2025 Eurail Travel Planning Guide and sinus relief
Dr Mary Travelbest Guide
Where in the world am I? Eurail Travel planning Hi there, I’m Dr. Mary Travelbest. I’m in San Diego now, sharing my best travel ideas and working on another book for you to enjoy: 5 Steps to Solo Travel, Part C. I’m about to launch on a 90-day trip around the world. Listener Story Spotlight I want to tell you about a listener named Kristen. Kristen loves to travel. She recently received a Fullbright Scholarship and took a trip with her husband and sons to a foreign country, Portugal, for several months. She’s full of great travel ideas and will be helpful as I continue to...
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Best of D. C. Smithsonian Museums
Dr Mary Travelbest Guide
This is a Best of..... Have any questions? Please ask. The photo was taken by me on the grounds of one of the many museums of the Smithsonian.
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Train Travel: SLO to San Diego and Gluten Free Travel
Dr Mary Travelbest Guide
Episode title: SLO to San Diego by Train, GF Diets, and a Confidence Challenge Hi there. I’m Dr. Mary Travelbest, a world traveler who has traveled solo for over 50 years. I'm coming to you after a recent trip to Asia. I visited Taiwan and South Korea for 10 days. I’m here to share my best travel ideas and work on solo travel. I’m about to launch on a 90-day trip around the world solo again. The aim is world peace through cultural exchange. I’m about to travel the world for 90 days. Listener Story Spotlight I want to tell you about a listener who recently retired as a...
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Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan
Dr Mary Travelbest Guide
Episode: Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan FAQ Should I use public transportation abroad? Episode: Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan Lesson Learned: Don’t schedule everything Day 1 Travel Tip: Trust your gut instincts, if unsure, pivot fast. FAQ Response: Should I use public transportation abroad? Yes, you should try it at the least, but not in rush hour with all of your luggage. One way to test it out is to try it early in the morning, before rush-hour workers arrive, but while it’s still light outside. Most of the time, you only need a card to swipe, and you...
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Seoul, South Korea and travel insurance comparisons
Dr Mary Travelbest Guide
Seoul, Korea episode Listener Story Spotlight A friend and a listener named Lois recently went to Hawaii. She told me she spent much time getting travel insurance for herself and her partner. She had to pay more than she expected as her partner was having a birthday between the day she bought the service and the day of the trip. But she said it was well worth it for her peace of mind. The FAQ for today is: Where to find the best travel insurance for a long trip abroad. 1. Start with a neutral comparison engine; you can see this in the show notes. Why use it first? Where to click ...
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Travel Planning: Ecuador
Dr Mary Travelbest Guide
Ecuador: planning Listener Story Spotlight I want to tell you about a listener named Pat who loves to take 40-minute walks. She does one every day. We have traveled together to Spain and have been ski buddies for over 10 years. She's a superb figure skater and loves cats. Maybe you even know my friend. Her last name is Brown, inspiring me to go to the Galapagos Islands this year. Thanks, Pat, for that encouragement. The FAQ for today is: How do you choose your outfits for weather conditions that constantly change? The answer is more straightforward than you think: It's basic...
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Travel Planning: Colombia
Dr Mary Travelbest Guide
Travel Planning: Part 1 Colombia In this episode: Where an I heading series: Part 1 Today’s Mistake- avoiding potholes and buying new tires Travel Advice: Safety and security tip FAQ: How do you use SERVAS? I use Servas International to help me plan my trips. You sign up on the website, and a representative will contact you and interview you. They will make sure you are a real person and check references. Then, you get a Letter of Engagement, and you can contact hosts and day hosts. Today’s destination: Planning my trip to Colombia Friends to meet in...
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Boulder, CO
Dr Mary Travelbest Guide
Boulder, Colorado FAQ: Isn’t it awkward to eat alone? Step 1 question Destination episode: Boulder, CO. Lesson Learned: Got on the wrong train line. Travel Tip: Screenshot your map before leaving Wifi FAQ Response to Isn’t it awkward to eat alone? Yes, it is the first few times. No doubt. But it gets easier with every time you do it. Soon, you’ll just walk in a restaurant and not even think about it. I can relate to the woman who has never done it, because I remember my first time. I was scared. I told the hostess: “I’ve never eaten solo in a...
