I woke from a deep, coma-like sleep.  Not entirely sure where I was…the celestial-looking ceiling above me seemed to ooze Heaven. Nimbus poufs of feathery clouds loomed languidly over my head…hints of statuary, or Cupids, or angelic cherubs, sketched in sorbet colors,floated gracefully on the canopy above my head.  Jet lag being what it is, it took me a few minutes to realize I was in a different kind of Heaven on Earth. I was in the Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese, floating on its signature-branded Sofitel MyBed, my body a limp whirl of protoplasm atop a bowl of weightless cotton candy!

As is fairly standard with an overnight flight from the States, I arrived in the early morn to the elegant, superbly located Sofitel, which was mercifully a mere half-hour from the airport. A stroke of luck—and it is rarely the case—the Foreign-Travel Fairy had somehow sprinkled her magic over the reservation roster for that day, and I was able to glide into my room early in the day, shower, and collapse—although I soaked up the stunning view from my room first.

The welcoming staff, perched behind two handsome, geometrically-carved, boulder-like desks, both burnished to gleaming perfection, had encouraged a snooze to re-energize my dazed circadian rhythm.

And I had followed that sound advice, but not before dipping my hand into a few of the clear glass goblets and apothecary-style chalices on the shelves in the intimate lobby,so I could swoop up a few Italian sweets. Then, I waltzed upstairs to my handsomely appointed chamber, where elegant, modern furniture beckoned: A dusty-gray-velvet recamier welcomed my luggage at the foot of the bed—such a refined resting spot for piles of clothing, as I fished for a sleep shirt. All this sophisticated design is from the artful hands of Jean Philippe Nuel, both architect and designer of the property.  He has sculpted a classy and classic masterpiece.  After dousing myself with the sweet-smelling Diptyque toiletries in the marble-clad shower, it was nap time. And sleep, I did.

This charming, five-star hotel is housed in a former 19th-century Roman palazzo, and is ideally located within walking distance of all that I wanted to drink in that first half-day, before I began serious sight-seeing and reacquainting myself with all that is Roman in my half-Italian blood.  Trevi Fountain, Villa Medici, the Spanish Steps (and all its glorious, adjacent shopping), and, of course, the splendor and majesty of the gardens of the Villa Borghese. (For sojourns farther afield, the Barberini metro station is just a six-minute stroll away.)

An intimate hotel by most yardsticks (71 rooms and seven suites), it still offers the more grandiose (included with your tariff) breakfasts Americans have come to expect in Europe, where lavish spreads overwhelm…what shall I have first?  The French toast?  The waffles?  The pancakes?  A custom-crafted omelette?  Cereals? Healthy, home-crafted yogurt, berries, and grains?  Or sinful pastries? No matter what you select for breakfast, your meal will be all the more enhanced and enjoyed because you’ll be dining in the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, Settimo, with a 360-degree view, including St. Peter’s Basilica, the Villa Borghese gardens, and those famous pines of Rome.

The mosaic-laden floor is awash with large botanically inspired garden motifs, created with chunky,stone inlays, in earth tones of raw umber, burnt sienna, and chestnut, or ofsage, pine, celadon, loden, and sea foam.  The lush fabrics on the chairs—saturated turquoise velvet accented with more lavish, forest-green florals-on-steroids—are all complimented by actual foliage. Even the hanging, lantern-style, indoor lighting fixtures are covered in cannon-shaped shades, florid with floral and leafy motifs. If you’re fortunate, you can snag an outdoor table and drink in all that Roman scenery, along with a high-octane shot of espresso to kick off the morning.

If you are enjoying La Dolce Vita completely, then allow that crackerjack staff at the front desk plan your days:  There are family packages available that include gladiator school, gelato workshops, horseback riding, and stargazing like a Roman astronomer; or ask about the hotel’s multi-day foodie tour, created with Lauren Caramico of Davvero Rome, one of the city’s leading culinary influencers and tour guides. Some of the days’ activities in that package might include truffle-hunting, kayaking, or wine-tasting. The hotel can also arrange for private city tours, in a vintage Fiat on the back of a Vespa (I did this and I loved both the Vespa and the guy driving it!).  For fashionista and culinary devotees, there are individualized tours, highlighting shopping and wardrobe-styling (for men and women)a la Romagna, or yoga among the ruins, or cooking classes, among the custom-crafted excursions.Ask about the film-inspired sightseeing tour (think “Roman Holiday,”“Angels and Demons”, and, of course, “La Dolce Vita,” among the many celluloid visions of Rome). There are even special packages for you and your four-legged BFF (Bark in the Park, is a picnic in the Villa Borghese garden; there is also ozone bath therapy Fido and dog-sitters available around the clock.

At the end of the day, though, you’ll be thrilled to return to Settimo, to enjoy sunset and a sun downer. The trip up to the seventh floor is in an elevator that is about as good as an elevator can get, anywhere, courtesy of a fantasy garden on the walls: Floor-to-ceiling floral prints, walls awash with trellises and oversize, lavish, grandiose flowers.I wish I could have had more than two dinners at Settimo, as there was so much more I wanted to sample, but suffice it to say, everything I ate was toothsome, savory, and satisfying.  A lovely menu is available for that aperitivo and dinner, as well.  A sampling of dinner fare: Crispy tuna millefeuille with avocado cream, red radish, and accented with aged Modena balsamic vinegar; velvety Romanesco courgettes, bread crumbs, and toasted almonds; Roman saltimbocca veal fillet, pan-fried with chicory and stewed onions.  And top it off with a cherry crème brulée or traditional tiramisù with crunchy chocolate.  No matter what you order, it will be a winner.

Regardless of how many nights you stay, you’ll want more. This is a tribute to the comfortable, but detail-oriented, service delivered by the attentive and caring staff—and by those angels on the ceiling in your room.

Additional info:  sofitelrome.com

©   Ruth J. Katz  2024  All Rights Reserved

The post Escape to the Glorious Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese appeared first on Traveling Archive.

How was your journey? The Gambardella family, several generations of whom are usually on the scene, have been asking this question ever since they began welcoming guests to their villa-like retreat on the edge of a cliff along the legendary Amalfi Coast of southern Italy in 1904. It’s understandable if some of their arrivals are at a loss to sum up the hair-raising trip along the famed Amalfi Drive. This narrow ribbon of pavement and hairpins floats hundreds of feet above the churning surf. The writer John Steinbeck described the route as “hooked and corkscrewed on the edge of nothing” and confessed that “in the back seat my wife and I lay clutched in each other’s arms, weeping hysterically.” Even so, he found the coast, where entire villages cling improbably to green hillsides that plunge into the blue Mediterranean, to be “a dream place that isn’t quite real.” Another writer, Gore Vidal, lived in a cliffside aerie in nearby Ravello, and he abandoned his typical churlishness to say he was blessed with “the most beautiful view in the world.” You’ll probably come to some of the same conclusions when you take a seat on one of the many terraces, sip a chilled Prosecco, and surrender to the sensation of being suspended here between sea and sky — or the sense that you’ve stumbled onto the set of a very stylish movie.

The Amalfi Coast is one of the most beautiful, glamorous, legendary, gossip-soaked strips of land anywhere, the haunt of film stars and poets, the rich and famous, exiled royals and pretenders, bigwigs and flaneurs, lovers and lotharios, and plenty of ordinary folks just looking to relax in style. Everyone feels right at home in these sprawling, tile-floored lounges and vine-laced dining rooms. In these swell surroundings you wouldn’t be too surprised if the bejeweled woman at the next table purred, “Gimme a whisky . . . ginger ale on the side . . . and don’t be stingy, baby,” or if a well-tanned gent ordered a martini, shaken, not stirred. The white-jacketed attendants, who seem to know every guest by name, will be just as solicitous as you wrestle with a decision to have the sea bass salted and baked or simply grilled or if you should indulge in the lemon soufflé for dessert.

“I need something truly beautiful to look at in hotel rooms,” said actress Vivien Leigh, who used to vacation in these parts. She would find plenty to admire in the 66 rooms and suites, each different, that ramble through the main house and are tucked into gardens fragrant with oranges and lemons. Furnishings are homey rather than ostentatious, enlivened with a smattering of family heirlooms, and warm whites are accented with Mediterranean hues that offset glistening hand-painted tile floors. Many of the deep bathtubs have sea views, and you might just be tempted to call room service and order a bottle of Champagne as you settle in for a long soak. These are the sorts of digs to which Greta Garbo yearned to retreat when in the film Grand Hotel she famously said, “I want to be alone.” Actually, Garbo and her lover, the conductor Leopold Stokowski, once hid out in a villa up the mountainside in Ravello. They probably would have been just as content in the Giulietta e Romeo Chalet, a hidden garden cottage dripping with bougainvillea and jasmine, or for that matter any other accommodation here.

A Bond-worthy glassed-in elevator whooshes 10-stories down a rock face to a cove that shelters the beach club. You expect to run into Cary Grant and Grace Kelly down here, lying around in beach togs as they do in To Catch a Thief.  Adding to the laidback glamor is an army of Polo-attired attendants who appear with a towel and bottle of water the moment you climb out the sea or saltwater pool. Settle in with a house made Limoncello and you can almost see Odysseus sailing by—legend has it that as he plied these waters he had himself bound to the mast to prevent him from answering the lure of Sirens promising “love, sweeter than honey.”  It’s easy to understand how he might have succumbed to local pleasures. You might also imagine that you’ve stumbled into a scene from Evil Under the Sun. You know, the lush film of the Agatha Christie thriller in which Maggie Smith is a former actress and royal courtesan who looks after a bunch of spoiled toffs at her seaside villa-turned-guesthouse. Thing is, it’s hard to imagine anything evil happening under this sun.

Hotel Santa Caterina is perched on a clifftop less than a mile outside Amalfi, at S.S. Amalfitana 9. The hotel is open from mid-April through early November. Visit their website for more information.

The post Glamour Under the Italian Sun: The Hotel Santa Caterina appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Such was the case when a friend and I recently escaped to Marina del Rey, one of my favorite Southern California beach locations. After surfing the web a little, I found a great hotel room and lined up some fun and tasty activities.

My getaway began when I checked into Marina del Rey Hotel, a waterfront retreat, located minutes from Santa Monica and Venice Beach. The hotel boasts 164 boutique accommodations, the award-winning SALT Restaurant & Bar, and a year-round heated infinity pool & spa — all with gorgeous views of Marina del Rey. The property also offers a fitness center, business center and on-site bicycle rentals.

