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5 Travel Tips You Shouldn’t Leave Home Without

I have had the opportunity to visit some amazing places – from Tahiti to Tampa. And yes, Tahiti was more exotic, but my opinion is that there is beauty everywhere we go.

Like any well-worn traveler, we must start with the preparation for the trip. A little planning before you leave home will ensure your time away is spent making memories and not in line at the drug store because you forgot to pack your toothpaste.

Oh, and expect detours. Sometimes they are the best part of the trip.

Now here are my top 5 personal travel tips that will work anywhere you are going in this beautiful world.

• Set a Positive Intention. Since I’m a Life Coach as well as a blogger, I start everything with mental preparation first. When starting any important journey it’s always wise to set your intention for it first. Set the intention you will have a great time no matter what happens and it won’t matter if your plane is delayed or your taxi gets lost – you and your hubby, or whoever you are travelling with, can make the most of it and smile during the detours.

• Take snacks. Your flight might be full. That last meal available may not be edible. You never know if your flight will arrive late and the airport kiosks will be closed. Room service might be shut down by the time you arrive at your hotel. Pack snacks. You can thank me later.

• Carry On Any Special Event Clothes. If you are going to a wedding or any kind of special event that requires a certain type of clothing, take those clothes with you in your carry on. Don’t be the girl who is at Walmart at 10 o’clock at night buying everything from shoes to underwear because you can’t wear your Superman T-shirt to a very formal church event on Sunday. I have been that girl. It’s not fun. Special Event = Clothes that never leave your sight.

• Check the weather. I know it sounds so simple. Why would I remind you of this? Because New York can be unseasonably warm. Miami can be unexpectedly cold. Check the weather and you won’t have any surprises you didn’t plan for.

• Travel in Comfortable Shoes. We have all seen the lovelies in stilettos at the airport. I bet they look great going from gate A2 to G49. I also bet all that walking is like slow, simmering torture. This is not the red carpet. Wear shoes you could run in – you never know when you might have to.

We would love to start a round-up of all the Happy Wives Club Members’ best and favorite travel tips. What’s the best travel advice you have ever gotten? Please share in the comments.

Charleston – Southern Charm

If you want a to run away for a few days -or for a few weeks- Charleston South Carolina can meet all your holiday expectations with a charm that’s uniquely southern.

Robert and I could only sneak away for a few days, but we were thrilled and overwhelmed by all the options available: gourmet food, historic plantations, nature walks, golf, high-fashion shopping, craft shopping, along with breath-taking gardens, architecture, art exhibits, cultural events, and the most city tour options we’ve ever seen available. We could have chosen from…

• a pirate tour,
• a history stroll,
• a Tea Party Tour,
• a Civil War Walking Tour,
• a historic home tour,
• a pub tour,
• a culinary tour,
• a ghost tour,
• an art gallery tour,
• a boat and sea kayak tour,
• an eco tour of the Barrier Island
• a harbor tour,
• a museum mile tour,
• and many plantation tours including a Tea Plantation, a Winery, and a distillery.

Our first stop was Charleston’s Visitor Center in the old train station, where we planned our outings.I picked up many of the brochures, so if anyone is interested in visiting Charleston, the first person to email can have them! We recommend going to the Visitor’s center first to organize your options, and get a few deals.

Since it was our first time in Charleston, we decided to try out another first (for us) – a horse-drawn carriage tour. We chose one of the five options for carriage tour companies - Palmetto Carriage. Their tickets were less expensive when bought from the Visitor Center, and this company provides easy access for those with mobility issues.

Charleston has one of the most options for horse drawn carriage tours in the USA. The city downtown is divided into 5 zones, and using a lottery system each carriage on its way out is assigned a different zone. You won’t know which zone you’ll be touring – it’s all random.

Our tour operator – or as Ben named himself, “Historic Cultural Ambassador” – chatted with us about the history of Charleston, first gifted as a prize to eight friends of King Charles II in 1663, he pointed out the five historic churches from which Charleston became known as the “Holy City”, and gave many other stories and facts on the architecture, the history and the special aspects of his city.

