Does your Stuff keep you from traveling?

Before I started longer term travel 2+ years ago, I decided to sell my house and stuff so I could travel far and for more than the meager 1 or 2 weeks that I considered sufficient for a 'vacation'.

Back at the  property for a few months, this is the 3rd time I am sorting, donating and selling some of the tings that I can never take with me or afford to store.  

How VERY interesting to find the items I could never give away 2 years ago are now not worth the effort to sell! 

What do you do with a full dark room set up?  A pottery wheel?  Ski boots?  
Well every time I sort the boxes they become less important.  I am now down from perhaps 75 storage boxes to 25 and counting!  

But the bigger question is:  Has the financial need to sell my house so I can travel more, really been a crutch for WHY I don't travel more……  just did 14 international weeks this year along with the 8 to 10 domestic weeks so I am much closer to my goal.

No solo supplement, see article from the web

http://www.iol.co.za/travel/travel-news/it-pays-to-travel-solo-1.1628282#.Usb_ht-A2zw

I just read on line that Uniworld is offering some sailing on river cruises WITHOUT a solo supplement....

Way to go Uniworld!

read this and other articles at
 
link is above

Crossing the Atlantic, Solo

I have used a ship before to travel to Europe and on to Italy .  In off season you can often travel for LESS than business class airfare and arrive relaxed not jet lagged and crippled from sitting 9 or 10 hrs in a seat smaller than a dining room chair. This year was  exceptional for bargains. Unless you have a travel agent willing to do the work, finding a great price requires diligent searches on line, signing up for every cruise lines price alerts and often price
checking your target trips constantly.

          But all this work can pay off.

The general rule is to charge solo travelers double the fare for other passengers.
.
Often there are promotions for ‘no solo supplement’ or discounts for solo travelers  as ships do not reach their capacity bookings.


Relax on the deck and watch the sea.

My searches result in affordable travel to many of the locations on my ‘travel list’.   Having time is an asset. 

While reviewing the cruise offerings over an 8 week period I found $100 a day sailings to Greece, Turkey and in the Mediterranean in October and November.  Several were priced even lower.

Many travelers have the one or two week ‘vacation’ per year and must arrive at their destination ASAP. I don’t choose to take beach trips so I concentrate on travel to countries outside of North America. 

Transatlantic crossings offer wonderful relaxing days, with additional options for learning, entertainment and meeting travelers from all over the world.   My east bound trip will exceed my goal price of 100 euros per day but combined with the exceptionally low priced return sailing of less than $100 per day, it all averages out.

And you must take into account the Queen Mary is NOT a budget cruise line.   Think about taking this ‘experience’ once in your life.  . 



 Be a traveler NOT a tourist

Alitalia just sent this.   Business class for the SAME price as my ship crossing (balcony cabin). Be creative with your solo travel. Choose the comfort of Magnifica-Business Class for your holiday escape to Italy. Great holiday fares starting at $2512 round-trip. Don’t miss them! Hurry and book until November 30th, 2013. NEW YORK MILAN from $ 2512 RT, taxes and fees included A 14 day advance purchase is required. NEW YORK FLORENCE from $ 2572 RT, taxes and fees included A 14 day advance purchase is required. NEW YORK VENICE from $ 2574 RT, taxes and fees included A 14 day advance purchase is required. NEW YORK ROMA from $ 2817 RT, taxes and fees included A 14 day advance purchase is required.   BOSTON ROME da $ 2827 RT, taxes and fees included A 14 day advance purchase is required. BOSTON NAPLES from $ 2584 RT, taxes and fees included A 14 day advance purchase is required. MIAMI PISA from $ 2791 RT, taxes and fees included A 14 day advance purchase is required. MIAMI ROME from $ 3037 RT, taxes and fees included A 14 day advance purchase is required. Click on each offer to read the fare conditions. Seats are limited and may not be available on all flights and dates. Tickets must be purchased by November 30, 2013. A 14 day advance purchase is required. The minimum stay is three days and all travel must be completed by January 7, 2014. A $450 fee will apply to any date changes, in addition to the applicable fare difference. Outbound travel is from December 14, 2013 through January 4, 2014. Return travel must be between December 25, 2013 and January 7, 2014.