International Travel Meeting - Sunday Feb. 7 @ 9:30 a.m. Pacific Time

I'd like to join. As a solo traveler, this is right up my alley...and no conflicts for a change. I have sent you a PM with my details. Thanks Andrea

Hi Andrea --
Please save me a seat!

Would love to join! Sent you a private message

Me, too! I will be interested especially in the traveling solo discussion. :)

Andrea, I would like to join the meeting and talk about solo travel. Thanks

Please add me to the list. I have no conflict this time and will be there promptly at 9:30!

Thanks, Andrea. Please add me.

I am interested, particularly in the solo travel discussion. I assume you are thinking 9:30 PCT? 12:30 EST?

Hi Wray, the meeting will start at 9:30 Pacific, so 12:30 Eastern. Please PM me with your email address.

I’ve sent the Zoom link to everyone who has requested to join, with the exception of Wray. I’m waiting for her email address. Please let me know if you didn’t receive the invite.

Add me to the list, please!
I'm interested in both topics.

This solo traveler would love to join!

I’m interested in joining! Thanks!

Looking forward to the solo travel discussion. Please include me. Thank you .

Me, too, please! Although my "solo" travel has largely been restricted to business trips to NYC (Theater! Museums! )

I would love to join, if you have the room. Thank you!

SUSAN, I sent you a private message.

Hello, Andrea. Hope you have room for another!!

Hello Andrea,
Hope you are doing well.
If there is still room would you mind signing me up for this? You should already have my email address.
These topics interest me and I'd love to join in on the meeting.
Thank you,
Ann Forkey

Any room for one more?

Hi, Andrea. I’d love to attend and discuss solo travel. Thanks.

Count me in!

Would love to attend. Have sent you a PM.
Thanks,
Joann

Is there room left? I'd really like to join you guys again.

Wow! I can’t believe it but the spots are all taken and it took less than 24 hours to do it. I think the solo travel topic is of great interest. We may not even get to the other topic this month, which would be okay. We’ll see how the timing goes.

If anyone else would like to participate please don’t hesitate to let me know. Two people who responded haven’t provided me with an email address yet and some others will find they have a conflict and can’t make it. So far, in past months, anyone who I’ve told will have to stay in the waiting room to see if there’s space for them haven’t had to wait at all.

I’ve sent the link to everyone, except for the two who haven’t provided their email. Please let me know if you didn’t receive yours.

Hi Andrea, I would like to join too if a spot opens up. Thanks!

I would also like to join if space becomes available.

Alan

Wow! This is a very popular meeting!

Please add me to the waiting list!

Priscilla, it’s crazy isn’t it! I’ll put you on the list.

I've sent several private messages!

Big Mike, I haven’t received any PM’s from you. Please try again.

Big Mike, tray again. I don't know what's been happening with the PM system, but many of mine never actually seem to leave my drafting box. I hit send, and then get some blank screen. I now check my sent box to make sure they have actually gone. It can take 3 or 4 attempts before I can see they were sent. Posting here works fine, but not so much the PM system....particularly using my phone.

Big Mike, I just sent you a PM and it looks like it went through after trying 4 times.

Andrea, if there’s room or for the waiting list, I am interested.

My husband and I have traveled together several times. For the last two trips, I traveled solo in 2018 on my own itinerary for three weeks in Italy. The 2019 trip was a combo - two weeks solo travel in France and he joined me for Week 3. Just sharing this to say that I have experience seeing both the positive pros & a few cons of solo travel.

Hi Andrea , please add me to the waiting list if that is possible. Thanks! June

Thanks. I don't understand computers or really life in general.

I'd love to join if there is still room.

Thank you!
Christine

There’s a lot of interest in this meeting, so I have some ideas.

Nigel very kindly explained how extra people can be put into an overflow room, where they could hear and see, but not participate. As the first 24 begin to drop off people in the holding room can take their places. I’ve never done this before, so I’m not sure how it would work out with someone as technology challenged as I am.

Another option is that we can break this meeting into two sessions, at 9:30 and 12:30.

I’d like to take a vote.

Option 1 - Leave the meeting as is. One 9:30 meeting. As of right now we have 7 people that would be in the waiting room if all the others log in. I expect that number may increase. People would be admitted in order of their original response to the meeting thread.

Option 2 - Nigel’s suggestion of one meeting with the extra people in the holding room, able to see and hear but not participate. See above for how people can move from the holding room to the meeting.

Option 3 - Two meetings at 9:30 and 12:30 Pacific Time

I hope this isn’t too confusing. I’m looking forward to seeing how you all feel about these ideas.

Hi Andrea, I would like to join again as well, either to the wait list or holding room. Hoping option 2 may work so as to not miss a word :)

Hi Andrea. I hadn’t responded yet but we’d like a spot in the overflow “room” and I’d vote for Option 2.

Hi Andrea, my preference would be Option 2, also, for this popular topic.

If you decide to break it into two different sessions, you might want to offer one of them as solo travelers who travel with a tour, such as the RS tours. The second one could be solo travelers who travel independently.

There's enough self-sorting and segregation and cliques already - we want to hear from a variety of perspectives, not just more preaching to our own choirs!

I'd go with option 2 or continue with 1.

I (and others) would fit in both categories suggested by Jean. Doing a RS tour with solo time before and/or after. I'm interested in input on both, so would prefer the subject not be separated.

