Photo from WhistlerBlackcomb.com/photo index.htm

As we speak the Olympic Flame is making its way to its final destination of Vancouver in beautiful British Columbia, Canada where it will upon its arrival on February 12^th announce the beginning of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The Olympics, always entertaining and exciting on its own, will also highlight the rich diversity and spectacular destinations in and around Vancouver.

Photo by NDushesne

One of the most impressive parts of the Olympics for me is to watch the dazzling opening ceremony with all the pomp of lighting the torch and watching the athletes enter in the parade of nations. And equally inspiring is the closing ceremony where the flag is passed to the next country to host the games. All the days in between are filled with ice events, such as alpine skiing and jumping, snow boarding cross-country skiing, bobsleigh and luge – some taking place in metro Vancouver and Cypress Mountain and some in Whistler. The winter games are thrilling and my favorite to watch. For those lucky spectators who will be visiting during the Olympics, there is a plethora of sites offering  travel and ticket information and the NBC broadcast schedules.  Here’s a link  that will follow the events for the two weeks of broadcast.

                                                                  Photo by iShot

Whistler Village at Night by whistlergal78

But besides being a mecca for winter sport fans, Vancouver is touted as a world-class city and offers a range of amenities, cultural festivals, activities and must see sights. This link will show a wonderful overview of Vancouver with photos, places to go and things to do.  Also, are recommendations for shopping, accommodations and wonderful eateries and cafes.  Whistler, with a six month season, attracts skiers and snowboarders from all over the world. Whistler Blackcomb, world-class and host resort for the 2010 Games, offers outdoor activities all year long for adults and kids and people of all skill levels.

It looks like Vancouver is going to turn out to be an awesome choice for the Olympic game goers and tourists alike.  Let the games begin!

                                                                            Photo by Craig Murphy

We are in the middle of winter and the Olympics are going to be in Canada this year – brrrrr. With many people headed up North to watch their favorite winter sports, talking about how to dress to stay warm seems like a good idea.

It is much different to run in and out of a car to a building in the cold than it is to stand out in it for hours at a time. Not just a comfort issue, but a safety one as well.

The one word to best describes how to protect ourselves is LAYERS.

Here are some suggestions of how to dress in the cold to stay warm.

In general, as we go over specific layers, keep the clothing loose to allow for free circulation and to help with the insulation by allowing warm air pockets to be trapped. Don’t neglect any area of the body. Often people do the right thing from the chest up but don’t worry as much as what is worn below the waist. When you think of if, there is more skin area on the lower half of the body overall.

The advantage of layering is obvious. You can add or remove as you go according to conditions. For those like me who live in a tropical climate and do not even own a winter coat, dressing for the cold is going to take some planning

The first layer should be a fabric that will wick perspiration. Cotton is not it. Silk or synthetic thermals will make a great first layer – tops and bottoms.

Next would be a light weight wool shirt and pants. For those who don’t like wool a densely knitted microfiber fleece would be a good option. Gore-Tex, Teflon or a nylon shell pant is another good option. Cotton jeans are not a good choice. They don’t keep out wet and they don’t block wind.

Thirdly, comes a lightweight button down shirt or jacket that can be easily removed.

The outer layer for extreme cold would be a heavier down filled coat that goes down past the hips and preferably with a hood.

The next areas of concern are the head, neck, hands and feet. When it is extremely cold, blood moves away from these areas to protect the vital organs leaving these areas basically unprotected and that would be when fingers and toes could succumb to frostbite.

Hopefully, your coat or a layer under it will have a hood. Top that with a warm hat that can be pulled down and to that add a warm, close knit scarf to wrap around your neck, mouth and nose.

Hands can be difficult. While mittens are best, they often restrict using the fingers. Insulated hand coverings are good. It was recommended to look in a sporting shop for mitts that had one or two fingers like hunters use.

And finally the feet. Think two pairs of socks. The first pair might be a lightweight airwicking choice – again not cotton. The outer one should be wool. If they can go up the calf all the better. Make sure you have plenty of wiggle room for circulation. Top these with water proof, over the calf boots that have a soft, warm lining. Having a thick sole will add more protection to the bottoms of your feet that likely will be tramping around on ice and snow.