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Blue Zone Travel
Dr Mary Travelbest Guide
Special Episode Blue Zone Travel The five "Blue Zones" in the world, which are regions identified as having a high concentration of people living to a very old age, are: Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; and Loma Linda, California, USA. Notably, four of these Blue Zones are located near oceans, making them easily accessible by sea travel. Ocean proximity: Blue Zones like Costa Rica and California are situated not too far from coastlines, making them ideal destinations for those interested in combining a...
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5 Steps to Solo Travel for the Woman on the Go: What are the 5 Steps?
Dr Mary Travelbest Guide
Are you traveling? Tell me why or why not. Need a confidence boost? Here are the 5 Steps to Solo travel, summarized and a link to the book on Amazon. Step 1: Local Solo Travel. Close to home local travel. Step 2: Domestic solo trips, familiar with the territory. Maybe cross country. Step 3: National travel with more complexity, such as Alaska or Hawaii Step 4: International travel in familiar cultures Step 5: Fully independent, adventurous international solo travel. I’ve been creating this podcast weekly since 2018. I’m on my way to helping more than 100,000 women travel...
info_outlineIn 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-say-country-has-handled-coronavirus-badly/
Best of Independent Destination- New Zealand’s South Island
My friend Jenny Latto, from near Auckland, New Zealand is traveling inside of her country due to the pandemic and she’s enjoying it more than ever since the tourists are almost all Kiwis these days. She’s going to travel with a few friends to the South Island for a holiday, and a Multisport race. The team does running, cycling, kayaking, and more.
Check the South Island map of New Zealand and how green it is. One city you may have heard of is Christchurch, where there was a big earthquake and a massacre. Christchurch is hotter than Auckland since it’s not surrounded by water.
When I visited New Zealand, I flew Air New Zealand and loved the service from start to finish. I flew all over the country and it was easy to get around, and lovely to see all the sheep. Once you can travel there, be sure to give yourself time to know the people as well as the beauty there.
If I had limited time in New Zealand, I would visit the Milford Sound, not far from Queenstown on the western side of the south island. One of my worldly traveled friends told me he thinks it’s the best part of the earth. In many ways, this area has similar sights to Norway. The boat trip through the fjords was somewhat magical to me. The waterfalls are stunning. There’s plenty more to see, so look in the show notes.
Franz Josef Glacier is where you can see the glacier firsthand and upclose. I started as a passenger in a plane on land, and minutes later I was ended up walking on the glacier.
Franz Josef Glacier is one of the steepest glaciers in New Zealand, descending from its origins high in the Southern Alps deep into the lush native rainforest of Westland's National Park. It also moves faster than your average glacier. This creates some truly incredible features in the glacier such as ice caves, tunnels and crevasses; all of which are constantly changing and evolving so no two days are ever the same.
https://www.franzjosefglacier.com/
Ride a chairlift above town in Queenstown
https://www.queenstownnz.co.nz/
https://www.milford-sound.co.nz/about/
Be sure to listen to the North Island episode of New Zealand, too.
Today’s Lesson learned-Getting ripped off while traveling.
When did I get ripped off? I almost never get taken when I’m traveling. Most people have been especially nice and thoughtful to me. However, here’s what happened to my friend, a very seasoned traveler. She was walking in a large downtown city, a construction zone, so the sidewalk was narrow. It was nighttime, and someone walked up to her, asked her a question, and then physically took her entire backpack and ran away with it. That’s the kind of story that sounds made up but it wasn’t. So if you’re ever in an area that may seem to be trouble, make sure that you have an escape. If you are wearing a hidden money belt, that’s the safest you can be.
Today’s Travel Advice- Listen to other travel podcasts
You have a choice when it comes to other podcasts. We hope you listen to the following, The Globetrotter Lounge with Lisette, which is an interview format with inspiring women guests who have traveled and shared their stories. Or what about listening to the history of New York through the podcast, Bowery Boys, or even listening to The Thoughtful Travel Podcast with Aussie Amanda Kendle, who talks about practical and useful tips from other travelers?