Oxford

After going back to London made a quick trip to Oxford.It is a great day trip from London since it is only about a 1 hour journey from Marylebone train station.

When you arrive at Oxford there are many buses stopping at the train station.Since I needed to get back to london in a short time decided to take the tourist bus that covers the entire city in about 70-80 minutes.It costs 20USD but you can save about 10 percent by using a Viator promotion code that you can find online.

The bus makes about 20 stops and you can get off and return whenever you want.

I paid about 17 USD for a return ticket from London so it was not an expensive trip.

Here are some Pics

Stratford-upon-Avon

Took the Train from Marylebone Station in London which takes about 2 1/2 hours

It was not a pleasant trip since that day on May 6 had many delays on this route.Every time a Train was cancelled I got off at a new stop and then a new Train was cancelled.At that point I made many new friends who faced the same issues so it was not a totally negative experience.

When I finally arrived in Stratford-upon-Avon after making some good bets on where I should get off and which Train I hoped would actually arrive I was greeted by old style English hospitality.

The Taxi driver would not take a tip and even carried my bags into the Hotel to the Reception area which was not easy to find.

I chose the Arden Hotel since they recently joined Hyatt and as a result I could use Hyatt rewards to get 2 free nights.

The Hotel was old and very charming that charm of course comes at a cost no Elevator.

I was taken to a room with a short group of steps with the wonderful lady at reception taking my bags to my room.

It had a great view of the Avon river and the Royal Shakespeare Company right across the street.

In the Bathroom was a old tub that is larger then many rooms in London or New York City.

It was late afternoon so I quickly went to take a walk to get a feel for the area.I also had booked 2 shows at the RSC so I had very little time to take a quick view of the area.

All in all the 2 Days were great I got out of London got some fresh air visited a lovely and charming city with people who are lovely and charming.

This is not only a great day trip from London but a nice place to stop for a few days.

Paris

Do you need to say more……. Have family and friends so I feel at home.

Went to visit the louvre and the Orsay Museum and then took a ride on the Seine all in very bad weather with rain every few minutes.

But who cares it is Paris so life goes on you live you have fun.

This is a great way to feel the City, I was staying at CDG at a Ibis Hotel next to the Airport and took the RER to Chatelet Les Halle.A return ticket which includes all transport for the day cost 20USD

From Chatelet took a Metro Line 1 to the Louvre.

From the Louvre it is a short walk across a bridge to the Orsay Museum.I then picked up a Batobus across the street from the Museum.This ship makes 9 stops in Paris and makes it a great way to get a feel for the City.The Batobus is less then 20 USD.

You can book on Viator and when you are a new customer you can save 10 percent.This is true on any activity regardless where in the world you book.

Will add Photos

The South of Italy

The best way to visit the beautiful areas of Amalfi and Sorrento and Capri and Portafino is using Naples as your base.

You can use the Circumvesuviana train system from the Central station which stops in Pompeii and Sorrento from Naples and it only costs 2-3 USD each way.The only problem is they have no AC so be prepared by bringing water with you.

From Sorrento you can catch a group of Buses that will take you to a variety of cities.They are new and have AC that really works.These Buses are cheap about 3 USD but they can be crowded.I took a Bus to Amalfi and Portafino.

You can also go to Capri with a Ferry and either come back to Naples or go on to another city like Portafino.

You can find prices online for the different options available. I would rather not give a specific Company since it would appear I was getting paid for the recommendation.

The Hotels in any of the cities along the coast tend to be much higher then Naples so if you want to keep your costs low having Naples as your base will help your money go a much longer way.

Which road is America taking ?

The initial theme of my Blog was to talk about travel and to have beautiful pictures so that people can enjoy the experience of traveling to parts of the world that perhaps they have never seen.

I decided to change the name of my Blog to Milky Way Traveler because we all are Travelers we all are on this Planet and we’re hurdling through the Milky Way galaxy and we’re basically going to parts unknown and we’re sharing it all together.

Watching the current news regarding Trump and the Immigration policy of the United States makes me want to acknowledge to everyone that we are at an important point now in our History.

This siren song of hate has happened very often not only in American history but across the Planet.There are now populist movements either it be in the Philippines under Duerte or in Hungary under Orban or in Brazil or in so many parts of the world where the Immigrant is looked at as the other as the enemy as creatures that are not human that should be looked down upon and hated.

Is this any different then previous eras like for example the 1930s which led to the de-humanization of Jewish people ? The Germans called them Communists the Russians called them Counter-Revolutionaries they were called parasites they were called dangerous they were called criminals and how did that work out ?

Now if you’re poor and you’re desperate and you’re escaping the horrors of Guatemala or El Salvador or Honduras or any other area in Central America or South America where people are dreaming of a better life,you are not looked at as creatures that deserve the empathy of Trump and his supporters. Now Trump and his enablers look at these people as not human but as simply creatures that are bringing disease that are bringing the worst that the world offers to the shores of the United States. While the Statue of Liberty cries in New York Harbor……… Trump is capable of doing anything to try to satisfy his political base.

Now is the time that we can’t simply be silent what will people ask in the future ? What will your children or your grandchildren say ? What did you do during this period ? How did you conduct your life when the de-humanization of human beings was being done by the President of the United States and those who enable him ? We as decent human beings regardless of our political parties regardless of our religious beliefs cannot tolerate this type of behavior from the President of the United States and the present Administration, we now must do something.

That involves being politically active being involved in Organizations that don’t accept this type of behavior that means we can not afford to do nothing.

History has proven that those who just sit back and watch end up being a party to those who helped create the environment of not only hatred but eventually people being killed.

Our country is also guilty for the Holocaust we didn’t allow people into our country because of fears and because Politicians and ordinary people said the Jews were Spies the Jews were dangerous that they should not be let into the United States.

