What an epic vacation! Until recently, I never expected to be able to travel to the destinations that I have been fortunate enough to visit. We set sail on a new Viking ship, Jupiter, in late February 2019. We were on their second week of sailing. We expected some “bumps in the road” as it was a new ship and new crew. but I can happily report that there weren’t any! Actually, our cabin steward was the same one we had on our first Viking Ocean trip! I think there were only a couple disappointments. One was the cabin level the agent booked us in. One other was a single bed in the cabin when we always request two. And one was change in a must anticipated port. Without realizing it, until we were on board, we were booked into a Veranda instead of a Deluxe Veranda, as we had on previous sailings. Our cabin was located on Deck 3, over the Star Theater. We heard the practices and shows quite clearly at all times of the day and night. I don’t recommend Deck 3 Forward! We were not very happy with the agent for booking us in this cabin!

You may be wondering what the difference is between a Veranda and Deluxe Veranda on Viking Ocean. It’s relatively simple – it’s the amenities! The Veranda is stocked once for the duration of the trip. After that you have to purchase items. The Deluxe Veranda receives daily refreshing of the mini-bar contents, including beer, soda, mixers and snacks. There’s a coffee maker in the room. And complimentary binoculars for distance viewing. There’s also priority specialty dining reservations and shore excursions. And a nice comfy Norwegian blanket. Here’s a tip: If you don’t eat the snacks or favorite beverage every day, take them out of the mini fridge and put in a drawer so they can be replaced. Some days, like Sea Days, you might feel more snacky than others!

Rome – Our driver from the airport to the hotel provided us with a tour as we drove past various places of interest. What a nice touch! Our hotel looked fantastic! Our room was ready. Our first disappointment. We booked two beds, as we always do. The beautiful room had a king bed, and it was unable to be separated. So, change of rooms. The next room also had a king bed! Another change of rooms to finally get the bed configuration that we originally asked for. The hotel was surprised at our complaint as they upgraded us! Very frustrating visit! And they never provided us with our points! We had to jump through hoops later to receive them. Not a nice way to treat elite members.

But on to the real reason we were there! To see Rome! We took the HOHO trolley around the city to get the layout. Then we started visiting the Colosseum, Vatican City, and more. We also did the night HOHO tour to see the sights lit up. Everywhere we went, there was accommodations for disabled or challenged travelers, offering elevators instead of stairs and special entry points. This helped to make me more comfortable and enjoy the sights. If you don’t know where the elevator or special entrance is, just ask any docent or employee. Be advised that many historical attractions have a timed entry. No point in arriving too early as there are few if any places to sit. Standing in line can be very tiresome…even more so if the weather is warm. Note: There aren’t many places to sit in or near the Colosseum.

Actually, the whole idea for this blog came after a long day of sightseeing ending in Vatican City. I was exhausted. And knew we still had a ways to walk to get back to the trolley and then to our hotel. My hips were burning like they were on fire. My favorite cheerleader, Karen, kept encouraging me onward. I made a comment that I’d get there eventually, even if it was 20 steps at a time! Voila! Karen said I should start a blog about how I cope with the challenges I face when we travel. A blog is born! And hopefully you are finding it worthwhile reading, even if you aren’t mobility challenged!

Florence/Pisa – I always wanted to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Yes, it definitely is leaning! What a great excursion visiting the Square of Miracles, a UNESCO Heritage Site. The walk from the bus parking lot to Pisa was a bit longer and faster paced than I care for. That was brutal but thanks to our phenomenal tour guide, she took excellent care to get us back with our group, as well as a taxi back to the buses at the end. We often ask the guides to call a taxi for us. And we’ve had other guests saying that they wish they had done that as well. It’s been well worth the approximate 10 euro to do so. We find that the walking groups tend to have a quicker pace than I am able to keep up with. We walked all over Florence and saw the Duomo and Ponte Vecchio. Both amazing!

Monte Carlo – What a beautiful place! We once again took a HOHO and were not disappointed. The background commentary always provides snippets of information to make what you are seeing more enjoyable. We saw markings on the roads for the Grand Prix. We saw the changing of the guards at the palace. We had a Nutella crepe at an outdoor cafe across from the palace. We shopped on a neat little side street/alley. And as always, Karen took many photographs! And we found the bright red post office so Karen could mail her post cards! We totally enjoyed our shore excursion in Monte Carlo.

