The Travel Thread

[EdwardsOtherSide]

I’ll be eating pączki in Warsaw on Fat Thursday (yes, it’s Thursday in Poland) in February. I can’t wait!!!

I had not thought of Warsaw as a carnival/Mardi Gras/Fasching destination, but here we are!

I look forward to hearing about your trip.

My "grail" trip for carnival season is Venice.
The big destinations for carnival (Rio, New Orleans) seem like they would be overwhelming for me, but Venice feels like a scale I could manage.

 

[seela]

I had not thought of Warsaw as a carnival/Mardi Gras/Fasching destination, but here we are!

I look forward to hearing about your trip.

My "grail" trip for carnival season is Venice.
The big destinations for carnival (Rio, New Orleans) seem like they would be overwhelming for me, but Venice feels like a scale I could manage.

My trip coinciding with pączki day is pure luck. It is of course a big bonus, because it’s been a good while since I’ve last had a pączek on the official day. They’re so good!

I might need to do some research to see if I should get my pączek from a new place for once. I’ll probably end up going to the same one I almost always go to (Pawłowicz on Chmielna, alternatively Zagoźdiński on Górczewska), but at least I’ll know my options!

 

[EdwardsOtherSide]

My trip coinciding with pączki day is pure luck. It is of course a big bonus, because it’s been a good while since I’ve last had a pączek on the official day. They’re so good!

I might need to do some research to see if I should get my pączek from a new place for once. I’ll probably end up going to the same one I almost always go to (Pawłowicz on Chmielna, alternatively Zagoźdiński on Górczewska), but at least I’ll know my options!

"Pure luck" can have delightful outcomes.
I went on a professional trip to Cincinnati Ohio.
Pure luck; it put me in an ideal location for viewing a total solar eclipse.

I would not recommend Cincinnati as a destination for someone visiting the US unless they really, really wanted to see "an average American city".

 

[ARoseSoSweet]

booked myself a solo trip to an all inclusive in march.. it will be my second time going by myself. Had a budget and time frame and got both, so I'm happy.. I've told a few friends and maybe someone will consider it too, but whichever

 

[EdwardsOtherSide]

booked myself a solo trip to an all inclusive in march.. it will be my second time going by myself. Had a budget and time frame and got both, so I'm happy.. I've told a few friends and maybe someone will consider it too, but whichever

Sounds like big fun!
Where are you going?

 

[seela]

booked myself a solo trip to an all inclusive in march.. it will be my second time going by myself. Had a budget and time frame and got both, so I'm happy.. I've told a few friends and maybe someone will consider it too, but whichever

That sounds fun! I like traveling by myself, too. I usually try to incorporate a a little visit to a friend or meeting someone I’ve only talked with online for coffee or dinner or something like that on my solo trips, but I don’t mind if it’s 100% solo as well.

I love the freedom of traveling alone: I get to do and eat what I want, when I want without having to consider another person’s tastes, wants or needs. It’s also such a nice feeling to be somewhere where (almost) no one knows you and have the world open to you in a way that, at least for me, isn’t present in the day to day life.

The downside of traveling solo is not having anyone to share the cool places and experiences with.

 

[Tallcajun]

Heading to St Louis for a few days.
Visit an old friend.
I need the change of scenery and distance.

 

[ARoseSoSweet]

Sounds like big fun!
Where are you going?

Puerta Vallarta

 

[ARoseSoSweet]

That sounds fun! I like traveling by myself, too. I usually try to incorporate a a little visit to a friend or meeting someone I’ve only talked with online for coffee or dinner or something like that on my solo trips, but I don’t mind if it’s 100% solo as well.

I love the freedom of traveling alone: I get to do and eat what I want, when I want without having to consider another person’s tastes, wants or needs. It’s also such a nice feeling to be somewhere where (almost) no one knows you and have the world open to you in a way that, at least for me, isn’t present in the day to day life.

The downside of traveling solo is not having anyone to share the cool places and experiences with.

I don't know anyone down there, so that isn't an option. But when I went to other places where I knew people, I did make it a point to meet.

I tend to just keep to myself, relax, and read.. but it is nice to do things when I want to... and its also nice to have a room to yourself and not worry about the social niceties lol

 

[seela]

I tend to just keep to myself, relax, and read.. but it is nice to do things when I want to... and its also nice to have a room to yourself and not worry about the social niceties lol

This is very true! I love being alone

What I at least used to find the most difficult when traveling alone were dinners. It’s not so big a problem anymore that I’m older. In some places a woman dining alone is/was the saddest thing on earth or something. So either people would stare while trying not to stare or they’d try to talk to me which I often wasn’t interested in (because see above: I love being alone and like to pick the people I spend time with).

Bringing a book helps me both not feel weird if people stare and also keeps people at a distance, but of course it also depends on the type of restaurant you’re at if it’s ok to read while eating or not. I find a book, an actual physical book, repels people a lot better than a phone.

I have a friendly face or something, because always when I travel alone, especially older people come to talk to me. I was in the Netherlands a few weeks ago and random old ladies came to talk to me several times a day there. It was kinda fun though, because two of them only spoke Dutch and I don’t really, so the conversations were a bit surreal mix of languages which of course is my happy place.

 

[ARoseSoSweet]

This is very true! I love being alone

What I at least used to find the most difficult when traveling alone were dinners. It’s not so big a problem anymore that I’m older. In some places a woman dining alone is/was the saddest thing on earth or something. So either people would stare while trying not to stare or they’d try to talk to me which I often wasn’t interested in (because see above: I love being alone and like to pick the people I spend time with).

Bringing a book helps me both not feel weird if people stare and also keeps people at a distance, but of course it also depends on the type of restaurant you’re at if it’s ok to read while eating or not. I find a book, an actual physical book, repels people a lot better than a phone.

I have a friendly face or something, because always when I travel alone, especially older people come to talk to me. I was in the Netherlands a few weeks ago and random old ladies came to talk to me several times a day there. It was kinda fun though, because two of them only spoke Dutch and I don’t really, so the conversations were a bit surreal mix of languages which of course is my happy place.

I always have my kindle with me and I read it at dinner/supper. That was definitely one of the things I had to get used to traveling alone but I ultimately don't mind. And I tend to join into convos, like when i was the pool, I ended up joining in a convo with some other ladies.

I was on a holiday years ago with friends, they went to a restaurant that I had no interest in. While i was waiting for the buffet to open, some others started chatting with me and invited me to join them. I ended up seeing them a few more times and chatted with them, which was nice (all inclusive)

 

[EdwardsOtherSide]

In Las Vegas now; the set-up for the Grand Prix Formula 1 race next week is a nuisance. South Las Vegas Blvd (The Strip) is a mess. Very hard to get a good view of the Bellagio fountains. A local told me they started setting up before Halloween.

I will share more later, but appreciate y'all letting me vent about that mess.

The people watching (the big draw for me in Las Vegas) is glorious.