More Americans than ever are giving up their US citizenship. In the last quarter of 2009, 502 Americans officially renounced their US citizenship.
The US State Department estimates about 5-1/2 million Americans live overseas. So that's a miniscule percentage of Americans abroad who actually renounced citizenship. Given the delays in obtaining appointments to renounce, and the numbers awaiting citizenship elsewhere (a prerequisite to renunciation), those numbers are set to increase even more dramatically.
How to renounce US citizenship? In a nutshell, first obtain citizenship & passport elsewhere, and establish foreign residence in that country of new citizenship or a third country. Make an appointment at the nearest US consulate to your new home. Fill out forms. Take the oath of renunciation. Wait for your certification of renunciation. This last is the most crucial because until you get that, you are still a taxpayer in the eyes of the IRS!
As long as the US remains the only major country in the world to tax citizens and "US persons" on worldwide income even when they live (and pay taxes!) in another country, the only way out from under onerous IRS tax regulations is expatriation. And the US will remain uncompetitive on world markets as long as US persons and businesses are taxed to death.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
RyanAir v. EasyJet: The No-Frills Wars
The debate rages over cheap no-frills airlines, RyanAir & EasyJet, in Europe. At one review site, RyanAir ranks 2.8 out of 5, while EasyJet rates 2.5 on the scale.
No-frills means exactly that! Do not expect space, water, food, or anything else. No-frills airlines are generally cattle cars designed solely to move lots of people short hauls at cheap rates.
BYO: Bring your own beverage and snack or sandwich, even if you eat at the airport. Flights are often delayed - by summer crowds, sudden thunderstorms or windshear dangers somewhere en route, even volcanos. Have something with you. Bring your own entertainment: book, 'puter with work or games, earbuds, battery-operated DVD player, etc. Remember your trench coat & use it for a pillow or blanket, as needed.
Watch those scales! Airline scales around the world seem to need inspection and Truth in Advertising as well as Truth in Measurement monitors. Weigh your bags, dispute inaccuracies, reweigh on a different scale. Of course, watch your bag weights even before heading to the airport.
Only book shorter flights. Once you hit about three hours packed into a plane seat, you can get distinctly cramped, discomfited and crazy. Keep it short, simple, sweet - or sweat it.
If you ever fly on a Chinese domestic airline with a crate of piglets in the aisle, you'll kwitcherbitchin permanently. I can assure you of that!
May your road rise to meet you,
Ann
No-frills means exactly that! Do not expect space, water, food, or anything else. No-frills airlines are generally cattle cars designed solely to move lots of people short hauls at cheap rates.
BYO: Bring your own beverage and snack or sandwich, even if you eat at the airport. Flights are often delayed - by summer crowds, sudden thunderstorms or windshear dangers somewhere en route, even volcanos. Have something with you. Bring your own entertainment: book, 'puter with work or games, earbuds, battery-operated DVD player, etc. Remember your trench coat & use it for a pillow or blanket, as needed.
Watch those scales! Airline scales around the world seem to need inspection and Truth in Advertising as well as Truth in Measurement monitors. Weigh your bags, dispute inaccuracies, reweigh on a different scale. Of course, watch your bag weights even before heading to the airport.
Only book shorter flights. Once you hit about three hours packed into a plane seat, you can get distinctly cramped, discomfited and crazy. Keep it short, simple, sweet - or sweat it.
If you ever fly on a Chinese domestic airline with a crate of piglets in the aisle, you'll kwitcherbitchin permanently. I can assure you of that!
May your road rise to meet you,
Ann
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Who's Got the Carryon Bag Fees?
Spirit Airlines announced that, starting 1 August, it will charge a $45 fee for carryon bags put into overhead bins. They claim new fares will be reduced by more than the bag fee, and there are discounts for online payment and members. However, flyers are still outraged by fees for carryons.
Of course, as we've been posting, the key to traveling efficiently and cheaply is to pack light and put the carryon under your feet.
Now Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York says he has commitments of "no carryon bag fee" from United, Delta, American, US Airways and JetBlue. We'll see how long that commitment endures!
For anything other than a long-term move overseas or a formal Destination Wedding, you can get it down to a carryon.