Marseille – We weren’t quite as enthusiastic about France’s oldest city as we were about other Viking included excursions. Originally when we booked the trip we were supposed to pull into St. Tropez port. This, however, was changed in advance of our sailing. We were docked near the Old Port fort. Our included excursion took us past a monument to Columbus, a large ferris wheel and a lighthouse. It is walkable from the ship into town, which Karen and another couple we met ventured forth to explore, while I stayed on the ship, resting.

Montpelier (Sete) – Another nice excursion and great to see another historic area in France, known as “Venice of the Languedoc.” Lots of fishing boats.

Barcelona – Here we are! The last stop for this itinerary with a visit to Segrada Familia. Lots of pictures of this unfinished Gaudi masterpiece, as well as an informational tour of the city. We enjoyed a cold beverage near the church along with some souvenir shopping. Overnight in Barcelona, with an early morning departure for the airport and home.

I recently created a Shutterfly book of photos that Karen took while on this epic adventure. We will be able to look back on them with memories of another great trip.
Also, check out the photo gallery in the sidebar for some favorite pictures
used for our digital post cards.

Take vacations
to as many places as you can.
You can always make money.
You can’t always make memories.

“Back in the day” before we had access to computers and smart phones, there was basically one way to book a trip – through a travel agent. The travel section of the Sunday paper posted some fascinating trips that I could only dream of taking.

Today, we have so much information at our fingertips, in the comfort of our own home through search engines, such as Google. It’s easy to type in just about anything you want information on and receive a few suggested posts or websites. Once you find an interesting item, bookmark it for future research or information.

Tip: Create a file on your computer for Travel or for a specific trip. This makes it easy to find information that you have previously found to be helpful.

Here are some of the pages that you may find helpful, that I use on a regular basis:

Booking Companies –
Viking Ocean & River Cruises – viking.com
Carnival Cruise Lines – carnival.com
Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines – rcl.com
Norwegian Cruise Lines – ncl.com
Expedia AARP – expedia.aarp.com
TripAdvisor – tripadvisor.com

Feedback/Information on excursions, hotels, cities, airlines, cruises and more –
TripAdvisor – tripadvisor.com
Cruise Critic – cruisecritic.com

Other –
UNESCO Sites – whc.unesco.org
U.S. Lighthouse Guide – unitedstateslighthouses.com
Washington, D.C. Cherry Blossom Watch – nationalcherryblossomfestival.org
Europe River Cruise Water Levels – rivercruiseinfo.com
Port Information – whatsinport.com

I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my bucket list.
–Susan Sontag

Here’s a few tips that I would like to share with you
about this luxury cruise line.
I’ve done your Viking homework for you!

