How to start planning a trip

I’m often asked for advice on how to plan a trip - but I’m usually planning a trip so don’t have time to walk through the steps I take. Enter pandemic - and now I find myself with time to share how the process goes for me and the resources I utilize. The first thing is to decide where you want to go. That’s never an issue for me. I have an endless list of places to see and explore. I spend time almost every day reading about places online or often reading a book will trigger an interest for me. I remember reading the book “Angels and Demons” by Dan Brown and that sparked an obsession with me getting to Rome. So in 2006 it happened. When I’m taking a longer trip it always begins with a desire to go to a certain city or country, and then I start researching to see what else of interest I can add that makes sense from a logistical standpoint. The main focus of this post will center on traveling to Europe, although many of my recommendations apply to the US and beyond.

If you’ve never been to Europe you might consider taking an organized tour. There’s no shame in that and it will definitely build your confidence. The first time I went to Europe by myself in 1984 that’s what I did. If the internet existed then it wasn’t anything like it is now, so planning a trip myself was more then I was prepared or had time to do. I think I booked it with American Express and it was 18 days and 6 countries. It included Amsterdam, Germany, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg and Belgium. It was a whirlwind and we spent lots of time driving on a bus but we saw a lot and all I had to do was be on the bus with or without my suitcase at the assigned time. There are a ton of tour companies and I will recommend a few that I have used personally, but it’s pretty easy to find reviews online of any that are out there. You not only want to know the countries and cities the tour covers, but what the level of activity will be. If you are looking for a leisurely tour the last thing you would want is one that has a jam packed agenda from early morning till late at night. There are tours where part of the trip is unstructured giving you the opportunity to explore what’s of interest to you or gives you the chance to sit in a cafe and people watch for a few hours. Read everything you can about it and ask lots of questions.

I used Globus for the trip to Italy with my family back in 2006 and had good success. It was a pretty big group and a busy agenda but it worked out fine and got us around Italy smoothly. www.globusjourneys.com

Globus has another division called Monograms which I have also tried. Much smaller groups and very unstructured. They book the hotels and get you from the airport to the hotel and then to your next city and hotel but other then that you are on your own. I used them when Keeley and I went to London, Paris and Amsterdam in 2011. Worked out great for us because we wanted to plan our days the way we wanted. www.monograms.com

For my trip to India in 2018 Cindy and I went with Collette. Cindy and I have both travelled lots but we didn’t feel comfortable going to India on our own - and at least 20 times on the almost 3 week trip we each said how glad we were that we were in a group. It was only 12 people and our guide which was perfect, and we covered a lot of the central and northern part of that very large country with ease. But on our own it would have been much more challenging. Collette was great. Wonderful accommodations and special touches like dinner with a local family. I highly recommend them. www.gocollette.com

You might consider signing up for a couple of third party emails I have found helpful. These companies send out daily or weekly emails with all kinds of deals for tours, hotels or special events at discounted prices. www.travelzoo.com and www.gate1travel.com The prices are often excellent and while I haven’t done any of their tours I have friends that have and had very good experiences. I have gotten good hotel deals from Travel Zoo so I can recommend them.

Now you need to book flights. If doing a tour the tour company will be happy to do it for you, and the advantage of that is that if there is a flight issue it’s their responsibility to get it worked out to get you where you need to be, but it might cost more then if you did it yourself. Typically I book my own flights and a great tip I want to make you aware of is a site called Scotts Cheap Flights. Scott’s doesn’t sell you the flight - it just sends you emails letting you know when their are great deals to places outside the US. Check out their website at www.scottscheapflights.com where you can sign up to get their emails. There is a free membership that will give you one or two emails a day, but for a nominal cost (I paid $39 for the year) you can get the premier membership where you get multiple emails a day with more great deals. If you see one you want to book you need to jump on it because they don’t last long. I booked a round trip flight to Quebec City for $240 which was about a $500 savings. Unfortunately that trip was supposed to happen this last April so I had to cancel - but I will get there someday. I think it’s best to have a couple of places in mind so that if you see a fantastic airfare price you can grab it. Right now they are only sending deals from July forward since they know there is a lot of uncertainty about making travel plans. And these airfares are usually available to book on reputable airlines like United, American, Delta etc months ahead so it’s not that you have to book to go next week. You can also set up alerts on Kayak, Google Flights etc to alert you when there is a good fare for where you want to travel.

