Confession

I have a secret.  It's not a big secret (well, maybe to some) but it's a secret none the less.  I have been keeping this secret from most of you for quite some time.  Some of you already know my secret, but now it's  time to come clean to the rest of you.  So, here we go:  I have never been to Puerto Rico (dramatic music, gasp). *hangs head in shame*

Shocked?  Most people are when I reveal my secret.  Many simply assume that I have been to San Juan, the oldest city on U.S. territory and known for its beautiful beaches - especially since I am a beach lover.  But nope, I can't say that I have.

When I make this confession, the first response is "Really?  That surprises me."  and the second, of course, is "Why not?"  and this is where it gets tricky.  The truth of the matter is that San Juan always seems so expensive to me.  From the airfare to the beachfront hotels, it all seems overpriced and other destinations always seem to be a better value.  So the other destinations, which also involve acquiring a new passport stamp, always win out.

For instance, if I do a quick airfare check, using May 30th - June 3rd as my dates of travel, here is what I get:

• Chicago to San Juan - $404.87 (with a 10 hour layover in Miami on the return)
• Chicago to Cancun - $422.61
• Chicago to Montego Bay - $516.09
• Chicago to St. Maarten - $583.90
• Chicago to Curacao - $578.90
• Chicago to Barbados - $591.40

If I were looking to book something for that time period,  even though 4 days isn't nearly enough for any of these destinations, which do you think I would select?  

Well, other factors would come into play like what is the purpose of my trip:  explore or relax, am I looking to experience something new, exactly how long are the flights and layovers especially since this is basically a long weekend trip (that San Juan flight has a 10 hour layover in Miami on the return and the Barbados makes 2 stops - YIKES), what is the cost of an average hotel stay, food, etc.  

Based on airfare alone - Cancun would win if I were simply going to relax and Montego Bay would be my choice if I were looking to explore and experience something new.  Why, because for the extra cost of the plane ticket. I can either visit my favorite destination (yes, AGAIN.  I'm an addict remember?) or explore a destination that is higher on the "must see" list than Puerto Rico.

Don't get me wrong, Puerto Rico is on my list.  I want to visit its historical sites, hike in El Yunque National Rainforest, swim in Mosquito Bay, and take a day trip to Culebra or one of the other islands off the coast of Puerto Rico (there are roughly 100 of them); but PR just never seems to win the process of elimination even though there are times that I am actually rooting for Puerto Rico to win.  Crazy, right?

SIGH...there it is.  My deep rooted secret.

This confession brings me no joy.  I know that this favorite Caribbean destination for hundreds of thousands should have made it to my "been there" list by now.  I am ashamed and I promise to rectify this situation ASAP.  Ok, maybe ASAP is a little too soon, but I will get done in 2013.

I wonder if I can piggy-back it on a trip to another destination?!

HMMMMMMMMM.........

I Wanna Go.....

We all know that I am a Travel Advocate.  I believe that everyone should make traveling a part of their lifestyle.  From small children, to young adults, to adults, to seniors - everyone.

I also believe that a traveling mentality begins at a young age.  Which is why when I received an email from Tracey Friley, creator of The Passport Party Project, calling for travel bloggers to participate in National Passport Day and help her gift passports to teenage girls, I did not hesitate to volunteer.  Even after I received the second email from Tracey, laying out all the details and telling us how complicated the process could be - I was still all in.

I mean how exciting?  Getting your very first passport and realizing that the world is just a flight away?!OHHHHH - just thinking about it was giving me chills!  I set out on my task.

I made a few phone calls and sent out some emails regarding the project and what I was looking for.  I received a response from a friend of mine, who has a friend, that has 2 young girls.  PERFECT.  I got the mother's email address and sent her a message.  She was very responsive, and so excited for her girls.  ME TOO!  I sent her all of the details and we were all set.  Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Devan (right - 12) and Lauren (left - 13).  



To add to my excitement, the girls had a friend who did not want to be left out of the fun. Introducing Courtney (13)!
  

Everything was all set and we were ready to to.  We made plans to meet at the post office closest to where the girls live.  Upon arrival, there were hugs and squels of excitement - mostly from me - but the girls quickly joined in and were were the life of the party, well errrr, the post office.  Other customers wanted to know what we were doing and why were we were so excited.  "IT'S PASSPORT DAY, and these young ladies are getting their first passports" I would explain.  Soon I was having conversatioins with other people about where they had been and where they wanted to go.  One elderly couple were getting their first passports and the gentleman told me "We have raised our kids, they are out of the house, it's our time."  I almost cried.

