I’ve received all sorts of career advice over the years ranging from customer service tips while working at a Burger King (“Make the customer feel important.”) and Xanterra Parks & Resorts (formerly TW Recreational Services: “If it’s good for the guest, do it.”) to technical pointers in using spreadsheets or cash registers. Key tips I learned from my late ex-husband (who worked for Xanterra) include, “A vacant room is the most perishable item in a hotel,” and “Keep on doing what you did to get you where you are.”
But, the most valuable piece of advice received was from public relations pro Mona Mesereau with Denver-based Mesereau Public Relations who managed (and continues to manage) the public relations account for Xanterra Parks & Resorts while I worked with the company more than a decade ago.
Mona’s savvy and authentic way of dealing with people always awed me. She was the opposite of my image of a PR pro, which wasn’t a nice one. She isn’t a spin doctor – “We don’t spin,” I recall her once saying. She is up front, genuine, kind and tells it like it is.
These days, I’m always pleased seeing her media releases about the national parks and happy seeing her mentioned on travel writer message boards as a good PR pro. When thinking of growing up, I knew I wanted to be like her and am thankful when she worked on the account where I worked (Flamingo Lodge in Everglades National Park), she graciously shared her knowledge and a book she found valuable, Digging Your Well Before You’re Thirsty by Harvey McKay.
It’s been more than a decade since Mona gave me the book yet I keep it handy. Copies have been given to other women whom I thought it would help in their careers. In a nutshell the book is about making connections and nourishing them before the need to call in favors. Although a simple concept, it’s amazing how many people don’t dig their well, self included.
During these economic times people need to be digging their wells. Job security is uncertain and being handed a pink slip is not the time to be making connections. The time is now so get digging.
Last month I had the privilege of attending a conference in Ocala, Florida, with plenty of free time to enjoy the great outdoors. First was a canoeing trip up then down the Silver River of Silver River State Park. Although this was a conference activity and I knew some of the attendees, I was raising my hand saying I needed a paddling partner and was matched up accordingly.
It was a lovely paddle alongside lazy alligators lounging and turtles warming in the sun on cypress logs. Bird life was plentiful and some vibrant flowers were in bloom. We kept our eyes open for monkeys, yes, you read right, monkeys. Rhesus monkeys were introduced to the park in 1938 by a tour boat operator to enhance his jungle cruise and the troop of monkeys has survived generation after generation. Alas, there were no monkeys but the crystal clear blue water was ideal for searching for fish and the springs underneath.
While I found the scenery and water incredible, I was told multiple times, “This was much more beautiful 20 years ago,” due to the recent invasion of non-native hydrilla. Native of Asia, hydrilla was used in home aquariums and when people cleaned or discarded the plant and lack of predator, it invaded many of Florida’s waters (and other waters, too) and cluttering the river bottom with arm bands of the plant.
The paddle included a 1.2 mile roundtrip hike along the River Trail to the bottom, some of which was extremely muddy. My skort (another story another time) ended up splattered with mud and my trusty Sketchers flip-flops were thick with mud. The paddle was about 2 miles upstream making the nearly 2 miles back a breeze. Light rain refreshed us from the sultry August Florida day.
Writers are a friendly bunch and the next day I met Ocala resident and outdoor writer Lucy Beebe Tobias, whose book “50 Great Walks in Florida” is a must-have Florida travel guidebook. Travel writer Alan Macher, also an Ocala resident, and Lucy’s two well-behaved dogs joined us for a wonderful amble as Lucy discussed history, fauna and geology of the trail and park. Despite the feisty mosquitoes, the morning hike was perfect and a positively memorable trip to end my experience to the Ocala area.
‘Tis International Talk Like a Pirate Day and ye may find below favorite cities this sassy solo travel wench enjoys spending time swashbuckling for treasure and talking like a pirate.
Amelia Island, Fla. – This Northeast Florida barrier island ran amok with pirates in the early 1800s under the Mexico flag, which was the six of eight flags to fly over the island. Visitors can see members of the Fernandina Pirates throughout the year but guaranteed to see them during the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival held the first full weekend in May each year.
