What does the immediate future of travel look like now due to the situation and aftermath of Coronavirus? Last week, I asked a couple of friends who work in the travel industry. There are new updates rolling out as we learn more and more  about the new safety measures. My friend who works for an airlines said that social distancing will be practiced as well as wearing masks on planes.

I’m sure the questions I have are the same ones others have so I interviewed a friend who is a travel agent to learn the latest information on travel planning. Other information I heard on the news was from an executive with an airlines. He said they’ll be using a multi-layered approach and touched on several of the details. One of the details he mentioned was that the airlines he represents will be urging TSAs to begin temperature scans. There will be plexiglass added at check in/ticket counters. They will be using electrostatic fogging to clean the airplanes.

Diane Henderson at Journey House-Tulsa is who I interviewed regarding these issues.

As a travel agent, what do you know about the immediate future of travel? Is it true that masks are going to be required for flights? I’ve heard they won’t sell the middle seats on a plane (for distancing).

Yes, face coverings are required for American Airlines and flight attendants. All customers are required to wear face covering or masks while onboard the aircraft and they’ll distribute sanitizing wipes and face coverings to customers who don’t have them. Everyone will be required to have them while on the plane. They’ll be doing more thorough cleaning and doing that more often. They’re specifically targeting touchpoints in the cabin, expanded fogging with hospital grade disinfectant. All the planes have HEPA filters and they’re changing the cabin air once every 2-4 minutes. They’re increasing the frequency of cleaning airport waiting areas and encouraging social distancing.

The global level 4 health advisory is “do not travel internationally.” The cruise industry has been hit the hardest. It’s sad but I understand why. Most cruise lines have cancelled their cruises but they are gradually coming back. The whole Alaska cruise season is shut down. It’s so sad when you think of all the towns where the travel industry is people’s whole lives. All of the cruise lines, hotels, airlines are all adding extreme safety and sanitation precautions to encourage Americans to begin traveling again.  Something we can all look forward to!

Southwest and American are scheduled to add international flights in early June.  The hotels in Greece are getting ready to open up June 1 but not all of them are opening up. The hard part about international travel is that you don’t know what’s going to be open when you get there. I think you’ll see people camping and glamping, staying at resorts but not knowing what facilities are going to be open. When travel eventually gets more normal,  I think people are going to go to Mexico (not Caribbean islands where it’s harder to get home) more national parks, Florida, California….

How do people proceed with travel planning with a travel agent?

We are not seeing clients–we are doing it by email and phone. Everything can be handled online or on zoom calls. Right now, I’m touching base with all of my clients and talking about future travel plans. I’ve done some cancelling and rebooking. I have booked a honeymoon for July.

How do refunds or insurance work?…and if another wave hits in the fall….

Insurance does not cover a pandemic. Any trip booked after January, the insurance doesn’t cover it. So what they need to do now is purchase the “cancel for any reason” insurance. The cruise lines are revising their policies to work with people to deal with the pandemic. They’re narrowing the window of time that  you can cancel and rebook. Some are allowing you to cancel within two days of the trip to prevent sick people from getting on the ship.

How were those few cruise ships recently able to disembark during the quarantine? I heard about some ships that were at sea for weeks.

They have to work with the local authorities . The crews on the cruise ships have been exposed and the local authorities won’t let the ships dock.

I’ve read that we should we support domestic travel.

For sure. There are so many people who have not done the national parks, the Rocky Mountains, Canada, etc. There are so many beautiful places in North America.

A jaunt over to Solvang, “California’s Denmark” and one of America’s 10 best historic small towns is worth the 35 mile drive from Santa Barbara  via Amtrak or car. “Solvang” means “sunny field” in Danish and it was the favorable California weather which attracted the Danish away from the harsh midwestern winters of other states. In 1911, the Danish developed this area and preserved their culture. The approximately 9,000 acres of the Rancho San Carlos de Jonata Mexican land grant became this community located in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley. The Chumash Native Americans were the original settlers to this area.60 year old bakeries and delicatessens flourish with wine tasting rooms. Walking through it, it’s easy to forget you are in America, in fact. It resembles Denmark so much with its Danish Provincial style. The authentic hamlet square and the four windmills of the village are such a departure from the usual Californian wine country architecture and ambiance. A wine tasting inside a windmill is a unique experience overlooking the quaint hamlet.

The Hans Christian Anderson museum and Little Mermaid statue are tributes to Danish heritage.

In 1960, Princess Margarethe of Denmark visited Solvang and returned in 1976 as the Queen of Denmark with her husband Prince Henrik. Years later, in 2011, Solvang celebrated its centennial.

I’ve heard it’s a great destination around Christmas time, too. I recommend it if you are in the area of Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Valley, etc. because it’s a unique sightseeing spot with delicious eateries and several shops. Eating a danish pastry will never be quite the same as it is in America’s Little Denmark.                                                                   

© Gina Michalopulos Kingsley

photos by GIna Michalopulos Kingsley

Contact me at greekmuse@cox.net  or 918-625-1491 for trip itinerary consultations. I can help guide you to itinerary choices based on your interests and preferences.

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The Covid-19 quarantine time has forced us to have an extra long “hygge” (the Danish/Norweigan word for coziness” blah blah.) I have so many thoughts about this but I’ll just put my energy into a list of projects in case you find it helpful. I always have a list of projects to do way before this quarantine happened… and some were useful since two of our college sons had to move back home. I already have some “far niente” and “la dolce vita” moments and philosophies in our lifestyle, so that was nothing new either.

