moneyburns

As of March 1, my design and landscape biz is no more...I sold it and with it I decided my old user name (Flowerpower) had to be retired. No more flowers now; just burning money with travel plans!
Hence moneyburns..

But happy to say my Sept. E/Africa trip is booked...and thank you all for the invaluable advice - so much great advice that I had a difficult time choosing. If you remember I was trying to move around way too much.

In the end, we decided to stay at Ol Malo in Laikipia for 3 nights; fly to Mara and spend 7 nights at Serian - 4 at Ngare, 2 at Mobile and one back at Serian. Twaffle's recent trip report really excited me about the entire camp: the guides, tents, animal sightings, etc.

We will spend a night in AMS before and a night in AMS on return; it just worked out getting us direct to our city by doing so and giving us a bit of room to stretch our legs before immersing ourselves in the safari.

In Nairobi we are staying at Macushula house with whom I've had plenty of emails, so I think they know how to arrange anything one needs to do or see in Nairobi without paying tour op costs. (Can't burn all my money - I will need to see my adopted eiie and perhaps drop a few bucks off for her)
In addition after spending 7 days with a guide and tracker I would want to have plenty to leave with them, especially if they are as good as I hear they are!

And before we head to our fabulous East Africa safari, we are going to burn a few dollars in Paris for two weeks in May!

Ah, retirement........

Thanks again for all the help to me and to everyone who comes along with just a simple, " I'm going to ______; can anyone help?"

All the best!
moneyburns...

fast!

twaffle

Wonderful choices, both with the safari and the new name! Have a great trip, remember we will all be travelling with you via your trip report in due course.....

stamiya

Hi, Moneyburns (great monicker!)

We'll be in Nairobi in Sept. also, and are planning a visit to the elies we've adopted at Sheldrick Orphanage. How are you arranging your visit with them? We only have an afternoon and 1 night, leaving the next day for the Mara, so we don't really want a tour or anything. Thanks,

Sharon

Patty

Like the new screen name. Have a great time!

moneyburns

Thanks all! New life, New name - kind of fun....

Twaffle, I dont think I'll ever be able to write a trip report of your calibre, but you can be sure after all the help I've received from this forum I will write in detail my experience. I only hope to share a part of what you were so fortunate to witness

Stamlya - If you are staying in Nairobi in a hotel perhaps, just have them call you a taxi.

From what I know (Sheldrick is on Facebook in case you did not know and it is wonderful!) you email or call them with the NAME of your adopted one; and show up at 5pm for the feeding. You get maybe 45 min to an hour I believe. So you'll have time to see them and be on your way...no tour needed!
Just make sure to email them your date, or even ask them on facebook if you feel like it. I wrote to them and they sent me very nice notes.

. If you have emailed them when you are coming, they will be expecting you. There is a wonderful message via video on Facebook right now with Dame Sheldrick expressing her thanks in these difficult times for those who are still supporting their efforts. They now have more orphans than they have ever had in their history, and once you see it you will adopt more!

Thanks Patty...I don't get to travel like you and Mark, but I follow your adventures with great interest and ENVY!
Now that I will have more time (as landscaping is 24/7 these days) I plan on seeing the world I've missed. I booked so many trips in the past that were rudely cancelled because of someone's catastrophe in their yard (don't get me wrong, it paid bills!) but so nice to be free!

By the way, MONEY is part of my name! I just combined it with what I've been doing lately with the travel fund.

Thanks everyone for even commenting. The Fodors family is so welcoming to newbies, and such a support group once you join.

Happy Travels to all,

Moneyburns

moneyburns

Oh Sharon, sorry, I meant to ask you when in September? We may cross paths - we are going to Sheldrick Sept. 25th.
Arriving Sept. l4, leaving the 26th -
where will you be?

If you want to share your itinerary we'd love to see it,
Moneyburns

NoFlyZone

Congrats, Moneyburns!

We just sold our last business on 5 Feb and as of yesterday are officially retired, too.

Looking forward to seeing you at some beach bar!

atravelynn

Congrats! Happy Travels!

Leely2

And here I thought you were a hippie! Congratulations and enjoy burning that money. Figuratively, please, we don't want too much additional ozone damage.

moneyburns

Thanks yall- I've always thought I was a throwback to 60's; 70's but after all these years I decided to grow up and retire.
No burbs for me though; just get on the road (or skies) and go.......
At least in Africa, I'll be backpackin'
just like I did 40 some years ago.

Exciting, yet scary...NoFlyZone - no paycheck, yikes. Happy travels to you too...anywhere planned soon?

I always thought we'd retire to a beach somewhere,but the places we really love are not on beaches! So I'll just visit you when you find your hut on that fine white powder. Power up that blender!

Moneyburns

NoFlyZone

Actually, I don't do beaches much (rarely?) but it fit nicely into the sentiment.

June: odd train/ferry trip to Winnipeg, Jasper, Prince Rupert, Skagway and Whitehorse.

Then a road circumnavigation of Lake Michigan.

And unknown yet in September although Iceland, Sicily and the Balkans are in contention.

Possibly back to Seychelles and/or Mauritius in December.

You?

moneyburns

Well NFZ, you are quite farther along than me in your travel planning.

I managed to get 2 weeks in France and 2 weeks in AFrica - one week in Barbados - family thing; already been there and would not be my first choice for an island vacay (don't get me wrong; it is quite lovely) but not my ideal for an island. My grandmother was born there and 8 of us cousins are going to see her homeplace; meet some family, etc. So that should be fun; but for an island in the Carribbean we are more Bequia types - low key, very few hotels, lots of sailing.

SO..I got my work cut out for me don't I. DH wants to get to Asia, so maybe I'l check into that; many places in Europe to explore and of course New Zealand has always been a fascinating place for me. Whew, where to get the time and money to burn!

I love Africa (been once) and could probably find many more places to explore while there. I am just starting this voyage in life, so who knows where it will take us No matter, part of the fun is reading about everyone's trips on the forum. It is such great escapism!

Happy Travels,

MB

PS- Leely - I believe I read an old report of yours on the Lot and Dordogne in France, correct? We will be there also. And aren't you going to E/Africa Aug or Sept? Maybe we'll see each other at a crossing! I will look for you among the hundreds that will be there!
Atravelynn too I think. We should gather for a sundowner.

stamiya

Moneyburns,

Thanks for the info re: Sheldricks on facebook - I'll check it out. We fostered 4 of those little babies, just couldn't resist them! We will be in Nairobi on the 8th of Sept., so our paths won't cross there. I'm posting my itinerary separately, so that I can thank everyone on this board who has contributed so much to helping us put this trip together. Maybe we'll cross paths somewhere else in Africa, or somewhere else in the world since we all seem to be inveterate travelers

Leely2

Moneyburns, you will love the Dordogne/Lot. So beautiful and relaxing. Unfortunately we'll miss each other by a couple months in Kenya. I'm going in June (yay!).