Travel Blog for OWLs™ ~ Older Wiser Ladies

WISE WOMYN ELDERS ARISE

2012-01-21T18:23:00.000-08:00

Wise Womyn Elders and the Rise of the Feminine Principle

By M. J. Milne

www.12GoldenKeys.com

There are over 100-million menopausal womyn on the planet. That’s the population of a small country! In fact, it’s the population of Mexico. What does this mean in the big picture? The word ‘menopause’ means ‘change’ and yes, our world is changing.

It means for the first time in the history of our planet, there are 100-million Wise Womyn Elders whose purpose, whether realized or not, are here to assist en masse in the rise of the feminine-Yin* energies and the shift of our planetary consciousness. This is not by accident; it is ordained.

It also means that as we age and bring in the Goddess/Feminine energies the world is changing from aggressiveness to a heart-based energy---from fear to love.

We are being inundated with fear in the last decades of the aggressive-Yang* domination, a suppressive era. Now the flip side of the same coin, the Yin, is steadily taking its place as the major influence. No matter how much they refuse to change, there’s nothing anyone set in the Yang-based consciousness can do about it because it’s based on the shift of our planetary consciousness.

I believe that most of us---meaning Souls incarnated into a physical body---have not lived to this ripe old age before. Our Elder years are totally new to us. Most of us died in our thirties from such things as rampant plagues (e.g., the Black Plague that swept through Europe in the mid-14th century), all kinds of wars both ancient and present day, earthquakes and ice ages, invading barbarian tribes, bad hygiene practices throughout the Middle Ages, and a million other things that can cause death of the physical body.

So is it any wonder that we the over-sixty crowd are now wondering what we’re supposed to be doing?

The media keeps telling us how we should handle old age, what we should be doing, how we should be planning for retirement, asking us to give over our money so so-and-so-company can help us grow old gracefully, and other such retirement makeovers. There’s no graceful way to age gracefully! You just do it and hope for the best! No amount of planning and preparation will stop the flow and ebb of karmic change and chaos in our lives.

So how do we live gracefully? --- It’s easy to answer that question: Everything comes back to living your life with gratitude and unconditional love.

As you grow older, and hopefully wiser, we are growing closer together with one another. This is because of the rising Yin energies that without even trying are nurturing and loving. We over-sixties are in this together and we can, and are, helping one another. In my book “12 Golden Keys for a New World” I write about helping one another help others. Meaning, help one another. That’s the simplicity of growing older and wiser. We are learning at an accelerated pace that we’re in this together and we’re meant to help each other thrive, not only Elders, but young people too. Young people are banding together.

Unfortunately, the media calls them ‘gangs’ giving them negative connotations, but they are actually meant to be similar to ‘pods’ assisting one another as a pod of dolphins swimming in unison.

We are in this ocean of love and mercy together. Start swimming in unison.

www.12GoldenKeys.com

[*Footnote: In Asian philosophy, the concept of yin yang (yīnyáng) describes how seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world. Yin is characterized as slow, soft, yielding; the intuitive, receptive, nurturing side of ourselves; and is associated with the moon and femininity. Yang, by contrast, is fast, hard, solid, and aggressive; the action-oriented, forceful side of ourselves; and is associated with fire, the sun, and masculinity.]

Artwork by Georgia Lambert, 'Chalice Well Deva'

Where to Go in September?

2011-08-28T14:42:00.000-07:00

My friend Dominica (an age 62 OWL) signed up for Country Roads of Bavaria, Switzerland, and Austria tour by a company called Insight Vacations and she leaves mid-September. This tour looks wonderful. It's "an evenly paced tour with two-night stays in Munich, Vienna, St Moritz and Lucerne.. . . From the glorious cruise through the Wachau Valley to the enthralling Bernina Express, this tour offers up an Alpine world of enchantment and unrivalled beauty like no other." Perhaps I can talk my friend into telling us all about it when she returns.

Another friend, Irene (age unknown but an OWL), scooped up a delicious price on an Air Transat flight to Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Only $299 + taxes return flight Amsterdam-Vancouver. Wow! Wish I'd seen that one!

Judy (OWL age) and six of her friends with husbands in tow have booked a Tuscan villa somewhere in the Chianti for two glorious weeks. They start out in London and head over through the chunnel, somehow ending up in Florence, picking up a rental car, then driving to the villa. Hey, can I be your personal driver?

My sister Carol (a mid-50s OWL) opted for a trip to Osoyoos, BC. About a dozen of my co-workers also holiday there in the summertime. Why Osoyoos? Because it's only a five hour drive from Vancouver and the weather is hot hot hot! Even my boss owns a cottage near Osoyoos on the American side of the lake. A wonderful vacation area for the entire family. (Yes, at age 62 I work part time; I like where I work and I love the people.)

Where are you spending your September?

Anyone else venturing outbound? Leave us a comment, we'd love to hear about it. The last of the dog days of summer are upon us and come Labour Day weekend (September 6th), kids will go back to school, but we Older Wiser Ladies will be forging ahead on our vacations!!!! I love traveling in September and October especially to Europe. Did I tell you I love traveling throughout Europe? Of course I did. However, next year I'm planning a trip to the United Kingdom and Ireland. So hello to Annie in Edinburgh, make sure you keep a bubbly for me on tap at the local pub!

Happy travels!

[Copyright M. J. Milne 2011; http://olderwiserladies.blogspot.com/]

[Disclaimer: The ladies of OWL and M. J. Milne take no responsibility in the companies that we mention throughout the OWL blog, but please know that we usually only mention travel companies that we've personally used, or heard about through friends, or other OWLs.]

Toscana Map

2011-06-20T23:36:00.000-07:00

Sorry, don't know who drew this cartoon-like map of Tuscany, but I love it. It's so simple and yet it shows you all the sites to visit.

Villa Highlights

2011-06-14T14:10:00.000-07:00

Okay, so several of you wrote me requesting photos of the Villa Buonvisi. I would recommend this place to anyone but you must be willing to rent a car to get to it because there are no buses. A taxi from Lucca, the nearest town, would run you about 30-Euros and expect the driver to get lost. It took us a few times to figure out the directions. Three of the couples had iPads with the Global Positioning System (GPS). It worked incredibly well. One couple used a European plan from Vodaphone, where you buy a plan with a certain amount of minutes and get WiFi and GPS. There is free WiFi at the villa.

