Packing

Idiot-Proof Packing

Some things about traveling really suck. Like packing. (Unpacking, however, is kind of fun.) Which is why I tend to leave it until the last possible minute, not always the best strategy. I always start off a trip with a nagging feeling in my…
Toyota New Horizon

How to Choose the Right RV for You

I remember clearly the day I bought my first “car”. It was my 20th birthday. I came home and parked my new baby in the driveway and ran upstairs to tell my roommate. It was a Saturday and she wanted to sleep in. “Why does everyone keep…
Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaii Inter-island Travel: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

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Aloha! Welcome to Paradise! The Hawaiian archipelago is the most isolated in the world and contains over 100 islands.  Of course, not all of those are populated or accessible.  But the eight main islands each have their own “personality”…
Ball Court

Getting the Most Out of Your Visit to the Ruins

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As I sit on a stone, gazing at the ruins spread out below me, I can feel myself slipping into one of my favorite fantasies.  What if I had been the first modern person to discover this? What if I was a kid and I found this place, and it could…
cosmetics

A Broad’s Guide to Grooming Abroad

As the woman running the hostel took down my information, I noticed a pair of scissors stuffed into a cup with pens and pencils.  “Can I borrow these for a sec?” I asked.  I grabbed the scissors, leaned over a garbage can, and cut my bangs. …
Silk!

I Should Have Asked: Things to Know Before You Sign Up for a Day Tour

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All four of us in the gigantic silk store were crabby.  The employees were obviously annoyed that we weren’t buying.  And my travel partner and I were not happy to be there.  We had not signed on for this.  At least not knowingly.  It…
Mexican ceramics

What Makes a Good Souvenir?

The best things we bring home from our travels aren’t things.  The treasures we acquire are greater understanding of ourselves and our world, the friends we meet along the way and the memories we bank up to enjoy in the future.  But what…
Contrasts

5 Tips to Make Your Business Trip Pleasurable

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Now, business trips are not really that glamorous! You either wake up very early to catch the first flight out so you can attend the morning meetings or catch the last flight the day before to arrive at your destination close to the witching hour! When you get to your destination, you work practically the whole day and by the time you finish you have to head back to the airport to catch your flight back or to another destination
Hong Kong

Hong Kong: Plan, Prepare, and Prepare some more

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It was a long-time dream of mine to travel outside of the country. And just last December, I had my dream come true; I got myself a round trip ticket to “Asia’s World City” - Hong Kong. It all started with a spur of the moment invitation…
Frommer's Belize

Five Steps for Getting the Most Out of Your Travel Guide Book

I’ve sometimes heard travelers brag about not using a guide book.  Not me.  As a woman traveling alone, my guide book gives me a sense of confidence and security.  It allows me to revel in anticipation before the trip starts, leads me to…