1. Spring cleaning. We had already started this and committed to 30 minutes every Sunday afternoon to clean out our basement and garage so it doesn’t resemble an episode of Hoarders. Now, I guess I can label the boxes. haha.
2. Create a library. I have one in my house and one in my basement. With the quarantine, I now practically have a Dewey Decimal classification system for these hundreds of books (not really, but could because of all this quarantine time!) We saved our favorites and donated the rest and we still have hundreds. We have the Magic Tree House section, the Dr. Seuss section, the Beverly Cleary books, all of the subject areas: Math, Social Studies, Drawing, States, Presidential trivia. (Yes, we’re nerds). I need these for when my tutorees, little cousins or future grandkids come over. I’m a planner, LOL.
3. Photo storage. I already had flash drives, photo storage files, annual photo books, vacation photo books, Boy Scout photobooks, ….and I pulled those out for the sons to peruse while they came home to cocoon. Now, I’m getting caught up on  more photo books to order later when we can go back to work.
4. Home videos. Luckily, we converted our home videos to labeled DVDs and we can access them and enjoy them at dinner with the whole family…even though we are empty nesters, now. (were empty nesters until March). We also have time to read Grandpa’s joke book which is a wonderful binder my mother-in-law made for all of us as a Christmas gift. We might just memorize all the jokes by the time the quarantine is over.
5. Haulaways. Since pick up services are closed, we will get a load ready for our junk removal company which we pay. They’ll take things the other places don’t take–that’s right….furniture, mattresses, etc. With the two of three college sons home, they can help us with this and they have!
6. Cooking lessons for your kids. Our sons are learning how to cook. They love it and they know men make great cooks because their dad and their grandpas are/were amazing cooks. All these summers our middle son was doing internships out of town, he wasn’t able to learn my recipes. Now, he is learning them and killing it.
7. Home economic lessons. Our sons have always had some brawn to add to the brain thanks to the hunky hubby and Boy Scouts. One son needed the overhead fan fixed in his bedroom. Instead of buying a new one at the hardware store, Dad and son messed around with the breaker box and repaired the overhead fan on their own. They saved the money on the cost of a new fan and a handyman to install it…but dad did get shocked upon installation. It added a little spark to his day.
8. Time capsule. Being a former teacher, I am all about the time capsule. Did it for my class and for my sons. We get to go down memory lane often reliving old memories with all the things I’ve saved up over the years.
9. Coffee and newspaper time. We only get the weekend newspaper. Our middle son joins us on the weekends for coffee and newspaper time. I love it. I love that my older two sons order coffee the same exact way that I do (nutmeg and cinnamon powder). I love that my graduating- from- college son gets to have this perk for a few weeks before going off into the world as a grown up.
10. Patio time and/or Board Games. We always enjoy patio time. We light the chimnea, sometimes the yard lights, sit under the wind chimes, the grapevine pergola, etc. But now, we get to hear our sons bouncing the basketball again. Philosophical conversations while they grill sometimes with dad…..it’s nice. We’re a big board game family and couple. Catan (for the family) and Scrabble for the couple are regular staples around here. Now, we are mastering our skills at these games. All. These. Games.
11. Jewelry organizing. Pretend you’re a stylist and make “gold stories” and “silver stories”, or “bead stories.”  Yes, this is OCD but it’s helpful. Take small boxes, old jewelry boxes and lay out your “jewelry stories” in each container. Earrings, necklaces, bracelets, etc. Edit them and get rid of the ones you don’t wear. Also, you can hang them directly on your outfits in your closet for a quick grab for your next vacays.
12. Pantry organizing. When we were a family of five, having three sons made it challenging to have an organized pantry. When we became empty nesters, I did it. I organized the pantry. I alphabetized the spice drawer ….and it stayed that way. This came in handy when I started cooking again every day when the sons came home.
13. Trying new recipes. A quarantine can breed nervous eaters. Since it was Lent, it was always a vegetarian time. We tried something new—a vegan diet. The Frugal Vegan cookbook was a success this year! It took our mind off the nervous snacking and we learned several new recipes.
14. Home office cleanup. It’s like a bottomless pit. I always have to edit and purge my home office and files. It’s worse than a closet for me. During this quarantine, I have a pile of things that need copies. No excuses, now. I have forms that need to be typed up to email to clients. My home office drawers were already edited and purged but now, I guess I’ll create an inventory list of them.
15. Walking, and walking some more. Everyone is walking more than ever. We see the cute dog memes of how this quarantine is making them go on so many walks. Although we no longer have our beloved dog, we are definitely adding more steps to our fitbit. Unfortunately, it’s allergy season.  Since it’s so darn beautiful, it’s worth it.
16. Job search, Cover letters, resumes. One of our college sons used this time to polish up those cover letters, etc.
17. Beer bread extravaganza. The youngest son has a landscaping business so he’s been busy with online college work and yardwork clients. However, he’s been making a lot of beer bread with mom. Look up the recipe. It’s easy and delicious. We’ve frozen loaves for gift giving later and we’ve delivered loaves to our relatives, too.
18. Zoom! Zoom a zooma zoom! Zooma zooma zooma zoom! We’ve done a zoom birthday with old college friends across the U.S. We’ve done a zoom birthday cocktail party with crazy hats across 2 states. We’ve done church zoom coffee hours and a Sunday School class. Zoom has been helpful during this time. Not as great as the real thing, but what a nice alternative.
19. Create new Pinterest boards and/or interview your ancestors.  Actually, I do this often but now is a good time to create some boards for projects or trips you can take when this quarantine is over. Also, if you haven’t already done this, interview your parents or elders and video tape them. I have already done this for my blog and it’s helpful to have it stored somewhere.
20. Online tutorials. All those tutorials you wanted to do when you were busy, you can do them now! I’m still working somewhat since I’m in an essential business but it’s now become slower than usual. So, I have bookmarked some tutorials I’ve been interested in when those work deadlines are met.

