travel tuesday Archives | TRAVELS WITH TAM

It Was a Wonderful Trip to Cordillera, CO!

October 25, 2016 By Tam Warner 10 Comments

Cordillera, Colorado, travels — The House!

Randy and I decided to head back to Colorado this fall, and since we spent a week in Aspen last year, we decided to try a new place. Cordillera Ranch is near Vail and Beavercreek, but it is a world of its own! We went with “dons”…the guys who came to visit Randy several times while we went through Randy’s double lung transplant. (Don’t know about it? A Saga! Go to page 9 to read it as it happened.) So, three couples hung out in Cordillera, and we had a fabulous time!

Cordillera, Colorado, travels, Chicos — Me ….in my fabulous Chicos fashion! A perfect outfit for the mountains.

We spent quite a bit of time at the house in Cordillera…it took a bit of time to get used to the altitude…10,000 feet. The air was thin, and all six of us did some heavy breathing! We explored Vail and Beavercreek, both beautiful places, and even enjoyed some time on horseback. Being October, I can tell you there were very few tourists. Many stores and restuarants shut down for the month of October. The scenery was on fire, though, and I think October is a great time to hang out in the mountains.

Whether we were chilling at the house, dining out, horseback riding, or going to the Spa of the Rockies in Glenwood Springs (where Doc Holliday died), we were surrounded by incredible scenery, sunsets, and wildlife. I can highly recommend the mountains in October, when you will basically have it all to yourself.

More to come! The beauty of the mountains and the animals is such that I have to share it with you!

Visit Florida’s Crazy Food Festivals

September 12, 2016 By Tam Warner 3 Comments

Visit Florida, Travels with Tam, crazy food festivals — I love Florida! Who doesn’t?

Florida is home to about 20 million people, it has world-famous theme parks and a number of the craziest food festivals on Earth! If you are looking for creative gourmet food, you will find it in the small villages of the state.

Williston, Florida is a small town in central Florida, and has 3,000 inhabitants. What it lacks in size, Williston makes up for with original ideas. The proof: the “Central Florida Peanut Festival” . On October 1, 2016, everything revolves back to the peanut. Whether boiled, baked, roasted or fried – every first Saturday in October, each peanut Gourmet here his personal Mecca. In addition, numerous rides and live music make for the right atmosphere. Not crazy enough? Every year the “Little Peanut Royal Family” is chosen as a highlight, including Queen and King Peanut and of course Little Peanut Baby.

Fellsmere, about 130 kilometers southeast of Orlando, is only slightly larger than Williston. There is the annual “Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival”. And if you don’t like frog legs, you can try the alternative, fried alligator. Over 80,000 visitors are expected from 19 to 22 January 2017. The event is in the Guinness Book of Records – for the largest number of frog legs consumed in a day. Rounding out the event there are numerous competitions such as frog-hopping betting and numerous live bands.

“The Best Stinkin ‘Party in South Florida” – otherwise known as “South Florida Garlic Fest” is in Delray Beach. It takes place Feb 10 – 12, 2017. Even garlic connoisseurs will find many useful tips and tricks for using the “stinking rose”. Garlic ice cream, garlic barbecue, garlic cake, you can have whatever your taste buds desire. The event is organized by volunteers, the proceeds of approximately $ 500,000 goes to educational and arts organizations for young people.

You cannot forget the “Florida Strawberry Festival” which lasts a total of eleven days from 2 to 12 March 2017. The festival dates back to 1930’s. Of course, there are strawberries in every way: raw, pie, wrapped in chocolate, in a salad or as an earring. But beyond that numerous competitions take place. There is a Strawberry Queen, and a fastest pig race.

After so much food is a visit to the “Miami Rum Renaissance Festival” seems just right. Rum producers and experts arrive from 22 to 23 April 2017 from all corners of the earth to sample the rum festival and to talk shop. As a highlight, the RumXP International Rum Expert Panel will award prizes in several categories. Pur, “on the rocks” or as a cocktail – Cheers!

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Written by VisitFlorida. For further information VISITFLORIDA.org and on the blog SunshineMatters.org or via the social media channels: Facebook and Twitter @FloridaTourism.

What it is like diving the Ribbon Reefs, Great Barrier Reef

September 5, 2016 By Tam Warner 24 Comments

I hope you all had a lovely Labor Day Weekend readers in the U S of A!

Today, I continue my journey on the Spirit of Freedom on the Great Barrier Reef! Our dive spots were the Ribbon Reefs at the far northern edge of the Great Barrier Reef, stretching for 50 miles along the continental shelf! These are famous dive sites for any level diver. The best time to dive this area is during the dry season, May to November. October through May is known as “the wet”. Water temps were around 78 degrees Farenheit, very comfortable yet still refreshing. During June/July you may see Dwarf Minke Whales! But that is for another post! For now, enjoy these awesome creatures from the Ribbon Reefs.

Check flights to Australia right now!

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great barrier reef, ribbon reefs, scuba diving — Islands and sea mounts dot the ocean

And

Another Fabulous Stay at the Hyatt Regency Austin!

August 23, 2016 By Tam Warner 11 Comments

Austin, Texas, Hyatt — An incredible view from our room!

Last summer my husband and I ventured to Austin, Texas to see the bats…and our son, who lives there. Sadly, the bats didn’t make an appearance, but our stay at the Hyatt Regency Austin was so fabulous we decided to stay there again, and this time, we saw the bats! Any trip to Austin during the summer should include a trip to Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge (Ann Richards was Governor of Texas 1990-1994). Beneath the bridge sleep 1.5 million Mexican Free Tail Bats. At dusk on summer nights, the bats begin to emerge, and what an incredible sight! Just two weeks ago we sat at our hotel room window and watched the bats emerge. Fantastic!

