You might remember (Gen-X and older alert) or be surprised to learn that there was a time you could walk to the airport gate without security checks.  Saying goodbye at the airport gate isn’t just a movie trope or a funny scene in 90’s television, it was, at one point, reality before the security changes were made post 9/11.  I remember my friend meeting me at the gate after a long flight with a Pepsi and a chocolate bar (before purchase onboard).  Now we accept the security checks and deal with the dreadful (and invasive) searches as part of the airport and travel experience. I’m sure we will learn to adapt to the new ways of flying in the aftermath of this global pandemic event of Covid-19 coronavirus.

Right now you’re probably exhausted by stay at home orders and the sheer magnitude of changes in the world, your work and your life.  We boarded a roller coaster that seems never ending with twists, turns and scary freefalls. You are ready to escape to the beach, the mountains, to an island, take a cruise or go anywhere that is not your home (and has room service).  I understand – I want to be on a plane to Europe but for me (and Europe) that will be a while.

So what will the airport experience and flying look like now post lockdown from covid-19?  What can we expect and how will we navigate forward?   With the curves flattening, there could be a lull and sense that all is over so folks may go back to “what they’ve always done” but we just don’t know until there’s a vaccine and even then we won’t know effective rates.  I would love to be the optomist, but realistically it’s going to be a year or longer until we settle in. So many questions, and like others in the travel space, I can only opine on how I think the airport experience and flying will change amid and post covid-19 and plan accordingly.

Covid-19 Airline Changes

Changes are occurring daily as we take baby steps back into the world of travel.  An important liquid security change in the U.S. is allowing up to 12 oz. of hand santizer in carry on luggage which will be screened separately.

Here are a few airline updates links that list cancellation, refund, rebooking as well as other applicable policies and procedures.  Each airline is unique in how they are dealing with this – familarize yourself before you book or travel with their policies.

• American Airlines Covid-19 Update– 50% middle seats blocked out, limited capacity on planes, minimal food/drink service, clubs closed or consolidated
• Delta Airlines Covid-19 Update – all middle seats blocked, boarding by rows back to front
• Emirates Airlines Covid-19 Update – antibody fast testing at check-in and ban on carry-on luggage
• Southwest Airlines Covid-19 Update – elimination of snack/beverage service
• United Airlines Covid-19 Update – scan your own boarding pass, pre-packaged food, Polaris lounge closed
• British Airways Covid-19 Update – no special meals, limited food/beverage, no elite status extensions

Changes at Flight Check In

Check in online before you arrive at the airport (no one will want to touch screens or be within six feet of another person for a while).  However, you can’t print luggage bag tags from home.  There’s no easy way to solve this for “no touch” right now so you’ll still need to use the kiosk at the airport or have airline staff print for you.

• Biggest unknowns – crowd control, printing bag tags via kiosk and temperature or antibody checks

New Airport Security Screening

The lines at security already snake around and around the terminal – expect these to get longer as we social distance and people start to travel again. Right now only 10% of normal travel is occurring (crazy!).  Expect security to space out folks on the screening as well.  So basically expect longer waits and long lines– plan accordingly.

• Good Time to sign up for Global Entry and/or Pre-Check for shorter lines in some airports.
• TSA Covid-19 Update
• PHL (my hometown airport) – Philadelphia International Airport Covid 19 Update

Changes in the airport terminals

The airports, at least in the U.S., are not built with massive gate to wait at or large common areas to keep a good distance apart. Each airport will implement their own processes and procedures to comply with state, local and federal health & safety recommendations.

• Food Outlets – bars, food courts and restaurants will need to right size. This may mean waiting for a seat or table.  Bring some snacks with you as backup plan.
• Airport shops will resize to ensure spacing and limits inside. They may remove merchandise to provide space.
• Look to see if your airport has order and delivery by app so you can use your phone, pay online and have the food delivered to you at your gate/seat.

Airline Lounge Changes

The airline lounges have long held a capacity limit for visitors and this will most likely continue and be enforced with less space to use.  Some airlines have closed lounges right now, others have consolidated lounges – best to check before you arrival at the airport. Self service is over for the champagne, wine and other drinks.

• I suspect access by credit card lounge access and/or Priority Pass may get third class status based on capacity at many airline/airport lounges.
• Plan for prepacked food, easy to access items like fruit and an increase in disposable one use plastics.

In Philadelphia International Airport, the American Airlines lounge in PHL A-West and PHL AA Lounge B/C has the space to play with, however, the BA Lounge PHL, AMEX Centurion Lounge PHL and United Lounge PHL are small already so changes will be noticeable.

At The Gate – Prepare to Board the Plane

The gates are not large enough to adequately house all passengers even when packed inside and waiting in the hallway.  Space will be a premium and boarding will need to change.  Not sure how yet though as they don’t have space unless the airports space out planes and gates for a while so that gates across from each other are not boarding at the same time and people have space to move, wait, etc.

• Delta has begun loading planes the old fashioned way – from the back row to the front row to space out boarding and allow folks to access their seats and overhead space.

If you are old enough to remember walking to the gate with friends and family, you’ll remember the simpler time of boarding from back to front in an orderly manner.  Long before “gate lice, preference, status, credit card holders and pay for boarding early” became the norm.

Changes On the Plane

It will be hard to have a six feet distance from the next passenger, especially across aisles or even window to aisle and in front and behind you.  So for the near future, planes will fly at lower load capacity and you may be asked to move/change seats for spacing and passenger weight distribution.  Until the equipment can come online, supply/demand/pricing will look like a Jackson Pollack painting, meaning it will be all over the place. What about deplaning which is usually a free for all of folks crammed into the aisle waiting to leave? Will there finally be order to the plane process?  Time will tell.

Changes In the Air – Flying in a New World

Flight Attendants will likely wear gloves and masks and need to ensure they don’t have cross contamination during limited service periods.  There will be pre-packaged foods as well as limited or no special meals available so now is the time to bring your own snacks/foods with you.

If you need to use the bathroom just prepare to Purell the hell out of you and everything you touch (yeah new 12oz hand santizer allowance).  It’s hard to escape touching things in the bathroom. There’s various pulls, levers, handles, buttons, etc. to pull the door open and close as well as lock and unlock.  If you are lucky, you will get a new “wave your hand” to flush toilet and automatic sink.  If not, then you’ll need to press (and hold) buttons.

Airline Flying Unknowns

• Masks – Will people wear masks as they have been doing for years in Asia? Will it be mandatory or optional?
• Temperature Checks – tricky one – easier to implement on cruises than at airports or by individual airlines. So I don’t expect this to happen in U.S. airports (international may be different) right away.
• Antibody Testing – Quick results. Emirates Airlines has started using this but it’s a minefield of what happens if denied boarding?  How accurate? And a host of other things.

Business Trip and/or Vacation in New Normal

If you have made it happily through all the steps above and are feeling good at your destination upon arrival, you’ve completed Step 1 (of 5) so far.  Now you have the transportation (Step 2)  taxi, rental car, shuttle, bus, etc. to the lodging of choice (Step 3) hotel, Airbnb, corporate apartment to deal with and if you get hungry (Step 4) or want to go out for entertainment/sightseeing (Step 5) to overcome.

Final Thoughts – Travel during and after Covid-19

It’s not going to be like it was in 2019, it will likely take two years or longer to fully recover and we will lose some great travel vendors along the way. We are embarking to a new normal, one that will likely change day by day as we, the traveling public, and travel vendors and governments learn how all the moving people and pieces affect global population health. We will have growing pains but will get through this.  We will be back on the road exploring the world again and I can’t wait!

Every year, in the dark days and cold nights of winter, we all dream of escaping somewhere warm and sunny. The cruise industry is at the ready to accommodate you during Wave Season with hundreds of itineraries around the world.  Cruise Wave Season starts in mid-January and ends in early March – think of it as three months of cruise sales, each more enticing than the other.  You’ll see cruise ads everywhere – splashy television ads, colorful magazine ads, ads that follow you around online and radio ads to tempt you to getaway!  It will be hard to escape the cruise ads in the next two months as the cruise lines want to fill the ships in advance to avoid last minute discounts (often one month ahead of sailing after final payments are due).  Last minute cruise prices might be great if you are flexible (I’ve done a few) but airfare might be much more expensive and hotels might be tight (great use of hotel points and airline miles).

As with any travel special, it’s key to do the following:

• Research, research, research to ensure the deals are really deals for you and the family. Call a Cruise Travel Agent if you’d rather they did the research for you.
• Arrive the day before the cruise sails.  Too many stories of weather delays, cancellations and nightmare flight delays which lead to missed cruises. The one night hotel is worth the peace of mind in my opinion.
• Check your credit card for travel insurance for flights, hotels and cruises, etc. Does it cover just the cardholder or all passengers booked?
• Book return flights in the afternoon to give you time in case of embarkation delays
• If traveling with seniors, Medicare doesn’t extend to international destinations so you’ll want to look at buying travel insurance for them.

What can you expect during Wave Season?

Each cruise line will tout different amenities to get you interested.  The cabin prices and “freebies” will be the same whether you book direct with the cruise line, travel agent, online cruise agent or other vendors.  The “extra” discount is usually a commission give back like gift card or cash credit once you have returned from vacation.

Wave Season Highlights –

• Discounted deposits (often $50 per person) which are helpful if you are waiting for your tax refund, want to pay the cruise off in installments or save for the final payment in full.
• Free or Discounted Shore Excursions
• Upgraded cabin
• One, two or three “free” onboard packages – this one is tricky as you may need to upgrade cabin category (pay more) to qualify for the “freebies”. Also, not all freebies are created equal.  Free Wi-Fi might be a $100 value, whereas the specialty restaurants $150 vs. a drinks package $250. Research what’s important to you and all travelers in your cabin.  Everyone needs to be on the same deal.

