Here's my situation....
CL and I will be ending the group tour portion of our Central Europe trip in Bled, Slovenia. Our last group tour day is a Tuesday, but technically the tour will pretty much be over at the final dinner with the group on Monday night. CL and I have a reservation and made a deposit for a studio apartment in Hvar, Croatia starting Tuesday night. The reservation is through a travel agency, and we have an email confirmation with the apartment owner's name and phone number to contact. So I am assuming we will need to call the owner to arrange a time to meet and get the apartment key and directions to the apartment.
Our plan is to take a train from Bled to Split, Croatia and then catch a ferry or catamaran to Hvar. The dilema I am facing is that the last fast catamaran from Split to Hvar leaves at 5pm. If we get the 7:45am train from Bled that will put us in Split at 4:30pm. The trouble is that the train is not likely to be on time so we would miss the fast catamaran that would get us to Hvar around 6pm. Or if the train is on time, and luckily the train station is just steps from the ferry terminal, but with cutting it so close time-wise the tickets for the catamaran might be sold out by the time we get there.
Now there is the option of the 8pm regular ferry which takes about 2 hours. But this ferry does not dock in Hvar town (where our apartment is located) it docks at Stari Grad about a 20 minute bus ride from Hvar Town and we would be arriving around 10pm, so we will have lost the daylight. With this late arrival time I am thinking this will be an inconvenience to the apartment owner and I would prefer getting to Hvar in the day light.
So the alternative is getting a 2:30am train from Bled so that we could catch the 7am train in Zagreb and arriving in Split around noon time which gives us several options of either the regular ferry or the fast catamaran to Hvar. But this means, most likely, staying up after the final dinner so we could catch the 2:30am train and then sleeping on the train, but have a 2 hour wait in Zagreb...uggghhh! Such troubles to worry about...I guess the best thing to do at this point is talk to CL and see if she is up for the 2:30am option, since that is what I am preferring at the moment, unless she can think of another option.....Oh well!
Stay tuned!
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Friday, May 26, 2006
How to handle money while traveling....
There are so many topics when it comes to money when traveling I'm going to "impart" some of my wisdom on that here...
The age of the ATM is upon us and I have to admit that I have yet to use an ATM while vacationing abroad. The last several trips I have taken I used my bank's foreign currency section on their website and ordered currency before going on my trip. I know, this was probably not the smartest move for several reasons:
1. The exchange rate wasn't the best
2. There is a transaction fee/shipping charge I had to pay
3. Walking around at my destination with alot of cash probaly wasn't such a great idea (luckily nothing happend!)
But, in my defense I have to say that I liked having the local currecy when I landed and didn't have to search the airport for an ATM and it made getting transportation from the airport easier.
I have learned my lesson now. So, for my "big" September trip where I will be traveling for a month to 6 different countries I have decided to go the way of the ATM and not have any local currency on me when I arrive and just find an ATM before leaving the airport. I figure since I will not be checking any luggage on this trip the time I save not waiting for my luggage I can spend searching for an ATM! :)
The other plus side to using ATM's and getting cash in local currency that is withdrawn from my bank account at home is that even with having to pay a transaction fee for using an ATM not affiliated with my bank at home I will be getting the best (inter-bank) exchange rate. Yes, I know I will be paying an ATM transaction fee, but I'm getting the better exchange rate...makes sense to me...well kind of. At least by using local ATM's at my destination I won't have a whole month's worth of cash on me and be a target for a pickpocket.
Which brings me to my next bit of advice on money and that is use a moneybelt. When I was a college student on a study abroad program and traveling alot by train and staying in hostels I faithfully used a moneybelt. As I got older I let the moneybelt go by the wayside. I haven't used one in quite some time, but having read some rather distrubing stories about pickpocketing I am now convinced the moneybelt is the way to go. I didn't use one in Ireland last year, but never felt theatened. Several years ago in Australia and New Zealand I didn't use one but I used a small backpack instead. I felt safe everywhere I went except on the city streets in Auckland where I wished I had a moneybelt on, simply for reassurance. So in September I will have the moneybelt on and have peace of mind.
Debit cards versus credit cards. I use both in my travels but have stumbled across some words of wisdom about debit cards. Do not let a debit card out of your sight! There are scam artists all over and if they get your debit card number and sell it and that number gets used for purchases the money is not going onto your credit card, but coming out of your bank account! So, my debit card is my ATM card and I will only use it for making withdrawals at an ATM.
Now for credit cards, the same warning kind of holds true, try not to let it out of your sight, I know that can be difficult espcecially if paying for a meal in a restaurant when the server takes the card to put it through the machine, but many European restaurants now bring a hand-held device to your table if paying by credit card that you swipe through so the server never touches your card. But if your credit card does get stolen and I know this is little consolation at least the money that is being charged to your credit card is not coming directly from your bank account. And, typically credit card disputes like this can be cleared up more quickly then the debit card disputes. so a word of caution is to use debit and credit cards very carefully.
