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18

Feb

First-Class Economy Travel

by Joyce McGreevy on February 18, 2019

Dublin International Airport, Ireland prompts a favorite travel tip: You can clear U.S. Customs before you board. (Image © Carolyn McGreevy)

Fly home via Dublin Airport (above) to clear U.S. Customs before you board.
Your jet lagged brain will thank you!
© Carolyn McGreevy

Travel Tips to Upgrade the Experience

Overseas travel is enriching, and you don’t have to be rich to travel well. When people say it’s all about managing resources, they usually mean money. But another resource is our mindset.

If we’re fixated on how things “should be,” it won’t take much to discourage us from our travel goals, and any little thing could “ruin the trip.”  If we’re adaptable, we’ll “find a way” and savor both the journey we anticipate and the journey as it actually unfolds.

Oh, I see: The attitudes we invest in can enrich our travel even more than the money we spend. Here are travel tips for “First-Class Economy” to help with both resources.

This is an airport? You don’t need to be a VIP to enjoy the Departures-area garden
at Aarhus International in Denmark.
© Joyce McGreevy

Prepare for takeoff.

List “Travel” as a monthly expense. Then use an app to automate saving. You can set a specific amount or round up each transaction to the nearest dollar and save the rest.

Mindful travel tip: Discovering how easily you can save, even on a tight budget, also sheds light on “unconscious” spending.

An array of old currency suggests a favorite budget travel tip about saving. (Image © Carolyn McGreevy)

Simplify expenses and save steadily—the keys to affording world travel.
© Carolyn McGreevy

Preview travel costs.

BudgetYourTrip.com lets you view average travel costs by country, region, and city. Categories include food, accommodation, and transportation. Simply convert local-currency prices into your own currency.

Budget Travel Tip: Use the figures as guidelines, not gospel. The “typical” monthly costs displayed skew much higher than I spend, even with lovely apartments.  In fact, extended stays usually come with discounts.

Mindful travel tip: Donate, don’t accumulate, foreign coins. Many international airlines collect change for UNICEF. You can donate miles, too.

A toy dog in different hats accompanies a budget travel tip about saving by not overpacking. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Briefly tempted by a souvenir  hat at Heathrow Airport, a savvy saver decides
to stick with his easy-to-pack beret.
© Joyce McGreevy

Weatherize, don’t “excess”-orize.

Whether you dress informally (hiking in New Zealand) or more formally (exploring the arts in Italy), you need only one small suitcase. Pack light, based on Climate, Culture, and Comfort. Why waste money on airline fees for overweight or multiple suitcases? Managing cumbersome bags just makes you vulnerable to theft.

Mindful travel tip: Are perfect selfies worth lugging around a closet? Use Instagram to capture insights, not “I” sights.

A model inspired by Lord of the Rings at Wellington Airport, New Zealand, inspire travel tips about mindful travel. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Not just another airport: In Wellington, New Zealand, art installations
celebrate The Lord of the Rings.
© Joyce McGreevy

Don’t wing it.

Read reviews of Economy flights. Does traveling long-haul in Coach sound miserable? It needn’t be. My favorite airlines treat you well whether you’re seated in 1A or 38F. This includes Air New Zealand, Turkish Airlines, and Ireland’s Aer Lingus.

A DIY travel amenity kit accompanies budget travel tips for mindful travel. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

The budget-friendly way to score an amenity kit—DIY!
© Joyce McGreevy

Budget Travel tip:  Some airlines offer Premium Economy upgrades—from your meal to your seat. In this regard, international airlines offer better quality and value than U.S. airlines.

An airline meal accompanies budget travel tips for First-Class Economy travel . (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Smoked salmon, delicious entrée, fine wine—this is Economy?
© Carolyn McGreevy

Mindful travel tip: Boarding a crowded flight is a stressor that can ratchet up the territorial instinct—which only creates more stress. My solution? Committing to flexibility and remembering that those around me are my neighbors. Empathy works wonders.

Don’t wait for jet-lag to find out what Arrivals is like. Some airports, like Schipol in Amsterdam, expertly guide passengers from plane to ground transportation. But some airports . . . good luck finding the secret location of the taxi rank.

Do a dry run online. Check airport websites for basic previews. For detailed tips, visit online travel forums like Lonely Planet Community.

Budget Travel tip: Save big on public transportation by paying for fares like a local: Buy before you board. Ask about discounts. Book online, or buy a smartcard.

A toy dog on a train in Austria accompanies budget travel tips about saving on First-Class Economy travel. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Being public-transport savvy will reduce your fares and speed you on your way!
© Joyce McGreevy

Mindful travel tip:  Arriving in one city, heading to another? Consider building in a breather overnight. Then resume the journey refreshed. Many airlines allow free stopovers. It’s also a nice transition to heading home, especially if your flight departs early.

