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In CA Sprint LTE handles dual apps — even when one is real-time navigation

 in California / Deb in the USA / Deb's Travels / North America / Traveling with Technology / USA

I write this from my home-base of Los Angeles, CA as I take a travel break and my travel is house/tech-sitting within various areas in LA. Sprint recently launched it’s LTE (Long Term Evolution aka 4G) network in Los Angeles, California, so I took a Samsung Galaxy Note II for a test run on a bus across town to see how it does. The bus was a local, but there was no traffic at this time of day, so we moved rather swiftly. The Note II is a rather large screen and has a split screen feature so you can view and use two apps at the same time. I placed the Maps app on the top and, well, Facebook, as the bottom app. Maps loaded immediately. I figured out how to set it to track my movement. (It’s not highly intuitive.) I did that first by Destination, later just […]

Carry light, give light

 in Africa / Asia / Balkans / Baltics / Central America / England / Europe / Israel / North America / Packing / Traveling with Technology / UK

I think that we who live in cities, be it on any continent in any city, tend to not realize that there ARE places in the world where there is NO electricity and people do not have light — other than that of the sun. And we who live in cities have so much light in the sky at night that we don’t even realize… how very dark the night really is. Those who live in non-electrified places can wake with the sun and go to sleep with the sun — but there are still issues such as: going to the bathroom before bed or in the middle of the night a mother needing to get up in the night to feed an infant a parent needing to tend to a child a person needing to work until dark and then find his/her way home boats needing to cross a lake or ocean or […]

Petit Ermitage — unique hotel in West Hollywood

 in California / Sleeping Accommodations / Stay in USA

The Petit Ermitage is a four-story building that you can easily miss as it’s on a quiet residential street, although if you look closely the attentive doormen give it away.

The Petit Ermitage describes itself as Bohemian. However, I don’t feel ” Bohemian” captures its elegance. Petit Ermitage is worldly — or rather reflective of the greater world in which we live. A little bit old European, a bit of Morocco, a splash of modern at the saltwater pool — and all around perfect in feeling and comfort.

Inside, you’ll find unique room, and atop you’ll find a rooftop saltwater pool, restaurant — and butterfly garden. And from this beautiful rooftop, there are beautiful views of Los Angeles.

Petit Ermitage, West Hollywood Entrance

3% international fee on credit card purchases — not!

 in Africa / Area / Asia / Balkans / Baltics / Europe / Israel / North America / Packing / Traveling with Technology

This post is for American travelers who plan to use an American credit card while traveling outside of the United States.

It’s great to be able to travel with a minimum of cash in your pocket but did you know that when you use your credit card outside of the United States, you may incur a 3% fee on top of your actual charge?

Perfect travel handbag for women 3

 in Packing

As I was getting ready to travel, I looked and looked for a lightweight, ripstop nylon handbag that would take very little room in my backpack, yet be there for me whenever I stayed put in a town overnight and wanted a nice handbag to carry for the day or evening.

Scosche – Best card reader for travel & all

 in Packing / Traveling with Technology

Every traveler should carry a light, well-made USB card reader that handles multiple formats. Why? Because you are bound to want some of the photos someone takes of you or for you and that person may or may not ever get around to sending them to you. Granted, you still need to get to a computer in order to upload those  photos, but at least you’ll be prepared. Because you may need to copy data from a computer somewhere and this will let you copy that data onto one of your camera’s memory cards, something you’re likely to have while traveling. The Scosche USB 2.0 Card Reader is THE find among card readers! It weighs virtually nothing so its a no-brainer to carry with you daily as I did throughout my trip, and continue to do. It’s compact and the USB connector and cable are protected within the unit so it packs well. […]

iStabilizer great photo taking tool for smartphones

iStabilizer smartphone mount for photography – Terrific for travel

 in Packing / Traveling with Technology

While in Panama City talking about the Panama Canal with a terrific guy/terrific photographer named Joshua Flannigan, Josh showed me the time-lapse video he created of a few ships locking down in the Miraflores lock. I loved it — and loved the device in which he held his iPhone to shoot them. Josh traveled with a brilliant device — a light-weight, tiny $20 device called the iStabilizer Mount, which simply held his iPhone (or most other smartphones) in place and screws onto any standard tripod.  I actually loved Josh’s photos and canal enthusiam so much that I brought him out on a Panama Canal tugboat and we got lots of great photos and time-lapse videos. Now that I am back in the states, I have the iStabilizer Flex™ — the same Mount but with a detachable, incredibly light-weight flexible-legged tripod. The  iStabilizer Flex legs are well padded so they won’t scratch anything and […]

A bit of Roatan in LA

 in Deb's Travels

I am business-sitting (sort of house-sitting) for a month in Los Angeles as the result of a conversation with some travelers I met in Costa Rica. So this puts me in a whole new neighborhood. Today, I had a quick conversation with a package delivery man — and I learned he is from Roatan, Honduras. It’s a small island with a small local population, and he knows the places I visited and lived there — and likely knows my friends there. Roatan was one of my first stays on my trip. Most of that stay was fully unintended, but the people there remain in my heart. I think about them, and their area often. I need to do things for them, and to return. I love that parts of my last year intersect with my here-life. I look forward to seeing him again.