1. Remember the old adage, “You get what you pay for”. Included in your fare are meals, WiFi, excursions in every port of call, wine/beer/soda at lunch and dinner, educational seminars about the ports of call. We’ve added these items up on other cruise lines and truly there is no comparison. Think luxury vs. fun ship. BTW, there is no casino on board!
2. All transportation to and from included excursions is provided by motor coach with a Viking approved guide and driver or boat taxi, as was the case in Venice.
3. The ships are small – only 930 passengers. This makes it easy to walk from dinner in the aft to a show following dinner in the forward. It also makes it nice boarding after a long day of sightseeing in port. You must be 18 to sail. There tends to be a younger crowd on Viking lately than when we took our first river cruise years ago. Then, we were the youngsters on board! Generally speaking, the adult atmosphere is our preference.
4. Viking senior staff is empowered to ensure that you are happily enjoying your cruise. Have a question or concern? Guest services will listen and resolve or elevate if necessary.
5. There’s a certain pride among the staff to be working on a luxury ship. They remember your name as well as your preferences at meal time.
6. There is a cruise director on board. We’ve enjoyed some pretty amazing talent as well. When we were on our first cruise with Viking Star, we checked out the shows in the Star Theater and recognized some of the talent that were on our next cruise on the Viking Sea!
7. If you miss lunch in the MDR, the Pool Grill is open later than MDR. They offer made-t0-order salads and sandwiches/hamburgers from a limited menu. There’s also a small salad bar with soup. Great way to get that complimentary wine/beer/soda by 2PM too! We usually manage to get a refill to go!
8. Looking for late night pizza or ice cream or a snack? Well, the buffet closes at 9PM. So you are either going to have to order from room service or visit Mamsen’s.
9. Your reservation also includes a couple of opportunities for other dining venues, such as Manfredi’s Italian or Chef’s Table. We love eating at Manfredi’s. But, be sure to get a reservation in early as it’s a popular place and is only open from 6PM-9PM. I didn’t care for the menu at Chef’s Table. Be aware of the menu offerings at the Chef’s Table as they do not change daily.
10. Pre- and Post-Excursions through Viking can be rather expensive in my opinion. But that’s a personal choice only you can make. We normally do not have time to extend our vacations beyond the cruise dates.
11. Viking Air – if you decide to use this service, consider paying the $50 fee to choose your own flights. Often Viking Air will include one or two layovers and middle of the night flights, which we do not care for. Do your homework before you speak with a Viking Air agent. Ask them about your preferred flights to see if they can accommodate your request. Booking with Viking Air provides luggage service and transportation from the airport to the ship.
12. Included Excursions – Walking Tours – These are a great way to see the area with a local, knowledgeable Viking guide. But be aware, these tours often move faster than you may wish to walk.
13. Included Excursions – Motor Coach Tours – Depending on the distance, there may be a ‘pit stop’ scheduled. Be aware that there are often many buses traveling together so the restroom lines may be long. We have found that sometimes the driver has decided that the onboard restroom is not to be used. So you may want to limit your liquid intake! Some excursions combine a motor coach tour with a water cruise.
14. Excursions in general – Most allow for some time to explore and shop on your own. A meeting time and place is identified for return to the ship. Or you may wish to stay longer and take a taxi back. A comforting thought is that you can tell who is on a Viking cruise by either their red umbrella or their Quiet-Vox lanyard, or by the tour guides red jacket. If you do get separated from your group, feel free to approach any Viking tour guide for assistance. Also, see my previous post about gratuities for Viking Excursions.
15. Afternoon Tea is served daily at 4PM in the Wintergarden. A nice tiered display of sweet and savory goodies is provided. I’m not a hot tea fan, so I order a glass of ice cubes for my tea!
16. As this post is all about Viking Ocean, be sure to sign up on Cruise Critic for the Meet & Mingle for your selected cruise. It’s a great way to meet fellow travelers and senior cruise staff. And get a complimentary drink and passed hors d’oeuvres! We have enjoyed these M&Ms in the Explorer lounge as well as in the Wintergarden.
17. Dining – We generally prefer the World Buffet over The Restaurant. Both serve very similar daily menus. The World Buffet has an omelet station in the morning and a grill at lunch and dinner for more personalized food service. The desserts can have familiar names, such as Carrot Cake, but look different from what you expect. The Restaurant offers table service and a full course menu. Generally, be prepared to order all your courses, including dessert at the beginning of service. And don’t be shy! If it’s lobster night and you want two tails, order them! Early riser? Check out Mamsen’s for a delicious breakfast. There is interior as well as exterior (weather permitting) seating available for dining al fresco at the back of the ship, past the buffet.
18. Tender Operations – It is not always feasible for Viking to use a stationary docking pier. Some ports require using the lifeboats to tender you to shore. Assistance on and off the boats is provided by some great and muscular guys. I was virtually lifted from the boat to the ship during one rough water transfer.
19. Bottled water is provided as you leave the ship for excursions. And you are welcomed back on board with a warm refreshing towel.
20. There are game tables with a variety of electronic board games available which are pretty popular on Sea Days.
21. A library is provided with books relating to the voyage you are taking.
22. There’s plenty of quiet places on board to read or just nap. A favorite seems to be outside of the Wintergarden.
23. Entertainment is available in the Star Theater. Here you can hear informational port talks discussing local currency and destination history and culture tidbits and educational seminars as well as see nightly shows featuring musical talent and dancing. There is also music in the atrium on a regular basis – usually piano, guitar or string quartet. The nightclub features the house band which is pretty good.
24. The Explorer Lounge on select ships features an astrology seminar.
25. No photographers! You only have to pose for an ID picture for your room key/ship ID at check-in. Karen has the selfie process well in-hand and other passengers are only too happy to allow you to take their photo or to take yours as well.
26. Some cabins have an in-room amenity of binoculars. While these are pretty basic, it’s nice to have them available and they have come in handy on past trips.
27. If you need extra hangers, just ask your room steward. You can get as many as you need! No need to pack them from home in your luggage.
28. Nice golf-sized red Viking umbrellas are available in your stateroom or upon disembarking the ship on a rainy day.
29. There is a complimentary self-service laundry available on each deck. No need to bring soap! But you may wish to add a few dryer sheets to your packing list. It is usually quite a busy room at times. There is also an iron and ironing board available. And a folding table.
30. People love the hot tubs, Nordic wellness spa, steam room, sauna, fitness center, Snow Grotto, hair salon and more. We aren’t really “spa people” so have not partaken of this area of the ship, but the reviews from guests who have enjoyed these facilities are great.