Our 350 sq-ft king suite featured a king bed with premium high-thread Egyptian cotton linens, a luxury bathroom with rainforest shower head, free wireless Internet, and a balcony with table and chairs and incredible views overlooking the pool and the marina.

But the hotel’s best feature is its proximity to the spectacular marina. Built in the early 1960s at the site of an old salt marsh, Marina del Rey is a modern wonder of construction. As one of the world’s largest man-made small craft harbors, it features eight basins and is home to approximately 6,500 boats.

In spite of its epic marina and quaint seaside location, Marina del Rey is still kind of a hidden gem. Located near the larger, more famous areas of Los Angeles such as Venice Beach and Santa Monica, the tiny city can be overlooked. But for savvy travelers from around the globe, the place is waterfront paradise.

Janet Zaldua, CEO of the Marina del Rey Convention & Visitors Bureau says “Marina del Rey is an urban waterfront playground that offers tourists resort-like amenities, exceptional hotel accommodations, and dining experiences with breathtaking Marina views.”

A great way to see the marina is via the Marina del Rey WaterBus, which currently runs Thursdays thru Sundays. The colorful boat makes six stops each way on its trip. Stops are Fisherman’s Village, Burton Chace Park, Marina Beach, Dolphin Marina, Esprit 1, and Del Rey Landing. Tickets are $1 each way and can be purchased from the dock attendants stationed at each WaterBus stop. Attendants can also assist with any questions on WaterBus service and provide additional information on a wide range of activities in Marina del Rey.

We took the Waterbus to Marina Beach, also called Mother’s Beach. Here we lounged on the sand and played in the water. We then rented a kayak from the Pro SUP Shop. Located in the parking lot in front of Mother’s Beach, the company specializes in stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking and offers daily rentals and lessons by professional ASI & WPA certified instructors.

During our hour tour of the harbor we paddled past million-dollar yachts and old wooden sloops. I waved to small boats passing by and barking seals sunbathing on docks. Kayaking is not only a great way to see the harbor; it is also a good workout and very relaxing. For those looking to get into paddle boarding or kayaking Mother’s Beach in Marina del Rey is probably one of the best places in the Los Angeles area to learn.

For dinner we took the WaterBus back near our hotel and then walked about 10 minutes to a small shopping center, where we found L&L Hawaiian Barbecue. Here we enjoyed a delicious and casual Hawaiian-styled dinner. Our meal featured a seafood combo plate with fried shrimp, fish fillet and Hawaiian chicken, served with white rice and macaroni salad. My friend had Loco Moco plate with savory hamburger patties over rice and topped with brown gravy and two fried eggs. With our food we had a couple cold Corona beers.

The Marina del Rey Hotel is located at 13534 Bali Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292.

More information on Marina del Rey Hotel (or call 310.301-1000).

More information on visiting Marina del Rey.

The post Meandering Around Marina Del Rey appeared first on Traveling Archive.

10 Mediterranean — Gifts for the Food Lover in Your Life

More than a mix of rich history, gorgeous beaches, and warm blue waters, the countries along the Mediterranean Sea and their people have a history of living longer and healthier lives and you can too! By simply following a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil, nuts, beans, fish, fruits and vegetables, even drinking wine with meals, you can prevent diseases and prolong your life.

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Traveling Boy’s Brom Wikstrom on CBS Sunday Morning

Traveling Boy’s Brom Wikstrom received his 15 minutes of fame last Sunday. Of course, we’ve all known that Brom has been famous for years. The world-renowned  mouth painter appeared on CBS Sunday Morning with correspondent Lee Cowan. A diving accident in 1975 left Brom a quadriplegic. During rehabilitation, he learned to use a mouth stick to turn pages when reading. Towards the end of rehabilitation, he started mouth painting; a continuation of his talent and  passion for the arts. He developed an art program at Seattle Children’s Hospital and began a long association with VSA arts. In 1994, Brom became a full member artist of the International Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists. His work has been shown around the globe, including the United Kingdom, Belgium, British Columbia, Austria and Australia. Join us as we celebrate the holiday season and pay homage to Brom on this CBS Sunday Morning clip, where he has turned a negative into a positive, helping countless others with disabilities, turning their lives around. On a personal note, I recently purchased a painting from a mouth painter in rural Costa Rica, who was once a student of Mr. Wikstrom.

SEE CBS Sunday Morning clip

Random Acts of Canine Kindness

Cedric the Dog takes a well-deserved break after an ill fated attempt to shut down a white supremacist rally in Alabama.

You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog. – Harry S. Truman

MORE Dog Quotations

Martin Scorsese Speaks

Fine words by Martin Scorsese

Cinema is an art form that brings you the unexpected. In superhero movies, nothing is at risk, a director says.

When I was in England in early October, I gave an interview to Empire magazine. I was asked a question about Marvel movies. I answered it. I said that I’ve tried to watch a few of them and that they’re not for me, that they seem to me to be closer to theme parks than they are to movies as I’ve known and loved them throughout my life, and that in the end, I don’t think they’re cinema. Some people seem to have seized on the last part of my answer as insulting, or as evidence of hatred for Marvel on my part. If anyone is intent on characterizing my words in that light, there’s nothing I can do to stand in the way.

MORE

Newly Discovered Treasures Came From the Same Sunken Ship That Carried the Controversial ‘Elgin Marbles’

The “Mentor,” a vessel owned by the notorious Lord Elgin, sank in 1802 while carrying panels and sculptures looted from the Parthenon

Courtesy Jason Daley, smithsonian.com

In September 1802, the H.M.S. Mentor sank off the coast of Avlemonas, Greece, sending 17 crates of antiquities tumbling to the bottom of the Mediterranean. More than 200 years later, the Greek Ministry of Culture reports, marine archaeologists tasked with exploring the wreck have recovered gold jewelry, cooking pots, chess pieces and an array of other artifacts connected with the trove.

MORE

10 Crowd-Free Alternatives to America’s Most Iconic National Parks

For every national park swarmed by visitors, dozens of state and federal preserves, parks, and monuments go relatively untraveled.

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5 Easy Ways to Secure Your Hotel Room

Inexpensive, portable safety devices to take with you when you travel
Courtesy by David Dean

Are you worried about the security of your hotel room when you travel? You never really know who else has a key to your room, or how good the locks and deadbolts actually are. Luckily, there are several easy, inexpensive ways to secure the room more effectively. Here are five of the best.

MORE

Secrets the Cruise Lines Don’t Tell You

Courtesy Erika Silverstein, Cruise Critic

Cruise ship life can be a little mysterious. Your choices aren’t always spelled out in black and white. The more you cruise, the more you pick up on the unofficial secrets the cruise lines don’t tell you — which give you more options, let you save money and generally allow you to have a better time onboard.

MORE

Protect Yourself Against Airport Checkpoint Theft

Airport theft is becoming a major problem for travelers, so make sure to get to your destination with all your items intact.

MORE

How to Renew a Passport in 24 Hours

Courtesy Shannon McMahon

By partnering with an existing service called RushMyPassport, FedEx is facilitating a nationwide solution for those who need very fast passport renewal.

MORE

7 Common Travel Crises and How to Conquer Them

Courtesy Denise Caiazzo, Travel Planners International

Travel advisors are well-equipped to handle just about anything travel-related. Give them a destination, a budget, and a few key interests, and they can whip up an entirely personalized itinerary that will make a client feel over-the-moon, as they make their travel dreams come true.

But what happens when an unforeseen travel nightmare occurs? We’re talking, “I can’t find my passport and I leave for my trip in a week!” or “Surprise, a bad storm hit, and all flights are canceled.”

MORE

Behind the Bucket List: What Americans Really Want in Travel

Courtesy Tours.com

What do Americans want when it comes to Bucket List travel? A group from Provisional Living wanted to find out not only what’s on those lists, but why and how they got there. What they found was pretty revealing.

MORE

How to Complain Effectively at a Hotel

Courtesy Charlyn Keating

Demand satisfaction when you have a valid complaint

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Are Airlines Tracking Your Flight Searches (and Raising Prices)?

Courtesy Caroline Morse Teel

Ms. Caroline Morse Teel, Senior Editor of SmarterTravel, investigates whether or not searching for airfare makes the price go up.

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A Child’s Christmas In Wales

A poem by Dylan Thomas

One Christmas was so much like another,
in those years around the sea-town corner now and out of all sound
except the distant speaking of the voices I sometimes hear a moment before sleep,
that I can never remember whether it snowed for six days and six nights
when I was twelve or whether it snowed for twelve days and twelve nights when I was six.

All the Christmases roll down toward the two-tongued sea,
like a cold and headlong moon bundling down the sky that was our street;
and they stop at the rim of the ice-edged fish-freezing waves,
and I plunge my hands in the snow and bring out whatever I can find.
In goes my hand into that wool-white bell-tongued ball of holidays resting
at the rim of the carol-singing sea, and out come Mrs. Prothero and the firemen.

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Send Deb your favorite travel poems

7 Things You Should Always Wear on a Plane

Courtesy Caroline Costellos

Be the best-dressed (and most comfortable) person in the cabin with our guide to in-flight apparel.

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Question: How many Beatles’ Christmas fan-club songs were recorded?

Scroll down for the answer

Go Swimming in the Brazilian Desert in These Lagoons That Appear Like Magic Every Year

Courtesy Cailey Rizzo, Travel & Leisure

Nobody can put on an event quite like nature.

Every year, the sand dunes at Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in Brazil collect rainwater from about January to June. And come July, these dunes become temporary pools full of clear, warm water.

MORE

10 Ways to Get a Better Night of Sleep

By Brandon Peters, MD

With a few simple guidelines, you can have better sleep tonight. At some point in our lives, for any number of reasons, nearly all of us will have difficulties sleeping and suffer from acute insomnia. This can lead to significant distress but have no fear. There are simple steps to take that will help you sleep better tonight.

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Two Thirds Of Americans Worry About Work Whilst On Vacation

Courtesy Calum McCloskey, 10 Yetis Digital

New research has found the biggest worries that Americans have whilst on vacation, with the weather, accommodation, spending money and arguments all making the top five, with almost two thirds confessing to also worrying about work whilst away.

As well as determining the biggest worries that Americans have on vacation, with work featuring quite heavily for many, the biggest worries Americans have at the airport were also revealed, with fear of a flight being delayed or cancelled, luggage getting lost or damaged and missing the flight from being late topping the list.