Before I knew it, all paperwork had been processed, oaths had been taken, fees had been paid  and BAM, passports to be received in the mail within 4 weeks.

We didn't let the fun stop there.  We headed to a local restaurant for some lunch and to continue the travel talk.  The young ladies were still a little shy (I think my excitement was a little too much so early on a Saturday) so when I asked them where they were headed with their shiny new passports, I got a few responses:  Cancun, Jamaica, China, London....all great destinations.  I had my passport with me and showed them my stamps and chatted about some of my favorite destinations.  I mentioned Paris, someone quickly chimed in "I want to go to Paris" she said with excitement building.  

I gave the girls gift bags containing a luggage tag, some travel size containers, a journal and a pen.  I asked them to use the journal to document their travel dreams by writing about where they wanted to go and to cut out pictures of far away places that must be seen.  I asked them to take a few minutes while we were all together to write on the first page about what getting their passport meant to them.

Our lunch came, but we did not stop chatting.  We chatted, and chatted, and the chatting didn't stop!  The Mayan Ruins, Machu Piccu, Taj Mahal, Greece, Africa - yes, all of it, The Pyramids, Christ the Redeemer (a.k.a. that statue of Jesus), The Leaning Tower of Pisa.  On and on we went, until Lauren finally summed it up.  "I wanna go everywhere" she signed and we all simply nodded our heads in agreement.

THANK YOU PASSPORT PARTY!

See all of my pictures from our day by clicking here.

What I Learned in Istanbul

When a member of my travel group posted that he had just purchased airfare from New York to Istanbul for under $500, I was intrigued. “Istanbul?” I thought, “hmmmmm, yes I’ve heard of it. Not really on my radar but it sounds interesting” as I opened a web browser and began my research. What I found peeked my interest: largest city in Turkey with close to 10 million people, Blue Mosque, only city that straddles Europe and Asia, good shopping, history dating back to – WOW, a long time ago! Of course, I thought, airfare from Chicago to Istanbul will be double the amount he just paid; but I checked anyway. WHAT, $524 RT? Non-stop? Now I was really intrigued. What’s the weather like? How long is that flight?! Do I really want to go to Istanbul? Of course I do. Who wouldn't?

I requested my time off and purchased my flight. Because of the time difference, I would have 4 full days in Istanbul. I began looking at the top tourist attractions: Blue Mosque and shopping in the Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace. I figured I would have enough time. Here is how it played out:

I arrived on Thursday evening but by the time I purchased my Visa, made my way through customs, realized my baggage did not make the flight and arrived at my hotel, it was close to 8pm. I was exhausted so I decided to stay in for the evening and relax.

Friday (Full Day 1): Because I did not have any clean clothes, I didn't venture out too far. Walking around in the clothing I had traveled in for over 12 hours the day prior was not appealing. I ate a leisurely breakfast in the hotel and chatted with the concierge about some area shopping. The concierge recommended Taksim Square, which is a tourist area full of shops, hotels and restaurants. Off I went to the Metro.

Taksim Square was full of activity as tourists and locals alike filled the streets. The sights and sounds were exhilarating and it was here that I realized this was going to be an amazing experience. I began to stroll İstiklal Avenue, admiring the architecture of the buildings and taking note of the various accents and languages.

I purchased a few items of clothing, just in case my luggage still had not arrived.  It had been raining most of the day and I was drenched, so I headed back to my hotel for a nap and to prepare for the evening ahead.

 Saturday (Full Day 2): Armed with clean clothes, I exited the hotel early determined to make it to the Sultanahmet District, which is historic Old Istanbul and where most of the major sights are located. Because the weather was a bit on the chilly side, I decided that the hop-on/hop-off bus would be the best way to ensure I saw all of the top sites. Besides with the tour, I got a bonus that I did not plan: a trip to the Asian side of Istanbul!

