Working Mom – Travel Dreams

Ok maybe not quite because I’m not crazy rich with tons of spare time… but I get as close as I can.

This spring I’ll be heading to San Diego, CA for an educational conference for my boring day job that pays the bills while I treat of traveling the world taking photos. I’ll bring my camera and make the most out of the trip catching every sunrise and sunset in a different place so be prepared for lots of beach photos. I have a thing for the ocean. 😁

Then in the fall I will be checking off a box on my bucket list and finally seeing Stonehenge! (Yes, I know it’s just a bunch of big rocks. But I want to see them.) After I see the rocks I’ll be heading up to Scotland for the rest of my trip.

I’ll be booking both trips in the next month. My UK trip needs a bit more work than San Diego. But it will be an awesome trip.

Congratulations on making the decision that you are comfortable enough to do your own thing abroad!

The first step is to figure out what kind of trip you want to do and what your priorities are. Is your priority to relax, catch up with friends, see the sites?

When I travel alone I like to find a central “hub” to stay in then do day trips out from there. Once I have seen all I want in that area, I move to my next place (if I have one) and repeat. This saves you from constantly changing rooms and spending a lot of time “traveling”. Look for day tours, busses, trains or rent a car to get where you want. I don’t like to waste time so I usually book a day tour in the morning and leave my afternoons/evenings open to do whatever I want and explore the city. I’m a big fan of street food and night markets so this works well for me. Also, many cities don’t have much going on in the morning so traveling to a destination allows you maximize your time. If I know I’m going to have a late evening then I leave the next day free to explore the city.

A few booking/money saving tips:

1. Most major cities have a city pass of some kind and/or a hop on hop off bus. I’m a big fan of both. For starters, the bus will usually take you anywhere you want to go for a flat fee for the day. You hop on going whatever direction you need and ride the loop. The city pass gets to into museums/attractions free or at a discounted rate. **note museums usually have a restroom near the entrance. Many places do not have public toilets. So this can be a great way to save yourself from wasting time searching.

2. Day drips. Many tour companies will offer day trips to popular destinations (similar to excursions on cruise ships). Shop around because not all day trips are created equal and read the details. You can usually find one that is going where you want if not, then it’s time to do it yourself. You can book it yourself by hiring a taxi or car service to go where you want. The farther you go and the longer you are gone the more it will cost you. You can also rent a car and drive yourself if you really want to be adventurous. 😁 But if there is something you really want to see and it’s off the beaten path, don’t skip it…just work it out.

3. Alternate modes of transportation. When booking your own trip look into different modes of transportation. Sometimes it’s easier to fly but the train offers incredible views or sailing makes for an incredible day out on the water as well as getting to your destination. Look at commuter trains/flights/boats and travel like a local rather than a tourist at a fraction of the cost. *check out first class…sometimes it’s cheaper to travel like a local in style than to travel like a tourist. 😁 first class often has larger seats, WIFI, more comfort and service and better food and drinks. So don’t limit yourself.

4. Food! Do not eat at large worldwide chains while traveling. Eat local. Look for places with long lines of locals waiting to eat there. The food will usually be cheap and amazing! Eat on the go from street vendors. If it smells amazing it will probably taste amazing. Ask locals what their favorite is and give it a try. Also, always have snacks in your bag for travel delays. They happen. When they do you will be happy you have snacks. Last tip…eating on the go can be messy/sticky. Buy a pair of chopsticks in a “case” and learn to eat with them. You will not need to worry about if your hands are clean or where to wash your hands on the go.

Now that you have worked out where, when and your budget now you can start booking!

There are different options available for travel. I’ll run through the basic ones for you.

1. Cruises: Cruises are an all inclusive option with upgrades available for a price. Cruises are nice if you are traveling with a large group because you can put your deposit down and each pay off your portion separately.  You can also share a room and have your charges go to your own account rather than to the room. This works well for groups because you can do as much or as little as you want on your trip.  Excursions are organized so you can book alone or with other members of your group. Cruises also tend to have organized programs for the younger travelers allowing Mom & Dad some alone time.

2. Tours: Tours are nice if you are new to travel or are on a bit of a time crunch.  You can find a tour that meets your budget and trip length requirements. This is a great option if you want a guide.  Most hit all the must see spots and usually include breakfast and dinner.  Your travel and rooms are taken care of and if there are any problems you have someone to go to for help.