    

There are several other things we’ve been doing but I wanted to limit it to 20. Hoping to spread some positivity with these.  Put your energy into some projects to get your mind off of being at home more than usual. Thanks for sharing any of your ideas, too!

© Gina Michalopulos Kingsley

for hygge ideas which don’t include winter or holiday ideas, search “hygge” in this blog for those articles.

My cousin completed an amazing study abroad trip last year. This darling go-getter has used organizational skills and adventure that have enhanced her driven spirit. She was based in Seville, Spain for this study abroad trip. At only 19 years old, she has achieved some unique goals and building a great resume.

I heard recently you have a goal to do “thirty countries by thirty” Tell me about that.

I set this goal for myself to visit thirty countries by the time I turn thirty. I know that’s ambitious since I’m turning twenty this year but I’ve visited thirteen so far.

“13 Going on 30!” (like the movie title) Did that all happen last year on your study abroad through college?

I did nine countries last fall in Europe on the study abroad. (and she had seen some of those countries with her family before).

Most are in Europe and the other four are where?

Mexico for Project Mexico and a spring break trip for school, Argentina for college, and I just did Nicaragua for a medical mission trip for college (and I count the United States.)

Do you have a favorite country?

Greece.

I agree. There’s no where like Greece. (we’re both sighing).

I never get tired of it. I will never not want to go back. With all the islands, I feel like it’s an endless vacation. That’s kind of why I would’ve loved to study abroad another semester and maybe in Athens so I could just keep going to other Greek islands instead of European countries.

What surprised you about yourself in traveling. What did you discover are your strengths or weaknesses?

I think I’ve always known myself to be an independent person just signing up for the study abroad and not knowing anybody else going. I definitely found out a lot more when I was there alone. (Just being willing to schedule the solo trip to Italy that I took and go explore by myself one weekend after having traveled with my roommates for a couple of trips.) A weakness I discovered and still kind of have is navigating public transportation on my own; not airports. It’s still confusing with the buses, boats and train routes. Airports I have down.

Do you think being multi-cultural makes you more adaptable to travel?

I don’t know…that’s an interesting question. Because I was raised in the Greek culture, I’ve grown up around a unique community of people that I wouldn’t have otherwise met. This community includes those from my local parish in Tulsa and those that I have met through G.O.Y.A. (Greek Orthodox Youth Association). All the Greek stuff definitely helps not having a culture shock whenever I go somewhere. For some people, it takes them a while to adjust. Also, being a part of the Mexican culture, it’s very family based. There’s not a lot of privacy necessarily. People are going to be straight up with you. In our American culture, people tend to be more reserved and private. That was nothing new or shocking to adjust to for me. Many European cultures are like that…very close and wanting to share what they have to say.

Now, why the study abroad? Was that part of your nursing program?

No, that was for my Spanish major. I am a double major—Nursing and Spanish. I finished all the nursing pre-requisites and going abroad really helped me focus on Spanish.

Was the Nicaragua medical mission trip part of your nursing program?

It’s to support my nursing resume. I elected to go on it.

Were your parents nervous at all for you to go on the European study abroad trip and do those weekend trips by yourself? How did you prepare for it?

They’ve seen me as a traveler when we travel together as a family. I like organizing things for our daily itinerary. They had a lot of trust in me going to Europe and seeing how I handled myself over there. When I returned and found this Nicaragua trip, they didn’t question it.

That’s really great and probably because your mom was in the Navy at your age.

Yes. She was eighteen when she signed up and went.

Tell us what a typical weekend would be for you on your study abroad trip. Tell us what basically a 72 hour trip was like for you. Did you have Fridays off?

It would depend. One of my roommates had a late class on Thursday so we would get up early Friday and go. On one of the trips to Greece, I think we took every single form of transportation in order to get to the island we wanted to get to. We started off on a bus at nite and drove three hours to another Spanish city. From the bus station, we ubered to the airport and waited until 2 a.m. Then, we had a flight to Athens and arrived at 6 am. Having been there (before to Athens) was the most helpful part because I knew we had to go down to the metro and took it all the way to the ferry port. At 10:30, a.m. we took the ferry to the island of Hydra. We finally made it!

Patrick and I have done some trips like that and we don’t mind. It is handy to have those flexibilities for various trips.

On a typical day of a weekend trip, however, we’d check into our hotel or hostel and relax but not for long so we could start immediately exploring. We’d try to hit the most historical sites…like in Paris, the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral even though it had caught on fire before we went. We saw the Eiffel Tower and things like that. One of my biggest focuses was tasting the best food in every country, because that is something I tend to remember each trip by. I started a TripAdvisor account when I was there and was constantly researching the best spots to eat. At the end of my semester I think I had made about 160 contributions on the app. The museums are important but when I think back to Paris, I remember, “I had the best crepe there.” or “I tried oysters and they were way saltier than they are in America.”

People get a lot more out of those visceral connections sometimes than they do from informative ones. I like to ask my interviewees what’s the craziest thing you’ve seen while traveling?

Our craziest experience was a hostel gone wrong in London. Initially, we were there because we are college students trying to be cost-effective. It was 18 pounds a night and near Kensington Palace so although we were a bit skeptical, we did not expect any problems. When we arrived, it did not look like the pictures. Towels were an extra cost, wifi was a cost. We elected to be in an all-female dorm but when we arrived, it was mixed. They split us up in different rooms. It smelled bad and there were men in there from different countries. We don’t know for sure but there might have even been refugees in there. We ended up going to stay in a nice hotel and paying a larger price than had we booked smarter the first time. That situation was crazy because we didn’t get everything settled until 2 a.m.

