Summer isn’t officially here, but it finally feels like it! New growth has grown, nature is filled with active young, the weather is warm, and storms have been rolling through. School is out for some and almost out for most, which means summer vacations and plenty of travel! How do you keep your family safe on the road?

If you are traveling by car, the most important step to start out with is the inspection of your travel vechicle. Check your gas, oil and transmission fluid levels. Test your brakes. Inspect your tires for bulges or tears, and air pressure levels. Make sure you have a spare along and tools with which to change it if needed. Bring along contact information for anyone who would be able to help you in case of a car emergency. And, as expected, make sure you buckle up and aren’t using a cell phone while you are behind the wheel.

When traveling overseas, make sure you have an extra record somewhere of all of your documents, in case they get lost or stolen. Keep things like your passport, cash and credit cards in a hotel safe. Bring more than one way to pay for things and an extra passport sized photo of your self if you can. Make sure you have enough (and extra) medication that you use before you leave. And don’t forget to get your name and contact information on everything that belongs to you, like luggage or a purse.

Last but not least, if you are traveling abroad, make sure you check for any travel warnings issued for the areas you will be visiting. Happy trails!

When you think of summer travel, what do you think about? Do you imagine camping? Hiking? Sailing? A trip to the beach?

Here is an often not-thought-of locale for travelers who are interested in something new…ruins!  I personally LOVE ruins, and have visited…none. But my heart longs to see them, and when I see them showcased on television shows or displayed beautifully in national magazines, I bump up my goal of visiting them higher on my bucket list.

While I dream about visiting such amazing pieces of history, I enjoy looking up locations in books at the library or on websites on the internet. One of my favorites is the Colosseum of Italy. Ah, what an icon! Just to imagine the events that took place in this arena are overwhelming and fascinating…I can only imagine the feeling if you are standing amidst the structure itself.

Another favorite of mine is an ancient Mayan city in Tikal, Guatemala. The towering, climbable structures that were once home to 90, 000 people are an impressive array of temples and pyramids. Which brings me to another icon set of ruins, the Pyramids of Giza. Have you been there?

However, I would have to say that the type of ruins that fascinate me the most are the kind of structures that are carved in to mountains and/or walls of stone.  Right here in the United States, Colorado boasts a fascinating state park that delivers mesa-top pueblos and dwellings built beneath overwhelming, overhanging cliffs. These can be found in Mesa Verde National Park.  And overseas, the ancient city of Petra, Jordan was half built and carved into cliffs of red sandstone. Adorned with elaborate altars, accompanied by tombs and temples, these fascinating ruins are well worth the 1/2 mile hike through a narrow gorge to reach it.

If you decide that a trip to visit historical ruins is what you want to try this summer, be sure to plan accordingly.  Time your trip for the less crowded times of day. Hire a knowledgeable, seasoned guide. And most importantly, give yourself plenty of time to explore. Some ruins require days of exploration, and even if one doesn’t, some extra time to soak in the majestic beauty is essential to a full experience.

I am still fairly fascinated with the technology of today that can help a traveler, compared to even 10 years ago. If you have a smartphone, travel apps can help you out tremendously. Listed below you’ll find some of the most popular travel apps listed in the cybersphere.

GateGuru: described as “a new tool to transform the chaotic and unfamiliar airport environment into a more satisfying experience before and after flights, and during layovers. GateGuru serves as the leading light to locate the best food, shopping and service options within any airport…” Sweet!

Flightboard: A very basic application, users can check in on any airport’s “Arrivals and Departures” screen. Also, receive alerts with real-time flight updates.

Sitorsquat: This sounds laughable, until you need it! This app helps you locate a public toilet. Just enter an address, zipcode, city, or interesection and the app gets to work!

Foodspotting: We all need to eat! Bonus — Foodspotting is also a social network that allows reviews.

Google translate: Ahh, yes. Essential. Enough said.

WordLens: Are you kidding me? This is an instant translation service using an iPhone or iPad’s camera.  Hover over the foreign text (say on a public sign) and the translation appears almost right away. WOW.

Share-a-bill: Pure genius for people traveling with friends. Share-a-bill says, “Simply input participating individuals…and see how the numbers fall.” This applies to food, gas, accomodations, entertainment…what a blessing.

Weatherbug: A good place to check the weather at the location you will be going.

Many of these apps are free, but not all are. However…travel apps in general? PRICELESS.

You would have to be living in a cave buried deep in Pakistan to not have heard the most incredible news of the past decade — worldwide master terrorist, Osama bin Laden, is dead. He was killed in a covert operation carried out by the US military on Sunday night. The country is still rejoicing and will continue to.

Along with massive US celebration over the news, an alert has been issued. The alert, posted on AOL Travel reads: “Given the uncertainty and volatility of the current situation, U.S. citizens in areas where recent events could cause anti-American violence are strongly urged to limit their travel outside of their homes and hotels and avoid mass gatherings and demonstrations. U.S. citizens should stay current with media coverage of local events and be aware of their surroundings at all times.”

Americans overseas were further encouraged by the Department of State to stay in frequent contact with family/friends back home. It was also recommended they register their travel with the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.  Americans aren’t the only travelers urged to use caution. Alerts have also been issued for citizens, particularly Britains and Australians in Indonesia, the world’s most heavily populated Muslim country.

Retaliation is anticipated, and could be on both large and small scales. Typical targets would include areas of mass transportation, diplomatic or otherwise “symbolic” centers.

So in a time where most of the world is celebrating that they might sleep a little bit safer tonight, continue with caution on the road and with your fellow man. Travel with vigilance.

