RickkciR

  Travel Insurance: Is It Worth It? Short answer? Yeah… it is. But maybe not the way most people think. For years, I was the guy who sometimes bought travel insurance. You know—add it on during checkout and hope you never need it. But as I’ve gotten older (and maybe a little wiser), the “what ifs” started to matter more. I’ve heard too many stories: Someone has a heart attack overseas → $50K+ before they even get home Car accident in another country → massive bills and chaos Medical evacuation → easily six figures That stuff isn’t theoretical. It happens. So I adjusted how I travel. Now I run with two layers of coverage : Global Rescue → for the big, scary stuff (medical evacuation, getting you home) Allianz annual plan → covers trip cancellations, delays, and medical incidents across all trips Yes, it’s not cheap. Allianz alone runs me about $1,200/year . But here’s the thing… On my last trip, I got hit with a bladder infection. Nothing dramatic, just bad timing. Walked into th...

Some friendships are measured in years. Ours was measured in miles. Over the last twenty years, Larry and I shared a lot of road together. Long highways, twisting mountain roads, and the occasional questionable detour that usually started with Larry saying something like, “Oh hell no… we’re not going back that way.” That was Larry. Direct. Honest. No nonsense. And if you knew him, you probably knew exactly what I mean. Larry Kea was born on September 29, 1956, in Greenville, Texas, to Harold Bennie Kea and Ruth LaVerne Banks. He grew up in a family that instilled in him a strong sense of loyalty and duty — qualities that would define him throughout his life. As a young man, Larry proudly served his country in the United States Army. He joined as the Vietnam War was coming to a close, stepping forward to serve during a time when many young men were being called to do the same. Somehow, Larry managed to land what many of us would call the dream duty station: Hawaii. Knowing Larry, I’m su...

  Yes .. it's this beautiful Wow… That Was a Good One (Secrets Huatulco Edition) 🌴🍹 Confession: I had never even heard of Huatulco until last year when we joined UVC. It was filed in my brain under: “Lower-tier 1:1 resorts… same bucket as Cozumel and Puerto Vallarta.” Translation? In my head it was a value play. Then Brad and Jennifer (friends we met in Cozumel) casually mention they flew DFW direct and loved it. Direct flight? Positive review? Small, quiet town? Now you’ve got my attention. The Internet Tried to Scare Me Off Before booking, I did what everyone does: I read the reviews. And the internet had thoughts : “Older resort.” (Built in 2011, which apparently now qualifies as ancient ruins.) “Dated.” “Too quiet.” “Swimming questionable — red flags and riptides.” “Small downtown.” “Not Cancun energy.” And somehow… that made me more curious. Quiet? Smaller crowds? Less chaos? You’re describing a feature, not a bug. The Seasonal Plot ...