The picture of you at the top of the Alps with the Swiss flag… it gave me goosebumps and made me feel so connected to you in this love of travel. What inspired this pose?

That was my weekend in Switzerland …another completely by myself trip.  I had met my friend (who wanted to see Zurich) in Interlaken for that night. But up to that point, I was by myself. I paid the train ticket to go to the very top. It was a personal journey to go see all that natural beauty in the Swiss Alps. It seems cheesy to say but it felt like I was at the top of the world in that moment.

It looked like that! DIdn’t one of your friends comment on Instagram something funny about that picture? Like it looked like the landing on the moon…?

They said it looked like I was about to steal the Declaration of Independence. Another person said, “So proud of you for climbing Everest.”

I was cracking up when I read that.

The Top of Europe was really cold. I think my phone died because the temperature was so cold up there.  I was trying to look cute in those suede boots. There were so many tourists up there trying to take cute pictures.

What has inspired your love for travel? Anything in particular?

I definitely owe it to my mom because when we were kids she was always taking us to see different places. One of my fist trips was to Puerto Rico and I remember all the tropical surroundings, snorkeling, and seeing fish. Those were things I never saw here at home. That inspired me. Another thing was that I set a goal for myself in middle school  to work towards becoming bilingual in Spanish. Having studied Spanish for  12 years now has given me access to an entirely different part of the world. It allows me to understand all the Spanish speaking cultures. South and Central America—etc… I’m still working towards that and learning more about that. Ultimately as a nurse, I want to be able to speak Spanish to my patients.

That’s a huge plus. Even my basic skills in speaking Spanish have helped me on travels. It just comes to me when I need it. I am able to help get Patrick and me around a little bit more and translate some things for him. That’s why I also love Central and South America. Did you inherit your dad’s organizational skills for travel and his adorable travel binder? You really have the best of both–your mom’s wanderlust and your dad’s uber-organizational skills.

When I went to Nicaragua, between the time that I planned the trip and left for it, I had my own binder with my trip tickets (in case my phone died), my medical Spanish tip sheets just to have with me, etc.

I bet he was so proud! Also, do you have a favorite travel quote?

I don’t know. I don’t really have one.

I really like your “30 by 30”! So, how has traveling enriched your life?

Being able to meet people from different parts of the world and see how they live. Seeing that  makes me realize how I want to live my life here.

When you’re focusing on climbing, hiking, or touring Machu Picchu, you might not even  realize that all the mountain towns on the way there build up to the excitement. Climbing or hiking “Old Mountain” which is the Quechua word for Machu Picchu, are specific athletic feats. However,  just touring and walking around it also involves some climbing because there are steep areas and rocky roads.All of the rigorous details required to journey to Machu Picchu are worth it and so are the charming towns of the majestic Andes Mountains. There are choices to be made on train routes to Machu Picchu. Let me shorten that information by recommending that you take the Ollantaytambo train station departure. For one thing, it’s only 1.5 hour train ride to Aguas Calientes which is the entry town to Machu Picchu. This particular train route is faster due to where it travels through and the cab ride from Cusco to Ollantaytambo is a picturesque way to see many of the cultural nuances of the cities.

You could even tour Ollantaytambo which is historic for being a stronghold of Incan resistance to the Spaniards. Historic ruins make it a specific tourist attraction. Personally, I loved leaning out of our cab window to shoot photos of the roadside activity. The small kiosks of chicharonnes (pork rinds/ cracklins) in Poroy are a side attraction all their own. Sinuous and somewhat barren country roads curved around as we neared the train station. Earthen and sepia-toned like much of this region of Peru, the light and aura of the terrain made the jagged Andes stand out even more. High in the cliffs, you could see camping pods where intrepid travelers dareto lodge amongst this robust beauty. You find yourself striking the balance between taking photos and just looking at the scenery and being in the moment of appreciation without capturing it for posterity. I have begun to respect the rhythm which happens between experiencing the visual impact with or without lifting the camera to use it. Sometimes it’s enough to store the moment in my heart instead of in the SD card of the camera.

Once we embarked on the train to Machu Picchu, conversation with another couple in our dining booth was entertaining and enriching. Thank goodness I periodically looked out the window of our Vistadome train with its panoramic views or else I would’ve missed the sheer magic of the Urumbamba Valley and river.

Serene and placid, the mountains can offer the same feelings that the ocean provides. These pastures were so specific to Andean identity and my husband and I had never experienced such vistas. Even more so, the camelid animals made the landscape so unique with the llamas, alpacas and guanacoes. Next stop was Aguas Calientes…the entry town to Machu Picchu. Although some call it a “tourist trap”, it was an up close and personal confrontation with the Andes peaks and  their hot springs. The church in the town square and the numerous parades and celebrations engulfed us into the Incan pride. This larger region surrounding towns like Aguas Calientes is considered the area of Cusco. One thing I found certain is that the Cusqueños demonstrate an Incan pride which seems impenetrable to the Spanish conquest. They take pride in their Incan roads and masonry as well as the foundations found in their ruins. I loved that quality and it reminded me of the Native American heritage back home in Oklahoma which is celebrated. As we walked around the main square of Aguas Calientes, I translated each plaque for my husband which explained the Incan history. The many layers to Peruvian culture include the indigenous Incan traditions, the Spanish influences,  the Japanese fusion in the cuisine and the pastoral Andean flavors, too. Neither a melting pot nor tossed salad approach….it was more of an array; a cultural array.

