Let’s go to Greece! (return to top of page)

NEW AND EXPANDED

June 13-27, 2012

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TRAVEL TIPS & ARTICLES

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The following articles contain information that I hope you will find helpful. To facilitate use of the site for regular visitors, the articles are in order of posting (most recent first) and dated. Click on the title of the article and you will be taken directly to it. Feel free to print out those articles that might help as you plan your travels.

• A Tip on Tipping (July 2007)
• A Few Simple Tips (July 2007)
• Learn a Little Language (July 2007)
• Dealing with Electricity in Europe (April 2007)
• Let's Talk Money (March 2007)
• Communicating While Abroad (November 2006)
• Renting a Villa In Italy (June 2006, revised November 2006)
• Let's Talk Laundry (June 2006)
• Navigating Anchorage (April 2006)
• What I Did Last Summer ('How To' get seasonal jobs in tourist locations) (2005)



STORIES

My Introduction to Alaska (or Trial by Fire) (2005)

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TRAVEL TIPS & ARTICLES

A TIP ON TIPPING (return to top of page)

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(posted July 28, 2007)

I’ve read several articles about tipping in foreign countries, and they all pretty much say the same thing – Americans tip too much – but a recent item in the LA Times brought it home with a little different perspective that I would like to share with you.


Tipping in general is a controversial subject. Here in the states it is a monster that is out of control… to the point that restaurants pay low wages to their employees expecting them to make it up on tips. Let’s not even go there; we probably cannot put this genie back in the bottle. However, we can share in an effort not to import this ‘vile system,’ as it has been called, overseas.


The LA Times article points out that the practice of over-tipping is actually rude. “The most glaring way to show you’re an American – besides your accent – is to over-tip. In some countries, particularly Asia, it isn’t even considered polite to tip. ... You’re saying that the person you’re tipping isn’t hospitable enough to provide service without a bribe.” Countries in which you should NOT tip at all in restaurants include: Costa Rica, Denmark, Japan, and New Zealand. And in most others 5-10% is fine.


It all boils down to respect. “As the world shrinks, it behooves us to learn the nuances of other cultures. … To do so is the most fundamental way of showing respect.” How can you do this? Do your homework. Check the guidebooks of the places you will be visiting, or ask someone in the country, such as a concierge. Just say, “We’re from out of town, and we don’t know what the custom is on tipping.” Check the bill or menu. Sometimes the tip is included. In Italy, the menu may say servizio incluso, or on the bill it’s a line that says servizio.


For a country by country list, check out the Travel Advice section of Magellan’s Travel Supply website www.magellans.com. Here you will find a table listing the recommended tipping percentages for restaurants, porters, and taxis. This article is a little difficult to locate on the website. Here's how to find it: 1. From the magellans.com Home Page, click on Travel Advice; 2. On this page you will see a list of Travel Articles. From this list, click on Planning; 3. Once on the Planning page, click on the last blue entry, Worldwide Tipping Guide.


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A FEW SIMPLE TRAVEL TIPS (return to top of page)

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(posted July 28, 2007)

Cheap Security. For awhile there after 9/11 we weren’t allowed to put locks on our luggage. Now we can, but only Travel Sentry Certified combination locks that are TSA approved. The TSA employees have special tools that let them open these locks to inspect your luggage, and then re-lock them. This type of lock can be purchased in a luggage store or through catalogs such as Travel Smith (travelsmith.com) and Magellan’s (magellans.com), costing about $20.00 a pair. Actually, I haven’t used locks on my luggage for years. Figured those little locks wouldn’t be much of a challenge for a determined thief anyway. Instead, I use twist ties. Since I figure the primary goal is to keep the zippers on the luggage from opening and spilling out the contents, the twist ties are an inexpensive and effective alternative.


Pesky Pills. How about a space-saving and simple way to carry your pills? Those plastic 7-day pill containers take up space and tend to open up and spill their contents. Plus, I’m getting to where all my vitamins and prescription meds don’t fit in one, so must take two. My sister Karen (the 'other' Drifter Sister) showed me a nifty trick. Get yourself some tiny plastic bags (about 2”x2” – the best place to find them is at a bead store), and with a black marker write the letters of the week on them – M for Monday, Tu for Tuesday, Th for Thursday, and so on. Put your daily allotment of pills in each of the tiny bags and put all of them in a larger baggie. Each day the bulk of the baggie diminishes as the contents of each little bag gets used.


Cross Dressing. Finally, here’s a tip that might save you a lot of grief if an airline loses or misplaces your luggage. When two people are traveling together, each should put one outfit in the other’s luggage. That way if one of the bags gets lost or doesn’t show up right away, at least the unlucky victim has a change of clothes that can be used until the bag shows up.


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LEARN A LITTLE LANGUAGE (return to top of page)

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(posted July 28, 2007)

In an earlier article, I talked about how valuable it is to learn some of the customs of the country to which you are traveling. Another aspect of thoughtful travel is spending some time learning a little of their language.


I know the idea seems daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s surprising how far a few simple words or phrases, such as please and thank you will take you on this journey. Excuse me might come in handy, as well as good morning, and good night. Where is… and What is it? are important. And where would the American traveler be without knowing the answer to How much does it cost? Include I don’t understand; Where is the restroom?; Go away; and help to feel more comfortable and safe, and you will have your minimum working vocabulary. At the end of this article is a list of these terms for Italy.


And don’t wait until you are there to find out what these few words and phrases are. A pre-trip visit to the library or local bookstore will give you access to foreign language dictionaries, in which you can look them up. Jot them down on a little card that you can carry around in your pocket during your trip. The added effort will pay off.


And I’ll tell you what else impresses the ‘natives’ – not just knowing these phrases, but how to pronounce them. Those planning on spending more than just a day or overnight in a country might want to take this pronunciation part of the equation a bit more to heart.


Recently I was introduced to a technique that gives you the tools to pronounce most foreign languages like a pro. Easily Pronounced Language Systems, Inc. (EPLS) has developed a phonetic system that can be used for many languages, and they are working to add more. They provided their guide to the entire media covering the US Olympics in Greece (to rave reviews) and will be providing Chinese communication for Beijing in 2008. EPLS has developed a series of little (and luckily for us inexpensive) books entitled, Say It Right in [fill in a country]. Since I am leading tours to Tuscany twice a year, I have been perusing Say It Right in Italian, and it has already proven helpful. Find out more on their website, www.eplsworld.com. Once on the site, you can order a book by clicking the "Say It Right" button on the panel on the left. By clicking on one of the book icons on this page, you will be taken to the McGraw-Hill site to order.

Helpful words and phrases for Italy:

Please = Per Favore (pair)(fah-voe-ray)

Thank You = Grazie (gra-tzi-ay)

Excuse me (request passage/admittance) = Permesso (per-mess-oe)

Excuse me (bumping into someone) = Scusi (scoo-see)

Good Day = Buon Giorno (bwon)(djor-know)

Good Evening = Buona Sera (bwon-a)(say-rah) or notte (no-teh)

Good by = Arrivederci (ah-ree-vey-der-tchy)

Where is = Dov'e (doe-vay)

How much does it cost? = Quanto Costa? (Quahnn-toe)(koss-tah)

What is it? = Che Cos'e? (kay)(coss-ay)

I don't understand = Non Capisco (nonn)(kah-peace-koh)

Where is the restroom? = Dove sono i gabinetti (doh-veh)(soh-noh)(ee)(gah-bee-net-tee)

Go away! = Vada via! (vah-dah)(vee-ah)

Help! = Aiuto! (eye-oo-toe)

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DEALING WITH ELECTRICITY IN EUROPE (return to top of page)

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(posted April 13, 2007)

Nothing seems to be more confusing or frustrating than trying to figure out what is needed to deal with electricity in Europe. I think we all make it more difficult than it needs to be. I don’t claim to understand it fully, but will try to explain a little about it in the simplest terms possible.


First, in the U.S. we are supplied electricity by our local power company at 110 or 120 volts and 60 Hz (or Hertz). European electricity is generally supplied at 220 volts with a frequency of 50 Hz. Some localities have 110 volts, but don’t let that fool you. They still use a 50 Hz frequency, which could cause you problems. So, to use our electrical appliances in Europe, some hardware is needed in order to plug in without electrocuting your machine, and maybe yourself.


Hair dryers and irons (the most common culprits), run at high wattage, so a converter may be needed. I say ‘may be needed’ because some of the appliances have a dual voltage switch. Check yours to see if it has such a switch. If not, a converter will reduce the 220 volts to 110. Other common appliances include razors and battery chargers. Many of them will work without a converter, but you should check that it is marked 50/60 Hz, and not 60 Hz, or you can run the risk of burning it up even when using a converter.


Chargers for many modern tech devices accommodate both U.S. and foreign currencies. Check the small print on the back of your charger. Most now say, "Input: 100-240V 50/60Hz". If it doesn't, check your paperwork for your cell phone, iPod, Wolverine, Palm Pilot or other personal equipment to see if this is the case. If not, you will need a converter.

You will also need plug adapters (even for the above-mentioned tech devices) because European plugs are different than ours. And they vary from country to country. For instance, the British and Irish use a three pronged plug, and most of the continent's outlets only accept a plug with 2 round prongs – but that varies, too. And it even varies within the same country depending upon the age of the building. I know it sounds crude, but a general rule of thumb in old buildings is that if your appliance starts smelling hot or smoke starts coming out, turn it off immediately.


Still confused? Me too, but I’ve solved the problem by purchasing a ‘kit’ that contains a converter and several plug adapters. The converter has a little switch on it that indicates high or low voltage (lo for 0-25 watt appliances; hi for 26-1875 watt appliances), and each plug is labeled with the countries it can be used in. I found an inexpensive set at K-Mart a couple years back. This kit has worked so far in Africa, Italy, and the ship we were on in the Galapagos Islands. You can also find these kits at most luggage stores.


A good site to learn more about this, and many other useful topics, is www.enjoy-europe.com. From the home page, click on Chapter 11, Electricity.

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LET’S TALK MONEY (return to top of page)

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(posted March 2007)

Note: There are many helpful links in the following text. When you are finished viewing them, remember to click the back arrow in the top left corner of your browser to get back to this page.