Bonus: All cabins have balconies! There are no inside cabins. And yes, there are suites on board, but the price can give your wallet a shock!

As you can see by the above, we enjoy cruising with Viking. I have taken 2 river cruises (Tulips and Windmills & Danube Waltz) and 3 ocean cruises (Iconic Western Mediterranean, In the Wake of Vikings & Empires of the Mediterranean). And as of this writing, we have one more river cruise and 1 more ocean cruise booked for 2020 and a cruise idea for 2021. We’ve always booked direct with Viking in the past and have hit or missed with the quality of the agents. Our latest booking is through an agency that offers many additional perks that Viking does not offer. So, we are getting a much better deal for our money than ever before! Email me if you would like the name of our new agent. And, if you have questions about Viking cruises, please don’t hesitate to ask me!

The Viking Difference
Destination focused. Culturally enriching. Carefully curated.

Karen and I try to travel on or near our individual birthdays every year. Last year, we were in Cuba for Karen’s birthday. This year we headed to Tennessee…Nashville. Home of the Grand Ole Opry, BBQ, Hot Chicken and country music. I’m sure we’ll find other things to enjoy in the area, but we definitely plan to partake as many as possible! We are flying Southwest again – it’s a short 2-hour flight from DCA. It’s been many years since we were there so it’s going to be a very busy 3 days!

Our Southwest flight was a bit turbulent on the way to Nashville. But the crew was friendly. I love that the pilots wear American flag neckties. The ride from the airport to our hotel was fairly short; our room was ready when we checked in. We noticed that the balcony door (facing the main road) did not lock properly. A maintenance worker could not fix it so it was time to switch to another room, in another tower. Not what we wanted to do! Karen has Elite status with the hotel chain. We were very disappointed in our overall stay from the front desk to housekeeping.

The afternoon that we arrived in Nashville, we had tickets to visit Belle Meade Plantation. This was a renown horse breeding farm with many famous steeds in their stables over the years. Karen actually fed a peppermint candy to Seattle Slew’s grandson! The tour of the mansion was very interesting and our historian, Jeff, was knowledgeable as well as entertaining. Afterwards, we headed to the winery for a tasting of 4 Belle Meade wines. Karen and I enjoyed a delicious cheese plate at an outside table. I wish we had planned to spend more time at Belle Meade. All too soon, various buildings were closing and we were done way before we wanted to be!

Our next day started with a delicious breakfast at Puckett’s Grocery. Hand’s down, the best sausage gravy and fluffy biscuits I’ve ever had! And Karen enjoyed her Southern breakfast that included fried chicken, eggs and potatoes. We wandered the area and checked out a Woolworth’s restaurant, complete with original chairs. There were bands playing in many of the bars along Honky Tonk and Whiskey Way. It was a sight to see a tractor pulling a bar wagon full of patrons down the main drag. Day drinking is definitely alive in Nashville! Lots of bachelor and bachelorette groups partying on similar rolling bars. The rooftops of historical as well as newer buildings are full of bars, bands and patrons as well. We enjoyed bar-hopping and band-listening at John Rich’s Redneck Riviera, Blake Shelton’s Ole Red, Nudie’s Honky Tonk, Tootsies and a couple other places. We also enjoyed some great and unique bar food, such as homemade tater tots at Ole Red’s. YUM! Oh and Goo Goo Clusters! YES! We found a package with mini bite-sized Goo’s to enjoy. My Dad loved this candy and introduced us to it on our first trip to Nashville, many years ago.