There are lots of travel books and websites you can use to help you plan your trip. My number one resource is always Rick Steves. I don’t think I’ve ever gone to Europe without bringing Rick along. He has traveled and written books about every country in Europe for more years then I know - and he has never let me down. I read the book for the areas I’m going from cover to cover and make notes of where I want to spend my time. He recommends where to stay, where to eat, transportation etc. He will never take you to the touristy places outside of major sites, and even then he tells you how to do it to avoid the crowds. When Julie and I were in Paris last May it was her first time so she wanted to go to the Eiffel Tower. All the advance tickets to get in were sold out for the entire month, but it started raining and I remembered reading in Rick’s book that if it rains most people leave and you are more likely to be able to buy a ticket - and sure enough we got right in. Thanks Rick! I bring the book with me but it never makes it back to the states with me. As I leave each day to see the sites I tear those pages from the book and bring them along. Often times his tours of sites from the book are as good or better then what you can get from a live guide so that more then pays the cost of the book. Lonely Planet and Fodor’s are also good books and many of these you can get from your public library. I read all I can from the library and then buy my favorite to take with me on the trip. Usually it’s Rick😊

My most recent purchase. I’ll get there - just not this August as I had planned☹️

Online resources I like to use are Trip Advisor, Trip Savvy and Afar. That can give you lots of ideas about what to do and see when you are in a city or country. I never want to go somewhere and find out after I left that I missed the most important and coolest thing. Trip Advisor has lots of reviews from real people so that is beneficial in so many ways. Just start googling and one thing leads you to another.

Lodging is important to me when I’m planning a trip. I’m pretty organized so I don’t like to get somewhere and hope I can find a place to stay. I’m not looking for the fanciest place since I won’t be spending much time there. Location, cleanliness and safety are my top three. Research helps determine best location and safety, and reviews tell you cleanliness. If I’m in a location at least 2 or 3 nights I will usually try getting an Airbnb. I rarely am somewhere for just one night but if I am I just get a hotel. There are pluses and minuses to both so you decide. Hotels have amenities like storing your luggage, usually includes breakfast, soft towels and toiletries. Airbnb’s are usually cheaper, you have kitchens and living rooms, and you’re in a neighborhood versus more touristy area. The books you read will give descriptions and recommendations. You can use online resources like Booking.com but prices are better if you go to the hotel and book directly.

The last large piece you need to plan is transportation. Research in this area is very important. If you’re flying to Europe from the US you will typically leave in the evening and land in the morning. So you will lose a nights sleep unless you are one of the few people who sleeps great on a plane. You will land and be excited and also very tired. So you should have planned how you will get from the airport to your hotel or Airbnb and not wait until you land to see what your options are. Often times there are shuttles you can pre-arrange, buses, trains, taxi etc. I am always trying to maximize my dollars so a taxi is usually the last resort. For example when landing in Paris you can Uber from Charles de Gaulle airport to the city for about $90 which can take an hour and a half or longer depending on traffic - or take the B Train for 12 Euros and be in the center of Paris in 30 minutes. Then if you’re heading from one city or country to another how will you get there and do you need to book that transportation in advance. If you are flying yes you will want to book that in advance. If you’re in a country with great train service then probably not - you can buy tickets right at the station before you get on the train. Recently when Julie and I were traveling from Lisbon Portugal to Nice France it made more sense to fly. It was cheap - about $72 and a short flight. We could have taken the train but it wouldn’t have been cheaper and would have taken 12 hours. Going from Nice to Avignon, and then to Lyon, and then to Paris we took trains and just bought our tickets the same day of travel. No problems. Maybe I’m weird (yes this is a certainty) but planning the transportation is one of the most fun parts for me. It’s like a puzzle and I need to figure it out. Probable the most challenging trip for me was in 2018 in Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. Italy has fantastic train service. Slovenia and Croatia not so much. Getting from Venice Italy to Ljubljana Slovenia was tricky. Supposedly there was a bus that ran once a day between the two but the reviews on Trip Advisor were scary. It seemed really hit or miss. Lots of people saying the bus never came and there was no one to talk to when you called the company that spoke English. I kept researching and found out about a shuttle service called Go Opti that had good reviews. A 6 person van that you could book for an 8:30 AM pickup in the only parking lot in Venice that would drop you off in Ljubljana in 3 hours. So I booked it and crossed my fingers. Perfect! Traveling in Slovenia and Croatia was amazing but the transportation was challenging and without preplanning would have been a disaster. Having it all go smoothly made me so happy.

