Don’t Fly During This Government Shutdown until You do the Following
If you’ve got a flight between now and late November, you should plan for a wobbly couple of weeks. As of Friday, November 7, 2025, the FAA began phased, mandatory traffic reductions at major airports because of the federal government shutdown. The initial 4% cut is slated to ramp to 10% at about 40 big […]
Virgin Voyages Ships: The Triplets and Her Sister.
You’re cruise-curious about Virgin Voyages and you want the real talk. Here’s the guide I wish I had on my first sailing. So I have taken a few sailings on Virgin, and 2 of them being Solo sailings so I had to learn things fast and on my own. . The Familar Three: Scarlet, Valient […]
Virgin Voyages, Made Easy: Your First-Timer Guide From Someone Who’s Sailed with them a Few Times
You’re cruise-curious about Virgin Voyages and you want the real talk. Here’s the guide I wish I had on my first sailing. So I have taken a few sailings on Virgin, and 2 of them being Solo sailings so I had to learn things fast and on my own. . What “adult-only” really feels like […]
How I’m budgeting this epic two-week run of holiday fun
This year I’m doing a two week Christmas Market run across Europe. I’ll be solo for at least the first week. My sister might drop in for the second. That means for at least seven days every bill, tip, and souvenir is on only me. So grab your Excel Spreadsheet knowledge or your Google Sheet […]
8 Travel Insurance Companies You’ll See Everywhere (And How They Stack Up For A $2,000 Cruise)
You don’t need to memorize every insurer out there. Start with these eight. They’re the names you’ll run into on airline checkouts, booking sites, and comparison tools. Typical comprehensive plans cost about 4%–10% of your trip price—so for a $2,000, 7-day Caribbean cruise, you’re usually in the $80–$200 range per person, depending on tier and […]
Why I Don’t Skip Travel Insurance Anymore: Real Talk, Real Numbers, and 4 Big Providers You’ll See Everywhere
I used to gamble on trips. Fly across an ocean, book nonrefundable stuff, and hope nothing went sideways. As I have aged I have changed my ways; knowing that I could sleep wrong and wake up with back pain in my 40s makes you rethink the gamble. . If you’re planning an international trip, travel […]
Atlanta Pride 2025: How the Weekend Went – Parade Joy, Piedmont Park Magic, and Nightlife Wins
I just wrapped Atlanta Pride and I’m still smiling. The whole thing felt like the city wrapped its arms around us. Piedmont Park turned into a green, happy village, the parade brought out everybody’s best energy, and Midtown kept the night rolling. Here’s how the weekend actually played out, what worked, and what I’ll repeat […]
Flying Soon During a Shutdown? Your Game Plan
So you have your flight booked, cruise paid for or Hotel reservation on the ready. Your job has approved your vacation days and this government shutdown hits and you are unsure how to handle the next few days before and during travel. You’re glued to CNN and MSNBC seeing that TSA Callouts are already happening […]
My Holiday Adventure Countdown: What I Do at 120, 60, 30, and 10 Days Out
Guess what. I live for fairy lights and warm cups of hot cocoa. Think Hallmark movie, but with train apps and real prices. This is the timeline I use when I plan a solo Christmas Market trip to Europe. It keeps me calm, on budget, and still open to joy. Steal it, tweak it, make […]
WorldPride Amsterdam 2026 – The Big Event You Should Build Your Trip Around
Amsterdam hosts WorldPride from 25 July to 8 August 2026, and I’m building my trip around five anchor moments on Museumplein plus the conference and the march. Here’s my simple way to plan a week that feels full without burning out. And Surprise the event you should build your trip around is the Canal Parade […]