TRAVEL TIP: You Look Familiar

Not actually a tip but maybe more of a pleasantly surprising discovery while on vacation with the family. We visited the Schloss Nymphenburg while visiting Munich. While exploring its lavish galleries and lush corridors we wandered into the Gallery of Beauties where we saw a lovely painting of “The Spanish Dancer” herself, Grass Valley’s own Lola Montez. She lived here for a while in the mid-nineteenth century, where we’re told she mentored actor Lotta Crabtree, another Grass Valley resident. Just a really remarkable experience to see a citizen of our little town suspended in King Ludwig I’s Gallery of Beauties!

ACTION ITEM: What famous people are from your home town?

Beats of Burden

When I travel for work I typically will schlep at least three large cases of gear with me plus whatever I roll onboard. As a frequent flyer, I do get an allowance of three free bags up to 70 pounds each, but that also means besides cases being large, they’re heavy. So every trip is accompanied by tears of self pity 😉 That is, until I met this guy who had to haul 32 of these gear bags onto his ski team’s flight, each one at least 30 pounds, each over 4 feet in length.

ACTION ITEM: Be grateful – it can always be worse

8-Passenger Van

I think I might have mentioned once that when I order ground transportation for crew and gear, I’ve learned not to order any kind of minivan. Rather, I’m sure to specify a minimum 8-passenger van. We use 1CARES while in Europe as they go all-out to meet our expectations – even to the extent of providing this (for a trip from Krefeld Germany to Amsterdam) just to be sure we had the room we needed.

ACTION ITEM: It’s hard to overestimate your needs when ordering transport for people and gear