© Gina Michalopulos Kingsley

Contact me for trip itinerary consultations or share my email : greekmuse@cox.net for those who might be interested in this service.

I can help you choose itineraries and destinations which fit your needs and preferences and refer you to travel agents and tour guides who can help you connect the dots for a successful trip!

photos by GIna Michalopulos Kingsley

 

For more stories like this, read Vagabonderie by Gina Michalopulos Kingsley.

 

A friend of mine is a charismatic and vivacious young man named Jonathan Tschetter. Jonathan, (JJ or “double J” as I like to call him) is a family friend, a peer of my older sons, and was a camp counselor for our youngest son. His travel knowledge is very informative and inspirational.

What inspired you to be a travel influencer?

People asked me how I did traveling and afforded it. So it easily answered people’s questions.

Do you have a favorite destination?

Greece is a given….so, the Amalfi coast, Positano, Palma de Mallorca, Spain. There are places alot of people don’t take the time to see and they are hidden gems.

What advice do you have for a potential traveler?

Don’t plan out every, single, last detail on your schedule or you’ll feel like you’re working. I can’t stand that kind of agenda because it leaves little room for creativity or random things. Obviously, you have to plan out certain things ahead of time (like seeing the Anne Frank museum or Eiffel Tower.)

How did you reconcile that when you were a  camp counselor at Ionian Village which is a detailed itinerary?

That’s different because we promised these kids that itinerary but there was a little room for freedom. It’s important to follow that schedule because  you also have that volume of people expecting to see certain things. It was hard for me to follow a schedule so closely, honestly but you make it work for the sake of the program.

I’m inspired and impressed you’ve been both an Ionian Village counselor and a Camp Emanuel counselor. What advice can you give someone to inspire them to be a counselor? Why did you do that and how did it enrich your life?

That’s a great question. I always knew I wanted to be a Camp Emanuel counselor and had been to camp 9-10 times. I knew I’d go back and give back. I didn’t want to be taking all this time and I remembered all of my camp counselors who made a difference. They actually emphasize on calling it camp staff and not camp counselor because we don’t really have the credentials to be a camp counselors. I do believe we counsel to an extent. With Ionian Village, I received the FAITH scholarship and I was adamant at that point to give back and return as a counselor. I really care about the future of the Orthodox Church—not just the church but promoting community. It’s more than going to church. Look how we go all over the country and promote camp and experiences. My mom reflects on her conventions from the 70’s and 80’s, even. I’m passionate about giving back and going to the Y.A.L. conferences.

We were talking about that yesterday—how our sons still travel almost monthly to see all of their camp friends. It’s interconnected if you go to camp, you enjoy tournament more. If you go to tournament, you enjoy camp….and Oratorical festivals, etc. It costs. Yes. It’s an investment you make in your kids and family and the returns are huge. The friendships our sons have made have resulted in great networking opportunities both socially and professionally. 

Your desire to be a counselor …you already have a spark , creative spirit, fulfillment of what you want to do and give back. For someone who doesn’t know what they want to do, it can be a great experience to light that spark!

Oh yeah, going back to Ionian Village gave me my first opportunity to travel abroad. It was so much fun. I went to New Zealand right before my junior year  which was a huge leap for me! I bought the ticket and then told my mom and dad that I was going! My parents were shocked and told me I should’ve talked to them about that first before going halfway across the world.

That’s carpe diem!!

I bought that ticket because I knew I wanted to study abroad. I spent 3 months planning this trip. My grandmother and I planned it together and it was a big deal for her to help me plan it. My grandparents have been very supportive of what I want to do and that’s helped a lot. There’s no way I could’ve done it without their help. For years, my grandfather and his wife opted out of Christmas gifts and invested in my education which greatly helped me with my study abroad program in Barcelona and allowed for me to have more opportunities abroad in my traveling. For younger kids, it’s a great idea. I started a trip account for my Godchild. I try to put money in that when I can. I bought 3 round trip tickets this spring and worked really hard to buy them but I’ll sacrifice going out as much in town or spending money on dinners, etc. I make sacrifices. I don’t buy a $200 pair of shoes at the mall.

We’d rather give each other a trip in lieu of gifts. I get it.

It’s so important. People say they can’t afford to do it but they can if they give up certain things. Budgeting and making sacrifices….I use hostel world which is a great tool. If you’re traveling with a party of 4 or more, you can find an Air BnB for less than hotel rooms and you can have your own space and a kitchen, etc. I spend 75% on location and 25% on amenities. When I went to Ireland, things were more expensive so we stayed at a youth hostel. When I was in Greece for an extended period, I hung out in an Air BnB to recuperate. I’m a big advocate for youth hostels and it’s a great way to meet people if you’re not in a big group. At the Amalfi Coast, we took a boat tour and met British girls and spent a whole day with them. In Greece, I visited family.

Best way to do the flights….I always book direct with the airline because if something happens, it’s easier to deal with them rather than third party flights. I don’t trust the latter. You waive certain rights if something happens—changes, delays, cancellations. I use Sky Scanner to look for flights. Plug in U.S. everywhere and it gives you options and tells you cities of departure. When I flew home from Greece last minute and then back , I used Easy Jet in Corfu to Gatwick in London and then from London to Denver with Norwegian. You have to be strategic about it or you run the risk of losing a connection. With domestic travel, none of the travel sites use SW airlines. Their business model doesn’t allow it. Scott’s Cheap Flights uses a team of people looking all day , every day to random places all over the world. I’ve earned so many miles on travel reward cards by putting expensive things on the card (like paying for things for dinners or hotel rooms and have everyone pay me back).

