In mid September Brett and I met up with our friends Sarah and Matt for a Traverse City camper weekend. We first stopped at their property, some 30 acres in Kalamazoo county to ride in a side by side and explore what their plans for the property are for the future. Matt is currently building the pergola and the carport and outhouse. There is currently no electricity there. There are Trails for dirt bikes, side by side, and four by fours all over the property.

First off, we were in a camper so I packed for temperature variations that far north. It’s warm up to 80 during the day and in the 50’s at night.

What I packed that I used: yoga pants, sports bra, tee shirts, jeans, sneakers, long socks, a puffer jacket, a flannel, a long sleeved shirt, flip flops, a rubber wedding ring, sunglasses, shorts,

What I didn’t use: swimsuit but I should have,

What I forgot: water shoes, a baseball hat for hiking and tick avoidance, another sweater, gloves, and flip flops on the island we boated out to.

What I bought: a baseball hat, rocking camp chairs, (I purchased two gci outdoor rocking/foldable camp chairs on Amazon because our friends had them and they were amazing), sunscreen, and lots of food and beer.

First we stopped for diesel and beer and pizza in the class c 2005 camper. It comes with a garage for paddle board and kayaks, and a trailer for side by side which is street legal.

Three hour drive to traverse city

We stayed in the Traverse City State Park Camground. There is a pedestrian bridge that goes over Munson avenue and leads down to the east arm of the Grand Traverse Bay from the campground.

The first night (Friday) we Took the side by side 5 min down the road for drinks and hot dogs to cook over the fire and stayed up having a fire and star gazing. There was a chance of northern lights but we didn’t see them this time.

Saturday morning we woke and had some liquid IV and coffee with pumpkin spice creamer and did a 20 minute yoga video on yoga mats on the ground under the changing autumn leaves.

We lounged around the campground until around 2pm, and I worked hard to not be on my phone and instead breathe deep and enjoy the nature. I was feeling productive and coming up with so many ideas for the blog but I also wanted to be present, so I jotted quick notes.

We Drove to the bay and let Mieka play in the water and sand. It was Cold and windy by the water and hot once we were walking on Front street. There was a big Pride event going on. We Went to Rare Bird Brewey with a dog friendly patio. I had a Mango basil bliss drink and pork belly bahn mi. Twilight beer and smoked trout dip was what Brett chose.

After window shopping all along the central district in Traverse City we went back to the campground to change. We went to the Vasa hiking trail and promptly got lost. Fortunately we figured it out before sunset and we had a great time hiking.

Sunday we booked a pontoon charter from Blue Sky rentals. We drove fifteen minutes south to Spider Lake for a four hour boat rental on a 22 foot, 60hp pontoon that was dog friendly. We Went to a couple different islands, swam (this is where the bathing suit would have come in handy as the water here was much warmer than Lake Michigan). We packed snacks and drank breakfast beers and listened to music and threw the ball for Mieka on one of the islands. The temperature changed a lot from 8am to 12pm.

After we finished at Spider Lake we packed up the campground and emptied everything. We set back for Kalamazoo, about a three hour drive. Brett and I continued home to Chicago from there. All in all a great weekend and Traverse City is the perfect mix of nature and cultural things to do.

The Theater Residence is located in the Thonburi district. It took about 50 minutes by a Grab (SE Asia Uber) to get there. It only cost me about $15 USD.

Check in is at 12, but I arrived at 8:30 am and I was able to get in to my room at 10. It’s a Beautiful hotel, you walk into a covered but open air lobby with water canals surrounding it and a great view of the pool and courtyard. There is a smoking section off the lobby.

It lives up to its four star rating with large rooms, good water pressure, shampoo and lotions available, a safe in room, slippers and robes. There is a Refrigerator with drinks to purchase and microwave and snacks to purchase (you pay at the end of your stay). Some rooms have small balconies, including mine. The first thing I did was turn on the air conditioning which works really well, and then shower in a very luxurious rain shower.

The Pool is open 7-7.

Room service opens at 11:00am.

Multiple types of in room massage available- Thai massage 60 minutes is 900 baht (26 dollars) and you pay at end of stay. I booked a Thai massage for my low back after all those long flights and it was so amazing.

You can get large bills exchanged for small bills at the front desk which is helpful. The 7eleven down the road has a minimum of a 200 baht purchase on cards. There is Thai only tv channels, but the tv has the youtube app.

Breakfast is across the street at Theater Riverside from 6:30am to 10:30am with views of the river. I missed it this morning but will go tomorrow.

Local attractions include: Chao phraya river, wanglang pier, wat rakang, wat arun, guan yu Chinese temple, tonmakok restaurant, somdet to memorial, song thao kao doen market, wang lang market, khlong food on a longboat tour, royal barges museum, and more.

Tomorrow I’ll know if it’s loud here at night and can update where we went for activities and dinner in the Thonburi district.

I had a lot of anxiety the night before the trip. I physically was shaking and dropping things. I took my normal bipolar pills and then a klonopin and a propanolol. Later before bed I did an at home Mindbloom ketamine session and that lulled me to sleep and I woke up feeling confident.

I got to O’hare at 7:30am for a 10:20am flight because I had issues using the JAL app and I couldn’t pull up my ticket or see if I had TSA pre check. I got it sorted out at the bag drop off/check in counter (it’s because of the layover/continuing on internationally) and went through pre check and was able to enjoy about two hours in the American Airlines flagship lounge. It was really nice and self serve for food and alcohol. It had a nice selection of both American and Japanese breakfast items.

I flew Japan Airlines business class with lie flat seats. It was so worth it. I Stayed up til 3am on the 25th, woke up at 6am, fell asleep on the plane from 1pm til 8:30pm (Chicago time) so I’d beat jet lag. Before sleeping I had a Bloody Mary and lunch and freaked out for a few because I didn’t realize Japan airlines also took USA chargers and my adapter wasn’t working. But I paid 18 dollars for WiFi and Brett talked me through it. I Took Motrin pm and melatonin and a Olly stress relief pill to sleep. Below in the collage photo, the hearts are appetizer and then list of ramen shops recommended by the stewardesses, bottom right was lunch, I slept through dinner if there was one, and then the ramen on the top left was a snack before landing. Business class seat came with slippers, toiletry bag, headphones, blanket, pillow, privacy screen. I used weighted eye mask and my ketamine therapy playlist for sleep was glad for my fleece because I was cold (although I’m sure I could have asked for another blanket, I was just too drowsy to sit up and call someone over). 13 hours+ flew by in this seating set up and with being tired. Last two hours of the trip I listened to my audible book Somewhere Beyond The Sea by TJ Klune.