And what was the result of that ? Even Ships that came with people who were desperate to leave the ancient hatreds of Europe were not allowed into the United States because of the same type of ugliness and hatred and prejudice that we are singing right now. The one difference is that FDR did not voice the same amount of ugliness and vitriol and hate as Donald Trump.But the results were that so many people could have been saved if the voices of fear had not dominated American discourse.That stain of blood is on America’s hands.

The question we have to ask ourselves is this ? How many people are now not being allowed into the United States who may be killed in their home Countries. Maybe their fears are justified ? Is it proper to treat these people with such a lack of sensitivity ?

History is looking at us now not only as a Country but as a people as to who we really are what are our morals ? What are our ethics ? Are we simply going to turn away while people are begging for help and assistance ? Are we going to allow the haters and the ugliness of Trump and those who support him to dictate our moral and ethical standards ?

We need to act now even before the 2020 Presidential election because there’s going to be a lot of pain and a lot of ugliness before November 2020 regardless of how the election concludes. I suggest that if you believe what Trump is doing now is totally counter to American values then you must act now because the legacy of America is now in your hands.

Santorini

Have been staying at the Atlantis Hotel in Santorini……… and Wow what a view.The view from my balcony is so beautiful it is difficult to have a desire to leave the room.

But this Island is a pleasure to explore and you can do it for very low cost.The central bus station on Fira has a group of buses that go all over the Island and they are new and have Air Conditioning.The rides are around 2USD to almost any part of the Island.

You also can take many long walks that can give you great views as well.

The Atlantis Hotel does not have an elevator so you have to reserve long in advance if you want a room on the first floor.

This property is a good value and since it is in Fira facing the Aegean it has fantastic views.

The rooms are basic but have a Fridge and Air Conditioning that actually works.

It costs about 20USD to take a Taxi from the Airport to the Hotel.

The Lake District of Chile

After leaving Ushuaia our ship headed up the Coast of Chile to an area that is wild and unspoiled and often beautiful although it is often hidden by clouds and rain and high wind.

It is an area that gives you the feeling you have been transported to another Planet it carries a feeling of mystery of something alien.

The trip took 2-3 days before we reached Puerto Arenas we did not stay long since high winds did not allow for safe passage to the port so we continued to

Puerto Montt a very beautiful and unique area that is also very young geologically.It has had the most powerful earthquakes in recorded history some as high as 9.6 which occured in 1960 known as the Great Chilean earthquake.

Like New Zealand which also has a very active land area these areas have enormous beauty while they can be potentially dangerous.So that Ying and Yang adds to their appeal.These Pics will give you a feel for the place.

Ushuaia

Coming back from Antarctica my ship stopped in the most southern city on the planet Ushuaia.

It is close to Tierra del Fuego National Park so it is a popular stop if you are in the area.You can take a local bus or a taxi.I would advise you simply take a Tour and save the hassle.A bus would cost about 21 USD and the entrance to the Park about 15USD

Here it is often windy and cold and you can often sprinkle some rain as well.

The area is one of the highest concentrations of Cataracts in the World because of the depletion of the Ozone Layer.It has improved recently but suggest you use a good Suntan lotion and of course Sunglasses as well.

As usual Photos are a great way to get a feel for the area.

View from the Bus near Tierra del Fuego National Park

Staying healthy when you Travel

The most important factor when you Travel is to stay healthy there is nothing worse then having an ailment or catching a bad cold when you are on a trip.

It is amazing but the trays at security at airports is a haven for viruses and bacteria, so after leaving security you should wash your hands or use a wipe.

When you get on the plane the same deal,wipe your seat and the tray table.When you go to the bathroom never never drink the water.

I have found speaking to Airline crew that flying in the long term can be hazardous to your Health I cited the BBC story regarding the air quality in all Boeing planes prior to the 787 in previous posts.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-32786537

The radiation exposure over time has caused a variety of health conditions in airline crew and Astronauts as well since Ionized radiation causes long term damage to the immune system.A majority of Astronauts who have worked in space have been victims of this exposure since they are not protected by the Earths atmosphere.

On an aircraft for every 5 hours of flying you are receiving about the same level of Rems as a chest x-ray.

As a result I take antioxidents like Resveratrol and Pomegranate extracts since they have been found to have anti-radiation effects.

I combine that with a higher then normal level of fruits and vegetables including Cauliflower and Broccoli.These vegetables have been found to not only have anti cancer effects but also boast the immune system.That is why berries should be on your menu the more the better.

You need to maintain your normal hours of sleep regardless of the time change and you need to buy fresh fruit and vegetables to have in your Hotel room.I have had problems with clean food in many parts of the world so if I can find a local market I will buy fresh and wash it in my room.That is the only way to protect yourself from fruit and vegetables that have not been cleaned properly.

I even bring a small amount of fruit and vegetables with me that lasts from 1-2 days.I also bring small cans of Salmon from Alaska so I have protein as well.

I never traveled this way but have found that sometimes because of bad weather or delays on my trip I never get a chance to eat something healthy.Well either for your destination or on the plane bring your own food.I recently flew Business class on Iberia to Madrid from Miami and ended up eating my food that I picked up rather then what they served.

OK thats my wise tidbits for today.

Thanks for your kind words.

Falkland Islands

If you really want to visit the UK head to the Falkland Islands an area of the world that is more English then England.If you want to get close and personal with Penguins well this is the place as well.After taking a short boat ride from my ship was taken in a 4 wheel drive car that gave a ride that was as much fun as the destination.The trip involved a great deal of driving on rough unpaved roads to the beach area the Tuxedo guys have their community.

And what a group it is watching all the action is really mesmerizing the only problem is the area does not smell like a Perfume factory.

Its cold and rainy just like jolly old England but you really could not care less.