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    Become a World Traveler  --  Inspire

    Eighth Annual World Travel Awards 2024

    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.

    The Acropolis on a rainy night

    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.

    Wild & Wonderful Kyrgyzstan

    Destinations – 24 Countries & 2 US States

    Favorite Country – Madagascar

    The wildlife in Madagascar blew my mind

    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

    Athens
    Vienna

    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

    Khiva Uzbekistan
    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

    Crete
    Sicily

    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

    Vienna 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

    Restored Historic Airbnb in Crete

    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

    Yerevan Airbnb

    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

    The view from our Baku Apartment

    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

    That view

    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

    Not the Bologna of your childhood.
    Kinkali dumplings in 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

    Qurutob – delicious

    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

    Sam Craft in 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

    Master Eagle Hunter 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

    Remarkable place

    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

    The gardens at Schonbrunn Palace

    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

    Hand tying a beautiful wool carpet
    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 exterior at the Belvedere
    The Kiss by Gustav Klimt at the Belvedere

    Best Walking Tour – Chania Crete & Night tour Baku Azerbaijan

    Chania Crete
    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

    Hadrian’s Library

    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

    Uzbekistan

    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.

    Kazakhstan

    Best Tour Guide – Svetlana with Intrepid Travel

    With Svetlana in Kyrgyzstan

    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

    Koh Chang Sunrise

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

    Best Sunset – Madagascar

    Baobab Alley at sunset

    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

    Hidden treasure everywhere

    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
    Lemurs of all kinds
    So beautiful
    How beautiful is that?

    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.

    Sleeping bird, Madagascar Night Tour

    Athletic Pursuits

    Best Golf – USA

    We love summer golf

    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

    Some days the humidity was oppressive

    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

    Tiny Trat Airport

    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
    This is Turkmenistan

    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.

    Baobab Alley
    Wildflowers Baobab Alley
    Sunset at Baobab Alley

    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.

    Inspire

    How to Prepare For a Long Flight

    Seattle to Shanghai

    Location: Seattle Washington USA

    Even after all the flights I have taken, I still don’t enjoy it. And our flight to Shanghai is 13 hours – one of the longest we have had. We will fly from Seattle to Shanghai non-stop on Delta Airlines. How to prepare for a long flight? With all the flights I’ve taken, I have a system.

    I don’t like taking sleeping pills, because I am just too drowsy throughout the following days, so I have developed a a long-flight preparation plan. Even when the flight is not 13 hours (most of our flights are 3-6 hours) I practice the following flight preparation plan:

    Two-Three days before;

    No alcohol and no spicy foods. Eat healthy, low sodium and easy to digest foods.

    Drink lots of water

    Exercise

    Moisturize my skin

    One day before;

    Make sure my carry-on is well organized and includes the following; passport, earplugs, headphones, eyemask, water bottle, Ibuprofen, motion sickness medicine, chapstick, moisturizer, neck support, wet wipes, toothbrush and toothpaste

    Exercise

    Get a good night’s sleep – limit late day screen time

    Do all of the above from two-days before

    Day of Flight;

    All of the above

    Get up as early as I can but limit caffeine

    Drink a lot of water in the hours before boarding

    Moisturize

    Set my watch to the destination time

    Dress in non-binding clothes including shoes and socks or be sure to pack a pair of socks. Wear a sweater that can be easily put on and off and used as a blanket.

    I never wear my contacts on the flight. I always wear my glasses.

    Greet my flight attendant and be kind to them. Not only do they deserve it they might be more inclined to help if I need something during the flight.

    After I board;

    Organize my space before take off so I know where my things are including earplugs, water, headphones, neck pillow etc. I also use wet wipes or sanitizer and wipe down my tray table and armrests as soon as I sit down.

    I like to support my feet and either do that with an inflatable foot rest or my backpack.

    Take two ibuprofen with water

    Look at my watch and visualize the place I’m going and the time of day it is there…see myself there.

    Find a meditation station on the in-flight audio or iTunes and begin listening to the calming voice and music.

