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Food down under: the best restaurants in Sydney
I learned on my recent trip that Sydney is a treat for the committed gourmand. Fresh local produce, seafood and delightful ambiances got these hot spots at the top of my list for the best restaurants in Sydney. I highly recommend Nomad, a new and glamorous food, wine and “cellardoor”, (tasting room) restaurant that makes it’s…
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Step into history in hanoi, vietnam at the metropole hotel
Hanoi is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful colonial Indochinese cities. It was a bucket list item for my adult daughters and me — to stay at the crowning jewel of Asian colonial-style hotels, the Sofitel Hanoi Metropole. This Grand Dame, built in 1901 by the French, is in the same luxury league of “Legendary Hotels”…
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Five tips for traveling where you don’t speak the language
Living in a village in Nepal —in the middle of the tourist off-season, I might add—has taught me a thing or two about surviving in a country where you don’t speak the language. With a little help from your smartphone and a healthy dose of humility, it is easy to enjoy yourself regardless of your lingual abilities.…
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Five tips for traveling where you don’t speak the language
Living in a village in Nepal —in the middle of the tourist off-season, I might add—has taught me a thing or two about surviving in a country where you don’t speak the language. With a little help from your smartphone and a healthy dose of humility, it is easy to enjoy yourself regardless of your lingual abilities.…
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Five easy hikes in San Francisco
With over 40 hilltops (and 70 by some accounts), San Francisco is the second hilliest city in the world. While we residents are accustomed to our unusual topography, visitors can get weak in the knees just thinking about some of our epic ascents. As the founder of Urban Hiker SF, it’s my job and my pleasure…
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Five easy hikes in San Francisco
With over 40 hilltops (and 70 by some accounts), San Francisco is the second hilliest city in the world. While we residents are accustomed to our unusual topography, visitors can get weak in the knees just thinking about some of our epic ascents. As the founder of Urban Hiker SF, it’s my job and my pleasure…
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Snag off-season discounts at luxury resorts
From Cape Cod to Lake Tahoe, luxury properties at ski resorts and beaches offer deep discounts in their off season – springtime. Here are some springtime getaway ideas for travelers with wanderlust. Ritz Carlton (Lake Tahoe, California): Beginning May 6th, starting rates drop 40%, starting at $199 per night. Special romance, golf or Spring Spa…
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Ten tips to avoid jet lag
As a travel writer, I frequently fly across oceans and time zones. Here are my travel-tested tips to avoid jet lag or minimize jet lag fatigue. 1. Avoid alcoholic beverages, or salty drinks (like Bloody Mary mix) and caffeine during the flight. 2. Drink a glass of water every hour you travel. 3. Keep your feet…
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Celebrate remission from breast cancer with a trip.
When Judy’s doctor called and gave her the good news about her remission from breast cancer, we screamed, laughed and cried together. “Let’s do something big – let’s take a trip,” Judy suggested. For several months we were always too busy –work, family, doctors appointments, dog sitters — there were always good excuses. Finally the…
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Celebrate remission from breast cancer with a trip.
When Judy’s doctor called and gave her the good news about her remission from breast cancer, we screamed, laughed and cried together. “Let’s do something big – let’s take a trip,” Judy suggested. For several months we were always too busy –work, family, doctors appointments, dog sitters — there were always good excuses. Finally the…
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Check list: day before travel
Packing is such a pain. Lists help me reduce the stress. Here’s my list of last minute items I’ve forgotten in the past: cell phone charger, night gown, toothpaste, washcloth (many hotels overseas do not provide them), large safety pin or clothespin to fully close hotel drapes, a rubber door stopper for added security in hotel…
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Visit the star-studded sunnylands in palm springs
Truth be told I didn’t expect to be so spellbound by Sunnylands. The name put me off. I rather expected a Hollywood set. The 200-acre historic estate, located in Rancho Mirage, CA near Palm Springs, is quite the opposite; filled with priceless art, gorgeous gardens, and renowned architecture where, for more than forty years, celebrities…
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Book: “Gutsy Mamas: Travel Tips and Wisdom for Mothers on the Road”
In this pocket tome, Marybeth Bond dispenses invaluable advice on staying healthy on the road, traveling to third world countries and close to home, traveling to adopt abroad, and keeping children of all ages entertained and adults energized. If you have infants, toddlers, or teens, whether you’re going on your first trip as a mother…
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Summer travel tips
Summer travel tips so your vacation will go more smoothly. Most of us plan our vacations months before we travel. The more preparation we do, the less stress we’ll have when the time come to take off. In this short video, I share some tips that will minimize the misery and maximize the magic…
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Summer travel tips
Summer travel tips so your vacation will go more smoothly. Most of us plan our vacations months before we travel. The more preparation we do, the less stress we’ll have when the time come to take off. In this short video, I share some tips that will minimize the misery and maximize the magic…