Traveling Business classy

Be Business Ready!

Yeah today I’m afraid it’s Tuesday, it’s the last day of August and it’s back to business after a summer of slacking. So why not make it fun?

How, you ask? Well do you remember that smell of new school gear? Ok am I really the only loser who loved breaking-out the new pens? Or finding the best binder? What about making sure you had the right lunch box?

Come on. You know you remember. So what’s fun for adults? What have they got to entice them back to work? How about a lovely leather bag? No fear The Harbourmaster’s Sheilagh Robertson is here with her Travel Tip for Tuesday and some beautiful business accessories to help get you back into the office or off the island.

She said: “Traveling on an important business trip? Many women today are looking for business cases that are fashionable and can serve as a handbag as well.” Here are a few options before.

Lovely, red, leather, rolling Jack George's bag to fit your computer and files with fashion for $455

“At the Harbourmaster there are handbags that are perfect for carrying the new smaller “net book” computers as well as wheeled briefcases that allow one to travel with all the paperwork without straining the shoulders.”

Handy handbag/briefcase with space for computer: $365

You need something smaller? Something to carry your notes for a meeting in style? How about a organizer with a beautiful leather finish? Why be boring when you can be bright and beautiful with the red organizer below?

Land's red, leather briefcase organiser for all your necessities, including your cell phone for $175.

And of course you have to visit The Harbourmaster on the first floor of the Washington Mall near the Washington Alley, Hamilton Bermuda for more options!

Keeping healthy on the road

Trying to climb into the hills of Cusco, Peru

Puff. Pant. Puff. Pant. Groan.

“Ha ha you guys are struggling to get up the hill and I’m the one that smokes!”

“Whatever Anthony. I’ve only been here for a day. What’s Daniel’s excuse?”

“Ok Robyn, but don’t you run or something?”

The three of us had met in our dorm room in Cusco, Peru, which is more than 11,000 feet above sea level or 3,400 metres, the night before. Daniel and Anthony, had already been in this gateway city to Machu Picchu for two days and me, one, so I felt justified in still gasping for breath.

The scary part? We were just trying to scale the minor hills behind Cusco, which are littered with ruins, llamas and a Jesus statue. Our puffing and panting had nothing to do, with the infamous Inca Trail (between four ad five days of crazy hiking through mountains).

To be fair my body, I threw it from Lima at 1,600 feet or 500 metres above sea level to more than 11,000 feet or 3,400 metres in an hour via plane. Had I taken my time via bus I may have adjusted. Perhaps this is why they serve oxygen at the airport? I’m not kidding.

But why do we experience altitude sickness? According to Dr. David Barber who is the Travel Clinic physician for the Department of Health in Bermuda, it happens because the amount of oxygen in the air decreases as we rise. This means: “People have to breathe harder to get the same amount of oxygen. People at high altitude also lose more water from their lungs when they expel the air.”

What are the symptoms? Headaches, gasping for breath and losing your appetite (not a bad one for me after binging in Argentina on steak and wine).

What’s my point this week in the Rock Fever Column with The Royal Gazette? Yes I am sure you would like me to get to it and it’s to take care of yourself on the road. When you are far from home things like altitude sickness could occur and if you don’t know what to do you may struggle to find doctors. So what should you do if you have altitude sickness? Drink lots of water and limit your exercise until your body adjusts. Well at least if it’s mild sickness. Oxygen (like at the Cusco airport) can also help while a doctor can prescribe drugs (thought not usually necessary) to help.

Which brings me to tip two in the ‘how-to-stay-healthy-on-the-road’ column this week: bring your drugs with you. Dr. Barber suggests having a good supply of medications you regularly need AND carrying them in your hand luggage. You know….in case the luggage gets lost.

Bringing medications prescribed by a doctor at home, leads to tip three in this healthy travel column: make sure you are in good health when starting to travel: dental problems and infections need to be addressed pre-travel.

A visit to the doctor post-trip may also be necessary. Malaria is particularly prevalent throughout Africa, but is also a problem in India and some other South East Asian countries. The pills to help prevent the disease are by prescription (pre-travel!) but if you return  and you don’t feel well (symptoms include high fevers, shaking chills, and flu-like illness) tip four is: make sure you tell your doctor EXACTLY where you’ve been so they can make a proper diagnosis.

Before you go, you should follow tip five and check with the Center for Disease Control (www.cdc.com) or guidebooks about the country you are going to and how safe their water and food is to consume. A Thai salad was fine. An Egyptian smoothie wasn’t.

