Deb’s Travels

This category brings you to my diary-type posts. It’s here for my friends and everyone else I have met since 2011 who have asked me to keep them up to day with my adventure. It’s here for anyone who wishes to follow my travels.

Deb’s Already-in-the-Bucket List

 in About Deb / Deb's Travels

“Bucket list” — a list of the things we want to do before we kick the bucket.
I never made one, but one day I got to thinking about the things — outside of the scope of family, formal education, and career — that I’ve already done in my life.

So I started my already-in-the-bucket-list, and frankly, I was amazed at it.

Some of these may have been on my bucket list had I ever made one. Others were simply interesting opportunities that have presented themselves during the adventures of my life so far, mostly during my various travels.

What would you do if you had unlimited time, money and resources?
What have you already done?

I bet you’ve done something that’s on someone else’s bucket list!

Deb in Ledak India

Watts Towers in Los Angeles – WOW

 in Deb's Travels / Sight-seeing / Sight-Seeing in California / Sight-Seeing in the USA

One day Simon Rodia, a single Italian immigrant living south of downtown LA started using discarded pieces of steel, wire mesh, mortar, glass, and tiles and by hand, without any power tools, created a set of structures that confounded his neighbors. They called him crazy and taunted him as he labored for years on his project. Today, these major feats, the “Watts Towers” as they are commonly known, are the National Historic Landmark Watts Towers of Simon Rodia State Historic Park and are being considered for UNESCO status.

You can see them from the streets around – for free. I happily paid the museum admission in order to support them and the great cultural events that take place in Sabato “Simon” Rodia’s former home.

Have a look. Do they stir your imagination as they do me?

Pioneertown California a taste of the Old West

 in Deb's Travels / Food / Food in California / Food in the USA / Sight-seeing / Sight-Seeing in California / Sleeping Accommodations / Stay in USA

If you ever get out to Joshua Tree National Park in California, you might want to stop at a unique little old western village called Pioneertown and a walk down its small Mane Street. (Yes, Mane Street, not Main Street.) There’s no admission fee. Just come, park your car for free, and walk around.

If you are thinking “Pioneertown is a strange name for people to have named their town” when they settled out in this open desert area, you’d be correct. You see, it wasn’t pioneers who came and developed this town.

And then there is Pappy & Harriet’s, a family restaurant famous for its concerts. Originally it was just a facade — the “cantina” set of the town that was used in many a  western film you’ve likely seen. 

If you’d like to stay the night either after a day in Joshua Tree National Park or after a meal or concert, you might check out the Pioneertown Motel which also dates back to the founding of this unique town.

You might also want to mail a letter home while you’re there.

Threatened with jail at Nicaragua border over exit stamp position

 in Deb's Travels / Mindset / Nicaragua / Theft / Transportation

Each time someone tells me they want to go to Nicaragua I cringe. I hear the people are lovely, they say, and it’s so inexpensive. Yes, that might be true — but my experience wasn’t about nice people. I was locked in a room at the border and threatened with jail — because of an immigration agent on a sick power trip.

I have long debated telling this story, but I feel it’s important. I’ll never know if I really would have been sent to jail in this Dictatorship, but the Tourism agent at the border certainly believed I was about to land there.

Please read this — and take it seriously.

Chanukah in northern Israel

 in Deb's Travels / Food / Food in Israel / Sight-Seeing in Israel

I have been celebrating Chanukah all of my life, lighting candles since I was young. But with each place and home I visit, I learn more of not just other people’s cultures, but of my own religion and traditions. This year I was in Israel, for the third time for this festive holiday. In fact, it was not even my first time being in Tzfat (aka Safed) for Chanukah — but I still had new experiences and still learned more.

Chanukah candles
One of many fabulous dinners with La RosaWorks Tours.

Can an independent traveler find happiness on an organized tour? 1

 in Deb's Travels / Europe

Can an independent traveler find happiness on an organized tour?

After well over 6 solid years of days traveling on my own, traveling solo, going where I wanted when I wanted, seeing whatever I wanted on my own schedule — I signed up, paid for, committed to, an official 9-day tour.

I have to admit, I have been a bit of a tour snob. I’d watch groups of look-alike people follow a red umbrella or an orange flag, sticking together in a mini-mob, looking at what the guide said to, taking photos even when they seemed not to know why, standing in front of some monument for a photo just to show they’ve been there. That wasn’t my idea of fun or of cultural enlightenment.

