Angkor Wat (pictured) are believed to be the oldest temples discovered to date. My trip to Cambodia was a mysterious delight. Having been raised in Japan I feel comfortable in any Asian environment. I seem to related to their energy and way of thinking. I love the manners and public consciousness. Any car ride in any part of Asian I have been is a mad-cap race to nowhere fast, and in Cambodia there are few cars and lots of motor bikes, mini trucks & TUK TUKs - basically a motor bike with a rickshaw attached. My stay in Siem Reap was very nice. My travel club always books clean, safe, and beautiful hotels. The food in Cambodia was not as good as I'd expected. In Thailand everything is delicious, but in Cambodia with exception of my breakfast soup it just wasn't anything to blog about. Odd considering Thailand and Cambodia were at one time one country. Seems like all the best cooks went to Thailand. It's also much cheaper to buy things in Cambodia than in Thailand and I didn't think massage could get cheaper but in Cambodia we got a 90 minute Thai massage for $10 US and tipped $2 US. Clothing is super cheap; beautiful scarves $2 US, harem pants $4.50 US, Tshirts $3 US and they do prefer US dollars or Thai Baht over their own currency so don't bother changing money. I was traveling with many friends who came over from Malaysia and China who had been on a trip with me in Thailand a couple of months before and they had Thai Baht they brought and there was an advantage because say something was $1 US you could pay in Baht and it translated to $.80.

This country is rich in history and I can't tell it all in one post. I've got much to catch up on and am sorry for the huge gap in posts. Part of me felt I wasn't reaching an audience, and I was just traveling so much that I couldn't keep up with my life.

So, put Camodia on your Bucket List and stay tuned for special spots to add to your "must see" while there agenda.

HOW FAR WILL THEY GO?

 I’ve been recovering from pneumonia so an in front of the tv more than usual and I saw two travel related stories that I can’t pass up put my two cents in about. First SPIRIT AIRLINE is now saying they will charge for carry on bags up to $100. So, we pay to check a bag and we pay to carry on a bag …. This is making the idea of FEDEXing your luggage not only more convenient, but also cheaper. I felt the charging for a checked bag was going to push the carry-on to this limit. My last 4 flights they announcement has gone out that they will not charge you if you volunteer to check your carry on because they have more carry-on than they have space for. Sure enough as I board I see a pile of suitcases being tagged to go into holding. It’s extra work, greater chance of loosing luggage and certainly not cost effective. If the airlines had just left the first checked bag free there would not be this major switch to carry-on. I can see for charging over a certain weight, but honestly, people need clothing when they travel. I saw one guy (on the news) who was at the check-in counter with his bag open and he was putting on layers of extra clothing to accommodate the carry-on rules, and said he’d just take them off and hold them in his lap since it was a short flight! What is SPIRIT thinking? This is the same airline that last year announced they were going to charge to use the toilet, but the outrage made them back off on that one… for now!

Another part of the story or maybe it was a different story was about charging based on weight, but the confusing thing about it was that if you were a 140 pound person with a 50 pound bag you would pay a fee, but if you were a 300 pound person with a 50 pound bag you would pay nothing. Now that doesn’t make sense. We all know that weight burns fuel so why should the person with less weight be charge more than the one who is actually causing more fuel to be burned? Then came the issue of an obese person paying for two seats so as not to impose on the person next to them. I have compassion for those who suffer with obesity, but I also believe in being fair and do not see how it is fare to the person who has paid for their seat to then have to contend with another person, a stranger, whose body also takes up part of their seat and their flesh presses up against yours. It’s just not right to impose that on the normal size patron. So, is our politically correct obsession taking us to the opposite end where the rights of the standard weight individual will be sacrificed so as not to hurt the feelings of the obese?

Both these news items made me shake my head at how we have lost COMMON SENSE. 

TAXES, TAXES AND MORE TAXES ON AIRFARES

As a passenger are you aware of how much of your airfare is taxes? Currently the aviation industry and passengers pay 17 different federal taxes and fees. It’s a hornet nest of fees that defy rationale and have no consideration for the impact on travelers and the relative expense of a ticket. In 1972 there were only 5 taxes on an airline ticket and today we have 17! How much do those taxes raise the cost of your ticket? Those taxes add 20 percent or more to the total cost of a ticket. You can visit http://www.airlines.org/Pages/Government-Imposed-Taxes-on-Air-Transportation.aspx to see all the taxes and a comparison from 1972 to now. Here are a few examples: Flight Segment Tax (domestic) - $3.80 every time you land, Frequent Flyer Tax 7.50%, Cargo Waybill Tax (domestic) – 6.25%, September 11^th Fee $2.50, International Departure Tax $16.50 and they get you for the same amount arriving! Check it out, the fees are out of control. There is even a “LUST fuel Tax (domestic)” now what is that about since they have at least 4 other fees I can attach to fuel.