I’m applying to work corporate for an airline and would like an analyst, HR, data analytics or finance position with them. I can apply my degree to the travel industry. On the side, I want to open a travel consulting, LLC. I’m not profiting off the places I recommend but just giving consultations.

My biggest travel inspirations were my oldest sister and my Godparents.

I thought it was me.. (laughing)

It is you. I know a couple of really good travel bloggers…you and a lady from church who travels all over the world and has a blog. If I get a job with an airlines, my mom and dad get my benefits as well. So my mom is stoked about that idea.

What quote do you have about travel? Either a famous one or an original one?

When my friends and I were siting in a coffee shop in Amsterdam, my sister’s friend who is a local said to us, said, “If you see something you want to do or buy, do it or you’ll regret it because you may never be back there.” ….you take that chance. When I was in New Zealand, I bungee jumped because one of my best friends pushed me to take that opputunity when it was presented to us.  That’s something I’d never do.

Take a chance! That’s your quote! (JJ and I have an inside joke about a song lyric that says “take a chance”.) Patrick taught me that. He’d say, “get that alpaca jacket because you don’t know if you’ll be back here.”

Once people travel, I guarantee they’ll build a love for it.

©Gina Michalopulos Kingsley

Jonathan Tschetter is a senior at the University of Colorado- Leeds School of Business majoring in a Bachelors of Science in Business with an emphasis in both Finance and Real Estate. He is in the process developing a consulting company and looking at project management positions some of which involve travel. His email address is : Jonathan.TschetterJr@colorado.edu

 

To read more blog interviews like this, you can subscribe to this blog. Also, follow gypsyfamilytravel on Instagram. Click on link below for the travel book, A Magic Carpet Ride.

https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Carpet-Ride-Michalopulos-Kingsley/dp/069271393X

 

 

 

 

Greece is a dream destination for many people. Narrowing down an itinerary is challenging because it’s hard to choose between so many beautiful islands. However, the mountain towns should not be overlooked! They have a unique beauty all their own and there are many historic and cultural sightseeing features there. The cuisine can differ in mountain towns, too.

The best of both mountain and beaches can be achieved by combining both in your itinerary by renting a car and driving through the mountain towns on the way to the coast. From there, you can then ferry to the islands. There are also many islands with airports so you can take short flights. High speed ferries  are also expeditious.

Cruises are popular and convenient but limit you to port towns and having to choose between excursions. If you choose a cruise, you should consider an extended stay to discover the essence of Greece by visiting mountain towns and seeing more of the local flavor.

Contact me at greekmuse@cox.net if you want to schedule a trip itinerary consultation and gather more resources. It has been a side “gig” of mine and I enjoy connecting with new people. I can share with you my tips about insight about the 17 islands I’ve been to while also recommending other islands that my Greek friends enjoy.I will share info with you about a short jaunt in Athens and a perfect mountain drive hitting  the major sightseeing towns. Of my 10 trips to Greece, I have seen vacations evolve into different purposes; couple travel, family travel, honeymoons, solo travel, etc.

This is not my biased opinion (being Greek) or having family there but my opinion as a traveler—Greece has it all—amazing cuisine, significant history, culture, museums, superb shopping, glorious beaches, quaint mountain towns, and so much more! Breaking up your flight there by doing a layover in connecting European cities is also something I can recommend.

In the meantime, be an armchair traveler by reading my book, A Magic Carpet Ride, which has many chapters about Greece. You can order it here on this link or buy it from me. (A Christmas gift, stocking stuffer, or year round gift for others). A portion of the sale goes to charity.Here is the link to my book: https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Carpet-Ride-Michalopulos-Kingsley/dp/069271393X

photos by GIna and Patrick Kingsley

Thank you to Coffeehouse on Cherry Street for hosting my Pachamama Exhibit for your fall event. Many thanks to Cheri Asher who encouraged me to feature the llamas I photographed in Peru (among portraits and landscape photos, too) but also for teaching me how to make an artist story and several other details. Jonny and Kyle were so helpful, too.  I appreciate everyone who attended and many thanks to my husband who wired each canvas to prepare them to be hung by Cheri. My son, Mark, drove in from KU to support his mama and I loved having him there. On his way into Tulsa, John’s car broke down an hour away from campus and he experienced his first car tow with Triple A back to campus with Luke to the rescue, too. Many firsts this weekend!

Attached are some explanations of the exhibit and photos of some of the guests who attended. Patrick was unable to take photos of all 60 guests who came but THANK YOU so much to everyone who attended. It meant so much to me. The exhibit is still up until Dec. 2 so I won’t post gallery pictures/canvases here in case anyone is able to go by CHOCS to see it.

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PACHAMAMA

The canvases displayed are assembled to convey Pachamama; the Mother Earth mythology. While other photos are meaningful to me or have stronger photographic content, these particular ones work together to convey the four cosmological principles of Pachamama’s spirit; (sun, moon, water, stone) colliding in nature. Recent travels to various continents revealed a search for the mother spirit before I even learned about Pachamama/Mother Earth.

Adding to that, our hometown Tulsa being on the historic “Mother Road” of Route 66 called to be included with its own iconic imagery. Growing up in a neighborhood and church along the Mother Road/Route 66 and attending college at University of Tulsa, also along the Mother Road, makes me sentimental for this connection. After decades of artistic activity being mostly for my students and my sons’ projects, it is liberating and enriching to now delve into my own art projects, catharsis, and experiments.

