The family vacation from California to Japan had been planned for nearly six months. Bags were packed and the pre-dawn drive to the airport complete. At the ticket counter, four bags, a folding stroller and playpen were placed on the baggage transom. Printed out boarding passes were ready and passports handed over when the agent asked for the baby’s papers. The birth certificate wouldn’t do. Where was the 18 month olds passport? It didn’t exist. “But we all went on a cruise in Mexico just a couple of months ago!” Unfortunately, airlines have different requirements. It may be different country  [ Read More ]

The dive boat bucked in a white capped sea while rain blew in at a slant – it was not the tropical experience I’d imagined. When the dive master finished his briefing and announced, “Pool’s open,” I flopped heavily over to the back of the boat and stepped off. “Warm, too warm” was my first thought! After diving in chilly San Diego waters, it was a shock to sink deep into a steady 80+ degrees all the way to the bottom. That impression faded as I descended, surrendering to a circus of color and shape floating in an expansive blue.  [ Read More ]

Flu symptoms and the new Swine and Avian strains Flu is a nasty infection whatever the source but especially so for new strains that are developing around the world. In the next couple of paragraphs are some suggestions on what symptoms to watch out for, what the sources of current strains are and when you should see a doctor (always when pregnant). Staying healthy and rested is the best way to combat infection but getting ready for an overseas trip can be a stressful and demanding task. It can also lead to a compromised immune system more open to infection  [ Read More ]

Solo travel can be exhilarating, relaxing and a great way to meet wonderful people. Alternately it can be stressful, scary and isolating when you travel alone. What makes the difference? So much depends on how prepared you are and how you approach each situation. Here’s some tips to help you stay safe and have fun the next time you travel solo: 1. Resist electronic temptations: You haven’t come this far to spend your precious time doing just what you do at home – catching up on emails and social media. It’s tempting and sometimes unavoidable but if you can’t go cold  [ Read More ]

For those people who find it hard to get through an entire winter without some sunshine, then a heading off for little winter sun break is always a good idea. You don’t necessarily need a hot holiday, but just to be able to stroll around in a t-shirt and shorts for a week in flip flops instead of being bundled up in winter clothing and boots can give you a real lift. For Northern Europeans, though, the problem is that the sunshine is always quite a distance away in the winter – so unless you feel like a long-haul flight  [ Read More ]

Getting ready to announce a trip there in early June. Two days in Toronto with a train trip for 3 days in Quebec. Join me? Top sites in central Toronto: Source: typeverything.com via Janice on Pinterest

Americans cling firmly to the belief that bigger is better. From super-sized food to amplifying body parts, America is hard at work at creating the most gargantuan version of anything and everything imaginable. Southern California has it’s share. There’s a giant doughnut at a 50′s bakery in Long Beach, California and until recently, a towering fork in Carlsbad, just north of San Diego. The sentinel fork was short-lived. Inspired by a Muppets movie prop, an anonymous, local retiree used his wood working skills to give his visitors a literal ‘fork in the road’ to turn at. Standing tall in a  [ Read More ]

I didn’t plan on becoming a scuba diver. Growing up my eardrums would scream every time I ventured into the deep end at the local pool. So the thought of spending extended time truly down under wasn’t on my bucket list. That changed pretty quickly when a dive buddy romance led to Cozumel Island. Dave and I had been dating a few months when he invited me on a dive trip to Cozumel with some of his underwater photo buddies. Would I like to come along? Not one to pass up opportunities to travel, let alone spend days with my  [ Read More ]

Even in this slow American economy, more of us are taking off than ever – or planning to. While tips on how to have the perfect trip and holiday fun are flooding the media, what’s unique for our country is that we’re venturing forth on road trips instead of venturing overseas, according to reports from Expedia.com. As they worked with a mathematician, a psychologist and other travel experts on discovering what makes a “perfect” holiday, what emerged is a picture of traveling far, more than six nights and on longer flights. Those of us taking shorter trips and vacations are  [ Read More ]

Peter Daams is from the Melbourne region of Australia and travels often to stay in touch with members of the travel community he co- founded. I had a chance to visit with the co-founder of Travelerspoint.com and talk about how he came to build it. He is also a new father and speaks about the joys and challenges of traveling with young kids. TravelersPoint: Peter and his brother grew up as sons of missionaries and lived around the world before embarking on their own careers. Wanting to track down old travel mates and stay in touch, led to creating an  [ Read More ]