• Visiting Utah in the winter isn't for everyone.
• I learned that the hard way in January 2025.
• My first mistake led to the rest.

Gazing out my window at the snowcapped mountains on the train to Utah, I had no idea that I'd already set myself up for regret. Some mistakes were set in motion before I'd even left my apartment.

In January 2025, I flew from my home in NYC to Denver and hopped on a 15-hour Amtrak train to Utah's Silicon Slopes — a tech hub lining the Wasatch Front that includes Salt Lake City, Park City, and the surrounding suburbs.

I spent three days exploring Utah's pocket of luxury amid ski season and left with four regrets.

My first mistake was booking my trip in the peak winter season as a non-skier.

As a first-time visitor to Salt Lake City and Park City, I thought seeing the mountains blanketed in snow would be awe-inspiring — and it really was.

I knew winter would be a popular time to visit Utah since it's a ski hub, but I underestimated how busy it would be. Park City was packed with winter sports enthusiasts.

Skiers and snowboarders crowded the sidewalks lining congested streets in downtown Park City, all suited up — some with gear in tow.

I stopped by the slopes at Deer Valley Resort and spotted long lines of skiers waiting for lifts. I waited in line to ride a funicular up and down the mountain.

Maybe seeing the snow was worth the crowds — I won't know for sure until I visit during another season. But had I realized I'd be visiting during the busiest time of year, I would have pushed my trip to the spring, during the shoulder season.

I didn't pack enough clothing.

Overpacking is a rookie mistake when traveling, so I go to great lengths to avoid stuffing too many outfits into my bag. But this time, I overcorrected.

When packing for a trip that's less than a week long, I typically only bring layers I can wear all at once when needed or mix and match. Since I was traveling in winter, I brought a couple of extra shirts, one additional pair of pants, and zero extra outer layers.

But in January along Utah's Wasatch Front, when temperatures ranged from 24 to 44 degrees Fahrenheit, I needed to wear most of my layers daily.

After bundling up for a flight and a train ride, I felt desperate for fresh layers when I arrived in Salt Lake City.

Doing laundry at the hotel was another mistake.

What do you do when you need clean clothes on the road? Utilizing the hotel's laundry services seemed the most straightforward solution, but I regretted it.

That night, I stayed at the five-star Grand America Hotel, where laundry services were top-tier. My shirts and sweaters were returned to me on hangers, each in an individual hotel-branded bag. Smaller items were wrapped in paper in a cardboard box.

I felt like I was opening a present as I sorted through my clean clothes. It excited me — until I saw the receipt.

I paid $115 for three shirts, two pairs of pants, one hoodie, six undergarments, and one two-piece blazer. It was certainly the most luxurious laundry service I'd ever experienced, but for the same money, I could have bought a whole new outfit — and what a great excuse it would have been to treat myself.

I should have made time for winter activities aside from skiing and snowboarding.

I didn't consider other winter activities I could have enjoyed besides skiing and snowboarding.

I wish I'd taken time to tour Utah Olympic Park in the snow and get a feel for what it was like during the 2002 Winter Olympics.

After my trip, I learned that Park City offers mountain-top snowshoe yoga classes, which I would have loved to try.

Next time I travel to the Silicon Slopes, I'll pack enough clothing and make use of the season's offerings.

Rede Expressos has launched a new campaign offering 100,000 bus tickets for just €2.50, in a bid to encourage more people to use public transport as fuel and motoring costs

The post Rede Expressos launches €2.50 bus ticket campaign appeared first on Portugal Resident.

Airbnb has changed its rules to limit what property hosts may ask guests to do – including when it comes to cleaning. The updated guidelines state that hosts can now set seven standard house rules and can also add other “reasonable” requests. Airbnb states that guests – who are required to pay a cleaning fee […]

The post Airbnb new rules: Hosts can no longer ask guests to clean before checking out appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.

• I love the fall, and every year, my family and I visit the Catskill Mountains.
• To make the most of the trip, my two sons usually take a day or two off school.
• However, missing the time sometimes causes stress, and I wish they had personal days.

Fall is my favorite time of year, and it just so happens that our most loved destination — the Catskill Mountains — is breathtaking in October. When we first started our Catskill family getaways in 2020, we went in the summer when the landscape was lush and green. We've been there in winter to witness snow-covered mountains and in spring, when the ground is thawing. However, my favorite time to visit is during peak foliage in autumn. I refuse to miss the colorful mountainscape simply because my kids don't get a fall break.

But taking a couple of days off is not as simple as it should be.

Making up the work can be daunting

This year, my boys are in middle and high school, and we wanted to take two days off school to extend a weekend; however, a hefty workload left them uneasy about missing more than one day. I encouraged them to ask their teachers for work ahead of time so they wouldn't be scrambling to catch up later, but most teachers didn't have lesson plans completed in advance.

While away, they logged in to their school program in between activities to complete some work remotely. When we returned home on Sunday, they finished some lingering assignments, but they weren't completely caught up from the one missed school day until later that week.