The age of the ATM is upon us and I have to admit that I have yet to use an ATM while vacationing abroad. The last several trips I have taken I used my bank's foreign currency section on their website and ordered currency before going on my trip. I know, this was probably not the smartest move for several reasons:
1. The exchange rate wasn't the best
2. There is a transaction fee/shipping charge I had to pay
3. Walking around at my destination with alot of cash probaly wasn't such a great idea (luckily nothing happend!)
But, in my defense I have to say that I liked having the local currecy when I landed and didn't have to search the airport for an ATM and it made getting transportation from the airport easier.
I have learned my lesson now. So, for my "big" September trip where I will be traveling for a month to 6 different countries I have decided to go the way of the ATM and not have any local currency on me when I arrive and just find an ATM before leaving the airport. I figure since I will not be checking any luggage on this trip the time I save not waiting for my luggage I can spend searching for an ATM! :)
The other plus side to using ATM's and getting cash in local currency that is withdrawn from my bank account at home is that even with having to pay a transaction fee for using an ATM not affiliated with my bank at home I will be getting the best (inter-bank) exchange rate. Yes, I know I will be paying an ATM transaction fee, but I'm getting the better exchange rate...makes sense to me...well kind of. At least by using local ATM's at my destination I won't have a whole month's worth of cash on me and be a target for a pickpocket.
Which brings me to my next bit of advice on money and that is use a moneybelt. When I was a college student on a study abroad program and traveling alot by train and staying in hostels I faithfully used a moneybelt. As I got older I let the moneybelt go by the wayside. I haven't used one in quite some time, but having read some rather distrubing stories about pickpocketing I am now convinced the moneybelt is the way to go. I didn't use one in Ireland last year, but never felt theatened. Several years ago in Australia and New Zealand I didn't use one but I used a small backpack instead. I felt safe everywhere I went except on the city streets in Auckland where I wished I had a moneybelt on, simply for reassurance. So in September I will have the moneybelt on and have peace of mind.
Debit cards versus credit cards. I use both in my travels but have stumbled across some words of wisdom about debit cards. Do not let a debit card out of your sight! There are scam artists all over and if they get your debit card number and sell it and that number gets used for purchases the money is not going onto your credit card, but coming out of your bank account! So, my debit card is my ATM card and I will only use it for making withdrawals at an ATM.
Now for credit cards, the same warning kind of holds true, try not to let it out of your sight, I know that can be difficult espcecially if paying for a meal in a restaurant when the server takes the card to put it through the machine, but many European restaurants now bring a hand-held device to your table if paying by credit card that you swipe through so the server never touches your card. But if your credit card does get stolen and I know this is little consolation at least the money that is being charged to your credit card is not coming directly from your bank account. And, typically credit card disputes like this can be cleared up more quickly then the debit card disputes. so a word of caution is to use debit and credit cards very carefully.
Monday, May 22, 2006
100 Things you'd ever want to know about me (or not!)
Some interesting (or not so interesting) trivia about me:
1. I was born in New Jersey
2. My sister was born on my birthday 2 years after I was born
3. In kindergarden Carl Sylvester pulled the ears off my knitted wool cap that had a dog face and ears on the back
4. I went to public school for kindergarden but I went to Catholic school 1st-3rd grades
5. Upon entering public school in 4th grade I had to go to remedial math and english classes because I wasn't at the same level as the other public school kids
6. I took dancing lessons from Miss Anne's from the time I was 2 until I was a freshman in high school (ballet, tap and jazz)
7. By Senior year of high school I was taking college level Spanish classes and could read a novel in Spanish (and understand it)
8. In high school my favorite subject was history
9. In high shcool I was terrible in the math and sciences
10. I was on the high school swim team all 4 years and the track team for 3 years
11. I was on the high school flag team (part of marching band) for 2 years
12. I gained an enormous amount of weight at one week of summer band camp during high school
13. My first "real job" was when I was 13 and I worked as a summer day camp counselor for a group of 5 year olds and earned $50 for the whole summer (plus tips) at the swim club my family belonged too
14. The next summer I was the baby pool lifeguard and made about $40 a week
15. The summer I was 15 I was able to work as a lifeguard at the "big" pool.
16. I spent 5 summers working as a lifeguard at various swim clubs and pools
17. When I turned 17 I became a certified water safety instructor and I taught alot of swimming lessons
18. I baby sat during the winter months for 2 families from the time I was 14 until I graduated from high school
19. The best road trip I ever took was with my mom when we went to look at colleges in Pennsylvania (I will never forget the song "We Built This City" and will never order Shrimp with rice, potatoes and spaghetti again!)