Note: On one of my sailings, the $989 balcony price where I would pick the cabin location included all the freebies whereas the balcony cabin only (location assigned by cruise line) was $689 – I didn’t need to pay $300 more for extras I wouldn’t really use (i.e. shore excursion discounts, Wi-Fi and drinks package (I drink one glass of $10 wine a day) and my friend had no use for the extras.  We were in agreement that the $689 price was better for us and we would pay for our extras onboard.

How to Budget for a Cruise

A cruise is the ultimate pay for what you want and use vacation.  What’s included has changed over the years but basically it’s the cabin, food in buffet and non-specialty restaurants, tap water, fountain juices, coffee/tea and access to the gym (machines only) – everything else is extra.

So how can you figure out a budget for a cruise?

I’ve created a How to Budget for a Cruise Guide with an A to Z list of extras you might be surprised by.

While cruises are tough to redeem via points, each cruise line does offer a loyalty program.  If you book via Chase Travel or American Express Travel you might be able to convert credit card points in those programs to cash to pay for cruise – very expensive use of points but option.

If you are a member of AAA or AARP or military, cruise lines will often offer additional discounts. Be mindful that the current wave season price might not be available to discount further.  You may need to pay higher price and then apply the discount.

Wave season discounts might also depend on cabin booked – for example if you book a high category then you get three “freebies” vs. booking lowest price cabin might only give you a choice of one of the three “freebies”.

Use a Cruise Specialist Travel Agent

You have many options available to book a cruise with.  A cruise specialist travel agent has knowledge of that cruise lines and/or ships to know that x room is over the dining room so not a problem but over or near the disco that is opened until 3 am might be a problem with noise.  A cruise travel specialist can also extend discounts that their agency has access to (basically a commission give back). All the major travel agencies have cruise divisions – Virtuoso, American Express Travel, Chase Travel.

Online Cruise Booking Sites

Online cruise agents and membership clubs (i.e. Costco, BJs, etc.) often offer a gift card when you return from the cruise. The $25 or $50 per person might be the difference for you to book the cruise.   Be mindful that some phone agents have not traveled on the cruise line or to the destination – they may be called a “specialist” because they attended training or webinars for that cruise line.  If you don’t feel comfortable with the first person you talk to, it’s ok to request someone else who has sailed on the ship and to the destination.   Ask questions that are important to you. I’ve used Cruises Only a few times.

Group Cruise Travel

If traveling with a group or large family, a travel agent can arrange for cabin location, connection cabins, group discounts and if you have enough to qualify – a free passenger or free cabin.  Larger groups require advance reservations and may even need their own private tours.  The travel agent can also arrange group air discounts if you are all leaving from the same city.

Sailing Solo on a Cruise

I’ve sailed solo on many cruises around the world and really enjoyed the opportunity to join a group when I felt like it or enjoy my solo-ness. Cruises are a nice appetizer to the world – quick stops for one day to see the highlights and then you can decide whether to return for a longer vacation in the future.  I’ve met so many wonderful “cruise people” on my vacation that quickly became friends so now when any of us is sailing we let the group know.  You’ll learn that you are solo for only a short time on a cruise because you will be adopted quickly to join folks as everyone has a story to tell and share.  The nice part is that you aren’t tied to anyone and can be a social butterfly to meet a variety of people and groups.  The dreaded single supplement does still exist on many cruises which means that $500 price will be $1000 for you as you pay per cabin no per person.

There are ships with single/solo cabins that do offer alternatives to paying 150%-200%.  Research them as always because the inside cabin price might be cheaper depending on the sales ongoing.

Listing of Cruise Ships with Single Cabins for Solos

Ship Tours vs Private Tours in Port

I’ve done both the ship tours as well as private tours in port.  Much will depend on destination, budget and timing.  Another thing to consider is the port – many ships will dock in the industrial ports and you’ll need a train (nearly an hour into Rome), bus from port or taxi to reach the city center.  Cruise Critic is an amazing resource for researching ports and learning from others.  The cruise ships will guarantee you won’t miss the ship with a cruise tour booked direct with them which is good.  I’ve booked private tours not through the ship and all guides were mindful of getting to the ship in time (it’s their business, one missed departure can ruin their business).

Cruise Destinations

Cruise to Alaska from Seattle

Alaska is a popular cruise destination for families because they sail in the summer when school is out. You can sail from Seattle or Vancouver or alternatively fly to Anchorage and go the other direction. In Alaska, the majority of tours are booked through the cruise ship.  When I visited the tour company website, it redirected me back to the cruise ship to book. When I emailed directly, they sent me back to the cruise line.  If you wait until you are in port, there are few options.  Because Alaska has limited space on helicopters, sea planes, hovercrafts and dog sleds, it’s best to book these adventures in advance.  There is the possibility to do two adventures in one day but all will depend on timing.

In Sitka, Alaska I booked an all day tour which included a boat tour, visit to the Raptor Center and Fortress of the Bear.  You can easily take a bus/taxi to the Raptor Center and Fortress of the Bear if you choose to do on your own.

More on Alaskan Cruises – Sailing to Alaska from Seattle – Holland America Cruise to Alaska

Port tours – Ketchikan Zodiac Nature Tour – Juneau Hovercraft Tour – Glacier Bay National Park – Sitka Wildlife and Nature Tour – Fortress of the Bear – Sitka Raptor Center

Baltics Cruise from Copenhagen

On the Baltics Cruise you can book a private guide tour in St. Petersburg, Russia in advance and avoid the big bus tour where everyone walks in a line wearing headphones.  Since you need a visa for Russia, the cruise tour or private tour guides will qualify as that visa so you can’t usually walk off the ship and wander. Look at the Cruise Critic rollcall for your sailing to meet others and join their private tours. In other cities like Stockholm (Sweden), Copenhagen (Denmark) and Tallinn (Estonia), it’s easy to take public transit and see the major sights.  I booked a private tour for St. Petersburg and worked with the guide to craft a fantastic two day itinerary that the small group from cruise critic was most excited to experience.

Baltic Ports (sample) – St. Petersburg, Russia – Gdansk – Tallinn – Oslo – Stockholm – Copenhagen

Caribbean Cruises from Miami, Tampa and San Juan Puerto Rico

In the Caribbean, walking off the ship and through the cruise terminal, you will encounter tour desks to book a plethora of tours.  As so many folks are keen to relax at the local beaches, the longest lines are usually for taxis to the beaches.  The ship may offer a bus shuttle to certain beaches but be mindful of times. There is limited space on diving, snorkeling and sailing tours so you may want to pre-book these tours before you sail.

Caribbean Ports (sample) – Disney Cruise from San Juan – Saint Lucia Jalousie Beach – Barbados – Cayman Islands – St. Thomas, St. Maarten

Repositioning Cruises

Repositioning Cruises are great off season deals to sail with the ship as it goes from one destination port to another. Some will lump the Transatlantic and Transpacific into the Repo listing.   I’ve sailed from Venice to Lisbon in off season (November) with Royal Caribbean before it began its transatlantic sailing. I like to search for deals at Vacations To Go which has a easy listing of cruise deals for solos.

Europe Ports (sample)– La Havre (Normandy and Paris) – Zeebruges (Bruges) – Barcelona – Venice – Istanbul – Rome – Lisbon – Turkey – Azores

Transatlantic Cruises from New York and Miami

Transatlantic Cruises are another off season deal to help the boat move to its new port for the season.  Generally this is April/early May to move boats from the US and Caribbean to Europe for the summer and fall seasons.  The ships will return from Europe to the US and Caribbean in November/early December.  These sailings are known for being inexpensive (cheap) as they have many days at sea (5-7 consecutive days at sea) and given the temperatures using the outdoor pool isn’t an option.  I’ve sailed across the pond for $500 and returned on an award airline ticket.

The Queen Mary by Cunard does weekly crossings all year round from New York to England – you rarely see those on sale.

Transatlantic Sailings I’ve done – NCL Epic and NCL Getaway

Cruise Wave Season Final Thoughts

So this should prep you to start planning out your wave season cruise getaway.  There are so many cruises I’ve left out as they need their own category – Greek Isles cruises, Australia/New Zealand, South America, Antartica and The Galapagos. I’ve also left out the niche cruises for music, dancing, sports and other themed cruise that rarely discounts – they are filled with passengers who love 80’s music cruise or Salsa Dancing or the inaugral Eagles Football cruise in 2021.  I’ve left out the weekedn cruises from Miami to Bahamas that include drinks (a booze cruise weekend back Monday morning for work). I’ve left out so many other cruises too because there are just so many to choose from.

The world is ready to be explored and going by ship is a nice way to sample cities and for many check the box attractions, while others may return at a later day to immerse themselves in the cultures. My dream trip is a repositioning cruise from Hawaii to Sydney (or reverse) that stops at various Polynesia islands – Bora Bora anyone?  Hopefully you’ll find a great Cruise Wave Season deal to start the New Year with a fabulous vacation to look foward to. Maybe you’ll even meet Oprah on a cruise like I did!

Let me know if you plan on booking a cruise in 2020 or 2021 and are booking this wave season.  I’d love to know where you are sailing to.