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6 Destinations with Sunscreen Bans, and What You Need to Know

Courtesy Shannon McMahon, SmarterTravel

Think the plastic straws you gave up sipping from are bad for our oceans? It’s time to consider the same about the sunscreen you use. Non-biodegradable sunscreens that contain harsh chemicals like oxybenzone have been proven to be toxic to coral reefs and other sea life. But travelers haven’t been as quick to widely abandon them for a natural alternative — so now some destinations are enacting sunscreen bans themselves.

Here are some of the most popular destinations that have banned non-biodegradable sunscreens, and how you can switch to a responsible alternative.

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12 Things You Can Do to Handle Flight Delays and Cancellations

Courtesy Benet Wilson, TrippSavy

Odds are if you are a regular traveler — and even if you’re not — you will eventually experience a flight delay. These delays are caused by things including weather, air traffic control issues, mechanicals, crew problems, delayed aircraft, and airport security, to name a few. DOT’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) tracks this data monthly ​and breaks it down by the airline, airport, and what caused the delay.

Below are 10 things you can do to help minimize the effects of delays and cancellations.

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How to Disinfect Your Airplane Seat

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Virtual Reality Helps Japan’s Elderly Travel the World

CNN Travel

Traveling from the canals of Venice to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, a group of elderly people in Japan is seeing the world – without even leaving their seats. It’s all thanks to virtual reality, as well as a team at the University of Tokyo led by Kenta Toshima.

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Half of Americans Would Take a Job With No Paid Time Off for a Higher Salary

Meanwhile, One in Three Workers Would Give Up Some Pay for Unlimited Vacation

Half (49 percent) of working Americans would accept a job with no vacation time if they were paid more, according to the 11th annual Vacation Confidence Index* released by Allianz Global Assistance. Millennials (63 percent, compared to 47 percent of Gen X’ers and 32 percent of Baby Boomers) and men (57 percent, versus 41 percent of women) are the most likely to sacrifice paid time off for higher salaries.

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Pickpocket-Proof Clothing: 10 Garments to Protect Your Stuff

Courtesy Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon

Nothing sours a trip like having your belongings stolen by a pickpocket. But chances are, if you travel frequently — or just happen to be unlucky — a sticky-fingered stranger will one day secretly separate you from your stuff. Since traveling sans cash, credit cards, and other valuables isn’t an option for most of us, I’ve rounded up a passel of pickpocket-proof clothing and accessories that’ll make you less of a target for thieves.

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The Best Navigation Tools to Keep You on Track on a Car Trip, Here or Abroad

Courtesy Catharine Hamm, L.A. Times

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Beatle Beat Trivia Answers

Question: How many Beatles’ Christmas fan-club songs were recorded?

Answer: 7

Beatles’ Rare Fan-Club Christmas Recordings: A Complete Guide

The post Dylan Thomas Christmas, Brom Wikstrom appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Martin Scorsese Speaks

Fine words by Martin Scorsese

Cinema is an art form that brings you the unexpected. In superhero movies, nothing is at risk, a director says.

When I was in England in early October, I gave an interview to Empire magazine. I was asked a question about Marvel movies. I answered it. I said that I’ve tried to watch a few of them and that they’re not for me, that they seem to me to be closer to theme parks than they are to movies as I’ve known and loved them throughout my life, and that in the end, I don’t think they’re cinema. Some people seem to have seized on the last part of my answer as insulting, or as evidence of hatred for Marvel on my part. If anyone is intent on characterizing my words in that light, there’s nothing I can do to stand in the way.

MORE

Random Acts of Canine Kindness

Cedric the Dog takes a well-deserved break after an ill fated attempt to shut down a white supremacist rally in Mississippi.

You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog. – Harry S. Truman

MORE Dog Quotations

How Three Guys From Houston Are Cooking Up a Revolution in Texas Barbecue

A tiny suburban eatery is breaking all the rules to create some of the freshest-tasting grub on the horizon

By Brett Martin; Photograph by Jody Horton

I wish I could tell you that the “blood” in Blood Bros BBQ was literal. That sometime in the mid-1980s, three Asian-American friends in suburban Houston met under the bleachers of their high school football stadium and performed some kind of ritual with a drawn blade in which they swore eternal fealty in smoke and flesh. Sadly, no knife, no blood.

This is a different kind of tale: a great American story about the great American food. The brother part is real, anyway. Terry Wong and his younger-by-18-months sibling, Robin, make up two-thirds of the Blood Bros, whose year-old restaurant has made waves in the world of Texas barbecue. The third, honorary Bro is Quy Hoang, who has the distinction of being the first Vietnamese-American to work as a pit master in Houston.

MORE

Newly Discovered Treasures Came From the Same Sunken Ship That Carried the Controversial ‘Elgin Marbles’

The “Mentor,” a vessel owned by the notorious Lord Elgin, sank in 1802 while carrying panels and sculptures looted from the Parthenon

Courtesy Jason Daley, smithsonian.com

In September 1802, the H.M.S. Mentor sank off the coast of Avlemonas, Greece, sending 17 crates of antiquities tumbling to the bottom of the Mediterranean. More than 200 years later, the Greek Ministry of Culture reports, marine archaeologists tasked with exploring the wreck have recovered gold jewelry, cooking pots, chess pieces and an array of other artifacts connected with the trove.

MORE

10 Crowd-Free Alternatives to America’s Most Iconic National Parks

For every national park swarmed by visitors, dozens of state and federal preserves, parks, and monuments go relatively untraveled.

MORE

5 Easy Ways to Secure Your Hotel Room

Inexpensive, portable safety devices to take with you when you travel
Courtesy by David Dean

Are you worried about the security of your hotel room when you travel? You never really know who else has a key to your room, or how good the locks and deadbolts actually are. Luckily, there are several easy, inexpensive ways to secure the room more effectively. Here are five of the best.

MORE

Survey: Only About One-Third of Americans Say They Sleep Better in Hotels

Majority Believe Mattress is Less Comfortable Than at Home

As millions of Americans head out on vacation this summer looking for rest and relaxation, it’s likely that two-thirds of them won’t sleep as well as they do at home.

MORE

Secrets the Cruise Lines Don’t Tell You

Courtesy Erika Silverstein, Cruise Critic

Cruise ship life can be a little mysterious. Your choices aren’t always spelled out in black and white. The more you cruise, the more you pick up on the unofficial secrets the cruise lines don’t tell you — which give you more options, let you save money and generally allow you to have a better time onboard.

MORE

Protect Yourself Against Airport Checkpoint Theft

Airport theft is becoming a major problem for travelers, so make sure to get to your destination with all your items intact.

MORE

How to Renew a Passport in 24 Hours

Courtesy Shannon McMahon

By partnering with an existing service called RushMyPassport, FedEx is facilitating a nationwide solution for those who need very fast passport renewal.

MORE

7 Common Travel Crises and How to Conquer Them

Courtesy Denise Caiazzo, Travel Planners International

Travel advisors are well-equipped to handle just about anything travel-related. Give them a destination, a budget, and a few key interests, and they can whip up an entirely personalized itinerary that will make a client feel over-the-moon, as they make their travel dreams come true.

But what happens when an unforeseen travel nightmare occurs? We’re talking, “I can’t find my passport and I leave for my trip in a week!” or “Surprise, a bad storm hit, and all flights are canceled.”

MORE

Behind the Bucket List: What Americans Really Want in Travel

Courtesy Tours.com

What do Americans want when it comes to Bucket List travel? A group from Provisional Living wanted to find out not only what’s on those lists, but why and how they got there. What they found was pretty revealing.

MORE

How to Complain Effectively at a Hotel

Courtesy Charlyn Keating

Demand satisfaction when you have a valid complaint

MORE

Are Airlines Tracking Your Flight Searches (and Raising Prices)?

Courtesy Caroline Morse Teel

Ms. Caroline Morse Teel, Senior Editor of SmarterTravel, investigates whether or not searching for airfare makes the price go up.

MORE

The Best Navigation Tools to Keep You on Track on a Car Trip, Here or Abroad

Courtesy Catharine Hamm, L.A. Times

MORE

12 Things You Can Do to Handle Flight Delays and Cancellations

Courtesy Benet Wilson, TrippSavy

Odds are if you are a regular traveler — and even if you’re not — you will eventually experience a flight delay. These delays are caused by things including weather, air traffic control issues, mechanicals, crew problems, delayed aircraft, and airport security, to name a few. DOT’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) tracks this data monthly ​and breaks it down by the airline, airport, and what caused the delay.

Below are 10 things you can do to help minimize the effects of delays and cancellations.

MORE

Question: Name the Beatle who was married to Maureen Cox

Scroll down for the answer

Go Swimming in the Brazilian Desert in These Lagoons That Appear Like Magic Every Year

Courtesy Cailey Rizzo, Travel & Leisure

Nobody can put on an event quite like nature.

Every year, the sand dunes at Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in Brazil collect rainwater from about January to June. And come July, these dunes become temporary pools full of clear, warm water.

MORE

10 Ways to Get a Better Night of Sleep

By Brandon Peters, MD

With a few simple guidelines, you can have better sleep tonight. At some point in our lives, for any number of reasons, nearly all of us will have difficulties sleeping and suffer from acute insomnia. This can lead to significant distress but have no fear. There are simple steps to take that will help you sleep better tonight.

MORE

Two Thirds Of Americans Worry About Work Whilst On Vacation

Courtesy Calum McCloskey, 10 Yetis Digital

New research has found the biggest worries that Americans have whilst on vacation, with the weather, accommodation, spending money and arguments all making the top five, with almost two thirds confessing to also worrying about work whilst away.

As well as determining the biggest worries that Americans have on vacation, with work featuring quite heavily for many, the biggest worries Americans have at the airport were also revealed, with fear of a flight being delayed or cancelled, luggage getting lost or damaged and missing the flight from being late topping the list.

MORE

6 Destinations with Sunscreen Bans, and What You Need to Know

Courtesy Shannon McMahon, SmarterTravel

Think the plastic straws you gave up sipping from are bad for our oceans? It’s time to consider the same about the sunscreen you use. Non-biodegradable sunscreens that contain harsh chemicals like oxybenzone have been proven to be toxic to coral reefs and other sea life. But travelers haven’t been as quick to widely abandon them for a natural alternative — so now some destinations are enacting sunscreen bans themselves.

