Reykjanes, Iceland in Pictures

Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula is a magical place that few visitors ever really see because, after arriving at Keflavik Airport and maybe stopping at the Blue Lagoon, they zoom into downtown Reykjavik. Too bad, because they're missing dramatic scenes. Reykjanes is rife with plumes of steam and bubbling mud pools, from geothermal activity, as well as otherworldly craters, fissures and stacks of lava. Even a sandy beach! And a "ghost" ship that had long washed ashore after the violent surf hit the rocky coastline. This YouTube video slideshow provides a window into this under-appreciated landscape that's worth many days of exploration.

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Packing Light for Winter Travels

Visiting Greenland in the fall with only a carry-on weekender tote bag for five days of travel seems impossible. But not for someone like me who never checks luggage. I simply wore  my heaviest clothing -- including boots -- on the plane. (I removed these as soon as I was seated; rolling them into an ultra-light tote bag that I then used as a pillow. Below are some of the heaviest items, including a wool hoodie, two jackets -- one fleece and one insulated -- and the snow boots that have cleats. I also wore black leggings, a Merino wool sleeveless dress and a Merino wool long-sleeved shirt. In my bag I packed one pair of winter pants, two tee shirts, a rain jacket, several pair of wool socks, two pair of Ex-Officio underwear, three wool skirts, and two Merino wool long-sleeved shirts. Aside from the clothing, I packed my first-aid kit, a zip-lock with liquids (shampoo, toothpaste, body wash, deodorant). My small personal bag -- a tiny backpack -- contained my iPad, camera, notebook, and all of the personal in-flight items I recently blogged about here. When my flight landed, I was the only passenger who didn't have to wait at the carousel for my luggage.

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Greenland In Pictures

This is the Greenland beyond the iconic sights that visitors associate with this grand country, beyond the sled dogs, fishing trips, polar ice cap, and treks to glaciers and fjords. This is the colorful Greenland that's rich in contemporary art and design, and dramatic beauty - all in the capital city of Nuuk.
This YouTube video slideshow presents a window into my recent trip to charming Nuuk.

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Personal In-Flight Items - What to Pack

Whenever I fly, I'm observing the behavior of the passengers around me. It's often surprising to see how many get up -- often when the seatbelt sign is on because of turbulence -- to open the overhead bin and rifle around in their large bags for some item they need. Many times, because of their disorganized packing, the item is no where to be found. Opening the overhead bins during turbulence puts them and the people around them at risk for injury, should something fall out. I keep everything I need for the flight in a small backpack under my seat. These items can deal with most anything that will occur on the flight, whether it's the noisy passengers or stomach upset, chapped lips or motion sickness. Here are the essential in-flight items I pack:

• Ricola natural herb lozenges for a dry or sore throat
• Tummydrops  for motion sickness
• Bonine also for motion sickness
• chewable Rolaids or Tums
• Aleve for a headache
• EarPeace earplugs
• Bucky eye mask
• dental supplies: floss, foldable toothbrush, Stim-U-Dents (a special toothpick that softens in your mouth so it won't injure gums), mini toothpaste tube
• Charmin wet wipes
• Purell hand wipes
• dark chocolate
• lip balm
• Altoids mints

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Kids First-Aid Kit Organizer - Only 2 Left

A well-stocked first-aid kit is often an afterthought when packing for travels, whether it's a short road trip or a journey to far-flung lands. But, if you're traveling with children, it's especially important to pack items that can tackle anything from a simple skin rash to an insect bite. A well-stocked first-aid kit certainly doesn't preclude visiting a pediatrician should your child develop a fever or have an allergy reaction. But it can take away the worry for minor cuts, bruises or ills.

My Kids Doc-in-a-Bag is not stocked with first-aid supplies. Rather, this is a zippered vinyl sac that comes with a comprehensive laminated list of what you need to include in your kids first-aid kit. On the list are things such as child-safe sunscreen and insect repellent, topical cortisone for rashes or insect bites, as well as kids Benadryl (antihistamine) for mild allergic reactions.

There are only two Kids Doc-in-a-Bag left in stock.
I'm including samples of Tummy Drops, a natural product containing ginger created by a gastroenterologist. (Perfect for motion sickness, whether on the plane, in a car, or on a ferry.)

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Safe Street Crossing Tips

As a New York City resident, I know firsthand that Manhattan is experiencing a street and sidewalk congestion that we've never seen before. And, here as well as across the nation, both motorists and pedestrians are seriously distracted -- whether it's from staring at their cell phones or plugged into their headphones. Numerous agencies and reports -- here and here -- document that distraction is a major cause of pedestrian accidents and, more importantly, fatalities.

I'm not one of those distracted pedestrians. Whenever I am in a crosswalk, my head is rotating left and right the entire time I'm crossing, making sure someone, whether a motorist or cyclist, isn't about to cut me off, despite the fact that I have the right of way. But, I've found that despite my contentiousness, whenever I'm in the crosswalk, drivers and cyclists making a left or right turn appear to not see me or perhaps choose not to. Recently, I was walking across the street with two out-of-town friends who just assumed if the light was green, they could barrel ahead. A truck turning left almost struck both of them, if it wasn't for me pulling them both back.  So what's the solution?