Water bottles, drinking with a straw to keep away germs and hand sanitizer (it's there....in the lower right corner)

What does this tell you? How about the street food stall in India? Yeah tip six is that street stall in India is going to have questionable cleaning practices. So bring plenty of hand sanitizer which is compact, cleans hands and cleans cutlery!

And ensure the food you eat is fully cooked or the kind you can peel i.e. bananas, oranges. Why? Well Dr. Barber explained some illness including: Hepatitis A, which causes a liver infection and can cause Jaundice and Hepatitis E which can be dangerous for pregnant women and is similar to A are spread through contaminated food. I can personally attest to the intestinal parasite Giardia which was killed with two rounds of prescriptions. It wasn’t pretty.

Which leads to tip seven and sustenance of life which is: watching the water you consume….and that doesn’t have to be in the form of a glass. Nope. Depending on the CDC’s country diagnosis make sure you use bottled water for both drinking AND cleaning the teeth. Dr. Barber reminded travelers that of course ice is only as good as the water so if you can’t drink the water…..don’t use ice. Boiled water or water sterilizing tablets are alternatives while straws help keep contamination from the soda cans.

But water and food are not the only concerns. Tip eight is watch out for the cheese. This is not a Pink Floyd song with a hidden meaning. It’s seriously dangerous to eat dairy that has not been pasteurized properly.

Of course you shouldn’t stress too much about your trip though….don’t let it lead to alcohol abuse. Missed trains, planes delayed and travel buddies who don’t work can lead to the bottle. But tip nine is to restrain yourself. Dr. Barber explained that accidents, especially road accidents, are common for travelers. These can be attributed to unfamiliar roads, the ‘wrong side’ factor, but also the alcohol!

Coming from Bermuda our trips will also include plane travel. Well unless you’re doing the-soon-to-be ubiquitous term “stay-cation”. That said my final tip from Dr. Barber this week is to travel in comfort. Deep Vein Thrombosis – a blood clot in a deep vein (hence the name) – is a serious concern with prolonged travel in a plane or bus. Dr. Barber’s advice: Get up and move around when you can. Some other advice: Wear comfortable clothes! Nothing too tight.

Finally make sure you don’t pick-up germs from the plane with hand-washing and the antiseptic you don’t use for your cutlery in India.

Do you have any tips for traveling healthy? Leave them here or email at skinnerrobyn@gmail.com or visit my group on Facebook.

Need a friend for travel? Rent one!

Solo

Traveling solo can be a scary affair. Last year I was essentially thrown into single careening around the globe after things didn’t work with a boyfriend. It was the best thing that could have happened, but that didn’t make it easy or less scary.

What if I could have rented a friend? What am I talking about? I hadn’t heard about it either, but a friend who was just visiting left a magazine here and I started snooping. It had an interview with a girl who rents herself out as an escor…I mean friend for anywhere between $25 to $35 (and drinks) depending on what she’s doing!

What does she do? She’s gone to the movies, shopping and was an extra in a group of guys to get them into a club with strict female to male ratios.

Perhaps the better question is what hasn’t she done…..this is not a dating service and it’s not an escort service…..so they say. Who? Rent-a-Friend. And they’re international! Well almost…there’s no one in Bermuda.

How do I know…I mean it was purely research related search…I swear. Maybe that’s my calling? Become the first friend-rental in Bermuda. Uh…..hmm…I don’t think I could put-up with a stranger’s moaning. I mean it’s hard enough with friends sometimes….but then I guess you get paid for the service.

Hmmmmmm……no. I don’t like it. It’s official. Why does another thing in our lives need to be down to a cash exchange? And yet….maybe if I was traveling….. Well I already checked and they have it in London….my next stop and their are people willing to be my friend for a small fortune.

I never needed the service when I was traveling, but I could see why it might be nice. You know…to have someone to shop with or to help watch your bag? Eh… I say meet someone in the hostel and become actual friends. It will cost less and it will mean someone who stays after their hour is up….I hope!

Surf’s Up!

Can you spot the surfer?

Which is exactly what some intrepid surfers were doing this morning in Bermuda as hurricane Danielle kicks-up the waves. Perhaps that’s about the best way to travel on this island right now- though dangerous as the swells will swell later today. That’s because Danielle, which was a category 4 storm (i.e. big) at 5 a.m. this morning, will pass about 231 nautical miles to the ESE of Bermuda at 3 p.m. tomorrow. Or you could travel inside and have a hurricane party. What is this? Well for one it’s a way to pass the time and two, if you’re on your own it’s an excuse to get people over in moral support.

