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International Meeting (Virtual) - Sunday, Jan. 9th @ 9:30a.m. Pacific Time

Happy New Year to all my fellow travel lovers! My wish is for us to be able to travel this year safely and with minimal restrictions.

It’s time for another International Travel Meeting. If you like talking about travel and interacting with others who share the same passion this is the place for you.

There’s a limit to the number of participants. You must reply to this thread to be invited. The first 24 people to respond will have priority to be admitted to the meeting. I can send more invites in case any of the those 24 people don't log in. We have a 5 minute grace period starting at 9:30 a.m. After that any others still in the 'waiting room' can be admitted, up to a total of 24 people. So far this hasn’t been an issue. If someone finds they can’t participate after all, I would appreciate it if you can let me know as soon as you know.

Every meeting there will be a topic or two to discuss. More suggestions are welcome for future months. Of course we will discuss other things as well. Let’s start the year off with something fun.

Topics for this month:

  • Travel misadventures and mishaps. Last month people wanted me to tell my train story. I have more than one. ;-) I’ll share my stories if you share yours.

  • Where are you planning to go this year? Do you have a Plan B if your original plan doesn’t work out?

Please let me know in a reply to this post or with a PM if you are interested. If you have participated previously I already have your email address. If you haven’t you will need to send it to me in a PM.

I will be emailing the Zoom link an hour or two before the meeting begins.

Future meetings:
February 6 & March 6

Posted by
285 posts

I’m looking forward to the recounting of everyone’s travel mishaps and discussion of our 2022 travel plans (A, B & maybe C). Thanks.

Posted by
347 posts

Would love to join.

I, too, have a train story!

Thanks,
Becky

Posted by
3951 posts

We may join this discussion as the cancelled Christmas weekend with family is now morphing into a likely cancelled ski weekend on the 9th.

We have a train near disaster story too and definitely some plan B,C and D strategies.

Posted by
427 posts

I’d love to join in again. I too have a train story to share. Looking forward to it!

Posted by
3836 posts

I would love to join. I’m sorry I missed last month’s.

Posted by
32740 posts

I have several work related train stories, available on demand, but I was thinking of a short train story from Germany. Maybe a really short customer story from Switzerland (good to know).

Posted by
10218 posts

Wow, so many responses so quickly! We just got home from a 5 night New Year’s camping (glamping?) trip to Fort Bragg. No wifi and essentially no cell service for 6 days. We had to drive several miles to get cell service, which we had to do a couple of times a day due to a family situation. I took advantage and did this meeting post, but otherwise haven’t been on the forum since the morning of the 28th.

Your travel mishaps and misadventures can be about anything, not just trains. I’m looking forward to hearing about them.

Posted by
10218 posts

Tammy, there’s still room and you are on my list. Please PM me with your email address.

We have 5 spots left before people go on a waiting list. Most months we have people who cancel or just don’t log in, so everyone has a good shot at being included.

Just a reminder to everyone, if you discover you can’t make it please let me know as soon as you can.

Posted by
15582 posts

I'm in for sure. I haven't had a good night's sleep since your train story tease back in November.

I don't have any train stories but I did have a couple of mishaps in Cyprus - enough that I swore I'd never go back to that island.

Posted by
10218 posts

Lol Chani, I’m not sure that any of us can do better than your car story.

These stories can be about any travel mishaps or misadventures. Transportation doesn’t have to be involved.

Posted by
124 posts

Good afternoon!!! Hope I'm signed up in time!!!

Posted by
10218 posts

Just in time, you’re #24! One new person hasn’t yet provided me with their email. I sent a PM with a reminder. This happens sometimes.

If anyone else wants to join be sure to let me know. It’s probable that some of the people who already responded will be unable to participate.

Posted by
19092 posts

Is there any way for people to observe the meeting without being active participants, since you are obviously over the 24 limit already?

Posted by
32740 posts

how can you be over 24 if there are only 26 posts to the thread including Andrea's feedbacks and Lee's and this one? I only count 20 plus Andrea.

Posted by
10218 posts

Nigel, some people send me PM’s.

