Category Archives: Travel Musings

3 Travel Panic Moments

04 Monday Feb 2013

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I originally started this post by writing about how lucky I’ve been in my travels, about how I’ve avoided many unfortunate specific travel-related misfortunes but I am superstitious enough that I don’t want to tempt fate or the travel gods by listing them. As Michael Scott would say, “I’m not superstitious. But I’m a little stitious.”

Sometimes travel can be tricky when you're a blond like me...

Sometimes travel can be tricky when you’re a blond like me…

Suffice to say I’ve been safe and relatively timely, whether that’s due to luck or smart travel. I hope for the latter. But even for the lucky traveler, those moments of panic happen. Often, it’s because we’re not thinking clearly…

Here are three that come to mind right away…

3. Just the other night I went to check us in online for our flight to Croatia. It was 7:10 p.m. and our flight left the next evening. I clicked through the usual screens, entered my name and surname, airport of departure, the whole thing. But a red error message came up saying RESERVATION DOES NOT MATCH NAME, and even worse, the flight listed to Zagreb was for an hour from then. What the eff!?

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That Time I Bought Stamps in Istanbul (And Other Adventures in Turkish)

27 Sunday Jan 2013

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At the Post OfficeA few weeks ago, I went to the post office next to our apartment. My goal: to buy stamps. 

À la Recherche du Stamps Perdu
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 Like many other countries, post offices in Turkey are also where people pay bills and conduct other business. Stamps are one of the last things on the list when folks visit the post office. 

But I have a bad habit of hoarding post cards and ending up with 20 cards from 4 countries. And so it was that day.

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Topkapı Palace: Stomping Grounds of the Ottoman Sultans

23 Wednesday Jan 2013

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When I think of a palace, I think of Disney. And lush gardens, and over-the-top architecture, and lots of bling. Although my trip to Topkapı didn’t include a Cinderella sighting (I suppose that’d be more of a castle, wouldn’t it? Is there a difference? Someone help me out with this…), I was certainly impressed by its grandeur.But wait…Topkapwha? 
 Here are the basics:

  • Topkapı Palace began being built in 1459 by Sultan Mehmed II, who was responsible for conquering Constantinople.
  • It was home to the sultans and their courts until 1856, when the sultan moved to Dolmabahçe Palace.
  • It has been a museum since 1924.
  • A treasury, kitchens, mosques, stables, baths and even a circumcision room are all part of the palace complex
  • There are 4 main courtyards

Obviously there is a lot more history and information about the palace, but you get the idea. The people who lived on the palace grounds essentially never had to leave–they had everything they needed there!

Topkapı Palace: Stomping Grounds of the Ottoman Sultans
Entrance to Topkapı-The Imperial Gate
The Street of the Council was used for imperial processions. It leads to the next courtyard.

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7 Things I’m Glad I Packed

17 Thursday Jan 2013

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My trip’s not over yet, I know, but as I look back and realize I’ve been on the road now for more than 6 months, I can’t but help give myself a pat on the back for my packing job. *Pats self on back.*I’ve made it through summer, fall (real fall!), winter and will be starting spring by the time I get back to the good ole US of A. Through hiking in the hot Mediterranean and the Highlands, last-minute travel planning, and my first white Christmas, some of my stuff has really made the travel grade.

Here are the 7 things I’m glad I packed for my extended trip to Europe.

My comfy black yoga pants

  These were a Christmas gift a few years ago from my parents. Mine happen to be by GapBody (something like this), but I’m pretty sure any black dance pants with cotton-y, stretchy goodness would have been swell.

Not only have they proven great for actual yoga and dance, they’re also good for layering under a short dress in chillier climes or more traditional cultures, perfect for lounging around the house/apartment/hostel/farm/commune, and also function as my cold-weather PJ bottoms! The black color helps with their versatility, too!

Lowa Trailrunners 

I went through quite a process to find the perfect shoes to bring on this trip.

I knew I’d be hiking in many types of weather, and doing a lot of regular walking. I didn’t want super chunky boots for packing reasons. I went to my favorite outdoor store in Tucson, Summit Hut, no fewer than three times to find the best shoe. I even bought a pair and tried them out at home for a day; when they weren’t quite right, the kind folks at Summit Hut let me return them.

The ones I finally ended up deciding on (shout out to Jess for her patience and GREAT recommendation!) were Lowa S-Curve Mesh WS.

My Lowas even ran in Olympic Stadium. Bamf!

Although they’re not waterproof, they dried very quickly so even hiking on the rainy Isle of Skye was no problemo. They got me half-way up (and down) Mount Olympus, and despite all their wear are still as comfy as ever. Because of the mesh, they’re also really easy to pack into my suitcase, and have excellent traction for all kinds of terrain. Win!

