In the US we have 63 National Parks to explore with Big Bend in the state of Texas.
Big Bend in located far West Texas on a bit over 800,000 acres of geographic marvel of vast desert landscapes with rocky mountain ridge tops and carved out canyons near the border of Mexico. It is the 15th largest National park in the US.

BEST TIME TO GO: Spring and Fall or November thru April.

HOW TO GET THERE: You must drive. It is very remote with no airports nearby.

Two Entrances: Persimmon Gap (North side) and Maverick Entrance (West side near Terlingua)

WHERE TO STAY: Chisos Mountain Lodge, RV campgrounds or tent campsites and backcountry campsites. All accommodations can be booked through the NPS.org site with links to bookings.

THINGS TO DO: Hiking or scenic drives. I share the hikes/trails I experienced during my 3 day trip, but there are 200 miles of trails to explore.

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS: 1) Get gas before driving into the park. 2) Bring enough supplies of water and food or camping needs. 3) Get a paper map of the park because GPS will not work in many places of the park.

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Everyone loves "hacks" whether for travel or general life hacks to make our lives easier.
These 7 airport travel hacks will save you time, money and reduce your stress.

1) Get TSA Pre-check status or Global Entry to save time during security check. Lines are shorter, you move through the process quicker and you don't have to remove your shoes.
2) Take an early morning flight. The first flights out are less likely to be cancelled or delayed, plus they experience less turbulence.
3) Take a picture of where you parked if you drive to the airport.
4) Take an empty water bottle. Saves you money from buying bottled water at the airport and no time wasted standing in line either.
5) Check the status of your flight before you leave for the airport in case it is delayed or cancelled.
6) Sign up for lounge access.
7) Place a designating item on your luggage, like a sticker, ribbon or scarf on the handle, especially if you have a basic color suitcase like everyone else.

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Do you question why travel solo when you could share the experience with others? Maybe your friends or family don't understand why you would even want to travel alone.
Traveling alone can be rewarding and transformative especially for women over 50.

1) Self-discovery
2) Independence
3) Flexibility
4) Personal growth
5) Cultural immersion
6) Easier to make new friends
7) Increased mindfulness. Solo travel provide solitude.
8) Reduces stress
9) Personal achievement
10) Empowerment

While traveling alone can offer all these benefits, it's important to prioritize safety.
All in all, solo travel can be immensely rewarding.

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Celebrating 1 year of this show and I couldn't have done it without all of you listeners.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making this show a success.

In the coming year, I will be more present within my Facebook community where I encourage members to ask questions, offer advice on travel to those asking.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/860865768609200

I plan to bring on more expert guests and even women who have remarkable solo travel stories to share. If you have a story to share, please reach out to me.

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Hey Sisters! Your safety and life matter to me.
If you plan to travel during this tumultuous time in our world, with war and killings happening, please reference the government travel advisory sites.

US Travel Advisory: travel.state.gov
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade www.dfat.gov.au or Smarttraveller.gov.au
Canada: travel.gc.ca

Or follow @safeexpat on Instragram

Two Things to Do Instead:
1) Explore your hometown or city with fresh eyes and discover something new.

2) Draw a 50 mile radius around your home town and drive and explore lesser known places within driving distance.

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My guest today, Karen Gershowitz, has over four decades of global exploration, and a two-time travel book author, unveils solo travel's potential as more than an alternative - it's an avenue to immerse in cultures and forge bonds.

Karen Gershowitz has been traveling solo since age seventeen, when she flew to Europe and didn’t return to the US for three years. In her career as a marketing strategist and researcher she traveled the world conducting thousands of meetings, focus groups and interviews. When traveling for pleasure, those same skills helped her to draw out people’s stories. She learned about their lives, as well as local customs and fashions and what makes them laugh. Her first book of travel stories, Travel Mania, explores the confluence of travel and life events and how travel has changed her beliefs and life direction. Wanderlust continues those stories, addressing issues readers have asked to hear more about—memorable food, people, and places she experienced in her travels. She hopes these stories tickle the travel bug in readers and set them off on their own adventures. Karen lives in New York City.

FOUR WAYS TO IMMERSIVE INTO A CULTURE:

• Reading a book in public introduces opportunities for unforeseen discussions and new friendships. 
• Shared tables at eateries encourage engagement with local residents and fellow journeyers.
•  Embrace public transit to discover less-traveled regions and experience genuine culture. 
• Participate in classes and meet-ups to connect through common interests and gain insights from residents. 

@karengershowitz
Facebook: Karen Gershowitz

AMAZON BOOK

Wanderlust: Extraordinary People, Quirky Places, and Curious Cuisine

 https://a.co/d/4oCIcbu

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Paget Rhee of Be Balanced Centers, shares her story about how reclaiming her health has empowered her and given her the confidence to travel and even be bolder in her business and life.

Our health can affect our travels both physically and mentally, making us question if we can even do certain activities.

As women, we are expected to do it all, but this causes stress that affects our health.

Fear is often unnecessary and never comes to fruition. Be wise though when traveling solo but don't let it hold you back or you will never go.

Balancing your hormones to get your health back will allow you to live your best life at any age, and allow you to travel the world.

www.bebalancedcenters.com
To reach Paget Rhee: [email protected]

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Explore the United States beautifully preserved 63 National Parks.

But before you go, do these 5 things.

1) Check the weather

2) Go to www.nps.gov website for the park you are visiting and check for any alerts or road closures.

3) Obtain any permits (if needed), and make reservations if camping.

4) Get a physical map of the park.

5) Buy an annual National Park pass if you plan to visit more than 1 park within a year. It costs $80 USD.

Consider the time of year when you visit a certain park. Listen for my list and recommendation on WHEN to visit a park based on the month of the year. This is only a sample list.

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We all love travel hacks, especially when it comes to packing lighter and smarter.

1) This hack is a double bonus in that it also reduces your liquids if traveling with only a carry-on. (Refer to episode 47 for more ways to reduce liquids when packing).
Soak a cotton ball with eye make-up remover, astringent, perfume, etc and seal in a ziploc bag. This will not count towards your liquids. Along those lines, soak a sponge in dish detergent or laundry detergent. Let it dry before traveling. Then just add water to use the soap.

2) Protect your shoes by using doggie poop bags (or gallon ziplocs) or a shower cap.

3) Safely travel with your jewelry by rolling up in a t-shirt. It takes up less space and conceals your jewelry and prevents it from getting tangled.

Receive my FREE Packing Checklist by requesting through Instagram or available within the community FB group.

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Have you ever been to an airport lounge? It is well worth it! With unlimited food and drinks plus a quiet place to take a nap or lounge, a place to shower or watch tv, the hours before an international flight can be relaxing in an airport lounge.
But who wants to pay for a high annual fee credit card just to get access? You don't have to have those high status credit cards to get into an airport lounge.

Three Ways to get airport lounge access:

1) Airline status
* First class or Business class have access.
* Branded airline credit cards can earn you elite status for access.

2) Pay for a day pass
You can pay for a day pass(when flying internationally) through the airlines (if they offer it) or a third-party lounge.
*Some airlines offer day passes to non-first class passengers.
*Escape lounge (third-party) in the US only
*Dragon Pass- in Asia
*Lounge Buddy

3) Priority Pass Membership- 3 levels of memberships
Access to over 1400+ lounges internationally

If you only fly 1-2x a year, then a day pass may be the best economical choice.

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