Umbo, our horse, was great with all the traffic, and because the carriage was high off the ground our line of sight was unimpeded. If I were a photographer, I would have been in ecstasy and as a “graduated” home-school mom, I wish I’d taken our kids on a field trip to this city. It was a satisfying way to get our bearings and learn more about Charleston all in an hour’s tour.

Charleston, South Carolina is outstanding in many areas – historic homes and gardens, azaleas blooming with abandon in the spring, food options and cultural activities. However,one aspect threaded through our experience – Charleston’s charm. The people were friendly, and welcoming and it was easy to slow down to enjoy the city’s ambiance.  Robert and I will definitely be returning! Maybe we’ll meet you there?

The Heart of Travel – Lake Tahoe

I was recently at a Conference near Sacramento so the Hubs and I added a day to the trip and spent a very romantic night in Lake Tahoe. I had never been there before and had no idea how peaceful and beautiful it could be.

We love hotels and always try to stay in the best hotel we can afford. This time, we were able to get a great rate at the Hyatt Regency on the North side of Lake Tahoe. The rates were so cheap we upgraded to a Suite. We stayed there one night and we felt like Rock Stars.

Travel Tip – if there is a hotel you dream of staying at, always check their rates in the “off season.” You might score a 600 dollar room for less than half that price.

South Tahoe has all the casinos, nightlife and partying, North Tahoe is for the peaceful, relaxing vibe we were looking for on this trip.

One of the benefits of staying at the Hyatt Regency was that it has its own private beach and pier. Once we unpacked the first thing we did was go explore. It was dusk and they had just hosted a wedding at the hotel so we got to enjoy many couples all dressed up taking romantic walks and pictures on the pier.

We drove to Lake Tahoe from Sacramento and the drive was about 2 hours long and absolutely spectacular. If you come from the flatlands of Florida like I do, being surrounded by mountains and trees automatically puts you in a different state of mind.

Besides being surrounded by beautiful Mountains, the best part of the drive into Tahoe was stopping at “Cake Tahoe” in Truckee. They have the most heavenly cupcakes you have ever tasted and would be worth a detour if you are ever anywhere near the area. Fortunately for us, they were right on our path to our hotel so we stopped, got a Red Velvet Cupcake for me and a Double Chocolate cupcake for the Hubster. We exercised maximum self control and waited to get to the hotel to have them as dessert with our room service.

 Travel Tip – if you are on a road trip, check if there are any major (or minor) landmarks you might want to visit along the way. Sometimes a 20 minute detour can bring you one of the best memories from the trip.

Frommer’s calls Lake Tahoe “the most awesome summer camp for adults ever.” We were there in the spring and could see all the possibilities for water sports, biking, horseback riding, etc. Although there is a Casino right inside the hotel, you could walk right past it and never know it was there if that’s not your thing.

The variety of activities and experiences available in Tahoe are wonderful, however the heart of Lake Tahoe is the Lake itself. Viewed from any angle it is breathtaking.

Until next time, love & light from Maggie @ www.modernmarried.com

Have you been to Lake Tahoe? Do you have an insider’s tip or a favorite memory there? Please share in the comments.

The Write Way to Travel | Three Top Locations To Hug a Tree!

1. Hug a redwood in the California Redwoods

One of my earliest childhood memories was going to the California Redwoods with my parents and grandparents. Walking through the trees I felt as if I’d been shrunk down like Alice in Wonderland.

Make sure you visit: Trees of Mystery in Klamath, California. Giant statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the blue ox guard the entrance. (Maybe that’s why I love their tall tale!) 

Bonus: the coastal highway getting there is beautiful!

2. Hug a papaya tree in Jamaica

A few years ago a group of writers and I decided we’d have our private writer’s conference on a cruise ship, instead of a stuffy, old hotel. The bonus was my whole family was able to go and enjoy the ship. In addition to my husband, me, and two teens, we also had our toddler and 83-year-old grandma with us. When we were looking at an on-shore excursion we found one that would work with the whole family. 