If all this fails to keep you warm try doing a couple of minutes of jumping around and then head to the lodge for a warm fire and some hot cocoa.

                                                                                 Photo from here

Many people get caught up in the excitement of going on a trip by going out to the nearest resort boutique and buying a new, fancy wardrobe to travel in style. I do understand how good it makes me feel to don a new outfit or to get a new hairdo, but it really isn’t necessary to get all new finery just because you are going on a trip. Not only will it help to cut unnecessary costs but it will be less worrisome to just wear your comfy favorite clothes, shoes, suitcases, etc. You won’t feel as bad if anything gets lost or ruined and you might even have a little extra left over for a souvenir.

It would be a good bet to leave expensive jewelry at home too. Things could easily get lost or stolen. The same goes for pricey cameras. Unless you are a professional, why drag around an expensive or cumbersome camera, lens, tripod etc, when a little digital will do the job for you. Some people I know just buy some really pretty post cards to remember the places they have been.

The main thing is to relax, and have a fun, worry free vacation.

                                                                          Photo by Bill Mayer

A few weeks ago I did a post discussing accommodation options that could save you a little money while you travel. I want to talk about accommodations again but this time I want to talk about what can be called “Dirty Little Secrets”. This morning in the period of about 30 minutes I heard two reports that made me want to take a shower right away. The first was when I just woke up. There was a news item on the radio about a well known hotel in London that offered bed warmers as a customer service. Human ones. They felt it was a good thing because “people sleep better when the sheets are warm”. Hello!! The bed warmers are supposed to wear one piece pajamas and have their hair covered. But they couldn’t guarantee that they would have had a shower. Call me crazy, I wouldn’t want a stranger warming up my sheets even if they had a shower!

And speaking of sheets that brings me to the second story I heard this morning. It is fairly common knowledge that the cleanliness of hotel rooms comes under question at times – even the GOOD ones. But after I heard a report on GMA this morning, I felt the need to report what I heard. Maybe some of you saw it too. They had a segment that was even worse in the creepy crawly division than the bed warmer. Trip Advisor has a list of the 10 dirtiest hotels. They are listed for you if you visit their site. The show featured a microbiologist going into a few of the hotels with an ATP Meter that picks up bacteria and mold. While they say a meter reading of 300 is considered safe, they were picking up readings of 2040. That and other instruments showed not only mold and bacteria on walls, floors, bathrooms, etc.; they also found rust, water damage on ceiling tiles, bodily fluids on bedspreads, walls, chairs, floors. A real cesspool. And then there are the bed bugs.

Now that I most likely have you all retching, what is a traveler to do? The first thing to do when you get to your room is conduct a room inspection. Do not put your suitcase on the bed. (And when you get home, do not put your suitcase on your own bed.) Put it on the bag holder. Look for stains on the spread. Remove the spread entirely. Who knows when or if these ever are cleaned. Check the linens for stains. Pull up the corners of the sheets and look for bug debris or dander or any little droplets of what could be blood in the crease if the mattress along the seam that would indicate the presence of bed bugs. Then move to the bathroom. Look for rust, water damage or stains in the sink, tub and around the toilet floor. If ANY of these are found at this point, ask to have a different room.

If the room passes all of these tests, here are some more just general things to do. Bring you Clorox wipes and clean off the doorknob and the remote. Give a good healthy disinfectant spray on surfaces in the bathroom. Don’t use the glasses or cups unless they are paper and wrapped. Bring slippers or at least Flip Flops when walking on the carpet or in the bath. They had these little plastic mattress bags that you could bring along but didn’t say where they got them. Anyone know? Precautions like these, while annoying, can help prevent things like the flu, colds, or athletes feet.

I am sure that many hotels go out of their way to keep their rooms clean and safe. But there are always some that might look the other way when it comes to training and monitoring staff. Better to be safe.

If you can think of other things to look for or have any other ideas to protect yourselves from unwanted contaminants, please leave a comment.

Photo courtesy of Bradipo

Tipping for services provided can be tricky, if not confusing, for a traveler. This travel tip is not going to go in to all the many service providers that in the states particularly are accustomed to getting tips, like your favorite hair stylist or mailman. For our purposes, this is just to bring up the idea of tipping while on travel – whether in the US or abroad. Should you or shouldn’t you? And who and how much?