For my move overseas, I'm down to the allowed two checked bags plus carryon. The carryon is my office and electronics. A 26" pullman with a year's wardrobe and shoes. And a 24" pullman for personal & household supplies. I'm thinking of repacking once more to reduce the load by a bag. And that's to live on (and live with) for at least a whole year, with an aim to make it suffice for two!
May your road rise to meet you,
Ann
Of course, as we've been posting, the key to traveling efficiently and cheaply is to pack light and put the carryon under your feet.
Now Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York says he has commitments of "no carryon bag fee" from United, Delta, American, US Airways and JetBlue. We'll see how long that commitment endures!
For anything other than a long-term move overseas or a formal Destination Wedding, you can get it down to a carryon.
For my move overseas, I'm down to the allowed two checked bags plus carryon. The carryon is my office and electronics. A 26" pullman with a year's wardrobe and shoes. And a 24" pullman for personal & household supplies. I'm thinking of repacking once more to reduce the load by a bag. And that's to live on (and live with) for at least a whole year, with an aim to make it suffice for two!
May your road rise to meet you,
Ann
Monday, April 5, 2010
Defend Your Bags Against the Totally Scurrilous Armada
There's no telling what might go missing from airline baggage. Items reported stolen in recent years include golf balls, a fresh-caught halibut in a cooler full of ice, and an endless array of laptops and other electronic equipment.
Your valuables are not covered by insurance for checked bags. Jewelry, laptops, camera equipment, money and other monetary instruments, and other types of valuables are expressly denied any coverage when you fly. Your homeowners insurance might cover some things, but you have to check your policy to be sure.
So your first line of defense is carry your valuables in your handbag or carryon bag. Get a jewelry roll and pack it in your purse or carryon bag. Be sure your wallet holds your Social Security card (if you need to bring it all - better to put it in your safe deposit box at the bank), ID's, whichever credit card you need, and a second currency when traveling internationally. Keep your laptop, Kindle, camera and other electronics in your handbag or carryon, and hang onto both of them tightly!
Locks can be broken. TSA routinely opens locked bags. Get TSA approved locks anyway and use them. They do not deter TSA, but don't make things too easy for anyone else.
List exactly what is in each bag: carryon and checked bag(s). Ensure your detailed list is accessible to you wherever you might go, and have a back-up list. Email your list to yourself, or save a list on your computer or flash drive. Keep a copy at home. Make sure you have serial numbers for valuables. If something goes missing, you need to know immediately so you can act.
Inspect your checked bags carefully when you retrieve them at baggage claim. Note any damage and/or missing items. Put in a claim with the baggage agent immediately.
If a bag does not spew from the carousel, likewise put in a claim with the airlines baggage agent immediately.
Airlines are supposed to provide urgently needed change of clothing & toiletries. Don't let them pawn you off with a 24-hour wait "to see if it arrives on the next flight." They are also required to reimburse purchases of immediately needed items, so keep your receipt for things purchased within 24 hours of your flight. Use your list to detail "black & white striped cotton knit jacket with 3/4 length sleeves," not just "jacket."
Reimbursement limits of $3300 for domestic US flights do not apply for international flights, even on a US carrier. International limits go by the kilo of baggage weight, not the depreciated value of the items contained in the bag(s). The international insurance reimbursement limit runs about US$650 per bag.
It is not unusual for the airlines to blame TSA on any flight which goes through any US airport. And TSA of course blames airline baggage handlers. Insurance reimbursement for lost (or stolen) bags, and for items stolen from checked bags, is likely to be held up. You need to document everything thoroughly, and follow up diligently.
No idea what they did about that stolen halibut, however....
Your valuables are not covered by insurance for checked bags. Jewelry, laptops, camera equipment, money and other monetary instruments, and other types of valuables are expressly denied any coverage when you fly. Your homeowners insurance might cover some things, but you have to check your policy to be sure.
So your first line of defense is carry your valuables in your handbag or carryon bag. Get a jewelry roll and pack it in your purse or carryon bag. Be sure your wallet holds your Social Security card (if you need to bring it all - better to put it in your safe deposit box at the bank), ID's, whichever credit card you need, and a second currency when traveling internationally. Keep your laptop, Kindle, camera and other electronics in your handbag or carryon, and hang onto both of them tightly!