But what does the storm mean for us in Bermuda? Well our houses are pretty sturdy so we won’t really get blown down. It does means our seas are going to crazy here in Bermuda and the humidity is attempting to suffocate us. What does it mean for me? Well I am house sitting at the moment so it means making sure the house doesn’t fall apart (our house structures are normally fine it’s the roofs that leave us) while I’m solely in charge!

They say Danielle is travel to the East of Bermuda, but then who can ever tell with these storms? No one for sure. Remember 1987? She was called Emily and she surprised everyone with suddenly speeding-up and slamming into Bermuda. It cost us about $50 million!

The worst storm I can remember was Fabian which was an a category 4 storm that hit Bermuda on September 5, 2003. The windows were shaking and the water was coming up a hill to flood our house. It was scary and not something I want to relive alone. So maybe it’s time for me to travel to the supermarket, send out the invites and prepare for a hurricane party!

Tis the season to sail?

Kayaking through Halong Bay, Vietnam

Sailing through the green mountains and kayaking around beautiful blue water was my way of finding a break from overnight bus after overnight bus in Vietnam. I found myself sailing on the traditional boats for three days in Halong Bay.

This beautiful bay is a UNESCO site and it is amazing. These limestone islands jut out of the water and offer visitors even a chance to see caves where Viet Cong used to, and stalactites do, hide. Throw some crab on my plate and garnish it with shrimp and I’m not sure why I left.

Or why you’re not going! And why not go for Christmas? For $5,999 you can sail on the luxury yachts of Seabourn around Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam for 16 days! The cruise departs on December 21 and will be the ultimate in luxury as it pulls-in to Hanoi and Bangkok to name a few of the stops. The cruise used to be $13,000 but if you contact CTravel they can help you book for the recently reduced price.

Or maybe you’re hoping to infiltrate a closed country? No I’m not talking about North Korea….it’s Bhutan. A beautiful and often forgotten country north of India. From yak herders, rhododendron forests, snow-capped peaks, alpine meadows, rare birds and animals, and intricate temples, Bhutan offers it all….but it also requires you to have a guide. Yep! Unfortunately there is no such thing as independent in this aggressively closed country.

Bhutan Trip with Zeghram and Eco

So why not join Gary Wintz and Zegrahm and Eco Adventures and spend 14 days trekking to ancient monasteries, nature preserves, and sacred spaces in a country nearly unknown to Western travelers.

Book with CTravel for your April 10 to the 23rd adventure in one of the most secret societies!

But Robyn, you say, you were going to tell us about travel deals in Europe! You’re right I was (I said so in yesterday’s blog for those who haven’t been ardently following). None of that is to say these deals are to be forgotten. Nope!

Instead Abercrombie and Kent are offering a trip through the Winter Wonderland of Prague, Munich and Berlin for nine nights at the price of six. When? Well for the winter markets of course. This includes Munich’s traditional market, which has been held on Marienplatz for 600 years where the festive Alpine music rings out and the mulled wine never ends! And Prague’s Old Town Square, which fills with festive market stalls and is overlooked by gothic buildings that ring with Christmas carolers.

Of course all of these deals are available by contacting CTravel (it is CTravel Thursday by the way). So get on the phone and get yourself on one of these amazing vacations!

Liberating Paris

If you were in Paris today 66 years ago, you’d be relieved. Why? Nazi occupation of the city had ended thanks to the French 2nd Armored Division and the U.S. 4th Infantry Division. For four years, Paris would have been under the Nazi’s spell.

Luckily the commander of the German garrison did not blow-up Paris’ landmarks or burn the city before the liberation and he signed the formal surrender this afternoon, 66 years ago. So now it’s time to see Paris. Have you seen it? Are you missing out? Yes.

Have you been before and are struggling to figure out what to do now? Good because it’s time to plan ahead and figure out September. First of all if you’re looking for somewhere to stay Tablet.com  is offering great deals for Paris until September 1 right now.

While if you’re in Paris later in the month then the Autumn Festival is the place to be. It is a festival of contemporary arts, embracing and combining different art forms. From September 13 to December, the Festival features over forty events attracting a total audience of more than 100 000. For more information check out their website.

Sprechen Sie Deutsch? No? That’s all right with the amount of beer flowing at Oktoberfest there will be no need. That’s right it’s called Oktoberfest but it actually starts in September. Officially you have 24 days, 2 hours and 1 minute to visit the 177th Oktoberfest. Want to continue the countdown? Visit the beerfest’s website. So plan ahead and make sure you’ve organized your trip to Munich, Germany for a sanctioned scarfing of beer!

