About Marybeth, National Geographic Author, Writer

Curious Explorer. Award-winning author.

Gutsy Traveler: A woman, like travel expert Marybeth Bond, stands among purple flowers, raising her arms and smiling in front of a wooden building in bright sunlight.
Polar bear tracking and snorkeling with beluga whales in the northern Canadian Arctic.

Marybeth knows travel. She has hiked, biked, dived, danced and trekked across all seven continents – from the depths of the Flores Sea near Komodo Island to the summit of Kilimanjaro.

More recently, she tracked polar bears and snorkeled with beluga whales in the Canadian Arctic, then kayaked among icebergs in Antarctica.

Somewhere in between, four years of studying in Paris earned her two degrees – and a taste for good wine and strong cheeses.

Twelve books (three with National Geographic), countless travel articles, and numerous TV and radio appearances have built her devoted fanbase. She won the esteemed Lowell Thomas, Gold Award for the Best Travel Book of the Year from the Society of American Travel Writers Foundation.

Woman on cliff in front of a monastery in Bhutan
Yesterday’s Video below. A decade or more later. Is Marybeth still GUTSY? Here in Bhutan.
Marybeth in Antarctica with penguins, snowy mountains, and water—just the kind of moment travel expert Marybeth Bond would capture in a travel video.
Kayaking and camping near penguins in Antarctica.

Yesterday….

Before you hit the road, here are some basics everyone driver needs to know for car safety and to save money. Avoid expensive repairs that you don’t want or have to make—you’ve got a tan to catch!change-tyres-14712870

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Avoid problems and insure car safety for your next road trip. All photo credits: Upsplash and www.stockfreeimages.com

In light of the recent Tesla Model S crash and automatic brake failure, it’s vital to be proactive in ensuring that our cars are running as safely and smoothly as possible. Don’t wait until you have a problem.

Check your windshield wipers

If your blades are worn out, you may not have clear visibility in rainy weather. Buy new blades but before you go to buy them, make sure you know the exact model of your car. Here are easy instructions. 

Check your brakes

car brake repair

Changing brake pads more frequently actually saves you money in the long run. By leaving brake pads in too long, the brake rotors—much more expensive pieces of equipment—wear down at a much faster rate. Even the most advanced cars have problems—and so, the car experts at RepairPal have created guidelines for brake safety. 42711704

Rule 1: Scraping sounds likely mean it’s time for new disc brake pads. This sound comes from metal grinding against metal—which can affect the speed at which your car stops. It’s wise to get this fixed as soon as possible.

30020829Rule 2: If your brake pedal sinks to the floor, beware.

This may be a sign that the master cylinder—which holds your brake fluid—is not properly holding pressure, a potentially dangerous condition that can cause brakes to stop functioning the way they are supposed to. Get this checked out as soon as possible.

48458546Rule 3: Don’t consistently ride the brakes while going downhill.By resting your foot on the pedal unnecessarily, it can wear out the brake pads much more rapidly than would happen normally.

Rule 4: Spending an hour getting your brakes checked out before you go can save you dozens of hours (and dollars) later.

Rotate your tires   47490219

It’s common to get so wrapped up in our daily lives that we can forget to rotate our tires. However, this causes them to wear out faster, and can damage your suspension, steering, and traction. Rotate them every 5,000 to 10,000 miles to save your car’s suspension.

Replace dirty air filters

Replacing your air filter regularly is a simple—yet often overlooked—procedure that costs drivers lots in wasted fuel and damaged system components.

Properly inflate tires

When tires are not properly inflated, it causes fuel efficiency to drop. Plain and simple: more money wasted on gas means less money for your summer BBQ snack list.

 

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Marybeth Bond