I agree with both of Lynn’s comments.

BUT I will add that if option 2 causes enough stress for you so that you won’t enjoy the meeting as much, don’t do it. Stick with your original plan.

Okay, one meeting it is. Who wants to help me out so I can see how the holding room will work? Is anyone willing to be a guinea pig? If you’re willing and able to help we can do this at 2:00 p.m. Pacific time Sunday, 1/31. When I know who’s interested I’ll send out a link. Thanks for your help.

I’ll help tomorrow at 2. If you can’t get anyone else, I can have my hubby help too.

Hi Andrea, I can help with testing the holding room tomorrow at 2

Looks like you have good volunteers but let me know if you need another.

I think having multiple people will be better. I want to try some in the regular meeting, some in the holding room, then moving people from the holding room to the main meeting.

Sure, send me an invitation for Sunday at 2 -- I was having withdrawal pains for a whole weekend without travel meeting.
Lauri

I can help tonight for a short period. Your 2pm is my 10pm and we have groceries arriving at 7am in the morning and need sleep.

I am very happy to help but can't stick around for long...... if that's of any use

If you need more help with the test I can help.

Nigel, I would love for you to be able to walk me through this in real time. Would 1:00 p.m. Pacific (9:00 for you) work better. Would that work for the rest of you kind people who are offering to help?

would be better for my wifie

Hi, Andrea, I can be part of the test group if you need more people. I could do either 1:00 or 2:00 pm Pacific time.

Either time works for me.

Nigel, I definitely want to make C. happy. Thanks Valerie. I hope to hear from the others as well. I’ll send out the link later, once I know who all the participants are.

I can help with the testing.

I can do 1:00 Pacific.

I can help at either time.

1 pm PT works for me too

Hi Andrea, if you need another person for your test feel free to send me an invite.

Thanks so much for all of your work for the meeting next week!

thanks for the time flex guys

Andrea, since this meeting is so popular and I am not a "solo traveler", I would be happy to give up my spot in the "main room" to someone who can better make use of it. I am content to stay in the "holding room" where I can watch and listen, but not actively participate.

So can you move me to a low spot on the waitlist?

1PM works for me if you still need my help.

Thanks to you all for your help. You’re the best. I’ve sent the link for 1:00 Pacific today to Nigel, Diane, mln, Travelmom, Laura B, Karen, Valerie, Lynn, CWsocial, Jean and Wanderlust.

Nigel, if possible can you log in a little early so you can walk me through this? Thanks so much for letting me know that it was possible for this to happen.

Lola, thanks for the offer of going into the holding room. I appreciate it.

Andrea, I can probably be available at 1pm today for 15 or 20 minutes if that's useful.

Thanks SharYn. I sent you the link.

Sorry, but just looked at your request for volunteers to practice. I would be happy to just see and listen. Thank you.

Thanks SUSAN.

A special thanks to everyone who volunteered to help me Sunday. I’m not sure how it will go on the 7th, but just remember that you get what you pay for. 😆

Later in the week I will be sending everyone an email with some guidelines. I’m waiting in case anyone else wants to join us.

I sent an email out to everyone a few minutes ago giving you information I would like you to review before the meeting. If you didn’t receive the email or if you have any questions, please let me know.

It looks like I will be free. Love to come if there's a seat in the back.

Absolutely Nigel, I’m happy you can make it. I’ll send you the link.

Thanks, Andrea and everyone else for a very interesting and informative meeting! And thanks CWSocial for helping with the logistics of managing a larger group.

I am so sorry I had to miss this meeting, but at least one of our two is now half vaccinated. So that's a plus!

Another great virtual get-together -- thanks for organizing us Andrea, and thanks to everyone who shared their stories.

One great tip I take away from this meeting is how we can make use of other interests over-and-above or besides travel as a way to connect with people during trips.

Thanks to Andrea for setting up the meeting and to those who arranged for the overflow in the waiting room .

It was great to meet all of you, looking forward to the next meeting.
Scott

What a really great meeting today! Big thanks to Andrea and the others of you behind the scenes people who helped! However now I REALLY want to go somewhere! 😂

Yep, great meeting. Thanks, Andrea.

Another great meeting! It was good to see everyone and to welcome some new people. Thanks to cwsocial for helping me manage this larger than normal group. She has sent me the Chat, and I will be emailing it to everyone.

We had some good suggestions for future topics. I welcome everyone’s input for potential discussions.

A really good meeting. Always good when you learn something new.

Thanks very much to Andrea for this brilliant idea, thanks to CWSocial for running the back office, Jim for techie, and everyone else - everybody had really good input.

Dang! I need to pay attention to meetings and topics. Solo travel would have been sooo good for me. Next time for sure...

Thank you so much to everyone for such a fun virtual meeting this morning! So many great ideas/tips shared that work for all travelers! Also, I thought the addition of the active chat box worked out nicely with the bigger size group.

Thanks, Andrea, I picked up some great new ideas to continue my solo travels. I loved the suggestions about food tours and I will definitely be trying those as a new way to taste the local foods and enjoy the company of fellow travelers for a few hours. I may even try some cooking classes....I can at least pretend I'd try the recipes at home.

Welcome to the new people who joined today!

Add my thanks for this fun meeting! It was good to hear everyone’s ideas for solo travel.

Thank you, Andrea!

Fantastic meeting! Thank you Andrea and thank you to everyone who offered their great travel tips.