Before you jet off for summer vacation this year, how about thinking about your health?

Of course, we never expect to get sick or injured on a great vacation, but it happens. Jim and I have watched a man have a heart attack while snorkeling in Mexico, and I got sick on our trip to Amsterdam. We have a family member who had a relative go on a cruise and pass away in a foreign port. Before you leave town, call up your health insurance provider and make sure your
affordable health insurance has some provision for incidents that occur away from home. Find out what your coverage offers you, and what you need to know to file a claim. It’s much easier to grab the needed forms or documentation while you’re still ON vacation if you get sick or are injured, right?

You may be pleasantly surprised as well. Just because you’ve got cheap health insurance doesn’t mean it doesn’t provide coverage. My own provider gives me a discount on out of network and emergency visits, and yours may very well do the same.

I traveled on Northwest Airlines last year from Tampa to Detroit to visit Canada. I guess I signed up for their newsletter when I bought my tickets, because I found this in my inbox this morning:

As a valued Northwest Airlines customer and WorldPerks® member, I wanted you to be among the first to hear that we have announced a merger with Delta Air Lines. Subject to regulatory review, our two airlines are joining forces to create America’s premier global airline which, upon closing of the merger, will be called Delta Air Lines.

By combining Northwest and Delta, we are building a stronger, more resilient airline that will be a leader in providing customer service and value. Our combined airline will offer unprecedented access to the world, enabling you to fly to more destinations, have more flight choices and more ways than ever to earn and redeem your WorldPerks miles.

You can be assured that your WorldPerks miles and Elite program status will be unaffected by this merger. In addition, you can continue to earn miles through use of partners like WorldPerks Visa®. And once the new Delta Air Lines emerges you can look forward to being a part of the world’s largest frequent flyer program with expanded benefits.

The combined Delta Air Lines will serve more U.S. communities and connect to more worldwide destinations than any global airline. Our hubs – both Delta’s and Northwest’s – will be retained and enhanced. We will be the only U.S. airline to offer direct service from the United States to all of the world’s major business centers in Asia, Latin America, Europe, Africa and around North America.

Both airlines bring tremendous strengths to this new partnership. Our complementary service networks form an end-to-end system that is truly greater than the sum of its parts. This is a merger by addition, not subtraction, which means all of our hubs – both Northwest’s and Delta’s – will be retained. In addition, building on both airlines’ proud, decades-long history of serving small communities, we plan to enhance global connections to small towns and cities across the U.S.

All of these positive benefits of our combination mean that we can:

• Offer a true global network where our customers will be able to fly to more destinations, have more schedule options and more opportunities to earn and redeem frequent flyer miles in what will become the world’s best and most comprehensive frequent flyer program.
• Continue to serve our current roster of destinations and to maintain our hubs in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York, Salt Lake City, Amsterdam and Tokyo.
• Improve our customers’ travel experience, through new products and services including enhanced self-service tools, better bag-tracking technology, more onboard services, including more meal options, new seats and refurbished cabins.

While we work to secure approval of our merger, which may take up to 6 to 8 months, it will be business-as-usual at both airlines. We will continue to operate as independent airlines and the people of Northwest will remain focused on providing you with the very best in safe, reliable and convenient air travel. At the same time, both airlines will be planning for a seamless integration of our two airlines, one that delivers to you the enhanced benefits that will earn – and retain – your preference.

As we work through this process, we will keep you informed at every step along the way. Thank you for your business and we look forward to serving you on your next Northwest flight.

Sincerely,

Bob Soukup
Managing Director, WorldPerks

If you’re writing off business expenses (that you have NOT been reimbursed for by your employer, of course) this year, don’t forget about your travel expenses! I just dug the receipts out for my airfare and hotel in Las Vegas out of my laptop bag…I knew there was a good reason for saving those things. I wouldn’t have been in Las Vegas if not for the PayPerPost / Blog Expo conferences, which is related to my blogging income, and therefore, tax deductible. My total for airfare was $507.70, and my hotel was $843. Of course, I’m only deducting the things I have receipts for, which means all of the food I bought related to the trip won’t be going onto my taxes. I didn’t think to save any of those receipts.