Whether one considers tipping an option or that people expect a tip, there is no arguing that most of the people who are the recipients of tips are the ones who most often rely on what is given for the bulk of their salary.

If this is an area of concern for you, then it is best to know what is the norm in the country you are heading to. Just do your research before you go. You might be surprised at the difference in customs from one country to the next. There are many tipping places on the web where amounts are suggested for various services – be it the cleaning staff in your hotel or the person who serves your food and I will list a few links for you at the end. The thing to remember is that this person is providing a service. If, for example, you do not like your room or the meal is not as tasty as you wished, it is not the maid or the waitress who is to blame. You tip for the quality of service you receive. (The one thing about room service that I will mention is that if you are going to tip and are staying multiple nights, it is to your advantage to tip daily, leaving it before you head out in the morning. This will go a long way in placing you in good hands during your stay.)

When you leave a tip, you should know whether or not leaving US money is convenient. Many times folks will prefer getting tips in their local currency which is most likely available at the airport when you arrive. This has to do with the inconvenience or loss of value when the recipients would be faced with changing it to their currency.

Please visit these places for specific tipping information.

http://www.magellans.com/store/article/367

http://www.itipping.com/

http://www.findalink.net/

Do you have any travel experience or advice on tipping from places you have visited to share ? Please leave a comment!

                                                                    Photo by Christine Lebrasseur

It is WINTER. Tax time is on the horizon. You just blew your budget on the holidays………….. Sounds like you could use a getaway. Uh-oh. Dilemma! Just can’t afford a little luxurious getaway right now – or can you????

Ever hear the old commercial about “ Calgon, take me away”? Well, maybe some of you over a certain age may have.

Let’s expand on that idea and plan a getaway all on your own for yourself – at home.

Now if I were going to have that day where I could indulge just myself to chase away those winter blues, what would I do? I am going to dream a little bit to come up MY perfect stay-at-home-getaway. For those who don’t know me well, I am a true budget keeper. I rarely splurge on myself just for the fun of it. So this evening will have to be outside my box without any guilt. A tall order. But I am willing to go there for the cause. Ha ha And, if I want to rationalize it is still a more economical deal that going somewhere else. Right!

So what would I need to feel pampered? This has to be the one time where I decide only to please myself. It would have to incorporate all the things that I enjoy:

√ ambiance

√ comfort

√ entertainment (music, reading and a good chic flick),

√ food and drink

To set the stage, I would have to buy some white lilies just because I love the way they smell. Then I would light up my scented candles (I like vanilla), turn on Andrea Bocelli’s, Romanza, and step into a warm bath in my soaking tub fragranced with oils and full of bubbles. (I really like my tub! It was one of the things on my must have list when I bought my house.) In my best flute I would have my first glass of Moscato d’Asti. I know it is not the most expensive bubbly, but it is the one I like. Who says I need a 5 star hotel anyway!!

After the bath, I would put on my toasty blue fleece pj’s ( I did say comfort ) and move to the living room. Tonight, I don’t eat at the table. I eat in the living room and calories don’t count- just for tonight.

                                                                                 Photo by Bubbletea 1

Rather than a meal, I would like lots and lots of little bites. Tapas and more bubbly. Yep, all of it -a little bit of this and some of that. It is after all going to be a long evening of movie watching. And for dessert a mini lava cake- rich, gooey, and CHOCOLATE!!!!!!!!!! Best of all, I don’t cook any of it. All take out.

Now if you could see my living room, I have these sofas that you kind of sink into. Not only that, push a button and the bottom comes up so you can put your feet up, and not only that but push back just a little and you are nearly reclining. Now I am ready to watch a movie. For this evening I pick Mama Mia, fun, happy, beautiful scenery, love Abba…ahhhh perfect. And just in case I need a double feature, My Life in Ruins. (Hmmm, I am noticing undertones of travel in my choices. Gosh, I would love to go to Greece). Just love those romantic stories with a happy ending, don’t you?? And after the movie, food and bubbly, I think it is time to settle in for the night. Armed with a good book, my preference is historical romance like A Breath of Snow and Ashes, filled with adventure, time travel and a strong heroine or maybe something fanciful like Bella Tuscany, and snuggled in my bed with my down comforter pulled up to my chin, warm, cozy, sated by good food, comforted by the perfume of flowers and candles, and totally relaxed from my own little home getaway, I’ll just read until I fall asleep.

