How To Tell If It's A Swell MotelWritten by Ed Williams
Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of traveling in connection with my writing. The past three weekends alone I’ve driven to Sylva, North Carolina, Louisville, Kentucky, and Destin, Florida. Overall, I’m holding up reasonably well, except for fact that my rear end is starting to closely resemble upholstery pattern of my car seats. I’ve also learned that you don’t want to drink a twenty-four ounce Diet Mountain Dew in a plastic bottle just before you drive up to Atlanta. Doing that can give term, “the Foggy Mountain Two Step,” a whole new meaning. When you travel a lot it gives you opportunity to stay in motels. Lots of motels. And I’m learning very quickly which ones are good ones and which ones are ones you need to avoid like a polecat. Believe me, even in this day in time there are as many fleabag motels as there are fire ants, and if you’re not careful you can easily find yourself in one. Like one I found myself in recently where showerhead was level with my chest. I honestly had to bend over so far to wash my hair that I felt like a human parentheses. Or one that I stayed in a couple of months back that had a TV with maybe four viewable channels, and remote had no batteries in it. Oddly enough, right there on nightstand was a little sign telling you that they had batteries for sale in lobby for only three dollars apiece. Isn’t that classy? Because of experiences like that, I’m going to do a little public service column for y’all this week, and point out just what to do look for so that everyone can avoid all fleabag and clip joint motels that are out there in travel land. Just consider following: 1. If it costs less than thirty dollars a night for a room, avoid it like a beet casserole. Think about it - going to a movie nowadays costs maybe fifteen or twenty dollars for two people. Snacks like popcorn and cokes can easily double that cost. Altogether, a couple could very easily spend thirty dollars or so for a movie. Common sense tells me that any place that will let you stay overnight for less than it costs for two people to attend a movie has got to have something wrong with it. Maybe something major wrong with it, like a door that won’t lock, or towels that smell like a bass. Just a hunch, mind you, but less than thirty, it‘s gotta be dirty. Find another one.
| | International Travel and Health InsuranceWritten by David M. Schmader
Embarking on Your Dream Vacation Are your Plans Complete?Your bags are packed, passport and papers in order and you couldn’t be in a higher state of excitement preparing for travel to that wonderful, exotic location. This is vacation you have planned it seems forever. As you sit on plane, you and your partner discuss for hundredth time scuba diving you will do, awesome rock climbing and hikes into rain forest. Everything is perfect! Life seldom gets better than this. Despite all excitement of travel, Americans do have some concerns. According to a survey by Chubb Group, more than 70% of Americans surveyed said their greatest concern when traveling is suffering a medical emergency...more than double fear of being mugged (30.7%), three times fear of being injured in a terrorist attack (23.4%). What happens if a medical emergency arises when traveling overseas? Many people assume that while they are out of U.S. or Canada they will be covered by their standard medical plan. However, most traditional health insurance plans are not designed for international travel. According to U.S. Department of Commerce, approximately 27 million travelers board U.S. airlines for overseas destinations and almost 26 million foreign travelers come to U.S. each year. However, many are not prepared for a medical emergency abroad.
|
