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People and governments seem more divided today about environmental issues, and we wonder if our voices are heard and heeded. The denial of climate change seems to be well-funded by those who have much immediate profit to be gained by polluting.

What can we do?

Considering that Rx: The Freedom to Travel is about exploring the world regardless of our challenges and limitations, the first and most important thing to remember is that this entire planet Earth is our home. When you leave your house, treat every place with the same care and reverence that you have for your own dwelling of that of a friend when you visit. That filters into mutual respect for the people we meet along the way, considering that we are all hosts and guests, sharing this beautiful planet that is our home.

To get into the wilder, more primitive, true Earth travel experience, we can learn much through Eco-travel.

There is nothing more refreshing to the human soul than to commune with nature. There are many travel companies with experienced guides to show you the majesty of rivers, mountains, glaciers, and pristine beaches. If camping is truly not your cup of tea, many outfitters offer luxurious experiences.

Other fun, eco-friendly ways of exploring cities throughout the world might be green hotels, hostels, bicycle tours, and volunteer travel. When you are not traveling, there are many ways of living with a gentler ecological footprint.

- Reduce, reuse, and recycle. Think before you throw something away.

- Be mindful of the origins of your food. Is it grown with pesticides and shipped from a great distance or is it organic and locally grown?

- Support your farmers market!

- Gardening is not for everyone, but if you are so inclined, grow your own vegetables, herbs, and fruits.

- If your space and time are limited, consider growing a few edible plants like herbs or a potted tomato plant.

- Drive less. Have you explored your local public transportation? Bicycling and walking come with added health benefits.

- If those are not viable options, consolidate your errands to reduce car travel.

Every little bit helps. Take time to smell the flowers along the way, notice the beauty around you, and offer kindness to a neighbor. We are all neighbors, sharing this magnificent planet, Earth!

Sam and Karen enjoying freedom to travel on Mother’s Day

I know first-hand the challenges of traveling and of negotiating restaurants right in my own neighborhood, to find food that is safe for me to order and eat. I also have dealt with so many issues of wheelchair access, equipment that needs repair, and finding medical supplies or care in a pinch or a full-blown emergency when we are far from home. The food allergies have inspired me to study nutrition and to work toward becoming a health mentor and nutritional counselor. My specialty is the Paleo diet, but I work with people from where they are and the dietary and lifestyle paths that they specifically need to pursue.

My lovely son, Sam passed away at the age of 24, four years ago. It has been a long and challenging journey, learning to live without him. I would love to continue sharing the world with him, but I can tell you that when it was all said and done for him, some of the greatest joys were the adventures we experienced. We took him on family outings, skiing with special equipment. Oh, he loved that! He rappelled into a cavern in the foothills of Northern California and felt absolutely triumphant! A trip to New York City opened a world of art and music that enriched him deeply.

These are priceless experiences, and are treasures that I still enjoy as I remember Sam and feel the deep love that continues to live in my heart.

I share from my heart to yours how important and special it is for families to experience the world together. I know the challenges of negotiating with special needs. In a way it makes it all the more wonderful to overcome those challenges and find ways to get out and see how the sun shines on other cultures and to feel unfamiliar oceans, mountains, rivers, to taste the flavors of other lands, and to take in the sights and sounds of exotic cities.

Rx: The Freedom to Travel provides a key to unlock the language barrier for people who want to travel and need to be able to handle critical issues that might arise. We are in the process of developing another set of audio books and apps specific to the particular situations of children with special needs. This provides a wonderful opportunity and I am happy to be part of it!

Do You Have A Medical Condition? Travel With The Right Words

We’ve all seen travel commercials that show coeds in perfect health frolicking in Cancun during spring break. However, most of us are a little less carefree and a little more fragile. Chances are, if you’ve made it to adulthood you have at least one medical condition. Travel takes a little more planning when there are health issues to take into account. Taking good care of yourself is easiest when you can communicate about what you need. With Rx: The Freedom to Travel Language Series audio books or iPhone/iPad apps, you and your family have access to dozens of helpful phrases in any of 10 commonly spoken languages. Here are some ways this type of tool might come in handy:

General Phrases Everyone Should Know
Sometimes, it’s good to be able to point at something and say “This will make me sick”. It’s an all purpose phrase you can use whether you have allergies, sensitivities to chemicals, or a tendency to get nauseous when riding a camel. For travelers who take medication to cope with conditions from heart palpitations to diabetes, “My medicine is in my bag” is another useful sentence. Actually, that’s a phrase everyone who takes a prescription medication should learn.