One of the concerns we have about foreign travel is what to do about money. Do I need to carry American dollars with me? Should I get some foreign currency before I go? Do I need foreign money in a foreign airport? Should I get traveler’s checks or use my ATM card, or what?

I can’t answer all questions that might come up, but I offer below some possible answers to these questions and a few tips that I hope will be helpful.

Do I need to carry American dollars with me? For most of my foreign traveling life, my mantra as I went out the door, and all the way to the airport was: "Tickets, passport, money; tickets, passport, money." I would have to physically touch or look at these items at least a few times during the journey to the airport to allay my anxiety. Now the mantra is "e-ticket confirmation number, passport, ATM & Credit Cards." If I have any American dollars, it will consist of a wad of ones and a couple of twenties. The former for tips (a lot of countries – third world in particular – accept, and sometimes even welcome, the American Dollar for tips), and the latter for meals, snacks, or maybe a magazine in the US airports going and coming.

Nowadays, I don’t even take dollar bills to Europe. You will find that most European countries, especially those using the Euro, don’t want our money, even for tips. In fact, I have heard that there may be some parts of the world where it is actually illegal for them to accept our dollar. My general rule of thumb is: If their money is worth LESS than ours, they like our dollars; if their money is worth MORE than ours, we might as well keep it in our pockets.

Speaking of the Euro (were we?)... the Euro has simplified things for those traveling to multiple countries in Europe. Participating countries include: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain. In some of these countries (Italy for one) you can still use their old currency, but it is best, and far simpler, to use Euros.

Will I need foreign currency before I leave? In most cases, the answer is no. However, one of my sources suggests you might like to arrive with a little in your pocket for cab fare to your hotel. Options include getting some delivered right to your door (one website that offers this is www.oanda.com – free delivery, but there is a $200 minimum and exchange fees apply), or from your bank – there will be a fee charged, and they generally don’t have it on hand, so you will need to give them at least a week’s notice. You will want to call your branch to check out their rules and procedures.

And if you’re going on a cruise, don’t worry about getting foreign currency. What little you will need in port can be bought from the purser on the ship. Try to anticipate this necessity and be first in line because sometimes they run out.

Okay, so how do I get it once I’m there? The best way to get foreign currency is from an ATM machine in your destination country. Before you depart, check the back of your card to find your network, and then call or check on-line for ATM locations at your destination. The most common networks are Cirrus (800-424-7787, www.mastercard.com - see note below* before clicking this link), and Plus (800-843-7587, www.visa.com). Visa's website (for Plus) is more helpful. They have a link right at the top of the page that says "ATM Locator." Once you click on that, you just have to enter the country and city and up comes a map and addresses where ATM's are located. If you want advance information for Mastercard (Cirrus) you will need to call the 800 number before you leave. Their website doesn't seem to be helpful for advance planning. It is designed for those with access to the internet once already in the foreign country. On the home page, you must click on 'ATM Locations' under the heading of 'Card Benefits and Services'. Then, you input the address of where you are and it will show you websites near your location. Another thing I don't like about the Mastercard site is that it wouldn't let me back out of it. *If you wish to check it out, I suggest you wait until you have finished purusing Drifter Sister, because it will not let you come back to this page.

And, how about that few bucks (or yen, or mark, or a pound) to pay the cab driver to get you to your hotel? Well, most airports have money exchange offices, although I generally wait for better rates. Or, if you have time to search for it, most airports have an ATM machine. However, depending upon how long you are going to be in a particular country, this may not be practical, since the minimum amount you will have to pull out may be more than you will have time to spend. And, finally, your hotel may be willing to exchange a limited amount for you to get by until the next day – for a fee, of course.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Foreign ATM machines accept 4-number PINs only. If your PIN is longer, you will need to change it before you go.

Do I need foreign money in foreign airports? As you depart you shouldn’t need any because you can use your credit card to pay for meals or any large items you might need. However, as you return, it is a good place to get rid of your left over foreign currency. In addition to meals or snacks, you might wait until you’re on your way out to buy little souvenir items.

Most airports have shops carrying items typical of the country, many of which you have most likely seen throughout your travels. Granted, if you’re into buying upscale regional items or fine artwork there may be occasions when it might be worth schlepping your treasure around with you – sometimes this can be done conveniently, but most of the time not. I must admit, I have fallen prey to the lures of the Sirens myself a time or two. (You may not know this, but an oil painting purchased in, let’s say, Athens, can be taken off of its stretcher boards, rolled up, and placed in your suitcase. Once home, a professional framer can stretch it back onto boards and frame it just fine for proud display in, let’s say, your family room.) Who are we to judge another when that other has fallen in love with what they are convinced is surely an example of the next Picasso?

The reality is, you’re most likely in the market for something to take home as a memento for yourself or friends/relatives. In this case, I suggest waiting til the last minute and using up your foreign currency in your airport of departure.

What is the best way to pay for things? Credit cards are your best bet for hotels, meals, and more costly souvenirs. You will have a record of all your expenses, and they usually give you the best exchange rates. Be aware that most now charge a 1% to 2% international transaction fee. To avoid rejections, notify your credit card company of your impending trip abroad.


IMPORTANT NOTES: 1. Credit cards are NOT the best way to get your foreign currency. For currency conversion, most banks charge an additional 2% fee above the fee charged by the credit card company, and may tack finance charges on, to boot. 2. Notify your credit card company of your impending trip abroad. Carry the card’s toll-free number with you in case it is refused or lost. If you have more than one card, it is best to take more than one, in case one is not accepted.

What about traveler’s checks? Although traveler’s checks offer a measure of safety, they can also be a bit of a pain. They are best used to pay directly for things. If you use them to exchange for currency there will be fees involved. You can generally trade American Express Travelers checks for foreign currency sans fees at an American Express office, which you will find in many large European cities, but do you want to spend your sightseeing time looking for and getting to one of these offices?

BOTTOM LINE: No matter what method you use, there is no free ride. You will pay a fee of 1% at the very least. My Visa card charges a 1% foreign transaction fee. Other cards may charge more. You might check this out before you go so you will not be surprised when you get your bill upon returning home.

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COMMUNICATING WHILE ABROAD (return to top of page)

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(Posted November 2006)

Note: There are many helpful links in the following text. When you are finished viewing them, remember to click the back arrow in the top left corner of your browser to get back to this page.

While doing research for my first Let's Go To Tuscany tour [blatant plug for a tour to Italy I offer – see below], I came across an interesting article entitled “Using a cell phone outside the U.S.”


Turns out there’s a big, seamless network that allows cross-border cell phone use in Europe and other countries worldwide, including the U.S., making it possible to use your very own cell phone abroad.


Did you know about this? I didn’t, so decided to learn more about it.


So far, only T-Mobile, AT&T Wireless, and Cingular sell phones with this capability. And for it to work, your phone must be a relatively new version. Because my phone was three years old, I went to my carrier (T-Mobile) and purchased (for a mere $19.95) a nice little flip-top model – capable of all sorts of new things, including working in Europe. Nice.


When you’re ready to use it, a couple weeks before leaving on your trip, you must call your carrier to let them know the dates of your trip, and which country you will be visiting, in order to make sure that it uses the same frequency as your phone (most are compatible), and to get it unlocked. Don't wait too long. The first time I did it I waited til the week before and almost didn't get the phone unlocked in time. Your carrier must forward the request to the manufacturer of the phone, and they have no control over how long it will take to get permission. Could take anywhere from 48 hours, up to 2 weeks. When your carrier receives permission, you will receive instructions on how to unlock the phone once you arrive in the destination country. So, now that your phone is unlocked, you can do one of the following two things, depending on the circumstances.


1. If you are going to just use the phone for emergencies, or to call home once or twice while away, your carrier will add world class roaming at no extra charge. However calls will have an expensive per minute rate (at least 99¢ a minute), and you will be charged for incoming minutes as well.


2. If you will need to use your phone a lot within the foreign country – to call ahead for reservations, say, or communicate with other trip members – a cheaper way might be to buy and install a prepaid SIM (or TIM) card once you are in the destination country. The SIM card is a little removable computer memory phone chip that holds your data – all cell phones have them. You will get a local phone number – and much, much lower calling rates. When you return back to the states, you simply take out the new SIM card and put your old one back in, and your phone is back to normal. Note: This option does not let you make calls back to the U.S.


For either of these options you will need a world-capable multi band phone such as many models offered by Sony Ericsson, Motorola, or Samsung. And it must be an ‘unlocked’ world phone. (Some cell phone operators sell ‘locked’ phones, that won’t work.) Check with your carrier to see if your phone qualifies, or, if you’re ready to buy a new one, make sure it qualifies.


A third option is renting a phone. You can do this in most countries once you’re there, but it is preferable to do it before you leave, so you can give loved ones and business associates your number. This is not cheap – usually $40 to $50/week, and airtime fees are high – up to a dollar a minute (although incoming calls are usually free). Two good wireless rental companies are InTouch USA (800-872-7626) and RoadPost (888-290-1606). For Italy: Rentacell (877-736-8355) will even deliver the phone to you for free.


And, finally, for safe-arrival and check-on-the-home-front calls, you can purchase a phone card when you arrive at your destination. Most phone booths accept these cards, and for the equivalent of $7.00 or so, you can get about 100 minutes, thus allowing you to make a few short calls home.

As you can see, many options are available. You need to choose which one is best for you. I lead tours in Italy, and need the phone to make calls within the country (to make and confirm reservations, etc.). Last time I was there I got my phone unlocked before leaving and purchased a local TIM card (apparently this is the same as a SIM card). This worked quite well, however it was not as easy as I thought to find a place to purchase it. The literature says that you can buy them in the airports, but I couldn't find any way to do so in the Florence airport. I finally found, in a small shopping mall, what looks like a franchise store, called, roughly translated, The Phone House, where I was able to get a TIM card to put in my phone in place of its SIM card. This was free. I then had a choice to pay 5 or 10 Euros (or more) in advance, which gave me credit to make calls up to that limit. I was charged .19 Euro per call, plus .16 Euro per minute. This worked very well for my purposes.

