The Intentional Travelers

Yellowstone And An Organized Land Tour

We spent a couple of years trying to plan a trip to Yellowstone. One of our primary goals was to spend some time at The Old Faithful Lodge. It turned out that getting reservations at the lodge are a very difficult thing to do. It is almost impossible to book directly with the lodge, as soon as the booking season becomes available, it is virtually sold out within a few hours. The Park Service suggested we book through a broker where you pay a non-refundable fee to book a reservation. We then found that some travel friends of ours had booked a trip that included Yellowstone with Caravan Tours the year before. They had nothing but high praise for the tour. After speaking with them, we decided to give this a try, our first land tour.

The tour we booked started in Rapid City, South Dakota, and visited Mt. Rushmore National Monument, Crazy Horse Memorial, Devils Tower National Monument, Little Big Horn Battlefield National Monument, Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Tetons and Jackson Hole and finished in Salt Lake City, Utah.

After the tour ended in Salt Lake we rented a car and spent a week on our own visiting Moab, the National Parks of Arches, Canyonlands, Capital Reef, Bryce Canyon and Zion. It was a good perspective to compare the two experiences.

An overview of the tour

Caravan Tours provided accommodations each night, a modern and comfortable motor coach that accommodated 48, a driver and tour guide, admission to all parks and attractions, breakfast each morning and occasional additional meals. At each stop suitcases were tagged and placed inside our hotel room each evening and picked up outside our room in the morning.

The tour started with a meet and greet with our guide Greg on Wednesday at the hotel in Rapid City, South Dakota. The next day we boarded the bus and headed out for a day tour. We visited Crazy Horse Memorial and also stopped at Mt. Rushmore National Monument. Neither of these sites were on our bucket list but, afterwards, we are glad we visited. Back in Rapid City that evening the town was hosting the first street concert of the season (Thursday evenings) which was a great surprise.

The next morning we boarded the bus and headed west with stops at the Devils Tower and the Little Big Horn Battlefield. The Devils Tower is a natural wonder and truly an impressive formation (think Close Encounters of the Third Kind). The Little Big Horn site offered a historical perspective on the 1876 battle. The Custer National Cemetery was on the same property. Next stop was lunch at the historic Sheridan Inn and a talk on Buffalo Bill. We spent the night in Billings, Montana.

Between stops, one of the interesting aspects of the tour was our guide playing historical or informative DVDs relating to the places we were visiting. Greg also shared his knowledge and thoughts in a running commentary throughout the trip. Very informative.

Day four of our journey was dedicated to the main event, Yellowstone National Park. If you have not visited Yellowstone, no matter what you have heard cannot do it justice. Our first stop was Mammoth Hot Springs where we encountered some elk and walked trails around the hot springs where mineral deposits form terraces down a hillside. After a few brief stops, including iconic Yellowstone Gorge, called the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and Yellowstone Falls we arrived at the Old Faithful Lodge. This would be a two night stay and shortly after checking in we got to experience our first Old Faithful eruption.

If you intend to visit Yellowstone, the first thing you need to recognize is that the park is larger than the state of Delaware with just a few hotels and campgrounds inside the park. Reservations anywhere in the park are difficult to come by and Old Faithful Lodge virtually impossible. Most Park visitors stay at motels in Jackson Hole or West Yellowstone, so it takes a lot of time getting into and around the park. As summer advances the lines of cars get longer and getting up early becomes a necessity. Also, if you get into the park a little late, the parking lots for a number of popula areas can be gridlocked.

The Old Faithful Lodge is a historic site sitting in the middle of the largest concentration of geothermal features in the world. We were told that half of the world’s active geothermal features are located within one mile of the Lodge. The Lodge is a historic and impressive building with a grand lobby standing five stories high. The guest rooms, however, are primitive by modern standards; no air-conditioning, television or wifi, with spotty cell service and a real 1950s character. Ours had one double bed with a small bathroom featuring a pedestal sink (almost no room for toiletries). The real draw of the hotel is simply the location.

