So it turns out that if you die on an airline flight more likely than not an attendant will throw a blanket over you and the flight will go on. It was a question that begged to be asked after the death last week of a woman, Carine Desir, during an American Airlines flight from Haiti to New York. The airline is facing scrutiny over whether there were problems with some of its onboard emergency equipment.
In Desir's case, her body was covered with a blanket and placed on the floor in first class. Other passengers were shifted from adjacent seats and the flight continued to New York, even though it could have landed in Miami. The AP is now reporting that American's response is pretty common (although apparently sometimes they put the deceased in a body bag if they have one and/or just strap them into a seat). And federal regulators say there don't appear to be any policies that dictate what should be done, leaving the decision up to carriers. How often does this problem come up? There aren't any solid figures, but numbers kept by a company called MedAire, which helps airlines deal with in-flight medical problems, suggest that the number of annual deaths exceeds 260 a year.
In other words, your odds of dying while on a plane for medical reasons are about 1 in 7.6 million. On the other hand, you have a 1-in-1.3-million chance of getting killed in a place crash. And, it turns out, only a 1-in-5.2-million shot of scoring big time in Megabucks.
Think I'll go get a quick pick and travel by car for a while.

I love reading things that keep me on my toes. Finding a Japanese Doll Festival in the middle of Vermont, in the middle of winter mind you, is just the thing to catch my eye. The Asian Cultural Center of Vermont in Brattleboro hosts the Hina-Matsuri: Doll Festival of Japan on March 9 from 1 - 4 p.m.

The day includes a doll exhibition where dolls are dressed in imperial court costumes from the Heian period in Japan (8th-12th centuries). Hands-on activities for all ages include origami doll making, calligraphy, haiku poetry, and learning how to wear a kimono. The festival is followed by a concert for children of the bamboo flute. For more information call 1-802-579-9088 or visit the Cultural Center's site.

Here’s my Mom. She’s 92 years old and lives in Marietta, Ga., about a half hour northwest of Atlanta. When I visited this month, we indulged in one of our favorite activities: we jumped in the car and headed to the Australian Bakery in the restored historic town center named Marietta Square. In the center of the square is Glover Park, nicely landscaped with a fountain, gazebo and flowering crape myrtle and okame cherry trees. The surrounding streets have late 19th and early 20th century buildings that house specialty boutiques, restaurants, and antique shops.

For being in the heart of the south, it’s a pretty international place. If you want to eat there’s authentic Turkish, Slovakian, Italian, Celtic, and Cajun food all within a three-block radius, But our favorite place is the Australian Bakery which offers 16 varieties of meat pies, including an English pork pie, a traditional Cornish Pastie, curry lamb, and the basic Aussie meat pie — savory ground sirloin and seasoned gravy baked in a flaky pastry crust. We always order the same thing: I get the curried chicken pie, and mom gets the sausage baked in a pastry roll.

The following is a partial list of what you can see out the window while driving one of Panama's rural highways:

foggy forest
pigs
sugar cane stacked atop a pickup
dried fish

a muddy river
a holstein
a left fielder throwing out a baserunner at home
children carrying fresh-chopped wood

commuters waiting to board a school bus painted red, yellow, blue
cotton dresses for sale
stilted houses
soccer on a narrow ledge over a deep valley
nearly-ripe mango

Matrimony is alive and well on the sands of Jamaica. Sucking down my mango daiquiris last week at the Riu Ocho Rios resort, I must have spotted at least a dozen brides walking barefoot in their long flowing white gowns to the beachside gazebo. After the ceremony, the wedding parties retreated to one of the bars for drinks and often booked a private dinner on the beach in the evening, with the requisite reggae band. If you don’t mind sharing the beach with voyeurs like my children, Destination Weddings can be an attractive way to get hitched in front of an intimate group of family and friends. The cost for bride and groom can be considerably cheaper than a more traditional wedding. If your party books a decent amount of rooms for the week, some hotels will throw in the wedding ceremony for free. And it’s hard to top the locale at ocean's edge. Your friends will thank you.

Magellan Press is out with a guide for hungry travelers: ''Where the Locals Eat: The 100 Best Restaurants in the Top 50 Cities.'' That's US cities, and Boston is included.

Entries include a range of food and prices. Boston restaurants include Brown Sugar Cafe for the best Thai and the Cask 'n Flagon for the best sports bar.

If you think the $11.95 price is too steep, particularly for a guide that includes only one New England city, check their website for more foodie news and blogs.

And if you have your own local winner, share your tip with us.

Have you ever wanted to scale the jagged peaks of the Alps and push the limits of your body, but just don't have the cajones to do it?