To book one of the five villas on the Fattoria Mansi Bernardini property contact them at info@fattoriamansibernardini.it; website: www.fattoriamansibernardini.it

From their website: "We have five holiday houses (inside the farm) for rent, surrounded by the wonderful green of hills of Lucca. Each houses is provided with its own swimming pool, satellite TV, CD stereo, video recorder and a daily cleaning/laundry service, as well as garden and swimming pool maintenance. There is also a shared tennis court among ancient olive trees. Guests can also enjoy the holidays estate’s products (olive oil), and the opportunity to visit the Luxury holiday estate "Fattoria Mansi Bernardini". Farm guest's can provide to visit farm, Lucca walls, Lucca countryside and the green hills near the luxury farm."

In the Villa Buonvisi there are seven bedrooms of various sizes. So we had 14 people to share the rental cost. Each of the bedrooms has its own individual Tuscan country style.

[Photos copyright by M. J. Milne 2011]

LUCCA's WALLED CITY

2011-06-13T22:47:00.000-07:00

LUCCA, a small medieval town between Pisa and Florence, is similar to Rhodes, Greece because it's also a walled city. Renting a bike to cycle the wall is one of the best activities you can do there, especially at my age cause the road is flat---no hills!

I loved this quiet little town. There are no big bus tours cruising in and out, which means no throngs of people. The big tour companies bypass Lucca mainly because there are no major sights.

For our first evening at the villa we drove our free upgrade rental car, a silver Alpha Romero, into Lucca. There are lots of places to park outside the walls. Remember to pay the meter and get a ticket for the dash, and park only in the blue designated spots, never the yellow ones.

Walking inside the gate called Porta Elisa we eventually came to the Ristorante Canuleia, Via Canuleia, 14, Tel. 0583 467470, www.ristorantecanuleia.it/. We reserved for dinner and I had asked for gluten-free pasta which they cooked with care. Later I discovered that you can buy gluten-free products at the pharmacy, believe it or not! Bread, pasta, cookies, and crackers were mostly made with corn flour. Pharmacia shops have a green neon cross.

After a wonderful meal and good service we walked along the quiet streets, overhearing a concerto in a church, children playing in the main piazza, the birds at dusk, and music from other restaurants spilling out into the cobblestone streets. Then we visited the cathedral of Lucca known as the Duomo of San Martino. In the Piazza S. Michele is where the S. Michele in Foro (St. Michael in the Forum) church is located.

Searching for the amphitheatre we expected to find a Roman theatre similar to Verona's, but it turned out to be a piazza, the Piazza del Mercato in the shape of an amphitheatre. Built during the 1st and 2nd centuries, it could accommodate over 10,000 spectators.

The other sights in Lucca are smaller but no less delightful experiences to savour. One night we went to a church concerto which offered two operatic singers performing songs by Puccini and Mozart.

[Photo copyright M. J. Milne 2011: #1 Gate to Lucca; #2 Lovers in Piazza del Mercato.]

Villa Buonvisi

2011-06-09T07:17:00.000-07:00

La Fattoria Mansi Bernardini in the hills outside Lucca, Italy is a beautifully lush piece of property consisting of four separate villas for rent, each a pool and garden, an olive tree orchard and olive oil press, and a vineyard. The views are extraordinary, overlooking peaceful valleys and other Tuscan estates. Thirteen of us have come to stay for one glorious week. The first day it rained so hard it reminded me of that movie "Enchanted April" where the British ladies arrive from rainy London and are so depressed to find Tuscany just as wet and gloomy. But in the morning they open their shuttered windows to glorious sunny views.

Our first few days were spent exploring the area with rental cars. For example, driving to Torre del Lago the home of Puccini; then to Viareggio's seaside resort area which was completely empty of people with rows and rows of empty beach chairs ~ as if an alien spaceship had beamed everyone up. Very odd. And also to Pisa a wonderful town in itself even without the leaning tower; the hilltop village of Barga; and course my favorite little medieval walled Tuscan town of Lucca. This place make you forget about the past and enjoy each moment, Italian style.

[Photos copyright by M. J. Milne, 2011]

Rome to the Villa Buonvisi

2011-06-07T13:06:00.000-07:00

Roma is an amazing city, full of urgency, vibrant life, the best gelato, some of the best sites in Italy, and a mecca for young adults and students. It can also be grueling. Walk don't drive in the city.

I arrived at the train station, taking the Leonardo Express from the airport, then a taxi cab whose driver ripped me off with the ol' exchange a 20 for a 5-Euro bill routine. I love you dear Rome, but enough with rip-off taxi cab drivers!

I visited all my favorite outdoor Rome sights and a few I'd never seen, but this trip was more laid back. A few years ago I had stayed six nights in Rome and enjoyed all the major sights including the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, all the famous piazzas and fountains, plus Trastevere across the river, and the Jewish Ghetto, etc. This trip I enjoyed the street scenes along the Via Condotti off the Spanish Steps (photo #1); the quiet and quaint Via Margutta off Piazza Popolo (photo #2); and the even quainter Via Guilia which parallels the Tiber River.

For your first visit I suggest an orientation bus tour, either in a Hop-On Hop-Off bus, or the red double-decker bus, or a professional bus tour to get yourself orientated to this huge city. Then again there's always the electric bus No. 116 that goes to all the major sights and costs next to nothing.

Three days and I was off from Rome to Pisa by train with my friends J & B. A comfortable three hours later we were lugging our luggage to the Hertz rental car shuttle bus. Then off toward Lucca, a 20 minute drive that ended up taking three hours because we missed one little sign. URRRRRG! The road signs are terrible! Drivers beware, alert your navigator in the passenger seat.