Locks can be broken. TSA routinely opens locked bags. Get TSA approved locks anyway and use them. They do not deter TSA, but don't make things too easy for anyone else.
List exactly what is in each bag: carryon and checked bag(s). Ensure your detailed list is accessible to you wherever you might go, and have a back-up list. Email your list to yourself, or save a list on your computer or flash drive. Keep a copy at home. Make sure you have serial numbers for valuables. If something goes missing, you need to know immediately so you can act.
Inspect your checked bags carefully when you retrieve them at baggage claim. Note any damage and/or missing items. Put in a claim with the baggage agent immediately.
If a bag does not spew from the carousel, likewise put in a claim with the airlines baggage agent immediately.
Airlines are supposed to provide urgently needed change of clothing & toiletries. Don't let them pawn you off with a 24-hour wait "to see if it arrives on the next flight." They are also required to reimburse purchases of immediately needed items, so keep your receipt for things purchased within 24 hours of your flight. Use your list to detail "black & white striped cotton knit jacket with 3/4 length sleeves," not just "jacket."
Reimbursement limits of $3300 for domestic US flights do not apply for international flights, even on a US carrier. International limits go by the kilo of baggage weight, not the depreciated value of the items contained in the bag(s). The international insurance reimbursement limit runs about US$650 per bag.
It is not unusual for the airlines to blame TSA on any flight which goes through any US airport. And TSA of course blames airline baggage handlers. Insurance reimbursement for lost (or stolen) bags, and for items stolen from checked bags, is likely to be held up. You need to document everything thoroughly, and follow up diligently.
No idea what they did about that stolen halibut, however....
Protections from the Thieving Scumbag Association
CBS caught them in a 2004 baggage theft sting. New York Police caught them at NYC airports. Baggage theft rings have been busted in St. Louis, Missouri, Dublin, Ireland, Portland, Oregon, Australia, and airports scattered literally around the world. While airlines say bag theft is down, and TSA says they screen their searchers, police say bag thefts are rising. TSA says it's airline handlers; airlines say its TSA. Both are harboring some scurrilous thieves, both include bag theft rings.
TSA knows what you pack in your bag! They X-ray it all. If you have a laptop, jewelry, anything of value, they know what you've got. And they make you leave your bag unlocked or use locks for which they have duplicate keys.
Do NOT pack anything valuable in your checked bag. Your carryon must hold:
* laptop & peripherals,
* camera gear,
* CD player,
* iPod,
* Kindle or similar book reader, and
* all your other costly little electronics everyone might want - and someone is likely to steal.
You also need to hang onto your jewelry, eyeglasses & sunglasses, money, credit cards, important documents (personal and business), prescription medicines, anything containing personal data like SSN or home address, anything fragile, anything valuable.
And you'd better take at least one change of clothes and your little Ziploc baggie of toiletries. TSA & the airlines battle over who pays claims most of the time. So at least have some clean undies!
TSA knows what you pack in your bag! They X-ray it all. If you have a laptop, jewelry, anything of value, they know what you've got. And they make you leave your bag unlocked or use locks for which they have duplicate keys.
Do NOT pack anything valuable in your checked bag. Your carryon must hold:
* laptop & peripherals,
* camera gear,
* CD player,
* iPod,
* Kindle or similar book reader, and
* all your other costly little electronics everyone might want - and someone is likely to steal.
You also need to hang onto your jewelry, eyeglasses & sunglasses, money, credit cards, important documents (personal and business), prescription medicines, anything containing personal data like SSN or home address, anything fragile, anything valuable.
And you'd better take at least one change of clothes and your little Ziploc baggie of toiletries. TSA & the airlines battle over who pays claims most of the time. So at least have some clean undies!
Dealing with Lost Luggage
According to the airlines, only about 2% of bags get lost. For a Road Warrior-ess, that's quite a risk. Check a bag 100 times a year, and you could lose two, if you're average.
