More Cultural Travel Experiences

In a previous blog I discussed the growing popularity of travelers wanting to immerse themselves in foreign countries. Several companies offer package deals that allow you to participate in immersion programs and provide accommodations, meals and transportation. They are typically pricier than the standard cultural programs that offer basic amenities minus transportation fees. My last blog detailed my fantasy all-you-can-eat trip around Japan. However, if you prefer to spend your vacation consuming more lessons than calories then I would recommend an extremely affordable Spanish immersion course in colonial Mexico that will cost you less than $300 per week. The Cuernavaca … Continue reading →

Cultural Travel Experiences

The title of this blog reflects the growing trend in vacations that offer more to travelers than just a bus tour of a popular city. Travel agents say they have been noticing more requests for “cultural travel experiences” where travelers look to immerse themselves in foreign countries and walk away with something to show for it (besides Dengue fever). Whether you want to learn how to cook authentic Japanese meals or participate in language-immersion programs in Mexico, there are now more ways than ever to get in touch with new cultures or reconnect with your own heritage. Some of the … Continue reading →

Sunday Travel Funnies: WHOAAA! A Two-Headed Turtle

After a brief hiatus the Sunday Travel Funnies are back! A ton of humorous travel tales have transpired since we’ve been away so let’s get right to it… WHOAAA! Look out for some laughs if you are traveling through Oak Lawn, Illinois. Apparently, for some motorists a big red stop sign is not enough to get them to apply the brakes. Which is why officials in the Chicago suburb recently installed additional signs beneath the traditional stop signs with messages that include “WHOAAA” or “Stop … and smell the roses.” Oak Lawn’s mayor says the idea is to get drivers … Continue reading →

Quirky Travel Destinations

Summer may still be a few months away (judging by the foot of snow on my front lawn, it could be several months away), but that’s not stopping some tweens from planning for the end of the school year… especially the ones who are avid “American Idol” fans. Forget about Bible Camp, YMCA Camp, and Space Camp, this year kids ages 12 to 15 who can’t get enough of the phenomenally popular singing contest, are begging their parents to send them to Massachusetts for “American Idol” camp. Since the TV show is only open to 16-to-28-year-olds, series creator 19 Entertainment … Continue reading →

Air Travel and the Sexes

Who would you consider a better travel companion—a male friend or a female one? Perhaps, I should ask, which one would you rather navigate through a crowded airport with? Be delayed with? Or, get lost in a terminal with? Just in time for Valentine’s Day (weekend getaway anyone), a new travel survey dug deep to uncover what stresses the sexes when it comes to traveling by air… and the results may surprise you. While society often labels men as the more impatient gender, the survey found that when it comes to flight delays more women (58 percent) than men (52 … Continue reading →

Classic Holiday Travel Scenes Immortalized On Film

Are you traveling this holiday weekend? Even if you aren’t, I’m sure you would agree that the combination of traveling and Thanksgiving helps trigger memories of the 1987 comedy cult classic “Trains, Planes and Automobiles?” It does for me anyway. Come on… who can forget Steve Martin’s obscenity-laced tirade at the rental car counter at the airport in St. Louis? It’s a classic all right. That movie got me thinking about other films, which feature some of the most-memorable airport movie scenes. Here are some of my favorites: Airplane–“We’ve got clearance Clarence”, “Roger, Roger”; “What’s Our Vector, Victor?” And of … Continue reading →

Save Money—Drive An Air Car

You’ve heard of cars that are powered by the sun, and cars that are powered by electricity, hydrogen, even vegetable oil. But, how about air? A father-and-son team from France insists air power is no joke. Guy and Cyril Negre say they have spent several years tooling with the idea of fueling cars with compressed air at their factory in southern France. Plain old air compressed in the tank. They say it’s not only cheap but also helps preserve the environment. For the past few months the team has been trying to convince skeptics that their idea is a winner. … Continue reading →

Finding the Silver Lining around Travel Difficulties

Sometimes, even the best-laid travel plans can become disastrous. However, with the right attitude and some flexibility, you can find the silver lining. I remember traveling to Alaska a few years ago for a rescue and rehabilitation trip, working with locals on a program for native animals. As you can imagine, I was so excited and honored to be participating in something so wonderful. As the van driver announced the destination, with the scheduled departure being early the next morning, everyone in the group was excited. That particular day, it was gray outside and raining very hard when we got … Continue reading →

Top 10 ways to travel to Paradise

(A Mommy’s Escape Plan) Stressed out and want to travel? I know I do but I’m on Oprah’s Debt Diet. For those of you that don’t know what that is, it’s when you honestly look at your credit card bills (yikes) and decide to pay them off. So traveling, my number one lover, will have to be patient. Until then I have some ideas, if you too, want/need to escape. Why not try: 1. Massage. As a Licensed Massage Therapist, I can promise you, your tension heads to your neck, back and shoulders. Whether you pick a half hour massage … Continue reading →

See It With Your Own Eyes

Sometimes a little imagination and a television set can be just as valuable as a plane ticket to some far off destination. Although you will never know what a country is really like without visiting it, you can use your imagination to visualize what it is like. Watching a program that focuses on different travel destinations or even foreign films can be motivating factors to visit certain locations you may have heard of or you never knew existed. Since we all are from different parts of the country you’d have to check your local cable provider for local listings. Chances … Continue reading →