Category: Uncategorized

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Can You Stay Healthy?

I hear people say the always get sick when they travel. I don’t…but, how about you?

Do you pay attention to the local food? Do you know whether you should eat street food when running water is almost non-existent?

Do you know when you need to have a vaccination?

If the water is questionable to drink, do you brush your teeth with it anyway?

Do you keep your hands washed? If water isn’t handy, do you use a hand sanitizer?

Do you have basic medical supplies with you?

Do you drink enough water…bottled if in some countries?

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What Color Should I Take?

Packing tips are all over the Internet and in every magazine you pick up. Some you’ve heard a dozen times, some are new ones.

Recently, I read this tip for women. When traveling, pack three different colors of pants. Then, pack the tops to go with all three.

Hmm…three different colors of pants seems like a lot to me. Unless, that is, I’m traveling for two or three weeks and don’t have access to a washer and dryer. Or, my pants can’t be rinsed out in the sink. if I’m taking three pairs of pants, I’m going with black. Then, whatever tops I pick will work.

Having said that, you could be traveling where you will need different colors for different events or planned activities.

What do you think?

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Baby Boomers…Travel

According to AARP, 99% of Baby Boomers who travel in 2016 will do so for fun. And, at least half of those will travel internationally.

Does that apply to you or to someone you know?

Want to know what AARP thinks are on the bucket lists of Baby Boomers? The Arctic Circle, New Zealand, Australia, and Panama top the list.

How about you? What’s on your list?

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Where is the WC?

Depending on how much you travel and where…you will probably come across a toilet that doesn’t look like what you’re used to. A squat toilet.

This squat toilet is exactly what it says it is. It’s a slab of porcelain on the floor with indentations to place your feet.

There might be a pitcher of water to use to flush…but probably not toilet paper. If you do bring your own toilet paper, throw it away in a garbage can. Don’t throw it in the toilet.

Be prepared…

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The 2016 Sf Bay Area Travel & Adventure Show…more info

The 2016 SF/Bay Area Travel & Adventure Show, part of the No. 1 travel show series in the U.S., returns to the Santa Clara Convention Center, March 5-6, with an impressive line-up of keynote speakers, travel industry experts, global performers and renowned chefs. Confirmed participants include Rick Steves, America’s leading authority on European travel; Travel Channel host Samantha Brown; Jerry Stone, the popular food blogger; andBen Simon, chief executive officer of Imperfect Produce, among others.

“We are thrilled to welcome the world’s leading travel, food and cultural experts to the SF/Bay Area Travel and Adventure Show,” said John Golicz, chief executive officer and founder. “Our team has curated an entertaining, interactive show that will provide unparalleled travel education to help travelers enhance their next domestic or international adventure.“

The 2016 SF/Bay Area Travel & Adventure Show will feature the following keynote speakers:

  • Rick Steves, chief executive officer of “Rick Steves’ Europe,” guidebook author, PBS travel host and America’s leading authority on European travel
  • Samantha Brown, Travel Channel host
  • Pauline Frommer, editorial director of the Frommer Guides and publisher of Frommers.com
  • Doug McConnell, host of “OpenRoad” on NBC Bay Area and former host of the legendary, “Bay Area Backroads,” the longest-running television series in Bay Area broadcast history
Wanderlust travelers can attend the Destination Theater for the following locale-specific workshops to draw inspiration and gain insider knowledge:
  • The Islands of Tahiti are Closer Than You Think
  • Beyond the Cruise: The Inside Scoop on Alaska Adventures
  • Adventure, Discovery and Tranquility in Costa Rica
  • Adventures in Australia & New Zealand 
Additionally, there will be a special presentation by Paul Wiseman, president of Trafalgar USA, as well as seminars hosted by the Nevada Commission, Philippine Office of Tourism, Fiji and the Yosemite/Mariposa County Tourism Bureau.

At the Savvy Traveler Theater, guests can also gain valuable tips and tricks at the following seminars for traveling smarter, more safely and with fewer hassles:

  • Travel Smart with Technology with Angel Castellanos
  • A Guide to Better Travel Photography with Ralph Velasco
  • Explore What’s Unique About Cruises & Land Vacations
  • Packing Light with Jon Holloway
  • Maximize Your National Parks Experience
  • TravelSquire & The Travel Therapist

The 2016 SF/Bay Area Travel & Adventure Show boasts a variety of global culture and entertainment. The Global Beats Stage offers culturally diverse music and dance performances while the Taste of Travel Stage, hosted by Chef Garth Blackburn and Amy Kushnir, provides visitors with insights from professional foodies and a taste of local, regional and global cuisine prepared by local chefs. Specials guests will include:  
  • Jerry Stone, food and wine blogger (Cooking Stoned and Green Wine Guide)
  • Ben Simon – chief executive officer, Imperfect Produce
  • Allan Karl, motorcycle adventure traveler, photographer and bestselling author of “FORKS—A Quest for Culture, Cuisine, and Connection”
  • Chef Garth Blackburn, Sub-Zero Wolf in Dallas and Houston, Texas
  • Amy Kushnir, host of “Taste Texas” and author of “Red Dirt Recipes”
  • Sergio Monleón and Emily Sarlatte, chefs/owners, La Marcha, Berkeley, Calif.   
Travel enthusiasts can also look forward to the opportunity to meet with more than 200 of the world’s top travel providers and access to exclusive once-in-a-lifetime travel deals, prizes and trip giveaways. Back for the sixth year in a row, the SF/Bay Area Travel & Adventure Show will be the largest to date and is a smart, cost-effective way for savvy travelers to find, plan and book their dream vacation.