At first I thought it was the airlines being greedy, but this is our government doing this for the most part. It seems more taxes are being proposed by this current administration. They propose increasing the passenger security, currently $5 to $10 per flight, and hiking it up to $15 and maybe even higher in the future. From the $24.9 billion the fee would bring in over the next 10 years, $15 billion of it would go to pay reducing the national debt. It doesn’t seem right to me that paying off the national debt should fall on the wallets of the population that flies. Not everyone who takes a flight is flush with money. I fly every month and often several times a month for work and I meet people who are headed back home because a family member has died or is ill, retirees living on fixed incomes trying to check off a few must-do sights from their bucket list, young families wanting their children to see their grandparents, and yes, business travelers, but the Donald Trumps and Oprah Winfrey’s who can afford the taxes are flying in their private jets for the most part.

Most of us never look at or ask about the tax side of our ticket, but recently the Transportation Department required all airlines and travel agents quote the fare with full disclosure of the taxes and fees. Airlines don’t like this because it makes their fares look 20 to 50 percent higher than before. I actually don’t think the airlines care about these taxes coming out of our pocket, I think they only protest because with the new full disclosure before you hit the buy button on that flight is influencing travelers to Skype that meeting, drive to their next vacation or look at alternatives like the train or bus.

While the tax gauge is the government sticking it to us all those added luggage fees, charges for seat selection, food, blankets, pillows, wifi and wasn’t it Spirit that said they were going to charge to use the toilet and got such a backlash that they put it on hold for now?  While the taxes have increase the fees for add-ons (most of which used to be included as part of your airfare) have multiplied at a far more alarming rate.

Do you think you are paying too much in taxes on airline tickets? Do you think airline tickets should be all-inclusive as they once were or do you like the ala cart fee structure?

AMERICANS SKIP VACATION – WHAT IS THAT ABOUT?

In USA Today Travel online articles there was a survey done by Radisson Hotels that revealed Americans skip taking their vacation days. As it is Americans only have 18 vacation days a year compared to Europe who takes 1 to 3 months off for vacation every year. What reasons could we have for not enjoying life? You guessed it…. Our workload! I’ve been conducting a little poll of my own on this same topic for the past few years and have met so many people that have not had a vacation in 10 years or worse… ever! When asked why they say they don’t want their boss to discover that someone else can do their job, or they are already over-loaded and any time away would bury them and make it impossible to catch up. Then there are the cost issue and instead of $5,000 for a family trip to Disneyland they need to paint the trim on their house or put in new plumbing. It’s no wonder we have so many stress related illnesses and people snapping and doing crazy things. Vacation time is vital to recharging your soul. If all you do is work, sleep, and work with no true rest and relaxation to reward your work efforts then the subconscious message is one that in my opinion spells DEPRESSION. Life is about so much more than stuff and things. It is about experience and feelings and learning… all of which travel supplies. I don’t care if you’re a 5-star traveler to Europe or a missionary traveler building bottle schools in a third world country or a backpacker through the National Parks, any travel always results in adding experiences and new information into your life. There is also research that shows how not taking vacation days and truly going on a vacation increase your chances for a heart attack. There is research that shows how those who take vacations are actually more productive just before and just after a vacation. As a travel host I see a lot of people on vacations and find that couples who do vacation regularly are the happiest individuals and the best marriages I see. Anyway, I encourage work/life balance and I believe travel for pleasure is a remedy for many things…. And that is another conversation. Do you take your vacation days? Why or why not?

