18
April
2013

Sleeping in the Airport like Tom Hanks

The movie terminal plays out everyone’s worst travel nightmares. What if you can’t get through customs? What if you are stuck in an airport for a long time? What if you lost your money and you have to find a way to eat? What if you get arrested for your medication that is legal in your country but not in another country?

 

If you get stuck in the airport, hopefully its only for a short layover, this info graphic gives great advice on to sleeping in the airport.

Here are some of the things I do to rest, sleep or lay down in the airport:

1- Find an area near an electrical outlet so I can rest and charge at the same time.

2- Set an alarm to check the status of your flight

3- Take a pillow or neck pillow so you will be more comfortable

 

Do you have a travel nightmare? Please share.

08
April
2013

Family Reunion Games of the Past

Stick Game Reunion

Family reunions should be an occasion to look forward to. I know we look forward to ours. Our reunions are usually based around a theme with each family taking turns being in charge that year. We have food, talk, games and activities. I have posted several examples of our family reunions for people to get ideas from. This year the theme was red, white and blue with games from our youth. One of the games we played was “kill the can.” Everybody has a stick. There is a big hole in the middle of the circle and smaller holes on the outside with one less than there are players. Everyone puts a stick in a outside hole. The person without a hole stands outside the circle with the can and his goal is to get the can into the big hole in the center. And the goal for everyone else is to two fold to keep the can out of the center hole and not lose a hole to put their pole in. They want to be sure to have a hole because the person trying to get the can into the middle can steal a hole and then everyone runs for a hole and the person without one has to try to get it to the middle. When the person gets it into the middle hole he picks the next person to go out. We used to play this as kids and everyone loved it. It is a wicked game though. Lots of banged and bruised legs by the time the game was over.

Plank Race

07
April
2013

Jelly Fish Stings – Ouch! Avoid Them

While out snorkeling on two different occasions I have swam into stingers. Once we were snorkeling from a boat and I saw these beautiful white floaty things in the water around me. I was so enchanted by their movement. Little did I know that these Beautiful creatures carried such an outcome of pain. I soon learned what a horrible experience it is to be stung. I had red welts on my arms and my legs. I would say it felt like bee stings. As soon as I got on the boat the tour guide put vinegar on them and shaved the area with a credit card. He said that the vinegar stops the sting from spreading toxin. The credit card would remove the stingers. He told me not to touch them as it would activate the stings to release the toxins. I was lucky that I didn’t have a bad reaction to them although they hurt like crazy and itched for days. They had me put hydrocortizone ointment on and take Benadryl. For me Ibuprofen and vinegar worked the best for me. It is not an experience I wish to repeat. But last spring while I was snorkeling I started to feel this stinging sensation down the front of my swimming suit and on my stomach where the little sea nettles had gotten caught in my swim suit. It wasn’t as bad as the Jelly Fish but it still stung and bothered me for a couple days. I went directly to the kitchen at the resort and asked them for some vinegar which they were kind enough to give me to put on the welts. I felt an immediate difference. It still took a while to go away but the vinegar and Ibuprofen really helped.

Welts from Sea Nettle Stings

Welts from Sea Nettle sings


I later talked with a snorkeling tour guide that said I should wear a t-shirt, wetsuit or nylons on my legs and arms to avoid jelly fish. The jelly fish sting when they come in contact with bare skin. So anything that keeps that from happening will help. Some jelly fish have small enough stingers that even the nylon will prevent the stings. When I go snorkeling again especially if I know there are jelly fish in the area or it is the season when they would be in the area I would definitely do what ever I can to avoid these stings. Remember some stings are serious and should be seen by medical professionals.