{"id":1,"name":"mchurc001","url":"http:\/\/beyondchurchstreet.com","description":"Hi, Mary here!  Mary Church that is\u2014and I am Livingmybestlife\u2764.   I love to travel!  If you\u2019ve tuned in, so do you.  Thought I\u2019d give a try to the travel blogging scene to see what unfolds for you and me.  I\u2019m hopeful to find a fresh new way to bring about travel excitement, interesting pictures that tell a story, and do this without having any experience in writing to an audience or knowing photography out of the auto mode of my camera.  The challenge is real!  But still I wish to give it a try.  One of my favorite sayings in dealing with uncharted waters, \u201cit\u2019s not brain surgery.\u201d So, off I go\u2014hopeful to attract an audience of readers that enjoy my style of creativity. \r\n\r\nI am a retired Federal government employee of 38 years (2012) and a widow of 15+ years.  Travel is one of my passions and in my DNA!  I\u2019ve traveled to nearly every state in the US, three continents, and 22 countries around the world.  \r\n\r\nI am not a full time around the clock traveler, as it would appear to be a prerequisite to this forum, but rather a couple of big trips a year kind-of-lady with a sprinkling of a small trip here and there.  What do I consider a BIG trip?  I think of it as it relates to cost\u2014many thousands of dollars.  Comparatively, a small trip\u2014not so that it breaks the bank.  For this reason, I thought there maybe interest with travelers being in the same situation as I.  Let\u2019s face it, we all can\u2019t quit our jobs to be a wanderlust just because we want to.  I\u2019m retired, so time isn\u2019t my issue, but not having enough funds to circumscribe the globe is the reality for most and I\u2019m included.\r\n\r\nSo what do I have to offer?  Possibly nothing, perhaps something!  I\u2019ve just decided to throw caution to the wind and see if I land in someone\u2019s browser.\r\n\r\nLook for\u2026\r\n\r\nStory telling through photos.  Added, some basic need-to-knows, interviews with a travel addict I know, and a sprinkling of how-to\u2019s.\r\n\r\nTraveling solo\u2026\r\n\r\nShould you or shouldn\u2019t you? Providing ideas, hints, tips, and suggestions from my lessons learned so you can be a little less stressed and a bit better prepared.\r\n\r\nDestinations\u2026\r\n\r\nI really love wildlife, adventure, and adrenaline thrills, so much of my travel choices that offer action, gets top billing. I\u2019m not minimizing trips that don\u2019t offer adventure, they\u2019re just not at the top of my list.   \r\n\r\nDiscussions on destination choice, prep work, transportation, packing, and a host of other task in preparing for the journey.\r\n\r\nFollow me to living life in a perpetual state of awe\u2026\u2026.","link":"https:\/\/www.beyondchurchstreet.com\/?author=1","slug":"mchurc001","avatar_urls":{"24":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/887706a0dac607dca83ecfd350378c9a011356925ce9d6386d4014eb76f8b928?s=24&d=mm&r=g","48":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/887706a0dac607dca83ecfd350378c9a011356925ce9d6386d4014eb76f8b928?s=48&d=mm&r=g","96":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/887706a0dac607dca83ecfd350378c9a011356925ce9d6386d4014eb76f8b928?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"meta":{"jetpack_donation_warning_dismissed":false},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondchurchstreet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beyondchurchstreet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users"}]}}