20. The minute I rode into Providence and the Johnson and Wales Campus I knew that was where I was going to go to college...no doubt in my mind
21. I was the captain of the high school girl's swim team and the only one on the team who wanted to swim long distances
22. Between the high school swim team and the Boy's and Girl's Club swim team I was on, during the season I practiced/swam approximately 4 hours a day (lost that band camp weight!)
23. Although I was on the high school track team I hate to run. I was a shot putter, but couldn't master any of the other field events
24. The first boy I dated was the captain of the high school's boy's swim team and he was the son of the Boy's and Girl's club swim team coach
25. The best swim meets were at West Point Academy
26. I gave up dancing lessons when I started getting serious about swimming
27. I varsity lettered multiple years in swimming and track
28. My first international trip was when I was 15 with a group from high school my Spanish teach put together
29. I am still best friends with my best friend from junior high and high school
30. My best friend from lifeguarding was Allyson Gage and we spent alot of summers together working, swimming and going to Friendly's ice cream parlors.
31. Alot of summers as a youngster were spent at the Jersey shore, especially Ocean Beach with the Dowlings and their boys
32. We always preferred going to Point Pleasant instead of Seaside Heights
33. The most memorable Broadway show I have ever seen was Evita on the night after the Tony awards and Patti Lupone was presented with dozens of red roses
34. After seeing Evita I memorized the entire score of the show that summer
35. My second international trip, to Paris and London, was with the same Spanish teacher who I went to Italy
36. Things I learned on these first 2 international trips, never wear high healed sandals on cobbleston streets in Italy, always check the time you have the alarm clock set for because it could be 3 in the morning, it is the same time on the ground as it is at the top of the Eiffel Tower (some in our group didn't know that)
37. As a teenager the hardest thing I ever had to do was say goodbye to my mom when she dropped me off at college the first time
38. One of the best things I ever did was decide to go to Johnson and Wales University in Providence and chose to live in the only all girls dorm on campus, it was like living in a sorority house
39. I loved college and Providence
40. I was smarter then I thought I was at 18 when I picked to major in travel and tourism management
41. I was a Resident Assistant in the dorm for 2 years and was a senior RA when I was a junior
42. I lived off campus my last semester of college in a house with 5 other girls and only 1 bathroom
43. I worked for CVS after my first year of college and loved working there as a part time job
44. During college I worked at a MASH themed restuarant in Providence called Trapper John's owned by a former Providence mayor, Buddy Cianci, who was elected to the mayors office again, after I graduated
45. My sophomore year of college I did an internship at a travel agency in Johnston, RI and coordinated a FAM trip with my class, we went to Holland, Belgium, and Germany
46. Sophomore year of college I went on spring break to the Costa Del Sol in Spain with my friend Stacey who was from Philadelphia
47. I bought an awesome leather bomber jacket in Spain that I still have and wear
48. Before scrapbooking became "all the rage" I put photo albums together as scrapbooks while I was in high school and college
49. My first month at college I lost 15 pounds and mom sent me back with a boxful of food
50. I spent the last trimester of my junior year of college doing a study abroad program in Montreux, Switzerland
51. The 4 day weekends during study aboard and my Eurail Pass were 2 great things about those 3 months of study abroad
52. I got into the University of New Hampshire in their sports medicine program (didn't get into their hospitality program) and was to be a walk on to their women's swim team...that didn't happen
53. I was able to graduate college a trimester early, in February in stead of May. A week after my last class I started my first full time job and was living in Philadelphia
54. After working 8 months as a management trainee in Philadelphia I got a promotion and I moved back to NJ and started working in NYC
55. At the age of 22 I was living a dream (what I thought was my dream), working in NYC
56. I spent 2 and a half years working in NYC at 48th and Broadway (Times Square)
57. My freshman year of college I rang in the New Year in New York City in Times Square
58. I saw Bruce Springsteen at Giant's Stadium. The seats were in the very last row at the top of the stadium and I had to use binoculars to looks at the concert on the big screens set up at the sides of the stage...yes, I was that far away
59. My first solo travel was during my study abroad and I went to Vienna by myself for a long weekend
60. My first Club Med vacation was to the island of Martinique and I went by myself
61. I've been to 3 Club Med villages, 2 in Mexico and the one in Martinique
62. I moved to Hilton Head Island in February 1993 for a job transfer/promotion
63. The day I came back from my last Club Med vacation I repacked my bags and went to Hilton Head for a job interview
64. I've been on 2 Carribbean cruises
65. I've been to the Hard Rock Cafe in
London, NYC, Puerto Rico, and Dublin
66. I've been to the Cheesecake Factory restaurant in Atlanta, Orlando, and Las Vegas
67. After 8 years in the hotel business I left that industry to work for a local government
68. After living in Hilton Head for 8 months I joined Weight Watchers and lost 94 pounds in 1 year
69. After becoming a Weight Watcher lifetime member I worked for them part time as a meeting receptionist and a meeting leader