Take the easy way out this Friday and experience the adventure on the big screen when The Alps debuts at the Mugar Omni Theatre at the Museum of Science in Cambridge.

The story follows John Harlin III, who attempts to defeat his demons by conquering Eiger, the mountain his father died climbing. I haven't seen the flick, but the previews offer some pretty spectacular footage.

Additionally, it's nice to see a climbing movie focus on a peak outside the Himalayas. When it comes to mountain-climbing movies and books, us sea-level neophytes get a selection as thin as the air atop a 8,000-meter peak -- it's nothing but Everest, Everest, Everest. I mean, how much Yak footage can one endure?

Eiger, the mountain in the film, deserves some recognition. Jutting more than 13,000 feet into the atmosphere, it is considered one of the most difficult climbs in the Swiss Alps and is the namesake of a Jon Krakauer book. (Krakauer also wrote a best-seller about his trials on -- you guessed it -- Everest).

And even if you're not an aspiring daredevil mountaineer, the movie might get your juices flowing for a summer trip to Switzerland, a land famous for watches, chocolate, and, uh, The Alps. June flights to Zurich currently ring in around $700-$1,200 on Orbitz.

A 32-day cruise of Central America and the Caribbean through the Panama Canal. A 14-day Croatia cruise, Rijeka to Hvar. A two-week trip through Central and Southern Dalmatia to Montenegro.

These and other voyages are available on freighter and other specialty cruises.

The Maruba Africa takes two passengers on a 42-day round-trip cruise from Buenos Aires. Up to 50 people can be accommodated on the Croatian trip.

Prices vary. See the website for details and to sign up for a monthly Maris magazine, which includes feature articles and passenger accounts.

What do you think? Is a freighter cruise for you?

It is worth turning around for the roadside shop called Quesos Chela, which serves fresh empanadas, shakes made from milk, corn, sugar and more ...

Who says travel has to be to real places? Over the weekend, I trekked to Middle-earth. Yes, I'm a geek. I convinced a fellowship of my friends and family members, several quite skeptical, to accompany me to the land of hobbits, wizards, Rings of Power and pipeweed. Over the course of 12 hours, we watched Peter Jackson's film trilogy adaptation of JRR Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings."

I even wrote a guidebook for the uninitiated. Sample entries: “No, no, not Keebler elves nor Santa’s helpers, Tolkien’s elves are full-sized, uber beings, immortal and little detached/arrogant, but with silver quickness and electrified senses”; and “Innocent, honest, well-meaning Frodo agrees to take the Ring but to where or for what he’s not sure. Just good buddies with Sam, or is there something more to their relationship? Hmmm...”

We made it through “The Fellowship of the Ring,” broke for beer and lembas waybread, then plowed through “The Two Towers.” But at about 1am, an hour into “The Return of the King,” our merry band of adventurers conked out. And dreamed of that other, possibly better world, that we’d like to tramp across, with our hairy little feet.

Dude, it'll never work in Boston.
The TSA (it's like Pavlov: I feel like I should shed my shoes and empty my pockets) is testing a system in Denver and Salt Lake City in an effort to speed security lines at airports: color-coded lanes.
How does it work? Think skiing. Green circle for beginners (families or those needing special assistance), blue squares for intermediates (a casual traveler, perhaps, but one who's been around the block a couple of times -- although never without multiple carry-ons), and black diamonds for experts (Special Forces in Gray Flannel camo with limited carry-ons and the rules of engagement with liquids, gels, laptops. and footwear tattooed on the insides of eyelids).
Basically, you decide which lane is for you, and in theory it makes the process more efficient and less stressful.
Earl Morris of TSA says that the tests are working well and that they will be completed in about a week in Denver, but that Salt Lake City will continue for the foreseeable future. He says the agency will look at possibly expanding it.
But let me be on the record first: It will never work here. Know why? Because here everyone would queue up as black diamond until it filled up and then the wise guys would start trying to speed the green one like a breakdown lane on the Expressway at rush hour. While yammering on the Bluetooth. And cursing. Never mind the new hand gestures the kids would learn.

It's peer group pressure, people. US Airways says that it will charge some passengers (i.e. those not in its frequent-flier program) $25 for a second checked bag, starting May 26. Sound familiar? It was just earlier this month, that United said it would was planning the same thing.
Hear that? It's the footsteps of all the other major carriers getting ready to queue up.

