As tempting as it is to disconnect when we travel, it’s impossible to do if work is involved and difficut to do when traveling for pleasure. If you want to navigate using Google Maps, understand the language with Google Translate or take a photo with your smart phone, you’ll need to power one or more …
When planning my travel budget, there is something that makes me balk at spending hundreds of dollars on data and communications. Verizon’s $10 per day Travel Pass sounded reasonable for brief trips but I gulped when I calculated $350 for a five-week trip recently. That would be $350 for me and $350 for my husband, …
Emerging from my cocoon after two years of pandemic travel restrictions left me feeling rusty. Actions that were once reflexive had to be relearned, but it was also an opportunity to catch up on travel trends I missed. As I reloaded familiar apps, I discovered some new ones that make travel easier. Here are ten …
This year, I upgraded to a Zoleo satellite messenger device to be able to get two-way messaging. For many years, I’ve had an early generation device that only provided one-way messaging. That simple device met my needs until last year, when I had an elderly parent who was ailing and I didn’t feel comfortable being …
Beach holidays have been a source of deep relaxation for me since I was a child and I love a tropical beach best of all—warm water, surf, sun and sand—what could be better? Shade, that’s what. I’ve found that shade is critical to my enjoyment of the beach. I finally feel like I have the …
Having the right travel gear can prevent wasting valuable vacation time hunting for what you need in an unfamiliar environment when dealing with health issues.
Kuhl makes pants for women and men that can work equally well for travel, hiking and backpacking. The fabric and quality of construction means that they are rugged enough for the backcountry and tailored enough to look good in town. I tried the Kuhl Trekr pants for women and found a great fit and excellent …
Gaia GPS is a map application that allows you to plan routes, navigate on the trail, record waypoints and tracking. With a paid subscription, you can get access to different maps and map layers that can be downloaded for offline use. It can be used with mobile devices (Apple or Android) or the Gaia GPS …
A common question by backpackers who care about the environment is how to reduce plastic. When planning a multi-week or multi-month thru-hike, the number of plastic bags used to store food can be overwhelming. Designs have been improving but weight remains an issue. Stasher silicone bags are a major advance with a true zip-top closure …
This is the year I ditched my camera. I, like most everyone else, have been taking photos with my phone for years. The quality has improved greatly and the convenience can’t be beat. Until recently I’ve used my cell phone to supplement my outdoor photography but continued to bring a mid-size camera lashed to my …