Wednesday, February 3, 2010

January… time to plan travels (Part II)

Map courtesy of Worldmapper (Creative Commons Licence)


This is the continuation of my post of January 27th. All the comments from my blogging friends are very much appreciated. Comments feed my blog and give me more ideas for future posts. One of the comments, a question really, was from “loveable_homebody” who asked: “Why do you think you have always had wanderlust?” I thought about this for a while and believe it is a combination of several things. When I was a child staying at my grand-parents' house there were few toys so my grandpa would bring me a small suitcase full of postcards, old and new, from many regions of France, Europe and the world. I would spend hours looking at them and ask questions about all these far-away places and dream about them. Click on the following pictures to enlarge them.

Vintage Postcards – from top left : Chateau de Ramezay, Montreal, Canada – The Old Arsenal and the Arno River, Pisa, Italy – West Block House. Tartar Wall, Beijing, China – The New Medersa, Algiers, Algeria – Dal Lake, Kashmir, India – Driveway in Lafayette, Louisiana, USA


When I went to Turkey at 5 years of age I was allowed to roam free on the ship as my mother was mostly below deck - sea sick. I loved the freedom and independence. When I came back to our apartment in Paris I looked at all the postcards, my stamp collection, maps and dreamed again of many travels to come. I was bitten by the travel bug.

He who returns from a journey is not the same as he who left. -Chinese proverb


Flight Toward the Sea, 1968, Painting by Giorgio de Chirico, Italian, 1888-1978


From childhood some persons know that they want to be a doctor, an actor or a football player – I always wanted to travel. Some people stay close to home – going to other places do not tempt them and they are content to stay at home. That is fine. We are all unique with different interests. Mine is to move and see new towns, new countries and have new experiences. I always come back with something I did not know before, with a new appreciation of our world and some images that will stay in my mind. For example, how could you explain what a cup of coffee tastes like if you never had one? Would you know what it tastes like by watching a National Geographic show on TV about a Kenya coffee plantation? Would you know what it tastes like by looking at the picture of a coffee bean? No – you would have to taste it yourself – try it black or with milk, with sugar or not, strong or weak, as is or as flavored coffee or even iced, then you would know.



Among other things, I wanted to see how it felt to ride a camel in Africa, go on a slow boat on the Mekong River in Southeast Asia, ride an elephant, visit Mykonos Island in Greece out of season, take part in the Louisiana Purchase Bicentennial celebration in New Orleans and visit the French islands of St Pierre and Miquelon off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. These I did. These experiences will reverberate throughout my life. It takes time and tenacity to travel frugally. It helps to have flexible travel plans and be open to various way of travel – and watch for sales.


from top left: Elephant riding in Chaing-Mai, Thailand - Slow boats on the Mekong River, Laos – Empty street in Mykonos Island in November , Greece – Street musicians in New Orleans, Louisiana – St Pierre panorama, St Pierre et Miquelon islands.

Since my parents were in France I would go and visit them, off season. One year I was invited to an event in Pisa, Italy. Instead of flying directly to Paris I found a flight, costing the same, on British Airways going from Atlanta to Paris but with a free stop in London. From London I booked a flight on a low cost airline, Ryan Air, to Pisa which at the time costs about 30 British Pounds one way. While in Pisa I stayed in a small hotel and took trains to visit Florence and Lucca in Tuscany, and then I flew back to London and thence to Paris. It cost a fraction of what I would have had to pay if I had planned an Atlanta Paris Pisa trip, but it took planning to coordinate it all. Do not disdain train travel. The rail system in Europe and many other countries is very efficient and inexpensive – it provides safe and economical ways to visit expensive cities. For example there is a quick train trip between Nice in France and Monte Carlo in Monaco – or a 1 hour 20 minutes train between Paris and Brussels, Belgium ($48) or a 2 hour 10 minutes train between Paris and London (with many special sales and passes.) There are even some fares which include a car rental for a couple of days at the destination city.




All my methods are hard to describe in a post like this – it would be too long and boring to read. I check many travel sites and budget airlines. I’ll fly to another country and from there get a local budget flight, or take a train or a bus. I also check to see if there are any “secret flights” available. Secret flights are unusual routes flown by international airlines. For example to travel from New York to Frankfurt, Germany, you could take a regular US airline or you could take Singapore Airlines stopping in Newark on their way to Frankfurt – this might be much less expensive. Going to Dubai I flew with a foreign airline going from Chicago to Australia, but stopping in Dubai. Then after a week in Dubai I took a round trip on a local airline to go back to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. The trip was about half or less than I would have paid using conventional methods. I also used an airline “consolidator” who is a wholesaler to the public.