Prevent or Treat Allergies
With this medical condition, travel can go from being perfectly safe to dangerous very quickly. It’s the food allergies that tend to get travelers in serious trouble. Legumes, wheat, milk, eggs, nuts, and their derivatives are used in countless food items all over the globe. Ideally, you should learn how to ask questions about menu options and make requests for food that won’t trigger an allergy. You also need to know things like “I am having an allergic reaction” or “My epi-pen is in my purse”. If you tend to have trouble communicating during an allergic reaction, using an iPhone app that allows you to pull up the required phrase and show it to the person who is trying to help you might be best.

Solutions for Symptoms
From PMS to migraines, there are times when explaining what’s going on with your health isn’t enough. You really need to ask for the things that will make you feel better. For example, “The light is too bright and is bothering me” is useful if your head feels like it’s going to explode. For cramps, getting a heating pad might be a priority – followed by locating the nearest source of chocolate. If you have low blood sugar and you can only remember one phrase, asking for something with sugar in it might be more critically important than saying “I have low blood sugar”. Many people tend to respond better to simple, clear instructions rather than a description of symptoms when they see someone in distress.

Prevention and Early Intervention
It’s best to use the phrases you learn with Rx:The Freedom to Travel Language Series products to prevent health issues from escalating while you travel. The language skills you learn can also be helpful for communicating as soon as you start experiencing a symptom. Once you’re in full blown crisis mode, it’s a lot more difficult to remember what to say.

It’s Spring or at least it is here in the Southwest… I know we get our seasons a bit confused but we don’t mind! The sun is shining and picnics, zoo trips and road trips are sure to be on the agenda. It’s also festival season. Almost every weekend there is an art festival or cultural event like the Greek festival. This weekend we could attend the Renaissance, beer, art, or Greek festival; The Oasis classic car show, coin show or attend a Gigantic Bunco party in Lake Havasu City. So if you like to get out of the house there was something to do.

I’m often surprised to find food I can eat at these festivals and it’s happening more and more. The world is starting to take notice of us travelers with Celiac or Gluten Intolerances, multiple food allergies, diabetes and other dietary restrictions. It happens – but I don’t count on it.

Before I leave for any event -I pack a bag. In case you were wondering – my favorite travel food is a gluten-free blueberry muffin. I make a batch, freeze them and take them with me on the road. They help keep the rest of my food cool in my travel case and thaw really quickly at room temperature. I find that baking my own muffins allows me to control the ingredients that I may want to avoid like Xanthan Gum. I also often make them sugar free!

Here is a nifty conversion chart that a friend posted on Facebook in case you want to try making something delicious for your next excursion. I’m ready to do lots of yummy baking this Spring!

Rx Freedom to Travel - Kickstarter Project

The Luck of the Irish!

Many of you have already been wishing us good luck on our kickstarter. We so appreciate the support! Please spread the word -We’ve got just a little over a month to reach our goal. It’s all or nothing – every backer and every pledge matters. Reaching our funding goal by the deadline means we can touch more lives and give special needs children the freedom to travel!

We are proposing an addition to the already completed series, Rx: The Freedom to Travel. This new audiobook/app/printed book that we are creating is aimed at travel with children with special needs such as Autism, Food allergies, Diabetes, Mobility issues, etc.

Please share our Kickstarter link with your friends and followers and invite them to take part in this exciting project!

Daisy McCarty

7 Ways to Cope with Travel Anxiety

Some people are born to be globetrotting free spirits. But not all of us feel carefree and relaxed when we go on a trip. Travel anxiety is very common. After all, we’re creatures of habit. When we’re separated from our normal environment, we tend to get a little unsettled. If stress and worry get out of control, it’s hard to have a good time. Here are 7 tips you can use to lower your anxiety level when you travel.