Slash your risks! Use only a carryon bag whenever possible. Use our packing tips and others' to reduce your "stuff" enough to get it down to one bag. Backpackers and some perpetual travelers can live out of one bag for months at a time. I spent several months "riding the rails through China" with just one duffle. Laptops were h-e-a-v-y then, wireless did not really exist, and I had to lug along a "small" (hah!) travel printer. With the teeny-tiny sizes of so many items these days, and reduced weights, it is much easier to lug an entire office, a library, whatever. So if your trip is less than a week, you can certainly get it down to one.
There are times when you simply need a lot of clothes, heavy winter clothes, or other stuff, and a single carryon simply won't cut it. Reduce your risks of your bag failing to land when and where you do.
Luggage tags: do not use your home address. Use your office address, private mail facility address, P.O. Box, anything to keep nosy-parkers from discovering you are not at home. Do not put your home phone number on there, either. Use a free email addie which you could check in case of lost luggage, a message phone, office phone, pager number or similar contactable email or phone that does not reveal your home location and private numbers/addresses.
Help yourself spot your bag faster. Decal, neon-colored strap, something!
Get your little butt-sky straight to the baggage claim. Do not get delayed or sidetracked. Be there when the belt starts rumbling and the bags roll. The lonely bag is more likely to get lifted than the one you grab the second it spits out of the chute.
Next up: a post on protecting your possessions within.
Slash your risks! Use only a carryon bag whenever possible. Use our packing tips and others' to reduce your "stuff" enough to get it down to one bag. Backpackers and some perpetual travelers can live out of one bag for months at a time. I spent several months "riding the rails through China" with just one duffle. Laptops were h-e-a-v-y then, wireless did not really exist, and I had to lug along a "small" (hah!) travel printer. With the teeny-tiny sizes of so many items these days, and reduced weights, it is much easier to lug an entire office, a library, whatever. So if your trip is less than a week, you can certainly get it down to one.
There are times when you simply need a lot of clothes, heavy winter clothes, or other stuff, and a single carryon simply won't cut it. Reduce your risks of your bag failing to land when and where you do.
Luggage tags: do not use your home address. Use your office address, private mail facility address, P.O. Box, anything to keep nosy-parkers from discovering you are not at home. Do not put your home phone number on there, either. Use a free email addie which you could check in case of lost luggage, a message phone, office phone, pager number or similar contactable email or phone that does not reveal your home location and private numbers/addresses.
Help yourself spot your bag faster. Decal, neon-colored strap, something!
Get your little butt-sky straight to the baggage claim. Do not get delayed or sidetracked. Be there when the belt starts rumbling and the bags roll. The lonely bag is more likely to get lifted than the one you grab the second it spits out of the chute.
Next up: a post on protecting your possessions within.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Essential Business Traveler Card for APEC Region
Travel often on business to the APEC Region? Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation has a unique program to speed pre-approved business travelers through immigration formalities. It's geared solely to boost trade and investment in the region. With the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC), you speed through special lanes at immigration checkpoints if you are coming for a short-term stay.
The following countries participate: Australia, Brunei, Chile, China, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Thailand, Vietnam. See: www.apec.org/apec/business_resources/apec_business_travel0.html
Most of these countries allow preapproved business travelers 60 or 90 days entry for business purposes without further need for a visa. It acts something like a multi-country multi-entry business visa. And it's for citizens of APEC countries.
The US is supposedly a "transitional member." This means those carrying the ABTC may use the express lanes at airports (same lanes used by airline crews) to enter the US, but still must have their passports plus any normally required visas. US citizens are not yet eligible to obtain the card for their business trips to member countries. No wonder US is uncompetitive in international markets and exports are not moving the way they could. www.businessmobility.org/key/usa.htm
Great idea for Road Warrioresses! If you are eligible, look into it, and save yourself some hassle at the airports.
The following countries participate: Australia, Brunei, Chile, China, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Thailand, Vietnam. See: www.apec.org/apec/business_resources/apec_business_travel0.html
Most of these countries allow preapproved business travelers 60 or 90 days entry for business purposes without further need for a visa. It acts something like a multi-country multi-entry business visa. And it's for citizens of APEC countries.