Some good web sites to find out more about this are: Slow Travel, and Europe for Visitors.


(Reference: Italy for Dummies, 3rd Edition, by Bruce Murphy and Alessandra de Rosa)


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RENTING A VILLA IN ITALY (return to top of page)

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(Posted June 2006, revised November 2006)

Note: There are many helpful links in the following text. When you are finished viewing them, remember to click the back arrow in the top left corner of your browser to get back to this page.

My sister Karen (the 'other' Drifter Sister) and I just got back from three weeks in Italy. The first two weeks were spent in a villa that accommodated 14 people. It was amazing how many travelers we spoke with who were doing the same. When I tell people about my trip, and the villa, I am often asked, “Wow, how do you do that?” Well, it’s easier, and possibly cheaper, than you may think. You may join a tour, such as the one I offer (See Let's Go to Tuscany, below), or you can organize a group of your own. If you choose the latter, read on.


The premise here is to find a centrally located villa or two* (often a converted farmhouse) to use as a base, and rent enough cars to accommodate everyone in the group in order to thoroughly investigate a given locale. This seems to work especially well in the Tuscan area of Italy, but I’m sure it would work in other places in the world as well. Since my experience is limited to Tuscany, that is what I will address here.


Prices of villas in Italy that will accommodate 10 or more people range between $1500 and $3000 per week, depending upon the location and the season. As a point of comparison, we found that the cost of a very basic (to put it mildly) room in Italy, in remote locales, was a minimum of $100 per night, and our tiny, semi-clean, hotel room in Pisa (for our bookend nights at the beginning and end of our trip), was $150/night. You do the math, and you can see why this villa craze is so big right now. Think of it. Even if the lodging cost comes out equal, the accommodations at a villa far surpass a simple hotel room with no amenities.

Advantages for staying in a villa abound, including 1) possible (indeed most likely) lower per night cost; 2) not having to buck city traffic every time you want to venture out for sightseeing, not to mention the problem of parking your rental car near your accommodation; 3) having to unpack your bag(s) once or twice at the most; 4) ability to cook your own meals if preferred, thus saving you money; 5) getting to know a particular region VERY well; 6) mingling with the locals on a more personal basis than would be possible in a big city; 7) enjoying a country location; and, possibly the most important of all, 8) sharing the experience with a group of friends or relatives -- a great way to have a family reunion.


You can find your villa on the internet. Interhome (www.interhome.com) is one reputable source. (Remember to click on the back arrow on your browser to get back to this page after you have viewed this, and the other links in this article.) This is the company we have used. Another good site, with sample itineraries, seems to be Doorways, Ltd (www.villavacations.com). You can also just type "rent villa in Italy" into Google or another search engine. There are many companies out there. In most cases, once you get to the web site, you are asked to enter the country and region you are interested in. Again, I suggest the Tuscan region. Since Interhome is the only company we've dealt with, they are the only ones I can recommend. They are friendly, responsive to questions, and have been shown to be reliable over a span of eight years. If you choose to try another company, I would suggest you check how long they've been in business, and test their responsiveness to inquiries.

Tuscany is roughly (very roughly) an upside-down triangle, with the top line between Pisa and Florence, and the point of the triangle about 100 miles south. You will want to find a location in this triangle, close to a city of reasonable size (for groceries and restaurants) and a railway station. (See below for some suggested locations.)


TRAVEL COMPANIONS

The hardest part of this entire undertaking might be finding a group of people to do it with you. But let’s start with the premise that you do have a group of eight or ten people that would enjoy this type of thing – friends, relatives, friends-of-friends, friends-of-relatives. Of this number, you will need a champion – someone to do the research, such as finding a good location, interfacing with the booking company, and so on. This person (or two at the most) might also arrange the air and rental cars for the group, but that isn’t necessary, or even desirable. It might be best (and I would recommend) for each party, or ‘group,’ to make these arrangements individually, once the location and date of the trip has been determined. For instance, some might want to take advantage of frequent flyer miles on a particular airline, or want to spend extra time before or after the stay in the villa.

Someone will have to ‘front’ the deposit and final payment. It works best if one person handles it all and the others reimburse their share. There will be security deposits and final utility bills to settle, as well. Whoever arrives first will be the one to deal with the owner or manager of the villa, and will probably have to have cash (in euros) for the security deposit. The deposit and final payment amount is usually known in advance, so the ‘champion’ can be reimbursed before the trip, but the other expenses will have to be tallied upon the completion of the trip.

The most convenient airports will be either Florence or Pisa. Each group can rent their car and make their way to the villa – a challenging proposition, I admit. The rental car agency will have maps and advice. A visit to Mapquest or other map sites on the Internet before you leave will be helpful as well. This first venture into driving in an unfamiliar place may be the scariest and most difficult task to contemplate, but do not let that stop you. Once you have made your way out of the city, you will, most likely, just be dealing with one freeway and some country roads. Since driving in Italy is similar to the states (right side of the road), you will soon adjust. It would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with Italy's traffic signs before you go, and take a copy with you to refer to as needed.


LOCATION

The location of your villa should be reasonably close to the two major highways (the east/west Fi-Pi-Li (Firenzi-Pisa-Livorno), and the north/south A1 (Autostrada, which is the major, toll road freeway), and a train station hub. This will take some research, but it can be done.

A good web site showing a map of the Italian rail system is (interactiveraileurope.com/us/common/rail_map/italy.htm). Click on this link. When you get to the site, click on 'view the interactive version of this map' at the top of the page. At the next page, click on 'view map'. Now click the 'plus' button once or twice. Upon viewing this detailed map, you will see that some of your best choices are Lucca and Empoli in the north, and Sienna, Arezzo, and Chiusi in the south. I suggest you try finding a villa within reasonable distance of one of these cities. Florence seems to be another obvious choice, and there are a lot of villas offered nearby; however I would be careful not to choose a place that you need to go through Florence, or get on the Autostrada, every time you want to go somewhere.

The surface roads through the countryside are charming, and traveling them from town to town is half the fun, but there are times, especially at the end of a day of sightseeing, when you’re exhausted and it may be starting to get dark, when the fastest way is best. One tour book cautions that these “charming” back roads can turn treacherous at night. So if it's getting late, take the freeway home. The Fi-Pi-Li is user-friendly, similar to our freeways; the Autostrada, on the other hand, can be a bit daunting, but worth it when necessary. (See "Just Call Me Mario" story, coming soon.)


I would recommend two of the three villas we have used, or at least the general locations.

1) The first is the one we were in this year, Vecchio Mulino Vinci. It is a converted mill, near the town of Vinci. The closest ‘big’ town, Empoli, is about a 15-minute drive away, which has everything you will need in the way of groceries, internet/phone centers, a laundromat, and so on. Empoli is pretty easily navigated and tourist friendly, is one of the major train hubs on the milk run route between Florence and Pisa (don’t worry, it’s still a relatively small station), and the Fi-Pi-Li runs right through Empoli (hey, is there a poet in the room?). This villa is listed with Interhome (www.interhome.com), as are several others in the Vinci vicinity (search in the Italy-Tuscany-Florence section).

Pros: We found Vecchio Mulino Vinci to be comfortable and tranquil, and very convenient. Plenty of living space, and a huge kitchen. It was a good hopping off point to Florence, Pisa, Lucca, Volterra, San Gimignano, Sienna, and several other cute, little, old Italian towns nearby. This would be a good place for kids, because it has a pool and there is a little stream and park trail running right past it.

Cons: Part of its charm is also its downfall, as it is a bit damp due to being located in a little valley and the close proximity of the stream. The same place on the top of a hill with a view of the area would have been preferable. A search at Interhome of other villas in the Vinci area might turn up a better alternative.

2) The secondd recommendation is a converted medieval village called Borgo Corsignano, near the town of Poppi, which is quite a ways south and east of Vinci. It was our favorite of the two we stayed in eight years ago (and my personal favorite of all three). Because we couldn’t find it listed with Interhome this year, we took a drive over there to see if it was still in business. Yes, indeed, it is, and more charming than ever, but they no longer list with Interhome. You can view photos of their grounds and accommodations, as well as their prices, at www.borgocorsignano.it. If you like what you see, you can book on this site as well. I am offer two-week tours to this location twice a year. Click here to learn more.

Pros: Very friendly, English-speaking manager on the premises. The grounds and picturesque scenery can't be beat, and it is a good place from which to drive to the more southerly hill towns, such as Assisi, Arezzo, Cortona, Castelina in Chianti, Orvieto, and Perugia.

Cons: Not as conveniently located near a train station as Vinci.


FOOD

First, you will want to have some basics on hand – bread, cheese, juice, cereal, milk, yogurt, and, of utmost importance, WINE. We found it best to have a food kitty, with everyone throwing in about $25** to start, and when that was depleted, we each put in another $10 or so. We had to do this twice. On the second day, a small contingency went in to town to the local co-op (Italy’s version of a supermarket) to load up on the above items, plus one-time basics, such as trash bags, paper towels, dish soap, butter, and so on. Prices seem relatively equivalent to U.S. prices. During the rest of the two weeks, a list of items running low (such as milk) was kept near the kitty, and if someone was passing by the co-op, they would pick up the items, reimbursing themselves from the kitty upon their return.


Meals. Most of the villas have nice, fully equipped, kitchens. For an added charge you can have meals prepared for you. It is possible to spend a full day sightseeing and be home by dinner time, so you can save money by buying groceries and preparing your own meals. Personally, I feel part of the Italian experience is sampling the local food, their way, so that option does not appeal to me. Almost without exception, Italian restaurants are very clean, and you don't have to worry about eating anything. During the course of our two week stay we had one cooked-at-home evening meal with the entire clan, and a couple of the ‘groups’ made a meal or two for themselves. Breakfast was a biggie, with the entire population descending upon the fridge in waves each morning, pulling out their breakfast items of choice, for a quick bite and strategy session adding final touches to the day’s itinerary, before loading into the respective rental cars.