Due to heavy traffic getting to and from the Asian side of Istanbul, more time than I anticipated was spent. But I got an opportunity to see a few sites that were not located in the main tourist area and an opportunity to see some residential areas of the city. The trade off? By the time I arrived in Sultanahmet, it was already after 3pm, which was a lot later than planned and I was losing sunlight.  I headed straight to the Blue Mosque, but learned that it was closed to visitors for prayer. I stood in the courtyard in complete awe at the beauty of a structure that was built in the 1600s as the call to prayer played over the loud speaker. I was paralyzed as I listened to the Muezzin (the person who recites the adhan in the mosque) over the loud speakers. To be in this place, at this time, was not planned; but was planned perfectly. I headed back to the hotel.

That evening, I met up with members from my travel group at a popular Hip-Hop club in the Taksim area where we sang and danced until early morning.

Sunday (Full Day 3): A few members from my travel group were renting an apartment in the Taksim area. The owner of that apartment invited them to brunch on one of the Prince Islands, which are nine islands located in the Sea of Mamara off the coast of Istanbul. I decided to join them!

We boarded the ferry for the journey to Heybeliada, which is the 2^nd largest of all the islands and home to an 11th century Greek Orthodox monastery.  The hike to the top of the Hill of Hope is strenuous, so half way up I opted to catch a horse and carriage, which is an awesome way to arrive at the currently closed Halki seminary. We spent time exploring the grounds of the monastery and the seminary before enjoying a traditional Turkish lunch at one of the island’s many cafes.

Back in my hotel after a long day of walking, I was too tired to do anything but soak in my tub and get some sleep.

Monday (Full Day 4): My last full day and there were still a couple of “must-dos” on my list, so I headed out early. First stop – back to the Blue Mosque, but this time my goal was to see the interior, which turned out to be just as amazing as I imagined.

Next “must-do” – the Spice Market and the Grand Bazaar. This place overwhelmed me with sights, sounds and the smells….OH – the smells inside the Bazaar were intoxicating. From exotic spices to handmade rugs and blankets, to jewelry, to clothing and handbags. Anything you are looking for, you can certainly find at one of the over 3,000 shops in the Bazaar.

Next up, Topkapı Palace and Hagia Sophia. Both of these architectural wonders have served various purposes since being built, but today both serve as museums. Since I spent way too much time walking through the Bazaar, it was getting late; so I opted to not pay to go inside but to spend some time at Hagia Sophia. I walked out the gate and headed to my next stop only to find, wait for it, that Hagia Sophia was CLOSED to visitors on Monday’s. UUUGGGGHHHHHH……

Because I wasn’t ready to call it a day and head back to my hotel, I took a turn down a street I had not previously explored and ran across an unexpected surprise: Yerebatan Sarnici, or the Basilica Cistern. This cistern lies beneath the city and was once used to provide water to Topkapi Palace. The highlight of the cistern – two Medusa column bases located in the northwest corner!

It was now dark, so I headed “home” to begin my packing.

That evening, I reflected on my trip. I did not accomplish everything on my must-do list and I was a little disappointed. I had violated one of my own rules of travel, “do your research”. Had I planned better, I would have known about the hours of Hagia Sophia. But, on the other hand I had a few unexpected surprises. The bus ride to the Asian side was memorable and so was the trip to Heybeliada.

Overall, I really enjoyed Istanbul and I have put it on my repeat list. I learned a lot about the history of Istanbul and the Turkish people. But the most important thing I learned: 4 days is not enough.

To view all of my Istanbul pictures, click here.

#2013Goal

If you follow my Facebook page you may have noticed that lately I have been using the hashtag #2013goal. A few people have emailed me about this so let me explain.

At the beginning of 2013, I challenged myself to take advantage of every 3 day weekend.  You see, I only get 20 days’ worth of vacation time during the year (GASP!) and that is not nearly enough time to go all of the places I want to go and see all of the things I want to see. So, in order to maximize my vacation time, I'm wrapping most of my travel for the year around long weekends. 

Now, in doing this there are a few things I need to keep in mind: 

First: Depending on the destination, airfare may be a little more expensive than what I would typically want to pay. Not only will airfare be more expensive, but lodging will also be more expensive over a holiday weekend. 

 

Solution: I am planning travel to some destinations during what is considered "low season". For instance, President's Day weekend (February) I am headed to Istanbul, Turkey. This is certainly the off season for Istanbul and the weather is not idea; but because of this, I was able to purchase airfare for less than half the price of going during high season.