Hiking shoes instead of hiking boots

 in Packing

I write this on March 15, 2013. In November 2011, as I was preparing for my year’s travel, I visited a favorite cousin, who happened to work at a respected sporting goods store. At the time, I had no idea where I would begin my year out of the US, nor where I might end up. (I only knew I would stay away only for  year due to a promise to my nieces that I would not stay away longer.) I had carefully picked out a pair of Aerosoles * as my all-around travel shoe, but my cousin looked at them, pointed out that they would not provide support and that I would want or should have a good hiking shoe for both hiking and long walks. I was 100% opposed to taking hiking boots when I had to fit everything I required for the year into one backpack — and refused to […]

A personal cell phone charger shelf

 in Packing / Traveling with Technology

I saw it so often — and each time the sight bothered me, being just short of sending chills down my spine… The sight of cell phones sitting on the floor as they charged. On the FLOOR where they might be stepped on, or a backpack could easily land having slide off of a tired backpacker. The sight of a cell phone sitting on a bathroom counter to charge — right by  a water facet, or by the soap dish hands reach for so often, on a counter that gets wet at the hands of the various others using that counter. Yes, even iPhones were left charging in such manners.

Traveling with music… I didn’t and…

 in Packing / Traveling with Technology

I am listening to Peter Cetera, a voice and music that I have loved far longer than I knew, because for years I didn’t know he was the voice of Chicago that I was so enamored by. It is so nice to have my music again. I actually made a conscious decision to not bring my favorite music on my trip. I had a nice, small iPod Nano that would have been easy to bring.  I was bringing an iPhone and MacBook Air. But on the latter two I wanted to keep the limited space available for work files, photos and videos. And I made my friend take my Nano so she could have music to walk to. My thought was that while traveling I preferred to be exposed to local music and sounds. I knew I would be doing a LOT of walking — and I sure did! — and […]

Repac reusable food bags for travel

 in Packing

As I pull out my sandwich and cookies for lunch, I realize I have been remiss in writing about one of my always-with-me pieces of simple technology.

My two Repac reusable sandwich-sized bags have been with me from the start of my Central America adventure a year ago. I plan to continue using them for many years to come — at home and when I am back out traveling again.

Unfortunately, this company has stopped making/selling these great bags. I’m sorry for the loss. The woman behind them was great and caring.

My travel SteriPen will now help a child have safe water

 in Central America / Food / Medical / Packing / Panama / Traveling with Technology

The morning before I left the good people of the tiny village of Pueblo Nuevo, I used my SteriPEN UV light water purifier one last time as I purified one more bottle of water for my trip back to Panama City.

I got good use out of this SteriPEN but as I go back to Los Angeles, where I am lucky enough to have healthy, safe water, emergencies aside, I know my trusty SteriPEN can be put to much better use here. It will now be used to purify water for the newest baby in the village.

Gotta get GoGo internet when I get going

 in Traveling with Technology

Funny how things go…. Yesterday I was in a remote village in Panama where there is no Panama-supplied electricity. After a day with my adorable 9 year old guide, as this trip is coming to an end for me, I gave him my flashlights — including the great little GoGo light I was given at an event. Today, as I make plans to arrive home, and as a client called with more work, I realized I want to get GoGo in-the-air Internet service for my flight home. UPDATE: I just spoke to GoGo Customer Care on their toll free like (via my MagicJack iPhone app) and asked them: “what if I have a problem or question while I am actually on the airplane? I won’t be able to phone.” The response impressed me: While in the air, you can chat with Customer Care even if you do not have a […]

Santiago to Panamá City

 in Central America / Deb in Panama / Deb's Travels / Panama

Traveling by bus from Santa Catalina, it is always necessary to travel first to Soná. From there, most travelers take a second bus into Santiago, a farm industry town that is at the highway crossroads. (A rest stop on the Pan American Highway acts as the mid-way stopping point for busses between Panamá City and David.) This is what I did. As Santiago is a bus hub and cross road, here is info about it.