    If I want to eat before sleeping, I choose a light, non-spicy meal and have a non-caffeinated non-alcoholic drink. I never drink wine because it dries me out.

    After the meal I go to the toilet, moisturize in the bathroom, brush my teeth and use my chapstick too.

    Back at my seat I settle in. Get cozy and warm. Check my watch and think about what time it is where I’m going. Find my meditation music and sit back. Clear my mind of everything or think about fun things I want to do when I arrive. Think about my breathing – like in yoga breath deep from the belly. Relax my jaw. Relax my shoulders. Think about restful sleep.

    If I wake up, I drink water. I take a walk to stretch. I take more ibuprofen. I moisturize and use chapstick. Then I settle back in again with the restful music.

    This is my best advice for long haul flights. Sometimes I watch a movie if I’m having trouble falling asleep. I never sleep soundly, but I do arrive relaxed and not too disheveled. On arrival I always try to stay awake until a normal bedtime for my destination. Luckily for us, we arrive in Shanghai in the early evening. We should be able to go to bed and hopefully wake up ready to go on our first full-day in China.

    I have purchased some compression socks to try this flight. This is the first time I have done that but I know many people swear by them. So I’ll give it a try.

    I welcome your suggestions for making a long flight tolerable. Please comment below. If you like our blog, please pin and share. Thanks!

    Become a World Traveler  --  Inspire

    My Favorite Wildlife Encounters Around the World

    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.

    Leopard Tanzania

    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.

    Stork, Nelson Bay Australia
    Mama Roo and Joey, Booderee National Park, Australia
    Great Barrier Reef, 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.

    Black Rhino Etosha National Park Namibia
    Lion King, Etosha National Park Namibia
    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.

    Silverback Dominant Male, Impenetrable Forest, Uganda
    One Year Old Gorilla, Uganda
    Happy Birthday to me!

    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.

    Teeny nocturnal Tarsier, Bohol Philippines
    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.

    Indri – the largest of all the Lemurs in Madagascar
    Fascinating chameleons all over Madagascar
    Sifika Lemur 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.

    Large male elephant, Chobi National Park Botswana
    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.

    Raggiana Bird of Paradise Papua New Guinea

    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.

    Beautiful 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
    Mama and baby at the Sepilok Reserve

    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.

    Stand up Paddle Board and Sea Turtle spotting in Mal Pais Costa Rica
    What a beauty, Fortuna Costa Rica
    Sleeping Sloth, Fortuna Costa Rica

    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

    Macaws are the national bird of Honduras
    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.

    Wild Reindeer, Iceland
    Puffin (Canva)

    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.

    The sweet, shy Kiwi bird, national symbol of New Zealand

    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!
    Underwater delights, Galapagos
    Blue Footed Boobies, Galapagos
    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.

    Sea Turtles are protected in Hawaii
    Monk Seals are also protected in Hawaii – stay clear
    Young Grizzly, Glacier National Park Montana
    Porcupine in Maine

    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.

    Lioness, Nambia

    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.

    Howler Monkey Costa Rica

    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…

    Become a World Traveler  --  Inspire

    Year Eight of the Grand Adventure Begins

    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?

    Year Seven in Bolivia

    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

    Papua New Guinea (Canva)

    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

    Hong Kong (Canva)

    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

    Cebu Philippines (Canva)

    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

    Hobart Tasmania (Canva)

    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

    Singapore (Canva)

    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

    Koh Chang Thailand (Canva)

    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

    Sicily Italy (Canva)

    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

    Egypt (Canva)

    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

    Socotra, Yemen (Canva)

    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

    Crete, Greece (Canva)

    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

    Albania (Canva)

    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

    Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia (Canva)

    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

    Serbia (Canva)

    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

    Vienna Austria (Canva)

    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

    Madagascar (Canva)

    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

    Andorra (Canva)

    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

    Year Eight here we come!

    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!

    Become a World Traveler  --  Inspire

    My Travel Wardrobe – 8 Months & 19 Countries

    Year Eight of the Grand Adventure Begins

    I’m as surprised as anyone to realize we are about to begin year EIGHT of the Grand Adventure. It’s a unique way of life, one we have embraced and learned how to live without too much stress. It’s a true Grand Adventure in so many ways, and having the blog and all of you to share with is a blessing. So let’s talk about My Travel Wardrobe- 8 Months & 19 Countries.

