Travel Blog

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...

Australia is simply too large a country & continent to be seen in one visit, unless you have unlimited time & resources.  Think of Australia as a large pie. You eat it a slice at a time. Airlie Beach, an Australian resort town on Queensland's Whitsunday Coast, is a gateway to the Whitsunday Islands and the Great Barrier Reef. When I visited this past year, I felt as if Airlie Beach was on the verge of change. Yes, it still has the laid- back hippy feel but the new luxury accommodations are a sure sign. I spent 3 NTS in Airlie beach boating, snorkeling, diving & flying. Day 1 -Whitehaven...

AUSTRALIA TRAVEL TIPS When planning a vacation to Australia, please remember it's an island the size of continental U.S.A. It is wider across than the distance from New York to Los Angeles but has a population of only 23 million people. Electricity The electric current used in Australia is 240 volts AC, 50 hertz. Sockets take two or three flat, not rounded, prongs. North Americans and Europeans will need to buy a converter before they leave home (don't wait until you get to Australia, because Australian stores are only likely to stock converters for Aussie appliances to fit American and European...

Traveling through Europe on a River Cruise is really a stress-free, fun way to adventure. This past year, I had the chance to sail the Danube River, Vienna to Nuremburg. It was truly a blast. Our river cruise ship, the Ama Sonata, carried only 160 passengers & dropped us right in the center of a new town daily. Bikes were always available. Ama Waterways has embraced fitness trends & only employs professional instructors. I appreciated their daily excursions, and that each was set up by fitness level and difficultly. Practicing Yoga, or doing Zumba on the top deck, became an excellent...