If you have followed my shoe posts for the past year, you will know how my size 11 feet are often relegated to a choice of black suede, black leather and black patent leather in the fall/winter season.  If the salesperson brings out any size 11 shoe/boot in a color other than black, they are 110% guaranteed to make a sale if the shoe fits. I want to live my life full of color rather than in black and white.  Life is full of color and now this fall/winter season, my feet are not only full of color but have fashionable pops of style in the shoelaces. These might be the best fall winter boots size 11 purple I’ve ever had! Ok to be fair, I’ve never owned any purple (aka wine) shoes/boots so it’s a first foray into color.

When I saw the box at the door, I couldn’t hide the giddy that I had tearing open the box.  I not only wanted to see the Waldlaufer Effie Hiki Wine Shimmer Ankle Boot but wanted to quickly try them on hoping they would fit and not need to be returned.

But first, I had to open the box:

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNnb6SuRiGk[/embedyt]

The shoelaces were definitely a nice touch as was including a set of black laces for those days you don’t want to stand out for your awesome sense of shoe fashion.    The laces are silky satin flower print. Make sure to knot them well.  My left shoe (only my left one) kept coming undone as I walked in jeans.  The right one was perfect.  I double knotted the left one and all was fine.

The side zipper is on the inside of your foot which is a bit unusual with boots but adds to the look of a pullon bootie ankle boot. The shimmer suede of the boot is soft, water resistant nubuck with the inside lined with a soft fabric rather than hard leather. The warmth of slipping on the boot made this an even better boot than I anticipated.

Tip: The boot has some give so I’d suggest wearing a thicker sock and one that goes higher than your ankle.  I was wearing a thin ankle sock and had room in the shoe.

The thickness of the heel is easy to walk on as it is gradual and supported.  The thick rubber bottoms are ready to tackle any and all weather. The ankle boot has a 2 ½” heel which is surprisingly not high because it is not a separate heel but rather incorporated into the bottom of the boot. I like the added height for the feel of a heel but the thick heel made it easy not to worry about balance.

I immediately decided it was time to do errands so I could take the boots out for a spin. Despite being size 11, they didn’t look or feel massive.  The toe curve at the top was thinner and fashionable rather than a wide round boot foot.  They were easy to walk in and when it started to rain, I didn’t worry as they were fine to navigate the fall weather. So now I have a wine boot that I might wear everywhere, every day until the first snow fall when I’ll change over to my winter snow boots. The colors of fall are brown, green and purple in all shades. The Wine Shimmer ankle boot fits the fall wardrobe perfectly. I chose to wear with jeans but can see the shoe working with many other wardrobe choices.

Thoughts on the Waldlaufer Effie Shimmer Boots Size 11 Purple (aka Wine)? Can you use some color and fashion on your feet this holiday season?

Thank you to Waldlaufer for the opportunity to represent the brand this season and for allowing me to choose the shoe/boot that best represents me (#ad, #spon).  As always, all opinions are mine – I don’t mess around with shoes, size 11 feet and the opportunity to be fashionable/on trend.   I wouldn’t wear or talk about something I wouldn’t spend my own money on – Waldlaufer have quickly become my go to brand for comfort and style.

You can find your own Waldlaufer boots online or at a retailer near you. In Philadelphia,  Benjamin Lovell Shoes is my go to shoe shop in Rittenhouse Square for Waldlaufer

I woke up early on Saturday to the sound of text alerts arriving.  A bit groggy and without my glasses, I saw a text asking about my cash withdrawal in Indonesia.  Wait what?   Now I was awake, glasses on and reading text messages, emails and listening to a voicemail from the bank about my ATM usage.  Confused a bit as I was in Philadelphia as was my ATM bank card.  Having just returned from a two week holiday in Europe, I recalled that I used my ATM card only once, in London, the prior Saturday.  So my Saturday wasn’t going to begin happy as I set out to call to the bank’s fraud department to sort this out. So my sad stories and a few financial safety tips for your credit, debit and ATM cards are below.

ATM Skimming in London?

I had used my ATM card in London at the Barclays ATM located across from the Borough Market entrance in Southwark.  It was a crowded Saturday in the area filled with tourists and locals enjoying the food market stalls.  I needed some cash as a few vendors were cash only (damn donuts, fruit and candy my friend and I were craving), while others were “tap” only credit/debit card which I don’t have as of yet.  I had used this ATM machine in the past and am always careful to find a bank branch with ATM outside, hide my PIN when entering and ensure no one is around me when I use the machine. Since there is no uniform ATM setup it’s hard to differentiate when something doesn’t look right by bank, country or machine type.  I didn’t see anything odd at the time and there were many folks using this machine before and after me.

So I called the bank to confirm the last transaction I did (in London on x date for y amount) and deny subsequent transactions in Indonesia.  I still had my ATM card in my wallet so I can only think that the ATM machine had a skimmer on it that I didn’t see.  Upside is that the bank only approved one transaction of $25 and denied all other attempts.  I would never use an ATM for a $25 given the machine and bank fees involved but thieves always do a few test transactions to see what can be approved.  Once approved, they go on a spending spree until someone notices and stops them.  So thankfully, my alerts and my bank account noticed quickly and my account will be made whole.  It’s not always as easy as this as I experienced a few years ago.

Credit Cards Stolen at the Movies – The Ordeal

One night over the (bank) holiday weekend, I went to the movies unaware of the gang of thieves in the area targeting movie theaters. Apparently thieves were crawling on the floor of the theatre (icky sticky floors and gross!) and my handbag was on the floor in between my date and myself.  I didn’t notice my bag moving in the darkened theatre as I was consumed by the action film ahead. My wallet was removed from my purse and the credit/debit cards stolen.  The thief then put my wallet back in my purse and moved my purse back in between us.  When we were leaving, I did think it was weird my wallet was on the top of my bag as I usually keep it on the left side but again figured I jostled my purse somehow. It wasn’t until the gas station the next day that I realized I had no credit cards or debit card in my wallet to pay for gas.  Funny enough, the cash, all ten dollars, was still in my wallet.

So thus began an ordeal that lead to the police because the bank had approved withdrawals of more than $5,000!  It was a freak event that was the holiday weekend as I had received my paycheck, business travel reimbursement and had moved money prior to the holiday to pay my mortgage and other bills. Normally the account would have less than $500 in it but that weekend, it was flush. The thieves hit the jackpot and started their spending spree with test transactions at Target and Home Depot (most will start here or WalMart and Lowe’s or combo), cigarettes at gas stations (easy to sell on the street), shoes and plus size clothing at the mall before the ultimate gutsy move – cash advances at the Atlantic City casinos.  They managed at least one $3,000 cash withdrawal at the casino and then the bank blocked the rest.

By the time the weekend was done, folks with my credit card numbers and information had checked into a local Marriott and amassed enough charges to warrant a police felony report.  I had to initiate a credit freeze across reporting agencies, cancel credit and debit cards, reset a number of accounts, temporarily halt all automated payments and a few other things that were frankly a pain in the ass for me to deal with.  The bank and credit card companies directed me to call the local police as they would need a police report. My local police arrived to take a report, however, the theft occurred in a different town so I needed to drive to that police station to give a report in person. The police officers were not surprised by my experience while I was totally ignorant of how all syndicates operate.

Credit Cards Stolen – The Resolution

Luckily, the bank restored all funds as I reported it quickly (I was at home at the time) but the damage in my mind was done – I never wanted anyone to have easy access to my money again.  I requested an ATM only card (the bank does offer these despite them saying otherwise).  I also set up a flurry of text and email notifications on my ATM card, my checking account and all credit cards. As for the credit cards, the damage there was substantial so there were many forms to complete, get notarized, payment accounts to be suspended and modified once the new cards arrived. It took a few months to clear it all up.  Since each credit agency is required to supply a free credit report once a year, I requested a report each quarter with a new agency just to monitor things.

Protect Your Travel Cards (Credit, Debit, ATM)

What can you do to protect yourself from ATM skimming or even theft of credit cards when traveling or even at home?  As far as detecting the skimming devices, I don’t think you can do much except not use any ATM that looks odd or out of place (i.e. – I don’t use the ATM padlocked to the street pole in the parking lot).  As you read above, I used an ATM in a heavily trafficked area (Borough Market in Southwark) with a local bank branch (Barclays) and yet still was caught up in this.  But you can be cautious, add layers of protection and not make it so easy for thieves – here are my travel tips below to help you be a bit safer when traveling with credit/debit/ATM cards.

Before Travel – Financial Safety Tips

• Bank Alerts –  Take the time to set up notification options (text, phone, email) on each account and associated debit, credit and ATM card(s).
• Credit card Alerts – You can set up alerts for a variety of reasons. If you know you rarely spend over $200, $500 or $1,000 at one time, set up a threshold level to get alerts when the threshold is breached. Given the amount of international travel I do, I also have set up notifications for ALL foreign transactions in any amount.
• Cash Advance Option (Credit Cards) – I’ve removed this feature from all of my credit cards. I also called to remove all those checks in the mail you can write yourself as a cash advance on the credit card.
• Bring a low credit line credit card (one with no fx fees on it) with you in case it is stolen there isn’t much damage to be done or fixed. Your day to day credit card generally has higher credit line and is tied to a variety of auto pay accounts (i.e. – cable, phone, utilities, etc.) which are a pain to change and update if your credit card is stolen.
• Leave the debit card home if you can. If you do need to take it with you – move the majority of monies in the account to a different account (i.e. –savings) while away and keep only budgeted funds plus emergency option in the account.

