tam warner minton Archives | TRAVELS WITH TAM

Let’s Clear Up the Myths about Traveling to Dubai!

May 17, 2018 By Tam Warner 37 Comments

I have always heard rumors about traveling to Dubai, and here I am going to debunk the myths! Dubai is absolutely on my list of places to go!

There are one hundred and ninety-five countries in this world, and Dubai tops many travelers’ bucket lists. Now, there are a lot of myths surrounding the United Arab Emirates, so to help clear everything up before you book your flights and hotel, here’s everything you need to know about visiting Dubai!

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14 of the Most Badass Adventurers on Instagram in 2018 are Midlife Women!

February 16, 2018 By Tam Warner 15 Comments

Did you know that 14 of the most badass adventurers on Instagram in 2018 are midlife women? It’s true! Talk about inspiration! Here are women who will show you how to get out of your comfort zone and find excitement!

Points and Travel

badass adventurers, badass, women, comfort zoneoman to listen to, she knows what she is doing and can inspire to get out of your comfort zone! @pointsandtravel

A Taste of Travel

Aussie Jenny Freedman loves traveling on or near water, finding cool markets to stroll through, and iconic food. Her Instagram is filled with beautiful photographs of beaches, kayaks, and coastal towns galore! On A Taste of Travel Blog dot com Jenny says, “I love a bit of luxury but often I prefer to stay at a cute 3 Star boutique hotel and splurge on a fabulous meal. Food is important in my travels and restaurants play a big part when visiting a city.” Jenny’s destinations closely resemble anyone’s Bucket List, and she is happily out and about, spending the kid’s inheritance, and getting out of her comfort zone. One of the badass adventurers, indeed! @atasteoftravel

Traveling with MJ

Mary Jo Manzanares’ instagram feed is nothing short of heavenly. Among badass adventurers, she is a lover of color, it can be in nature, cooking, or in an animal, but color and a heart opening experience is what she offers. “MJ, is a traveler, travel writer, podcaster, and publisher. When she’s not on a trip, she’s planning or researching the next one and has a bag always packed, ready for the next great adventure. Her travel ethos is Value Luxury – that sweet spot where experience and price intersect to create WOW.” Mary Jo absolutely creates a feeling of WOW on her blog Traveling with MJ dot com and her instagram, @travelingwithMJ

Suzanne Stavert

@SuzanneStavert makes the Empty Nest look inviting, and even romantic! She and her husband Craig take full advantage of having no more children at home. Her feed is colorful and varied, from luxury hotels and beautiful locations to photos of incredible food, her family, and even her dog. She started Adventures of Empty Nesters dot com in 2014 to celebrate becoming an empty nester, and to share her adventures, expertise and enthusiasm. Her instagram and blog are filled with fun, great trips, fabulous food, and lifestyle tips. Suzanne is one of my favorite badass adventurers.

Green with Renvy

I love Alison Abott’s style, she is a woman after my own heart! She is a supporter of sustainability and eco-friendly ideas. Hers is a travel and lifestyle blog in all shades of GREEN. She loves eco-luxury, and her Instagram feed is full of colorful cultures, foods, and travel experiences. Alison has been in fashion and design, and turned to renovating homes with a green twist. She describes Green with Renvy dot com as follows: “an enjoyable riff on the concept of renovating your travel and lifestyle in sustainable shades of green. Reducing your carbon footprint can come in many forms, and even small steps can have a significant impact.” Enjoy her exciting Instagram feed, @GreenwithRenvy, and blog of the same name.

Travel with Sara

Sara Broers (Travel with Sara dot com) is the founder of the midwest travel chat (#MWTravel), and an advocate for traveling the midwest! Her feed is full of hidden gems you’ve never even heard of! Such a badass adventurer! She is also an expert on the Alabama Gulf Coast. I think her Instagram says it perfectly, she loves family, travel, beaches, cruises, mountains and Iowa. Sara’s Instagram feed is chock full of sunsets from wherever she is at the moment, landscapes, beautiful ocean vistas, and charming buildings or gardens. Sara knows that adventure is around every corner in life. @TravelwithSara

Wherever_i_mayroamblog

Melody Pittman and her daughter, Taylor Pittman Hardy, are the multi-generational wizards behind @wherever_i_mayroamblog. This fabulous feed is full of food, locations, cruises, and Disney! They are absolute Disney fanatics! If you like Walt Disney, this is the feed and blog for you! Nowhere is too small or obscure, they go everywhere. Melody seemingly never slows down! Wherever I May Roam Blog dot com is where you will find her online, because she is impossible to find otherwise. On Instagram and the blog, they are your resource for luxury travel, culture and eats with a side of smart spending!

