GRANDVIEW — Out on the range, the longhorn cattle are lumbering east, swinging their mighty horns to and fro.

The Great Wall of China is not, at least at first glance, an awe-inspiring sight that promises to leave its image burned into your brain for the rest of your days.

Wipe off your flip-flops and c’mon inside. Let me show you my digs here in Hawaii.

So I’m back from our annual vacation to Virginia’s Tidewater area, and I have to say I’m finally getting the hang of traveling with kids. Of course, it helps that Ayanna is almost 2 years old, but still.

PECOS - Roaring through the flat part of West Texas at 80 mph - the posted speed limit - it’s easy to get complacent. A big ol’ wind gust fixes that in a hurry, nearly slapping us off the road as we hit the Pecos city limits.

A recent airline traveler, noticing what she considered an increasing number of people who don’t turn off cell phones in flight, wanted to know if it’s safe to use phones during flights. She wondered if people would obey the rules if they knew more about what could happen.

LISBON, Portugal — When I sailed under a suspension bridge very much like the Golden Gate in San Francisco and past a giant Cristo Rei statue high on a hillside (think Rio), I was as excited as the tugboats turning circles in the harbor, squirting hoses of water in greeting.

WARREN — I headed to the Big Thicket National Preserve on a mission: to find a bug-eating plant.

A summer rite of passage for opera fans, the Santa Fe Opera conjures magic.

Texas has excellent spas scattered around the state. Here are a few more suggestions, including some in Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, Austin and the surrounding areas.