TRAVEL HAPPY

luxury travel on sale

I just finished clicking all my travel resources links to check for their functionality and guess what I found? Most of my hip, upscale, bespoke, travel resources are ON SALE.    Overseas Adventure Travel has free air travel to 23 tour destinations, Wilderness Safaris touts, one day free on your six day outback adventure,  many luxe hotels, offering one night free with a 4 night stay and etc.   

The  left hand column of travel happy is  stuffed with everything and I mean everything that you need to travel with a sense of style around the world.  I have direct experience with each of these resources and used them in planning my trips to circle the globe.   The column might look like a bunch of words to you and I urge you to hover, click and return.  Ninety-Five percent of these  sites are exceptionally smart visually and convey the visual beauty of the destinations.  And I don't get advert fees for this,  I just want you to travel happy. 

Here's a small preview....but I won't link.   Let your fingers do the walking!

LOCATED IN HIP SASSY GUIDE BOOKS 

 

LOCATED IN BESPOKE TRAVEL Cazenove +Loyd  ****** Remotelands

 

 

LOCATED IN OCEANIA - River Birches Fishing      LOCATED IN  Circling the Globe Resources

 

LOCATION   IN BALI, INDONESIA Desa Seni Antique Village

LOCATION IN FAV TRANSPORT

 

Virgin Motor Transport in London!

souvenirs left behind - pack to travel for more than one month

To travel around the world and carry all the essentials is a daunting task.  Just answering the question, what is essential? - may propel you into a tizzy.  Then, take a deep long breath here, to add souvenirs to your pack, when you need to carry, cart, roll your luggage over rough terrain, up  three flights of stairs or on your back, can put you over your limit. 

 I use one kangaroo suitcase, marketed as the Meridian Osprey.  I bought it at REI, San Francisco in the "used" section of the store for $90. It retails around $319. It is the toughest, strongest, heavy duty-est case, I own.  Had to get over the ruby red color, and it was worth it. The big lower case houses, two pairs of socks, four shirts,  two trousers, my chartreuse raincoat and fleece, one dress up outfit, pajamas, two pairs of shoes and various sundries.  Everything must dry overnight. The top part usually houses wires, adapters, travel papers and art supplies.  Thats it. 

Most times, I become enamored by  local artifacts - I buy one, say I'm going to send it, never get around to the post, move it around in my suitcase, and leave it on the bed of a hotel with a note for housekeeping.  

Cutting your trip short? VOTE ON IT!

Pinking Shears  copyright 2008 TAS    

One fine fall, I decided to go sailing with three men.  Our plan was to cross from South Miami Beach to Bimini, Bahamas  overnight.   Our strategy was to arrive in the shallow waters near the island at dawn to prevent running aground.   

The sky blue, the waters calm, we cruised down the intracoastal waterway  to the open waters. Early on our journey,  we spotted  ancient manatees and lounged on the  sunny deck of our 44 foot wooden sloop with a 30 year veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard at the helm. 

As the sun began to set, we said good bye to the Miami skyline.  The radio broadcaster said four to six foot waves and to watch for swells. A hurricane hurled through the week before. 

What?  A hurricane?  We saw tiny ripples and small swells.  It was a bit later, when we felt big swells and capping  waves.  Captain Ira instructed us to trim the sails a bit. 

Travel Detours

Detour Deterrents - Take Off digital collage by TAS - lilboutlot

deterrent copyright 2008 TAS

 

Have you ever wondered, what has you NOT take off, senses wide open and travel happy more often?   Take a look at those seemingly supportive heavenly homebodies, who will do anything to keep you near your nest.   Just say, absence makes your heart grow fonder and you can take off - senses wide open.

heart strings

Heart Strings - TakeOff digital collage by TAS-lilboutlot

heart strings  copyright 2008 TAS

Sometimes, to make the decision to travel for more than one month. . . to goAWAY from what you know, who you know  and who knows you, it takes a cut.  So cut away and you can take off- senses wide open and travel happy!  

how to trip around the world- Asia in 5 Weeks -if only I had wings

Forty-five days: Vietnam, Cambodia and a few side trips Singapore, Bali and Japan
Accommodations: 50% Hotels 5 and 4 star,ecolodge, homestay pre-booked. government hotels in route.
Activities: Ten days of activities with guides pre-booked, 7 days guides, booked on site
Transport: International flight, Victoria Orient Express, speed boat, junk boat cruise pre-booked, domestic flights in route Vietnam Airlines, Bangkok Air,
Question: How is it to be on 10 flight segments and on vacations during the same 5 week period?

how to trip around the world- one month in one spot MEXICO

copyright 2008 TAS

30 days San Miguel de Allende

Question: How is it, staying in the same place for a month? -ya, besides my house.
Accommodations: Casa Corazon, 1 month rental pre-booked
Transport: International Flight and Airport pick up pre-booked
3 Friends came to visit

My Experiences:
Fun Meter: The meeting of the skirts. I met Karen on the street, which led to Thanksgiving Dinner for 10, prepared in an over the top villa. Mind you, we traipsed around to 3 markets and 9 stores to get the ingredients for the dinner. National Geographic, guest speakers with photo slideshows at Theatre Bellas Artes, Instituto Allende, Academia de Fotografia for workshops, House Tours, got picked to dance with the band ( it was the skirt again), Latin Guitar, Day of the Dead, cemetary decorations and celebrations. . . . the wetlands and barrel cactus carpet at the Botanical Gardens and La Gruta's 4 pools and a cave swimming, thermal hot springs. Local wine shop full of great international wine. For upmarket art, interior,antique galleriers, shop at Fabrica La Aurora. Or worked my way from the in town food market stalls through the textiles and accessories for a mile. Excursions to Guanajuato, "place of frogs" a city of great architecture, art and artist Diego Riveria, Frida Kahlo, mummies, silver and Don Quixote museum.

$$ Money Debits- oil paints and supplies scarce and expensive. International wine

$$- Money Credits- Local Market offerings keep the food budget intact. It helped to have two visiting organic chefs too! And the locals restaurants for authentic abound.

Bottomline- 30 days in the same place is great, when it's San Miguel de Allende.

Note to self- When the town, tantalizes all 5 of my senses, then 30 days is worth a house, villa, or chateau rental. take off- senses wide open.

how to trip around the world- Experimental Europe

great blue heron, photographed 03/05/08 TAS copyright

I didn't do a gap year. I didn't take 30 days off during my career until a few months before I quit. My travel ideas came solely from the Town and Country magazine. I resorted at Cap Juluca on the BWI, island Anguilla, bicycled with Butterfield and Robinson on one of their first, over the top trips to Corsica and Costa Smeralda on Sardinia, wined and dined in most of Europes top cities. California was the farthest "east" I tripped. I wanted more: more time, more adventure, more remote, more culture, more locals, more learning and LESS of WORK. Note to self: I needed to travel with some sort of reins on my budget and less Town and Country magazine . . .

how to trip around the world- to plan or not to plan that is the question, part 2

To plan or not to plan is not an easy, yes or no question. My answers come from thinking about the kind of trip, I want. Where am I headed? What's my budget? How much money do I budget for buying my way out of frustration or say bad weather?

how to trip around the world- to plan or not to plan that is the question, part 1

african ellie copyright 2007 TAS

The conversation goes like this . . . "You have to plan everything. (ugh!) I take a trip and lounge on the beach. What 's to plan?" he asked with sarcasm.
"Well there's the date . . . ," you shoot back.
"Why I bet you even plan your spontaneity," he retorts.
"Hmmm, not a bad idea," you say with a smile.