Independent Travel Show Notes: Olympic
Peninsula, Washington
Welcome to Dr. Mary Travelbest’s
Independent Travel Guide. This is for women who travel, who want to travel, and
especially for those who want to travel independently.
In this episode: FAQ is on House swapping. The destination is Olympic
Peninsula, Washington. My mistake is falling asleep on the train and missing my
stop and the Travel advice is using your mobile phone when on the road.
FAQ:
What is house swapping? When does that make sense to do?
This is where you exchange your
home for another in the place you want to go.
Full disclosure: I have not done
this yet myself.
Here are three clubs you can join to learn more
and start swapping: HomeExchange.com, Homelink.com and ILoveSwap.com
Travel writer, Pauline Frommer says that
"all have good customer service and lots and lots of members.” That last
part is important, because it’s all about the numbers. The newer clubs that are
opening aren’t charging fees because they’re trying to build up their
membership, so you have fewer choices with them, which doesn’t make sense for
me. Some of these exchanges charge a $100 membership fee which can save several
thousand dollars on lodgings. Another one,....SabbaticalHomes.com is small, but good for people who need
long-term exchange. So, tell me what you find is the best.
Today’s Independent Destination
Olympic Peninsula, WA
It’s in the northwest corner of
the USA. You’ll see magnificent mountains, rugged coastlines, and a rain forest
along with small towns, great food and culture.
First, Touristy places: You’ll likely first visit Seattle (SeaTac
International Airport) and see some of these sites in the downtown area and
nearby.
The original Starbuck’s Coffee
Shop
Pioneer Square (old and worn)
Pike’s Market- Fish (Jack’s), Chowder/King
Salmon
Pier 39
Minor’s Landing
Safeco Field-Mariners
Mt. Rainer
Off the beaten path: In the center of the Peninsula is Olympic
National Park, with the Olympic National Forest at the lower elevations.
Several rivers, lakes and Indian Reservations are here. If you take Highway 101,
you can circle the area and go from rainforests with cool temps to coastal
beaches with marine sanctuaries that are much different in climate. You could
spend weeks or just days, depending on your availability and interest. Here are
some of the things that I found most interesting on the Olympic Peninsula.
www.Olympicpeninsula.org
A find. Worth spending some time
here…southeast part of the peninsula is the city of Olympia-Washington’s State Capital, House of
Congress, where you can visit and walk around and explore without a tour guide.
There is no cost to visit. And it’s right on the lovely Puget Sound
Today’s Mistake: Falling asleep
on the train and missing your stop
Have you ever done this? I fell
asleep on the train from Chicago. I Woke up at the end of the line and Had to
take a taxi to my destination. Then I left my wallet in the cab. Two big
mistakes in one night. Bad day. Don’t do that. Make sure you set an alarm on
your phone, so you wake up before your train stop.
Today’s Travel Advice: Using your mobile device like a pro
Mobile devices are a challenge as
you grow older and maybe don’t know how to use them. Get to know your phone in
advance. Push the buttons and practice ahead of travel. Find out what settings
you will need to learn. Know when you have service via WiFi and when you need
it. Learn about Virtual Private Networks or VPN’s. Bring an extra cord and
backup batteries for charging, just in case. Ask if you need help and don’t be
feeling bad about that.
Protect your phone with a plastic
cover like an Otterbox. In case you drop it, you will not lose your data. Get
the Waze app, so you can find your destination, or Google Maps, or both!
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