Photo of camel watching me taking its picture in Dubai (you can see my shadow.) Click to enlarge.

For all purchases, including food, medicine, gas and to pay my telephone and other bills I use a couple of credit cards which offer frequent flyer miles (on any airlines.) I pay the cards off each month but the miles accumulate quickly. We will redeem our frequent flyer miles for our next flight overseas, not use cash. For example in 2005 we had free flights (by redeeming our frequent flyer miles) to go to St Petersburg, Russia, and were allowed one stop. Since reading Out of Africa I wished to visit Karen Blixen’s (the author) home in Denmark so I wanted to stop in Copenhagen. There were no flights on that airline out of Copenhagen to St Petersburg. I searched and finally found a flight on Czech Airlines going to Prague and connecting with a flight to St Petersburg; Czech Airlines was a partner airline, so no added cost. Before going to Russia I had researched and found that renting an apartment would be much more advantageous than going to a hotel. We rented the apartment which was centrally located (costing about $50 a night) then took buses to get around. We looked so much like locals that Russians from out of town asked me directions for the bus to the Hermitage Museum – and I knew which one it was since we had already been there (I speak a little Russian – not much.)


Church of the Saviour of Spilled Blood, St Petersburg, Russia and Peterhof the Great Palace, The Blue Drawing Room


A point to make, when overseas, is to look like a local, not a tourist. I always buy something at a local grocery store to get their plastic bag and place my camera and maps in it. I carry a local newspaper; wear no blue jeans or tee-shirts with ads on them. I never have had a bad experience in all my years of traveling. I am always open to new trips. I subscribe to travel sites which send emails on travel deals – here are a few: SmarterTravel.com, http://www.travelzoo.com, http://www.farecompare.com/, http://www.hotwire.com/index.jsp, as well as various airlines. I also receive emails from cruise discounters such as http://www.vacationstogo.com/, and travel info and deals from http://www.budgettravel.com/?wpisrc=newsletter. When fares are high I use a travel consolidator like http://consolidatorwebfares.ezgds.com/. I also subscribe to motel and car rental emails advertising special offers. A couple of years ago my family wished to spend a week on a nice beach in Florida so we could all enjoy our first grand-child. Instead of lodging at a hotel or motel I used the Vacation Rental by Owners site http://www.vrbo.com/. We rented a beautiful condo, on the beach, and at an advantageous price.


Views from our condo in Indian Shores, Florida (near Tampa)


A voyage of discovery does not have to always be in another state or country. Now that I am retired I take great pleasure in discovering parks, historical sites or little towns close to my home. When we only had a couple weeks of vacation a year then we wanted to go as far away as we could, but when time is open, that is when we can discover the charms of our own area. If we place our town in a 100 mile circle on a map we’ll see that there are many places we do not know and maybe quite enchanting. And as Robert Louis Stevenson said “…For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move …”


Wormsloe Plantation State Park, Savannah, Georgia (photo courtesy Savannah Visitors Center)


To be an independent shoestring traveler takes time and work but the rewards are great. We meet more locals by staying in small hotels and eating in local-style restaurants. We rarely shop but we look – I usually buy postcards, they are inexpensive, unbreakable and take little space. Sometimes it is logistically more feasible to take part in a tour, but we can still manage to have some independent time. When we were in Tunis last November it was faster and easier to take the bus tour as we did not have much time there. But while the guide was escorting the tour to a carpet shop in the Medina Bazaar in Tunis I asked if I could leave for ½ hour. Then I went further into the bazaar by myself and explored before returning to the tour.


Carpet shop in Medina bazaar,Tunis, Tunisia.

Some important points I follow are to treat people and places with respect, be friendly and courteous. Special treatment should not be expected because one is American or European. I stay aware of the culture, environment and local customs of the country visited and try to be patient and flexible. I don’t get suspicious or scared and don’t let fears make the decisions for me. Everything has always been and will be fine.

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.
-J. R. R. Tolkien, English 1892-1973


Wanderer above the Sea of Fog, painting by David Caspar Friedrich, German 1774-1880

49 comments:

""°o.O Nancy O.o°"" said...