About an hour and a half before landing we had to put our seats and window shades up, and the privacy screens down. At Japan airport arrivals you go through a quarantine area where you fill out a questionnaire on temperature and health and then a bunch of questions about if you are bringing anything into the country. Use jal.web and answer the questions there and get the QR code for fastest moving through the line. You get fingerprinted and passport scanned and moved on to customs. Show QR code at customs desk and get a stamp or sticker in your passport. I Told them I was just staying for a layover and they were fine with that. I Went through a secondary screening area before leaving where I showed everything again and explained why I only had a backpack and purse. There is optional luggage storage in the airport and I wish I had done that for my backpack because it was heavy. Exit down one floor to trains or taxis. I stopped at the restroom and the Japanese are brilliant because the sound of running water plays while you are seated on the throne to go to the bathroom. I chose a taxi because with limited time on the layover and a heavy bag I didn’t want to get lost using the trains.

The weather was sunny and in the 50’s F when I left the airport. I wore a tank top, sweater, and fleece, and I went back and forth between chilly and warm depending on how much walking I was doing with my heavy pack. It Took about an hour and 25 minutes at 4pm to get to Asakusa and see the Senso Ji temple due to traffic. In Japan they drive on the left and you walk or stand on the left, let people pass you on the right. My taxi driver spoke enough English for us to get by, but I had downloaded Japanese on the Apple translate app ahead of time in case I needed it. Say “Cardo” to ask if they take card. I didn’t learn much Japanese besides hello, Konichiwa, excuse me, Sumimasen, and thank you, Arigato.

I took out 10,000 yen at the airport atm, about 63.50 because I only planned to be out and about for around 6 hours. I used card for all taxis. I used the cash at a small souvenir store, getting a small wallet, a magnet, and a pair of earrings. I actually got the earrings because I forgot additional earring backs for my ear piercings and I lost one and was worried the hole would close up over the next two and a half weeks. I got the wallet because I realized while practical my water fly front carrying bag is, I still wanted a wallet for it. I booked a ticket ahead of time to Tokyo Tower on trip advisor and that was convenient that I just had to show a bar code when I arrived there.

At the Senso Ji temple I learned to never face you back to Buddha statues or take selfies with them. I also learned there is a place to purify your hands before entering the temple. To get to the temple you see one of the huge gates at the front or sides, and you walk through a bustling outdoor market to get there.

I walked all over the temple grounds and looked at food and souvenir stalls. Everywhere around were drink vending machines. I had read that if you buy something to eat or drink you don’t walk around and consume it, you stay close to where you purchased it. It is also hard to find trash cans so plan to carry a bag with you for trash if the shop you purchase from can’t take it back from you. I was disappointed because I really wanted to find a vending machine with novelties but all I could find were drink ones. They did have public restrooms on the temple grounds which was nice.

Next I went into the Asakusa shopping mall, and pictures were not allowed there. If you go underground you’ll hit the train stations and if you go up you’ll find clothing, food, house wares, and book shops. My cousin AnnaRose told me to go to the higher floors to find the more affordable things. I needed to pick up socks and a bra and I did that on level 6. From there I grabbed a taxi and went to Tokyo tower. I used my trip advisor QR code and the line at 6pm was very short, I was on the first elevator up. Tokyo at night is breath taking.

There are two floors to choose from, and I explored both. I grabbed a soda and a water at the cafe, where they also served food, desserts, and mini wines. After the tower I walked to a 7eleven and got some of the grape gummies pictured below. My cousin actually sent me this picture, I forgot to take one of the packaging before I ate them. They are spectacular and taste like real grapes.

After the convenience store it was only 7:30 and I wasn’t hungry, my internal clock was off and I felt more dehydrated than anything. I could have found a whiskey bar but most didn’t open until 8pm at the earliest and I didn’t particularly want to drink whiskey before an overnight flight to Bangkok. I chose to come back to the airport. I was tired, achey, and sweaty. I already had my ticket so I breezed through security (again a two step process) and found terminal 3. I was designated allowed to go in to the Sakura lounge because I’m in business class. I didn’t see showers but I found a changing room and I changed my tank top and febreezed all my clothes. I forgot deodorant in my carry on, (but go figure had sunscreen) so I made due by cleaning up as best I could and brushing my teeth. I grabbed a coke and a water and chose a place in the large lounge where I could put my feet up. I’m utilizing the slippers from my first flight as I write. Once again the food fare and drinks are self serve and Japanese in origin. I won’t know until a later post if I am happy with what I kept in my carry on bag (besides the obvious things like phone cables, a power brick, converter, sleep meds, fleece). Once I’ve been through Bangkok airport tomorrow morning and determine if I need sunglasses and lighter clothes and so forth I’ll update a post on what was useful and what wasn’t.

I could have stayed out in Tokyo until 9:30pm if I stayed in the location of the Tokyo tower, about a 25 minute drive to Haneda. Instead I ended up back here at 8pm. I’ll have another layover on my return from south East Asia and see if I venture out again. I could have planned better or been more adventurous, but for now I navigated one of the biggest cities in the world on my own for a few hours and didn’t have a panic attack. That is a win.

On a beautiful Saturday at the end of September our friends M and N got married in St Charles, IL. St. Charles has a population of around 33,000 people and sits on the Fox River. It is part of the tri-city area with Geneva and Batavia and the whole area is super cute and a huge local tourist draw.

It’s about a 40 minute drive from our home, so we decided to get a hotel. We didn’t realize that it was homecoming weekend for many local high schools and also several other weddings were going on in the area, so we managed to get one of the last rooms at a Hotel Baker.

Hotel Baker is “The Crown Jewel of the Fox”, an old world, historic hotel in central downtown. It has 53 rooms and those facing south have a river view. We had a second floor river view room, and parking is either street parking or 1 block west in a parking garage that is free for 24 hours.

