RULES OF THE ROAD:
Color coordinate your wardrobe so all your clothes go with each other. Take accessories like scarves and pins that can dress up an outfit. Roll your clothes rather than folding them, so you can get more in a smaller bag. Since a purse or a briefcase is usually not counted as part of your carry-on baggage take a large one to put extra items in. Pack a collapsible bag for purchases on the trip. Even if you do have to check one bag coming back, it's only one fee. Also, if you are going to make some purchases on the trip, pack items -- clothes, shoes, etc. -- that you might be ready to give away and leave them behind.
There are some exceptions to the baggage fee rules, so always check with your airline before you fly.
Since I do always carry food with me, if there's a refridgerator in the room stocked with hotel/cabin goodies, I take them out and give them to a member of the staff to make room for my goodies. Here are a few other tips that should help you on your journey:
1. Never put your address on the luggage tag on the outside of your suitcase.
Just put your business card with your name and phone number. Always put your information in your suitcase in a safe, hidden place.
-- Dorothy Brunswick, New York City
2. Always make photocopies of your passport and credit cards (back included).
Give a copy to a friend at home and another copy to your traveling companion in case your documents are lost or stolen on the trip. Also carry around a copy of your passport to use when completing forms; laminate it to prevent wear and tear. Better yet, scan all your important documents including airline, train, bus tickets and hotel confirmations into your computer and send them to yourself. Then if they're lost or stolen, you can also print them out in color.
3. When traveling, always program into your cell phone the emergency number(s) of the countries you are visiting, which are usually listed in the local telephone directory.
Those numbers are used to call the police, fire or medical/ambulance services. In some areas of the U.S. the number is 311, in others it's 911. If you're using a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) mobile phone, the international emergency telephone number is 112. In the European Union countries, 112 is the emergency telephone number for both mobile and fixed-line telephones in addition to their individual numbers.
For a list of emergency numbers worldwide, click here
4. Remember the 3-1-1 rule!
3-1-1 for carry-ons = 3 ounce bottle or less (by volume); 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip top bag; 1 bag per passanger placed in screening bin.
The Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) in the United States implemented the 3-1-1 policy as a security measure for airline travel in response to the thwarted liquid explosive bomb plot in the United Kingdom in August of 2006. In addition to the United States, the following countries also follow these guidelines for bringing liquids with you in carry-on luggage on an airline: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, China, Cook Islands, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Marshall Islands, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Phillipines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
Other tips from the TSA include: Consolidate bottles into one bag and X-ray separately to speed screening. And declare larger liquids. Medications, baby formula and food, breast milk, and juice are allowed in reasonable quantities exceeding three ounces and are not required to be in the zip-top bag. Declare these items for inspection at the checkpoint.
For more information, visit The Official TSA website
5. Don't get sick when you can easily avoid it!
If you're in a country where you need to drink bottled water, always remember to use that water to brush your teeth as well. And when you're in the shower, close your mouth!
6. Make sure the first photo you take of every new place is one with a sign with the name of the place.
If you're going to a lot of places and taking a lot of photographs, this will help you remember what landmark is in what town when you get back. Always carry post-it notes with you so that you can make your own sign and stick it on a tree or a building.
7. Before you go to a new country, learn as much as you can about it.
Learning about the culture, the customs, the people and a few key words in the language can make a big difference. For example, in Greece it's important to kow that "Ney" means "Yes", a fact which could get you into a lot of trouble. I speak from personal experience!
By the way, "OHkee" means "No."
Also, get out the maps to see where your hotel is located -- near the historic, center, monuments, markets, how far it is to that charming restaurant your cousin told you about, great shopping, etc.
8. Dodge extra costs!
When Michael and I were in Italy for two months last year, I got the toll-free numbers for my credit cards in Italy, so I could pay by phone. That way I didn't incur any interest charges or higher interest rates, if I missed a payment.
9. Bubble wrap can save the day
I always travel with bubble wrap, which you can lay flat in your suitcase. Then, when you find that fabulous, ceramic bowl that costs about $5 in Morocco, you don't have to run around playing charades trying to describe the "wonderful packing material with little bubbles". I also always pack one empty bag that folds up for those "most have" bargains.
10. Take the path less traveled
If you want to get a sense of how people really live in a city or town, get out of the "tourist bubble" and stay in a hotel or apartment in a residential neighborhood rather than in the center of the city. We can see people going about their daily routines and you can visit the local pub or restaurant and talk with people and find out where the "hot spots" and local attractions that may not be in the guide book.
