The Polite Traveler

  How to Survive a Long, Monotonous Road Trip My Dear Polite Travelers, Ah, the open highway.  The wind in my face and the long road ahead full of adventure.  Traveling for business and pleasure can be exciting, but it can also be exhausting.  This is exactly what I found on my last trip.  The trip consisted of driving through two-thirds of California from north to south and then east clear across the state.  We then drove across most of Arizona to our destination of the most Northeast tip of the state.  Driving from our hometown of Davis, CA to the farthest northeast corner of Arizona can be beautiful but challenging.  This is especially true due to the many road-construction zones.  Collecting License Plates Even though I enjoyed seeing the landscape change from California fields of green to the vast, mountainous desert, I didn’t enjoy the endless road construction which contributed to even more congestion than usual. ...

Not Worth the Price  Dear Polite Travelers, Hampton Inn by Hilton is not known for luxury.  But at Sedona’s exorbitant hotel rates, one would expect a tad more than this hotel offers.  Perhaps real glasses and ceramic coffee mugs??  At least the rooms were well-appointed.  Somewhat, anyway.  The Room Below The Parking Lot Since the hotel is located directly on Highway 89A, I asked for a quiet room instead of the second-floor room with a highway view they had reserved for us.  Upon first look, it appears clean, updated, but simple.  Once we settled in, we found it was indeed clean, with the standard microwave, flatscreen television, coffee maker, and fridge.  But the place needs some maintenance.  The tub has been painted and is peeling, and the toilet makes noise all night.  For the most part, it is comfortable and has adequate free Internet.  The worst part of this room—and the entire first floor—is it is roughly fo...

Beautiful, but Too Crowded! Dear Polite Travelers, Widely recognized for its natural beauty and spiritual qualities, Sedona has always been one of my bucket-list items.  So once Covid took a break—and we’re both triple vaccinated—we hopped into our trusty Honda and drove 800 miles southeast to the land of crimson mountains.  The Drive from Flagstaff to Sedona Since we live in California, we drove Interstate 40 east to Flagstaff, AZ.  If visiting Arizona, please stop in this lovely city.  It’s greener than most of the state, the people are young and as vibrant as the landscape, and there are a couple of Starbucks just waiting for those like us.  Besides the interesting locals—and caffeinated beverages—our junction, Highway 89A/17 South, for Sedona is conveniently located in Flagstaff.  Drive Slowly & Enjoy Highway 89A South Warning, this is a winding, slow road, but one you are guaranteed to enjoy.  Still, it’s not wise to drive in th...

  Good Eats In Sedona, AZ Dear Polite Travelers, Due to tourist overload in Sedona, we decided to cut our visit short...like three days short.   Imagine, driving nearly a thousand miles to a destination, only to drive home after three days.   Yep.   Beautiful setting, but immensely too busy. Besides Sedona’s natural beauty, it is also known for some great eats.   Unfortunately, with our limited time in Sedona, we dined at only two restaurants .   Actually, we only ordered takeout from one and had a glass of wine at the other.   In any case, these two finds are, indeed, finds. Make Reservations, Wait or Takeout at Pisa Lisa Restaurant Pisa Lisa is a favorite with locals and tourists alike.   You’ll notice a steady line of people checking in to find out if their table is ready.   We arrived early, at 3:45, and we still had an hour wait.   Because of the wait and the place was packed full of non-mask-wearing people, we opted for t...

Sleeping with Martians in Arizona After a long drive, a motel sign welcoming “Aliens” brings a smile to my road-weary face.  Stopping for only one night, we found this  Quality Inn  exactly that: quality focused.  Why?  Follow along. The Location One of the biggest benefits of this and many other Choice properties is that guests can find the properties easily.  To search for the night’s bed after a day on the road is never fun.  An additional benefit is that it is near the freeway, but also quiet. The Lobby and Dining Room A spaceship could probably land in this lobby it is so large.  It is an interesting motel, as it serves—buffet-style—most of the breakfast in the lobby, but dining is in a spacious, comfy upstairs loft with large windows which allow guests to enjoy a view while munching on scrambled eggs, sausage, and waffles.  There are many other food items available as well.  Coffee...

Stay and Rest Comfortably in The Comfort Inn Near Grand Canyon Revised 4/2021   When driving hundreds of miles each day, a quiet place to lay one’s head is heaven on earth.  With that in mind, I was a bit concerned about our future stay in a hotel so near the Grand Canyon.  What if a group of rowdy young men settled in next door or a baby cried all night?  After all, I slept so little the night before in a noisy room in our last motel choice— Quality Inn on Historic Route 66 in Barstow.  Sigh.   Well, I was about to be surprised! Note : Please follow CDC and state guidelines to be safe from Covid.  Always wear your mask. Our Greeting Since I was so tired from my sleepless night before, all I could think about was to race to the next hotel room, shower , and jump into bed.  Unfortunately, it was only 3 pm when we arrived, which meant our room was not ready.  The receptionist was very gracious about our room condition and offer...

Four Hours Visiting The Grand Canyon Updated 4/2021 I have an idea why the Grand Canyon is called “Grand”.    I theorize it’s because “Awesome Canyon” sounds more like stoner talk.  Joking aside, it is quite awesome and grand.   Recently, I was lucky enough to have a few hours to gaze wide-eyed at our big hole in the ground.  Since we (hubby & I) had only four precious hours, please follow along with what I found most important to see.  Note : Follow CDC and all park guidelines when visiting.  Wear a mask and social distance.     First Stop The first place to stop for those with limited time would be the visitor’s center.  Don’t worry about missing it.  There are plenty of signs pointing the way.  There, we found information offering park rangers, giant exhibits (displaying the entire canyon, trip planners, canyon-related history, and science), and a movie theater...

Who Are the Navajo of Arizona? I recently had the extraordinary opportunity to teach a few business-etiquette workshops at  Dine' College  in Arizona, which is deep in the heart of the Navajo Nation. Upon hearing about my workshops -- and where -- many contributed their impressions of what type of people the Navajo would be. Many also shared stories about driving on the reservation--beware the reservation police. After spending a few days with the lovely students and staff of Dine', I found most of what I heard to be untrue. Therefore, I would like to share my experiences with you. The Navajos ride skateboards and play hacky sack too! Stereotyping is common and I found it rampant when others commented about who the Navajo are. Many had mentioned that the Navajo are an isolated people, distant, quiet, and reserved. Some suggested that they do not typically partake in most things current, like today's music, television shows, and fashion. Yes, it is true that they hono...