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International (Virtual) Travel Group Meeting - Sunday, Dec. 6 @ 9:30 a.m. Pacific Time

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

There will be a limit to the number of participants. It has been determined that more than 25 is too many. You must reply to this thread to be invited. The first 24 people to respond will be admitted to the meeting. I can send more invites in case any of the those 24 people don't log in. We will have a 10 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. Each month everyone in the waiting room was has been admitted because inevitably some people aren’t able to join in as they had planned. If someone finds they can’t participate after all, I would appreciate it if you can let me know as soon as you know.

Each month there will be a couple of topics to discuss. More suggestions are welcome for future months. Of course we will discuss other things as well.

Topics -

*It is December, so let’s talk about Christmas Markets. What do you look for? Big city or small towns? Do you have any favorites? Do you have any special strategies for staying warm? How many are too many?

*When you travel do you keep a journal? If so, what method do you prefer? Paper? Electronic?

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

See you on December 6th!

Posted by
4076 posts

Count me in! Christmas markets are a few years in the future but definitely on my list, so this will be great!

Posted by
745 posts

Yes, please count me in! Love Xmas markets and journaling.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Christine

Posted by
2456 posts

Yes, please add me in - and if we could include postcards and letters in the journaling discussion that would be interesting, too.

Posted by
16247 posts

I would like to join you, and contrary to what I said before, 9:30 is fine. Thanks!

Posted by
32745 posts

no sooner does one end than another comes around the corner....

yup, I'm in

Posted by
303 posts

I would like to join as well, thank you Andrea!

Posted by
987 posts

I would like to join. Love the topics! Today last year I left for my first Christmas market trip. Can’t wait to be able to take another one some year.

Posted by
285 posts

Please count me in. I’d love to hear about Christmas markets. Thanks.

Posted by
5697 posts

We'll be there, wishing we were in Europe for Christmas markets as we were last December (could have done without the French train strikes, though.)

Posted by
1307 posts

Please include me too!
And thanks, Andrea, for hosting this.

Posted by
10221 posts

I’m so happy to hear people are interested in discussing Christmas markets. I’ll confess I have an ulterior motive for choosing that topic. I’m hoping to go to some markets next year. 🤞🏼

I’ve sent the Zoom link to everyone that has replied so far, except Lola. Lola, can you please PM me with your email address?

I’d like you all to think of future topics to discuss. You can post them here or mention them during the meeting. Thanks!

Posted by
3951 posts

We too love Christmas markets and would love to join this meeting. I’ll see if I can find one or two of our glühwein mugs that made the move.

Posted by
16247 posts

Andrea, I am having trouble sending you a PM with my email address; I keep getting an “application error”. I have tried both replying to your message and sending one as an original message.

I will keep trying; it may just be a glitch related to the holidays.

Or could you send me a PM with your email and I will respond to that?

Thanks.

Lola

Posted by
124 posts

Hi Andrea! Hope I made the cut! Hope to see you December 6.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Posted by
15582 posts

Hi Andrea. I would like to be included. Thanks. Chani

Posted by
10221 posts

Chani & jody, I sent you the Zoom link.

Posted by
1825 posts

Hi, is it too late to be included. You should have my email from last month.

Posted by
10221 posts

Ms. Jo, you’re in luck! You’ve made the cut and I’ll be sending the link.

We have one more spot after Ms. Jo, but if you’re interested please let me know. It’s very likely spots will open up.

For those of you that have signed up and find you won’t be able to make it, I would appreciate you letting me know. That way others can fill those spots.

Posted by
4603 posts

I'd love to join this month for your topics, if you still have the space, thanks!

Posted by
10221 posts

I’ve started a waiting list. I would greatly appreciate it if anyone knows at any time before the 9:30 start time that they can’t participate in the meeting that they let me know.

I would also like everyone to think ahead about future topics you’d like to discuss. I will add them to my list.

Posted by
32745 posts

future topics you’d like to discuss

Experiences at German (Italian, Swiss, Luxembourgish, Dutch, French, other) spas, spa towns, and Baths

I have experience at most of those if it is interesting

Posted by
10221 posts

Nigel, that’s a great topic. That’s exactly the kind of thing I’m looking for. Anyone else?