Departing Santa Calalina, Panamá

 in Boats / Central America / Deb in Panama / Deb's Travels / Panama / Transportation

As many other travelers have learned, it is best to start your travels early in Panamá. I was awake at 6am to start this travel day. I wasn’t sure where my own evening’s destination — and had several thoughts in my head — but it all starts with the almost $5 bus from Santa Catalina to Soná — and it is best to be at that bus stop at 7 as it departs 7:15 or 7:30. Traveling by bus from Santa Catalina, it is always necessary to travel first to Soná. From there, most travelers take a second bus into Santiago, a farm industry town that is at the highway crossroads. (A rest stop on the Pan American Highway acts as the mid-way stopping point for busses between Panamá City and David.) Here is the bus schedule posted at Ellie’s Surf & Shake shop ( Surf & Shake makes great shakes, […]

Hermit Crabs are fun

 in Central America / Deb in Panama / Deb's Travels / Panama / Sight-seeing / Sight-Seeing in Panama

Visit the islands around Isla Boca Brava and Isla Coiba and you are greeted by a sight that’s quite a lot of fun. These beaches are literally crawling with shells of varied colors, shapes and sizes scooting around! Actually, the shells are being scooted around, not scooting by themselves. These shells are host to Hermit Crabs. What makes these tiny creatures so much fun is that rather than grow their own hard shells, they find, borrow, and live in other animals’ abandoned shells. When they out-grow one shell, they move out and borrow another. It’s great fun to watch these many, many tiny creatures digging holes, crawling in or out, or running around at a rather furious pace. Then when one of them feels the vibrations as you walk, or even feels a camera moving in close to it, it quickly folds into the shell so it appears to be […]

Dining with Elmon's family in Soloy, Panama

Soloy – a true indigenous Panamanian village

 in Boats / Central America / Deb in Panama / Deb's Travels / Food / Food in Panama / Panama / Sight-seeing / Sight-Seeing in Panama

I was very lucky the day I met Susan, a Peace Corps volunteer who is working in a tiny indigenous Panamanian village. I wasn’t able to visit Susan’s village as she was away for a break, but I was able to visit the fabulous Juan Carlos and his friend Elmon in their own village, Soloy. I plan to write more about this visit and the opportunities for others to visit and learn about indigenous Panamanian, but here are a few photos for now. Getting to Soloy, Panama

Ambulance/Fire truck/Bus rally from CA to Honduras for charity

 in Central America / El Salvador / Guatemala / Honduras / Mexico / North America / Sight-seeing / Sight-Seeing in Honduras / Transportation

In 2011, 30-something-year-old Murray Johnson and some friends reached out to CouchSurfers to join them driving two donated ambulances down to Honduras to give them to Honduran hospitals. Johnson recently posted: “The experience was so amazing and the donation so needed that we have made the Charity Rally official and opened it up for others to join! You can mix travel, adventure and charity all in one for a good cause. How it works: You form your own team or join a “potluck” team. Your team can be comprised of any number of people. (I am guessing it is best if all of our team members fit in your vehicle though, of course.) Each team secures its own car/ambulance/fire truck/buse/whatever and drive down. The rally organizers work with you to get the vehicle, secure the donation and do the paperwork to have the vehicle imported into Honduras — or wherever […]

My bed on Isla Boca Brava

 in Central America / Deb in Panama / Deb's Travels / Panama / Sight-seeing / Sight-Seeing in Panama / Sleeping Accommodations / Stay in Panama

This is the view I get to enjoy from my bed hammock at Hotel Boca Brava. I so-loved sleeping in a hammock at my friend Daniel’s that when I got here and saw this hammock setup I just had to try it. Yes, that is water you see — the warm Pacific Ocean — and yes. Those are islands you see out in the water. Both sides of this room have water views.

Bull-riding & fighting in Boca Chica

 in Central America / Deb in Panama / Deb's Travels / Panama / Sight-seeing / Sight-Seeing in Panama

This weekend, there was a festival day in the tiny town of Boca Chica, Panama. I joined three others from my hotel, taking a passing water taxi from our Isla Boca Brava location to this nearest mainland town. ($3 from our hotel, $1 from the point we first walked to.) After a typical Panama lunch of rice mixed with beans and a small piece of chicken for $3, we took a very hot 20 minute walk up the road. As the day was so hot, this activity was postponed for an hour or so. We walked back down, picked up some cookies and drinks at the town’s market (tienda), played a handmade carnival game, then walked back to the corral. Here is a photo summary of the sport. Very early, people just start to arrive. Meat kebabs for sale. (There were also candy apples.) The bulls. We wondered why they […]

Impressive food service at Hotel Boca Brava

 in Central America / Deb in Panama / Deb's Travels / Food / Food in Panama / Panama

I am very impressed. I am at Hotel Boca Brava, having arrived last night just as darkness fell. This morning, ordering breakfast, I said (as always) that I am allergic to Cilantro and Culantro. The man who took my order, Jaime, brought me my delicious Breakfast and then asked me since I don’t eat those, what about Perejill (Pe rey hejl). I told him I don’t know that word, so he said wait and brought some to me. It was Parsley and I told him I love it. Then he came back with one more thing, a piece of a lettuce, to see if it was OK. When I arrived and some guests told me of their meals here and then when I saw the menu and not-exorbitant prices, I knew I was in a good place. This morning’s Cilantro response confirmed that! Oh, here is my breakfast: Omlette with […]