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The Best Airport Hotels
Best Airport Hotels In addition to spacious quarters, high-thread count linens, and agreeable service, my definition of luxury travel includes the indulgence of not having to start the day at the crack of dawn. To take the pain out of early-morning departures, I often stay at the best airport hotels – not the lodgings that […]
Authentic Tuscan Town – Radda in Chianti
“A holiday in Tuscany” sounds idyllic, but finding an authentic Tuscan town requires research. The British have been vacationing in the Chianti region of Tuscany for so long that it is sometimes referred to as “Chiantishire.” Americans have been arriving in droves since they read Frances Mayes’ Under the Tuscan Sun. The result is that some […]
Best Place to Stay Near Victoria, BC, Canada
It’s the best place to stay near Victoria and one of the first gracious country inns that helped me define Authentic Luxury Travel. In fact, the Sooke Harbour House experience is a perfect example of this style of travel. Tourist vs. traveler Ask the first-time visitor to Victoria on Vancouver Island what they are going to do and the […]
India – Experience Village Life
India presents a challenge to Authentic Luxury Travelers. The class distinction and financial status of the local population is so disparate that it’s almost impossible to get to know “the man on the street” and have a sense of what it would be like to live in an Indian community. The closest we came to […]
Mal de Mer and More
For years I have used Sea-Bands to prevent motion sickness – and they really worked. All I did was slip on the stretchy wristbands and make sure the white plastic button on the inside of the bands was positioned to push on the Nei-Kuan acupressure points on the inside of my wrists. Voilà! No more leaning […]
Socially Embarrassing Snoring
I recently started a travel story with a reference to my husband’s snoring. Several readers commented that it was funny (comparing the noise I sleep with every night to that of hippos grumbling in the Zambezi River), but – in truth – snoring isn’t a laughing matter. I know travelers who are afraid to fall […]
Alaska: Glamping in Denali National Park
If you’ve seen photos of Alaska’s Denali National Park, you know how beautiful it is. What isn’t obvious from those pictures, is the fact that access to that gorgeous scenery is very limited. Private vehicles are only allowed to travel the first 15 miles of the paved road inside the park. After that, visitors have […]
Travel Diarrhea – Let’s Talk About the Trots
Travel diarrhea – Whether you call it Montezuma’s Revenge, Delhi Belly, or the Aztec Two-Step, you know what I mean. One minute you are enjoying your vacation and the next you feel like you’re in the ugliest stages of colonoscopy prep. Travel darrhea is most likely to strike a) in developing countries and b) at […]
New Zealand – The Real Down Under Wonders
New Zealand has sparkling blue lakes, snow white glaciers, and majestic fiords that are world renowned. I’ve lived in this country and explored every nook and cranny, but I still frequently stop along country roads and lose myself in the glory of the scenic wonders. However, having said that, I still think New Zealand’s greatest wonders are her […]
PROTEIN 2GO
Well, I’ve got bad news for the Cinnabon people. A new product I’ve “discovered” is going to make it easier for me to resist their fragrant globs of sugar and refined carbohydrates. In the past when my hunger alarm went off while waiting for a flight, the aroma of their buns lured me like a […]
By Private Car Through Vietnam
Moving from one place to another in Vietnam can be a challenge. This is true whether you are trying to cross a traffic-clogged street in Saigon or endeavoring to explore the whole country. Many overseas visitors join a tour so they won’t have to deal with this issue, but authentic travelers eschew rigid itineraries and […]
Simply Gargle Sore Throat Remedy
I’m really not into “lifting” things from restaurants, but more than once – when struck with a sore throat on the road – I’ve had to “borrow” a salt shaker from a dining table. Nothing soothes that my-tonsils-are-on-fire feeling like a little NACL gargle. Now some ingenious folks have come up with single-dose plastic pouches […]
Select Wisely for Travelers with Allergies
I’m so glad I found out about Select Wisely cards. Until now ordering in a restaurant has been a real chore because I’m allergic to onions. The wait staff often doesn’t know what’s in a dish – and groan when I ask them to check with the chef. It’s bad enough when this drama is played […]
