Guest Patrol

Nowadays, we hear lots of confusion regarding the new ACA coverage during this transition. Nothing is more unsettling than traveling abroad and not knowing whether or not you should visit the local doctor because you’re not sure what’s covered and what isn’t. For me and the licensed insurance advisors at GoHealth, the online portal for finding health insurance coverage, it is important to make sure those consumers are in-the-know of their healthcare plan so that they are armed and ready for a safe and protected vacation.

There is no doubt about it, a visit to the Happiest Place on Earth requires more planning than most other destinations. From where to stay to what time of year to visit, there are many decisions to be made, each of them with numerous options. But with thoughtful planning comes great reward, and when you’re taking in the fireworks in front of Cinderella’s Castle, you will no doubt think you’ve been sprinkled with pixie dust. 

Many times when we travel we only see the veneer of the destinations that we visit. Much more lies beneath the surface that can add a high level of richness and understanding concerning the places and people that we see in our journey. I always make a point in my travels, whether it is in the familiar territory of my own country, the United States, or in a global destination such as France or Ghana, to speak with the people that I encounter there. The amount of additional insight that we can receive is amazing. Nowhere was this more evident than in Ghana in West Africa.

In November of 2005, only a couple of months after returning from Ghana, I was off again on a journey to Angouleme, France to attend and speak at a computer gaming conference, this time on “The Role of Computer Games in Bridging the Digital Divide.” 

Angouleme and the towns and countryside around it along the Charente River provide much to do and see. My approach has always been to investigate things in depth rather than trying to see every site available. Also meeting and talking to the locals gives a better feel for the locale. Once again quality is better than quantity.

First, just a brief aside regarding genetics and our family: There are times I think my family puts the “Fun” in Dysfunctional and perhaps in the final analysis, there might be times that I think my Mother (New York Times Best-Selling Author Joanne Fluke) just might be “A few peas short of a casserole”.

I was recently listening to an interview with the musician, Bobby McFerrin where he describes improvisation as movement, as catching song. What does it mean to catch a song? It implies that the song, our creation, is already here– and so part of our work as artists is to listen, to observe, and improvise from our experience. At La Romita, we will develop these skills through drawing, writing and watercolor techniques–  and taking daily sketching trips into the small Umbrian hill towns. In the afternoons we return to La Romita for time in the workshop. 

Debbie Murray is a dog enthusiast from LaGrange, KY. She currently has five dogs - all Miniature Australian Shepherds who share a house with her and her husband Paul. Debbie also breeds her pets on occasion to share this marvelous breed with other dog enthusiasts. Susie is excited because she hopes to be getting another mini Aussie to keep her company from Debbie's  next litter. Debbie has been kind enough to share this article on choosing a veterinarian with the Boomer Travel Patrol.

For more detailed information on Debbie and her dogs you can visit her web site Alangus Mini & Toy Aussies as well as her blog. This article is one recently featured on her blog and offers excellent advice on selecting a veterinarian.

On our way to Beaumont, Texas we stopped at the Louisiana Welcome Center for the usual rest break. While there, I thought to ask the attendant about Cajun restaurants close to I-10 where we could stop for lunch. She gave me a number of brochures and finally came to one on Crawfish Town. She said that she had eaten there herself and that it was very good. This turned out to be very fortuitous advice because my brief comment on Crawfish Town would be simply OMG!

June 28, 2023 my husband and I set out on a seven day Alaskan cruise on the Crown Princess doing the Voyage of the Glaciers.  We departed Whittier, AK sailing south to Vancouver, British Columbia.  Upon arrival at the Anchorage Airport we were transported by bus to Whittier, AK. The only way into Whittier is through a 2.5 mile tunnel.  Toward the end of the tunnel the bus driver told us to look to the left, she then played the theme to the "Love Boat" as we went through the tunnel exit.  There on the left sat our ship the Crown Princess.

There’s nothing like a near-death experience to make you reconsider your life. That’s what happened to us in July 2012.

It’s been said that the number one leisure activity for the baby boom generation is travel, and, being a boomer, I can attest to the allure that travel holds.  Journeying is invigorating, fun, relaxing, and romantic and it can bring history alive in a way nothing else does.