We visited the Ryman Theater and Grand Ole Opry Backstage Tour, two very big venues for the Nashville area. If you do plan to purchase tickets for these venues, be aware that there is a distance between them. We took a 20-minute Uber for the trip. We had our picture taken on the Opry stage with the original circle of wood from the Ryman stage. We saw the dressing rooms for the stars performing at the Opry and heard stories about the Opry inductees.

Thankfully, there were no real mobility challenges on this trip. The sidewalks were wide and basically smooth. There are some elevated (hilly) areas to navigate depending on your destination. To get to the rooftop bars or basement rest rooms, simply ask an employee. They are only too happy to assist using the service elevators. Unless of course you prefer the stair-step exercise! All too soon, our visit to Music City was over. Time to start thinking about our next trip!

Don’t forget to check out the photos in the Nashville gallery in the sidebar!

Sign in a Bar:
WARNING
You are entering a Redneck Area.
You may encounter American Flags, Armed Citizens,
The Lord’s Prayer & Country Music.
Enter at your own risk!

When you think about packing for a trip, you are often focused on the essentials – clothes, bathroom supplies, snacks for the trip, how much money to bring, etc. But! There are several other things to consider bringing with you. Below are some suggestions and information that may prove helpful for your travels both near and far.

Tip #1 – Ship cabin walls are generally magnet-friendly. We always bring a couple of magnets to hold our excursion tickets, daily newsletters, hats or other items that are easily accessible yet up and out of the way. Cruise ships frown on using adhesive tape.

Tip #2 – Speaking of magnets, grab a map of the area and place it on the wall. We’ve done this a few times as we cruise an area to identify lighthouses.

Tip #3 – Door Decorations – These can be fun on certain cruises and/or for special occasions. Many cruisers decorate their doors. I think you have to consider the type of cruise and ship that you are on. On our Disney Christmas cruise, we created a Mickey Mouse wreath for our cabin door. Some people use a decoration to easily spot their cabin in the hallway. Just remember, do not use tape! Use magnets! And remove your decorations at the end of your cruise!

Tip #4 – Irons, ironing boards, hair dryers and curling irons – always best to know in advance if these items are available or not. On some cruise lines, curling irons are not allowed. On others, there is a self-serve laundry area that offers irons and ironing boards. Most rooms provide hair dryers, but not all hair dryers have diffusers, as my daughter found out!

Tips #5 – Most travel agencies and cruise companies provide luggage tags. If you have a transfer service, this helps the crew to easily spot your luggage. Bonus tip: make sure you have ID on the inside of your luggage, in case the outside tag gets removed in transit. And, you do not need your address on the tag information! This is for your safety! A last name and phone number are sufficient. Or use a business card.

Tip #6 – Cabin luggage tags – Do not place on luggage until you have retrieved your luggage from the carousel at your destination. These are only needed for the crew to identify your luggage and to deliver your luggage to the correct stateroom.

Tip #7 – Ground transportation, excursion/admission tickets – Take some of the stress off of travel by planning in advance before your trip. Depending on the excursion, limited tickets are available daily. If you wait until you get there, you may be disappointed.

Tip #8 – Place all your travel information in your carry-on luggage. Do not pack it in your checked bags! This includes travel documents/itinerary, flight schedules, transfer information, excursion tickets, rental car contracts, international driver permit, visas, passports and any other information that you may need to be one your way, in case your checked bag takes a vacation to another location without you.

Tip #9 – Credit cards and local currency – Check with your bank or AAA office for local foreign currency before you leave home. Or, there are always currency exchange booths in airports or train stations. Your ship may not be able to assist you with currency exchange. Know that in most every instance, if you give a merchant in a foreign country American currency, your change will be in foreign currency. And of course, exchange fees apply. Better to go with smaller denomination bills.

