Traveling Blogs

                                                            I. AM. GRATEFUL. (If you are looking for a travel blog, please scroll on to the next blog!) As 2020 finally comes to an end, I decided to look back to reflect on the year.  Basically...2020 was a complete and utter shitshow for me, and everyone else in the world.  So I feel like I am in the good company of billions of people hoping and praying that 2021 restores our faith in humanity.  Yup, as you can see in the photo...I had a bit of a tumble.  We were out walking and I moved over close to the chain link fence so that I could social distance from someone approaching.  Unfortunately, as I continued on at my regular speed I snagged my shoelace in the link sticking out at the bottom and went smack down on my face onto the sidewalk.  Yeah...mostly I felt...

  RISK VS REWARD: REFLECTIONS ON PANDEMIC TRAVEL Risk: a situation involving exposure to danger Reward: a satisfying return on an investment Yes...we packed a half million masks for each trip to help mitigate the risks! We were fortunate and blessed to have spent the past 5 months traveling (mostly in our state) during this pandemic time.  We spent 17 nights in hotels, visited in 12 cities, and were away from our home for 25 days.  We took 8 trips, and did not have to cancel any of them that we had previously booked. It is a very very scary time in 2020.  As I type this blog the COVID numbers in the US, as well as all over the world are increasing at a rapid rate. Almost  49 million cases, over 1.2  million deaths around the globe.  Yesterday over 100,000 new cases in the United States. This is real.  It is not something to be cavalier about.  And we are not. However, we chose to  travel in a very safe way. We were not reckless about how...

                                                   3 Days in Lake Placid   This trip was a bit bumpy prior to leaving.  We were originally booked to go to Burlington, VT. About a month before arrival we were called by our hotel that they had to cancel us because our hotel was closing and turning into apartments!  We decided to just choose a new hotel.  Then, about 2 weeks before we were scheduled to leave we found out that our city had been very naughty (starting with our local college), and we were now a "Red County" for Vermont travel.  We were thinking of waiting to see if Cortland could start behaving...but decided that wasn't going to happen.  So...we changed our hotel to Lake Placid, and started researching things to do there for 3 days instead.  We did consider the fact that we would be entering Lake Placid from a red...

                                                    3 Days in Lake George   We traveled to Lake George October 5-7. The purpose of this trip was leaf peeping.  Generally, Lake George wasn't at peak, but as we traveled the area we found some beautiful colors of leaves...so that was all good!  We  love to travel and meet interesting people, and I will have to say we met so many nice, friendly people on this trip.  I think people are adapting to speaking thru a mask, and there is just a lot less stigma associated with it. Early in our COVID traveling people were literally scared to speak.  Now, with precautions that seems to be lessening.  Although I am an 8 year retired Elementary Teacher, I also have worked the past 13 years for Choice Hotels.  That ended with COVID in March, but this hotel we stayed at was my final "Emp...

3 DAYS IN THE NY HUDSON VALLEY: FISHKILL, NEW PALTZ, POUGHKEEPSIE, AND HYDE PARK The purpose of this 3 day adventure Tuesday, Sept. 15- Thursday, Sept. 17 was to go to the Walkway over the Hudson.  Around this, we created a fun-filled trip.  The weather was again perfect.  We will never have another summer weather- wise like this one, and we have been super lucky!!!   This trip we did a lot of driving around from place to place.  Not far drives (less than 30 minutes each time), but generally we try to stay in the main area and walk as much as practical.  For a Hudson Valley trip it is not logical.   We also noticed that in this area many places were closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, rather than Monday because there are a lot of NYC travelers that extend weekends.  There were places we wanted to get to that were simply not open.  I would guess this is mainly due to COVID.  Minnewaska State Park Kerhonkson   We arrived a...

 3 Days in Buffalo, NY The purpose of this getaway was really to enjoy the hotel!  We had been to Curtiss Hotel previously for 1 night, and knew that someday we wanted to return. The weather was absolutely perfect and incredible for our August 18-20 getaway.   We arrived  about 11:00, and Curtiss Hotel (Franklin St. right in the heart of the city!!) allowed us to check in early. Usually there is free Valet Parking, but due to COVID there is no valet parking, but it is still free, and there is lots of space...and no need to tip the valet each time-WINNING!!! We went to our room, and the bathroom was exactly as we remembered it...incredible, with a jacuzzi with colored lights and an enormous shower with at least 6 spray heads.  Heaven. Nothing like a relaxing jacuzzi after a long day of being tourists. We walked to lunch at Big Ditch Brewing Company on Huron Street.  We ate outdoors.  The beer is great, and the food is wonderful.  Our server wa...

  Traveling During a Pandemic   Travel.   I love to travel. I’m passionate about traveling 45 minutes away, or across the seas.   Experiencing new places excites me.   I love to plan travel, I love to help others plan travel, and I enjoy the travel experience.   For over 20 years, it has been my mission to not only travel myself, but to also participate in travel forums and blogs to assist others.   2020 has been rough.   COVID 19 has managed to destroy lives, livelihoods, and the hope that things will ever be normal again.   The word “new normal” is thrown around like rice.   There are so many tragic stories.   I decided early on this journey (that I NEVER thought would still be going on in August as I write this) that I was going to do my part to address the small parts that one little person has the capacity to do.   As I watched my 2 part time jobs fade away, I needed something to keep up my morale.   As far as t...