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The Nuts and Bolts of Planning a Trip

Posted on May 1, 2017 by

Planning is Part of the Trip!

Not everyone feels this way.  Some people play spin the tail on the donkey, the pin lands on Sri Lanka and in two weeks, they are off on a grand adventure.  By my very nature, I am a planner at heart.  I used to plan events for a living and really loved doing so. 

I never consider the planning a chore.  If fact, I firmly believe that the planning is part of the trip! Planning is a key part of my travel experience. Appropriate planning is a lot of fun and ensures the most enjoyable possible trip for me. I am a big believer in making a plan, but I do want to get the trade-offs right. On the one hand, it is tempting to say, “I will just show up and goread more…

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Havana, Pulsing Heart of Cuba

Posted on April 24, 2017 by
Havana

Colorful European Buildings Line Havana’s Streets

Apr. 5-7: When people think of Cuba, they are usually thinking about Havana.  Makes sense, when we think of New York State, most of us think of New York City.  Think 1950’s Chevrolets, cigars, rum, dilapidated but formerly stately buildings, the malecón, and some of the most soulful, percussion dominant music on earth.  That blend of elements surely imprints intriguing images of Cuba in our minds.

Within hours of arriving in Havana, I agreed.  It was a gritty, edgy, intriguing city, full of contradiction, throbbing with a heartbeat unique as fingerprints are to each person.  In a broad way, I knew I was immersed in a Central American or Caribbean culture.  But there are cultural differences that distinguish Cuba.

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Soroa, Village Gem in Cuban Mountains

Posted on April 24, 2017 by

Soroa Is Nestled in the Artemisa Province

Apr. 8-10: Soroa is a rural village, up in the mountains, almost halfway between Havana and Viñales.  It was settled by a Frenchman, Jean-Pierre Soroa, who developed a plantation and the coffee trade in the region in the 19th century.  Most people skip over it to go to Viñales, but I liked the sound of hanging out in a smaller town for a few days.  And it turned out to be a delightful place to enjoy nature and engage with every day Cubans.

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Viñales, Where Tobacco Is King, Caves, & Oxen Abound

Posted on April 24, 2017 by

Super Charming Viñales

Apr. 11-14: I am totally happy I went to Viñales.  Although I would caution you against going only to Havana and Viñales.  Although it is not affluent by US standards, Viñales is the most affluent part of Cuba.  You would not really see a cross section of the country, if you only visited Viñales.

Almost every single home and I do mean almost every single home, had the symbol outside its door to denote it was a casa particular.  The good news is that tourists can always be certain to find a place to stay, even if they just roll in without a plan.  The other good news is that tourism is supporting local families and not going the direction of large resorts.  Viñales has managed to keep the same old school flavor.  Even the new buildings have colonial architecture.

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Posted in Cuba, North America, Pinar del Río
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Palma Rubia, Gateway to Mystical Caya Levisa

Posted on April 24, 2017 by
Palma Rubia

La Caya Was the Place to Be – Can You See Why?

Apr. 14-18: It is not uncommon in a trip, that after a week or so of travel, my pace begins to slow.  In the case of Cuba, I am not sure if I was assimilating into the slow culture or if it just took longer to get places and I wanted time to linger.  Or maybe I was just worn down and needed to recharge my batteries.

In any case I got a ride from Viñales with Papito.  We got a late start leaving Viñales and I did not get a beach day in Palma Rubia.  So my mind was already figuring on staying a three days rather than the two I had planned.  I was willing to cut the final day I had planned in Havana to do some extra exploring, possibly on bike, or to another beach.

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Posted in Cuba, North America, Pinar del Río
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Don’t Be an Ugly American

Posted on March 6, 2017 by

We have all encountered them – The Ugly American.  Lots of them.  Many times.  In America, they sort of blend in with the rest of their compatriots.  But when they travel to another country, they stand out a bit more.  Maybe I should qualify my title to be Don’t Be an Ugly Traveler since there can be Ugly Germans and Ugly French as well.  However, I will own up to my citizenship and keep the title as it is.

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My Herbal First Aid Kit

Posted on February 6, 2017 by

I travel with two competing schools of thought running through my head.  First, bring everything you may need, it’s such a pain in the butt to track things down when you are traveling.  Second, the world is abundant and I know how to find what I need wherever I am.

So what do I do?  Well, those thoughts are not mutually exclusive and I have found a hybrid approach works for me.  So I have a short list of trusted herbal remedies that accompany me on trips.  These herbs are reliable and compose my herbal first aid kit.  If I use them, I am guaranteed they will work in the ways I expect.  And they also address more than one potential issue I am prone toward having when traveling.  This is helpful when minimizing space in the suitcase is a consideration.read more…

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The Ball Drops in Times Square and Eleven Madison

Posted on January 8, 2017 by

Chelsea Street Scene

Dec. 31:  So, it’s 2017.  Pretty groovy.  And I am in New York City.  Even groovier.  And having a travel adventure with my son Woody.  Icing on the cake.  But I need to go all the way back to 2016 to do this blog post justice.

Woody and I flew from Portland to JFK five nights ago, so we could visit my parents.  They still live in Long Island, where I was born and raised.  They are older and can no longer get around like they used to, but we managed to get them out and about to do a few fun things. 

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A Day in Lower Manhattan – Nix and the Highline

Posted on January 8, 2017 by

You Are Looking at Ms Liberty Made of Legos

Jan. 1:  If the first day of the year is any indication, the rest of 2017 will be busy, entertaining, and open up a lot of new experiences.  I figured it would be best to hold off on tackling any New Year’s resolutions until I got back home and in the groove.

Regardless of what time I go to bed, I tend to wake up on the early side.  Woody was still sleeping and I took it upon myself to research Michelin restaurants that are open for lunch and in lower Manhattan.  I did this based on Woody expressing interest in a Michelin lunch yesterday and figured, why not?  I got his half-awake permission and booked online and I was off to hot yoga.

Stepping out onto the streets of Manhattan is always an exhilarating experience for me.  I am sure others have the same experience.  The city pulses to the rhythm of its own heart and anyone who has been here will attest to.  I headed toward midtown and spiraled up a few flights of steps to the yoga studio.  read more…

Posted in New York, North America, United States
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Is It Safe For A Woman to Travel Alone?

Posted on November 6, 2016 by

Is it safe for a woman to travel aloneThe answer is – it depends?  OK, what does it depend on?

Mainly it depends on where you travel, although there will be other elements that come into play to make you feel more comfortable with taking the leap.

When I mention to people where I have traveled alone, so often the immediate response is “but that is so dangerous.”  Fair enough, everyone is entitled to have their opinion.  But then I turn the tables and ask them “have you ever traveled there?”.  Of course the answer is always no.  The point is that a lot of us are living our lives with so many preconceptions, we clutter up our brains with things that we really don’t know anything about.

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