, possibly a couple months, off from posting new blog material. We have fall travel planned, I’ll be back before that, but in the meantime, I want to be present here in the USA with my family. Thanks for your continued support – I’ll be back…

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Sometimes We Enjoy a Travel Perk or Two

Fllight Upgrades and Airport Lounge Access Perks

February 16, 2024

Laureen

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Location: Around the World

We are half way through year eight of our travel life. And sometimes we enjoy a travel perk or two. We have fallen into an easy pattern as we navigate the world. We understand how the system works, we each have our area of responsibilities as we plan and execute our travels, and generally we are content.

However, we are also eight years older than when we first started. And along the way we have discovered a few things about ourselves that keep us happy in our retirement travels. For me, I need an outdoor space, even if it’s small, at our long term lodgings. I also need a washing machine…not a dryer, but definitely a washing machine makes me happy. Simple things but they make all the difference.

Bangkok. We had a really long layover, visited two lounges over a six hour layover

Budget

Because we are very cognizant of our budget, we always fly economy. But every once in a while we will bid on an upgrade seat in Business Class. We will never pay full price for Business Class, but if we can slide in at the last minute we take it. It’s the only time I can actually sleep on a plane. We recently enjoyed a fabulous Philippines Air Business Class flight from San Francisco to Manila. It was heaven for this old girl.

That said, we don’t just automatically book the cheapest flights out there either. We try to fly non-stops or one stop maximum. It makes such a big difference for our bodies. After the first few years of living this life on our retirement income, we figured out where and when to spend a bit more without breaking the bank.

Excellent food and drink in Business Class

Airport Lounge Privileges

If you fly a lot, you quickly learn that most airports, with only a few exceptions, are all the same. Uncomfortable seating areas, expensive food, and way too many people.

Last summer we upgraded our credit card to a Capital One Venture X. This new card provides us airport lounge privileges all around the world (in addition to some other perks). We have been very grateful for these, and have visited three different lounges in the Manila Airport (my least favorite airport in the world but the lounges are nice), lounges in Seattle, Brisbane, Melbourne, Singapore, Bangkok and Dubai so far. Some are nicer than others, but all are better than sitting at the gate.

How Does it Pencil?

By the way, this is not a sponsored post…I’m just sharing how much I like this credit card.
The card cost $495 per year, but we get $300 back in travel credit when we book travel using the Capitol One travel site (which has turned out to be surprisingly easy to use and competitive with Booking.com or Expedia, our normal travel standards). So in reality we pay $195 per year less the additional cash back we get for some specific travel purchases.

The way we figure it, before we were hanging out in airport lounges, we could easily spend $50, or more, on a meal and drinks while waiting for a flight. Now we eat and drink for free in lounges. We have enjoyed breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as full cocktails, beer and excellent coffee. That saving cost alone pays for the card if you are a frequent traveler.

In addition, the Capitol One Venture X also gives us discounts when we book with Bookingdotcom, Expedia and Get Your Guide. All travel apps we use frequently.

Although we have yet to use it, many lounges offer showers and even beds. We usually only have a few hours, so we charge our electronics, have a meal, use the wifi and kick back in seating that is much more comfortable than at the gate.

Travel Fatigue

I’ve talked in the past about the reality of travel fatigue. Our travel life may look exciting, and usually it is. But it also can be exhausting and there are occasional long, difficult days. As we have winged our way around the world, we have learned that our dollars are well spent on a little pampering, to help make travel comfortable and reduce travel fatigue.

Sometimes, since we have all the time we want, we will get a hotel at an airport, so we can sleep and be fresh for our next onward flight. This might be just for the day, or overnight. Arriving fresh at our destination makes us happier, less cranky and excited for what’s ahead.

Sometimes We Enjoy a Travel Perk or Two

Finding perks that are affordable but also keep us healthy and rested, is our goal. Since we travel so much, it pays to occasionally upgrade to Business Class and to carry the Capital One Venture X card. If you only fly once or twice a year, this probably isn’t the credit card for you. But if you are a nearly full time traveler like us, the lounge privileges are really nice.

Thanks for reading my post Sometimes We Enjoy a Travel Perk or Two. See last week’s post Koh Chang Thailand, Taking it Slow. Next week we begin a series of our travels in Italy. Hope you will come back for that!