Travel expenses related to charity work are also deductible. I not only donated money to the 3-Day for Breast Cancer last year, I walked in it as well. I had hotel expenses related to the walk (we paid for a hotel when our campsite was rained out, rather than sleeping on the concrete floor of a stinky, loud parking garage) and I can deduct the cost of the hotel under the charity section of Turbo Tax.

My trip to Amsterdam was AMAZING, and while I’ve not posted much of a recap about our journey, I do have pictures on Flickr, and quite the lengthy recap of our visit to the Anne Frank House on my other blog, Simple Kind Of Life. In the past 7 months, I’ve seen a lot of amazing things - natural wonders like Niagara Falls and the Grand Canyon, and historic sites like the Anne Frank House and Old Montreal. Without a doubt, walking through the Anne Frank house was the single most moving experience in all of my travels, past and present!

I’m going on a trip next week - can you guess where I’m headed? I’m making it easy by giving you a clue each day to help you figure out where I’m going. This is the 6th clue:

The city I’m going to was founded in the 12th century!

If you can guess where I’m headed, you can win a Travelocity gift card! And don’t worry, there are 5 other clues, and more coming each day to help you figure out where I’m headed. By the end of the Where In The World Is Colleen contest next week, it’ll be quite obvious where I’m headed.

I came across a fascinating account of a trip to North Korea this week online. An American Tourist in North Korea, 2007 gives a great deal of information about how North Korea wishes to be portrayed by those who visit, and the country has easily earned itself a spot on my “Places I Never Want To Visit” list. While the site is a bit lacking in pictures, the information presented is amazing. It’s very rare that American tourists are ever let into the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and when they are, the list of rules and regulations to follow is long. I don’t ever wish to visit a place where I could be arrested for folding a newspaper across a photo of Kim Jong-il, but reading about it was simply amazing.

Read the site, and be thankful to be living wherever you call home. Things could be much worse.

What was that I just said about a low key trip to the mountains in January?

Scratch that. A whole new vacation just came up out of thin air - one that involves NO children, and rescheduling our mountain plans for a later date. And, Jim and I will get to break in our new passports! I’m keeping mum until everything is booked and set, which I plan to do today.

If you’re spending thousands of dollars on your dream vacation, it makes sense to spend a few extra dollars on insurance to protect you, especially if you’re traveling outside of your home country. What would happen to you if you injured yourself on that trek through the rain forest in Belize? What would happen if you feel ill in Prague? Do you think the local doctors are covered under your regular insurance? I don’t think Blue Cross Blue Shield has that far of a reach!

I’ve seen people get sick on trips and end up paying BIG bucks for medical care they received. There was the guy on our cruise who had heart issues while snorkling, and the family member who fell ill in Panama. Getting sick in another country equals big bills for you - can you imagine the bills if your insurance company only covered 50% of your claim…or nothing at all?

Travel medical insurance can cost you as little as $1 a day, and the cost is well worth the coverage you’ll get. Maybe nothing will happen on your trip…but peace of mind is worth the money. For a FREE Quote, click here, and let your next trip only cost you the cash for airfare, hotel, and food - not a hospital bed.

When you return home from a trip, are you the kind who gets everything cleaned and put away neatly? Or do the remnants of your vacation live on…in your bedroom and bathroom? I’m the latter, and it’s been a few weeks since my trip to Las Vegas, but I still haven’t put everything away! My travel cosmetics case is still out on the bathroom counter, and I’ve got a bag of S.W.A.G from the blog expo I attended in the corner of my bedroom. I’m not sure why I’m keeping it…do I really need my name tag and the bracelet I wore to get into the private party I attended?

I think not.

One of my favorite things to do when I visit a new city is to take a tour of the city, by someone who knows it a lot better than I do. I’ve taken tours in London, Paris, Dublin, New York, Toronto, and Montreal, and all of them gave me a great overview of the cities, and a quick glimpse of things I wanted to go back and visit more.