Make sure you visit: the Martha’s Best Papaya Plantation. We had a tour of the whole plantation on a Jeep/bus and a tasty jerk chicken lunch. Our whole family enjoyed it. 

Bonus: the ride to the plantation on the tourist bus allowed us to see the “real Jamaica” beyond the touristy docks.

3. Hug an Alaskan tree—just make sure there isn’t a bear cub in it!

Just a few months before the cruise, I traveled to Alaska with my husband, toddler daughter, and co-author to research for our book Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska. 

Make sure you visit: Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau. The glacier was beautiful, but even more exciting were the bears! There was a large bear trying to catch salmon in the creek and a small bear up in a tree. We learned from the park ranger that that’s where the little ones go to eat their stolen salmon. Otherwise the big bears steal it back. 

Bonus (or not): Alaska is stinkier in person than the photos suggest. The rotting salmon the bears leave behind can be overwhelming!

Marvelous Museums of Knoxville, TN – Part 3

Knoxville, Tennessee, offers a wealth of venues for history buffs, which was an added bonus on our recent visit with relatives. We had taken in the Museum of Appalachia and the American Museum of Science & Energy, and next on the list was the Museum of East Tennessee History. We were interested in learning more about the people that wove the fabric of this beautiful place, from the the Cherokee Indians to the civil rights proponents.

 

My daughter dubbed the first exhibit as her favorite. The bright and interesting streetscape entrance included a corner drug store, soda fountain, and an actual restored streetcar from the early 1900′s, all of which you could enter and explore. The large collection of period goods and medicines invited close and leisurely examination, and we regularly would call out to one another to admire yet another found treasure. 

 

Once into the main area, the displays led us chronologically through the state’s history via a wealth of photos, artifacts, life-size models and much more. The temporary exhibit of the War of 1812 was declared tops by Andy—our Civil War enthusiast—for its depth of information on the places, participants and provocations involved in the conflict. He was pleased to see this period highlighted, for the very reason the museum stated: The importance of the War of 1812 in forging the future of the young United States is almost impossible to calculate. . .(it) remains one of the least understood and least remembered conflicts in American history. 

 

My husband’s heart was tugged by the common thread of American ingenuity, independent spirit, resourcefulness, solid character and basic grit he saw in Tennesseans, especially as they struggled through the highly divisive and destructive Civil War. The videos coupled with the personal and professional relics provided a fresh perspective on the thousands of families whose lives were forever changed because of this war.

 

The Myth of the Hillbilly display took top prize for me. I had no idea that writers, governments and even mission schools created and perpetuated the myth of local people as “hillbillies” to peddle stories, gain support and sell goods. The assortment of manufactured merchandise—hillbilly dictionary, Mountain Dew, recipe for Kickapoo Joy Juice, and much more—are a wry testament to the stereotype that continues to this day.

 

At visit’s end, we were delighted with the wide array of interesting exhibits, and the pleasant, well-lit and effortlessly navigable space they occupied. It’s convenient downtown location, along with free family Sundays made this yet another marvelous museum for our own collection, and I recommend it for yours, too!

Marvelous Museums of Knoxville, TN – Part 1

East Tennessee boasts a long and rich history of events both tragic and triumphant, from the infamous Cherokee Trail of Tears to the once-secret, now famous city of Oak Ridge. Our family has been interested in learning about these events and more, so we were excited to visit museums during our recent trip to the Knoxville area.

First up was The Museum of Appalachia—a re-creation of an authentic mountain village—just a short drive to Clinton from our hotel. Once on the grounds of the picturesque 63-acre property, you have access to more than thirty historical log buildings, including a saddle shop, smokehouse, cantilever barn, chapel, and the Mark Twain family cabin from Possum Trot.

As you meander around the farm, be prepared to be surprised at the small spaces they called home and the simple implements and supplies they possessed. Take time to marvel at the multiple exhibits including thousands of handcrafted, everyday objects and tools that eased their hardscrabble lives. Slow down to read the informational signs, and take note of the unique vocabulary, including words like jackstraws, whopperjawed, and upping blocks.

