Petyr Beck has been on Maui for a day, but he’s still not hanging out at the beach or relaxing under a palm tree. Instead, he’s a mile or so from the coast, knee-deep in dry grass, hacking away at invasive trees in the hot sun of the Olowalu Valley. He slides a small saw back and forth several times, grabs a loose trunk of a haole koa tree and tosses it into a pile by the side of a dirt road. Then it’s on the next one. Beck is one of several volunteers who’ve showed up in the valley on a Read more
restaurants.
The governor of Hawai’i has set October 8, two months after the terrible fires that destroyed Lahaina, as the date for West Maui businesses to re-open. That obviously does not include Lahaina itself, where there’s very little left and where emergency workers continue to clean up and look for bodies. But it DOES include Ka’anapali, Honokowai, Kahana, Napili and Kapalua. Most of my visits over the years have been concentrated in that region, so it’s a part of the island I know pretty well. With that in mind, here are 30 places I’ve enjoyed in my time on the magical Read more
There’s always something new in San Francisco. This year they’re celebrating some things that are rather old as well. I recently spent a few days in the City by the Bay checking out things both old and new. Okay, and a few things in between. Here’s a look at some of the highlights. SOME THINGS NEW HOTELS Hyatt Regency SoMa The Hyatt Regency San Francisco Downtown SoMa, previously known as the Park Central hotel, reopened last year after a full, $70 million renovation/reimagination. We had a 23rd floor suite in cool shades of grey and black, with brown and Read more
Thinking of a trip to Europe next year? You’ll likely need a special waiver form/authorization statement. Americans, Canadians, Australians, Mexico citizens and many others heading to Europe have traditionally not needed special documentation, other than a passport. But the European Union is changing the rules for 2024, and will now require a special authorization for people travelling from visa-exempt countries (1.4 billion people in all) to so-called Schengen Zone countries, which you can apply for in advance through the European Travel Information and Authorization System, or ETIAS. NOTE: This does not apply to the United Kingdom or Ireland, which are Read more
WESTJET NEW WINTER SCHEDULE WestJet today announced its winter schedule, unveiling significant opportunities for Canadians to plan their winter escapes and extending key domestic and international routes from summer to year-round service. New routes include Calgary-Tampa Bay, Toronto-Bonaire and Edmonton-Montego Bay. The Tampa Bay flights will allow greater access to St. Petersburg, Clearwater Beach and Dunedin, spring training home of the Toronto Blue Jays. WestJet also is extending key routes to operate year-round, including Calgary-Paris and Vancouver-Atlanta. “This year’s winter schedule is about providing Canadians with what they want: affordable sun destination getaways from across Canada; enhanced domestic Read more