The afternoon we arrived, just outside our window was a bull bison and, looking down the hill past the general store, there was a steaming field of vents with various geysers going off frequently. Every evening in the main lobby there was live music and, weather permitting, a fire in the massive fireplace. The lodge has food available in the main dining room (sit down menu & buffet), the lobby bar also serves light fare like bison burgers and chili, and there’s also a deli for sandwiches, ice cream and small items. Just down the hill from the main lodge is a country store with counter service until 5 o’clock and a newer and large cafeteria a short walk away. Between the lodge’s front door and the cafeteria entrance is the Old Faithful geyser, currently putting on a show about every ninety minutes.

After checking out of Old Faithful lodge we stopped at Lake Yellowstone on our way to the Tetons National Park followed by a night in Jackson Hole Wyoming. The next day we headed off to Salt Lake City with a stop at the Oregon Trail Center.

We both felt as if we had gotten more than our moneys worth with this tour. We saw sights we may have never visited by ourselves, met some great people, traveled in comfort and spent time at all of our wished for destinations. We would highly recommend Caravan Tours and this Yellowstone trip.

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A Travel Medicine Cabinet

“Plan for the worst, hope for the best.”

If you travel there is always going to come a time when you catch something. If you travel much internationally you are going to encounter times when buying over the counter meds in a foreign country can be a challenge and there are occasions when they’re just not available.

Long ago we developed a habit of packing small quantities of OTC medications along with some preventative insurance like lozenges.

This Rescue Essentials pack is no more expensive than putting together your own from scratch and the packaging is perfect for putting in pack or suitcase.

MEDICATIONS Unit Dose Pack by RESCUE ESSENTIALS

Provides five of the most commonly needed medications: Ibuprofen (I-Prin),Acetaminophen (APAP),Aspirin, Loperamide (Diamode), Diphenhydramine (Diphen), and Calcium carbonate (Alkalak).
Each medication comes in a weatherproof foil packed unit dose.
Each ziplock bag contains: 12 Ibuprofen (NSAID) – 200 mg tablets (6 twin packs), 12 Acetaminophen (Analgesic) – 325 mg caplets (6 twin packs), 8 Aspirin (4 325mg twin packs), 4 Loperamide HCl (anti-diarrheal) tablets – 2 mg caplets (4 single packs total 8mg), 6 Diphenhydramine (antihistamine) – 25 mg caplets (6 single packs), 8 Calcium Carbonate (antacid) – 420 mg chewable tablets (4 twin packs)
$11.99 with free shipping

Rescue Essentials also has a pack of three different single use topical first aid creams available HERE

Judi’s a big believer in vitamin C to build up immunity and while I look at it like chicken soup – it doesn’t do any harm. We both have had great experiences with the advantages of zinc and the flu. Ziacam’s fruit drops have the highest rating of all similar products and we won’t travel without it.

Zicam Cold Remedy Fruit Drops

Packed with natural orange power, these homeopathic cold remedy gummy-like drops contain zinc and help shorten the length of colds when taken at the first sign
Cold Remedy Orange Drops: Our chewy drops are different from most other cold medicine that just treats symptoms; They’re clinically proven to shorten colds when taken at the first sniffle, sneeze, or cough; Help ease your cold symptoms with Zicam
From Cold to No Cold Faster: Zicam Cold Remedy products are clinically proven to shorten colds when taken at the first sign, so you feel better, faster; Help calm your cold with Zicam Cold Remedy products like our nasal spray, swabs and RapidMelt tablets
Zicam Homeopathic Remedies: Known for Zicam Cold Remedy products, we also offer products for homeopathic allergy relief and nasal congestion and sinus relief
Zicam for Shorter Colds: Zicam homeopathic cold remedy is meant to be used in the beginning of a cold; Try Zicam the next time you feel the first sniffle, sneeze or cough of an oncoming cold; Satisfaction guaranteed
$12.75