The lobby is lovely, but there are rules you have to sign for when checking in. No smoking, no parties, no outside alcohol. I thought the outside alcohol thing was odd, but it’s probably because of the weddings and events they hold and the fact that there is a restaurant and bar on site.

For the wedding itself we walked about 4 blocks to Eden events. The event venue has multiple event rooms, and can host weddings, corporate events, baby and bridal showers, and more. We were in the the wedding rooms facing the Fox river. Walking in there was a bar area, and then a larger room that could be portioned off into a ceremony space and a dining space.

After the ceremony the larger room including the ceremony area was closed off and a cocktail hour began. The bar area and cocktail tables were in an L shape. We mingled for about an hour while the ceremony set up was taken down and the larger room turned into the dining area. Meagan and Nick opted for a sweetheart table and did something I thought was really interesting and fun; they didn’t put all of the bridesmaids and groomsmen at one table but instead mingled them at tables with the other guests. This was especially nice for me as I knew several of the other girls from the bachelorette party but not many of the other guests. The dinner consisted of a bread and salad course, and then three options for dinner, a chicken, a steak with chimmichurri, or a vegetarian squash pasta. During the dinner white and red wine were served. During the dinner the couple had their first dance, something they choreographed and was exceedingly cute.

Once their dance was complete a cake table was brought out. They opted for a tiramisu cake for the dessert after the cake cutting served with coffee and tea.

Once the dinner was over the bar opened back up and the cake area cleared away. The dj began playing music and there was an option to request songs. There was also a photo booth in the far corner with props.

The after party was about a 6-8 block walk from the Eden venue. We chose to go back to the hotel and change, and many others did as well. We slipped into cocktail attire and more comfortable shoes and walked south from Hotel Baker to The Office Dining and Spirits. The Office offers an indoor seating area and an outdoor patio. In a private venue section were after wedding snacks like sliders and chicken fingers. We spent most of the night on the outdoor patio in the lovely weather.

The next day we went for an early lunch at Alter Brewing right across the street on a walkable area. I had the slider trio of Nashville chicken with fries and Brett got the burger of the month. I tend to go for lights beers, and Brett did that morning as well as we were eating around 11:30. I love alter brewing, they have multiple locations and often have trivia and music bingo on weeknights.

We got back to my parents in the early afternoon to pick up Cal (after many texts from me and some prayers that he didn’t harass the cat all night. And I came home to this:

Cal and Abby have now bonded a little, Cal still comes up and barks at her and she just holds her ground and ignores him. They won’t be cuddling together anytime soon, but my worries were for nothing.

I can’t wait to get back to St. Charles in the spring for some additional exploration, it’s such a cute town and there is so much more to explore!

In 2022 we went camper camping for the first time with our friends Sarah and Matt and their dog Mieka. Brett and I had never taken Cal the Pom camping before. We had also never introduced Cal to Mieka, who is a high energy and sweetheart of an Australian shepherd. Below is a picture of all of us in the side by side and another of the dogs coming to an understanding.

From Chicago, Silver Lake Dunes is three and a half hours. We drove to Kalamazoo to meet Sarah and Matt first (2 and a half hours) and then went the rest of the way by camper, with a trailer for the side by side. The camper has a “garage” so it carries bikes, gas powered toys, kayaks, and extra gear and so forth, but can also be used as an extra bedroom if you have an air mattress. This is what Brett, Cal and I did for the weekend. We debated having a beer in the camper (the driver did not) on the drive up, but decided that probably wasn’t legal and abstained until we got to the campground. I am a rule follower after all.

Below is our campground at Silver Lake State Park.

There’s only so much you can do at a campground at night. Sit around the fire, eat, drink, talk, and stargaze. So that was our first night. We walked the campground and probably talked too loudly, which made me anxious and want to go back to the camper for the “wild” (aka slightly louder) part of the night. I understand being a courteous neighbor to fellow campers, but why do I assume someone will be angry with me before it even happens?

The next day was an anxiety adventure. There are seat belts in the side by side but I wasn’t sure how I would fair on the dunes, or driving on the streets on the way there. I took a klonopin for anxiety. Annnnnddd… so one thing I learned that day was that the side by side was not yet street legal. It didn’t have registration or a license plate. We tried to go to the park area of the dunes to ride in the vehicle and we were stopped by a park person. We also almost got a ticket at this time, but Matt made the executive decision to drive away while the 21 year old looking ranger yelled for us to wait. I freaked out about this and had a panic attack and decided they were going to follow us and we would be arrested. Unlikely considering we had no license place and his office was a hut.

Matt assured me everything was fine. He’s a natural extrovert and is charming and knows Michigan law more than I do. In some parts of the UP and northern Michigan, driving a side by side that is not street legal is fairly common. But I’m an omnivert, so I assumed I was being overly worried and I “knew” with a change of attitude I would go back into “fun party camping” mode. I tried, I really did. I drank a beer and tried to have a “fuck it!” Attitude. Later, he admitted he kept an eye out behind us for a couple miles after the run in.

I panicked enough that we decided to keep the side by side off the street as much as possible. I think everyone was annoyed with my paranoia, but it would not cease. I clenched my jaw until it felt like my teeth would crack and I tried to belly breathe but it didn’t work because I was too worked up. Then I decided the cure for this was legal Michigan marijuana. I got way too high and the paranoia worsened. We took the side by side to a general store to get more food, drinks, and ice, and I stayed in the back of the vehicle staring at the sky and my hands trying to act “normal” while the others went inside to shop. I mostly spent the time over analyzing every situation we had been in that day and assuming I was the worst version of myself in every scenario.

Later that day once I had quietly read a book in bed and taken a nap to reset, we found a sandbar off the beach and laid out blankets. We crossed a small bridge with the dogs and found a shady grassy area next to a small creek and leading down to a sandbar. We wanted to go swimming, but it was Lake Michigan in June cold, so we didn’t last long.

We chose not to use the pool as we would have had to leave the dogs in the alone in the camper and I was not ready to do that. Cal was not interested in camping at all and spent the majority of his time sitting in front of the steps of the camper waiting to go inside.