Trains, buses, vans, boats and cars! We made it!

Travel Insurance? Yes! I always get it whenever I leave the country and especially with what’s happening in the world due to the pandemic it’s a must. I’m not an expert on it so research your options carefully. I’ve been reading that many travel policies don’t cover pandemics but going forward maybe that will change. Also review your health insurance as many plans - Medicare included don’t cover you outside the United States. I think it’s important to have coverage should you get sick while traveling.

As far as money, currency, credit cards etc. I did a blog post that is still current from July 2019 that you can refer to through the Archive tab on my blog. Now is a great time to research credit card options and getting the most bang for your buck. I found a great article from Money that did the work for you. Try this link or just go to Money.com and google it. https://money.com/best-travel-credit-card/ I also posted the link on my Patti Part Two Facebook page which you can get to from the bottom of my blog. I try and post articles on Facebook that I think are relevant to travel or provide helpful interesting information so feel free to follow my Facebook and Instagram accounts.

I also have a separate blog post on packing light that you can access from the Archive tab dated August 2018. It’s the blog post that gets more clicks then any other😂 Packing and traveling light has been life-changing for me. If you’re jumping on trains and buses the last thing you want is to be hauling a big suitcase. A carryon and personal item. Done! Doesn’t matter if I’m gone for a week or a month it all has to fit. Check it out and be enlightened!

Planning trips and traveling brings me so much joy. Helping other people plan also gives me joy so if I can answer questions or help please feel free to email me at pattiparttwo@gmail.com. I will travel again and I’m spending lots of time figuring out where I will go. Stay tuned!

Now for a pandemic update. I’m still cooking with Green Chef. Here are the latest delicious meals I’ve prepared.

Top right - Italian Herb-Seasoned Barramundi over sautéed kale with white beans and red peppers. Bottom left - Pesto Panko Chicken with Mozzarella and roasted red potatoes. Bottom right - Meatloaf and mashed potatoes. I started stay-at-home a vegetarian and moved on to meat and potatoes. Stay-at-home is a slippery slope😞

And sometimes dinner is just a delicious pie flight! Thank you Upper Crust Pie😋

I finished this book in two days! So great!

Netflix binge! Loved it!

Wear a mask. An easy kindness you can do to protect you and everyone around you. ❤️

Well that’s it for now. Time to get back to more trip planning. Stay safe and be kind. We are all in this together - but not all in the same storm.

Pandemic Post 2😷

I had to really think about how long it has been since all of our lives have changed so dramatically. The days go by and like many people I can’t differentiate Tuesday from Saturday - so in some ways it is a shock to me that I’m pretty close to starting month 3 of the new normal. Although I know there is nothing normal about it. I read my post from about a month ago and it helped me to realize how much more we know about the virus now, but also how little we know about what the future holds. At that time I was still somewhat optimistic and hopeful that it would be while a tough time, one we would move through fairly quickly and the usual ways I spend my time would resume. Boy was I wrong. When friends and family ask me how I’m doing I’m at a bit of a loss for words. Every day I am filled with mixed emotions. Gratitude that I am in a safe place with plenty to eat and my biggest issue is that I am getting really tired of talking to myself. And grief for all the people that would give anything to trade places with me. There have always been injustices in the world - but in my lifetime no other time when they were more evident. So I’m trying to help in really little ways while still doing my part to not create increased demand on a taxed healthcare system by staying in for all but essential errands, adhering to social distancing and wearing a mask anytime I leave my home.

