Victorian mansions are defined and associated with their architectural grandeur.  That is the obvious feature that seems prominent. However, they might also conjure up macabre details of hauntings. Why is this so? Because human behavior and disciplinary protocols during that time were very harsh and austere. Etiquette was also very structured, detailed and enforced. It wasn’t all just crinolines, corsets and petticoats. Oh no, it was also chaperones, calling cards and social ostracism. Etiquette and architecture is what I think of when visiting a Victorian mansion.

Etiquette

Courtship required being chaperoned. Young females required constant chaperoning and if this was violated, it resulted in a ruined reputation where one fell prey to gossip and criticism. Women were encouraged to be bright and sparkly in conversation but never too intelligent. Gentlemen callers could bestow certain gifts upon their ladies but the approval list of items was very stringent. The various social ranks had strict rules upon whom you could be introduced to and who you could address.

Calling cards were an actual thing. They originated in France and made their way to Victorian society. This tradition helped secure one’s social status and how they ascended in societal ranks. The fashionable upper class announced their arrival to destinations with their calling cards. Sometimes the cards included coded messages. A lady’s carriage footman delivered the calling cards to the destination or recipient for the lady. Over the years, we continue to use the words calling card as slang.

Victorian etiquette was a very broad subject including the most specific of rules, boundaries and regulations. Where did all this social rank, etiquette and lifestyle take place? —in the foreboding Victorian homes, of course! In fact, the architecture of these home reflected the intricacies and ornamentation of their social behavior!

Architecture

Towers, turrets, dormers, and stained glass are just a few of the architectural details which were included in the beauty of a Victorian home. Ornate woodwork, 2-3 story floors, nooks, high ceilings and ornate staircases can all be found in the historic homes. Imagine turning a corner and finding a parlor nook where fainting couches elegantly allowed Victorian women to collapse and rest from the pressure of their binding corsets. Vaile Mansion

In Independence, Missouri, Vaile Mansion is a perfect example of Victorian architecture. Twenty minutes or so outside of Kansas City, you can find this unique town full of quirky architecture (modern and historic). Reportedly, there have been paranormal  investigations conducted at Vaile Mansion. (Check out their website for events.)

Road trips this year have connected us to Americana both visually and educationally as we can read up about the eras and cultural traditions which defined our country’s growth.

© Gina Michalopulos Kingsley

 

Many of you are familiar with Hygge; the Danish ritual of cherishing life’s simple pleasures. It’s also related to the winter season of “cozying” up to get us through the hibernation. But what about the season before the “winter Hygge” phase? Doesn’t it feel rushed to you? Football games, a fluctuation of warm and cold weather (especially if you live in Tulsa), Halloween decorations going out so, so early (earlier every year, it seems), festivals, the state fair, Octoberfest, etc… You are watering your plants less often and getting out of the summer routine. Being thrown back into your children’s school session, picture days, uniform changes, Starbucks changes its colors on cups and posters and introduces their Fall flavors, Williams-Sonoma cranks out the pumpkins desserts,  etc., Fall seems to zip by and then …..you’re in winter.

I DON’T LIKE THIS feeling of one of the most beautiful seasons zipping by us. And the season I’m talking about is the “mini-season” in Fall….not Fall, not Autumn…but INDIAN SUMMER. This is defined as “dry, warm weather occurring in late Autumn” but it’s also a reference to “a period of happiness or success occurring late in life.”  The leaves and grass are still green, the colors haven’t changed, a summer wardrobe is still in use and dusk comes a little earlier in the evenings but it’s not quite Daylight Savings time, yet.

I’ve compiled a list of favorite “Fall Hygge” rituals that people can binge on to get the satisfaction and closure of the beautiful seasons before Winter Hygge begins. As I read over this old blog draft before I publish it, I realize so many of these rituals did not happen this year during the Covid-19 quarantine. However, we can still appreciate them and plan to do them again in the future, hopefully!

