What does an American Vacation look like?

I was just doing some research and stumbled across this article on visualeconomics.com .  I can't say precisely when it was published, but I did find the numbers interesting, as well as the list of the top 25 destinations within the United States. 50% of people don't take their full vacation days... Go travel people!  It's good for you!

Paris...Where to begin?

Having done the majority of my guiding in France, I figured it was important to address one of my favorite cities early in the days of this blog.  Paris is such a special place, a center of history, art, and culture, that it may outrank any of my favorite cities in my own country as one of the places you must go in your lifetime.  

Paris is going through a very difficult time right now, but it has consistently ranked at or near the top of the world's most visited cities (number 3 in 2014, probably down a little in 2015).  

Why should you visit Paris?  For one, it is a beautiful city.  The homogeneous Haussmann architecture and uniformity of design makes it beautiful from street level.  Iconic monuments such as the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, and the Cathedral of Notre Dame add to the splendor.  Then, consider the art within these buildings.  There is the Louvre, containing not only some of the most well-known works of art, but also rooms upon rooms of art waiting to be discovered by YOU!  Then there's my favorite museum, the Musée D'Orsay, which basically continues where the Louvre finishes, including the Impressionists gallery.  Then there's the food, which, in my opinion, ties brilliantly with Italian as the top cuisine in the world.  In fact, the word cuisine is French.  There is also the experience.  No one has yet asked about the name "Global Café." This comes from my desire to experience a culture, not just see it from the outside.  You cannot experience France without enjoying a long, generous meal at a sidewalk café.  For the American readers, those would be the places where you cannot get your bill, and service seems slow because they do not want to bother you in the middle of your conversation.  In France, a meal time is an experience, not just for nourishment.

Are you convinced yet?  How about France in 2016 and 2017?  My opinion is, this is a great time to go!  The novices will be scared away by the unfortunate events of last year, hopefully leaving the city less crowded for your enjoyment.  My tip of the day, is one thing you should be SURE to do before you travel is reserve your ticket to the top of the Eiffel Tower.  This can be done by clicking here.  Should you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of the top being sold out, have no fear!  Book to the second level, allowing at least two hours after your time before closing (the top closes before the scheduled close of the tower), and buy the tickets to the sommet (top)  on the second level.

There will be many more tips and tricks for Paris in the future, after all, how do you put one of the world's greatest cities into a single post?

À bientôt!

Angel's Landing - Zion National Park

Zion National Park has taken its place as one of my favorite National Parks in the United States.  This was no easy feat for this park, and I will tell you why.  If you go to Zion in the summer, or a weekend in late spring, and spend your entire time in the "scenic drive" (aka shuttle served) area, it can be very crowded.  I've found that week days and shoulder season can be truly miraculous times to visit this park.  I'm happy to say that I was able to do every trail inside the canyon last year.  Many of them for the 4th or 5th time.  I will do a review of them all in time, but I wanted to start with the big one.  Angel's Landing.

Angel's Landing (numbers repeated directly from NPS)

Difficulty: Strenuous

Round trip time: 4+ hours

Distance: 5.4 miles

Elevation gain: 1488' / 453 meters

I have read numerous reviews on this trail.  I've seen everything from "anyone in moderate shape can do it" to "this is a very dangerous hike." Being an experienced hiker, I usually know when I pass someone on a trail if I will see them at the top or not.  My personal opinion is that you should only do this trail if you have some experience hiking, or if you are with someone who is experienced.  If you are afraid of heights and 1,488' drops on both sides of your 3' wide trail, you can still enjoy this experience, but just hike to the Scouts lookout.  

The obligatory safety speech:

Hiking is one of the most rewarding activities on the planet.  If you are comfortable with the risks involved, but aren't sure if this hike is for you, I would recommend doing one of the easier hikes in the canyon first to see how your body responds.  Due to the extreme proximity of Zion to Vegas, if you are on this trail at the wrong time (busy Saturday afternoon), the trail may be too busy and ruin your experience with nature.  I recommend avoiding these times.  I see people frequently "hiking" in flip flops or bare foot carrying no water or supplies.  Please be prepared with proper attire and gear.