We all deserve a little relaxation and fun in our lives. It’s not always about going somewhere to have a good time and to rejuvenate our spirits. I sure would like to hear what you would dream up for your little getaway-at-home. Not just the ladies, but you gentlemen out there, too. And if you are a couple, wouldn’t it be fun for us to hear what you could come up with to beat those winter blues at home.

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Travel has become so common place that people who heretofore would always put their pets in a kennel or have someone home sit, are now thinking about the rewards of taking their pets along for the ride. I am sure if you asked the pets to vote they would say “take me too”.

While it is possible to take your pet on a plane or other mass transportation, there are certain safety and comfort limitations to consider. The best option would be to take your pets with you on a road trip by car. There is one exception that is worth mentioning and that is the new pets only airline, pet airways. You really need to pop over there and take a look at this amazing site. It will give all the details of how it is set up and will offer many, many more travel tips for your cats or dogs.

Car trips can be fun but they do require careful planning. It is interesting to see that pets require a lot of stuff and can quickly usurp much of your cargo space, but pet lovers would probably agree that it is worth it.

Jenn and Roberto recently took a road trip from St. Augustine to Vermont. I got a few pointers from them on what made their trip successful taking along their dogs, Pepino and Cipollina {newly acquired in Vermont and actually taking her first road trip on the way back home from Vermont).  When Nimue, their cat, goes along, she sits in the back along with her brother and sister in her crate, too.  This takes the whole back seat when you line them all up!!

Fortunately, they had a great place to stop halfway for the night at their Aunt Carol and Uncle Ed’s in Virginia. But, Roberto said that for those who must stop at a hotel or motel, he would advise calling the hotel ahead of time and speaking to someone, even if the website said “pet friendly”.

Things to know would be if you would be able to leave the pets unattended in the room when you are out dining. While they would need to be in their crates, they might be scared and may bark or cry. I don’t think most hotels would allow pets in the dining room. Although Jenn tells me that some communities are allowing dogs on a leash if you are dining alfresco. Yet, this would not be an option in the winter up North! May be a better bet to get room service or delivery. Another good tip from Roberto was to request a first floor room. It would make those middle of the night potty runs outside a lot easier. Courtesy would dictate that you do not let your pets water the hotel plants or bushes.

Here is a list of items to take for your pet:

• Food
• Water
• Container or bowl
• Lots of treats
• Kongs with peanut butter
• Toys
• Blankets
• Pooper scooper / bags
• Kitty litter
• Carriers with ID tags affixed
• Leash
• Jackets for short haired pets in winter

I asked Pepino and Cipollina if I forgot anything and they gave me two paws up!! Unless of course it was just to take their Grannie to snuggle with, too.

Travel Tip of the Week – Accommodations

Most people, given the choice, would not complain about having a choice to save a few dollars on rooms while on vacation. You can skip the big hotel, stay in real comfort and still save. In fact, unless your prime goal is to stay in a big hotel, some prefer the smaller, cozier options.

Bed and Breakfasts can be a great deal. Not only do you get a cozy room, many even with fireplaces or other amenities and chalk full of local charm, but you get really good, homemade breakfasts. I have really enjoyed the pampered feeling of an afternoon sherry or cup of tea with cookies and then breakfasting in a real dining room on a table with linens and china. Fluffy bathrobes and mints on your pillow isn’t roughing it by any means, yet the savings are significant. They are usually located close to transportation and points of interest. And often times, you can even sweeten the deal with offers of an extra free night when you stay for two.

Family run castles, farms and estates are also great deals. Often the only way for owners to keep them going is to offer room and board. You have the use of the property, great views, nice clean rooms many with little balconies or terraces, and a chef at your disposal. If you are in a different country, you get the feeling of being a visitor rather than a boarder. Jenn and Roberto had a wonderful experience while they were touring Italy by staying at The Torraccia di Chiusi just outside of Tuscany. Visit her post under the Europe category for pictures and more details.

A final suggestion, especially if you are going to be in one place a week or longer, is to rent an apartment. While this may seem extravagant, I have heard it time and again that this saves a lot of money. Not only do you not have to pay the daily hotel room rate, but you also have the comfort of the whole place including a kitchen. And you can even save more money by eating in some of the time.

