Travel – Page 2 – Our Moving Feast

March 2, 2018June 16, 2018

Economy Accommodations- What We’ve Learned

Dan is a liar who is also unfaithful. At least those are the words Todd and I heard being screamed at him in the middle of the night from our room which happened to be right next door to Dan’s. We had arrived at this particular Motel 6 in eastern Texas just before 10 pm after a long day of driving. After being briefly distracted by social media on our phones, Todd and I almost immediately went to sleep in preparation for an early morning departure.

I’m not exactly sure when the argument started next door, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say it was probably not long after “closing time” at some nearby establishment. I was immediately jarred awake when Dan’s wife? girlfriend? started screaming at him, but I didn’t move. I could tell Todd was also awake although neither of us moved or spoke about our neighbors until the next morning. I just listened – intently and on guard – in case the argument spiraled into a domestic violence situation that would require intervention from authorities. Every word of her displeasure in Dan was easy to hear, but he was speaking in a low and muffled voice. Eventually the argument died down and the television was turned on in their room. As I slowly drifted back to sleep, my thoughts were occasionally punctuated by her yelling at Dan to “shut up.” Mostly I was lying there thinking about how I wished I was staying in a higher-end hotel room – one with real glasses by the sink. Not that I would ever trust a real glass to have been cleaned properly enough to drink from. No way! But I could have used that glass to put my ear up to the wall to hear better. What had Dan been saying to her?

A couple of years ago Todd and I started making a conscious effort to stay at economy motels for brief stops on the road. Our logic being why should we spend more than twice the money when we are doing nothing more than sleeping, waking up, showering, and getting back on the road again? Certainly if we are homesteading out of the same place for a few days during a trip, we will spend the extra money to increase our creature comforts. In fact when we are going to be spending multiple nights in the same location, I usually skip over hotels entirely and move onto Airbnb to rent an entire apartment or house for our use instead. When we traveled with small kids things like pools and other amenities were important to us. But now that it’s just us arriving at bedtime and setting an alarm to get back on the road early, why spend $100-$150 for a Holiday Inn Express or a Hampton Inn when we can spend $50-$75 and have all our needs met for those 8 or so hours at a Motel 6 or an Econo Lodge? That being said, it is important to note that not all economy motels are created equal. You need to do your homework before check-in.

What I like most about economy motels is that they are often locally owned and operated small businesses. A few years ago, after watching the documentary Meet the Patels – which I highly recommend – I was introduced to the notion of “Patel motels.” After watching the movie, I began noticing that many of the motels we were spending the night in were, in fact, owned by members of the Patel community. A little research taught me that almost 50% of all motels in the United States are owned by Indian Americans. Most of them are from Gujarat in central and southern India, and about 70% of them share the surname, “Patel.”

For more information about the phenomenon of “Patel motels” read “Life Behind the Lobby: Indian American Motel Owners and the American Dream.” Link

Every couple has their division of labor, and it is my job to check in and out of motels when we travel. I’m always delighted when I discover we are staying in a “Patel motel,” and Todd and I always do a little high-five when I come back to the car and tell him. What I love most about these motels is the family aspect to the operation. Whether it be a “mom and pop” style motel, or a low, or even mid-level franchised economy motel if you look closely, it’s easy to recognize the signs of family life all around. More often than not, the family running the daily motel operation, whether they be the owners or extended family members who manage the property, also live in the motel. When a desk clerk appears from behind a closed-door, you can often get a glimpse of family life going on behind the walls: a TV on, dishes clanking, a baby fussing, kids laughing and playing. Sometimes you will glimpse teenagers who walk down a hallway and disappear behind a door that clearly leads to back of the house areas of the motel. I love when I know a family is living life just beyond the lobby walls. It makes the motel feel more special and homey.

