Travel challenge?

[Ultralight]

So perhaps a little story about cell phones and travel.

Back in May, on my first night in Israel I got dropped off in front of the building of my Air BNB -- it was a big high rise of apartments. I had no idea where I was, really. The old iPhone I borrowed did not have cellular service. I used it just as a miniature laptop, essentially. But I was away from any free WiFi.

So I could not get a hold of the host. I could not call him. I could not email him.

I could not get into the building.

I was screwed. So I asked a woman walking by to help me. I gave her the little sheet of paper I had with the host's number on it. She called him and straightened it all out.

But had I need someone where a language barrier or with unfriendly locals... things could have gone left real fast.

[Williamsmith]

We're a mixed economy -- we have lots of capitalism and a small chunk of socialism. A little more socialism would be nice.

Yes, I am beholden to the gubmint. As you were in many senses and as you still are.

Others are beholden to corporations.

Pick your master.

Either way, I would rather pay this "fine" than pay the whole amount.
And to be honest with myself, I am not especially good at anything (except catching fish and scribbling some words on papers). So even if I did not have this debt, I would likely work for the gubmint anyway, though perhaps in a different capacity.

Also: Your vision of the future seems a bit far fetched. Maybe it is time to write that novel you have always wanted to write.

You might be right. Do I have your permission to included a character based loosely on your life who finally achieves loan forgiveness after ten years only to be told by the IRS that the entire amount of the loan forgiven is considered taxable income and he now owes them $25,000 ...penalties to be accrued immediately?

[Ultralight]

You might be right. Do I have your permission to included a character based loosely on your life who finally achieves loan forgiveness after ten years only to be told by the IRS that the entire amount of the loan forgiven is considered taxable income and he now owes them $25,000 ...penalties to be accrued immediately?

Yes, and LOL!

[pinkytoe]

I enjoyed going to parts of British Columbia quite a bit and are thinking about some future visits to Mexico. I lived in Mexico when young and would like to spend another summer in San Miguel D'Allende. It is curious to me that the word "travel" is almost always associated with foreign countries. Is America so generic now that there are no places of interest here?

[Ultralight]

I enjoyed going to parts of British Columbia quite a bit and are thinking about some future visits to Mexico. I lived in Mexico when young and would like to spend another summer in San Miguel D'Allende. It is curious to me that the word "travel" is almost always associated with foreign countries. Is America so generic now that there are no places of interest here?

Different landscapes in the US, but it is fairly homogenized otherwise.

I met some folks from Colombia when I was in Argentina. They had been literally all over Latin America. They told me that Mexico was their favorite.

[Teacher Terry]

In Italy we went to Rome, Venice, Island of Capri, Florence and the Tuscany region. We went twice for 2 weeks each. In Poland we went to Rbynick and Krakow twice for 10 days each. WE like to pick a region and then explore versus trying to see 5 countries in 10 days, etc. Someone mentioned travel in US and we are thinking about taking our RV and 3 dogs and exploring Tennessee, Carolina's, etc as those are places we have never been too. We would not be under any time constraints which will be nice.

[mamalatte]

Have you considered "WWOOFING"? https://wwoofinternational.org/how-it-works/ It is essentially volunteering on an organic farm 4-6 hours a day in exchange for room and board. Some friends told me about this and said they and other friends have had some great travel experiences doing this. I can't speak to it personally but it sounds interesting. I have also heard of other volunteer opportunities where you do things like count turtle eggs; however, it seems like some of these are more "eco-tourism" and not necessarily low budget, while the Wwoofing I think is a low budget alternative.

[Ultralight]

How about Bulgaria?

I am googling it now!

[Ultralight]

In Italy we went to Rome, Venice, Island of Capri, Florence and the Tuscany region. We went twice for 2 weeks each. In Poland we went to Rbynick and Krakow twice for 10 days each. WE like to pick a region and then explore versus trying to see 5 countries in 10 days, etc. Someone mentioned travel in US and we are thinking about taking our RV and 3 dogs and exploring Tennessee, Carolina's, etc as those are places we have never been too. We would not be under any time constraints which will be nice.

Very cool! My parents have a fully loaded camper van. They take it down south and out west a lot. They really like going out west. My dad fishes the rivers and I suspect my mom smokes the mary jane.

[Ultralight]

Have you considered "WWOOFING"? https://wwoofinternational.org/how-it-works/ It is essentially volunteering on an organic farm 4-6 hours a day in exchange for room and board. Some friends told me about this and said they and other friends have had some great travel experiences doing this. I can't speak to it personally but it sounds interesting. I have also heard of other volunteer opportunities where you do things like count turtle eggs; however, it seems like some of these are more "eco-tourism" and not necessarily low budget, while the Wwoofing I think is a low budget alternative.

I have heard of it, but the idea slipped my mind. Maybe I should revisit it.