travel

Real Change in Real Time

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I am on my third house sitting gig and my fourth move since I sold my house and moved out in mid August. I was telling a friend today that it’s been more difficult that I expected. The constant moving and learning a new house, establishing a new routine and making sure my dog is taken care of has been a lot of work. Additionally, I make sure that the homes are treated with extra special care (more than I showed my own) because I want to respect and show appreciation for the generosity people have shown me by sharing their homes. Sometimes, this feels like “walking on eggshells”.

Even with the discomfort, I remind myself that I am doing all of this for a reason. I intentionally blew up my life because I don’t want to live a stagnant, “autopilot” life. I believe short term irritation will garnish me with big time gains of a new perspective and value for life and all of its facets, ups and downs and experiences.

My to-do list is getting shorter and shorter. New tires on my car yesterday. Today I signed up for Trusted Housesitters. I figure it will open me to potential locations I haven’t considered or even know about! I also met with a friend today, and as with other friends I have visited, I invited her to accompany me on the road or join me for a part of my road trip. I let her know how important she is to me. I think we don’t tell people enough how they have added to our lives and journey. I am adamant the my friends know they are truly special to me.

And so my journey continues. It will have its peaks and valleys and I will continue to remind myself that it is where the growth happens. And more important than growth, it reminds me I am human and striving to be the very best version of myself, parent and friend.

Travel Apps

Posted on by Seniye Groff

There is no doubt that travel apps make travel easier, from planning to in-the-moment needs. I have some favorites and I tend to gravitate towards apps that are easy to use and relatively inexpensive. Loyalty programs apps are automatically part of my toolbox because it makes it easy to accumulate and use points within the app. The loyalty programs I have are Bonvoy (Marriot) and World of Hyatt (Hyatt). And of course airline apps are a no brainer. My go-to apps are Alaska and Delta.

For transportation I have Uber, Lyft and Grab (great in Asia). These apps are all pretty straightforward and simple to use. I also have the Clipper card app which makes paying for mass transit super simple. One app that is crazy useful is Rome2Rio. The directions to get from one location to the other with a mix of mass transit, taxi, driving, walking and even a town car just cannot be beat! It also outlines the time, cost and miles for each option.

Translation apps are key for effective communication and I like Translate and Google Translate. It doesn’t get easier to translate written or spoken words with either of these apps. I especially love the camera feature that allows the user to take a picture of text and the apps translates it. So easy!

I use Expedia and Booking for last minute hotels and Airbnb when I am planning ahead for lodging. I recently downloaded Hotel Tonight and am excited to try it out on my upcoming wandering journey. Since I will travel from Arizona to Georgia and will be in a different city/town each night and won’t really be able to predict where I will be specifically the app should be helpful…the joy of slow travel.

Currency is easily converted using the Xe app.

With my new AAA membership, I downloaded the app and look forward to to using the TripTik Planner. The app also has a section showing nearby gas stations with the cost per gallon. Hopefully I won’t need it, but I can easily request roadside assistance through the app, too.

CBP MPC is a free mobile passport control app. It allows users to submit their passport info and answer custom declaration questions electronically which will get you through customs faster.

AllTrails is my preferred app to use when hiking and I am sure as I stop to see different things along my journey, I will use this app to catch a hike or two along my way.

And finally my Libby app allows me to borrow and download audiobooks from the library. I will use this as I drive miles and miles along the highways on my upcoming trip.

What apps do you use for travel?

Musings

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I am a 58 year-old woman that is leaving everything I know after 30 years of cultivating a community in Portland, Oregon.  I sold my house in July, put everything in storage and decided to wander with my dog for the next year across the US and Canada.  My trip begins once I drop my daughter off at college on September 26th.  In the meantime, I have assembled six weeks of house sitting and dog sitting gigs since my house sold faster than expected. I am still in the cocoon of familiarity. The “realness” of my adventure begins once I step away from all that I know in Portland.