Everyones got a favorite when it comes to sore throat and cough drops but these have been our choice for decades. I’m prone to chronic coughs when I get respiratory infections and with the exception of a prescription, these work best. A little hard to find but wor

Fisherman’s Friend Lozenges

There’s not much you can add about a cough drop other than they work. Fisherman’s Friend is a strong menthol lozenge with Eucalyptus oil produced by the Lofthouse company in Fleetwood, Lancashire, England. Fisherman’s Friend originally developed by pharmacist James Lofthouse in 1865 to relieve various respiratory problems suffered by fishermen working in the extreme conditions. The fishermen began to refer to the lozenges as “friends”, hence the name.

In addition to OTC meds we also carry a small first aid package with bandage strips, alcohol wipes and antibiotic cream (Neosporin). Our choice is small one-use packets and there’s no reason not to buy generic brands.

CAREALL TRIPLE ANTIBIOTIC PACKETS

FIRST AID in the healing of Infections in minor cuts, scrapes and burns.
24 HOUR INFECTION PROTECTION for minor wounds.
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS Compare to the Active Ingredients of Neosporin. Active Ingredients (in each gram): Bacitracin Zinc 400 units, Neomycin Sulfate 5mg (equivalent to 3.5mg of Neomycin base), Polymyxin B Sulfate 5,000 units.
SINGLE USE each 0.9 gram foil packet is easy to dispense.
FDA REGISTERED with NDC# (National Drug Code Number) printed on packaging with LOT # and Expiration Date.

Disclaimer: We are Amazon Affiliates and should you follow any of the above links to Amazon and purchase an item we will receive a small commission for the referral. We do however recommend products that we don’t believe in or use ourselves.

Travel And Staying Healthy

Healthy Travel Part I Flying & Cruising

Flying

There’s a love-hate side to travel. Being there is great but getting there not so much. Long distance flights are usually no fun at all, especially if you are like us and fly coach. With a price difference on international flights as high as ten times we feel the pain is worth the price.

The first area of increased risk encountered by the traveler is usually the airplane. Packing a few hundred strangers into a compact environment for one and a half to seventeen hours is an invitation to spread disease. One study discovered that, on average, 20% of your fellow passengers are probably sick. Here are steps you can take to reduce your risk while flying:

1. This is the big rule number one. Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth – The primary entry points for disease agents are your body’s mucus membranes (those moist areas) and the best way to avoid infection is to avoid transferring them from your hands. So, wash or disinfect your hands often and DON’T TOUCH YOUR FACE. I have a serious eye problem with medications that seriously irritate my eyes, leaving them itchy, burning and feeling like there’s something in them – if I can stop touching my face, so can you.

2. Select the right seats – The most likely people that will infect you are those sitting next to you, in the row ahead of you and behind you. For that reason, the safest seat is the window and the least desirable seat is on the aisle.

3. Disinfect your space – Armrests, tray tables and those seat-back screens and controls have been found to be a serious source of infectious agents and the airlines do almost nothing to them during the cleaning of a plane. Get in the habit of carrying TSA sized bottles of disinfectant spray and/or wipes. Purell, Clorox and GermX are a few effective brands. Disinfecting wipes will usually kill 99.9% of viruses and bacteria, including staph, E. coli, MRSA, norovirus, salmonella, strep and even the new threat of coronavirus.

4. Watch out for surfaces in lavatories – Another study found airplane lavatory surfaces, especially door handles, are a major hotspot for pathogens. Sadly, too many people don’t wash their hands. For that reason, avoid touching surfaces with a bare hand – use a paper towel to open doors and wash your hands thoroughly.

5. Nose Filters and Masks – Another problem with flying is getting trapped in that enclosed environment that recirculates the air with a number of people sneezing and coughing. I know we’ve come down with a flu or cold within a few days of a flight on a number of occasions.