70. I am a certified SCUBA diver
71. I am a certified aerobics instructor and personal trainer
72. I've been snorkling at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia
73. I've climbed to the summit of the Sydney Harbor Bridge
74. I've seen the musical Les Miserables in London and New York
75. I bought my first house (a condominium) at the age of 27
76. I bought my second house (a single family house) at the age of 32
77. I've celebrated Chinese New Year (the year of the monkey) in Hong Kong
78. I've vacationed in a villa in Tuscany with 20 friends
79. I've petted a kanagroo
80. The longest flights I've been on were 20+ hours
81. I've been to the biggest bronze buddha in the world on Lantau Island
82. I started listening to country music when I moved to South Carolina
83. I started line dancing when I moved to South Carolina (thank you Alan!)
84. I've seen Hootie and the Blow Fish and Edwin McCain at the Old Post Office in Hilton Head BEFORE they became successful musicians
85. I became an Irish citizen through my family ancestry
86. I thought New Zealand was the greenest place I had seen until I went to Ireland
87. I have been white water rafting on the Chatooga River in South Carolina
88. I have been to the Cliffs of Moher
89. I have taken a black taxi tour of Belfast, Northern Ireland
90. I have run a 5K race in 30 minutes
91. I met Rachel Ray while she was filming an episode of $40 a Day in Hilton Head
92. I saw Chris Farley at the Hilton Head airport (original one) and didn't know it was him until after he left
93. I've shopped at the L.L. Bean store in Freeport, Maine at 3 in the morning
94. Some of the best food I have had has been in Italy
95. All the other best food I have had has been prepared by my mom
96. I still keep in touch with my favorite high school teacher every year at Christmas
97. I used to ice skate every day after school in the winter during junior high school
98. I'm an avid reader of "chick lit" books
99. I have flown to San Francisco and Phoenix on frequent flyer mile tickets
100. I never thought I would live in South Carolina for as long I have been here
101. I never thought I would get to the end of this list!
1. I was born in New Jersey
2. My sister was born on my birthday 2 years after I was born
3. In kindergarden Carl Sylvester pulled the ears off my knitted wool cap that had a dog face and ears on the back
4. I went to public school for kindergarden but I went to Catholic school 1st-3rd grades
5. Upon entering public school in 4th grade I had to go to remedial math and english classes because I wasn't at the same level as the other public school kids
6. I took dancing lessons from Miss Anne's from the time I was 2 until I was a freshman in high school (ballet, tap and jazz)
7. By Senior year of high school I was taking college level Spanish classes and could read a novel in Spanish (and understand it)
8. In high school my favorite subject was history
9. In high shcool I was terrible in the math and sciences
10. I was on the high school swim team all 4 years and the track team for 3 years
11. I was on the high school flag team (part of marching band) for 2 years
12. I gained an enormous amount of weight at one week of summer band camp during high school
13. My first "real job" was when I was 13 and I worked as a summer day camp counselor for a group of 5 year olds and earned $50 for the whole summer (plus tips) at the swim club my family belonged too
14. The next summer I was the baby pool lifeguard and made about $40 a week
15. The summer I was 15 I was able to work as a lifeguard at the "big" pool.
16. I spent 5 summers working as a lifeguard at various swim clubs and pools
17. When I turned 17 I became a certified water safety instructor and I taught alot of swimming lessons
18. I baby sat during the winter months for 2 families from the time I was 14 until I graduated from high school
19. The best road trip I ever took was with my mom when we went to look at colleges in Pennsylvania (I will never forget the song "We Built This City" and will never order Shrimp with rice, potatoes and spaghetti again!)
20. The minute I rode into Providence and the Johnson and Wales Campus I knew that was where I was going to go to college...no doubt in my mind
21. I was the captain of the high school girl's swim team and the only one on the team who wanted to swim long distances
22. Between the high school swim team and the Boy's and Girl's Club swim team I was on, during the season I practiced/swam approximately 4 hours a day (lost that band camp weight!)
23. Although I was on the high school track team I hate to run. I was a shot putter, but couldn't master any of the other field events
24. The first boy I dated was the captain of the high school's boy's swim team and he was the son of the Boy's and Girl's club swim team coach
25. The best swim meets were at West Point Academy
26. I gave up dancing lessons when I started getting serious about swimming
27. I varsity lettered multiple years in swimming and track
28. My first international trip was when I was 15 with a group from high school my Spanish teach put together
29. I am still best friends with my best friend from junior high and high school
30. My best friend from lifeguarding was Allyson Gage and we spent alot of summers together working, swimming and going to Friendly's ice cream parlors.