During Travel – Keep Travel Cards Safe

• When traveling if you have alerts set up then the emails, texts, voicemails should easily cover many situations. If you do have financial apps, make sure to open them over a secure connection (VPN) not on the free wifi offered in the cafes, etc.
• Don’t carry all credit/debit cards and cash with you. If you travel in a couple, split up the cards/cash so that not everything is with one person.  As for using the hotel safe, everyone has different opinion on that.  I do use the safe or the boxes at the front desk depending on the location.
• When using the ATM, get only the cash you need.
• Many vendors in Europe have hand held credit card devices so that your credit card is always in your view (or hand). In the U.S. the point of sale machines (POS) are generally not hand held (we are so behind in the times) so your credit card will be taken away from the restaurant table and swiped out of your view.
• Women wear a cross body purse with the zipper closest to you. For men, don’t put your wallet in back pocket.
• Don’t put your purse on the floor because someone can drop their coat nearby and easily scoop up your purse.
• Don’t put your purse (or backpack) on the back of your chair as it’s out of your view and I’ve heard too many stories of theft.
• Be aware of the pick pocket signs and alerts in high traffic tourist cities. When standing in crowds be vigilant of surroundings.

After Travel – Keep Finances Safe

• Check your credit card and bank accounts on a regular basis once returning from a trip. Don’t wait for the monthly statement to arrive.  Be pro-active and question any odd transactions immediately.
• I came home with my ATM card so had no reason to think it was stolen. Thankfully the alerts I set up worked as they should to alert me immediately.
• Monitor your credit report frequently as a general financial tip whether traveling or not.

So hopefully you never experience any of the issues I have at home or away but if you do don’t worry, the banks and credit card companies have good folks in their fraud department working to help mitigate the stress and worry by resolving as quickly as they can. They also continue to deploy AI to scan spending patterns and routines to know when something in your account(s) seems odd.  With that, the messages will appear “Did you spend x” please reply Yes or No or call us to discuss.  It’s in their best interest to help their customers travel with less worry. Keeping your financial information safe in this age of daily hacks is tough but hopefully my financial safety tips are helpful to you – if nothing else a bit of peace of mind.

Have you experienced credit/debit card theft at home or abroad?  What was your experience like and what financial safety tips would you offer to others?

I planned a last minute transatlantic cruise from New York to Southampton, England and was super happy to pack my new Waldlaufer Nora sandals in Bronze because the color is a great neutral (surprisingly) to pair well with so many outfits and an easy shoe to pack.

As I’ve posted before, I’m now a super fan of Waldlaufer, a German shoe brand, because of the comfort and style as well as the fact that they have a great selection of size 11 (EU 42) shoes available in the US.  If you are in Europe, they are easier to find. In the US, you can look for a specialty shoe boutique like Benjamin Lovell Shoes in Philadelphia or go online at the Waldlaufer site to ship directly to you for your next trip.

The Waldlaufer spring/summer collection had a good amount of new and tempting shoes to pick from (yes, in size 11) but I was traveling and needed a very flexible shoe to deal with this particular trip.  I chose the Nora Ginger Bronze due to the excellent sole for walking, Velcro straps for flexibility and cute buckle feature. When they arrived at my house, they were nicer than the online photos so I was quite happy.  The fit was good and the straps adjustable for whatever size your feet might be today. The wedge heel is just enough to go above my normal flat and make them a good day to night shoe. Walking on the cruise ship carpets is easy but walking around Bruges with cobblestones and all day in London is another story.  The sole of the shoe was great to handle the uneven surfaces and provide a comfortable walking experience.

Now particular to me as I get older and in the range of TMI – I don’t use salt normally so when traveling, especially on cruise ships, my feet tend to swell to Fred Flintstone proportions (I met others dealing with the same) due to the salty foods so having the flexibility to adjust both the upper strap for width and back strap around my ankle was so important. High temperatures will also affect me (aging isn’t fun). I’ve been on prior trips where I ended up in the emergency room with swollen feet and puffy ankles afraid as my feet barely fit in my shoes and hurt to walk. An expensive ER bill cleared me to fly and the doctor told me it was probably a combination of all the foods I don’t normally eat – salt, gluten and wine.  Each can retain water and cause puffy ankles in some people (no need to see the yucky photos of my puffy feet, so enjoy the view of Bruges instead).

A girl can only walk so far in flip flops which obviously provides space but not much support.  Other sandals with ankle straps tend to not only leave marks but hurt. Sneakers are tough in my experience even with compression socks. So having both the space for my feet and the support and comfort were wonderful with the Waldlaufer Nora Ginger sandal (my swollen feet were happy). To understand how wide the top Velcro can go – it can be as wide as European “G” which is quite generous.  And for those with narrow feet, this sandal can work for you too.  Did I mention it was the perfect travel sandal?  For me, it really was on this trip as I wore them more than the other shoes I made space for in my suitcase.  Now I know I can ditch those other shoes as this is a versatile travel shoe for summer travel.

With respect to what clothes to wear – I wore jeans, dress pants and a dress and each time the shoes matched well and were very comfortable for walking, stairs and even dancing. The bronze color is nice alternative to black sandals and the buckle was a distinctive feature that makes the sandal cute and sandals really should be cute in my opinion.  You have a new travel ready pedicure so why not showcase your toes in the cute sandals.  The Waldlaufer Nora sandal is available in black too but the summer is about color so go for the Nora sandal in bronze!

Thank you Waldlaufer for providing me the Nora sandal to wear on my cruise vacation.  All opinions are mine – my feet are happy so I’m happy with these shoes.  If my feet weren’t happy, I’d tell you.

[updated May 2019]

Whenever I’m asked for London Travel Tips, I tend to talk really fast, excited that folks are going to the city that I’ve been enamored with for more than twenty years. They look at me and say “can you send those to me?” as they back away from the crazy lady.  I could probably list 100 London Travel Tips (or more) but off the top of my head these 25 travel tips come to mind when planning a London visit. Mom’s first visit to London & Paris was an adventure so my tips are for first time visitors.  With the low fx rate for the U.K., now is a great time for you to plan a hop across the pond for your visit to London. You can even use the Icelandair stopover program for a long weekend in Reykjavik like I did to get two vacations in one!

6 London Travel Tips for Planning

1. Tickets to the Tower of London Keys Ceremony book a year or more out and are almost always sold out months in advance! Advanced planning is needed here – tickets are free, limited and the service charge is minimal.  I had a ticket last year and the universe prevented me from attending (read all about it in my Nightmare Travel Day).
2. Decide on your London airport transit and book ahead if required.
   • Do you have carry-on only luggage/bags that you can easily lift/carry up and down stairs without issue? Look at using the London Underground to save money (but not time)
   • Want to ride the Heathrow Express or tube without your luggage?  Send your luggage to the hotel using Airportr, my favorite London luggage delivery option.
   • Know 30-90 days in advance you will be in London? Look at the Heathrow Express discounted fares for the 15 minute journey from Heathrow to Paddington train station.  From there, decide to journey onward with the London underground (if you can handle your bags) or opt for a London black cab.
   • More than one person? Choose to hire a car pickup or use a cab.  Note that the London Black cab can easily seat five but not your luggage so easily as it sacrifices boot (trunk) space to be more spacious seating.  You generally put the luggage in sideways at your feet. Be prepared to pay 70GBP+ for the trip from the airport into London in a cab or hire car (drive time at least an hour or more depending on arrival time/day).
3. The English Heritage website and app is a wonderful way to find historical England (think castles and Downton Abbey history) throughout the city and countryside
4. Tell your bank you are going overseas to ensure the ATM will work (best exchange rates for cash). This is a pet peeve of mine given how much I travel and yet my bank has consistently shut down my access so make sure your phone can dial internationally if you need to explain how you can be in two countries in one day because their computer (and many people sadly) don’t realize there’s a train between Paris and London.  My ATM card was denied as I arrived at St. Pancras train station so I had no cash for the cab to the hotel, thankfully I was able to pay by credit card (although I apologized for doing so).
5. Be open to new foods, neighborhood shops and a quick pace
6. Free Wi-Fi is usually offered at the major takeaway shops like EAT and PRET, others may require an access code with a purchase (annoying but if I need to eat a chocolate croissant to use the Wi-Fi, it seems a small sacrifice).

5 London Travel Tips for Getting Around London

1.  Black cabs are uniquely British and generally owned by small business owners (the driver) who have endured years upon years of training to take The Knowledge.  Read the NY Times article to see how they learn every nook and cranny in London and can navigate the maze of streets with their eyes closed.  This is my personal preference and based on experience, I can get into a London black cab and give partial information and arrive safely at my destination while having an interesting conversation.  They don’t need a GPS or instructions on where to go – it’s all in their head. They are the best guides to what’s popular and fun to do in the city. (note: have cash available or a credit card that is chip/pin not the american chip/sign card)
2. CityMapper App is awesome because it works offline to help you plan your journey through London (and other cities) with live departure times for transit
3. Stand on the right, pass on the left on escalators in the Tube – it’s a quick pace and you don’t want to stop the flow of people
4. When you enter a tube station be ready with your Oyster card (don’t have one? go to the window to buy one – it’s a reloadable transit card good on busses and river line too! You need to have enough on the card to exit at your stop which is charged by zone) so you don’t cause a backup in the flow of people.
5. Don’t get in a cab during theatre times – it’s generally quicker to walk so plan to eat/drink near the theatre early to avoid the traffic jam (and pricey cab ride).

