Footloose & Rabies Free

Hi, my name is Katrina. I'm a little bit crazy and 100% weird, but I promise I don't have rabies.* 

No, really. I don't.

***

My favorite city

If I haven't scared you away yet, welcome! As a new co-host of the #TravelTuesday link-up, I thought it the perfect opportunity to (re)introduce myself to the travel blogging community and showcase a little bit of what you'll find scribbled here at the Villainous Viking's Vacations The Thrifty Gypsy's Travels (TGT). I've been writing about our backyard adventures and international travels for over two years now. Buried in these archives, you'll find everything from tips on how to find (and not spill) the best gelato in Europe, excited accounts of bumping into celebs at random historic sites, and some self-deprecating "uh-oh" moments like when I threw pizza on the floor or elbowed an unsuspecting waiter in the groin in Italy. Yeah, that happened.

In addition to those amusing tall tales, you'll find more serious and grown-up discussions regarding the nuts and bolts of traveling: how to budget, how to find a hotel, how to plan the "perfect" itinerary, etc. As the name of the blog suggests, you don't have to have a Godzilla-sized budget in order to travel. I'm living proof that you can travel even when working a low paying job and/or your husband is going through a period of unemployment.

Cookin' up trouble in Pompeii

And speaking of husbands... throughout this whole traveling-and-blogging-about-it experience, I have been accompanied by my hunky and ever patient hubby, Danny, who has witnessed and preserved my most embarrassing travel moments with some of the best photographs money couldn't buy. We've been married for nearly six years, and just within the past few months, we began the biggest adventure of all: becoming the proud parents of a baby girl. Forgive my bias, but she's pretty much the most beautiful tiny human in the world. I'd post pictures of her, but she'd break the internet with her adorable little face.

The four-legged member of our motley crew, Dixie Doodle Darlin', joins our adventures close to home, shedding her hair across the U.S. (and all over my car) and risking emergency visits to the veterinarian with every crab she attempts to lick.

Adventures of the #SaltPupLife

A photo posted by Thrifty Gypsy's Travels (@thriftygypsytravels) on Aug 22, 2015 at 2:38pm PDT

So thanks for stopping by! I look forward to rubbing elbows with you and swapping some good travel stories over these next few months with #TravelTuesday.

Let's break the ice! What famous person (dead or alive) would you want to travel the world with for a year and why?

Want more Thrifty Gypsy? Follow me!

Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

*Funny story, but I actually have gone through the series of rabies shots thanks to an unfortunate encounter with a winged fiend in my college apartment shortly before my 21st birthday. That makes me the closest thing to Batman in my circle of friends. #NowYouKnow

***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***  ***   ***   ***   ***

After years of hosting the #TravelTuesday link-up, Bonnie has decided to step away from her position as host. Please join us in thanking her for her contributions over the years and wishing her all the best in her endeavors!

With Bonnie’s departure, the current co-hosts of #TravelTuesday - Diana, Rachel, and Katrina – have just one question for you…

Do YOU Want To Be The Next #TravelTuesday Host?!

We’re looking for the next travel crazy, social media savvy, bigger-than-life personality to become the new host and new face of the #TravelTuesday link-up! Nominations for yourself or others will be accepted today, May 3rd, through Sunday, May 15th. A shortlist of nominees will be announced on Tuesday, May 17th, and a vote will open for all to participate in selecting a new host!

Minimum #TravelTuesday Host Requirements:

1. Love TRAVEL and have had an active blog for at least six months.

2. Be awesome (goes without saying, right?).

3. Able to commit to at least a year of being the anchor host. General responsibilities include: the generation of the link-up, promoting the link-up and participants on social media, and in all respects being the face and personality of the #TravelTuesday link-up.

4. Facilitate the nomination and rotation of co-hosts every three months as in the past.

5. If at the end of the year you are unable or unwilling to continue being the anchor host, you will be required to reopen the nomination and voting process of a new anchor host.

Please send your nominations along with a brief explanation as to why you would be a great #TravelTuesday anchor host to any of the three co-hosts listed below before Sunday, May 15th:

Diana: dianadegzz (at) gmail.com

Rachel: anestingnomad (at) gmail.com

Katrina: thriftygypsytravels (at) gmail.com

***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***   ***  ***   ***   ***   ***

<div align="center"> <a href="http://www.thriftygypsytravels.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Travel Tuesday Link up and new Host search" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1463/26711672311_9faea7c3b2_z.jpg" height="250" width="300"/></a><br /><a href="http://www.dianaelleblog.com/" title="Diana Elle Blog, Travel Tuesday Co-Host" target="_blank">Diana</a>, <a href="http://www.thriftygypsytravels.com/" title="The Thrifty Gypsy's Travels, Travel Tuesday Co-Host" target="_blank">Katrina</a>, and <a href="http://www.anestingnomad.com/" title="A Nesting Nomad, Travel Tuesday Co-Host" target="_blank">Rachel</a></div>

Last Week #TravelTuesday Highlights:
Finding Donut Heaven in New Orleans - Because who doesn't love donuts?!
Day Trip Diaries: Rockport, MA - Because no matter how long I live in the South, I do love reminiscing on my New England roots.

1. SHARE a post about travel! From road trips to trips abroad and from past travels to dream vacations. You can write about travel tips and tricks, favourite places to stay, or anything in between! Just make it about travelling somewhere! 

2. GRAB the temporary button. If you run into trouble, just make sure to mention one of your co-hosts in a link! 

3. LINKUP goes live every Tuesday at 0800 GMT. 

4. FOLLOW your co-hosts on Bloglovin'.

5. CONNECT with your fellow travel loving bloggers! Be sure to leave a comment, and share your favourite posts on social media.

TIPS: 

1. Please only one linked up post per blogger. Save other posts for future linkups! 

2. The last Tuesday of every month is a themed prompt, if you want to join in. 

3. Include a​ (vertical 735px x 1102px)​ pinnable image in your blog post; as at least one of the co-hosts will be going around pinning your posts. 

4. Don't forget to use the #TravelTuesday hashtag on your social media platforms!

An InLinkz Link-up