Save and savor

Budget travel tip: Seeking affordable, authentic cuisine?  Skip reviews by tourists. Search these terms: [your destination] + for locals + food.  Or get a “taste orientation” with a 2-hour food tour. One of my favorites is free!

Mindful travel tip:  Some great local dining costs little and includes free extras—from park-bench picnics to cafés in libraries, churches, and museums.

A man and woman dining in Ireland embody the concept of mindful travel and First-Class travel on a budget. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Which matters more—the cost of the meal or the pleasure of the company?
© Joyce McGreevy

What’s your favorite “First-Class Economy” travel tip? How does it enrich your travel experience?

Comment on the post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

 

Art of Travel/Clever Ideas/Worldwide Sites

12

Dec

Two Travelers, One Journey

by Joyce McGreevy on December 12, 2018

A woman gazing at Christmas decorations in Galway, Ireland embodies the joy of winter wanderlust. (Image @ Joyce McGreevy)

The sight of another’s wonder sharpens our own observations.
© Joyce McGreevy

Winter Wanderlust
Sends Siblings Packing

With wanderlust comes surprise—the weather is spectacularly sunny. Can this really be Ireland in winter? The air is crisp as a Kerry Pippin apple, but sunlight warms the flagstones of Galway’s pedestrian-only streets.

As sunlight washes over my sister and me, so does a fresh wave of surprise. It’s the ebb and flow of discovery so many travelers experience: Are we really here? We really are!

The Long Walk on a sunny winter day in Galway, Ireland shows why wanderlust inspires holiday travel. (Image © Carolyn McGreevy)

A daytime glimmer of moon hovers over 18th-century houses along Galway’s Long Walk.
© Carolyn McGreevy

Long Distance Calls

Coincidence inspired this surprise holiday travel:

  • One day, old friends from Galway dropped by Carolyn’s home in Oregon. It was a welcome surprise, but all too brief.
  • That same day in California, I was working at my laptop when up popped a travel post from an American friend—who was visiting Galway.
  • Moments later, an email from an Irish friend invited me to a special event—in Galway.
A floral mural on an apothecary in Galway, Ireland reflects the beauty that inspires wanderlust. (Image © Carolyn McGreevy)

When travelers look closely,  moments flower and memories take root.
© Carolyn McGreevy

Like our younger sisters, Carolyn and I once lived in Ireland and we maintain strong ties there. Regular readers of OIC Moments may recall that Galway is my home-from-hometown.

Now my sis and I were feeling home-from-homesick. We got on the phone, as if reminiscing would get it out of our systems.

It didn’t.

Buttermilk Lane in Galway, Ireland reflects the charm that inspires wanderlust. (Image © Carolyn McGreevy)

How “storied” are Galway’s streets? Many, including the lane shown here,
have been celebrated in paintings, plays, short stories, and song,
© Carolyn McGreevy

Common Sense Is Overrated

Ah, but I was buried in work. Carolyn had her own “to do” list, plus grandkids and a geriatric cat. And what about the budget yada-yada, maybe next year, you can’t do it all, etc. Such were the sensible thoughts assailing my deadline-addled brain.

I asked my sister when she’d last visited Ireland.

“1980.”

“But that’s—that’s –” (Math was never my strong suit.)

“Thirty-eight years.”

Seems she’d been busy. Something about raising several children while holding down a job in the medical field.

Ten minutes later, I’d filled out her passport application.

A sign painter and photographer at the Crane Bar, Galway reflect the friendliness that inspires wanderlust for Ireland. (Image © Carolyn McGreevy)

High-tech skills and artisan trades flourish side-by-side in Ireland.
Above, a traditional sign painter chats with a digital photographer.
© Carolyn McGreevy

Hare, There, and Everywhere

“Why is there a rabbit looking through binoculars up there?” my sister asks as we pass Tigh Neachtain.

“A what doing what?” I sagely reply.

Tigh Neachtain is a popular Galway pub. As a collegian, I’d spent more time looking at that pub from the inside than the outside. I’d never noticed the giant metal sculpture affixed to the roof.  

A sculpture of a hare in Galway reflects the whimsy that inspires wanderlust for Ireland. (Image © Carolyn McGreevy)

Until 1894 Tigh Neachtain was home to animal-rights advocate Richard Martin.
Could that explain the watchful hare?
© Carolyn McGreevy

Later we consult Conall, an avid history buff who has lived in Galway all his life. I feel inanely vindicated when Conall says, “What giant rabbit?” 

Observing the Observer

But my sister is registering every detail, from the speed of the River Corrib’s galloping waves to the faintest of medieval epitaphs in St.Nicholas churchyard.

When we walk into town, I pause when she pauses to notice what she notices: the million little details I took for granted in the days when I lived there.