#1 Get a Travel Buddy

One of the most common travel fears is being in a strange place where you don’t know anyone. If that’s a concern for you, travel with a savvy friend or an actual tour guide. Yes, this means you won’t have as much leeway to go off the beaten path in search of adventure. But it’s a fair trade for having someone who’s got your back throughout your trip if you have travel anxiety.

#2 Work On Your Fear of Flying

The Anxiety & Stress website has some excellent strategies to help you deal with this fear in a healthy way. It’s a good idea to tell your seat mate if you have a flying phobia. The last thing you need is someone else freaking out when you show signs of stress. You can make this casual and friendly “Hi, my name is Jane Doe and I’m a pretty anxious flyer. If I start to feel uneasy, I’ll be doing some breathing exercises to help me calm down.”

#3 Leave Your Worries about Home Behind

Do you tend to worry obsessively about the security of your property while you’re gone? Stash your valuables at a trusted friend’s house for safekeeping. Have a friend or family member swing by your house every few days to check things out.

#4 Know the Rules

This applies to every aspect of travel from knowing what you can bring on an airplane to understanding the customs of the country you will be visiting. Make flashcards if you need to – anything that will give you a sense of being in control.

#5 Share Your List

If you are worried about not having everything you need on a trip, make a complete list of what you plan to bring with you (right down to the number of Q-tips). Then, show it to someone who has traveled to the locale in question before. They may be able to point out items you overlooked – and things that will cause more hassle than they are worth.

#6 Take Charge of Your Health

If you have a health concern, the thought of traveling can be even more intimidating. One way to cope with this type of travel anxiety is by learning phrases you can use to ask for assistance with your everyday medical issues (e.g., vision problems, diabetes, chronic migraines, etc). Our Rx: The Freedom to Travel Language Series audio books and iPhone/iPad apps are carefully crafted to help travelers like you.

#7 Give Yourself Permission to Worry

Yes, that’s right. Set aside one full hour to write down or talk about every single thing you are afraid will go wrong. Some of these fears will seem silly once you say them out loud. Others will seem reasonable and you can make a plan for how to deal with those situations. Get the worrying out of your system. Then tell yourself that you’ve used up all the time you have budgeted for that activity and it’s time to sit back and enjoy your trip.

Daisy McCarty

Mobility Travel Tips For Arthritis Sufferers

One of the really frustrating things about arthritis is that it gives you good days and bad days. Sometimes, just getting out of bed is a long, groan inducing process. Other times, you feel OK – and may not realize you are “overdoing it” at favorite activities until the next morning. It’s particularly challenging to plan for a trip when you tend to experience widely varying levels of mobility. Travel plans may need to change on the fly if your pain flares up. Here are a few tips for feeling good, managing pain, and increasing your ability to get around when you travel.

Do a Personal Evaluation

When you’ve lived in the same place for years, you tend to have lots of strategies in place to help you cope with arthritis. This means there are probably accommodations you’ve discovered or created that you don’t even notice any more. Before you plan a long trip, consider taking a weekend vacation at an unfamiliar location that’s not too far away. See how you fare when there aren’t any of your usual support systems in place. This will give you a good idea of what daily tasks are still problematic for you. This may include walking for long distances, climbing stairs or hills, getting in and out of a vehicle, or turning knobs.

Enhance Your Ability to Get Around

If you have been putting off using a mobility travel tool like a cane, a rolling walker with a seat, or a scooter, now is a good time to give these a try. Increasing your mobility with assistive devices can mean the difference between sitting in your hotel room and watching TV and going on a fun filled tour. On a personal note, my grandfather found that he could get out of the house again once he gave in and started using a cane. My younger brother carved and stained a beautiful wooden walking stick with a handle for him years ago; and one day he just decided to give it a try. It’s made a huge difference. The fact that it’s a great looking walking stick that was hand crafted with love makes it even better. Accessorizing a mobility device to make it special to you might help ease the transition to using one.

Start Using New Tools

Once you start shopping for stuff that will make your arthritis easier to manage when you travel, it will be hard to stop! If your hands tend to bother you, pack an extra pair of fingerless arthritis gloves. Moisture wicking textiles make these comfortable to wear even when you are traveling somewhere warm. If your back, hips, and butt tend to suffer from the jarring impact of air, train, bus, or car travel, consider investing in a portable seat cushion. When you bring your own, you can instantly install it in any vehicle. Finally, don’t forget to pick up a copy of Rx: The Freedom to Travel Language Series audio book to help you communicate about your mobility issues easily and effectively.