What to bring:

This is what is with me every time I go on a trail, even if it's just a short day hike.

1. Water

2. Water (see what I did there?) - If you know how much you usually drink, you can carry just the right amount.  I hydrate before beginning, and drink approximately one full liter on this trail. I would double that in summer.

3. Snacks - I don't think I have ever seen anyone not pull out an energy bar at the top of Angel's Landing.  It burns a LOT of calories climbing.  You will want at least one, if not two bars and/or a bag of some trail mix.

4. Sunscreen

5. Cell phone - you won't have service all of the time, but if something happens it's a nice backup plan.

6. Whistle - I've never had to use mine, but there's something comforting about knowing that you can draw attention to yourself if you experience a fall and cannot move.  You can only yell for so long, but as long as you are breathing you can blow a whistle.  Three blasts in a row is traditional SOS.

7. Pocket knife - You all saw 127 Hours?  That's not the reason... let's cover that in another post.

8. Camera - Don't hike all this way and not bring a camera!

9. Park map - The free one at the visitor center is fine for this hike.  It will help you approximate your position on the trail, but also identify what you can see from the top!

When to go:

Early or late in the day.  Zion Canyon is oriented on a North-South axis.  The shadows will be most extreme early or late.  If you leave early enough in the morning, you will climb most of the exposed portions before direct sunlight hits you.  Late in the day, you could manage to stay in the shade quite a bit. Sunset is a beautiful time, but you will want to get past the chains before it gets completely dark on the descent.

Departure Point:

The Grotto.  Note the big warning signs and the audio on the shuttle.  If you arrive at the Lodge stop, and there is no shuttle, sometimes you can walk to the Grotto faster than taking the shuttle.  This is only 1/2 mile of level walking added to your trip.  If you are starting early in the day, this makes a nice warm up for your legs before you hit the incline.

The Trail:

You've been waiting for this!  From the shuttle stop, cross to the West side of the road, and follow the West Rim Trail.  The beginning of the trail is pleasant enough.  It's a nice steady climb for a very long while.  If you are a runner, and IF THE TRAIL ISN'T CROWDED, some of these portions make for a nice jog.  Personally, I find jogging up the incline is easier on my legs than a steady plod.  Walter's Wiggles.  These switchbacks were constructed in the 1930's, and make the ascent a little faster.  They're a great leg workout, and fun to view from above. Just around the corner is Scout's Lookout.  This is a great stopping point to catch your breath before attempting the chains, OR a great place to enjoy the view and turn around if you're not up for the last half mile.  

The final section is the most exhilarating!  Keep in mind that there are some portions where the trail is barely 3 feet across with a drop of over 1400 feet on both sides.  Do not attempt this if you are not comfortable with this.  That being said, the NPS has put a great deal of effort into making sure there are strategically placed chains and rails in the scariest parts.  Please be polite to your fellow hikers and allow them to pass.  The worst moments on the chains are when someone becomes scared, and freezes onto a section of chain.  If this happens to you, ease yourself back and enjoy the view from Scout's Lookout.  For those of you who continue, you WILL be rewarded!

The view from the top is the reason you did all of that!  Don't miss out on enjoying the reward for your journey.  All too often, people turn around within 5 minutes of arriving.  For the photographers out there, this photo is at 10:55 a.m.  As you can see, the shadows are still just extreme enough to make an interesting photo. 

One final thought before signing off for the day - The NPS has made a great e-Hike of this hike.  Check it out!

NPS Angel's Landing e-Hike

Traveler's Tool Box: Luggage

I deal with a LOT of luggage.  No joke.  When I work a big bus tour, I handle more than 50 bags every day.  I know which ones break!  I see some bags that don't make it 6 days on a bus tour.  This article I'm calling part 1 of my tool box. 