So what am I doing with my time? Well sadly canceling all my remaining travel for 2020. It’s definitely a lot more fun to book travel then cancel it, but realistically and understanding science to the extent that I do, for me it’s just not an option. My policy has always been to purchase travel insurance whenever I leave the country, and that really paid off when I canceled my trip to Scandinavia for August. I highly recommend you do the same and found a great article that provides excellent information. The link is https://www.consumersadvocate.org/travel-insurance Do I hope that I will get to travel extensively again? Yes! But since I don’t have a reliable crystal ball to predict when I can be assured of being able to do that safely I’m trying to figure out what the foreseeable future will be for me. Kind of a Patti Part Three detour😊 The fact that I can’t travel has helped me to reflect on a couple of things. For one - the importance of making sure to do the things that are the most important to you because you never know when a pandemic could change that possibility. If for whatever reason I don’t get to travel again the memories and experiences I have had over the past years are with me always. The beauty of experiences are that they give you joy while they are happening, but give you the opportunity to re-experience that joy when you look at a picture or just replay it in your mind. The past three years in the first part of May I was out of the country. In 2017 I was in Peru on a 7 day hike to Machu Picchu. In 2018 I was in Italy, Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia. In 2019 France and Belgium. All three were life changing experiences that I feel grateful for every day.

Humantay Glacier Lake. Presenting our group gift to the mountain with the help of a Shaman.

Travel has pushed me out of my comfort zone and made me a braver person. It has given me a feeling of kinship with people all over the world as I have been warmly welcomed everywhere. It has given me a basis to know that we are all so much more alike then different and we all want the same things - love, acceptance and to be valued. Visiting Normandy France this past May and seeing how resilient the people there are and how they have rebuilt their towns and lives post World War 2 gives me hope that we will get through this. I know that we are all stronger then we think we are, and while sometimes I can get a little judgmental about people not complying with the guidelines, in general I see examples so often of most people trying to do the right thing. And an abundance of examples of so much good in the world and people like the first responders, essential workers and healthcare professionals doing all they can and more.

So what have I been doing? Well I haven’t trained for a marathon, learned to play a new instrument or cleaned out all my closets. I have been taking an online class from Yale for free called The Science of Well-Being. It has been their most popular class for years, and is basically about how to be happier. Who doesn’t want to be happier? It’s a 10 week class that you can do at your convenience, although it’s designed for you to listen to the lectures and then do the assignments during the rest of the week. As someone who likes to analyze and understand the why behind things I am fascinated by the science and data that back up the course. Plus I have been on my own happiness quest for a number of years so it seemed like the perfect fit and I definitely have the time. If you want to check it out the website is www.coursera.org and search for The Science of Well-Being.

In the first week of the class we had to take a free online test that would determine the areas we as individuals get the most happiness from, since everyone is different and what makes me happy probably isn’t the same as what makes you happy. If you want to take the test just go to https://www.viacharacter.org/survey/account/register I took the test and when I got my results burst out laughing. The number one thing that makes me happy is learning. No wonder I was so excited about taking the class. It suggested things I could do to increase my happiness - travel, learn about other cultures, go to museums etc. All things that do make me happy, but most of which I can’t do now. So in the meantime looking for opportunities to learn online which includes virtual museum tours and reading a lot.

Speaking of reading I finished “A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles for the second time. I loved it the first time and loved it even more the second. The writing is so beautiful it actually made me cry. The story takes place in a hotel in Moscow where the main character is sentenced to spend the vast majority of his life on house arrest. Not exactly what we are experiencing but kind of similar. It remains one of my favorite all-time books.

❤️❤️❤️

It’s no secret that Paris is one of my most favorite cities in the world - so spending time mentally there most days. I find enjoying a delicious croissant fresh from the oven served on beautiful china helps me set the mood.

Today I’ll have the almond croissant please. Thank you Trader Joe’s freezer😊

To further enhance my Paris experience I am watching Call My Agent on Netflix. A French TV series that is fantastic and set in Paris of course. Turn on the subtitles and pretend you are there too. There are three seasons and hopefully season four available soon. I love the quirky characters and beautiful Paris landmarks.

So great!

Everyone likes to see pictures of food so I don’t want to disappoint. I’m still getting Green Chef delivered every week and making amazing, delicious and healthy meals. They say grocery stores are one of the most dangerous places as far as picking up the virus, so I’m doing all I can to avoid going into them. Picking up groceries or getting them delivered is a much better option. I’m not that great of a cook but Green Chef is making me look like one.