-- Eleanora Odes, New York City
11. Don't let the weight bring you down
Airlines are getting much stricter when it comes to how much luggage you can check on a flight for free. Not only may they charge you for excess weight (most have a 50lbs limit) but also for the amount of bags you have. Be sure to check with your carrier before you take a flight as the regulations do change.
12. Explore the local cuisine
When I travel I always take a trip to a local supermarket -- or better yet an outdoor market -- to pick up local food for picnics, dinners in my room or on the roof of the hotel (as my friends and I did in Rome). I also get souvenirs for my "foodie" friends back home.
13. Prepare for Mother Nature
Check out the weather in your next destination by going online to a site such as weather.com
14. Research Your Homeland!
Michael loves to visit cemeteries when we travel to learn about the culture and history of a city. If you're traveling back to "the old country", do some research beforehand to see if you can visit the graves of some of your relatives.
15. Follow your bliss!
Let your interests shape your trips. If you're a hang glider, tap dancer, wine buff, check out local clubs on the Web before you leave. That way you make new friends who share your passion wherever you go.
16. Alumni and Fraternal Organizations
When you're booking your next trip be sure to check out your alumni organizations and any fraternal organizations you belong to, such as the Rotary Club, Lions Club, etc. to see whether they have negotiated rates for hotels, transportation and car rentals.
17. Serve Up Local Cuisine
Learn to cook local dishes when you travel and then serve them when you have friends over for a "show and tell" of your latest travel adventure.
If you have any tips to contribute to this list, feel free to email them to info@letstravelradio.com
STREET SMARTS:
The 2010 Winter Olympics will be held February 12-28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the resort town of Whistler nearby. They are the third Olympic Games hosted by Canada, and the first by the province of British Columbia. Previously, Canada was home to the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. The 2010 Games will also be the first—Winter or Summer—to have an Opening Ceremony held indoors. Vancouver, which will be the most populous city ever to hold the Winter Games, will also be the warmest: in February, when the Games will be held, Vancouver has an average temperature of 4.8 °C (40.6 °F).
OTHER RECENT DYK TOPICS:
spends more time eating and sleeping than any other highly developed country, according to a report published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development? The French sleep an average of nine hours a night and spend more than two hours a day eating.
is the world's highest waterfall at 979 m (3,212 ft), with a clear drop of 807 m (2,647 ft). It is located in the Canaima National Park, in the Gran Sabana region of Bolivar State, Venezuela. The height of the falls is so great that before getting anywhere near the ground, the water is vaporized by the strong winds and turned into mist. The base of the falls feeds into the Kerep river (alternately known as the Rio Gauya) which flows into the Churun River, a tributary of the Carrao River. In the indigenous Pemon language Angel Falls is called Kerepakupai merú meaning "waterfall of the deepest place".
The falls are sometimes referred to as Churun-meru, an error, since that name corresponds to another waterfall in the Canaima National Park. Churun in the Pemon language means "thunder". |
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(also known as Congestion charges) is a concept from market economy regarding the use of pricing mechanisms to charge the users of public goods for the negative externalities generated by the peak demand in excess of available supply. Its economic rationale relies upon the assumption that it is consumer over-demand, rather than provider under-supply, that is responsible for the resource allocation problem.
Usually this means increasing prices during certain periods of time or at the places where congestion occurs; or introducing a new usage tax or charge when peak demand exceeds available supply in the case of a tax-funded public good perceived by most users to be supplied for free.
Milan, London, Stockholm and Singapore all have imposed congestion charges on drivers in an effort to improve the air quality of their cities. |
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MUSEUMS:
Niche Museums in New York City
PLEASE NOTE: Hours, schedules, fees, exhibitions, Museum closing days, websites, and holidays may change, so please call or check before going.
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Address: 39 Battery Place, New York, NY 10280
Contact: (212)968-1961 or info@skyscraper.org
Boasting as the world's only museum devoted solely to the skyscraper, The Skyscraper Museum "celebrates the City's rich architectural heritage and examines the historical forces and individuals that have shaped its successive skylines. Through exhibitions, programs and publications, the Museum explores tall buildings as objects of design, products of technology, sites of construction, investments in real estate, and places of work and residence."