3. Resorts: Resorts have a few options available.  Most have an all-in-one approach and you have a place to eat, sleep and be entertained all in one place.  All inclusive options include food and booze into the price so if you really want to eat, drink and be merry this may be a good option for you. Some resorts are family friendly.  Those usually have some kind of kids program to entertain the kids and get some kid free adult time while on your trip.  A couple notes about the “Adult only” options.  All adult only resorts are not created equal.  Some cater to ONLY traditional Male-Female couples.  If you are travel with a same sex friend or a group (like a bachlorette party) this is not the option for you. Some adult resorts have nude beaches or pools.  This is an awesome option if you don’t want any tan lines but wish to stay dressed the rest of the time.  Keep in mind some just allow topless women, some allow completely nude men and women so look for clarification prior to booking. It is also easy to avoid if it is not your thing since nudity is limited to only a small area. Up next we have NATRUALIST resorts.  This type of resort is an all nude resort all the time.  Nude sunbathing, nude bars, nude activities, nude dining. This type of resort is often confused with the last type… The LIFESTYLE resort.  Lifestyle resorts are for partner swapping or swingers.  If this is not your scene, don’t book at one of these resorts.

4. Travel packages: These include Flight, room and sometimes a car depending on the destination.  You will often save a bit on the total cost of the trip by bundling together.

5. Booking everything separate and building your own custom vacation: Doing this all by yourself you should be comfortable with booking and traveling prior to attempting.  There is no such thing as someone to call if something does not go the way you planned.  If you are a seasoned traveler or going somewhere that you are comfortable book away! this can be an amazing option.

If you are just starting out traveling I recommend you get your feet wet with travel with either a cruise or a tour.  Both allow you to see several places in a more controlled environment with many inclusions making your venture into travel easy. You will also have people around to help you out if you need it. Both also allow you to put a deposit down and pay off you trip a little at a time to make it easier for those that are on a budget and want to pay for the trip prior to going on it. The cruise ship is part resort, part tour. You can stay on the ship and never get off, book excursions or explore the shore on your own all without ever changing rooms.  Tours will take you to several destinations resulting in packing and unpacking several times. It is a nice way to start learning how to travel or make your own “tours” later.

Up next in order of ease and convenience is the resort trip. If you are staying in a resort the majority of your vacation will be spent in the resort and enjoying all it has to offer.  The concierge or tour desk can help you arrange any day trips you wish to do outside of the resort.  Many resorts are offered in travel packages so you can bundle hotel and air in a package to save. If you book a travel package that is not a resort your amenities will depend on what kind of accommodations you book in your package.  read the details.

Doing your own thing is completely different and the topic of my next blog…

I always hear how “lucky” I am to go all these places. Luck does not have anything to do with it. Life is all about choices. I choose to save up my money and travel. I’d rather spend my money on experiences and making memories than other things. I’m not rich. I have a strict budget. I made changes in my life to allow me to be “lucky” enough to travel.

One of the things I do differently than most of the people I know is I don’t have cable or satellite service in my home. As more people cut the cord it is becoming less weird. But I have not had that service since 2005. Even the basic plans run about $100 a month. That is $1200 a year in tv alone! Instead I watch Netflix or Amazon prime videos.

Another “weird” cut is in regards to edibles. I don’t get coffee on the way to work and I pack my lunch every day. Figure $6 and $10 for lunch that’s $16 a day, $80 a week and $4,160 a year. We also cook dinner at home rather than grabbing take out or going out. It’s cheaper and healthier. I know every time we go out or get take out it costs us an average of $40. Some people never cook, but let’s say you only do it 3 days a week… that’s $120+ a week or $6,240+ a year depending on frequency and your tastes.

There are other ways to cut costs and save up instead of going out to the bar or out to dinner with friends go to someone’s home and have everyone bring a dish to share and something to drink. You still get a fun night with your friends but at a fraction of the cost! You can do theme (poker, board games, movie, holiday or pick a country or a region and try something new). Think before you buy something new. Do you really need (insert item here) or would you rather (insert activity you want to do on your trip here). Where you may really need new shoes because yours are worn out you may not really need a new video game, purse or other item. You get the idea. Just get a little creative.