Over the past two years, I've been using a tactic based on what traffic control officers have long used: I hold a brightly-colored object in my hand and, using my outstretched arm that's facing any potential oncoming traffic, and I wave the object. It might be an umbrella, book, scarf, shopping bag, newspaper still wrapped in plastic, and so forth. You get the idea. I use this method each and every time I cross the street and I can't tell you the number of times this colorful arm/hand motion has piqued the driver's attention.  And, if those off times when I don't have an object to hold, I extend my arm with my hand flexed, palm out and fingers outstretched in the well-known "stop" signal as seen below.

At first my friends and colleagues thought these gestures looked fairly odd. and too embarrassing to mimic. But they saw the results as they crossed busy Manhattan streets with me. Cars stopped when they saw me waving a purple umbrella or a bright green scarf or using the "stop" hand signal. Of course, none of these gestures obviates me from still looking right, left and all about as I cross, just in case the driver still missed me.

This is hardly a controlled study. But it's worth a try. I've used these strategies when I'm traveling all over the world. After all, NYC doesn't have a monopoly on out-of-control drivers.

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Book Review: New York's Hudson Valley

If I were forced to pick one area in New York that I would have to visit again and again, it definitely would be the Hudson Valley. Stretching 150 miles from the northern reaches of New York City to Albany, this area is dotted with numerous quaint villages that ooze history and are peppered with contemporary art galleries, and placid green spaces that are perfect for walking, hiking or cycling. I've written several blog posts about the Hudson Valley, here, here and here. 
Now I received a beautiful, and enticing coffee table book focusing in on this region: Hudson Valley Reflections by Michael Adamovic. It's divided by seasons of the year and is replete with close-up images of the flora and fauna as well as historic features, and panoramas of the bucolic landscape anyone who has visited the Hudson Valley may be familiar with but will still delight in seeing these again. And, anyone who has never visited or not heard of the Hudson Valley, this will tempt you to get on Metro North, one of the ways of conveniently visiting many of the villages, and stop in Beacon, Cold Spring -- two of my favorites -- and others. Though the cover of the book refers to it as an "Illustrated Travel and Field Guide," I would've loved to have seen more information that was travel focused. Though the very back of the book includes 44 spots with natural, historical and architectural features as well as other venues that you should put on your "list" as well as an accompanying map indicating their location.

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Spa Hiking in Vermont

Many of us associate the word "spa" with pampering in the form of water treatments, facials, body wraps, hot stone massages and other pleasant, but sedentary, activities. What I love about the New Life Hiking Spa in Vermont -- and there's much to love -- is that its got my idea of pampering via fitness. Sure, they've got those typical spa treatments we've all come to expect. But I don't go to New Life for a body exfoliation -- though they offered a relaxing one using Chinese herbs, creams and oils. I went to indulge my joy in being fit. And New Life is the right place for fitness. Every day after breakfast they offer hikes for all levels: nature walks, intermediate treks from low-grade to more strenuous, and advanced hikes where you'll be scaling peaks. But the fitness starts before breakfast with a stretch class.

The hikes couldn't have been more idyllic. My friend and I chose an advanced intermediate hike every morning, not because we weren't fit enough for the advanced jaunt but because I don't like precipices nor navigating over scree or boulder fields, something that's always a possibility when summiting. On the intermediate journeys we tackled, we hiked through dense pine forests with the most energizing aromas, strolled beside crystal clear ponds and lakes, and enjoyed numerous scenic panoramas over the state's generous green spaces.

The afternoon was also fitness oriented, with different classes offered every hour, from 2PM through 5PM. Qi Gong, different sorts of yoga practices, outdoor fitness, and circuit training are just a few of the many offerings that change daily and are taught by a cadre of professional, personable and skilled trainers. (Characteristics of the hiking guides as well.) My favorite activities included the latter two classes. Rather than relying on machines (not fun for me), circuit training used Bosu balls for balance, mats to do a plank, sit ups or other exercises, and exercise bands of all sorts for strength training. In the outdoor fitness, we took advantage of the pleasant weather, heading to a spacious lawn for a fun boot camp of sorts. It included high-kneed skipping, tossing medicine-type balls, negotiating an agility ladder and engaging in some of the side-to-side motion typically used to train football players. We felt like children and that is what fitness should all be about.

The New Life Hiking Spa is only open part of the year, using the spaces at Killington's Cortina Inn and Resort. Expect an informal, a bit rustic and completely unpretentious environment. In other words, leave the glittery evening clothes and pearls at home. In speaking with the array of guests who have a wide range of ages, many have returned time and again sometimes for 11+ years, for many reasons, including the camaraderie and the hiking.  New Life has been around for almost 40 years. They obviously have the recipe for success. After all, one of the best ways to help people lose the weight they desire is to just get them moving in fun activities. I can't think of anything more fun than hiking in forest land.

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French Guadeloupe Islands in Pictures

Curious, for sure, that so many of my savvy travel friends had never heard of the French Guadeloupe Islands. Too bad, because this archipelago offers something for all stripes of travelers, whether those who want to spend their time on black or golden sand beaches or those, like me, who prefer hiking in the rain forest or above the arid, surf-pounded coast. One of my favorite destinations here is tiny Les Saintes that consists of several islets, including Terre-de-Haut, which is as low key as a destination can be. It's basically a fisherman's island where I dined at many restaurants that were literally set on the sands and ate fish fresh off the boats that were anchored off shore. Another highlight was staying in an elegant tree house at the Tendacayou Ecolodge and Spa. Every one of the accommodations is decorated differently but all maintain a rustic, arboreal feel. And the spa revolves waterfalls, a mini stream/river, and a sundeck with views of the Caribbean Sea in the distance. This YouTube video slideshow offers a window into my adventure.

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