Vacation Abroad - Trip - Meet-up?

[Strawberry]

(Or "holiday" is the term some may more likely use...)

Soooooo......

This is a bit awkward at this point, but hoping to hear from anyone, put some 'feelers' out there. It's worth a shot (I think). Even if a very long, and probably irrelevant, shot at this point ...

I would really like to go overseas and visit somewhere, or multiple places. I've thought of the UK...England, Scotland, Ireland (Northern France into Germany, too. Known ancestry around the Luxembourg area). Obviously, I would LOVE to go EVERYWHERE, quite honestly. But realistically I'm not a rich person. And have some medical things I know I'll have to contend with. And time isn't my friend, I'm well aware. Too aware, maybe. :S

I'd love to use my passport, though. Even if just one time...well this 10 years. (Used it only once the last 10, I suppose. And that's only a big huge 'thanks' to my sister! She's the reason I ever got one actually!)


It's been mentioned in the long, distant past about a meet-up. Obviously, this site is not active....at all....anymore....(wondering if I'm convincing myself to not send this! Seems silly at this point.)



ANYWAY -- if you read this and are at all interested, please let me know. If several people were interested, that would be AMAZING. (I realize this may seem weird to others --- but this site, and people, meant a ton to me. Even if connections were formed long ago.)

It's like a high school reunion proposal. But obviously better. (I've never been to mine....I don't even think they bothered to have one for my class! I really wouldn't go anyway, though.)

So...not to scare anyone off or feel you have to say something -- but figured I'd say something. I'd prefer to say something than not. 


*If nothing else -- any words of advice, great places to go, or places to avoid like the plague, are more than welcome.*

Also -- do people get around Europe okay with mainly English and only minimal native language to the country? Or no? *Feels like a stupid question. The U.S. seems a far away land. *
 

*time for crickets to abound*

[Zoe]

I think it is a wonderful idea, fully support!, If you ever come to Australia, especially Sydney I would love to hang out. I'm hoping some shyer members living in United Kingdom and Europe that still actively pop in on the forum would feel the same

Words of advice as a person who has travelled alone in the past few years, make sure you know the consulate at the places you are going to, in case you need help overseas, have a close friend/family member who you trust to keep a copy of your travel documents (visas/passport/itinerary/travel insurance)in case it gets lost whilst travelling. You could do research on local tours, or go with the well known branded tour groups.

All the best and good luck

[Sigh]

That's such a good idea, Strawberry!

I'm not out and about much at the moment myself but would be interested (in anything UK based) otherwise.

[Strawberry]

Jul 13, 2023 5:25:24 GMT -5 Zoe said:

"I think it is a wonderful idea, fully support!, If you ever come to Australia, especially Sydney I would love to hang out. I'm hoping some shyer members living in United Kingdom and Europe that still actively pop in on the forum would feel the same



Words of advice as a person who has travelled alone in the past few years, make sure you know the consulate at the places you are going to, in case you need help overseas, have a close friend/family member who you trust to keep a copy of your travel documents (visas/passport/itinerary/travel insurance)in case it gets lost whilst travelling. You could do research on local tours, or go with the well known branded tour groups.



All the best and good luck "



Thank you, Zoe!



Just curious if you don't mind sharing where you've travelled alone to?? Did you like it ok? Feel safe? (Feel free to message me if you would rather.)

Jul 21, 2023 18:09:50 GMT -5 Sigh said:

That's such a good idea, Strawberry!

I'm not out and about much at the moment myself but would be interested (in anything UK based) otherwise.

Thank you, Sigh! I am very glad to hear from you -- appreciate you thinking it's a good idea, too.

Especially knowing the nature of this site and others possibly being reluctant or completely against it. I know there were very few in the past that met up as a group, I think.



I seem to swing wildly from thinking about going on a trip to already thinking it may be too late. But I don't know. I would probably be likely to decide "just to do it," book it, and possibly not be suuuuper prepared. :S ... In a weird way, that's okay with me. To just do it. Having thought enough. :S

It's interesting -- I am pretty introverted (ok, very much so), not an extravert by any means, but setting up something like this is very appealing to me. 

[Zoe]

Jul 30, 2023 15:57:25 GMT -5 Strawberry said:

Jul 13, 2023 5:25:24 GMT -5 Zoe said:

"I think it is a wonderful idea, fully support!, If you ever come to Australia, especially Sydney I would love to hang out. I'm hoping some shyer members living in United Kingdom and Europe that still actively pop in on the forum would feel the same



Words of advice as a person who has travelled alone in the past few years, make sure you know the consulate at the places you are going to, in case you need help overseas, have a close friend/family member who you trust to keep a copy of your travel documents (visas/passport/itinerary/travel insurance)in case it gets lost whilst travelling. You could do research on local tours, or go with the well known branded tour groups.



All the best and good luck "



Thank you, Zoe!



Just curious if you don't mind sharing where you've travelled alone to?? Did you like it ok? Feel safe? (Feel free to message me if you would rather.)


