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Hi. I'm Kara. Never far away is my furry shadow, Kona.
By day, I'm a higher education consultant. I specialize in helping higher education employees be more innovative and engage with new forms of teaching, learning, and working. I also create content online about personal growth, productivity, and technology, faith, and my well lived life.
I'm honored that you've taken a few minutes to stop by my little home on the Internet. While you're here, subscribe to my newsletter, learn about my coaching services and classes, or participate in one of my free events. And you can always scroll on down and read about what I'm up to.
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Day 14 - Keukenhof Gardens
Hi friends. This is future Kara writing to you from July 2025 - exactly three months to the day from when we returned from this trip....

Kara Monroe
Apr 183 min read


Day 13 - Fri., April 18, 2025 - Architecture-New & Old (Rotterdam & Kinderdijk)
Pin of the day Hi all, Kara again. If you recall at the beginning of the cruise, we learned that rather than docking in Delft, we would...

Kara Monroe
Apr 184 min read


Day 12 - Thurs., April 17, 2025 - An Appetite for Antwerp
Entering the Groot-Bijgarden Castle. Good morning Adventurers. Kara here again to get us started today. I’m going to actually start...

Kara Monroe
Apr 1710 min read


Day 11 - Wed., April 16, 2025 - Nibbling Through Ghent
That's right Donald!! Today was our first early morning of the cruise. With alarms set at 7, we got up, I (Kara) went and got coffee and...

Kara Monroe
Apr 1610 min read


Day 10 - Go With The Flow
Disney had no idea how much meaning "Going with the flow" would take on today! ADVENTURE!!! Hi all. Kara again. Let’s just say that the...

Kara Monroe
Apr 155 min read


Day 9 - It's Tulip (Picking) Time
Besties in a field of tulips Hi all. Kara starting out again today. Our river cruise is starting out with what we've learned is an...

Kara Monroe
Apr 137 min read


Day 8 - Let The Adventure Begin
On board the AmaLucia Hi everyone. Kara starting off again today. We had, as our British friends would say, a good lay-in this morning...

Kara Monroe
Apr 127 min read


Day 7 - Exploring Amsterdam
It’s Kara starting out again today. One of the ways we like to learn about a city is through its food. Fun fact, we’ve had at least two...

Kara Monroe
Apr 117 min read


Day 6 - A Tale of Two Trains
Ready to leave London the Eurostar It’s Kara starting off today. We needed to be downstairs at the train station by 7:30am this morning...

Kara Monroe
Apr 1010 min read


Day 5 - Hamilton on the West End
Us at the Victoria Palace Theatre before Hamilton started. Gayle: After having re-set the “bedding barrier” and a FULL day with Harry...

Gayle Hartleroad
Apr 95 min read


Day 4 - Harry Potter Studios Deluxe Tour
Making notes in the ledgers in Gringots Bank Hi all. Kara starting off today. Today actually started way back in 2017. Gayle brought a...

Kara Monroe
Apr 811 min read


Day 3 - Westminster Abbey and a Spin Your Own Chocolate and Books Tour
Greetings from Big Ben Gayle: In trying to get settled into a new space last night, it was roughly 10pm by the time we were lights out....

Gayle Hartleroad
Apr 76 min read


Welcome to London
Fresh off the plane and ready to hit the town! Monday April 7, 2025 Arrival at Heathrow It's Kara back to start us off again today -...

Kara Monroe
Apr 78 min read


Let's Go To London
We're off on our journey! Sunday, April 6, 2025 Hi all. It’s Kara getting us started off today. After the change in travel plans that...

Kara Monroe
Apr 63 min read


The Journey To The Journey
A photo from our time a Keukenhof Gardens near the end of the trip Gayle here! If you read the previous “Origin Story” you know the basis...

Gayle Hartleroad
Apr 53 min read


Origin Story
Gayle: Let’s take the “Way Back Machine” to… 2017? This is the first time I remember Kara ever mentioning interest in a river cruise. Her...

Gayle Hartleroad
Apr 42 min read


Meet Your Hosts
Spoiler Alert: There are LOTS of tulips featured on this trip. Hi all. It's time to kick off another set of blog posts for an adventure -...

Kara Monroe
Apr 22 min read


Meet Your Hosts
Ready to Board the Disney Fantasy for our Very Merrytime Cruise! We are both Platinum Castaway Club, reside in Indiana (USA), and each...

Gayle Hartleroad
Apr 12 min read


Travel Day - A Slight Change of Plans
Was: November 28, 2024, Is: November 27, 2024 The airport on what is supposed to be one of the busiest travel days of the year. It was...

Kara Monroe
Nov 27, 20242 min read


Tuesday, August 8, 2023 - Back in Copenhagen - but where are our bags?!
FTC Disclosure: Through business relationships with our suppliers, some may provide complimentary or discounted access to their locations...

Gayle Hartleroad
Oct 31, 20234 min read
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