Peruse the old, handwritten letters, and learn the sorrowful message of those edged in black. Expect to be delighted at the expansive music section, with its wide assortment of photos, writings and memorabilia harking back to the origins of country music, the eclectic collection of stringed instruments, as well as the general store shelves full of popular products of old, and extensive amount of American Indian artifacts.

When you have finished exploring, the self-guided tour will return you to the gift shop where you began. Set aside time to leisurely roam the store, as there is much to see, smell and taste in their stock of delightful gifts, informative books, and whimsical toys. If you are hungry for some home-style Southern food, make a point to schedule your trip to coincide with lunch. You can visit the café, sit at a table overlooking the grounds, and enjoy free Wi-Fi as well. When you are done with your meal, indulge in one of their famously tempting desserts!

We gave this museum a big thumbs up and could have spent even more time here. The property was well-organized and clean, artifacts well-displayed, information was interesting and illuminating, and the folks were very friendly and helpful. Be sure to visit this treasure trove of history, and as they say at the museum, let the Appalachian past touch your soul!

Have you been here? What did you like best?

Marvelous Museums Part 2 coming soon: American Museum of Science and Energy-It’s more than electrifying!

 

May you find happiness wherever you are! Kim @ Too Darn Happy

 

The Write Way to Travel Pt 3

Here are a few dos and don’ts before your big trip!

Do try a few Czech words with servers:

Hello = Ahoj (pronouced like a sailor’s ahoy!)

Good = Dobře

Thank you = Děkuji

Don’t expect Czech desserts to be overly sweet. They use far less sugar than American recipes. (Yes, that means you can have two pieces of cake.)

Do try eating the Czech way with your fork in your left hand and knife in your right hand.

Don’t turn up your nose at anything you’re offered at a Czech home, but only take what you can eat.

Do expect your bread to be freshly baked that morning.

Don’t expect refills on your drinks.

Do ask for vegetarian options if you’re in a tourist area.

Don’t expect a lot of vegetables with your meals. Most items on a Czech menu are heavy on meat and starch.

Do pick up some reading material about Prague, to read while you sit an espresso at a sidewalk cafe. I recommend my novel Night Song, set there during World War II.

Don’t get offended if you’re asked to share a table with people you don’t know. It’s not uncommon.

Do expect lunch meats, salami, cheese, rolls, plain yoghurt, boiled eggs and cucumbers for breakfast. No pancakes and waffles there.

Don’t let your 2-year-old eat the gold filigree in the cathedral, even if it looks like pizza.

Don’t let the name Smazeny syr stop you from eating it. Fried cheese with tarter sauce is a treat—a family favorite and a perfectly acceptable dinner, too!

Do try Czech spa wafers and Czech gingerbread—both are popular in their country and delicious!

Do let me know what you love eating in The Czech Republic!

The Write Way to Travel Pt 2

Travel tips for eating in Prague, The Czech Republic

My first meal in the Czech Republic was in 2000. I was there with two author friends Anne de Graaf and Cindy Martinusen Coloma. We were researching for novels. (Wait, let me take that back.) They were researching for novels. I was along for the ride. Little did I know as I ate Czech goulash that the next day God would drop the idea for my first novel From Dust and Ashes into my lap.

We sat outside, just a spoon’s throw from the Prague astronomical clock and I couldn’t believe I was there, enjoying this view with two friends. The night was quiet and the food was amazing. We probably picked one of the most expensive places to eat, but it was worth the memory! (Besides in 2000 the exchange rate was great!)