    Lessons in Packing

    Our bags the day we left seven years ago.

    In the beginning we packed way too much. Slowly along the way I discarded things or shipped things home. And yet, even now, I still struggle with making choices. I’m a habitual “just in case” packer. I have worked really hard to change this habit. I know that the “just in case” moments might come…and if they do I can go purchase what I need. When we were locked down in Cyprus we purchased some warmer clothes…and when we flew from Paris to Acadia National Park and found ourselves in a hurricane we went shopping. It’s all good.

    Fewer Clothes – But Still Too Much

    Might be hot (French Polynesia 2022)
    Might be chilly (New Zealand 2017)

    I feel this time I have pared it WAY down and I feel good about my wardrobe choices. I purchased fewer things, am packing some of my favorite tried and true pieces, and have eliminated one pair of shoes. But the suitcase challenge that still gives me pains is the eight months of contact lenses, prescriptions, supplements and beauty products. What’s a girl to do?

    On this itinerary we will visit 19 countries over 8 months from mid September to mid May. We will likely encounter temperatures as high as 90 degrees Fahrenheit and possibly day time lows in the mid 50’s.

    Let’s Break It Down Shall We?

    I always do this the same way. I first consider the weather and I begin with my basics for pants and shorts. This time I have four pairs of pants (two light weight, one medium weight and one legging) and two pairs of shorts (navy and khaki). From these pieces I build my wardrobe house with mix and match quality pieces.

    Lightweight Linen Pants from JJill

    This is the second pair of these pants I have owned and they are incredibly versatile for hot weather as well as cooler days. Here I pair them four ways.

    Red boat neck tank is a fav from Talbots – 2 years old
    New print tank from Talbots
    New Rust embellished t shirt from Sundance
    Linen top three years old from JJill

    Navy Blue Hiking Pants Are Good For More Than Hiking (REI)

    These comfy ripstop fabric pants are perfect for hiking or walking around a city. I expect to wear these a lot. Here I pair them four ways.

    Light White Sweater last year from Tommy Bahama
    VERY old yellow sweater from Nordstrom and long sleeve t shirt from Talbots
    New print t shirt from JJill
    New White Hiking Shirt Columbia

    Lands End Medium Weight Crop Pants

    I bought these on sale, not knowing if I was going to like them, but I think they are fabulously versatile for summer, fall or spring wear. Here I have paired them three ways.

    Another boat neck tank from Talbots. Loved my old yellow one so much I bought another
    Lee Denim Jacket – ancient and I love it
    New lightweight linen blouse from Talbots

    Black Leggings for Travel Day

    Leggings and layering are the way to go on flight day, especially on long flights for comfort. We have several really long flights, and so often planes can be really cold. So I layer up no matter the destination. It’s always easier to peel it off than to freeze when you aren’t prepared. Here I have paired them three ways.

    My flight day outfit. Old yellow sweater, new white t-shirt and that checked blouse has been around the world three times
    Comfy
    I’ve had this denim shirt for years. Nice and faded. No idea where or when I bought it.

    Navy Blue Shorts (Talbots)

    When it’s hot I tend to wear dresses more than shorts, but I like to have a couple pair of shorts along for the ride. These Talbots walking shorts are my favorites…I own four pairs! But this time it’s just the navy ones making the cut. Here I have paired them four ways.

    Checked shirt again…it’s from Talbots
    Love this little sweater from Tommy Bahama
    Such a versatile top
    The boat neck tank…I own six!

    Khaki Shorts JJill

    I bought these dark khaki shorts new this year. The fabric is nice and soft and I have worn them several times this summer. A nice addition to the travel wardrobe. Here they are four ways.