We spent the day cooking and drinking and laying in the sun. That evening we had a beautiful bonfire and watched the sky over the lake through the sky view app. We laid in the grass looking at stars and found Saturn, Cassiopeia, and Vega. Thus far in all my US travels I have seen the best stars in Michigan, Maine, and Montana.

I also discovered that I burned the bottom of my shoes from sitting like below.

On our final day we got a little “hillbilly” as Matt put it- we tried to go to the dunes a second time and I was stressed af but also did a lot of stating the facts (what are they going to do? Ticket and/or tow Matt, the owner)? We made it inside however we couldn’t affix the flag to the side by side to get onto the dunes so we couldn’t go up. So make sure you’re adequately prepared if doing off-roading, which I have very little experience with. Instead we drove around where we could and I enjoyed the sun and air on my face while breathing deep and trying to fully take in vacation.

We stopped just north of Muskegon in White Lake for lunch and brews. We went to Fetch Brewing Company and found outdoor seating with the dogs. The taps of beer and cider rotate so I can’t recommend a particular drink, and we got food from a local food truck- pretzels with cheese and other small bites. The dogs did so well and enjoyed the patio and being loved on by everyone outside.

We then headed from Fetch to Virtue Cider in Fennville, MI, about an hour and fifteen drive. Virtue is famous for their award winning ciders, tours, farm, and amazing outdoor space. We did samplers and bought tee shirts and some bottles to bring home.

Overall I was a nervous Nellie that weekend and most of it was unfounded. We laugh about it now and the side by side is now legal for the streets and we take it on new adventures. We drive back to Kalamazoo and parted ways there, taking home a very exhausted Pomeranian and a lot of sand.

Here’s part of the list of questions that I sent our consultant at Go2Africa about Namibia for our May 2026 trip.

We plan to fly to Frankfurt, Germany and spend a few days with friends and then go on to Windhoek (pronounced Vindhook) from there on an overnight flight. The flight is around 10 hours long from Frankfurt. The time zone will not change.

1. How large are the planes that go to Namibia?

The direct flight from Frankfurt to Windhoek with EW Discover they usually use the Airbus A330 which is fairly big. 

The benefits of business class are ideal for this flight as it’s an overnight flight and they have the lie flat seats.

https://www.discover-airlines.com/en/information/travel-classes/business-class/

2. Are there safety issues flying to Africa?

We don’t have issues with safety, what can happen is missing luggage so it is advisable to pack a separate overnight bag with essentials that you can take on board with you.

3. What is what’s the safety rating for the light aircraft? What are the weight limitations for people and suitcases on the light aircraft?

 Again, no issues with safety. Flights generally operates the following aircraft in Namibia: Cessna 206s and 210s – carrying 4 guests with 20 kg (44 lb) luggage per person, Cessna 406s – carrying 9 guests, as well as the GA8 Airvan – carrying a maximum of 7 guests. Weight restrictions for passengers are 220lb per person, or extra fees may apply.

Only soft duffel/tog type bags will be accepted – no frames or rigid structures may be transported as they physically cannot fit into the aircraft. Wheels on a bag are only permissible if they are not part of a solid frame or rigid structure.The maximum dimensions of ALL bags which can be accommodated are as follows: 25 cm (10 inches) wide x 30 cm (12 inches) high and 62 cm (24.4 inches) long.

 4. What are the average daytime temperature in the areas we are going to be at at what is the evening temperature? 

 Average day time temperatures around 75 degrees Fahrenheit and night time it can drop to single digits, but not often below zero.

 5. Do we need to bring coats? 

One warm jacket should be fine, no coats required.

6. Is tapwater safe to drink at all the hotels?

Yes, Namibia’s water is safe to drink from the tap, however, I always advise guests to stick to bottled water just to make 100% sure you don’t end up with an upset tummy which can ruin your trip.

7. English widely spoken?

Yes

8. How widely is credit card accepted? 

Almost everywhere

9. How easy is it get to an ATM? 

ATM’s are in the bigger towns like Windhoek and Swakopmund, at the camps you have access to card facilities but not ATM machines

10. How much pocket money should we carry?

$1000 in total for the two of you should get you far

11. How much should we expect to spend per day additionally?

Impossible to say, as some camps are all inclusive and others only include breakfast. Where necessary, card facilities are available.

12. How is cell service? Is there Wi-Fi at all the hotels? 

Yes wifi at all the hotels but remember the camps are in remote areas so it can be interrupted.

Yes we have cellphone networks and you can buy a local sim at the airport.

13. What are the emergency medical procedures if one of us was to be sick or injured in the various locations? 

It is strongly recommended that you take you medical and travel insurance, but you will be transferred to the nearest state hospital in event of illness

 14. Are there safety harnesses on the 4×4 excursions?

No not on all vehicles

15. What is recommended clothing/ do we need any fancy dress?

Definitely no fancy dress required and we will send you a comprehensive ‘what to pack’ brochure prior to your trip, and well in time so that you are well prepared.

16. Can you help us choose our flights from Frankfurt to make sure we use our time wisely? 

 Yes we can but this is only possible closer to the time as flights for 2026 are not available

17. If we have a layover what do we do if we get held up and miss it?

There is a direct flight from Frankfurt to Namibia so a layover is not necessary. In an event where your arrival is delayed, we will make all necessary arrangements to limit the impact on the rest of your trip, but again, it is not always possible, so comprehensive travel insurance will cover you so that you don’t suffer a financial loss.

18. Is there anything that is prohibited to bring into Namibia?

Only the normal products that are illegal across the world.

19. Are there any gestures or words or cultural differences we should avoid?

No

20. What is tipping culture like? 

 Tipping is not compulsory although it is quite the norm to tip the lodge staff, guides, etc. We will provide you with a detailed tipping guideline closer to the time.

 

Logistics

 Is the Himba tribe tour included? If not, how much does it cost and which day would we do it? Are there any gifts? We should bring the Kimba or any local money that we should get?

Yes, you can visit the Himba Tribe during your stay at Serra Cafema.

Gifts etc., we can advise on closer to the time once we have measured the need at the time.