Piñon  and Propane. Lighting pungent piñon as often as we can is one of peoples’  favorite Fall activities. Of course, you can do this all year but something about smelling the piñon wood smoke while drinking a Malbec or Red Zinfandel is simply divine. On the chilly night, light a propane heater and enjoy the soothing , radiant heat. People also love to change their candles to seasonal scents. Woodwick makes a candle that crackles like a fire.

Try yard incense, too! This was a first this year and I’m addicted.

Indian Summer/Autumn wreath. Wreaths with removable decorations can be  modified   with the seasons. Celebrate Indian Summer/Autumn by putting harvest florals on it long before you put holiday embellishments on it.

Visit the last Farmers Markets. October is the last month for my favorite neighborhood farmers market. The veggie wagon has switched over to gourds and pumpkins. Soak up the Saturday morning climate and live music. It won’t be back until April.

Williams Sonoma “crash course”. Stop by Williams Sonoma to see what recipes they are featuring at their snack corner. Look at all the new tools and fall colored rubber spatulas. Who can resist the Pumpkin Pancake mix and Vermont Maple Syrup combo? I always pick up one bag of pumpkin bread mix and pumpkin butter and a Hot Chocolate mix. It’s a ritual for my college sons when they come home for Fall Break.

Barnes and Noble book binge. (Or, stop by neighborhood book boxes and trade!) (Or Amazon). Collect all your Hygge season books that you want to binge-read while hibernating. For me, it’s travel-genre books. I can never have enough of them.

Barbecue and Smores it up. Put your hubbies to work! Men love to grill.  Alternate grilling steaks, lamb chops, salmon or ribs. Sit back and enjoy the aroma. Get paper plates so you really have practically no clean up. Lighting a fire and roasting smores for dessert is decadent. Red meat, wine and chocolate trifecta!

Make your Christmas list and order your cards. Outline your gift list while you have clarity. Doing this rushed in the hectic Christmas season is stressful. If you’re going to mail out photo cards, choose your pic and card now.

Vino switch. Cleanse your summer palate and experiment with new wines. I take a break from Red Zinfandels and mix it up with Malbecs or other reds.

Balcony Binge.  When socializing, choose restaurants with balconies to soak up the nice weather. Mayo Hotel has a great one. Downtown, Brookside, Utica Square, Cherry Street, etc. all have good patios and balconies. You’ll be indoors for several months so squeeze out that last bit of balcony time. Also, when meeting friends for lunch, eat outside on the patios for as long as you can.

Whimsical Pedicure. Before the closed toe shoes are a must, get one whimsical pedicure with a bold or crazy color that you’ve always wanted to try. Enjoy those toesies before they get hidden away in your socks. Admire the view in the bubblebath. haha.

Guthrie Green and Art Crawl it up. Hit all the Guthrie Green concerts and activities. I love that Tulsans are appreciating this green area. I don’t do it enough, I’ll admit. However, I do try to attend the art crawls monthly. This is such a fantastic activity for any city. It’s free, cultural and gets you out and about where you’ll enjoy live music and street performers on the sidewalks. End up at a delicious downtown tavern—a perfect evening!

Purple Pansies. Planting fall pansies is such a great ritual. Get the kids involved. A splash of purple and eggplant colors is perfect for fall.

Helmerich Tree Park. Ride your bike, walk your dog and plunge into the fall leaves at the beautiful tree park adjacent to Woodward Park and learn the names of the labeled trees. This sanctuary is a great gift to Tulsa from a tree lover.

Octoberfest. You can’t skip a year without a tabletop chicken-dance and carnival rides of Octoberfest. People watching , kielbasa and that giant beer stein screams “Fall!”

Route 66 Marathon and Tulsa Run. Cheer on the runners at the marathon or better yet, train and sign up for the run yourself!

The Greek Festival. The third week of every September (except for 2017 when we built a new hall) is the time to celebrate Tulsa’s oldest ethnic festival. Get your Greek on. Gyros, ouzo and so much more.

Change your exercise routine. Mix it up. Did you run, walk or bike all summer? Try yoga, pilates or barre class to change things up and trick your metabolism.

Weekly clubs. Book club, dinner club…? If you need a reason to get out of the house regularly in the winter–join or start a club. You will avoid going to be too early which is so tempting.