Most restaurants and shops close between 3 and 7 PM – the Italian version of the siesta – and because they use this time to rest and eat a late ‘lunch,’ the locals often don’t begin their evening meals prior to 9 PM. Since we prefer not to eat so late, we found the best strategy was to visit our destinations during the morning hours, stop at 1 or 2 PM for a substantial lunch, spend a little more time window shopping or visiting a museum or church, and then head home to the villa. Most often it would take most of the afternoon to find our way home, but if we were lucky and didn’t get lost, we could spend a quiet afternoon reading, sipping wine, partaking of a light snack of bread and cheese, and enjoying the Italian ambience – birds singing in the trees (there was a cuckoo), babbling brook, roosters making their claims of dominance over the neighboring farms, and so on.


At first blush, the restaurant meals seem extremely reasonably priced. This can be deceiving, however, in that everything is a la carte. Antipasto is your appetizer, Primi is usually a pasta, soup, or vegetable; Secundo is the meat, or main, course; Ensalada is your salad – served toward the end of the meal, not the beginning; and Dolci is dessert. You may order something from each category, but feel free to choose just one or two of these courses, which will help to keep your bill reasonable. The portions, however, are generally not large. Pizza is a great, generally inexpensive, choice. The Italian pizza is like nothing you've ever experienced. Unlike the thick-doughy-cheese- covered-artery-clogging American monstrosities, Italian pizzas consist of a very thin and light crust, a small amount of cheese and sauce, with delicate, mouth-watering toppings. One person can eat a large, which costs about $10, with no problem. According to some in our party, the quattro formaggio (four-cheese) pizza is to die for!


Eight years ago, the Italians didn’t seem to know what a salad was – just a little iceburg lettuce with, perhaps, a bit of tomato on top. When I returned home, the first thing I wanted was a great, big salad with everything in it. In the ensuing timeframe, however, they have learned to appease the American tourist’s passion for greens by developing the ensalada mista or mixed salad, the likes of which rival anything you will find here in the States. Your choice of dressing is Italian or Italian, but hey, when you’re craving greens, it hits the spot.


The above advice notwithstanding, one or two late night dinners at a local restaurant are a must. If you can find a restaurant serving an all-inclusive menu, you are in for a treat. It will not be inexpensive, but will be well worth it if you find a good one. The food just keeps coming, and coming, and coming, one course after another, until you just know you’re going to burst. Or you can go to a nice place and order one or two courses, just like at lunch. Every area has its own local wine, usually cheap but excellent, sometimes even made on the premises. The wine in Italy is something you will definitely want to sample.


Most of the smaller establishments do not do large groups well. They often have one cook (probably ‘mama’ or ‘papa’) who prepares each meal individually, and with great care. For this reason, I suggest you plan your group feasts on a special cook-at-home night at the villa, or at a Pizzeria, and descend upon the local restaurants in groups of four to six.


TRANSPORTATION


Rental Cars. As mentioned earlier, you will want several rental cars. Each group (two- to foursome) will share the cost of ‘their’ rental car, and the gas for that vehicle. You should get the smallest car that will hold all of you plus your luggage, and possibly one more. Don't let the agency 'upgrade' you to a much larger car: it will cost you more for gas, and maneuvering around the tiny streets and parking will be much more difficult. Sometimes a person from another group will want to tag along for a day. This mixing and matching should even out when all is said and done. Rent your car before you go. This is important. If you are a member of AAA, they will help you find a reputable agency at the best price. Start checking early and often, and you might find a bargain rate. Individuals more than a certain age cannot rent a car in Europe, which I believe is 70. Members of your group older than this should team up with a younger person or couple who can be the designated driver(s). If you are going to be the primary driver, you should get an International Driving Permit. AAA can help you with this, as well. It cost me $20 ($10 for the photo, and $10 for the permit).


Trains. You won’t want to drive in the large cities, such as Florence and Pisa, so the train will be your best bet to get to these must-see destinations. Italy’s train system is quite good, easy to figure out, and not too expensive. They may not always be on time, especially the ‘milk runs’ (see below), but they run often enough that if you miss one, another usually comes along in a timely manner. You probably won't want to travel late at night, but, if you do, be aware that during the night, posted schedules aren't always adhered to. Just be flexible and remain calm, and you should be all right, especially if you stick to the daytime, or early evening hours.

Between Florence and Pisa there are ‘milk run’ trains that stop in many of the smaller cities along the way. These train cars are old, but comfortable. There is a first and second class distinction. Don’t bother upgrading to first class because in most cases you will not be on the train very long. The cars are numbered 1 (first class) and 2 (second class). Be sure to get on only those marked with a 2. If you happen to board a 1, just make your way back to a 2 to find a seat. They work on sort of an honor system, in that the conductor doesn’t come through every trip, but if you’re caught in the wrong car, be prepared to pay an extra fee on the spot. If you decide to take any major trips, such as to Rome or Venice, you will want to upgrade to Eurostar, which has nicer cars, with assigned seating. The tickets cost more, of course.

NOTE: Before boarding any train, you must validate your ticket by ‘stamping’ it in a yellow machine at the station. Once time-stamped, the ticket is good for several hours, so even if you miss your first connection you should be okay. Again, the conductor doesn’t come through on each trip, but if you’re caught with an unvalidated ticket you will be fined on the spot. And one last caution: be ready to navigate multi-step subways to get from one track to another.


ITINERARIES

Most likely your group will consist of individuals with varying degrees of experience in Italy. In our case, we had experience ranging from one person with more than 20 visits under her belt, to five having never set foot on Italian soil, and everything in between. Because of this varied experience factor, not everyone is going to want to go to the same places. In addition to the relatively convenient destinations of Florence, Pisa, and famous hill towns, newbies might want to visit Rome and Venice. Depending upon the location of the villa, Rome and Venice will entail relatively long train trips, and possibly overnight stays. Those who have already ‘done’ the biggie locations might want to revisit them as well, but will most likely prefer to spend their time ‘doing’ the hill towns they desire to revisit, or have missed. They might even want to spend some quality down-time at the villa, the locations of which are generally very picturesque and tranquil.


Caravanning to day trip destinations is not recommended. Driving in Italy is a challenge (see below), to say the least, and if you have to worry about someone following you, forget it. More often than not, you get lost – which is half the fun, of course – and it’s best to let each car have its own adventure. If more than one contingent wants to visit the same location, it would be best to strategize the previous night as to the best route, and agree to meet in the main square at a particular time to enjoy lunch together. Or, better yet, do your own thing and compare notes that evening.


Day Trips.


Most days you will be motoring off to one or more of the myriad medieval ‘hill’ or fortress towns within the vicinity of your villa. Wherever your villa is located, if it's in Tuscany, you aren't far from wonderful day trip destinations. Vinci, for instance, has several little towns almost right next door, one of which, Monteluco, claims to be the ‘capital’ of ceramics. It’s a charming little town with an excellent ceramics museum. Vinci itself has the Leonardo Museum, and indeed, Leonardo DaVinci’s birthplace is a nearby tourist attraction. Within an hour’s drive of Vinci are must sees, such as Lucca, Volterra, San Gimignano (affectionately dubbed San G by our group, due to its difficult pronunciation), and Sienna.

The historic section of Florence – the part you want to see – is very walkable, and can be done in a day, unless you want to go to the Ufizzi Gallery or Galleria dell'Accademia (where Michelangelo’s David resides). Tickets are needed for both of these attractions, which you can order on line at florenceart.it/booking/. Be aware that it's expensive to order on-line. Tickets for the Ufizzi and Accademia run about nine Euros (~$12) each, but will cost you about 18-21 Euros (~$24 - $28), when you add the processing fees. Tickets for these popular attractions sell out far in advance, so this may be your only option, and you may be willing to pay the price if seeing these famous places is a priority for you. You might consider spending two days in Florence, one for the galleries, and one for the other sites. No need to spend an expensive night in a Florentine hotel, though, if you locate your villa within a short train ride.

If but one day is available, ‘must sees’ include the Duomo, the Babtistry (with its famous bronze doors), and the Ponte Vecchio (famous bridge over the Arno River – only bridge in Florence not destroyed during WWII), which is lined on both sides with tiny, expensive shops, mostly jewelry (some of which date back to the 16th century). Even if you're not in the market for expensive gold and silver jewelry, it’s fun to ogle the goods, along with about a bazillion others. Just muscle your way into the melee and window shop along with everyone else. It’s a short walk over and back, and when you get home you will be able to brag about having ‘done’ the Ponte Vecchio. For nice take-home gifts, you will find the Porcini outdoor market (knock-off leather, jewelry, pashmina shawls, and clothing) to be more gentle on the pocketbook. All of these locations will be listed on the Florence map you will have with you (see below for advice re maps), and are in relatively close proximity to one another. Florence also has THE BEST gelato shops, growing more and more ubiquitous every time I visit. By the way, I should mention here that a daily dose of gelato (Italian ice cream) is mandatory while in Italy. And the quest for the best is all part of the experience. Don’t worry, all the walking you will be doing will burn up the calories.


Pisa can easily be done in a day, too. You can either drive there, or take the train. The Duomo, Babtistry, and, of course, famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, are all located in the same beautiful square, and other than this square, there’s not much else to see in Pisa (even Rick Steves says so). If you want to see inside the Duomo, Babtistry, and/or climb the tower (just recently reopened), you will need tickets. So, you will want to arrive early in the day and get in line right away to get a decent time slot (there doesn't seem to be a web site on which to get these tickets in advance). Refer to your little tourist map (see below) for the location of the ticket booth. The square is about a half-hour walk from the train station. (There are two train stops for Pisa. You will want to get off at Pisa Centrale.) It is a nice walk, mostly along a pedestrian-only street with cute little shops. I hate to keep harping about this, but it would be wise to be armed with a map of the city prior to arriving. My sister and I wandered a bit before we found the square. We were staying in Pisa that night, so it didn’t matter. But you will need all the time you can get, so be armed with that map.


Rome is very difficult to do in a day, and it's not even actually in Tuscany. Being so close, however, the temptation is almost overwhelming to see it, since you're already there, and hey, when are you gonna get back to Italy, right? Okay. But it is best done on a tour. Three of the newbies in our group had a very disappointing experience this last time. The night before, when I asked them what they planned on seeing, they rattled off the following list: St. Peter’s Square (Vatican), the Colosseum; Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, and, of course, the Sistine Chapel. Those of us who had been there had to smile and explain to them that the Sistine Chapel alone would take an entire day, most of which would be spent standing in line. Their plan was to find one of those jump-on, jump-off, double-decker bus tours that take you around to the city’s highlights.


