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zarabia
Gondor
Feb 5, 8:13am
Views: 105
Shortcut
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I'm basically an explorer. I'm not a daring trailblazer or anything, I just like rambling around, seeing things in my own time, in my own way. When I lived in Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i and then in Santa Fe, New Mexico, I would hear or read about something then hop in my car and head that way. Sometimes I got side-tracked and didn't see what I set out to see, but I almost always enjoyed something else that I serendipitously stumbled upon. In both those places there is something beautiful around every bend in the road. I'm afraid I take my home state of Oklahoma for granted and haven't explored it as much, but it has a beauty of its own that, until recent events made it difficult, I had been making a point of observing and appreciating.
When I've had the good fortune to live and/or travel abroad, I've done a bit more planning for trips, but I still like to play things by ear. I usually devour the relevant guide books to learn about the country/city I'll be visiting, learn the basics of getting around, and study tips on how to avoid lines etc. Otherwise, I have few definite plans. I will sometimes take those hop-on-hop-off tours to get oriented, but otherwise, I just like to wander. I eventually make it to the places I definitely want to see, but along the way, I stumble upon wonderful things. Sometimes I "discover" famous places that I had overlooked in the guidebook. Somehow those places seem more special to me, as if they are, in fact, my discovery. 
However, when I was living and teaching in Poland, I took the opportunity that the holidays afforded to visit other countries. On those occasions, I didn't have access to English language travel guides for cities outside Poland, so I had to fly blind. The school had a computer, but I didn't have the chance to do much research. I literally looked at the departures board at the Krakow train station to see which destinations looked interesting and do-able in the time I had. I visited Prague and Budapest with nooo idea what to expect. No reservations, no plans...but in both cases, things worked out well. Okay, a few stumbles along the way, but ultimately, things worked out well. 
Anyway, I normally stay in small inexpensive family-run hotels. I like the idea of hostels, but I also like my privacy, so I've never tried one. I'm not a real foodie, so I'm not interested in high-end restaurants. I usually eat breakfast in my hotel, just have a snack for lunch, then eat dinner in whatever small, friendly looking restaurant I find. I try to avoid overly touristy places, but, as I usually travel alone, I look for places where I won't feel too strange asking for a table for one.  In Italy, I always make time for a gelato or three. 
Sorry for rambling on I really, really miss traveling. There have been quite a few votes, but I'd like to hear more about everyone's travel preferences.
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Subject
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User
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Time
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Travel style and preferences
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zarabia
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Feb 4, 6:00am
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BTW, I know this doesn't cover all options
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zarabia
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Feb 4, 6:45am
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It doesn't really answer the poll
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Starling
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Feb 4, 6:48am
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Our travel preferences
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zarabia
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Feb 4, 7:12am
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Ok, let's go on a mysterious and lengthy train journey together
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Starling
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Feb 4, 7:34am
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Have you been on the NZ Scenic Journeys?
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Elizabeth
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Feb 4, 8:22am
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Sorry only just saw your post
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Starling
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Feb 12, 10:01am
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Sounds fun
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zarabia
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Feb 5, 6:33am
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I love trains too
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Annael
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Feb 8, 4:22am
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I love the idea of camping
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zarabia
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Feb 13, 7:37am
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My husband &
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sherlock
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Feb 20, 7:09pm
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A train
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sherlock
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Feb 20, 7:06pm
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Our favorite travel discovery was high-end B&Bs.
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Elizabeth
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Feb 4, 8:31am
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My mom loves B&Bs
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zarabia
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Feb 5, 6:57am
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There's no pressure to socialize.
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Elizabeth
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Feb 5, 7:52am
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Maybe next time
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zarabia
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Feb 5, 8:17am
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I'm not too picky.
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BoromirOfWinterfell
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Feb 4, 5:52pm
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Haha!
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zarabia
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Feb 5, 7:02am
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Science fiction books...
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BoromirOfWinterfell
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Feb 5, 12:38pm
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Yes, that's why Fahrenheit 451
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Ethel Duath
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Feb 7, 12:58am
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could the move to e books be considered a first step
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sevilodorf
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Feb 8, 4:16am
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the one that scares me is The Handmaid's Tale //
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Magpie
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Feb 8, 4:26am
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But often...
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zarabia
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Feb 8, 7:42am
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Answering my own question
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zarabia
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Feb 5, 8:13am
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Let's see...
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batik
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Feb 12, 1:01am
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My favourite and best trip was Wellington.
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grammaboodawg
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Feb 17, 3:30pm
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Adventure: it's Out There...
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swordwhale
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Feb 19, 3:33am
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