solo travel Archives — Thrifty Mommas Tips

Wyoming’s South Gap Lakes Trail Outdoor Adventures

Paula — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 14:19:52 +0000

Jagged rocks of South Gap Lakes Trail are slick with Wyoming’s first snow of the winter. This morning this Ontario Canada girl left Vee Bar Guest Ranch near Laramie where the scenery was all golden light, faint autumn breezes and babbling brooks only to find winter here. Wintery Welcome I came to explore Wyoming and had zero intentions of finding snow. My city in southern Ontario nets more than enough snow from December through end of March that I need not hunt more down. And yet here in the mountains of Medicine Bow National Forest finding the first snow of the season is bizarrely up-lifting. It somehow warms my heart knowing ski season is just around the corner. That first snow is just a taste of what will come. Up We Go Up a rocky granite ledge, I trail behind several other women. I am not the fastest or the youngest member here, nor am I the oldest of the group. Slow but steady finishes the race. You got this, I tell myself. My goal is to finish this hike. Earlier this morning we met at Mountainview Historic Inn and Cafe for a hearty breakfast before a briefing from Rebecca Walsh, owner of Hike Like a Woman. Then we take a twenty minute drive into the mountains up towards the trailhead. There’s a picnic stop and there are washroom facilities at the trailhead. The scenery in Laramie rolls on for hours, or so it seems and then suddenly mountains, lakes, trails reveal themselves against topaz blue skies. The contrast is everything. The Gap Lakes trail is divided by south and north. There are several other trails out here as well. Rebecca Walsh, is leading us answering our questions, and talking about Laramie. Near the end of the line, there’s a trail guide who resembles Arya Stark from Game of Thrones. Morgan and Marley also work with Hike Like a Woman. Overnight, Wyoming’s first snow of the season has made the edges of the mountains of Medicine Bow National Forest crisper, the ripples in the water cleaner. Jagged rocks land like a chaotic 3-dimensional puzzle. But that chill air is nipping at my lungs. It’s no minus 20 Celsius for sure, but the air, the cold and the altitude altogether with the rocky terrain are reminding me I am not twenty or even thirty any more. South Gap Lakes Trail begins at Lewis Lake and it rolls up hill, across a small stream. A break in the trail reveals a tiny pica skittering in between the rocks, barely visible. On an average morning, this trail through the forest would be challenging. Today it’s a bit slick and the rocks are in some spots not broad enough for the width of a foot. Gap Lakes Trail ranges in elevation from 10,760 feet at the trailhead to 11,000 feet between North and South Gap Lakes Trail. Planning to visit? Check out Just Trails information on the Gap Lakes Trail. Just over an incline, we pause to watch two cyclists tackling the same path we’ve just came up, jackknifing up and then down. When one gets stuck, he climbs back up from the top and starts again. He does this maybe three times before finally mastering the hairpin turn, cycling down perfectly, bouncing from rock to rock and we all applaud when finally they succeed. I am with a group of travel writers touring Wyoming on a media trip. This group of women hails from Oregon, Denver, California and Canada. The Hike The hike planned for today is two miles out and two miles back. Less than halfway through the hike at least two of our members turn back. This is my most challenging hike to date. The air is thinner than I am used to, and my legs are slowly turning to lead. I could have turned back at several points, but didn’t. At the end of the hike when we all pause to eat, hydrate and reflect, I realize the length of the hike and am filled with pride. It is a highlight of my trip to Wyoming. This group, and this hike, is just a sample of what Rebecca and Hike Like a Woman women’s hiking tours, often offers groups just like ours. She also does overnight women only hiking excursions. Walsh, who was in the army for 8 years, decided to settle in Laramie when she and her husband were getting ready to leave active duty. “We asked ourselves where the last place was that we really enjoyed. The answer was Laramie.” Hike Like a Woman offers: hikes and retreats. The business also has a thriving online community. Rebecca started her business with a parenting blog and now has a Podcast all about hiking. She is a mother of two, ages five and seven. “There are people that sit back and say oh I can’t do that. I’m not smart enough. I’m not brave enough. I can’t do that, period and there’s others just do it. …When I’m out on the trails with Hike Like a Woman on a retreat or what not I think that’s when we are our best selves. We don’t care about our homes or a children’s behaviour,” says Rebecca. Laramie is a good area for small business in general according to Walsh. Laramie is 7200 feet above sea level, so people come specifically for hiking. The Gap Lakes Trail is a big draw. Walsh also owns an outdoor sports gear store called Basecamp, a store for people who want to get outside. “We have women who come on a hike and they are in their late 50s and 60s. Age is not an issue.” “Ultimately, I just want to help people get outside.”