Sun-Dried Tomato Flatbread with kale salad, Harissa-Spiced Shrimp with cauliflower and red bell peppers, Chicken with Harissa Apricot Sauce over Couscous, and Italian Sausage Puttanesca. All amazing!

Hope- the conviction that despite one’s present circumstances, the future will, in some meaningful sense, be better than the present.

I’m counting on hope along with all of us rising to the occasion and being our best selves. And sending all positive thoughts to the scientists.💕

Pandemic Post

Wow just seeing those words are surreal. I’ve been getting questions about what a person that loves to travel as much as I do is doing now that travel is not an option. So for that reason and because this blog is kind of an online journal for me I decided to go ahead and do an update. So far I’ve only had to cancel one trip. But it was a trip I was really looking forward to, which is pretty much every trip I plan! My friend Cheryl and I were heading to Quebec City and Montreal mid-April. I’ve never been to Canada and since I love France so much it seemed like another place I would get to enjoy all things french only closer and perhaps colder. Half the fun for me is the planning part so my efforts have not been wasted. I will get there, just not sure when.

Quebec City - so beautiful!

Keeping my fingers and toes crossed that by the time I need to leave on my next big trip we will be on the other side of this terrible virus. But I’m taking it one day at a time and adhering to every recommendation and guideline and doing everything in my power to stay safe and healthy, and hope you are all doing the same.

Stay home!

If you’re wondering where I plan to go next I’ll tell you. My friend Laura and I have planned a BIG US National Parks hiking adventure. Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone, Glacier, Sawtooth and Grand Tetons. Planning on being gone about a month and hiking every day possible. Glacier alone has 732 hiking trails! And they all look spectacular. There’s a 50% chance Laura and I are going to drive each other crazy but that means there’s an equally good chance we are going to get along perfectly! We have opposite strengths but both very easy going, low maintenance and drama free. I hope we get the chance to find out.

Just one beautiful view of Glacier National Park.

The other trip I’m working on is Scandinavia in August. Again I’m hoping for the best but fully aware that it might not happen this year. It’s been on my bucket list for awhile and this pandemic is just one more reminder that you need to jump while you can. And it’s a trip that is taking a lot of planning so I’m enjoying all the research. I would go to Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Estonia. Looks amazing!

Copenhagen! I have to see it for myself!

Where I live we are on a 30 day shelter in place order which could be extended. I think it’s absolutely the right thing so I’m getting through the days like all of you are. Weather permitting I am walking lots of miles. I’m in no hurry to get back home but I’m very careful to stay a minimum of 6 feet from everyone. I prefer 12.

Daffodils blooming on the grounds of the Nelson-Atkins Museum. The museum is closed but the beautiful grounds are open with lots of awesome sculptures.

Union Cemetery only about a half mile from where I live. A beautiful very old cemetery with gravestones dating from the late 1800’s to early 1900’s. A great reminder of why flattenig the curve and social distancing are important. And it gives me someone safe to talk to😂

Other things I’m doing to get through this? Cooking for one! I’m as shocked as anyone. It’s not really my thing but I’ve been ordering from Green Chef which is a meal service where they send you all the ingredients and you cook it. The food is fantastic and pretty easy to prepare. Each recipe only takes about 30 minutes and you can order vegan/vegetarian, keto, paleo or a balanced plan. I like that I don’t even need to go to the grocery store where I know the Coronavirus is lurking on a cart ready to jump down my throat. Here’s a picture of the 3 things I had this week but since this is not and never will be a recipe blog no recipes😊

Vegan/vegetarian selections. Top left is kale salad with dried cherries and carrots topped by farro and roasted Brussels sprouts and beets. Bottom left is Thai peanut stir fry with bok choy, carrots and mushrooms. Right is green pea and feta falafel over couscous and kale salad with cherries and pistachios. Making me look like a rock star cook!

My TV/Netflix watching has risen about a 1000%. What am I enjoying the most? Schitt’s Creek on Netflix. Not a new show so as usual I’m late to the party but if you’re looking for lots of laughs and a great distraction from the news check it out.

On Netflix

I’ve been very conscientious about only buying what I need, but being totally transparent I must admit to what I’m hoarding.