    I’ve seen those tops before!
    And those…
    And that cute scarf I bought in Myanmar
    Simple and I love the hat from Solbari

    The Tops

    From the photos above you can see the same tops over and over. I use basic colors that I can mix and match. Although I might pull out a couple of these at the last minute…or not…I currently have three t-shirts, three tank tops, 1 long sleeve t-shirt, 2 long sleeve button up blouses, 1 linen long sleeve blouse and 1 linen short sleeve blouse. All small and packable. In addition I have two light weight sweaters (white and yellow) and my denim jacket. One scarf.

    Dresses

    I do love my dresses, especially in hot weather. This year I have two new and two old standbys that have served me well for several years. Here they are;

    You voted and this linen with Navy trim from Talbots won
    You voted and this bright print from Talbots won
    Year four of this linen shift from JJill
    Old old old but still functional green dress from Travel Smith

    Swimsuit

    I’ve decided on two one-piece suits this time…and I might also bring a two-piece…not sure. Although everyone loved the white one piece I had last year…it didn’t make the cut. It might be cute but it’s uncomfortable and hard to get in and out of. Who has time for that? In addition to these suits I’ll pack my sarong and coverup too.

    New from Lands End
    Three years and going strong on this suit from Nordstrom

    What About The Shoes

    I’ve spent the summer test driving shoes…one of the most difficult things to decide on and to pack. I no longer wear flip-flops (danger danger!) so now have an Ecco slip on that might look dorky but is so comfy. I also purchased my second pair of Ecco strappy sandals; new pair of keen and new sneaker by Kizik. AND instead of a hiking shoe and a running shoe I now have a trail runner that will fill both needs. Those are from Brooks.

    Keens Left and Ecco Right
    Ecco
    Brooks Left and Kizik Right

    My Travel Wardrobe – 8 Months & 19 Countries

    I of course will also pack my running clothes, underwear and coat. It may seem like a lot, but it is significantly less than last year. Last year I carried a lot of winter clothes because it was going to be very chilly in Bolivia. However it was a heat wave in Bolivia and we didn’t wear most of what we brought. As far as things like the yellow sweater and even the black leggings…if I’m not wearing those it won’t break my heart to let those go along the journey. Easily replaced.

    Logan Airport Sunrise

    This is my plan. I’ll finalize everything over the next 14 days…we fly on September 9th. The countdown is on! My Travel Wardrobe – 8 months & 19 Countries. Let’s do it!

    See last week’s post Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Hood Canale. Come back next Friday for our final Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Pampered Wilderness Millersylvania.

    And watch for our post about where we are traveling this year. It will post on September 8th. As always, I can’t tell you how much your support of our travels and this blog mean to me. You are the best.

    The Grand Adventure continues…

    Inspire

    Capsule Wardrobe for Three Week Trip

    Carry On Luggage Only for Three Weeks

    Airline travel is stressful these days. Lost luggage, canceled flights, delays. It’s a tough time in the travel industry. Up until this year, our six years of the Grand Adventure has been relatively stress free with limited luggage or flight issues, six years and 161 flights, we only lost luggage twice (see last week’s blog about this Around the World Nine Times Lost Luggage Twice). But it’s a different beast now, and so I’ve put together a capsule wardrobe for three week trip we are embarking on.

    Travel is hard (Canva)

    We booked this trip last spring, before so much airline trouble began. I’m hopeful we might be past the worst of the summer travel nightmare, but still am not going to take a chance checking my bags. This trip is tight between flights, and I have enough to worry about with connections and potential cancellations I don’t want to worry about luggage too. So for the first time I am doing carry on only, so needed a capsule wardrobe for three week trip.

    Although I consider myself a really good packer, when we go for months at a time I never do carry on only because I need to bring so many things like months worth of contact lenses, or months worth of prescription meds. I also carry our French press, the mug, laundry supplies, first aid and toiletries for extended travel.

    Carry on to avoid loosing luggage (canva)

    All that said it’s time to tighten up the bags, and this trip, just under three weeks, gives me a good opportunity to give it a try with a capsule wardrobe for three week trip. I’ve learned a lot from my friend Katherine who writes a blog called The 5kilo Traveller. Her information and instagram posts are helpful and inspirational. Check her out on Instagram and her blog here.