A new travel website has been launched for baby boomers, boomeropia.
"I happen to be a baby boomer and I felt like the fun side of me wasn't being catered to and marketed to,'' said founder Liz Dahl, 59. "I was getting ads for medication and hearing aids and no one was appealing to my fun side."
So she created Boomeropia as an information site, listing interesting trips and tours in 30 categories, from adventure to pet travel to beaches and bed-and-breakfasts.
Other categories include cruises, culinary travel, golf, fishing, and "glamping" -- which means "glamorous" camping or camping trips where the tour operator does all the hard work for you, with comfortable tents and catered meals. Click on "botanical tours" and you'll read about a trip to Kazakhstan in search of alpine plants; click on "volunteer" for details on an American Hiking Society trip to work in a park in the Chilean Patagonia.
There is also a forum section where readers can post photos and share their thoughts. (AP)

Shhh...this is the kind of entry I have to type quietly because my husband sits in the next room occasionally asking me what I am covering. Shhh...if he only knew about this event, he, with no training, would probably show up imploring that his will can move mountains, and move him through such an event. OK, enough already,...this is not a reality TV show as of yet, but I am thinking the The MVP Health Care Frigid Infliction at Bolton Valley Resort will soon land in some producers hands, and sha-boom, become the most watched reality show after "The Biggest Loser: Couples."

Anyhoo, for those of you who think you have what it takes to tackle the nation's largest winter adventure race, show up in gear and frothy mouth at the 2008 MVP Health Care Frigid Infliction on March 1. Teams of two and three can compete in co-ed, or single-sex divisions, with topographic map and compass, snowshoeing, x-country skiing, post-holing and a ropes course. This event is sanctioned by the Adventure Racing Association. Registration is open now, slots filled early last year as those go out and prove themselves winter worthy. For more information, quietly call 802-865-9895 or visit www.gmara.org/frigid.

Time to rip those crossed, wooden skis off the cathedral ceiling or by the shed door, and figure out a way to strap them on some boots and cruise on over to Ascutney Mountain Resort for the 5th Annual Vermont Antique Ski Race, held March 8 and 9 to benefit the Vermont Ski Museum. I've heard of Rossi 102s, well those are said to be just fine, along with the old woodies or vintage fiberglass skis, and compete for fun against former Olympians and US Ski Team members at Ascutney Mountain Resort.

The two-day winter fest kicks off with a 2.5K Vintage Cross-Country Race on Saturday, with the alpine race taking place on Sunday. Running next to the alpine race will be the 4th Annual Cochran Memorial Lollipop Race. The Lollipop Race was dreamed up in the late 1950s at Ascutney as a fun way for children to learn to ski. Every child finished the day a winner and left with a lollipop.

Don't forget about wearing any vintage ski clothing, leather ski boots or poles for added fun. For more information about the 5th Annual Vermont Antique Ski Race or to make a donation to the Vermont Ski Museum, contact Meredith Scott at 802-253-9911 or Bill Henne at Ascutney at 802-484-3609 or bhenne@ascutney.com.

File this under: Unbelievable. There is a story out today about the death of a 44-year-old woman aboard an American Airlines jet bound for New York from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Apparently, the woman had heart disease and complained of feeling sick and having difficulty breathing.
But this is where the story gets molto funky, and versions diverge.
According to a cousin who was traveling with the woman, Carine Desir, this is what happened: Desir asked the flight attendant for oxygen and was refused -- twice. Apparently the refusals -- and the woman's apparent suffering -- caused a bit of consternation among fellow passengers (after all, having someone on your plane gasping for breath tends to put a crimp in the fun factor of any vacation). So the attendant relented and tried to administer oxygen. But the tank was empty.
So a second tank was produced. Also empty. At this point the cousin prevailed on the pilot to get the plane down ASAP, and he agreed to divert and land in Miami, 45 minutes away.
Unfortunately, a short time later Desir collapsed and was pronounced dead by a doctor who was on board. What then? The airline folks moved Desir's body to the floor of the first-class section (is there no end to the perks up front?), covered her up with a blanket, skipped the Miami stop, and headed off to New York.
American initially refused to comment but now is disputing the cousin's version. The airline says that its oxygen tanks and a defibrillator were working and noted that several medical professionals on the flight, including a doctor, tried to save Desir.
So what's the Truth? Your guess is as good as mine, but I think the next time I fly American at the very least I'm gonna pass on first class.

If you dream of dancing with the stars, this camp's for you.

July 20-25 and July 27-Aug. 1 Camps for Grownups, LTD. will hold its 10th annual Ballroom Vermont dance camp at the Killington Grand Resort in Killington, Vt.

Daily lessons in a variety of dances -- waltz, foxtrot, rumba, tango, and others -- are followed by practice review sessions.

All dancers are welcome, beginner to advance. The cost is $2,574 for couples, $1,599 for singles. Each session is limited to 50 couples.

Check the website for registration details.

