Dr. Mary Travelbest

Destination: Newport Beach, California In this episode: Should I check my bag or carry-on? Today’s Destination is: Newport Beach Today’s Mistake- Time zone mayhem Travel Advice:  See the Sherpa travel website. FAQ: This question gets asked a lot: Should I check my luggage or carry-on? Answer: Short flights, no. Long flights, it depends on the time you are willing to wait for baggage, the size of your suitcase, if the plane has space for more bags, and personal preference. Now, personal items are allowed, but you may need to pay for your carry-on bag. Always check with the airline before you head out to the airport. You may be happy you asked. Today’s destination: Newport Beach, California Newport Beach, south of Los Angeles, is famous for its boats. The harbor has thousands of them. Balboa Peninsula has two piers, the Newport Beach Pier and Balboa Pier, plus the Balboa Fun Zone. The Orange County Museum of Art exhibits modern and contemporary pieces. The Wedge surfing...

In this episode: The FAQ is: on being single and traveling: The destination is New Zealand, North Island. The lesson learned is: losing jewelry while traveling and the tip is: be willing to pause and be safe in travel.   FAQ : Ruth asks, I will be newly single in the new year and want to do some traveling that I did not have the opportunity to do when I was married, I am excited but a little timid about solo travel. Does anyone have any tips on trips that would be a good dipping the toe in the water?   Response:   Being newly single is a great time to take a travel somewhere new. It’s ok that you’re timid at first. Some tips to dip your toe in the water will be found on Level 1 or Level 2 travel stages. Here’s some advice: Don’t wait for your trip to come to you. Find out yourself how much you like travel and just start out small, this weekend take a trip on a city bus, train or to your nearby next city you’ve never seen. Go alone. Don’t be tempted to find a friend ...

Destination: Wickenberg, Arizona In this episode: FAQ is: What are the five steps to Solo Travel?. Today’s Destination is: Wittenberg, Arizona Today’s Mistake- Forgetting my sunglasses Travel Advice:  If you are going on a cruise, consider using a travel agent.  FAQ: What are the five steps to Travel? Answer: They are steps from near to far in distance and in risk. It is a path to confidence and courage for your travel. You will improve your trip with each journey step if you are curious.  Start with accessible destinations and then more difficult ones. This guide gets you safely there and back home with a new confidence level. You’ll be ready for the next step in the next trip.   Today’s destination: Wickenburg, Arizona   Team roping capital of the world. What is team roping? One guy gets the head and the other the heel. Four arenas here, and anyone can watch.  Cowboys roping steers starts at the end of April and ends in April, except for some...

Special Title: San Diego Zoo and Safari Parks Part 2 of 2   Today’s Special issue is on :  San Diego Zoo and Safari Parks Part 2 Today’s Mistake- Bodysurfing when the waves are too strong.  In this episode: FAQ Destination: Part 2 of 2 San Diego Zoo and Safari Park San Diego Zoo and Safari Parks is a conservation organization under the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and is a Step 1 or Step 2 destination. The Wildlife Alliance is trying to create A world where all life thrives. They have two front doors. In this episode, we focus on the Safari Park, formerly known as the Wild Animal Park. https://sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/ https://sdzsafaripark.org/tickets Ambassadors are all around. Saving, protecting and preserving all around the world.  Safari Park in Escondido, CA has been my favorite animal enclosure for decades. It’s nestled in the San Pasqual Valley, north of San Diego by 30 miles and is part of the San Diego Wildlife Alliance. It’s a bit o...

In this episode: The FAQ is: How do those from other nations view American travelers? The destination is New Zealand, South Island. The lesson learned is: getting ripped of while traveling. and the tip is to listen to other podcasts about travel, besides this one from Dr Mary Travelbest, of course.    FAQ : How do others view American travelers?   The answer is a bit uncomfortable to even ask but realistic. To those in foreign countries, they may look at Americans in a negative light, mostly because they only know what they see in the news media. America has the “World Series” in baseball, but it’s all teams from the USA and Canada. Being the greatest nation in the world may not serve the needs of people in other countries, so remember that you are a representative of your home nation, wherever you go. Overall, New Zealand was one country that really liked American travelers. https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2020/09/15/us-image-plummets-internationally-as-most-sa...