My Bucket List: An Ultimate To-do List

Many people have a desire to see the world or have a particular destination they one day dream of visiting? There is nothing more exciting than crossing that dream vacation off your list or completing something daring.

If photo ops with the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Island hopping in Greece or trekking Mount Everest comes to mind, you’re among the many. We all have dreams, ambitions and goals. Some big, some small but each one should inspire you to get out there and take on the world. My favorite resource for scoping out some of the world’s greatest treasures is the UNESCO world heritage sites. I seem to prefer those outlandish destinations that most people have not had the opportunity to visit and destinations that have been untouched by the overwhelming influx of tourists and western development.

Conquering feats that question my physical abilities and experiences that most people cannot say they have achieved.  To collect stories and accomplish personal goals that keep people on the edge of their seat when I share with them some insight into my life.  And more than anything I love to inspire people to do those things they never thought could be possible whether it is simply having the nerve to travel oversees, following those dreams to study abroad in Australia or by asking a friend to join me on my next extreme adventure such as trekking 16,000-feet to Mt. Salkantay (Peru) or cycling 90-miles round-trip on the Pinellas Trail (Florida, USA).

Getting into the Spirit

Travel can be an exhilarating and mind-expanding adventure with the right mindset. Get into the Spirit and Culture of your travel destination; no matter where that may be. To do that, a little research about where you are traveling is in order.

This research, of course, includes the practical aspects of traveling, such as logistics, safety provisions, language barriers, and so much more; all of which you can find with us. But, getting into the spirit is a total immersion in the experience, and New Caledonia has so many ways to give you that adventurous high.

And, high it is, the view from the Amedee Lighthouse on Noumea. This small coral islet contains a lighthouse shipped out by mistake by the French in the 1850s. Aside from the 251 steps to get there it is worth a little bit of huffing and puffing and leg pain to take all of it in! You might just be inspired to try the snorkeling when you take in the beach below. Let the lighthouse beacon guide your way.

Sharon Schroeder  safetraveler.com

PARIS, FRANCE


Bastille Day Celebrations

Every July 14th, France celebrates its "Fete Nationale"-- Bastille Day, marking the beginning of the French Revolution with the storming of the Bastille prison. Today it's a cheerful affair comprising fireworks, firemen putting on campy shows at their stations, and more fun that's decidedly "a la francaise". Don't miss out on some of the year's liveliest festivities.

Matisse Show

A major exhibition on Henri Matisse opening in Paris this week brings a new perspective to his work, showing the painstaking creative process behind the simple shapes and strident colors that made the French artist's name. "Matisse: Pairs and Series" explores for the first time how one of the greatest painters of the 20th century would repeat the same composition again and again, varying color and technique, before being satisfied with the result.
For a man best known as leader of the Fauvist movement, and for seemingly spontaneous bursts of color such as his 1906 "Joy of Life," the show reveals an insecure and restrained side that would remain unchanged throughout a six-decade career.
"We wanted to challenge the received wisdom that he was a happy painter, an easy painter, a sort of virtuoso of simplicity and joy," said exhibition curator Cecile Debray.
"Matisse was obsessive, worried, racked with doubt from the beginning to the end, and he showed it in his painting through this constant multiplication and exploration," she said.


The exhibition, expected to be one of the highlights of the spring cultural season in Paris, runs to June 18 at the Pompidou Center.

Contact and communications is so important to Safe Travel:

My email at Safe Traveler is: erin@safetraveler.com

You can find me on FaceBook at: SafeTraveler

You can Tweet me at: @SafeTravelercom   (No Dot)

Erin

Safe Traveler and Smart Traveler

In today’s shifting travel trends, a safe traveler is one who has pre-planned their trip intelligently; researched diligently and taken steps necessary for a smooth journey free of disruption.

A smart traveler has found the best value for his/her budget; packs appropriately, has the best transportation, knows where to stay, dine and sightsee to their best advantage. Popular destinations are sometimes sites picked by demonstrations, strikes, slowdowns, and shutdowns. This will not disrupt your trip if informaton is in your hands, and you avoid these areas.

It might be important for you to understand that a great deal of information that you encounter on the web is filtered to put the best light on a destination.  Often "government travel sites" are outdated or incomplete.   Cruise Lines, Resorts, and country governments do not want to disuade you from spending your time and money with them.  They put in "the spin." 

At Safe Traveler we do not spin; we provide you with the facts as reported by credible news services and our own sources on the ground verifying information about your transportion, destination(s) and conditions as the are, every hour of every day.

The Traveler today must be both smart and safe. 

Safe Traveler E-Letters and Destination Tracker are as much of a necessity as one’s toothbrush.

Travelers in 2012 can carry current information provided by Safe Traveler in their pocket

Ask your Travel Consultant to contact us or visit at Safe Traveler for more details.

Have a great day.

Erin