Oops! More Lunch on My Shirt Than in My Mouth

What to do when you’re traveling and you spill mayonnaise from your sandwich, or drip butter from your lobster tail on your clothing; carry a small baggie of white flour and mix it into a paste with water, apply to the stain, let dry and scrape off. Now no one is going to pack bleach so what about stains that need a little lift? Lemons are easy to come by when traveling, order an ice tea with lemon on the side and pull out one of your extra plastic bags you always pack to transport it back to your hotel. Squeeze a little lemon jouice on the spot and if possible let it dry in the sun then hand wash. I also never leave home without my Tide To-Go pen, but Shout is just as good. I also just learned about Grandma’s Secret Spot Remover which comes in 2 ounce bottles and can be bought at Walgreens or most craft stores and is said to work on all types of stains, which could save you from the baggie of flour being mistaken for something else by TSA. 

Always pack a travel wardrobe that hand washes, no time for dry cleaners when you're city hopping. Also, I try to keep my color palate on the darker side, even tan is better than white. 

MY TOP 5 SAFE PLACES FOR WOMEN TO TRAVEL ALONE

Feeling safe is subjective, and I must say I am not easily frightened. As a young girl I used to frequent an area of Tokyo that was a treasure trove of bargains, but also said to be a huge area for white slave traffickers. How true it was and how much was urban legend or foreign parents being over protective I don't know. That same area today is very fashionable. Besides criminal danger there are dangers from weather, wildlife, social dangers like discrimination or political corruption, and countries at war are certainly not safe for anyone. Ultimately you must trust your gut and do your research.

My top places to travel alone and feel safe are 1) Japan; even the police do not carry guns and crime is very low. There is the language, but find any teenager in a school uniform and most likely they speak enough English to help you out. 2) Ireland; the people are very friendly, all signs are posted in English and Irish, and the population speaks English. 3) Singapore; they are very hard on crime so crime rates are like Japan very low. 4) Australia; is much like travel within the USA and is safe throughout, but has it's pockets of places to avoid or be be mindful of such as parks at night, questionable neighborhoods, isolated roads or countryside and dark allies. 5) USA; everything I said about Australia applies here, and there is so much to see and explore right in our own country. every state has something to offer.

Being safe is as much about how you carry yourself. Being a believer in the law of attraction I totally believe my safety is what I do to attract or repel unsafe people or situations. Check back for some tips on things you can do to shield against dangerous people and situations.

Where Has Judalon Been? MUST HAVE APPS.

I have been non-stop traveling & had computer challenges along the way, so forgive my lack of posts. I'll try to catch you up with all the fun & exciting things happening in travel. While in Mexico I had my hard drive go out on me. They do have an Apple store in Cabo, but I didn't want to waste travel time dealing with it & unless they had everything in stock I wouldn't have been there when parts arrived. Thank goodness for iPhone... all Smart Phones for that matter. With Smart Phones one can at least check email: in a foreign country keep it in "airplane mode" and tap into FREE WIFI at your hotel or a local Starbucks (yes, even in Cabo there is the famous Seattle brew).

I was turned on to a great APP called TEXTFREE with VOICE: unlimited texting and pic messaging, while they last you get your own free number, text from the web, Facebook chat from the app, free texting to Australia, Canada, China, UK, France and at least a dozen more.

Another one many of our group used in Cancun was HeyTell which is free, but in Cabo I learned Voxer Walkie Talkie is faster, group chats, sign up with your Facebook account and you are instantly connected with your FB friends also using Voxer, and it's all FREE! These apps are nice because the resort we were at didn't have a voice message system on your room phone so we could stay in touch without roaming or expensive cell charges.

GREAT DISCOVERY

What's one of the best things about travel? The memories, right? I used to remember everything down to the smallest detail, but in that past few years life is so fast & I get back from a trip & look at various pictures & can't recall which city I was in. This was really tough when I did the Ring Of Kerry because you pass thru so many villages. I try to keep a small note pad with me but it usually ends up with a grocery or "To Do" list of some sort & my travel notes forgotten or tossed without knowing. I've also gone the traditional travel journal but they are just too big & often heavy to cart with you all day on a trip. I just ran across the most amazing travel journal site with compact, waterproof journals specializing in specific types of travel and data entry. A wine journal, a hiking, fishing, music festival... you name it & they have one! I'm not making a penny by shouting out about this, I just want to share a good thing. Here is the URL:http://www.nomadjournals.com/index.cfm and these make nice gifts for your friends who love to travel.... hint, hint, hint... :-)

ENTERPRISE CAR RENTALS GONE FROM ORBITZ

As of April 1, 2011 you will no longer find any Enterprise brands on Orbitz or Cheaptickets, which  means no Alamo, National or Enterprise, and that means less competition & most likely higher prices on the remaining suppliers. An Enterprise executive claimed Orbitz was demanding too high a commission, but Orbitz doesn't want to own up to that & simply claims they will fully meet travelers' needs. If you're a fan of Enterprise & like booking your car rental at the same time as you book air & hotel then book using: www.TravelSecrets.rovia.com.

