Alexis Hartz, Author

I’ve tried various brands and types of travel pillows ---from the inflatable kind that you have to inflate prior to every flight to the squishy bulky kind that is less than inconvenient to keep clean and available during your travel day. But, the first time I tried the Trtl travel pillow I knew my search was over. Think about it. How much does your head weigh? Most estimates say about 10 pounds. That explains why my neck is so sore after I sleep on an airplane. Ten minutes into my nap my neck muscles relax and forget their job of keeping that 10-pound noggin of mine in place. That’s when the painful snap of total relaxation sends a shooting pain down the base of my neck and instantly wakes me from my resting experience.s What is the best way to sleep on the plane? In first class of course. But even if you do splurge and buy a first class seat, you’ll still need to figure out how to keep your head and neck aligned for rest and comfort. You’ll need a pillow of some sort.

Location: Little Rock, Arkansas Target Attraction: Pinnacle Mountain On my way from the airport to the hotel I asked my Uber driver,”What’s the best tourist attraction in Little Rock?” He piped up right away, "Pinnacle Mountain! It's the highest peak in the state, right next to the river. There's a great hiking trail to the top, not too strenuous either."  (Hmm, what's the "not too strenuous either" part about. Do I look old to you sonny?) The next morning I googled "things to see in Little Rock" and Pinnacle Mountain State Park topped the list. A good hike is a rare find on any city attraction list and with two recommendations I planned my outing for Sunday prior my 3pm work start time. Shoulda… set my alarm. Normally I don't sleep past 6:30 am but this Sunday morning I roll over in my bed, grab my phone from the bedside table and do a double take when I check the time. NINE FoRTY Zeven? I haven't slept that late in

Each time I visit my parents in Maine I usually have the very good fortune to accompany them on their monthly "hiking group" outing. May's outing was a day of biking day on Peaks Island, one of many islands in Casco Bay off the coast of Portland.   Now an artists' community with about 800 year-round residents,  the island has been a  popular summer destination for vacationers since the late 1800’s. We had to find out why. After purchasing tickets for passengers and bikes, we boarded the Casco Bay Ferry in Portland. The ferry ride is a treat in itself, seventeen minutes of panoramic views of the islands in the bay and the Portland skyline.  From the ferry's dock we could smell  cinnamon and hurried up the hill to Peak's Cafe where some of us enjoyed Linda's famous cinnamon buns. I bypassed the buns to get my buns on a rental bike at  the bike rental stop just down the street.  Brad’s Bike Rentals looks like a small garage with a front

I’ve spent the past 90 days working at a beautiful country retreat in Colorado. In my years in hotels, I’ve never experienced the connection that guests have with hotel staffs like they do with small innkeepers.  It’s a very intimate business relationship. Last week I spoke with a guest from Switzerland. The first question he asked me was,  “What’s your passion?” Wow. You don’t get that question every day.  Usually the perfunctory, “How are you?” and “Great” or “Fine” response is the norm.  I had to think. But, I had to answer quickly too. I’m one who believes in living your passion. But how could I be living my passion if I couldn’t even tell someone what is was.  The first thing that came to mind was, “Travel”. The next was a question to myself, “Where? When?” Here was an American man who had just moved from Switzerland with his lover after living in France for two years together. That sounded like a pretty good life to me!  I wondered what his passion was,