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Ninth Annual World Travel Awards 2025

January 16, 2026

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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. 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 Ninth Annual World Travel Awards 2025.

2026 begins our 10th 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 we already have some things booked and are working on more.

We loved our time in Melbourne area of Australia

2025

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) we had a lot of short stays too. We visited the Cook Islands, Australia, Singapore, Bhutan, France, Luxemburg, Canada, Germany, Switzerland and 18 US States. Here are the winners of the Ninth Annual World Travel Awards 2025!

Destinations – Ten Countries and 18 US States

Favorite Country – Bhutan and Honorable Mention Australia

Australia won this award two years ago and we visited AGAIN in 2025, but we have to give this coveted Ninth Annual World Travel Awards prize to Beautiful Bhutan for 2025. This amazing destination was a big bucket list item for me, and it did not disappoint. We used a tour company called My Bhutan and they took such great care of us. We loved it. Bhutan is likely a once in a lifetime destination given how expensive it is. But Australia is a place we will visit again and again and we are already planning to see that amazing country again in 2027.

Visiting Tigers Nest in Bhutan. Bucketlist.

Favorite City – Bordeaux France and Honorable Mention Dijon France

We had a really long and amazing stay in France this year, basing ourselves for most of that in Bordeaux. A new to us city, surrounded by so many fun things to do. I think I could live in Bordeaux. The food, the wine, the history…it’s all there. We also visited several other French cities and we really loved Dijon. Small, manageable, historic and delicious. There is so much more to France than just Paris. I am so glad we had this long stay.

I would like to spend more time in Dijon

Favorite Small Town – Duncan British Columbia and Stowe Vermont

We did two big road trips this year. The first one, from Seattle to Vancouver Island British Columbia; the second across the USA from Seattle to Maine. Both provided some wonderful adventures, scenery, culture and history. We found tiny Duncan British Columbia to be a marvelous surprise, peppered throughout the community with incredible and authentic totem poles. This was one of my favorite things we enjoyed on our BC trip.

Stowe Vermont was also a lovely spot, and we spent several hours enjoying the fall colors in town as well as riding the gondola up for spectacular views.

Favorite Island – Cook Islands and Maui USA

We always love a visit to Maui, one of our favorite places in the world. But 2025 introduced us to the Cook Islands. The island of Rarotonga made us imagine what Maui or Oahu must have looked like 50-75 years ago. Laid back, great seafood, kind locals and beautiful beaches; we would definitely return. Cook Islands was a first for us, so it’s place in the Ninth Annual World Travel Awards is a bonus.

The beach at our resort in the Cook Islands

Most Expensive Country – Bhutan

Bhutan, which wins the favorite country award for 2025, is also very expensive. You need a guide to visit Bhutan due to government regulations designed to preserve its culture and environment. While independent travel is possible within certain areas, a guide and driver are mandatory for all tours beyond the cities of Paro and Thimphu to ensure adherence to these regulations and to provide an immersive cultural and logistical experience. Additionally Bhutan requires all international visitors to pay the Sustainable Development Fee (SDF), which is currently $100 per person per night . This fee used to be $200 per day but has been dropped in recent years. Our ten day tour with My Bhutan cost $10,000 and included all transportation, most meals, all activities, amazing guide and driver, all accommodations and the SDF fee.

Least Expensive Country – Cook Islands

We flew from Honolulu to the Cook Islands for 9 days and stayed at a basic but lovely little resort called Palm Grove. Our small individual cabin included a tiny kitchen and we cooked our meals a couple of days. But breakfast was included with our room, and restaurants were delicious and affordable. We used the public bus on several occasions, and although a bit old it was worth it not to worry about having a car. We also walked to many places, and we felt safe walking on the two lane road that circles the island because there is minimal traffic. This small and unpretentious island was a wonderful surprise and very inexpensive.

Favorite Airbnb – Bordeaux

We stayed in fewer Airbnb’s this year than in the past, but our long stay in Bordeaux France was in a unique, newly renovated three story townhouse about a mile from the historic core of the city. We loved it and would definitely stay there again.

