1. This is called Drive Me, and you find the headquarters in Barcelona, Spain. There are thousands of things to see and do in Barcelona, and I can't believe I'm singling any one of them out. The last thing you will ever be in that city is bored. However, there are few places on Earth where you can rent a classic supercar. Drive Me has any and all experiences for any driver. You can take a test drive for 10 minutes or hire the entire fleet for an event. You can take tours of the countryside or the city. You can participate in track days. It does cost. That's for sure, but it's an experience you'll never forget. So, if you have some extra money and time in Barcelona, check it out.
https://www.drivemebarcelona.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@Drivemebarcelona
https://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to-do/barcelona-spain/places
2. Go visit a really old fort. I don't care if you're in India and the Middle East where some of the most famous forts in the world are, or if you're in my neighborhood in New England; visiting an old fort is a great experience. You learn about history, both general and local. But, my favorite part is the view. Forts were designed so that early armies could see the enemy coming. They were created with a view. Here in New England, most of them are free to visit. Some of them are in fine shape and some are dilapidated; but they're all interesting and they all have great views. Don't overlook these places when visiting the areas they're in.
https://newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/six-revolutionary-forts/
https://ctvisit.com/articles/connecticut-forts-fortresses
https://interestingengineering.com/culture/21-of-the-great-fortresses-around-the-world
https://archive.curbed.com/2016/11/16/13586980/castle-architecture-star-forts
https://archaeology-travel.com/fortresses-castles-palaces/
3. Fort Kotor, Spiljari, Montenegro. Some of you may not even have heard of Montenegro. It's a tiny country that emerged from the former Yugoslavia. We don't hear a lot about it these days, since it's far more trendy to visit Croatia. However, Montenegro is both a beautiful country on its own, and a great side trip from Croatia, Serbia, Herzegovina or Slovenia. One of the amazing things about this fort, is that it's a town with many sections of old fort. It's enormous for a fort. There are fortified walls, there's a St. John's Fortress and even a San Giovanni's Castle. There's a lot to see and great views from it all. This is why I mentioned this one separately. Because it's a hidden gem. Just be aware, there's a lot of walking involved in this attraction. Up and down and back and forth, so be prepared.
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/montenegro/coastal-montenegro/kotor
https://www.carryonchronicles.com/kotor-fortress/
https://www.theoutbound.com/montenegro/hiking/hike-up-to-kotor-fortress
https://www.montenegro.travel/en
4. Visiting an olive oil production plant in North Cyprus. That's right, I said it. Most of us don't know a whole lot about Cyprus, except that it's an Island in the East Mediterranean with a bit of a checkered past. In fact, there's a wall right down the middle of it, dividing it between Greece and Turkey. The part known as North Cyprus is Turkish and not even recognized or maybe even legal as a port of entry to the island nation. This destination is known for its beaches, surfing, and quirky venues, but in the north, they make olive oil. Now, you wouldn't think about it much given that it's warm, dry, and Turkish, but they produce some amazing olive oil, and you can easily tour a facility. They do produce olive oil in the south as well, and some even produce right on the wall that separates the island, but in the north it's exotic and traditional, hence why I say you should visit. So, if you happen to be in North Cyprus and looking for something off the beaten path to do, stop off and see how they make olive oil the old fashioned way.
https://www.oleastro.com.cy/en/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lWEe4NaPbA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC7H5pRKaD4
5. Back to budget airlines. I traveled on Breeze last fall and found out that it was just fine. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not bleeding excess money, so I decided that it was time to check some of these airlines out. They may charge for every little thing separately, they may not have fancy meals and may seem basic, but that's okay. When I travel, I can entertain myself. I can bring snacks. I'm capable of passing time without expecting someone else to entertain me. So, I've been trying out some of these budget airlines and I'm not done yet. I think I'll try some more.
Recently, I went to Iceland to see the Northern Lights and I took Play airlines out of Logan International in Boston. I have to say, Play is a bit hit and miss. On the way there we had USB ports to charge devices, and the Wi-Fi wasn't bad. But on the way back we had an older plane and really had none of that. So, be prepared. Charge up your devices before you go just in case. The planes were comfortable, the staff in the cabins were great. The available food and drink was reasonably priced for an airline and all was good. But, there was a little something that disturbed me. We had to wait for a delayed connecting flight before we left Keflavik International to fly home and that was fine. The problem I had was that no one told us. So, if they can get their communications in order, they'd be great.
Would I fly Play again? I think I would. The price is right, the flights are comfortable, and the flight attendants are great. I'm a budget traveler, and I mostly enjoyed my flights with them. So, before you book an expensive flight, think about what you really need and where you'd like to spend your money on your next trip. I'll keep you updated as I use these different budget airlines and let you know if I find one that I wouldn't fly.
https://www.flybreeze.com/home
So, there you have it. Hope this gives you some ideas and tells you a little bit of what I know about budget airlines. There's so much to see and do out there that I can't imagine you wanting to spend too much on getting there. So, check out a budget airline to get you to a great place where you can enjoy the history, food and landscape of a far away exotic port. Save your money to rent a supercar along the way and enjoy!