Finally pulling up to the Villa Buonvisi twelve kilometers north west of Lucca, we turned into a long driveway to see a magnificent villa---then realized we were at the wrong one! Oops! So doing a quick u-turn, we tried another driveway and yes, we recognized it from the photo on the website. Everyone else had already arrived to the Villa Buonvisi, Segnomigno in Monte. All thirteen of us popped our first wine corks around the pool overlooking an olive grove. To be continued...

A 20-EURO LESSON

2011-06-02T12:17:00.000-07:00

From Rhodes to Rome in the blink of an eye--and with suitcase, too. Amazing! Not 45 minutes after arriving from the airport, hopping the Leonardo Express train to Rome's Termini station was I ripped off by a taxi driver. After being thrashed about in the backseat and hanging on for dear life, we arrived close enough to my hotel in the via dei Coronari. The driver said he couldn't drive into the street (a lie). And then it happened, the ol' slight of hand trick. He said it cost 25-Euro (2nd lie: the taxi metre was hidden). So I handed him a 20-Euro bill. He handed me my suitcase and while I fumbled with it and looking for another 5-Euros, he slipped the 20 into his back pocket and pulled out a 5-Euro bill, then said I still owed him another 20!!! I could have yelled for the police, but it's his word over mine and after getting up at 4:00 a.m. for my flight I was in no mood for 3-hours of Italian police paperwork. So this wise old bird just became wiser and was warned to watch more carefully when handing over money to anyone. In fact the first time I purchased something I counted out the euros so loudly everyone in the shop heard me! Hahaha!

Rome is more grueling then I remember it. It's more crowded, too. June 1st and the tourists have descended on the Roman ruins, ruining my view. The Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, and all the other hot spots are bursting with lookie-lou's. However, it's the Italian version of July 4th and a long weekend, so the throngs are not all tourists but Romans out for a good time. They fill the streets for shopping, eating, hanging out, watching the celebrations and parades, listening to the President speak, watching the army march, and drinking their vino, experiencing a typical holiday spirit. Seeing the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi after his scandal was interesting. I also heard that the Italians plan on vetoing his nuclear power plant policy. The Italians will vote "No Nukes!" just like the Germans did. Thank goodness.

[Photo Copyright by M. J. Milne, 2011]

CYBER CAFES

2011-05-30T03:55:00.000-07:00

I must thank the boys at the little "Au Bon Cafe" at Karpathou and Stoarolkou [tel. 22.41.03.60.75] in Rhodes Town, especially Stamatios, because for the cost of a cappacino you can sit for as long as you want at the cafe's two laptops. It is here that I write my blog posts. Very nice.

Most of the other Internet Cafes on the island of Rodos that are listed in the travel guides have closed down, gone belly-up for various reasons. Some hotels have the coin-operated computers but not many. Seems to be the way of Greece and the world, many closures.

There are demonstrations in Syntagma Square in Athens, although the news is in Greek, of course. The sound of Vespa scooters still resonates in the airwaves, so people can still afford to buy gasoline! The pretty Greek boys still smile at you when you pass their shop; nice for us older gals of a certain age, eh. Make fond memories even in the downturn times! Hey, we're tourists on holiday having fun and spending our hard-earned money, supporting the country's economy, right? So here I go, leaving the cyber cafes behind going out into the sunshine.

[Photo copyright by M. J. Milne 2011]

LOVE IN LINDOS

2011-05-30T03:43:00.000-07:00

LINDOS, RHODES -- Beautiful Lindos, the tiny village with white-washed homes, an Acropolis, a wonderful beach, turquoise water, and lots of donkey shit for the tourists to slip on. Ride a donkey to the top of the Acropolis and save your feet for shopping in the tiny shops.

I took The Discovery boat from Mandraki Harbour in Rhodes/Rodos, about a two hour trip with 180 other tourists. Once we arrived in Lindos it started to rain. I was going to be on the beach, but instead walked the little streets---very slippery in the rain because of the little stone walkways. Luckily, being a westcoaster used to living in a rainforest (Vancouver, Canada), to me rain is "liquid sunshine."

I enjoyed a fabulous lunch at Stefano's out of the rain and met a Romanian couple who were obviously on their honeymoon. He was a big guy who was very attentive to his young lover. Very nice to converse with a timeline of centuries passing by in moments and glimpses of past lives together.

On the return journey, I sat with three ladies from Poland who were on an aerobics tour. There were about twenty of them who do aerobics together in Poland. How odd that I never thought that aerobics would be anywhere else but North America, but then I never thought about it before. Everything known to us is everywhere. I forget that the only boundaries between us are in our own minds.

Lindos is a special place and definitely worth a visit. For great views of Lindos, watch the older movie entitled "High Season" starring Jacqueline Bisset.

[Photo copyrights by M. J. Milne 2011]

STOP X STOP

2011-05-30T03:26:00.000-07:00

For those of you brave enough to rent a car or scooter in Europe, but particularly in regard to driving in Greece and Italy, please remember that they DO NOT STOP AT STOP SIGNS. Hear me now. When approaching an intersection that has a STOP sign for the other driver, know that the driver will probably NOT STOP. Instead, YOU be the defensive driver and slow down. Do you hear me now? Good. I learned that lesson on Crete, Greece, and also in a tiny village in Provence, France. Blessings to all intersections!

[Photo copyright by M. J. Milne 2011]

MOSQUITOS & CHICKEN BREASTS

2011-05-27T04:50:00.000-07:00

Here on the Greek island of Rhodes the crush of the cruise ship crowds are annoying, sorry but it's true. They swarm the medieval Old Town of Rhodes giving you no chance to hear the ghosts of the Knights of Rhodes, the horse hooves on the cobblestone streets, the flash of a door opening and seeing into a past life, dressed in a knight's armour. Wonderful memories of being here in quieter times. But I will return at night or early morning when the ghosts speak to me.

Now I am immersed in present moments, very present, because I have been eaten alive by mosquitos!!!! My face and eyes swollen up, I resemble Quasimodo the hunchbacked face of Rhodestown. I spent my first night sitting up in the white marble tiled bathroom with a frozen chicken breast on my face! It helped with the swelling and was the only thing in the fridge. So what to do?