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Year Eight of the Grand Adventure Begins

September 8, 2023

Laureen

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Many images in today’s post from Canva

In the beginning we didn’t know if we would do this for 6 months or six years. In the beginning we didn’t know much. But eight years later, 270,539 miles flown, 128 countries visited – well we know a lot. And yes, I do count countries, particularly now as I work to keep track of the growing number.

It was 2016 when we launched our travel life. After three years of prep – we were anxious to get started. But as we launched, we also knew we had a lot still to learn. Honestly, we won’t ever stop learning. The magnificent cultures, ancient history, remarkable people, delicious food…it’s all been such an eye-opening experience.

Suitcase nomad — Our bags the day we left November 2016 – so shiny and clean. We still are using the same bags today.

Covid cramped our style for a while, but, we actually learned a lot from the PanDamit too. We learned to be more spontaneous, flexible and adventurous. We have learned to navigate a more difficult travel environment, more expensive and more crowded. We also give more consideration to overtourism, choosing as much as possible the less traveled destinations. But here we are, Year Eight of the Grand Adventure Begins.

How Much More?

We get this question a lot. We don’t exactly know the answer…but we both feel some changes will happen in year nine. Perhaps shorter trips, with more time at home between the trips…perhaps? What we do know is we have put together a very unique itinerary that will take us on the road for eight months from Asia to Europe, Oceania to Africa – hitting some major bucket list destinations. It’s time to do it again.

One Thing Different

There is one thing a bit different this time…we are doing more tours than ever before. Why? Because as we traverse the countries we still would like to visit, many are difficult to navigate without a guide. Like last spring in Bolivia, we have chosen to allow reputable tour companies to take us through three places this time; Papua New Guinea, Socotra (off the coast of Yemen), and Madagascar. See more about these destinations below.

Where do we Begin?

Papua New Guinea

Confirmed 12 days – tour

In September we have a long grueling travel day from Seattle to LA to Manila and finally to Papua New Guinea. We will spend 12 days in PNG with a company called Indigo Safaris. We will be two of only about 400 non-natives to witness the annual Goroka Festival where more than 100 tribes of Papua New Guinea come together to celebrate their unique and colorful culture. Did you know there are 800 languages in Papua New Guinea?

Hong Kong

Confirmed 7 days – Airbnb

After PNG we will head to the big city of Hong Kong. We were meant to visit Hong Kong in 2019, but the riots there had us changing our plans. We will try again; I have booked a cooking class, some tours and we also plan to walk across the border to the tiny country of Macau.

Philippines

Confirmed 32 days – Airbnb

Next stop the island of Bohol in the Philippines. We have only briefly been in Manila, and we look forward to a relaxing month on Bohol where we can kick back and regroup in October after the whirlwind of September.

Winter Down Under

Australia

Confirmed 4 weeks in an RV mainland and 30 days Airbnb Tasmania

As usual we like to spend as much time as possible in perpetual summer, so all of November and all of December we will be down under. We visited Australia very early in the Grand Adventure, but there is so much more we want to see. This time we begin in Brisbane. Then we have rented an RV for one month to travel south to Melbourne at a slow pace. In early December we fly to the Australian island of Tasmania and spend all of December relaxing in Hobart where we have rented a darling historic home.

We debated about heading from here to one or two of our past favorite countries (New Zealand and French Polynesia) but instead we will fly west. We know we will be back to those countries again some day.

South East Asia

Singapore

Confirmed 3 days hotel

I love this city/country but boy is it expensive, so we will just have a quick visit to say hello again to one of the world’s most beautiful places.

Thailand

Confirmed 30 days Airbnb

Back to Thailand! Thailand was the very FIRST country we visited when we began the Grand Adventure in November 2016. It’s a beautiful country; friendly, inexpensive, and delicious. We will spend one month on the island of Koh Chang.

Europe

Italy

Confirmed 7 days road trip Bologna to Puglio and 19 days Airbnb Sicily

Even though it will only be February, we are headed to the amazing country of Italy for an entire month. Keeping our fingers crossed for dry and not too cold; we will visit Bologna and the country of San Marino, the Puglia region and then on to Sicily.