Nomad Women

Donna Meyer is right on point as far as I am concerned. Her blog, Nomad Women dot com, and her Instagram @nomadwomen focuses on mature women who travel. “If you’ve never traveled, because of fear, family, finances, whatever, I want to show you why you can and should. If you think you’re traveling days are past, I want to prove you wrong. I want to empower us all to get up, get out and see all that the world has to offer us.” Amen, sistah! My sentiments exactly. Donna’s instagram feed is eclectic, from birds to orchestras to stained glass to the Petrified Forest, Donna gets around. Follow Donna and see what this beautiful world has to offer!

Boomeresque2

Suzanne Fluhr is the lady behind the curtain on Boomeresque. She is the Boomer Queen! Her feed bounces from architecture to animals to scenery to sunsets and giant turtles! I love it. She and her husband, whom she calls Mr Excitement (that just cracks me up!), are always up to something, and the best way to follow her is on her Instagram. For tips, travels, lifestyle, and something called Zentangle (sounds much too complicated for me!) call in at Boomeresque dot com. @Boomeresque2

Solo Traveler

Janice Waugh and Tracy Nesbitt are the cutting edge of solo travel. Their blog, Solo Traveler World dot com is the end of the line for everything you need to know about traveling solo. I love the rich diversity of their @solotraveler feed on Instagram. Is there anywhere these bad ass adventurers haven’t been? The feed is awesome, I especially love the photos of Janice with two Longhorns (TEXAS Longhorns), and the cross country skier Tracy. Their feed has postcard picture perfect photographs as well as Janice and Tracy on their travels. They are the source for traveling alone and getting out of that comfort zone.

Got Luxury Travel

This instagram feed, @gotluxurytravel is the brainchild of Irene Levine and Janice Mucalov, co-editors of Getting On Travel dot com, a travel magazine for those over 50. These badass adventurers take glorious photographs, from all of the contributors to the magazine. Variety is the name of the game from a variety of travelers over 50, but every photo is picture perfect and screams “you have to go to ….”! The range of subjects is really and truly all over the planet. Cultures, foods, animals, people…absolutely beautiful and a must-follow.

Here are two more recent feeds that I am thoroughly enjoying and I’m sure you will too. @itsabonniething and @golearnthings. So be sure and check them out for continued adventures in midlife! (www.golearnthings.com and www.itsabonniething.com) They are two badass adventurers!

Oh, and don’t forget me! @travelswithtam, an empty nester always renewing, revamping and reinventing life! Get out of your comfort zone and find inspiration! Suzanne Stavert, Sara Broers and Melody Pitman are my blog buddies and together we are truly badass adventures! Check out a whirlwind trip to Cozumel Mexico

(https://travelswithtam.com/4travelchicasincozumel-2/

by #4TravelChicas. Midlife and beyond belongs to us, and we need to squeeze everything we can from it! Follow me on travel adventures, dive trips, citizen science, and on seven continents!

See you on Instagram!

Introducing You to Two Small Towns with Texas Charm!

February 12, 2018 By Tam Warner 13 Comments

I want to introduce you to two small towns with Texas Charm!

Texas has everything. World class cities, southern hospitality, amazing nature reserves, and history. One of my favorite travel themes in Texas is that of the small, hometown, downtown! Texas is full of small town gems, and I would like to share two of them with you! Don’t worry, there will be more!

First, Georgetown, Texas, just an hour north of Austin off I-35.

visit Georgetown Texas, georgetown, texas hill country, poppy festival — Love this old guitar shop!

small downtowns, texas downtowns, texas town squares — Georgetown is town square proud!

visit georgetown texas, georgetown, Texas Hill Country — These facades are so pretty! Did you know that in the late 1800s they actually ordered these facades from a catalog???

visit georgetown texas, texas hill country, georgetown — And here is a statue of the famous Three Legged Willie! I just have to include this in any blog about Georgetown! Check him out!

Carrollton, Texas surprised me with its renovated old downtown! It is full of fun shops and restaurants.