My friend Perry whose apartment I am staying at, had to go to Kalymnos Island to get his boat out of drydock and ferry it to Rhodes and then to Lindos for the summer tourist season---I was supposed to go with him but not with swollen eyes.

BTW, if you go to Rhodes, visit Perry at his boats along Mandraki Harbour or moored in Lindos. His two boats are the Free Spirit and the Discovery.

Desperate, I called his mobile. Perry told me to go to the supermarket and buy a little mosquito machine. Huh? I asked his friend Irini about it and she agreed. So I went and the shop owner knew immediately what I meant. For those also suffering with the scourge of European travel in Springtime = mosquitoes, it's a little plug-in thingy with a liquid bottle and it puts the bugs "to sleep" and keeps them away 100%. What it does to your own lungs I have no idea, but I figure it's not for long. Springtime in Rhodes (May) is beautiful only if you use this little machine like all the Greeks do, every household. The next night I slept like a baby all night, and even ate the defrosted chicken breast for dinner!

Here is a restful contemplation to do from my friend back home that helped me to sleep (soulflow.ca):

"Time to take another deep breath and relax. Come into yourself letting everything else go and say, 'Just me'. Sit quietly. Just be with yourself for a few precious seconds letting everything else go. Be there long enough to feel what's going on inside. Are there emotions bubbling up that need to be addressed or is there an emptiness that gives way to a sense of feeling grounded? Just let it be. It is perfect the way it is so just let it be. When you're ready intend to let inner healing carry on inside and come back to the space you're in."

Yasou!

[Photo copyright by M. J. Milne 2011: Free Spirit Boat; Perry Painting His Boat.]

Emergency Articles

2011-05-25T06:36:00.000-07:00

BTW, the emergency articles I chose to keep with me and not check with my small wheelie suitcase in case of the ash cloud disruptions consisted of a change of underwear (one to wear, one to wash), simple sleepwear, toiletries (under 100 ml), a change of clothes, vitamins or medicines, and ALL VALUABLES: your camera, iPOD, and chargers; jewelry, etc.. And of course your "primary" which should consist of your wallet with driver's license, medical card, credit card, bank card, and some currency; and your money belt with passport, extra currency, one extra credit card and extra bank card in case of the cards getting ruined in the ATM machines, lost or stolen. And keep this "primary" with you at all times while traveling place to place, and lock it up in the hotel safe, or hide it in your hotel room. The locks of most European hotel rooms are easily picked open. I once lost a camera in Amsterdam. I went out for dinner, leaving my camera in my hotel room, only to return and find it had disappeared. The lock had been picked. Luckily the camera was insured and I replaced it immediately.

I've heard many stories of professional pickpockets quickly fingering a wallet out of your purse or back pocket as quick as a wink. They usually work in pairs and tourists are easy targets. Also beware when getting onto and off trains or buses. A friend told me she allowed a stranger to help her with her bag while getting onto a train and he stole it instead. A helping hand might just help themselves to your belongings.

Yasou!

[Photo copyright by M. J. Milne 2011]

ARRIVAL OKAY

2011-05-25T06:29:00.000-07:00

Monday May 23-24 was a very long day and night. The flight Vancouver to Amsterdam was nine grueling hours stuffed into a window seat. Ugh. And then another flight to Athens, and then to the island of Rhodes. Now I remember why I book 4-6 weeks in Europe cause it takes so friggin long to get here.

Sitting next to me was a retired couple returning to Finland after 43 years living and working in Vancouver. They retired and wanted to move back to be with the rest of their family. The husband buildt houses in the Lower Mainland of Vancouver and still spoke with a strnge Finnish accent. The woman was reading a book entitled "Disappearance of the Universe" by Gary Reanrd, it had been translated. I know this book, written by A Course in Miracles follower. It shifted my travel woes and I took it as a sign---sitting beside a spiritually based couple.

Another sign was a flash of blue light on the small TV screen in front of me, and the brilliant blue blankets the cabin stewards handed out. Why did I need these signs to comfort me? Well, I'd been worried about the flight and travelling, what with the Icelandic ash cloud, half thek world under either flood waters, fire, or hurricanes, or war. I was picking up all these negative vibrations of energy circulating the planet. I even took the precaustion of packing a packsack with all the esstentials needed for overnight stays just in case I got stuck anywhere.

You no doubt wonder why the colour blue is important to me? It's always been a special colour and means to pay attention.

Yasou! from Rhodes!

[Photo copyright M. J. Milne 2011: "Arrival in Rhodes"]

All Roads to Rhodes

2011-05-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

Rhodes, Greece is my first stop, other than landing in Amsterdam and Athens to get there. It will take an entire day's journey to finally smell the Aegean ocean surrounding this amazing Greek island. I'm hoping my checked suitcase lands with me!

"Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese islands and one of the largest in the Aegean sea. It is situated approximately 17,7 km from the coasts of Turkey. The population is about 130.000 persons , of which approximately 60-70.000 reside in the city of Rhodes. Rhodes called from its local people the Rose of the Aegean and deserves its name because is one of the most beautiful Greek islands." Info from www.rhodestravels.com

2011-05-18T20:02:00.000-07:00

Hi,

This 'What To Pack' list is a guideline only, but it is a list that has been methodically thought out after all my years of traveling. But you will have to personalize it. It also may include articles for hotter climates like Greece. So with that in mind, here we go!

WHAT TO PACK

RULE 1: TRAVEL LIGHT!
If you cannot carry your suitcase one city block, you are in trouble! Try it before you go.
- Basically, it's one small pull-along suitcase and one/day bag (or briefcase).
- Try to pack not more than 20-25 pounds in a 9"-by-22"-by-14" bag on wheels or packsack
- Then accessorize, accessorize, accessorize with a few bobbles, scarves or ties. [For business trips, take one all-weather day suit, one dress-up evening suit or dress, and one casual outfit, with two pairs of shoes (a casual pair, and a business pair).

RULE 2: EXPECT EVERYTHING TO GO WRONG, AND LET GO! ENJOY THE JOURNEY!

RULE 3: WEAR & USE A MONEY BELT OR POUCH!