4 London Travel Tips for Food in London

1. Yes, there are AMERICAN restaurants but don’t spend all your time at Starbucks, Five Guys, Shake Shack or TGI Fridays because they are familiar. Try British restaurant chains like Chicken Shop, Byron Burger, Brandisa, Polpo or Bill’s Café for reasonable prices.  The Ivy Brasserie is a bit more posh (expensive) but still very lovely dining option.
2. At the pub, if you want to order food and/or drink you do so at the bar and then find a seat. No waitress service at the pubs unless they are geared for tourists.  Mushy peas are an interesting vegetable as a side to fish & chips – maybe the only way I’ll eat my peas
3. Sweet Tooth – You can read about my Cupcake & Chocolate tour of Soho or visit the Food Halls of Selfridge’s or Harrods’s. Fancy a posh (expensive) ice cream sundae experience then Harrods’s Ice Cream Parlour is for you (and your kids).
4. In the mood for American breakfast because the full English breakfast with baked beans seems odd? Missing the ridiculous American “stand in line for brunch” ritual then be prepared to queue up at The Breakfast Club in Soho or other locations in the city.  The club is small but the portions are huge. You won’t leave hungry!
5. **Bonus** Borough Market is a feast for your eyes and stomach.  With a mix of food stalls, cafes and restaurants, you won’t go hungry here.  Check out the local vendors with Nut Butters, Breads and Cheeses.  Bring a market bag, your appetite and plan for crowds during the day.

4 London Travel Tips for Entertainment Fun in London

1. Consult Time Out London (download the app or find a magazine at your hotel) to see What’s On during your visit. With a plethora of choice, you are spoiled to pick just one art opening, new restaurant, museum happening, rooftop cinema or browse the top ten lists.
2. Music and Craft Cocktails in a posh hotel more your style? Go to Scarfes Bar in the Rosewood Hotel in Holborn.  With hidden nooks and couches to sink into, don’t be surprised if you spot a celebrity or two (but no selfies folks, this isn’t that kind of place as my friend found out when she tried a stealth selfie with flash and celebrity in background
3. Walks.com – this is the original walking tour of London with a plethora of offerings seven days a week all year long. Feel like walking in Jack the Rippers London, they’ve got a walk for you.  Fancy a pub crawl in Soho – yep, they have that. Want to watch a court session – you can do that too!  I’ve taken many walks in and out of London – they are usually small groups with fantastic knowledgeable guides. Cash only!
4. The Hoxton Hotel Events in Holborn and Shoreditch host live music and other events in the very happening lobby bar and lounge.

3 London Travel Tips – Shopping

1. M&S and Tesco are fantastic supermarkets for quick food (and drink) stock up. I love the individual food options which are great if you are staying in a flat like I did to cook up a variety of dinners each night.
2. Bring your own bag to avoid paying for one in the markets and department stores. Sure it’s only five pence or so but it’s still annoying to have to pay for a bag each time.
3. Take a photo of your passport if you plan on shopping and want a Tax Refund on the VAT paid on purchases. At the store, see if you qualify and ask for the tax refund forms – at M&S you can take all receipts to their VAT reclaim area in customer service.  They will fill out the forms (this is where you need your passport information) for you to submit when you leave the U.K.  In Heathrow, the reclaim office is just after baggage check but BEFORE security.  There is a fee for the service so sometimes it’s worth it, sometimes not.

4 London Travel Tips – Hidden Gems

1. Great views and photos of St. Paul’s Cathedral are free! Go to One New Change Mall on Cheapside (across the street from St. Paul’s tube station) and take the lift (elevator) to the rooftop, There you will get a better view of this famous landmark in the City of London.  While there, have a drink and relax in one of the many seating areas.
2. Want a city escape from London? Hop on the train to the seaside town of Brighton to walk around the laneways (shopping roads) or wander to the beach to dip your toes in the ocean and walk in the sand
3. Viewing the Shoreditch Street Art of London which includes a visit to Brick Lane and stops at the Banksy art. Learn the history of graffiti, street art, yarn bombing, stickers, etc. and see how it’s transformed into the trendy area that it is now.
4. **Bonus** SkyGarden London is a FREE viewing point above the Thames in the Walkie Talkie building.  You must reserve online in advance for the free tickets.  Its a very nice alternative to see the city from above.

Ok, 25 London Travel Tips is a bit more than a few (I talk fast, hence the ask to email those tips!).  I could probably (and will) share a million more especially with all the new tips and sights I’m learning about with Mom’s trip. If you’ve been to London, do you agree, disagree or have any to add?

Traveling with an “invisible illness” is so often misunderstood – if you can’t see it, then is it real?  I’ve found for the many with autoimmune diseases,  traveling adds a few extra layers of planning (and clothes), stress and a plethora of “what if” scenarios.  Your diagnosis is not who you are, it’s a part of you and it should not hold you back from traveling in my opinion.  There are many resources to help as well as other travelers sharing their stories.   I recently wrote about Traveling with Lactose Intolerance and the reasons I’m not food adventurous.  As I get older, I hear of more and more friends being diagnosed with autoimmune illnesses like Lupus, Celiac, Hashimoto’s (Thyroiditis), etc. and being frustrated on a daily basis with life but even more lost when it comes to traveling with autoimmune diseases.   I’ve asked a childhood friend and writer, Christine Obst, to share her story about her autoimmune journey traveling with Lupus (and additional diagnosed conditions) as well as travel tips that have helped her continue to explore the world.

As with anything medical, please consult your doctor first before embarking on a holiday (vacation) and know that your experiences may be different from Christine’s and others diagnosed with the same autoimmune disease and conditions.

Traveling with Lupus by Christine Obst (Guest Post)

Receiving a diagnosis of SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematous) at the age of 31 was a blow. Adjusting to life style changes has been a depressing journey, however, I was not one of those people who would take it sitting down. Travelling was still on my list of things I wanted out of life and after pulling myself up from the floor, I renewed my promise to myself to see those places I had longed to see, although my diagnosis was toppled with RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis), Fibromyalgia, Osteoporosis and Raynaud Syndrome, I managed to research and “tone down” my expectations.

Understanding the illnesses was the first part of my research and knowing that everything is autoimmune was an eye opener. Inflammation in the body and brain is the basis for most illnesses, including Cancer. My body is constantly inflamed and there are several things that can cause inflammation such as stress, food, medications and environment. With these things in mind, I plan my travel carefully and offer this advice to others with autoimmune illness:

• When booking flights and hotels, it’s important to try to book a direct flight. Although it may be a long one, changing planes with brain fog and pain can be a challenge. If you can get a direct flight for a reasonable price, choose the aisle seat and get up every hour to stretch. Along with drinking water, this will relieve some of the puffiness in the arms and legs as well wake the brain during flights.

• Airplane food is nasty; lets face it, but if you can, order (on international carriers) the gluten free option when booking your flight. Although I am not following this diet, food with GMO’s and high grain intake can cause inflammation. Bring fruit and other healthy snacks with you during your trip to avoid having to eat what’s offered on the plane and in the airports.

• Buy the insurance when booking! Whether you book through a travel agent or an online service, always buy the insurance. You never know when the flare up will be so bad you will be incapacitated and have to reschedule or cancel all together.

• I often use Airbnb for places to stay (in the U.S.), but usually book a hotel when going overseas. Both are great as far as communication is concerned. It is generally easy to contact a hotel manager or Airbnb owner prior to arrival to ask questions and to address any complications that may arise during your stay. When staying with a hotel, I usually ask for a late check out or early check in and make sure I am placed close to the elevator. If there isn’t an elevator, which happened to me in Portland, ME, move on. It’s not worth it.

• Lately, I’ve been concerned about my medications. I take about 5 prescriptions a day, plus supplements such as multivitamins, Osteobiflex and Turmeric, so my worry was that if these were not in the actual prescription bottles, would they be confiscated at the airport? On a recent trip to Germany, I found this wasn’t the case. I have a cute pill container for the pills and have yet to be questioned about them. What also puts my mind at ease is that most countries offer my drugs over the counter so if I lose my meds, I can call a local apothecary to see what they carry and get a weeks supply.

For US Travelers – TSA Packing Your Medication

For UK Travelers – NHS Can I Take My Medicines Abroad?

• Most of the destinations I would choose for travel are within Europe, but I have been to Egypt where local hospitals are few and far between. This concerns me when going away so I do a quick search for hospitals in the area where I will be staying. Fortunately, socialized medicine is offered in most countries and they are (believe it or not) more up to date with what is happening in the autoimmune world than the United States. I am comfortable going to Europe, knowing they know how to handle my needs as a patient. With that said though, I plan for flare ups by making sure my medications are prepared and ask the hotel for things like ice and heat packs. If I need a rest, I take it.

• I have been fortunate enough to travel with family and friends who are aware of my situation. We plan accordingly, by splitting up days with equal tour and rest or plan tours with equal walking and sitting. I know my body well enough to know when I’ve had it. Usually my eyes start to glaze over and my brain stops formulating sentences, then I know its time to go back and take a nap. My sisters are especially accommodating when it comes to my illness. Choose your travelling partners wisely.

• I was never a beach person until recently which is funny because my illness is at its worst. Temperatures in the 60s and 70s are my favorite because heat swells my body and cold causes intense pain, but if I plan for the beach, I can have a good day. Sunblock, umbrella, hat, water and towels to cover up are essential. Get the idea of getting a tan out of your head; again, it’s not worth it. Be mindful of your surroundings and enjoy the view, the moment. That’s what life is about, so protect your skin. If you’re like me, the stain from sunburn will last for months and cause nausea and severe pain.
  • I once had a burn on my feet for almost a year, and that was from Wildwood, NJ! I required silver nitrate, which is what firefighters use for burns, in order to recover. I still carry it today, but am never without my 50 sunblock and Evian or Aqua Panna water.
  • I have friends whose Lupus is subcutaneous which means they show it on their skin all the time. They avoid the sun like the plague because of the possibility of blisters and rashes is too scary. They even have block out plastic for their cars to avoid the sun while driving. I used to get a rash on my face, but the infusions I have had over the last number of years prevents that from happening, however I am very susceptible to sunburn so I wear sunblock even in the Winter.

