The liveliest traveler I've ever met

Debbie is one person that I encountered while traveling that makes me burst into a smile to this very day.

In 2017 when my Overseas Adventure Travel group (OAT) gathered for the first time in an Auckland, New Zealand hotel to get acquainted. When it was her turn, a petite graying woman stood up waving her hands all around summoning us to listen to her introduction as if we hadn't already noticed that she wasn't subdued and jet lagged like the rest of us.

My immediate reaction was that Debbie wasn't going to miss a beat if her life depended upon it. There was nothing subtle about her, and she was about to make the most of her vacation.

In a succinct three-minute spiel, the wide-awake Debbie told all fifteen of us all that we needed to know about her and more, including her one greatest fear that almost kept her from signing up for the trip in the first place.

The energetic traveler proceeded to open up to us with her aprehensions about being a first- time solo traveler, and she hoped to fit in. We all assured her that she had new built-in friends, and that she shouldn't worry. At least I didn't give it a second thought knowing full well that she had the kind of personality that would do fabulously under any circumstance.

Well, if truth be told, our entire group was entertained by the spirited traveler from

You can't keep up with a kangaroo.

the first day going forth with her quirky comments and insightful inserts into everything we experienced. We laughed ourselves silly like a bunch of kids when she was the one to raise her hand to be the group guinea pig. She beat everyone to the punch holding a squirming baby lamb on the ranch while they rest of us stood back somewhat reticent.

Debbie was willing to try everything and didn't let rain or rough waves deter her from an adventure along with her running commentaries if you were anywhere near her. Once she waited for me at a glacial overlook in a downpour to take my photo, and when she pleaded with the sun, "please, please come out for just a couple minutes," her wish was granted almost instantaneously.

Somewhere late into our trip, my newly-found friend shed a tear on her birthday, though, when our tour director gave her presents to remember New Zealand, and we sang in unison our birthday greetings from our bus seats. She knew then for sure that she had made the right decision to travel all by herself with our company. I, for one, was delighted, too.

For a few minutes the sun came out and the rain stopped pouring down at the glacier.

A picture provides a memory

There are places that you visit that you can't stop photographing simply because of the swell of feelings that overcome you at the moment.

That's when you shut your eyes and absorb it all in like your own internal camera. You'll carry that with you in your memory bag, and you will retrieve it over and over forever.

Sydney is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

How to handle an airport delay without working yourself into a frazzle

It's inevitable. Rarely does a trip with or without connections work seamlessly. When it does, be forever grateful and relish in the euphoria momentarily.

Here's my advice:

1. Plan for the "what-if" scenerio.

The savy travelers know that the airlines will atutomatically rebook you on the next flight. However, you might want to work with another airline going on your route ASAP before others get the same idea. Hint: Talk to business travelers before you go and they will fill you in on how they handle such a situation.

Have the names and phone numbers of a couple airport hotels in your phone contact list just in case.

2. Arrive at the airport with extra time to make it through TSA.

You just never know.

Hint: If you are in a line with people who do not know "the drill" - what comes out of the carry on, shoes off etc. - relax knowing you have time to spare on your end leaving the neophytes to their learning curve. You can study the TSA guide at home, or better yet, listen to the TSA personnel at the beginning of the line shouting out the rules.

3. Know your rights as a passenger.

Press for overnight accomodations if you are are in the middle of your journey and the plane is delayed. Hint: You have to be your own advocate.

4. Watch for gate changes at major airports by staying glued to your airline app and/or the monitor.

Consider it furthering your daily exercise goal if you have to move. Also, that is why it is so important to have luggage that you can handle. By the way, those apps will tell you how long it takes to get from one terminal to another and you can be realistic in your expectations.

Hint: I had dinner at one terminal in Atlanta, shopped in a second before my plane settled on the third one to park. That meant I was up and down a long escalator and onboard the train a three times. As far as I was concerned, there was no harm done and I got home on time.

5. If you are scheduled on the last flight of the night, don't worry that you will not have an alternative.

Hint: Check to see if the plane needs to be at your destination for an early flight back out the next morning.

6. Have a bottle of water and emergency snacks at your fingertips.

7. Think about how you can use that extra time to your advantage without wasting energy fuming.

I've seen people in an obscure corner doing Yoga, and in my home airport, Rochester International, there is a new Strong Museum area of play for young and old alike.

There's more advice that I could give out. I'll save that for a further post.

There's nothing worse than racing for a flight connection, although it can be done...usually.