These motels that dot the landscape off every exit are a uniquely American fixture along our roadways, and it’s very important to both do your homework and manage your expectations before checking into an economy motel, whether it be a “Patel motel” or not:

Read each motel’s reviews carefully! Todd and I do not typically pre-plan our road trip stops. We drive until we get tired or until we reach our destination. As we decide we are done driving for the day, I get on my phone and start searching. I largely rely on reviews from Booking.com. It is a closed reviewing system and only solicits its reviews from customers who have booked a motel through the website. I know everyone who is commenting has actually been a customer. I zero in on the cheapest motel with the highest rating, and I try to avoid staying at motels that do not at least score a “7.5” on Booking.com’s rating system. As I read the reviews, I carefully search for comments such as “clean,” “comfortable beds/pillow”, “friendly staff,” etc. It’s also important to take the negative reviews with a grain of salt. People are far more likely to take the time to leave a review when they are disgruntled than when they are pleased with their stay. Read the bad reviews to see if they are legitimate concerns. A review that says the room was dirty carries more weight than one from a customer who is unhappy because noise from the air conditioner unit (or room next door?) kept them awake.

Don’t expect 5-star amenities. The towels are likely to be terrible. Be grateful for the shampoo and conditioner and the couple bars of soap. There will not usually be lotion or any other toiletry items offered. There will be no sign telling you to come down to the front desk if you forgot your toothbrush to get a complimentary one. No hairdryer will be provided. Expect and insist that your bathtub be clean, but don’t expect the bathtub to be new and blemish free by any means.

A morning continental breakfast buffet is not likely, but sometimes you will get a scaled down version. Motel breakfasts do not generally appeal to me anyway. At a minimum, coffee is usually offered in the lobby each morning.

Inspect your room. This is a rule of thumb regardless of where you stay. Bed bugs are just as likely to be in an expensive hotel as they are to be in economy motels. I look at the sheets and mattress for signs of any critters. I wouldn’t lie down on a bedspread whether I’m in a Motel 6 or a JW Marriott.

I will note that I appreciate the direction Motel 6 has taken in recent years. It’s very uncommon to stay at a Motel 6 that hasn’t been refurbished these days. What they have done across their motels is take out the soft furnishing in favor of hard surfaces. Carpeting has been replaced with laminate. Upholstered furniture has been replaced with wood, and bedding is comfortable without being overly plush. I assume these design choices have been made to keep the likelihood of bedbug infestations to a minimum.

If you do your homework and manage your expectations, economy motels can provide very pleasant stays while you are on the road. Sure the walls can be thin sometimes, but I would argue that in most mid-level motels, and often in some higher-end hotels, you will hear more from your neighbors than you would prefer from time to time.

The morning after Dan and his lady friend interrupted our sleep, Todd and I rose early and quietly prepared to get back on the road. We laughed about the argument we’d been witness to and I wondered about Dan. The night before, I’d taken it on faith that Dan was in fact a lying cheater. I’d assumed his low murmured side of the conversation had been an attempt to manipulate and gaslight her. But in the morning light I considered that maybe she was just that kind of crazy drunk who needed to be calmly talked down from the ledge from time to time. Maybe Dan’s transgressions were just imagined?

Todd left to load and warm up the car, and I walked through the room one last time to make sure we had our belongings. I came to the door and noticed that Todd had pulled the car across the parking lot to make sure the idling did not disturb those still sleeping. As I glanced around, Dan’s room was quiet and peaceful. As I imagined them sleeping off their evening, I turned and slammed the door as hard as I could. You see….Todd’s a much nicer person than I am.

February 23, 2018February 24, 2018

Malta! Is It on Your Travel Radar?

Malta was not on my radar until 2015 when my son booked his honeymoon trip. While I’ve been interested in traveling to places near and far for as long as I can remember, I can’t say I spent much time really considering places that are even slightly off the conventional beaten path. If you haven’t already spent much time there, it is hard not to get caught up in the mainstream hype that is France or Italy or even Spain when thinking about traveling in Europe. While it’s long been a popular destination for Europeans looking for sun filled warmth and beaches, when my son first mentioned Malta I think I had to go to a map to find it. From school days I remembered historical references to the Malta Conference between FDR and Churchill, and in my lifetime I faintly recalled the more recent Malta Summit during which Bush and Gorbachev declared an end to the Cold War shortly after the Berlin Wall fell.

A quick study of Malta taught me that it is an archipelago in the central Mediterranean Sea. It has long been a crossroads between Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and its strategic location in this respect resulted in its long history of foreign rule. Today the evidence of those centuries of foreign influence are readily apparent in the architecture, people, and languages. In 1964, Malta gained its independence from Britain and it entered the EU in 2004. Malta exudes old world European charm, and the Maltese are celebrated for being open, warm and welcoming to travelers.