The trip was doomed from the start. First of all, it was a two-hour train ride to get there, and it got worse from there. They didn’t have time to wait for the good tour bus, so opted for a cheaper one that came along first, and which didn’t take them to the Coliseum; it was a hot day and they couldn’t find anywhere to buy bottled water, so they were too exhausted and dehydrated to negotiate the Spanish Steps, and didn’t realize that if they had they would have found the elusive Trevi Fountain into which they could have tossed their coins. So close, yet so far away. So what did they see? Well, they saw the Spanish Steps, found a 'fountain' in which to toss their coins, and did get to St. Peter’s Square, where they saw Matt Lauer taping a piece for the Today Show about the Italian premier of The DaVinci Code happening that week. Getting a picture of Matt ‘made’ the day for them, and since they're all good friends and have so much fun together no matter where they are, all was not lost. But they arrived home late that night, exhausted and frustrated. The other two ‘newbies’ chose a different tack. They picked out two places and made their way directly to them, via taxi. They came home satisfied and far less exhausted. The moral here is, don’t try doing Rome in a day. My advice would be to add a two- or three-day guided tour of Rome onto the beginning or end of your trip.


MISCELLANEOUS

Here are a few things that might also be helpful:


Maps. Knowing where you are and what you want to see is half the battle. Be prepared with plenty of maps. AAA has a good map of the roads of Italy. You will also want to find yourself a more detailed map of only Tuscany. As soon as you get into a town, look for the Tourist i. Here is where you can get a map of the tourist area and highlights. This is very important. Don’t waste your time just wandering about. Your day will be over and you won’t have seen the most important sites.

Freeways in Italy are not the ubiquitous feature of the landscape they are here in the states. In fact, there are exactly two – the A1 (or Autostrada), going North/South, and the Fi-Pi-Li (Firenze-Pisa-Livorno) going East/West. You will not be able to just hop on a freeway to get you from place to place. As would be expected, the industrial centers have located next to these major arteries. Your villa will therefore be, by design, a distance from these major cities (to allow for the desired country atmosphere, and peaceful tranquility of which you are in pursuit), thus you will have to drive a ways to get to the freeway, often through a labyrinth of surface streets. Do not be dismayed, the signs are usually pretty good.


How to drive like an Italian. First and foremost, leave your inclination to road rage behind! If you don’t, you will be in a constant state of agitation. The Italians drive fast, make quick moves, and tailgate. They aren’t necessarily tailgating because they expect you to go faster, they are just waiting for the right moment to pass. Most of the roads are two-lane, and curving. You will most likely be driving slower than they are because 1) you are not familiar with the roads; 2) you want to sightsee; and 3) you definitely don’t want to get a ticket in a foreign country. The locals, on the other hand, know these roads and want to get to their destination as quickly as possible, and most likely know someone who can 'fix' their ticket if they get one (just a guess on my part). When someone is tailgating, watch for an opening and accommodate him. Pull a little to the right of your lane, and maintain your speed – definitely don’t speed up. They will know what to do, and pull around you at (usually) a safe moment. There are times, usually when you are doing something stupid, when another driver might give you a little courtesy honk. Don’t let this bother you either. The hand gestures are usually reserved for those times when you have done something REALLY stupid or dangerous, and are therefore most likely justified on their part. Don’t take it personal. The first few days may be daunting, but by the time you leave, your passengers will be addressing you as Mario.


Roundabouts. Traffic lights are not the norm. Instead, they have roundabouts. These are scary at first, but if you know a couple simple ‘rules of the roundabout,’ you will do fine. First, cars already in the roundabout have the right of way, so before entering you will need to slow down or even stop. Once inside the roundabout, put your right blinker on just before the leg of the roundabout on which you will be exiting, so that others know your intentions. And remember, if you miss your exit, don’t panic. You can always go around again.


The water in Italy is safe and actually quite tasty. No need to be afraid to brush your teeth or drink the tap water. However, if you prefer, bottled water is available and served almost everywhere. If you do not care to drink it carbonated, you will need to request it 'still,' or 'without gas.'

Passport Copies. Since 9/11, you are required to supply a copy of your passport every place you stay – each hotel, apartment, or villa. You can either give them your passport so they can make a copy, or you can have a copy to give them. I would rather not have my passport out of my possession, and assume you feel the same way, so you might as well make a bunch and put them with your travel papers before you leave.


Coin-operated grocery carts. The Italian grocery stores have a great way of keeping their carts – if something like it were adopted here, the markets could save a bundle. The carts are stored outside, tethered to a contraption similar to those found in airports. You place a coin (a half-Euro) into a slot in the cart, and the contraption releases the cart for your use. The coin stays in the slot on the cart. When you are finished and return the cart, the action of placing it back into the contraption releases your coin. Clever.


Be prepared to pay to use a toilet. Not everywhere, but in many of the public places, you will either need to place a coin in the door before opening it, or pay money into a turnstile leading to the restroom facility (Florence train station). If the former, you can beat the system by paying one time and then have everyone in your party file in one at a time, without closing the door behind them as they leave the stall. In some of the out-of-the-way places, there is often a person in the restroom to keep it clean, or possibly hand you a little toilet paper as you enter. There will be a little dish on a table nearby and you are expected to place a small coin or two in the dish. This was not as prevalent on this trip as eight years ago, but the practice still exists. Just keep a few coins in your pocket for this contingency – and, of course, some tissue in your pocket in case there is no toilet paper.


*If you’re going all that way, you might as well spend two weeks. If you do, I suggest you choose two villas, one generally north and one generally south, spending one week in each. (back to text)


**You will, of course, be putting Euros in the kitty, not dollars. The figures I use in this article are equivalent dollar amounts. Italy’s currency, Euros, do not favor the American tourist right now. At the first part of May, 2006, when we arrived, the Euro was worth $1.25. By the time we left at the end of the month, it had increased to $1.29, but has been holding steady since then. You will want to check out the exchange rate before your trip. You will find that visiting Europe isn’t the travel bargain it once was. This is another reason the villa option is so popular right now. (back to text)

I hope this information will help convince you that renting a villa in Italy would be a fun vacation, and be useful as you make your travel plans. Have a wonderful time. Ciao!

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LET'S TALK LAUNDRY (return to top of page)

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(Posted June 2006)

Laundry is always a problem on a trip, right? I am not talking rinsing out a few undies here. That’s usually pretty do-able. What I want to talk to you about are those outer garments that begin to stand up on their own, or make your fellow travelers ‘kindly’ allow you to sit in the one single seat on the bus. I’ve been traveling pretty extensively for the last ten years, and have run across this problem a time or two (both on the giving, and receiving, end), but last year I learned a couple of tricks that might bring us back into the fold when it happens.

We’ve all been there. About 5 days into a trip, we seem to notice our travel-mates giving us a bit wider berth. Maybe it’s welcome at that point, having been cooped up together 24/7 for what seems to be months. But you must wonder, is it social commentary, or the aroma emanating from those outer garments that are getting riper and riper as each day passes, that are condemning you to isolation?

One answer to the problem is to pack a new outfit for every day of the trip, and drag along a gargantuan piece of luggage (or three) through the airport(s), on and off the bus, or squeeze it (them) under that little mini-cot the cruise lines call a bed. And when the trip is over, the same thing happens in reverse. By the time you get home, you’re wondering what happened to the joy of travel. I have learned a laundry trick that just might be a way to make it possible to bring a little of that joy back into the venture.

It’s true that many travel options, such as most cruises, have laundry services or facilities, but sometimes it’s just not possible, and if you find yourself in one of these circumstances, or just don’t want to break the bank on laundry bills.

Enough about the problem, here’s an option for a solution that I learned last summer on my photo safari to Africa. We were limited to a 10# carry on as we traveled from country to country in little bitty planes. We left our big luggage in a hotel in Nairobi, and downloaded into the little bags for the jaunts in the small planes. The longest of these periods of deprivation was 10 days while in Kenya. We were told by our tour director, “Don’t worry. We’ll all smell the same after a few days.” It was true, and after about 5 days, his words were all too evident.

One evening at dinner, one of my travel mates stated, matter of factly, “I think I’ll go take a shower and stomp some clothes.” Huh? When asked to explain, she told us of the following procedure.

Take a shower and stomp your laundry. Yes, that’s right, just take those offenders into the shower with you, put them on the floor, slather them with shampoo, and start stompin’. By the time you’ve finished your own shower, you can rinse the garment(s) out along with yourself. That’s it. Clean again.

Now there’s the problem of drying the puppies. And here’s another trick for that. Wring them out as best you can, take your towel, lay it on the bathroom floor, flatten the garment onto the towel, and roll it up. Now start stomping again. Walk on that towel, back and forth; turn it over and do it again. You’re drawing the moisture into the towel. Now when you hang it up, you have a far better chance of it being dry by morning. If you can, use a separate towel for each garment. This works in facilitating the drying process for those rinsed-out undies, too.

The popular trend toward making travel garments out of light-weight, tensel (spelling?) fabrics has improved the chances of drying overnight.

Problem with wrinkles? The first line of defense is to decide the night before the items you will be wearing the next day and hang them up. If just slightly wrinkled, this might be enough. Another tried and true method is to hang the garment in the bathroom while you take a shower, the idea being the steam will help eliminate the wrinkles. This works, sometimes, on minimal problems, but I have found it less than perfect. I've devised a little trick for myself that works most of the time, even on those stubborn culprits. Let's see if I can describe it properly.

Take the garment into the bathroom, lay it on the counter, and apply a light amount of water to each wrinkled area while gently rubbing the wrinkle in one direction, and gently pulling the fabric around it, kind of like blocking a hand-washed garment. Now hang it up. Since the entire garment has not been totally immersed in water, your treated areas should be dry by morning. And if perchance they are not, the garment will be wearable, albeit slightly damp in a few places. CAUTION: Use common sense. Think twice before using this method on silk or other 'dry clean only' fabrics. I tend to pack casual attire -- and am happy to report this seems to be the trend -- so I don't know if it would work on more sensitive fabrics, or not. Be careful. If you are not sure, try it on a small area in an inconspicuous location on the garment first.

