Susan Merrill Thomas lives to travel. After 32 years of teaching high school literature and traveling with her family during school breaks, Susan was suddenly a divorced, retired empty-nester with an unclear road ahead. With a limited budget and an entire world to explore, she embraced solo travel. Her insights go beyond the standard guidebooks with useful information for fellow travelers and armchair tourists, providing reflections on many less-touristed destinations as well as retirement, living alone, and embracing new experiences.

Susan lives near Flint, Michigan. She grew up in Princeton, NJ, graduated from Michigan State University, and has a master’s degree in English Literature from the University of Michigan. She taught AP English at Grand Blanc High School. In 2011 she traveled to Mexico, Italy, Greece, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, the United Arab Emirates, and New Jersey.