Toronto Canada Part 2 of 2
Dr Mary Travelbest Guide
This episode is about Toronto, Canada. See Book A for addressing this challenge. Find it on the website at or on Amazon. It’s a several-part series. Toronto is another example of Step 3 travel, advanced solo travel. Other step 3 destinations in my Part B book include Banff, Whistler, and Vancouver. Destination Deep‑Dive Today’s special destination is: Toronto, Canada, part two of two You may arrive at Pearson airport, like I did, which was a lovely airport ranked high among international airports. I had the opportunity to experience the Priority Pass lounge...
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Toronto Canada Part 1
Dr Mary Travelbest Guide
Toronto Part 1 of 2 FAQ: Do you travel on public transport? Let’s explore one city. The FAQ for today is: How would I travel around Toronto on public transport, if needed? Here are a few facts about their public transit. Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is your central transit system—includes: Subway Streetcars (trams) Buses PRESTO Card is the smart fare card you'll want to use. It gives discounted fares for seniors (65+). Ask ChatGPT about the best travel options for you, whether it's the subway or any other mode of transportation. It will provide detailed information instantly....
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Around the World Travel Summary Part 2
Dr Mary Travelbest Guide
Where in the world am I? In San Diego today. Trip Summary 2 Hi there. I’m Dr. Mary Travelbest, recently on a 90-day journey around the world, excited to connect with fellow travelers and share our experiences. Listener Story Spotlight Today's listener story is about 79 year old Sandi Biback who I met in Toronto and helped organize an afternoon with women from the JourneyWoman organization. She was called in to help and rose to the occasion. She is traveling to Bhutan in October and has shared several tips with me for purchasing Travel insurance. She's seasoned in...
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Around the World Travel Summary Part 1
Dr Mary Travelbest Guide
Hi there. I’m Dr. Mary Travelbest, coming to you from a recent trip, on a 90-day solo journey around the world. Listener Story Spotlight Alina, whom I met in Toronto and who hosted me for my final four nights, is trying to travel to Seattle this week, but she’s been affected by the Air Canada airline strike. She’s a great traveler who has visited Japan, Spain, and many European countries. She was an excellent Servas host. Look up if you want to encourage world peace with cultural exchange. Quick-fire FAQ: The FAQ for today is: What was my favorite...
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Flashback 2020 Covid travel South Dakota
Dr Mary Travelbest Guide
Flashback to 2020 Travel This was Covid Travel. Solo Travel. Road trip around the midwest USA. This episode is unscripted, unedited and raw. Listen to Dr Mary Travelbest tell you about her travel to some of the best places for women to travel. Badlands, Sioux Falls, and hiking in the National Parks. You will enjoy hearing about me getting poison Ivy, hiking with animals in Centennial, getting a sunburn in the hot springs and driving 5000 miles without touching anyone and being fully masked. Let me know if you listen and what you think. It's an experiment to see how this content resonates with...
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Travel Planning: Peru
Dr Mary Travelbest Guide
Where in the world am I? Peru planning Hi there. I'm Dr. Mary Travelbest, returning from a recent trip to Asia. 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 Raquel from Peru. She has been a friend for 40 years and has encouraged me to travel to Lima since then. She created all the images and designs for my first published travel book in 1993. She's been a friend for swimming in...
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Travel Planning: Brazil
Dr Mary Travelbest Guide
Where in the world am I? Brazil planning Hi there. I’m Dr. Mary Travelbest, returning from a recent trip to Asia. 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 Juliana who is from Brazil. She was a student of mine and now she works with me. She gave me a list of all the places in Brazil that I should be going to.She and I have known each other for 3 years. She’s so beautiful...
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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...
info_outlineIn this episode, the FAQ is: What should I tell people who think I can’t travel solo?
Today’s Destination is Lake Como, Italy
Today’s Misstep: Sometimes, you don’t love your roommates when you share a room. Here’s why.
Travel Advice: Don’t buy another timeshare. If you have one, it’s really hard to sell it.
FAQ: What do I tell people who think I can’t travel solo?