TRAVEL TIPS:
Travel Tip #1: If you know all your arrival dates, a tip for you would be to schedule all your shuttle pickups from the airports to your hotel rooms. It makes it so much easier and smoother. You don't have to worry about how to get to your hotel because you haven't a clue where it is. Unless you have a large expense account and can travel by taxi. But personally, I hate taxi cab drivers in every large city throughout the world (other than London's legalized cabbies who have to pass a two-year test in order to get their license and it includes a customer service test). Taxi cab drivers will rip you off sooner than look at you.

Travel Tip #2: Pack light & wear a money belt underneath your clothes!!! Finito.

Travel Tip #3: Do not take anything you will miss if it's stolen. That includes jewelry. Leave the $500 watch at home and get a fake one that looks like it cost you $500. If you have an expensive camera, get it insured.

Travel Tip #4: When you take less stuff, it means you have to wash your undies more, etc. So bring a round flat Sink Stopper, suds for washing clothes, and a large Ziploc bag. The large Ziploc bag acts as a washing machine: dump in clothes, pour in water & liquid laundry detergent and shake-shake-shake! Take an extra Ziploc. Or use the sink in your room and the rubber sink stopper and soak clothes.

Travel Tip #5: My Favorite Travel Things I always take with me (optional):
- Adaptor plugs for all the countries I'm traveling to.
- Postcards from my hometown to give or show to people; or a Small Talking Book of photos of my home, family, friends, of my art, or activities, etc. Locals in faraway lands love looking at it.
- Pocketknife (in checked baggage only!) e.g. Swiss Knife, great for picnics & eating in your room. Check with your airline first.
- A little water heater prong (220volt), with a metal camp cup, and my favorite tea bags. I always travel with it & make tea in my hotel room. (From your local travel shop; get the correct voltage and follow the directions; in other words, unplug it before you pull it out of the water)
- A small Maglight flashlight & batteries.
- A sarong (basically a large piece of rayon or cotton cloth that the Hawaiians use) which acts as a bathing suit cover-up, dressing gown, shawl, skirt, beach blanket, a curtain, an emergency towel, a sheet on top of the over-bleached and starched bed linen (that I'm allergic to).

Travel Tip #6: Anti-Jetlag Tips:
- Drink lots of bottled/purified water on the flight (bring it with you).
- Consider drinking carrot juice before the flight: carrots offer the best resistance to the oxygen deficiency which can occur at 10,000 feet and above.
- Avoid carbonated drinks, cabbage, beans and cauliflower: these cause gas, which expands with altitude.
- Drink lots of uncarbonated liquids, eat lightly, don't drink coffee or alcohol, eat little or no sugar, and try to cop a two-or three-hour in-flight nap.
- Sounds like a recipe for right living, eh? But maybe that blows your idea of fun.
- There is also an Anti-Jetlag Homeopathic, and Melatonin.

Travel Tip #7: Have fun at a Cybercafe!
- In other words, it's fun to go into an Internet café and receive or send mail home to friends and family while you travel. For those of you with iPod Phones, download the Skype App and use it. However, leave your phone's SIM Card at home and buy one in the country you're visiting at a telephone kiosk. It's cheaper.
- If you don't have an Internet address you can access while traveling, log on to Hotmail.com, Gmail.com, or Yahoo.com and sign-up for a FREE e-mail account. And remember your email address and its password.

SHORT PACKING LIST:
- 9 x 22 x 14" wheelie suitcase
- A small daypack
- Pack no more than 20 or 25 pounds! That's a hard one. Try it!
- Look forward to running out of Toiletries
- Nylon bags for toiletries (in small bottles), shoes, medical & miscellaneous, underwear, camera/film & an extra camera battery
- Color co-ordinate most clothes
- Take clothes that dry quickly
- Take clothes that don't wrinkle or that look good wrinkled
- Wash as you go
- Summer is casual in Europe but do not look like a slob! If you wear blue jeans, look like a student, not a slob.
- Winter is dress up time in Europe but dress warm. Take only one jacket! Layer for warmth.
- Wear a Money Belt!

The Packing Elephant

2011-05-18T18:13:00.000-07:00

Who wants to learn how to pack? I began a week ago tossing travel items clothes lotions etc., into an open suitcase. So now I have way too much and it will take an elephant to move it!!! Now I will "unpack"!!! See next post coming soon as the last minute panic subsides. Cheers. I can almost taste the Greek ouzo. --m.j.

Turkish Seaports

2011-04-26T09:53:00.000-07:00

My friend Denise has a son who is a pilot out of Istanbul, and soon also in Cesme, Turkey. We just spoke to him using Skype---a fabulous long distance online program to talk to loved ones who live on the other side of the world. Go to Skype.com for the free download.

I remember visiting southern Turkey twice, taking a ferry boat from the Greek Islands of Kos and another year from Rhodes. It's a hop-skip-jump to such places as Marmaris, Bodrum, Selcuk and the amazing ruins of Ephesus.

Cesme where my friend's pilot son will be stationed is a grand resort town close to Izmir---a tourist hub. These port cities are all vibrant, tourist cities with lively markets, lots of great shopping, and archeological sites galore. For us OWLs it's best to travel in pairs, although I did travel alone in Turkey and found it quite safe. Hmmm, that reminds me of the time I was offered the services of a young boy about age 14. I was staying in a hotel room in Selcuk which is close to Ephesus. One evening there was a knock at my hotel room door. Standing there was a young boy and the hotel owner who offered me the young man for an evenings entertainment. Apparently a North American woman traveling alone in Turkey without a husband is after one thing---young boys.

I didn't know what to say. Not wanting to be impolite, I thanked him and made sure he knew I had come to see the archeological ruins and was not interested in his offer. I wanted him to know that not every older North American woman leaves her husband in Istanbul to do business and comes to Selcuk for certain pleasures, as he thought.

Anyway, that said, the western coast towns of Turkey are marvelous places to visit and a short hydrofoil ride from Greece.

Hi to George in Istanbul!!!

Travel Preparations

2011-04-22T19:48:00.001-07:00

Okay, now I'm getting excited about my next trip. I'm returning to Greece and Italy in 2011. Interesting to note that this trip chose me, not the other way around. I had no intention of returning to Greece again, having visited this amazingly beautiful country four times in the 1990s---and many reincarnations in other lifetimes, too. So why again and why now?