*** Bonjour Vagabonde ! :o) ***

Très beau post aujourd'hui encore ! :o) Merci à toi !!!!*

Voyager, c’est rencontrer l’autre, et comme le dit si bien le poète libanais Georges Schehadé, aller de par le monde afin d’y «rencontrer la poussière savoureuse des hommes »... En somme, voyager c’est n’être jamais seul !

*** Bises à toi et bonne continuation Vagabonde ! :o) ***

Jinksy said...

This travelling would be my worst nightmare. I'd love to be magically transported to some of these places to experience them, but count me out for the journeys!

Paty said...

Hi! This chinese proverb is so right, we are never the same when we come back from a trip. No money can pay what we learn.
I love the plan my trips too, my honeymoon in France was all planned by searching in the internet, and it was an independent trip, with no travel agency, and it worked out very fine! I don´t know if you use that but i loved to search in tripadvisor site, there are a lot of good info about the hotels, opinions that we don´t see in the hotel site.
I love that painting of Caspar Friederich, it is so meaningful!

kyh said...

These are interesting! Thanks for sharing. I buy postcards too, and I personally think that they are the most practical form of souvenirs. :)

DJan said...

Yes, VB, you were born a vagabonde! What a wonderful story about how you have become a world traveler and in an inexpensive way, too. I just love the pictures and your very special way of telling about your life.

Your blog posts are exceptional in the care and detail you include. This is very inspiring! I have been exploring my new home environs, too.

claude said...

Mais tu sais que les voyages forment la jeunesse !!!
J'ai du déjà te le dire mais tu es une grande voyageuse, dis-moi !
Avec mon Chéri on a fait, avant d'aller à l'étranger, sausf en Allemangne, des voyages dans le pays, en camping car. La c^pote d'azur, les Alpes Maritimes.
le Massif Central, deux fois les Pyrénées. En 1998 nous sommes allés rejoindre nos amis Teutons en Autriche dans un coin super charmant et j'ai beaucoup aimé la visite à Bad Ischle, là où l'Epereur François Joseph avait une demeure de chasse et où l'impératrice Sisi venait se réfugier quand il batifollait avec une de ses maîtresses à Vienne.
Puis nous avons vendu le camping pour changer totalement notre façon de prendre des congés.
Etats-Unis, Martinique et Guadeloupe.
En mai prochain nous ferons un peu plus de 1000km en voiture pour aller voir nos amis Allemand, pour mettre au point notre prochain voyage à la Martinique où ils nous rejoindrons pour passer 2 semaines avec nous.
Merci pour nous faire partager tes voyages.

Fennie said...

Bonsoir Vagabonde. A wonderful post full of such good advice (though you don't mention how to get over jet lag which has always spoilt long trips for me). But you are a true traveller and write so wonderfully well about the places you go to. I am wondering whether you know another (famous) Welsh writer - Jan Morris - who also writes beautifully about the places she visits?

Unknown said...

Your comment at Paty's Florianapolis blog brought me here and I'm glad to have found your page. As a travel lover I really enjoyed reading your last posts!
Greetings from Portugal

Vicki Lane said...

A wonderful post! So many useful ideas. We have traveled very little, compared to you but, as you say, always come home changed by it.

Deborah said...

Vagabonde: You've done a fantastic job on this post, full of really useful information and tips, plus the websites that I will be able to use. I used to be a travel agent long ago, and then worked for a Air Canada for years in the reservations end of things and I'm very impressed by your travel know-how. That little tidbit about going to a local supermarket for their bag is brilliant. Many thanks for all your work and effort.

Roger Gauthier said...

Je ne sais pas comment tu fais. Une vraie machine à idées... et tu écris fort bien, ça se lit comme du bonbon... Jamais je ne voyagerai autant... il est déjà trop tard ! :-)

Joy Des Jardins said...

Hi Vagabonde,

I made it over here to see your blog and this is really and amazing post. You are definitely someone who is meant to travel. I am so much at the other end of the spectrum...I haven't traveled much at all. A couple of my kids have traveled much more than I have...at least to other countries. Your post is full of wonderful ideas for people who travel. I think I need to check some of your other posts out. Take care... ~Joy, from Joy of Six

Rajesh said...

I love travelling. Beautiful photographs.

Elaine said...

Wonderful post! You're right that traveling changes you. I haven't traveled round the world like you have, but anytime you visit a different place it gives you a new perspective. I always enjoy your collages and your postcards.

Reader Wil said...

