Taking the Trains to Miami

A few weeks ago, we decided we wanted to ride the trains to Miami since we had nothing planned. We found out that an all-day pass on Tri-Rail only costs $2.50 for seniors on the weekend. Of course, you have to buy this on a weekday to get the discount. If you buy an all-day pass at the station kiosk on the weekend (ticket offices are closed), you have to pay the regular $5.

We arrived at the Boynton Beach TriRail station at 7:52 and the southbound train arrived at 8:45 am. It runs every hour on the :45 minute mark.

At 10:01, we got off the Tri-Rail at the Metro Transfer Station. We found a kiosk for the Metro-Dade Transit and bout a 1 day pass for $5.65 plus $2 for the card each. The southbound train arrived at 10:15 and we got off at the Government Center at 10:30.

We transferred to the Metromover which was free and rode the Inner Loop to the Bayfront Park Station.

Once we got off the Metromover at 10:43, we walked through the park along the waterfront to the Bayside Marketplace. Everything there opened at 11 so we were right on time. It was fun to look around in the shops and people watch but everything was expensive.

After a snack at McDonalds, we decided to head back home. The College Bayside Metromover was right beside the McDonalds.

We retraced our steps back to the Metro Transfer Station where we had to wait for 2:03 northbound Tri-Rail train back to Boynton Beach. It runs every hour according to the schedule and we would have planned this a little differently if we had realized that. We arrived back at the Boynton Beach station by 3:15 pm. 

We had a wonderful time and would do this again in the future. We are thinking about visiting the Frost Museum next time because Veterans get in free and those over 65 get a $5 discount.

Original photos and video by Pat Hensley

Learning to Get Around

We love to travel and learning to get around in a new place is important. I never knew how to do this because my parents didn’t travel much. Once a year we would travel from New York to South Carolina and we used a AAA trip tic which was a thin spiral book with our route on it. That was the closest I got to learning how to use a map.

Now when we travel to new places, it is good to be able to read a paper map as well as a digital map because sometimes you might not have access to technology.

I have also used my GPS in places and didn’t end up where I expected to be so I don’t always rely on digital maps.

While traveling to other countries, I don’t have access to cell service in these countries because it can be costly. Instead, I have learned how to download the map of the area from Google Maps so I can use it offline. While I may not have had step-by-step instructions on how to get somewhere, I was able to see where we were at the time and plot a route to where we wanted to go.

Also, when we go to other countries, tourist information may give out maps with places of interest that they want to highlight. This is helpful in deciding what we want to do. We also might want to find a train or bus station so knowing how to get there quickly is helpful to beat the crowds.

It is good to start students off with a map of their local area. Have them identify specific places on the map. Have them write directions to go from one place to another. Then have them exchange directions with another person who follows the directions to see if they end up where they should.

Next, have them plan on going somewhere in a nearby city and have them plan the driving route from their home to that place.

If they are doing well with these map skills, it might be fun to have them plan a trip from their home to several destinations and back to their home. How many miles will this trip be and how long will it take?

I think this is a fun activity and it should be done several times over a length of time in order to help students learn and retain this skill. I think it could even be repeated once a month to give students practice.

How do you teach students map reading skills? Please share.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Traveling

We love traveling because we learn so much about other people and cultures.

I know that many of my students don’t travel because their families might not have enough money or their parents work many hours. This is why I try to take a lot of pictures. I want to share my love of travel and feeling of adventure.

Many of my former students say that I have encouraged them to work harder so they also have enough money to go places. This is what I want them to do.

When I was a child, my parents didn’t have the money or the desire to do much traveling. Of course, my father came here from China as a young man and my mother went to China after marrying my dad and had two daughters while she was there. Neither one of them wanted to go far after that. So, they really didn’t encourage me to travel either. But I wanted more.

So, when I married my husband, I knew he liked to travel. That sense of adventure is what drew me to him. I had a lot of doubts and worries about traveling but he helped me work through them every time. He helps me have a plan of action in case my what-ifs ever happen. This helps lessen my anxiety. It is like having a fire drill plan. You hope you never need to use it, but it is nice to know it is there.


So, I encourage people to share their personal adventures with their students. Show pictures of places that you’ve been to. Show on a map, the route you took and the places you stopped. Tell exciting facts about the places.

Do you travel? What tips would you give your students? Please share.