Favorite Hotel – Middle Beach Lodge Tofino British Columbia

We had talked about a British Columbia road trip for several years, and this past July we made it happen. One of our favorite stops on this trip was the gorgeous Pacific Ocean destination of Tofino. Here we stayed at the beautiful Middle Beach Lodge. We loved it so much.

Favorite Bed & Breakfast – Covered Bridge B&B Glen New Hampshire

Our month long road trip across the USA included four nights in the tiny town of Glen, New Hampshire. We fell in love with the Covered Bridge House Bed & Breakfast for the great hospitality, location, hosts and breakfast! Highly recommend.

Best View Lodging – Tofino

The Middle Beach Lodge (mentioned above) was so cozy and included a wonderful view from multiple vantage points. We were in a standard view room, but the lodge also has stand-alone cabins, stand-alone tree houses, and stand-alone multi-bedroom houses. I hope to visit again.

Food & Drink

Favorite Cuisine – France & Germany

Food is a big part of our travels and the Ninth Annual World Travel Awards bestows credit to the best. Of course France is always a winner for incredible cuisine, and our long stay in France did not disappoint. But we also love the food of Germany, and heartily enjoyed meats, stews, sweets and drinks on our Christmas Market tour in December.

Best Food Tour – Bordeaux and Switzerland

We try to take a food tour in most places we visit. For us it’s such a great way to learn about the local marriage of food and culture. We had an outstanding tour in Bordeaux early in our month long visit, and learned about regulations of French boulangeries, Cheese and much, much more.

In Switzerland we had a unique opportunity to to take have a culinary experience of the beloved Swiss dish Cheese Fondue. We learned so much, ate so much, and enjoyed wine pairing too. If you ever have a chance to do this I really recommend it.

Authentic Swiss Fondue in Basel Switzerland

Best Cooking Class – Bordeaux and Bhutan

Well another tie is in order. We take a lot of cooking classes and always enjoy them. During our long stay in Bordeaux we spent an evening with The Gastronome, where we learned to make the local Bordeaux specialty of Caneles. DO THIS CLASS if you are in Bordeaux.

Our tour in Bhutan included a cooking class, where we learned to make incredible Bhutanese dumplings with fresh and local ingredients. The we ate them along with many other traditional Bhutanese foods. Delicious.

Delicious dumpling and really lovely people in Bhutan

Best Meal – White Mountain Cider Co. Glen New Hampshire and Parapluie Dijon France

Well if you follow My Fab Fifties Life you know we love to eat! Whether it’s an authentic food cart or fine dining we make a point of enjoying the local cuisine. Two stand-out meals came to mind when we discussed this category. Impeccable meal at the White Mountain Cider Co., in Glen New Hampshire sitting next to a cozy fire and sipping great wine. And just as memorable, a Chef’s Tasting Menu at Parapluie in the fabulous city of Dijon France. We really fell in love with Dijon and hope to visit again!

White Mountain Cider Company, Glen New Hampshire

Best Beer – Germany

Well that was fun! While in Germany in December we had a unique experience learning about and tasting the specialty of Bamberg – rauchbier. Made with malt dried over an open wood fire, this smokey brew was surprisingly delicious. We tried five different kinds and ate it with a wonderful spread of German meats, cheese and pretzels. Definitely try smoky rauchbier.

Best Wine – Saint Emilion France

Spending a month in beautiful Bordeaux France gave us such a leisurely opportunity to explore the wine regions of the area, including Saint Emilion where we visited twice. This fabulous medieval town is a cultural and historic gem, in addition to being one of the most amazing wine regions in the world. We loved it!

We fell in love with Saint Emilion and the wines of the region

Culture

Most Authentic Cultural Experience – Bhutan

Our time in Bhutan was truly magical. This tiny country is proud and protective of its culture and customs. As a visitor you are treated with great respect and our guides were amazing, funny, generous and so knowledgeable. We loved every day.

Most Amazing Man Made Structure – Tigers Nest Bhutan

Long on my bucket list, the day we hiked up to the Paro Taktsang Monastery (nicknamed Tiger’s Nest) was an incredible once in a lifetime day. The hike was steep but manageable. Our guides made sure we went early in the morning, and since we were on a private tour we could move quickly. This meant we were the second people to arrive at Tiger’s Nest. Having it to ourselves provided wonderful photo opportunities and a peaceful and serene experience. I am so grateful I was able to do this.