The US is supposedly a "transitional member." This means those carrying the ABTC may use the express lanes at airports (same lanes used by airline crews) to enter the US, but still must have their passports plus any normally required visas. US citizens are not yet eligible to obtain the card for their business trips to member countries. No wonder US is uncompetitive in international markets and exports are not moving the way they could. www.businessmobility.org/key/usa.htm
Great idea for Road Warrioresses! If you are eligible, look into it, and save yourself some hassle at the airports.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Who's to Say What's "Appropriate" for the Woman Traveler?
The New York Times annual Travel Show launches Friday, 26 February, at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. Among the seminar offerings, April Merenda of Gutsy Women Travel moderates a panel of travel writers "overviewing appropriate tours and destinations for women...."
How dare they? What's "appropriate" for one woman is no more appropriate than one man's for another. Different people have different interests and inclinations. It is up to the individual to determine what might be suitable or interesting or relaxing or invigorating. That is not the purview of a travel writer or travel agent. I found the entire notion - and the New York Times write-up on this seminar - totally offensive.
I was the only single expat woman working in the oilfields of Indonesia years ago. While some might think that "inappropriate," I was the one living and working in what, by any measure, was a hardship post. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I spent months "riding the rails" through China and the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Difficult going solo, but hardly an inappropriate journey nor the greatest of adventures. Difficult, yes; dangerous, not particularly.
Go where the spirit moves you, or where the job takes you. Only you can determine what's appropriate for you. You decide what interests and excites you. You decide where and how to live, work, travel. As long as it's legal and within your boundaries for risk tolerance, go for it. Adventure awaits!
And it would be so terribly sad to miss something great because someone else determined it wasn't "appropriate" for women. The Victorians put up with enough of that errant nonsense.
May your road rise up to meet you,
Ann
How dare they? What's "appropriate" for one woman is no more appropriate than one man's for another. Different people have different interests and inclinations. It is up to the individual to determine what might be suitable or interesting or relaxing or invigorating. That is not the purview of a travel writer or travel agent. I found the entire notion - and the New York Times write-up on this seminar - totally offensive.
I was the only single expat woman working in the oilfields of Indonesia years ago. While some might think that "inappropriate," I was the one living and working in what, by any measure, was a hardship post. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I spent months "riding the rails" through China and the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Difficult going solo, but hardly an inappropriate journey nor the greatest of adventures. Difficult, yes; dangerous, not particularly.
Go where the spirit moves you, or where the job takes you. Only you can determine what's appropriate for you. You decide what interests and excites you. You decide where and how to live, work, travel. As long as it's legal and within your boundaries for risk tolerance, go for it. Adventure awaits!
And it would be so terribly sad to miss something great because someone else determined it wasn't "appropriate" for women. The Victorians put up with enough of that errant nonsense.
May your road rise up to meet you,
Ann
Real New Yorker Burgers & Brews
Times Square has everything: Planet Hollywood, Hard Rock Cafe, Olive Garden, and practically any chain you can imagine have Times Square outlets. But where can you find something uniquely New York? It's searching out the distinctive, the can't-find-it-anywhere-else that makes travel most fun and most enlightening.
Just had lunch at HB Burger, a burger and brew pub that's distinctly New York. Heartland Brewery pioneered craft beer in NYC back in 1995, and now has 7 locations in the city. It has just been nominated for "Best New Burger" in the Time Out New York 2010 Eat Out Awards, but which burger is "new" remains a mystery. HB's mum on that despite the prominent placard announcing the nomination on each table.
Seasonal beers featured at present include:
- Full Moon Barley Wine, rich toffee sweetness from English malt and American hops;
- Sumatra Porter, mocha aroma and hint chicory in a beer brwed with English malts and Sumatra coffee;
- Belgian Cornhusker Lager, a spicy golden ale using Belgian ale yeast.
They make their own sodas, too. Potency is the salient Diet Root Beer characteristic, not fizz. Bison burgers, sashimi-grade tuna burgers, Cajun crabcake burgers and, naturally, angus beef highlight the burger side of the lunch menu.
