World Travel

On my recent visit to Europe, I had the good fortune to travel to several countries.

As I stepped off the plane in Barcelona and later traveled through Paris and Milan, I couldn’t help but be amazed (once again) at the obvious and persistent differences between life in these cities and the one I’m accustomed to in the U.S. There’s a certain culture, a different "noise" and a different beat that you just don’t get in American cities.

Every time I set foot on this foreign yet familiar soil, I can’t help but wonder if I lived here centuries ago. The glorious architecture that reaches out from every angle, the harmonious sound of the different languages being spoken, the predictability of unfriendly Europeans, the stores that are open only at certain hours of the day, the banks that are never open when you need them — they all speak to me in a manner that suggests I have been here before, only not in this lifetime.

Perhaps the one thing I love about Europe more than anything else is the fashions that are so proudly on display everywhere you go.

This year’s big fashion trend is red.

Red gloves, coats, hats and boots are also conspicuous everywhere you look. In a few short blocks I passed no less than a dozen women wearing red high boots, all fully aware of the obvious fashion statement they were making. Another hit are large bags.

Parisians, Barcelonanians, and especially Milanians all make fashion statements and introduce the latest trends in their own way. The streets of these cities are packed with pedestrians rushing about their day. Busy with their lives and responsibilities, they brush against each other on the bustling streets, barely noticing the turmoil around them. Most are impeccably dressed, and the fashions vary a great deal. But whether it’s a casual jeans outfit or formal Armani business suit, the different fashions all have one thing in common — expensive shoes, an expensive purse for women or briefcase for men, and a stylish watch.

Most Europeans live in small apartments. They don’t have luxurious walk-in closets full of clothes that collect dust from season to season. Instead, they choose their clothes carefully and discard them when they are done. Their wardrobes are simple, stylish and always handpicked. The French have a saying that goes something like this: "We are not so rich to buy cheap clothes." Which translates to: "Since we can’t afford a lot, will have few, but they will be the best."

I also love watching the small children hold their parents’ hands as they walk the streets or sit in their strollers. Unlike here in America, most European children are dressed good enough to show up at the wedding or theater. And they’re all dressed in style.

No Red Boots for Me

Wanting to find my own pair of red high boots to wear in sunny San Diego, I hurried in and out of boutiques. But it soon became apparent that no one in Europe has calves as large as mine, and I came away empty-handed. If Europeans can manage to fit into their boots, tuck their jeans inside the boot, and still have enough space to hide their wallet, why can’t I!

To erase my disappointment, I decided to treat myself to a manicure. When I ventured into a nearby salon, however, I discovered that a regular manicure cost 40 euros, about 65 U.S. dollars. Discouraged and frustrated, I settled for buying a red handbag instead.

Toward the end of the trip, I stood in one of Milan’s famous piazzas, full of pigeons and beautiful people, breathing in the heavy air of passing cars and cigarette smoke. Surprisingly, smoking is now only permitted in open places, something I thought would never happen in Europe.

As I watched crowds of Italians enjoying their last cigarette before entering their office building, I suddenly felt homesick. I missed my children, my family and the quiet life that San Diego provides. I missed the friendly people who hide in their cars yet are always willing to show you the way if you are lost. Most of all, I missed my nail lady, who for the price of 12 dollars gives the best manicure without asking a single question.

As I got on the plane to come home, I looked forward to hugging my kids and returning to a land of opportunity where my goals and dreams are up to me. Where life has a certain predictable serenity to it, and where I’m spoiled by my walk-in closet, by spacious streets that are not jammed with pedestrians, and by 24- hour supermarkets that have mini-banks in them for banks for my convenience.

I also thought of how I will enjoy the peace and quite of home until I once again begin to yearn for the commotion of daily life among Europeans. And then it’s only a matter of time before I hop on a plane and fly across the ocean to experience the uniqueness that can only be understood here in the middle of these wonderful ancient buildings and the stories they will gladly tell if you just listen carefully.

All the best,

Yana

So you are on this whirlwind tour through China. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and your time is limited. There is so much to see, hear, touch, smell, taste, and of course to eat. Did I forget to mention the shopping? You have a list longer than your arm of people who could, would, should, or expect you to bring them something home. How much should you eat, spend, carry, ship, and wear?

Having spent the last 24 hours in travel, split up between arriving at the airport, lining up, checking in your luggage, lining up, going through security, wandering around the departure lounge for 2 hours, lining up, embarking, finding your seat (window seat over the wing), spending 14 hours, 2 meals, 3 bathroom trips, lining up, disembarking, walking to get your luggage, lining up, going through customs, gathering with your tour group, getting your luggage on the bus, lining up, getting on the bus, and finally arriving at your hotel, lining up, getting your room key, going up to your room and flopping on the bed totally exhausted. This is the beginning of the trip! Yay!

Okay so this was almost our experience. Ours included a stop at a Chinese restaurant in Beijing for our first meal (breakfast) and a stop to see Wal*Mart in Beijing on the way to the hotel. From there on, things just got more crazy. The shopping on Silk Street the first day, the lunch, the supper, and bed! Is it possible to be so tired you can’t sleep? Yes it is. For the next two days we had to explore the Forbidden City, lunch, Tiananmen Square, the Golden Temple, the Emperor’s Summer Residence, and of course, the spectacular Great Wall, supper, bed. On a typical day the tour bus would spend an hour in traffic, drop us off, pick us up at some other destination that we would walk to, another long bus ride and another long walk. And you think you’re tired of reading this?