Another possible problem I might incur traveling during the offseason is that attractions may be closed. Some hotels, museums, restaurants, etc. schedule routine maintenance during the low season, or close their doors entirely so that employees can go on holiday themselves. Research will be key in order for this to work. I don't want to head to a destination only to find out that the one thing I really wanted to do or see is closed for renovations!

Second: Destinations may be more crowded than usual over holiday weekends. I’m not naïve enough to think I am the only person looking to maximize vacations by combining 3 day weekends and vacation time. I am sure that lots of people look to escape for long weekends, even if it’s to domestic destinations close to home.

Solution: Travel to off the grid destinations. This is when I get really excited and begin to explore some lesser known destinations such as Cartagena, Colombia or Punta Mita, Mexico or how about Bocas del Toro, Panama?

My last challenge traveling over long weekends is the fact that holiday weekends also seem to be popular for various types of festivals, especially in the Caribbean. Example, I was thinking about heading to Aruba for the Memorial Day weekend (May); however I realized there will be a large music festival on the island during that time. These festivals only add to my first and second challenge (expensive airfare/hotel costs and crowding).

Solution: If it happens to be a festival I’m interested in attending, I will use my first rule of travel: PLAN EARLY. Some festivals offer early bird festival tickets and discounted hotel rates to those who commit early, so I will take advantage of these savings. If it’s a festival I have no interest in, I will avoid the destination during this period and look for alternatives. Once again, research will be important to make sure I’m not hit with any surprise events.

So there is the meaning of the hastag #2013.  Do I have all of my 3 day weekends planned yet?  YEP - all but one, Memorial Day is still open.  But I don't think it will take me long to nail down a beautiful beach to lounge around!

Do you have any 2013 travel goals?  Of course you do!  Feel free to share with me.  Be sure and use the hashtag #2013goal so that everyone can cheer you on!

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

For Christmas, I gave a friend of mine a book for his son. Not just any book, but my absolute favorite children's book: Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss.

Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You're off to Great Places!

You're off and away!

I have loved this book since I begin reading it to my own children when they were toddlers. Even now, as an adult, I often read this book to myself as a reminder that I can do anything, go anywhere and see anything I put my mind to.

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes

You can steer yourself

any direction you choose.

You're on your own. And you know what you know.

And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.

You see, for many years I talked myself out of living my travel dreams. Making excuses such as I can’t afford it or that traveling to faraway places alone is not safe.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.

Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're dark.

A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!

Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?

How much can you lose? How much can you win?

I would say that I can't leave my kids and I can't take them with me. Or that being away from them for a week is simply irresponsible and unacceptable. So I settled into the life of "normalcy" that consisted of work, come home, be Mom, repeat; but secretly yearning for far away places and trying to figure out how to fill the void that is created when you put your hopes on the back burner.

You can get so confused

that you'll start in to race

down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace

and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,

headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place...

One day, after a routine doctor's visit, I found myself in the intensive care unit of my local hospital. The doctors were saying things like "stroke" and "bleeding on the brain". They were asking me questions such as "what has you so stressed out?"

NO!

That's not for you!

I spent a week in that hospital bed. It was there that I decided that I would no longer simply be who society expected me to be. That I would no longer live my life by the standards of others. I decided that life is to be lived and I deserved to live it on my own terms, in my own way. I made some life changing decisions that put me in a better position to do the things that made me happy. Things that filled the void and released the stress. I stopped making excuses.

With banner flip-flapping,

once more you'll ride high!

Ready for anything under the sky.

Ready because you're that kind of a guy!

So now when I get discouraged and the naysayers begin to naysay, I simply remember Dr. Seuss and I can almost hear him say:

And will you succeed?

Yes! You will, indeed!

(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So...

be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray

or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,

you're off to Great Places!

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.

So...get on your way!

For the full text of Oh, the Places You'll Go! click here.

As I Grow

As 2012 quickly comes to a close, I have been spending some time reflecting on my year in travel and I must say - I'm quite pleased.  Not only did I travel to most of my targeted destinations for the year (although I did fall short with my US destination list), I found a way to slip in an unexpected trip to Paris!

But, what I’m most pleased with is how much I have grown as a traveler.  For instance, I use to go for long weekend trips to beautiful places and lay around the beach for the majority of my time.  But now I plan longer trips and while I still spend a lot of my time on the beach, I make sure I find time to explore my destination.  I now take the time to get to know the people, the culture, sample the food, etc.