Now in the age of corona virus it is becoming much more acceptable to wear a face mask and for the near future many airlines are requiring passengers to wear them which is probably a good thing. It used to seem odd to see an entire group exiting a plane wearing surgical masks but probably not any more and it does have a practical side. Before masks and the recent pandemic we discovered this item a few years ago, ordered them and have used them often on long flights. They’re discreet little adhesive pads with true HEPA filters that you stick to each nostril. Our discovery was called First Defense and today there are a number of competitors out there including 3M and WoodyKnows. Amazon

Another concern with flying is circulation. We’re often advised to get up and walk around to help our circulation but that is often just not practical on night flights where you are stuck between two or three people on a wide body jet. The cabin crew isn’t pleased either with isle walkers getting in their way.

Compression Socks

You can find some relief if you plan ahead on those long flights, especially if your cramped in coach. One area of particular concern is the toll it can take on your circulation. It isn’t unusual to discover that your ankles swell and maybe even hurt on and after a long flight. While the risk of developing blood clots on a flight is pretty low, it goes up with age and as travel length increases.

A lot of athletes and seniors already know the solution. Ask you doctor and he’ll tell you to wear compression socks. These stockings help increase circulation and reduce the risk of swelling or worse, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and clotting on long flights.

An excerpt from the Mayo Clinic explains, “Compression stockings steadily squeeze your legs, helping your veins and leg muscles move blood more efficiently. They offer a safe, simple and inexpensive way to keep blood from stagnating.”

Twisted Pillow

Another item recently discovered is a travel pillow that isn’t that half donut. I’ve been traveling with my inflatable half-donut for a number of years and the only thing I have to recommend it is everyone else is using one too. My experience has been that while it provides some help at supporting my neck and head it really doesn’t provide support for keeping your head up straight and that seems to be where the strain is.

Recently I found a straight line, bendable pillow that has a rigid center. It allows you to bend it so there is a higher point on one end that does seem to support your head when wrapped behind the neck. The negative is that it takes up more room and often won’t survive the cut when packing. Available HERE.

Cruising

It’s not just airplanes that provide an environment that allows for the easy spread of disease. Any public space that brings large numbers of people together in close quarters offers an increased chance of getting sick. Anyone who has had young children go off to school knows about those years of viral and bacterial infections brought home and spread through the entire family. It’s just one of life’s cycles and, while there is little you can do about those episodes, you can take action to reduce your risks while traveling.

After over twenty years and fifty cruises we are getting ill less often by following some simple rules we’ve adopted

These are similar steps to air travel precautions that you can take to avoid getting sick while on a cruise ship. The risk on a ship is very similar to that on an airplane. While you do have a lot more space that allows you to try and stay away from people that are ill, you will be exposed to that cruise environment for much longer periods, increasing the risk. The basic steps to avoid picking up an infection are the same:

1. Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth. This is a hygiene practice that would be good to adopt everywhere in life.

2. Disinfect your hands often – most cruise ships are now reasonably aggressive with hand sanitizers, usually providing Purell dispensers all over their ships often with crew popping up everywhere to squirt your hands (washy, washy).

3. Avoid touching surfaces in lavatories and, again, wash your hands often. It is recommended to use a paper towel to open the door when exiting.

4. Avoid contact with obviously ill people – Unfortunately we have gotten sick on a cruise a number of times because some people that are sick make no real effort to isolate themselves from other passengers. We believe this is an area where cruise ships should become more aggressive and probably will. On several occasions we’ve had seriously ill people that kept coming back to the dinner table each night. Our new policy leans toward “would we rather be thought rude or would we prefer getting sick?” If they won’t leave the table – we do.

5. Avoid elevators if at all possible. The small enclosed spaces are a breeding ground for germs even though the ship’s crew work hard at keeping the spaces clean and sanitized.

6. Don’t hesitate to consult the ships doctor. Too many people avoid the clinics because they’re afraid of the costs involved. We expect the cruise industry to start offering free doctors visits for people coming down with flu, colds, etcetera as this could represent a serious cost saving for them after the recent pandemic and its impact on cruise lines.