Simple economics lead us to include Malta in our last European adventure. While planning a trip that would include our daughter and niece, I originally planned to visit Croatia. Croatia is a place I’ve long wanted to visit. But when I checked airfares, Rome to Dubrovnik added 100 euro per head, and Dubrovnik to Athens added an additional 225 euro each. Since his honeymoon, our son had always been encouraging us to visit Malta, so on a whim I checked flights. I found Rome to Malta added 25 euro, and Malta to Athens added 38 euro, per head. Figuring Croatia would be there for another day, the math clearly led us to include Malta on our itinerary for this trip instead.

Honestly, just going on our son’s recommendation, and a bit of internet searching, we really didn’t know what to expect. But what we found upon arrival in Malta were sweeping sun filled views in every direction.

View along the fortress walls in Valletta.

With only a few days to enjoy Malta we based our trip out of Valletta, the capitol. Todd and I booked a lovely, yet very reasonable, one-bedroom apartment on Airbnb in the old town area of the city, while our young twenty-something travel companions stayed a ferry ride and short walk away in St. Julians where the night life and beaches abound.

Lovely shared courtyard outside our Airbnb

The old town area of Valletta is a very walk-able neighborhood where shops, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, markets, churches and museums abound. The architecture is stunning, and you find one charming street after another. While old town sometimes seems to be an uphill climb in every direction, it is a very easily navigated area with the streets laid out on a grid.

A weekend festival had concluded the day before our arrival, but we were able to still enjoy the street decorations.

A view of Valletta from the return ferry ride from St. Julians.

A highlight of our stay was a day trip to visit the Blue Lagoon on nearby Comino island. This beach has to be one of the most lovely places in all of Malta. After doing my research, I knew it would be important to arrive early in the day before the crowds descended. The lagoon fills with loads of visitors each day, and finding available beach chairs, and a spot to enjoy the view, gets more difficult as the day goes on. We decided to take an early morning bus from the bus terminal just outside the walls of old town Valletta to Cirkewwa to catch the ferry to Comino.

The bus ride was a ninety minute trip each way. It was long for sure, but all the same it was time very well spent. Our bus was a nice mixture of both tourists and Maltese going about their weekday business. I revel in people watching, and there was no better way for us to see the island and its goings-on then from the windows of a cross island bus. I also relish the adventure in trying to get from point A to B in a foreign country. Sure we could have spent the money required to hire a car to pick us up and take us to the ferry terminal, but where is the fun in that? The challenge of map reading, buying the correct tickets, and getting yourself on the right bus and ferry is the good stuff.

The Blue Lagoon did not disappoint. The views were stunning in every direction. We were in the first handful of folks to arrive, and we easily found chairs we could rent and enjoy our day from.

Our first round of the day…earlier than I would like to admit.

Our second round…and the refills were the third round. Are you getting an idea of the day’s agenda?

Before our day at the Blue Lagoon, it had been a long time since I’d spent time on a beach with Europeans. I very much admire the self confidence they possess and their ability to just let it all freely hang out- regardless of gender, age, size, or shape. I, on the other hand, with my tankini and swim skirt was in the running for “Most Modest Swimwear on the Beach” until a young Muslim girl showed up in her burkini.

The small beach area filled up quickly as the afternoon went on. I was glad we had secured our spot early.

A view from our ferry ride back to Malta of one of the many caves and grottoes on Comino. Stunning!

Another day well spent in Malta included enjoying a few of the many museums. Short on time, we specifically concentrated our time on history and war museums in Valletta, and they were enlightening. Malta’s location has afforded it strategic importance and centuries of revolving rule by foreign powers. Todd and I particularly enjoyed doing a deep dive and learning more about the experiences and struggles of the Maltese people during World War II.

A monument to those who lost their lives during World War II.

Totally out of character for me, I really can’t speak much to the meals we enjoyed during our time in Malta. In our defense, we had been eating our way through Rome for several days before we arrived in Malta, and I think we were just tired of eating…or overeating as the case may be…for the time being. In any case, we didn’t take our usual time to find any particular favorite spots. We did, however, enjoy a delightful substitute for dinner one evening:

I’m looking forward to a longer return visit to Malta one of these days. For a small archipelago there is still so much for us to see and do there. A trip to Gozo, which is another highly recommended island more off the beaten path, is high on our list of things yet to experience and I know it will be a trip that’s well worth the wait.

