Bon Voyage

We wrote the first of our many Energetic Traveler articles for the Longboat Observer almost a decade ago as comparative youngsters in our early 70s. Our first offering had the somewhat provocative heading: “Jet lag is a myth.” After logging almost 1 million miles since then, we still believe it. We also continue to believe that travel is easy, mentally rewarding and, most important, fun. Yes, even with the headlines about security delays and weather problems, most flights arrive on time. And travel is not really about getting there — the joy comes from what you do there.

In this looking-back story, we will mention some of our destinations in 2010 that might be of interest to our readers for travel this year.

We visited Aspen, Colo., in the summer, which is totally different than Aspen in the winter. Art and culture in all forms take over during the warm weather. You might consider Aspen as part of a wider trip to the Rockies and national parks.

The most exciting trip of the year was our third visit to Dubai, which included a seven-day cruise to the other Middle East countries of Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Oman, and Fujairah. The first question that we always get is, “Is it safe?” The answer is an unequivocal, yes! even now with the events in Egypt and Tunisia. The next question is, “But will we feel welcome?” This usually comes from our Jewish friends. Again, yes!

Royal Caribbean and Costa cruise lines run seven-day cruises that start and end in Dubai. We suggest Costa, which has the newest ships, for more cosmopolitan travelers who might welcome more European shipmates. Cruises are not scheduled in the hot summer months, and even the end of April becomes somewhat uncomfortable. Although flights to Dubai are longer than those to other destinations, connections allow you to stop off and divide the flights. The extra few travel hours are well worth it in magnificent memories. Highly recommended!

One annual highlight for us is always the European Capital of Culture. This was the 18th year of ECC, which is sponsored by the European Union and continues for an entire year in the selected cities. The sites in 2010 were Istanbul (a rare failure) and Essen, Germany, and the entire Ruhr Valley of Germany (outstanding). Events are truly kaleidoscopes that include technology, art, music for all tastes and extraordinarily creative projects that take place throughout the city and surrounding areas. Some events exist for the entire year, while other venues live for only days, weeks or months. On any given day, there are dozens of projects to visit.

The ECC has made it easy for visitors in 2011, with the selection of Tallinn, Estonia, and Turku, Finland. The two cities are less than 200 miles apart across the Baltic Sea, which is frequently transited by large ferries. We have checked the websites for each city, and the details are complete. The official websites are in English and have detailed calendars showing daily schedules. We are planning to attend in early June, which is a compromise between having somewhat warmer weather and preferring to avoid the busy European travel months of July and August. Trips to these two cities can easily be extended by adding visits to nearby Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Russia, Copenhagen, Denmark, or Stockholm.

We started 2011 by stopping in cities perfect for our series titled, “America(s), the Beautiful.” In January, we enjoyed two places in Arizona that are so interesting that they can be classified as “destinations.” We’ll have more on that in our next article.

We are also planning a long overdue trip to the Normandy beachhead sometime in the spring and will take the Eurostar (or Chunnel) in one direction. We had the pleasure of the comparatively short ride from downtown London to the center of Paris some years ago, and the new track has made the trip even faster.
Although Heathrow is only moderately bad for originating and departing flights, try to avoid any connections through that troubled airport.

There are many other destinations that readers might consider during 2011. We still are impressed by our tour of Spain a few years ago with a week of exciting architectural sites and fine dining. It was an easy trip and good fun. Art Basel Miami Beach, in December, is close to home and fascinating. And, of course, our own country is filled with magnificent cities and national parks to excite the mind and eye.

As we experience a few momentary irritations while traveling, we always remember my father’s advice: “This is the price we pay for living a privileged life.” Forget any temporary problems and enjoy your indelible memories and a wider vision. The next time you go to dinner, think how special it will be to enlighten your friends with your travel experiences (and not your medical history!).

Let us know of your own great travels in 2011, and we will be pleased to add your suggestions in future articles.

Stuart and Lois Scheyer bracket the 80-year mark and are residents of Longboat Key. They each log more than 100,000 air miles a year. They will be pleased to answer any travel questions and can be reached by e-mail at [email protected]. Travel Easy – Travel Light – Travel Now