Being on the 19^th (Penthouse) floor; the water seems hotter, the maid service faster and even the soap seems frothier than the norm. After traveling to the hotel in style via Media Escort, we were treated to express check- in and rapidly whisked up to our rooms, where the management had laid out a welcoming spread of cheese, crackers and Willamette Valley Pinot Gris for our favorite author-who also happens to be my mom- Joanne Fluke. 

This was my opportunity NOT to see another tourist for the next four hours! The sun was low in the eastern sky and all I could hear was the clip-clop of my horse’s feet, as I rode along the dusty tracks on the outskirts of Siem Reap, Cambodia. Not many tourists equate riding horses in Asia to their typical holiday pleasure, but for me, after 2 days of conquering the temples of Angkor it was the perfect way to connect with the rural people of Cambodia - people who are just like me:  farmers. Horse riding is also a very quiet experience, a time when it is easy to gather thoughts and take in the sights, sounds and smells.

According to AAA, 34.8 million travelers will journey at least 50 miles from home this upcoming Memorial Day holiday weekend. Prolonged sitting on long flights and car rides can lead to the development of blood clots in the lower legs, which cause spider and varicose veins. Being proactive is always better than treating a problem after it has already happened. Here are some tips to help prevent the problems in the first place: 

A great crowd gathered for the anticipated ride to Elk Creek Winery.  Rod, Kathy, Chuck, Chris, Kyle, and Jeff all met at Thornton’s on a beautiful day with expectations of a nice ride.  It had been a while since so many had gathered and while everyone was anxious to get rolling it was hard to limit the catch-up conversations.  After more than a few minutes of chatting the group headed out on what turned out to be a spectacular day.

Rod, Kathy, Charlie, Patsy, Chuck, and Jeff enjoyed a perfect (beyond perfect actually) October day driving through the southern Indiana countryside to the past hangouts of the Chicago Mobs, Presidents, Actors, Actresses, and the wealthy.  The weather was unseasonably warm, starting in the upper 60’s and ending, believe it or not, over 90 degrees.  There wasn’t a cloud in sight. 

In 2005 I had the unique opportunity to travel to the nation of Ghana in West Africa. I had been invited by my good friend and colleague, Dr. Godfried Williams, to be the keynote speaker at an information technology conference in the capital city of Accra. The conference was the 1^st International Conference on Advances in Information and Communication Engineering held in August 2005 at the behest of the Ghanaian government. My topic was “Bridging the Digital Divide:  Linking and Closing the Gap between Advanced and Developing Economies.”

My Grandpa Cliff used to tease my Grandma with one particular phrase and this one a real gem from Minnesota farm country, that he enjoyed sharing with folks when he was mildly amused by something my Grandma had done or said and he was trying to tease her. He would say, “I suppose, she’s just a Few Clowns short of a Circus”.

We can't cover everything, but with your help we can certainly try. Our latest guest patrol contributors are Jeff Unger who will be covering motorcycle travel and Sandy Gladfelter, a widely published author.

Home Exchanging or Home Swapping is when you agree to swap homes and often cars, with someone; you stay in their home and they stay in yours, and no money changes hands. 

“Kiawah should have been a poem,” someone wrote years ago, and how true those words are. Our first trip to Kiawah, May 1980, came about because of a friend’s recommendation. “What a funny name,” I said. He explained, “It’s named for the Indian tribe that lived there during the 1600s. In 1699, a so-called pirate named George Raynor was granted the land and after that, the island was handed down through two different families for the next 250 years. It was purchased again in 1951 then, sold to a real estate developer. You won’t believe how beautiful it is,” he promised.

For my birthday this November I asked my husband for a trip to Niagara Falls, Canada.  Although we’ve traveled extensively during our married life, have lived in 8 states, we’d never been to the falls.  We enjoy driving because we can take our time and think it’s a fun way to learn about our country.  So, even though we could have driven the 600 plus miles in one day, we stopped overnight in Cleveland, Ohio.  

While on a family emergency trip to Beaumont, Texas, we had the fortune of finding the Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen which was at the same exit as our hotel.  Pappadeaux’s is a small chain based out of Houston, Texas.  The restaurant concept was founded by the Pappas brothers who have created a group of different small restaurant chains that serve seafood, Italian cuisine, Mexican cuisine, steaks, BBQ and burgers. They had their start in Houston in 1967 with the opening of The Brisket House in Houston.