Daybreak in the Pacific waters near Puerto Pedregal. Cranes and crocodiles and fishermen motoring and paddling in among the mangroves and broader channels leading from the Rio Chiriqui to the sea.

At the center of the working port, a single dockside restaurant, and ceviche made from raw corvina, a type of sea bass.

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Photos: Essdras M Suarez/Boston Globe

Travel with teens at your own peril: if your teenager isn’t happy on vacation, chances are no one’s happy. Some good news: Loews Hotels' ‘‘Edu-cations’’ are year-round packages that include a one- or two-night hotel stay and activities that will appeal to hard-to-please teens. Some examples: at Loews Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego the teen package includes private surfing lessons on surfboards custom-designed to take home. At the Loews Vanderbilt in Nashville, a music package includes a song-writing session with songwriter Thom Shepherd, a Gibson acoustic guitar, and a one-hour guitar lesson. And on it goes: golf lessons for aspiring PGA pros at Loews Lake Las Vegas, a culinary arts package for would-be cooks at Loews Miami Beach Hotel, and even a behind-the-scenes look at the financial markets for executive wanna-bes at the Loews Regency Hotel in New York. These packages don’t come cheap: they cost between $600-$2,000. But for these one-of-a-kind experiences, your teen will owe you big time.

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Photo: Essdras M Suarez/Globe Staff

Why settle for a mug of green beer and shouted conversation over “The Wild Rover” on St. Patrick’s Day, when you can experience the patron saint of Ireland’s birthday on the Olde Sod itself? Better yet, take advantage of this Fairways to Heaven offer and you’ll enjoy a round at the acclaimed Doonbeg Golf Club, in the shadow of the Cliffs of Moher, no less. Get yourself to Shannon International Airport, and the rest of the three-day, two-night package is taken care of (OK, truth in advertising -- you’re going to have to swing your own clubs). From Shannon, you are whisked to the Lodge at Doonbeg, where you have the choice of an afternoon spa treatment or a golf biomechanics session. Hmmm, that’s a tough call. You’ll also meet with Doonbeg’s pro Brian Shaw, where you’ll receive tips on playing the cliffside, Greg Norman-designed course in what is billed as a “B.S. session” -- those are the host pro's initials, OK??? Dinner and a whiskey-tasting follow, along with the obligatory craic. Make sure to plan the next morning’s wake-up call in time to have your Irish breakfast; you’ll need to be well-fortified to tackle Doonbeg, which features 100-foot dunes and ocean views from 16 holes. The next day, you'll be whisked home... er, to Shannon, actually. Whether you head straight home from there is your call. The package is $365 per person, double-occupancy. Go here for more information.

The annual national junior baseball championship can draw major league scouts to Panama. Two who have made it to the Major League include Yankees closer Mariano Rivera and Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz.

Too early to tell whether this year's champs, from the province of Chiriqui, hold any future pros. But the crowd along the Pan American Highway was happy enough with the junior squad - 15- and 16 year-olds, mostly - who captured the national crown last week. By nightfall, traffic slowed to a crawl for miles approaching the city of David, as flat bed trucks played host to the players clad in orange jerseys, families lined the roadside and followed along in cars and trucks of their own. Chiriquano pride shone in flags and chants and smiles.

The procession snaked into the city, rounded the central park partly cooled from the day's heat, and on to the floodlit stadium. Speakers blared music with Latin beats toward midnight, a Pacific parade without end.

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Photo: Essdras M Suarez/Globe Staff

It's the 50th anniversary of The Freedom Trail Foundation and the Ritz-Carlton Boston Common
is celebrating with its Freedom Trail 50th Anniversary Package.

The package includes a deluxe guest room or suite, a private Walk Into History Walking Tour, A copy of "The Freedom Trail, An Artist's View,'' and an American breakfast for two in the Jer-Ne Restaurant.

The offer starts March 14 and continues through the year. Cost starts at $515 per couple and a three-day nonrefundable advance booking is required.

Still trying to fill all those empty days next week? Well the Children's Museum of Portsmouth is famous for its dynamic vacation week offerings for the free-wheelin' kiddos. So much so that it's second floor is entirely dedicated to hands-on art exploration for all ages.

The week's offerings are as follows; Sunday: painting; Monday: rubbings; Tuesday: jewelry making; Wednesday and Thursday: creation station; and Friday: science exploration. This glorious schedule has many meanings to parents...1. exposure to arts, 2. structured time outside of home, 3. did I mention OUTSIDE of home, and 4. this year's Christmas presents will be completed before the new Spring. Need I say more?

Many hours to arrive and play...Tuesday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sundays 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Members are free; adults/children: $6 and seniors: $5. For more information about the Children's Museum, visit it's site or call 603-436-3853.