31. Alot of summers as a youngster were spent at the Jersey shore, especially Ocean Beach with the Dowlings and their boys
32. We always preferred going to Point Pleasant instead of Seaside Heights
33. The most memorable Broadway show I have ever seen was Evita on the night after the Tony awards and Patti Lupone was presented with dozens of red roses
34. After seeing Evita I memorized the entire score of the show that summer
35. My second international trip, to Paris and London, was with the same Spanish teacher who I went to Italy
36. Things I learned on these first 2 international trips, never wear high healed sandals on cobbleston streets in Italy, always check the time you have the alarm clock set for because it could be 3 in the morning, it is the same time on the ground as it is at the top of the Eiffel Tower (some in our group didn't know that)
37. As a teenager the hardest thing I ever had to do was say goodbye to my mom when she dropped me off at college the first time
38. One of the best things I ever did was decide to go to Johnson and Wales University in Providence and chose to live in the only all girls dorm on campus, it was like living in a sorority house
39. I loved college and Providence
40. I was smarter then I thought I was at 18 when I picked to major in travel and tourism management
41. I was a Resident Assistant in the dorm for 2 years and was a senior RA when I was a junior
42. I lived off campus my last semester of college in a house with 5 other girls and only 1 bathroom
43. I worked for CVS after my first year of college and loved working there as a part time job
44. During college I worked at a MASH themed restuarant in Providence called Trapper John's owned by a former Providence mayor, Buddy Cianci, who was elected to the mayors office again, after I graduated
45. My sophomore year of college I did an internship at a travel agency in Johnston, RI and coordinated a FAM trip with my class, we went to Holland, Belgium, and Germany
46. Sophomore year of college I went on spring break to the Costa Del Sol in Spain with my friend Stacey who was from Philadelphia
47. I bought an awesome leather bomber jacket in Spain that I still have and wear
48. Before scrapbooking became "all the rage" I put photo albums together as scrapbooks while I was in high school and college
49. My first month at college I lost 15 pounds and mom sent me back with a boxful of food
50. I spent the last trimester of my junior year of college doing a study abroad program in Montreux, Switzerland
51. The 4 day weekends during study aboard and my Eurail Pass were 2 great things about those 3 months of study abroad
52. I got into the University of New Hampshire in their sports medicine program (didn't get into their hospitality program) and was to be a walk on to their women's swim team...that didn't happen
53. I was able to graduate college a trimester early, in February in stead of May. A week after my last class I started my first full time job and was living in Philadelphia
54. After working 8 months as a management trainee in Philadelphia I got a promotion and I moved back to NJ and started working in NYC
55. At the age of 22 I was living a dream (what I thought was my dream), working in NYC
56. I spent 2 and a half years working in NYC at 48th and Broadway (Times Square)
57. My freshman year of college I rang in the New Year in New York City in Times Square
58. I saw Bruce Springsteen at Giant's Stadium. The seats were in the very last row at the top of the stadium and I had to use binoculars to looks at the concert on the big screens set up at the sides of the stage...yes, I was that far away
59. My first solo travel was during my study abroad and I went to Vienna by myself for a long weekend
60. My first Club Med vacation was to the island of Martinique and I went by myself
61. I've been to 3 Club Med villages, 2 in Mexico and the one in Martinique
62. I moved to Hilton Head Island in February 1993 for a job transfer/promotion
63. The day I came back from my last Club Med vacation I repacked my bags and went to Hilton Head for a job interview
64. I've been on 2 Carribbean cruises
65. I've been to the Hard Rock Cafe in
London, NYC, Puerto Rico, and Dublin
66. I've been to the Cheesecake Factory restaurant in Atlanta, Orlando, and Las Vegas
67. After 8 years in the hotel business I left that industry to work for a local government
68. After living in Hilton Head for 8 months I joined Weight Watchers and lost 94 pounds in 1 year
69. After becoming a Weight Watcher lifetime member I worked for them part time as a meeting receptionist and a meeting leader