• Just a shout to water once again, if you don’t know, some other bottled waters contain chemicals like Fluoride. These chemicals are inflammatory and can cause a flare in those of us with autoimmune diseases. Choose your water wisely.
• While in your destination avoid those inflammatory foods if possible. I tend to give myself a break while on vacation so I have local pastry, sweets and alcohol. In most other countries, you don’t have to worry about GMO’s or processing chemicals because they do not handle their foods this way but some foods are just naturally inflammatory like chocolate, baked goods and alcohol. Be prepared for possible flare-ups, fatigue and headaches while on vacation. These can be controlled with medications and rest.

Adjusting to an illness is tough; it sets us back and can convince us that we cannot do certain things. I’ve decided not to allow this type of thinking to happen. I am not my illness and with proper nutrition, preparation and support, I plan on conquering that “bucket list”. You can too.

Thank you to Christine for sharing her personal story about Traveling with Lupus and other autoimmune diseases. I hope readers will find it quite helpful to their travels.

If you are traveling with Lupus and have tips to share, please comment below.  

I was invited to appear on WHYY’s You Oughta Know television program to speak on “How to Travel for Less” (scheduled to air tonight).  I currently teach a  “How to Travel for Less” class at Main Line School Night twice a year (Spring & Fall semesters) to help people learn more to achieve their travel goals. There’s too much “travel for less” information to share in one television segment (I’d need my own show) so in the meantime, a few highlights.  There are so many stories to tell including why I signed up for AARP in my 30’s, Solo Travel Planning Tips and how I met Oprah.  For all of those tidbits, including many travel tips, sign up to follow my blog posts, Twitter or Instagram.

My Back Story

I created PhilaTravelGirl – Flying by the Seat of My Points after two pivotal points dream award trips – solo travel to Easter Island and solo safari in Africa (Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa). When I was planning those trips, there was scant information online about solo travel to these destinations.    I wanted to provide travelers information from my nearly 20 years of solo travel, which began in a spectacular way in Paris.  Plus I was tired of the detailed itineraries I was creating and emailing to strangers I’d meet on the road who wanted to know about London, Paris and Sydney – it was easier to create the recommendations in a post for more people to read.  And, more importantly, my friends and family were tired of my repeated stories and plethora of photos….even my little niece at the time was like “where did you go now Aunt Sue? Where is your husband or boyfriend?”.  She didn’t understand that I was dating the world with my passport.

Now, I’m filled with travel information, where to find secret happy hours and how to travel for less.  I say this as a warning because once I start talking travel, I can’t stop….  That said, a few highlights from my “How to Travel for Less” class.

3 First Steps to Travel

1. Set a Destination Goal (be specific)

• “I/we want to visit London in 2019, flying business class and staying in a boutique hotel”
• “We want a Family reunion at Disney World in 2020” (use a travel agent for group discounts)
• “I want to go on my first solo vacation with a women’s yoga group”
• “I/we want to sail on the 80’s music cruise”
• “I want to celebrate my 40th birthday with the guys on a golf & whisky trip to Scotland“
• “Girls trip to a wellness spa to celebrate x”

You get the idea – find a reason, theme and date so you have something to look forward to.

2. Plan a Budget and Savings Plan –

• DO NOT GO INTO DEBT for travel.  Bummer, I know but your memories are supposed to be forever fabulous not forever at a 19%+ interest rate.
• Create a separate online savings account for “Travel” and save regularly in addition to your Rainy Day Fund and Emergency Savings.

If travel is important, you need to make it a priority – one less latte, less frequent manicures, cut back on unnecessary spending, etc.

3. Travel Research –

• Research is key but can be overwhelming and paralyzing as you are afraid to pick the wrong hotel, restaurant, tour group and destination.
  • We spend too many hours online researching, crowdsourcing and seeking answers to craft “the perfect vacation” that it begins to blur and with so much choice, it’s easy to feel defeated.
  • Give yourself a break and find what speaks to you – if it’s the first hotel then book that, no need to spend hours looking at a hundred other options.
• You can search for local and niche bloggers to learn more (google “x” blogger).  Many bloggers will easily answer questions you have via Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, email, etc.

There is no right way to travel but there are many ways to spend more money than necessary.

Balanced Travel Budget

When you start asking “what’s really important to me, to us, on this trip?” you’ll find ways to save money so you can then splurge on a few luxuries.  A balanced approach if you will. Did you book a budget hotel or a hostel so you can eat in a Michelin starred restaurant?  Did you fly coach to stay at the five star luxury hotel?  Book a balcony cruise stateroom but forgo the specialty dining options and fees? Each decision you make helps craft the perfect vacation for you. A few travel luxuries to add on when planning and saving –

• Book Flytographer for a professional photo shoot in the travel destination – my mom loved it! It was a memory worth the extra cost.
• Consider hiring a Private Guide or small group tour for personalized itineraries and special access. Once in a lifetime memories often involve a little extra budgeting. For larger families and groups, a private tour or private guide might actually be better deal.

3 Steps for Travel Organization

1. Set up a separate email address for travel deals and discounts.
2. Use AwardWallet to consolidate all of your loyalty programs in one place. I get notifications when I’ve earned a free cookie at Panera that alone is worth the download!  Seriously, it’s nice to have everything in one place that is updated regularly.
3. TripIt is a free app to consolidate all of your travel plans into one itinerary. I pay for the premium Pro version.

Airfare Tips

I like to start with Google Flights (you may prefer a different mega search option like Skyscanner, Hipmunk or Kayak) to see all of the airline options, alternative airports and prices. Google flights will tell you lowest prices for dates. You can then go to the applicable site to book or call a travel agent.  You can save a bundle leaving early in the morning although 6 a.m. flights are tough even when you are saving $200! Flying on a Tuesday or Wednesday is often lower priced and has many award tickets available.

For more complicated flights (open jaw flights into one city and out of another), I will use a travel agent for the added peace of mind if something goes wrong.  Travel agents often charge $35-50+ per airline ticket and can often find lower prices for complicated itineraries as they can add a stopover, connection or partner airline.

Hotels Savings Tips

Sign up for the hotel loyalty program (i.e. Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Accor, Kimpton, IHG, etc.) which often provide direct booking discounts of about 5% and may offer additional perks of value to you (i.e. -upgrades or free wifi access).

Hotel Tonight (book up to 30 days in advance depending on city) offers a nice mix of curated hotels. The prices are non-refundable and are usually for one room for two people in one bed. [Ask me for a discount code]

• My best deal to date – NYC 4* boutique hotel with continental breakfast close to Times Square and Rockefeller Center for $100 on a Sunday night (Expedia and hotel direct rate $200+)

AirBnb Savings Tips

Airbnb – I have a love/hate relationship based on a few stays.  They offer a wonderful opportunity for folks to travel for less (shared rooms for example) but really require research especially to know if legal in the city you are visiting. First time user discount codes (if interested ask me for my discount code or ask a friend).

• Research, Research and Research some more.
• Look for Superhost designation and/or Airbnb Plus collection if you want a level of comfort
• Don’t arrive at night – arrive early to inspect the property – if any issues, contact Airbnb immediately. Avoid my Airbnb Travel Nightmare.

Tour Attractions Savings Tips

• Google “free walking tour in x” and you’ll find many great options (do remember to tip as this is the income source for the guide).
• In London, Walks.com is a fantastic group offering a myriad of daily tours (for small cash fee) – you just show up and join the group which can range from 5 people to 35 people in my experience. I’ve taken many of these walks over the years and highly recommend them.
• Viator – a marketplace of tours sold by small businesses and large vendors (first time discounts for email sign-up)
• Airbnb Experiences (tours and experiences offered by locals) – my recent tour was the Brooklyn Bridge Walking Tour and I’m still trying to learn to make a fascinator (hat) in London (always sold out).
• Context Travel (local Philly company) offers small groups led by historians and experts. My tour in Paris at the Musee D’Orsay with an art historian was quite unique.

Dining Savings Tips

• OpenTable loyalty program rewards you when you dine out at participating restaurants. Earn points to redeem for gift cards to apply to your next meal when traveling (domestic US)
• Avoid pricey room service by ordering local with Caviar, UberEats and other delivery services (each offer discount codes).  Check with the hotel first about food deliveries.
• Airline dining programs can offer savings at participating restaurants when you pay with a registered credit card.  You’ll earn airline miles for the dining as well as your credit card points – a classic and easy double dip.

Car Rental Savings

• Do you need a car rental at the airport? If staying in the city, avoid parking at the hotel (often $40+ per night) and rent the car in the city location to avoid additional airport fees and taxes.
• Look at your credit card to see what car rental insurance coverage is provided. If it covers your rental in the destination you may decide to decline insurance offered by the car rental company.
• It’s very important to check and understand the details of what you home car insurance covers, what your credit card travel/auto insurance covers and what the car rental company is offering.