Carry your own emergency medicine cabinet – Part II. Avoid Jet Lag Part III.

North To Alaska

Discover a place where wilderness reigns and abundant natural beauty is found at every turn. Come and explore the sights and culture of the 49th state on coastal cruises, visits to glaciers, the wonder of the northern lights, and Alaska Native cultural centers.

While cruising Alaska is the most popular way to experience America’s largest state don’t ignore other opportunities to travel deeper into Alaska. There’s Denali National Park, America’s largest, Resurrection Bay with abundant wildlife and Alaska offers some of the world’s most spectacular rail journeys on the Alaska Railroad.

The Alaska Railroad features modern observation and dining cars for a comfortable way to see the state. Journey through areas that are inaccessible by road and take advantage of the “whistle stop” service for passengers to disembark along the way for days of picnicking, fishing, or hiking.

Alaska Ports Of Call

If you haven’t yet visited Alaska you’re missing out on one of travels most amazing adventures. With a tourist season stretching from May through September and dozens of cruise itineraries and plenty of land excursions and organized tours there’s plenty of options with pricing to fit any budget.

Of Special Interest

Seeing Alaska on luxury cruises or heading off on your own there are fantastic options to fit your interests.

ALASKA CRUISE-LAND TOURS
If you are thinking about an Alaska cruise , be sure and explore cruise-land packages. Available from all the major cruise lines there are also reasonably priced packages available from Discover Alaska. These typically start at Vancouver, Canada sailing to Seward, Alaska and with train tours to Denali on to Fairbanks and take about two weeks.

ALASKA’S NORTHERN LIGHTS
Looking for a Winter adventure? There’s no better place to experience the Aurora than Northern Alaska and The Alaska Railroad features a number of Winter package tours.

WINTER ALASKA RAILROAD TOURS

ALASKA MARINE HIGHWAY FERRY
Another option to explore Alaska is The Alaska Marine Highway, Alaska’s state ferry system. The ferry service includes routes from Bellingham, WA and Prince Rupert, B.C. to over 35 ports with scheduled routes including Inside Passage, Prince William Sound, Kenai Peninsula, Kodiak Island, and the Aleutian Islands. Road trippers can disembark in Skagway or Haines to access the road system in the Yukon, and then connect with the Alaska Highway to finish the journey into Alaska’s Interior by road.

SKI ALASKA
Alaska has 7 ski resorts. Most are located near the coast which produces ideal snow conditions. Alaska’s premier resort Alyeska is only 45 minutes from downtown Anchorage and is considered a top ski destinations. There’s also Eaglecrest located just 12 miles from Juneau and a short flight flight from Seattle.

A Growing Concern In Barcelona

An Occassion For A Deep Dive Into Graffiti

We have visited Barcelona a number of times over the past few years and love this city. We have been watching the reports on the Free Catalonia movement and the harsh reaction of the central Spanish government and have been concerned. This last visit revealed what we think is a significant change in the city. While there has always been graffiti, this time it seemed to have exploded without much of it being political. The neighborhood around the university was literally wall to wall graffiti. While the most common political statement we saw was the flying of Catalonian flags from houses and apartments. The new high levels of graffiti may demonstrate a growing disrespect for a culture or even its city and perhaps that is what we were seeing.

As we travel we are attracted to street art and often find it an art form that adds to the character of a place. Crude graffiti is becoming another issue all together.

The Faces And Causes Of Graffiti

“I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description, and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it…”

United States Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart 1964

The Supreme Court Justice was talking about pornography but the exact same argument has also been used regarding art, unethical conduct and conduct designed to generally show disrespect towards others.

For every citizen, morality and integrity are important characteristics identifying a worthy culture. We instinctively know that it is good to be moral and act with integrity, but more importantly it is the foundational principle that makes most societies better. Universally when we help make society better, we are rewarded by improving our own lives and the lives of our families and neighbors. Even more than laws, without moral conduct, society would degenerate into a miserable place.