Daisy McCarty

How Do You Travel with Diabetes?

Some health conditions (like migraines) only flare up once in a while; but diabetes is with you all day, every day. If you have this disease, you know that managing it starts out as a full time job. Then, you eventually get into a routine that makes things a little easier. That routine can go out the window when you travel with diabetes. Keeping your blood sugar stable is especially difficult when circumstances outside your control prevent you from staying in control of your health.

Here’s a true story that demonstrates how tough things can get:

At my previous job, I had a coworker with type 1 diabetes. She went on a cruise to the Caribbean with her family in early September of 2001. She took her insulin with her as usual. Then, after the catastrophe of 9/11, she was told that she could not take her insulin on board for the long return flight from Florida. Her medication was properly labeled and she had a letter from her doctor, but the security personnel wouldn’t budge. She ended up making it back home without having a medical crisis, but it was a close call.

Can You Travel by Air Safely?

Fortunately, the TSA quickly abandoned its “no insulin” rule – but that could change if the threat level is increased again in the future. These days, you can bring your insulin, syringes, pumps, and other related equipment and medication on board. It may take a little extra time to get through security with these items, so pack them in a clear bag to separate them from your other belongings. There’s plenty of great information on this topic at diabetes.org. They’ve even got a PDF you can download that covers airline travel and your rights as a diabetic traveler.

Learn to Communicate about Your Health

The American Diabetes Association has very specific recommendations for people with diabetes who are traveling to foreign countries. They advise you to learn phrases like “I have diabetes” and “sugar or orange juice, please” in the language of the country you’re going to visit. The organization also suggests that you ask about the ingredients in unfamiliar foods.

Being able to communicate about your needs makes it much easier to have a safe and enjoyable trip. One issue that’s made it difficult for diabetics to travel in the past is that typical tourist language programs don’t cover health topics in detail. You’d have to cobble together your own smattering of words like “No, sugar, bad” to get your point across.

Now, you have a tool that is specifically designed for your needs. We’ve got Rx: The Freedom to Travel Language Series of audio books available in 10 different languages. These books include phrases like “I need some candy or other food to raise my blood sugar” that you can use when hypoglycemia starts creeping up on you. You’ll learn to talk about your dietary needs in a restaurant setting with questions like “Do you have a sugar substitute?” You will also learn the terminology for your medical supplies in case you lose your glucose monitor or your meds.

Daisy McCarty

Increase in Medical Tourism Raises Safety Questions

When most people travel, they do it for business, education, fun, or to spend time with relatives. However, every year more travelers are making their way to other countries for a very different reason – they need affordable medical treatment. Not all medical tourists travel for elective procedures like liposuction, breast augmentation, or dental veneers. According to statistics collected by healthtourism.com, the primary reason people travel to other countries for medical care is because they don’t have insurance. This means there are plenty of travelers going abroad for hip replacements, cardiovascular surgery, and other medically necessary procedures.

Potential Drawbacks of Medical Tourism

There is certainly no shortage of media coverage about medical tourism catastrophes. We hear stories about patients dying after liposuction or requiring tens of thousands of dollars in corrective surgery after a botched gastric bypass. Not everyone has a bad experience when seeking medical care abroad. However, there are some factors that make problems more likely:

Difficulty assessing a doctor’s credentials and references – Just like in the U.S., there are plenty of other countries where anyone with a medical license can advertise plastic surgery services regardless of their level of training. Add in a foreign language, and it becomes even more difficult to research a doctor’s actual credentials effectively.

Lack of appropriate follow up – Complications may not show up until days or weeks after a procedure. If you are traveling abroad for surgery, plan to stay as long as possible. That way, the surgeon who performed the operation (and knows your case better than anyone else) can help you through your recovery.

Inability to communicate effectively – This is where things start to get really tricky. When you’re going under the knife, your doctor needs to know about any health conditions (such as diabetes) that could complicate a surgery. After the procedure, you could be served hospital food – which is probably awful no matter where you go! If you have a food allergy, you might need to double check with an orderly about what’s on the menu. Or, you might need to notify a staff member about pain or discomfort that could be a sign of a complication.

