All Posts in "Lifestyle, Home, Adventures"

It is the beginning of a new year with new hopes, dreams and adventures. Trump hopes and dreams of his wall. I dream of the house I am wanting to start building. Colin O’Brady is thankful that his Antarctic is over and he has accomplished something that others can only dream about

Taking a cue from Colin O’Brady, you can achieve a small part of his, and possibly your, dream. We have group space on Princess Cruises sailing out of Santiago  Chili on a 16 day cruise ending in Buenos Aires, Argentina, starting on Jan. 5, 2020.  We already have a nice start to this group and hope that you will find this adventure exciting. It is rare when one of the South America cruises actually goes to Antarctica.  This one spends four days cruising the area, with a naturalist on-board teaching us about this mystic land. Other stops include Punta Arenas, Ushuaia, Cape Horn, the Falkland Islands and Montevideo.  Space is very limited so don’t wait long to sign up. There are a male and a female looking for roommates if you are interested

A little closer to home, a nice group has come together to sail out of Seattle on the Norwegian Bliss on a seven-days Alaska cruise starting Aug. 18, with stops in Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Ketchikan and Victoria before returning to Seattle. This is the latest ship in the NCL line with all the latest innovations in cruising.

Want to add another river to your list of “I have done that?” How about the Nile? Collette Tours has a Treasures of Egypt trip May 1-13 which just might be calling you. See the Giza, Pyramids, Sphinx, the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, the Valley of the Kings, and take a four-night Nile River cruise.

Another Collette Tour goes to this year’s latest tourist destination. Fly out of Seattle to Reykjavik, Iceland.  We are holding space for July 14-22.  Take time to explore this country of “Fire and Ice.” See steaming lava fields and massive glaciers. Travel the stunning Golden Circle and stop at the famous thermal area of Geysir.

Rather do something much closer to home? Then check out the Harness Races in Canada, the tulip fields of La Conner, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center.

For reservations or further information, contact Linda Finch at 253-927-8207 or get on the e-mail list at linda.finch@gmail.com

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srmedia by — February 22, 2019 in Lifestyle, Home, Adventures
Packing your own snacks makes ‘plane’ sense

Air travel is now notoriously lacking in tasty onboard snacks, save for a few peanuts often drenched in sugar. Packing some satisfying snacks with good fats and proteins is the trick to battling in-flight munchies. Olives, roasted seeds and nuts, crunchy carrot sticks and a few squares of cheese can be lifesavers.

Here’s some more advice from travel experts:

  • Sandwiches, wraps, and salads are easy to carry and eat on an airplane. Be sure to carry them in secure containers.
  • Dried fruit is easily portable. So are bananas, oranges, tangerines, grapes, and apples.
  • Raw vegetables, dips, hummus, and guacamole are available in travel-size containers.
  • If you are traveling abroad, be sure to eat or discard all meat, vegetables, and fruits before you land. Most countries restrict imports of such food, so you won’t be allowed to take them past the customs checkpoint.

Airlines and the federal Transportation Security Administration (tsa.gov) have information on what food (and how) passengers are allowed to take food onto planes.

srmedia by — February 1, 2019 in Lifestyle, Home, Adventures

Maybe you’re one of those people who worked hard all your life, and didn’t take – or have– the time to travel and see this wonderful world of ours. And now in retirement, you find yourself with lots of time and itching to travel, but don’t know where to get started.

The good news is, travel is so easy today. There are many, many options available now to suit whatever you envision for your next travel experience. Whether you enjoy wine tasting or want to try bungee jumping, those options are available. You can choose anything from local events to around-the-world cruises. You might want to experience white water rafting, hiking, or spelunking—if you like exploring underground. There is a world of adventure just waiting for you.

My early interest in travel and languages led me to take an opportunity to live and study in Europe for a year—best year ever. I loved meeting people in other countries and learning at least a few words of their languages. I’m older now, and the love of traveling around our own United States and revisiting locations, friends and acquaintances still hold its charm for me.

Here are five easy tips to keep in mind if you are a new traveler:

  1. Take advantage of your flexibility, and travel during non-peak periods. Costs are usually less for everything from flights and accommodations, to entrance fees and attractions. And, there are fewer crowds.
  • Use any discounts you qualify for. One of the perks of being a senior citizen is the wide range of travel discounts that are now available to you.
  • Go for longer visits. Spend more time at your destination. Plan to see just one city, or one country, and experience it thoroughly. That’s the best way to soak in the local flavor.
  • Let someone else do the booking. Many travelers appreciate someone else making the arrangements, and group travel provides security for solo travelers or if you aren’t confident about planning all the details on your own. It eliminates worries about finding transportation, missing an important site, or not speaking the language.
  • Day tours are your friend. If you prefer to go it alone and have any concerns about getting around or being able to visit popular sites, look for day tours with reliable companies, especially those offering front-of-the-line access or other methods for avoiding the crowds.

Seek out new experiences. Wherever you go, you will make new friends and create a storehouse of happy memories.

Joan Lacy is the author of “A Shadow Away” (www.joanklacy.com), the first novel in the Alex Cort Adventures series.

Contributing Author by — January 15, 2019 in Lifestyle, Home, Adventures

The White Pass Scenic Byway in south central Washington stretches 124 miles, beginning at Mary’s Corner (three miles east of I-5 at Exit 68) and the intersection of U.S. 12 and State Route 410 at Naches. The west portal to the byway is near Centralia and Chehalis, and the east portal is near Yakima.

The byway passes through small communities, river valleys, foothills and alpine country that are home to agricultural land, forests, state parks, the Gifford Pinchot and Okanogan-Wenatchee national forests, Mount Rainier National Park, Mt. St. Helens National Monument and Mount Adams Wilderness Area.

More information about the bypass, including things to see and do at various times of the year,

Alpine lakes with Mount Rainier as a backdrop are among the vistas along the White Pass Scenic Byway.

is at whitepassbyway.com. 

srmedia by — December 26, 2018 in Lifestyle, Home, Adventures