Here are some of the most popular destinations that have banned non-biodegradable sunscreens, and how you can switch to a responsible alternative.

MORE

On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer

By John Keats

Much have I travell’d in the realms of gold,
And many goodly states and kingdoms seen;
Round many western islands have I been
Which bards in fealty to Apollo hold.
Oft of one wide expanse had I been told
That deep-brow’d Homer ruled as his demesne;
Yet did I never breathe its pure serene
Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold:
Then felt I like some watcher of the skies
When a new planet swims into his ken;
Or like stout Cortez when with eagle eyes
He star’d at the Pacific — and all his men
Look’d at each other with a wild surmise —
Silent, upon a peak in Darien.

Send Deb your favorite travel poems

7 Things You Should Always Wear on a Plane

Courtesy Caroline Costellos

Be the best-dressed (and most comfortable) person in the cabin with our guide to in-flight apparel.

MORE

How to Disinfect Your Airplane Seat

MORE

Virtual Reality Helps Japan’s Elderly Travel the World

CNN Travel

Traveling from the canals of Venice to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, a group of elderly people in Japan is seeing the world – without even leaving their seats. It’s all thanks to virtual reality, as well as a team at the University of Tokyo led by Kenta Toshima.

MORE

Half of Americans Would Take a Job With No Paid Time Off for a Higher Salary

Meanwhile, One in Three Workers Would Give Up Some Pay for Unlimited Vacation

Half (49 percent) of working Americans would accept a job with no vacation time if they were paid more, according to the 11th annual Vacation Confidence Index* released by Allianz Global Assistance. Millennials (63 percent, compared to 47 percent of Gen X’ers and 32 percent of Baby Boomers) and men (57 percent, versus 41 percent of women) are the most likely to sacrifice paid time off for higher salaries.

MORE

Pickpocket-Proof Clothing: 10 Garments to Protect Your Stuff

Courtesy Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon

Nothing sours a trip like having your belongings stolen by a pickpocket. But chances are, if you travel frequently — or just happen to be unlucky — a sticky-fingered stranger will one day secretly separate you from your stuff. Since traveling sans cash, credit cards, and other valuables isn’t an option for most of us, I’ve rounded up a passel of pickpocket-proof clothing and accessories that’ll make you less of a target for thieves.

MORE

Beatle Beat Trivia Answers

Question: Name the Beatle who was married to Maureen Cox

Answer: Maureen “Mo” Cox was Ringo Starr’s first wife.

Born Mary Cox; (1946 –  1994). Maureen “Mo” Starkey Tigrett was a hairdresser from Liverpool, best known as the first wife of Ringo Starr. When she was a trainee hairdresser in Liverpool, she met Starr at The Cavern Club, where the Beatles were playing. After finding out that she was pregnant, 18-year-old Maureen married Starr. When the Beatles broke up in 1970, so did the Starrs’ marriage, as Ringo’s infidelities were becoming more frequent, and his alcoholism was escalating. George Harrison once confessed how much he loved Maureen, which led to an affair.

Cox died at age 48 due to complications from leukemia. Maureen’s four children (including Zak Starkey, later drummer for The Who and Oasis), her 82-year-old mother, new husband Isaac Tigrett and ex-husband Starr were all at her bedside when she died. Following her death, Paul McCartney wrote the song “Little Willow” in her memory, which appears on his 1997 album, Flaming Pie, with a dedication to her children.

The post Martin Scorsese Speaks, Handling Flight Delays appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Random Acts of Canine Kindness

Cedric the Dog takes a well-deserved break after an ill fated attempt to shut down a white supremacist rally in Kansas.

You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog. – Harry S. Truman

MORE Dog Quotations

How Three Guys From Houston Are Cooking Up a Revolution in Texas Barbecue

A tiny suburban eatery is breaking all the rules to create some of the freshest-tasting grub on the horizon

By Brett Martin; Photograph by Jody Horton

I wish I could tell you that the “blood” in Blood Bros BBQ was literal. That sometime in the mid-1980s, three Asian-American friends in suburban Houston met under the bleachers of their high school football stadium and performed some kind of ritual with a drawn blade in which they swore eternal fealty in smoke and flesh. Sadly, no knife, no blood.

This is a different kind of tale: a great American story about the great American food. The brother part is real, anyway. Terry Wong and his younger-by-18-months sibling, Robin, make up two-thirds of the Blood Bros, whose year-old restaurant has made waves in the world of Texas barbecue. The third, honorary Bro is Quy Hoang, who has the distinction of being the first Vietnamese-American to work as a pit master in Houston, a city with no shortage of either.

MORE

Newly Discovered Treasures Came From the Same Sunken Ship That Carried the Controversial ‘Elgin Marbles’

The “Mentor,” a vessel owned by the notorious Lord Elgin, sank in 1802 while carrying panels and sculptures looted from the Parthenon

Courtesy Jason Daley, smithsonian.com

In September 1802, the H.M.S. Mentor sank off the coast of Avlemonas, Greece, sending 17 crates of antiquities tumbling to the bottom of the Mediterranean. More than 200 years later, the Greek Ministry of Culture reports, marine archaeologists tasked with exploring the wreck have recovered gold jewelry, cooking pots, chess pieces and an array of other artifacts connected with the trove.

MORE

10 Crowd-Free Alternatives to America’s Most Iconic National Parks

For every national park swarmed by visitors, dozens of state and federal preserves, parks, and monuments go relatively untraveled.

MORE

5 Easy Ways to Secure Your Hotel Room

Inexpensive, portable safety devices to take with you when you travel
Courtesy by David Dean

Are you worried about the security of your hotel room when you travel? You never really know who else has a key to your room, or how good the locks and deadbolts actually are. Luckily, there are several easy, inexpensive ways to secure the room more effectively. Here are five of the best.

MORE

Survey: Only About One-Third of Americans Say They Sleep Better in Hotels

Majority Believe Mattress is Less Comfortable Than at Home

As millions of Americans head out on vacation this summer looking for rest and relaxation, it’s likely that two-thirds of them won’t sleep as well as they do at home.

MORE

Secrets the Cruise Lines Don’t Tell You

Courtesy Erika Silverstein, Cruise Critic

Cruise ship life can be a little mysterious. Your choices aren’t always spelled out in black and white. The more you cruise, the more you pick up on the unofficial secrets the cruise lines don’t tell you — which give you more options, let you save money and generally allow you to have a better time onboard.

MORE

Protect Yourself Against Airport Checkpoint Theft

Airport theft is becoming a major problem for travelers, so make sure to get to your destination with all your items intact.

MORE

Question: Name the person who Paul recently called, ‘The REAL Fifth Beatle’

Scroll down for the answer

How to Renew a Passport in 24 Hours

Courtesy Shannon McMahon

By partnering with an existing service called RushMyPassport, FedEx is facilitating a nationwide solution for those who need very fast passport renewal.

MORE

7 Common Travel Crises and How to Conquer Them

Courtesy Denise Caiazzo, Travel Planners International

Travel advisors are well-equipped to handle just about anything travel-related. Give them a destination, a budget, and a few key interests, and they can whip up an entirely personalized itinerary that will make a client feel over-the-moon, as they make their travel dreams come true.

But what happens when an unforeseen travel nightmare occurs? We’re talking, “I can’t find my passport and I leave for my trip in a week!” or “Surprise, a bad storm hit, and all flights are canceled.”

MORE

Pickpocket-Proof Clothing: 10 Garments to Protect Your Stuff

Courtesy Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon

Nothing sours a trip like having your belongings stolen by a pickpocket. But chances are, if you travel frequently — or just happen to be unlucky — a sticky-fingered stranger will one day secretly separate you from your stuff. Since traveling sans cash, credit cards, and other valuables isn’t an option for most of us, I’ve rounded up a passel of pickpocket-proof clothing and accessories that’ll make you less of a target for thieves.

MORE

How to Complain Effectively at a Hotel

Courtesy Charlyn Keating

Demand satisfaction when you have a valid complaint

MORE

Beatle Beat Trivia Answers

Question: Name the person who Paul recently called, ‘The REAL fifth Beatle.’

Answer: The Beatles’ long time producer, George Martin.

The Best Navigation Tools to Keep You on Track on a Car Trip, Here or Abroad

Courtesy Catharine Hamm, L.A. Times

MORE

Go Swimming in the Brazilian Desert in These Lagoons That Appear Like Magic Every Year

Courtesy Cailey Rizzo, Travel & Leisure

Nobody can put on an event quite like nature.

Every year, the sand dunes at Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in Brazil collect rainwater from about January to June. And come July, these dunes become temporary pools full of clear, warm water.

MORE

I’ve Been Thinking…

By Maria Shriver

At the recent Democratic debate, the final question posed to the candidates was one about friendship.

CNN’s Anderson Cooper asked each of them to describe a friendship they’ve had with someone who has different beliefs than them. The question came in light of what I wrote about last week, which was the uproar over comedian Ellen DeGeneres sitting next to former President George W. Bush at a Dallas Cowboys game. Lots of people seemed to be upset by the debate question, but I found it revelatory in terms of how the candidates answered it and how they didn’t.

MORE

A Farewell to Ming, the Siberian-Bengal Tiger Who Spent Three Years in a Harlem Apartment

Antoine Yates, Ming’s owner, once said that the tiger was his ‘only friend, really.’

In Apartment 5E of a housing project in Harlem, there once lived a Siberian-Bengal tiger named Ming. He had his own bedroom, and was lovingly cared for by his owner, Antoine Yates. Ming was well known to residents of the Drew Hamilton Houses — it was hard to miss his roaring and the distinct smell of his urine — but he went undetected by authorities for three years.

MORE

10 Ways to Get a Better Night of Sleep

By Brandon Peters, MD

With a few simple guidelines, you can have better sleep tonight. At some point in our lives, for any number of reasons, nearly all of us will have difficulties sleeping and suffer from acute insomnia. This can lead to significant distress but have no fear. There are simple steps to take that will help you sleep better tonight.

MORE

Two Thirds Of Americans Worry About Work Whilst On Vacation

Courtesy Calum McCloskey, 10 Yetis Digital

New research has found the biggest worries that Americans have whilst on vacation, with the weather, accommodation, spending money and arguments all making the top five, with almost two thirds confessing to also worrying about work whilst away.

As well as determining the biggest worries that Americans have on vacation, with work featuring quite heavily for many, the biggest worries Americans have at the airport were also revealed, with fear of a flight being delayed or cancelled, luggage getting lost or damaged and missing the flight from being late topping the list.