Depending on where you live in the United States, spring is here! Yes, the calendar says it arrived on March 21st, but if you ask a local Minnesotan if they are enjoying their spring, they are likely to throw a snowball at you made from the back yard.

So spring is here and its time to clean out the closets and garages. Dust off the patio furniture and check the sunscreen expiration date in the cupboard. Summer will be with us before we know it, which means the time is now to prepare for outdoor adventures and summer travel.

Let’s take a refresher on safe practices when it comes to summer travel. Sunscreen is a no-brainer…but I’m talking about security this time.

As you are going through files and paperwork, create a list of emergency contact information for when you are on the road. This should be a list of people that emergency personnel can contact should something happen to you.

Prepare your travel documents. Make sure everything is current, like your insurance card. And, make photocopies of everything (passport, driver’s license, credit cards, health insurance card) in the event you lose your purse or it is stolen.

Consider travel insurance. Some seasoned travels believe that travel insurance is just a scam, but you can make that decision yourself. Do your research. And lastly, check the laws about entering another country if you are traveling outside of yours. Even if you know them, something might have changed since your last adventure.

Happy trails!

When was the last time you traveled for…exercise?

I travel for adventure and experience. I travel for photo opportunities. I travel to explore. And while I’m traveling, I end up with plenty of opportunities to exercise…just not on purpose! One beautiful hike in the mountains to a waterfall or quiet lake…one moonlit snowshoe adventure to photograph moonbeams in the tree tops…one dusty, hot trek down a canyon trail to find an oasis…and I’ve found my exercise. I’m usually so beat that I sleep like a baby for the rest of the night! Now if only I could travel as much as I need to exercise, I could figure out an amazing (albeit spendy!) workout routine!

I do know a few people, however, who travel specifically to exercise. I have a relative who travels to Europe to backpack it. I have a friend who will travel to Holland for a bike trip. How about you? Do you look for ways to travel so you can experience an amazing workout adventure?

There are many places you can find one. You can plan a biking trip through France, perhaps on the Route des Vins. Consider kayaking trips through Kenya. Hike the canyons in the southwestern US. Scale it down a little bit, and take up some yoga in Thailand. Can you surf? Want to learn to hula? Hawaii is ideal. And if you’re the kind of traveler who likes to spend a week on a cruise ship, there are more than enough opportunities available to get your workout groove on — swimming, tennis, dancing, shuffleboard, the list is endless.

As for me? I’m just fine working up a sweat just sitting in the sun.

After a small, unplanned haitus, I’m back to blogging! My apologies on the quietness of this blog as of late! Stay tuned…more interesting, helpful and fun travel blogs coming soon!

Are you a fan of the “Amazing Race” reality TV show? If so, you’re in luck, another season is about to begin!

And by that, I mean, just 30 minutes!

This is season 18 for the show, and while I haven’t watched a show from beginning to end yet, I do love to catch episodes now and again.  I love the sites, I love the experiences. I love imagining if I were there, what choices I would make, what things I would do. Its a wonderful way to experience the world in less-than-stellar situations, right from my cozy armchair! There is the exhilaration of conflict, the arm-gripping suspense during decision making, and the tension of fast-moving discussion between team members. Despite whatever form the show’s angst might take, there is always the breath-taking beauty of one’s surroundings. You could be on the edge of your seat, yelling at the screen, waiting to see what happens next…but always able to enjoy the landscape and environment, indoors or out.

Its like the pleasure of a sweet and salty snack…something about the dissonance is making you happy, you just don’t know what!

This season, there will be 11 teams who previously attempted in win the race in seasons past. Will you be watching? What is compelling YOU to follow the Amazing Race?

Do you travel more often for business, or pleasure? When I think of traveling, I think of discovering new places, exploring new lands, and indulging in everything a new location has to offer. I work from home, so traveling for business usually means picking the kids up from school. I don’t often associate business travel with “traveling.”

But many of you do, and plenty of my readers only travel when it is business. This means you know that in the past three years, business travel has been on the decline. Thanks to the recession, corporations and companies have needed to cut back on employees and expenses. Company retreats and events dwindled dramatically; business heads knew they couldn’t continue to send their employees on to such luxuries in a time of bail outs, even if they weren’t recipients.

Slowly but surely things are turning around. New reports are showing a slight increase in all areas…airline usage, hotel bookings, and relationship-building corporate retreats. While the upswing is promising, companies are still encouraging their travelers to travel frugally and keep stays short. Quite frankly, this is a suggestion that could have well suited them over a decade ago. Perhaps a lesson will be learned…or will we see extravagant spending back on the horizon before too long?

Valentine’s Day is on Monday, and flocks of lovebirds are celebrating the holiday over this weekend. Are you one of them? Wouldn’t you like to know where some of the most romantic places can be found?

Much of the US seems to be affected by cold weather right now, from Texas in the south to Minnesota in the north. So think warm…who couldn’t use a dose of a sunsoaked beach this weekend?

Popular romantic locations tend to be the Caribbean. St. Lucia is a traditional hotspot. Then there is the Cook Islands or Bali, where you can lounge in bungalows over water, or rest in comfort on a bed on a sandy beach.

Are you more interested in the romance than worried about the heat? Incredible experiences can lie in places like Switzerland, where you can go on skiing adventures in the moonlight, or a sunset tango atop a gorgeous mansion in Argentina.

Or, you can stay home…step right outside your back door and visit the vineyards in Michigan’s Wine Country. Head to Vermont for some spectacular “mountain and meadow” views, either cozied up in front of a window by the fireplace, or on a snowshoe trek through the countryside.

Whatever you do, whether with a special someone or on your own, remember that a fantastic vacation can be created whether you travel half a globe away, or just drive down the road.