Learn how to travel as an independent woman with Dr Mary Travelbest. I want you to become the very best at travel. So please join the conversation. Ask a question, learn about a destination, laugh at my mistakes and take the travel tips with you, on the journey. Go places.
Check out this travel for women episode!
In this episode: we’ll talk about how many reservations are the right
number when you travel, air, hotel, and more; Barcelona is the destination, and
today’s mistake was not slowing downhill. The tip has to do with Online Travel
Agencies for multiples.
FAQ How do you balance between planning and
making reservations verses spontaneity and being open to what comes up?
This
is a very important question for independent travel, or for any travel, really.
The
times that I really want a reservation are for the holiday travel dates. It’s
good to book flights several weeks ahead of your holiday travel, and really
consider the consequences of playing loose with your arrangements.
Last
month, I had an AIR BNB all set for me in Savannah, Georgia, but when I got
there, it was not welcoming at all. In fact, I was scared as I was greeting by
really loud barking dogs and no human interaction.
Most
of the time, I book flights round trip, and mostly I do have a backup
reservation. But it’s also very exciting to be driving across the country, or
even another country, and not know yet where you’ll be staying. If you have
young children, that may not be so fun, though. Restaurant reservations are
always based on advice from the hostess, so check ahead of time.
Here
are my factors:
Holiday
Children
Language
Distance
Population
Pricing
Today’s Independent Destination-
Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona is the capital of the Catalonia
region of Spain, so it’s not really “Española” that they speak, it’s Catalan.
It’s known for art and architecture. The famous Sagrada Familia church and
other buildings by Antoni Gaudi are all over the city. Museo Picasso and
Fundacio Joan Miro feature modern art. The history museum, MUHBA has several
Roman archeological sites, and the outdoor markets are so special to taste the
culture and current wares of the day.
I noticed a lot of protests going on when I
first arrived, but that seemed almost normal to the residents. The 92 Olympics
were here and the grounds are still available to visit. Some say it’s better
than Madrid to visit since there is more to do here. I got wrapped up in
dancing outside a church in a plaza with total strangers, holding hands in a
circle and having so much fun.
What is the food there like? Well Paella, of
course. Bombas, and plenty of other Catalan tastes to enjoy the palate. It’s a
coastal city, with a beautiful harbor, convention center and neighborhoods you
will love to walk through. The subway system is really easy to navigate, even
with a suitcase.
Today’s Mistake
One
of my really big mistakes was going downhill on a bike too fast. Even though I
was on my brakes, I was going too fast for conditions. I was in Torrey Pines
State Park, and the huge Torrey Pines tree had a big shadow over a tree root.
And there were a lot of people walking uphill as I was going down. I flipped,
and don’t remember much more until I was sitting up and unable to walk. Yes, I
broke my hip. The thing that saved my life was my helmet. So don’t ride without
one.
Today’s Travel Advice
When
buying airline tickets for two people, you may end up paying more. Best to
purchase them one ticket at a time, I found, on the Online Travel Agencies.
When I only book for one person, the trip was about $50 less than when I booked
for two. I think the algorithm is set to increase the price as you have more
people on the same itinerary. Has that ever happened to you, too? I’m still
gathering data on this one.
Today
I want to bring meaning to your travel
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