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Don’t Forget Medical Insurance When Traveling

By Richard Leo | Filed in Travel

There are so many exciting things to do when planning a trip overseas. Even the usually bureaucratic nightmare of obtaining travel documents can be a positive one when seen in the light of unlocking exotic adventures and opportunities. It would take an imagination of epic proportions, however, to make the prospect of choosing insurance even remotely exciting or glamorous. This is why so many travelers put off buying insurance or even neglect it entirely.

Obtaining a good visitor medical insurance policy is a necessity when traveling abroad. No one heading overseas should neglect this part of the trip planning. In some countries, such as the US, health care costs are so high that few visitors could afford to pay for them out of pocket. In others, even gaining access to treatment can be a nightmare unless the traveler possesses insurance to guarantee treatment.

While those traveling for longer periods of time, such as students, foreign workers , or global citizens who spend most of their time overseas, will be most likely to recognize their need for insurance, those who are visiting for short periods of time should also consider their health risks. Shorter leisure trips may involve risky activities such as scuba diving, surfing, rock climbing or winter sports that increase the chance of injury. Sampling foreign cuisines and interacting with large crowds makes one susceptible to foreign bacteria and viruses to which they have little natural immunity. Having medical insurance ensures that they will receive treatment for all of these and that, if nothing untoward actually happens, they will at least have had a worry-free vacation.

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Planning a Trip to Chicago

By Richard Leo | Filed in Travel

Don’t rush through vacation plans or you’ll end up with either too much or too little to do. Worse, you could end up going from one boring attraction to the other and missing out on the ones that would have been memorable. If you’re planning to visit Chicago in the coming months, take your time to research what you want to do and pick carefully from the hundreds of attractions that city has to offer.

Start by identifying what you like to do on vacation and what you’ve always wanted to see in the city. If necessary, take a look at the Go Chicago Card to see what attractions are available that you didn’t even know existed. Create a list of what you’d like to see and rank them according to degree of interest.

Then do your research. Find out hours of operation, ticket prices, and any discounts available. You will want to check holiday and other days that a specific attraction will be closed during your visit. The result should be a list of dates. times and prices for all your items.

Now create a calendar for your trip that fits in as many attractions as you can comfortably handle. Be sure to include times for travel, standing in line, and souvenir shopping. Don’t forget to allow generous time to rest and eat during each day. Whenever possible, purchase admission tickets ahead of time. This will guarantee you don’t face sold out signs or have to spend hours standing in line.

The result should be a vacation that has just the right amount of activities to keep you engaged and busy without being impossible and exhausting.

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Visiting Arizona

By Richard Leo | Filed in Travel

Arizona, one of the last states to join the Union, is many times overlooked as an ideal travel destination. However, contrary to past reputations, Arizona is a state of great diversity and adventure for every visitor.

Winter is the ideal time to visit Arizona. The weather in the city is mild, but snow can easily be found by driving about 2 hours north. This is the ideal time to hike, bike, and take part in other outdoor activities in Phoenix. You can also make time to visit Sunrise or Snowbowl for some good spring skiing.

If you are visiting the state in the summer, the best place to be is up north. It is the perfect time to plan the perfect Grand Canyon vacations . The weather is usually about twenty degrees cooler than the cities to the south and the air is much fresher. If you do, however, find yourself in the city during those long, hot summer months there are many resorts that not only have swimming pools but water parks to help guests beat the heat.

No matter what time of year you visit there are many museums and shopping centers and other indoor activities can help you beat the heat, or the cold, and still have fun.

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Traveling the British Empire

By Richard Leo | Filed in Travel

Not so long ago, in terms of the history of the planet a mere nanosecond, the sun didn’t set on the British Empire . That such a small island could dominate so much of the globe was a testament to the tenacity and ferocious ambition of the British people and their leaders. Today, the British Empire is smaller and more complicated. What were once outright subjects of the British Crown are now self-governing entities with complex ties to Britain. It is, however, still possible to traverse great parts of the globe without leaving what is now or once was British soil.

Great chunks of North America was once under British rule. Any old US and canada map will show British colonies through much of the eastern coast and moving innland. Canada remains under the influence of Britain, though there are also many Anglophiles across the US too.

Moving further west from Britain is the continent-country of Australia. Colonized as a British penal colony, an australia map will show the extensive influence of British rule in the names of cities, states, and towns. India is another place that has strong associations with British names. This has been countered in the last decade or so as the government has worked to rename places to their older, historic names that predate British colonization. There are still many forts, castles, and state monuments left over from British rule spread across the subcontinent.

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The Vista in Los Angeles

By Richard Leo | Filed in Travel

If you’ve come to Los Angeles, at some point during your trip, you’re going to see a movie. Travelers staying at the top Los Angeles hotels may know some of the traditional places to go, such as Mann’s Grauman’s Chinese Theatre or the Disney’s El Capitan, both just west of the intersection at Hollywood and Highland. A few blocks away, you’ll also come across one of the more recent additions to cinema, The Arclight, near Sunset Boulevard and Vine. These are the high end places in town. At the Chinese Theatre, tourists can enjoy a complete cinema experience, including the cement castings of celebrities and movie stars over the last hundred years.
The Arclight includes reserved stadium seatings, and in certain selected theatres, it’s possible to have an alcoholic beverage with your film. All of these choices are excellent, although they may be costly, each experience ranging somewhere between twelve and fifteen dollars. If you’re talking about a family of four, that may bring the price as high as sixty dollars, and that’s before you get to the concession stands.

A couple of miles to the east, however, along Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake, you’ll discover The Vista . This vintage theater has an Egyptian decor, plenty of leg room (every other row was removed some time ago for the patron’s comfort), with a roughly six dollar matinee price that will make you think you’re in another decade. If you want to escape the high-cost tourist areas of Los Angeles, this is the place to go. Before the show, pick up a cup of joe, too, at the small coffee shop near the box office.