MORE

6 Destinations with Sunscreen Bans, and What You Need to Know

Courtesy Shannon McMahon, SmarterTravel

Think the plastic straws you gave up sipping from are bad for our oceans? It’s time to consider the same about the sunscreen you use. Non-biodegradable sunscreens that contain harsh chemicals like oxybenzone have been proven to be toxic to coral reefs and other sea life. But travelers haven’t been as quick to widely abandon them for a natural alternative — so now some destinations are enacting sunscreen bans themselves.

Here are some of the most popular destinations that have banned non-biodegradable sunscreens, and how you can switch to a responsible alternative.

MORE

On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer

By John Keats

Much have I travell’d in the realms of gold,
And many goodly states and kingdoms seen;
Round many western islands have I been
Which bards in fealty to Apollo hold.
Oft of one wide expanse had I been told
That deep-brow’d Homer ruled as his demesne;
Yet did I never breathe its pure serene
Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold:
Then felt I like some watcher of the skies
When a new planet swims into his ken;
Or like stout Cortez when with eagle eyes
He star’d at the Pacific — and all his men
Look’d at each other with a wild surmise —
Silent, upon a peak in Darien.

Send Deb your favorite travel poems

7 Things You Should Always Wear on a Plane

Courtesy Caroline Costellos

Be the best-dressed (and most comfortable) person in the cabin with our guide to in-flight apparel.

MORE

How to Disinfect Your Airplane Seat

MORE

Virtual Reality Helps Japan’s Elderly Travel the World

CNN Travel

Traveling from the canals of Venice to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, a group of elderly people in Japan is seeing the world – without even leaving their seats. It’s all thanks to virtual reality, as well as a team at the University of Tokyo led by Kenta Toshima.

MORE

Half of Americans Would Take a Job With No Paid Time Off for a Higher Salary

Meanwhile, One in Three Workers Would Give Up Some Pay for Unlimited Vacation

Half (49 percent) of working Americans would accept a job with no vacation time if they were paid more, according to the 11th annual Vacation Confidence Index* released by Allianz Global Assistance. Millennials (63 percent, compared to 47 percent of Gen X’ers and 32 percent of Baby Boomers) and men (57 percent, versus 41 percent of women) are the most likely to sacrifice paid time off for higher salaries.

MORE

Behind the Bucket List: What Americans Really Want in Travel

Courtesy Tours.com

What do Americans want when it comes to Bucket List travel? A group from Provisional Living wanted to find out not only what’s on those lists, but why and how they got there. What they found was pretty revealing.

MORE

Are Airlines Tracking Your Flight Searches (and Raising Prices)?

Courtesy Caroline Morse Teel

Ms. Caroline Morse Teel, Senior Editor of SmarterTravel, investigates whether or not searching for airfare makes the price go up. Also: perfume on a plane, tipping when gratuities are included, who can sit in an exit row, and more.

MORE

The post Swimming in the Brazilian Desert, Maria Shriver appeared first on Traveling Archive.

All the Pretty Followers

A few months ago, I got a huge compliment from one of my subscribers who thanked me for my insight regarding the wandering Jews who wasted 40 years in the wilderness because of their lack of faith in God. God said “GO! and take the land of Canaan” but the majority of the cowardly Israelites didn’t think God was serious. The majority said “the reason for the size of these humongous grapes and crops we stole was because they feed humongous mouths! We are nothing but ants!!” [paraphrased].

Do you know what happened in the 40 years that followed? The population of unbelievers died off and their children grew up — essentially replacing their parents.  Moses had just passed away and Joshua picked up the leadership baton. One of the first things he decided to do was owe his full allegiance to God: “I don’t know about you guys, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!” Joshua’s real strength was his unwavering loyalty and discipline to follow God to the minutest detail. Joshua only had one defeat and it was not because of what he did but what a guy named Achan did. God instructed the people to demolish their enemy completely — including all the spoils of war. Achan, decided to pilfer some of those goodies and hid it in his tent. “It’s just a small thing … God wouldn’t mind,” Achan thought. Because of this selfish deed, the Israelites lost their next battle. Joshua eventually figured out what happened and Achan was stoned to death. [Hey! That’s how they did it then]. After purging the impurity in the camp, it was one victory after another. Long story short, within 5 years Joshua led the Israelite army to conquer the land of the “humongous” giants. In retrospect, they could have been standing on the same land 35 years earlier.

Now here’s the deal, The God of Moses, the God of Abraham, the God who created the universe…  is the same unchanging God we have the opportunity to worship today. Let that sink in.
Sure God loves us and promises us an undeserved contract of blessings. But there is a fine line in the contract. The fine line is what Joshua and his family signed: “… as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

How are things in your household? Do you believe in God? If you do, are you serving Him or yourself? Achan thought he could get away with a “little indiscretion.” What’s your indiscretion?

Don’t believe in God? Whether you believe Him or not, doesn’t change the truth. You may not believe in gravity but let’s face it, you’re stuck on earth like the rest of us.

The Bible offers a beautiful intertwining of history, spiritual truths and the character of God … such as the story of Joshua.. If you’ve never read it, you’re missing a lot, Dude. Of course, this is just me … at least this is what I believe.

TGIF people!

Joke of the Week

Thanks to Peter Paul of S Pasadena, CA for sharing this joke.

Don’s Puns

From Don’s collection of puns

Funny Short Video

The Silly Welder (It Pays to Think Ahead)

Shared by Jackie of Whittier, CA

Parting Shot

Thanks to Don of Kelowna, BC who shared this:

The post Two Responses appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Random Acts of Canine Kindness

Cedric the Dog takes a well-deserved break after an ill fated attempt to shut down a white supremacist rally in Idaho.

You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog. – Harry S. Truman

MORE Dog Quotations

10 Crowd-Free Alternatives to America’s Most Iconic National Parks

For every national park swarmed by visitors, dozens of state and federal preserves, parks, and monuments go relatively untraveled.

MORE

5 Easy Ways to Secure Your Hotel Room

Inexpensive, portable safety devices to take with you when you travel
Courtesy by David Dean

Are you worried about the security of your hotel room when you travel? You never really know who else has a key to your room, or how good the locks and deadbolts actually are. Luckily, there are several easy, inexpensive ways to secure the room more effectively. Here are five of the best.

MORE

WanderTours

Beth Whitman here. I’m the founder of WanderTours and am your (mostly) fearless leader.

I escort groups on most of our trips – the exception being photography trips and yoga retreats where professionals are there to guide and teach you. After my first book was released, Wanderlust and Lipstick: The Essential Guide for Women Traveling Solo, women started asking me to bring them along on my travels. Wanting them to travel independently – as I had done for nearly 20 years up to that point – I was reluctant at first. But I recognized that not everyone has the energy, time or sometimes even the desire to plan their own travels. So I led my first tour to Bhutan in 2008.

MORE

Survey: Only About One-Third of Americans Say They Sleep Better in Hotels

Majority Believe Mattress is Less Comfortable Than at Home

As millions of Americans head out on vacation this summer looking for rest and relaxation, it’s likely that two-thirds of them won’t sleep as well as they do at home.

MORE

Secrets the Cruise Lines Don’t Tell You

Courtesy Erika Silverstein, Cruise Critic

Cruise ship life can be a little mysterious. Your choices aren’t always spelled out in black and white. The more you cruise, the more you pick up on the unofficial secrets the cruise lines don’t tell you — which give you more options, let you save money and generally allow you to have a better time onboard.

MORE

Protect Yourself Against Airport Checkpoint Theft

Airport theft is becoming a major problem for travelers, so make sure to get to your destination with all your items intact.

MORE

Question: Name the person who Paul recently called, ‘The REAL Fifth Beatle’

Scroll down for the answer

How to Renew a Passport in 24 Hours

Courtesy Shannon McMahon

By partnering with an existing service called RushMyPassport, FedEx is facilitating a nationwide solution for those who need very fast passport renewal.

MORE

7 Common Travel Crises and How to Conquer Them

Courtesy Denise Caiazzo, Travel Planners International

Travel advisors are well-equipped to handle just about anything travel-related. Give them a destination, a budget, and a few key interests, and they can whip up an entirely personalized itinerary that will make a client feel over-the-moon, as they make their travel dreams come true.

But what happens when an unforeseen travel nightmare occurs? We’re talking, “I can’t find my passport and I leave for my trip in a week!” or “Surprise, a bad storm hit, and all flights are canceled.”

MORE

Pickpocket-Proof Clothing: 10 Garments to Protect Your Stuff

Courtesy Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon

Nothing sours a trip like having your belongings stolen by a pickpocket. But chances are, if you travel frequently — or just happen to be unlucky — a sticky-fingered stranger will one day secretly separate you from your stuff. Since traveling sans cash, credit cards, and other valuables isn’t an option for most of us, I’ve rounded up a passel of pickpocket-proof clothing and accessories that’ll make you less of a target for thieves.

MORE

How to Complain Effectively at a Hotel

Courtesy Charlyn Keating

Demand satisfaction when you have a valid complaint

MORE

Beatle Beat Trivia Answers

Question: Name the person who Paul recently called, ‘The REAL fifth Beatle.’

Answer: The Beatles’ long time producer, George Martin.

A Farewell to Ming, the Siberian-Bengal Tiger Who Spent Three Years in a Harlem Apartment

Antoine Yates, Ming’s owner, once said that the tiger was his ‘only friend, really.’

MORE

10 Ways to Get a Better Night of Sleep

By Brandon Peters, MD

With a few simple guidelines, you can have better sleep tonight. At some point in our lives, for any number of reasons, nearly all of us will have difficulties sleeping and suffer from acute insomnia. This can lead to significant distress but have no fear. There are simple steps to take that will help you sleep better tonight.

MORE

Two Thirds Of Americans Worry About Work Whilst On Vacation

Courtesy Calum McCloskey, 10 Yetis Digital

New research has found the biggest worries that Americans have whilst on vacation, with the weather, accommodation, spending money and arguments all making the top five, with almost two thirds confessing to also worrying about work whilst away.

As well as determining the biggest worries that Americans have on vacation, with work featuring quite heavily for many, the biggest worries Americans have at the airport were also revealed, with fear of a flight being delayed or cancelled, luggage getting lost or damaged and missing the flight from being late topping the list.