February 16, 2018May 22, 2018

Caution….I Will Brake for Food

I love dives. I seek out dives and little hole-in-the-wall places. Rusty taco trucks are my thing. Happening upon them on a road trip makes the experience of good food all the better. A long drive is as much about the food as it is about the journey for me, and our trip from South Carolina to Texas did not disappoint last week.

I was well into adulthood before I realized that not everyone has the same relationship with food that I do. I don’t ever remember food not being at the forefront of my mind. Everyday. All day. I no more than finish a meal before I start thinking about what my next meal is going to be, and where it is going to come from. Forget to eat? Doesn’t happen to me. Long drives are no different for me than any other day. I’ll spend an afternoon whiling away the hours on a road trip dreaming about what kind of restaurant we’ll stop at next.

Road trip dining wasn’t always as interesting for us as it is now. When our kids were younger, the budget – and picky eaters – drove us to the usual fast food restaurants. When you have a four-year old who only eats chicken nuggets your options are limited. I remember my oldest son coming home from a trip with his high school girlfriend’s family and marveling at the idea of them pulling over and eating at a steakhouse. The sum of his reality had been pulling into a parking lot where he and his younger brother would head to the Taco Bell next door, while his little sister was taken into a McDonald’s by one parent. The odd parent out would run over to Subway and get sandwiches for the adults. Steak n Shake was also a perennial family favorite on road trips, and is still universally loved by all of us, much to the chagrin of my now daughter-in-law whose family ate at the steakhouses.

Incidentally, when it came time for our other son to dine out with a girlfriend’s family for the first time, he came home amazed that appetizers had been ordered saying, “I’ve always seen them on menus, but I didn’t know people actually ordered them!”

Our first road trip find last week was in Jackson, Mississippi. Courtesy of Yelp we stopped in for an early dinner at the Beatty Street Grocery. link: Beatty Street Grocery

It’s not far off I-20 but sits in an industrial/commercial neighborhood that felt just a tad bit sketchy in the late afternoon. There was an adult video store up the block, and the strip club across the street seemed to be doing some brisk business with the after work crowd from the looks of the parking lot. We circled the restaurant thinking it might be closed and we almost drove away. But deciding you can’t judge a book by it cover, we opted to put our faith in the wisdom of the Yelpers.

Since closing time was looming, we hurried back to the grill and ordered to go. The burgers had been well reviewed so I ordered one. I asked the cook what else was good that would be quick and easy for her. Without hesitation she told me, “The fried bologna sandwich.” I balked at first, but it was closing time and she was being very gracious. I went ahead and ordered it.

I don’t remember the last fried bologna sandwich I ate. It’s been decades no doubt. But this was one of the best sandwiches I have ever eaten. She had a slice of tomato, thick piece of bologna, and some sort of fresh tangy relish that was to die for, all on buttery, thick slices of grilled bread….to. die. for.

The owners were closing out their receipts for the day, but couldn’t have been friendlier while we waited for our food. Customers rushing in minutes before closing are not always received with open arms. We chatted about our travels; they told us to beware of a town ahead of us that was a renowned speed trap; and we shared a wonderful few minutes with a genuinely delightful couple. We will be back again one day.

We were equally lucky on our return trip. Lunchtime was looming as we came upon Hawkinsville, Georgia. Once again I put my faith in Yelp. I honestly have good luck with Yelp when we are on the road. Reviews must be considered carefully but I find them more reliable than those to be found on TripAdvisor.

Yelp pointed us to The Grill and it couldn’t have been a better choice.

The lunch crowd was very local, but we were welcomed none the less. While perusing the menu I have to say I considered the fried bologna sandwich wondering if lightning could strike twice. I mean, maybe fried bologna is my new thing, right?

We listened as our waitress rattled off all the specials and new items that were not printed on the menu. I was briefly drawn to the possibility of the “Grilled Cheese Burger” which was described as two grilled cheese sandwiches serving as the bun that book-ended a 1/4 pound beef patty…or a double patty if we preferred. But instead, my mid-western girl’s heart stopped when she mentioned the pork tenderloin sandwich. I remembered the fried and breaded pork tenderloins of my youth that you just can’t find outside of the middle of the country. (Thanks to Culver’s they are slowly spreading the goodness of tenderloin sandwiches around, but not fast enough.)