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31 Travel Quotes to Inspire You This Year

Paula — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 12:32:51 +0000

There are so many remarkable things left to see. Some days, and years, I am not sure I am even making the slightest dent in my lengthy travel bucket list. Days like that I think why do I keep a bucket list at all? Why not just go with the flow, pick a spot on the map and have a spontaneous adventure? I am wholly content just to travel wherever my next trip takes me with no set list, schedule, itinerary, or intention. Right now I have no idea where that will be, but I am guessing it’s a ski resort, or possibly a beach. My Travel Inspiration Travel is a gift you give yourself and your family. It’s a topic that unites us and turns us all into storytellers. This inspirational travel quotes post is for you if you live for the beach or strive to be outdoors in the mountains skiing, hiking or snowboarding. Inspirational travel quotes can fuel the fire to keep traveling and climbing new mountains. At the beginning of a new year, when the weeks and months seem full of potential, I thought it would be fun to ask some of my Family Travel Writers and Solo Travel Writer friends what their favourite travel quotes are. Here’s a bit of inspiration for you too. Our 31 Favourite Travel Quotes Corrine McDermott of Have Baby Will Travel’s McDermott helps parents of babies, toddlers and very young children to find their happy wild side experiencing travel together. She is clearly a fan of Lewis Carroll’s adventuresome spirit. Doesn’t travel make us all a little bit like Alice in Wonderland? “Actually the best gift you could’ve given her was a lifetime of adventures.” 2. Susan Pazera is one busy mom with two web sites: Moments on the Map and also She’s on the Go. Here are two of her favourite travel quotes. 3. Pazera also loves this one: “there’s no time to be bored in a world as beautiful is this.” YES! I could travel all the minutes of all my days and never see everything there is to see. But to be honest there are a few big adventures I am very willing to lose sleep over still. Denmark and Greece, Germany and England are all screaming my name. Traveling Makes You Rich…in experience. 4. Alicia Peiffer and also Kerrie Mendoza both picked this travel quote. “Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.” Alicia writes at Making Time For Mommy. Alicia is a Chicago parenting blogger who also has a son on the autism spectrum and writes some of her family travel content through that lens. Kerrie Mendoza, one of my favourite humans on the planet, also loved that particular quote about travel making you richer. Clothing and toys and gadgets don’t quite do the same thing now do they? Kerrie writes amazing food and travel content at Family, Food and Travel She’s another of my OG Canadian Mom Bloggers who are truly a giant part of my support system as an entrepreneur. One day soon I hope we have the chance to travel again together. She has an incredible Pinterest channel too. Don’t miss it. My London crew 5. Margarita Ibbott of DownshiftingPro, One of my dearest friends in the world, Margarita is a fellow Shakespeare lover, so she chose this one: “Be patient for the world is broad and wide.” Margarita provides insights into multi-generational travel and girl’s getaways too. In fact, I also love this quote because it’s hard at times to be patient when watching others travel at length, especially at this stage. I get it and I still find it challenging some days to move all of my people around when I take a solo trip. And if I want to go with my husband somewhere well that’s still pretty much impossible because the kids are not yet able to be home alone together. So patience comes into play sometimes and then other times everything unfolds rapidly. No matter how you get there, or when, the destination is pretty much always worth it and I have learned to value the journey as well. 6. Stephanie Holmes, a fellow London, Ontario Mom and family travel blogger from Canada She shares her life and travels with a unique take always at How to Survive Life in the Suburbs Here is one of her favourites: “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller Proust 7. Kirsten Maxwell, of Kids Are A Trip, notes that travel changes you as a person. Marcel Proust said it best.“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes” So true. Every time I leave a country that is new to me I am richer and wiser and I appreciate everything so much more when I return to my home in Ontario, Canada. 