1. Day one Windhoek. What time will we arrive on the first day in Windhoek and what time will be we able to check into our room? Do we have the day to ourselves? Is it safe to hire a taxi or walk around the city and go to the museums and restaurant? 

Your room is available from 2 pm onwards. Arrival time depends on your flight arrival time and not available at the moment. You have the day to yourself and the hotel can assist to book reliable transfers if/where necessary.

2. Day two, Soussuvlei. How long is the flight to little kalula lodge and What are the twice daily scheduled camp activities? 

It is just over an hour’s flight. Activities include nature drives, excursions to Sossusvlei and Sesriem, guided walking trails, hot air ballooning (available at an extra cost), stargazing, guided scorpion walks at night, guided quad biking, in-room massage at an additional cost.

3. Day four Swakopmund. how long is the flight from geluk to swakopmund? Are there other places to eat dinner besides the hotel? How expensive is dinner at the hotel? Do we have any activities the first day or what is there to do solo? Do we need any dress-up clothes? 

Arrival time in Swakop depends on the weather, that is why we keep the first day open. You are free to walk around town on your own on the first day. The flight is approximately 1,5 hours. There are plenty of good restaurants in Swakop. Dinner at the hotel is around $25 per person, depending of course on what you eat. No reason to dress up.

4. What time is the half day desert tour on day 5. Can we arrange any other tours in the afternoon on the day of if we so choose?

It is from 8 am to 12 pm and the afternoon is free and open so you can do something else if you’d like.

5. Day 6 kaokoveld. How long is the flight to kaokoveld and the car trip to Serra cafema camp. What is the standard double tent like. Is alcohol included in local beverages. What are the scheduled camp activities. 

You fly from Swakopmund to Doro Nawas (1 hour), then another flight to Serra Cafema airstrip (another hour) and then it is a 60-90 minute road transfer to the lodge (depending on wildlife sightings, scenery and photographic opportunities along the way).

Activities include nature drives, guided quad biking, guided nature walks, boating (water levels permitting), Himba excursion, stargazing, back of house tours. Yes local beverages are included (no premium brands like champagne and cognac). Tent description: luxury canvas tents on raised deck, with elevated wooden walkways and private viewing decks overlooking either the dunes, hills or river valley.

Each tent comprises ensuite facilities with flush toilet, double vanity basin, indoor and outdoor shower, mosquito net, electronic safe and tea & coffee making facilities.

No air conditioning, however each room has a pedestal fan and three ceiling fans.

6. Day 8 Etosha. How long are the two flights. What are the scheduled camp activities. Are the prices all included?

Same estimated times as above: 1 hour to Doro Nawas and another hour to Ongava. Both scheduled activities are game dries in the Etosha National Park. Included in the rate: all meals, twice daily scheduled activities, park fees, local drinks and laundry

7. Day 11 return to Windhoek. How long is the flight? What time do we get back? Can we chose to spend a day and rest there? Can you help us book a hotel by the airport?

The flight time is approximately 1,5 hours back to Windhoek. The departure time from Ongava will only be advised closer to the time, but if there is a particular concern/need for very specific timing, please let me know. We can certainly help you book a hotel, but it will be in Windhoek as there are not hotels close to the airport. The airport is approximately 40 minute drive outside of Windhoek.

23. How much is the plane ride excursion over the skeleton coast?

As we fly over the Skeleton Coast twice during the travel days, our pilots will fly low as is safely possible so you may take photos from the plane. If you choose to book another plane excursion that will be at additional expense.

24. The Skeleton Coast is known to be foggy, how will this affect our flights?

The flights on these days are flexible due to the nature of the weather and the planes have the ability to fly inland if necessary to avoid the fog.

More to come as the trip comes closer. The deposit was 30% down. They suggested Redpoint Travel Protection for travel insurance, and said we must get the travel insurance within 14 days of placing the deposit.

For my high school graduation gift, my mother and former stepfather took myself, my brother, my grandmother and a close friend of my mother’s to Ireland. We went in mid June. Please note this was my first experience outside the U.S. and as it was 19 years ago somethings I experienced at the time may be out of date.

I also want to emphasize that I did not plan this trip or do much research prior at all. This was before Pinterest so I didn’t look up any travel blogs, and my parents did the travel plans with the travel agent. I barely researched more than “have a light jacket” because it’s cooler than the Midwest in June. And of course I double checked o could have my first (legal) drink over there. I also didn’t take as many pictures as I have since started, and they’re from a grainy disposable camera.

We flew Chicago to Boston and then into Shannon International Airport. Shannon is on the west coast of Ireland, just west of Limerick. We had paid for a 7 person Mercedes automatic van. What they gave us was a Mercedes, but it was a 14 passenger white van that was basically as big as the roads we were driving down. We were also driving on the opposite side of the road for the first time, and many roads are narrow and lined with stacked rick fences. This was pre anxiety medicine for me as I was only 18 and we still thought I just had depression, not Bipolar disorder. I laid down on one of the “bus” seats in the back with my eyes closed for some of the journeys to field off the panic and also because the winding roads and left side driving made me car sick. Take Dramamine or ginger if you are driving on the opposite side of the road there!

The weather was in the mid 60’s and foggy. We didn’t stop over in Limerick even though we were close. We headed straight down to the southern coast to a small town called Youghal. It’s about a two hour drive. This was before AirBnb and my mom booked a townhouse close to the estuary of the River Blackwater and facing the sea through a travel agent. It is a town of around 8500 people. Youghal is a “Irish Hertiage Port” city, and a popular seaside resort town. We used Youghal as our home base for 4 days, and did day trips by car out of it. It is such a cute town and I highly recommend it if you prefer a home base rather than switching hotels every few days. We spent the last 2 days in Ireland in Dublin.

Things we did in Youghal: Immediately went to Tides Restaurant and got our first Guiness, walked Front Strand Beach (it was too cold to swim), we went to little shops and bought souvenirs and claddagh rings (Buffy was still in my heart two years after the finale), looked over the Youghal harbor at the eastern most point of county Cork, the Youghal boardwalk, the Clock Gate tower, went to The Quay’s Bar and Restaurant, and ate and drank a lot.

