‘No one says you have to answer e-mails or texts!’ and other great advice from readers
In “Be the VIP,” we ask you the questions. Want to take part? Pick any and all of the VIP Lounge questions you like — new ones, old ones, or a mix of both — and send your answers to christine.morris@globe.com with “BE THE VIP” in the subject line. Who knows? Maybe your submission will be picked.
This week’s entry comes from Deborah Leopold and David Sacks, who live in Holyoke. “These are David’s answers with Deb’s edits,” Sacks tells me, and I’m glad to hear it. Because, as they say, everyone needs an editor.
If you could travel anywhere right now, and money was no object, where would you go?
Africa to see the Ngorongoro Crater, the Great Migration, and to visit friends in Pretoria, South Africa, who we met on a trip in Namibia.
Where was the first place you traveled to after COVID restrictions were lifted?
Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands. Not all restrictions had been lifted. On arrival we had to be taxied to where we stayed, have all meals and drinks delivered and left at our front door (including for our 35th wedding anniversary), wore tracking bracelets, and after three days taxied to a clinic for testing (negative!), and then to the police station for removal of the bracelets.
Favorite childhood travel memory?
Taking the train with my Yankee-fan father from Holyoke to NYC for a double-header at Yankee Stadium; left during game 2 and someone with a transistor radio on the train gave the progress of that game. Can’t remember who the Yankees played but it wasn’t my Red Sox that day.
Thoughts on an “unplugged” vacation?
A device is a great help in finding your way around for sights, restaurants, and weather forecasts. It’s a balance between truly being away versus occasional checking of messages so there aren’t bad surprises on return. No one says you have to answer e-mails or texts!
Worst travel experience? These are the contenders: Flying from Canada to Hartford-Springfield but being storm-diverted to Boston for the night after circling and several attempts to start to land. Fuel dump over the ocean just before landing in San Juan, Puerto Rico — something to do with the landing gear and many emergency vehicles lined the runway. After 24 hours with connections getting to Norway, we discovered our luggage never left JFK, but the airline bought us new outfits. Arriving in Sicily to learn our luggage was put on a flight to Egypt instead of our plane.
Do you vacation to relax, to learn, or for the adventure of it all?
All of the above.
What book do you plan on bringing with you to read on your next vacation?
Lynne Olson’s “Empress of the Nile,” John Meacham’s “And There Was Light,” and Dennis Lehane’s “Small Mercies.”
What is the coolest souvenir you’ve picked up on a vacation?
Fifteen years ago we were asked to pick out tiles above a new gas fireplace in our underconstruction home. We asked the builder to wait, as we were headed to Italy. We found — and had installed — a beautiful Tuscan scene on four tiles with each of the four seasons.
Guilty pleasure when traveling?
Gelato.
Favorite food and drink when traveling?
Big Bamboo at the Chez Bamboo/Bath & Turtle in The Valley on Virgin Gorda, and sangria at a flamenco show in Madrid.
Do you prefer booking trips through a travel agent or on your own?
On my own. Our close friends refer to David as SacksTravel!
What is your favorite app/ website for travel?
No favorite. I jump between multiple sites to compare features and prices.
What is your best travel tip? If you are an avid reader, ebooks are very convenient on the trip and save lugging extra weight. Sorry, bookstores!
Interview was edited and condensed. Chris Morris can be reached at christine.morris@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @morrisglobe.