The HB Burger comes with lettuce and tomato, traditional New Yorker style. Add cheese, bacon, avocado or what-have-you at additional charges. Another New Yorker tradition - add-ons.
Of course, they hate solo diners during the lunch rush when tables get very scarce, so it's best to arrive before 12:30pm when they really get busy. But several solo women were eating there, and obviously women find it comfortable to dine alone there. The atmosphere is casual, albeit bustling, and it's "the" sit-down burger place near bustling Times Square. Pricewise, plan on $10-20 for lunch with beverage and tip.
The HB Burger and its Chophouse next door are close to Times Square at 127 West 43rd Street between 6th Avenue and Broadway, a couple doors east of the Casablanca Hotel (147 West 43rd). Locations, directions, menus, history and how to brew beer: heartlandbrewery.com.
Only in New York. Hope it stays that way.
May your road rise to meet you,
Ann
Just had lunch at HB Burger, a burger and brew pub that's distinctly New York. Heartland Brewery pioneered craft beer in NYC back in 1995, and now has 7 locations in the city. It has just been nominated for "Best New Burger" in the Time Out New York 2010 Eat Out Awards, but which burger is "new" remains a mystery. HB's mum on that despite the prominent placard announcing the nomination on each table.
Seasonal beers featured at present include:
- Full Moon Barley Wine, rich toffee sweetness from English malt and American hops;
- Sumatra Porter, mocha aroma and hint chicory in a beer brwed with English malts and Sumatra coffee;
- Belgian Cornhusker Lager, a spicy golden ale using Belgian ale yeast.
They make their own sodas, too. Potency is the salient Diet Root Beer characteristic, not fizz. Bison burgers, sashimi-grade tuna burgers, Cajun crabcake burgers and, naturally, angus beef highlight the burger side of the lunch menu.
The HB Burger comes with lettuce and tomato, traditional New Yorker style. Add cheese, bacon, avocado or what-have-you at additional charges. Another New Yorker tradition - add-ons.
Of course, they hate solo diners during the lunch rush when tables get very scarce, so it's best to arrive before 12:30pm when they really get busy. But several solo women were eating there, and obviously women find it comfortable to dine alone there. The atmosphere is casual, albeit bustling, and it's "the" sit-down burger place near bustling Times Square. Pricewise, plan on $10-20 for lunch with beverage and tip.
The HB Burger and its Chophouse next door are close to Times Square at 127 West 43rd Street between 6th Avenue and Broadway, a couple doors east of the Casablanca Hotel (147 West 43rd). Locations, directions, menus, history and how to brew beer: heartlandbrewery.com.
Only in New York. Hope it stays that way.
May your road rise to meet you,
Ann
Travel Bag Doesn't Quite Fit the Bill
Security is always a concern for the solo traveller, especially women. So the security handbag I found on the TravelSmith website, which has steel cables through the shoulder strap and other security features held enough appeal to shell out $80 despite having received a fine leather Trussardi handbag for Christmas. Or perhaps because of receiving that beautiful but vulnerable bag for Christmas!
The bag features an exterior pocket for your passport, plane tickets and things you need to grab "on the road." There are numerous additional pockets inside and out which are supposed to hold all that parapheralia one lugs about on trips. And it comes in three different sizes.
I bought the "large" size - it isn't. I think the designers forgot that when traveling, you need not only your cell phone, but the recharger, too. You need the "big wallet" with two compartments for different coins and currencies, or else carry separate wallets, coin purses, something, to keep your various currencies straight. You not only need the passport, but the International Driving Permit, spare visa photos, and assorted other documents for obtaining additional visas, handling business matters, and more.
It just isn't big enough. And I've abandoned any idea of carrying a cosmetic case. It needs to be about two inches wider, an inch higher, and half an inch thicker to really be useful on most women's trips, especially anything more than a brief vacation or leisure trip.
Not as happy as expected...
May your road rise to meet you!
Ann
The bag features an exterior pocket for your passport, plane tickets and things you need to grab "on the road." There are numerous additional pockets inside and out which are supposed to hold all that parapheralia one lugs about on trips. And it comes in three different sizes.
