Intuitive International Travel: Follow Your Intuition All Over the World
Letter #12 from The Intuitive Queen of The Intuition Empire (aka Jennifer R. Young)
My Dear Intuitive Readers,
Well, I’ve been slacking. I missed last week. I haven’t been feeling my best. Been fighting a headache on and off that just won’t give up. But this is a free blog people and good things come to those who wait! So, please forgive my absence.
Let’s talk intuitive international travel. Maybe you have already left the country and you want to explore even more. Or maybe you have never left the country. And for some, you may even feel with the cost of things, that international travel is out of the question for the time being.
I say, never give up: manifest it my friends!
Growing up in a single parent household and being a single parent myself (for 7 years when my oldest was little—and for the last 10 years of my younger sons’ lives), I never imagined that international travel would be a big part of my life.
That said, I’ve been to 16 countries outside of the USA!
How? To be honest, a lot of it involved a combination of manifestation and just following my intuition.
I did not grow up a wealthy person. But I worked hard and prioritized exploring as much of the world as I could when the opportunity arose. Sometimes, just one decision that I made—answering that intuitive voice within—led me to experience the greatest adventures of all!
It's the beginning of the year and a lot of people take this time to plan ahead for trips for the year. Whether it be spring break, a summer getaway, or a last minute weekend getaway, all traveling takes planning. When you are researching your next getaway, why not add a new tool to your toolbox? Yes search engines and travel guides are great, but in my opinion there is nothing better than letting your intuition be your guide when planning your trip.
This week I'll talk about two instances when my intuition led me to and around some international spots. Next week, I'll look at using your intuition for national travel here in the USA.
So, sit back, relax and buckle up. Time to travel around the world intuitively together. Shall we take a trip on the Intuition Highway?
From a trip to Stanley, Virginia, to Malaga, Spain, and Tangier, Morocco in Africa: All Thanks to my Intuition!
How in the world did I go from Stanley, Virginia, to Malaga, Spain, to Tangier, Morocco in Africa? Well, what can I say. Because of my intuition, it’s all connected in the life of The Intuitive Queen!
So in the fall of 2001, I was living with my son Colin in Fairfax, Virginia. I had a free weekend the week before Thanksgiving. I had planned on staying home and get ready for my trip to go see my mom in New York for the holiday. My friend Yvonne and her husband Ronnie, who owned a Bed and Breakfast in Stanley, Virginia, at the time, invited me to stay for the weekend. They told me that their friend, Sue, (a medium and an author) who was visiting from England, would be there working on her book for the weekend.
I almost said no. I didn't know Sue and I wasn't really up for a social weekend. But my intuition kept pushing me to go to their bed and breakfest. So, I went. Over the weekend, I became friends with Sue and we have kept in touch for 24 years now.
Fifteen years later, in 2016, I was living with my younger sons in Charles Town, West Virginia. Sue emailed me and a group of her other friends saying that their timeshare in Spain (Benalmadena, outside of Malaga on the Southern Coast of Spain) was available for a week that summer. I had lived in England for six months in 1994 but I had not been back to Europe since. Plus, I had always regretted not visiting Spain. I was tempted. The cost was cheaper than a week in Florida; the only big expense was the flight! My intuition was telling me to pack my bags!
I had taken five years of Spanish in high school but I remembered very little. Regardless, I felt drawn to seize the day and just go. So my boyfriend at the time and I booked our flights and off to Spain we went!
What unfolded was a trip of a lifetime! The beautiful southern coast of Spain was such an amazing sight to behold. The bright blue water and the long beaches; a cable car up to the highest point of the city; beautiful parks, little shops, and restaurants galore.
My boyfriend was content to stay at the condo and go to the beach or wander around Benalmadena. I, however, kept being called to wander outside of the city. I convinced him, finally, to first book two tours: one to Granada, one to Seville.
Granada was the home to Alhambra, a palace and fortress of the Moorish monarchs that overlooks the city. It is resplendent with gorgeous fountains, flowers, and walkways. It also has a plethora of architectural styles. There are enormous towers, characteristic delicate pillars, fabulously ornate windows, impressive tile work, stunning stucco walls, and spectacular fountains and reflecting pools. A day wasn't enough; I didn't want to leave!
Seville was peaceful and beautiful. My favorite spot that we toured was the Plaza de Espana. There was a lovely moat with four bridges, representing the kingdoms of Spain. There are tiled alcoves around the circular plaza. Each has a painted tiles representing a province of Spain. The buildings in the park are used for government agencies. It was used as an episode for Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) and also for Lawrence of Arabia (1962).