Tip #10 – Check to be sure your health insurance covers treatment abroad. As a rule, the farther you go and the more elaborate the trip, the more likely it is that you’ll need some type of travel insurance to cover emergencies, including medical evacuation, plus expenses related to delays, cancellations or baggage problems. It may be worth the cost for piece of mind. Make sure you read the fine print carefully! Some policies do not cover pre-existing conditions and have other restrictions.

BONUS TIP – Make sure you have all your documents before leaving home and make copies to carry with you and/or leave with a family member or trusted friend. Renew your passport about nine months before its expiration date. Some countries deny travelers entry with a passport that expires in less than six months.

EXTRA BONUS TIP – Don’t forget the camera, SD cards, batteries, phone cords, multiple-end extension cords and any other electronic devices you can’t live without!

Safe travels!

*Flags from http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/pictures/flags.html

My daughter, Karen, started hinting (pulsing with excitement is a better description) around Easter that she had a special Mother’s Day gift for me. But, since it was Easter and not Mother’s Day, I didn’t really want to know any details! Otherwise, what would she give me on Mother’s Day? Well, she had to tell me before Mother’s Day, since we wouldn’t be home that day. So, with four days notice, I received a beautiful card from her. The inside hand-written note quoted a song written by John Denver – “Leaving on a Jet Plane”. Yes, my wonderful daughter has surprised me (spoiled me is more like it!) with another trip! She won’t tell me where we are going, only that the temperatures will be in the upper 80’s. WARMTH! Hooray!

After a game of 20+ Questions, I still don’t know where we are going. I do know that it’s to be a stress-free, relaxing, no passport needed, oh and pack your swimsuit stay at a Four Seasons hotel. We will be setting the alarms and leave early Sunday morning (5:30AM) and I won’t know our destination until we get to the airport.

I’ve been trying on summer clothes, digging out the white capris and sandals. We went shopping and I found a new pair of walking sandals and also got a nice RFID Baggalini backpack. With a couple more upcoming trips this year, I’m sure I’ll get some excellent use out of both of them. Two days before we leave, I had to get her ideas about what to actually pack. The suitcase is open, there is some stuff inside, just waiting for the last minute to put a couple items in, zip ‘er up, and head to the airport (DCA).

DESTINATION: Surfside, Florida
HOTEL: The Surf Club at Four Seasons

Definitely a surprise location! I didn’t know where we were going until after I passed through the initial Pre-Check point and got my boarding pass handed back to me! We flew Southwest Airlines into Fort Lauderdale. A note about our Southwest flight from DCA – I was met at the door from an escort with a wheelchair. WOW! She saw me through TSA and to the gate. Before boarding the plane, one of the pilots was not happy to have to circumvent the pre-boarding line at the gate. I haven’t flown Southwest in a while, but remember it as a fun flight because of the crew. Not the case this time. Upon arrival into FLL, a wheelchair escort met me on the jetway and, as the pilot had the seatbelt sign on most of the trip, I asked to be taken to the ladies restroom. He said he would be right back with the motorized cart. Several minutes later, we saw him whisk by with a full load and not even a glance our way. There was another passenger also waiting for him to come back. After a few more minutes, we decided to walk. Eventually, the same cart and driver passed yet another time with no recognition. The walk to the rideshare area was quite a ways away, with lots of passengers and luggage to navigate. Yes, I did it…20 steps at a time!

Our Uber driver was chatty and we enjoyed the ride. Don’t be afraid to ask to sit in the front seat! It’s much easier for me to get out of a vehicle from the front seat than the back. Our room was ready for us when we got to the resort. After a quick orientation to this historical building, we headed to our room. Let me just say that I loved that they retained the old original part of The Surf Club. Beautiful archways. Original terra cotta tile floors. Greenery. Ambiance. I could just close my eyes and see The Rat Pack there. Or Winston Churchill painting the seascape. What a place this must have been back in the day!

As we often find when we travel, the weather clouded over a bit, and we even had quite the rain shower during our visit. We just took advantage of those times to rest or enjoy a beverage on the terrace. We headed to the beach on a sunny morning then took a dip in the pool. I liked the easy steps into the pool. Also of note is the handicap chair lift into the pool. While I do love the beach and being near the water, the soft sand was very difficult to navigate. Good thing Karen was at my side helping me along the way! The steps from the main hotel area to the lower beach/pool area were a bit blinding for me due to the bright sun on white steps. There is a lift nearby for transport to the lower level.

