Our Fair Dinkum Life

I am still going to post info about travel on this blog.. 

This last year, my husband retired and I have cut back on my work as well. As much as I enjoy travel info and planning, I have let some of this go and We are now enjoying more and planning less.

I have started a youtube channel that will be updated when there is something to update.

Our Fair Dinkum Life

Please know if there is something Big travel wise , I will continue to post and tweet here are well.

Kendall

BLOOMBERG BUSINESS ARTICLE: THANK YOU.. takes tons of time out of the research

I am not posting as much about travel.. BUT This article came in the other day.. and I love it..
It answers all of the questions about when to go and why...
Had to share.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2019-01-02/where-to-go-in-2019-best-places-to-travel

Friend-Free Travel... Follow your passion!!!

I love to travel and explore.. My husband does also... We do travel together but we also travel alone.. we have different PASSIONS.. his for Music mine for Mandarin... We both love to travel alone...

Even if you do not have a partner.. doing activities, travel or learning a skill Friend-Free is a wonderful experience.... There are great articles out there about how to travel solo.. BUT here is a great article about the Perks of being Friend-Free

Exploring the World and your passions #Friend-Free

Small group travel is not so bad

I arrived back from my mini trip to China a few months ago... I have to admit, it was wonderful. The group of people I met and explored were like minded, open and adventurous. The travel company was lacking.. but that will be for another post.

What I learned about was how to be ready to pick up and go, ways to maneuver a different city and how very friendly people can be when you are also friendly to them. The best trick I learned.. so simple but I had not thought of it... a small group of us took the subway in Beijing to the Summer Palace. Jay and his wife, very seasoned travelers.. took a picture of the station sign we were at and then upon arrival at our destination took another one.

On our way back, he was able to show the picture.. and directions were easy...

Second, tip as always, Go Local.. eat, hang and interact with the locals. Again our small group within a small group, would go out and visit the local shopping areas, night markets and malls. We were the only foreigners, which made for some funny looks, but was nice to be in real life not tourist central.

I do have to post my travel videos and pics ... time has gotten away from me..

Our next Adventure is to Iceland in September...

What the heck was I thinking?? And Excited to Go!!

I consider myself a semi seasoned traveler. I have traveled solo to Taiwan, Australia and parts of the USA. With family I have traveled to lesser known parts of the world... and yet this trip is a bit different.
I realized this is my first solo trip to a country where I do not know anyone. I have extended family in all the parts of the world I have traveled sans hubby and in the USA it has always been to a conference.. so easy peasy..
My hubby had said when I started to plan this that I should be in a group.. I wanted to go rogue and do AirBnBs... (next trip with hubby we will do that).. but I did listen and now I am realizing even with a group there are items to this trip that I have not had alone before.

1. I do not know the language. I am going specifically to practice and improve my limited Mandarin. But foreign country and big cities.. a bit nervous

2. After our Thailand trip almost 15 years ago, I am very conscious of the health issues.. for this trip I now have enough snacks to get me thru a week.. but only after I booked my mini China tour did I realize how many health/food risks there can be. I will be careful, but after having brought every "friend" home from Thailand.. I am very cautious.

3. I have never been on a group tour... I have visions of walkers and depends being loaded on the van... but also as a single female traveler.. I am hoping to just do my thing. But being herded will be an experience that I am prepping for...

4. One week away and because my only focus is to practice Mandarin, I have not read up on the historic and landmark sites we will see. The plan was to practice speaking where ever I went.. BUT.. others have said I really should check out the sites.. and they are right... I am a cultural lop so maybe just read the info on the sites sent by the agency.

5. NO: Google, Youtube, GMAIL, Instagram, Facebook... not having my easy to connect apps is a bit off putting. I do have an I cloud account and can use the Internet at the hotel to contact home. BUT letting my office know.. no emergency calls or emails.. I will be from a realistic point of view Off the Grid...

So, as I woke up in a cold sweat this morning going this time next week I am gone.. I am working on letting go of my need to know the full plan and see this as an adventure.

BECAUSE of the NO Google thing, I will be writing and saving to upload upon my arrival home.
 再 见