Best Gardens – Melbourne Australia

The Melbourne Botanical Gardens is one of the most beautiful, peaceful and accessible city gardens in the world. We love it and would go back over and over. And it’s free.

Best Market – Christmas Markets

Our ten day Viking River Cruise in December gave us the opportunity to to visit ten European Christmas Markets. This was a first for us – both the markets and a river cruise. Our top three markets were Baden Baden, Heidelberg and Nuremberg.

Best Museum – National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum Cooperstown New York Honorable Mention Carnavalet, Paris

Our cross country road trip gave us a chance to visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum. We had talked about doing this for years and it was a fun day to finally visit.

My hometeam – the Seattle Mariners at the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum

We also had an opportunity to visit a new to us museum in Paris, thanks to our local friend. The Carnavalet is fascinating and covers a wide range of topics. We did not have time to see it all but we will definitely go again on our next visit to Paris.

Best Walking Tour – Luxembourg France

Brand new country to us – we spent three days in Luxembourg in May. It’s one of the countries we just kept missing…but now we have been and what a beauty it is. We walked and walked in Luxembourg City, including an amazing guided walking tour we booked through Viator. Definitely worth it when you are new to this city.

Deliciously beautiful chocolates in Luxembourg

Best Overall Historic Site – Rock Carved Sanctuary Saint Emilion France

This place. Mind blown. We visit Saint Emilion twice. The first time for the wine with a guide; the second time on our own for the wine AND to visit this incredible Rock Carved “Monolith” Sanctuary. Built in the 11th Century it really was one of the most amazing things I have seen.

Best Performance

Seattle is our home base and we see great performances when we spend time at home. 2025 was no exception and we LOVED the David Byrne concert we went to this past November. If you ever have the chance to see him in concert do it.

Best One Day Tour – Bordeaux France

Through VIATOR we booked a full day wine tour out of Bordeaux to visit the two prominent wine regions; Saint Emilion and Medoc. This was incredibly educational day learning how France grades their wines and regions and grapes and vintages. Very different than in the USA and it was fascinating. We visited six wineries in two appellations and had a spectacular lunch too.

Best Multi-Day Tour – Bhutan

A favorite destination for 2025, Bhutan, was also our favorite multi-day tour. A well thought-out and inspiring ten day visit to this amazing country. Made possible really because of our guides (see next category).

Best Tour Guide – Llamo and Dan with My Bhutan

Kind, helpful and so educational, our time in Bhutan was first class, thanks 100% to our wonderful guides from My Bhutan Tours.

Our guides Llamo and Dan were incredible

Funnest Tourism Kitsch – Jolly Green Giant

It’s not a USA roadtrip with out stopping at some of the kitschy iconic roadside entertainment. My favorite this past fall was the Jolly Green Giant in Blue Earth Minnesota.

Nature

Most Incredible Natural Site – 12 Apostles Australia and Dune Du Pilat Arcachon France

We stayed more than a month in both Australia and France, and though we had visited both countries before, we took the time to see new things. Two natural phenomena were astonishing and beautiful and made for a great day trip and photography. The 12 Apostles along Australia’s Southern Great Ocean Road is a must when in this part of this beautiful country. And Dune Du Pilat is an amazing sand dune on the French coast in Archachon, an easy daytrip from Bordeaux .

Best Wildlife Encounter – Australia and Yellowstone National Park USA

We never get tired of Australia and we are hoping to visit again in 2027. Australian wildlife is the most unique in the world and we love that. On this last trip we saw koalas in the wild for the first time – a dream come true for me.

Koala’s living there best life on Raymond Island Australia

Our Fall USA roadtrip took us to Yellowstone National Park. We had not been here in more than 30 years. We saw so many animals from bison to grizzly. What a treat.

Best Bird Watching – Bhutan

Our amazing Bhutan guides (see above) were highly skilled in identifying birds of the region and we had so much fun with them seeing dozens of new-to-us birds in Bhutan. A highlight was the hoopoe, a very unique looking bird that had evaded us for years. We finally saw it in beautiful Bhutan. Additionally we were very lucky to see the endangered Black Neck Crane while in Bhutan. Although it was past the time these birds usually migrate, we were lucky and saw a few.

