Category Archives: Travel

Travel

Delta Skymiles Blue

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Over the years, I have used my Delta Blue to fly to JFK in New York City a couple of times to visit family. I also had a wonderful flight to Guadaloupe for a Caribbean sailing trip.

Earlier this year, I gifted my accrued miles to my mother so she could fly to Lisbon, Portugal, to visit her guru, Mooji-baba.

I’ve had my Delta Blue since 2018.

Before that, I had a Delta Debit card from SunTrust. I didn’t stick around for the merger with Truist, so I retired my Debit and opted for the nicer Credit card.

Of all the credit cards I have signed up for, I think the Delta Blue is my favorite. A close second was the Capital One Walmart card that was recently discontinued. I had an 11k limit on the Wally card, much more than the 4k limit I have with my Delta card.

But I rarely charge more than 1k on my card in a month. I make it a point never to leave a balance on my cards month to month. I still rely on many of the tricks I learned on the old Fat Wallet Forums.

More recently, I have been using the Skymiles card as my default payment source on PayPal. When I pay for shipping labels on eBay, the charge to the card earns me some extra miles. I’ve stacked up 6,678 miles from the labels since I began Thrifting in July.

I am planning a trip to Seattle, WA, next year to see family members. I expect I will be booking that flight using miles alone if eBay sales continue at the current rate.

The point-earning categories are a bit limited with this card. I get 2x points when I buy anything from Delta, 2x points when I hit up Starbucks or go to Wendy’s, and 1 point on any other spending. So for every dollar I spend at Goodwill or the Treasure Hunt store, I get a mile.

There’s no annual fee since this is considered an entry-level Delta card. The downside with that is you don’t get any of the perks that come with the higher-end Gold or Platinum cards.

A consolation, perhaps, is that neither the Gold nor Platinum gets lounge access. That perk is only available for Reserve cardholders. But those poor souls are eating a $640 annual fee.

There is a signing bonus of 10k miles if you spend 1k in the first three months. That’s fairly standard with lowbie cards like this.

There are no foreign transaction fees, and you get a small discount on in-flight purchases. I got a pink vodka lemonade with lime on my last flight.

Anyways, getting to the point of this post, as you probably guessed, I have a referral link. Ha Ha, big surprise, right?

No Pressure…😈

Here’s my Amex referral link. Use it, and we could both earn rewards if you are approved and get a Card. Check out offers and Card benefits.

Errant Literary, Travel

Car Adventures (part 2)

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Car Adventures (part1)

Yesterday I went to the Raleigh-Durham airport to pick up my mother after her trip to Portugal. I was doing fairly well, I thought, right up until I accidentally exited off of the highway exit to Aviation Parkway.

What followed was a confusing mess. I found myself once again in Brier Creek. I had the presence of mind this time around to find a turnaround right away, rather than going off into the sticks out of town.

I got back on the road that led to the airport, and there was this red sports car ahead of me that seemed to be in a hurry I incorrectly assumed they were also heading to the airport, so I followed them.

Unfortunately, they were going to Durham.

Once more I exited off of Aviation Parkway and now I was heading to Durham. Luckily, I noticed a turn-off that was marked Raleigh.

This spun me around quite a bit and I ended up in a section of orange cans and traffic cones as construction was underway all over the roadway.

I slowly followed the road signs while this old car behind me kept revving its engine. I thought that they were maybe impatient, but as we rolled up to a stop light I heard their engine stall and stop.

The other car managed to start up again and the driver pulled off the roadway. It was a very old car.

Once the light went green I pulled away and left the old beater by the wayside. Following the cones I eventually found myself on a northbound route to Raleigh.

Some way down the road there was another exit to Aviation Parkway, which I happily took. This was sort of good but by this point, I had already overshot the airport by a great distance, and I was now traveling south.

At this point, I knew I needed some help. I pulled over to the side of the road and checked my map.

