Author: Cheryl Probst

In a previous life, Cheryl Probst was an award-winning photojournalist writing about natural resources, health care, and politics and government (all levels). Now retired from the daily work rat race, she spends her time writing about travel, especially about China, where she lived for two years, and the Pacific Northwest, where she now lives. Her guidebooks, “DIY Beijing,” “Parents Guide to Beijing, ” "Yellowstone on a Motor Scooter" and “Motorcycle Museums of the United Kingdom,” are available in print from GuideGecko.com and for Kindle from Amazon. She returns to China once every year or so for information to update her website, Cheryl’s China.

The golden years are a good time for people to travel. Families are grown, so seniors don’t have to plan their vacations around school holidays. Retired from the nine-to-five work grind, seniors don’t have to limit their vacations to just two weeks a year. They can go whenever they want for as long as they want.

One of the best parts about traveling at this age is the number of discounts available for senior citizens: …

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If wishes were horses, travelers would have a whole herd of sunny blue skies greeting them wherever they went. Unfortunately, in today’s industrialized society that is not always possible. Air pollution, whether man-made in factories or nature-made by forest fires, is a fact of life.

Air pollution is hazardous to one’s health, especially for people who suffer from respiratory ailments. Just because a person has respiratory problems, however, doesn’t mean he can only be an …

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Nobody leaves on a trip expecting to lose their travel documents or have them stolen, but it does happen. Sometimes the thieves are so slick, it will be hours before you notice your passport is gone. You’ll obviously notice it much sooner if your purse, along with your money, credit cards and other items, is stolen.

Such thefts are devastating and can ruin your holiday abroad. Even if you’re careful and take precautions, it can …

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For decades British motorcycles were the envy of all the world. They were the best and the fastest, bar none. While the motorcycle was invented in Germany, it was the British who took this invention to new heights with names like Triumph, Brough, Royal Enfield, BSA and AJS.

But the British grew complacent and the torch for high quality motorcycles was passed to other countries, most notably Japan. Of the great marquees in Britain’s heyday, …

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You and your kids (or grand-kids) are going to love Beijing. The Chinese capital is a very kid-friendly city, with so many things to see and do they won’t have time to get bored. An extra benefit is that the Chinese love children. Don’t be surprised if they want to take pictures of their kids with yours.

Here are six family-oriented things to do that are fun for kids of all ages, from eight to …

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Location is the most important factor when you’re looking to buy real estate. But when you’re looking to visit Yellowstone National Park, one of the most popular chunks of real estate on earth, timing is critical.

As the world’s oldest and most-loved national park, Yellowstone attracts millions of visitors every year. Yellowstone is a grand opportunity to see buffalo and grizzly bears living in the wild. The park is at the heart of the Old …

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China is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. The United Nations well recognizes this, putting 41 sites
in China on its World Heritage Sites list. Only two countries have more sites on the list than China: Italy with 47 and Spain with 43. The United States, by comparison, has only 21 listings.

UNESCO, the U.N. organization that administers the list, chooses sites for their cultural or historic significance and/or natural characteristics. Such sites, …

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The Central Oregon coast is without a doubt home to some of the most stunning scenery you’ll see on the Pacific Coast.

Long sandy beaches just made for beachcombing. Salt-water taffy stores by the dozens. Seals splashing in inlets as the tide comes in. Clam chowder. Fresh shrimp. Tasty Dungeness crab. It’s impossible to have a bad time on the coast. Even storms become beautiful as angry waves crash on the beach.

The central coast …

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In the early morning hours of a new day, when all is calm, a feeling of serenity permeates the air. As you walk through the dew-kissed fields in this small Pennsylvania town, it is difficult to imagine the bloodiest battle of the Civil War taking place here. Welcome to Gettysburg, where 51,000 Union and Confederate soldiers died in three days of intensive fighting July 1-3, 1863.

The Gettysburg battle is considered the turning point of …

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Seattle is a spectacular place to visit: green, gorgeous and exciting. Sitting on the eastern shores of Puget Sound, Washington State’s largest city offers scenic views of the sound and snow-capped Olympic Mountains. Looking at scenery is only one of the many things visitors to Seattle can do. Seeing everything the Emerald City has to offer is a daunting task, not to mention expensive. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Seattle has many …

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Like buying farm-fresh produce from roadside stands, tasting wines at wineries is the best way to get the straight scoop. It is a good way to expand your knowledge about wines and have some fun in the process. This is true whether you are touring wineries in your neighborhood or around the world.

Whether you want to research the best wines to serve with a chicken dinner or just have some fun, a wine tasting …

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