I roll my cloths when I need to pack things tight. I put anything that will fit in shoes in them to save space. Don’t forget to take a bag with your computer, electronics, medications, glasses, etc. separately so that if they gate check your bag you still have the necessities with you.

Tipping is always a question you need an answer to before you travel to a new place. You don’t want to underpay and be a cheapskate on the other hand you don’t want to pay too much. Research the place you are traveling to or ask your travel advisor for guidance. There is tipping and gratuities for everything from restaurants to your cab driver or tour guide.

I was recently asked this question and I thought of sharing it here in my blog…

Backpacking: What is the best advice you can share about backpacking through Europe?

• I would use the train system in Europe. You can get passes that can take you though several countries. It is efficient and inexpensive for as much as it allows you to see.
• Bring money and a credit card.
• A copy of any medication prescriptions, eyeglass prescription, doctor’s names and phone # or medical information a hospital or doctor might need if you needed medical attention.
• Have a plan for where you want to go.
• Leave a copy of your itinerary with someone at home and let them know if you are making any changes to it along the way.
• Keep your money in two different places. Make sure it is secure. Check out my free printable packing list for tips at www.boomerandseniortravel.tv
• Spend time getting to know places. Don’t just run from one place to another trying to see everything. Experiencing a place in a little depth will make it more memorable.

We love working and we love our vacations but we seem to like to take our work with us on our vacations. This is another example of how integrated we are with our work. I know that I take mine with me. My favorite vacation down time is to work on articles or organize photos of the trip I am on for my website and show.

One of the great joys in my life is my grandkids. Of course like yours they are the cutest in the whole world. I have grandma & grandpa camp each summer. They get to come and stay with grandma without their parents and we cook, do crafts, go on field trips, go hiking, play games and build a lifelong close relationship with them. That is the upside the downside is some of them live so far away that getting them here is an issue. The ones that are far away I either fly out and then drive their van with them across the country and then their parents fly in at the end and pick them up and drive them home or I fly out get them and then fly back with them. There is no grandma and grandkid airline discount. Why is that? Some are still too small to fly alone. We have travel games that we play and we get a hotel half way with a pool. I have a map for them with things to find on the way; 10 cows, 5 blue cars, a broken down car, a semi that will honk, a Mc Donald’s sign (ice cream,) a park with swings (we stop,) a dog, 5 sheep, etc. We sing songs and talk about them. I have to say it, I love the movies in the car. Bless whom ever came up with that one. At least the proverbial are we there yet only comes at the end of the movie not every 10 mins. It also cuts down on the “he hit me, she hit me” sessions. They stay 2-3 weeks. This is a really special time for all of us. They start packing their bags months in advance. We have to keep reminding them when it really is. Isn’t that cute. Some of our favorite times is at the beach. We love building sand castles. They try to build them like the sculpted ones that I show in my videos.