Whatever your Autumn rituals are, if you get them all out of your system, it makes winter a bit more bearable. Some people LOVE winter and I think that’s great for them. Personally, I am not a fan but I don’t dwell on counting down the days to summer too much. Never wish time away as they say. Now, I just try to come up with more Autumn rituals to binge on!

© Gina Michalopulos Kingsley

 

The time capsules of Americana history that you find along road trips are welcome ways to break up long drives and receive educational and stimulating information. I am a fan of these sites and I have been since I was a kid. The teacher in me may have been influenced by these side excursions. One particular one has been a time capsule for me in personal ways. A visit to Truman’s birthplace back in 1978 on the way to a trip to Missouri was very influential for me. It was the first time I thought about the humble origins of an American president. It was the first time we entered a house of an American president. The tiny edifice fascinated me. I was not as used to domestic travel as I was to international travel. Because of the latter, it made road trip excursions novel and exciting in their own way.

Going with our Papou (grandpa) also made it unique because he didn’t go on trips with us abroad. So having him with us on my first visit to Truman’s birthplace was a special memory. Decades later, I kept wondering if I’d happen upon that tiny little home museum of Truman’s birthplace. Recently, it was on our route home from Kansas City. Filled with nostalgia, I convinced my husband that we should stop to see it.

A high school boy was our docent and he did a nice job showing us the house. All those years ago when I saw it, I was a little girl. This time, I was looking at it from the perspective of a travel writer. I happened to know some info about Truman because of a middle school research paper I did on General Douglas MacArthur. I also liked his daughter’s (Margaret Truman Daniel) book First Ladies. Whether you are interested in presidents or not, many visitors to this site might appreciate it simply for its antiques! The period furniture, dishes, appliances, etc. are charming and quaint. It’s actually a two- story house which shocked my husband. The bedroom on the first floor is where Mrs. Truman delivered the President so that she wouldn’t have to climb the steep stairs to the bedrooms above.

The simplicity of the house’s layout set among the humble town of Lamar was something to enjoy in and of itself. Nearby is a cemetery that we drove through because of its stately monuments dating way back to the early 1900s.If you get a chance to stop and visit this free museum, I highly recommend it. Not only will it only take up only 20 minutes of your time (grounds included), it may give you a patriotic feeling while you are going down memory lane into Americana history.

Factoids about Truman:

• His Missouri roots are broad and diverse.  His grandparents moved to Westport Landing in the 1840s which was later renamed Kansas City. Truman’s parents moved to Lamar working in farming and livestock.
• The birthplace home we visited was reportedly purchased for $685.
• Pres. Truman never went to college but reportedly did a semester at a business college.
• After moving to Harrisonville and other cities, President Harry Truman worked in Kansas City in various jobs including the Kansas City Star and two banks. He fought in World War I and later opened a men’s clothing store in Kansas City. Eventually, he landed in politics.

In the surge of domestic road trips this particular year has brought, take some time to look up other landmarks and sightseeing spots that may interest you. Discovering the roots of America is always important.

© Gina Michalopulos Kingsley

Arkansas is always lovely to visit but especially so in the fall foliage splendor. A quick getaway from Tulsa (1 hour, 50 minutes), we were there in time for an early lunch at the famous Hammontree’s Grilled Cheese. Every variety of tasty grilled cheese sandwich configurations and those oh so delicious fried artichoke hearts was a great way to start our pleasurable afternoon of shopping and strolling along the quaint Dickson Street and Downtown Square. Emelia’s Kitchen ( a Mediterranean restaurant) is another personal favorite. To be able to order an Armenian dish is a plus! College towns are wonderful that way! The Antique store French Metro Antiques there can transport you to France. Incredibly top notch!

