January 27, 2010
The most-viewed article on SmartWomenTravelers.com is Top 7 Tips for Packing Your Suitcase, but unpacking my suitcase is actually a bigger chore than packing it! This got me thinking about the different ways that people unpack their suitcases.
Upon returning from a trip, my husband immediately (and I mean immediately!) opens up his luggage, gets his dirty clothes into the washer and totally empties out his bag. I, on the other hand, roll the luggage into our bedroom where it sits next to my nightstand for a day …. or two … or more. I hate unpacking! Read more of this article »
Posted by Carol Margolis under Pearls of Travel Fun, Random Thoughts |
January 15, 2010
I have seen more photos of dogs and cats over the past few weeks than I have of kids! Maybe the travelers I’m talking to are empty-nesters rather than parents with little ones at home or their pet has an equal status in their household to their kids. Either way, get someone started on a discussion of their dog or cat and invariably the photos come out.
Our pet’s behavior when we are preparing to leave or their excitement when we arrive back home are the common topics of conversation. My dog Toby is usually sitting by the front door on Thursday evenings around the time that I am due to get home. My husband doesn’t have to say anything to him about my homecoming; Toby just knows. He also knows when I’m about to leave home again. As I pack my suitcase, he gets restless. His sad eyes break my heart. Read more of this article »
Posted by Carol Margolis under Pearls of Travel Fun, Random Thoughts |
December 24, 2009
Well, not exactly . . .
There were creatures stirring this morning, but not as many as I thought would be. I had a very early 6:30am flight out of Orlando. The Delta Sky Club was virtually empty. The concourse was busy, but not as crazy-busy as a typical travel day.
The flight to Atlanta was surprisingly empty, both in First and in Coach. The Atlanta concourse was hopping, but again not as hectic as I thought it would be. I even had time to visit the Kiehl’s store in Terminal B for some gifts to self!
The children were nestled all snug in their beds Read more of this article »
Posted by Carol Margolis under Pearls of Travel Fun |
December 23, 2009
It’s always fun to plan future travel. Coming up with an idea of where to go and what to do AND have everyone agree can often be a challenge. Here’s a tool that determines your travel personality and can recommend appropriate travel choices – the Plog Travel Personality Quiz located at www.besttripchoices.com.
The Plog Travel Personality Quiz was developed by Dr. Stanley C. Plog who received his doctorate from Harvard University. The concepts are scientifically validated and based on 40 years of continuous research involving over 250,000 people who have taken the quiz. I think you will find the quiz interesting and fun and you may also learn something about yourself. There are six different categories of travelers and you’ll be given your results immediately after answering a quick 15 questions.
Read more of this article »
Posted by Carol Margolis under Games, New Travelers, Pearls of Travel Fun |
November 29, 2009
How many of us have tourist attractions right near where we live that we almost never go to? I live in between Disney World and Daytona Beach and rarely get to either. When I lived in Chicago, I stayed in suburbia and seldom ventured down to State Street or Michigan Avenue. Granted, I am only home one to two weekends per month, so I usually do not want to venture anywhere away from my beloved home. But it is really nice to spend the day as a tourist in one's own hometown once in awhile.
St. Augustine was my touristy experience this weekend. It's about a 90-mile drive from my home, and it was a sunny, beautiful day to drive north on I-95. My daughter, Jenn, was in town from Chicago and her girlfriend Rachel joined us.
St. Augustine is the oldest U.S. city, first sighted by Spanish explorer nter Don Juan Ponce de Leon on Easter, March 27, 1513. He claimed the land for Spain and named it La Florida, meaning "Land of Flowers". The oldest wooden schoolhouse in the U.S. is here, built over 200 years ago.
The schoolhouse is on St. George Street, which is also the main shopping avenue of St. Augustine. Our goal was to get our Christmas shopping started and we found some great things in the unique shops along St. George Street and the surrounding area. Music was playing from various restaurant decks, and there was a festive feeling in the air.
Lunch was a special event at Columbia Restaurant. A pitcher of Sangria and fantastic 1905 salads were enjoyed at this Florida tradition (their restaurant in Ybor City near Tampa was founded in 1905).
All in all, it was a great day in Florida. Tourist attractions, great lunch, wonderful Sangria, shopping and time with my daughter … what more could I ask for?
Rachel, Jenn and I
Posted by Carol Margolis under Favorite Cities and Towns, Pearls of Travel Fun, Places to See; Things to Do, Shopping! |
October 10, 2009
Does your bathing suit typically get packed in your suitcase no matter where you are traveling to? I have to confess that even though I travel almost every week, I do not even think about packing my bathing suit unless I’m heading to a warm location and on vacation.
Many women (and men) toss their bathing suit into their luggage no matter where they are heading and no matter what the reason for travel. Many use swimming as their mode of exercise while staying in a hotel. Me – I always pack my workout clothes. Whether I actually work out in my workout clothes, though, is not always the case. Most hotels I stay at have a pool … I just never think to use it. I need to rethink my workout strategy, as a good swim is a great workout.
I can understand getting into an indoor pool when the temperature is low, but this Floridian cannot at all comprehend getting into an outdoor pool If the temperature is below 75(F) degrees. So I was shocked to see not just one, not two, but many people in the pool in 20(F) degree temperatures today in Banff at the Fairmont Springs Hotel. The pool is heated, but the outdoor air is not! I was freezing cold walking outside in these temperatures all bundled up in a sweater, coat, scarf and glove. How could they be outside in just their bathing suit and a robe, walking through snow to get back to their rooms?
While I may start adding my bathing suit to my packing list, you will not find me in an outdoor swimming pool in 20 degree temperatures! I'm not sure about an hot tub either unless the outdoor temperatures about much, much higher!
How about you? Does your swimming suit accompany you on your journeys? And does snow swimming appeal to you?
Posted by Carol Margolis under Pearls of Travel Fun |
April 29, 2009
The horns are blowing. The big band is playing below and people are waving goodbye to them. There is excitement from all the balconies. The ship is pulling away from the dock. The Grand Princess has just embarked on a 14-day journey through Europe, and my husband and I am amongst the many fortunate passengers to be a part of it. I just gave my goodbye wave to the band as we depart from the Southampton, England docks.
It's eerie to think that 97 years ago, the passengers on the Titanic were doing the very same thing , all excited for their long journey which was just beginning. But I'm not worried about our cruise meeting such a demise… rather just very sad to think of their excitement which then turned to such a tragedy. For many on this ship, it is their very first cruise, and they must be over-the-top excited. For us seasoned cruisers, the fun in exploring a new ship, leaving and arriving in new ports, and meeting people from all over the world, is just as fun on our umpteenth cruise as it was in the beginning.
This trip is my biggest ever challenge in terms of packing for a 26-day trip. We'll see what type of ‘smart woman traveler' I am! I have already blown the fuse in our hotel room in Scotland after plugging in a hand blender into a US-to-UK power converter. But I have achieved the status of expert driver in the UK (ok, ok… so ‘novice' might be a better term), with renting cars in two UK cities and returning them with only scraped tires from hitting a few curbs. I have a new admiration for drivers of the double-decker busses who navigate so well amongst the narrow two-lane roads.
We're off on a journey through several European ports (Spain, France, Italy), and I'm so excited to be seeing new countries and learning about different cultures and languages. That's what is so fun about travel. I'll send updates later from my balcony on the 9th deck. I'm off now to explore the ship and say adieu to Southampton for a couple of weeks.
Posted by Carol Margolis under Pearls of Travel Fun, Places to See; Things to Do |