70. I am a certified SCUBA diver
71. I am a certified aerobics instructor and personal trainer
72. I've been snorkling at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia
73. I've climbed to the summit of the Sydney Harbor Bridge
74. I've seen the musical Les Miserables in London and New York
75. I bought my first house (a condominium) at the age of 27
76. I bought my second house (a single family house) at the age of 32
77. I've celebrated Chinese New Year (the year of the monkey) in Hong Kong
78. I've vacationed in a villa in Tuscany with 20 friends
79. I've petted a kanagroo
80. The longest flights I've been on were 20+ hours
81. I've been to the biggest bronze buddha in the world on Lantau Island
82. I started listening to country music when I moved to South Carolina
83. I started line dancing when I moved to South Carolina (thank you Alan!)
84. I've seen Hootie and the Blow Fish and Edwin McCain at the Old Post Office in Hilton Head BEFORE they became successful musicians
85. I became an Irish citizen through my family ancestry
86. I thought New Zealand was the greenest place I had seen until I went to Ireland
87. I have been white water rafting on the Chatooga River in South Carolina
88. I have been to the Cliffs of Moher
89. I have taken a black taxi tour of Belfast, Northern Ireland
90. I have run a 5K race in 30 minutes
91. I met Rachel Ray while she was filming an episode of $40 a Day in Hilton Head
92. I saw Chris Farley at the Hilton Head airport (original one) and didn't know it was him until after he left
93. I've shopped at the L.L. Bean store in Freeport, Maine at 3 in the morning
94. Some of the best food I have had has been in Italy
95. All the other best food I have had has been prepared by my mom
96. I still keep in touch with my favorite high school teacher every year at Christmas
97. I used to ice skate every day after school in the winter during junior high school
98. I'm an avid reader of "chick lit" books
99. I have flown to San Francisco and Phoenix on frequent flyer mile tickets
100. I never thought I would live in South Carolina for as long I have been here
101. I never thought I would get to the end of this list!
Monday, May 15, 2006
Is this a dream that could come true?
Ok, so my thought for this post kind of relates to travel but in a round about sort of way. I love to travel, that's pretty evident, otherwise why would I have named this blog Marcy's View of the World. But as I've said I "toil away" at a job to feed my travel addiction as well as my need for food and shelter! :)
So, could it be possible? Am I willing to take a risk? Should I finally figure out what I want to be when I "grow up" and find a job that I absolutely adore? And would that job be travel related or not???
I think part of my problem is that I want to seek out fun and adventure, at least my definition of fun and adventure, but the "realistic" side of me keeps holding back. I need health insurance, I need a place to sleep at night that's dry and warm (or cool when need be), I need a steady income, I need security, but I want to "play" too, and I think I'm trading off a job that I find less then thrilling (at the moment) for that security.
And security is not a bad thing. I like getting that bi-weekly paycheck and knowing if I break my leg or need to stay in the hospital that I have insurance to help me out and I've worked hard for the things I have, I love my house, I've got a car that's paid for, I can travel and I've accrued lots of vacation and sick time at work if I ever need it. BUT, sometimes I think "Wouldn't it be great if I could just toss care to the wind and find a job that I LOVED, even if it wasn't secure?"
The other issue I struggle with is...would it be any different if I did have a significant other? Would it be easier financially? I'm pretty sure it would be and I wouldn't have to painstakingly watch my spending. Or would it? I've heard horror stories of people's marriages or relationships that are just horrendous. So which way is better? So you can see my connundrum, well, it's certainly a connundrum for me.
I know, I know...after having one of my "pity parties" for myself I always stop and think, why do I feel this way? I have it really good. I do have a good job that provides well for me, I'm hard working and that has paid off, I'm finally, after years of living accumulating credit card debt, getting to a place where cash is becoming my preferred method of payment. And, look how fortunate I am to have a great little house and a paid off car, how many people can say that? And I have a terrific family and friends and get to do what I want when I want to. But my mind always seems to drift off into..."What If" land. What if I was married, what if I had a job I LOVED, what if I sold everything and moved to Ireland? Sometimes the questions just keep coming.
Is all this a sign of discontent? If so, what am I so discontented about? Is it the job, the single syndrone or any other crazy thing I can come up with at the moment? If I don't know, how can I find out? Am I a "scaredy cat", or is it that I take my responsibilities too seriously? Maybe one of these days I will figure it all out. But for now, I will continue to dream as I do, and when I am ready to make my dreams come true I will be ready to do just that.
So, could it be possible? Am I willing to take a risk? Should I finally figure out what I want to be when I "grow up" and find a job that I absolutely adore? And would that job be travel related or not???
I think part of my problem is that I want to seek out fun and adventure, at least my definition of fun and adventure, but the "realistic" side of me keeps holding back. I need health insurance, I need a place to sleep at night that's dry and warm (or cool when need be), I need a steady income, I need security, but I want to "play" too, and I think I'm trading off a job that I find less then thrilling (at the moment) for that security.
And security is not a bad thing. I like getting that bi-weekly paycheck and knowing if I break my leg or need to stay in the hospital that I have insurance to help me out and I've worked hard for the things I have, I love my house, I've got a car that's paid for, I can travel and I've accrued lots of vacation and sick time at work if I ever need it. BUT, sometimes I think "Wouldn't it be great if I could just toss care to the wind and find a job that I LOVED, even if it wasn't secure?"
The other issue I struggle with is...would it be any different if I did have a significant other? Would it be easier financially? I'm pretty sure it would be and I wouldn't have to painstakingly watch my spending. Or would it? I've heard horror stories of people's marriages or relationships that are just horrendous. So which way is better? So you can see my connundrum, well, it's certainly a connundrum for me.