I’ve picked up a few pointers about eating in Prague since then. I thought I’d share them with you:

1. If you can help it, don’t eat near the major tourist attractions. A bottled soda near St. Vitus Cathedral cost us $6.00. A nice dinner in Old Town Square will be four times as much as a meal just a few blocks away.
2. Dumplings are one of the mainstay of Czech cuisine. You will find them on every menu. They are either wheat or potato based. A traditional Czech meal consists of dumplings, meat (pork or beef), and cabbage.
3. For dessert also try sweet, fruit dumplings or apple strudel
4. Try the ice cream! Zmrzlina is delicious. It’s Italian style and comes in a variety of flavors. The scoops are small, so try a few. As with the meals, the farther you go from the tourist attractions, the cheaper your zmrzlina is.
5. Unlike American restaurants you do have to pay for extras like bread at your table or ketchup at McDonalds. If you don’t want the bread send it away before the basket is set down and they won’t charge you.
6. Most restaurants do not serve tap water. Bottled water comes with gas (mineral) or no gas. Usually soda is cheaper. Beer is the cheapest. (Of course, I’m not a beer drinker.)
7. America sodas may be on the menu, but they come in small bottles and they taste slightly different. You cannot take the bottles for a souvenir!
8. Restaurants do not serve drinks with ice. The only place you’ll find ice is at American fast-food places like McDonalds or KFC. (Which are both popular there.)
9. Also unlike in America, servers do not depend on tips for their income. In tourist areas servers might hope for an “American” tip, but for the Czechs common tipping includes rounding up the amount to the nearest 5 or 10 crowns. Over tipping is considered prideful or showy.
10. In restaurants near tourist destinations most waitstaff speak English or there are photographs of the food. Also most places have English menus although the grammar might be interesting. (Pointing at the menu works, too.)
11. Czech waitstaff may seem dour, but Czechs overall don’t smile as much as Americans—don’t be offended.
12. Credit cards are accepted in restaurants near top tourist destinations, but if you’re beyond that expect to use cash.
13. Czechs are reserved in restaurants. It is easy to spot Americans … they’re the loud ones in the establishment! Try to be quiet.
14. Expect a meal to take time. Americans are used to getting in and getting out, but in Europe the fellowship with the others at the table is as important as the food. Don’t be in a rush.

Have you eaten in the Czech Republic? What have you learned?

The Write Way to Travel Part 1

One of my favorite places in the world is Prague, Czech Republic. I’ve visited five times—the first time, in October 2000, I was there with two friends as we research for the books we were writing. The last time I was there was August 2012. (And I’m already scheming of when I can go back!)

Last summer, in Prague, I figured out that the only thing that makes me happier than embarking on a new place with a fold-up map and guidebook is revisiting places off-the-beaten path that have special memories for me. A have a few places in Prague that feel like they’re “mine” even though they’re a gazillion miles away. Even though they’re only “mine” once or twice every few years.

We discovered At the Red Peacock during a mission trip in 2009. We were traveling around with a dozen teenagers, and at every restaurant we stopped to consider someone was displeased with the menu. (They post their menus in the windows for you to check it out.) As we continued on through the cobblestone streets, our hunger grew. Finally, my husband finally declared, “We’re going to eat a the next restaurant we see!”

Now, let me set up the situation: We were walking along side roads/allies a few blocks from Old Town Square. We were heading away from the crowds … and all the decent looking restaurants. I was getting more worried by the minute that we were heading into the wrong part of town.

Then, as we stood at a crossroads of two alleys, an oriental lady beckoned to us, calling from the entrance to an even smaller alley. “Come, come. Good authentic, Czech food. Low, low prices!” she declared in a thick accent. And my husband approached her!

With a set of his jaw, he looked at the menu and then directed everyone to join him down the alley! I thought he was joking, but no.

I was prepared to be jumped, but instead the woman led us to a small restaurant. No more than a window and a door that could be seen from the street. Inside, one couple sat in a front area, but the rest of the place was empty. An older waiter stood at the bar and eyed us. The place looked like a front for the Czech mafia or something—right out of the movies.

With not as much as a smile, the waiter led us loud Americans to a side room where we filled two tables. Amazingly, the prices were less than half the price as those in Old Town Square—just a few blocks away. The portions were large and yummy. Needless to say, this is our dining destination any time we’re near Old Time Square. (And we’ve been known to eat there two nights in a row.)