Trusted Tours and Attractions is one such tour company, and they offer tours and discounted tickets to attractions in Key West, San Diego, and Savannah. Enjoy a discounted admission ticket to the famous San Diego Zoo, or a fun Old Town Trolley tour. I love this type of tour, which allows you to hop on and hop off at 8 destinations. It’s like having a private driver to take you to all of the highlights of the city, but you get to see everything on YOUR schedule. The Old Town Trolley tour in San Diego stops at:

• Old Town
• Seaport Village
• Balboa Park
• Horton Plaza
• Coronado
• San Diego Zoo

If we went to San Diego, we’d have to pick a tour or tickets that included a stop at San Diego Legoland - my son wouldn’t have it any other way!

Right now, you can enter to win 4 free tickets to tours in the city of YOUR choice, just by signing up for the Trusted Tours and Attractions e-newsletter. Sign up by Friday, December 14th, 2007, because that’s when this contest official ends!

I’ve flown a LOT this year. In June we were off to Canada (via the Detroit airport), in July it was Pittsburgh, in September it was Boston, and with November came a trip to Las Vegas. I had a trip to New York City in the works for next week, but it never came together, and I’m honestly thrilled. I love traveling, until I take one too many trips, and I’ve officially reached my travel limit for the year. I could never travel for work and be on the go constantly.

And with that said, our next trip is in January. However, we’re not flying, and we’re spending a relaxing week in the mountains. Very low key.

Growing up in a small town founded by Greek fisherman and spongers, I saw a lot of things that most people in suburbia don’t. It wasn’t uncommon to see lambs tied up in the yards of homes before Easter, because they’d become the centerpiece of a traditional Greek Easter meal. I know all about Epiphany, because it’s a huge event in my hometown, with young men jumping into the waters of the bayou to retrieve a blessed cross. I visited stores where fresh Greek bread and cookies were sold, and old Greek men smoked from a Hookah, or Arghile in the corner of the store.

If you have the opportunity to travel to the Middle East, or a place like Greece, you will no doubt see people gathering around for some hookah smoking and socializing. Just like the British gather at neighborhood pubs, and Americans get together at sports bars, people in the Middle East gather to share stories of their day and relax with the hookah. It’s as common as drinking coffee is in the US! There are hookah cafes where you can select specialty tobacco and relax with a hookah, meet new people, and pass the time. Shisha tobacco flavors are as varied as coffee varieties, and you’ll even find fruit or dessert flavors.

The hookah is growing in popularity here in the US as well, and you can even buy a hookah online!

After a flight to Vegas last week that took over 5 hours, I’m rethinking my desire to go back to Europe. I had forgotten how painfully long flights could be! 4 hours into the flight, I had finished my book, exhausted my laptop battery, and my legs were cramping up from being crammed into such a small space. We were stuck in the very last row of the plane, thanks to Southwest’s cattle call boarding, and our seats didn’t recline. And, NO MOVIE!

What a contrast to the delightful flight I took on JetBlue!

(At least no one got kicked off the flight for wearing suggestive clothing!)

This summer we had the opportunity to take a family vacation to Canada. If you’ve been readin me since then, you already know that we flew into Detroit and rented a car. From there we drove to Toronto, then Montreal, and then to Niagara. The drive through Ontario on the first day was just fabulous - driving is absolutely the best way to see a new place. We navigated down the 401 through small towns, and once we hit Brampton, we knew we were getting close to Toronto. I’ve seen the town of Brampton on TV before, so I was funny for me to see it “in person”, too! The area, and Brampton real estate has been featured quite a bit on a show I watch on HGTV, due to the city’s proximity to Toronto. BramptonHouse.com is attempting to capitalize on Toronto being one of the largest cities in the world by offering great deals on real estate to those wishing to save money by moving to the suburbs. The site even offers real estate discounts for seniors, students & new immigrants, making it possible for anyone to buy a home and live the American Canadian dream.

In just two weeks, I’ll be in Las Vegas!

Originally, we planned to swing in a side trip to the Grand Canyon. Our plans have changed however, and the new plans require me to leave Vegas a bit earlier on Monday and head to California. That means no trip to Arizona for me! I’m a little bummed, since it would have been a great time to see the Canyon, but I guess this means we’ll need to plan another trip and take the kids, eh?

And trust me - the thing in California is JUST as exciting as the Grand Canyon, if not more so. The Grand Canyon will be there for years to come, but I’ve got a once in a lifetime opportunity to do something, and I’m taking my chance!

*Yes, I’m being extremely vague, but I don’t have a green light to talk about what I’ll be up to in Los Angeles!