    What is a Capsule Wardrobe

    With just a little bit of planning, it was easy to pull together a capsule wardrobe for travel from my pieces I already have. A capsule wardrobe is a small wardrobe with multiple pieces that you can mix and match and layer and use in various ways. A capsule wardrobe starts with a simple color pallet. I chose black and white for my pants. Then added in pieces that I can mix and match.

    Capsule Wardrobe (Canva)

    Of course your capsule wardrobe will vary depending on your travel destination and the weather. But you should be able to bring the same number of items for five days as you might for five weeks. It’s all in the planning.

    My Trip

    I’m headed to the English Channel Islands of Guernsey and Jersey, followed by a few days in France. Then I return to the USA via Boston and head immediately to Acadia National Park in Maine for five days of camping. So my capsule wardrobe needs to consist of comfortable and versatile clothes for fall weather that could be in the 70’s or the 40’s, sunshine or rain, as well as both city strolling or rugged hiking.

    Guernsey (Canva)

    Layers on the Plane

    It’s rare you get blankets on the plane anymore so I like to have a coat handy to use as a blanket. This is my airplane outfit in this photo. It consists of layers that should keep me comfortable no matter the temperature of the plane…and you never know what that will be. Also by layering I’m able to wear several items instead of squeezing them into my bag.

    Airplane layers in Capsule Wardrobe colors

    My airplane outfit is a tshirt, long sleeve cotton button up blouse and a cotton long sleeve sweatshirt paired with black leggings and my running shoes. The leggins will be handy for the camping portion of our trip and will likely serve as pajamas while camping too.

    Black and White

    Black and White bottoms with mix and match tops for various weather and activities

    I am packing one pair of black slacks, one pair of white slacks and one pair of black shorts. These staple bottoms will carry me through most days. To mix and match with these three bottoms (and also the leggings) I have another short sleeve tshirt in a bright pink, one yellow tank top, one blue linen lightweight blouse, one blue linen long sleeve blouse, a sweater set (polka dot and black) and a black and white pullover cotton sweater. These all mix and match with the airplane outfit items.

    Dresses

    Just in case dresses, easy to pack and care for and easy to layer too

    If we get fine weather in the Channel Island and France I have packed two cotton dresses. My green TravelSmith dress has been a workhorse in my travel wardrobe for years. And this orange cotton dress I added this year from Talbots. I can layer both of these with the black sweater or checked blouse. I’ve thrown in one scarf.

    Camping

    For Camping and Hiking

    In addition to the leggings and the tshirts already mentioned I have packed my long hiking pants, my hiking shorts, my short sleeve hiking shirt, a long sleeve tshirt and a lightweight quick dry hiking sweatshirt. Camping could be wet, my Gortex jacket with hood will serve for both rain and warmth.

    Shoes

    Just two this time

    It’s always hard for me not to bring too many shoes, so the fact that I’ve decided to only bring two pairs is kind of amazing. I am wearing my black running shoes on the plane and though I don’t plan to run during this trip, these shoes can be walking and hiking shoes as well. In addition I am bringing my new white leather sneakers from Soludos. These work with everything including dresses.

    And Everything Else

    Additional essentials.

    Beyond my wardrobe I will be bringing underwear, first aid, one towel, a paired down toiletries bag, travel alarm and a small travel umbrella. We also have purchased two collapsible water bottles and we will try those out for the first time as well as a new collapsible hot water heater. I’m curious to see how I like that. I always carry my laptop, kindle, cords and chargers too. I have a new over the shoulder travel purse for my documents, passport, cash and credit cards as well as a few essentials for the airplane like my noise canceling headphones, lip balm, Tylenol and tiny toothbrush and toothpaste for the plane.

    And one more thing – if you aren’t using packing cubes go buy some now! Game changer.

    And That’s It

    So that is my capsule wardrobe for three week trip. I feel good about my choices. It won’t surprise me if I end up not using something, but that said I still don’t think I have over packed. It’s actually a fun challenge for me. If it goes well, we will see if I can compress when we leave for seven months in October.

    Be sure to check with YOUR airline as there are some differences as far as carry on size allowed. A little planning and you should be good to go.