For today’s trip, I had the good sense to bring an old phone that had Google Maps on it. It doesn’t have a SIM card, but the GPS worked enough that it could pinpoint my position after a few minutes. It doesn’t work for real-time navigating but I could at least see where I was concerning the airport.

After I got my bearings, I found a street where I could do a U-turn and I got myself headed back north. I was close enough now to the airport that I could see the big black signage indicating the terminals.

I had intended on using the Cell Phone Lot at RDU as a waiting area until my mother’s flight had landed. I got lost trying to follow the directions I had written down and I gave up and instead used the parking garage.

Most of the floors were listed as OPEN in green letters on the electronic board, but when I started climbing up the round tower thing, each entrance was blocked with signage saying it was full.

I did manage to find a spot on the 4th floor, quite far from the elevators.

Once I had parked, I took some time to breathe and congratulate myself for surviving the trip. The trip back was much easier as I had my knowledgeable mother with me in the car and she knows these streets very well.

While I was at the airport I took some pictures of the planes and the facility.

Questions or comments, put them below. Thanks for reading!

Errant Literary, Travel

My Hometown is Pretty

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If I were to summarize this thing, all I would have to say is that Port Townsend is the BEST. End of story.

Nestled at the northeastern tip of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State lies the picturesque town of Port Townsend. With its rich history, stunning natural beauty, vibrant arts scene, and unique Victorian architecture, Port Townsend offers visitors a truly unforgettable experience.

Let’s delve into what makes this charming town a must-visit destination.

A Historic Haven

Port Townsend’s history dates back to the mid-19th century when it was originally established as a seaport town.

Its strategic location on the Puget Sound made it a hub for maritime trade, and remnants of its maritime heritage can still be seen today in its well-preserved Victorian-era buildings and historic waterfront.

One of the town’s most iconic landmarks is the Port Townsend Historic District, which boasts over 50 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Sailing in the Bay

Stroll down the streets lined with ornate Victorian homes, browse the quaint shops housed in historic buildings, and immerse yourself in the town’s rich maritime history at the Northwest Maritime Center.

Sailing along the waterfront
Sunset mountains

Natural Splendor

Beyond its historic charm, Port Townsend is surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty. From the rugged coastline of the Olympic Peninsula to the lush forests of Olympic National Park, outdoor enthusiasts will find plenty to explore.

Take a leisurely hike along one of the many scenic trails in the area, such as the Larry Scott Memorial Trail, which offers stunning views of the Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains.

Enjoy a gentle amble through forest — with a dash of ravine, wetland and pasture — and on to sweeping views of Port Townsend Bay as this multi-use trail gently eases hikers, cyclists and equestrians down to the waterfront.

Photo by Kimberly Huntress Inskeep.

Or, for a truly unique experience, head to Fort Worden State Park, where you can explore abandoned military bunkers and enjoy panoramic views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Art and Culture

Port Townsend has long been a haven for artists and creatives, and its vibrant arts scene reflects this heritage.

The town is home to numerous art galleries, studios, and performance spaces, showcasing the work of local artisans and performers.

Victorian Style Homes

Be sure to visit the Port Townsend School of the Arts, where you can take workshops and classes in a variety of mediums, from painting and pottery to photography and fiber arts.

And don’t miss the numerous festivals and events held throughout the year, including the Port Townsend Film Festival, the Wooden Boat Festival, and the Kinetic Sculpture Race.

Culinary Delights

No visit to Port Townsend would be complete without sampling the local culinary delights.

The town boasts a thriving food scene, with an abundance of farm-to-table restaurants, cozy cafes, and artisanal bakeries.

Granola with Yogurt and Banana Slices

Indulge in fresh seafood straight from the waters of the Puget Sound, savor artisanal cheeses and chocolates from local producers, and sip on craft beers and wines from the region’s many breweries and wineries.

And be sure to check out the Port Townsend Farmers Market, held every Saturday from April to December, where you can sample the best of the region’s bounty.