Original photo by Pat Hensley

Travel Safely

When I first started traveling, I didn’t know how to travel safely and learned a lot by doing research and learning from experience. My parents did not travel much and did not have any advice for me. This made me realize that many of my students may be in the same boat as I was and it would probably be helpful for me to share some stories and tips for traveling safely.

First I will tell you some stories during our recent cruise in Europe.

After our first port, I saw a lady crying at the Guest Services desk because her purse was stolen and her passport and credit cards were in it.

In Sweden, a crew member went to the bathroom and had his friends watch his bag at the table. They were distracted and someone stole the bag off the table. In the bag were his passport, wallet, cell phone, and crew ID. He was sent home to Indonesia (at his own cost) until he gets his paperwork in order and may return after that.

We met another couple who spent a couple of days in London and her purse was stolen with her passport and credit cards. She had to go to the Embassy and get a temporary Visa for $100. When she gets home, she has to pay for a new passport! Then they stopped in Paris where the husband’s wallet was stolen. The next day his cell phone was stolen. They were so happy to finally get on the ship, but they had no credit cards or money other than what was in their pockets.

So, here are my tips:

·      I wear a travel waist belt under my pants. There is a zippered pocket to hold my passport and back-up credit card. Yes, it is a little bulky but worth the trouble.

·      I wear a small zipper pouch around my neck to hold my credit card, driver’s license, and a little bit of cash. This pouch drops down into my shirt and I can pull it out when I need it.

·      Always let someone know where you are going if you are alone. (But I don’t think it is ever a good idea to travel alone though.)

·      Be aware of your surroundings and the people around you. If someone coming behind you and is getting too close when you are walking, step to the side and let them pass.

·      Be aware of large crowds which is a perfect place for pickpockets.

·      When crossing streets, be careful of passing people who may bump into you and try to pick your pocket.

·      Trust your gut feeling when you are in a place with few people around.  If it doesn’t feel safe or you feel a little nervous, turn back and go to a more populated area.

·      I carry a light nylon pack that cinches closed instead of a zippered pack. This is harder for someone to get into. The only way they can get in is to cut the bottom.

·      In the pack, I don’t keep any valuables. I have a very large plastic Ziploc bag in it that holds a bottle of water and a snack. If I buy small souvenirs, I drop it in the plastic bag in my nylon bag. I feel that if someone slices my bag open, this bulky plastic bag may be slower to fall out and I will feel it if it does. Plus, if it gets stolen, nothing except my souvenirs are of value so they won’t get much.

What other travel tips would you add to this list? Please share.

Photo by Jacek Dylag on Unsplash

Traveling to Foreign Countries

As I’ve mentioned before, we love to travel and recently we have visited countries that we have never been to before.

Even though we like to visit the tourist spots, we also like to see the areas outside the tourist spots. I like to see how the average person lives compared to my own country. One way to do this is to visit their local grocery store. We look at produce and candy to see what different items we can find.

When we go to different countries, we try to learn how to say thank you in their language. This can really go a long way to making locals feel like you are making an effort to be polite. If I forget to look it up, I usually ask a police officer we see or at the first place we buy something. When we get off the bus, we thank the bus driver. If we buy something in the store, we thank the cashier.

I also ask if I can take photos if I’m in a specialty shop and tell the people that I want to share this lovely place with my friends back home. Usually, they have no problem with this and appreciate that I ask in advance. If you are in a museum or tourist place, make sure you are allowed to take photos before you take them.

Try to use the local currency if possible. Usually, it is cheaper to use their currency than using your currency. You seem to get a better exchange rate when using their money.

Keep in mind that there are many places where you have to pay to use public toilets. Usually, if you buy something from a fast food place like a drink, there is a code on your receipt that allows you to use the bathroom. Sometimes we have found a tourist information place or a library that has a free public bathroom. Recently we went to a Hard Rock Café in Helsinki, Finland and they had a free bathroom.

Have you traveled to a foreign country? What advice would you give?

Original photo by Pat Hensley

Planning a Trip

Anyone who knows us knows that we love to travel.  Many people ask me often how we plan a trip.

First, my husband and I decide where we want to go. We look at the weather and then we look at the map to figure out how many days it will take to get there. Next, we discuss whether we want to camp or stay in a hotel. We also talk about the different things we may want to do while we are there. This will help determine how long we will stay there.

