Lesley's World: Vacation

Friday, October 23, 2015

International Travel Tips from Yours Truly...

Having been overseas several times in the past few years, I have accumulated a wealth of knowledge regarding international travel which I will now share with you, dear readers. I am doing this because after having a baby, it seems like my travel days are long gone (at least until he gets a bit older). Hopefully Greece will still be around by then because I'd love to go back. I'd love to see Italy again too...and France...**le sigh**

1) Making a list will help with packing. It really will. If I don't make a list I just start throwing in random shirts and bottoms that don't necessarily go together. This causes me to over pack. I usually over pack anyway but if I really sit down and think about what I'll be doing and what kind of outfits I need to do those activities, then I can tone it down a bit. Regardless I always throw in some random sequin shirt because, hey, you never know when something will turn into that type of party.

2) Call your bank before you leave to let them know you'll be using your cards overseas. Believe me, the last thing you want is your bank freaking out over some international charges and shutting down your card. They do not have a Chase or Bank of America around so you can clear things up. You have to spend time/money calling the US to get it figured out.

3) Invest in some International minutes/text/data for your cell phone. AT&T offers a world traveler plan you can add while you're away for calls. I always get texts while I'm abroad. Believe me, you don't want to pay the roaming prices on this stuff. Some plans will cancel automatically. I think last time when I went to Los Cabos, I bought a 30 day plan. If it doesn't cancel automatically, don't forget to cancel all that when you come home!

4) Watch out for pick pockets. They won't be the person you think. While in Barcelona, I had a friend get his wallet lifted by a harmless looking guy who seemed to be celebrating Spain's recent soccer win. It was only after the cheering died down he realized his wallet was gone. A good friend of mine also had her wallet stolen while traveling, ALONE, in Italy. Make copies of every card and ID you take with you and leave it with someone in the US that you trust - then if you need to cancel everything, you can call that person and have them help you rather than calling all over or trying to remember what you had off the top of your head. (This is also where #3 comes in handy - you'll be spending a lot of time on the phone so you'll be thankful for that international phone plan.)

5) Check and RE-Check your boarding passes and flight times. There is nothing worse than arriving at the airport and realizing something is wrong with your ticket. I learned this the hard way on our last trip. My son was ticketed under the wrong name and when we got to the airport it was a nightmare to fix it. We ended up getting to our resort at 11:30 pm instead of 1:00 pm and missed the whole day. Luckily the resort was so wonderful and accommodating, it made up for this disaster. Please take my advice and MAKE SURE everything is correct before you leave.

6) Did you know some countries require that your passport be valid 6 months AFTER you leave their country? If your passport is close to the expiration date, go ahead and get it renewed. Check the date and get it done. They won't let you go on your trip if its close to the expiration date - even if it is still valid currently. Don't take the risk.

7) Don't just take pictures of all the typical sights. I mean of course take a picture of the Colosseum when in Rome - just don't forget to take pictures of the everyday things as well or favorite restaurants you enjoyed. That being said - don't spend the whole time on your phone either. The point is to experience it, not "selfie" it.

That's it! I'll have to live vicariously through everyone else who's traveling since I won't be going anywhere with my toddler for a while. Enjoy your travels!

Friday, March 29, 2013

Eureka Springs

My dude and I went to Eureka Springs for our 1 year anniversary. It was such a relaxing trip (even though it was freezing!) We still got out and saw some very cool things despite the cold temps.

We stayed at The Inn at Rose Hall. I highly recommend this B&B. The owner and innkeeper are very nice. The breakfast is very good and the rooms are very comfy. We definitely took advantage of the giant jacuzzi tub a time or two (with a little champagne nearby).

One of my favorite places was Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. You can read more about the awesome work these people do to care for "Big Cats" that have been found and/or surrendered by their owners. (Seriously people, why would you think a Tiger would be a good pet? FYI - they're not - don't be an idiot and get a regular cat). If helping animals is your thing, consider donating to this organization.

Another cool spot was a store called Fresh Harvest. This place is a tasting room for olive oils and balsamic vinegars. They have the standard oil and vinegar but also infuse the oils with things like Basil, Blood Orange and Cayenne (just to name a few). We had a great time checking out the different flavors and I think I found a secret weapon for the State Fair Chili Cook-Off. I took home a bunch of stuff from this place.

My favorite restaurants were Local Flavor Cafe and Ermilio's (the waitress at Ermilio's asked me if I was old enough to drink the wine and then asked hubby for my age to confirm. heehee) Highly recommend both!

And, Finally, Here are a few pics:


When hubby was born, his hippie parents lived next to this artist. Apparently he's in the Louvre and NYC Modern Art Museum. From the hills of Arkansas to NYC - who knew?