Dickson Street is full of treasures. E.Leigh’s Contemporary Boutique among many other boutiques was definitely worth a visit as well as Foxtrot Boutique. Dickson Street Bookshop kept us mesmerized on a treasure trove of vintage books.For more international flavor, stop by World Treasures; authentically Guatemalan apparel, accessories and home decor and the Himalayan Mountain Shop for gorgeous textiles and outerwear. Next to World Treasures are bakeries, sweet shops, vintage musical instrument shops, etc. Block Street Records was inviting with its new and vintage vinyl, CDs, tapes and posters. Who doesn’t love getting lost in books and albums? Working up an appetite for a caffeine break after all this leisure, we stopped at Jammin Java for lattes, cappuccinos and tea. Hit with the scent of rich, aromatic coffee as soon as we entered, we decided to sit to drink our beverages and enjoy the ambience.Crystals, rocks, incense—-that’s my thing! Color and energy is always on my list.Another trip back to the bookstore finished off our day of sauntering and it was time to hit the road back to Tulsa. Left at 9:00a.m. and returned at 5:00 pm., we were recharged and refreshed. Driving 412 is simply divine with its pastures, farms, trees, and fall foliage among the Ozarkian beauty. If you budget the time in, you could also visit Natural Falls State Park on the way to or from. In Siloam Springs, (the Oklahoma side), it’s a stunning park of waterfalls, a cave and steep trails. Short road trips are easy ways to get away from the routine of life but be back home in time for dinner, even. For me, a pre-Hygge ritual like this is always a good way to celebrate the seasons.

Not every trip has to be international or exotic! “Gypsy family travel” is also about domestic trips and quick get-away road trips. What is important is to get away and peruse a used bookstore or eat exotic food.

You can shop in a Guatemalan or Himalayan store or buy crystals and semi-precious stones. Try a matcha or a chai and get away from it all. The drive back home rocking out to your favorite CDs is a therapeutic way to break up the monotony of your routine.

1 hour and 50 minutes away from Tulsa, Fayetteville is worth the drive to take in the fall foliage, squeeze in a hike at a state park and enjoy some shops and cafes.

© Gina Michalopulos Kingsley

photos by Gina

 

 

La Fortuna in Costa Rica is a town centered around the imposing Arenal Volcano and Arenal Lake.
However, I didn’t know until we arrived there that the Tabacon Thermal Springs would be our favorite natural feature of our Costa Rican vacation. Although we stayed at another property chosen for specific environs, I would stay at Tabacon Resort if I ever go back to Costa Rica. Luckily, you can get a day pass like we did to enjoy the resort, the springs and the Shangrila Gardens. La Fortuna is  a perfect combination of play and relaxation, earthiness and luxury. You will literally frolic there. Each hot springs pool is like having your own hot tub….especially if you’re  in Costa Rica during the shoulder season with no crowds.

  Soak in each thermal spring “pool” or pond and stroll through the many trails of abundant and thick foliage. Vines and florals there are inexplicable and only outdone by plants that actually resemble jewelry! It is jaw-dropping how lush of a pocket of earth Costa Rica is and how you become a part of the environment. Enjoy the  sheer relaxation, play in waterfalls and bob along the pool floor with a tropical drink inside of a pineapple. Hedonism!

In the distance is  a volcano which  seems like a fake backdrop. The resort is so perfectly situated in front of the view and obviously a receptacle for the volcano’s natural effect on the springs’ temperature. A hot spring is formed when magma heats the water, which then rises back up to the surface through cracks in the earth’s crust. Those cracks are also called vents.

The surging thermal waters coming from the volcano funneled into lushness of tropical trees, plants, vines, and pockets of earth. La Fortuna welcomes it and channels its power. You’ll have the pools all to yourselves and walk through the Shangrila Gardens, drink piña coladas out of pineapples and recline in a relaxation stupor in chaise lounges. Each thermal pool surrounded by massive leaves off trees and plants is nature’s hot tub perfection.  You’ll feel so healthy bobbing through the pool after treating your bodies to the intense and soothing heat of the thermal water. A water slide will bring out the youth in you. The meals in La Fortuna are very delicious and inexpensive so that will be an unexpected treat. Definitely look up Tabacon Resort for the accommodations. 

https://www.tabacon.com/?gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=CjwKCAjwsMzzBRACEiwAx4lLG_SU5SK8EVFRJLNsvqYYnlTccRqN73DyfoHuOxwXwWgsjLkAVJw6QRoC-dEQAvD_BwE

for detailed stories about Costa Rican adventure and excursions, read Vagabonderie.

