Janice Leith Waugh's Blog, page 138

Travel Solo at Christmas: planning tips

Christmas decorations from the Christmas Market in Vienna last year.

I received an email from a reader asking me for ideas on traveling solo over the Christmas holidays.

While I tend to stay at home over the holidays – I love being with my family and I actually like the cold – I’m sure planning for solo travel over the Christmas holidays is on the to-do list of many readers.

So I’ve given it some thought, done a bit of research and I have a few ideas. And, as a bonus, I’ve crowdsourced more idea...

Solo Travel Destination: Mount Cook, New Zealand

We are pleased to present a newSolo TravelDestination Post from Angela, a member of theSolo TravelSocietyon Facebook. Angela is from Australia, and submitted the following report about Mount Cook . Do you have asolotraveldestination that you would like to recommend?Submit your description here, along with a few photos, and share it with fellow travelers!

Solo travelrating: 1 (1 is easiest, 4 is most difficult. Please see chart below)

Languages spoken: English

View of Tasman Glacier.

Reasons to go: A...

Joy and Balsamic Vinegar: this is what life’s about

Then along came Irene. When her energy entered the scene I really started clicking. Keep reading to see the full sequence of these photos.

Joy.

La dolce vita.

That’s what I found.

What I was looking for was traditional balsamic vinegar and its glorious taste.

I wanted to savor it. I wanted to understand it. I wanted to know how to buy it.

You see, before leaving for Bologna, I was given a mission by my sister to find a supplier of the real Balsamico.

I accepted the assignment with pleasure but I nee...

Pic of the Week: Lake Como, Italy

A quiet early morning on Lake Como.

The Pic of the Week is drawn from photos submitted to theSolo TravelSocietyFacebook Group, providing an opportunity for solo travelers to share with us a favorite photo from their travels.

This week’s pic fromSolo TravelSocietymember Meg was taken at Lake Como in Italy.

Ciao from Bologna: taking it slow

It’s early morning and there are few people about.

I arose early this morning.

I learned from Ken Kaminesky, a travel photographer friend, that the quiet of a city in the morning light is one of the best times to take photos.

I learned fromTino Soriano , a national geographic photographer, that patience is one of the best traits of a photographer.

While I will never be a photographer at their level, I can certainly apply some of what they taught me. And my opportunity to do so is here in Bologna...

Ciao from Bologana: taking it slow

It’s early morning and there are few people about.

I arose early this morning.

I learned from Ken Kaminesky, a travel photographer friend, that the quiet of a city in the morning light is one of the best times to take photos.

I learned fromTino Soriano , a national geographic photographer, that patience is one of the best traits of a photographer.

While I will never be a photographer at their level, I can certainly apply some of what they taught me. And my opportunity to do so is here in Bologna...

Solo Travel Destination: St. John’s, Newfoundland

We are pleased to present a newSolo TravelDestination Post from Jenell, a member of theSolo TravelSocietyon Facebook. Jenell is from Canada, and submitted the following report about St. John’s . Do you have asolotraveldestination that you would like to recommend?Submit your description here, along with a few photos, and share it with fellow travelers!

Solo travelrating: 1 (1 is easiest, 4 is most difficult. Please see chart below)

Languages spoken: English

Downtown St. John’s, viewed from Signal Hi...

Travel Technology: Low cost voice calls around the world

My computer, my phone and a Mi-Fi like device that gives me Wi-Fi on a 3G network.

This is the third in the Travel Technology series by our tech expert Doug Krug. So far, Doug has given us Travel Technology: keep your photos and files safe in the cloud and Travel Technology: Increase your security and reduce costs. This time he turns his attention to helping us stay in touch by phone.

Life is rich with reminders of our humanity and how prone to mistakes we are. Just when you think you’ve got th...

Pic of the Week: Golden Rock, Myanmar

Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, or Golden Rock, is one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Myanmar.

The Pic of the Week is drawn from photos submitted to theSolo TravelSocietyFacebook Group, providing an opportunity for solo travelers to share with us a favorite photo from their travels.

This week’s pic fromSolo TravelSocietymember Jasmine was taken at Golden Rock in Mon State, Myanmar.

Going Alone? Travel Insurance is a Must.

Yes, when getting ready to do rock climbing it did occur to me that it was a good thing I had travel insurance.

I write about travel insurance about once a year. I do so, because it’s important for all travelers. For solo travelers, it’s an absolute must.

Whether it’s getting sick from food in Paris or tripping on a root while hiking Patagonia, things can go wrong. Little things that can cause big problems.

While I have accumulated a fair understanding of travel insurance over the years, I prefe...