One night my mom took me to my first bar (no food) and hovered watching how much I drank. It was a tiny place and I don’t remember the name. Smoking had been banned from bars recently. At 12am the bars close, but they (at the time) just closed the doors and locked them and then continued the party til 2am, while everyone smoked inside. I had a group of 40 something year old men serenade me with Daydream Believer. I thought I was hot shit.

We drove an hour to Cork to explore for a bit and then on to Blarney Castle to take the tour, explore the grounds, and kiss the Blarney Stone, which is supposed to bring good luck.

Things to do in Cork: We walked St. Patrick’s street and went to the English market. Then we moved on. Things I had wished we’d done were Cork Public Museum and Elizabeth Fort.

Blarney Castle and grounds were stunning. I had a mini heart attack climbing the tower stairs to the top because they were so narrow and there were people all smushed together waiting to get to the top.

One day we drove to the Cliffs of Moher, a three hour journey from Youghal. It was a chilly, drizzly, misty day, but still incredible. The 700 foot tall cliffs are facing the Atlantic Ocean and made of Namurian shale and sandstone and you can see (on a clear day) the Aran Islands from them. Warning, if you have vertigo, stay back a ways. There are no fence guards.

Waterford Crystal Factory, or House of Waterford, was another stop we did. It is in the aptly named city of Waterford, Ireland. It is an hour and fifteen minute drive from Youghal. I can’t find the pictures I have from this part of the trip, so the pictures below are from the official website.

Tickets today to enter are 17.50 euro for an adult. We actually went to a different facility location I. 2005 than where they are located today. They kept over 750 tonnes of crystal a year there. We took a tour and saw how they carve the molds, the glass blowing, the cutting and shaping of the glass, the polishing, the inspection, and the etching and marking of the final products.

We also had an afternoon tea reservation at the facility we were at and it is best to reserve in advance.

After we left Youghal we traveled to Dublin. It is an almost three hour drive and we stopped in Kilkenny for lunch. Things to do in Kilkenny: boat tours, historical city walking tours, Kilkenny Castle and gardens, Swithwicks Beer Experience, the Kilkenny Witch tour, St. Canice’s Cathedral, and so forth. You can also drive into the Wicklow Mountains on the way to Dublin. We had a typical Irish lunch with items including Irish Stew, corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie, Irish soda bread, and more.

In Dublin we returned the van at the airport and went everywhere by taxi or public transportation. We stayed at the Clontarf Castle Hotel across the Dublin Bay from the port. It is a ten minute drive from the Dublin City centre. (Photos are from the hotel website). We stayed for two nights.

It is a four star hotel with a variety of rooms that include tvs, WiFi, laptop friendly safes, 24 hour room service and more. It has the Knights Bar, and the contemporary fine dining restaurant at the double-rosette winning Fahrenheit Restaurant.

While in Dublin we took a double decker bus tour of the city, and did the Guinness Storehouse experience, tour, and its Gravity Bar. The ticket prices begin currently at 20 euros and go from there depending on the package you choose. We were able to take home key chains that had a small bubble with Guinness in them.

We also went to Temple Bar, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and the Book of Kells Experience (pre reservations advised). Finally we went to Kilmainham Gaol and did a museum tour. We did a lot of eating and drinking I didn’t record, but popular places to go today are Hatch & Sons Irish Kitchen, The Exchequer, The Brazen Head, and more found at https://www.ireland.com/en-us/magazine/food-and-drink/dublin-food-and-drink.

After our two and a half days in Dublin we said goodbye to Ireland and got on a ferry from Dublin port to Holyhead, Wales. The ferry ride today costs an average of 45 GBP per person and is a 3 and a half hour journey across the Irish Sea. There are plenty of comfy spots to sit, a cafe, restrooms and shopping on board. I got the current information from https://www.directferries.com/wales.

We didn’t stop to explore Holyhead, Wales, we went directly to the train station. I do wish we had because from what I saw it was a beautiful town.

We took a train from Holyhead, Wales to London and ended our trip after three days there. I will devote another post to London.

go dté tú slán! Or “safe travels” in Gaelic.

I’m taking my mother Stephanie to France for her 70th birthday in 2025. We are going in mid September during harvest season for the wine country. We are doing a mother-daughter trip and we used the agency SmoothRed. We did this because my mom has a bad back and some leg injuries and I wanted a bespoke tour that would accommodate her needs. We had a wonderful travel consultant named Sira who spoke with us on the phone twice and multiple times over email to tweak the itinerary before putting down a 30% deposit. Flights and travel insurance were not included in the quote from SmoothRed.

This is not my first time traveling with my mom. We have been to Ireland and London, Argentina, New Orleans, LA, a road trip through the state of Maine and New Brunswick, CA, and on a European cruise to Venice, Montenegro, and Greece. There are challenges to traveling with an older person, and there can also be personality clashes especially between two neurotic people. So below is the plan, and in one year I’ll update how it went, where we are, where we drank, and what we saw. Oh… and also if we survived 🙂

The itinerary:

Day 0 from Chicago ORD to Paris CDG overnight and arrive on the 14th for Day 1.

Day 1. Private car from CGD to Paris train station for a train ride of two hours thirty minutes to Bordeaux. Private car from train to Hotel de Seze. Meals not included.

Day 2. Breakfast at hotel included, private driver to Saint Emilion. Morning private tour of a TBD winery featuring Premier Grand Cru Classé. Lunch, booked for us but not included, at TBD restaurant overlooking the city. Afternoon tour at another TBD winery and tasting with the sommelier. Private car back to the hotel for a second night, dinner and evening activities on our own.

Day 3. Check out of hotel and head to Medoc for tastings. Tbd vineyard with Grand Cru wine at a chateau. Tasting paired with artisanal chocolates. Lunch on our own (booked but not paid for by SmoothRed) at a TBD brasserie. In the afternoon head to another Medoc area estate for a private tour and tailor made tasting session. Spend the night at Château Cordeillan-Bages.

Day 4. Breakfast included on the terrace at the chateau and then day at leisure. Optional cooking class can be arranged for an additional price. Recommended to head to village of Bages for dinner.

Day 5. Breakfast at the chateau, check out and private transfer for Bordeaux train station. 2 hour 30 minute train ride to Paris. Check into Hotel Balmoral Paris. Afternoon at leisure.