Ethics Surrendered – There are those that will defend graffiti, saying it is artistic expression (much like defending pornography) or that it has been with civilization for thousands of years (like murder?). They will say that it provides a voice for politically suppressed groups (like facism?) or that it is simply protesting against social or institutional injustice (street gangs?). These are all common misstatements of ethical principles. Some of these are honest misconceptions, some are intentional distortions, while some are simple rationalizations, but they are all gross avoidance or even surrender of basic civic responsibility. Street art? Vandalism? Cultural decay? Political speech? It doesn’t matter what you call it. It is mostly a degradation of a community in general and individual’s property committed by cowards. If a community decides to encourage “street art” it can and often should, but the decision does not belong to a single individual misappropriating someone else’s property.

Graffiti has been termed a “quality of life” crime and the impacts graffiti has on a community are numerous. Property values — Neighborhoods containing graffiti are less appealing to those who may be looking to buy or rent property. Property becomes more difficult to sell and values are reduced. Retail sales — Graffiti can contribute to lost retail sales – people tend to feel less safe in areas with a lot of graffiti and are therefore less likely to shop in those areas. Public impact — Graffiti reduces enjoyment of public spaces such as parkland and civic areas. It also causes the area to look unsafe and makes people concerned about their personal safety. Impact on tourism — Tourists feel unsafe in areas where graffiti is abundant. Impact on business — business owners feel victimized and frustrated when they discover their business premises have been tagged with graffiti. Graffiti breeds more graffiti — If graffiti is not removed promptly, the space invites more graffiti.

Eradicating graffiti is costly and stopping it requires concentrated effort and there is a lot of disagreement about how harsh a penalty can reasonably be applied. Regarding punishment, why is it fair to arrest and imprison someone who robs an individual but not right to do the same to someone who defaces someone’s property or even a whole community?

Cruises To The Arctic & Northern Lights

Cruising around the Arctic Circle is an opportunity to experience amazing wildlife, stark scenery and the incredible spectacle of the Northern Lights. Each year more and more cruise itineraries are added to meet the growing demand for more exotic adventures.

Explore your options using the cruise company links below.

Viking Ocean Cruise Arctic

Viking takes you on unparalleled explorations to the most picturesque regions of Scandinavia and to historic sites in the Baltic Sea. Cruise majestic fjords along the picturesque Norwegian coast, visit modern cities such as Bergen and Reykjavik, as well as the medieval old town of Tallinn. Enjoy a thrilling visit to Longyearbyen, home to polar bears.

Hurtigruten’s Voyage North

Along the coast of Norway, the Northern Lights can make appearances as early as September and as late as May. Hurtigruten sails under areas of consistent auroral activity all year. Hurtigruten offer a variety of voyages, including an epic 13-day trip among Norway’s fjords, mountains and islands as you travel from Bergen to Kirkenes.

You’ll cross the Arctic Circle to hunt the Northern Lights in winter, with included land and sea excursions and expert lectures on board. Plus, their Northern Lights promise mean that if the aurora don’t appear on your cruise, they’ll give you a six or seven-day voyage completely free of charge.

Regular departures from Bergen between December and April.

Royal Caribbean

P&O Northern Lights

From mountain scenery and the Arctic beauty of Tromso to the dramatic landscapes of Stavanger, P&O Cruises‘ Northern Lights cruise options go one further with their no-fly option, that starts and ends in Southampton.

You’ll sail past natural wonders and beautiful medieval towns as well as spotting reindeer and huskies while you step out to hopefully view the Northern Lights, with a base in a cosy cabin and enjoying delicious regional meals. Monthly departures from Southampton.

Explore Exotic And Amazing Ports of Call

From lost civilizations to some of the greatest natural wonders, cruises can help you explore the world in luxury. Explore your cruise options using these convenient links:

Royal Caribbean

Norwegian Cruise Line