Back on the Road
So, I’m back traveling again! This time I didn’t have people vote on where I was going and what I am doing…Yet. Because my last few cities were more for business (I’ll get more into that later) so I planned the first few stops on my own. I also will be spending the majority of my time in Prague since I have an apartment here that is paid up through July. But, I will be asking for your opinion as to what content you would be most interested in reading and watching as well as some mini-adventures.
Where Have I Been?
Before I started traveling again, I lived at home with my parents in Minnesota. This wasn’t a personal choice, but kind of forced upon me. I had been accepted to go back to school in the Czech Republic. I did everything right to apply for my visa. Signed a lease, paid for health insurance, and had the correct amount of money in my bank account. Oh yeah. And I had proof of acceptance to Anglo-American University.
About 90 days after I applied for my visa I still had not received any information on the status. I sent them an email and they replied back wanting to set up an interview. They had put a red flag on my application because I was 42 and going to school for my bachelor’s degree in business. While I had gone to school for musical theater after high school, I did not receive a degree. So the embassy found it odd that a single man in his 40s was just now getting his bachelor’s.
I set up the interview and when I got off the call I was under the impression it went fine. So, I returned home as I would have to pick up my visa in Chicago before heading back. Then I received a letter saying my visa had been denied. Long story short there were some questions that were lost in translation. For example, one question was “What are you going to school for?” I took that as what my plan was and what I planned on doing with my degree. When they actually wanted to hear what classes I was taking. Yadda, yadda, yadda. I got stuck in Minnesota with my parents because I still had to pay for the apartment in Prague. And I just want to say I’m very grateful that I have amazing parents that let me live rent-free while I paid off this other apartment. So that’s where I have been.
What Happens Now With You Choose My Adventure?
Now that I am traveling again I plan on taking the time to rework some things on the blog to make it more useful for the readers. I started one page on helping you plan your trip to Salzburg, Austria. This includes places to stay, eat, fun facts, and itineraries. And I would like to do this for all the cities I have visited. To be clear I will only be covering cities I have visited.
I am planning on still sharing my personal travels and eventually letting my original concept of people choose where I go, but I want to reformat a little first. I will also be doing these votes on social media, youtube, and here on the blog. Whereas before I only allowed votes on the website.
Youtube is coming! I have really wanted to incorporate video for some time since that is what people seem to want. But we all have our insecurities and making videos has just made me nervous. We’re in the era of video now, so I have to go with the times.
I am very excited to bring all this to you and hope you will follow along on this journey. It’s going to be a lot of work. But, now that I am in Prague for the next two and a half months this can be my main focus. Hopefully, I can get some traction.
You Choose YOUR Adventure With Me…In Person!
Finally, I am trying to start a travel business. The reason I haven’t let people vote where I go is I have been checking out places in Italy and next month Greece to start an affordable travel company. These will be small group tours that will have a different focus for each one.
I have been narrowing down a list of what I want these tours to be. My sister is a yoga teacher and my friends own a meditation retreat in Italy, so perhaps a health and wellness retreat in Tuscany. I also have a couple of friends that have shown interest, maybe a girlfriend’s weekend. Being a single gay man in his 40s, I’ve been thinking about a single gay men retreat. And the list goes on. So I’ve been narrowing it down to what people may want and what I am capable of handling.
These tours will include housing, transportation around the city, tours, entries to the sites, and most meals. This is something I have wanted to do for some time, and while I don’t have an exact date when I will launch this, it is coming. And I’m super excited because I think I can get it at a reasonable price for most people. Something I am very passionate about is affordable travel, and I want to get people to see that traveling doesn’t have to break the bank.
Stay Tuned
I will probably be starting off slow. Starting with some of the adventures I have been on these past two weeks and focusing on a different city each week to help you plan your next vacation. Videos will begin to emerge on YouTube in two weeks as I am still getting used to the editing process. But, I am very excited to be traveling again and bringing you some new content. Please follow me on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok (links below) to keep up with what’s coming next. Happy adventuring.
Stephanie Riley
Love the ideas! I was just thinking the other day how specific travel groups would be amazing!
Gail Estling
The trip you planned for us was so fun and you did a great on finding
us nIce places to stay. I can’t wait to see all the places you have been all ready! Love, Mom
Arlene Linton
Small groups sound fabulous!!!