    Thanks for reading my post Capsule Wardrobe Three Week Trip. Be sure to see last week’s post about our data from six years of world travel and airports and airlines around the world Nine Times Around the World Only Lost Luggage Twice.

    See this week’s top performing pin here Coastal Grandma Does That Make Me Cool?

    We love it when you pin, comment and share our blog posts. Thank you so much.

    Europe Travel

    Marvelous Malta – A New Favorite

    We were supposed to visit Malta in May 2020…well you know why we didn’t. So it was exciting to be able to add Malta back into our travel itinerary. In 2020 our plans were to spend 10 days on the island of Malta and an additional six on the island of Gozo. Our rescheduled trip however needed to be shorter, so we spent our time on the main island of Malta with a quick day trip to Gozo. I fell hard for this beautiful and ancient place. Marvelous Malta – A New Favorite.

    Valletta

    Two Years Later

    This itinerary was pretty tight, as we attempted to resurrect our original trip we were on when the Pandamit made its nasty entrance. At that time, you might remember, we fled Israel to Cyprus but were locked down in Cyprus for two months. Eventually abandoning the remaining itinerary, which included Malta, and making our way back to the USA to wait it out. Wait it out we did, with the rest of the world, and two years later we are out here again…Marvelous Malta – A New Favorite.

    Enjoying Valletta from the water

    Marvelous Malta – A New Favorite

    From the moment we arrived in Valletta, the fortress city on a peninsula, I knew this was my kind of place. So much history as well as pre-historic history, yet alive and so incredibly beautiful. The most surprising thing we found was it is CHEAP. By far the cheapest country we have visited in the European Union. Gotta love that!

    Malta is also friendly, clean, delicious and just about everyone speaks English. English is an official language, but the local Maltese language prevails. It is an interesting mix of Arabic and Italian.

    Art Installation Valletta

    Where We Stayed

    We stuck pretty close to Valletta, opting for an Airbnb in the historic area rather than a resort in the more cosmopolitan areas of St. Julian or Sliema. In hindsight I think with more time I would have also enjoyed a night or two inside the walled village of Mdina, and a longer more leisurely visit to Gozo Island.


    There is no shortage of accommodations all over the island, which is only 17 miles long and 9 miles wide. Depending on what is important to you (history, nightlife, beaches) you will find something to match your desires.

    Valletta

    Nutshell History

    Malta can trace it’s history back to 5200BC. I mean wow. That is crazy right? I love this kinda stuff so much and it is one of the astonishing things about Malta that caused me to fall in love with it. In recent years some incredible pre-historic ruins have been found, known as the Hypogeum. The Smithsonian Foundation claims this site to be the most significant pre-history site in the world. (Tip – only 80 people a day are allowed to visit the Hypogeum. Plan ahead for this. Unfortunately we did not get to see it.)

    From the arrival of man Malta became a place everyone wanted to get their hands on, due to it’s central location in the Mediterranean. Over the centuries the island was controlled by the Phoenicians, Carthaginians and the Byzantines. Then came the Arabs, followed by the Normans and then the Knights of St. John before the Ottomans arrived. Napoleon gave it a try, but the British secured the island for 170 years. In 1974 Malta became independent.

    This vast and diverse history is evident in the architecture, language, people and food. Absolutely fascinating to a history geek like me.

    Daily firing of the cannon, a throwback to British occupation

    Recommended Things To Do

    First of all Malta is surprisingly affordable compared to most of Europe. We were astonished at how cheaply we could eat, drink, shop and be entertained. Malta uses the Euro and credit cards are accepted everywhere. A dinner with wine or beer for two could be had for around 45 Euros.

    Some of our favorite things we did were;

    Food Tour

    As you likely know I love to take a food tour whenever I visit a new destination. I usually try to do it early in my itinerary because it is always both a history lesson and yummy. We booked our tour through Viator with Best Tours Malta and our guide Chris was not only knowledgeable about food but we learned a great deal about the history of Valletta.