Day 6. Breakfast at the hotel, private transfer to train station to travel approximately 45 minutes to Reims in the Champagne region. Private full day tour of two champagne houses in Montagne de
Reims. Michelin starred 3 course lunch included. Visit to Reims Cathedral and Masion Fossier. Private transfer to train, 45 minutes back to Paris, private transfer back to hotel.

Day 7. Paris museums. Either Musée de l’Orangerie and then Musée d’Orsay, or an upgraded trip outside the city to full-day private tour at Giverny and Claude Monet’s home. Return to Paris hotel for dinner on our own.

Day 8. Day at leisure. We opted to upgrade to a private tour of Versailles. They booked us a private English speaking guide for the two of us that can walk slowly and take breaks. They also booked us an afternoon Royal tea-time at Versailles. Return to Paris and the rest of the day on our own.

Day 9. Breakfast at the hotel and then check out. Private transfer at time we need to return to CDG. Hotel will hold our luggage until it is needed.

The questions I asked before booking:

1. What are the average day and night temperatures?
   • It varies. Southern France near Bordeaux is typically warmer and Paris typically chillier. But with global warming, we won’t know exactly until sooner to the trip.
2. Is tap water safe to drink everywhere?
   • Yes, and the hotels and chauffeured tours provide mineral water and still water bottles.
3. Are there mini fridges in the hotel suites and is there ice available?
   • Yes, but the cost of taking out items is not covered by Smooth Red and will be charged when we check out. We can ask room service for ice- the French do use it more than some other European countries.
4. Is English widely spoken?
   • Yes, in all regions, and each driver and guide we have will speak English.
5. Are atms available at the hotels? How wide is the use of credit cards?
   • Yes, atms are available at the hotels except for at the chateau. credit card is accepted almost everywhere
6. How is cell service and WiFi?
   • Non-issue. All hotels have WiFi and it is offered in many restaurants and malls.
7. We went from separate rooms to a shared suite at each location to save cost. Are we in separate beds?
   • Yes
8. We requested first floor or hotels with elevators (lifts) due to my mom’s walking abilities. Is this possible?
   • Yes, all hotels are first floor or lifts. It was important to sign and deposit quickly once we chose our price and itinerary to make sure we locked those in.
9. What if there is an emergency?
   • We have an app to use and a 24 hour number to call with Smooth Red. Each town we go to has police, ambulance, and hospitals.
10. What kinds of cars do the chauffeurs drive?
    • Even for this private two person tour it will be a Mercedes minivan with air conditioning.
11. What if our train is delayed and we need to contact the driver for the transfer?
    • The app or the 24 hour Smooth Red phone number will allow the agency to contact the driver for us.
12. We both smoke- where is this allowed?
    • Not in the rooms or common areas of the hotels, but almost everywhere outside.
13. Is there laundry service at each hotel?
    • Yes.
14. Are we paying for the first class train tickets to and from Bordeaux/Paris or is that included?
    • It is included in the price of the package.
15. Is Notre Dame still closed inside?
    • Yes, it is.
16. Can they book us a private tour of Versailles on our leisure day in Paris?
    • Yes, for an additional cost. They booked us a private English speaking guide for the two of us that can walk slowly and take breaks. They also booked us an afternoon Royal tea-time at Versailles.
17. Can the hotel concierges make us recommendations and reservations for dinners on the nights that dinner is not included?
    • Yes.
18. Will the guides be told ahead of time of my mother’s walking restrictions and pace?
    • Yes
19. Are any of our hotels on cobblestone streets? (Walking hazard).
    • No

We’ll see what happens in 2025!

The year, 2012. The goal, spring break. The company- my boyfriend of three months, Brett. The other goal: hide your crazy.

I want to first off say that this was not my first travel, but my first cruise. I had trouble with it. You may love cruises. If this blog post isn’t for you, that’s ok!

Brett and I had known one another for a year and a half. We had a bit of a “will they, won’t they”. I never had good boundaries with boyfriends, and after ignoring him for three months and working on my self esteem in therapy, I laid down the law. You will treat me well, you will stay at my house, you will meet my friends and family. And if you EVER get wishy washy on me again, I’m gone. He never did get emo, “not your boyfriend”, “I’m too busy for a relationship”, doesn’t call me for a week straight again. November 12, 2011 he said “All I want to do is make you happy.” And he meant it. We married 3 and a half years later.

I couldn’t ask for a better partner. He’s my co-captain, my travel partner for life, my love song writing, hold me when I’m sobbing, puppy daddy. We’ve been married 9 and a half years now.

But those first three months were precarious. We were long distance, he, in Chicago and me at Purdue. I was waiting for something to go wrong and trying not to get too close. He was trying to show me he was all in. In February 20, 2012 he kissed me to the Get Up Kids song “I’ll Catch You” on his birthday after eating a Nyan Cat cake I had specifically ordered, and waited til my makeup was off and my mouth guard was in to tell me he loved me. I whispered back “I luff syou too”. Bastard. 🙂

So we booked a cruise for spring break. I was still trying to be the “perfect” version of myself in front of him. The “putting on makeup and getting back into bed while he was asleep” person. (Props to Kristin Wiig from the movie Bridesmaids to show this is an actual thing we do). I was trying to be the “cool girlfriend”, up for anything. “Sure I want to listen to your band play music for 5 hours on the one weekend we get together”. I waited til he left to use the bathroom. I hid my mood swings and made light of my disorder. “It’s not a big deal, I just take some pills.”

March 2012 we flew to Miami and boarded a Royal Caribbean cruise ship to Nassau, Bahamas, Coco Cay- a Royal Caribbean owned island, and Key West, Florida. I hid in the plane bathroom taking a Xanax, I turned up the volume on my headphones as loud as it would go so I didn’t have to risk hearing someone be disgruntled on the plane. Why does that bother me? It does, and it’s infuriating. Someone gets shitty and I immediately am on edge. I’m sure they’ll make a scene and I’m terrified to see it. I worry they are mad at me, and I imagine getting yelled at and crying in front of everyone. I empathize with everyone around me and I take on their discomfort at my own. I freeze and I make myself as small as possible…. And we had literally just arrived. Next up was figuring out bag tagging and getting out passports and being herded like cattle with 3000 other people onto a boat. Everyone is impatient, everyone is rushing to the front of the line. You get bumped and rustled. I HATE being touched by anyone, I need to initiate touching expect with a few select people. I make myself smaller. And smaller. And smaller.