MORE

6 Destinations with Sunscreen Bans, and What You Need to Know

Courtesy Shannon McMahon, SmarterTravel

Think the plastic straws you gave up sipping from are bad for our oceans? It’s time to consider the same about the sunscreen you use. Non-biodegradable sunscreens that contain harsh chemicals like oxybenzone have been proven to be toxic to coral reefs and other sea life. But travelers haven’t been as quick to widely abandon them for a natural alternative — so now some destinations are enacting sunscreen bans themselves.

Here are some of the most popular destinations that have banned non-biodegradable sunscreens, and how you can switch to a responsible alternative.

MORE

On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer

By John Keats

Much have I travell’d in the realms of gold,
And many goodly states and kingdoms seen;
Round many western islands have I been
Which bards in fealty to Apollo hold.
Oft of one wide expanse had I been told
That deep-brow’d Homer ruled as his demesne;
Yet did I never breathe its pure serene
Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold:
Then felt I like some watcher of the skies
When a new planet swims into his ken;
Or like stout Cortez when with eagle eyes
He star’d at the Pacific — and all his men
Look’d at each other with a wild surmise —
Silent, upon a peak in Darien.

Send Deb your favorite travel poems

7 Things You Should Always Wear on a Plane

Courtesy Caroline Costellos

Be the best-dressed (and most comfortable) person in the cabin with our guide to in-flight apparel.

MORE

How to Disinfect Your Airplane Seat

MORE

Virtual Reality Helps Japan’s Elderly Travel the World

CNN Travel

Traveling from the canals of Venice to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, a group of elderly people in Japan is seeing the world – without even leaving their seats. It’s all thanks to virtual reality, as well as a team at the University of Tokyo led by Kenta Toshima.

MORE

Half of Americans Would Take a Job With No Paid Time Off for a Higher Salary

Meanwhile, One in Three Workers Would Give Up Some Pay for Unlimited Vacation

Half (49 percent) of working Americans would accept a job with no vacation time if they were paid more, according to the 11th annual Vacation Confidence Index* released by Allianz Global Assistance. Millennials (63 percent, compared to 47 percent of Gen X’ers and 32 percent of Baby Boomers) and men (57 percent, versus 41 percent of women) are the most likely to sacrifice paid time off for higher salaries.

MORE

Behind the Bucket List: What Americans Really Want in Travel

Courtesy Tours.com

What do Americans want when it comes to Bucket List travel? A group from Provisional Living wanted to find out not only what’s on those lists, but why and how they got there. What they found was pretty revealing.

MORE

Are Airlines Tracking Your Flight Searches (and Raising Prices)?

Courtesy Caroline Morse Teel

Ms. Caroline Morse Teel, Senior Editor of SmarterTravel, investigates whether or not searching for airfare makes the price go up. Also: perfume on a plane, tipping when gratuities are included, who can sit in an exit row, and more.

MORE

The Best Navigation Tools to Keep You on Track on a Car Trip, Here or Abroad

Courtesy Catharine Hamm, L.A. Times

MORE

The post Ming is Gone, 10 Free National Parks appeared first on Traveling Archive.

5 Easy Ways to Secure Your Hotel Room

Inexpensive, portable safety devices to take with you when you travel
Courtesy by David Dean

Are you worried about the security of your hotel room when you travel? You never really know who else has a key to your room, or how good the locks and deadbolts actually are. Luckily, there are several easy, inexpensive ways to secure the room more effectively. Here are five of the best.

MORE

Two Thirds Of Americans Worry About Work Whilst On Vacation

Courtesy Calum McCloskey, 10 Yetis Digital

New research has found the biggest worries that Americans have whilst on vacation, with the weather, accommodation, spending money and arguments all making the top five, with almost two thirds confessing to also worrying about work whilst away.

As well as determining the biggest worries that Americans have on vacation, with work featuring quite heavily for many, the biggest worries Americans have at the airport were also revealed, with fear of a flight being delayed or cancelled, luggage getting lost or damaged and missing the flight from being late topping the list.

MORE

WanderTours

Beth Whitman here. I’m the founder of WanderTours and am your (mostly) fearless leader.

I escort groups on most of our trips – the exception being photography trips and yoga retreats where professionals are there to guide and teach you. After my first book was released, Wanderlust and Lipstick: The Essential Guide for Women Traveling Solo, women started asking me to bring them along on my travels. Wanting them to travel independently – as I had done for nearly 20 years up to that point – I was reluctant at first. But I recognized that not everyone has the energy, time or sometimes even the desire to plan their own travels. So I led my first tour to Bhutan in 2008.

MORE

6 Destinations with Sunscreen Bans, and What You Need to Know

Courtesy Shannon McMahon, SmarterTravel

Think the plastic straws you gave up sipping from are bad for our oceans? It’s time to consider the same about the sunscreen you use. Non-biodegradable sunscreens that contain harsh chemicals like oxybenzone have been proven to be toxic to coral reefs and other sea life. But travelers haven’t been as quick to widely abandon them for a natural alternative — so now some destinations are enacting sunscreen bans themselves.

Here are some of the most popular destinations that have banned non-biodegradable sunscreens, and how you can switch to a responsible alternative.

MORE

Survey: Only About One-Third of Americans Say They Sleep Better in Hotels

Majority Believe Mattress is Less Comfortable Than at Home

As millions of Americans head out on vacation this summer looking for rest and relaxation, it’s likely that two-thirds of them won’t sleep as well as they do at home.

MORE

Secrets the Cruise Lines Don’t Tell You

Courtesy Erika Silverstein, Cruise Critic

Cruise ship life can be a little mysterious. Your choices aren’t always spelled out in black and white. The more you cruise, the more you pick up on the unofficial secrets the cruise lines don’t tell you — which give you more options, let you save money and generally allow you to have a better time onboard.

MORE

Protect Yourself Against Airport Checkpoint Theft

Airport theft is becoming a major problem for travelers, so make sure to get to your destination with all your items intact.

MORE

7 Things You Should Always Wear on a Plane

Courtesy Caroline Costellos

Be the best-dressed (and most comfortable) person in the cabin with our guide to in-flight apparel.

MORE

Question: Which two Beatles are left-handed?

Scroll down for the answer

How to Disinfect Your Airplane Seat

MORE

Virtual Reality Helps Japan’s Elderly Travel the World

CNN Travel

Traveling from the canals of Venice to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, a group of elderly people in Japan is seeing the world – without even leaving their seats. It’s all thanks to virtual reality, as well as a team at the University of Tokyo led by Kenta Toshima.

MORE

How to Renew a Passport in 24 Hours

Courtesy Shannon McMahon

By partnering with an existing service called RushMyPassport, FedEx is facilitating a nationwide solution for those who need very fast passport renewal.

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Half of Americans Would Take a Job With No Paid Time Off for a Higher Salary

Meanwhile, One in Three Workers Would Give Up Some Pay for Unlimited Vacation

Half (49 percent) of working Americans would accept a job with no vacation time if they were paid more, according to the 11th annual Vacation Confidence Index* released by Allianz Global Assistance. Millennials (63 percent, compared to 47 percent of Gen X’ers and 32 percent of Baby Boomers) and men (57 percent, versus 41 percent of women) are the most likely to sacrifice paid time off for higher salaries.

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Pickpocket-Proof Clothing: 10 Garments to Protect Your Stuff

Courtesy Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon

Nothing sours a trip like having your belongings stolen by a pickpocket. But chances are, if you travel frequently — or just happen to be unlucky — a sticky-fingered stranger will one day secretly separate you from your stuff. Since traveling sans cash, credit cards, and other valuables isn’t an option for most of us, I’ve rounded up a passel of pickpocket-proof clothing and accessories that’ll make you less of a target for thieves.

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The Best Navigation Tools to Keep You on Track on a Car Trip, Here or Abroad

Courtesy Catharine Hamm, L.A. Times

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Beatle Beat Trivia Answers

Question: Name the Two Beatles who are left-handed.

Answer: Paul and Ringo who are alive and well, and left-handed.

Travel’s Unspoken Taboo – Pooping Your Pants!

Listen to excruciatingly funny tales from traglamorous selfies, sometimes s**** gets real! But no-one wants to talk about every traveler’s worst nightmare – until now.

• When you gotta go in a Nepalese temple! Do the Gods smile on this backpacker?
• Terror at 30,000 feet – explosive decompression of the worst kind!
• Go for launch, recreating how the Apollo astronauts wentin space.

MORE

Polanski’s J’Accuse (aka An Officer and a Spy) Showcased at Venice Film Festival

Courtesy Jonathan Romney, Film Comment

Not everyone is happy about Roman Polanski having a new film in competition in Venice — especially since the festival only has two women directors competing this year. Some commentators have considered it an act of some chutzpah for Polanski to make a film about a historic case of unjust accusation and punishment — J’Accuse (aka An Officer and a Spy), his account of the Dreyfus case which divided France in the 1890s. In reality, it would be seriously stretching a point to interpret Polanski’s new film as being in any direct way about his own experience, although his depiction of Dreyfus’s exile on Devil’s Island certainly rhymes with his concern with the pain of isolation, from The Tenant to The Pianist.

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10 New Women Only Travel Escapes to Take in 2019

Courtesy Shannon McMahon, SmarterTravel

Not sure you’re a group travel person? If you’re a woman seeking a new, authentic, and sustainable way to see your dream destination, women-only travel operators can take your trip to new heights. Group options like tours catering to those who identify as female can take you across the globe in a more inspiring and authentic way than the average tour does. And in the post-#MeToo era, the number of women-only travel possibilities has skyrocketed.

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One In Five American Millennials Go On Vacation To Take Pictures For Social Media

• 11% of American millennials say the main reason for going on vacation is to get pictures for social media, with it being a top factor for as many as one in five
• Two thirds upload pictures to social media whilst on holiday
• The average millennial spends 40 minutes per day on vacation taking social media pictures

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D.C. Sues Marriott Over Hidden Resort Fees ‘Pricing Deception’

Courtesy Ed Perkins

The first real action to prevent hotels from posting false low-ball prices on initial rate searches, also known as hidden “resort fees,” is finally underway. The Attorney General of the District of Columbia asked the D.C. Superior Court for injunctive relief against Marriott (the world’s largest hotel chain) for violations of the District’s consumer protections against deceptive advertising. And it could mean a lot for the future of hotel pricing.