From the landforms of Iceland to  Peru, Northern to Southern Hempispheres, the same passion for environmentalism was demonstrated. Standing at a point where two tectonic plates divided (in Iceland) and all of the other glorious natural phenomena that I witnessed, I became fascinated with lyrics in Icelandic Bjork’s songs. Basalt, lava, crystalline, tectonic plates were not just metaphorical imagery. To discover them again in other lands enlightened my awareness to environmentalism. Philosophizing with a naturalist guide in Costa Rica, I expressed to him, “If people saw this much natural beauty, they would be better stewards of the earth.” He instinctively responded, ‘You cannot love what you do not know.” His statement was so sincere and intimate it was as if he was speaking about a love affair…..a love affair with the earth. Mother Earth. Earth Mother. Pachamama.- Gina Michalopulos Kingsley

PACHAMAMA EXHIBIT

Thank you so much for coming to this exhibit. First of all, I want to thank Cheri! I submitted samples to be part of a corner gallery wall and she gave me the whole restaurant! I am still in the process of wanting to learn how to do mixed media applications and I can make any canvas abstract but this is a start. From Iceland to Peru and places in between……

Pachamama is explained on the artist stories. I could go very deeply into what it’s about but I’m even more interested in your questions and comments and interpretations of it on your own. There is the empty vessel way of teaching where I could fill you up with the info or there is the jigsaw puzzle paradigm where I present the pieces and have you put it together in your own analyses.  So, I’ll do a little of both tonight. Feel free to ask me questions about particular canvases or share with me your own info about them. The llamas are there for levity among the seriousness.

When I wrote my book, A Magic Carpet Ride, I discovered that I was searching for the mother spirit in my travels. I didn’t even know what or who Pachamama was until my most recent trip to Peru. Now, I’m seeing the connections between GAIA/GEA, Mother Earth, Pachamama, etc…and all the religious adaptations of it as cultures merged. Becoming so discouraged with politics, I became very comforted by the international philosophies and spiritual souvenirs I bring back from travels.

For example, other countries have sayings which embody their spirit— “Pura Vida” in Costa Rica, “Macabuca” in Cayman Islands, “Viva Cuba Libre” in Cuba, “Provecho” in Guatemala, “Yiasou and Yiamas” in Greece, “Hakuna Matata in some places of Africa”, “Salam Aleikum” in Morocco and “Pachamama” in Peru and S. America.

The angel canvas you see here symbolizes Pachamama to me because of two interpretations: when the Spaniards conquered the Inca territory of S. America where Pachamama the earth mother was “worshipped”, they let the indigenous people adapt their Spanish Catholic Virgin Mary into their Incan Pachamama. Likewise, in Cuba, when the Spaniards brought Nigerian slaves over, they let the Nigerians adapt their voodoo beliefs and spirit gods / orishas into their Catholicism by blending it into Santeria. When you look at that canvas, I interpret it as the Virgin Mary looking over the shoulder of the Santeria saint. The landscape photos represent the four cosmological principles: sun, moon, water, stone and the portraits are of people working with their environment. The man portraits are included because you can’t have a mama without a papa. There is no architecture included (except in the Route 66/ Mother Road canvases) so that it focuses on the natural environment, mostly. (As you enter CHOCS, the canvases in the entry way are of “the Mother Road/Route 66” and then when you enter the interior of the coffeehouse, they are of “the mother earth.” (from mother road to mother earth.)

Lastly, Jai Guru Deva Om; the lyric of the first song (“Across the Universe“) of my slideshow really jumped out to me as well as the second song, “Ray of Light’ because they are both about the universe. Ironically, Jai Guru Deva Om was a lyric John Lennon used to convey a meditation and thanks to his teacher/ guru Dev. By adding the “a” at the end “Deva” , it becomes feminine. “Om” is the natural vibration of the universe. Deva….Goddess is the Divine Mother of the universe. It was also to say, “thanks to my teacher who turns away the darkness with light.” Then, Madonna’s Ray of Light song seemed like the natural follow-up to that.

The Route 66 / Mother Road and Tulsa imagery on canvases in the entry way is to symbolize “mother road to mother earth” as you enter into the restaurant and gallery…..and that is explained as well on the artist stories.

Thank you so much for coming to this event. I have other features available…..travel catalogs, travel info referrals, and a Peruvian friend and expert on hand. A portion of my sales will go to Doctors without Borders and St. Judes; one international and one domestic charity.

 

I recently asked a retired person about her plans for retirement. I was curious to see if travel was going to be one of her goals. I knew she watched the travel channel shows here and there so I asked if there were any specific trips she planned on taking. She answered, “Gina, I have so many buckets!” 

So many buckets. I thought about this as I heard it. The generation gap and language barrier influenced her particular answer. When you think about it, in the English language we have created the phrases, “bucket list” as well as “what do you do to fill your bucket?” The first implies your life’s goals upon retirement and the second is a new phrase to me in which a close, middle-aged relative introduced to me. She often talks about what she does to “fill her bucket” meaning how she finds satisfaction and therapeutic activities. She has embarked on daily yoga as one of her “fill her bucket” activities, for example. Others do more volunteering, gardening, artistic pursuits, etc.

In my retired friend’s answer, “I have so many buckets!”, I realized that she saw this expression as a visual set of actual buckets, not a bucket LIST as we refer to the phrase. Instead of “the bucket” being one metaphorical object , she saw the individual goals, trips, activities as actual, individual buckets; one by one. Like my friend who analyzes how people fill their buckets (with goals, activities, fulfillment), the word “bucket” has been interpreted as either something you “kick” or something you “fill”. I was entertained and inspired by the different perspectives.