Yes, I was going on a group tour. I was committing to travel with a group of people I didn’t know. I was facing the potential to be stuck with people I didn’t know, like, or have anything in common with.

However…
I knew this tour organizer so I knew it would be a worthwhile experience full of great places, people, and experiences…

Israel to California for only $108.64 and 20,250 miles

 in Deb's Travels / Transportation / Travel Tips

People have asked me to share some of my how-I-get-places tips so here’s another. I’m flying from Israel to California for only  $108.64 and 20,250 miles. Here’s how.

This isn’t about “travel hacking” or gaming a credit card company and it’s not playing games with airlines. It’s simply a matter of time, mile requirements, taxes, patience, and flexibility.

Deb in Prague train station

Side-trip from Bratislava to Prague

 in Czech Republic / Deb's Travels / Europe / Sleeping Accommodations / Transportation

One of three popular destinations from Bratislava is Prague. It’s a relatively short train or bus ride. As I had not been to Prague or any of what was Czechoslovakia during my first travels, I decided that a couple of days in Prague, Czech Republic (as it is now called) would be a new experience and more worthwhile. So today, having relaxed and enjoyed much of Bratislava at my leisure, and knowing I needed to be back there for my friend Annaline to arrive and travel with me to Israel, it was the perfect time to take my side-trip.

I don’t always know where I’ll stay upon arrival to a new place but in this case, I had already selected and reserved my accommodations for the night. All that was left was to enjoy getting to Prague and making it my next home.

From Riomaggiore (Cinque Terre) to Venice

 in Deb's Travels

A long day…
Today is the day my friend and I leave fabled Cinque Terre for storybook Venice. From one romantic area of Italy to another. I am still traveling with my friend A, ever since hitting mainland Italy after Sicily. Today we’re traveling on FlixBus. But before we can get to our bus, we need to leave Riomaggiore (our Cinque Terre home base) and get to La Spezia as that’s where FlixBus travels from.

Want to follow along with me for the full day’s adventure? Check-out, walk carrying luggage, short train ride, bus from one coast of Italy to another, walk through some of Venice carrying luggage, check-in, and then… explore a new city!

Our escorts took this photo of me. My first photo in Venice for this trip.

At home feeling at Palermo’s On The Way Hostel 1

 in Deb's Travels / Europe / Sleeping Accommodations

Starting and ending each of my days at the On the Way hostel in Palermo, I give Palermo a 5 out of 5 for friendliness. Fantastically located on Via Roma, owned by a true traveler and staffed by helpful, enjoyable volunteers such as the great Matt from Wales. This is my recommendation for a hostel to stay at while in Palermo, Sicily.

Killed my hair dryer

 in Deb's Travels

I was absolutely determined this time to carry a hairdryer and have hair that looks nice and polished each day. That was not meant to happen.

Be careful what you wish for. I am carrying only a 50-L carry-on duffel bag that converts to a small backpack and after logging in around the Miami airport for a day and walking 5 or 6 miles in one day just to find a plane out of Miami and another 5 miles the next day to get somewhere, I was feeling the load. I was wishing my backpack would be lighter.

Having finally escaped from Miami because of a sympathetic American Airlines staffer who fully understood the situation, I was in New York City JFK airport. But frankly, I smelled. I certainly did not feel good look decent. I had hoped American Airlines and their Ambassador lounge people would understand the errors made and in sympathy allow me to use their shower for five minutes but their rules didn’t allow for this. So instead I bathed in the public women’s room. And… I blew dry my hair. That was my downfall.

Catania to Palermo by train, finally going to start seeing Sicily

 in Deb's Travels / Europe / Italy / Transportation / Traveling with Technology

My first morning in Sicily wasn’t where I had planned it. I’d planned to arrive into Palermo, but due to circumstances had to end my into-Sicily travels in Catania instead. This morning I would continue onto Palermo with just enough time to start my first-ever organized tour — Sicily’s Beating Heart Tour with La RosaWorks.

I woke up at 10 — only because I’d set my alarm for the last possible minute that I could shower quickly and still make check-out. Still groggy and with my coordination not intact, I started my day.