The waitress continued to describe specials launching into their new hot dog option which included mushrooms, onions, bacon, cheese, and chili. With a wave of the hand we stopped her mid sentence letting her know she had us at ‘two deep fried hot dogs on a bun’….

If you noticed we shared the french fries. Somehow that made all the other questionable choices we were making at The Grill seem alright…

The reality of my sandwich was not what I had envisioned. It turned out to be a deliciously sweet pulled pork tenderloin with grilled onions that was most tasty. We were both happily satisfied with our selections as we considered dessert: Pineapple. Cheese. Pie….don’t skip it…. Our waitress mentioned that they had been messing around with recipes in the kitchen and had stumbled on the idea of Pineapple Cheese Pie, and that it was now their best seller. We see why. link: The Grill

As a very honorable mention, I don’t want to overlook the dinner we stopped in for at The Anthony in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Our plan had been to stop again in Jackson on our return, but sadly the Beatty Street Grocery closes at 2 pm on Saturdays. Our meal at The Anthony was deliciously spot on- a shrimp po’ boy and a fried boneless chicken thigh with biscuit and gravy– and I would happily stop in again anytime. link: The Anthony

I can’t end a discussion about places worth pulling over for on a road trip without pointing you to Home Grown in Atlanta. I will drive out of my way to eat here. I’ve had several fabulous meals here and hope to have many more to come! I’m always looking for reasons to drive through Atlanta just for this one. Link: Home Grown

The pork chop and gravy and crab hash. For the rest of my life if I pass within 50 miles of Atlanta, I will divert here to eat. It’s worth it.

Whatever did we do on road trips before Yelp?

February 4, 2018March 19, 2018

Military Space-A Travel: Go Do It!

Travel by Military Space-A requires passengers to both do their homework before their trip and be very flexible with their travel itinerary and timelines. But for Service Members and their families who have flexible plans and a desire or need to keep their travel costs low, Space-A travel can be the gateway to a world of travel options.

First and foremost, Space-A travelers need to know that they are not going to be flying on commercial flights. These flights are military missions, and for the crew, the mission is always going to come first and foremost – as it should. That being said in our experience the crews are professionals who will work to the best of their ability to make your flight as comfortable as they can while you are a guest on their aircraft.

Planning your Trip:

There are many informative and helpful websites out there to help you understand Space-A travel. But to plan your Space-A trip, your first stop should be the official Air Mobility Command (AMC) web page: Link

AMC’s web page is the one-stop shop for everything you will need to know. There you will find the important topics, forms, rules, and regulations you will need to make yourself familiar with prior to your trip: Travel Eligibility, AMC Passenger Terminal Locations, Necessary Travel Documents, Registration Procedures, Flight Schedules and Flight Check-in. If you find the website leaves you with unanswered questions, don’t hesitate to call, email, or go in person to your nearest AMC Passenger Terminal to talk to the experts.

In recent years, AMC has also moved to social media to provide their customers with the most up to date information about flight schedules and procedures. The link to each AMC Passenger Terminal’s Facebook page can be found on the AMC webpage and provides invaluable and up-to-date information to travelers.

If you don’t have a Facebook account, I strongly suggest you get one before your Space-A trip. The ease with which you can find flight schedules and communicate with AMC personnel before and during your trip is vital. From anywhere in the world, all you will need is your smart phone, tablet, or computer and an internet connection to have the most current information from the nearest passenger terminal at your fingertips. Information for three-day flight schedules, roll-call times and information, and any delays are routinely updated and posted.

For my own Facebook account I have taken the time to “like” all the AMC Passenger Terminal pages so they routinely appear in my news feed. While traveling, I make sure updates to any terminal pages in the region where I am visiting default to appear at the top of my news feed each time I login to Facebook during our travels. When we are not actively traveling I only default the Joint Base Charleston Passenger Terminal page to top of my news feed, as it is the closest terminal to our home. Each morning I enjoy seeing the upcoming flights and dreaming about where we might go next.

