The Insurance Doctor

Category: travel

  • Top 5 Places to Visit in the World

    Lonely planet just published their top 25 places to visit in the world. The USA has #21 Yosemite national park and #6 the Grand Canyon. It’s exciting this January to have seen #1 the temples of Angkor in Cambodia. Most interesting place I’ve ever seen. Review this list, make your dream vacation plans and enjoy!

    #5. Taj Mahal, India

    Acres of shimmering white marble, a few thousand semiprecious stones carved and inlaid in intricate Islamic patterns, all in perfect symmetry – the breathtaking mausoleum is the essence of architectural perfection.

    #4. The Great Wall of China

    It’s a myth that it can be seen from space, but this awe-inspiring maze of walls and fortifications stretching for an astonishing 5,500 miles across rugged landscape seem both infinite and indestructible.

    #3. Machu Picchu, Peru

    It’s not the outrageously dramatic Andean setting, nor the way that the city clings to impossibly precipitous slopes that makes Machu Picchu so mind-blowing – it’s the fact that no-one really knows what happened here.

    #2. Great Barrier Reef, Australia

    Stretching more than 1,860 miles up the northeastern coast of Australia, it’s home to the world’s largest network of coral reefs and thousands of species of fish and marine life.

    #1. Temples of Angkor, Cambodia

    Earlier this year I had the privilege to visit this magnificent masterpiece. The world’s greatest temple to the Hindu god Vishnu, the magnificent monument of Angkor Wat is the crowning glory in a complex of more than 1,000 temples, shrines and tombs that forms a virtual city of spires in the jungles of northern Cambodia.

    Planning to see the world is one thing but more important is planning your financial future. Contact Robert today for a free financial review today.

    angkor wat
    Happy to have my oil painting framed!

     

  • 5 Reasons to visit Sonoma California

    5 Reasons to visit Sonoma California

     

    • Wine tasting: Obviously the #1 reason, however in Sonoma they are committed to educating Travel, wine countryconsumers on the intricacies of production, bottling and distribution. Two of my favorites are Bucher and the Thomas George vineyards. Both of them can be found on the renowned Westside road wine route!
    • Antiques: Unbeknownst to me was the bevy of antique shops mostly found in the Sebastopol area which borders Sonoma and is part of Sonoma county.
    • Seafood: The fresh seafood available in the area is phenomenal. I suggest Nick’s Cove where I had the best bacon and BBQ oysters of my life!
    • Pace of life: This area is laid back and has little in the way of major chain stores. You will see mostly mom and pop boutique shops with friendly and easy people to talk to. Life is simple and there’s a sense of time standing still
    • Micro-climate: Discover their unique climate where it can be 85 degrees during the day and a crisp 55 at night. There’s also a marine layer in some parts that help keep soil moist for optimum grape growing.
  • Summer Travel Tips

    Summer Travel Tips

    Having set foot on five of the world’s seven continents I have learned much. With solid planning I was able to do 3 weeks in Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia this January with one carry-on bag and one computer bag.

    summer travel tipsMy top travel tips are:

    1. Call your credit card companies in advance: and tell them where you are going and what dates. I have had cards frozen because companies see a string of out of town charges and they think your cards were stolen.
    2. Think in body sections when packing: I do this in the morning while getting work ready and start from feet to head. It can be stressful the last days before a trip so you don’t want to forget anything so do the same with the kids.
    3. Pack a change of clothes in your carry-on bag: 29 million bags are lost/delayed each year. Be ready when it happens to you!
    4. Buy a guide book if going overseas: I cannot stress this enough. Advanced research prevents issues which can ruin a trip. For example my research told me that in Myanmar and Cambodia they accept US dollars however not with folds or wrinkles. I went to the bank in advance and withdrew $500 of new bills in 1’s, 5’s, 10’s and 20’s. I like “lonely planet” and “rough guides” the best. Look for the most recent edition.
    1. Read negative reviews on hotels: I prefer Trip Advisor and Agoda for international travel.

     

    1. If touring by car get a tune-up and GPS: Nothing worse than getting lost or having your car break down. GPS your destinations in advance for proper time planning.

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  • The Five Tallest Buildings in the World

    When the Twin Towers were destroyed on 9/11/2001 they were the tallest buildings in the world. A lot has changed since including the skyline of NYC and many New York-based companies have updated their logos as a result since the Freedom Tower (aka One World Trade) was rebuilt.

    1. Burj Khalifa building: in Dubai is 2,717 feet high and 162 floors. Completed in 2010 it stands 3 times the size of the Eiffel Tower and nearly twice the size of the Empire State Building.
    2. Shanghai Tower: in China is 2,073 feet and 121 floors. Completed in 2008 it’s considered the “greenest” super skyscraper. China is in the building stage of what would be the tallest building in the world.
    3. Makkah Royal Clock Tower: in Mecca, Saudi Arabia is 1,971 feet high with 120 floors. Completed in 2012 it has the world’s largest clock face and is meters away from the world’s largest mosque.
    4. One World Trade Center: Also known as the Freedom Tower stands 1,776 feet and has 104 floors. Opened in 2014 it refers to the main building of the World Trade Center complex located in lower Manhattan.
    5. Taipei 101: In Taiwan, it was originally known as the Taipei World Financial Center. It has 101 floors and houses the world’s fastest elevators. Taipei 101 stood as the tallest building in the world from inception in 2004-2010 until the Burj Khalifa building was constructed.

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