Next, I do it Excel spreadsheet and start writing a packing list. I list things that I want to make sure I don't forget to bring. In case we are camping, I list our camping supplies that I want to bring too.

Then we talk about how we will plan on staying at a hotel or campsite. Many times, we like to be spontaneous, so we don't make any reservations until we get into that town.  We started using the Hotwire website to find reasonably priced hotels. So far, we like this process. We put in the location and the date we need a hotel; it could be for more than one night. The search engine for Hotwire shows the different hotels and the star ratings as well as the price but it doesn't show the name or the location. Once we choose our hotel, we can book it and then they will email the name of the hotel and the location after we book.

Next, we look at the map and decide how far we will go on our first day of travel and what towns we may stop in for the night. This gives us an idea of what time we need to start looking for a place to spend the night. It might be a hotel, or it might be a campground.

I also like to make a list of possible activities that we may want to do in the town we are going to. This helps us when we're planning what to do while we're there because sometimes we forget what we researched when we were at home.

We also try to budget how much money we will spend each day so we can make sure we have enough money. Nothing is worse than to be on a fun trip and start having to worry if you have enough money to get home.

We also think about places to eat and whether we need to bring food and the stove. If we are going to be in a city where there are plenty of places to eat, we don't bring a lot of food to cook.

I like to download books on our iPads, just in case we have some relaxation time. I also bring my knitting with me because it is hard for me to sit and do nothing in the car.

Usually, this is all we need to do to plan a trip. We enjoy the adventure and we always have fun no matter where we go because we are together.

Do you like to travel? How do you plan for a trip? Please share.

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Shenandoah National Park Camping Trip

Click here to see the pictures of our trip.

Last week we drove up to Shenandoah from the Smokies and it took us about 7 hours to get to Loft Mountain Campground. On the way into the campground we saw a mother bear and 3 cubs. Then we drove a little further and saw another bear!

We originally reserved site F132 but when we tried to set the camper on the site, it was on too much of an incline so we went and asked if we could move. The hosts were wonderful and we had no problem moving to A4. While we sat at our campsite, we saw some bicyclists stop suddenly. When I asked what they saw, they asked us if we saw the bear that just passed by our campsite! When we were walking around the campground, we saw another bear. We had dinner at the Loft Mountain Wayside and it was very good. While we were there a young girl approached us and told us that the 5 of them were AT hikers and wondered if we could give them a lift back up to the campground. So, we rearranged our car and squeezed them all in the car! They were so much fun to talk to and were very appreciative of the ride.

On Friday we drove up to Big Meadows and tried to have lunch at the lodge. After waiting for 20 minutes without seeing a waitress or even getting a cup of coffee, we left and had breakfast at the Wayside.  It was cheaper and the service was great. Then we went to the visitor center and signed up for a tour of Rapidan on Saturday ($10 per person). While we were there we watched a video on the CCC. Then hiked for a while on the AT going north before going back to the Wayside for lunch.  At 2pm we joined Ranger Travis for a hike going south on the AT at Milam Gap. He did a great job with his short talks along the way. At 8:30pm we went to a bear talk at the amphitheater by Ranger Kelsey, who happened to be Ranger Travis’s sister.  Before the talk we saw a bear up in an apple tree eating dinner. The view from the amphitheater was fabulous and we watched a thunder and lightning storm in the distance.

On Saturday we went back to Big Meadows Wayside for breakfast. Then at 10am we boarded a van to ride down to Rapidan, which was President Hoover’s “Camp David.” The tour was led by Ranger Ginny Browne (a seasonal ranger who is also a history teacher at Page County High School) who did a phenomenal job! She made me see President Hoover in a different light since I only think about him during the stock market crash and depression. I never knew all the good things he did before he became president and even after he left office! The tour was 2 ½ hours but it flew by! On the ride down we saw a bear, deer, and hawks. I would highly recommend this tour to everyone. At lunch at the Wayside, we were joined by 4 bikers from VA and PA. They were really interesting and we had a nice time. After lunch we went back to camp.

The gnats were really awful every day which made us choose not to cook at the campsite. The bears were so plentiful that I didn’t sit outside in the morning waiting for the sun to come up. In fact, there were so many bears around that I didn’t walk to the bathroom alone. The whole time we were there, we saw 10 bears!! We decided to hook up the camper on Saturday night and leave on Sunday morning instead of Monday. We hoped the traffic for the 6 ½ hr. ride home would be better on Sunday.