In a book entitled, So You're Going to France!  by Clara E. Laughlin, first published in 1927, the author discusses the travel company that she owned based out of NYC. At the end of the book she has "Twenty Rules for Travelers". They apply today just as much as they did in the 1920's and 30's, in one way or another. Read the full article for all 20 tips!

The Airport Schlep

Schlep: verb to haul or carry (something heavy or awkward).

            Noun a tedious or difficult journey.

As more and more people are travelling by air these days, and security procedures are becoming more and more elaborate, and unfortunately, it is taking a while for some airports to catch up. The need for clear signage, easy access, and calming space is not always being met. The newer airports, such as Heathrow Terminal 5, were designed with the frequency and abundance of travelers in mind. It is spacious, accommodating to flight changes, and has plenty of places to sit, unravel and prepare yourself for your next flight.

Traveling to Europe, from west to east over several time zones can cause our bodies to feel out of sorts in many ways. We may have a hard time sleeping, digestive problems, light headedness, difficulty concentrating or functioning, and mood changes. This is all part of jet lag: what happens when your circadian rhythm is thrown off.

Whenever you travel in Europe, you will always be tempted to bring things back to the US with you. We've all filled out the customs form that they hand you on the plane asking you to declare everything you're bringing home with you, but there still stands the question of what is allowed back into the US.  

The question always arises of how much of a foreign language to learn before you travel to Europe. Firstly, let me say that our tour guides are fluent in the languages of the countries where they are guiding, so you never have to worry about not getting what you need due to not knowing the language. You will be covered!

The question often comes up of how to avoid jet lag. You can scour the internet and find various different "remedies" and "tricks" on how best to avoid jet lag after a European flight. Sometimes though, jet lag is just unavoidable. While the remedies and tricks found on the internet may be helpful in easing the symptoms and discomfort of jet lag, they are not going to solve it entirely.