Merci de votre visite, Vagabonde! Voyager est toujours très intéressant. J'aime aussi ce poème de Tolkien:

"The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say"
Et je l'ai utilisé avec mes photos de la Nouvelle-Zélande. Nous y
avons vu beaucoup de places où "The Lord of the Rings" était tourné. La N-Z est le pays excellente pour cette occasion.

Linda said...

I'm leaving for Japan in a couple momths for two weeks. As with all my trips, the anticipation and research for the trip is such great fun. There is always a serendipitous discovery that leads somewhere else.

The quote was from Joseph Campbell, a gentlemen who always saw the essence of life.

Tamar Orvell said...

Greetings from Israel. Thanks for your enthusiastic comment on my blog post. I miss my Bhutanese friends in Atlanta though remain in touch via email and Skype, and soon, I'll be meeting a US Foreign Services Officer in Jerusalem who is key to their future. When she served in Nepal, she helped to expose the plight of these beautiful people languishing in refugee camps, victims of ethnic cleansing in their homeland, Bhutan. The world is small and Israel like every place is rich with resources, memory, history, hope.

Anonymous said...

Wanderlust is a gift to be cherished and cultivated. I see that you've grown your passion into something outstanding.
I used to dream about being Heidi so I could go live in Switzerland. I made it to France, that's pretty good.

Thanks for visiting my blog, too.

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

What a gorgeous assortment of photos. We have traveled a little, but not as much as you. However we've lived in a lot of places over the years and suffer from wanderlust too.

That's excellent advice about how to fit in and look like a local, especially the bag for your camera. We always try to dress appropriately no matter where we go and respect the customs and traditions of the various countries. I believe that the locals are nicer to you that way.

I was standing outside a bistro in France when a nicely dressed American lady came up and asked me "Ou est la poste?" I was thrilled she thought I looked French and she was thrilled I could tell her where the post office was in English.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen and leaving that great recipe for lapin. Your blog is gorgeous and it's nice to meet you.
Sam

PeterParis said...

I cannot but agree to all advice given here! Lucky you who have been able to do all this!

Dominique- L said...

Bonsoir vagabonde,

Tout d'abord, merci pour ces magnifiques images,

J'ai cependant très envie de te poser une question, sans doute me vient-elle à l'esprit parce que j'ai moi-même beaucoup voyagé. Il est vrai que j'en ai tiré des leçons de vie ainsi qu'un enrichissement, personnel, culturel et profond que peu de gens ont l'avantage de connaître.

Toutefois, n'as-tu jamais ressenti l'envie, le besoin impérieux de te poser une bonne fois pour toute, dans un pays, près des êtres chers et poursuivre cette découverte, au sein d'une même contrée, car chaque pays renferme des richesses qu'on n'a pas explorées et qui méritent qu'on s'y arrête.

Je ne sais pas si je me suis bien exprimée. Telle est ma question.

Bonne soirée Vagabonde, je t'embrasse. Do

Anonymous said...

ah, Vagabonde! how beautiful! merci! I travel the way you do, I think! I love the trains of Europe, and I have hitchhiked with some luck, looking for trucks with the T.I.R. plate.

Your images evoke so much! My godfather gave my godmother a beautiful little wooden box with "Chillon" and a beautiful castle painted on it. Little things make such a mark when one is young. I marvel when I am in switzerland, at the spot, years later...

Louis la Vache said...

Your travel comments made «Louis» want to get Mme la Vache and head to Paris! ;-)

Louis la Vache said...

Re your question about visiting Filoli.
Yes, the gardens (and house) are open most of the year, Tuesdays through Sundays.

«Louis» isn't aware of public transportation directly to the estate - it is quite literally "out in the country".
The website to the estate is HERE.

It is well-worth the visit!

""°o.O Nancy O.o°"" said...

Je te souhaite un bon week-end Vagabonde ! :o) Bises amicales à toi et aux tiens !!! :o) ***

Baino said...

My you do have the wonderlust and you're fortunate to have the income to afford these amazing trips!

Timely tips since I'm planning my trip to France in October. The local plastic bag idea is fantastic! I use Smart Travel too, very useful site. I've taken your advice and decided to spend a week in Paris then the rest of the time exploring France with the exception of a free European flight but I'm not sure where to go. I'm thinking Florence at the moment. Only 3 weeks to decide! I think I'll take a French language class as well.

Diary From Africa said...