As you all know, I’ve got this thing about visiting ALL 50 states at some point in my life. I’ve gone to quite a few so far, and added Massachusetts to my list last month. Next month, I’ll be adding Nevada. I haven’t been to Oregon though, and it’s someplace I’ve wanted to visit and see ever since I was 6 or 7 years old.

You may be wondering why a little girl would want to go to Oregon, when she doesn’t know a soul there. One word - Ramona. Did you ever read the Ramona Quimby series by Beverly Cleary? I did, and Ramon lived in Oregon, not far from Mt. Hood, on Klickitat Street. I just googled that street name to be sure I spelled it correctly, and learned that it’s a real street in Northeast Portland, Oregon. Not only did Ramona Quimby, and her sister Beatrice (aka Beezus) live on Klickitat Street, but it was home to Henry Huggins as well. There are statues of the characters in Grant Park. When I make it to Oregon, I will make it a point to visit the street and the park. Of course, I’m sure there’s much more to see in Oregon, so I’ll need to check into Oregon vacation rentals so I can take my sweet time exploring the area that I read about so often in Beverly Cleary’s books. With a family of 5, it’s so much nicer to stay in a rental home than a hotel, since it means we have a bed for everyone, privacy for mom and dad, and a kitchen to save on meals.

Hey, is Whopper Burger a real chain? That was Ramona’s favorite place to eat out with her family.

Now that my 3 day, 60 mile charity walk is behind me, I can begin looking forward to my next trip. In just a few weeks (two, in fact!) I’ll be heading off to Las Vegas, followed by a quick one night stop in Los Angeles. My injuries from the walk this weekend should be healed by then, so I’m looking forward to walking up and down the strip and seeing the sights. We’ll be meeting friends for dinner one night, and possibly doing breakfast with bloggers on another day, so there will be plenty of sitting down and socializing as well, in case my feet get tired.

Most importantly, I don’t have to sleep in a tent, like I did this weekend!

If you were to go off to Hawaii for a week, and needed to rent a car, wouldn’t you want to snag a snazzy convertible? Or a rugged Jeep Wrangler? Of course you would! You can’t fully enjoy a vacation in the islands without letting the top down so that the sun can hit your face, or going off roading in your 4 x 4. If you’re looking for a car rental, Hawaii has lots of choices, one of which is a company called HawaiiDrive-O.com…cute name, huh? They can hook you up with Maui car rentals, or transportation in Molokai, and you can select from a standard car, like a minivan or compact, or one of these Hawaii fun drives! Use the instant rate checker on their site to find the best deals from all of the top car rental companies in Hawaii.

(Hmm…I wonder if they have a car like the one Tom Selleck drove on Magnum, P.I.?)

I’m heading off for the 3-Day walk tonight. I just got done printing out the locations of all the cheering stations, complete with directions and maps to give to my husband. A lot of the places I’ll be walking by this weekend are familiar to me, and I know there are several stretches on the beach without shade. I hope we have decent weather for the journey! I don’t think walking 60 miles in this area will be quite as interesting as it was in Philadelphia. It’s hard to beat walking through downtown Philadelphia and seeing the old homes, churches, and historical sites.

I’m going to be making my 2nd trip to Arizona in just a month. I went to Phoenix in 1997, and when my husband and I go to Las Vegas next month, we’re planning a side trip to Arizona so that we can visit the Grand Canyon. Did you know that the Grand Canyon is 227 miles long, 1 mile deep, and has an average width of 10 miles? I can’t wait to see it in person. (I guess I need to look at Grand Canyon hotels!) I only wish the kids were going to be with us, but that means we’ll just have to plan another trip someday. The sun shines in southern Arizona 85% of the time, so no matter when you plan a trip there, you’re practically guaranteed a sunny day!

Speaking of interesting facts about Arizona, did you know that the state never adopted Daylight Savings Time. I hope that doesn’t mess with my head when we’re traveling. Nevada is in the pacific time zone, and Arizona is in mountain time - add in that one state follows Daylight Savings Time and the other doesn’t - sounds like a recipe for disaster, doesn’t it? LOL! I can just see us being late getting back to the airport in Las Vegas due to the time change!