Endangered Black Neck Crane (image from Merlin)

Best Sunrise – Yellowstone National Park USA

Watching the sunrise over Yellowstone Lake on a cold crisp September morning was a treat.

Best Sunset – Maui Hawaii

Always a favorite, sunset on the island of Maui

Best Beach – Australia

We had great beaches in Maui and the Cook Islands but a real treat was visiting Brighton Beach, a southern Melbourne suburb. This beautiful beach is home to the historic and iconic bathing boxes.

Posing with my favorite Bathing Box at Brighton Beach Australia

Best Waterfall – Niagara

We took a three hour detour on our cross country road trip to see Niagara. We had been there before, but it was decades ago, so we decided why not? It is a spectacular thing to see.

Best Natural Beauty – Australia and New England USA

Australia blows my mind each and every time and this year, New England in the fall was also breathtaking.

The view from Artists Point New Hampshire

Athletic Pursuits

Best Hike – Bhutan; Honorable Mention Big Tree Trail, Meares Island Tofino Canada

We did several hikes in Bhutan and loved them all, but of course climbing to see Tigers Nest was a lifelong dream.

If you look close you can see Tigers Nest on the cliff behind us. We hiked to it.

Our visit to British Columbia Canada and the Tofino area gave us several hiking opportunities. But one of the most unique things we did was take a small boat to tiny Meares Island to hike the Big Tree Trail. Not long (about three miles) but one of the most difficult and interesting hikes I have ever done.

Best River Rafting Short Trip – Bhutan

Bhutan gave us so many opportunities to do so many different things, including a fun (and wet) day on the river.

Rafting in Bhutan on a beautiful spring day

Best Golf – Maui

We golfed a lot this year, both at home in the Pacific Northwest in on the island of Maui. Golfing is one of my favorite things to do when in Maui.

Best Place to Run/Walk – Maui

Early morning runs in Maui are like heaven. Before it gets hot, before the traffic and the people, it’s one of my favorite things to do in the world.

Best Sporting Event – Melbourne Australia

Australian Rules Football! We spent a month in the beautiful city of Melbourne. And it was Football season, Australia style. Rules for Australia football are very different, and the fan mania is almost as fun as what it happening on the field. We enjoyed going to the local Collingwood Magpies match and had a blast – even if we didn’t always understand what was going on.

Weather

Hottest Day – Australia

We were in Australia during the down under summer. Luckily we had a pool! Hottest day 95 degrees F.

Coldest Day – Heidelberg Germany

Visiting Heidleberg Germany in December meant some chilly temperatures, but it was the wind on this day that had us shivering in our boots. Coldest day 25 degrees F.

We bundled up and were glad we did in Heidelberg Germany

Wettest Day – Maui

In all the times I have visited Maui, we had never experienced the kind of extreme weather, rain and flooding that we saw in January. Mind blowing damage. Luckily no one was hurt.

Mud, debris and lots of damage to beaches, businesses and cars

Craziest Weather Experience – Paris France

While visiting Paris in May, we encountered another incredible weather event – hail the size of golf balls. Luckily we were inside, just preparing to leave a museum when the skies darkened and the most intense storm came out of nowhere. The hail was so big and so strong it broke windows in the museum.

Travel

Longest Travel Day (Flight) Bhutan- India -Singapore-Zurich-Bordeaux

8934 miles 23 in the air and a total travel day of 40 door to door

We fly ALOT, but those really long travel days never get any easier

Longest Travel Day (Car) Buffalo Wyoming to Rochester MN

11 hours drive 781 miles

Most Unexpected Flight Experience – Bhutan

After taking off from Singapore on our flight to Bhutan, we learned that the King and Queen of Bhutan were on our plane. When we landed, all the passengers waited to disembark until His Majesty and his entourage exited the plane and the runway. Watching from my window seat we had a great view. But in respect to Bhutan rules, I am not sharing a photo of His Majesty. Such an unexpected experience.

