Traveling with the Jones

Traveler Interview:  Lori J. Spies       

Pursuing a variety of interests – railroad brakeman, greeting card creator, flight attendant and professional organizer — just to name a few, has given Lori Spies a life of great adventures.  From exploring the creeks and streams of northwest Iowa as a child, to running throughout Paris in hopes of seeing as much as she could take in during a short overnight stay – Lori never has a dull day.         

Lori’s organizational and time management skills are in-demand from the clients of Absolutely Organized, the company she founded in 2003.   Lori helps clients develop systems to control clutter while getting and staying organized.          

Lori’s creative skills inspired her to start a second company — tickled pink! — where she creates handmade cards,  and offers a mailing service to organize client’s greeting deliveries.  Lori often incorporates re-purposed goods into the designs of her unique cards.          

Whatever Lori is doing, she always seems to be having fun. We were curious about her passion for travel and life.  (And we hoped to learn some of her travel-related organizational tips!)            

Hiking at the Grand Canyon

I’ve watched landscapes unfold from inside a rail car as a railroad brakeman, looking down from the sky as a flight attendant, maneuvering down mountainsides on my snow skis, and while driving down many roads in a camper. 

 I find the tapestry humans weave on the space we have allotted to us to be most interesting.   

I love to learn.  I find the most rewarding and educational experiences are those where I’m on the ground interacting with people and nature.     

 

Have you always enjoyed travel? What contributed to your love of travel?    

 Lori:  The adventure of travel for me is FUN!  Since early in my youth I’ve experienced new places and other ways of life.  My curiosity has been my driving force in this fun life.  Woo-hoo!       

Do you have a favorite destination?  

Skiing Utah's High Country.

Lori:  I do not have a favorite destination.  I’m about fun and I try to carry that with me everywhere I go.  Like a chameleon, I adapt to my setting, soak in everything I can, and return grateful for the experiences I’ve had.       

What destination has surprised you the most, either good or bad?        

Lori:  I would have to say the most surprising thing to me is life itself and the way people live their lives.  I am absolutely fascinated by culture in other lands.   It all goes back to the way of the land and what we do with what we have available to us.       

Why do you think that travel is important?          

Lori:  Without travel there would be stagnation.  New experiences brighten my outlook. Whether to the local zoo, the Grand Canyon or a third world country, I am richer because of each encounter I have with life.      

Camping on Minnesota's North Shore at Split Rock Light House

You are an organizational expert.  Do you have an organization tips for travelers to share?     

Lori:  The best organizational tip I can provide would be to “always be prepared” “;      

• For the temperature with layers, the terrain with proper footwear, the climate with enough water. And, get enough rest.
• Prepare a schedule of events and rank them as most important to least important so you fit the best things in if time runs short
• Be ready for an emergency and have a plan. Think of what you haven’t thought of “IF” something should occur
• Pack your bag(s) accordingly.  Less is more.  Only take those things you absolutely need for the trip.  
• Most importantly — allow yourself the opportunity to have fun!  

From your travels, do you have a practice or insight that makes your travel experiences more enjoyable?           

Lori:  My best trip practice: research where you will be going, learn what is available and what you’ll be doing while there.  Then pack accordingly.        

I have a general spreadsheet of items needed and check it twice.       

I try to be ready for emergencies with a good first aid kit: Aspirin, band aid, pocket knife, lip gloss, cork screw, hat.       

One thing I know for sure – if I don’t have my “˜fun on’, I might as well stay home!       

We enjoy learning about other people’s travel discoveries as much as making our own.                   

What fuels your travel passion?  Please share in comments.                

Read More Traveler Interviews:                                        

• “Be flexible. Un-planned events are our favorites.” A Travel Chat with the Johnsons, former European Ex-pats.
•  “Travel means letting go and getting outside of your normal, stressful life.” A Travel Chat with a Lifestyle Coach.
• “When I travel, my camera is with me all day.” A Travel Chat with an Art Photographer  

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Every Tuesday is Travel Tip Day
Today: 10 Tips on Planning Your Time in Alaska Cruise Ports

Alaska is a favorite summer cruise destination. This year, more than 800,000 visitors will tour Alaska via cruise ship, starting with the Carnival Spirit and the Disney Wonder this weekend.

Can you really experience Alaska from a cruise ship? Well, yes, although a cruise-only trip will expose you mostly to the southeast part of this enormous state.  Planning ahead for your time in port can help maximize your Alaska experience.

First time cruisers to Alaska often ask, “What should I do when my ship is in port?”

Here are 10 Tips for Planning Your Time in Port in Alaska.

1. Study your cruise schedule.  Note the time your ship is scheduled to stay in each port, and the day of the week. You won’t want to plan to hike a 5-hour trail if your ship is only in port between 1:30 and 5:30 pm. Most ships require that you are back on board at least a half hour before scheduled departure time. If you plan to visit a museum check the schedule to ensure it’s open. Consider your entire schedule – if you stay in Juneau until midnight, you may not want to be on that 7 am excursion in Skagway the next morning. 

