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Planning My Dream Trip to East Africa: Tanzania and Kenya

**Introduction** There's an exhilarating feeling that comes with planning an adventure, especially one that takes you to the stunning landscapes of East Africa. As I gear up for my trip to Tanzania and Kenya, I wanted to share my preparations, from utilizing travel points to arranging my accommodations and ensuring all the necessary health precautions are in place. **Making the Most of Travel Points** One of the first steps in planning my trip was figuring out how to make my airfare as affordable as possible. With my Citi card and Capital One points at my disposal, I dove into the world of travel hacking. After some research and a few calls with customer service, I managed to secure my flights to Tanzania and Kenya using my accumulated points. It felt incredibly satisfying to know that my diligent point-collecting efforts were finally paying off. **Health Precautions: Yellow Fever Vaccine and More** Traveling to East Africa requires some essential health precautions. A top priority...
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Solo Adventure Down Under: Discovering Australia

**Introduction** Australia had always been on my travel bucket list, and this year I finally took the plunge into the land of kangaroos and breathtaking landscapes. Armed with Marriott free night certificates and Hilton hotel points, I booked my airfare and accommodations, adding a touch of luxury to my journey. From flying business class to experiencing the wonders of Australia, every moment was an adventure. Here's a glimpse into my unforgettable solo trip. **Luxurious Beginnings: Business Class Travel** Traveling in business class set the tone for an incredible journey. The comfort, gourmet meals, and exceptional service made the long flights feel like a breeze. It was the perfect way to start and end my adventure, ensuring I arrived well-rested and ready to explore. **First Stop: Nadi, Fiji** Before reaching Australia, I made a stop in Nadi, Fiji, using my Hilton hotel points for a delightful stay. The tropical paradise offered a serene break, allowing me to unwind and prepare ...
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Punta Cana in January

 I visited Punta Cana and stayed at the Bahia Turquesa. Overall, the weather was wonderful. It rained for a few hours at night which thwarted my dinner plans.  Overall the visit was great.  I did several excursions - Parasailing ($53 USD) - Scuba Doo ($70 USD) and free snorkeling - Bike tour - free on the resort Snorkeling was cool. Very much like Scuba Doo. I got to see fish and be underwater and take cool photos. I realized while this is a fun adventure, it's not the adventure of a lifetime for me. By this I mean I was looking into snorkeling The Great Barrier Reef because another blogger made it sound cool. If it were more convenient, it would be an easier yes. But given that it's an additional $1k to add it to my future trip to Australia, I think I'll pass. I'm glad so far I don't seem to have gotten sick from sharing snorkeling gear.  I did get airsick on the flight back from Atlanta. No bueno! I did not eat nearly as much plantain as I wanted, but I did get to...
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End of Year Updates

  Hi, friends! Remember me? I never thought it would happen but I am starting to fall off the blogosphere. Because I'm medicated and living life. My feelings just don't bubble up as much and need an outlet.  So ... Work - I'm done for the year. Not only does it feel good to be done with a calendar year, but it also means I get 2 free paychecks with a low-risk of getting fired! Yay. I have to say, there is always a looming thought that I'll do something to make me lose my job. Even with my hefty FIRE safety net.  Life - I am loving life in Newtown. Yesterday there was a bit of racial ickiness that reminded me of Oldtown, but I am working past it. I do wish I could say or do more in the moment. Other than that, I have lunch to go to later and tomorrow is a Christmas party. I have a kid I tutor this afternoon which is nice. And then I'll make some returns to OldNavy. I bought a puffy coat and scarf and a fleece. I didn't hem and haw and just bought them during the ...
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Sunday Morning Check-In

 Woke up to try to get a Sunday p.m. therapy appointment. Not quite sure why I was dragging my feet. On this and similar things. I think I didn't want to need it. But it would've been nice. Oh well. She's not available until Tuesday a.m. Looks like her Mondays aren't till evening as well. Still trying to figure out what I want. Wahhh. I was hoping that the air purifier would give me confidence to stay and go on my vacation, but the smell magically got a lot worse yesterday. I could smell it outside the apartment when I came back from a night out.  But as I was driving, I kind of resolved to stay. Pet smell never killed anyone right? So what if I swallow some dog hair.  I was all geared up to just deal with it, but this morning is a different story. I keep trying to solve it.  I guess we'll see if my mood changes tomorrow. The big issue is planning my trip.  Whoops! Just remembered I needed to cancel my trip. I was hoping to just rebook but apparently I'm too clo...
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Welcome

 I live here now! Just like that. Spent another morning running errands online. The apartment smells like urine. I've sprayed the floors with bleach 3 times now. Today, I'm going out to get some other urine killer. Then I don't know. I guess just daily bleach spraying. I've been sitting around with a face covering. I hope to have things moved in before my trip on Sunday. Oh well. I miss my Landing apartments. But happily, they already automatically refunded my prorated rent for the month. I didn't even have to follow-up. Once I do my cleaning and setting up, I think I will feel more comfortable. Don't have much to do the rest of the afternoon. Have a 5p social event, and the cleaners are coming a third time but not for anything that makes that much difference to me. I really want this smell gone. Then I'm going to use some scrubbing bubbles on the shower and take a shower.  Then I'm just going to start unpacking. I think once the cleaners come, I get a n...
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