I was invited by the Greek Gods. Well, okay, not quite, but almost. I haven't seen my friend who owns Dive Med on the island of Rhodes for many years---it was time. He and his brother run a tourist diving boat; a wonderful experience to learn how to scuba dive and float along the big blue turquoise ocean for a day. Catch up with Dive Med at Mandraki Harbour, or call +30 6932647152 (mobile) for info. Yes, you can learn how to scuba dive in an afternoon!

Greece's economy is failing fast, there are strikes happening, and the people are not happy campers (as we say in Canada). Still, after everything that's happened there, the beauty of the land is a big draw. I love visiting a country where the ancient history impels me to research it and, thus, I am led there. And I am intending to bring a spark of renewal to the Light of Greece.

After Greece I fly to Italy for several days, staying in a Tuscan villa with friends for a momentous birthday celebration—a friend is turning 50. I'm the Elder Wise Woman of the group, the rest of our party is mostly late-40s to mid-50ish. Keeping up to them will be good exercise and lots of fun. Speaking of keeping up, Italy appears stable, with the exception of its President who is "up" to his usual shenanigans with young women. There are earthquakes in southern Italy, another Mafia boss was just arrested, and the pizza dough is rising fast!

Travel Tip: So how am I preparing for this double-country trip? A month before I leave, I pull out my old suitcase and leave it open on a chair. Whenever I come across something I might want to take I toss it into the suitcase. This usually means I have to "unpack" half the things I've tossed in, but this way I don't forget anything. And so what if I do, there's plenty of opportunity to buy forgotten items in Europe!

Travel Tip: The most important item is my "primary." What's that you ask? It's my money belt with my tickets (airplane & train tickets are taken out of their packaging and folded up), extra credit card, extra ATM card for the bank machines, my passport, driver's license and International Driver's License for rental cars, medical card, and anything else that fits in my "primary" strap-on money belt. It's my safety deposit box and I wear it while traveling, or lock it away in the hotel safe.

Travel Tip: So I've booked all my flights using my air mile points from my credit card—Yahoo!—so it's almost a free trip. Next comes booking the accommodation. I e-mailed a few pensions and BandBs and waited for a response. In Europe I prefer to stay in the smaller family-run hotels. For listings I usually go to the library and take out my favourite travel books, such as Rick Steves, Foder's, Frommer's, Let's Go, and The Lonely Planet. When I buy books it's usually Rick Steves or The Lonely Planet because they suit my budget and my style of travel. You may prefer the others. All of them are good. For history buffs the Cadogen travel guide series is best. Whatever your choice, going to your local library lets you peruse the books before you buy one. Yes, one! Bring only one book per country and a few city maps.

More tips later. . .

Si va bene,

M.J. ;O)

MAUI--SO BEAUTIFUL

2011-04-22T18:26:00.000-07:00

I love Maui, Hawaii. It's a great place for a quick trip to relax and take in sunshine. And I so needed some sun after a wet winter living in the west coast rain forest. A direct flight took five hours and viola! we were on the beach! We rented a car at the airport and stayed in a condo on the NW coast of Maui near Kaanapali. A few days were spent driving around the island, but mostly we hung out in the area, hopping from one beach to the next.

It is still my favorite place for a quick trip to the sun in the middle of winter!!!!

Favorite Maui Picks:

Whale & Dolphin Cruise

Watching turtles at the shoreline

Lahaina for shopping and dinner

Lahaina for a walkabout to find the ancient Hawaiian sites

Watching well-known plein air artists painting at Fleming Beach

Seeing the finished paintings at the Ritz Carlton gallery

Hiking the Napali Bay Trail several times

Sunrise at the top of the volcano (photo)

My friends fav was golfing at Kaanapali Golf Course

Suntanning and having our very own Kabana Boy

Toni's Hawaiian Cooking Class

Aloha! xoxo

This is the perfect Maui Condo that we rented:
http://www.vrbo.com/311859
- Property management company is Quam Properties.
They can be reached at jcambier@quamproperties.com,
or 1-808-665-1315 (Julie Cambier).

Santorini I Love You

2011-01-31T23:37:00.001-08:00

Santorini, Greece is one of the most romantic places on Earth. Suffice it to say I have been there four times with four different lovers. Okay, so I'm dreaming, but it did put a smile on your face, didn't it.

Santorini, or Thera, or Thira—why does every Greek word have three spellings?—is a favourite location for European honeymooners, no matter what your age. If you're my age you'd better get those legs in shape for all those steps on the side of the caldera.

The definition of 'caldera' is a large crater formed by volcanic explosion or by collapse of a volcanic cone. But to me, caldera means one friggin steep mountain side. Santorini is reported to be a section of the sunken, mythological Atlantis, thus the resemblance to the sides of a volcano. [Visit Akrotiri's archeological dig.]

I used to be able to romp down the steps to the bottom of the caldera, swim across to the little island off the coast of Oia (Ia), climb up to the little chapel and ring the bell. Then go all the way back, swimming across, huffing and puffing up the steps to the top. There is absolutely no way I would try that now. Only in my dreams as I sit on the hotel's deck overlooking an amazing turquoise sea, grateful to breathe in the winds off the volcano.

My friend Flora and her family own The Flower Hotel in Oia (Finikia) at the northern tip of Santorini. The website says: "The Flower is located in the beautiful village of Ia, with a splendid view of the Aegean Sea and the islands of Ios, Sikinos and Folegandros. The Flower is a family oriented establishment with a warm, peaceful and relaxing atmosphere, surrounded by a wonderful garden."

I agree. It's a wonderful hotel with clean rooms, a swimming pool, and breakfast included. It's only a five minute walk into the little town of Oia/Ia with its artistic shops, jewellery stores, restaurants and bars, blue-dome churches, marble streets, and white cave homes. I love to walk along the sundrenched streets toward the windmill just before sunset. Buses from all over the island come to Oia to watch sunset. Tourists scramble over the flat roofs of people's cave homes to find their special spot—the Greek owners don't seem to mind and if they do you never hear about it. You see, its tourist season and tourists are their main income. No one wants to rock the boat.