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NAVIGATING ANCHORAGE (return to top of page)

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(last updated, 4/23/06)

If you're traveling to Alaska, there is one place that you are almost guaranteed to see: Anchorage. Most cruises either start or end there, especially if you have added the land portion to your cruise plans -- which I highly recommend. If you don't do the ground portion, you'll just see the Inland Passage, which is gorgeous; however, it is but a tiny portion of Alaska, and very different from the majority of the state. And while we're on the subject of a land tour, I would be remiss if I didn't also advise taking the train trip, either on one of the cruise line's train cars, or with Alaska Railroad (more on this later**).

So, here you are in Anchorage. Let's talk about it. Anchorage is a huge, sprawling, metropolitan city, with a population of more than 250,000 (nearly half the people in the entire state). A brochure states: "Located in Southcentral Alaska on the shores of Cook Inlet, the Municipality of Anchorage is a unique urban environment situated in the heart of the wilderness." Unless you are spending several days, however, you will see very little of this sprawling city, or the 'wilderness' of which they speak -- you will spend your time in the downtown area which, fortunately, is compact and charming. The streets are laid out in a simple north-south, east-west, alpha-numeric grid, and the blocks are short, so it is definitely walkable.

Even if you have just a couple of hours, do not sit in your room or just stay in your hotel. Get out there and explore! In fact, if you simply have a longish layover at the airport, you should consider taking the short, 20-minute shuttle into town. During the summer, it stays light all night (literally), so the shops and restaurants stay open until at least 11:00 p.m. during June, July, and August. In the bookend months of May and September, they will close earlier, but no earlier than 9:00.

Here's my rule of thumb for your walking tour: On 4th Avenue, start at 'B' Street and walk west to 'G' Street, make a left up to 5th Avenue, turn left, and walk back to 'B' Street. That's it. It's that simple. The major hotels are all within this grid, or possibly one block over. And definitely within the grid are gift shops and galleries, ranging from sophisticated to tourist-tacky; eateries, ranging from gourmet to sidewalk hot dog stands (and you simply MUST try a reindeer sausage hot dog before leaving Alaska -- promise me you will). And be prepared to be overwhelmed by spectacular floral displays in parks, in front of shops, even hanging from the lampposts.

That's the general, now I'll be a bit more specific. When I guided on the McKinley Explorer Tourist Train, I made a little info sheet that I gave to my passengers as we neared Anchorage, at the end of the north to south journey. I lived in downtown Anchorage, right across from the Hilton Hotel, which is where most of the Holland America passengers stayed at the time. If I was out and about the next day, I got a kick out of seeing them wandering about the city with this little piece of paper. Sometimes they would even recognize me and thank me for it. Made me feel good to know that my efforts were put to good use. Since it seemed to be of help to them, I am including a slightly expanded version of it here for you. You might consider printing it out and putting it in your travel documents. If Alaska isn't in your immediate travel plans, face it, you'll be going there some day, or, let me put it this way, you should. Alaska's latest tourist slogan is "Alaska Before I Die." It is a bit controversial, but I think appropriate. You'd be surprised how many of my passengers stated just that: "I wanted to see Alaska at least once before I died."

...........print and save...print and save...print and save...print and save...print and save...print and save...print and save..........

IHLA'S TIPS FOR ANCHORAGE


Places worth going a little beyond this boundary (see detail for each, below):

Museum of Art & Natural History (7th & A - enter on 7th)
State Troopers Museum (5th <B & C>)
Qiviut Alaskan Handknits shop (6th & H)
Downtown Saturday Market (3rd & E)
Captain Cook Monument (3rd & L)




GENERAL INFO

• Most stores and restaurants stay open til 11:00 p.m.
• There is a rather nice, 4-story mall right in the middle of downtown, called the 5th Avenue Mall (entrance on 5th Avenue, at D Street) (open til 9:00 (6:00 on Sunday))
• People Mover Bus rides: $1.25/trip (TIP: seniors (60+) ride for a quarter; driver doesn't always tell you this. Just flash your driver's license). It's a good bus system (terminal on 6th & H); however if going to outlying areas, be ready for a long ride; remember, Anchorage is large and spread out. If your time is limited and you want to travel a distance, you might consider a taxi ride instead.
• Even though it seems like daytime (literally) at night, ladies should not go out alone; in the evening, travel in groups if possible; be mindful of panhandlers, especially in the park near the old courthouse and Visitor Center (usually not aggressive, but you never know). The usual ground rules apply: no eye contact, and do not engage in conversation.
• Hotel Locations (Although there are a few others in the downtown area, a little outside my 'grid,' the ones listed here are those used by the cruise companies, and are in the most convenient locations):
• Hilton (Holland America) is on 3rd & E
• Westmark (Holland America) is on 5th & G
• Hotel Captain Cook (Princess) is on 5th & I

IF YOU NEED

• Post Office: 5th Ave. Mall, 3rd floor
• 1 Hour Photo: Kits Camera, 5th Ave. Mall, 2nd floor
• ATM: 5th Ave. Mall entrance (5th & D)
• Catholic Church: Holy Family Cathedral, 5th & H
• Ice Cream:
• 1) < 8pm, E Street Ice Cream Parlour (near Hilton; E St <4th & 5th>);
• 2) > 8pm, Salmon Chowder House (near Hilton; (4th & E);
• 3) Moose a la Mode (near Westmark & Captain Cook; 4th & K)
• Liquor Store: (the one and only) (5th Ave <I & K>), across from Hotel Captain Cook

GOOD RESTAURANTS (some world-famous*): Eating in Anchorage is not cheap, but usually good quality

• Glacier Brewhouse (5th <G & H>) MY FAVORITE
• best beer (brewed there), good food, a bit noisy, but worth it -- the 'in' place for youngish and 'in the know' locals.
• TIP: 'no wait seating' in bar area, w/same menu as restaurant. Don't put your name on the waiting list until you've checked out this area. Just turn to the right when you enter, and go past the open kitchen to the large bar area, which has high and low tables.
• *Orso's (5th <G & H>): Next to, and same owner as, Glacier Brewhouse, but with a quieter and more refined atmosphere, different faire, and higher prices. I know a commercial airline pilot that flies (or jump-seats) to Anchorage just to eat at Orso's.
• F St. Station (F St <3rd & 4th>): Good, reasonably-priced steak sandwich. Gets really crowded at night, so consider it for a late lunch or early dinner. Favorite of local yuppies and pilots.
• *Simon & Seaforts (4th & L) - MY OTHER FAVORITE
• pricey but excellent food & view
• 'no wait seating' in the lounge w/same menu as restaurant
• A little difficult to find; walk west on 4th until you dead end at L St, cross street and turn left; look for small sandwich board sign on sidewalk and small placard on tall building (that looks like an office building) containing the Simon & Seaforts logo. Go in the glass front door and walk to the back of the building to find the restaurant.
• Snow Goose Brewery and Restaurant (3rd <F & G>): Good view from patio, good beer, decent food
• *Humpy's (6th <F&G>): Local favorite, especially for lunch; good hamburgers; live entertainment weekends.

LIGHT EATING (if you prefer something lighter, and less formal, here are some suggestions):

• Try a reindeer sausage hotdog (please!): ($3.50 each, or $5.00 w/chips and a can of soda). You will find a stand on almost every corner (see MY FAVORITES below for best stand).
• Sweet Basil Cafe (E St. <3rd & 4th>): Closes at 3 p.m., so just breakfast and lunch; excellent homemade soups, sandwiches, fresh fruit smoothies.
• Snow Goose patios (weather permitting) (3rd <F & G>): Good individual pizza served after main kitchen closes.
• Uncle Joe's Pizzeria (G St. <4th & 5th>): Mostly take-out, with a few indoor and outdoor tables, with seating usually available.
• 5th St. Mall Food Court, 4th floor: Arby's, Quiznos, and most of the usual favorites

NATIVE ART & ALASKANA GIFT SHOPS

• Carvings: Chilkat Art Company (D St <4th & 5th>; downstairs): Even if you aren't in the market for this type of intricately carved artwork (antler, petrified whale and walrus bone), this shop is a treat to visit. A hidden treasure; you would probably never find it on your own. Open odd hours, but if you're lucky enough to find it open, enjoy.
• Totems: Alaskan Ivory Outlet (5th <C & D>)
• Musk Ox Yarn gifts: Qiviut Alaskan Handknits (6th & H): Tiny shop with amazing, albeit expensive, handknit items, made with Musk Ox yarn, by Oomingmak Alaskan Native Co-op. Musk ox wool is said to keep you warmer than any other wool; worth seeing, even if you're not interested in buying. Their sales pitch: "A unique gift of wearable masterpieces."
• Russian Art: Two stores on 5th <C & D>: Dolls (regular and nested), intricate painted boxes, eggs, etc.
• Sled Dog Race Gifts: Rondy Shop (D St <4th & 5th>), & official Iditarod Shop (5th St. Mall, 1st floor)
• Fish to send home: Fisherman's Express (D St <4th & 5th>)

THINGS WORTH DOING IF YOU HAVE TIME

• Museum of Art & Natural History (7th & A)(enter on 7th): Wonderful natural history exhibits; don't miss the diorama "History of Alaska" on the second floor, "History of Flight in Alaska" exhibit on the first floor, and Alaskan artists exhibit. You might try their nice little cafe for lunch.
• Native Heritage Center: This attraction is way across town, but worth the trip if you have time. Find a tour (your hotel should offer one) or take the People Mover city bus. Very informative and interesting. You could spend a day here, so allow at least 4 hours, not including travel time.
• Public Lands Information Center (4th & F): Good, small, natural history exhibits & free films about Alaska. A nice place to sit down for a rest if you've been walking for awhile.
• City Walking Tour: 1 p.m., meet in lobby of Old City Hall, next to Visitor Center, $5.00; allow at least 2 hours. No need to purchase advance ticket. Just show up.
• Alaska Mint: E St. Terrace (4th & E): Coins and other interesting info (NOT official mint, just a nice gift shop, with special coins and jewelry, mostly gold).
• State Trooper Museum (5th St <B & C>): Small, but very interesting early Alaska law enforcement info (FREE).
• Performing Arts Center (Takes up entire block between 5th & 6th, and F & G, adjacent to Town Square (enter on 6th Ave)): Variety of interesting movies about Alaska shown all day ($8.75 each, less for seniors); Free display of Northern Lights photos definitely worth viewing; concerts and appearances by famous performers.
• Town Square (between 5th & 6th <E & F>): Tranquil little park with lovely flowers & fountain; if you happen to be there on a Sunday afternoon, and are lucky, you might catch a special outdoor performance by the Elmendorf Air Force band.
• Saturday Market - a MUST if you are there on Saturday (3rd & E, kitty-corner from Hilton): Crafts, food, buskers, and band-stand entertainment. Open 9 a.m to 5 p.m.
• Imaginarium (5th <G & H>): Fun, hands-on experience for the kids

WANT TO TAKE A WALK?