The entourage awaits for Their Majesties to disembark

Most Stressful Flight Experience -Bhutan

When it came time to leave Bhutan, a brush fire near the airport was causing us a lot of stress. We had to make our connection in Singapore or lose a lot of money. We waited a LONG time to find out if our incoming flight was going to be able to land (it finally did) and at last we boarded and took off!

Strange (and a bit rude) Train Experience – France

We spent ten days traveling by train from Bordeaux visiting great cities such as Lyon, Dijon, Luxembourg City and finally Paris. It was our first time using the French rail system and the Eurail pass. We did not realize our tickets had not been properly validated. The conductor, instead of explaining to us what we had done wrong, instead berated us rudely (and mostly in French) calling us names in front of all the other passengers. It was very strange experience.

Excellent Ferry System – British Columbia

Our ten day visit to British Columbia gave us the opportunity to enjoy the amazing ferry system available there. On time, inexpensive, clean and efficient. We enjoyed it very much.

Best Cruise Experience – Christmas Market Cruise

We had never done a river cruise until this past December, when we spent ten days on board the Modi with Viking River Cruises. The itinerary focused on European Christmas Markets. I’m not sure we would do this again (it’s very expensive by our standards), but we had an enjoyable time.

Best Airport – Changi Singapore

Changi wins again. It really is a remarkable and beautiful airport. Everyone should see it.

Expensive But Worth It

Bhutan

Our ten day private tour in Bhutan cost us $10,000. This included our guides, transportation, most food and all accommodations. This also included the tourist tax of $100 per day that the government uses to protect the beautiful culture and environment of Bhutan. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

Best Photo of the Year

This was really hard for me to chose this year. So many opportunities for great photography in 2025. But after much consideration I have chosen this image. I love the reflection, the color and the unique shapes. Captured on a beautiful sunny day in late April in the small and historic French village of Bergerac, a couple of hours from Bordeaux.

Bridge over the Dordogne River, Bergerac France

Ninth Annual World Travel Awards 2025

There you have it. The best of the best of My Fab Fifties Life travel of 2025. Amazing, memorable and unique adventures with new cultures and fantastic experiences around the world. We sure hope you will consider visiting some of these places and enjoying some of these unique experiences too – the ninth annual world travel awards 2025. We always are available to answer questions or help you with your own travel plans. Please let us know if you do visit any of our suggestions.

Having fun with fall leaves in New Hampshire

What next?

As I post the Ninth Annual Travel Awards 2025 I am in Mexico. We just arrived after an incredible tour of Cuba. Over the next year we will visit anywhere from 10-14 more countries. See our plans here. But we will also be taking six months at our home in Washington State from March-August as I recover from knee replacement surgery.

Sunrise in Wuzberg Germany on Main River

The Ninth Annual World Travel Awards

It takes me weeks to write this post so I hope you have enjoyed the Ninth Annual World Travel Awards 2025. My goal is to inspire you. The world is so amazing…not everyone is going to want to go to places like Bhutan. 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. You could really help us by your comments, pins and shares of this post so others can follow as well. Thank you and stay fabulous. This travel blog wouldn’t be possible without all of you.

More From the Past

If you would like to see our Travel Awards from the past, you can click on any of these links; 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, and 2017.

Follow our 2026 adventures on Instagram where we post daily.

Be sure to check back NEXT FRIDAY for my post about Beautiful Cuba!

HAPPY NEW YEAR OF TRAVEL!!! We appreciate it when you comment, share and pin our blog posts – especially this one!! The Ninth Annual World Travel Awards 2025. Stay tuned! Lots of adventures ahead! Thank you.

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Travel 2026 What’s Next for My Fab Fifties Life

December 26, 2025

Laureen

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Year ten begins. What? How time does fly! Our travel life continues with an incredible itinerary for 2026 – and it all begins next week. Here is our story Travel 2026 What’s Next for My Fab Fifties Life

Early years of the Grand Adventure in Australia

Year Ten

People often ask me what destinations are still on our wishlist. And as I always say, we are not trying to visit all the countries of the world. But there a few that still have, for many reasons, not yet been achieved. In 2026 we tackle several new to us destinations, while also revisiting some of our favorites.