8. Paula Schuck – Thrifty Mommas Tips – Family Travel, Girl’s Getaways, Health and Wellness Travel, also known as me. @Inkscrblr on social media. “Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world,” this quote by John Muir is one of my personal favourite travel quotes because it reminds me of being outdoors and skiing too. Freedom is a mountain covered in snow surrounded by pines. Sometimes freedom is a hike in the summer, but for me it very often involves mountain views. Follow my bucket list travel Pinterest Board for more inspiration. Another Vote for a Quote About Travel Opening Your Eyes 9. Shoma Arora of The Mommy Spice Travel and Lifestyle web site She reminds us that you need to keep your eyes open to possibility when traveling. Some would say that’s relevant to every day life as well. “We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” – Jawaharial Nehru Http://www.themommyspice.com Ottawa Canada Travel Writers 10. Laura Byrne Paquet Paquet, of Ottawa Road Trips, is fast becoming one of my favourite Canadian travel writers. She has a sharp wit, a regal cat, and is a clever wrangler of words as shown by her comical choice from Oscar Wilde. Very honestly cannot keep up with all of her adventures. Laura is truly GOALS. As my teenage daughters would say (and if they are reading this they both just cringed so hard at their embarrassing mom.) “I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.” Oscar Wilde 11. Ann Bacciaglia Ann, of Kickassliving.com, is a good friend and a giant admirer of Anthony Bourdain’s body of work. We have been to numerous travel and blogging conferences together over the years. Most recently, we attended WITS in Quebec City. She writes about widowhood, grief, wellness and travel as a single woman over 50. What you might not know about Ann is that she lives in Ottawa and last year she did an incredible volunteer trip to Puerto Rico that sounded challenging and eye opening too. This is the quote that inspires her. Anthony Bourdain More Ottawa Travel Folks 12. Hannah Logan. AKA, Indi-Hannah Jones, Hannah is also one of my favourite independent solo travel bloggers, and she chose a Dr Seuss quote suitably. Although she chuckles at her own misadventures often, she has some of the truly incredible journeys. Late last year she went to Tonga and went diving with sharks. FULL SIZED sharks. Follow her Hannah Logan Instagram feed now. Do it. https://www.eatsleepbreathetravel.com/ 13. Becky Stanisic. Another family travel blogger in Ottawa, Becky runs a Bit of Momsense, who is possibly one of the sweetest people around. Her blog is about parenting, living and loving and to be 100 % honest she’s one of my Ottawa group who makes me want to move to Ottawa just because they have some talented people and funny bloggers. I forgive her for introducing me to Hallmark Christmas movies, to which I am now addicted. “Not all who wander are lost.” ANOTHER of the world’s best Ottawa bloggers and a Canadian travel blogger friend is this lady, Sandy Allen, at Canadian Blog House. 14. Sandy Allen: The older I get, the more I want to experience. This feeling inspired my tag line “Life is meant to be experienced” As someone who used to be afraid to try new things, Neale Donald Walsch’s quote “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” really speaks to me. It’s what now inspires me to always say “yes!” to new travel destinations and experiences. 15. Globetotting’s Katja Gaskal likes this one best, which is equally applicable to life, and parenting as it is to travel. Globetotting.com “Two of the greatest gifts we can give our children are roots and wings.” — Hodding Carter Her philosophy is summed up here in an excerpt from her site: “The idea behind Globetotting is to inspire and inform families who want to discover the world with their kids. I have always travelled; I grew up travelling from a young age and I’ve never really stopped.” Now her family of five travels the world together and has lived abroad at several points in time. Travel is Like Marriage…or Parenting 16. Paula Schuck again – Thrifty Mommas Tips. Join me here every Tuesday and I will take you on an adventure somewhere fun and often impactful. Thrifty Mommas Tips – family travel, international travel, family adventures, health and wellness. “The journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think that you control it.“ John Steinbeck. Don’t Be Afraid to Jump Right In 17, “A ship in a harbour is safe, but is not what ships are built for.” John Shedd. That one appeals to me because we love the water and also we love to cruise. More Ontario Writers 18. Deanna Tousignant of Maple Leaf Mommy is one of the OG parenting and lifestyle bloggers in Canada. I am a fan of her, and her blog and her busy, lovely, family. Deanna is a sandwich mom and I know a little something about that, so show her some support and love when you have a moment. It’s a challenging space to be in, but rewarding and such important work too. Family is everything of course. This Mark Twain quote is her favourite of all the quotes about travel. 19. Jurga Van S. of My Full Suitcase. The famous quote attributed to Dalai Lama: “Once a year go someplace you’ve never been before”. I love it because it inspires people to explore more, no matter if it’s a place close to home or on the other side of the world. My site is Full Suitcase https://fullsuitcase.com/ 20. Heidi Gollub is a freelance travel writer from Austin., Texas. R We There Yet Mom? – A Texas Lifestyle Blog 🙂 rwethereyetmom.com “Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” Benjamin Franklin. 