I bought the "large" size - it isn't. I think the designers forgot that when traveling, you need not only your cell phone, but the recharger, too. You need the "big wallet" with two compartments for different coins and currencies, or else carry separate wallets, coin purses, something, to keep your various currencies straight. You not only need the passport, but the International Driving Permit, spare visa photos, and assorted other documents for obtaining additional visas, handling business matters, and more.
It just isn't big enough. And I've abandoned any idea of carrying a cosmetic case. It needs to be about two inches wider, an inch higher, and half an inch thicker to really be useful on most women's trips, especially anything more than a brief vacation or leisure trip.
Not as happy as expected...
May your road rise to meet you!
Ann
Friday, February 19, 2010
Paint in an Artists' Haven
It was one of the favorite places famed American Impressionists like Childe Hassam and J. Alden Weir to paint en plein air. Julian Alden Weir and his wife, later their daughter Dorothy Weir Young, hosted The Ten and other painters on the Weir Farm in rural Connecticut.
Now the 110 acre Weir Farm is the only National Historic Site devoted to painting. Here you can paint with the pros and with the spirit of painters past. The National Park Service runs the farm, and even provides charcoals, pastels or watercolors on various days so you can try your hand. A self-guided brochure available at the Visitor Center will show you around the popular painting sites around the farm.
The Stone Wall Program, a guided walk, examines the geology and agricultural history of this area in southwestern Connecticut. Thursdays & Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. year-round.
It will be featured in the "America the Beautiful" U.S. quarter series which starts minting this year.
Weir Farms
735 Nod Hill Road
Wilton, Connecticut 0689
+1-203-761-9945
Hours:
May - October: Wednesday thru Sunday - 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
November - April: Thursday thru Sunday - 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Art Center: weirfarmartcenter.org
National Park Service: nps.gov/wefa
Great fun, great hiking, great photo shoots, can't say much for my painting talents, however!
May your road rise to meet you,
Ann
Now the 110 acre Weir Farm is the only National Historic Site devoted to painting. Here you can paint with the pros and with the spirit of painters past. The National Park Service runs the farm, and even provides charcoals, pastels or watercolors on various days so you can try your hand. A self-guided brochure available at the Visitor Center will show you around the popular painting sites around the farm.
The Stone Wall Program, a guided walk, examines the geology and agricultural history of this area in southwestern Connecticut. Thursdays & Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. year-round.
It will be featured in the "America the Beautiful" U.S. quarter series which starts minting this year.
Weir Farms
735 Nod Hill Road
Wilton, Connecticut 0689
+1-203-761-9945
Hours:
May - October: Wednesday thru Sunday - 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
November - April: Thursday thru Sunday - 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Art Center: weirfarmartcenter.org
National Park Service: nps.gov/wefa
Great fun, great hiking, great photo shoots, can't say much for my painting talents, however!
May your road rise to meet you,
Ann
Saturday, February 6, 2010
A Little Sarong Goes a Long Way
It's amazing how far 2 yards/2 meters of fabric can go! The second most important item in my travel gear is a batik sarong. My original was a gift when I left Indonesia. Instead of making it up into a garment, as was my first thought, I discovered rather quickly that it had too many uses to bother with sewing up something else.
My sarong has served as: bed sheet, bath towel, a beach cover-up & beach towel, a casual wraparound skirt for sightseeing. I wrapped up in it in frigid St. Petersburg along with my lined trench coat. It has served as a scarf and as a shawl. I gathered it into a smashing sash over a plain black tunic and slacks. It also twisted up into an elegant halter top under my suit jacket for dining out when I had an unanticipated invitation to a fine restaurant.
Useful? You bet. Pick one up next time you see one, and stash it in your carry on tote. Indonesia and Malaysia are famous for their batiks, and the art has spread to the Caribbean, where a sarong is often called a pareo.
May your road rise to meet you,
Ann
My sarong has served as: bed sheet, bath towel, a beach cover-up & beach towel, a casual wraparound skirt for sightseeing. I wrapped up in it in frigid St. Petersburg along with my lined trench coat. It has served as a scarf and as a shawl. I gathered it into a smashing sash over a plain black tunic and slacks. It also twisted up into an elegant halter top under my suit jacket for dining out when I had an unanticipated invitation to a fine restaurant.