New Orleans, La. - Always an enjoyable place for debauchery, I’m fascinated with the paranormal and voodoo throughout the city and hadn’t paid much attention to pirate history until I visited New Orleans during Pyrate Con in 2008. Jean Laffite is the Big Easy’s most famous pirate visitor when he landed in the city during the early 1800s.
Salem, Mass. – Primarily associated with witches, Salem has a legendary history of New England pirates dating back to the 1600s. Check out the New England Pirate Museum for a slightly hokey yet historical look at Salem’s sea robbers.
Savannah, Ga. – Pirate tales date back to the 1700s and seem to center around The Pirate’s House, now a restaurant which opened in 1753. The tour company See Savannah offers pirate walks offering a fun and historical look into Savannah’s swashbuckling history. Just a half-hour east of Savannah is Tybee Island which annually hosts Pirate Fest each October.
Tampa, Fla. – This really should be Southwest Florida because there’s pirate lore in my part of the world (Charlotte Harbor) up through Tampa, yet the Cigar City has embraced its pirate heritage with the annual Gasparilla Pirate Fest, a Mardi Gras-type city-wide celebration each January.
Remnant of a Twin Tower: Newseum, Washington, D.C.
Author’s Note: This is Post 3 of 3-Post Series. Read Post 2 here.
Thursday after the final show, we hit the road at 7:30 p.m. By this time we asked the car rental representative at he show to have the mileage and drop-off fee waived and she did (as other companies eventually did). We also stopped at an AAA office for directions but unfortunately the clerk routed us THROUGH New York City. We were smart to follow detours around the city knowing roads into the Big Apple were closed.
As we circumvented New York, I noticed the bright lights in the distance and could see and smell the smoke. It’s a distinctive odor I’ll never forgot. A mix of a campfire with metal, industrial stench. And after all these years and multiple times I’ve traveled to New York since, I’ve avoided visiting Ground Zero. Don’t think I’m strong enough.
We drove to nearly midnight before calling it a night somewhere in Pennsylvania and hit the road at 7 the next morning. Don’t know about Cham but I didn’t get any rest as I was too wired for this impromptu road trip.
The next day reaffirmed my American pride. Every other car donned an American flag in some form, people were wearing t-shirts with American flags, and homes proudly waved Old Glory. Many wore red, white and blue ribbons tied around a safety pin and when we stopped at a Wal-Mart in small-town America for provisions (snacks, water, etc.) we looked for something patriotic to wear, yet couldn’t find anything. In a generous act, a store clerk gave us the patriotic safety pin off his chest. We cut the ribbons in half and found another safety pin so we were each wearing one.
We stopped at some airport in South Carolina to add me to the rental car contract and it was dead quiet. All the congestion was on the highway. Traffic was incredible. There were those of us trying to get home and those heading to New York to volunteer their assistance. While checking into our Savannah hotel at 11:30 p.m. ish (yes, the day began at 7 a.m. and I begged Cham to stop earlier) we met a couple of nurses driving up to help.
Coming into Florida we stopped at the Florida I-95 Welcome Center, posed for photos and drank our free orange juice before driving the last few hours home.
Pulling into Tampa International Airport was strange. All around us cars were pulling in and drivers were announcing where they had drove from.
“I just drove from Chicago.”
“I’m coming in from Las Vegas.”
Oh, the stories we could have all told if we sat and grabbed a cold beer to share our adventures. But the week of 9/11 wasn’t the time to make new friends, it was time to hug and appreciate the ones we loved in our lives at that moment and simply embrace life.
Newspaper Headlines following Sept. 11, 2001: Newseum in Washington, D.C.
Author’s Note: This is Post 2 in a 3-Post Series. Read Post 1 here.
While this was happening during my day, my now friend Cham was on her way to the road show flying from Tampa to Providence, Rhode Island, but her flight was grounded in Philadelphia as all flights were immediately grounded by the FAA. Rather than expressing concern on how to get home, the dedicated worker found a way to get to Rhode Island: she lied.