21. Nicci O’Mara of Trip Chiefs teaches others to travel easily with kids. That’s not an easy thing to do sometimes, but it can be when you figure out how to simplify, find your system as a family, and if you are also flexible on the road. My favourite is this travel quote, equally applicable for life, by Jack Kerouac. A few people cited this one actually. 22. Kimberly Tate has a fantastic family travel blog that has some serious street cred. In short, she’s been doing this for awhile and she knows a thing or two. “Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.” -Søren Kierkegaard https://stuffedsuitcase.com Mary Penafiel Solio based her blog on a Book, just like the quote here says. 23. “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page.” – St. Augustine. Loved the quote enough to name my blog after it 😊 http://www.theworldisabook.com 24. Lisa Goodmurphy is a must read in family travel. Trust me on this. She says: “I have always liked this one from James Michener for the reminder that travel is about being open to new experiences. “If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion, and avoid the people, you might better stay home.” “ Gone With The Family 25. Sarah Wright Wilson of The Wandering Grumpus is another Dr Seuss lover. Clearly, she’s a writer who sees the fun and whimsical side of Dr. Seuss and applies that to her travel experiences. “If you never did you should, these things are fun & fun is good.” -Dr. Seuss http://thewanderingrumpus.com/ 26. Karyn Means of Walking on Travels has a beautiful quote that is inspiring for all ages. This quote always reminds me of childhood and Peter Pan. One of my favourites, both in life and the mindset for travel when fear holds you back. “WHAT IF I FALL?” OH, BUT MY DARLING WHAT IF YOU FLY? The Happiness Ambassador 27. Charles McCool, chief happiness ambassador at McCool Travels. Charles is one of my favourites to run into at every single travel event ever. True story – I first met Charles on a travel media fam tour to Daytona Beach. I was the only Canadian and when talk turned to food I happened to mention that I had never ever had Krispy Kreme donuts. So, on the last day as we were taking an airport limousine to the airport the group of travel writers pulled over as soon as they saw the flashing sign and we all shared some Krispy Kreme donuts. Shared my first Krispy Kreme with Charles. He definitely brings the fun always. Do You Work to Travel or Travel to Work? 28. Christy Laverty of A Little Brightspot likes this one, and so do I. “Jobs Fill Your Pockets But Adventures Fill Your Soul.” A lot of us work to travel. Some travel writers have built a career travelling to work and that’s not entirely without a few bumps in the road too sometimes. But I can’t think of a better way to make a living than writing. People I Love to Travel With 29. My Friend Aeryn Lynne of Geek Life is a Boss at what she does (web developer). She takes incredible photographs too. I rely on her for her technical smarts and she is a pretty KILLER navigatrix on a Gal Pal’s Getaway. Just saying! Also she knows all the things about Geek Travel and Geek topics like Marvel. 30. Another from me that you probably all are familiar with too. “I Travel Because I Become Uncomfortable Being Too Comfortable.” 31. A final quote for good measure is one I am sure you all know. Every Trip is an Adventure Is there such a thing as a bad trip? I mean even the one family adventure we had that was a hot mess of failures from the minute you said GO, had highlights and a few great moments. That trip began with the tour company dropping the ball, the realization that the resort was closing the next week, and staff checking out early leaving tourists high and dry for a week. But it was also… That was also the time we parasailed on the beach. Well, to be honest my husband and kids parasailed and I took photos. But watching them was pure joy and overhearing this lady on the beach say – “OMG is a kid doing that?” Well, that is a memory I will never forget. Last Year Was Spectacular and This Year Will Be Too. Girlfriend’s Getaways are One of My New Favourite Ways to Experience Something New This past year I had many memorable adventures. One of those led me off on a whale watching tour with friends in Tadoussac, Quebec. That girlfriend’s getaway was epic. And of course our cruises and ski vacations are always taken together. There’s nothing better than discovering a new mountain with my entire family together. Watching the kids soaking it all up and enjoying the trip, well that’s my reason to travel right there. Never Boring Travel is a bit of magic. What an amazing thing that we can fly almost anywhere and embrace something new any day you wish. Here’s to an incredible year of adventures! Of all there quotes above which one is your favourite?

