Hello world! Welcome to my website. My name is Michael, and I am learning O.T.J., so please be patient with me and each other. I started this website thinking it might make me a better traveler, and it has and continues to do so. Hoping to share some useful tidbits with others, especially those 50+, I continue to post articles. Even if it is only to show my mistakes so they can learn.
I think that second reason is the one that most resonates with me. Much of my travel is pre this website, so I am relaying information I have done over the past five or ten. I believe it is still relevant and will be of help. Be patient, as I try and teach myself WordPress, Elementor, and all the plugins to make this site run smoother. I continue to be frustrated by how long even the simplest of tasks takes me. I spent over an hour trying to reduce font sizes one day. Yes, I figured it out, but I know a professional would have done in minutes or less. But that is how I (we?) learn.
Please feel free to comment on what I’ve written and offer suggestions when you can. Some of the links on the site are affiliate links, which are how bloggers monetize their websites. I am taking baby steps here and filling quite a few diapers along the way. (Awful analogy I know.) Hopefully, everything will improve and the site will become better for you and, God help me, easier on me.
Nothing more I can say but I encourage you to learn to appreciate the planning for a great vacation. Research should make you a better traveler and make your trips more enjoyable. BUT always be open to the unexpected and go with the flow. Usually the best parts of a trip, the unexpected surprises, can only happen when you are properly planned. Imagine if you’re worried about train schedules and visas during your trip. You won’t be open to a great conversation with your seat mate on the train who would have invited you to eat with their family. Or a hundred other gifts that could have come your way if your planning wasn’t done ahead of time.
As a travel nerd of the highest order, I love the research and the planning. It also makes sense, especially when you’re in unfamiliar surroundings, to have as much knowledge as possible. I get a weird joy in seeing a street or a building that I recognize from Google Street View. Crazy no? But it reassures me that I did my homework and can relax and appreciate my new city/country that much quicker. You will see that I focus a lot on safety during travel, which is a baseline for enjoying your trip. I also am using apps to see which ones work best and will share with you what I learn, as I learn it.
Safe travels to you and thank you so much for visiting my site.
Michael