Next stop in September? How about London? How about combining London with a run….in a Gorilla costume? Yep on September 26th if you have been dying to break-out that costume, but haven’t had a chance too here’s your opportunity.

From 10.30 a.m. on Sunday, September 26th 1,000 Gorilla look-alikes will line-up at the Underwriting Centre ff Mincing Lane in the City of London.

In costumes better suited for the jungles, these philanthropic men and women will finish a 7 kilometre route (that’s just over 4 miles) through the heart of the City of London, over the famous bridges and past some of London’s major landmarks.

This will all be in the name of saving Gorillas and really should be a stop for anyone visiting/living in London.

Finally, and this is on a personal note because I am going to be heading here in September, Stockholm, Sweden is hosting Ozzy Osbourne at the Langholmen arena on September 7! Think I might give it a miss. Not my style and, well, I won’t be there until the end of September.

So there are your plans for September in some European destinations…..any more ideas? Heard of some good concerts to suggest? And return tomorrow for CTravel’s answers to European travel….on CTravel Thursdays.

Traveling with order?

Trying to travel light

“Where’s my charger? I can’t find my blue tshirt! I was sure it was in here. Have you seen it? Did it get muddled in your clothes?”

“No, Robyn. I haven’t seen your charger or your shirt. Didn’t you check under the bed?”

“Ugh! I am getting so sick of this!”

I had been traveling for eight months and my backpack was starting to look like the inside of a martini shaker and my travel buddy was getting tired of my constant scavenger hunt. To my defense, moving from hostels was usually early in the morning on little sleep or repacking for climbs into the mountains.

This inevitably meant the shirt I needed or the pants I needed next time were on the bottom. The backpack would get emptied…..again! And then one day in Cusco, Peru I met a man with his act together. I know…shocking. His clothes? Not in a muddled bundle like mine. Nope. He had them all sorted into separate compartments and bags. Brilliant.

Eagle Creeks Cube which can help keep your clothes and shoes organized

Me? I was unpacking my entire bag. It was an exhausting affair that managed to claim more than enough of my shirts (there is a blue one floating around Bali) and converters (there’s one still plugged-in in Selcuk, Turkey). What did this mean? When I got to the next destination I had to re-purchase what I lost.

I wasted time and money on re-organising my affairs when I could have just visited The Harbourmaster and Sheilagh Robertson for her Travel Tip Tuesdays.

Mobile Lockers for organizing your clothes!

“We all tend to pack too much when we travel. The new 50 lb weight limit on airlines has made it more important to plan more carefully before traveling.

“Eagle Creek “Pack-it” organizers help organize your suitcase more efficiently by enabling you to:

-group and pack coordinating items together,

-fold shirts neatly,

-roll up the socks and underwear,

-and pack toiletries in small containers suitable for carry-on bags.”

Pictured on the left these range in size and prize from $55 to $62.50 at The Harbourmaster on the ground floor of the Washington Mall in Hamilton.

“The organizer cubes come in various sizes, big enough for large sweaters, or small for lingerie. There is even a suit folder that is more compact than the traditional garment bag but ideal for a blazer or single suit.”

Sheilagh added: “By packing your coordinating items together you will find it easier to eliminate the items that don’t mix and match that just add weight to your bag.”

Are you traveling for business? Or need to keep your shirts clean and unwrinkled? The Harbourmaster is at your rescue. These shirt folders (below) offer almost flat cases for folding your shirts in perfect harmony with the inside instruction sheet (second photo below). The cost of looking pulled-together? For an 18 inch folder: $43. For a 14inch: $37.50.

Keeping your shirts pressed and folded

With a handy instruction sheet included

I could definitely have used the cubes for my trip! Remember The Harbourmaster is located on the ground floor of the Washington Mall near the Washington Alley entrance!

Traveling with Children

Mom and baby alpaca in the North of Argentina

“Honestly Robyn, I can’t stay here. There is mould in the ceiling. We need to find somewhere else.”

“Ok, ok I hear you. Let’s just chill tonight. I don’t have the energy and tomorrow we can search for a better place.”

As me and my fellow Bermudian Travel buddy, Jennie, meandered down the stairs of our Argentinian hostel a family was going up. They had an infant in a stroller and were struggling.

“How can they honestly do that? I can’t stand being here as a single person let alone with kids!”

“I don’t know Robyn, but if I have kids I will NOT be staying in a place like this.”