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On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer

By John Keats

Much have I travell’d in the realms of gold,
And many goodly states and kingdoms seen;
Round many western islands have I been
Which bards in fealty to Apollo hold.
Oft of one wide expanse had I been told
That deep-brow’d Homer ruled as his demesne;
Yet did I never breathe its pure serene
Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold:
Then felt I like some watcher of the skies
When a new planet swims into his ken;
Or like stout Cortez when with eagle eyes
He star’d at the Pacific — and all his men
Look’d at each other with a wild surmise —
Silent, upon a peak in Darien.

Send Deb your favorite travel poems

Random Acts of Canine Kindness

Cedric the Dog takes a well-deserved break after an ill fated attempt to shut down a white supremacist rally in Wyoming.

You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog. – Harry S. Truman

MORE Dog Quotations

Top Museums in Rome

Rome’s museums contain everything from ancient sculpture to modern art, so there is something for everyone to enjoy. In order to appreciate all of the various different kinds of art Rome’s museums have to offer, visitors will need more than one day – perhaps a day per museum of interest. Plan to take your time so you can fully absorb all the amazing world history these museums have on display.

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Discovering St Helena: Explore Life On One of the Most Remote Islands in the World

1,200 miles from Africa and 1,800 miles from South America lays a fascinating remote volcanic island named St Helena. Almost entirely cut-off from the outside world, the island has often sparked interest by historian enthusiasts drawn to the island’s rich history, allowing them a glimpse into its role in fighting the slave trade, acting as a Boer prisoner of war site and the notorious home and prison of Napoleon, who was exiled to the island.

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7 Common Travel Crises and How to Conquer Them

Courtesy Denise Caiazzo, Travel Planners International

Travel advisors are well-equipped to handle just about anything travel-related. Give them a destination, a budget, and a few key interests, and they can whip up an entirely personalized itinerary that will make a client feel over-the-moon, as they make their travel dreams come true.

But what happens when an unforeseen travel nightmare occurs? We’re talking, “I can’t find my passport and I leave for my trip in a week!” or “Surprise, a bad storm hit, and all flights are canceled.”

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Behind the Bucket List: What Americans Really Want in Travel

Courtesy Tours.com

What do Americans want when it comes to Bucket List travel? A group from Provisional Living wanted to find out not only what’s on those lists, but why and how they got there. What they found was pretty revealing.

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Are Airlines Tracking Your Flight Searches (and Raising Prices)?

Courtesy Caroline Morse Teel

Ms. Caroline Morse Teel, Senior Editor of SmarterTravel, investigates whether or not searching for airfare makes the price go up. Also: perfume on a plane, tipping when gratuities are included, who can sit in an exit row, and more.

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How to Complain Effectively at a Hotel

Courtesy Charlyn Keating

Demand satisfaction when you have a valid complaint

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7 Travel Gadgets You Don’t Need & What to Buy Instead

Courtesy Nevin Spearman‎

There are all sorts of gadgets out there that promise to make traveling easier but often fall short. Some are cheaply made and fall apart after one trip. Others are just impractical, a realization that only comes after lugging them around the globe. Below are some of the not-so-great travel gadgets we’ve either purchased ourselves or have spotted in the wild, and the handy alternatives that you may find more useful.

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The post Sunscreen Bans, Women Travel, Polanski’s J’Accuse appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Beth Whitman here. I’m the founder of WanderTours and am your (mostly) fearless leader.

I escort groups on most of our trips – the exception being photography trips and yoga retreats where professionals are there to guide and teach you. After my first book was released, Wanderlust and Lipstick: The Essential Guide for Women Traveling Solo, women started asking me to bring them along on my travels. Wanting them to travel independently – as I had done for nearly 20 years up to that point – I was reluctant at first. But I recognized that not everyone has the energy, time or sometimes even the desire to plan their own travels. So I led my first tour to Bhutan in 2008.

What I discovered through that trip to Bhutan and through subsequent trips was the bonding, camaraderie and life-long friendships that develop when women (and men on the co-ed trips) experience these destinations together. Those friendships have blossomed not only between myself and my tour people but also between these once-strangers who have met on one of our tours and who now regularly travel together – many of them returning tour after tour as a reunion of sorts.

All this is to say that after more than 10 years of leading groups to destinations both near (Seattle, my backyard) and far (Papua New Guinea, India, Tanzania, Peru and more), I truly feel like the luckiest person on the planet. I get to travel with people whom I am genuinely delighted to share time with AND I get to introduce them to new cultures, sights, sounds and food along the way.

Want to know more?
Some people arrive on a tour expecting me to carry a clipboard and pen, and peering over reading glasses checking names off a list.

That’s not me.

I greet you with a hug because, if we’re not already, we’re soon going to be friends. After all, we’re going to be spending some time together, anywhere from five to 15 days depending on the destination. I don’t want YOU traveling without a friend and I certainly don’t want to either!

This type of tour isn’t for everyone. And that’s totally fine. I would encourage you to follow me on social media, specifically by friending me on Facebook, following me on Instagram here and here, and listening to me host the She’s Bold Podcast.

I think you’ll get a pretty good sense as to what I’m about and whether a WanderTour is for you. If you’re still not sure, pick up the phone and let’s have a chat. I LOVE to talk travel! 206-317-1860.

Polanski’s J’Accuse (aka An Officer and a Spy) Showcased at Venice Film Festival

Courtesy Jonathan Romney, Film Comment

Not everyone is happy about Roman Polanski having a new film in competition in Venice — especially since the festival only has two women directors competing this year. Some commentators have considered it an act of some chutzpah for Polanski to make a film about a historic case of unjust accusation and punishment — J’Accuse (aka An Officer and a Spy), his account of the Dreyfus case which divided France in the 1890s. In reality, it would be seriously stretching a point to interpret Polanski’s new film as being in any direct way about his own experience, although his depiction of Dreyfus’s exile on Devil’s Island certainly rhymes with his concern with the pain of isolation, from The Tenant to The Pianist.

Not that Polanski has distanced himself entirely from this topic in public statements. In the interview published in the film’s press notes, philosopher Pascal Bruckner asks the director whether he will survive the “present day neo-feminist McCarthyism” — to which Polanski replies: “In the story, I sometimes find moments I have experienced myself, I can see the same determination to deny the facts and condemn me for things I have not done.” Making this sort of parallel, especially in as profane a context as a PR kit, may not help Polanski’s cause greatly at a time when, outside France and the European circuit that honors grands auteurs, his reputation as a public figure is arguably at its lowest ebb. It looks especially awkward when promoting a film that, from most angles, looks very much like an impersonal study of a historic case (just as Polanski’s films have tended to feel impersonal and detached for quite some time, even when the subject is as directly connected to his personal history as the Holocaust story The Pianist).

One of the routine defenses of Polanski is to claim that, whatever he may have done in his personal life, he remains indisputably a great filmmaker, which some see as an inarguable defense. As Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera put it at the opening press conference: “He is, in my opinion, one of the last masters in European cinema.” In today’s climate, the “mastery defense” has come under increasing scrutiny, and in any case, this has been a very tenuous case to make for Polanski for some time: he has certainly made some very good films over the years, but it’s debatable whether there has been anything of outstanding brilliance and originality since Chinatown and The Tenant in the mid-’70s (apart, perhaps, for the outstandingly bold and contentious oddity of 1992’s much-derided sexual-politics black comedy Bitter Moon).

An Officer and a Spy will not persuade skeptics that Polanski is that lofty and dubious thing, a True Master. But it is a very solid, compelling, and serious piece of filmmaking. Based on the novelized version of the case by Robert Harris (who has adapted the book alongside Polanski), this account of the story is original in not following the ordeal of French artillery officer Alfred Dreyfus (a barely recognizable Louis Garrel), seen at the start of the film undergoing court martial in 1894 on charges of treason and supplying information to the Germans. Instead, the film follows another officer, Georges Picquart (Jean Dujardin), who, after being promoted to the head of the French army’s intelligence bureau, discovers through following a completely different case that there is a crucial anomaly in the supposedly cast-iron evidence against Dreyfus. Picquart realizes that the man has been falsely charged, the scapegoated victim of the virulent anti-Semitism that, the film shows, was very prevalent in France at that time.

The film is a detective/espionage story, with an emphasis on military political intrigue and bureaucratic conspiracy, suggestive of French fin de siècle John le Carré. What makes the drama gripping and plausible from the start is the fact that Picquart is not a noble idealist and whistleblowing rebel, but simply a career soldier of integrity who believes in truth and justice and believes it is his duty to pursue their cause. In fact, he is shown at the start to be less than saintly himself, pursuing secret assignations with the married wife (Emmanuelle Seigner) of a friend, and himself casually subscribing to the anti-Semitism universal in his milieu. It is perhaps frustrating that the scant depiction of Dreyfus’s ordeal — partly shown in brief sepia sequences, with Garrel’s voiceover reading of his letters — marginalizes the man at the center of this story. But then, it might have come across as intrusive to show us too much of his exile, and what is essential to the film is the way that Dreyfus has been excluded from his own life, exiled and silenced — a pariah on an island far from his own world.

For the first 20 minutes or so, Polanski’s film threatens to be a solemn, laborious and altogether academic affair — a corridors-of-power drama in which the parquet floors of those corridors are sheened with pedantic historical accuracy. As the film develops, however, two things impress. One is the visual precision with which Polanski, DP Pawel Edelman, and production designer Jean Rabasse recreate Paris at this period — one brief scene at a café-concert feels more authentically a cinematic evocation of the world of Lautrec and Manet than anything comparable I’ve seen in French or any other cinema. There’s a certain visual mannerism that irks for the first part of the film — the tendency to show interiors cloaked in dusty half-light, a very tangible metaphor for the fog of untruth. But it adds to the impression that this is a profoundly anti-glamorizing depiction of the past — a Belle Époque that is anything but beau.

The other is the narrative concentration and seriousness of Polanski’s approach, which has no space for thrills or distractions, but simply shows Picquart pursuing the case doggedly as he cleans up the shady mess that Intelligence headquarters has become. Dujardin’s singularly not-of-our-era physiognomy and ever so slightly stiff bearing make him perfect for the part, which he plays with due solemnity and an utmost lack of self-promotion. The casting is perfect throughout — every face fitting the period perfectly, without its ever seeming that Polanski has trawled for memorable (read: folkloric) “characters.” The credits are liberally stacked with Comédie Française notables (including Michel Vuillermoz and Denis Podalydès) alongside French cinema axioms such as Mathieu Amalric and Melvil Poupaud, but grandstanding is minimal. The performance that most imposes itself in a larger, more theatrical way is by Grégory Gadebois as Picquart’s resentful subordinate turned foe, Major Henry, a masterful portrayal of institutionalized laziness, prejudice, and corruption.