Dark chocolate sea salt caramels from Costco. If I eat one a day this should get me through a few months. There may be days I eat two🤷🏼‍♀️

So that’s it for me. We’re all in this together - stay safe, stay healthy and stay home for all the people that love you❤️

Phoenix Fun!

If you live in the Midwest like I do, then February is pretty much the perfect time to get away somewhere warmer - like Phoenix! You need a light weight jacket or sweater in the evening and morning but the rest of the day is pretty much perfect - 70 and sunny! At least that’s how it was every day when I was there recently. Over 4 million people live in the metropolitan area and it’s very spread out, but they have tons of highways so it seems fairly easy to navigate around. I was staying in the Gilbert area, and my main interest was hiking, relaxing by the pool, checking out some fun restaurants, and enjoying the great company and hospitality of my niece Angela😊

First the hikes. Phoenix is a great place to hike. There is such a variety and degree of difficulty and all so close. I barely scratched the surface but all the more reason to return. The most challenging one I did was Echo Canyon Trail on Camelback Mountain. It’s been on my list for awhile, but all the information online and in the reviews say that it is extremely challenging. But my friend Cheryl and I decided to give it a try. What’s the worst that could happen? Outside of death of course! We figured if it got too hard we would just turn back. Well I’ll end the suspense and tell you that we did it! Was it challenging? Yes! But definitely doable as long as you are in fairly decent shape and don’t have knee issues. It’s much more of a rocky climb than a hike. There are a couple of sections that are very steep and rocky where they have put in a metal pole for you to hang on to. I didn’t see anyone not using the pool so we of course used the pole. The top 30% is all climbing rocks using your hands so again you need some strength and good knees. Views from the top are totally worth it!

Climbing Camelback! Top right is a darling couple that got engaged at the top! And guess who took all the pictures? Me! I had no idea what was coming. He asked me to take pictures when he handed me his phone and then proceeded to go down on one knee and pull out the ring! I must have taken 50 pictures. Captured the whole thing. I just hope they are ok! Talk about pressure. And on Valentine’s Day! So special. Bottom left - Cheryl taking on the steep rock climb to the top!

Expert excursioners! Enjoying our success making it to the top!

Hike number two was in South Mountain Park. I was researching hikes and came across one called Fat Man’s Pass that sounded awesome - I had to do it. Angela was up for it and it was great! Not as challenging as Camelback but not easy. I would say moderate as it does involve some climbing up and over rocks - some quite large. So pretty and the rock formations are amazing. Angela’s dog Bentley came along but he had it easy. Angela had him in her backpack carrier.

Fat Man’s Pass bottom right. I made it through!

The 3rd hike was the easiest but so pretty. Brother Dave and Cheryl and I went to San Tan Mountain Regional Park and hiked about 4 miles through a beautiful desert landscape perfect for hiking, trail bikes and horses. Huge saguaro cactus and very pretty views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. There is a harder hike there called Goldmine and next time I would like to give it a try.

We definitely had our eyes open for snakes!

I went to one museum called The Heard Museum. Located in Phoenix in a gorgeous building that used to be part museum part home of the original museum owner - and then expanded significantly. It’s a beautiful Spanish Colonial architecture with courtyards, fountains and sculpture gardens. It’s exhibits celebrate Native artists in all kinds of mediums - really incredible.

Bottom left to right - Contemporary Plains Indian Doll, Art Fence made from clay and glass, Large basket woven by a Yosemite master weaver.

Food! Gilbert has a super cute downtown area called the Heritage District that has lots of great restaurants. I ate at as many as I possibly could in my time there.

Liberty Market - serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Delicious! Cheryl and I split the breakfast scramble and a scone.

Oregano’s - a local Italian/pizza restaurant with a number of locations around Arizona. Good! Salads are huge! The small was big enough for 2 to 3 people. Pizza comes in thin, pan or deep dish. We went with the thin.

Snooze - a chain out of Denver but so great! Angela treated Cheryl and I for Valentine’s Day. We each had something with eggs and veggies and then shared a creme brûlée pancake. Because it was Valentine’s Day!

Bergies- a great coffee shop with entertainment on the weekends. A tiny shop but a huge awesome outdoor seating area with tables, flowers and gnomes. Who doesn’t like gnomes???