*All photographs of Carrollton, Texas were taken by Alexandra Minton, www.alexandraminton.com

historic downtown, texas square — Historic downtown Carrollton, Texas has shops and restaurants you won’t want to miss!

downtown, square, texas — Adorable building of YUMMY Monkey King Noodle Co!

It really took me back to a time before my time!

Confession: I spent so much time in Blooms! It really took me back to my childhood with its candy, soda pops, and crazy gifts!

Hey Boomers, recognize these????? and taking our pop bottles back to the grocery for a dime?

Stay tuned for more Texas Towns!

AND you would also enjoy http://tamtravels.wpengine.com/red-poppy-festival-in-georgetown-texas/

You Must Dine at the Amazing Monkey King Noodle Company!

January 25, 2018 By Tam Warner 5 Comments

monkey king, carrollton, downtown carrollton, monkey king noodle company — The Monkey King Noodle Co in downtown Carrollton, Texas! Is this cute or what? **All Photos courtesy of Alexandra Minton Photography.**

I had never heard of Monkey King Noodle Co until they contacted me on Social Media! As a matter of interest, I wanted to head over to Carrollton, Texas (a suburb of Dallas) and check out their old Main Street, which has been incredibly revitalized. Interestingly enough, one of the Monkey King Locations is in downtown Carrollton. I think it was meant to be, so I grabbed my daughter, a professional photographer (Alexandra Minton Photography and @SweetSweetDallas on Instagram), and we headed to Monkey King Noodle Co, camera and hunger ready.

My daughter informed me that it was her favorite noodle restaurant in its Deep Ellum location, and since she is a foodie, I was excited to try the Carrollton location. I was not disappointed!

Carrollton, downtown Carrollton, monkey king, monkey kind noodle company — Photo courtesy of Alexandra Minton Photography.

Adorable customer drawings. Photos Courtesy of Alexandra Minton Photography

First, the building is adorable. It is in an old garage, a Mercedes business, and it couldn’t be any cuter. It has an indoor space, but in the summer or on warm days, they open the glass garage doors and they have an outdoor seating area with picnic tables and an ordering window. I was so impressed with its originality, it truly is one of a kind. We were greeted by Xitlalli, and my daughter ordered for both of us. Since I am a vegetarian, she ordered me Spicy Garlic Peanut Noodles, which are wok-toasted peanuts and garlic, house chili oil, super-fresh cilantro and green onions. My daughter ordered the pork version of Spicy Garlic Noodles. We also had their scallion pancakes and Edamame Dumplings. Everything was very tasty and perfectly served. Monkey King Noodle Co is a northern Chinese food based restaurant, with hints of Chinese street foods and Taiwan cuisine. Their noodles are hand pulled, and absolutely amazing. Obviously, we took plenty of food home!

Angela Pellacchia, Manager, tells us that they also have pint nights and awesome Happy Hours! There are locations in Deep Ellum, Legacy Plano, and Carrollton downtown, so be sure to go to one, or all, of them.

Thanks to Angela and Monkey Noodle King Company for hosting us!

You will also enjoy http://tamtravels.wpengine.com/awesome-travel-photos-texas-2017/

Awesome Travel Photos from Texas during 2017!

January 10, 2018 By Tam Warner 10 Comments

Want to see some Awesome Travel Photos from Texas during 2017? As I think I have mentioned before (hundreds of times!) I love traveling in Texas. I haven’t made it all over the state yet, and I certainly want to, but I have done some great exploration in the Hill Country. I know I have just scratched the surface, but check out my amazing Texas travel photos!

hill country, texas, views, travel photos from texas, explore more, exploremore — Pedernales River, where the LBJ Ranch, aka Texas White House, is located.

I had a wonderful opportunity to be hosted by Fall Creek Vineyards for their annual Grape Stomp. I didn’t know what to expect (other than the I Love Lucy show), but it was so much fun I want to do it again! Thank you to Fall Creek Vineyards for having me! I loved it, and I highly recommend everyone go to it at the end of the summer!

hill country, texas, views, travel photos from texas, explore more, exploremore, texas hill country — To say I loved stomping would be an understatement!

Ham Orchard will reopen in midMay! Put it on the calendar, folks!

I traveled to Austin quite a bit this year, my son and his wife now live there, and my first grandbaby was born in November! Adaline Rose is a dream come true! I am now a grandmother, as hard as it is (for me, anyway) to believe!