What You Can Do To Reduce Your Risks

If you decide to become a medical tourist, how can you prepare for the types of conversations you expect to have about your health? Learn a set of useful phrases specifically geared toward health concerns to increase your chances of a good outcome. A doctor who caters to medical tourists is likely to speak some English. But it never hurts to have the ability to communicate more effectively about your medical history and any symptoms you may experience after the procedure. Plus, if you are staying at a local hotel during your recovery period, being able to talk about your health needs with hotel staff using non-technical language is essential.

Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama are the most common destinations for Americans seeking treatment abroad. So, a Spanish version of the Rx:The Freedom to Travel Language Series audio book or Iphone /ipad app might be just the tool to help equip you for a well planned medical encounter.

Genna's Blog! "Packed & Ready"

Glasgow – style city

It wouldn’t be difficult to think that the term “shop ‘til you drop” was coined for Glasgow. The UK’s favorite shopping destination outside of London, this is a city that seems to be designed around retail therapy.

In the heart of Glasgow you will find the so-called ‘Golden Z’ of Sauchiehall Street, Argyle Street and Buchanan Street, packed with stores such as Diesel, Office, LK Bennet, Open and Jo Malone, with plenty of covered malls, notably Princes Square. Over in the West End, under the neo-gothic spires of the university, vintage divas will be absolutely spoilt for choice at funky cornucopias like Starry, Starry Night and Retro.

Whilst most stores close around 6pm, Thursdays are late night shopping nights, and you get an extra couple of hours to spend alongside impeccably dressed Glaswegians searching out the perfect weekend outfit. And the ever-friendly Glaswegians won’t hesitate to help you out with a few of their very own shopping secrets.

And that brings us neatly on to another of Glasgow’s favorite pastimes – a night on the town. Start off with relaxed drinks in the dark leather booths or airy beer garden at elgantly designed Chinaski’s – most definitely Scotland’s only Bukowski-themed Bourbon bar. And forget the stereotypes about Glasgow’s deep-fried-everything menu, sample fresh ingredients and clean tastes at Conran restaurant, étain or West End staple, Stravaigin. Mingle with the incredibly in-crowd for after dinner cocktails at Brutti Ma Buono in the hip Merchant City, before heading off with all your new made friends to dance the night away at the Buff Club. Scotland with style – there’s absolutely no denying it.

Eating and Drinking

étain
The popular ‘Epicurean Menu’ offered by Terence Conran’s only UK outpost outside of London is a tasting menu with each course matched perfectly with a different wine. Epicureans will feel truly in heaven in Conran’s sleek but subtle penthouse restaurant.

No.Sixteen
Tiny, unpretentious, and ever so slightly off the beaten track – although still pretty close to the throng of the bohemian West End – No.Sixteen is one of Glasgow’s favorite restaurants. So good, that it has become one of Edinburgh’s favorite restaurants too!

Ubiquitous Chip
Perhaps the most fabulously named restaurant in Glasgow, ‘The Chip’ as it is affectionately known is renowned for its strong Scottish flavors, and a refined coziness that Glaswegians have grown to love over its thirty-year tenure.

Uisge Beatha
A unique ‘old-style’ pub in the stylish West End, you’ll find over 125 single malt whiskies to choose from, served by men in kilts!

Rab Ha’s
A triumph of individuality over uniformity and of soul over empty style comprising boutique hotel, enticing restaurant and traditional Scottish bar, Rab Ha’s is found within the Merchant City.

Babbity Bowser’s
Housed in an original Tobacco Merchant’s house attributed to Robert Adam in the Merchant City. Fraser and his team are a local institution and look forward to welcoming you to this bar, restaurant and small hotel. The restaurant offers a selection of freshly prepared Scottish meals or snacks, daily billboard specials and real ales with live music every Saturday night.

Café Gandolfi
The Tim Stead-designed wooden furniture in this Merchant City institution have become almost as much of a draw as Gandolfi’s simple but incredibly enticing menu.

