Alaskan Cruise 2023, Part 3

September 7, 2023 Brian Gondek 0

The cruise is over. It’s a bit sad to be finished with the longest vacation I’ve taken in almost a decade (1.5 weeks) but in many ways, it’s also good to be back. The last two days of the cruise covered Ketchikan and a day at sea.

Alaskan Cruise 2023, Part 1

September 1, 2023 Brian Gondek 0

I’m on day three of my Alaska cruise, and I couldn’t be happier. The greatest vacations are the ones on which you truly lose track of time, and I can successfully declare that I barely know what day it is. I can report back a little bit about the journey thus far.

Alaska: The Return

August 28, 2023 Brian Gondek 0

PuzzleDrifter started because of Alaska. At the time I created the site, I was already about two thirds of the way through my 50 state adventure. I sat in the library aboard the Celebrity Millennium to write my first few posts while cruising the Inside Passage, and I published them a few days later after getting back to a place with wifi.

Florida 2023

June 25, 2023 Brian Gondek 0

This is going to be a very quick and simple post, but I’ve got a big update on my little trip to Florida!

Upcoming Travels: 2023 Edition

June 7, 2023 Brian Gondek 0

As an escape room enthusiast, it’s a bit of a sore spot for me to only have played one game in the TERPECA top 100 ranking. Only 17 of the most recent year’s winners are in the US, and the only one I’ve played has been Cutthroat Cavern in Baton Rouge (US #2). This year I have a chance to rectify that.

The Carolinas: Day 2

May 24, 2023 Brian Gondek 0

Day two of my trip to North Carolina started with a simple objective- go west as early as possible. I didn’t have any concrete plans for the day, but I knew my list of to-dos was long compared to the time I had available, so an early start was imperative.

The Carolinas: Day 1

May 10, 2023 Brian Gondek 0

A day before my trip to Charlotte, I didn’t have a plan. I had only just confirmed that Christina (my wife) would not be available at any point on the trip to do anything with me. I had to leave home at 5:30 AM to catch my flight to Charlotte, and the night before I didn’t get home until 10 after staying out to grab dinner with a traveling vendor. I hadn’t packed yet.

United Basic Economy – Ouch!

April 30, 2023 Brian Gondek 0

For the first time in about five years, I returned to North and South Carolina. The trip was amazing- but more on that later! First I need to share my experience flying to and from Charlotte, since it was quite an unusual experience. The short version: avoid flying United Basic Economy!