Rahki Travel Tips #1

First, you’re probably wondering what a ‘Rahki’ is, so let me tell you! Rahkis (pronounced rah’keys) are the fictional modern warriors in my fantasy series rather aptly named The Rahki Chronicles. You can find all kinds of book info on my site so I won’t bore you with those details. What you do need to know is that I used my real life travel to inspire the series. You should also know that this post isn’t about products but instead has a Rahki edge – think practical, logical, and family-oriented.

Below is a post from my author newsletter [you can subscribe to my newsletter on my website]. However, I wanted to share a bit more as today is National Plan Your Vacation day as well as #traveltuesday! FYI, this is not my first blog about traveling so check out more rambling here.

1. It is a beautiful but dangerous world – find your exits, have an emergency plan in case your family gets separated, pack appropriately for your terrain and weather, and use your noise-canceling headphones sparingly.
2. Check your passport expiration. Some countries require you have at least 6 months until your expiration in order to travel.
3. National Parks and World Heritage Sites are treasure troves for travel fun! You can also pick up a National Park passport at most parks and stamp pages for each park visit. The Visitor Centers often have info on tours including full moon tours!
4. Be careful with your social media check-ins at the exotic locations you travel to – this could signal burglars that your home is unprotected. I understand the temptation but consider posting after you have safely returned.

I strongly encourage anyone and everyone to travel – even if it is only to your local city park. If life truly is about experiences instead of things then travel is the ultimate experience! Do your research, plan well, and then soak up every moment.

If you are a fellow traveler, feel free to share your tips in the comments or contact me. If you want to become a traveler, feel free to share your questions in the comments or contact me. In case it isn’t obviously, I do love to travel and am happy to chat about it!

I hope you enjoy these Rahki Travel Tips and I wish you and yours safe travels!

-RSJ

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January 2019 Rahki Rambles Newsletter: TRAVEL

As before, this secret page is only available to newsletter subscribers initially. 

Our Rahki Rambles topic this month is TRAVEL. I don’t think it’s by chance that I have Romani (aka Gypsy) characters in my series!  As a child, I always dreamed of traveling and I’ve been fortunate to travel a bit as an adult. I have traveled for work and fun, and my trips inspired the locations for my Rahki series. Below is a list of just some places included in the first three books. I’ve posted pics here and on FB, but I’ve included a few below…and yes, that is Robert Downey, Jr. before Iron Man!

Richmond, VA                            New York City, NY                         Rochester, NY

Pagosa Springs, CO                   San Diego, CA                                  Denver, CO

A simple Google search will provide endless expert advice on packing strategies, travel hot spots, and product ideas. I do have my favorites, but that’s not really what I want to discuss this time. While I must admit I’m not an expert, there are three tips I’d like to share.

1. Contact the US State Department if you’re going abroad. You can access travel warnings, vaccine requirements, and embassy address by country. You can also register your travel plans with them in case of any emergencies.
2. Be organized with electronic and paper copies of your travel itinerary and identification documents.  Have I mentioned I’m a bit OCD sometimes? It’s true but also helpful! I always have info packets for myself and for a few others not on the trip. My friends and family packet includes flight info, resort details, and copies of our passports. The packet I carry contains the same info along with copies of any credit cards we take, medication details, car rental, tours, etc. I prepare a daily schedule with details and maintain back-up copies. It may seem dramatic but the organization helps me to stress less while traveling.
3. Now, this is the really fun part – pictures! I’m definitely a picture-taking geek on vacation, but no one ever wants to scroll through hundreds of pictures. I do pick my faves to post on Facebook and my website to share with others. For myself though, I always do 2 things:

I pick two favorite pictures to print. One is always a 5×7 with a border that includes location and year. The second is a 4×6. Both are framed and added to my collection. I have no order for the display but always line up the 2 shots (4x6s are on one side, matching 5x7s are on the other). I also maintain one a blank frame, and this is my personal reminder that there are more places to travel.

I also create a photo flipbook. These are only about 20 pages and include the story of the trip in chronological order. This is typically easy to do as I have already have our travel itinerary. I also add personal notes in a small notebook I always pack. It’s not all about being OCD though! I always include a section of photo mistakes and goofy shots. We have a book for each vacation we’ve taken since 2013. They are fun ways to share the trip with others and serve as great reminders when I select a location to be included in a book!

So, what are your favorite travel tips? Send them my way and I just may include them in a future newsletter!

As already mentioned, I do already have plans for short pieces and guest posts on several #RahkiWorld subjects like military service, art, working out, etc. However, I also want to ask about what you’d like to see. Did The Rahki Chronicles inspire you in some way? What stands out to you as a Rahki subject we should cover? Always feel free to contact me with your thoughts!

Have a wonderful day, my friends!

-RSJ