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Awakened Voyages's avatar

Great interview! enjoyed learning more about Jen and getting inspiration from her tips!

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Jen Belcher (Travel & Books)'s avatar

Awww, thank you! :)

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Janice | Travel & Photography's avatar

Totally agree, Jen has so many fantastic tips and stories. Thanks for being my first interviewee Jen!

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Stina Gustafsson's avatar

Thank you!! Loved the read!!!

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Mark Canada, Ph.D.'s avatar

Thanks to both of you for this insightful interview. My wife and I have traveled quite a bit, and I still found the interview enlightening. As it so happens, we are in Italy with our daughter as I’m writing this comment. We came here to shoot video for our first “Moving Experiences” virtual tour (a new feature on our Mind Inclined Substack). Italy is indeed a wonderful destination! Here’s an idea I didn’t see in the interview: a transatlantic cruise. The cost is not outrageous, and the travel experience definitely beats a long overnight flight in a cramped space. We cruised on the Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 and enjoyed substantial meals, on-board lectures and entertainment, room to walk, and, of course, real beds! You will have plenty of time to read. There’s even a very nice, well-stocked library on board the ship. If you want to know more, please send me a DM.

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Jen Belcher (Travel & Books)'s avatar

I've researched a lot about the Queen Mary as of late as I'm looking into ways to bring my dog to the UK- and it's one of the ways you can do that. I've heard lovely things about it. Thank you so much for your sweet words and I'll check out your work. ❤️

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Mark Canada, Ph.D.'s avatar

Oh, one more thing! If you do drop by Mind Inclined (I would be honored), I recommend a couple of posts I wrote back in the fall: “Cafe Culture: Writers in Paris” (https://open.substack.com/pub/mindinclined/p/cafe-culture-writers-in-paris?r=44ohic&utm_medium=ios) and “The Magic of Belief” (https://open.substack.com/pub/mindinclined/p/an-immersive-experience?r=44ohic&utm_medium=ios) because they both have travel connections. All the best, Mark

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Mark Canada, Ph.D.'s avatar

You’re welcome, Jen. We don’t have any pets, so I haven’t paid a lot of attention to that aspect of Cunard, but I do recall seeing a section devoted to pets. I think you will like Cunard. We have a soft spot for Oceania and Princess, but this ship is very nice, and I have enjoyed some lovely classical music and some interesting lectures. The cabins are elegant and comfortable. Our daughter enjoyed the nightlife (not my thing). The only real downside is the weather (not Cunard’s fault, of course); the temps at this time of year are not particularly pleasant, and the wind is pretty strong. Still, plenty of people (including me) have braved the cold and the gusts for walks on the promenade. I hope you get to experience it!

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Mark Canada, Ph.D.'s avatar

You’re welcome! It’s a good idea to start small. For what it’s worth, my wife and I have cruised with several lines. Two of our favorites are Oceania and Princess. My wife finds great deals on Vacations to Go. I wish you success with your travels and your Substack.

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Janice | Travel & Photography's avatar

Thanks for the tip. I did my first (short) cruise this year and it's definitely a different experience, I will have to check out what a transatlantic cruise would be like the next time I'm up for a cruise.

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