For more information on the museum, click here |
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Address: 594 Broadway, Suite 401, New York, NY 10012
Contact: (212)254-3511 or info@moccany.org
MOCCA's mission is to promote the understanding and appreciation of comic and cartoon art. Every genre of the art is represented: animation, anime, cartoons, comic books, comic strips, gag cartoons, humorous illustration, illustration, political illustration, editorial cartoons, caricature, graphic novels, sports cartoons, and computer-generated art. Further, the museum's rigid collection policy "ensures that the art collections are maintained in an environment of the highest integrity."
For more information on the museum, click here |
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Address: One Bowling Green, New York, NY 10004
Contact: (212)514-3700 or NMAIweb@si.edu
The NMAI, which is part of the Smithsonian Institution, is the first national museum dedicated to the preservation, study, and exhibition of the life, languages, literature, history, and arts of Native Americans. Established by an act of Congress in 1989, the museum works in collaboration with the Native peoples of the Western Hemisphere to "protect and foster their cultures by reaffirming traditions and beliefs, encouraging contemporary artistic expression, and empowering the Indian voice."
For more information on the museum, click here |
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Address: Seventh Avenue at 27 Street, New York, NY 10001-5992
Contact: (212)217-4558 or museuminfo@fitnyc.edu
The most fashionable museum in New York, The Museum at FIT is one of only a handful of museums in the world devoted to the art of fashion. Best known for its innovative, award-winning exhibitions, the museum also has one of the world's most important collections of fashion and textiles, which it collects, conserves, documents, exhibits, and interprets for the purposes of education and inspiration.
For more information on the museum, click here |
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Address: 222 East 6th Street, New York, NY 10003
Contact: (212)228-0110 or info@UkrainianMuseum.org
This museum concerns itself with the Ukrainian experience, past and present. In the Museum the emphasis is on the cultural legacy of a people whose thousand year journey through history abounds with grand, dramatic, turbulent and exciting events, as well as extraordinary accomplishments and achievements.
For more information on the museum, click here |
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Address: 155 Mulberry Street, New York, NY 10013
Contact: (212) 965-9000 or info@italianamericanmuseum.org
The Italian American Museum is dedicated to exploring the rich cultural heritage of Italy and Italian Americans by presenting the individual and collective struggles and achievements of Italians and their heirs to the American way of life.
For more information on the museum, click here |
Niche Museums in Paris
PLEASE NOTE: Hours, schedules, fees, exhibitions, Museum closing days, websites, and holidays may change, so please call or check before going.
In an ancient stone-and-clay quarry used by 15th Century monks as a wine cellar, the museum offers an introduction to the art of wine making, displaying various tools, beakers, cauldrons, and bottles in a series of exhibits. Take a wine-tasting class with one of their wine specialists or partake in one of their special events? Also in the sixteenth arrondissement.
Official Website
More than 1,200 fans from the 18th century to the present, including a workroom complete with the workbenches used. Attend a presentation on how to make this old fashion accessory. See varied fan styles, from those designed for the aristocracy to those created by current fashion designers, e.g., Karl Lagerfeld.
Official Website
**Note: The official website has the wrong hours for the museum. The correct hours are Monday to Wednesday, 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Close by are the following museums:
Le Musée National Picasso, The National Picasso Museum, and The Carnavalet Museum as well as Le Musée Jean Moulin and Leclerc Memorial, The Liberation of Paris and France.
A new museum in grass in the heart of Paris. How green can you be???
Official Website
Houses over 300 French dolls from the 19th Century to the present, exhibited in lively Parisian scenes. The Museum is close to The Pompidou center modern art museum, on the edge of the Marais district.
Official Website
With one of the largest collections of Asian art outside of Asia, this museum houses one of the finest collections of Asian art with some 3,000 pieces of the museum's 45,000 works on display. In the sixteenth arrondissement.
Official Website
An Artistic and Cultural Space for Africa, The Caribbean and Their Diasporas.
Official Website
Houses a collection of weapons: crossbows, arquebuses, as well as many trophies of exotic animals, etc. Note the beautiful interior staircase, the museum includes paintings by Rubens, Brueghel de Velours, Desports, Chardin, Oudry.
Official Website
Sewers, Paris, what more can one say? You will see some of the 2,100 km (1,312 miles) of sewer tunnels, and perhaps the occasional rat. Think Victor Hugo's novel, Les Misérables, and the musical that it inspired.
Official Website
Crystal and art, crystal-as-art. The Museum presents masterpieces created for the universal exhibitions in which Baccarat obtained the highest distinctions, e.g., gold medals or Grand Prix. The crystal exhibition shows the technical and stylistic evolutions that made Baccarat's reputation. The museum is located in one of the last Parisian nineteenth century "dépôts".