2. Consider what you most like to do. Alaska is an outdoor playground.  You will find options for active adventures such as fishing, hiking, kayaking, rafting, 4-wheeling, zip-lining and flightseeing in each Alaska port.  You can also do more sedate activities like museums, shopping, and bus tours in Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, Haines and other ports. 

3. Review the ship’s shore excursions in advance.  When your time in port is limited, traveling with a local guide can maximize your time.  The cruise lines know what’s most popular in each port, and their shore excursions tend to make best of the limited. They also ensure that you don’t get left by the ship if your tour is delayed.  Using the ships’ excursions is helpful if you want to experience different things than others in your group i.e. one of you wants to do the zip line and the others won’t consider it.

4. Book in advance if it’s something you really want to do. Many times, you can wait and arrange on your own activities on the pier in each port (or buy on the ship after you board.) However, if there’s something that you really want to do, it’s best to book in advance so you aren’t disappointed when it’s sold out.  Zip lines, flightseeing, dog sled tours and the White Pass Scenic Railway in Skagway/Haines are all popular, so it’s best to book ahead for these and event that’s limited to a small group.

5. Check the restrictions and activity level in advance. Most cruise lines rate excursions by activity level, offering tours with little exertion required to ones with expert level mountain hiking.  Some excursions have weight limits and age minimums.  Being on a strenuous bike tour (when you haven’t biked since you were a kid) may not be fun.

6. Be careful booking in advance from third party operators. If you book activities in advance outside of the cruise line, make sure the company allows refundable cancelations if the ship is late or misses the port.  Cruise ships can and do change their itineraries for any number of reasons.

The port city of Haines, Alaska is home to The Hammer Museum.

7. Vary activities. Everyone Alaska visitor should try to experience glaciers, Gold Rush history, wildlife and wilderness. Flightseeing – an amazing, if expensive experience – is probably not one that you want to repeat in every port, even if cost is not an issue. There are no shortage of fishing or shopping opportunities in Alaska, but you won’t experience all that Alaska has to offer if you only fish or shop in each port.   

8. Be prepared for variable weather.  Bring a sturdy rain jacket and dress in layers so you can “peel like an onion”.  Read more here on Packing for Alaska.

9. Wear comfortable walking/hiking shoes. The most breathtaking sights in Alaska are best experienced outside, and trails and walking are usually involved. Keep your feet comfortable and you will have a better time.

10. Read about Alaska before you go. While a young state, Alaska has a fascinating history and colorful characters from the Gold Rush days to the present.  Reading about the state before you go will enhance your experience.  Learn more about our favorite books on Alaska.   

Have you visited Alaska by cruise ship? What was your favorite activity in port?

Other posts on Alaska:

• Visiting Anchorage? 12 Tips from Local Residents
• Visiting Alaska This Summer? 16 Insider Tips to Anchorage   
• Visiting Alaska This Summer? 10 Tips on What to Pack     

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Visiting Alaska? Here are five books on our book shelves that we think are good background reading before you visit the state.

1. Are you visiting Alaska by a cruise ship?

 Fodor’s The Complete Guide to Alaska Cruises gives a good overview of Alaska cruise ports, and includes a detailed pullout map of Alaska.

2. Want to read about daily life in an Alaska small town? 

 If You Lived Here, I’d Know Your Name: News from Small-Town Alaska is Heather Lende’s offbeat chronicle of life in tiny Haines, Alaska. Lende, a contributer to NPR’s Morning Edition, writes obituaries among other things for the Haines Chilkat Valley News and is an award-winning columnist for the Anchorage Daily News.

3. Want to learn about Alaska politics during the pipeline era?

Tales of Alaska’s Bush Rat Governor: The Extraordinary Autobiography of Jay Hammond, Wilderness Guide and Reluctant Politicianis the entertaining autobiography of Jay Hammond, Governor of Alaska from 1974 to 1982.     

 4.  Hear a  Newspaper Publisher’s View of Alaska.
   Kay Fanning’s Alaska Story: Memoir of a Pulitzer Prize-Winning Newspaper Publisher on America’s Northern Frontier is the memoir of an ex-debutante of Chicago who headed north to Alaska in 1965 after her divorce from department store owner Marshall Fields. She became publisher of the Anchorage Daily News, turning it into Alaska’s leading newspaper.  Kay died in 2000 before her book was complete. Kay’s daughter Katherine Field Stephen finished the book along with an number of Alaska contributors, such as Senator Ted Stevens.

5. Have a hard time imagining romantic ballads about rugged gold miners?

Great Service: The Rugged and Romantic Poems of Robert Service is a book of poems and ballads written by Robert Service about the Yukon during the Gold Rush days in the early 1900s.  From “The Ballad of the Northern Lights” to the “The Trail of Ninety-Eight“, Robert Service transports you. “Gold! We leapt from our benches. Gold! We sprang from our stools…..”

These books are just a tiny taste of the characters and history that make Alaska today.

What is your favorite Alaska book? 

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