The sites were spectacular, we were on sensory overload, but what can we do about the fatigue? This is unusual activity for most of us. Normal daily routine doesn’t usually mean wandering and sightseeing for several hours, unless you are addicted to shopping malls.

This kind of activity puts all sorts of stress on the parts of your body that are particularly susceptible to gravity. Isn’t that everything? Well, in a way yes. But some things involve a lot more gravitational stress than others.

If we were to go to Italy and admire the lovely architecture, there would be one building that would catch special attention and curiosity because of gravity. That would be the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Looking at it, you would wonder how it could stay standing and how much stress its structure is experiencing because it isn’t straight. If we are not straight (and most of us are not), all the leans and bulges are pulling us forward and down. Casual observation would lead me to conclude that most tourists are not noted for their athletic build. We bulge and sag, and bend and slouch. Add a camera bag, shopping bags, goody bags, laptops or whatever that weigh us down even more.

Like the buildings, we would carry the weight with a lot more ease if we were straight up and down. That has to do with posture, and it is never a good idea to be bent over, but to do it for hours a day is a killer. This altered center of gravity causes such stress on joints and makes unreasonable demands on muscles that they ultimately cry out in protest before the day is half over. Okay, they don’t cry, they just ache. The head! The neck! The shoulders! The lower back! The hips! The feet! We all have our special attack point(s). Add to that, a stomach filled with too much unfamiliar food, and that restful sleep is just a dream wish.

This doesn’t just apply to China, although the 2008 Olympics is going to be one vast set of line ups, and walking, and sitting and eating and…You have to prepare for the hawkers. Talk about an Olympic sport! The point here is that travel and tourism places unusual physical demands on our system that can make it react and considerably dampen our trip. What can be done to improve the situation?

One simple solution is to be as straight as you were when you were a kid. That way with a natural healthy posture, gravity flows though you and it doesn’t pull you down. This isn’t as simple as telling yourself to stand up straight, get your head up, put your shoulders back, tuck your tummy in. There are a lot of changes that need to take place to make it a long term change

• Muscles that pull you into forward head posture have grown tight and strong over a short stretch length. They need to relax and release.
• Muscles that let go so you can get pulled forward, must be activated and toned up.
• The body needs to get the message of what good alignment feels like and to regard it as normal, wanting to return to that position. We call it "kinaesthetic awareness"; the body is aware of its position and movement.
• We must practice this mechanism so that it feels natural and comfortable.

Okay so you are not going any place exotic like China . How many different situations do you find stressful to your back and shoulders while not necessarily doing anything? Do you go to the mall? Attend sports events? Stand in long line ups? Wander around museums? If you are planning to go to the Olympics this summer, add to this mix a good dose of hot, humid weather. Really it is just doing normal activities - for extended periods of time and you realize that this is the stress your body is subject to. Would it be a good idea to reduce this so that it would last longer? Would it be worth it to prevent pain rather than spend a lot of time, money, and effort to treat pain after the fact?

We have a solution to these challenges that will be helpful when the situation brings on the fatigue, exotic vacation or not. There is so much information to inform us about the importance of good posture and body alignment to reduce the stress on all body systems. Let’s be clear. It is not just about back pain. It is about joint, muscular, myofascial pain, pinched nerves, breathing, gas exchange, thoracic and abdominal compression, blood pressure and a whole lot more. This is about more than having a good vacation.

We recommend a unique device that can improve the quality of the exotic vacation experience. More importantly it can change your body alignment for each day for the rest of your life and reverse the downward trend of excess curvature and spine- related pain. There are many devices available to correct posture. This one is different. It is an active support device, not a passive one. It recruits muscles to do what they are intended to do. It helps tight muscles to stretch and return to vitality throughout their whole range of motion. It activates and strengthens the weak muscles to equip them for their task. Healthy muscles keep the joints in their proper position, especially when carrying loads like cameras, carry on luggage and shopping bags.

Whoever heard of training for a tour vacation? Is this an Olympic sport or something? Not really, but if you or anybody you know is going to Beijing, or anywhere else where you are vulnerable to fatigue; standing in line, standing and watching events, walking from one venue to another, waiting at the airport, waiting for the tour bus, sightseeing, tell them about this article . What about Disney World or those sorts of places? Got kids? Carry a backpack? What if you have to carry kids, or a pack on your back? It simply adds to the fatigue unless you have ideal alignment to carry a load. You may see more about this for recreational backpackers, kids carrying school bags and parents carrying kids. That is a whole subject itself.

My personal experience started in Washington while touring the museums. After a long car ride, we wandered from one exhibit to another, My back and shoulders were feeling the fatigue that dampened my enjoyment of the exhibits. When we went to China , I made sure to bring along something that would line me up. I found it very useful on the long walks through the fascinating sites. It truly was a comfort for me to be brought back in line.