One of the most shocking moments in the film comes early on, in the form of a crowd baying for Dreyfus’s blood; another comes later, after the novelist Émile Zola has written his famous open letter “J’Accuse” in the newspaper L’Aurore, and crowds burn the author’s books and paint anti-Semitic graffiti on shop windows (here’s something Polanski does know about from his early experience). Depictions of anti-Semitism are something that, alas, never become out of date, and these feel particularly discomforting today. The other thing that feels especially timely is the film’s defense of a free press and independent campaigning investigative journalism. Whatever misgivings you have about the state of Polanski’s artistry or about his right to continue to be adulated or, many would argue, be let off the moral hook, this is certainly a film that powerfully expounds a righteous moral message — regardless whether you consider Polanski himself to be an arbiter of righteousness or morality. In any case, this film is in no sense groundbreaking auteur cinema — not the ineffable sui generis stuff we tend hopefully to associate with “Masters,” but it is a very fine, very authoritative drama, and well worth seeing. But Polanski does lose points for one touch of vanity — this member of France’s Académie de Beaux-Arts appears as an extra in a salon scene, wearing the full regalia of an académicien.

Survey: Only About One-Third of Americans Say They Sleep Better in Hotels

Majority Believe Mattress is Less Comfortable Than at Home

As millions of Americans head out on vacation this summer looking for rest and relaxation, it’s likely that two-thirds of them won’t sleep as well as they do at home.

According to a recent survey from luxury bedmaker DUX, only about one-third  (34%) of Americans say they sleep better in a hotel room. The survey was conducted online by The Harris Poll for DUX from June 18-20, 2019, among 2,060 U.S. adults.

“Most people don’t even think to ask about what type of bed a hotel uses and whether they’re comfortable at all,” said Ed Curry, president of DUX North America. “The thing is, if a hotel provides excellent beds it’s going to go a long way in assuring you get a good night’s rest and that you’re ready for your vacation adventures.”

DUX, the Swedish bed company that’s produced some of the highest-quality mattresses in the world for 90-plus years, has a longstanding commitment to assuring travelers worldwide get great sleep. DUX beds are found in more than 100 of the finest hotels around the world.

For travelers expecting a quality hotel bed, what they find is often a disappointment. The survey found that while 61% of Americans expect a hotel mattress to be more comfortable than the one at home, that’s often not the case. Fifty-six percent said most mattresses at hotels where they stay aren’t as comfortable.

Only about 43% of Americans look for hotels that feature specialty or luxury mattresses, according to the survey. That’s a shame because one easy travel hack that can improve your vacation is to simply ask a hotel what type of beds it uses.

“It’s hard to enjoy your vacation when you’re not sleeping well,” Curry said. “So along with following other sleep tips, such as cooling the room and putting technology away, try to find hotels that truly focus on sleep by using high-quality mattresses, linens and pillows.”

Two Thirds Of Americans Worry About Work Whilst On Vacation

Courtesy Calum McCloskey, 10 Yetis Digital

New research has found the biggest worries that Americans have whilst on vacation, with the weather, accommodation, spending money and arguments all making the top five, with almost two thirds confessing to also worrying about work whilst away.

As well as determining the biggest worries that Americans have on vacation, with work featuring quite heavily for many, the biggest worries Americans have at the airport were also revealed, with fear of a flight being delayed or cancelled, luggage getting lost or damaged and missing the flight from being late topping the list.

The study was undertaken by the team behind flight-comparison site www.us.jetcost.com, in which over 4,300 Americans over the age of 18 were surveyed. All respondents revealed that they had been on at least one vacation abroad within the last two years.

Respondents were quizzed on their worries when flying – and going on vacation in general – and it was found that two fifths of Americans (39%) find going to the airport a stressful experience, and a further 45% said that they don’t like flying.

On top of this, 19% of Americans confessed that they are scared of flying, and a further 8% do not fly to certain destinations because of the time spent on a plane.

Asked what Americans’ biggest worries were when flying, and given an extensive list to choose from, the top answers were found to be ‘flight being delayed/cancelled’ (69%), ‘luggage getting lost/damaged’ (63%) and ‘missing a flight due to being late’ (58%).

Quizzed on the vacation itself, the top worries Americans have whilst away were found to be:

1. Weather will be worse than expected – 79%
2. Something will happen at work/work will call – 65%
3. Accommodation will be worse than expected – 61%
4. The money that will be spent – 59%
5. Arguing with who you are going with – 48%

Asked further about worrying about work whilst away, it was found that nearly one third of Americans (32%) do work whilst they are on vacation, and a further 70% check their work emails at least once when on a trip abroad.

Due to these worries, more than two fifths of Americans (42%) find going on vacation stressful, and one in seven (14%) even say that they regret going away after coming home.

Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson for jetcost said:

“Going on vacation can definitely be a stressful experience, but it is so worth it in the end. You can help relieve some of the stress by being organised and having everything planned before leaving, and try and enjoy yourself as much as you can! If you know you’re the sort of person to worry about work and check your emails while away, leave your phone at home – if you can’t look, you can’t respond or end up working when on vacation.”

5 Easy Ways to Secure Your Hotel Room

Inexpensive, portable safety devices to take with you when you travel

Courtesy by David Dean

Are you worried about the security of your hotel room when you travel? You never really know who else has a key to your room, or how good the locks and deadbolts actually are. Luckily, there are several easy, inexpensive ways to secure the room more effectively. Here are five of the best.

The simplest way to add extra security to your hotel room is with a rubber door wedge, and many travelers swear by them. They’re cheap, take up almost no space in your bag, and can be set up in just a few seconds. You simply place the thin end under the door jam; then gently kick the wedge into place to secure it.

Door wedges work best on hard surfaces like wood or tile, although some do come with a Velcro strip to stop them from sliding on carpet. For extra security, you can also buy models that come with an alarm that will sound when the wedge is disturbed.

The door you’re securing has to open inwards for the wedge to be effective. Most hotel doors do, but it’s something to bear in mind.

Another straightforward approach to securing your room is by using a portable door lock. These come in several shapes and styles, but they all work in a similar way, preventing the door from opening inwards. Again, for that reason, they won’t protect you when the door to your room opens out into the corridor.

Most portable locks have one piece that fits into the metal plate where the existing latch or lock goes, and another that sits across the back of the door. When locked in place, these prevent the door from opening unless someone physically breaks it down—not the most subtle of approaches.

A few portable locks take a different approach, with a piece that slides under the door jam, and a plate that screws down onto the floor.

When someone tries to open the door, the horizontal force is transferred into vertical pressure that secures the lock more tightly in place. Like door wedges, they work best on hard surfaces. You’ll get some protection if your room has carpeted floors, but not as much.

If you’d like to protect more than just the entry door to your room, consider a motion detection alarm. These infrared sensors can be placed facing a window, door, or anywhere else in the room (other than your bed), and will alarm when they detect movement.

Make sure you choose a model that has sufficient range (at least 10 feet, but more is better), and will automatically re-arm itself if you’re planning on using it when you’re out of the room. If you’re protecting a window, be aware of flapping curtains and swaying tree branches when choosing the right position for the alarm.

Some can also be used as personal security devices, with loud alarms that can be quickly activated in an emergency, so look for that feature if it’s important to you.

While it won’t prevent access to the room, a door alarm should scare away all but the most determined of thieves. There are different versions, but a common type hangs from the door handle, with two metal prongs or blades that are pushed between the door and its frame.

When the door opens, the prongs come apart, and a loud alarm sounds. It’s a simple but effective technique, with the advantage that it will work on any door type, including those that open outwards. These alarms typically only take a few seconds to set up, so you don’t need to spend ages messing around every time you leave or come back to the room.

Finally, if your door has a deadbolt, but you’re concerned about staff and others still having access with a spare key, the Lock Locker will help set your mind at ease. It’s a two-part device, with a long flat section that fits around the handle and a round piece that fits over most deadbolts.

Set both pieces up, combine the two, and you’ve got a system that makes it pretty much impossible for anyone to open the deadbolt from the outside, whether they have a key or not

Check prices for the Lock Locker on Amazon.

Travel’s Unspoken Taboo – Pooping Your Pants!

Listen to excruciatingly funny tales from traglamorous selfies, sometimes s**** gets real! But no-one wants to talk about every traveler’s worst nightmare – until now.

• When you gotta go in a Nepalese temple! Do the Gods smile on this backpacker?
• Terror at 30,000 feet – explosive decompression of the worst kind!
• Go for launch, recreating how the Apollo astronauts wentin space.

On September 10th The World Nomads Podcast devotes an entire episode to s***ing while traveling. What causes it, how to avoid it, and stories which are both horrifying and hilarious shared by experienced travelers.

“There’s no shame. I’ve done it in every country I’ve visited. It even happened to me in Tokyo on Takeshita Street” said producer and co-host Kim Napier.

The World Nomads Podcast usually takes listeners on a journey to some of the most exotic locations on Earth, or interviews intrepid travelers who inspire others to seek out adventure, but the idea for this episode came up after many of their guests shared their tales of woe after recording had stopped.

“It’s happened to us all, so we thought it was time we told the truth about travel and switched the microphones back on.” said co-host Phil Sylvester.

Among the harrowing tales re-told on the podcast are:

• “Yeah. I’ve been lucky enough to defecate in quite a few different places. I’m not sure if lucky is the right word, but yeah, there’s Guatemala, and China, and Thailand, and Australia as well, probably in Canada too.” – Jarryd Salem, adventure travel blogger.
• “Something that had been handled before went into my mouth, so her slightly s***ty fingers transferred onto my sweetcorn, which got into me and made me sick.” – Jane Wilson-Howarth author of How to Shit Around the World.
• “I reverse-engineered the Apollo fecal bag. I got a gallon Ziploc bag and I followed the instructions that NASA themselves published, I stuck it on my ass, and then I went into my shower because that seemed to be the smartest place to do this.” – Jason Torchinsky, author and blogger.

The episode can be listened to, and downloaded from, the podcast show notes page at worldnomads.com/podcasts or by clicking this link.

The post WanderTours, Polanski’s J’Accuse, Sunscreen Bans and Women Only Travel Escapes appeared first on Traveling Archive.