You will enjoy these posts as well, and 3 of them are from my 3 blogging buddies, and together we are #4TravelChicas!

http://tamtravels.wpengine.com/beautiful-georgetown-texas/

Our Super Fun Trip to Magnolia Market in Waco

4 Places for Decadent Dining in Irving, Texas

https://travelwithsara.com/2017/12/how-to-dress-for-christmas-in-grapevine-texas/

Tam’s 8 Tips on How to Travel with Chronic Pain

December 26, 2017 By Tam Warner 101 Comments

chronic pain, traveling with chronic pain, citizen science, travel solo — It isn’t always easy, but so far I manage to do citizen science and travel solo.

Knowing how to travel with chronic pain is very important for me. When I began solo traveling and performing citizen science, after my children left home, one of my family’s major concerns was how I would manage my back pain while traveling solo. What would I do without help? I have had two major back surgeries, and I am fused from L2-S2 with rods and 8 pedicle screws. In other words, my spine looks like a madman’s science project! Heavy lifting is a major issue for me in all aspects, and since I do volunteer scuba diving trips, I make arrangements before I go to be sure it is understood I need assistance with the weight of the tank. In addition to my chronic back pain, I have Psoriatic Arthritis which flares up when it is most inconvenient. I have learned about taking care of myself when traveling with chronic pain, and I’m happy to share these lessons, and tell you what works for me.

Plan to be in pain. Yes. You will be in pain, so be prepared and have pain medications or any pain management items you normally use, at your fingertips. When I fly, I always carry pain relief such as Salonpas Pain Relief Patches, muscle relaxers, and muscle relief creams like Deep Blue or Icy Hot in my purse or backpack. I also take Aleve for joint pain, I find it works best for long term relief.
Always wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing that does not restrict your body in any way since you may need to apply a patch or a cream. Loose, comfy clothes and shoes are comfortable when I stretch or sleep on a plane. I stretch every time I get up, and try to get up at least once every two hours to stretch and walk a bit.
I was so comfortable and happy with my awesome fringe dress from Chicos! Comfy!
I always have a pillow for my neck. Adding neck pain from uncomfortable seats or planes or trains compounds any type of pain one has. My motto is suffer as little as possible!

Add 2 or 3 days to your itinerary. I have found this to be imperative, and it is one piece of advice I absolutely urge you to follow. I know this seems excessive, but there have been times I have arrived at a location and had to rest for a day or two, and who wants to lose one second of vacation or a volunteer trip? I always build in the “days of rest” at the beginning of my trip, because chronic pain is unavoidable when you travel. Planes, luggage, airports, walking long distances, standing in lines…I need a couple of days of being on my back with muscle relaxers after a travel day. It is worth the extra cost, and if your body doesn’t need the rest, you’ve gained a couple of extra vacation days!

Always wear compression socks or leggings on a long flight. The last thing you need to add to your pain is a blood clot!

Always check your luggage, and when available, use carts or porters or bellboys. I know it costs more, but it is worth it if you are in pain. Lugging bags around is just about the worst thing you can do if you are hurting. I don’t ask, but I always accept offers of assistance, and I’m generous with tips.

Sleep. Sleep is a cure for almost anything, I find. Take a muscle relaxer or pain pill and get some sleep! You’ll feel better when you wake up, I promise.

Lastly, hydrate! Water, juice, lemonade, or tea will help to hydrate you and that is beneficial when in pain. Your muscles get tight when dehydrated, so be sure to drink plenty of fluids (alcohol and soda do not add to hydration, they actually dehydrate the body. I never drink alcohol on travel days. Sorry about that!)

There you have it, Tam’s Tips for Traveling with Chronic Pain. I’m very experienced at this, and these are the tips that work best for me. So book your trip, pack up your gear and get going! You will be glad you did.

http://tamtravels.wpengine.com/4-of-the-most-amazing-reasons-i-go-on-citizen-science-trips/

Let’s Clear Up the Myths about Traveling to Dubai!

14 of the Most Badass Adventurers on Instagram in 2018 are Midlife Women!

Introducing You to Two Small Towns with Texas Charm!

You Must Dine at the Amazing Monkey King Noodle Company!

Awesome Travel Photos from Texas during 2017!

Tam’s 8 Tips on How to Travel with Chronic Pain

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