An Introduction.........

Kia Ora, Konnichiwa, Ahoj, Buenos Dias, Bonjour

My name is Gail.

I grew up only really seeing the North Island of my beautiful home country, New Zealand.

After three years teaching,I left New Zealand to travel the world, having not really even seen the South Island.

In between teaching in London,I travelled around Britain, and in the summer holidays did a camping trip around Europe.I went for the most extensive trip I could find! It took us through central Europe, Scandinavia, USSR - now Russia and The Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania and back through Greece, Italy and France. 18 people squeezed into a small kombi van for three months!

It was amazing how we adapted. Riding along with plenty of time to think, my ambitious travel plans evolved. When I told my friends I planned on going to USA, overland through Asia AND Africa before going home, they laughed!

Two weeks after I arrived back in London I had myself a job in USA looking after a little boy in Philadelphia. My return fare was paid – this was just as well, as I had only 7 pounds to my name when I arrived in the States!

After 6 months I returned to London, and went on to do everything I had planned on that bus trip! My feet were now well and truly infected with that traveller’s itch! However, all good things must come to an end, and having arrived back in London from Africa, I decided I should reluctantly return home.

Home to New Zealand

Just as we finished renovating an old house we had moved onto a ten acre block of land - yes it was cut in half and transported from the city -we were transferred to Western Samoa. After two years living in Apia, and another two in Lautoka, Fiji, we came home a year early, due to the 1987 coup. The children were lucky to have travelled to many Pacific Islands, Australia, Europe and around the United States and Canada in those years.

We have always made the most of the wonderful holidays we can have in our own country, but we continue to travel the world going somewhere most years. Our children insist they inherited their itchy feet. One lives in Japan, the other Vietnam.

Deciding where we will go is usually a combination of visiting family and friends, attending some event, or we are just wanting to visit this destination because it fits in with other plans.We love to read and watch travel books and videos, which will bring on that - I must go there, feeling!

The last three to four years have seen us travel to USA, Cuba, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Japan, Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam is coming up in a few weeks!

Planning travel can be a time consuming exercise !

Sifting through marginally useful information, I have often wished all the information was there in one place. Not just a cursory mention , but some meaningful personal thoughts, ideas, options and advice, to help decide the best means of travel, accommodation and must do activities.

Where to get a visa - or if it is required, the best currency to take, what clothes will be required for the climate at the time of year etc. I could write a book on my experiences on this aspect of travel alone! We prefer to travel independently – but it does make the preparations more time consuming.

Planning for Retirement!

Being independent, I have been determined that these days I will do something where I have total flexibility and freedom.

I discovered Site Build It a few years ago. It was still really quite new and I was totally computer illiterate.

Travel writing was another option.A course via the computer set me going and I loved writing about my many experiences to share with readers. BUT...........I very soon realised the whims of editors who often did not even reply, were not going to be very productive financially. Nor did that mean freedom. I had come full circle. A SBI site was definitely what I wanted to do.

A travel site was a perfect fit. I really felt this was the best retirement plan I could think of, still allowing me the lifestyle I wanted.

I know I could never build a website from scratch. But after reading all the information, I realised the dream was definitely still possible.

I gave myself a Christmas present and took the plunge on Christmas Eve 2007. It is the best present I could have asked for.The present was extra good as I got two sites for the same price. My first website was http://www.holidays-in-newzealand.com I have enjoyed it so much, I have decided another on international travel was definitely what I wanted to do. I can relive my travels as I share with you my experiences.I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I do writing them.

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