Stranded no more – out of Miami and into Sicily!

 in Deb's Travels / Europe / Packing / Transportation

Once released from Miami International Airport by my Hero Customer Service rep I was safely in NYC. From there I had 2 more planes, a train, an automobile in between, and my own blistered feet. That got me to Sicily. After an overnight stay in Catania I was able to take yet another train and finally arrive in Palermo.

Deb on the American Airlines plane that the nice AA man got me onto.
deb-stuck-miami-feature

Stranded in an airport 1

 in Deb's Travels

Day two of my third over-50 travel adventures.

Greetings from my corner of a group encampment in Miami International Airport, post-Hurricane Irma. But I am not stranded because of the hurricane. Have I mentioned that travel isn’t always glorious?

Less tech is more travel experience

 in Deb's Travels / Mindset / Packing

This blog is called Tales of Travel and Tech, but I’d like to remind everyone that traveling doesn’t mean taking all your tech with you on your vacation.

Want to maximize your travel experience? Then skip the tech!
Most of the time, that is. Not all of the time.
There’s plenty a bit of tech can do to expand your travel, but not if it blocks you from experiences!

Getting ready to travel again 1

 in Deb's Travels / Mindset / Packing

I’m getting ready to travel again. I’ve really enjoyed having the past year with my family. I must confess I had a bit of a dilemma deciding whether to travel again or to stay put in a comfortable apartment home close to my family and friends. But in the end, I chose the travel my soul craves over the comfort my heart craves.

I have been out of that apartment for a few weeks now and I have my ticket to fly to Europe.

The apprehension of the unknown in travel 4

 in About Deb / Deb's Travels / Mindset

Faced with the impending finality of giving up the apartment that has become my comfortable home over the past year, I am once again feeling the constriction in my throat and bouts of fear of what is to come. I am again starting to wonder if I’m crazy and if I should just stay comfortably where I am.

The reality starts to hit me whenever I leave “home” for the unknown. Where am I going to stay? Will I be invited into peoples homes? Will I be safe? Am I crazy for doing this?

For the most part on this blog I have shown you the places I have been and they are indeed exciting. If I have invoked your wonderlust or wanderlust, then I have done a good job of showing you how exciting travel can be. However. I’m not sure whether I have shown you the other side, the uncertainty of it. If I haven’t, I owe it to you to do so.

Planning my next travels – but cannot due to electronics ban issues

 in Deb's Travels / Transportation

And then the talk of the electronics ban for people flying from Europe and the USA started up. So now, although I’d like to be purchasing my flight to Europe now, would I be doing so at the potential cost of not being able to use my ticket without gambling that my computer will not be stolen or damaged on the flight?

Going away? A pre-travel security checklist for your home

 in Deb's Travels / Misc / Packing

This is for those of you who do leave your home empty as you travel.

SimpliSafe, a new style, low-cost alarm system and company, created this pre-vacation checklist to give you — or remind you of — ways to protect your home while you’re out traveling. These are very basic but wise. Maybe it will get you started building your own list of ways to take care of and protect your home while you travel.

10 Acres of beauty in Chace Park, Marina del Rey

 in Boats / Deb's Travels / North America / Sight-Seeing in California / Sight-Seeing in the USA / Transportation

Marina Del Rey, a man-made place of beauty and boating, is one of my favorite places in Los Angeles. Burton Chace Park is a great place to enjoy its air and views.

If you’re traveling to Los Angeles and have the time I highly recommend Marina Del Rey as a place to spend an afternoon.

Pack Vicks VapoRub or Tiger Balm 1

 in Deb's Travels / Packing

Either Vicks VapoRub or Tiger Balm should be in your bag as you travel, especially when you travel long-term. Either will likely turn out to be one of the best values for its weight and size.

Both of these similar ointments are helpful for a wide range of medical conditions.

Both are available in my counties.

Redondo Beach get-away packing

 in Deb's Travels / Packing / USA

I’m back to living in my adopted hometown for a while, so you might not call that traveling. But LA is a major travel destination — and I am traveling within it this weekend! From Friday – Tuesday, I’ll be a guest of a friend in Redondo Beach. I get to show her all the tricks of the iPhone, see friends, and enjoy the beach air and all that Redondo Beach and the Redondo Beach Marina and Pier have to offer.

Wondering how I packed?