The Lansdowne
Through a leafy West End close, you will stumble across The Lansdowne, which after renovations in 2005, emerged as one of the neighborhood’s favorites – with a stylish bar, and well-prepared but uncomplicated dishes.

Mother India
Glasgow isn’t called the Curry Capital for nothing, and there are many first-class Indian restaurants – with Mother India being one of the most authentic, and one of the best – absolutely bursting with fresh ginger, spices and herbs.

Liquid Ship
Taking its name from a misspelled letter addressed to ‘Ubiquitous Chip’ (see above) – Liquid Ship is brought to the West End bar by the same family that owns the remarkable Chip. This ambient little bar is home to fantastic acoustic music, accompanied by a great selection of beers and wonderful tapas dishes.

Brutti Ma Buoni
Translating as ‘ugly but good,’ this unpretentiously hip bar and restaurant on the ground floor of the achingly trendy Brunswick Hotel in the Merchant City is always full of Glasgow’s cutting edge artists and trendsetters, and their new basement level is the perfect pre-club spot.

Shopping

Cruise
From much more humble beginnings as a small designer boutique on Renfield Street, Cruise – now a seven-story emporium in the slick Italian Centre – is a Mecca for serious shoppers, with collections from designers such as Dolce & Gabbana, Prada and Joseph.

Princes Square
Not just one shop, but a whole bevy of chic boutiques – including Space NK, Reiss and Whistles – alongside stylish bars and restaurants, all under one beautifully restored nineteenth century roof.

Brazen
Right in the heart of the very trendy Merchant City, Brazen is a very sassy and incredibly stylish jewelry store where you can pick up attention-grabbing, one-of-a-kind pieces made right there in the in-house workshop.

Office
A little store on Buchanan St that is always jam-packed with shoe fanatics, both male and female. Their collections are at once inexpensive, stylish and fun. Just try leaving with onlyone pair.

Timorous Beasties
With their name taken from a Robert Burns poem, Timorous Beasties have been a strong force on the design scenesince being founded in 1990. Their new storeon Great Western Road is a haven of the new Glasgow style – from chairs and lamps to their modern take on pastoral flock wallpaper.

Starry, Starry Night
Down a little lane in the West End is a tiny little store packed to the rafters with racks and racks, drawers and drawers of antique and vintage goodies. Starry, Starry Night has been a favorite for nearby university students and West End bohemian types for almost twenty years.

Culture

House for an Art Lover
You can’t visit Glasgow without at least taking in some of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Trail – and House for an Art Lover, set in beautiful Bellahouston Park, brings together all aspects of Mackintosh design. Take the unique experience a little further by actually dining in a room that Mackintosh designed in 1901.

The Citizens Theatre
‘The Citz’ as it is affectionately known, has been bringing the work of leading Scottish playwrights as well as outstanding international writing to the peopleofGlasgow since the mid-1940s.

Òran Mór
With a name meaning ‘big song’ in Gaelic, this renovated church is an absolutely stunning venue encompassing two bars, two restaurants and a nightclub. It hosts some of the best of Scottish music and culture – including the famous ‘A Play, A Pie and A Pint’ series – to the creative West End.

Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery
Newly restored, and opened again to the public in 2006, this celebrated red stand-stone museum is full of even more historical, scientific and artistic artifacts than ever before – including, of course, Sir Roger, the beloved Asian elephant.

The Arches
Down below the arches of Glasgow’s Central Station is one of Scotland’s most cutting edge arts venues. First opened in 1991, and then massively renovated in 2000, The Arches is all at once a bar, a nightclub, a music and art venue, and home to the highly acclaimed Arches Theatre Company. And on top of all that, the Arches Café made quite a name for itself, too.

The Lighthouse Centre for Design and Architecture
Opened in 1999, during Glasgow’s tenure as City of Architecture and Design, The Lighthouse was built around the old Herald Newspaper building, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Climb the steps of the Mackintosh tower for panoramic views across Glasgow’s townscape.

St Andrews in the Square
A beautifully renovated eighteenth-century church, St Andrews in the Square has become Glasgow’s premiere venue for traditional Scottish song and dance – including, of course, lively ceilidhs in the spacious oak-floored main gallery.

*From the Scotland Tourist Board!