In addition to the great food, there was also a fascinating history behind the Red Peacock. It turns out that it used to be a famous brothel in Prague. The story on the front of the menu states that famous men were seen going “upstairs” numerous times a night. I tried not to think of that while I was eating my pork and dumplings! I’ve also eaten the Svíčková na smetaně, marinated sirloin served with dumplings and cream. And the schnitzel is wonderful … and huge! (I’m getting hungry as I write this.)

The restaurant looks like what you’d except with heavy wood furniture and a “medieval pub” theme without even trying for it. Another thing to note, in the Czech Republic, they do not have the same public access concerns as we do. There is no handicap access to most places. In the Red Peacock, the stairway to the bathrooms was as steep and narrow as any I’ve walked down. They’d be outlawed in the states.

But if you’re looking for great food, at a good price just a few block from Old Town Square I highly recommend it. And if you want to take me along to be your tour guide, I won’t turn it down! (I hope you don’t mind my hubby and kids trailing along. They happen to love Prague as much as I do.)

5 Tips to Travel Well as a Couple

Traveling as a couple can be tricky – but with a little planning your experience can be terrific. You just need a few simple tips to travel well as a couple.

My husband and I began our relationship thirty-four years ago while traveling 18 hours on a bus. Since then we’ve traveled coast to coast in Canada and the United States and are currently on the road full-time with our truck and a fifth-wheel trailer.

Yes, we have some perspective on the whole “being together 24/7″ and making a relationship work well while dealing with constant change.

5 Tips to Travel Well as a Couple

We’ve learned these tips will work whether your mode of travel is back-packing, by car, train, plane or camel; they’re about meeting your spouse’s needs when nothing is familiar and everything feels like a challenge.

1. Food and Water

It might seem elementary, but enjoying every moment can depend on having food and water readily available. Does your spouse grow short-tempered when he is hungry? What about being able to think clearly? Keeping blood sugar at an optimum level helps couples deal with the unexpected. And when you’re traveling, you can guarantee the unexpected! 

Avoid sugar. Keep balanced protein and carbohydrate options available, and lots of water and you’ll see how much easier it is to communicate. It’s amazing what a bit of healthy food and water will do for a relationship in transit!

2. Sleep

Being tired while traveling is torture. Build in time for a few naps while you are moving from one place to another. Your judgement and decision-making ability will be enhanced when you’ve had enough sleep. Use each other as a pillow – get close and snuggle for a fifteen-minute snooze. Bring along a blanket to spread out on grass, sand or a bench and grab some Z-zzzs. Being rested is a gift you can give each other.

3. Recharge: Time Alone or Time with Others

Maybe it’s an oxymoron to work in some quiet or alone-time when you’re traveling, but some spouses need time to recharge away from people – even you! Be sensitive to your spouse’s (and your) ways of dealing with new experiences. As exciting and exhilarating as travel can be, we all need to recharge.

If you or your spouse recharge when with people, then arrange time to do that too. It’s an introvert/extrovert thing. Know your spouse well enough to meet their need to recharge – you’ll enjoy your new experiences so much more that way.

4. Encourage Your Spouse to Stretch

Make it easy for your spouse to try new things. Understand their fears, affirm their strengths, and invite your spouse to expand out of their comfort zone. Be a support. Provide all the information needed so there’s no (or few) surprises. Traveling well as a couple enables you to learn and grow – together.

5. Be Open to Change

Make a commitment before you begin to travel, that you both have the latitude to change your mind about an opportunity or situation. You both have veto power. Keep in mind that the travel is secondary – your relationship is first.

Communication is Key (Bonus)

Traveling well as a couple is as much about how you embrace the issues, as it is about the moments of joy. Communicating more is where the difference lies. When everything is a new experience – bed, food, smells, sounds, people, etc. – your spouse needs more from you.

Robert and I are still learning – especially in this new season of constant travel. Have you used any of these 5 tips as you’ve traveled? Do you have any to add?

Leave a comment – I’d love to know your ideas!