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Boston Local Food

By Richard Leo | Filed in Travel

Sustainability and local food movements are all the rage in 2010. Boston jumps on that bandwagon with the Boston Local Food Festival on October 2nd. Sponsored by the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Boston (SBN), the event will bring together farmers, chefs and entrepreneurs and the general public. This outdoor celebration will take place along the Four Point Channel on Boston’s historic waterfront and showcases delicious and affordable food produced and grown in Boston and New England.

Attendees can enjoy demonstrations, exhibits, and various activities designed to show off the local food. They can mingle with farmers and chefs and get information on sustainable farming as well as purchase healthy local food. There will be a display of Mail Art curated by local artist Krina Patel , who is gathering postcards express food memories from local artists, residents, and festival participants, including chefs, farmers, and vendors. Demos will include butchering and cooking classes, including vegetarian and seasonal recipes, as well as tips and techniques for barbecue.

Vendors will include local restaurants, area farms, and local specialty products. There will also be representatives from Boston non-profits such as the Chef’s Collaborative, the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, and Slow Food Boston. Local bands will be performing on the event mainstage and the festival will also feature a few pre-selected street performers. The Festival hopes to draw a crowd from both area residents and from visitors staying at Boston boutique hotels .

The festival is a zero-waste event and is free to the public.

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Las Vegas’ Afghan Raiders

By Richard Leo | Filed in Travel

In the world of electronica, Las Vegas is well-positioned to play home base to some of the next big things on the scene. It’s already established itself with the Afghan Raiders , whose complex and distorted beats keep the locals enjoying themselves in various states of musical bliss.

The reasons for this duo’s popularity comes in large part due to their enormous talent and passion for the music they play. There are some circumstances in the city that have made it very much of a hospitable place for their own kind of music, however, and this is exciting to think about for the city’s future. Visitors have always been able to enjoy the varieties of local music without venturing too far away from the Las Vegas Hotels that are in the center of the action.

But more frequently, word is getting out that some of the more remote spaces are offering very interesting work. This is helping to bring audiences that are not only local, but often involve guests from all over the world. It helps to build a music scene, where the word can be spread through the usual channels, as well as virtual places, like myspace , where bands can give people a chance to hear their tunes wherever they might be.

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Travel is no longer a good excuse for not using a CPAP

By Richard Leo | Filed in Travel

There is a common excuse that most people give for not wanting to use a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine that is used for people with sleep apnea ;: that they travel too much. However, with new advances in technology and an increased awareness by the general public, medical professionals and government officials about how important it is to get oxygen when one sleeps and how destructive sleep apnea can be to ones health and well-being, it makes sense to travel with a CPAP machine.

Yes, initially traveling with a CPAP could be a challenge, but today it can be accomplished with relative ease. Due to the new FAA ruling and instructions concerning being able to use a CPAP while on an airplane, it has now become even easier to travel. The FAA ruled in 2009 that airline passengers will be allowed to use respiratory assistive devices, like the CPAP machine. When at the airport, all that may be necessary when going through airport security is a prescription, if even that.

More people are bringing their machines with them in their carry-on bag instead of packing it in with their regular check-in luggage. Especially on a long flight such as an overseas flight where sleep is necessary and most models come equipped with both an A/C plug and rechargeable batteries. So it’s no longer acceptable to use traveling as an excuse as to why an apnea sufferer chooses not to use this machine.

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Traditional Festivals of Lisbon

By Richard Leo | Filed in Travel

Lisbon has an incredibly dynamic and interesting history, though it also has some extremely intriguing and significant contemporary cultural attractions. These elements combine to make it one of the most enticing tourist destinations not only in Portugal but also the world. The city is full of incredible historic architecture and various landmarks and buildings testify to its dynamic history and importance in various periods and cultural eras. In addition, there are numerous festivals and events that occur throughout the year and some of these are related to the city’s own unique cultural heritage while others are standard holiday or popular thematic events.

The festivities that are celebrated every June in honor of Saint Anthony are an excellent example of a unique Lisbon festival. Interestingly, Saint Vincent is the city’s official Patron Saint, though there are no specific celebrations that are dedicated to him. However, every June five days are set aside for special honorary celebrations to Saint Anthony, most commonly known as Anthony of Padua . Street parades and festivities take place throughout the five days and honor the saint that was born in Lisbon and spent his life preaching to the poor. Anthony received the special distinction of being the Doctor of the Church with his canonization. Tourists are attracted to the festivals of Lisbon and those that are unique to the city are particularly intriguing to many of the guests in a Lisbon hotel .

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Dining at City Walk Universal in Orlando

By Richard Leo | Filed in Travel

It’s no secret that Orlando is one of the top tourist destinations in this country. It is also no secret that the main reason for this is the numerous and incredible theme parks that are located there. This is definitely a great choice for families, friends and even romantic partners and the amount of great attractions that exist in the various parks will appeal to almost everyone. And for many guests in a great Orlando hotel City Walk Universal is a favorite option. This is also a great place to spend some time when hunger strikes, and it always will when you’re in the middle of a great adventure.

City Walk is known for its incredible theme oriented restaurants and dining options. The Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. and Hard Rock Cafe are two standard favorites, while others like NBA City and NASCAR Sports Grille Appeal to the sports oriented crowd. And you don’t even have to be a sports fan to enjoy the great food and fun at these establishments. NBA City is easily recognized by the giant 33 foot basketball star statue that towers over patrons outside the front door. The restaurant’s design is structured around the 1940s and 50s era and this dominates the atmosphere, though the large flat screen televisions help to keep one in the present. And the food is in a league of its own.

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