Author: Wendy VanHatten

Travel writer, author, editor, magazine editor-in-chief, traveler, co-founder of www.forkscorksandbrews.com
Posted on by

Packing Tips

With airlines charging for extra bags, pack smart by taking only what you need. Keep a packing list on your computer & print it before you pack. Do this even though you have packed a million times. You will eliminate unnecessary items. Be prepared with a small first aid kit packed in a baggie. Take a few medicated band-aids, pain relievers, hand sterilizer, safety pins, & anti diarrhea meds. Wrap some all purpose duct tape around a drinking straw for emergency fixes. Happy Traveling.
Posted on by

Ar-to-re-tum

Last weekend we visited an artoretum. Is that a real word? Don’t know. Described as a botanical garden devoted to art in the trees, it was a sun filled walk thru the trees and grass. And the sculptures were original and inspiring. Take a look at some of them…
Posted on by

Off To The Races…Again

What’s the difference between horse racing at The Thoroughbred Club at Del Mar and Horsemen’s Atokad Downs? After all, in both races horses run around an oval dirt track with Jockeys hugging the horse’s neck as they vie for first place. Hat wearing race-goers inspect both horse and jockey from a few feet away, then hurry to place their bets. Both facilities have been entertaining race fans for years.
Similarities end shortly thereafter. Hats are different, for one thing…Fancy ones decked out with feathers and ribbons on ladies at Del Mar. Well worn Cowboy hats or ball caps on men at Atokad, with no feathers in site.
Doesn’t matter…both provide an afternoon of entertainment. You don’t even need to really bet to have a good time. Look at the size of the horses as they walk into the ring, see which one winks at you, check out how they react to their jockey and mark your program. Then get set to cheer on “your” horse. With any luck at all, he won’t fall down, lose his jockey, and take off running and running…only to be caught riderless after 2 1/2 times around the track. Yup…that did happen.
Posted on by

Iowa Sunsets

My flip flops are off on more adventures. This time they followed the sun as it set from Clear Lake to Brown’s Lake…not in the same day but definitely in the same summer. All this wandering required a stop for some vino while relaxing at our friends’ lake home. What a life!
Posted on by

Airport Info

Top 10 On Time Airports according to the US Bureau of Transportation are: 1. Salt Lake City, 2. Phoenix, 3. Baltimore, 4, Chicago Midway, 5. Charlotte, 6. Cincinnati, 7. Oakland, 8. Houston, 9. Tampa, 10. Atlanta. They tell us to avoid, if possible, NY La Guardia, Newark, and Chicago O’Hare.
Posted on by

Off to the Races

When you get ready to go to the horse races in Del Mar, don’t forget your hat. Floppy ones decked out in ostrich feathers compete with Panama straw hats on people of all ages. At Del Mar you can get close to the horses and jockeys before they hit the track. Don’t forget to place your bet. Then watch the race from start to finish. If you’re lucky you will see an event that happens infrequently…a dead heat win. No horse won by a nose this day. Two both finished as winners.
Posted on by

Tip to Stay In Touch

Do you have family or friends in far away places? Are you looking for a better way to stay in touch with them? Ever heard of Skype? Skype is a piece of free software that lets you make telephone calls over the Internet. To access go to Skype.com for step-by-step instructions to install it. You’re ready to call any other PC that has Skype for free. Calls to landlines and cell phones cost extra. You might need to purchase an inexpensive headset if your computer does not have it built in to talk to each other.
Posted on by

Here’s this week’s travel tip. When you are booking your airline reservation, write down the airline’s 800 number and keep it with your trip info. That way you will have it for reference in case you should need it. Making a quick call sure beats standing in line to inquire about a cancelled or changed flight.