The 2016 SF/Bay Area Travel & Adventure Show takes place at the Santa Clara Convention Center (5001 Great America Highway, Santa Clara, Calif.) March 5-6. On Saturday, March 5, the show opens at 9:30 a.m. for travel professionals, with general public hours set from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Sunday, March 6, the show floor is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Single day tickets ($16) and two-day tickets ($25) can be purchased atTravelShows.com/shows/san-francisco-bay-area/. Children 16 and under are admitted free of charge.                           
 

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Where Am I?

I know we have GPS on our phones or a handy device telling us where we are. But, do you know how to read a map? Some may have lost that skill.

That’s too bad. What if you’re in an area with no or poor cell phone coverage? What if your phone battery is dying?

Take out your map and figure out where you are. You’d be surprised at the number of people who can’t read a map. Can you?

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Bay Area Travel & Adventure Show…Check it Out

SANTA CLARA, CALIF. – December 1, 2015 — Back for the sixth year in a row, the Bay Area Travel & Adventure Show, part of the largest series of consumer travel shows in the U.S., returns to the Santa Clara Convention Center, March 5-6, 2016. The popular tradeshow connects avid travelers with the world’s top travel providers, who in turn share insider knowledge about top domestic and international destinations, the latest travel tips and exclusive travel deals. Attendees will also have access to celebrity travel speakers, dozens of seminars, trip giveaways, prizes and fun, cultural interactions.

“Northern Californians have a natural appetite for travel and adventure. The SF/Bay Area Travel & Adventure Show is a smart, cost-effective way for savvy travelers to find, plan and book their dream vacation,” said John Golicz, chief executive officer and founder. “For more than a decade, our team has helped countless travelers find where to go, what to do and how to get there by connecting them in a meaningful way with the world’s leading destination experts.”

The 2016 SF/Bay Area Travel & Adventure Show will be the largest to date, featuring more than 200 exhibitors from the world’s most sought-after travel destinations, ranging from the Africa to Alaska, China to the Caribbean, and Europe to Fiji. In addition to a special Yosemite Experience Pavilion, other key exhibits include Tourism Malaysia, Luxury Vacations UK, Discover Pakistan, Costa Rica Rios, Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Yamnusha Mountain Adventures and Utah’s Canyonlands.

“People flock to our events because they know that while the Internet and guidebooks contain great information, they are not always reliable. At the Travel & Adventure Shows you get the truth from people who are either from the travel destination or have traveled extensively in the region,” said Golicz.
 

In addition to the vendors, the tradeshow features five theaters designed to educate and entertain. Wanderlust travelers can attend the Destination Theater for locale-specific workshops hosted by the Nevada Commission, Philippine Office of Tourism, Tahiti, Visit Anchorage, Air New Zealand and Trafalgar, among others, to draw inspiration and get detailed information. At the Savvy Traveler Theater, guests can also gain valuable tips and tricks for traveling smarter, more safely and with fewer hassles.


The 2016 SF/Bay Area Travel & Adventure Show also features an impressive line-up of travel industry expert speakers including:
  • Samantha Brown, Travel Channel host
  • Rick Steves, chief executive officer of “Rick Steves’ Europe,” guidebook author, PBS travel host and America’s leading authority on European travel
  • Pauline Frommer, editorial director of the Frommer Guides and publisher of Frommers.com
  • Doug McConnell, host of “OpenRoad” on NBC Bay Area and former host of the legendary, “Bay Area Backroads,” the longest-running television series in Bay Area broadcast history 
Attendees can also experience a variety of global culture and entertainment. The Global Beats Stage offers culturally diverse music and dance performances while the Taste of Travel Stage provides visitors with a taste of local, regional and global cuisine prepared by chefs Roopan Lumi, Ben Simon, Jerry Stone and others. Additionally, guests will have access to vacation activities such as a rock climbing wall, provided by Yosemite Experience Pavilion, Segway rides and more.

Sponsors of the 2016 Bay Area Travel & Adventure Show include Tourism Fiji, “Rick Steves’ Europe,” Sunset magazine and the Yosemite Experience Pavilion.

The 2016 Bay Area Travel & Adventure Show takes place at the Santa Clara Convention Center (5001 Great America Highway, Santa Clara, Calif.) March 5-6. On Saturday, March 5, the show opens at 9:30 a.m. for travel professionals, with general public hours set from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Sunday, March 6, the show floor is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Single day tickets ($16) and two-day tickets ($25) can be purchased at TravelShows.com/shows/san-francisco-bay-area/. Children 16 and under are admitted free of charge.                         
                                                                                                                                  
About Unicomm and the Travel & Adventure Show 
Unicomm, LLC is an independent media and events company specializing in originating and managing world-class trade shows, conferences and digital properties. Unicomm’s properties include the nation’s largest and longest running series of travel events, the Travel & Adventure Show in Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco/Bay Area, Washington, D.C., San Diego and Philadelphia, and the 1000TravelTips.com.

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How Much is That?

Travel anywhere outside of the US, and you’ll find the currency is different. How many Euros equal one US Dollar? Why am I spending 1,000 Swedish kroner?

Do you plan ahead and familiarize yourself with that particular currency? You don’t have to get the exchange rate down to the last penny, but knowing what the exchange rate is will help you better understand how much you are paying for dinner, a train ticket, or a new purse.