Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for September, 2008
Catch the Wave
By Linda Tancs
Where can you learn to surf on the world’s largest man-made waves? Answer: Siam Park, Europe’s greatest (by someone’s estimation) water fun park located on the south coast of Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands. Siam is, of course, the ancient name for Thailand, and the Thai ambience is evident throughout the park. Even the building materials originated from Thailand. With rides like the Tower of Power promising an adrenaline boost the likes of which you’ve never known, this park is sure to please thrill seekers. For those seeking something a little more tame, there’s a relaxing river ride; the Sawasdee River cuts through the park. Whatever you do, enjoy the ride.
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Days in Rodanthe
By Linda Tancs
So the movie Nights in Rodanthe got me thinking–what’s on in Rodanthe? Rodanthe, along Highway 12 at the northern reach of Hatteras Island, North Carolina, is a beach goer’s delight. The movie highlights Mirlo Beach (named for a tanker sunk during World War I) and the beach rental, Serendipity. Water sports abound here. There isn’t much else to do, really. Leave the laptop home as internet access is a bit spotty. With all the kayaking, fishing, surfing, and sailboarding that awaits, perhaps that’s by design.
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Swiss Heirs
By Linda Tancs
In 1845 two Swiss residents from the canton of Glarus were sent to the U.S. to purchase land for a Swiss settlement. The prosperous homestead that followed became New Glarus, Wisconsin, a rural slice of the homeland just a hop, skip and jump away from Madison. And for those yearning for the alphorns, yodelers and folk dancers of the old country but unable to afford the real McCoy, this might be the perfect staycation for you. New Glarus is boastful of its observation of the traditional holidays and Swiss-German dialect. And the chalet-laden downtown offers up enough cuckoo clocks, lace, cheese and chocolate that you might even forget there’s no duty-free allowance–or international baggage restrictions–to worry about. For every time there is a season. Yours may be just a hilly, hairpin curve away.
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Do CPAP Machines Cause Baggage Woes?
By Linda Tancs
Statistics indicate that over 12 million people in the U.S. alone suffer from sleep apnea, an obstructive sleep disorder. So it shouldn’t be surprising that travelers want to take their CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines onboard to use during long flights or at their final destination. Needless to say, one must determine in advance of flight whether the device will be considered part of normal carry-on items. FAA regulations, for instance, permit medical devices as an additional piece of carry-on luggage. But if you can bring it on board, can you use it? International carriers’ policies can vary widely on the subject. Some airlines may permit, or prefer, battery-operated devices and not require medical clearance. Others may require medical clearance by their experts in advance of flight regardless whether the device is powered electrically or by battery. Best not to leave this one up to chance, as any delay in flight arrangements may not be recompensed by insurance when it’s the passenger who is delayed rather than the plane.
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Get Chummy
By Linda Tancs
One is the loneliest number, the song goes. For lonesome travelers, an alternative is at hand. You could try out TravelChums, a site that matches up like-minded travelers. Create a free account, and you could be on your way to finding that perfect companion to save yourself the indignity of single supplemental fees. Beats the classifieds, doesn’t it?
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French Island Flair
By Linda Tancs
St. Barth’s is a French island in the West Indies, popular among jetsetters for it charm and sophisticated relaxation but no less fitting for visitors of any budget looking for lazy days in the perennial sun of this beach-fringed volcanic island. Listen to a sampling of the island’s delights at Travelrific Travel Show.
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Travel Insurance Concerns Are Abated
By Linda Tancs
With today’s economic uncertainties, travelers may be taking a closer look at the “comforts” of travel insurance. Of course, that coverage is only as good as the company standing behind it. That’s why purchasers of AIG’s Travel Guard may have suffered some heartburn recently, at least until news of Uncle Sam’s $85 billion bailout. For greater ease of mind, the company has sent out a release assuring customers that subsidiaries, like Travel Guard, are able to meet their obligations. If only the same could be said for the rest of the industry.
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Solitary Confinement
By Linda Tancs
In 1732 German immigrant Johann Conrad Beissel sought out solitude in the Pennsylvania countryside in what is now Ephrata. There he established a reclusive retreat dedicated to the pursuit of spirituality, and the Solitary movement was born. The Solitary lived a monastic life dedicated to prayer and worship, eating a single evening meal off of the lands they tended. Although the last of the order died over a century ago and the lands sold to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, the Ephrata Cloister’s heritage is preserved at various houses and meeting rooms that can be toured on the property. The experience comes complete with guides in the white robes worn by members of the Cloister to hide their bodies. As the song goes, give me that old time religion. Or at the very least, as their website says, a quiet place to visit.
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A Bridge to Somewhere
By Linda Tancs
In a decade or so there’ll be a shorter commute between Hamburg and Copenhagen. That’s when one of the most ambitious bridge-building efforts in Northern Europe–the Fehmarn Belt Bridge–is due to be completed. Linking the German island of Fehmarn with the Danish island of Lolland, the 12-mile long span in the Baltic Sea consisting of four road lanes and two rail tracks will reduce rail travel time between Hamburg and Copenhagen by about 1 hour. The Danes haven’t seen a project of this scope since the opening of the much-heralded Øresund Bridge between Copenhagen and Malmö. Despite some opposition, the latest connection should be just as popular.
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Get Ready for the Prom
By Linda Tancs
The BBC Proms at Royal Albert Hall, held from July through 13 September this year, are one of the most beloved classical musical events in the world. No less so for the Last Night, beginning with the singing of old English folk songs. In addition to the usual festivities for the masses in Hyde Park, the season’s swan song will be concelebrated in Glasgow, Belfast and Swansea with a mix of Scottish, Irish and Neopolitan ensembles. Come on and join the party.
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Travelrific® Travel Journal 