The Hyatt Regency Austin has the best location in the city. Yes, you heard me, the best location in the city for awesome views! At night the city of Austin is lit up across Town Lake (aka Colorado River), at dusk bats fly, and during the day you will find kayakers and paddle boarders happily paddling the lake. I was one of them!

<a href="http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-7321244-10775740?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tripadvisor.com%2FHotel_Review-g30196-d98436-Reviews-a_cja.10775740-a_cjp.7321244-m13092-s1-Hyatt_Regency_Austin-Austin_Texas.html" target="_blank">Find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say at TripAdvisor</a> — The fruit buffet

Austin is a fun city to visit. It is rare to find so much outdoor activity in the heart of a city, and it makes Austin unique. It is the state capitol, and home to the University of Texas Austin’s forty thousand plus students! There is never a dull moment! And since Austin is such a great destination, I recommend staying at the Hyatt Regency Austin in order to fully appreciate the city and the glorious views! Be sure and check out Trip Advisor, and read my review!

Find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say at TripAdvisor

These opinions are my own.

A Vacation that Matters

December 15, 2015 By Tam Warner 22 Comments

On December 5th I joined REEF on a fish survey trip to St. Lucia in the Caribbean Sea. If you have never heard of REEF, they have a simple mission:

Reef Environmental Education Foundation is a grass-roots organization that seeks to conserve marine ecosystems by educating, enlisting and enabling divers and other marine enthusiasts to become active ocean stewards and citizen scientists.

They have 3 major projects, and they are 1) Grouper Moon Project, 2) Fish Survey Project, and 3) the Lionfish Eradication Project (Lionfish are an invasive species in the Atlantic). The trip to St. Lucia was a survey trip. It is important to survey the reefs and check the health of the fish and corals. A healthy coral reef is full of life! These surveys go into a huge database, and scientists can make recommendations and do research on specific areas with the data gathered. There were 18 volunteers who went to St. Lucia to dive, and while diving, document the present species and their abundance. We discovered 218 species in St. Lucia! Pretty remarkable, really. It was my first REEF expedition, and I enjoyed it immensely. It was wonderful to be surrounded by people as committed to the oceans and to conservation as I am. You think I know about fish? Not on the level of most of these surveyors! They are amazing.

15 dinner — Dinner at the Beach Restaurant

We stayed at Anse Chastanet Resort, and did our diving with Scuba St. Lucia. I have rarely stayed at an all-inclusive, and I must tell you Anse Chastanet exceeded my expectations. The service is incredible, and the food fabulous. The chef had a different menu every evening, giving us many choices throughout the week. It was fun to discover new dishes, and they had an Indian Food night. There is a significant Indian influence on the island, and this is reflected in the food. When slavery ended in 1838, plantation owners brought in indentured servants from India to take their place as a cheap labor force. After the contracts were up, most of those from India stayed and made their home on the island, and their customs and foods found its way into the culture of St. Lucia.

2015-12-10 19.24.58 — After a day of looking for fish! It makes one hungry!

Scuba St Lucia, the dive business on the resort’s property, is simply one of the best I have ever seen. The boat, Miss Bertha, was big and roomy with plenty of space for 18 divers. The dive masters were knowledgeable and solicitous, adapting their dive style to ours. REEF divers dive SLOWLY in order to find fish. I thoroughly enjoyed my dives with them, and cannot give a stronger recommendation. Dive with Scuba St Lucia, and you will be as impressed and happy as I was. I guarantee it! My group had Errol as a dive master, and he was superb. One of the crew, Bradley, was on the spot when I needed help. Because of my back issues (I have eight pedicle screws and four rods holding my spine in place) I cannot lift tanks. Bradley made sure I did not have to. Everyone working the boat was incredibly hospitable.

Have you ever taken a vacation that combines volunteerism or Citizen Science on your trip? I have done several of them, and I have enjoyed each and every trip. Several travel companies offer volunteer tourism and/or Citizen Science. I’d love to hear about other experiences!

The Downside of Travel

November 10, 2015 By Tam Warner 12 Comments

Gorgeous Golden Fall in Maroon Bells. — Gorgeous Golden Fall in Maroon Bells, Aspen, Co.

Travel is good for you. I believe that simple truth, and there is no dearth of literature to support it. However, there can be a downside: illness.

My parents liked to travel, and they took my brother and I on the road to Florida every year of our childhood…until flying became the way to go. During my childhood I had mumps, measles, and chickenpox…in Florida. All on vacation. I also sustained injuries on those trips: dislocated hip (from jumping waves), and a Man of War jellyfish sting (thankfully a small one, because it was incredibly painful).

dad holding our hands in ocean — Ft Lauderdale, FL…the scene of many illnesses for me!

The trend has continued throughout my life. I either get sick on vacation, or immediately afterward. I was in Cozumel most recently, and I returned home last Monday. I functioned with painful joints and a lowgrade fever through Friday, and Saturday put me into bed where my fever spiked to 104 degrees. My joints were on fire. Today my fever is finally broken and I feel human. I haven’t been able to eat much, my joints still hurt a bit, and I feel completely worn out.

I sent my doctor an email and asked him if I should come in for a blood test to see if it was Dengue (again). He said no…if I’m feeling better there is no reason to do it. It could be Chikungunya, another mosquito borne disease that causes fever and joint pain, similar to Dengue Fever. Mosquitoes swarm in Cozumel during the wet months, like October.

I do hate getting sick. I’ve been sick on every continent I’ve visited! There are two left…I wonder what Australia and Antarctica will do to me. For now, I am planning a trip to St. Lucia in December to help do reef and fish surveys. I wonder if there are many mosquitoes in St Lucia. I hope not.