Tips and Things to Know about Space-A Travel:

If you are traveling as a retired service member you are going to be traveling in the lowest priority category. Frankly, most of us don’t have the time to take advantage of Space-A Travel before retirement. During the busiest times of the year from the busiest terminals and along the busiest routes, it is going to be very difficult for you to secure a seat on a Space-A flight. Summertime and the holidays are notoriously difficult times to secure a seat(s). It is best to plan your trip around off-season times of the year. For more information about Passenger Categories see: link.
You will not be traveling in first class luxury on Space-A aircraft. If flying with amenities is important to you, Space-A may not be a good fit. The flight mission will dictate the type of aircraft you will be flying on and will also dictate your comforts. Many aircraft do have standard commercial aircraft seating installed for passengers, however, that doesn’t mean that you should expect even the usual commercial coach class comforts. The seats may be old and worn and depending on the aircraft you may have to climb a vertical ladder from the cargo bay to get up to them. Many aircraft will not have traditional commercial seating, instead employing “jump seats” along the sides of the fuselage.

Our daughter boarding a wide open cargo plane outfitted with jump seats.

But at the same time jump seats can be very comfortable especially if the flight is not full:

Todd stretching out on an uncrowded flight.

Same aircraft once pallets of cargo were loaded for the second leg of the trip. Trust me: he still had plenty of room to spread out on those jump seats

Flights can be very cold. Dress comfortably and make sure you bring along plenty of layers to stay warm. If you have the space in your carry-on bag, I’ve seen many folks pull out sleeping bags to snuggle in during overnight flights. The crew will typically pass out pillows and blankets to the passengers to use during the flight which will help with your comfort.

You will have the option to purchase an inexpensive sack meal during check-in which usually include sandwiches, chips, cookies, fruit, and drinks. I recommend you purchase them. They are tasty enough, and a snack along the way can be very welcome even if you don’t want to eat the whole thing. It can also be a good idea to pack a few snacks of your own to take along with you. On one leg of a journey, we were able to stop at a local market on the way to the passenger terminal and packed a picnic of fresh crusty bread, cheeses, meats, and olives to eat on the flight. A delicious treat!

You will go through a TSA style security screening prior to boarding the plane. All of the same rules and regulations are in effect: shoes will come off; you will pass through a metal detector; only 3 oz bottles of liquids are allowed; etc. Once on board the flight crew will conduct a safety briefing prior to take- off much like you would expect on a commercial flight.

Customers are allowed to register for travel as early as 60 days in advance of their trip window and you should register as early as possible. Active duty service members must be on leave status before they may register and special conditions are in place for guard and reserve service members. You should review the AMC website for complete regulations and protocols.

Your registration can be completed several different ways: in person at any AMC terminal by talking directly to a passenger terminal agent, or the forms can be faxed or emailed, which is usually much easier. We have always chosen to email our forms to the passenger terminals. When you arrive at the terminal for flight check in, make sure you have access to your registration email or fax confirmation page. If for some reason the service agent is unable to find your registration in the system, you will want to have access to the email or fax. You can find information about the registration form and contact information for all passenger terminals on the AMC website.

Ensure when you arrive for flight check-in you have all the necessary documentation such as your passport and any necessary visas. Additionally ,you will also naturally need your military ID card and any necessary leave forms or copies of your orders. Once again see the AMC website for the complete list of required documentation.

Flexibility in your travel plans is necessary for Space-A travel. We have at times been lucky enough to secure seats on a plane on our first try and on other trips we have traveled between passenger terminals in Delaware, Baltimore, and New Jersey over a three-day period before finally securing seats on a flight headed to Europe. You need to bring patience along with you on your travels OR extra money to purchase commercial tickets for one or more legs of your journey if you become constrained for time.

Unless you have the luxury of endless time you will sometimes also have to be flexible with your travel locations. On our last trip, our “plan” was to catch a flight to Rota, Spain, then work our way by train through Madrid, Barcelona, and Florence to meet our niece in Rome. We were prepared to be flexible in choosing a departure terminal. But during the week we planned to travel, flights to Europe were scarce. Only one flight went to Rota that week and it did not take passengers due to hazardous material cargo. Eventually, we changed course and targeted flights to Germany, and we finally secured seats on a flight to Ramstein that remained overnight in Mildenhall, England en route. While we had “planned” to be eating tapas in Barcelona, we were actually eating fish and chips while spending a day touring London, which had been no where on our radar for that trip. The detour turned into a wonderful treat of a day! Eventually, we made our way to Rome via a commercial flight and met up with our niece in time to continue our travels together.