So let’s add up the totals from above: $1200 in TV, $4160 in coffee and lunch and $6240 in dinner. That’s $11,600! You could take a nice trip for that! Now, you don’t have to give up going out completely, you can cut back and still save a ton. Maybe coffee is a must for you but you compromise by packing a lunch 4 out of 5 days and going out with your friends on Fridays. In our house we only go out/get take out 1 meal a week, usually on the weekend. Choices. It’s all about you and what you can and can’t do.

Once you are saving for your trip you need to put that money aside. We split our savings into 1/2 goes into savings for emergencies and 1/2 goes to the travel fund. People do their funds differently. Some put cash in a jar or envelope. I like to have my savings go into the bank I use for my banking so if something happens I can easily transfer money to my checking account. My travel fund goes into a different bank. That way I don’t see the “extra” money in my checking account balance.

Wow that was a lot! Time to look at your finances and start a plan you can live with.

Now you know WHERE you are going you can start figuring out when you want to go, how much it’s going to cost and what you want to do once you are there.

Travel books and the internet are a great place to start! I usually buy a travel book for the destination. There are lots of options out there and it’s all personal preference. I like the Lonely Planet books. They cover a lot of destinations even those that are not popular tourist destinations. Every travel book has the “hot spots”, “popular points of interest” or “must see” page(s). I find that is a good place to start. It usually gives descriptions of each spot then you can decide if you want to see it or not and how much time you want to dedicate to that spot. The books also usually have an area about typical monthly weather, high and low travel seasons and a blurb about typical cost. All of that goes into play to figure out your WHEN you want to go (and for how long), WHAT you want to do once you are there and HOW much money will you need to do it.

Now that you have figured WHERE, WHEN, WHAT you want to do and HOW much is it going to cost you can start your planning.

Travel planning – Step 2

Narrowing down where to go

Do you have your travel bucket list full of dreams but just don’t know how to make those dreams a reality? This is where most people get stuck. It’s time to pick a place. But how do you choose? Your choice is a very personal decision. Don’t let someone rain on your parade and tell you it’s impossible or stupid. It is YOUR dream not theirs.

I can tell you if you are planning an epic adventure with someone else you need to do at least a weekend/long weekend trip with them first before taking a longer trip. Check out your travel companion and see if you two (or more) travel well together. If you are up with the sun and your companion is a sleep until noon person, it probably will not work out. Do not cause yourself a bunch of stress traveling with someone you are not a good match with. If your budgets and travel ideas/desires are not in sync do not travel together. If you can’t find someone to travel with it is OK to travel alone. If you are worried, book a tour that fits your wants and needs and meet others who are like minded on your trip. In a group you are never alone and you may find yourself an awesome travel companion for the future and lifelong friends.

If you are traveling alone it’s ok. This trip is 100% about you. You don’t need to take anyone else’s wants, needs, budget or timeline into account. You can do what you want, when you want and not have to think about anyone else. If that’s the case you are in luck! You can go wherever you want!

If you are traveling with someone else you will need to get together and pick a destination, time and a budget together. But, you have already done your trial weekend runs so you already know their style making it easier to choose a destination. It’s important to make sure everything is clear from the start to avoid problems later on. I usually email the details we discussed so we are both an the same page and any booking confirmations as I go along so there are no surprises.

Congratulations! You picked a destination. Once you know WHERE you are going the fun really begins!

Ok, I’m a little late. I was pretty sick through the holidays. I’m thankfully feeling much better now.

So what are my plans for this year? This year is about finding myself! A few years ago I was feeling lost and started to pick up the pieces one at a time. I dusted off my passport and took a couple short trips. (One successful one a disaster) I started doing yoga again. I also needed a creative outlet do I picked up my camera and started taking photos again. I have since upgraded my camera. I am now entering photography contests and actually doing pretty good. I have even had a few photos in galleries.

This year I intend to continue along that line. I started a website to sell my photos https://jodi-webber.pixels.com my goal is to have 1000 photos on there by then end of the year. I only have a couple hundred up now so I have a lot of work to do.

I have a couple trips planned for this year. I’ll be going to San Diego, CA in the Spring and the UK in the Fall. (That should help me out with that 1000 photo goal😁)

My last goal is I’d like to post a blog post at least once a month. No more long stretches without a post… but that was my goal for last year as well and I didn’t do very well. Hopefully this year will be better.

So check out my website. I add more photos every week. Happy travels wherever you are in the world. May 2019 be the year your dreams come true.