Travel Blog

“This is a tragedy. But, I must question the wisdom of allowing tourists to venture onto an active volcano?” said Andre.  Read about "Tourists believed to be among dead and injured after New Zealand volcano erupts" news. Authorities say the death toll is expected to rise after about 50 people, many of whom are tourists, were caught up in a volcano eruption on New Zealand's Whakaari island. At least five people have died and 23 have been rescued so far, some of whom are reported to be critically ill. The remainder are currently unaccounted for after the sudden explosion on Monday afternoon...

According to Sky News, trains around the nation were at a standstill and officials at the Eiffel Tower have issued a warning to visitors to stay away due to protests over the government’s retirement reform. In Paris alone, over 6,000 police officers were ready to handle massive demonstrations scheduled for Thursday. The high number of protests around the nation have resulted in subway stations being shuttered. France’s state-owned railway company announced that nine out of every 10 high-speed trains have been canceled, and officials from Air France revealed that around 30 percent of domestic...

Greece is a fabulous destination with history & mystery. Greece should definitely be on your bucket list. However, it is important to know where & when to travel to Greece & her islands, as over tourism is an issue in areas. I returned from an amazing Sceptre Tours FAM trip to Greece in October. It had been years since my last visit & I was happy to return to bemoan & observe the new reality. Athens has literally cleaned up its act. The embrace of tourism is absolute. Litter is under control & buses are eco. My only grip, the endless graffiti, as in many cities, is...

The US Virgin Islands will be the first to ban certain sunscreens that threaten marine environments. The sunscreen ban kicks in fully next March with 'certain limitations beginning immediately' after a bill was signed this week. It bans the importation, distribution and sale of sunscreens which contain oxybenzone, octinoxate and octocrylene, which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says are 'not safe or effective.'  The ban starts before similar restrictions begin in Hawaii and Key West. Those forbid the use of oxybenzone and octinoxate in sunscreen products, but the USVI goes one step further...

A South Pacific Escape: Tahiti versus Fiji – Which one is right for you? Tahiti & Fiji are both exotic south pacific nations ideal for romance vacations & for the traveler who desires a more exotic, less crowded beach destination. (Hawaii receives as many tourists in one week as Tahiti gets in a year) It is a bit of a jaunt to fly to these south pacific paradises, but the natural beauty, amazing clear blue water & the warmth of their people make the long flights worth it. Tahiti is 8 hours from LAX while Fiji is a bit further at 10 hours from LAX. After arriving on Tahiti or Viti...

TRAVEL TIPS How to Plan In Case Things Go WrongNothing bad is going to happen while you’re on vacation … probably. Ten days into what would have been two months in South America, I broke my leg in two places. I was deep in Chile, a country whose language I didn’t speak, and I’d just booked flights to Brazil and Easter Island. I could have panicked. Instead, I was just disappointed. After years of extended traveling, I had a system in place to handle emergencies. I was in a staggering amount of pain, in an embarrassed heap far from home and hostel, but I wasn’t too worried. You don’t need...