Travel Package Savings

• Costco offers members travel deals.  Great for double occupancy, families and popular destinations (Las Vegas, Orlando, London, select cruises) not so good for solo travelers or those wanting to stay at specific hotels not offered. Like anything else, you do need to compare rates. Costco often offers after trip rebates, especially on cruises.
• Contact a Travel Agent as they have access to so many deals and packages that you might not find online as their suppliers offer “travel agent only rates”

Cruise Savings Tips

• So much to share about cruises. First Time Cruise Tips, Cruise Budget and Cruises with Solo Cabins.
• Prices vary wildly so contact a cruise travel agent/specialist to learn more. Not all “free offers” are worth it.
• Guaranteed Rooms and Sail Away cabin rates are often the cheapest because you have no control over where the cabin will be (usually forward or aft on any deck).  If you must be mid-ship, that will cost more money.
• Research starting point – Cruise Critic has reviews of everything cruise. The members are passionate about cruising and sharing information. Once booked, register for the cruise roll call to chat with other travelers on your ship. Join welcome parties (often a free drink is included and you meet the ship staff), cabin crawls, private shore excursions (less than cruise tours) and other get together options.
• Repositioning Cruises – a lot of sea days but great deals to be had. It’s cheaper to be on vacation than to be home!

Using Points for Airline Awards

Figuring out how to use those airline and credit card points can be mind numbing as the rules are constantly changing and the best deals might be on partner airlines or involve a few transfers between programs.  For the average traveler, it’s really a bit too much which is what the airlines and credit card vendors are banking on – so unless you have time to deep dive into the points community to learn the ins/outs best to use a travel agent expert. There are a few that specialize in finding award tickets and each have different service and pricing.

Book My Award is a service that can take all of your airline points to find the best redemption and flights for you.  They are experts to get you to that dream trip to Australia, find business and first class seats and make life much sweeter when you redeem points. Their service fees are reasonable in my opinion and I’ve recommended them to a few folks that were thrilled to finally use those points to amazing business and first class international trips.

A Few Travel Apps I Use

There are too many travel apps out there to name them all. While I’ve mentioned many above, here are a few more that I use when traveling.  If you have a favorite travel app to share, please comment below.

• CityMapper – better than google maps for me as it has real time bus, train, etc. information
• XE Currency – how much is that in local currency and home currency?
• YourRights (EU travel) – travel in the EU is governed by actual travelers rights! What compensation or other are you entitled to if your flight is late, canceled or delayed?
  • My canceled flight netted me 600 Euros!  Know your rights in the EU when traveling.
• Google Translate
• TripAdvisor – chock full of information but take with grain of salt as anyone can leave a review whether they stayed at the hotel, ate at the restaurant or joined the tour or not

• Booking.com – offers refundable rates and reviews are only by those who have stayed at the property
• PackPoint – packing tips and lists
• MobilePassport – US Immigration – complete the forms on your app for quicker processing
• Guides by Lonely Planet
• OperaFreeVPN – virtual private network – keep your internet surfing and data private
• Netflix, Xfinity, other streaming video – entertainment to go
• SitOrSquat – where to find bathrooms
• DayPass – day pass access to hotel pools, beach clubs, cabanas
• TravelZoo – travel discounts
• Groupon – general discounts including travel

Final Thoughts – How to Travel for Less

So that’s the quick overview of my How to Travel for Less class.  Hopefully you found something of value to help you go plan, book and experience a dream destination.  Anyone can afford to travel – the key is to research, ask the experts and be open to new ideas to help you discover different ways to experience the world. If you have a question or comment, please share below.

To work with me for business travel consulting, content creation and photo licensing, visit  Arden Road Travel.

Despite luggage space being at a premium, I’ve often sacrificed precious shoe space for my workout clothes, sneakers/trainers and good intentions (thinking I’ll find a cool yoga, barre or cardio class in my destination or at the hotel).  I’ve found that I rarely get to the local gym or boutique studio for travel workouts and instead tend to get my workout on the road with hours walking or through fun adventures (i.e. bike tour in Naples, hiking in Zion, kayaking, etc.).

Staying healthy on the road can be tough especially if you are a business travel road warrior.  On vacation, while I give myself some latitude, I do try my best to get in a workout each day. There’s a lot of wine and chocolate to negate as my “no calories on vacation” mantra can only go so far. When researching hotels, I do give extra points to those with free access to special gyms on/off site and will ask the concierge for a list of workout options in the area. So this is my list with travel workouts for everyone.

Note: If you have a local gym membership, ask if they have properties or affiliated clubs in the cities/town you are visiting. Some may allow free visits, others charge an additional fee.

Easy to Pack Items for Travel Workouts

My secret exercise equipment is small and easy to pack – stretch exercise bands and spiky massage balls.  Both fit in my suitcase, carry on or even my handbag.  Each are quick ways to recover from flights, trains and bus travel. I will tell you that I do get mileage out of these two items – the spiky ball for my sore feet does wonders and the stretch bands help my legs.  I have thought about travel TRX bands but those get a bit complicated in my experience with the hotel doors so you might need to go to the hotel gym and see if you can anchor them there (you may need to ask hotel and/or trainer).

Free Travel Workouts – Use Your Feet

The easiest (and cheapest) way to work out while traveling is to walk as much as you can in the new city/town (make sure you have comfortable travel shoes).  You can also say no to escalators and elevators for smaller distances and use the stairs.  While the aim is the elusive 10k steps per day, only you and your FitBit know if you succeed or fail.  As for me, I walk until I can’t walk anymore and need to call Uber.

When I sail on a cruise, I opt for the cheapest cabin (usually lowest deck) and use the stairs throughout the cruise.  There were many days where I regretted that decision – namely from deck 2 to 11 for the gym workouts where I arrived huffing/puffing with a red face to begin my workout.  You can also walk the outside deck for a great workout – on Holland America, they raise money for charity each cruise with their 5k charity walk.  A few spins around is quite the workout and you can meet new friends while enjoying the seaviews!

If you bring hiking shoes/boots with you, you can explore the trails near the city or more adventurous nature attractions. If you want to rent gear, then consider REI Rentals in the travel destination.  It seems that snow shoes, tents and sleeping bags are popular items to rent at REI.

With wellness travel exploding currently, it’s exciting to see an airport gym ROAM Fitness at BWI which includes workout gear and showers. If you need to wait in the airport anyway, you might as well make it count.

Travel Workouts Apps

Class Pass is an app that allows you to visit various types of workout locations for a set number of visits/credits per month per payment plan.  If you like to vary your travel workouts at boutique studios, Class Pass is a good option especially if you are keen to do yoga one day, barre the next and kickboxing another day.  Classes are available in 80+ cities including International cities.  There’s really no excuse with ClassPass to say you can’t find a workout option.  Now as for leaving the pub on time in London or pulling yourself away from work or leisure attraction, that’s another story.

The MindBody app is a great tool to find fitness, wellness and beauty options near you. The cool part of this app is that you can see if the fitness vendor offers a free first session, discounted new member trial or other promotion for first time visitors.  You need to register to use the app and then have access to the three main categories – fitness, wellness and beauty.

1. Fitness area will show you all of the options within a time period and location. You will see gym or boutique studio info, class name, instructor and pricing.
2. Wellness has a plethora of sub-categories – Massage, Acupunture, Meditation, Nutrition, Chiropractor, Naturopathic Medicine, PreNatal, Physical Therapy, Coaching/Healing, Cryotherapy (doesn’t sound fun being that cold), Heated Therapy, Reflexology, Water Treatment, Body Treatments and Wellness for Kids.
3. Beauty includes Hair Salon, Face Treatments, Nails, Hair Removal, Makeup/Lash/Brows, Med Spa, Tanning (who still does this?), Tattoo/Piercing

Free Yoga Classes while Traveling

Google “Free Yoga in x City” and you’ll be pleasantly surprised (or overwhelmed) by the number of free yoga events throughout the city in the morning and evening.  In Philadelphia, we have yoga on the river, at the Art Museum and on rooftops all for free – just bring your yoga mat (you can borrow/rent in some cities).

Workout fashion clothing stores, Lululemon and Athleta, offer free in store yoga classes during the week and will often offer free passes for a workout studio in the area (ask at the sales desk).

Airport Yoga – Travel Workout in the Airport

I’m sure many of you have found the quiet spots at the airport to do a bit of yoga before boarding the plane. I’ve even done some yoga on the plane (best on international flights in the small aisle between the restrooms). A few airports have added Yoga Rooms for travelers where yoga basics are supplied (mats and blocks). Some offer  music, videos, meditation and guided assistance depending on the airport. Many are free to passengers, a few require lounge access on eligible tickets/status and a new airport vendor, Yoga on the Fly, charges a fee. You can also bring your own travel yoga mat if you want.

Here are a few airports with yoga options for now (I would expect more to come online as companies expand and airports look for new vendors to manage the amenity).

Domestic U.S. Airport Yoga Rooms

Chicago O’Hare (ORD) Yoga – Terminal 3

Chicago Midway (MDW) Yoga – Concourse C

Dallas (DFW) Yoga – Terminal B (D40/B1) and Terminal E (E31)

Denver (DEN) Yoga – Concourse A – Yoga on the Fly (paid access)

San Francisco (SFO) Yoga

International Airport Yoga Rooms

Frankfurt (FRA) Yoga – Terminal 1 (gates C14-16) and Terminal 2 (gate D1)

London (LHR) – SkyTeam lounge access (paid)

Hong Kong (HKG)

Cathay Pacific just opened The Sanctuary by Pure Yoga Hong Kong in their lounge and it looks fabulous! With space for yoga and private meditation space, it’s a relaxing oasis before your long haul flight. Sky Team has yoga room in their HKG lounge for members and passengers flying on eligible tickets.