Ooo...good question Tammy, in the beginning it was mostly around Australia, that was when I got a chance to travel to Western Australia and meet GeekGuy (from our forum here), then I stepped out to Japan and booked a local day tour here and there.

Last one I did was travelling to America and meeting up with Starfall in Seattle for Emerald City Comic Con and meeting our beloved Dungeon and Dragons roleplaying group Critical Role. Travelling within my own country felt safer as firstly I knew the language, the culture, the do and don'ts as well as places to stay well away from.

In regards to America, I stuck to if I wasn't with Starfall, I kept myself close to security and only did more of the exploring in the day time. As for Japan, it is really safe (of course if put yourself in a red light district or gangland area, you doing yourself a diservice) This is where doing the research on the area before a holiday is always good.

We have some lovely people still active on this board so hopefully there might be places you could explore that you can meet a familiar face or two. I am planning to save up money to visit South Korea in 2-3 years time, if you are interested, give a holla

Jul 21, 2023 18:09:50 GMT -5 Sigh said:

That's such a good idea, Strawberry!

I'm not out and about much at the moment myself but would be interested (in anything UK based) otherwise.

Thank you, Sigh! I am very glad to hear from you -- appreciate you thinking it's a good idea, too.

Especially knowing the nature of this site and others possibly being reluctant or completely against it. I know there were very few in the past that met up as a group, I think.



I seem to swing wildly from thinking about going on a trip to already thinking it may be too late. But I don't know. I would probably be likely to decide "just to do it," book it, and possibly not be suuuuper prepared. :S ... In a weird way, that's okay with me. To just do it. Having thought enough. :S

It's interesting -- I am pretty introverted (ok, very much so), not an extravert by any means, but setting up something like this is very appealing to me. 

[silence]

Jul 7, 2023 22:04:41 GMT -5 Strawberry said:

(Or "holiday" is the term some may more likely use...)

It's been mentioned in the long, distant past about a meet-up. Obviously, this site is not active....at all....anymore....(wondering if I'm convincing myself to not send this! Seems silly at this point.)



ANYWAY -- if you read this and are at all interested, please let me know. If several people were interested, that would be AMAZING. (I realize this may seem weird to others --- but this site, and people, meant a ton to me. Even if connections were formed long ago.)

It's like a high school reunion proposal. But obviously better. (I've never been to mine....I don't even think they bothered to have one for my class! I really wouldn't go anyway, though.)

So...not to scare anyone off or feel you have to say something -- but figured I'd say something. I'd prefer to say something than not. 


*If nothing else -- any words of advice, great places to go, or places to avoid like the plague, are more than welcome.*

Also -- do people get around Europe okay with mainly English and only minimal native language to the country? Or no? *Feels like a stupid question. The U.S. seems a far away land. *
 

*time for crickets to abound*

Hi Strawberry good for you I'd love to be brave enough travel! 

I'm in the UK and would be interested in a meet up. I can just about cope with traveling to London 

[Strawberry]

Sooooo....

First of all...thanks so much to Sigh and silence for being interested in potentially meeting...

Unfortunately....I had lost my job (7.5 years....longest streak, lol) about the 2nd week of October....

So, immediately was able to get out of my contract for my apartment and moved back in with my parents...(did that by end of Oct.)

Got a new job about mid-December, but caught COVID-19...and was out like the next two weeks. (being a 'hospital' of sorts...they still treat that importantly, which is lucky for me really, since I could use the time to recover...and they actually make you be out if you test positive!)

Pretty much started in January.....but basically starting over with Vacation Leave...Sick Leave...

I had 2 1/2 weeks vacation and like 300+ hours of Sick Leave....so....still kinda bitter about that. Esp trying to make up hours, since my doctor appointments will gobble up all the time accrued if I do that. I really, really, really don't like not having this time built up, with the possibility of something happening and not having the time to cover it or potentially losing the job because of too much time out...

ANYWAY.....

That said...health-wise, wanted to do this trip this Spring originally, since my abilities seem to be going South more quickly than desired. 

In a nutshell...I wouldn't be able to do a trip till next late Spring, considering Vacation time and needing to build that up again...but now I really don't know if my health would make it a satisfactory trip or not. 

I have something I think I'll try soon, and I'm really hoping results will be great. But I've gotta say the dream of this trip is hanging by a very thin thread at this point. I will see how things go, and TRY to maintain good attitude (which is proving to be VERY difficult for me...and this definitely just makes everything worse...)... but yeah...

Been not wanting to write anything, since it just seems to cement reality even more, but....yeah....

I really apologize to the few of you I haven't gotten back to. I hate not responding, but mentally haven't wanted to admit that all either. 



**Zoe ...I once got my online TESL certificate to teach English as a Second Language abroad. Everything pointed to South Korea being the best option...being able to save some money while teaching. That said, it ended up being a waste of money, as it was kind of expensive and I never did anything with it. And let's face it, introversion-wise, I don't think I would have done it anyway! It does sound like a cool place to visit, though! Japan, too. If nothing else, it probably appeased the travel-bug inside of me at the time. All the possibilities and whatnot.