The Witch of Kilkenny, Ireland
I went for the arts in Kilkenny, and instead I found a witch! It’s an hour and 1/2 drive from Dublin south to Kilkenny, a medieval town, with a castle built in 1195. Picking up my rental car in Dublin, I was a bit nervous, since driving is on the left side of the road here, but it was fine. After all, I’d had 3 weeks of practice in New Zealand, although that was almost 7 months ago now. I headed straight to the tourist office and spent about 2 hours there, as they tried to help me find rooms for the next 3 nights – it appeared...
read moreDouble Fun in Dublin
With only 2 days in Dublin, I set out to make the most of it. I’d tried repeatedly to book an affordable hotel, but there didn’t seem to be such a thing available, and I’d not found any couch surfs, so I checked out my Air B&B app, and was delighted to find an opening with 2 great guys in their 1930’s home, with a cool old tiled fireplace and beautiful backyard deck. Plus, Brian and Oliver gave me lots of travel info, brochures and maps, and even helped me with ideas of where to go when I left Dublin! I’ve...
read moreCinque Terre, Italy’s String of Gems
Cinque Terre (translated The Five Lands), a Unesco World Heritage Site, is a necklace of 5 seaside villages strung along the Italian Riviera. It’s some of the most beautiful and dramatic coastal scenery anywhere in the world (my opinion, but also that of countless others). The colorful villages are linked by hiking trails that wind along the coast, up high through olive groves and vineyards, and down low along the water. The whole trail is known as Sentiero Azzurro, or the Azure Trail, and the part of the trail from Riomaggiore to...
read moreRoaming Rome, Italy
Rome, the Eternal City – it was known that way even among the ancient Romans, because the Roman people thought no matter what happened to the world, the brightness of Rome would burn forever. One of my Travel Angels, Beth, made it burn even brighter, when she booked us into the Waldorf Astoria with her travel points, high up on a hill, a true room with a view. It’s a great city to share with a friend! There’s so much to see and do in Rome, it’s hard to know where to start. The Trevi Fountain is undergoing restoration,...
read moreA Day on the Isle of Capri
The Isle of Capri, even the name sounds romantic! To stay on the island would be lovely (and cost a king’s ransom), but for a much smaller sum, you can take an all-day tour. The driver met me in the lobby of my hostel and brought me to the harbor in Sorrento, where the boat captain and the rest of the guests were waiting. We climbed aboard Blu Toy, a medium-sized dark blue powerboat, and whizzed off across the azure sea. I sat out on the large cushioned bow next to a young Irish couple on their honeymoon, a happy synchronicity, as...
read morePompeii, History Rising from the Ashes
Sweaty bodies, women flapping fans, it was standing room only on the train to Pompeii, temps hovering around 100 degrees. I’m wishing I brought my daypack with a water bottle, the small fan my Japanese Air B&B host gave me as a gift, and my umbrella for shade, instead of my small purse, but it’s too late now. On the good advice from my hostel host, I already had a tour ticket so I didn’t have to wait in line. If you go to Pompeii, definitely pay for a tour, it brings a place that would otherwise be a lot of dusty roads, stones...
read morePositively Positano, Amalfi Coast
Positano and the Amalfi coast are gorgeous, no question about that. But they have price tags to match. So what is a budget traveler to do? After a little research, I discovered that you can stay in tiny Piano de Sorrento and take buses and trains that link the pricier towns together at a fraction of the cost. And even better, I got to stay in a super affordable hostel in an old Monastery, with bells chiming, lovely staff and some of the nuns still hanging around! Sisters Hostel is only a few minutes’ walk from nice swimmable beaches,...
read moreSeeing the World, One House Sit at a Time
*Note: This is a guest blog post I wrote for Trusted Housesitters, the site I use to find house sitting jobs around the world. You can house sit too, or find free pet care for while you travel, at their site, www.trustedhousesitters.com. I do not get any commission for mentioning them, but I do highly recommend their company! What is a most interesting way to see the world, for a fraction of the cost most people spend? How would you like to try on different lifestyles, with a very minimal investment, of, say, a plane ticket? Sound intriguing?...
read moreThe Art of Traveling Solo
“Aren’t you lonely?!” people ask me over and over, when they find out I’m traveling solo. Most of the time the answer is a resounding no. I’m usually only alone when I want to be, and sometimes I want to be, but can’t – hostels are busy, tourist destinations are packed, and restaurants are crowded. When I am alone, I’m not usually lonely – I’m too busy shooting and editing photos, blogging, reading, writing, researching my next location, enjoying my current location, or sleeping....
read moreThe Best of Beautiful Barcelona
When mentioning Barcelona, many are familiar with Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia, with it’s soaring sandcastle-like facade, and interior reminiscent of an enchanted forest. It’s been a work in progress since 1882, and is scheduled to be completed in 2026, 100 years after Gaudi’s death. And Parc Guell, Gaudi’s failed residential project, equally enchanting, with its colorful mosaic work, fanciful architecture and panoramic views of the city, is also a must-visit. Of course, there’s the Barcelona beach scene, full...
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