Don’t hesitate to ask questions and speak up. While trying to get on a flight home from Rota, Spain, we arrived at the terminal before roll-call only to hear an unwelcome announcement. The plane’s load master had called to say the flight would not be taking any passengers due to lack of cargo space for baggage. Todd and I just looked at each other and let those words sink in for a minute. We had risen early with the usual hustle and bustle needed to make the hike to the terminal in time for roll-call with our backpacks in tow. It was disappointing to say the least. From across the room I heard a gentleman speak up and ask, “What about those of us with only carry-on bags?” I wanted to yell, “Yes! What he said!!!” The staff in the terminal called out to the plane and the load master agreed to take on those of us with only carry-on bags. I was never so happy to have been living out of a backpack for the previous three weeks. The lesson I learned that day was it never hurts to ask the question. You just might get the answer you are looking for.

For Service Members and their families flying Military Space-A is a wonderful opportunity . With some careful planning, a generous block of available time, some flexibility, and a dash of adventure a world full of travel is waiting for you. You only have to get ready, get set and go do it!

January 27, 2018March 19, 2018

Europe without Reservations

Like many before us, the first travel adventure we tackled on our new journey was Europe. With an idea of the places we wanted to go and the things we wanted to see we headed out. Each of us armed with a backpack and a Eurail pass, we operated with no pre-set itinerary nor reservations for either lodging or travel. While we ultimately had a marvelous time, our trip required flexibility, a light load, and a dash of adventure.

Our decision to fly to Europe via a military Space-Available flight necessitated we have a flexible mindset from the start. Service members and their families can fly around the country and the world at very little cost using Space-A. Flights are often operated on an irregular schedule, but for those with flexible plans and little funds it can be a perfect travel option. Space-A travel proved to be the perfect fit for our needs on this first trip.

For more information about Space-A travel see: Military Space Available Travel- Just Do It!

We began our journey at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey, and eventually made our way via three different flights to Naval Support Activity Souda Bay which is located on a Hellenic Air Force Base on the Greek island of Crete. Needless to say, the trip was long but we were rewarded with luscious Mediterranean views and warm hospitality from the moment we arrived.

Our first night was spent with a fellow passenger who graciously took us home with her after a very late night arrival. Honestly, had she not come to our rescue we may have found ourselves in a predicament. When we took off from New Jersey our plane was headed to Naval Station Rota, Spain. It wasn’t until we were on the ground in Rota that we were able to secure seats on another flight headed almost immediately to Greece via a brief stop in Italy. We had expected, and loosely sketched, our itinerary to begin our travels in Spain. We were honestly and woefully unprepared for what we should expect to find in Souda Bay, Greece.

I sketched the loose outline for our trip from a suggested itinerary in Lonely Planet’s Europe on a Shoestring which would have had us start in Spain then skirt along the southern parts of France and Italy before moving onto Croatia and then on to Greece. The suggested timeline for this itinerary was six weeks. While we had hoped to make it to Greece during our travels, time and money was potentially going to be our issue. Our trip was loosely open-ended, but we didn’t know what would pique our interests along the way, making us linger longer and ultimately spend more of our money in one place before moving on. While our available time was flexible, the same could not necessarily be said for our budget.

Before leaving on the trip I had thoroughly studied options and read travel tips about what we could expect in Spain, France, and Italy. I honestly had really only skimmed the information about options in Greece. I guess I figured that if we made it that far in our travels, I would have time to make myself smarter along the way as we got closer. I didn’t even contact our cell phone provider about adding a calling and data plan for Greece until we were in the Rota, Spain terminal waiting for our flight. We may have been woefully unprepared to travel to Greece that day, but we seized the opportunity presented to us and went with it. It was the best decision we could have made that day.