Africa

Egypt

Confirmed 3 days hotel

We will have a brief stop back in Cairo as we transit through but we are holding a couple of days open in hopes that the new, decades in the making, Egyptian Museum will be open. But we are really going to Egypt because that is where we pick up our tour to…

Yemen

Confirmed 7 days private tour

Not on many people’s bucket list, Yemen was never on mine either. But my husband has long wanted to visit the island of Socotra off the coast of Yemen ever since we read the book The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie. This is a more complicated country to visit, so we are on a private tour. We are using the company Inertia, who we have spent months working with to make this happen. Should definitely be different…and exciting.

Back to Europe

Greece

Confirmed 18 days Airbnb

Back to Europe we go, with our first stop the island of Crete. This is one of the Greek Islands we have not visited, and I have heard so much about it. So we will spend 18 days enjoying the Greek life (and food) once again. Here we will be joined by friends, two couples we really enjoy traveling with.

Albania

Not yet confirmed

We are still trying to work our way through the last of the countries we had to abandon when Covid shut down our travels, and Albania is one. We have really enjoyed all of the Balkan countries we have visited over the years and it is one of our most favorite regions in the world. Inexpensive and so welcoming, we look forward to one week in Albania.

North Macedonia

Not yet confirmed

An easy drive over the border from Albania we could just do a day-trip to North Macedonia but we really want to spend some time in the beautiful Lake Ohrid region we have heard so much about. So we will visit for four days then return to Albania for our flight out.

Serbia

Not yet confirmed

An easy flight to Belgrade will get us to Serbia. We only plan to be in Belgrade one day, then we will do a road trip to many of the ancient and beautiful sites in this landlocked country and former Yugoslavian state. Serbia remains a less visited part of Central Europe and I can’t wait to see it.

Austria

Not yet confirmed

Somehow I have traveled all over Europe but have missed Vienna entirely. My husband has been there and keeps telling me I will LOVE it, so Vienna it is for four days. It’s also a great place to get a flight to our next destination.

And Back to Africa

Madagascar

Confirmed 10 days tour with Fosa Travel

From Vienna we will fly via Addis Ababa Ethiopia to the island of Madagascar. We have been blessed to visit several Indian Ocean islands, but Madagascar is a first for us. We have booked a private tour for ten days with Fosa Travel and it will be a dream come true for me to see the Lemurs and the magnificent Baobab Trees. A very big Bucket List for me.

Back to Europe to Wrap It Up

Spain and Andorra

Not yet confirmed

Andorra is one of our Covid-deleted countries, and I am excited to see this tiny country that borders Spain. We will fly into Barcelona and drive to Andorra for a short four day visit before returning to Barcelona for our flight back to Seattle. We expect to arrive back in Seattle May 17th; 19 countries, 8 months and a lifetime of memories.

Year Eight of the Grand Adventure Begins

I’ll say again, we have no intention of trying to visit every country in the world (BTW there are 195 recognized countries. United Nations recognizes 193 and there are a couple unrecognized we have visited including Taiwan). However, after this trip, we still have a few left in the bucket. So, as we think about what lies ahead, we certainly know we will never stop traveling. We know we have some rock solid favorites we would like to return to. We know we have some difficult countries left we would like to see with a guide. But we also know, particularly after the PanDamit, we should not look too far out into the future…things can change so fast. So, we will embrace year eight with bells on, and we hope you will come along for the ride. As always, we feel so grateful to all of you who faithfully read and ask questions and engage with us through our crazy travel life. Thank you.

Note – there may be times when I can not make a deadline to have a travel post every Friday. Additionally I expect to not have easy access to WiFi. Just keep watching and I’ll get to it as soon as I can.

See last week’s post, our final of the Hidden Gems series, Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Pampered Wilderness Millersylvania.

See our post My Travel Wardrobe – 8 Months & 19 Countries 2023 here.

Considering full-time or long-term travel yourself? I wrote this post last year and it may help answer some of your questions. Click here for Becoming A Traveler. We’d love to connect out in the Big World with you!

We love it when you comment, pin and share our posts. Thank you. Away we go!

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Follow us as we inspire you to live your best life now. We find inspiration in our Retired Midlife through travel and learning new cultures, writing and reading! What inspires you? I am a retired Grey Goddess on the Go, here to empower and inspire you through your Fabulous middle years! We write regular travel posts and book reviews and have been sharing this blog for 13 years!! Join our club and be fabulous too! You can find us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Threads. My Fab Fifties Life!