I know, I know...after having one of my "pity parties" for myself I always stop and think, why do I feel this way? I have it really good. I do have a good job that provides well for me, I'm hard working and that has paid off, I'm finally, after years of living accumulating credit card debt, getting to a place where cash is becoming my preferred method of payment. And, look how fortunate I am to have a great little house and a paid off car, how many people can say that? And I have a terrific family and friends and get to do what I want when I want to. But my mind always seems to drift off into..."What If" land. What if I was married, what if I had a job I LOVED, what if I sold everything and moved to Ireland? Sometimes the questions just keep coming.
Is all this a sign of discontent? If so, what am I so discontented about? Is it the job, the single syndrone or any other crazy thing I can come up with at the moment? If I don't know, how can I find out? Am I a "scaredy cat", or is it that I take my responsibilities too seriously? Maybe one of these days I will figure it all out. But for now, I will continue to dream as I do, and when I am ready to make my dreams come true I will be ready to do just that.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
The "It Must Be Nice" response...
Right off the bat I will admit that I have taken this topic from a post on the Fodors website. The post there got alot of responses and although I did not post a reply on that website it got me thinking about if people ever tell me this when they find out about one of my trips.
I'm sure that I've had people make similar comments to me, but can't recall any specifics. And as many of the Fodorites posted, it does kind of "get on my nerves". What irritates me is when people ask me about my vacation/trip plans and I tell them and then they give me the "roll of the eyes" and a smart-alec remark.
Such as when I tell them I am going to Eastern Europe (because if I told them Central Europe as it is correctly called from a geographic standpoint they would have no clue where I was talking about) they immediately want to know why I would pick there to go on vacation? Well, maybe because it's an area of the world that interests me or maybe I'm intrigued by the culture and history and I want to not only relax during my vacation but also learn a little something. One person asked my travel partner who I'm going with on my upcoming September trip, why would we want to go see Auschwitz? (I know I probably spelled that wrong!) Well, it's part of history and it intrigues me.
Then there are the people that can't believe I'm going to Europe because it's so expensive, well if you plan accordingly it can be affordable and because I choose to drive a 7 year old car that's paid for and not have the latest big screen HD TV and digital cable I can put my pennies in a "travel account" because that's what I like to do, it's a hobby and it's something (travel) that I make a priority in my life.
So maybe the "It must be nice" is because those people are jealous or envious or want to do it too, but don't have the nerve. It hasn't happened so much with my Central Europe trip because I am going with a friend and that seems so much more acceptable to people then when I tell them I am going by myself.
It's true, when people have asked me in the past "Who are you going with on your trip?" and I tell them no one, they look at me like I have 7 heads and come from another planet. Like they would never be caught dead traveling solo. Well, if you've read this blog before you know my feelings about traveling solo...LOVE IT! :)
Well, why wouldn't I travel solo? Sometimes I travel with others, but the majority is on my own, and it's because some of the places I want to see, my friends don't want to, but I won't let that stop me, why should it stop me? Granted even though I am traveling as a single traveler many times I go on a group tour, so I'm not always "alone".
And why should I wait until I retire? How many times have you heard that someone makes all these grandiose plans for retirement only to turn around and a day, a week, a month or year after retiring they have a heart attack, stroke or get hit by a bus. For that matter any of those things could happen at any time, so my philosophy is do it while I can, and that way I won't say, "I wish I had done more traveling" when my time is up, I will say "I have such great memories"!
So, my reply to "It Must Be Nice"....Yup, it sure is!
I'm sure that I've had people make similar comments to me, but can't recall any specifics. And as many of the Fodorites posted, it does kind of "get on my nerves". What irritates me is when people ask me about my vacation/trip plans and I tell them and then they give me the "roll of the eyes" and a smart-alec remark.
Such as when I tell them I am going to Eastern Europe (because if I told them Central Europe as it is correctly called from a geographic standpoint they would have no clue where I was talking about) they immediately want to know why I would pick there to go on vacation? Well, maybe because it's an area of the world that interests me or maybe I'm intrigued by the culture and history and I want to not only relax during my vacation but also learn a little something. One person asked my travel partner who I'm going with on my upcoming September trip, why would we want to go see Auschwitz? (I know I probably spelled that wrong!) Well, it's part of history and it intrigues me.
Then there are the people that can't believe I'm going to Europe because it's so expensive, well if you plan accordingly it can be affordable and because I choose to drive a 7 year old car that's paid for and not have the latest big screen HD TV and digital cable I can put my pennies in a "travel account" because that's what I like to do, it's a hobby and it's something (travel) that I make a priority in my life.
So maybe the "It must be nice" is because those people are jealous or envious or want to do it too, but don't have the nerve. It hasn't happened so much with my Central Europe trip because I am going with a friend and that seems so much more acceptable to people then when I tell them I am going by myself.
