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Best of Vermont


Welcome to Dr. Mary Travelbest:

In this episode: FAQ is how to deal with trouble in the streets when you are on the road:   Destination is Vermont, and who doesn’t like fall colors? The mistake and lessons learned is about poison ivy and the travel tip is about blood clots while traveling, especially on long plane trips.

 

FAQ If I run into “trouble” like a strike, police in the streets, angry shouting mobs, what should I do?

My advice is to steer clear of this type of trouble. You are not geared for this as a traveler, so stay out of it. There is going to be unrest somewhere you go, sometime, but if you expect any trouble, get as far away as you can, quickly. 

As an outsider, you’re not prepared to deal with the cause or the results. Stay away and be safe. This summer, while traveling in Minnesota, I purposefully went away from the areas where there was civil unrest in the area around Minneapolis. I would recommend the same for you. You want to stay aware of this by listening to local radio and reading about the news in the area. Overall, be prepared for unexpected delays and have a plan so you can be safe.

 

Today’s Destination- Vermont

 

https://www.vermontvacation.com/

Air travel is more expensive and less convenient, with smaller airports and fewer direct flights. No McDonalds or Burger Kings here. The Green Mountain National Forest in the southern part of the state has some wonderful hiking.

It’s a state that is between New York and New Hampshire, and to the North is Canada. To the south is Massachusetts. During Corona Virus, there may be some restrictions on your travel in the region, so our show notes will have websites where you can check the latest on this. 

https://accd.vermont.gov/covid-19/restart/cross-state-travel

They do have the University of Vermont, in Burlington is rated one of the best college towns in the country. No public transportation, you need a car.

Life is mellow. In winter, shorter days and home cooking indoors. In summer longer nights and fireflies. Hobbies. People are older.

Work remotely from NYC.

251 cities and towns in 11 different regions. Skiing in winter, fall colors, bike in summer, hike in spring. 

https://www.foliage-vermont.com/

Killington, Manchester, Stratton Mountain Resort, Lake Champlain Valley, Stowe, Bed and Breakfasts, Vermont Inns, short distance to Boston, Montreal, etc. The fall colors is a great time of year to visit.

 

Today’s Mistake- Poison Ivy

Poison Ivy is a mistake and I’ve finally learned my lesson. I got it bad. I was hiking in a National Forest in the middle of a sunny day in the summer. Little did I know that I had the oils on my hands and was spreading that all over my body. 

 

Poison ivy rash is a type of allergic contact dermatitis caused by an oily resin called urushiol. It's found in the leaves, stems and roots of poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. This resin is very sticky, so it easily attaches to your skin, clothing, tools, equipment and pet's fur.

 

48 hours later, my neck was full of red clusters, and I thought it was a heat rash. By the next morning, I had some terrible rashes all over my chest and back. So that was a big mistake. Further, I think that I had an allergic reaction that was not something good for me.

The next time I went hiking, I wore long sleeves, long pants, tucked in my pants and made certain not to touch anything that looked like poison ivy or other plant on the BAD list. 



Today’s Travel Advice-Avoid Blood Clots

 

If you have or think you may have blood clots, you should see your doctor for advice. Here are some other things that are good, even if you don’t have blood clots. Get up and walk around often when you travel. On a plane, you can be sure to stretch your muscles, get up and walk around every few hours, and hydrate. Some people say you can wear special socks. 

https://www.hematology.org/education/patients/blood-clots/travel

https://columbiasurgery.org/news/2019/02/27/how-avoid-blood-clots-when-flying-advice-vascular-surgeon

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