Love to travel, but hate tours? This blog offers insight on how to go it alone, from safe accommodations to seeing the best, and maybe the worst. After all, independent travel is an adventure. Flexibility and traveling on a budget are critical. No five-stars or all-inclusives. So hop aboard. Learn to enjoy travel at your own pace and price. Meet other adventurers like yourself and mingle with the locals. Remember: You may travel alone, but you wonʼt be lonely. gloria.independenttraveler@gmail.com
Gloria Maschmeyer
I've been a traveler since I can remember. I spread my wings as a flight attendant at age 20, then married a traveling man and we've never stopped. While based in Anchorage, we've ventured to India, Peru, Bali, Morocco, Burma, Tunisia Singapore and Ecuador. I love ferreting out places off the beaten path. And when things don't go quite as planned, that's just part of the adventure.
Gloria's videos
Plan your trip
BEST TIME OF YEAR
www.myforecast.com
Click on "almanac," then on "historical climate" and plug in the city you wish to check.
CURRENCY RATES
www.oanda.com
For more information on currency exchanges and helpful hints, read my blogs, "Should I change" and "I've decided to change."
TRAVEL WARNINGS
www.travel.state.gov/travel
This site can help you determine the type of crime that goes on in foreign countries against visitors. It also will tell you areas of the country you should avoid.
WORLD TIMES
www.worldtimeserver.com/
Features the current time anywhere and weather. Helpful when you need to call for reservations or want to call back home while away.
WHAT TRAVELERS SAY
www.tripadvisor.com
A favorite sites to see what other travelers have to say about places to stay and visit worldwide
CAR RENTAL
www.hotwire.com
A good site for finding the best deals on renting cars anywhere in the world
TRAVEL INSURANCE
www.squaremouth.com
Web site that compares costs of travel insurance between companies.
An ancient land studded with thousands of temples and pagodas, Bagan, Myanmar (Burma)...
- 2/13/2012 12:07 am
All that glitters is gold in Rangoon, Burma, site of the world famous Shwedagon Paya (temple)...
- 2/8/2012 3:23 am
Unique waterfalls outside of Luang Prabang, Laos...
- 2/4/2012 7:41 pm
Buddhism and Laos, religion first and foremost...
- 2/3/2012 1:34 am
Luang Prabang, Laos, a respite in Southeast Asia...
- 1/28/2012 7:46 pm
Thailand is synonyms with Temples...
- 1/23/2012 5:21 am
Bangkok street food, I gave it a try!
- 1/21/2012 1:51 am
Check these travel spots for your 2012 Travel Bucket List…
- 1/1/2012 4:53 pm
full archive »
Amebic dysentery, when a good trip turns bad...
Posted by indietraveler
Posted: February 19, 2010 - 3:31 pm
I think I am back among the living after a grueling five days. Early Monday afternoon I got nauseated and started vomiting. To spare the ugly details, I was very ill for about about 18 hours. Unfortunately I continued to be nauseated with number ten pains coming and going in my stomach.
Yesterday, Thursday, I was able to get to a pharmacy that employed a doctor and was diagnosed with amebic dysentery. I't Friday and I'm on the second day of my three day anti-parasite, antibiotic medication.
This is my first day back online. I've virtually been out of it, but in the process have developed incredible compassion for those people who do suffer from this terrible condition and do not have the means to get treated.
Guatemala has many problems with hygiene like other developing countries. Here on the shores of Lake Atitlan it's major. The communities use the polluted lake water as their major source. Purified water is available, but expensive. I was told that 80% of the lake was at one time contaminated. Even if the surrounding communities stop dumping their wastes into the lake today, it will take at least ten years to recover.
I don't know where or how I picked up the parasite, but I'm just happy to be on the mend.
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