Every year the Greek business taxes go up. Every year I hear how the Greek store owners have to work longer hours, now 24/7 to make ends meet; from May until the end of November when the last of the cruise ships stop arriving. So by the time the autumn winds blows in off the ocean my friends at The Flower Hotel are exhausted, and yet, they will always smile and welcome old friends who return annually.

October is cooler but less touristy. My favourite time of year to visit Santorini or any of the Greek Islands is May-June, springtime. Olympic Air and Aegean Airlines fly all over Greece; or take one of the many ferries and island-hop. But stop long enough in one place to hear the cicadas singing in the evening and watch the sunsets turn brilliant pinks over the turquoise sea.

INFORMATION: The Flower Hotel, Oia, Santorini Island, GREECE - Tel. & Fax +30 2286071130 - Mobile: +30 6944976016 - info@flower-santorini.com; www.flower-santorini.com

—M. J. Milne

TO GO OR LET GO

2011-01-31T22:39:00.000-08:00

Traveling is an adventure where the destination is not the journey. It's all about enjoying the journey. But how do we choose our travel destinations? Is it because there's a flight sale, or a particular tour; perhaps it holds a special meaning for us, or you have a preference for a certain area of the world? Or does the place choose us?

A friend has decided that she wants to travel to all the Wonders of the World. What are they? To my friend's way of thinking they include The Great Pyramid of Giza; Temple of Artemis (Ephesus, Turkey); Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italy); Eiffel Tower (France); Taj Mahal (India); ruins of Petra (Jordan); Alhambra (Spain); stone sculptures of Easter Island; Michelangelo's David (Italy); Mont-Saint-Michel (France); Mayan pyramids (Mexico & Guatemala); and Machu Picchu (Peru). Of course, there are many more.…

Which Wonders of the World are on your Bucket List?

My friend has been to five on her list already. But this year she decided on the Egyptian Pyramids and the Jordanian ruins at Petra, both are World Heritage Sites. So she booked a tour to Egypt/Jordan for September through Peregrine Adventures. And then the country started a revolution! [The two are not related ;o)]

So what should she do? Wait and see what will happen by September and still go? Or cancel her trip altogether? The revolution and riots are in full swing and the Canadian government has told tourists to leave the country immediately. What would you do?

I was in a similar predicament; however, I was already in the country! In 1974 Greece erupted in a coup d'état. I was sitting at a café in Syntagma or Constitution Square when the army from the north drove their tanks and jeeps into Athens and, then, walked up the steps of the Parliament Buildings, and peacefully took over the government.

The citizens of Athens were ecstatic because for twenty years they had lived under a suppressive dictatorship. The President was ousted and the people rejoiced. Syntagma Square exploded into a wild party. Men took off their shirts in public for the first time in 20 years—it had been illegal. Musicians started to play the Bouzouki in public—it had been illegal to play it for 20 years. Melina Mercouri (Μελίνα Μερκούρη), the famous Greek female actor in such films as 'Never on Sunday,' had been a political exile for ten years. Mercouri returned the following day and waved from the balcony of the Hotel Grande Bretagne. The Greeks were ecstatic. She later became the Greek Minister of Culture. For a few moments in history, these modern day Greeks had experienced freedom.

So will the Egyptian military turn and side with the people and perform a coup d'état? Possibly.

And will my friend get to see the Pyramids?

"Not this year," she said. I think it's a wise choice, don't you?

Traveling is a pilgrimage within to grow the garden of the soul. It stretches us and teaches us great lessons of life. Only we can decide whether to go or to let go.

—M. J. Milne

2011-01-24T20:32:00.000-08:00

Travel Tip: Don't wait on 'HOLD' with a portable phone while booking flights.

I've never used air mile points to book flights before. Have you? What a test in patience! I waited forty minutes on the portable phone for someone to answer. As soon as the service rep finally came on, my phone died. Ha. Is this a message? Am I supposed to go on holidays? Yes, but not that flight I was about to book. Ah, the ways of spirit are endless---my inner guides are protecting me.

Where to go on my holidays? Greece or Italy? Couldn't make up my mind, so I'm going to both. Visiting Greece again after 15 years came as a total surprise to me. So I will go to visit my friend Perry in Greece and give the country my tourist dollars--they can use them, or so I'm told. And then off to Italy for a friend's 50th birthday at a villa. 21 days of travel.

Stay tuned, I'll be blogging about it here: http://olderwiserladies.blogspot.com/

~MJM ;O)

Author of "12 Golden Keys for a New World" at www.12GoldenKeys.com

KINDS ACTS FROM TRAVELERS

2010-10-30T15:18:00.000-07:00

WORLD KINDNESS CONCERT

As you journey along the roads less traveled, remember to do kind acts wherever you go. You will be amazed how your one kind act can affect a small village. It could be as simple as a smile, helping an elderly persons cross a busy Parisian street, or helping someone dig a well in middle Africa.

The 10^th annual World Kindness Concert in Vancouver is on November 14 & 15, 2010 at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre, Venables Street. It is a musical celebration that opens hearts and touches soul. The concert features talented local artists from a variety of ages and cultures. Last year the raffle brought in over $4,700 to the non-profit Kindness Foundation. To find out more, go to: www.kindnessfoundation.com. The Kindness Foundation was originally developed for schools and youth groups to raise awareness for how kind acts can create positive global change, and to address bullying in schools.

This year Blue Heron Productions has donated a bundle of books with a music CD including, M. J. Milne’s 12 Golden Keys for a New World (www.12GoldenKeys.com); Jeane Manning’s Breakthrough Power (www.jeanemanning.com); and Rae Armour’s Next Move CD (www.raearmourmusic.com). We hope you win this wonderful prize. Enjoy the show!

. . .

Also, Rae Armour, Jeane Manning, and M. J. Milne have added their special Book 'n Cd Bundle to the Silent Auction at the Fashion Show Fundraiser for the Canadian Diabetes Association. November 7^th at Hycroft Manor, 16^th & Granville 2pm – 6pm.