But all that said, we also have a little different strategy for 2026, since I am going in to have knee replacement surgery in March. So here goes;

Cuba with Intrepid Travel

Confirmed – Nine Days – Intrepid Travel Fully Guided

Long on or wishlist, Cuba becomes a reality in January with our favorite tour company Intrepid. This will be our third time using Intrepid Travel, and though we usually are independent travelers, we have loved Intrepid. Intrepid offers a Cuba tour specifically for Americans. We will spend ten days in Cuba and I am very grateful for this opportunity.

Mexico New to Us Places

Confirmed – 26 days – Independent Travel – Hotels and Condos

After Cuba we head back to Mexico for a month. This time we will visit some new to us destinations; Cancun, Merida, Puebla and San Miguel de Allende. We will also visit some old favorites; Mexico City and Mazatlan.

Panama for Long Term Consideration

Confirmed – 14 days – Independent Travel – Airbnb

Next it’s back to Panama. We have only been to Panama on a cruise, and this time we will have a two week stay in Veracruz. We hope to get to know this destination as we consider it for a long-term future stay.

Knee Replacement Surgery

Late February we return to the USA where I am scheduled to have knee replacement surgery in early March. I have been putting off this surgery for several years and it is time. I have given myself more than five months to recover from this surgery before we embark on more travel.

Greenland Adventure

Confirmed – Ten Days – Independent Organized Tour – Hotels

I have been dreaming about this destination for so long! With a brand new airport, Greenland is positioned to welcome many more visitors, and I want to get there before it gets too crowded. With a short window for visitors, we have booked a ten day independent tour (no guide) with Greenland Tours.

Svalbard Surprise

Confirmed Four Days – Independent Travel with Day Tours – Hotel

Only recently did I add the island of Svalbard near the North Pole to my wish list. And after Greenland it’s time to head even farther North. We will make a brief stop in Copenhagen in transit and then head to Svalbard for just four days.

Fun in Finland

Not confirmed – working on it now

Back on SAS Airlines we will head to Helsinki, Finland for a few days and then a week in Lapland. This is another long awaited destination that we canceled five years ago due to Covid. We are still working out the details of this destination.

New Territory with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

Not confirmed

There are only more four countries left that we had to drop when COVID hit. One of those is Ukraine and I’m not sure we will ever get there. But Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will follow Finland. We will bus between the capital cities of these three countries and expect to spend about three weeks total.

Hello Holland and the Netherlands

Not confirmed

Our time in Amsterdam has always been during long lay-overs (four times) so finally we will explore more than just Amsterdam and get to understand the history, culture and beauty of Holland and the Netherlands. We expect to spend about seven to ten days.

Back to Egypt

Not confirmed – Working on it, Now Guided Tour with Memphis Tours

Well it’s been twenty years in the making, but the Grand Egyptian Museum finally opened in November 2025. We had a great experience in Egypt when we visited several years ago using the tour company Memphis Tours. We have not booked this yet, but we are working with Memphis Tours again to visit this epic museum and see a little more of fascinating Egypt. Details still in the works.

Kick Back in the Azores

Not confirmed

From Egypt via Zurich its a pretty easy hop over to Azores, one of Portugal’s most famous islands. Long on our list to visit, we hope to stay for a month.

Wrapping up 2026

The world is big and we want to see it. But being flexible is important, so we try not to book too far ahead. However some destinations (like Greenland and Svalbard) have such limited capacity its important to book in advance. We are excited for Travel 2026 What’s Next for My Fab Fifties Life.

While we continue to build this itinerary over the next several months, we expect 2026 to be another epic travel year. Departing January 1st and I will have the first of the 2026 blog posts by mid January – so no posts for a couple of weeks while we are traveling in Cuba.

Are you ready for a travel life? Ask me questions, I would love to help. And keep following as we embark on year ten, starting in Cuba.

Note – Most photos in today’s post are from CANVA

We love it when you comment and share our posts. Thank you.

Did you see last week’s post European Christmas Markets with Viking River Cruises?

Happy New Year!

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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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How to Prepare For a Long Flight

Seattle to Shanghai

September 10, 2024

Laureen

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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!