    Food Tour
    Food Tour

    Museums

    I recommend three places in Valletta that provide a wonderful opportunity to learn about the astonishing history of both Valletta and Malta. Be sure to visit St. John’s Cathedral, The National War Museum (Fort Saint Elmo) and the The National Museum of Archeology.

    St John’s Co-Cathedral
    National War Museum

    Archeology Sites

    We rented a car for two days to get out of Valletta and see some sites. Seeing some significant archeology sites made us thankful we made the effort. Hagar Qim is a significant pre-historic site on the island of Malta dating to 3200 BC. It is one of several UNESCO sites in the country and it is fascinating. A very well done interpretive self-guided tour is included with your admission. At the Hagar Qim site you will also see another pre-historic temple site called Mnajdra. Both sites worth your time.

    There are multiple other ruins on the island of Malta and on Gozo as well. I wish we had the time to see more. We briefly visited Dingli Cliffs, not known for ruins although there are some, but known more for the spectacular views of the cliffs and the beautiful sea.

    Hagar Qim
    Mnajdra
    Dingli Cliffs

    Gozo Island

    Because we were short on time, we only did a day trip to Gozo. Our original itinerary had us spending six days there with a car. I sure wish we could have done that, because a day trip did not do it justice. Partly because we were with way too many people and it just was not enough time. IF YOU ONLY HAVE A DAY, here is what I recommend. Take an ECab (Malta’s version of Uber and highly recommended over a regular taxi) to the ferry, walk on the ferry, and prearrange a PRIVATE GUIDE to meet you on the other side. This way you can gear your day to the things that are important to you; architecture, pre-history, churches and cathedrals, agriculture, salt pans and more. I’m still glad we went but if I did it again I would definitely spend the money for a private tour.

    Salt Pans Gozo
    Gozo

    Blue Grotto and Sea Caves

    On Malta’s south coast you will find the most beautiful blue water. The Blue Grotto viewpoint is definitely worth a stop (it’s on the way to Hager Qim) and with more time you can also take a boat to the Blue Grotto and the Sea Caves. We did not go in the boat but it looked really fun. It is a beautiful spot.

    St. Peter’s Pool

    St. Peter’s Pool is a popular swimming and sunning site of St. Peter’s Pool. Although we were the oldest people there (easily by 30 years), we had a blast!! Stunning location. Parking is tight, but there is overflow parking for busy days. On the day we visited it wasn’t terribly crowded but I understand it can get very crowded. Try to go on a weekday. So much fun and worth the effort to get there.

    After our swim we continued on to the beautiful fishing village of Marsaxlok. We had a delicious lunch on the seaside.

    St Peter’s Pool
    St. Peter’s Pool
    Marsaxlok

    Mdina & Rabat

    With our rental car we went to the inland walled city of Mdina, which is surrounded by the newer city of Rabat. We were really glad we arrived an hour before our 11am guided walking tour because the village was abandoned and so quiet. And boom, at 11am all the tour buses from the cruise ships arrived. Wow, suddenly it was like Disneyland! We learned a lot from our walking tour and our guide was exceptionally knowledgeable in the history of the two cities. I am so glad we did this and recommend it definitely if you visit Malta. In hindsight it would have been fun to spend a night or two inside the ancient town.

    Mdina and Rabat
    Mdina and Rabat

    Dance Performance

    On a whim we looked up what our options were to attend a live performance in Valletta. This is something we have come to enjoy in places we visit around the world. The only thing on during our short visit was a dance performance at the remarkable and historic Teatru Manoel right in old town Valletta. The performance, an interpretive dance about the life of Frida Kahlo, was incredible, but the historic theater was astonishing. We would not of visited the theater if we hadn’t decided to go to the performance so I am so glad we did.

    Teatru Manoel

    Marvelous Malta – A New Favorite

    Sometimes I am flabbergasted at the wealth of history and beauty we discover in our travels. It never ceases to amaze me and Malta was all that and more. I am so very glad we finally made it to this fascinating island nation. I hope you can visit too. Marvelous Malta – a New Favorite.

    Watch for an upcoming post about our experience in Israel and Cyprus. See last week’s blog post Senegal – What I Experienced in My Short Visit.

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