 Luggage

Even the word is daunting.  LUG anything around and it is a burden.  With more and more airlines charging for checked bags, and now carry-on bags, this is becoming even more important.  Square or round, soft-sided or hard-shell...?  I spoke to a contact who is an engineer in airport operations.  I have carried each of these bags at some point in time.  Long story short, I keep returning to this one bag that I got in high school every time another suitcase breaks.  It's an LL Bean Rolling Adventure Duffle.  Current retail price is $109.95, but I see this item on sale a lot, especially during the holidays.

The good, and the not as good...

Soft shell: This bag is tough, but beware, it's not a hard shell bag.  If your goals are to buy nice artwork, put it in a cardboard tube, and carry it home in this luggage, then you might want to consider a hard shell.  For everything else, this is great.  The soft shell means the bag is very light.  When on a long trip, every pound counts.  It is also a standard duffle, meaning it is meant to lay flat on the ground.  I roll my eyes watching people trying to stand this bag on end... so, watch out, this bag will end up being dropped a lot, but it can handle it (as long as your contents can handle it, too!).  I have brought home big bottles of olive oil wrapped up in clothes in this bag with no problem.  But, always double bag them in zip top bags!!! (just a side note- if you travel to Italy, Spain, or Greece and want to bring back olive oil, always pack 4 or 5 two-gallon zipper bags.  Then, you can double, or even triple bag it for added security on the flight home.

Wheels and handle:  Very sturdy.  This bag has been traveling with me for years to Europe.  It has rolled through snow, ice, cobblestones, and more.  I've never had to replace a wheel.  The handle fits flush into the bag, so no fears of those pesky airlines breaking it.  It also has a handle on the bottom so that you can easily pick it up with both hands to load it into a car, or carry it down the steps at a subway station.

Size:  Get LARGE.  The extra large is too big to fly with.  I find that the large stuffed to the brim with clothes is reliably under 50 pounds (the limit for most checked bags).  Add more weight for liquids, shoes, and souvenirs.

Interior:  This is a one-pocket bag.  Yes, it can be difficult to organize, but a purchase of some packing cubes can cure that problem!  Personally, I like the one large pocket.  It prevents that really disturbing scenario of pulling a bag out of the closet a year after a trip and finding a pair of dirty socks stuffed into one of the pockets!

The manufacturer:  It is rare these days to find a company that stands by their products like this.  LL Bean has a satisfaction guarantee.  If anything on the bag doesn't live up, they will replace it.  I have had this bag since high school, and I only sent it back once.  The reason?  One plastic buckle on the cinch-down straps broke off on it's 200th (?)  flight.  I tried to get them to mail me a new buckle, but they insisted on replacing the entire bag.  That's a company I want to buy from again!

Where have I been, and where is THIS going?

Hello from March!

If you read the first post back in November, and have been anxiously waiting to see the next one, I apologize if I left you disappointed.  During that time, I was out gaining some more new experiences that I am looking forward to sharing here for YOUR benefit!  Let me take just a moment and introduce the blog.  My goal here is to post a few basic kinds of articles.  Navigate the topics you are interested in using the labels in the menu.

1. General travel tips and advice - how to get good air fares, how to combat jet lag, when and where to go.

2. Location specific advice - I have worked as a guide in many places throughout the world.  I know what the tourist traps are, and I know how to get those one-of-a-kind experiences.  I want to share the how-to's with you.

3. Location reviews - I am not paid by any hotels, stores, or restaurants to post my thoughts on their establishment.  My opinion may differ from others, but you can always count on my honest opinion.

4. Do-it-yourself itineraries -  You can always adjust these for your own personal preferences, but if you want to travel independently, I've got you covered.

5. Guiding services - Doing it yourself becoming too daunting?  I am a professional tour guide and tour manager, and I have many friends and tour companies throughout the world who I am happy to recommend to you.