Travel Workout in the Hotel Gym

The place that gets no love is the hotel gym which has, in the past, been an afterthought by the hotel owner in terms of space and equipment.  Some will surprise you with the latest tech and equipment while others might just put a treadmill and weights.  The hotel gym is rarely crowded in my experience (except in Miami and Las Vegas).  The hotel may have its own gym or be associated with the gym onsite to offer hotel guests free or discounted access. The luxury hotels is where I’ve found the most interesting gym options.

Luxury Hotel Gym Workouts

My favorite hotel gym is at the Peninsula Hotel Chicago.  Hotel Guests are allowed to visit the private, member’s only gym on the top floor and attend the workout classes which are small group trainer led for free.  I was able to work out with eight people in a cardio strength class one day and a core class the next day. I neglected to pack a swimsuit to enjoy the stunning pool.  The Peninsula Chicago is the rare hotel that can keep you inside the entire visit with luxury options in food, drink, wellness and outdoor roof attractions (skating rink in winter, patio bar in summer).

In London, the Marylebone Hotel allows hotel guests access to the private members only gym, Third Space London, in the building.  I was so excited for this opportunity that I brought my gym clothes, a bathing suit for the sumptuous pool and my trainers (sneakers).  Unfortunately, my schedule didn’t gel with the workout times so my gym workouts were nil that trip.  It’s tough in London to go out to the pub at night and try to wake up early to workout.  I really tried but will need to go back and try again because seriously this place looks amazing!  The same with The Mondrian London gym.

Hotels with Travel Workout Essentials

The Westin hotel chain has a two wellness fitness programs – Run Westin and Gear Lending. Run Westin which provides running maps for 3 and 5 mile runs as well as options in some cities to join the Run Concierge small group runs.  Westin Gear Lending provides workout clothes, socks and sneakers. The socks are yours to keep as part of the rental fee (usually $5+).  You return everything but the socks once done. This helps keep your packing to a minimum because if you aren’t already traveling in your sneakers they can be problematic for carry on only packing.  I’ve not tried the Gear Lending program yet to see if they offer plus size workout clothes and size 11 sneakers so watch this space for future updates. As for running, I’ll be the first one eaten by the zombies because I’m not a runner.

Kimpton Hotels wellness provide in room yoga mats, bike rental at select hotels and jogging stations filled with granola and healthy drinks.  Some Kimpton hotels have affiliated local gyms on property, like the EPIC Hotel Miami which has Exhale Spa Miami  which offers fitness classes (barre, cardio, yoga) for an additional fee.

Hotel Gym Las Vegas

Las Vegas is notorious for the see and be seen atmosphere and the gym is no exception.  The dreaded “resort fee” includes access to the gym which you can’t remove if you don’t use. Rarely do I see women sans makeup or in unfashionable workout clothes.  I usually skip the gym because I can’t be bothered with the scene which is silly given that I workout 5-6 times a week at home and have my lululemon with me.  On a recent visit to The Wynn Las Vegas the gym charged an additional $30 per Yoga Class and I couldn’t hide my disgust with paying a resort fee to use the gym that didn’t include classes.  One cool Las Vegas experience yoga I did consider was Yoga on the High Roller ferris wheel at the LINQ Promenade but the cost was prohibitive and doing downward dog while the pod is moving was a bit too much for my clumsy self.

Cruise Ship Gym & Wellness Spa

You are stuck on a floating hotel with 24/7 food options and buffets that bring out your inner glutton so visiting the gym should be on your itinerary.  In my experiences sailing with various cruise lines around the world, the small gym has the latest equipment, personal training options and group classes with great views in the front of the ship.  You pay extra for personal training and group classes depending on the cruise line.  On one ship, I went to the boot camp class ($20) and was one of two passengers to show up so we essentially had a private training session (normally $100+) for less.  Another cruise had TRX classes for free and was limited to ten people (only five signed up).  Daily yoga is usually available for free to $10+ per class. Each cruise line and ship differs in their offerings and pricing. One funny coincidence – the trainer on the Celebrity Constellation (Turkey/Greek cruise) was the same on the Carnival Caribbean cruise – we laughed when we recognized each other.

The cruise ship usually has the spa connected to the gym with saunas, hydro pools and relaxing salt rooms and heated lounge chairs.  These are, of course, extra with varying prices.  Many spas will offer the special visit pass on the first day of sailing as they limit access.  If you are keen to wellness options in addition to your gym workout, then consider the spa pass.  Massage, acupuncture and other treatments are extra.  A few ships now offer spa cabins, special spa programs and wellness cuisines.

Wellness Spa and Spa Resort Adventures

If you are keen to focus exclusively on your health and wellness, then consider going to a destination resort to sort yourself out.  I’ve had fantastic wellness adventures at Red Mountain Resort & Spa in St. George, Utah and a luxury escape to Miraval in Tucson, Arizona.  Miraval, now owned by Hyatt, is expanding the Miraval concept to additional cities in the U.S.

The game changer in 2019 will be Equinox Hotels and Cruises.  The luxury Equinox gym is expanding the wellness concept to your travels full stop.  Your food, workout and lodging options will all be healthy options and products.  I wonder if the hotel is a gym or the gym is a hotel if I will manage to make it to a workout on time.

Travel Workouts – Don’t Sweat It

So I try my best to negate all the wine, chocolate and cheat day foods when I’m traveling by working out the best I can.  While I’d love to try all the new trends in workout classes around the world, I’m yet to accomplish that feat despite good intentions.  For now, I do my best to ensure wellness on the road and that my travel workouts fit my busy schedule.  I try to schedule a spa day when I travel to take the day off to recover and that’s what works for me.  When all else fails, I take the stairs and consider it a win!  What about you?  How do you workout on the road?

Note – this post contains Amazon affiliate links where I could potentially earn commission if you choose to make a purchase of the items listed.  

When I was in college, Valentine’s Day was a day the professors dreaded.  They knew the chances of teaching an uninterrupted class was nil as there would be at least one (many more) knocks on the classroom door during class.  But they had to open the door to let the music in.  It was a day of love as well as a fundraiser for the University Singers.  A popular tradition, the accapella group would sing songs of love many years before it became famous in the television show, Glee. I always wished to be the recipient of the love singing telegram but never was.  For many friends, the singers were torture since they never had a visit so they started a bit of Anti-Valentine’s Day.  I was always hopeful.

Flash forward five years after college graduation, when my friend was escaping her single status in the U.S. and we went to Paris for Valentine’s Day.  It didn’t end well as she left me in Paris, years before the internet and cell phone (yes, there was a time neither existed – hard to imagine).  That’s my solo travel origin story , and my anniversary date, which is funny and sad.  Not only did we escape the U.S. because we were “still single and unattached” but I was now alone in Paris for the first time.  I made the scary decision to stay and figure it out on my own, my first time as a solo traveler – no tour group, no friends,  just me.  I didn’t tell my parents until I was home and they naturally freaked out because girls back then didn’t travel alone (at least not from our neighborhood or family).  To put this in perspective, when I moved out from my parent’s home to my house, my father didn’t talk to me for weeks because I wasn’t married and he worried about who would take care of me? who would protect me?

Now more than twenty years after that Paris abandonment, I’ve traveled the world to nearly fifty countries.  My father eventually talked to me and realized that I’m ok on my own.  He then told me “I was so independent I probably scared the guys away” (perhaps). We would laugh about the crazy stories from the road like the many “Where is Your Husband” questions and make the list of Roommate Questions.

Here’s the thing about Valentine’s Day – you are hit over the head with marketing in my opinion – Hallmark movies, Red Roses (ugh!  be original) and Chocolate so it’s understandable if you are alone and get a bit depressed.  I’m against only one day of love – flowers, chocolates, cards, attention should be a regular occurrence.  So while Cupid somehow frequently forgets me, I choose to celebrate each year as my Solo Travel Anniversary, one that has blessed me with my longest relationship – the one with my passport which has allowed me to Date the World. I  continue to discover new adventures near and far, meet some cool and interesting people and marvel at the animals.

This year, I will celebrate Valentine’s Day absent romantic love but still with love – all the love that traveling solo for over twenty years has taught me –

love of the world – love of chocolate – love of flowers – love of discovery

love of adventure – love of new cultures – love of people – love of finding commonality

love of celebrating differences – love of tolerance – love of acceptance – love of self discovery

love of trying new things – love of saying yes – love of knowing when to say no –  love of nature

love of luxury spas – love of boutique hotels – love of high thread count

love of indulgences – love of wine – love of luxury

love of London – love of Paris – love of first class flights and luxury airport lounges

love of points and so much more.

Travel continues to teach me new things and the only exam I need to take involves keeping an open mind and open heart so I can expand my mind, my experiences and my relationships.  The professor is no longer my only teacher and sadly the cute guys aren’t singing my love song but there’s still a knock on the door to the world and what a fantastic classroom to learn from.  I’ve not given up hope but I’m not sitting still waiting either – there too much to discover in the world.

So if you are alone this Valentine’s Day, find something you love and be thankful.  This year, I’m going to toast to Paris, that fateful trip over twenty years ago that allowed me to be brave and carry on.  I brought a mini bottle of Moet & Chandon Rose home from my Epernay Champagne Cellar Tour .  It seems apropos to enjoy my anniversary with the good stuff.

So whatever you choose to celebrate (or not) Valentine’s Day, I hope you realize that you are still writing your own story.  Your leading man (or woman) might not have shown up yet but that doesn’t mean you can’t love the world and all it has to offer.

How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day and what (or who) do you love?