My 15-year-old is less fazed by having to complete makeup work. A day away from school doesn't stress him all that much. But my 12-year-old reminds me of myself when I was a student; he worries about the work until it's completed. I wish we could escape for a day or two without the stress of math worksheets and language arts passages looming over his head. Kids deserve a few days away from school each year, no questions asked.

There's value in spending time with family

This year, again, we escaped to a fall wonderland that my children will never forget. We took a short walk to an overlook to see the foliage from above, visited the Sundown Wild Forest where a yellow canopy covered Peekamoose Blue Hole, and continued our yearly tradition of visiting the Bethel Woods Center for their Peace, Love and Pumpkins festival after dark.

The next day, we took a ski lift to the top of Hunter Mountain to admire the fall views from another vantage point. At night, we spent time around the fire pit listening to water rush over rocks in the nearby stream. We had family meals together at restaurants and a night in, cooking at our cabin in the woods. It was a cozy experience that no school day will ever provide.

Giving kids personal days would make much-needed family getaways more accessible

Our school district — in compliance with state laws — focuses heavily on attendance. They communicate their strict attendance expectations during orientations, back-to-school night, and via email. In fact, in the past, when we were unaware that a doctor's note was required for sick days, our kids accrued the 10 allowable guardian-reported absences, and then, alarmingly, a truancy note arrived in our mailbox.

But what if kids were given personal days? What if they could take a few days off each year without having to make up all the work? We should recognize that resetting in nature is self-care. Spending time with family in the great outdoors should be encouraged.

I want them to be able to escape stress-free

Many companies provide their employees with a few personal days each year. We recognize that situations arise — aside from illness — that may require someone to take a day or two off. Why do we fail to provide the same for our kids? With the growing demands and complexity of childhood today, they may need it even more than we do.

Our fall visits to the Catskills are perfection, and they will always be worth a day or two away from school. But I wish we could escape completely, free from quizzes, book reports, and math worksheets. Perhaps one day sneaking to the mountains will be stress-free just as it should have been all along.

Americans traveling to China are being warned about the possibility of detention, electronic surveillance and restrictions that could keep them from returning home — with a travel expert sharing critical information for people to know before they go. 

The U.S. State Department issued an updated Level 2 "Exercise Increased Caution" advisory for mainland China this week, citing concerns about wrongful detention and restrictions on leaving the country.

Travelers are told to be aware that routine professional, academic and personal activities — which carry no risk in Western countries — may be treated as criminal offenses under China's broad security laws.

STATE DEPARTMENT ISSUES TRAVEL ADVISORY AS ARRESTS AND EXIT BANS HIT POPULAR DESTINATION

The advisory also raises concerns about private communications, warning Americans that emails, texts and social media activity could be monitored by Chinese authorities.

"Assume that China's security services can read your emails, texts and social media posts if you send them to or from China," the Oct. 19 advisory states.

The State Department said some people have been detained or deported over private messages considered critical of Chinese authorities, even when those messages were sent outside China.

The risks extend beyond electronic communications.

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The State Department elaborated on possible detention without justification.

"The U.S. Department of State has determined that Americans are at serious risk of wrongful detention by the Government of China," the advisory states.

Those detained could spend years behind bars with limited contact with family members or U.S. officials, according to the department.

Travelers could also face restrictions that prevent them from leaving the country, even if they have not been detained.

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Chinese authorities have used the "exit bans" during investigations and business or civil disputes. Exit bans have also affected relatives of people under investigation, including children, according to the advisory.

Some travelers may not know they're prohibited from leaving until they try to fly home.

"U.S. citizens might only become aware of an exit ban when they attempt to depart China," the State Department said.

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Some bans have lasted for years — and officials warn there may be no clear way to challenge them in court.

Americans who plan to visit China are advised to travel with a U.S. passport and valid Chinese visa, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program and arrange regular check-ins with family members or an employer.

Fox News Digital reached out to the U.S. State Department for further comment.

"Be aware of your surroundings. Think before you take a picture," advised Bobby Laurie, a longtime travel expert and former flight attendant.

"This is one of those situations where maybe you were spotted taking pictures of law enforcement on the street, or you were somewhere you shouldn't have been. Maybe you were inadvertently near a protest … on the streets," he added. 

"Then as your trip comes to an end, you head to the airport. You scan your boarding pass, ready to get through immigration to fly home. And then you realize you're actually not allowed to fly home. There has been an exit ban placed on you."

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He said anyone traveling to China should go with "a cell phone or electronic device that is really stripped down just to what you need for your trip."

Leave confidential information at home, he also urged. 

• I used to work as a flight attendant, and I prefer passengers keep the shades closed during flights.
• Passengers are typically calmer and sleepier when the cabin is dark, which worked well for us.
• Shades should only be open during takeoff and landing, which is the best time for photos anyway.

