Google Maps is my best friend when organizing a trip.  If you are going to Bangkok, for example, chances are you have some ideas of where you want to go, but no idea where they are in relation to one another.  I love plotting out the must-see's in a new city to get an idea of which attractions, neighborhoods, shops, or restaurants should be visited in the same day because of location.  

I also like to make notes for each pin in advance such as hours of operation, a recommended meal or metro stop.  Doing this bit of research and organizing in advance can end up saving you a lot of time and confusion on your trip.

To me, there is a difference between vacation and a trip.  Vacation is the relaxing and lazy beach time that I almost never have, but a trip is the often exhausting exploration of new cities and their cultures.  So whenever I am taking a trip in a new place, and especially when my time there is limited, I make sure to set my alarm and/or get a wake up call so that I can maximize my day and not sleep it away (which has been known to happen!).  

The first few minutes may be rough but once you're up and look out the window, you will be glad you have those extra few hours to enjoy a local breakfast, skip the lines at the famous museum or fit in that one activity you didn't think you had time for.

Costs add up quickly when traveling, so being smart about how you spend is as important as what you're spending on.  The best exchange rate is generally when you take money out of an ATM, NOT when you exchange cash at the airport kiosk.  But your bank many charge a fee for withdrawing in a foreign country.  So depending on how long you will be away or how many countries / currencies you will face, either sign up for a fee-free account or estimate how much cash you will need and only stop at the ATM once so you're not hit again and again with fees.

While everyone needs some cash in their pocket, I am actually a big supporter of using credit cards whenever possible.  Using a card gives you valuable points which lead to rewards like flights, hotel rooms, gift cards and more - all freebies to enhance your travels.  And while you are away, having a card without foreign transaction fees can end up saving you a lot on all the little purchases that add up.

Finding the right credit card is very important for travelers, so some things to look for include: no foreign transaction fees,  a large sign-on bonus and rewards that are in line with your travel style (e.g. affiliations with certain airlines / hotels, etc.).  A great resource for finding the right card is Credit Card Insider - they have an entire section dedicated to helping travelers find the card that best suits their needs!

Free walking tours are popping up in cities everywhere, and for a good reason!  The volunteer tour guides are passionate about their town and want to share it with visitors, regardless of their financial situations.  With these tours, which generally last an hour or two, you get a great overview of the city, its cultural and historical background, and some personal anecdotes and laughs.

The guides are working purely for tips so they are usually animated entertainers who make the tour a lot of fun for everyone.  At the end, you may give any monetary amount that you are comfortable with and think the tour was worth.  These guides are also great sounding boards for your plans while in town, and they are more than happy to offer suggestions or advice.  

This flows nicely into #5 "Talk to strangers" because I have actually made a lot of friends on free walking tours - both travelers and guides.  After walking around for a few hours, you are probably hungry so why not invite some of your new friends to that cute local cafe the guide pointed out along the tour?

Many cities across the globe have adopted bike share programs which allow people to hop on and hop off at different docking stations throughout town.  These are cost-effective ways to get around while seeing a lot more of a city.  Also, they are one of my favorite ways to stay fit while traveling.

The bikes are easily adjustable for your height and they generally have decent gears to help you up and down any hills you may come across.

If you want to pedal for exercise, check out bike paths in the local tourist office or on apps / sites like MapMyRide where users document their routes along with notes and levels of difficulty.

Whether it is tasting octopus in Spain, flying a glider in Switzerland or camping out in the Sahara Desert, there are new experiences to be had everywhere you go.  

Make your trip memorable by stepping outside your comfort zone and trying something new that is a part of the local culture.  You won't be disappointed and you will have stories for the rest of your life.

Now that I am back home in New York - jobless for the first time in my adult life, I am actually pretty excited to take advantage of my time off by doing the NYC things I never seem to have time for.  While I am starting to think about work and what I really want to do next, I am not going to rush into it.  So I have at least a couple of weeks to be a tourist in MY city, and I put together a checklist of my top wishes.

I love summer in the city!

EAT / DRINK

• North River Lobster Company - A lobster restaurant / bar on a boat that sails around the Hudson River for 30-minutes at a time but you can stay on as long as you want!

• Grand Banks - An oyster bar / regular bar on a sailboat that stays docked on Pier 25.

• Roof at Park South Hotel - Just looks like a cool rooftop bar that I have never been to.

