Travel Talk Tuesday Dispatch – May 5, 2026

Greetings from Mykonos, Greece – It’s my first time visiting here, so I’m doing a little exploring for a few days by myself.  I arrived here in late April, a few weeks before the heavy tourist season is due to begin.

My hotel, The Poseidon, is a small resort with a pool, bar, sunbeds, umbrellas, and more. Within 10 minutes, you are in the heart of Mykonos old town, with the clubs, restaurants, windmills, nightclubs, speakeasys, and all.

The weather has been beautiful, with clear blue skies and gorgeous sunsets.  But, it has been chilly, mostly in the 60’s, so certainly not beach weather.  But, notice the swimmers and sunbathers on the beach in the photo below.  I took that photo when I rented a 4-wheeler Quad-Tracker and took a spin around the island.

I’m told that in two weeks, prices will skyrocket, the hotel, clubs, and pools will fill up, and I will not recognize the place.  So, for me, I’m glad I am here now and not later. The town is tidy, all painted white, even the streets, and loaded with chic shops, bars, cafes, and restaurants. All the dining is outdoors, and there is plenty of variety.

Many of you know my history.  I learned to love travel, music, and teaching all at once in college.  My mentor, Don Thompson, was my professor and the college choir director.  He took my fellow singers and me on a tour to Europe and Israel, and it was a life-changing event.  When I returned, I knew I wanted to teach, be a musician, and travel.  And that’s exactly what I’ve done for the past 48 years!  You can read my story here.

Airline cancellations seem to run rampant this year.  It seems we hear about flight cancellations every few weeks due to weather, civil unrest, war, and mechanical problems.  The exceptional ice, snow, and winter storms have wreaked havoc on many airports in the USA over the last few months.

As flight consumers, we have little recourse when an airline cancels our flights. Worldwide air carriage rules and regulations often favor airlines over consumers.  If an airline cancels a flight, all they technically have to do is refund the money you paid for the flight.  An offer to reschedule is usually available, and nowadays, many airlines are proactive and automatically reschedule you on another flight, even if it is not convenient.