Orca pod (killer whale)

Community Spirit

What truly sets Port Townsend apart is its strong sense of community. Despite its small size, the town is a vibrant and welcoming place, with a tight-knit community of residents who are passionate about preserving its heritage and fostering its cultural richness.

Whether you’re attending a local community event, volunteering with a local nonprofit organization, or simply striking up a conversation with a friendly local, you’ll quickly feel at home in Port Townsend.

Out in the Bay

Conclusion

In conclusion, Port Townsend, is a hidden gem of the Pacific Northwest, offering visitors a unique blend of history, natural beauty, arts, and culture.

Whether you’re exploring its historic streets, hiking its scenic trails, or indulging in its culinary delights, you’re sure to fall in love with this charming town.

So why not plan your visit today and discover all that Port Townsend has to offer?

Townsend in relation to the Olympics
Travel
Domestic Trips
Washington
Daily Writing, Errant Literary, Travel

Do you have a favorite place you have visited? Where is it?

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My favorite place? It’s hard to choose just one. I’ve been to so many places.

Many a childhood Summer was spent with my father sailing. We would mostly go up through the San Juan Islands and into British Columbia. Although, once we went to Seattle and used the locks to enter the inner-bay.

We never made it as far as Alaska, not that we didn’t want to, we just lacked enough available time to make the journey.

Later in life, after finishing my tour at the Job Corps Center in Astoria, OR, I travelled again with my father, to visit my uncle in England. We stayed and visited with family for a time before shoving on to the next leg of our journey.

We flew down to the city of Toulouse in France and rode the trains, stopping off in small towns along the way. I got to visit castles which I was always fond of since a child.

WyrdLight.com, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

After France, we took a bus into Spain and then another train as we made our way into to Barcelona. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with the journey, culture shock, and the language barrier by this point.

My father and I decided to head back at this point. We travelled northward along the Mediterranean coastline and sampled those foods unique to the regions.

photos by Stephan Audiger of Hotels.com

Eventually we got back into France where we rented a car and returned to visiting yet more castles. I still have my commemorative coins from the sites we visited; there were little coin-operated vending machines supplying the collectibles.

I think my favorite place was Villandry. It has these elaborate decorative gardens, and Japanese koi swimming in the waterways around the grounds.

The last site we visited was Mont Saint-Michel. We took a bus from the port town and spent the day there. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many tourists in any one spot as at Mont Saint-Michel. The parking lot was packed with buses and the causeway up the hill was full of people.

photos by Robert Lio

I lost all of my photos from the trip quite sadly. I had uploaded them to an early cloud-storage site which traded hands a few times before going out of business. They (Photobucket) were asking for outrageous sums of money to download my own photo catalog before the server shutdown.

We took the ferry from Saint Malo back to Portsmouth where we were met by my uncle. I stayed there for a few days and then flew back to the states. My father returned to his trip. He went down to Portugal and found himself a crew position on a catamaran making the return journey across the Atlantic and back to the US.

Many more trips would occur in the years to follow. But, I’ll save those for another day.

Travel

Blue Collie Coffee

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Seasonal branding display

A lovely little shop filled with the aroma of coffee and cookies.

  • Nice big menu
  • Cute wall art
  • Apparel for sale

The staff’s pleasant demeanor made me feel right at home.

Salted Caramel Brownie

A quality cup of coffee that won’t hurt your wallet.

  • Menu
  • Receipt

I highly recommend this shop.

Location

106 N. Main St.
Louisburg, NC 27549

Hours

Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

Saturday 8:00 am – 1:00 pm

Gaming, Travel

Pokémon Go (Shiny)

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I was digging through my old media on WordPress and came across my Shiny collection from back when I played Pokémon Go all the time. I was really into it since way back in 2016. I was looking at my Google Play History and I spent around $700 on the game. In hindsight that money could have gone into dividend stocks. I keep thinking that every time I had some spare funds: Should have bought stocks!!