• The Cannibal - On east 29th, this spot features craft beer and artisanal meat with an outdoor garden.

• Ninja - Japanese restaurant with ninja theme - may be a little too kitschy but I still kind of want to see it.

• WD50 molecular gastronomy restaurant (closing its doors on November 30) & Alder cocktail bar by same owner
• Dinosaur BBQ - I've still never been to this BBQ staple in Harlem (and now Brooklyn as well).
• NYC Restaurant Week - It is more than just a week!  July 21 - August 15, many notable and expensive restaurants are featuring special and affordable three-course menus.

Thursday, July 17 (New York City) - Dear:  Hannah, Tali, Lainie, China, Dennis, Andrew, Aaron, Al, Lucy, Patrick, Neil, Dawn, Allyson, Allie, Nikita, Julie, Marta, Kathy, Eugenia, Nacho, Kathryn, Dave, Jacqueline, Martin, Helen, Justin, Gaby, Mike, Kike, Maria, Tati, Eva, Sam, Val, Anthea, Mark, Sophie, Becki, Anna, Nono, Victoria, Kali, Kay, Ashley, Lorenzo G, Lorenzo M, Paola, Oliver, Marcos, Wilson, Priscilla, Anu, Monte, Ilene, Kenny, Gul, Rena, Mom, and Dad (and anyone I may have missed),

Thank you.  Thank you for being a part of the adventure that was the most amazing, insane, important, and surreal experience of my life.  Whether you were a sounding board when this crazy idea first came into my mind, a connector of things to do or people to see in foreign lands, a friend I met along the way, or a reader / commenter on my photos and blog posts, your contribution – however big or small – shaped my experience which would not have been the same without you.

You don’t know how much your support meant and still means to me, and I sincerely hope that this blog and whatever is engrained in my memory can help you out in your future travels.

As you know, I am always happy to talk about travel from money-saving tips to what to do in different areas of the world, and everything in between.  So please know you can always reach out to me (same with your friends and family) and I hope I can be of help!

Thank you again,

Stacy

Wednesday, July 16 (Drogheda & Dublin, Ireland) – Somehow the day has arrived – the last day of my first edition of Stacy Takes Flight.  I can't believe I have to go back to New York today.  But honestly, it almost feels like any other day where I’m heading to the airport to embark on my next adventure (as this is going to be my 17th flight!), but in the back of my mind I know the flight will be longer than the rest and when the doors open, the familiar JetBlue terminal at JFK will welcome me home (Aer Lingus has a partnership with JetBlue).

I was lucky to be able to spend my final 24 hours with some of the people who helped shape me as a person while growing up.  I stayed with my childhood babysitter, Lucy, and her family.  I had seen them for a quick coffee when I first arrived in Dublin three months ago, which was our first meeting in close to 20 years, but this time I was able to stay with them!  It meant so much to spend my last night with them, reminisce about the past but also share highlights of my entire trip with them before anyone else.

They live in Drogheda which is a suburb of Dublin.  We spent most of our time together just hanging out and chatting, but this morning we did a bit of touring in the town, mainly because the town is known for something completely random that I have not seen anywhere else in my travels:  a preserved head.  Saint Oliver Plunkett was decapitated after being hanged in 1681, and after different body parts have made their way around the world, his head has been preserved and put on display at the (beautiful) local Saint Peter's Church.  It is pretty creepy, and kind of gross, but it was cool to see!

Then we went to a modern art gallery in a space that used to be another church.  The art was extremely modern and (no offense, art enthusiasts) brought us all closer together through laughing – especially their youngest, shyest daughter Mary.

After absorbing a bit of culture and grabbing a bite to eat, it was time to go to the airport.  It was such a strange feeling being in the car with people who made such an impact on my life, people I care about so much, people who were an important part of this trip, but also people who I honestly may never see again – or at least not for a long time. 

I believe people come in and out of your life for a reason and in addition to Lucy, Patrick and their family, I met so many incredible people along this journey who helped shape my experience one way or another – as I did for them as well.  

As we said our goodbyes at the airport, I had to fight to hold back tears – partly at saying goodbye to Lucy, and partly at saying goodbye to my trip.  I can’t begin to explain the mixture of feelings all hitting me at the same time, and I’m sure it is just the beginning of what will be an interesting transition back into ‘real life’.  I will continue to post after this trip – but not quite as frequently.  So for now… thanks for reading and see you in the States!