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Solo traveler. tales and tips.
No one expected me to be a solo woman traveler. I had never eaten a meal alone in a restaurant or traveled on my own — except for business trips. I surprised everyone, including myself. You too can travel alone. I discovered it’s not lonely, it’s empowering. You’ll learn to talk to people: from taxi drivers,…
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Wanderlust and culture shock in latin america or anywhere
I was in Ecuador when it happened to me. Many seasoned travelers had warned me about it, but I, with my buoyant wanderlust, had always haughtily considered myself above the adverse effects of foreign travel. No, I was certain. It couldn’t happen to me. But it did. And I still remember the look in my…
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Rome. where the pope has achieved both celestial and celebrity status
Rome and the Vatican I have to say that religious traditions in any country are a fascinating portrait of the local culture and a jumble of natives and tourists all scrambling towards the same goal. Italy, of course, is no different. After we visited the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel last Sunday, we joined…
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Rome. where the pope has achieved both celestial and celebrity status
Rome and the Vatican I have to say that religious traditions in any country are a fascinating portrait of the local culture and a jumble of natives and tourists all scrambling towards the same goal. Italy, of course, is no different. After we visited the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel last Sunday, we joined…
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Florence’s sweet spots and italian men
The hardest part about your first few days in a foreign country is trying to balance your need for rest after a long week with your need to absorb anything and everything all at once. It’s kind of like trying to soak up the culture through osmosis while running erratically from one spot to the…
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Lessons learned from the costa concordia and titanic tragedy?
Public’s memory is short and enthusiasm for cruising is high but there are some cruise survival tactics we can take away from this tragedy. See insurance Q&A below. Don’t panic. Have a plan. Make your own decisions. In an emergency pack your passport, and other IDs, credit cards, all your cash and warm clothes. Listen…