The Travel Troubleshooter

How to do your laundry while traveling

“Recycle” is a word experienced travelers never want to hear, and it isn’t because they hate the environment. Recycling means that you’re out of clean clothes while you’re on the...

DATE: Jul 24, 2020 | CATEGORY: The Travel Troubleshooter

What Americans need to know about the EU travel ban

Steven Hoekman wants to visit Germany this summer. But with the European Union banning travelers from the United States, he’s not sure he’ll be allowed into the country. Hoekman, ...

DATE: Jul 17, 2020 | CATEGORY: The Travel Troubleshooter

Can airlines make passengers wear masks?

Like many other airline passengers flying during the pandemic, Kevin Garvey thought masks were mandatory on planes. So when two women seated in front of him on a recent flight from Fort Myer...

DATE: Jul 8, 2020 | CATEGORY: The Travel Troubleshooter

Social distancing doesn’t work on crowded planes

When Robyn Wilkov boarded a recent flight from New York to Dallas, she was surprised to find a masked passenger in the middle seat next to hers. “The plane was packed, with nearl...

DATE: Jun 26, 2020 | CATEGORY: The Travel Troubleshooter

Would-be vacationers approach summer travel cautiously

How bad is the fear of travel right now? So bad that even people in the travel industry are staying home. Annie Gofus, a Washington, D.C., travel agent who founded the site Wunder...

DATE: Jun 19, 2020 | CATEGORY: The Travel Troubleshooter

Too sick to fly: Should airlines offer refunds to infectious passengers?

Can you be too sick to fly? In light of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s a question consumer advocates are raising with new urgency. They’re fighting for regulations that would require airline...

DATE: Jun 8, 2020 | CATEGORY: The Travel Troubleshooter

What to do when disaster strikes on vacation

Celeste Gray used to travel without a plan, which allowed her “plenty of room for spontaneity.” But when she found herself stranded in Spain on Sept. 12, 2001, she discovered the importance ...

DATE: May 22, 2020 | CATEGORY: The Travel Troubleshooter

Is it possible to plan a ‘safe’ vacation during the pandemic?

Joel Smiler doesn’t want to miss his 50th wedding anniversary trip to Maui this September. But he’s not sure if it’s still a good idea. For Smiler, a retired veterinarian, Maui ch...

DATE: May 15, 2020 | CATEGORY: The Travel Troubleshooter

How to protect your next trip against a pandemic

What if it happens again? What if coronavirus resurges this summer, just as you’re leaving for a well-deserved vacation? Or during the winter holidays? Travelers are looking for w...

DATE: May 7, 2020 | CATEGORY: The Travel Troubleshooter

Travel destinations stay visible during pandemic

Tourism officials want you to dream of a vacation during your coronavirus confinement. They’re using everything from bingo to live webcams to keep you engaged. And they’re renovat...

DATE: May 1, 2020 | CATEGORY: The Travel Troubleshooter

Still no vacation refund? It might be time to play the card

If a travel company isn’t refunding payment for your canceled vacation, maybe it’s time for a credit card dispute. Asking a bank to force a merchant to return your money is typica...

DATE: Apr 24, 2020 | CATEGORY: The Travel Troubleshooter

Confusing coronavirus refund policies frustrate travelers

If you’re trying to get a refund for a canceled trip, prepare for an unpleasant surprise. Although some airlines, cruise lines and hotels have offered customers their money back amid a wave ...

DATE: Apr 13, 2020 | CATEGORY: The Travel Troubleshooter

Photos: Fashion at its bestSnowdown Fashion Do’s and Don’ts

Snowdown Fashion Do’s and Don’ts

Photos: Snowdown on SaturdaySnowdown’s Canine Fashion Show and Outlaw Josie Pete’s Golf

Snowdown’s Canine Fashion Show and Outlaw Josie Pete’s Golf

Photos: Snowdown Rock-em-Sock-em Snowbots pillow fights

Snowdown Light Parade can boast another successful yearLights flashed, fire trucks wailed and a foam cannon spewed suds

Bright lights, screaming fire trucks and children bundled up so thoroughly it seemed like an army of Michelin men had taken over downtown Durango. Yep. It’s the much anticipated Snowdown light parade, this year distinguished by a crowd of onlookers peppered with scrabble tiles, Clue characters and playing cards.

Locals flocked to Main Avenue on Friday to get a look (and maybe a Smartie or two) at the floats parading through town on various, creatively decorated vehicles. There were some obvious standouts at this year’s board game-themed parade. After a fire truck’s opening sirens came the Purgatory car, toting a brightly lit ski bum moonlighting as a DJ, likely giving the women of Durango some unpleasant déjà vu. Best dressed had to go to the Colorado Department of Transportation’s bulldozer, wearing the most believable Hungry Hungry Hippos costume seen yet. Biggest crowd pleaser? The dancers boogieing to Chappell Roan’s “HOT TO GO!” while the crowd sang and wiggled along. But what got the biggest rise out of the onlookers was the white plumes of motorcycle exhaust, courtesy of the Harley-Davidson club. The smell of burning octane was a convincing enough reason for people to briefly unclutch the rails and step away from their coveted positions at the front of the fence. Last but not least, another machine spewing its interior into the crowd: a foam cannon, the first one to make an appearance in the history of Snowdown. Much better received than exhaust, it extracted gleeful screams from kids and adults alike. jbowman@durangoherald.com