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How to Embrace Self Care Before Every Trip

Paula — Fri, 28 Sep 2018 10:12:40 +0000

Before every trip here I have a list of work obligations and personal details to get through. Not going to lie. Sometimes it gets hairy. One by one each task slowly gets ticked off my To Do List. Of course there’s packing and getting organized, but those are mostly routine jobs I can do quickly. I also have a specific self care routine that allows me to strive towards being in good health during the trip. That means paying attention to a few consistent things before every trip. Travel is truly an epic adventure always and it’s also hard work sometimes. Around here, in my world, travel can take the form of amazing Familiarization Tours, which I love, but sometimes that schedule is gruelling. And don’t even get me started on airplane travel and airports. These trips can be laid back too, but more often it’s work and running from place to place striving to gather details to string together content is the natural rhythm. When travel writing is a part of your livelihood you need to be ready to go when your feet hit the ground. Believe me I have learned from my mistakes. My hardest and longest international flight ever to South Africa was gruelling. I was getting over bronchitis and couldn’t miss this amazing trip because I had been chosen for a Shot at Life fellowship. DRAGGED myself through four different airports to get there and wished I was in a wheelchair when I was standing in line for entry to South Africa after about 18 hours of travel. But I aim to avoid ever being that sick while traveling. Getting sick is sometimes unavoidable. But I work hard to keep my body and mind strong before a trip. So, with that in mind here is a little bit about how I take charge of my self care and health before I travel. This week I am leaving for a big sponsored RV trip with Ontario Parks. My family is also coming along of course and it should be amazing. Can’t wait to hike and get outside and explore Ontario’s North and some provincial parks I have not yet seen. But, I am also taking care of me right now so that I can do all the things and have a blast. My Self Care Routine Before Every Trip Step up the exercise routine. Even if I have hours before a flight I spend them at the gym working out. More than a couple of my friends don’t really get this. But I need to go into the flight or road trip knowing I made every effort to stretch and be healthy. Today I did Centergy which is essentially pilates. Monday I did Yoga and Tuesday I attended Centergy also. If I have a moment tomorrow I will go for a long walk before we set off. My person goal for 2018 was to move more often and this is a task I take seriously before I venture off on a trip. There’s so much sitting involved in planes and cars, and RV trips too. So that I don’t stiffen up or lose energy I do multiple group workouts in the days before every trip. Hydrate. I wish my kids understood this one by now. One day they’ll get there. Travel is exhausting and drying. Airplanes and airports are germs and extremely dry. Drink now. Water, water and more water. Drink all the way down the road or highway to the airport and be sure you start a couple of days before. Today I am loading up on water and I will keep that up all the way there and back. Hydrating with water is a huge part of my process when I am getting ready to travel. Sleep. Last night I was dog tired at 10 p.m. so I shut it all down and went to sleep. My youngest daughter even climbed into my bed for a cuddle and she ended up falling asleep too. Kind of comical. Don’t shortchange your sleep before a trip. Better sleep is an ongoing goal here too. It’s hard not to be excited but sleep is crucial to how you function. Eat Well. Whether it’s solo travel, business travel or family travel, I make sure we have a healthy home-cooked meal here before we go. When you are on the road you don’t always know where or when the next restaurant will appear. You might not know where the grocery stores are and the timing might simply be off for finding grocery stores and the like. So it makes me feel much better if we all have had one solid healthy meal before every trip. Medicine. It’s no secret that my family takes medication for some unique health issues here. So a big part of my routine is making sure we have all the medicine and multi-vitamins organized and ready to go. That one is right up there with passports and once I have done all of these things before every trip then I know I have done my best to head into the experience with a healthy mind, body and attitude. Check out this Keeping your Medicine Cabinet Organized post. Do you have any self care tips before you travel?