I tried to be satisfied with the two tours we went on. But I looked at a map of where we were and I realized just how close we were to the Strait of Gibraltar. The tour companies offered tours of Tangiers, Morocco, in Africa! It was only a short ferry ride over from the tip of Spain. For days, I spoke of the importance of us going to Morocco. If we had come all the way from West Virginia to Spain, why not go a little further to Africa? Besides, I had a strong feeling that if we didn't go then, it would be a long time before we'd ever safely get the chance to go to Morocco.
I had studied African history in college and actually had enough credits to make it my second minor. I had always wanted to go to Africa. So, after much convincing and persuading, we signed up.
Suddenly, after a few hours long bus drive, I was drinking a very small cappuccino and on a ferry going over the Strait of Gibraltar to Tangiers, Morocco! The street signs were all in Arabic. The architecture, while similar to the Moorish style of Alhambra, was stunning. We passed a snake charmer on the streets. We stopped with the tour to ride camels.
We paused at the point where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean (Cap Spartel) and then visited Hercules Castle. We walked all through the Kasbah, an outdoor narrow old part of the city. It was one of the most unusual and memorable trips of my life.
The following year, I started reading of more dangers in North Africa; reports of terrorist activity. I felt terribly sad about that. However, I closed my eyes and thanked God, that I had gone when I felt safe, and when I had the chance before that area became out of reach.
Sicilian Tales: My Intuition Led Me to the World’s Best Sandwich & Gluten Free Potato Delicacy & Cats on The Rocks
Six years after my Spain and Moroccan adventure, I was living in Lewes, Delaware, with my two youngest sons and their dad. Earlier that year, I'd spent my work bonus on a flight for the four of us to go on vacation. But, we had cancelled it due to the boys' school schedules.
That fall, I was determined to spend our flight vouchers over the Thanksgiving holiday before they expired.
Suddenly had an intuitive thought: "I bet the vouchers will cover a flight to Sicily for all 4 of us!"
I looked it up and sure enough, I was right! I had not gone to Italy since 1994 and had never been to Sicily. My sons are 25% Sicilian and have always wanted to go. Thus, we ended up spending Thanksgiving week in Palermo!
Once I was there, I let me intuition be my guide. I love opera. I discovered that the Opera House (Teatro Massimo, the third largest opera house in Europe) was playing a collection of opera songs during our stay. There were two box seats left in two different boxes for a total of four seats. Unfortunately, this was the same time the local soccer team (Palermo Football Club) was playing. I dressed for the opera and told my sons and their dad to go to the game and meet me at the opera.
I just had a feeling I should go to dinner alone before the game. It ended up to be pouring rain that night and boy was I grateful I didn't go to the game in a red dress and heels and sit in the rain before the opera! I was also grateful for my taxi driver. I went to dinner alone at the Opera House.
In my very dodgy sounding Italian, I somehow explained to my waiter that I was gluten free. The chef came out and helped me order a gluten free prosciutto and mozzarella sandwich--on freshly baked gluten free bread!
I am not lying when I tell you that it was the most delicious sandwich of my life. I am not like the foody Instagram folks who always post pics of their food. However, I made an exception for this sandwich as I want to always remember it! Ha. I ate dinner and struck up a conversation with an IT trainer from Denmark who was there for a conference and also dining alone. I helped her order and we enjoyed a cappuccino.
That week, I took time to walk alone through the streets of Palermo while the boys and their dad were looking for souvenirs. I followed my intuition to a small store selling gluten free food made out of potatoes. I ordered and it was amazing! I have a picture of the potato snack and one of me standing by the store.
Later that day, we walked down to the harbor in Palermo and saw the most beautiful feral cats living amidst the rocks by the harbor. They were so hungry! The boys commented wishing they had food to give the hungry, crying cats.
Of course, I smiled and reached inside my purse to pull out half of my potato snack that I had saved. We had the best time feeding those cats and watching the ships sail by in the famous bay.
I didn't only follow my intuition to Sicily, but I also followed it all over the area when we were there. The tales are endless. Sometimes the best trips are not the ones you go on based on research or other people's recommendations. The really fulfilling ones are the ones where you just follow that voice within.
Until next week my friends.
Love,
The Intuitive Queen (Jenn 2.0, Fully Oxygenated)
This week, I listened to the following songs while I wrote this blog:
- "She works Hard for the Money," By Donna Summer
- "Con the partirò (Time to Say Goodbye,)" by Andrea Bocelli with Sarah Brightman
- "At Last," by Etta James