Useful? You bet. Pick one up next time you see one, and stash it in your carry on tote. Indonesia and Malaysia are famous for their batiks, and the art has spread to the Caribbean, where a sarong is often called a pareo.
May your road rise to meet you,
Ann
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Your Most Versatile Wardrobe Essential
EveryWoman's most critical wardrobe element, and the most versatile, is a travel essential, too. The ubiquitous Trench Coat! Go-with-everything beige or khaki; go-everywhere from Hong Kong to St. Petersburg. With a detachable hood and zip-in wool or cashmere lining, it will take you everywhere except the hottest and humidest tropical downpours or the chilliest Arctic snowstorms.
New raincoats in microfiber and other fabrics promise easy packing. Most are too short to keep you from a real drenching, and are only suitable for gentle Spring or early Autumn weather.
Mine seemed a bit bulky, and I nearly left my Burberry's behind in Hong Kong. Glad I didn't! On chilly airplanes, it served as as a lap-robe or blanket. On the Trans-Siberian Railroad, it made an extra toasty blanket at night. It protected my suit en route to business meetings, no sloppy hemlines from getting splashed by errant puddles and drivers who always seem to shlosh through the muddiest as you await the walk-light.
The detachable hood often ended up padding items in my duffle over the summer months in China, but I needed it badly even before I reached St. Petersburg - already facing the chill of impending winter in September. That zip-in lining over a sweater or other layerings is urgently needed when the thermometer drops.
Wear it on the plane, use it for a travel blanket. Wrap the liner and hood around whatever needs a bit of padding in the suitcase until you need it. The belt can be a useful strap for whatever. Above all, it keeps you warm and dry in all but blizzards or the steamiest tropical downpours.
Take it, pack it, but be sure to bring it along!
May your road rise to meet you,
Ann
New raincoats in microfiber and other fabrics promise easy packing. Most are too short to keep you from a real drenching, and are only suitable for gentle Spring or early Autumn weather.
Mine seemed a bit bulky, and I nearly left my Burberry's behind in Hong Kong. Glad I didn't! On chilly airplanes, it served as as a lap-robe or blanket. On the Trans-Siberian Railroad, it made an extra toasty blanket at night. It protected my suit en route to business meetings, no sloppy hemlines from getting splashed by errant puddles and drivers who always seem to shlosh through the muddiest as you await the walk-light.
The detachable hood often ended up padding items in my duffle over the summer months in China, but I needed it badly even before I reached St. Petersburg - already facing the chill of impending winter in September. That zip-in lining over a sweater or other layerings is urgently needed when the thermometer drops.
Wear it on the plane, use it for a travel blanket. Wrap the liner and hood around whatever needs a bit of padding in the suitcase until you need it. The belt can be a useful strap for whatever. Above all, it keeps you warm and dry in all but blizzards or the steamiest tropical downpours.
Take it, pack it, but be sure to bring it along!
May your road rise to meet you,
Ann
Monday, January 25, 2010
Check Out RFID Blocker Travel Accessories
Great news for travellers worried about identity theft from RFID readers in airports and elsewhere. You may have spotted them in your travels - lifting your passport data from the embedded RFID with their scanner. That RFID chip broadcasts far enough to make you - and your identity - highly vulnerable. Radio Frequency IDentification chips - broadcasting your data - was supposed to speed up immigration clearances. Instead, it endangers you!
Now there's a RFID blocker passport case from Travelon. This protects you from these identity thieves, while keeping your passport chip intact for immigration authorities.
Remember, a damaged passport can be grounds for denial of entry. You could have a problem if that RFID becomes inoperable. Although so far, I haven't run into anyone who has met such a fate if the passport proper is intact and shows no signs of tampering. But most countries do reserve the right to deny admission to anyone with a "defective" or "damaged" passport - without specifying whether a non-broadcasting RFID meets the "damaged" definition.
Check out the RFID blocker passport case! Travelon also makes other accessories with the RFID blocker - wallets, billfolds, credit card cases. This protects your credit cards and "speed passes" using RFID technology.
May your road rise to meet you,
Ann
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