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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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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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Become a World Traveler -- Inspire

My Travel Wardrobe – 8 Months & 19 Countries

Year Eight of the Grand Adventure Begins

August 25, 2023

Laureen

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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

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 Rust embellished t shirt from Sundance

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

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

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.

Love this little sweater from Tommy Bahama

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.

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.

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.

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.

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…

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Inspire

Capsule Wardrobe for Three Week Trip

Carry On Luggage Only for Three Weeks

September 9, 2022

Laureen

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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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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Europe Travel

Marvelous Malta – A New Favorite

July 1, 2022

Laureen

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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Island Life

Mo’orea Musings – French Polynesia Week One

January 21, 2022

Laureen

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Location: French Polynesia

It’s been a weird and wonderful first week in French Polynesia (our 111th country!) where we will be living on the island of Mo’orea for two months. Getting here was no simple task…with ever changing PanDamit rules, overnight flights, weather woes etc., we were filled with gratitude on arrival. Here is our story – Mo’orea Musings – French Polynesia Week One.

PanDamit Hurdles

As our departure date loomed and Omicron exploded we found ourselves checking the French Polynesia entry requirements incessantly. We didn’t honestly know if we would actually go. But as we have said before, we are approaching travel in the brave new world like a poker game…some skill, some luck, and some divine intervention. Living the gamble and a few prayers for good measure.

In November FP changed it’s entry requirements to a 24 hour test from time of departure. Our embarkation point was San Francisco so we had to base our 24 hour test on an 11pm departure from San Francisco. This meant testing in the morning before departing out of Seattle. No easy task. We pinpointed three Rapid Antigen sites and headed to the first one in Port Orchard Washington at 8:30am where we found a three hour wait (outdoors). Ugh. Moving on to Tacoma we lucked out at a site that took us in about 15 min. Only 30 minutes later we had our negative results. Hallelujah.

Both our flights were pretty full and we were happy to have our newly acquired N95 masks which feel much more secure and more comfortable than what we have been using (KN95 and regular surgical mask). We dozed but didn’t really sleep very well on the nine hour flight from SF to Tahiti so we were pretty dazed on arrival.

Arrival

Despite all our research we weren’t really sure what to expect on arrival. One thing we were grateful for was that we had printed all of our Covid documents, entry documents as well as an email we had with correspondence from the French Polynesian President’s office. Although we had all this on our phones it was quick and easy to show the printed documents as we proceeded through the three step process on arrival;

Step One – showing our documents from our negative Antigen test 24 hours before departure.

Step Two – Anyone who had Antigen tests (even if negative) had to have a Rapid PCR on arrival. We knew this and got in that line next. There were about a dozen testers and it went really fast. We expected to pay for this but it was free.

Step Three – Our research had given us the impression we would need to quarantine for up to three days as we waited for the PCR. But instead, step three was to go through to passport control and into baggage, get the bags and then wait 25 minutes. A sticker on our passport said the time when we would be clear to leave the airport. So after 25 minutes and no red flag positive Covid results we were free to leave.

From landing to taxi was about one hour and 45 minutes. It was well organized and everyone was nice and helpful. So off we went to Mo’orea Musings – French Polynesia Week One.

On to Mo’orea

It was POURING down rain. We grabbed a cab for the short ride to the ferry terminal to leave the island of Tahiti and head to Mo’orea. We made the 8:10am ferry but got absolutely drenched running from the terminal to the vessel. The stormy weather gave us rocky seas and I was really nervous given my motion sickness history. But, with mama’s little pill, and staring out at the horizon for the thirty minute crossing I made it. Maeva Mo’orea!

Avis Rent a Car right at the Mo’orea Ferry Terminal was convenient and very helpful. So we were in a car within minutes. Then we had two hours to kill before we could check in to our Airbnb. Super jet-lagged driving seemed dangerous. But since the weather was crappy there was really no where to go so we ended up stopping for groceries and then driving all the way around the island.

Mo’orea by the Numbers

Bigger than Praslin in the Seychelles and smaller than Maui, Mo’orea is about the same size as Orcas Island in Washington State. About ten miles by 7 miles. The ring road is about 61 km (38 miles) and encircles the island. A few roads go inland off the ring road but it is the main road for most of the traffic. The area is 134 square kilometers and the population is around 18,000. The highest point is Mont Tohi’e’a is 1207 m (3960 feet). It’s very mountainous!