Last year while I was traveling solo around the world I had few, if any, responsibilities. If I wanted to go somewhere I could. If I wanted to be out till 4 a.m. I could. Most of the time the people I met were like me. And then, sometimes, there was a family. I might not agree with their accommodation choice, but I have a lot of respect for what they were doing – traveling without letting a child change their plans.

Robyn, how are you going to write about traveling with children? You don’t have any. Good question. Luckily my friends do. Caroline Wright, who has a one-year-old stepped-up to the plate with advice from her recent trip to Italy and London with her extended family, husband and son. And today, Monday, for my Rock Fever Column in The Royal Gazette she helped me put together some tips.

Caroline’s trip to London and Italy meant a lot of adults and one little person which starts tips for traveling with children at one with: rent a home. “We rented a villa for one week on Lake Garda, north of Italy and before traveling we made sure there was a crib and high chair available in the villa.”

But if you need to book a hotel, tip two is: “Always book one that says they are child friendly – we made sure each place had a crib for Jacob and allowed him to be a child. The Atheneum Hotel in London was amazing and catered to everything you requested – they had a crib, baby slippers and robe, games, stuffed animals and books in the room for Jacob and they even brought milk and cookies each night (we didn’t let him eat the cookies before bed so Mummy and Daddy decided to enjoy them).”

To get around buses and trains are best when you’re solo. When you have a child tip three is rent a car with car seat: “Each day we took a car trip to a different location – Venice, Milan, Verona, around Lake Garda. Car trips were long (always over 1 hour) so we made sure we had snacks, water, books and toys on hand to keep Jacob occupied if need be.”

Or: “It’s best to get a personal driver (and pre-book a car seat in their car) – they can take you at your own pace along the Amalfi Coast and stop where you want and take pictures of you and your family – this also meant Jacob was able to sleep in the car if the sights didn’t excite him enough”

But while a car seat and stroller for your destination might work for a lot of places tip four is: “If your child is too little to walk on their own, a backpack was a wise investment for Venice – there are many stairs to go over bridges and the narrow streets make it awkward to push a stroller. Pompeii was a location where the backpack was again needed, Jacob was able to see everything at our height and it meant a less bumpy ride for him.”

Of course bathrooms are adult-friendly (most of the time), but diaper duty can be tricky. So tip five is: “Always have a changing mat with you – there weren’t any changing tables in the public or restaurant bathrooms so many times Jacob would get his diaper changed on the floor between tables, on counter tops, in the back of the car, etc”

Zoobies - hippo, cat, giraffe, turtle-shaped pillows/blankets and toys in one for kids on trips

Children may need changing, but they also need (and even I know this) comfortable things like their blankets and pillows. Which is why tip six is bring what they know: Zoobies – animal cuddly toys which serve as toy, pillow and blanket are available at The Harbourmaster. While pacifiers do what their name implies: “We had gotten out of using the pacifier during the day (only for naps and night time) – however, we had to carry a few with us always as most days we left the villa at 9am and didn’t return until 11pm so nap times were unknown and crankiness could set in and any moment – the pacifier helped soothe him

“If you use a pacifier, always take extra as we lost many while Jacob fell asleep in the stroller and the pacifier would fall out without anyone knowing – currently there is a fluorescent green pacifier somewhere on the streets of Venice.”

While eating can be difficult for me -try and find Gluten-free food somewhere in an Italian restaurant- try finding child-friendly food……so tip seven from Caroline is ensure you have toys to keep them entertained.

“When eating in restaurants it’s handy to have small toys for them to play with while you’re waiting for your food. Jacob had his little cars and animals to keep him entertained, however the bread basket was more entertainment for him since he could eat it.”

You won’t always find something for them to eat, so tip eight is bring snacks and try to create variety in eating habits: “We tried to keep him on a healthy eating schedule but with restaurant eating and snacking throughout the trip, it wasn’t kept up. Little markets in Italy sold great fruit so he was able to eat a lot of that and he definitely sampled his fair share of ice cream, as did the rest of us.

“By the time we got to London, we did most of our eating in parks so Jacob wouldn’t have to sit in a high chair anymore, he got very tired of them (and all the different varieties we were given) – here he was able to run around, chase birds then come back and take a bite of food then do it all over again.”

Which brings us to tip nine, which is to trust people around you and enjoy the culture. Caroline said: “Everywhere we went in Italy, the people were so friendly and accommodating especially when they saw we had a baby – they all wanted to kiss him, play with him and even babysit – we got countless offers – one time when Anthony was shopping for pants, the store attendant entertained Jacob the whole time while I watched, it was adorable.”