Ivan Sayers from the Costume Society to host “Ain't She Sweet” Fashion Show. Entertaining historical dialogue of the 20’s and 30’s era. Silent Auction, refreshments of food and wine served. Proceeds to the Canadian Diabetes Association. Tickets $50.00. E-mail: aintshesweet00@gmail.com

[Photo by Zara]

Are you an OWL™. . .

2010-10-11T11:47:00.001-07:00

Are you an OWL™ = an Older Wiser Lady?

. . .wwwhooo loves to travel but is a little skittish about traveling alone? Well, here's a blog dedicated to sharing travel information for ladies age 40-to-80-plus.

Hop aboard, the world is waiting for you!

Share your travel tips & dreams at: OWL - Older Wiser Ladies

Happy travels! ~ from the Grrls at OWL™

[Owl drawing by Judy Rossouw, www.judyrossouw.com]

Start Your Travel Engines

2010-09-30T11:11:00.000-07:00

What are your travel plans for next year?

It's never too early to think about where you'd like to travel to next. Besides, that's half the fun---planning, researching, reading books, renting travel DVDs from your local library, spending the winter months dreaming of next Spring or Fall and how to order that gelato in Italian, etc. Of course, why wait until Spring? Half the other part of the planet is having summer while we in North America are in the middle of winter and snow.

For instance, Australia and New Zealand. Then there's always the beaches of Portugal or Hawaii.

Remember, OWLs never travel in July or August. Why? It's too darn hot and too crowded. "Shoulder-seasons" are best: April, May, June, and September, October, November. Or, January to March for hot winter climates. December is nuts--too busy with Snowbirds and Christmas travel.

So where do you want to go next? Start dreaming now.

Friends of mine are planning a trip to Egypt and Jordan in September 2011. Although it's a professional tour (Peregrine Tours) they are still planning and reading up on a few of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, i.e., the Pyramids. It sounds like a great tour, too.

Another friend experienced the Rick Steves tour to Spain and Morocco this year, and loved it. Traveling with a smaller group, about 25 people, was better than the massive 48 people on other tours. And on Rick Steves tours you stay in friendly-family hotels, either 2 or 3-Stars. Still as clean and nice as the larger (supposed) First Class hotels of such tour companies as Trafalgar.

Having been on a Trafalgar Tour to Italy, I loved it. The mass of people didn't bother me. The bus was air-conditioned, comfortable, meaning roomy, and the tour guide was informative and a lot of fun. I also loved not having to carry my luggage!!! And every hotel had an elevator. So it all depends on your physical activity level.

So DREAM LOUD and let us know where you're planning on going!

Until next time, happy travels!

The OWL Galz

www.OlderWiserLadies.blogspot.com

Author Signing @ WOTS

2010-09-24T16:35:00.001-07:00

Hi there! ~ Any travelers in Vancouver this weekend? Join author M. J. Milne at The Word on the Street SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 at LIBRARY SQUARE (West Georgia & Homer/Hamilton Streets, downtown Vancouver) from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Blue Heron Productions will be at Village Table # V-26 around the exterior of the Vancouver Public Library with M. J. Milne’s new book “12 Golden Keys for a New World.” Along with a few story contributors! A perfect opportunity to have your book signed! Plus Jeane Manning’s book “Breakthrough Power.” WOTS is a wonderful festival and it’s all FREE. See you rain or shine at table V-26.

Books also available at these independent booksellers:

• Banyen Books, 3608 West 4th Ave., Vancouver

• Utopia Books, 1826 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver

• Whitby’s Books, 14833 Marine Drive, White Rock

• Reflections Bookstore, 1111D Austin Ave., Coquitlam

12KEYS book is available at the website. And Amazon.com

To Prague or Not to Prague

2010-07-19T21:25:00.000-07:00

A friend has never traveled off the continent. His girlfriend (an OWL) wanted him to attend a family wedding in Prague. The idea of leaving his comfort zone made him nervous. So he asked me to help him because he knew I'd assisted others in the office with their travel plans.

1.) Valid Passport: I made sure he had a passport and it was up to date. To leave the country a passport has to have more than six months remaining until expiry.

2.) Travel Lite: I suggested he travel light, taking a carry-on wheelie suitcase (up to 9x12x22-inches). And then, a daypack for important everyday items such as camera, sunglasses, map and guidebook.
3.) Moneybelt: When I mentioned he needed a moneybelt to wear UNDER his clothes, he balked, saying that he never keeps his wallet in his back pocket. I asked, "Where then?" He said proudly, "I keep it in my front pants pocket!" The pickpockets will love you, I laughed, and then, convinced him to buy a moneybelt. A moneybelt keeps your credit card(s), bank card(s), return ticket, and passpost safe. Treat a moneybelt like a saftey deposit box. Not all hotels have safes to keep these important articles, so a moneybelt comes in handy and it's harder for pickpockets to get at it when it's worn under your clothes.

All very important things to remember. The day he was leaving he popped into the office for one last question. I could see he was both excited and terribly nervous. He asked, "Should I rent a car to drive around? I think I will."

Because he'd never been to Europe before and because buses and trains are easy, I suggested he not rent a car this time. Besides, family members would be there and he needs to relax and let them squire him around. His shoulders dropped, relieved. "Now get out of here and have a good time!" I said, smiling.

He returned home after two weeks and said they had a fabulous time.

Happy travels!

Older Wiser Travelers

2010-07-13T21:58:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons I still love to travel, even well into my sixties, is because it allows me to learn and grow. How else can you continue to learn about the world using your own eyes and ears and sixth sense? The senses recall memories. There's the smell of freshly baked chocolate croissants in France, bougainvillea of Costa Rica or Hawaii, the volcanic earth of Thera/Santorini or the red earth of Australia; hearing the cicadas in New Zealand, the drums in Africa, the Greek bouzouki on a balmy evening, the ocean on a wild Mykonos afternoon while plowing the waters to Delos . . .

I could go on and on, but why rush. Let's slow down. We like to take our time when we travel, especially at our age!

Let us enjoy the world together.

Happy travels!