• Tony Knowles Coastal Trail (moderate to long walk, along the Cook Inlet)
• From Hilton, go west on 3rd, turn right on F, left on 2nd, entrance on your right
• From Westmark, go west on 5th, right on H, left on 2nd, entrance on your right
• Ship Creek Salmon Viewing Area (moderately strenuous due to steep hill between 2nd and 1st Avenues) (best when the salmon are running, of course, but nice walk nonetheless)
• From Hilton, go north on E, down the hill, past the RR tracks, turn right on walking trail just before the road bridge over Ship Creek. Walk past the covered bridge, and behind the Comfort Inn, to the green bridge. (Check out the Railroad Depot and Ulu Factory on the way.)
• From Westmark, go east on 5th, left on E, and follow the directions above
• Combat Fishing Area (E St, north of 1st Ave): If the salmon are running, this is a fascinating sight: fishermen lined up literally shoulder to shoulder in Ship Creek, angling for the 'big one'. Especially active in early June, when the King Salmon tournament is in progress. You can get a good view from the road bridge over Ship Creek.
• Captain Cook Monument (3rd & L): Relatively short walk with great payoff; nice view of the Cook Inlet and Alaska Range

NIGHT LIFE - A FEW OPTIONS (in descending order from hi- to low-brow)

• Cyrano's Playhouse (4th & D): Quality plays put on by local actors in a tiny playhouse.
• Performing Arts Center (enter on 6th Ave between F & G): First-rate concerts and appearances by famous performers (check schedule at box office)
• Humpy's (6th <F & G>): Live entertainment weekends. Young crowd. Loud music.
• Fly By Night Club (in Spenard): You'll have to make reservations and take a taxi to this dinner show, but if you want an evening of rip-roaring good fun, and see where the locals go to have fun and make fun of themselves, this is the place. Raunchy and irreverent shenanigans of Mr. Whitekeys and Company include songs and paradies of everything from politics (national & local) to religion, and everything in between, especially Alaska. You'll be stomping your feet, rolling on the floor with laughter, and leave begging for more. What: 2-hour dinner show; When: Tuesday thru Saturday at 8:00 p.m.; Where: 3300 Spenard Rd; Reservations recommended: (907)-297-SPAM. Check out www.flybynightclub.com to see if this might be something for you. (When you finish viewing the Fly By Night site, click the back arrows on your computer's tool bar until you get back here.)
• Darwin's Theory (G <4th & 5th): Last, and definitely least, is this local, semi-sleazy bar. But it's a legend, so you might want to stick your head in for a peak (or maybe just walk by). And if it's not too late in the evening (as with any bar, the later it is, the less pleasant the crowd), you might consider having some popcorn and a beer.

MY FAVORITES

• Best Fish Chowder: Glacier Brewhouse (also wonderful beer-cheese soup)
• Best Hot Dog Stand: M&A's (owned by 2 retired teachers), in front of steps to Public Lands Information Center (4th & F). You can't miss their cart, bedecked with a Bob Marley doll, and emenating regae and Jimmy Buffet music.
• Least expensive gifts: Polar Bear Gifts (4th & F)
• Best Book Store: Cook Inlet (5th Ave <D & E>). Largest selection of books about Alaska
• Best View Point: Captain Cook Monument (3rd & L)
• Best view of Elmendorf and Merrill Field airplane activity: Snow Goose Restaurant outdoor patios (one of the patios is on the roof, serving a limited menu) (3rd <F & G>) If you are a flying buff, you will be in heaven here.
• Best View of Sunset: Snow Goose Restaurant outdoor patios; Simon & Seaforts lounge or restaurant window tables; Captain Cook Monument.
• Best Native Alaskan Art Display and Gift Shop: Alaska Native Medical Center Auxiliary Gift Shop. If you are interested in buying a piece of artwork created by a true Alaskan artisan (I'm not talking mass-produced trinkets, here), this may be the most important tip on this page. There are many fine galleries in downtown Anchorage, but they also have fine-gallery prices, if you get my drift. If time allows, it would behoove you to take a taxi trip out to the Alaska Native Medical Center, located on Tudor Road near Bragaw Street (before going, check out the notes at the end of this paragraph). The Hospital Auxiliary Gift Shop buys artwork directly from the Alaskan Natives and then marks it up 20%. You will be assured of getting truly authentic pieces at the absolute best price, and at the same time have the personal satisfaction of knowing you are directly benefiting the artist. A win-win situation for all concerned: the natives, the hospital, and you, the buyer. This arrangement has been going on for many years, and has raised awareness, appreciation, and the value of Alaskan art tremendously. Even if you don't wish to purchase, this is a very worthwhile trip to make. In addition to the gift shop, the hospital has a unique and wonderful display of Alaskan artisanship. When you arrive, and before visiting the gift shop on the first floor, take the elevator up to the top floor, get off, and walk the circular stairwell down to the ground floor. On each landing, you will find a beautiful, large, glassed-in display of each of the different genres (dolls, baskets, carvings, masks, and so on), and on the walls of the staircase are little lighted shadow-boxes featuring small items. Take your time. You will come away with a broad understanding and appreciation of Native Alaskan artistry. One last thing: As you are leaving, take a look at the brick work on the exterior of the building -- it is designed to mimic the patterns of Native Alaskan basketry. NOTES regarding gift shop: 1. Cash only, no credit cards accepted; 2. Limited hours: Mon-Fri, 10am to 2pm, and 1st and 3rd Sat, 11am to 2pm.

DON'T MISS THESE LITTLE GEMS

• Statue of Balto (famous sled dog of 1925 Nome Typhoid Fever Epidemic rescue (historical precedent to Iditarod Sled Dog Race)) (5th & D). The annual Iditarod Sled Dog Race begins at this intersection the first weekend in March. (5th & D)
• Small Historical Kiosks (on almost every corner): Interesting photos and information depicting Anchorage history. Worth taking the time to view.
• Tightrope walker (in aerial walkway between Performing Arts Center and Egan Center) (5th Ave at F St): A little surprise for those who know where to look. (I know this one sounds mysterious, but you'll know it when you see it.)
• Wylund Undersea Mural (5th & E): On wall of parking lot across from Town Square park.
• Mural depicting the history of Anchorage (behind City Hall): This will entail a bit of a hunt, but well worth the effort. The approximate location is on 7th Ave, between F & G, but the best way to get to it is from 6th Ave by way of the little walkway between Humpy's and City Hall.

THINGS TO AVOID

Alaska Experience Theater (6th Ave <G & H>): You will pay handsomely for a cheap, old little thrill ride on a platform that moves and jerks around while you view an old, poor-quality film of the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake. Go in to view the good, FREE, museum about the Earthquake, and check out the nice little gift shop. Just don't pay to go into the 'ride.'
Excursion to Sourdough Mining Company: If you like crowded, tourist-trap, get-em-in-and-out-quick, huge-portions-of-marginally-acceptable-food excursions, be my guest. Enough said. [However, in fairness I should point out that a few of my passengers took this excursion offered by Holland America and loved it, so use your own judgment. Just don't say I didn't warn you.]

I have not been in Anchorage since the summer of 2004; things may have changed, and I apologize for any inaccuracies.

Please help me keep this sheet current. When you visit (or if you live there), and see that something has changed since I was there (or wish to suggest additions or changes) please contact me at info@driftersister.com

Thank you.

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**And now the pitch for taking the train. Don't let them (travel agent; cruise excursion representative, etc) talk you into taking just the motor coach (bus) from Anchorage to Denali, or vice versa. The motor coach trip stops a few times at view points, but mostly just takes you on a highway through forest. Bo-ring! The better choice is to take the train! I know I'm prejudiced because I worked on the train for two summers, but you see so much more, hear narrative, and get a much better feel for Alaska from the train. Even if you are not with the ground portion of a cruise, you can still purchase a ticket on Holland America's "McKinley Explorer," Princess's "Midnight Sun Express," or Royal Caribbean's "Royal Celebrity" tourist cars. Any of these choices will get you a good view with narrative and dining. Again, I'm prejudiced, but I think Holland's McKinley Explorer is the best choice. All of the seats are forward-facing (Princess's seating arrangement is tables, so half the people must ride backwards -- this is good if you are with a group that wants to play cards or party, but not that great for those seriously interested in seeing the countryside and learning about Alaska); Princess guides (at least when I was there) are younger, and more into having fun than imparting information; Holland's cars are newer, with larger viewing domes. [You may be offered a cheaper deal to ride on a vintage Budd car -- there's a reason why it's cheaper. Make them explain the difference between the two types of cars, or e-mail me and I'll explain.] Royal Celebrity is similar to Holland's McKinley Explorer, and they run a 'class' operation.

Each of the cruise lines own their own cars, but they are pulled by, and under the auspices of, Alaska Railroad. You can purchase a ticket on the Alaska Railroad itself, but you won't receive quality narrative or have your own private viewing car and dining room.