Focus on travel PLANS, not travel bans…

Until we’re ready to hit “play” again on travel, we can do some planning while we’ve hit the “pause” button. The travel restrictions due to COVID-19 can be a time to plan out future trips. Putting time, energy and creativity into the process can also be a good use of your time while you’re spending more time at home. Some suggestions for dreaming and planning your future trips into fruition include the following:

1. Pinterest. Search it for some dream destinations. Create a Pinterest board of that destination (or several) and start pinning to your board. For example, if your board is “Portugal”, you can “collect” pins on points of interest; The Sintra Palace, wineries, lodging, photo opportunities, beach BnBs, etc. You can let those simmer on the back burner and marinate until you’re ready to read them carefully.
2. Booking.com  This is a useful tool for finding excursions, lodging, etc. from your Pinterest leads. Receiving computer cookies (ads) helps bring in a continuous stream of relevant information to keep building your itinerary.
3. Books. Check out or buy books about your destination. It will enhance your cultural immersion there. It also gives you conversation starters with your tour guides. Contact that destination’s Chamber of Commerce to receive brochures and booklets that you can take on your trip for easy reference.
4. Budgets and discounts. Red-eye flights are often less expensive. Driving to a nearby, main airport hub (like Dallas) and departing from there reduces the flight cost by eliminating the connecting flight. You can park at certain hotels for a fee and shuttle to the airport for free. For families, staying one night at a hotel is still much cheaper than paying for everyone’s connecting flights.
5. Cash vs Credit Card. Paying for many hotels with cash vs. credit card significantly reduces the fee since the hotels don’t incur credit card fees.
6. Transportation. Research safety tips on this. Uber or Taxis can be hired again throughout your stay for the rest of your itinerary needs or hotel transfers. Bonding with your driver/guide will gain you access to entry into certain excursions and other sightseeing perks as local guides appreciate your business.
7. Health precautions. Travel Clean Kit  (travelclean.com) is a recommended hygiene resource which includes airplane seat cover, face mask, rubber gloves, shoe covers and  tray table wipes, all sanitary.
8. Blend luxury and budget. You can still enjoy luxurious details while keeping within a budget. For example, stay in budget lodging but dine or enjoy cocktails at a luxurious hotel for a fancy evening.
9. Stay Organized. Many trip apps (like Trip It),  can store all of your travel info on your phone. However, it’s always a good idea to have a printed copy handy in your carry on purse/bag and also in your stow away or checked suitcase. Travel itinerary booklets can be easily made by printing off all your flight info, excursion tickets, lodging reservations, etc. into a bound, laminated booklet. You can have it printed off in a shrunken version for your purse.  When it comes to travel, you can never be too organized!
10. Consider a new theme trip. While you’re planning, why not consider a different trip format you’ve never done before? You may have heard of travelers who have done glamping, voluntourism, agriturismo, worldschooling, eco-safari, and many other carpe diem style trips. Read up about them to see yourself in one of those trip styles. Think outside the box.

Taking control of future trip planning will fill the void while “staycationing” and watching travel advisories.

Recommended reading:

The Bucket List 1000 Adventures Big & Small

Epic Journeys National Geographic

Vagabonderie; An Anthology of Life-Changing Trips

The Bucket List Places to Find Peace and Quiet

Read Vagabonderie to learn about so many different types of trip formats. It includes over 35 interviews of travelers including my own stories and recommendations.

Needing a little inspiration for  your next journey or trip format? The interviews in Vagabonderie span all formats of trip themes: glamping and fitness, agriturismo, voluntourism, heritage trips, love and friendship, culture and vocations, ecological, etc.

Over the last 4-5 years, I’ve been interviewing travelers about their experiences to seize the day. Sitting down with them, listening, learning and recording their adventures was extremely informative for me and I explain why in the first few chapters. Along with those interviews, I include my new travel stories. Ultimately, I want you to be able to use this book as a guide for creating your own adventures if not just reading it as an “armchair traveler.” Several of the interviews have extra information in them that aren’t in their original blog post.