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4 Ways To Save Money in Istanbul

05 Saturday Jan 2013

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Istanbul is one of those cities that is surrounded by some sort of mystery. Enchantment, some might call it. And enchanting it is. Just walk along the pier and watch the fishermen, meander through the bazaar, or soak in the minaret-studded skyline at dusk and you’ll know it is somewhere special.

The view from our (super cheap) ferry ride.


Like any other big tourist hub, though, Istanbul is certainly a place where–if you’re not careful–your money will slip through your fingers. So how to avoid it? Here are 5 tips to keep your pocketbook balanced and your wanderlust sated!
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Trip Update: What’s Up for 2013

01 Tuesday Jan 2013

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Right now, I’m based in Istanbul, Turkey until the first week of February. I’m working on writing projects, graduate school applications (only one left!) and spending quality time with my darling, as well as exploring one of the most mystical cities on the planet.

But what’s next on the docket, Miss Button? 

After struggling with where we’d go for the week-long vacation from work my boyfriend has, (we did toy with Morocco, but in the end the flight prices were too much for my current pocketbook) we are heading to a country I’ve been pumped to see for months: Croatia! Our itinerary isn’t set yet, but we are flying into Zagreb, and I think we will stay north (we only have about 5 full days there anyway, and we’d rather see more of the country than spend too much time getting from one place to the next). I’d like to hit up some places in Istria, especially Rovinj.

Then what? After a whirlwind tour of Croatia, we’ll have to part ways again and I’ll continue north to Slovenia. I’m going to hang out in Ljubljana, and also do a day trip to Lake Bled.

Pretty, huh? Source

After that, I’m going to FINALLY visit Prague, which literally every single person I’ve ever talked to who has been there says is one of the most wonderful cities ever. I hope it hasn’t been built up too much…

And if it has, I’ll roll on to Dresden, then chug on to Berlin.

Big news: On February 28th, I’ll head stateside. I’m landing in one of my favorite cities of ALL TIME: New York City. I’m planning on spending time there with friends and family, and then will take a cheap bus up to Boston & its surroundings again to see family & friends. I’ll be back in Tucson for St. Patty’s Day.

But wait, isn’t that shorter than your original trip idea? What about SE Asia? Australia? 

Never fear! I still have some wonderful adventures for 2013 in the works, many of which will involve more bumbling! Plus, I’ll continue blogging about all the wonderful things to do, places to eat and sights to see on the East Coast, back in my beautiful hometown, and wherever else I go!

Where do you want to adventure in 2013?

8 Important Things of 2012

31 Monday Dec 2012

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 I didn’t start 2012 with the expectation that I would leave my job and travel. Evidence: I signed on to a two-year cell phone plan and “invested” in my first smart phone, since, after all, I’d have the job and the time to pay for it and use it all the time.

I love window seats. This is why.

As 2013 approaches, along with another birthday (what up, Capricorns!), I look back on 2012 and realize it was probably one of the best years of my life. While there are big things and small that make it so, here are a few important things I want to share with you about the things I’ve learned and what I’m glad I did in the past year, in no particular order of importance.

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A White (Istanbul) Christmas

26 Wednesday Dec 2012

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2012 marked my first year away from family for Christmas. Thanksgivings I’ve done, 4th of Julys, New Year’s Eve, but Christmas and, now that I think about it, my birthday, have always been spent in the raucous company of my beloved family.
Admittedly, I was apprehensive about this. I am very close with my family, and I”m a sucker for tradition, so I wasn’t sure how well I’d adjust to being away from Tucson for this holiday. I expected to cry a lot over Skype.
I’m glad that’s not what happened. 
Belgrad Forest
 

What I Did Wrong in Belfast (And Some Things I Got Right)

23 Sunday Dec 2012

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I did Northern Ireland all wrong. Really, I did. I had thought it would be worthwhile—although brief—to head north for my flight to London rather than bussing to an airport like Shannon or even Dublin to fly. After all, I hadn’t seen any of Northern Ireland and had seen astounding photos from the Giant’s Causeway. I wanted to go there, at least.
So with that in mind, I booked a bus from Galway to Belfast (a 5 or so hour trip with a connection in Dublin) and another Paddywagon Tourof the Giant’s Causeway, the famous Rope Bridge of Carrick-a-Rede and the surrounding countryside. I had such a good experience with them for the Ring of Kerry trip I took out of Cork that I figured it would be a sure thing. I also reserved a bed at the highest-rated hostel in Belfast, and hoped that my 2 night, 1 day stay would suffice.
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