My time wandering will allow me to discover the nooks and crannies of America and learn a ton about myself at the same time.  This is a story about exploration, curiosity and courage as I travel solo.  I believe this story is timely because a lot of people my age are at a crossroad about what to do once the kids leave the house. Change is scary to many and I believe the myriad are afraid to actually take the plunge into the unknown.  There is no judgment of this fact. I hope to inspire others to take the leap in whatever form is right for them.

Autopilot is so easy to fall into. The daily minutiae of life sucks up so much time and energy and provides us with so little value. And yet the majority of our energy and attention is focused on this minutiae. Without a house and kids to take care of, I believe my time can be focused on being present and focused on learning, exploring and exposing myself to new things.

Croatia October 2024

One of the biggest questions I ask myself while thinking about this upcoming adventure is how I can continue to build community while on the road and transient. Since community is so important to me, I hope that friends reach out and say hi, ask questions and just cheer me on. I know the trip will not be perfect and there will be days when hearing from a known entity will be exactly what I need to be able to keep moving forward. Follow me on this webpage, on Instagram and Substack. Ask questions, make comments and send words of encouragement. I hope to hear from you.

Mt. Rainer

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Mt. Rainer has been on my must-do-list for a long time. As my time in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest winds down, I am a bit more urgent about achieving some of those must-visit goals. Mt. Rainer did not disappoint. Fairly last minute, I was able to get a hotel room at the Whittaker Hotel & Bunkhouse. The nightly rate was “reasonable” given high season, the rooms were rustic and the staff friendly. I also liked that the hotel was an homage to Lou Whittaker, who died in Ashford at the age of 96 and summited Mt. Rainer at the age of 12!

I left Portland at 6 a.m. and went right to the park, with no timed entry at the Nisqually pass. I started at the visitor center and did the Skyline Loop (5.5 miles).  This loop trail is the quintessential Paradise area trail. It starts at the main visitor area up through subalpine meadows. Along the way I viewed Mount Rainier, glaciers, Panorama Point, Myrtle Falls and the Tatoosh Range, with glimpses of Mount Adams and Mount St. Helens. It was full sun exposure with 1700+ elevation gain AND beautiful!

On day two, I hiked Tipsoo Lake and the Naches Trail to Dewey Lake (about 5 miles) in the morning. Wildflowers and four different lakes rewarded me with the challenging uphill climb. And, of course, Mt. Rainer was present from all angles.

Reflection Lake to Narada Falls on the Lakes Trail Loop (about 6 miles). This large lake was another beauty with Mt. Rainier front and center (and its reflection on the lake) but the real reward were the multiple falls on the Lakes Trail Loop.

I met several people along the way that could not believe the natural beauty that I live in daily. I agree the world is a beautiful place and the lush, green forest coupled with larger than life mountains makes the Pacific Northwest a pretty special place.

Solo Travel

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I am fortunate to have completed several solo trips oversees and I often get asked, “What is your favorite trip?”  Solo travel has been empowering and liberating for me. Traveling solo allows for the ultimate flexibility.  If I like a place I stay longer and if I don’t, I can quickly move on.  I think back to my first solo trip and stressing about not having anyone to travel with me.  I had a close friend dying of cancer and she told me, “Seniye if I could travel, I would do it in a minute!  Go travel…it will all work out.”  And she was 100% correct.

My favorite trip so far has been Morocco. It was my first time on the African continent and it did not disappoint.  The Sahara Desert was so beautiful…the sand a brilliant orange and the night sky littered with millions of stars that you just cannot see anywhere else because of the light pollution.  I loved the food, the artisanal crafts and the dizzying mazes that formed the souks.  The riads were charming hotels with sparkling clean rooms, amazing tile work and hearty quintessential Moroccan breakfasts.  I could go on and on.  If I had been too scared to travel alone, I would have missed all of it!

So how can you solo travel?  I have a few tips:

  • Pick safe countries.  There are lots of lists that outline safe travel for single women.
  • Do your homework and have a rough plan but get comfortable with wandering, too.
  • Share you itinerary with your family and friends.
  • Don’t do stupid things.  For example, I do not visit bars nor do I explore late at night.
  • Do your research.  There are Facebook groups with likeminded travelers.  The wealth of information shared has been really informative.  Two groups I like (but there are hundreds) are “Traveling Solo over 50” and “Solo in Style”. 
  • Target your search by country. There are many FB groups that focus on specific locales.  Travelers share their itineraries, tips and even meet up if they are in a location at the same time.

