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New York NY: Gotham Air Will Get You There!

When you drive your car or ride a taxi to and from busy JFK and Newark Airports, does the word forever apply? To go those 20 miles by road and tunnel, an hour in jammed, honking travel can seem like eternity.

Now, a Gotham Air chopper, partnered with Helicopter Flight Services, can make the trip in about six minutes. The experience also leaves you fresh to face the flight or day in New York.

As an introduction, the first flight is $99. Thereafter, fees range from $199 to $219, depending on the time of day. The service operates seven days a week, and in bad weather, offer door to door car service. Taxi fare between airport and city, when tolls and tips are figured in, is about $60. For more info, go to prnewswire.com/news-releases/introducing-gotham-air

San Francisco CA: Dusk In The Sunnny City By The Golden Gate

Guest Writer NS, Milwaukee WI: Top singing stars have lauded it, from Jeanette MacDonald in 1936 in the movie of the city’s name, to Tony Bennett in 1962 when he lost his heart there. Also Judy Garland, Cab Calloway, Merle Haggard, Otis Redding, Frank Sinatra, The Mowgli’s and many, many others have lauded ‘Frisco, from yesterday’s crooners on to today’s rockers.

My first visit was in 1943, just out of Navy boot camp and on my way to troop transport duty in the Pacific during World War 2. While waiting assignment, I bunked at the Navy base on Treasure Island. It’s a little spit of land under the Bay Bridge halfway between Oakland and San Francisco, and the site of the San Francisco World’s Fair in 1939-40.

If The City by the Bay is on your bucket list, consider all it has to offer: Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower, Cable Cars, Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz and much, much more. Also museums, fine dining, beaches, surfing, pubs and great entertainment. For more info, go to www.sanfrancisco.travel

Ten Safety Rules For Your Next Hotel Stay

Because of aging limitations, seniors are particularly vulnerable to potential crimes in busy city hotels. Here are some sensible rules to prevent them:

1. Into your room for the first time, get familiar with emergency number(s) you can call on the room's phone if necessary. Also, how to request immediate help on your smartphone when anywhere on hotel property.

2. Be totally familiar with all hotel security precautions in rooms, hallways, elevators, garage, restaurant and on nearby streets. Be aware of your surroundings at all times.

3. If very elderly and/or physically-impaired, use the buddy system. Stick with a companion. Never allow yourself to be totally alone in unfamiliar and potentially dangerous settings.

We energetic oldsters who roam the world are still able to do it because we take care with sensible diet and exercise. We see each journey as a challenge, and want to enjoy every moment of it.

However, too many of us won’t admit that we’re not as spry as we once were. We take unnecessary chances in our travels, and sometimes pay the price in falls and other accidents. Consider some ways to keep disaster from happening:

Manila, The Philippines: Memories Of Long, Long Ago

Recently I visited Manila, The Philippines. It brought back memories of when I was there in 1945 in an advanced Navy communications team, when U.S. forces recaptured the city from the Japanese invaders near the end of WW2. The fighting had been heavy, and the once-beautiful city was severely damaged, especially in the educational area called the Intramuras.

My unit was there for several months, and in my spare time I took many photos of the ruined areas. When on a recent tour of the city, I was impressed by the contemporary beauty of what was once called the Pearl of the Orient.

I drove through the Intramuras area where a GI tent had been my home for the months before I shipped out for home. As I passed the campus of Letran College, I saw the main building, and its soaring clock tower looked familiar.

I took a photo, and then when I returned home, I went through my old WW2 scrapbook, and there it was. When I put the two side by side, it was a match, and all the memories came flooding back. Coincidence, fate or what?

If your travels take you to the beautiful Philippines, be sure the nation’s capital of Manila is on your schedule. Experience the great city and its historic areas. cityofmanila.com

Lucky Seven Tips To Find Better Senior Travel Deals

1. The best deals are often last-minute offers. If not on a daily job or other schedule constraints, seek out these opportunities. Some may happen in days, others in hours. Keep your passport up to date, cash and/or travelers’ checks handy and basic bag packed.

2. Sign up with last-minute travel websites to get the latest deals. Also, with a trustworthy local travel agency, get your name and contact info on its phone and email list. Maybe best of all, put your name and contact info on airline, cruise line and hotel chain direct contact lists for bargains that break daily.