What an amazing blog you have here .... and what an amazing life you've had ! I'll be back to visit soon .... I was always taught "Money spent on books .... or travel .... is never wasted" So true !
Lynda, Kilimanjaro, East Africa (Tanzania)

Vagabonde said...

Nancy – Merci pour tes visites et tes commentaires. Je ne connais pas l’écrivain Libanais Shéhadé – quel livre a-t’il écrit? J’espère que toi aussi tu passes un bon week-end.

Vagabonde said...

Claude - et bien toi aussi tu es une voyageuse. Tu as vu des pays que je ne connais pas comme l’Autriche. J’ai une amie à la Martinique mais je n’y suis pas encore allée – j’espère le faire un jour. Mais comme c’est une île francophone d’ici il n’y a pas beaucoup de vols car les gens n’y vont pas.

Vagabonde said...

Roger – il n’est jamais trop tard pour voayager. Tu as lu dans un de mes commentaires je parlais sur la mère d’un de mes amis, qui après être devenue veuve à 78 ans a commencé à voyager et maintenant elle en a 90 et a visité pas mal de pays. La soixantaine c’est le nouvel middle-age.

Vagabonde said...

Reader Wil – Merci pour votre gentil commentaire. La Nouvelle Zélande, ça c’est un pays que j’aimerais beaucoup visiter. J’espère pouvoir le faire dans les années qui viennent. Je sais qu’il y a des paysages magnifiques là-bas.

Vagabonde said...

Je suis le temps qui passe – je crois comprendre ta question – le problème pour moi tu vois est que j’ai finalement deux pays, La France et les Etats-Unis. Donc, j’aime faire des voyages ici, mais pendant que mes parents étaient en vie j’essayais d’aller en France les voir. Et aussi je n’ai pas une grande famille, en France que mes parents et une cousine, et ici que mon mari, mes enfants et les parents du côté de mon mari qui aussi ne sont pas nombreux. Mais d’un autre côté j’aimerai pouvoir connaître beaucoup d’endroits que je ne connais pas encore.

Vagabonde said...

Jinsky, Paty, Kyh, DJan, Vicki Lane, Deborah,Rajesh, Elaine, Peter – Thank you for your comments – it is always such a pleasure to see your remarks about what I wrote. I look forward to reading all your comments.

Vagabonde said...

Fennie – Yes I know Jan Morris and have a couple of her books. I like to read travel literature when I am not on a trip, and I read all kinds. Right now I am reading a book written in 1884 about a group going on a 10-month trip. Traveling was different then! About jet lag – I don’t go to bed when I arrive in Europe but go outside at least for a couple of hours to be under daylight if possible, and that seems to help.

Vagabonde said...

Linda – how much fun you are going to have on your trip to Japan. Please take a lot of photos and when you come back write many posts about your trip.

Vagabonde said...

Tamar – I did not know much about the problems in Bhutan. I am pleased you gave a link to the support group Bhutan Atlanta and will look into it more fully. Thanks for stopping by.

Vagabonde said...

Bowsprite – le château de Chillon near Lausanne – yes we visited it and it was an highlight of our trip to Lausanne. I’ll have to make a post on it. It is in a very beautiful spot by lac Léman and so romantic that its image does stay in one’s memory.

Vagabonde said...

Louis la Vache – Well Louis if I tempt you to go back to Paris with my post, you tempt me to go back to San Francisco with yours! Your posts on Filoli gardens are excellent, and thanks for the link.

Vagabonde said...

Baino – I think you will be pleased to know a few French words before you get to Paris. And no, I don’t have a great income but different priorities. I have an old house, my car is from 1997, and apart from our trip we stay at home and read mostly - and I blog.

Vagabonde said...

JM, Joy des Jardins, Dedene, My Carolina Kitchen, Lynda (from Tanzania) – welcome to my blog. I am pleased that you stopped by and I appreciate your taking the time to write a comment. I hope you will come back.

Rick (Ratty) said...

My grandparents were all farmers. I'm not much of a traveling person because they never were. They always found importance in work for the sake of work. I sometimes wish I would have had an influence that inspired me to travel the world.

Friko said...

Chapeau, Mme Vagabonde!

My hat is off to you. You have such an amazing lot to teach people about travelling. You really should write a book about it.

If you are ever in need of a companion in Europe, I'd love to have first refusal. On second thoughts, I probably would not have your boundless energy and enthusiasm.

Have your children inherited this love of travel?

Ruth said...