So, what are your solo travel suggestions?  And where do you want to go next?

Last Day in Dubrovnik

Posted on by Seniye Groff

It is said that Dubrovnik is the most over-touristed city in Europe and even though we went in off season, it was still very crowded. The rain cleared out by 8 a.m. which allowed for a pretty nice last day. I wanted to get out of the crowds and so we decided to head to Lapad. Lapad has a beautiful promenade that follows the Adriatic Sea. We walked this and stopped at a Cave Bar. It was a fun, unique environment.

After lunch we headed back to Old Town since my friends wanted to do some souvenir shopping. We then hoofed it back up the hill to our apartment for a few hours of rest. And finished the evening with another splendid dinner and fantastic bottle of local wine.

That’s a wrap on my amazing Slovenian and Croatian getaway. I love the spirit of travel and the ability to learn about new cultures. And I will always happily eat my way through any country! 🙂

Dubrovnik Day Two

Posted on by Seniye Groff

We stayed outside of Old Town which was about a ten minute walk but all uphill. The steepness is crazy but it also provided a great view of Old Town from our apartment.

The weather was predicted to be rainy and windy so we decided to get out earlier than usual to wander Old Town again. The waves were coming over the city walls but we managed to enjoy ourselves, eat lunch and pick up something to take back to the apartment for dinner, since we guessed it would be too nasty to go out.

Last Stop…Dubrovnik

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Old Town Dubrovnik is truly beautiful. There are amazing old buildings, a main artery filled with people and shops and the sea air circulating through everything. We wandered and decided on an early dinner at Lady Pi Pi, which ended up being really smart because the line up of would-be diners showed up shortly after we were seated. We were lucky enough to get a table on the upper terrace which boasts a roof top view of the old town. We ordered the seafood platter which is grilled right across from our table in a large, open grill.

After dinner we wandered Old Town at night, which was just as picturesque. I don’t watch Game of Thrones but apparently lots of scenes were filmed in this area.

Next Stop Korcula

Posted on by Seniye Groff

We took the ferry from Hvar to Korcula for a very quick overnight trip. Korcula Town was a sleepy, quaint old town that’s claim to fame is being Marco Polo’s birthplace. After wandering a bit, we found this tiny stone building that now houses cult-like art for sale. Korcula is known for its vineyards, none of which we had time to see. But we did walk the pretty waterfront, wander through the old alleyways and of course, see many old, old buildings and landmarks. Although nice to see another island, I think the time would have been better spent as an extra day in Hvar.

Hvar

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Hvar Town was my favorite spot in Croatia. Granted the high season was over and we heard over and over again from restaurant staff that they only had ten more days until shutting down. These exclamations must have warned off the throngs of tourists because although busy, the crowds were not like other locations we visited.

Our rental was right off the main promenade but had the requisite steep steps, of course. We wandered the alleyways and found many restaurants and bars lining the alleys. We landed at a very hip bar that had cushioned seating in the alley. We tried another local wine, which was as good as all the other local wines we had been drinking. We found dinner and then called it a night.

The next morning we stopped at Coffee Snob for the morning coffee and croissant. I liked the name of the shop but the offering was nothing unique. We then headed up to the fortress that overlooks the city. The fortress dates from the 16th century (and its foundation dates back to the 1st millennium BC) and is a symbol of a turbulent time in the city’s history. It sits on a picturesque location overseeing the city and looking onto the sea. It is well-preserved.

In the afternoon we took the bus to another significant town on the island, Stari Grad. This town is considered the oldest town in Europe and was built by the Greeks. We visited Petar Hektorovic’s home/museum. He was an influential poet for Croatia. We mis-read the bus schedule and realized there was no return bus to Hvar Town so we ended up triple paying for a taxi…the joys and surprises of travel!