Rotorua, New Zealand

Today’s Destination is: Rotorua, New Zealand

Today’s Lesson Learned- Losing my reading glasses

Travel Advice: Maps offline can help you find your way solo.

FAQ: Annie asks Dr. Travelbest; I’m so worried about traveling alone. I must build my confidence to go on a trip, even with another person. If I was to go alone, What would be the biggest concern for solo travel safety?

Answer: Annie, you should be aware but not worry unnecessarily. Travel at the step you feel comfortable.

You will be safer in many ways if you follow specific simple guidelines.

Always ask for help before you go solo when you need it. Others want to help you out. I’ve made a quick list here for you to follow.

5 Quick Safety Answers for Solo Travel Safety

Stay Connected. ...Keep Others Apprised of Your Itinerary. ...
Stash Money, Credit Cards, and Passport in Separate Places. ...
Ensure Your Lodgings Are Safe. ...
Stay Healthy. ...
Pray for a safe trip.

Today’s destination: Rotorua, New Zealand

If you like discussing the climate, you will want to learn about geothermal, including geysers and mud pools.

One place to explore is on the North Island of New Zealand, in a small town called Rotorua. It’s a volcanic wonder space with unique geothermal attractions and landscapes. There are rare flora, fauna, and history of the Maori. The region has one of the world’s most active geothermal fields. Five minutes from the city, you will see a geyser called Pohutu. This erupts to a height of 100 feet and does it up to 20 times per day. You can’t escape the smell of sulfur, the clouds of steam, and the volcanic bubbling.

Besides this fantastic spectacle, what else is there worth seeing? Visit the shopping markets in the central city and then the free thermal reserve, which features beautiful public gardens, bubbling mud pools, colorful hot lakes, and free thermal foot pools.

Then consider a bike ride past four major geothermal attractions on the Thermal bike trail. Stop along the way for a dip in a natural hot river.

Visit a Maori village where the people live amongst the geothermal activity and use the boiling water for cooking, bathing, and warming their homes. I watched a dance of the Maori warriors and was entertained by the cultural experience. I recommend it.

Depending on the weather, you can float in a thermally heated public swimming pool or one of many luxurious thermal spas.

https://www.newzealand.com/us/rotorua-geothermal/

Today’s Lesson Learned- Losing my reading glasses.

I lost my reading glasses and struggled with not having great vision. I was struggling with seeing the small print on my phone.

Don’t lose your glasses; if you do, have a spare pair handy

If you wear contacts, bring your eyeglasses as a backup when traveling.

Today’s Travel Advice-Maps offline can help you find your way solo. Free.

Check out the map dot me app, where you don’t need to have data, just GPS.

It will help you route yourself, even without an online connection.

They have offline maps of the whole world.

Search and discover travel maps, tourist guides, and navigation offline.

they have a web version, too.

Maps.me works with no Wi-Fi or cellular internet and is free. All it needs is your phone's GPS! It gets its data from OpenStreetMap. OpenStreetMap is an app you can download to your phone.

Find attractions, monuments, churches, viewpoints, museums, businesses, hairdressers, dentists, and cafes.

They have 140 million customers in 190 countries

and 1.5 million app store reviews and are based in Switzerland.

Check out this episode!

RIP Dean Alphonso Buell

Celebrating the life of Dean Alphonso Buell in April, 2012 with his mom and two friends. Dr. Travelbest is priviledged to know Raquel Giraldez, mother of the deceased, as she was the designer and illustrator and most travelled friend of Dr. Travelbest in 1993 as the book was being written and published. Dean was involved with the editorial, even though he was a youngster at the time. Thanks, Dean, for sharing your mom so that Dr. Travelbest could teach others about Independent Travel. Speaking of travel, this is the view from the front yard of Raquel's home in Buellton, CA. The mountains in the distant background are picture postcard on this memorable day, right near the 101. (Photos: top: view from Raquels, bottom: center, Raquel and right, Rosanna Figuerola (sp?) at the Celebration of Dean's 24 years on the earth.) There were so many stars that night, we knew that Dean was watching us from above with his new friends.

Guest Post: Lizandra Jimenez Rodriguez

I want to travel independently, does that makes sense? Written by: Lizandra Jimenez Rodriguez When traveling becomes a great passion, you usually keep a bucket list framed at your desk or in the lock screen of your phone. You never stop planning or deciding when, where, and how to get to the next place. There are tons of ways to travel, however, independent travel has been always a popular one for those seeking adventure, exploring on their own, or simply trying to get away from the traditional and superficial (for some) tourist routine. A myth we need to forget is that independent travel is not all about backpacking in Europe or climbing the Everest; in fact, it can be done in many ways including different levels of budget and luxury. Also, independent travel can be done solo or with an affinity group with a particularly crafted itinerary. This makes it very different from escorted traveling of course. Companies have understood how escorted traveling is not for everyone and to

Dr. Mary Travelbest Seychelles

Dr. Mary Travelbest Seychelles Welcome to Dr. Mary Travelbest’s Bucket List Travel. We share the travel tips and guide you, sharing our missteps along the way. In this episode: Faq on what you should share on social media? Destination: Seychelles, Travel Mistake, Travel Tip FAQ What ways should you be careful in terms of sharing about your travels on social media? What should you be careful about for the content you post and your replies? Social media is a blessing today, but for some it is a curse. Here are some tips for using it while on the road. Social media distracts from the real experience, so consider how you interact with those you are with and those you could be talking with instead of trying to get the best social post to strangers. Get your research from friends before you go. Ask. Where should you go? Stay? Eat? Visit? Once on the road, limit your social media to when you really need to connect. Otherwise, take a break! You can catch

Dr. Mary Travelbest

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