Official Website
**Note: We would advise you to view the museum in Baccarat, France, 20 Rue Des Cristalleries, Tel: 33 3 83 76 61 37, instead.
Paying homage to French craftsmanship and traditions, including the developments in contemporary society. Complete with a documentation and research centre with library, archives, photo library, icon library and audio library.
Official Website
This small museum traces approximately 3,000 years of Armenian history through art, documents, everyday domestic objects.
Official Website
A five-story museum of postal history depicting international and French stamps, dating as far back as 1849, postal carriers' uniforms and mailboxes, sorting and stamp-printing machines, and one of the balloons used to send mail out of Paris during the 1870 Prussian siege. Take an adventure and travel written communication through the ages.
Official Website
Houses one of the world's most important collection of writing utensils with pens dating back to the early 18th Century, as well as paper and calligraphy. Also in the sixteenth arrondissement, 3 Rue Guy de Maupassant.
**Note: Due to all of the pens being stolen from this museum, it is currently closed.
You can visit Marie Curie's laboratory, which has been preserved. Get a fascinating glimpse into the life and work of this brilliant and famous family, with three Nobel prizes between them, Marie, Pierre, and their daughter Irène. In 1906, Marie Curie became the first woman ever to teach at La Sorbonne.
Official Website
Paris' The Cité de la Musique offers everyone access to culture through its concerts, museum and exhibitions and a huge media library, as well as educational and publishing activities aimed at both adults and children. The Museum houses some 800 musical instruments ranging from the Renaissance to the present, plus paintings, sculptures or works inspired by music. A 230 seat auditorium stages concerts and cultural events that highlight the richness of the collections.
Official Website
Containing clothing and professional uniforms from 1735 to the present. Paris and fashion like bread and butter. Think about 90,000 items of clothing, among many pieces by the great couturiers and well-known fashion designers. Plus thousands of etchings, engravings, and fashion photographs, not to mention jewelery, canes, hats, fans, gloves, parasols and umbrellas. Housed in a beautiful Italian-style mansion.
Official Website
Other Niche Museums, Worldwide
PLEASE NOTE: Hours, schedules, fees, exhibitions, Museum closing days, websites, and holidays may change, so please call or check before going.
 Italy:
Palazzo Colonna (site)
Casa Museo G. de Chirico (site)
The Keats-Shelley House (site)
The Small Museum Collections In Rome (site)
The Napoleonic Museum (site 1, site 2)
The National Gallery of Ancient Art (site)
 United States:
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (site)
The Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum, in Albuquerque, New Mexico (site)
The Museum of the American Cocktail, in New Orleans, Louisiana, near the French Quarter (site)
The Hollywood History Museum, located in the world-famous historic Max Factor Building, in Los Angeles, CA (site)
The International Spy Museum, located in Washington, DC (site)
The Museum of the American Quilter's Society (MAQS), located in Paducah, Kentucky (site)
The Road to Tara Museum in Jonesboro, Georgia, located in Jonesboro's 1867 Historic Train Depot (site)
 Canada:
The Canadian Railway Museum, located only 25 minutes from downtown Montreal in the municipalities of Saint-Constant and Delson (site)
 England:
The Lawnmower Museum in Southport, Lancashire (site)
The Movieum, A London Movie Museum (site)
The Museum of Garden History in London (site)
 Singapore:
The Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom Museum (site)
The Singapore Crocodilarium (site)
The Mandai Orchid Garden (site)
The Singapore Botanic Gardens (site)
The Singapore Zoological Gardens (site)
 Belgium:
Autoworld, a huge collection of vintage cars, including local and international cars, is in Brussels. (site)
 Germany:
World's Largest Nut Cracker
Jürgen Löschner from Neuhausen (Germany) has collected more than 4,300 nut crackers from 28 countries. They are exhibited in his Nut Cracker Museum. He has also made the world's biggest operating nut cracker. It is 5.87 m [6 yd 1 ft 3 in] tall and can crack even coconuts!
Some more information (in German) can be found at www.nussknackermuseum-neuhausen.de
 India:
The Pondicherry Museum in Pondicherry (site)
The Aurodhan Gallery in Pondicherry (site)
The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, (INTACH), with headquarters in New Delhi and a chapter in Pondicherry (site)
 Croatia:
The Marton Museum, the first private museum to be founded in Croatia, is located in the town of Samobor, a 45 minute drive from Zagreb, the Capital. (site)
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