TRAVEL BUCKET LIST

What's on your travel bucket list? I've got many, but at the top of the list is Machu Picchu in the Andean mountains of Peru. These ancient ruins were only rediscovered by an American archaeologist in 1911. This Inca site was  built in the classical Inca style, with polished dry-stone walls  around AD 1430 and one hundred years later was abandoned. This is one of my must see before I die destinations. Tell me yours....

PACKING

I like to lay out everything I am packing on my bed & take digital photos, which I keep in my phone as well as email to myself. Then I type the itemized list & print out 2 copies; one I keep with my travel documents in my purse & the other in my suitcase. If either of those go MIA then I always have a copy in my computer. The list speeds the process of notifying the airline and insurance company if your suitcase gets lost or stolen. Don’t forget to make a list of your medications including name of meds, purpose, doctor’s name and contact information, and prescription number. When packing to go home check everything off as you pack it so nothing gets left behind.

DON'T LEAVE THE HOTEL WITHOUT IT

When you check in to your hotel make sure everyone in your party has a hotel business card to keep on their person whenever leaving the hotel. If the hotel does not have a business card ask if they have a postcard, matchbook, pen or other item with their address and phone number. This is even more important when traveling in foreign countries with an unfamiliar alphabet. If you get lost or turned around just show it to a taxi driver for no misunderstandings and a quick return to the hotel.

ESSENTIALS: TOILET PAPER

TOILET PAPER is a must to carry when traveling in the Middle East, Asia, South & Central America. Not that European toilet paper is wonderful, but they generally have it. Take the cardboard core out of half-size roles & flatten to pack in plastic bags. Travel packs of baby wipes (just not in China, I'm told airport security will take them from you) are advisable along with hand sanitizer. If you don’t bring your own toilet seat covers, even in many parts of the United States they are not provided… squatting helps build leg muscles! Since I grew up in Japan where most toilets were bowls in the floor I'm good at squatting & forget about the worry of what you might contract from contact with the toilet seat!

TRAVELING WITH MEDICATION

Don’t carry your entire bottle of prescription medication with you. Go to a craft supply store and buy small baggies or  the snack size ziplocks from the grocery store and put the required number of dosages plus 3… just incase you miss a flight or get delayed a day or so. Photo copy the prescription label and insert into the baggie. Then make a list of all medications including the dosage and strength. Keep this list in a safe place incase you need to replace medication while traveling, or are traveling to a country that can duplicate the medication without a prescription and is cheaper to obtain. I know people who travel to Mexico on a regular basis to stock up on antibiotics and claim to save hundreds of dollars a year. Another time saver: package pills by day/doses. Say you take  2 medications and a multi every morning put all in a baggie and label AM. If you have afternoon, dinner or bedtime dosages label the baggies so it makes sense to you. I use AM (upon waking), N (afternoon), D (dinner time) and PM (bedtime).

Mosquitoes Be Gone

BOUNCE fabric softener sheets are a must to pack if traveling to places with mosquitoes… tie one to a belt loop to repel the pests. Also keeps your clothes smelling fresh in your suitcase.

Before You Travel

Scan your driver’s license, passport, your travel documents & only the credit cards you are taking (never take more than 2 credit cards) & email them to yourself so if any become lost or stolen you can easily access them at an Internet Café. Not a bad idea to copy these to someone close to you that is not traveling with you.

Travel Teaches Life Lessons

When I was growing up our family didn't take vacations, but we traveled quite often because my father's career took him to new towns, new states & new countries every couple of years. My Dad always said, "Travel is the best education you'll ever get." He was right. The travels of my youth taught me to appreciate the differences in cultures and others opposed to wanting the world and the people in it to be one way. Travel taught me patience and to go with the flow. It taught me that it is better to face challenges with a light heart and laughter... to make the best of what you have. It taught me to trust that whatever happens it ultimately happens for the higher good of all concerned. Travel is a classroom for living a more open, loving, tolerant and appreciative life.