If the train trip is part of your Holland America or Royal Celebrity cruise, you will spend a night or two (two is better; one is not quite enough) in Denali National Park and then continue on the train to Fairbanks. The scenery between Denali and Fairbanks is not as interesting as that between Denali and Anchorage. Luckily the former is 4 hours and the latter, more interesting section, is an 8-hour trip. If you are traveling with Princess, you might stay a night in Talkeetna as well, which breaks the 8-hour trip into two 4-hour segments.

NOTE: IF YOU ARE TRAVELING ON YOUR OWN,I would suggest your itinerary be the train (McKinley Explorer) from Anchorage to Talkeetna and Talkeetna to Denali; and then motor coach back from Denali to Anchorage. * You will leave Anchorage at 8 am, arriving in Talkeetna approximately noon-ish (you're always on -ish time in Alaska); spend that afternoon, evening, and next morning visiting this charming little town (that's probably all the time you'll need**); get back on the train noon-ish the next day [Don't miss it, there's only one a day. Make sure you are there when the train pulls in, and make it obvious you're wanting to get on. A rep (usually the lead car manager) from each company is tasked to find those wanting to get on. They're not always expecting you.] and travel on to Denali National Park. Stay two nights (one is not quite enough), then take a motor coach back to Anchorage. You may notice I didn't mention Fairbanks. I would skip that altogether.

*You can do the same thing in reverse, taking a motor coach to Denali first, and then down to Talkeetna, but you will leave Denali at noon-ish and arrive Talkeetna at 4-ish, leaving Talkeetna the next day at 4-ish, arriving Anchorage at 8-ish. Personally, I think taking the train north and coach south is the best option.

**Click here to go to the best site I've found for lodging and things to do in Talkeetna. As you can see, there are a lot of fun activities in Talkeetna, so you might consider staying two nights if you have time. When you're finished looking, remember to click the back arrows on your computer's tool bar to get back to this site.

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ESCAPE OF THE DESERT RAT (or What I Did Last Summer) (return to top of page)

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I am often asked about my rather ‘exotic’ summer employment. You might say it is the ultimate mix of business and pleasure. I certainly couldn’t afford to stay ten weeks at Jenny Lake Lodge in Grand Teton National Park, for instance – where the rates are more than $400 per night – or eight weeks at the Grand Canyon, either. Sure, you work while there, but on your days off, look what you have at your doorstep.


In my position as bell person at Jenny Lake Lodge, I was once refreshing the ice in a guest’s cabin (a twice daily occurrence) when he remarked, rather snidely I thought, that this would be a really impressive thing to put on one’s resume. He thought that he was putting me down, I guess. My retort, accompanied by a big smile, was that I would probably pay them to work, outdoors like this, at the base of one of the world’s most beautiful mountains, and I love every minute of it. To myself I thought, not only do I not worry about resumes anymore, buddy, I would never trade my 10 weeks working in this environment for your three or four days of leisure here. Not everyone is as arrogant as this particular gentleman. A lot of people are astute enough to see the advantages, and I am often asked how I managed to land such a choice assignment. If they persist and seem serious, I often say, “Let’s talk.” So, if you also are intrigued with the idea, let’s talk.

First a little background. When I first started going out with my boyfriend, in 1999, he had worked a few weeks one previous summer at Jackson Lake Lodge. When he asked if I might be interested in trying it with him, I said, “Sure, sounds interesting.” So off we went to Wyoming to work five weeks at Jackson Lake Lodge in Grand Teton National Park, to test the waters, so to speak. Jackson Lake Lodge is not quite as exclusive as Jenny Lake Lodge, but I didn’t know that at the time, and the entire Grand Teton National Park, just south of Yellowstone, is unbelievably spectacular. At the end of that first summer, the International Wildlife Film Festival was held there, and I heard more than one of the attendees remark that within this park was some of the most beautiful scenery he had ever encountered. I have since traveled much of the world myself, and I tend to agree with this assessment.

Because of my computer experience, that first year I lucked out and got a choice front desk job. My companion Chuck was not so lucky, which sometimes happens (but I will explain that later). From that moment I was hooked, and we have been doing similar gigs, for varying lengths of time, nearly every summer (and one winter), since. Let me tell you, spending time at such places as Jenny and Jackson Lake Lodges, the Grand Canyon, and working in Alaska on a tourist train, ain’t bad.

So, at this point you may be saying, “Tell me. How can I get a job like that?” Which is, as I stated at the beginning of this piece, a common query. Well, in some ways, it’s easier than one might think. The best way is to go to a web site called Coolworks.com, where you will find a listing of jobs available with the concessionaires operating in most of the National Parks, as well as many other tourist-oriented companies. There are other sites offering similar information, but I have found Coolworks.com to be the best.

Once you have picked a location that interests you, and have chosen a company, you click on the link to their site for more particulars and details about how to apply. It’s really that simple. You will either print out and send in an application, or do it on-line. You can either sign up for a full season (in most cases mid-May or June through mid-September or October), or for a few weeks. If you prefer the latter, your best chance is to choose the end of the season, as that is when many of the college-age employees leave to attend school, and therefore the places are looking for bodies. A couple telephone interviews later, and voila, you should be on your way to making plans for a fun and memorable working vacation.

But, before you make the plunge, I must offer a few words of cautionary advice. It’s not all gravy, or fun and games, especially if you’re on the waning side of middle-age, like me.


• These jobs are primarily for the young. Young people, especially those drawn to the transient lifestyle of seasonal work, drink and party. They make noise and are sometimes rowdy. There are ways to get away from them – the ‘Geritol’ wing of the employee housing complex, for instance – but if you don’t tolerate this type of behavior well, this may not be your cup of tea.
  
• Not all the jobs are fun and/or glamorous. You may have to settle for less than your first-choice position the first time around. The best time to apply is January or February, for the following summer’s positions, and those signing up for the full season get first preference. If you wait til the last minute, you may have to settle for housekeeping or the laundry room, which is where Chuck was placed that first year at Jackson Lake Lodge. Since then I have primarily worked front desk and he has held such varying posts as a host at the exclusive El Tovar Restaurant in the Grand Canyon, and maintenance man for Jenny Lake Lodge. In Alaska we were both car managers on a tourist train, a fun yet grueling position. If you give them enough lead time, and emphasize your maturity and responsible work ethics, you should be able to get one of the more dignified positions. If the first position offered is not satisfactory, don’t feel obligated to take it. Explain that you would prefer to wait for something else. Be patient. Something more to your liking may open up later, especially if you are flexible enough to wait til the last minute. They may also expect you to show up and take whatever is available, which is what we did that first year. But we have since found that you shouldn’t have to settle for that.
  
• Employee housing, or "Home Sweet Dorm," as I sometimes call it, is most often quite primitive, ranging from dorm-style buildings with communal bathrooms, to dilapidated motel rooms with your own bathroom, to separate, one-room cabins situated loosely in a ring around a communal bathroom/shower complex. The usual pitch is that housing is free and you just pay for your food, which is provided in the employee cafeteria, which is mostly at least palatable, and sometimes even quite good. This is either handled with a reasonable amount (~$50) being taken out of your check each week, or, as in the Grand Canyon, half-price rates at the public cafeterias. If you have an RV or travel trailer, some places offer campsite accommodations for your vehicle at very reasonable prices, and you can either cook for yourself, or take the employee cafeteria option.
  
• Work schedules vary. Check out the number of days per week you will be required to work, and the hours. If you are expected to work six or seven days a week, you won’t have much time to take advantage of why you are there in the first place. You might want to choose a location that offers more free time. If you are going as a couple, request that your shifts be coordinated so that you can enjoy your time off together. This may not work out perfectly, but they will usually do the best they can.
  
• Be ready to have your conception of vacation and resort facilities changed forever. You will be seeing the flip-side, or underbelly, of this industry. I could expound for paragraphs here, but suffice to say sometimes it ain’t pretty, folks.
  
• And finally, you can’t expect to get rich at this. In most cases you will be earning minimum wage. If you are lucky enough to be in a position that gets tipped, you will do a little better, but not much. The wait staff positions seem to do the best in this regard, so if you have the experience and/or stamina, go for it. Most of these spots are taken by young people working the summer to make money for college, and I say let them have it. So, with one exception, which I will deal with later (working on the tourist train in Alaska), you will be lucky to meet expenses. Your reason for going must be to enjoy your surroundings and have a mostly fun and unique experience.
  

What? I haven’t scared you off with my grim descriptions? Good. There are lots of things that can be said on the positive side, and if you feel they outweigh the negatives above – as I do – I can only tell you, GO FOR IT!


• If you live in a desert environment, as I do, this is a very nice way to get out of the summer heat. You might call it a reverse snow bird tactic, or escape of the desert rat.
  
• If you think you might enjoy falling asleep to the accompaniment of coyotes singing and elks bugling a few feet from your window… breathing crystal clear air… close encounters with moose, bear, and deer… vistas so gorgeous they will take your breath away… spending your leisure hours walking and hiking, fishing, hunting, or just lolling in virtual paradise for that matter, this is the experience for you.
  
• You get to participate in the activities offered by your concessionaire and their affiliates free, or at reduced rates. White-water rafting, horseback riding, tours and sight-seeing activities. All free in most cases, space allowing.
  
• The flip side to the negative picture I painted earlier of your potential co-workers is the fact that you will have an opportunity to meet some very interesting people, many of whom have fascinating backgrounds and wonderful stories to tell. You can connect (or not), to the degree you desire, on various levels. I have made a few great friends over the years, and whether we have maintained contact or not, I feel my life has been enriched by my exposure to them.
  
• We have found one exception to the low wage rule. The cruise companies that have cars pulled by Alaska Railroad, going from Anchorage to Fairbanks and back (we worked on Holland America’s McKinley Explorer Tourist Train), pay a decent hourly wage and time-and-a-half for anything over eight hours in a day, plus other nice perks. You can make in excess of $10,000 to $12,000 during their four-month season, plus tips if you are in one of the positions affording this possibility. Princess and Royal Caribbean have similar positions on their Alaska tourist train cars. I will devote some time to this subject individually in a future article.
  

So there you have it. More than you probably ever wanted to know about my summer employment. Call me a gypsy, but I have thoroughly enjoyed these experiences the past several years. If you feel the spirit to do the same, I hope this information was helpful.

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