We enjoyed the poolside restaurant, terrace restaurant, room service and Mother’s Day dinner at The Palm. All too soon the trip was over and we headed back to the airport. It’s always sad when the trip is over, but it’s also always nice to come home. Until the realization that there is no chef and no housekeeping service!

We are off again in two weeks, flying Southwest again. Hoping for a better experience and no rain! Check back for my post about Karen’s birthday trip to Nashville!

I belong to a few online travel groups. A couple of the most often asked questions are, what’s the weather like and what to pack for a trip. Many people have extensive packing lists for all types of travel and weather. And then there’s also suggestions on how to pack your luggage. Questions about when and where to put the luggage tags. How strict are the airlines with baggage weight? What you need to pack and what you can leave home. What do I do if I have to take medicine? This is yet another huge minefield, full of information and personal preferences among travelers. I’m just going to put tons of information here for you to sort through for what is relevant to you and your travel needs.

Weather – Something that I’ve done for the past several years, is track the weather the previous year – of course this only works if you’ve planned a trip a year in advance! Otherwise I search the internet for the average temperatures for that particular area. Of course we all want perfect weather for our much anticipated vacation, but unfortunately, Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate!

Clothing – See Weather above. Depending on the time of year and destination of travel, you should be able to pack what you will need to enjoy your vacation. First and foremost, I recommend good walking shoes with non-slip soles. Next, try mixing and matching various outfits to help reduce the amount of clothing needed. If you are heading to Australia in December-February, that’s their summer, so leave the heavy clothing behind and bring a sun hat instead. If it’s the rainy season, a water-resistant jacket with a hood is a good idea. Umbrellas – not so much.

Luggage – Base the size of your luggage on what you need. A weekend trip? A carry-on bag should suffice. A longer trip? Well, that depends! If you are going for a longer period of time, there’s a few options. 1) Pack for a week and take a break for some laundry. Some hotels and ships have self-service laundry areas. 2) Wash out underwear in the shower or bathroom sink. Most rooms have a retractible clothesline in the shower. 3) Use the hotel or ship laundry service. Some ships have a laundry special that it quite reasonable. But, if you must pack 6+ pairs of shoes and lots of clothing for every possible scenario, be prepared to pay extra for that heavy suitcase if you are flying! Here’s a tip: Your luggage fits under the bed on the ship so you have more room in the closet!

Liquids, Medicine & First Aid – Know the TSA rules for these items, especially if packed in your carry-on luggage. If you don’t know, ask! Better to ask than be denied an item at the security check point. Travel size items are just the right size! Zip lock bags are great for transporting just about everything. If you have prescription medicine, be sure to bring a copy of your prescription with you. You never know when this may come in handy. Or here’s a tip: Ask your pharmacy to put a label on a small bottle for each prescription. I always travel with band-aids, antibiotic cream, tweezers, nail clippers, nail polish remover, antiseptic wipes, OTC pain relievers, safety pins, sewing kit and more. Some things are not always readily accessible when you need them from shops in town or on the ship.

Tip #1 – If you are a frequent traveler, consider creating a special drawer or area for items that you always need when you travel. This makes it easy to grab your travel essentials from one spot, instead of running all over the house to collect them. I have such a drawer.

Tip #2 – Some travelers swear by rolling their clothes to pack. Others fold. I like using the packing cubes. It helps me keep my clothing organized, as well as fitting it all in my luggage.

Tip #3 – Create a packing list. This can be trip-specific or a general list of items that you always pack, with room to add trip-specific items, such as binoculars or suntan lotion.

See It’s Time to Pack – Part 2 for more valuable tips and information!

“Hope for the best, plan for the worst.”
– Jack Reacher

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

I’ve been somewhat surprised at the UNESCO sites that I have been able to visit over the years. Instead of standing outside looking in, I’ve actually been able to walk around (carefully!) and enjoy the experience. A couple international examples are Melk Abbey and The Colosseum. Both have handicap entrances, elevators and suitable facilities. A few UNESCO sites located in the United States are The Statue of Liberty, Monticello, San Antonio Missions and several of our national parks, of which I have also had the privilege to visit and enjoy.