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How to Travel for Self-Care When Parenting a Child With Special Needs

Paula — Tue, 10 Jul 2018 12:00:05 +0000

I am more than thrilled to bring readers another instalment of Special Challenges With a Special Child. My series started just last month with a post on Angelman Syndrome. Today we are joined by Tawanna Browne Smith discussing travel for self-care. My daughter, Payton, and I met Tawanna in Puerto Vallarta on a travel media fam trip in 2014. This travel influencer, entrepreneur and MOM, is a powerhouse. What you should know. Her Instagram lives rock and she’s working hard at mastering IGTV. She is the go to person for Moms who want to travel for self-care and need to build travel into their lives, but don’t know how to make that happen. She once zip lined through the rainforest in Puerto Vallarta with my daughter Payton, and both were wearing flip flops at the time. DETERMINATION is zip lining in flip flops. Payton forever remembers that trip and won’t ever forget T because she also was sweet and funny and managed to keep flip flops on while flying through the jungle. Boss lady right there. Happily she’s here to share her amazing tips on how to survive and thrive with a child who has special needs. Join me in welcoming Tawanna Browne Smith. 1. Tell me a bit about yourself. Please include name, city you live in and your website, business and/ or socials. My name is Tawanna Browne Smith. I’m originally from Brooklyn, NY. I’ve traveled all over the U.S. and around the world. I currently live in Pasadena, MD which is about 10 minutes from Annapolis, MD and 15 minutes from Baltimore, MD. I create transformational retreats, group trips and personalized itineraries for female clients. Initially I started off with this business as a travel writer/blogger and have evolved over the years. I also do digital marketing projects with businesses and individuals. You can find me at Momsguidetotravel.com and TawannaBSmith.com as well as @TawannaBSmith across social media. 2. How old are your children? Two boys, ages 10 and 14. 3. Can you tell me a few things about your family and your child with special needs? My family loves to travel. My husband works for the military so travel is common for him. I’ve been traveling since I was a teenager. I started my kids traveling when they were young. My 14-year-old is typically developing and off to high school next year. My youngest is going to 5th grade. My youngest son has autism. He is full of life, strong-willed and loves being around other people as well as being in the car or outside. 4. With respect to your child who has special needs, what is their diagnosis? My youngest is limited verbally but can still make his needs known. Until age 4 they classified his autism as PDD (Pervasive Developmental Delay) and now that he’s 10, classify it as an Intellectual Disability. But I reject the term. I admit he has an intellectual delay but I don’t like the term Intellectual Disability. 5. What special challenges result due to their diagnosis? Day to day challenges surrounding independence (tying shoes, toileting, personal care, communication, self-regulation). 6. How do you deal with those challenges on a daily basis? I take long breaths! LOL. I start my day off praying actually. Then I think about the things I am grateful for. And I always remind myself that things could be worse. We’ve battled leukaemia with my youngest and survived. Although autism is challenging it’s not life-threatening. So I just try to keep perspective. I use different systems to help me manage the day-to-day challenges. If my son is being particularly challenging, I stop trying to “get things done” until he is happy again. A lot of my frustration comes into play when I want to get what I want to get done but I have to attend to my child’s needs. It’s a tug of war that I’ll ultimately lose so I say to myself, why even go through the battle? I focus on accomplishing one thing for the day if the challenges are particularly great in that 24 hour period. And I tag team with my husband! 7. What advice do you have for other parents of special needs children? See above. LOL. Ultimately, you have to not only be patient with your child but you have to be patient with yourself. Figure out what the problem is and the best solution to solve it. 8. Do you travel together as a family? Do you travel on your own? How does this work? We do a combination of traveling. We travel as a family. Every few years my husband and I will go on couples only trip. And throughout the year, he and I go on solo trips or trips with friends. Since much of my business revolves around travel, it makes sense that I would travel more often. However, I think I’d travel often anyway even if I wasn’t doing work within the niche. I honestly tell my husband what I need – that I need time to myself periodically. It’s just the way I’m wired. To keep things balanced we talk about the places we plan to travel during the year with friends, etc. When I travel, he adjusts his work schedule and accommodates me. Because I work from home, nothing really changes when he travels. I have to do a lot more coordinating but that’s nothing new for moms. As long as it gets me to my ultimate goal, it is worth it. 9. Is there anything else you want to add or share that might help other families who are struggling? I think it’s important to be honest with yourself. Reflect and write down what you need, what’s making you unhappy, what you’d like to work on, and who you need around you to help you out. If your marital situation isn’t ideal, then you may have to look to extended family or friends to lend a hand. Final Thoughts on Travel for Self-Care: Make sure the time-out is a give and take with you and your spouse. You each need and deserve a break. Be sure to communicate and negotiate it. I wrote this article about traveling for self-care which goes deeper into the how and why of traveling for a self-care break: http://momsguidetotravel.com/moms-use-solo-travel-for-self-care/ Remember to love and to breathe! Have Your Own Story to Share? If you have a story to tell about parenting a special needs child please email me: at inkscrblr@rogers.com. Make sure your Subject line is – Special Challenges.