Posted by
2456 posts

Possible future topic: experience with city passes / museum passes / transit passes, like the Swiss card(s) or the various London and Paris passes.

Posted by
5697 posts

Senior discounts for non-residents of European countries ?

Posted by
15582 posts

Perhaps local festivals . . . I went to Valencia because someone on the forum suggested Las Fallas based on the timing of my trip to Spain . . . and met Avirose :-) as an added bonus.

Posted by
10221 posts

Good topics. If anyone has ideas for more I’ll be making notes during the meeting. See everyone soon.

Posted by
16247 posts

I love Chani’s suggestion of local festivals.

And a discussion on experiences with travel passes, museum passes, etc., would be practical.

It was great to put faces to some familiar names today!

Posted by
2456 posts

Today's side B topic of journaling has me feeling like a slacker -- so many great ways of keeping record / keeping track of your journeys!

I felt before now that this was an aspect of travel that I was not getting into the swing of, and now I see that I've been asleep at the switch. Past time for me to get my mind right on this.

Posted by
32745 posts

as always I had a great time, even seeing new faces - but known names - thanks Andrea

Posted by
4076 posts

Thanks for another great meeting, everyone! Seeing faces and having REAL conversation is so nice!

Posted by
5211 posts

Thanks for another amazing meeting!

I always enjoy learning new travel ideas!

Happy holidays everyone!

Posted by
3951 posts

Andrea thanks for organizing these meetings. It’s been a small silver lining in 2020 to attach some faces to names we’ve learned from for so long on the forum.

Posted by
10221 posts

Another fun meeting, the 6th we have had. I enjoy them so much. We have some people who are there every month, and also new faces every month. It’s so nice to connect with everyone. I agree with Mona that it has been a silver lining in this disaster of a year. I think future meetings might be able to include some actual trip planning. 🤞🏼

I do intend to continue these meetings as long as there is an interest. At some point our local groups will be able to meet in person again, but I’m aware that there are plenty of people who don’t have the option of a local group. This can fill that void.

Happy holidays to everyone. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Festivus (or is it Merry Festivus?), Happy Kwanza, or happy whatever you celebrate. And Happy New Year to all. May we all stay healthy and safe, and able to start planning for the traveling that we will hopefully be able to resume sometime in 2021.

Posted by
745 posts

Thank you, Andrea! What a nice holiday message!

Yesterday's meeting was really fun and I loved seeing so many European Christmas Market souvenirs. Yes, I also agree that our virtual travel group meetings have been a silver lining to 2020.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday season.

Christine

Posted by
1321 posts

Andrea, I so enjoyed the virtual meeting and placing faces with names was really nice. There were some good journaling tips that will help me for future travel. I echo the vote for a spa/bath topic and also solo travel. Thank you for organizing these Zoom meetings.

Happy holidays To all forum members. looking forward to the day we can be out there in the wild blue yonder once again.

Linda

Posted by
124 posts

A little late, but thanks again, Andrea, for hosting the meeting. I also look forward to them and enjoy our very international group!!
I'm with Avirose, in that I haven't journaled in the past. I certainly see the error of my ways....and hope that looking at my pictures will bring back all the memories I thought I would never forget. I spent the afternoon, after our meeting, investigating a visit to the Christmas markets next year. I, along with everyone, hope that European travel will be an option for us! Best Holiday wishes to everyone! Looking forward to seeing you again soon!!

Posted by
32745 posts

store person above giving misplaced lectures reported as on their other copies scattered about

also poor choice of threads to invade - it having happened 3 weeks ago and all

Posted by
10221 posts

Nigel, maybe this person was stoned and lost all sense of time.

Posted by
285 posts

Gee, I attended that meeting but I guess that I missed out on that added attraction. 😊

Posted by
10221 posts

That’s how we roll...a joint I guess. 🤷🏼‍♀️😎🥳🤪🤣

Posted by
10221 posts

Travelmom, I guess we will have to find something else interesting to talk about in January. 😉