Mississippi River Flooding Could Imperil Some Historic Sites
Some grand ante-bellum mansions along the great river might be in danger, high and dry Natchez should be safe but what about New Orleans? I hate headlines by conjecture but wrote one anyway. As I see the news stories forecasting the highest water since the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 for the near future, I am [...]
US Proposes Complicated & Intrusive Passport Application
Is the US Department of State trying to make the country a prison without walls? Or is more about building walls than bridges? Sometimes it seems that way. First, American citizens were being required to carry a passport for travel to (or perhaps technically re-entry from) Canada and Mexico. Then, passport fees were raised for initial [...]
In Fiji, a Million Miles from America’s Ugly Politics
Bula! is Fijian for welcome. And I felt welcome on the Air Pacific plane and after landing at Nadi Is the US government functioning? I’m in Fiji, and right now, I don’t care. I left LAX on Thursday night, departing at 11:30 p.m., skipped all of the 8th as I flew across the international dateline. When [...]
Between Flights at LAX
“Charlie Brown” time at LAX I have a refrigerator magnet that shows a very woebegone Charlie Brown. He is sayings, “Someday my ship will come in and with luck, I’ll be at the airport.” My must have come in, because here I am — at Los Angeles Internationaal Airport. I got to chilly and windy LAX [...]
Tsunami Update from the Big Island
Tsunami damage on the Big Island of Hawaii is trivial compared the the destruction suffered in Japan, but tourist sites impacted Of the major Hawaian islands, I especially like the Big Island. The two major cities, Hilo and Kailua-Kona, feel like real towns that welcome tourists rather than tourist towns. Native Hawaiian antiquities, including petroglyphs [...]
Unforeseen Crises Make the Case for Travel Insurance
A lot can derail a trip, including political upheaval and natural catastrophe. Travel insurance can get you back home Too often when I turn on the news or read the newspaper, I am transfixed by another political or natural crisis — often in places I’ve been: An earthquake in Haiti, which I visited more than [...]
Israel Bulldozes East Jerusalem Hotel
Provocations, one after another, test Palestinian patience — and challenge tourists to visit When I was in the Palestinian Territories/West Bank/Palestine last June, I tried to keep my feelings about Israel’s treatment of Palestinians measured as I wrote about my experiences and observations. I believe in the principles of the International Institute for Peace Through [...]
ScottVest Under the Christmas Tree
Lightweight multi-pocket travel vest promises to simplify my travels Some months ago, my husband, Ral, an engineer and a gadget guy, bought himself a ScottVest SeV. This 22-pocket travel vest had a place for everything, and as organized as he is, he puts everything in its place. The vest looked clever and neat in a geeky kind of [...]
DIY Postcards Via Free New iPhone App
$2 buys a postcard with your photo, your message and postage to send it anywhere in the world Disclaimer: I don’t own an iPhone or any other SmartPhone, so I won’t be trying this anytime soon, but the words ”Point. Snap. Postcard.” on a press release caught my attention. The release announced Travellers Postcard, which uses a new iPhone [...]
A Sunny Afternoon in Bavaria
Glorious view, easy trail, luscious lunch make for an easy-going Alpine experience The first part of of my 2 1/2 weeks in Germany were “magnificent-ized” with glorious fall weather under a big blue dome. Then, low clouds and periodic drizzles literally clamped a gray lid over the compelling cityscapes, achingly picturesque villages and wonderful scenery. But on my [...]