Either way, I like their individual interpretations of the word “bucket” much more than the “kick the bucket” list visual. Theirs’ focused on fulfillment while the popular kick the bucket phrase connotes deadlines, (oops–a pun!), pressures, commitment.

Retired people have decades of working behind them as well as  the middle- aged people  however, they also have more time to fill their buckets before they start on their bucket lists. But it was interesting to contemplate how each of these people dear to me were going to proceed with their present lives.

Here are some bucket list items many friends shared with me:

• getting an art business up and running
• road trips to explore every big U.S. landmark
• ride in a hot air balloon
• to drive a horse and buggy like the old days
• I’d love to see the northern lights
• Several different travel destinations I haven’t made it to yet including some big climbs and hikes
• Richard Petty Driving school… zoom zoom zoom!
• Live in Italy and travel around Europe while there
• Cape Epic
• Attend a summer Olympic Games (already been to a winter one)
• check some items off my ever growing travel bucket list (Treetops Hotel, Bali, New Zealand)
• I want my husband to drive me around on back roads to different states and take pictures of barns, farms and just life of people along the way.
• to go to Madagascar, Australia
• Go on an African photo safari
• old world wine tour
• zip lining thru the rain forest in Costa Rica
• a global health trip to Greece this February.
• Practice rural, deliver babies, serve on the ACOFP BoG again, and get my FACOFP
• Visit all 50 states & every Major League Baseball park
• Do the St James Pilgrimage, visit several international destinations like Buthan, Egypt, Jordan
• All the national parks. We’ve done 25 but all is my husband’s bucket. And safari
• Bhutan is always on my list! Hopefully one day!
• Read all the Newberry award (children’s lit) winning books by its 100th year (2022).
• Write a book! I have always wanted to do that.
• See the gorillas in the wild.
• Thailand beaches

What are you doing to fill your bucket?   What are the items on your bucket list?

They can be independent, concurrent, or undiscovered. Grab a pen and paper and start planning.

© Gina Michalopulos Kingsley

Here we are……… family travel and worldschooling days have now evolved into a new style of travel—-the empty-nester couple travel. It basically will be a second honeymoon! Designing trips for our family of five forked off into our college kids taking trips with their friends, rugby team, etc. There were trips for dad and friends and mom and friends. Now, something new has evolved—–couples trips again! We are planning trips for two again and it’s exciting.

What used to be villas and rental vans for a family of five has trimmed down to one hotel room or BnB’s and easier transportation modes; public transportation, etc. Tickets for excursions don’t necessarily need to be pre-booked now and copious amounts of notes for preparation and studying ahead of time also don’t need to be created. We are going to wing alot of this!

We absolutely LOVED traveling with our three sons. Where some people do  not tread this precarious path…..we pursued it for management purposes, mostly but to also get the most out of our trip investment. People wanted that information, the tips, the ideas and the itineraries and resources. Hence, the blog happened and “domino-ed” into other media outlets. But now that our sons are all tucked away in college and grad school, we find there is more time for us to get up and GO (spontaneously….kind of)! No more overwhelming emails coming through fast and furiously dictating our schedules. No more curfews to monitor. There are still things to work around and consider, like parents weekend at college, (dad’s weekend, mom’s weekend), etc. They are all good things to work around! The nest is never totally empty if you ask me. Even with all the latter, we want to get back to the kind of travel we did as newlyweds. Hopping on ferry boats and choosing B and B’s by reading signs in the port and following the little old lady to her pension (bed and breakfast) is how we did it in 1990 and that’s how we plan to do it again this fall in 2019.

I remember being on one island and deciding that day which other island we might ferry over to in Greece. No itinerary. We’d befriend a shop owner and then meet his girlfriend the next night, go out for drinks and then look up his friend the captain of a boat who drove us out the volcanic hot springs of Santorini. I remember nude beaches and moped rides. I remember card games in the square with fresh-squeezed portokalatha (orange juice). I remember death-defying motorcycle rides with three of us on one seat zipping through the busy streets of Athens, wondering if we’d survive it and make it to one full month of marriage, despite the danger.

Even now on domestic trips or just on nights out in our hometown, we find ourselves dining at the bars of restaurants and not messing with long waits or reservations. If we didn’t absolutely cherish the decades we had our three sons in tow, we wouldn’t be finding this all so fun and free now. We’d be lamenting how it all went by in the blink of an eye. But it didn’t. We were in the moment with our sons and with many of their friends also almost always in tow. MANY is the operative word. 🙂 We enjoyed the concept of togetherness in the best of ways. Quantity time was the mantra over “quality time.” And now, it’s  a new frontier  to get back to the concept of the two of us.

The phone rings. It’s our college aged son. While we’re in Kansas City, he is nearby and wants to join us at the restaurant. Whoosh! Away goes the blah, blah, blah about our new empty nester paradigm and freedom and we excitedly save the barstool next to us. Yay! This son is joining us. He shares a bottle of wine with us, infuses the environment with his energy, and makes us feel both young and old at the same time. We’re his parents with wisdom and also his fellow adult with humor. Tonight and every night we will enjoy our kids and always be concerned and alert about them. That empty nester trip is around every corner. And on that trip….it will be only us, no van rentals, no pre-bought excursion tickets, some tropical wildlife, a famous landmark, exotic markets…and a bottle of wine for two.

© Gina Michalopulos Kingsley

For ideas on economical travel itineraries, contact me! Adults can travel like adventurous college kids if you connect the dots the right way! Contact greekmuse@cox.net