It's true, when people have asked me in the past "Who are you going with on your trip?" and I tell them no one, they look at me like I have 7 heads and come from another planet. Like they would never be caught dead traveling solo. Well, if you've read this blog before you know my feelings about traveling solo...LOVE IT! :)
Well, why wouldn't I travel solo? Sometimes I travel with others, but the majority is on my own, and it's because some of the places I want to see, my friends don't want to, but I won't let that stop me, why should it stop me? Granted even though I am traveling as a single traveler many times I go on a group tour, so I'm not always "alone".
And why should I wait until I retire? How many times have you heard that someone makes all these grandiose plans for retirement only to turn around and a day, a week, a month or year after retiring they have a heart attack, stroke or get hit by a bus. For that matter any of those things could happen at any time, so my philosophy is do it while I can, and that way I won't say, "I wish I had done more traveling" when my time is up, I will say "I have such great memories"!
So, my reply to "It Must Be Nice"....Yup, it sure is!
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
The Countdown Has Begun!
The other day, May 2nd to be specific, the realization hit me that in exactly 4 months I will be heading out for my Central Europe "excursion". So, now it's actually less then 4 months away...YIPEEEEE!
I have been immersing myself in all information that I can soak up on Prague, Krakow, Eger, Budapest, Plitivice, Rab, Bled, Hvar and Dubrovnik. And believe me there is a wealth of information out there. In fact, I may be suffering from a bit of information overload at this point. But I am getting really excited. I just sent off my final payment for the Rick Steves portion of the trip and have as many of the little details taken care of for the "extra 10 days" that I can possibly handle to this point, so I'm feeling pretty good. I've even found out about a terrific evening marionette performance in Prague that I think CL and I will enjoy. I don't want to pre-order the tickets for that though until I find out what might be planned with the group tour for any or none of the nights in Prague. I can find that out easy enough closer to the departure date, but from what I have read I can most likely get tickets the day of or day before the performance, so not a big deal there.
Now that I'm feeling "settled" with the September 2006 trip I started thinking about where to go in 2007...ok, so it's a disease with me...this travel pre-occupation...see I really do need to work in the travel biz! Coincidentally while I am thinking of 2007 I get the email from Rick Steves Europe Through the Back Door announcing they are opening up their 2007 tours. How could I not take a look at what they have to offer since Scandinavia and Turkey are high on my list, but yet pretty "polar opposites". The more I read the description of the Turkey tour the more intrigued I became...so...cut to the Fodor's website (as usual). I've been reading some very interesting stuff on Turkey and believe I have just found my "big" destination for 2007. If I put down my deposit now, I have my pick of tour dates, but I am leaning towards late September/early October 2007, which seems to get the vote as "great time of year" to visit Turkey from my fellow Fodorites. Sooooo, I'm 99.9999% sure I will be visiting Turkey next year...but I've had to stop myself from doing any "major" research just yet, since I keep telling myself that I haven't even been on this year's "big" trip yet! Patience is a virtue I need to practice! So, for now I have not committed to Turkey, but my little voice is telling me to "Just Do It"! Hey, I've got nothing to lose and so much to gain!
Happy Travels!
I have been immersing myself in all information that I can soak up on Prague, Krakow, Eger, Budapest, Plitivice, Rab, Bled, Hvar and Dubrovnik. And believe me there is a wealth of information out there. In fact, I may be suffering from a bit of information overload at this point. But I am getting really excited. I just sent off my final payment for the Rick Steves portion of the trip and have as many of the little details taken care of for the "extra 10 days" that I can possibly handle to this point, so I'm feeling pretty good. I've even found out about a terrific evening marionette performance in Prague that I think CL and I will enjoy. I don't want to pre-order the tickets for that though until I find out what might be planned with the group tour for any or none of the nights in Prague. I can find that out easy enough closer to the departure date, but from what I have read I can most likely get tickets the day of or day before the performance, so not a big deal there.
Now that I'm feeling "settled" with the September 2006 trip I started thinking about where to go in 2007...ok, so it's a disease with me...this travel pre-occupation...see I really do need to work in the travel biz! Coincidentally while I am thinking of 2007 I get the email from Rick Steves Europe Through the Back Door announcing they are opening up their 2007 tours. How could I not take a look at what they have to offer since Scandinavia and Turkey are high on my list, but yet pretty "polar opposites". The more I read the description of the Turkey tour the more intrigued I became...so...cut to the Fodor's website (as usual). I've been reading some very interesting stuff on Turkey and believe I have just found my "big" destination for 2007. If I put down my deposit now, I have my pick of tour dates, but I am leaning towards late September/early October 2007, which seems to get the vote as "great time of year" to visit Turkey from my fellow Fodorites. Sooooo, I'm 99.9999% sure I will be visiting Turkey next year...but I've had to stop myself from doing any "major" research just yet, since I keep telling myself that I haven't even been on this year's "big" trip yet! Patience is a virtue I need to practice! So, for now I have not committed to Turkey, but my little voice is telling me to "Just Do It"! Hey, I've got nothing to lose and so much to gain!
Happy Travels!
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