Answer: Ask them why not. Then listen.
Then, address each one of their questions or comments if you like. No one says you need permission to travel solo, but it would be good to tell them you are prepared, have planned for things to go wrong, and have taken this travel step by step to be more likely to be successful.
They may be telling you in a way that they will miss you, but don’t know how to say that. They could also be jealous. They could wish they could make this trip themselves. So there could be a lot of hidden reasons why they have those opinions.
Today’s destination: Lake Como, Italy
Lake Como, Italy, was a quick train ride from Milan, Italy.
On a hot day, about 95 degrees Fahrenheit, I ventured to Lake Como to cool down. I went there solo for three days, staying in town at a hostel that cost me $150 a night for a “middle bunk.” That was the most I paid for sleeping anywhere around the world. It did have a bathroom with a shower en suite.
It may have been less costly if I had booked earlier than two weeks in advance. Either way, here’s some advice if you are heading there.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Como_San_Giovanni_railway_station
It was a quick walk from the Como San Giovanni train station to town, so you don’t need a car here if you stay in the main city. The lake is a breathtaking view from wherever you are, so the water keeps you cool, even on a boat. Buy the all-day ferry ticket if you can stay for the day.
https://lakecomotravel.com/boat-tours-ferry-lake-como/
https://www.navigazionelaghi.it/en/services/disabled-accessibility-and-prm/
Explore all the ferries and see the episode's notes with links, including accessibility information for getting on and off the ferries.
I spent a full day on a ferry tour of the lake, three hours north at its furthest and with more than one tributary.
I got off at Menagio and found a paid private club called Lido, but I did not swim there. A few minutes later, while swimming, I met a family from Denmark at a free swim spot. I walked the town and had Nutella-flavored gelato.
I then Took the ferry to Varenna. I walked the town.
Then, I took another Ferry to Bellagio. The line was too long to get back on, so I stayed on board. I got off later in the smaller town. I met another couple from Germany. They agreed it was dreadfully Hot.
I Stopped to cool my feet in the sea at Argegno—thunderstorms in the morning. I walked to town.
https://www.explorelakecomo.com/go/lido-di-argegno#google_vignette
I met a girl from Munich and her friend, who took a photo of me with some flowers.
Bellagio has the George Clooney Villa. Most of the music I hear is American pop, not Italian.
The lake is carved into a deep canyon. The hills above can be accessed by a special bus-like on rails called a Funicular.
I took the Lake Como Funicular at 7:15 pm, running every 30 minutes until midnight.
I highly recommend you do this and give yourself time at the top. The views are stunning, and there’s a lot to explore here.
It connects Como to the town of Brunate. The trip lasts 7 minutes and reaches the maximum allowed gradient of 55%—so that’s steep! The fee is small: only 3 euros (4 dollars) for a single journey and 5,50 euros (7 dollars) for a round trip. So worth it!
When leaving the train station, notice the sculpture of large human hands nearby. It is beautiful and dedicated to disabled service people. One hand is healthy,, and one is wounded.
https://www.explorelakecomo.com/go/monumento-ai-caduti-per-servizio
Also, I noticed a little bit of Las Vegas here; inside the train station, there was mini gambling, like in Las Vegas. Ironically, there’s a hotel in Las Vegas that’s called Bellagio.
Today’s Misstep: You don’t always love your roommates, right?
I went to bed by 9 p.m. because I was busy the next day. My bed was the middle bunk, and there were 5 in the room booked. At 11 p.m., two girls arrived and talked in street voices. I asked them to quiet down nicely. They did not. I finally did get to sleep, but it was rude of them to wake others with their voices and chatter. Would you agree?
Today’s Travel Advice: Don’t buy a timeshare or another one. If you have one, it’s tough to sell it.
We got conned when we tried to sell our timeshare, so don’t let that happen to you. We only lost a few thousand dollars, but it was a warning. These are not easy to sell. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If they ask you for money, walk away. Timeshares are hard to navigate to use your week. I spend hours each year trying to book one, and it’s very frustrating.
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