Lee, I can put you on the list and we can see what happens. I’m not aware of a way to just have someone listen in or observe.

Posted by
10218 posts

Lynn, I can’t imagine experiencing that. It must have been so frightening!

Posted by
32740 posts

I can take a miss and give another a go. Happy to help. I'll tell my stories another day...

Posted by
10218 posts

Nigel, I’m keeping you on the list. It seems many have had train mishaps and since you’re the train guy I’m sure we can learn a lot from you.

Aimee, I’ve put you on the list as well. I’ll need you to send me your email address in a PM. It’s very possible that some people will have a situation where they can’t participate. It happens every month.

Posted by
2456 posts

If I can get techie for a moment regarding "I’m not aware of a way to just have someone listen in or observe."
there is a Zoom setting found under your video button (lower left) that allows you to hide non-video participants, which basically puts everyone whose camera is on farther up the list and those with it off down the list, in the case of this meeting moving them to page 2. They would be able to watch and hear and type in the comments but not be seen, and their reactions/emojis wouldn't be visible from page 1. The moderation issue is getting cooperation on leaving cameras off, or taking the time to enforce it from the host role.

Posted by
10218 posts

Thanks Avi, that’s good to know.

Posted by
32740 posts

... it's coming .... I hear the drums in the distance ...

Posted by
1823 posts

Andrea, I got your invite, but there is a warning on it because it is not from your usual email address. Did you use your husband's email address to send out the email this morning?

Posted by
10218 posts

That’s strange, I used the email I always use.

Posted by
10218 posts

I think I figured it out. For some reason when I’ve sent the invites Zoom used an iCloud account. This time it says yahoo, which is what I normally use. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Posted by
347 posts

I accepted and i bounced out of my email...is there a follow-up? This is my first meeting.

And my story is READY!

Posted by
124 posts

Another great meeting. Thank you Andrea and Jim for hosting. Hope our travel dreams come true this year!!!

Posted by
4074 posts

Thanks for great travel conversation, everyone! And Andrea and Jim, thanks as always for all the work and hosting!

Posted by
10218 posts

Great and long meeting today. I enjoyed hearing everyone’s stories and travel plans.

Becky, I’m sorry, I have no idea what could have happened. If you join us next month you can tell your story then.

Posted by
2456 posts

They were indeed great stories today - I feel like I had a full meal (maybe making breakfast during the meeting had something to do with that)

Posted by
987 posts

I’m so sorry I missed this meeting and didn’t let you know ahead of time. I hope someone else was able to participate instead, but whoever it was, sorry I made you wait by not clearing my spot ahead of time! I really wanted to hear these stories today.

Posted by
427 posts

Thanks for another great travel meeting! I also enjoyed hearing about people's misadventures, and I am hoping for a collective year of travels plans that come to fruition.

Lynn- I can't believe those pictures of Hydra! Also, we were in your town last week visiting family and enjoyed ourselves. :)

Posted by
1318 posts

Andrea, during our discussion of next travel plans, someone was talking about the California coast I believe and you mentioned there is a wonderful state park near the area of discussion. I had stepped away from the meeting briefly and missed the name of the park that you liked. Would you give that info? The Costa Rica trip with my granddaughter will probably be put off once again (3rd time) and I am looking for a possible road trip South from Seattle. Thanks

Posted by
10218 posts

I’m sorry to hear about your Costa Rica trip. I think it was Chani that talked about a boat tour on Elkhorn Slough in Moss Landing, located between Santa Cruz and Monterey. We enjoyed doing that. Next to where the boats go out is the Moss Landing KOA, but it is strictly for RV’s. We have camped there several times. There are several nice state campgrounds closer to Santa Cruz. They are Sunset State Beach, New Brighton State Beach and Seacliff State Beach. I’ve tent camped at Sunset and New Brighton. You can go to parks.ca.gov to learn more about the state parks. Certain times of year you can see the elephant seals, which is an incredible experience.

Posted by
10218 posts

Aimee you definitely would have made it. I think at least 6 people didn’t join, as tends to happen. Three people notified me ahead of time.