She went to a rental car counter and said she had a reservation. The clerk couldn’t find it. “I know I made the reservation,” she said convincingly.
“I’m giving you the last car,” the clerk replied, and she did. Unfortunately, the car rental companies at this time were charging renters by the mile as compared to unlimited miles and were charging one-way drop off fees.
Of course Cham didn’t have a reservation, she was supposed to land in Providence. Cars were scarce because everyone was trying to find a way home due to suspended air travel. As she describes it, picking up the car was like looking at a picked over Thanksgiving Day turkey with all that’s left is the bones and a scrap of meat. The parking lot was empty with the exception of the little car sitting in the middle. It had four wheels – and not much else. While the rest of us were holed up in our hotel rooms and eventually at the show, Cham was driving to meet up with us and she arrived just before 10 p.m.
The next day was Wednesday, Sept. 12, and we drove to our next destination and there was something wrong with Cham’s car. It smelled of and was leaking fuel. At this point, we had decided we were driving back to Florida (from New England) at the end of the show series but a car leaking fuel wasn’t going to make it. Cham returned the rental and exchanged it for another car. Ironically, or maybe it was destiny, the car had been driven only once. It had a Florida license plate and based in Tampa, our destination.
I couldn’t think of anyone else to share this patriotic road trip with. Cham and I really didn’t know each other when we hopped in that car and headed south but by the end of the trip, she’s become one of my most cherished friends and I can always hear her distinctive laugh when I think of her.
Few triggers break me down and 9/11 is one of them. Eight years ago day I was in a hotel in Peabody, Mass. It was a Tuesday and as I was getting ready for breakfast, NBC’s The Today Show played in the background. Matt Lauer broke with the news of a plane crashing into one of the World Trade Center towers. I headed down to the restaurant and met up with the rest of the group I was traveling with. (It was a travel industry road show and I was traveling with other tourism destinations along with car rental, hotel and airline representatives and we were presenting to New England travel agents during the evening.)
I asked if anyone else heard the news of a plane crashing into the building and immediately the restaurant’s television was turned to CNN. We speculated whether it was a tourist sightseeing plane badly off course or a terrorism hijacking gone terribly bad.
Back in the room preparing for my departure, NBC still provided information and I watched in horror as I saw the second plane hit the second World Trade Center building. Definitely an act of terrorism.
I called my then husband to tell him what was happening (since he lived in a national park and news was limited). I was crying out of fear and confusion and couldn’t get in touch with him but left a message with the lodge’s receptionist. I then called my parents – crying – and spoke to my father who told me things would be okay and offered to come get me wherever I was. That’s what dads do.
What happened during the next few hours is a bit fuzzy but I vividly recall riding on the bus heading to our next stop in Rhode Island and receiving intermittent updates. We were told a plane crashed in the Pennsylvania field and was told Washington, D.C., was under attack. For the first time I heard about the Taliban and Al Queda.
The big question was, do we move forward with that evening’s dinner and trade show? Many of us said, “no,” we weren’t in the mood to talk to travel agents when our country was under attack and family, friends, and colleagues of many of the participants were dying in the Twin Towers. But the organizer told us travel will not stop, the country will get through this and the show must go on. And it did. Besides, flights were suspended indefinitely and we couldn’t get back to Florida.
Immediately upon entering that evening’s hotel room, I called the office to check in and my boss was surprised the show was progressing. “You all should hold hands and sing kumbaya,” she said.
Sitting on my hotel bed I was glued to the television watching live feeds of the World Trade Center and looking back, I know that was a mistake. I watched as people jumped from the towers to their death and couldn’t imagine the horror and hell they were escaping to think plummeting from tens of stories would be better than hoping to find a way out. As I know now, there was no way out for thousands. Most disturbing was watching the Twin Towers collapse.
As the day unfolded and although I was sharing a significant day in history with a group of people I barely knew, I felt completely alone in the world and 9/11 triggered a re-evaluation of my life.
About 40 travel agents showed up that evening, compared to the anticipated 100. The floor was light with chatter and presentations were kept to a minimal. The show went on.