This is an absolutely fabulous post. It gets my adrenalin pumping like nobody's business. I wish I had had your chutzpah about travel, because I would love doing what you do. It is not possible for us now, as our schedule's don't allow it. I hope when we retire they will. But we can do some smaller things.

I haven't read all the comments, and maybe someone else suggested it, but what if you started a cut-rate travel agency service? I think travel agents don't have much business since online services became available, but certainly there must be many who would love to do what you do but not have to plan it all.

As for me, I would LOVE to plan it! It adds to the adventure, to look for the deals. Your ingenuity is just remarkable! I was fascinated with every tale of maneuvering through the various fares, just brilliant. I also loved picturing you as a 5-year-old girl wandering the ship to Turkey. What a memory.

I am like this with clothes. I shop at Volunteers of America for bargains that are beautiful - well made, good fabrics, stylish. It does take extra time to scour every rack for a beautiful piece of clothing among the less desirable polyester, but it's worth it when I have time and energy.

We always stay in studio apartments in Paris. They are cheaper by the night than hotels and much larger of course, and we can make at least one meal at home and save money. We don't have a Concierge, but that is not something we've needed.

I'm so inspired. Thank you for sharing so much good information. You are amazing.

TorAa said...

I say it straight:
This post I have to print and read the old fashion way.

Hope you accept this is a compliment?

Putz said...

oh oh oh, when i was coming back from europe, your mother being seasick comment made me remember, she was below with my dad mother and sister wrenching out their guts, i was eating at the captain's table{everone else not able to eat crab lobster, chocolate eclairs, bon bons, roast beast, filet mignon, all i could eat at every meal on the sss patch at high seas and when the hurricane finnally came, they got even sicker, the whole boat of them and i got fatter, i went up deck to feel the hurricane coming in and had sea water washed all over me, and felt exillerated>>>>>11 days in that, my mom vowed never to travel agin, and here i was ready for"bear" and then france, england, norway, denmark, sweden, germany england again and france again and again and again>>>>>loved it, now at 67 in utar am stuck with a wiffee that only wants to vist daughter in north carolina, son in utar, other son in utar, and daughter in utar.>>>.end of my life as they all would say>>>.stuck at a computer listening to peoplples like you who are really out there, shed a tear for me argentina

Putz said...

oh oh oh, when i was coming back from europe, your mother being seasick comment made me remember, she was below with my dad mother and sister wrenching out their guts, i was eating at the captain's table{everone else not able to eat crab lobster, chocolate eclairs, bon bons, roast beast, filet mignon, all i could eat at every meal on the sss patch at high seas and when the hurricane finnally came, they got even sicker, the whole boat of them and i got fatter, i went up deck to feel the hurricane coming in and had sea water washed all over me, and felt exillerated>>>>>11 days in that, my mom vowed never to travel agin, and here i was ready for"bear" and then france, england, norway, denmark, sweden, germany england again and france again and again and again>>>>>loved it, now at 67 in utar am stuck with a wiffee that only wants to vist daughter in north carolina, son in utar, other son in utar, and daughter in utar.>>>.end of my life as they all would say>>>.stuck at a computer listening to peoplples like you who are really out there, shed a tear for me argentina

bowsprite said...

I love these comments!
visiting here is like being at a double feature!

Kenza said...

Ma chère Vagabonde,
Je comprends mieux ton surnom... Toutes ces belles destinations m'inspirent et me donnent envie de partir dès à présent (nous sommes en vacances scolaires...).
Certains lieux cités ne sont encore pour moi que de vieux rêves, mais qui sait?
Je viens de faire un merveilleux voyage en ta compagnie, merci.
Très belle et agréable journée en vagabondage...

Vagabonde said...

Ratty - You know it is never too late to start traveling a bit. Thanks for stopping.

Friko - I do not intend to write a book - but I am writing posts of my travels on my blog - that is a lot more fun. Thanks for commenting.

Ruth - To travel like I did and still do takes a lot of planning time. If I started a travel agency I would not be able to spend that amount of time for my customers or it would cost them too much. I think that the Net is such a resource that it is not hard to find information on budget travels.

TorAa - Thank you for the compliment dear friend and thanks for your visit to my blog.

Putz - I had to laugh at your comment, you have a good sense of humour. I won't shed a tear for you, Argentina but I would love to go there.

Bowsprite - You are right - my blogger friends' comments are a lot of fun and I look forward to them after every post I write - including your comments.

Kenza - Merci d'être venue me voir chère Kenza. Je suis contente de ta visite. Amitiés.

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