The cabin was my safe space. It was tiny and had a porthole and no fresh air. I cried in the fetal position of the bathroom floor, telling Brett I just needed to take a shower. Would this get better?

It did, but cruises are still not my thing. I’ve been on two others, and one was to do a family trip with Brett’s parents who love to cruise, and another to take my mom to Italy and Greece because she’s amazing and has some mobility issues and I thought it would be easier on her. Those stories will come later. There’s chaos in the dining halls, chaos at the bars, expensive drinks if you don’t buy the package and the pools are packed. You have to get to the pool at 7am if you don’t want to fight for a spot. It was also spring break so there were the usual cruise fans and then the rowdy younger crowd. The only way I could cope with people being so loud and drunk was to drink myself. I have since bought Calmer ear plugs (similar to Loop) and they help immensely. And I’ve worked on the alcohol consumption. I learned there is a 30 minute “urge” period. Ride out that urge wave for thirty minutes, and a lot of it passes.

I seem negative. Maybe I am. The excursions were great honestly, if not a little short for the one in Key West. I just don’t like crowds. It’s why we moved out of Chicago after living there from 2013 to 2022. I need space and nature. I figured that out for later trips.

So on to what we actually did. Our first stop was in Nassau. We were able to dock at the port, no tender needed. I mentioned in an Instagram post (@theneuroticadventurer) that buskers and people selling things stress me out. I practically ran past the sellers at the port. We had nine hours in port. We chose a snorkeling excursion. I then found out that Brett was not a strong swimmer. We catamaraned past the Atlantis Hotel and out of a beautiful spot. The sea was rough and Brett drank more salt water than he actually swam in. Even I, a strong swimmer, had some issues. But the fish were colorful and the boat was heavenly. I would just recommend for future travelers to take a look at the sea and determine if you can handle the waves that day. They’ll take the boat out if it’s safe-ish enough and will bring in the tourists.

After the tour we cleaned up and walked the town. Nassau is beautiful, but there are certain areas to avoid. “Over the hill” south of Shirley street is one of those areas. We stuck close to the ship, did some shopping and found some bars. We ate conch fritters at the succinctly named Conch Fritters stand. We drank Bahamian beer at Sharkeez and bought Cuban Romeo y Julieta cigars. We debated sneaking a few home, but I’m to a fault, a rule follower. We even walked into the most touristy place on earth, Senor Frogs, and danced a little and watched the strangest sight of a mom pushing a stroller at 9pm at night near the dance floor.

Our next stop was CocoCay, also known as Little Stirrup Cay, Bahamas. It is owned by Royal Caribbean. it is less than a mile long and at the time we had to use tenders to get there. They have since built a port on the north side of the island. There is a water park, pools, beaches, nature trails, and a shopping and food area. There are also a bunch of activities you can book. We chose to have a relaxing day with no activities. We got lunch, a pre set buffet which was mediocre, and then found a less crowded area to put down our towels on loungers and splash around in the sea. We watched parasailers and kayakers go by, and sipped rum drinks. We walked the beach, but not the nature trails, and explored the piers and looked for shells. One side of the island was busy with families and screaming joyful laughter from kids, and the other side a little more relaxed.

On the ship that night we did the captain’s dinner which was actually very fun. I didn’t love sharing a table with strangers but I’ve since gotten better about socializing on later trips. The sunset was breathtaking and we got to dress up and sip wine with our seafood. I was calmer at this point and getting into a groove on the ship. We played blackjack and explored the ship and even peeked into the nightclub for a bit.

The third and final port was in Key West. We were able to dock in port, overlooking Mallory Square and Lands End village. This was our shortest day, only 6 hours in port. But by the time you get off and on the ship in the crowds, it’s more like 4 and a half hours. We first went parasailing. If you’ve been, you know the experience. It’s a fun diversion and a beautiful boat ride and we got to touch our feet to the water. We then went to Sloppy Joe’s bar for happy hour Yuenglings, (we couldn’t get them in Indiana at the time) and then walked up and down Duval Street. We shopped and looked at statues and 6 toed cats and iguanas. We didn’t take the trolley tour and I wish we had.

Here is where we made our mistake. We asked a local for a recommendation for an off the beaten path bar to drink at. We ended up at Pepe’s. I just looked it up on google maps and I can’t find this bar anymore. There’s a Pepe’s Cafe but that wasn’t it. It was exclusively outdoors with flowering trees and shaded picnic tables. They had $1 Yuenglings and boy did we indulge. Then we went up to the bartender to chat and he said “I have all these fresh peaches and I don’t know what to do with them, do you want to sit here and try the concoctions I make?”. Big Mistake. We of course said yes and promptly got hammered. I threw up in the restroom and we nearly missed the boat home. I practically carried Brett back to the ship, which we got lost trying to find despite it being the massive thing in the sky in front of us. We were the last ones on the boat and everyone was pissed and hooting and hollering off the decks at us. We scurried to our room with our heads down and continued to get sick and pass out.

Instead of Pepe’s, which may be gone or renamed, I recommend After Deck Bar at Louie’s. It’s got good reviews, an outdoor space and views of the water and sunset. It will likely be more touristy than what we experienced though.

The next day was tough, I was hungover and sure everyone’s eyes were on me. I hid in the room except to get lots and lots of water and caffeine and was thankful we reached Miami quickly. BUT, we forgot to put tags on our bags and put them out in the hall. So they got hauled down late with no tags and we ended up waiting for our luggage for over an hour in the cruise terminal baggage claim. Mess.

We had a few hours to kill before our flight so we found media noche sandwiches and bloody Mary’s and pretended we were Dexter Morgan, living it up in Miami. Then we got on a plane home and I was asleep long before I had time to worry about everything that had plagued me on the flight down. So there’s that at least.

Overall, we made it. I had a few snippy moments, a few tears, and Brett got me through it. He didn’t leave me, he embraced me. Find a travel partner like that.