I have also broadened my travel horizons.  While I still prefer beautiful beach destinations, I am planning trips in 2013 to non-beach destinations such as Madrid/Barcelona (Spain), Siem Reap (Cambodia) and Bangkok (Thailand).  OK, I can’t fool you guys, OF COURSE I will hit up some of the best beaches while traveling.  Ibiza while in Spain and Phuket while in Thailand.  It would be a shame not to.

And while my travel year ended in a bit of disappointment (I should be writing to you from Hong Kong) I look back over the past 12 months and I can't help but smile when I think about the new friends I've made and the adventures I experienced.   I've learned new ways of doing things and opened my mind to new ways of thinking.  For the first time, in a long time, I'm excited about the New Year and all the things a New Year brings:  new people, new destinations, new adventures.

Enjoy the journey everyone and as always - SAVE TRAVELS!

2 Girls & a Bikini

View my year in pictures by clicking here.

I Did it My Way

How I Afford To Travel


If you follow my blog you know that I am a huge fan of everything Quintana Roo, especially the town of Playa del Carmen, and the islands of Isla Mujeres and Cozumel.  Yes, I have visited these destinations frequently and have done most (certainly not all) of the touristy things to do.  One of my absolute favorite things to do in this area is snorkeling at the Underwater Museum and the Mesoamerica Reef, which is the largest reef in the Western hemisphere.  I love the vibrant underwater life around both of these spots and typically this is my choice activity.  Which is why on my latest trip to Playa del Carmen, I decided to do something I had never done before.  I decided to head over to Cozumel, walk right pass all of the snorkel tours, rent a scooter and take a self-guided tour of the island.

If you aren't familiar with this area, Cozumel is the largest inhabited island in Mexico and is a quick ferry ride (about 45 minutes) from Playa del Carmen.  With a population a little over 100,000 in 2011 and a year round temperature right around 80 degrees, Cozumel has become one of the most important tourist destinations in Mexico.  But enough of that.  Let's talk about my day!

I arrived on the island a little later than planned due to hanging out a little later than planned the night before, but I still had plenty of time to explore.  To save a bit of time, I rented a scooter from the vendor on the ferry ride over.  This was probably more expensive than negotiating a rate with a vendor on the pier, but the price was still much less than I anticipated - $35 for the entire day, including full coverage insurance. 

The vendor gave me a map of the island but there were a few things that I already knew I wanted to see, such as Celarain Lighthouse located on southernmost part of the island inside a park called Parque Punta Sur and at least one of the Mayan Ruin sites.  I set off on my plan to circle the entire 30 mile long island, but it didn’t take long to find something that peeked my interest - a military base with  a circa WW II fighter plane at the gate. Rumor has it that during WWII, this division of the Mexican Expeditionary Air Force was assigned to an Air Force unit based in Luzon (Philippines).  These pilots, who called themselves the Aztec Eagles, participated in more than 90 combat missions, totaling more than 1,900 hours of flight time in support of U.S. and Filipino troops*.  Interesting right? 

I pushed on and ran across a lighthouse located inside of a busy marina.  I walked around taking pictures and watching as the workers of the marina smiled and carried on with their day.  There is also a large residence inside of the marina that looks abandoned.  This was one of two lighthouses that I saw during my journey.  The other was located on a dock.  Neither was open to walk up.

I continued my self-guided tour of the island.  The scenery was breathtaking as I passed beach after beach (there are close to 40 official and unofficial beaches total).  The crystal clear water continued to call my name and I had ignored it long enough.  I simply had to stop for a sun break, and some lunch.
Because someone had recommended Playa Mia Beach Club, this is where I headed.  I didn’t realize there would be an admission fee, but I sucked it up and paid.  Playa Mia is very commercial and I found out later, a popular tour for cruise ship passengers.  Luckily for me, there were no ships in port and I had the beach practically to myself.  I lounged around for most of the afternoon, enjoying the sun and the quiet. 

I left Playa Mia and made stops at a few secluded beaches, watching the sunset along the way.   Needless to say, I never made it to Celarain Lighthouse or the ruins, but I had no regrets.  Cozumel had impressed me and I knew I would be back.  Sooner rather than later.

*courtesy of World of Warplanes

For more pictures of my day, please click here!