There's a long-standing, quiet battle happening in airplane cabins around the world, and it's all about window shades.

Who actually owns control of the shade — the person sitting in the window seat, the cabin crew, or the row as a collective? (Opinions remain fairly divided.) Is it better for the shade to stay open or closed throughout the flight?

Between viral social media debates and endless discussions on flight etiquette, everyone seems to have an opinion, and so do I. For nearly a decade, I worked as a flight attendant with an international airline.

That means I've examined thousands of window shades before takeoff and landing to ensure they were open, just as I checked seatbacks were upright.

Many airlines require the shades to be open during these times, which makes sense to me from a safety standpoint. It's helpful to have a clear view outside in an emergency, and in case ground rescue teams need to see inside the plane.

However, once we hit cruising altitude, those safety rules pause, and my personal one kicks in: The window shades should be closed while we're in the air.

I've found that open shades can ruin sleep cycles and make a cabin rowdier

I honestly hate it when passengers keep their shades wide open, and it's especially bad on long, international flights. I know firsthand how crossing multiple time zones can be exhausting for the body.

Often, the best way to save passengers from severe jet lag is to help them get quality sleep in the air — and let's be honest, as a flight attendant, I definitely had a vested interest in keeping everyone happy and well-rested.

So, on long flights, my crew and I would intentionally dim the cabin lights to simulate nighttime and encourage everyone to rest. Even so, it only took one open window shade to ruin that peaceful environment for an entire section of the plane.

When blinding sunlight poured in, it didn't just wake sleeping passengers — it also created a terrible glare on laptops, tablets, and phones.

I've lost track of how many frustrated passengers rang their call buttons to complain to me about it, and how often I ended up having to mediate arguments about window shades.

Early on in my career, I also observed how ambient light seemed to directly change passenger behavior. Whenever we dimmed the cabin lights, travelers seemed to naturally settle down, read quietly, or go to sleep.

But when a flight stayed brightly lit, passengers more often stayed awake, chatted loudly, and ordered more alcohol, sometimes turning the flight into a party.

All in all, keeping the cabin dark tended to make the entire flight so much calmer, safer, and easier for us to manage. As my colleagues and I always used to say: A sleeping passenger is the best passenger!

If you're looking for good views and photos, you're better off waiting anyway

One of the most common reason passengers give for keeping their shades up is to take photos or enjoy the view. Although I completely understand the desire for a great aerial shot, the reality at 35,000 feet is usually underwhelming.

Most of the time, all you can see out the window is blinding white haze, cloud cover, or vast emptiness. The direct sunlight at high altitudes is often too harsh for a clean picture anyway.

If you really want great photos for your travel feed, the best time to take them is during descent and approach.

As the plane lowers toward the destination, you can actually get a clear, detailed view of cities, coastlines, and landscapes — and during those moments, the shades are already usually required to be open for safety reasons anyway.

Ultimately, though, the status of the shade is up to the passenger

Unlike takeoff and landing, where keeping shades open is often a mandatory safety rule, mid-flight shade policy is more about etiquette.

As flight attendants, we couldn't strictly enforce or mandate that passengers close them, as window-shade status isn't regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration.

However, many of us made a point of strongly requesting and encouraging the shades to be shut for the comfort of the whole cabin.

Now, whenever I'm sitting in the window seat as a passenger, I practice what I preach. The shade stays wide open for takeoff, goes straight down as soon as we hit cruising altitude, and pops back up on our final approach.

Pulling that shade down mid-flight is a tiny move, but it makes a world of difference. It can help keep the cabin dark and calm, let your fellow passengers sleep, and prevent a full-blown glare dispute at 35,000 feet.

Airbnb hosts can no longer get guests to do tasks that ‘would typically be performed by a cleaner’

Airbnb hosts can no longer get guests to do tasks that ‘would typically be performed by a cleaner’

A new blanket travel advisory against all but essential travel has been put on Saudi Arabia by the UK’s Foreign Office

Hotel owner Alex Polizzi also points to VAT rates and tourist taxes as also hurting the hospitality industry

Hotel owner Alex Polizzi also points to VAT rates and tourist taxes as also hurting the hospitality industry

The government has also announced a further £220 million in funding for councils in England to tackle potholes

The government has also announced a further £220 million in funding for councils in England to tackle potholes

The government has also announced a further £220 million in funding for councils in England to tackle potholes

Make your next ski trip unforgettable for all the right reasons and use this guide to find the perfect ski or snowboard instructor for your ability, budget and individual needs

Make your next ski trip unforgettable for all the right reasons and use this guide to find the perfect ski or snowboard instructor for your ability, budget and individual needs

While many travellers heading south in the States flock to Atlanta, Nashville and other better-known spots, it might just be time to take a closer look at Birmingham.

While many travellers heading south in the States flock to Atlanta, Nashville and other better-known spots, it might just be time to take a closer look at Birmingham.

Attack on Dammam airport

Attack on Dammam airport