While I was busy in the Rota terminal contacting our provider about our cell phones, Todd was chatting up a fellow traveler who was on her way home to Souda Bay where her husband worked as a civilian for the US Navy. She was sharing places to see and things to do around the island and in Chania, Crete, but honestly I was not paying much attention. I was frustrated and having trouble connecting with Sprint’s customer service department. As Todd’s conversation ended and we got up to begin the boarding process, our new friend asked if we had reserved a room for the night. We said “no,” but we planned to work on the situation while we where on the ground in Italy. If nothing else we figured we would just go to the guesthouse on base upon arrival and see if they had any rooms. Or if we had to, we would walk out the main gate into town and find a place to stay for the night. She mentioned that she’d be happy to take us home with her if we needed a place to stay for the night. She was going home to an empty house as her husband had stayed behind in Rota for the last day of a conference he was attending and she had plenty of space for us. Now I know that to many folks her offer could seem very surprising. Taking a couple you just met home with you for the night? But I remember not being too taken aback by her offer. In military culture, you just take care of each other, particularly when you are stationed oversees and family support systems are far away. We politely murmured our thanks and appreciation for the offer while making no commitments. I do remember at the time thinking that Todd would NEVER go for such an arrangement.

On the ground at NSA Naples in Italy the internet system was completely overwhelmed by the 100+ passengers who disembarked and descended on the small terminal. We didn’t happen to see our new friend anywhere around, and Todd chatted up folks nearby while I repeatedly tried to connect with the guesthouse on the base in Souda Bay without success. As we boarded the plane for the final leg of the journey we were still not too terribly concerned. After all, if worse came to worse we would just walk out into town and find accommodations for the night. I do remember mentioning to Todd that if our new friend’s offer in Rota wasn’t genuine, she certainly wouldn’t have spoken up and invited us. I could imagine myself making the same offer and truly meaning what I said. I told him maybe we shouldn’t dismiss her offer out of hand, and maybe we should find her once we landed in Greece? It would make things so much easier. Todd was not necessarily on board. He gave me that kind of non-committal, non-answer that he’s perfected and employs when he doesn’t agree with me, but doesn’t feel like arguing his point of view either.

That last leg of our journey to Greece felt long. While we had napped as best we could on the planes, we were nearing almost 20+ hours of total travel time. Exhaustion was hitting both of us hard. Once the plane finally came to a halt on the tarmac, we deplaned and looked around. We both looked at each other and began to realize our predicament. It was well past midnight local time. As they bussed us from the flight line to the terminal we realized how small the American portion of the Hellenic Air Force Base is. It really only occupies one street. The guesthouse distance is walk-able, but it, along with all the other US Naval activities on the base, is a very small facility. The most disconcerting hurdle was that the base is located several miles from the nearest town. There would be no “walking out the main gate into town” as we had envisioned.

At the terminal we sat ourselves down and listened to a couple of required briefings before being released. As we were gathering our things, a terminal employee approached us and asked us if we needed a ride to the guesthouse and perhaps into town if need be. We immediately took him up on the offer and sat ourselves back down to wait for him to finish his duties for the evening. While we were not finding ourselves in any kind of perilous situation, our total exhaustion was certainly magnifying our perceptions. We were thrilled to have finally arrived and ready to get our long-awaited adventure started. Yet we were uneasy about the immediate need to find a place to sleep that night. At that moment our friend from Rota was crossing the terminal with her luggage. She waved to us and started walking in our direction. I really don’t remember how her final offer to accommodate us was conveyed. I just remember that when I saw her, I wanted to sprint across the terminal, drop to my knees, and plead with her to take us home with her. I hope I didn’t actually do that, but I don’t know for sure. And by this time, Todd was more than ready to go straight to a bed – even to one in a complete stranger’s home.

I do have to confess that on the very dark drive to her house I did have a brief moment of doubt about what we were doing. I texted our children letting them know that we had landed safely and were headed home with a lady we’d met on the plane for the night. I figured with this information the authorities would know the flight manifest was a good starting point if we were never seen, nor heard from, again. Of course my daughter-in-law replied that we were clearly crazy people, but we assured her that “really, it was fine”.

The next morning after a restful night our new friend fed us a much appreciated breakfast while we marveled at the unbelievably beautiful and sweeping sea views her house enjoyed from every direction. It was truly a stunning location that we had been unable to appreciate in the dead of night. Midday she dropped us off in the historic center of Chania near the Old Venetian Harbour. There were beautiful sights to see in every direction… yet – our first lesson learned – we immediately sat down to start working on finding the place where we would sleep that night.