Here we are in old photos when we were aound 12 years old – Mary, Alice, Arlene and Janice

This year is going to be one of those milestone birthday years for three of my life-long gal pals and me. We grew up together. Back in the day of neighborhood schools, we would make our trek to school, stopping by each house to pick up the gang until all four of us made the final walk up the school steps. We played together, took dancing classes together, went swimming and then to dances and football games together. You name it, we did it together.

 Then we grew up and each went our separate way. Surprisingly, we have remained close friends over the years despite our living miles apart and not really having much opportunity to actually visit despite our many promises to do so. A lot of life has happened since those good old days and a lot of people passed through our lives, yet we hold closest those childhood friendships.

 With New Year’s resolutions to be closer in touch as the years march by, we have decided to embark on a girls only getaway to celebrate our birthdays which all happen within a two week span of time- two of which are actually on the same day!  So 2010 will be the big year for us when we finally do it  and I plan on journalling the whole thing starting with the planning until the finish at our reunion birthday getaway. With one in California, one in Pennsylvania, one in Maryland, and me in Florida, this should be quite a major undertaking.  

If you saw the Movie Sex and the City where that group of friends turned an ill-fated honeymoon into a trip to a lavish villa in Mexico, you have an idea of what I have in mind. Heh heh.  But since there are going to be four votes, I am guessing that I should allow each of us to have a chance to tell about their all girl getaway fantasy trip. Who knows, if we have enough good ideas we may have to take turns until we each get our wish.

 Alice, out in California, and I have been doing some recent emailing and decided that this would be a fun thing to do and wanted to see if we could get the others on board. So I sent everyone a group email to see what the response would be. It was an enthusiastic thumbs up. With that decided it is time to get to work.

 Phase One – When

The first thing will be for us to find a common time and to get some ideas of what each thinks she can commit to time and budget wise. Trying to work around everyone’s personal schedules with families and lives of our own will be complicated, especially long distance. We will be doing this with group emails back and forth and see how it turns out. I will chart all of the information and armed with that we can start looking at our options.

But that is for the next post.

 Photo by Shoomeema 

I am sure by now that most of you have heard about the recent terrorist attempt on that incoming plane from Canada on Christmas. With that in mind airlines are taking a closer look and beefing up security with tighter checks for folks coming in to our airports and at other airports around the world. It is a pity that this is necessary, but that seems to be the times we are living in now.

If you are planning on doing any air travel this New Year and into 2010, there are certain areas where knowing what your responsibilities are will make it easier for you to travel.

You should be aware that:

• Airports are now planning on buying a lot more full body scanners. There are already a few out there and I imagine it is going to take some time to get these in place. They are expensive and in time, these costs may filter down to the traveler, resulting in higher fees or taxes. These scanners are reported to be a revealing invasion of our privacy. But, on the other hand, it is also possible this device will show very clearly if any potentially dangerous items are concealed in any way in any place on or in the body. I do wonder about the safety of exposure to this equipment, though. TSA reports that they emit less energy than a cell phone. But for those who fear this exposure, a physical pat-down is supposed to be offered. I don’t know enough about these to make an educated comment. If any of you know about the safety aspect, I would sure like to hear what you know.
• The no fly lists will be paid better attention. It should already be a common practice, but has apparently become lax.

Here are some tips about what we can do or expect as we get ready to travel be air:

• Expect longer delays.
• Expect an extra pat-down body search at the departure gate for transatlantic flights.
• Expect to have all baggage checked.
• Different airlines may have different regulations- call your airline for theirs.
• One carry-on will be allowed like a purse, a diaper bag, an iPod or laptop ( check on rules for electronic devices to see if they are allowed on flights overseas. If allowed, there may be times they must be turned off.)
• Liquid medications need special clearance. Check your airline for requirements.
• Food that will be eaten immediately may be taken on board.
• During last hour of travel, people will be asked to stay in their seats and will not be allowed to cover themselves with a blanket.

All of this may make you wonder if you should even travel.

Maybe we will just be safer and that is not a bad thing. On that closing thought, I want to wish you a Happy New Year and Happy and Safe Traveling.