The heckling of seagulls and the dignity of the swans. The fragrance of peat fires wafting from rowhouses in the Claddagh, some that date back to when Claddagh was a fishing village. Now those rowhouses have satellite dishes.

Oh, I see: When you see a familiar place from another person’s perspective, you discover it anew.

A view of Galway reflects the historical interest that inspires winter wanderlust for Ireland. (Image © Carolyn McGreevy)

A view from the Galway Museum spans five centuries of architecture.
© Carolyn McGreevy

Sense, You’ve Been Gone

Have you ever felt that your senses were in need of a tune-up? Then travel to Galway for the holidays. Even if you have to bargain for a middle seat in the Crying-Baby and Loud-Snorers section.

Because in Galway, the holiday period isn’t a deadline. It’s an immersive seasonal experience, something to be savored like a properly brewed pot of tea.  

A tea shop window in Galway, Ireland reflects the holiday charm that inspires winter wanderlust. (Image © Carolyn McGreevy)

Season’s greetings call for seasonal savoring at Cupán Tae.
© Carolyn McGreevy

A tea shop in Galway, Ireland reflects the vibrant design that inspires winter wanderlust. (Image © Carolyn McGreevy)

By Irish tradition, tea should be brewed until it’s “strong enough to trot a mouse across.”
© Carolyn McGreevy

Winter Wander Lands

The night we arrive, the city is bejeweled and illuminated. Deck the halls? Why, they’ve decked every lintel and laneway. From Eyre Square to the Spanish Arch, holiday markets bustle, there’s live music at every corner, and the sheer pleasure of strolling is not to be missed.

A world-renowned center of theater, Galway becomes one big stage set for the holidays.
© Carolyn McGreevy

Galway’s Continental Christmas Market runs mid-November to late December.
© Carolyn McGreevy

O’Connor’s Famous Pub in Galway reflects the whimsy that inspires wanderlust for Ireland. (Image © Carolyn McGreevy)

O’Connor’s Famous Pub takes a playful approach to old-school images of Ireland.
© Carolyn McGreevy

The fireside at O’Connor’s Famous Pub in Galway reflects the humor and hospitality that inspire holiday travel to Ireland. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

“So hang your stockings and”—oh my!
© Joyce McGreevy

The Joy of Irish Cooking

Galway’s famous creativity extends to its outstanding culinary scene.  During the holidays, when shops are busy, Galway’s food purveyors are busier still. Galwegians place a high premium on getting together for a cuppa, a cozy meal, and a good long chat.

My sister’s advice is:

  1. Abandon any stereotypes about Irish cookery.
  2. Prepare to be wowed by the breadth of choices.
  3. Pack an extra suitcase. Preferably one the size of a walk-in pantry.
An array of gourmet foods at McCambridge’s in Galway reflects the culinary sophistication that inspires wanderlust for Ireland. (Image © Carolyn McGreevy)

Irish diners’ tastes in food are far more diverse than persistent stereotypes suggest.
Location: McCambridge’s of Galway.
© Carolyn McGreevy

Sisterly Advice

Carolyn also advises flying to your destination via its national airline. “Flying Aer Lingus made me feel like we were in Ireland from the moment we boarded.”

A rainbow above Aer Lingus jets at Dublin International Airport inspires wanderlust for a return visit to Ireland. (Image © Carolyn McGreevy)

As other passengers watch their phones, Carolyn captures a fitting farewell.
© Carolyn McGreevy

Here’s what I’ve learned: Common sense can keep you “on task,” but winter wanderlust can do wonders for your senses. Flexibility can make “surprise holiday travel” surprisingly do-able.

And as for traveling with your sister? Well, that can inspire sibling revelry.

Two sisters, Joyce McGreevy and Carolyn McGreevy, agree that the holidays inspire wanderlust for Galway, Ireland. (Image © Joyce McGreevy/Carolyn McGreevy)

Two photogs trade views. My sister Carolyn is at right.  Locations: Kai Café (L)
and The Kitchen Café at Galway Museum.
© Carolyn McGreevy/Joyce McGreevy

Comment on the post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here

 

Art of Travel/Cultural Heritage & Traditions/Discoveries/Ireland

03

Dec

Paris Hidden Treasures

by Meredith Mullins on December 3, 2018

The towpath at Lagny sur Marne, a place to feed your wanderlust close to home with Paris hidden treasures. (Image © Annabel Simms.)

The spirit of wanderlust on the towpath at Lagny sur Marne
© Annabel Simms

Feed Your Wanderlust Close to Home

Hidden travel treasures are everywhere—sometimes just around that corner where you’ve never been before and sometimes just a short adventure away.

You don’t always have to make plans months in advance— to grab the best transportation fares or lodgings—nor do you necessarily have to spend days reading TripAdvisor reviews to make your plans for far-flung corners of the world.

You can often feed your wanderlust close to home.

 

Art of Travel/France (Paris)

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