By my count from the World Heritage List, I have visited 40+ UNESCO sites in 15 countries to date, with plans to visit several more on future travels. I may have a mobility challenge, but I accept that challenge and want to see as much of our world as I can, while I can. It may be 20 steps at a time, but I do get there!

It’s amazing how many sites around the globe are listed under this organization. To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must be of outstanding universal value and meet at least one out of ten selection criteria, such as “to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius” or “to contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance”.*

Find a UNESCO site that interests you, do your research for availability, operating hours, admission fees and more by checking the internet for reviews and informative websites. There are over 1000 properties listed by country at the following link: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/

UPDATE: July 10, 2019 –
Twenty-nine new UNESCO World Heritage Sites have been added!

 “The most beautiful in the world is, of course, the world itself.”
-Wallace Stevens

*Information obtained from UNESCO

One of my favorite ‘things’ to visit is lighthouses. My love of these historic, navigational lights goes back many years when, as a child, my family visited Maine. The lighthouse that I remember the most from that trip is Pemaquid Point. Many years later, we took our children on a family vacation to Maine and visited this same lighthouse. It was commissioned in 1827 by President John Quincy Adams. It was originally lit with candles, then eventually a Fresnel lens was installed.*

A favorite local lighthouse, located in Rochester, New York (our home town), on the shores of Lake Ontario, is the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse. The 40-foot stone tower building is in the shape of an octagon and is open to the public, as is the keeper’s dwelling that houses a gift shop and museum. It is part of the Seaway Trail, a National Scenic Byway. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is also a City of Rochester Landmark.* Check out the picture in the Gallery to the right of this post. The original stone tower is my favorite, however, it was lime-washed a couple of years ago. Personally, I love the original tower.

Through the years, I’ve seen countless lighthouses around the country and overseas. I wish I could name them all! Our most recent lighthouse road trip took us around the Chesapeake Bay area, including Baltimore, where there is a lightship in the harbor. An upcoming Fall cruise will take us up the eastern coast to Boston, Portland, St. John and Halifax. Halifax is well known for Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse, which we visited several years ago. Portland Head is a well-photographed lighthouse that we will also be visiting, along with a few others in the Casco Bay area. On our Alaska cruise, we posted a map on the wall, so we could identify the lighthouses as we cruised by. We spent time in Seattle after the cruise lighthouse hunting. We also posted a map on the wall for our Trans-Atlantic cruise so we could find and name lighthouses as we entered the Gulf of St. Lawrence. When we lived in Florida, we took road trips to scout out the lighthouses on the East coast and Gulf coast. Karen has climbed the steps to many a lighthouse and reveled in capturing the view from the tower in photographs.

Lighthouses come in all shapes and sizes, on shore, on cliffs, on derricks and more. There’s also a lesser known group of 25 lighthouses in Arizona. Lighthouses in Arizona? Yes! These are scaled-down replicas of actual United States lighthouses, located around Lake Havasu and are fully functional. Most are available to drive up to so the mobility challenge to see them is rated as ‘easy’. We followed a local map and found and photographed most of them.

Someday, I hope to get to the Michigan peninsula area to see their lighthouses around Lake Huron. It will be a fly and drive trip. There are some pretty impressive lighthouses from the pictures I’ve seen. Now I need to see them up close and personal! Check out this webpage to see why I want to visit this area, preferably in the Fall season – unitedstateslighthouses.com

Trivia Tidbit: “As per the coast guard’s navigational regulations, lighthouses on the west coast use a green beacon, while east coast lighthouses use a red beacon. Lighthouses with a flashing amber beacon signify safe harbor lights for emergency use only.”**

Today, many lighthouses have been decommissioned; some are privately owned. There are lighthouses open to the public seasonally, including the grounds and keeper’s lodging and out-buildings. Some lighthouses have been turned into bed and breakfast inns. And yet others allow interested folks to be lighthouse keepers for a few days. And, believe it or not, there are some lighthouses for sale.

If you are looking for lighthouses to visit, an excellent source for more information on historical lighthouses and light stations is the National Park Service website at www.nps.gov.

*Information obtained from wikipedia

**Information obtained from Lake Havasu website – https://www.golakehavasu.com/lighthouses