Mo’orea has six communes (villages) scattered around the island. We are in the commune of Teavaro, home to about 2000 people.

French Polynesia is 60% vaccinated and a mask mandate is in effect for indoors, although many people where masks outdoors as well. FP had a huge Covid spike in August which dropped off to zero for early winter, but began a gradual climb again over the holidays. But nowhere near what it was in August. Mo’orea has one hospital and several clinics that service the population, which currently is very light with tourists. We feel quit alone in the tourist category. We feel safer from Covid here than we do at home.

The island rises right up out of the sea

Parlez Vous Francais?

French is the official language but most people speak excellent English as well as the local Polynesian language Tahitian. Our Airbnb host, who lives on Tahiti but is here one day a week, speaks excellent English. I know bits and pieces of French but not enough to carry on an intelligent conversation. Of course through all our travels we have learned to use Google translate to read information on packages and signs. Even with Google it took us 20 minutes to figure out how to turn on the washing machine. Oh la la.

Meanwhile our darling little bungalow in the village known as Teavaro is a fabulous space, with a kitchen, large covered porch, tiny pool and beach front. Less than a mile to grocery and restaurants and large public beaches. We feel very comfortable here and our host is wonderful. Merci!

Tsunamis and Celebrations

We arrived on January 13th and I celebrated my birthday on January 14th. Still incredibly jet-lagged we enjoyed a quiet birthday at the bungalow, and watched it rain nearly two inches in 24 hours (more on that below). It was an uneventful but nice birthday. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to us, 1200 miles West a giant volcanic explosion near the island of Tonga created tsunami warnings all around the Pacific. We didn’t learn about this until nearly 12 hours later when we awoke on the 15th and read it in the news.

Birthday dinner fresh Ahi which is abundant and cheap on the island

Although Hawaii (due north of us 2600 miles) as well as the West Coast of the USA, Australia, New Zealand and even Japan all went into Tsunami alert, we heard absolutely nothing from the FP government or warning systems. What the heck?

There were no visible signs of anything unusual on our beach, which is only about 30 feet from our front porch. This experience however prompted us to take a good look around at what our evacuation options are. When we first started traveling we used to do this regularly, but I admit I have gotten a bit lax about it. I still am that girl on an airplane that pinpoints my nearest exit before settling into my seat…but tsunami evacuation route isn’t something I think about…until now.

The reality is, no matter where we are, or what disaster might present itself, we will be on our own to save ourselves. This is true at home or abroad. A little preparation goes a long way.

Monsoons and Mosquitoes

Well we are here in the rainy season. However, everyone we meet, including our host, says this sustained rain is extremely unusual. If you have any doubt about climate change spend a few years traveling around the world. Because EVERYWHERE we have gone over the past five years we have heard these words about the weather, “this is not normal”. Not normal is the new normal from what we can tell. And the incredible amount of rain we have seen since arriving on Mo’orea is not normal. Not much to do about it though, and so we are okay. Hopeful it will clear eventually.

Meanwhile the rain and floods have brought out the mosquitoes in droves. Mosquitoes generally find me exceptionally tasty anyway, but at the end of week one I am covered in bites. C’est la vie!

Mo’orea Musings – French Polynesia Week One

After a week of pretty much doing nothing but reading, playing scrabble and watching it rain, we have some plans for the week ahead. We have a reservation to do both a street food tour and a Polynesian dinner and show. With improving weather we also plan to get out to some of the beaches and restaurants. But we have enjoyed a relaxing week and have been perfectly fine just hanging out and doing very little for our Mo’orea Musings – French Polynesia Week One. We may or may not blog each week…time will tell.

Thank you for joining us in this weird and wonderful week.

See last week’s annual blog post Fifth Annual World Travel Awards 2021 here.

Check out our earlier blog My Favorite Islands Around the World here

And see this week’s top performing pin My Self Care Journey with Noom here

We love it when you pin and share our posts. Thank you and Happy New Year!

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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 14 years!! Join our club and be fabulous too! You can find us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Threads. My Fab Fifties Life!