My first book, A Magic Carpet Ride, was a travel memoir with a few interviews included in it to record family history. I had much to say and write. I’m not just a talker, though,…I’m also a listener. That’s what I gained from creating Vagabonderie; listening and learning from others.

Thank you for your interest in my newest travel book. As a reminder, you can subscribe to this blog and also follow gypsyfamilytravel on Instagram for travel-related photos and updates.

Click here for the link to order Vagabonderie by Gina Michalopulos Kingsley. Published by Design Vault Press. Below is the link for my first book, A Magic Carpet Ride, which is a travel memoir with recommendations and world schooling chapters. 1/3 of the book is about Greece and Greek islands. Thank you for sharing the links on your social media if you would be so kind. When you order on Amazon, you can select the Paperback edition or the Kindle under Format (see pictures below).

 

 

Tenacity and adventure were combined into one on this interview! College study abroad trips fascinate me. A young lady I’ve known since she was a toddler took an extensive one last year. This beautiful and savvy friend of mine has a luminous spirit and heart. I admire her tenacity to follow her dream with this trip experience.

How did you find your study abroad trip and what grade were you in?

I was a junior in college and freshly 21 years old.

I remember discussing it with you beforehand and your mom was hesitant to let you go. So, what was the tipping point?

I don’t know. It’s really crazy because when I brought it up to my parents, they just laughed. Since my older sister hadn’t done a study abroad trip, they wondered why I wanted to do it. I got the Provost scholarship so there wasn’t anything extra my parents had to pay. The tuition and lodging transferred over to that.

How did you qualify for the Provost scholarship?

I wrote a couple of essays; one about why I wanted to study abroad and what I hope to gain from it. I don’t remember what the other essay was about. I also said I wanted to study in Austria because I was born in Germany and really wanted to experience the culture. Austria has a lot more English so I knew that would be better for that reason.

Can you name all the countries you visited?

Spain, Italy, Hungary, Greece, France, Netherlands, Croatia, Austria, and Germany. The most expensive flight is getting over there… but you know that. Once you’re there, Austria is so centralized so flying around was easy.

So, you had to pay for the flight to go over there…

Yes, it’s funny because I saved $2.5k before I studied abroad and I’m not kidding, a month in, I ran out of money!

On what?!

I paid for many trips in advance so ….I had done a lot of planning and had to borrow more money from my parents. My sister got Lasik and my parents paid for that…and I never got Lasik so I kind of consider that equal.

You have another kind of vision from going on this trip! haha….How long was the whole program?

Feb. 15- June 27.

Did you have a favorite country?

Surprisingly, it’s Hungary! Budapest was so cool….everything about it. The mineral water in the baths is so good for your skin! They had really cool bars…called ruin bars. They were actual ruins but with decorations. Very Aztecy vibe…in Hungary.

What was the craziest thing you experienced over there?

When I went to go visit my friend in Spain, she and I were walking the streets of Barcelona completely alone at night with a dead phone. I remember thinking how dangerous that was. We didn’t know where we were and trying to find her apartment. Looking back now, I know that was not a good decision and I’m glad we weren’t in a bad situation.

Also, we stayed in hostels and there was a time when I kid you not, when we woke up in Italy and there were SIX spiders on me!! When I say I was not ok,…. I just jumped out of bed, woke up Augustina and said, “Let’s go!” And the breakfast was always like oatmeal.

Aren’t youth hostels like $10 a night to stay in?

That one was $5!! (we both erupted into laughter).

What was the most eye-opening thing you learned?

I noticed especially in Austria and other countries that people stare at each other. Here, in America, everyone has their AirPods in or looking at their feet. When someone looks at you, you look away but over there, they stare. I’d catch someone staring at me and I’d look them dead in the eye and they’d keep staring.