I’m a shutterbug and during a typical weeklong vacation will return with 1,000+ photographs. Looking through photos from years past I realize I’m not in many. These days I try to include me in a few photos but think it’s a bit boring to hold the camera up and smile so here are some digital camera self portrait photo tips for the solo travel girl (and guy).
Hand Held High Shot – Okay, this is one I admit practicing at home in the bathroom mirror or in a hotel mirror when staying somewhere with really good light. Maybe I’m a bit vein but I can practice my smile and which angle will hide my double chin. Did I just admit that?
Learn to Use the Timer – Does anyone really carry their camera instruction book with them? I don’t but should because although I’ve done it a hundred times, I’m a little slow in remembering how to set my digital camera’s timer but in the end, I get it figured out. Using the camera’s timer setting is another easy way to take a self portrait. The main problem I have is finding the proper place to set the camera and sometimes end up with an angled photo. I have a mini-tripod – which I love – with adjustable legs so if I’m taking a photo from a round rock, I can ensure the photo isn’t crooked.
Get a Little More Reach –The greatest thing since sliced bread for the camera world is an extendable tripod and I have the QuikPod Handheld Convertible Tripod. It’s a bit like extending your hand out and taking your own photo but the extended reach of the tripod allows for more background in the self portrait. It’s also great for group shots (pictured) or for taking photos above crowds. I used it a few times during Obama’s inauguration.
Me and My Shadow – Self portraits can be so boring sometime. Every once in a while I’ll mix it up and take a photo of my shadow against some interesting architecture, natural landscape or a unique street (i.e.: brick). Or, a reflective storefront is ideal for a self portrait.
Strike a Pose with a Body Part – Toes dipped in the sand really conveys the experience and sometimes rather than my smug mug, I’ll snap a shot of my feet or my hand holding something like a shell or rock to share what’s happening. Included in the slide show is s a photo from my recent scalloping trip to Homosassa where I chose to take a photo of my flipper and scallop bag.
When All Else Fails, Ask for a Little Help – A former Disney cast member (employee) once told me it was company policy to always stop and ask to take someone’s photo for them if they had that Kodak photo look. Not sure if it’s true but I’m always asking if I can take a photo for a couple or family when I see one of them is taking the snapshot. I also do the same for the solo traveler who’s using the Hand Held High Shot or Timer techniques. I really hate asking people for anything but sometimes give in and ask for my photo taken. Before doing so I stage the shot and give instruction to the photographer and always check to make sure it looks okay before moving on.
Yeah, I know, it’s not rocket science but use a bit of creativity for fabulous and memorable self potrait travel photos. Happy travels!
I spent the weekend in Ocala (sometime I’ll share more about that trip) attending the Florida Outdoor Writers Association Annual Conference. Friday was activity day and although a fishing tournament and trip to the firing range were tempting (that’s sarcasm) I opted to take a paddle up and down Silver River in Silver River State Park. I was one of two solo paddlers so we were matched up (his wife Peggy runs a boat tour company) so off we went.
The trip was spectacular despite hiking 3/4 mile in partial mud to the launch site and paddling up stream about 2 miles, just meant the trip back was pretty much a float. Enjoy some photos from Ocala over on Flickr.
Photo above is compliments of Bob Barbour with Eyes of Light, check him out at www.eyesforlight.com.
I’ve received all sorts of career advice over the years ranging from customer service tips while working at a Burger King (“Make the customer feel important.”) and Xanterra Parks & Resorts (formerly TW Recreational Services: “If it’s good for the guest, do it.”) to technical pointers in using spreadsheets or cash registers. Key tips I learned from my late ex-husband (who worked for Xanterra) include, “A vacant room is the most perishable item in a hotel,” and “Keep on doing what you did to get you where you are.”
. It’s a bit like extending your hand out and taking your own photo but the extended reach of the tripod allows for more background in the self portrait. It’s also great for group shots (pictured) or for taking photos above crowds. I used it a few times during Obama’s inauguration.