And finally ten: “Don’t hold back on doing activities just because you have a one year old – if you’re not allowed to do it then you can’t (we weren’t able to go to the Opera in Verona as kids under 4 weren’t permitted) but we were able to ride on an open air double decker bus, go swimming in a cold lake, go on a gondola ride, travel up a funicular.”

Have you got more tips for children traveling? Comment below or send them to skinnerrobyn@gmail.com!

Women going topless in New York City?

Yep that’s the plan tomorrow. And not just New York. If you’re in:VENICE BEACH, CALIFORNIA
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AUSTIN, TEXAS, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
OAHU, HAWAII, DENVER, COLORADO or SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA too!

Tomorrow if you’re female you can go topless (well in pre-determined places that are all listed on www.gotopless.org) ! Men? You’ve got to cover-up and put on a bra in support ……

From http://www.gotopless.org

Who is doing this? A US group called GoTopless.org who believe that women have the same constitutional right to be bare chested in public places as men. Maybe they have a point? Is it fair for man boobs to be out and women’s not?

Probably not, but can I see women walking down a street without their shirts on any time soon? Definitely not. It’s a weird double standard that will, I believe, continue everywhere except the beaches of France. And then it will be to the enjoyment and giggling fascination of men from other countries to enjoy.

But I hear what the organization is saying. Why are they saying it tomorrow? Because on August 26, 1920, following a 72-year struggle, the U.S. Constitution was amended to grant women the right to vote. And in 1970, as an ongoing reminder of women’s equality, Congress declared August 26 “Women’s Equality Day.”

Topless on a beach?

I like the idea though. No more burning bras. We’re just going to make men wear them and we’re going to walk around Central Park – Columbus Circle 59th W. Street (between 8 ave and 5 ave) at noon  with a speech at 1pm if you’re in New York tomorrow.

If you’re in Colorado? The event will take place from 3-6:30PM in the appropriately named Shag Lounge, 830 15th Street, Denver.

California: Group meets at 2pm on Ocean Front Walk at Navy St. March starts at 2.30 PM towards Windward circle for our speech and entertainment at 3.30 PM.

And in Bermuda? Just kidding. That won’t happen…..or maybe it should. Anyway, if you’re feeling particularly proud tomorrow and you’re visiting any of these cities check out their website for more information and put the bra on your man!

A Pregnancy Test at 3,300 metres

Thousands of metres above sea level in Zermatt, Switzerland

Imagine being stuck on the ski slopes and never knowing? Could you be pregnant? Have no fear Switzerland is here! Pregnancy tests will be in vending machines owned by the company Selecta in offices, trains stations and other public places!

Hey if condoms are sold in vending machines why not the tests to make sure they work? Or at least that is the logic of Selecta’s director Thomas Nussbaumer who told AOLNews: “You will find pregnancy tests at 3,300 meters of altitude, as well as in tiny villages.”

Baby on a Bong? Facebook

Who knows where the mom in this story got her test. What is probably more important is where did she learn about parenting? Not being a parent myself I can say I know what not to do i.e. do not get my child high and do not post a photo (left) of my baby smoking out of a bong.

Ahhh parenting at its best. According to The Frisky the 19-year-old Floridian mom said it was staged and she wouldn’t get her 11-month-old son high.

Authorities tested the baby and he was clean. Phew! No stop list (where Bermudians convicted of drug crimes are not allowed to go into the United States) for him.

But maybe they should have been helping-out in British Colombia, Canada. Why? Because cops there discovered a woman up to no good and up to her neck in more than $1 million worth of marijuana plants.

What the cops didn’t expect was her back-up – 10 black bears.The “Bear Lady” , as the woman is affectionately called, is known in the area for only escaping the woods for minor provisions. These might have included dog food, which the bears seemed to be quite happily eating and cause the officers to harm.

So don’t go wandering through the woods of British Colombia on your own. Some  other parenting advice from someone who has only played a parent as a nanny so far: don’t let your kids watch cartoons.

Bugs bunny wasn’t always so sweet. Cartoons dating back to the WWII era were created by Warner Brothers for the troops overseas. The one below Bugs imitates Hitler. In another, not shown here, he feeds ice cream bars laced with bombs to Japanese soldiers.

I would say probably not the safest videos to show your infants.

And I would say it’s Friday and I hoped you enjoyed these fun facts and photos from around the world. Stay tuned for tomorrow to go Top Less!