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Stay Safe With These Five Tips When Traveling #travel

Paula — Sun, 30 Apr 2017 13:17:47 +0000

Stay safe when you travel by making sure everything is in order before you leave, and all set up for when you get there. The key to helping you stay safe is proper planning. With planning in place, you’ll have all your bases covered, from transportation to lodging to funds. Stay Safe and Secure When Traveling Whether you’re road tripping or hopping a plane, there are things you can do to help you be as safe as possible while on your trip. Think ahead and limit the opportunity for bad things to happen. So how do we do that? Car Check If you’re road tripping, always have your car checked from top to bottom. Do a complete once over. Check turn signals and oil levels. Change the oil if necessary. Check the tire pressure and the treads. Get your vehicle a tune up if needed and have the mechanic check your power steering and coolant levels. The last thing you want on your road trip is to be stranded in the middle of nowhere, or worse, have a blow out or some other major issue while on a highway or the interstate. Passport Check Always make sure your passport is up to date and includes every ounce of personal information necessary. Not only is your passport the gateway in and out of countries, it’s a valuable tool to help you stay safe. You’ll use your passport at places like embassies and consulates in case of emergencies. Another good idea is to keep a photocopy of your passport with you in luggage or a purse. Leave a photocopy at home with your travel agent or emergency contact. (If you happen to lose a passport I have a post all about what to do and where to go to address the lost passport.) [tweetthis]Always keep a photocopy of your passport on you in the event that you misplace yours. Leave a copy of your passport and itinerary at home with someone you trust too #travel[/tweetthis] Never Show If you want to stay safe, never flash money or credit cards. Take only what you need out of your wallet and do it in a way that you aren’t showing the world that wad of cash you have or those five credit cards you keep in your wallet. Traveling is rewarding, but can also be dangerous. Travelers are sometimes marked for scams and theft. Don’t give thieves more of a reason to target you. [tweetthis]Don’t reveal details about when or where you are staying to strangers when traveling. #travel[/tweetthis] Never Tell When you reach your destination, don’t tell anyone other than family and friends where you’re staying. One big key to helping you stay safe is maintaining strict privacy. I know we all think bad things can’t happen to us, but they can. No one needs to know where your family is staying. That is a clear opening for robbery. Be Adequately Suspicious I’m not saying to assume that all the locals are a threat, but being extra cautious is an absolute necessity to help you stay safe. If you encounter a person who seems overly interested in you and probing with their questions, especially as they relate to your trip, disengage immediately. They may just be super friendly, or they may be pumping you for information about where you’re staying and how much money you have. Stay Vigilant. Stay Safe The key to staying safe is to be vigilant at all times on your trip. That means being vigilant about making sure the car is in good working order in the same way that you’re vigilant about not giving out personal information or letting people see what’s going on in your wallet.

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