Where To Safely Carry That Passport

I just returned from a bicycle trip to South Korea where the guide was -- hmm, how should I say this diplomatically -- less than competent. So, imagine everyone’s surprise when we’re about to board a ferry to an island within South Korea and we’re all required to show our passport in order to get our tickets. Sounds odd, for sure, because we’re not crossing a border. And no other form of identification would suffice: it had to be the passport for foreign visitors. Now, I know we’re often told to never travel with the passport once we’ve reached your destination, but I always have my passport safely zipped away in the 7-in-1 micro bag that I designed, the atta-Bag.  (This video shows some of it's features.) I carry it with me because numerous times, whether I’m trying to exchange money, check into a hotel, get a ticket for an event, and so forth, I’m asked for my passport. So in this South Korean situation, I was the only one in the group who had the passport on their person. The others packed the passports away in their luggage -- a common storage place for passports, it turns out -- in the bowels of the car ferry. They now had to race onto the ferry’s cargo hold, and retrieve the passport, and race back onto land as the gang plank was rising. They all almost missed the ferry, and the officials had to hold the ferry for them. Not good all around, except for me who carries all my valuable safely in my micro travel bag that’s so minimal most people don’t even realize I’m carrying it.


Because many people are making summer plans now, I'm offering a 20% discount on my micro travel bag until the end of May. Just use the discount code SpringTravel.

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How To Stay Healthy When Traveling

We all know not to drink the water or eat the raw fruit when traveling. But there's so much more to staying healthy when you're on the road. A couple of days ago, I gave a roundtable presentation at the New York Travel Festival entitled "How to Stay Healthy When Traveling." I revealed a variety of less-known ways to avoid foodborne illness, including avoiding fruit juices that can often be diluted with tap water as well as swearing off buffets because various flying insects that are vectors for disease can alight; what small device you should always pack when visiting developing countries -- it's the Steri-Pen, a UV-light water purifer; why you should take Pepto Bismol before you ever get sick -- if you follow a particular protocol of taking two chewable tabs before each meal and at bedtime it can significantly reduce the risk of traveler's belly; and what device can prevent motion sickness - it's the Relief-Band, a battery-powered device that stimulates the anti-nausea acupressure point on the risk. This private link bit.ly/BaroneHealth is an abbreviated list of recommended travel first-aid supplies. For the full-list as well as several free samples/product discount coupons, visit my store where I sell Doc-in-a-Bag, the unique travel first-aid kit organizer.

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South Korea In Pictures

South Korea recently has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. But this is a country webbed with a sophisticated network of bicycle trails, many that are completely segregated from traffic. I recently bicycled from Damyang, south of Seoul and then took the ferry with my bicycle to Jeju Island. I found South Korea to be a country of lush landscapes, verdant agricultural lands, primeval forests, dense stands of bamboo, and scenic waterfronts where older female divers free dive for abalone and conch and then serve the shellfish raw on a seaside table. This YouTube video slideshow provides a window into my adventures.

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Art and Architecture in Reykjavik

Reykjavik, Iceland is a city of art. Street murals dot the landscape, both along the main streets as well as in the Grandi neighborhood -- a former industrial fishing area -- that's burgeoning with new shops, and restaurants.

And, for art aficionados, Harpa, the opera house, is not to be missed. It’s stunning, both acoustically and architecturally. Stroll through the interior and you'll see how the hexagon-shaped glass panels perfectly frame the waterfront vistas

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My Highly Commended Travel Blog for Advice on Iceland

Among all the countries I've visited, Iceland, by far, is right at the top of my favorites list. It has everything I hold dear: pristine landscapes, nature-based activities, a capital that's brimming with culture, young chefs doing very cool things in their restaurants in Reykjavik and elsewhere in the country. Iceland is always listed as one of the top five happiest countries in the world. They do just about everything right: they were the first to take in Syrian refugees. When the government was in financial crisis in 2008, they became the only government to put the bankers responsible in prison. Iceland was the first country to have a democratically-elected female president - and she was in office for 16 years. My list of what's great about Iceland could go on. I often blog about my favorite country here. And, as a result, Asher Fergusson, an Australian with a large following, selected J The Travel Authority from among 700 around the world travel blogs as one that's highly commended for its posts on Iceland.

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Radio Interview: Staying Healthy When Traveling

Nothing can ruin a vacation or any journey, especially to far-flung lands than an illness or injury. I've spent years learning from bad experiences, as well as taking what I've learned from my vast background in health, medicine and biology and putting it all into practice to prevent travel-related ills. So I was delighted to be interviewed on this topic by Mary and Robert Carey on the radio program: Rudy Maxa's World with the Careys. Click on the button below to find out some of the things I recommend.

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To listen to the entire show, visit this website: 

You can listen to Rudy Maxa's World with the Careys here.

And, for more practical information, check out Doc-in-a-Bag, the unique travel first-aid organizer.

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Martinique in Pictures

The French island of Martinique beckons with its crystal blue waters, majestic volcano, and golden sand beaches. But I experienced the island's beauty from walking and hiking its verdant parks and gardens that are easily accessible to families. Habitation Clement with its abundance of outdoor contemporary sculptures is one of this island’s many picturesque green spaces. This YouTube video slide show presents a window into some of Martinique’s treasures.

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Packing a First-Aid Kit for your Kids

Nothing ruins a trip more than an injury or illness, whether it affect you or your kids. And, though most people think they know what to pack in a first-aid kit, that’s generally not the case. The items end up being an afterthought and often revolve around aspirin, Tylenol and Band-aids.

I’ve designed a Kids Doc-in-a-Bag to help with the planning. It comes with a comprehensive laminated list of what to include in your kids first-aid kit, including:

kids Benadryl (antihistamine) for allergic reactions

topical cortisone cream for rashes + insect bites

child-safe sunscreen

child-safe insect repellant

I’m especially fond of the products manufactured by All Terrain like their child-safe insect repellant and sunscreen.

Check out Kids Doc-in-a-Bag for the entire list of everything you should pack in their first aid kit.

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Woodlands Close to Mystic, Connecticut

I'm obsessed with green spaces. So even when I traveled recently to Mystic, Connecticut for business, I was determined to find walking or hiking trails. Bluff Point State Park is one of those bucolic locales just minutes from the Marriott Hotel and Spa where my meetings were held.  Sited on a peninsula beside the Pequonot River, the park is networked with paths for walking, hiking or mountain biking. On a cold winter day, I had the place to myself as I wandered beside the placid waters where, in the summer, it's likely you'll see kayakers and sail boats. Because glaciers once covered this area, the boulders dotting the area are no surprise, left behind by the glacial retreat. This vast landscape with coastal woodland populated mostly by oaks and hickory, sand dunes, salt marsh and grassland is considered the only remaining large undeveloped public land on Connecticut's coast.

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