Kristin H.

Travel bucket list for 2012:

Estonia

I was told by my Mother that if I went to Estonia, I would not want to leave. The cities are full of young, energetic and educated Estonians. This thriving society combined with the opportunity to experience the Historic Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn makes Estonia an irresistible travel destination for me.

Umbria, Italy

I discovered the Italian region of Umbria while watching the movie My House in Umbria (2003). The picturesque countryside portrayed in the movie has me imagining a day of walking and a leisurely picnic, then returning to town and settling in for an evening meal featuring the local wine and foods. Bliss!

To go off-the-brochure:

New York

Can you find the narrowest house in New York City? If you find yourself walking through Greenwich Village, go to Bedford Street near Seventh Avenue. Look carefully because you will probably not see it the first time, it is less than 10 feet wide. I passed it twice before I found it. Please be mindful and do not disturb the residents of this tiny house or neighborhood.

If you find yourself in Palm Springs with a gaggle of kids and need a break from the pool, drive over to The Living Desert, a zoo that features exhibits of desert animals from Africa and North America. See an Arabian Wild Cat, a Striped Hyena, and a Cheetah! To experience the wildlife without a fence be sure to attend the Wildlife Wonders Show in the amphitheater at 11:00am and 2:00pm. Mind the zookeepers’ instructions and sit in the back row if you are scared.

A travel dilemma started when:

After living for a month in a non-tourist destination of the People’s Republic of China, our group decided to visit Beijing. Feeling nostalgic for America food the first thing I did after visiting Tiananmen Square was eat a hamburger.

The next morning I awoke with full blown food poisoning and could not participate in the group’s planned sightseeing trip to the Summer Palace. Our travel chaperone, who could speak both English and Mandarin, arranged for me to stay at the hotel for an additional day.

Thankfully “no” is easy to communicate in any language and housekeeping understood that I did not want the vacuum roaring through the room while I was trying to recover. Taking one day off allowed me to gather enough strength to re-join the group in time to catch our flight to Xian and continue on our 3 month journey through China.

Lesson learned: Always travel with a guide or have access to a concierge that can communicate fluently with you and the locals. Successful communication is the key to recovering gracefully from travel plan snags.

To be a prepared traveler, don’t forget:

Most trips start with my 22″ wheeled upright suitcase. It is large enough to be my main bag but conveniently sized to be a carry-on if the need arises. When the adjustable handle is fully extended it securely holds my shoulder bag, enabling me to roll all my luggage together quickly from point A to point B without worrying about dropping or losing any items. This is especially helpful when I perform my roll-n-run exercise across the parking lot to the gate.

Always in my pocket is a low-tech but must have comfort item used on every trip. We all have one whether we admit to it or not. Mine is lip balm. For some it is their eye glass cleaning cloth. Others have been known to bring a piece of their security blanket, never mind that they are well beyond childhood. Whatever the item is, it provides us comfort while miles away from home. What is your comfort item?

Last but not least is, Heather Tucker>>