Every Saturday morning there is a wonderful farmer’s market in downtown Gilbert. Tons of food trucks and booths with great looking farm to table items and beautiful crafts. We were going to buy fresh tortillas but he was sold out. You have to get there early for the best stuff.

Topo - awesome burritos. In fact the best I’ve ever had! Order from the window and tons of outdoor tables to eat at plus a play area for kids. They make pork or chicken burritos and nothing else - so you know they better be good!

The Farmhouse - darling restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch. Forget eating there on the weekend. A crazy line so we went for lunch on a Tuesday and got in pretty quickly. Been in business for over 30 years. Angela had the beef sandwich and salad and a grilled chicken salad for me. All delicious!

A return visit to Ocotillo - not in Gilbert - in Phoenix. I had been there before and loved it. Food was excellent. We shared a salad and the roasted cauliflower, for entrees the bucatini and scallops.

Celebrated our Camelback hike with wine and the bruschetta at a local wine bar called Postino. Quite a few locations around the area and a fun place.

Those are the highlights of my trip. I could post a dozen pictures of the pool and the palm trees but why rub it in. Well maybe just one 😊

Scottsdale Quarter. Great restaurants and shops in a beautiful setting. I’m not in Kansas anymore!

Thanks for a wonderful trip Angela! It was great to have time with my brother Dave and friend Cheryl. I can’t wait to come back and visit again!

Sedona and the Grand Canyon

I finally made it to the Grand Canyon! But first a day in Sedona, AZ. Sedona is about a two hour drive from Phoenix depending on where you’re coming from, and definitely worth a day or more. Famous for the beautiful red rock formations and the vortexes, it’s changed a lot since I lived there for 6 months 30 years ago, especially in terms of traffic. The Grand Canyon is about a 4 hour drive from Phoenix so the plan was to drive to Sedona and do a little hiking, and then drive up through Oak Creek Canyon and stay the night in Flagstaff. Get up and make the little over an hour drive to the Grand Canyon and then back to Phoenix. This worked perfectly for us! My brother Dave had never been to Sedona and he loved it. He’s already making plans to come back with his wife and spend a few days exploring more. Next time I’m wearing my hiking boots and bringing poles!

Hiking Cathedral Rock, just one of the many options in Sedona.

We grabbed lunch at a good pizza place and then headed through town to Oak Creek Canyon. This is a beautiful road through the canyon that climbs an elevation with lots of switchbacks to about 6700 feet. My ears were popping! Starts in Sedona and ends in Flagstaff. There are a couple of places to pull over along the way and enjoy the view and the best one is right at the top.

The view from the top of Oak Creek Canyon.

Flagstaff is a college town. Northern Arizona University - the Lumberjacks is there. We didn’t get to explore the town other then getting a bite to eat, but it seemed like a fun place. The downtown was cute and there were quite a few local breweries. Our main focus was getting a decent nights sleep and heading out fairly early to get to Grand Canyon. I was so excited to finally get to see it, and it definitely did not disappoint. It was chilly but a beautiful sunny day. I wasn’t sure what to expect as far as number of people but we were happy to find it wasn’t crowded at all. We had no trouble parking at any of the main points we stopped at for views. Only the South Rim is open during the winter so that made where we were heading easy - less to choose from!

My fun traveling companions - brother Dave and niece Angela!

I really don’t have the words to describe how breathtaking the Grand Canyon is. We went to at least 10 different vantage points and while you’re seeing the same basic site, it looks different from every angle. The shadows from the clouds, the angles of the rocks, the view of the Colorado River cutting through - it makes every view different.

We saw the elk! There are signs warning you and sure enough they just started crossing the road. Bottom right is as close as I could get of the Colorado River.

My favorite view - Powell Point. Named after Major John Wesley Powell, leader of the first documented expedition through the Grand Canyon via the river.

Maybe some day I will return in warmer weather and hike down into the canyon. For now I was thrilled just to be able to see it. Not a lot of food to write about - until today! Back in Phoenix I introduced my brother Dave to a Chicago favorite that due to the large amount of Chicagoans that have relocated here has expanded to lots of locations - Portillo’s Italian Beef sandwiches!

Beef with sweet peppers - Yumm! Dave loved it! Said he might go back tomorrow😊

Thanks for coming along - check back soon!