As far as you incorporating a custom back home….did you bring back any customs? Are you staring at people, now? (laughing) 

I will say my roommate from England was vegan and I’m NOT vegan at all but I ate so healthy over there. The impossible burger, etc…

Were you doing vegan when you came home?

I do have vegetarian weeks (what I call them). I do one week a month where I do that. I try to eat plant-based, lots of veggies, etc.

Seeing the differences there….I had a whole other life for all those months. I had never experienced taking trams to catch the subway to go to school, etc..And now, I’m right back to my old life again.

What did you appreciate about the United States while you were over there?

RANCH DRESSING!! I love it so much and they don’t have it other there. I had a friend visit me and bring me some ranch dressing!

Next time, take it over there in dry packets. Were you required to do a certain amount of online work or curriculum?

I was in classes over there and 10 hours counted towards my degree. I’m a 5th year senior because I was in Engineering, then Nursing, now International Business and Marketing.

I would think that makes your resume strong.

My resume is pretty nice! The classes I took abroad were all Humanities, Austrian Studies, a Finance class,  and Art History (which was really in depth.)

How did you budget?

Terribly! I bought a 6 month tram pass for transportation (250 euros) I planned all the trips within a month and a half. The rest I did spontaneously.

Did you take a boat?

I took a boat in Santorini to do the hot springs. Ryan Air is a cheap airlines and I found a flight from Vienna to Santorini for $90 round trip. I was living in Gratz, (also spelled Graz) near Vienna, and always took a bus from Gratz/Graz to Vienna and flew out of there. (many connecting flights).

Were you ever totally alone on any of your travels?

Only while flying to two different places and I’m so glad I was never alone.  I actually think I budgeted alright compared to some of my friends.

What inspired you to go on the trip?

I always wanted to study abroad and go somewhere to start a new life like Eat, Pray, Love vibes. My parents weren’t against it; they just thought it was a joke until I got that scholarship, and then another scholarship. There was one day when I went to my dad and asked, “When can I buy the flight for Graz?” and he asked, “What do you mean?” I responded,  “I’m going to go.”

I could just see his face!

I said, “No, I really want to do this.” I’m grateful that I went when I did because my parents wanted me to wait until this year. Can you imagine if I was over there now? Timing! You have to take opportunities when you get them.

I know! Because many kids this year were sent home or missed their trip because of the quarantine and travel ban. I say that ALL the time in my travel articles! Timing is everything! You listened to your heart.

I ask everyone this question in my interviews…how has that trip enriched your life?

I always considered myself to be independent and I know my parents doubted it. But actually being able to really be out there on my own proved it. Everywhere I traveled, I made all the plans, itineraries, went on Google maps to figure out my transportation and figured the day to day out on my own. It was also the first time I ever went camping. We had a really good time with very nice views of Austria. What was crazy is that during the day, we’d be sweating with shorts and a tank top and at night, we were freezing with a jacket,  hoodie and sweats.

I’m really proud of you. If someone was on the fence about going on a study abroad trip…what would you say?

Oh, GO!!! At first, I was a little sad because I did miss out on many of my friends 21st birthdays or them making memories without me but the memories I made and the things I experienced… I would do it all over again!

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For more interviews/blogs like this, subscribe to this blog at gypsyfamilytravel.com

Called “the world’s largest sundial,” Jantar Mantar Observatory in Jaipur, India is a UNESCO World Heritage site and it utterly transfixed us. The literal translation of Jantar Mantar is “calculating instrument” and it’s used for astronomical observations. What is so fascinating and impressive about it is that it allows observations with the naked eye.

Jantar Mantar is an example of Ptolemaic positional astronomy. This marble and stone collection of 19 instruments of architectural structures predicted eclipses, measured time, and tracked the locations of orbit and stars. There were also astrological labels throughout the structure.

It was built by King Sawai Jai Singh 11 and completed in 1734.

Touring Jantar Mantar with a guide is recommended because it is very in-depth and informative. I recommend buying a guidebook to take home later and absorb the facts so that you can spend time during the physical tour just enjoying the architecture and whimsy of it all. To think this was achieved in the 1700s is so impressive.

all photos by Gina Kingsley