July 28, 2018 - 10 Cruelty-Free Cool Items to Travel with on Amazon Under $15 and Tanya goes from NY to VA and gets a big SCARE

Elisa's Daily Scoop
Covering Long Island & NYC Boroughs 
NEXT TRIP DEPARTS IN: 3 DAYS:
​SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA

10 Cool Cruelty-Free Items to Travel with on Amazon Under $15

Happy Saturday!!!
I have to tell you guys, I'm still on a bit of a high from this past week, visiting with Tanya and her gang.  

Boy, do I wish we lived closer.  Of course, we would never sit still - I'm sure of this.

Anyway, with Tanya down in Virginia till Wednesday, and then on her way back to SoCal, we're back to communicating via text and telephone. (insert sad face).

Here on Travelin' Cousins, it's Shopping Saturday.  We all love to spend as little as possible on great products. And, it's even better if they are vegan and cruelty free!!

10 Cruelty-Free
 Cool Items to Travel With
​on Amazon Under $15

1. Karma Nail Polish Remover Wipes; Non-Toxic, Vegan, Cruelty-Free - $9.99
These are great for travel and do not take up much room.

2. Pacific Shaving Company Natural Shaving Cream, 1 Pack - $5.49
Pacific Shaving Co. Products are made with safe, natural and organic ingredients. Safe ingredients and effective products and we never, ever, test on animals.
​

3. Nutiva Certified Organic, non-GMO, Vegan Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa, Chia and Flaxseed, Classic Chocolate, 13 Ounces $5.50
All I can say is Yum to this - great for travel too since it doesn't require refrigeration!

4. Bamboo Travel Utensils - To-Go Ware Utensil Set with Carrying Case - $12.95
Great for those road trips or if staying in accommodations with a kitchen. Heat and stain-resistant, won't impart or absorb flavors.

5. ​Women's Long Clutch Wallet 5.5 inch Cellphone Wallet With Luxury Buckle Credit Card Holder Purse Wallet - $10.89
With the rich look of real leather, this vegan wallet allows you to hold all your credit cards, loyalty program cards, cash and cell phone conveniently in one place, which is key when traveling.

​6. TrailFork Apricot-Almond Couscous Dehydrated Just-add-water Vegan Camping Backpacking Food - $7.89
Easy to pack, easy to prepare when outdoors or even at a hotel.

7. Lenny & Larrys The Complete Cookie Variety Pack  - $14.76
These cookies re Non GMO, Vegan, Kosher with No Dairy and No Soy. Perfect to throw in your bag when you are ready to munch!

8. Trendy Apparel Shop Vegan AF Embroidered Super Stretch Winter Cuff Long Beanie - $12.99
Be trendy and warm, which being cruelty-free.

9. Nantucket Spider Tick Repellent Spray, Insect Protection Spray - $12.50
Stay protected from insects and bugs. Made from Essential Oils, Deet-Free, Soy-Free, Vegan, Non-Greasy, Non-Sticky.

10. ACURE Essentials Travel Size Kit, Shampoo, Conditioner, Day Cream and Facial Scrub - $13.99
No need to pack big, bulky shampoo and body care items.  This set by ACURE includes 1 ounce each Brightening Facial Scrub, Day Cream, Ultra-Hydrating Argan Shampoo and Ultra-Hydrating Argan Conditioner. Vegan, Gluten and Cruelty free. Paraben, Sulfate, Silicone, Phthalate and Synthetic Fragrance free.

Heard from Tanya yesterday evening and the very SCARY situation she found herself in going over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.  

Read about it in her scoop!

Ok guys, I'm going to have some pampering - it's hair and nail day!

Enjoy your Saturday!
-E
xoxo

Tanya's Daily Scoop 
Covering the West Coast & the World

​CURRENTLY TRAVELING IN: VIRGINIA

Big SCARE on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge

Hey guys. Greetings from Virginia!

We arrived here yesterday in the early evening and I must say that I was rather shaken. Actually I was a bit more than shaken. I was stirred. I was seriously shaking. I was definitely not myself. I was uneasy. I was full of anxiety. I was what you would call a mess.

Let me fill you in...

We left Maspeth, NY after picking up TJ (Dave's brother) at around 10a and then were on our way!

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The ride was full of tolls - some of them cashless (which means I am gonna be screwed with processing fees on top of the tolls by the rental agency), we made a few stops -
Lunch at White Castle - they've really got a yummy thing going with their vegan burger!! 

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Coffee and the bthrm stop at Dunkin Donuts.
Gas/Fuel
And another bathroom break.

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Why is all of this important? How is any of this relevant?

Well if my timing at any one of these stops would have differed - my life might not be the same as it is right here and now. God Forbid of course!

• But if I didn't stop and pose for that picture.
• If there weren't a couple of gals ahead of us in the bathroom.
• If I merged into the shorter line at the toll booth.

​Each one of these little things could've changed the outcome of our day and our lives. And I might not be here writing the blog today.

Take your time. Smell the flowers. Take the pictures. Don't rush through things. Be patient. Live another day. And always count your blessings.

We have been blessed. 

The drive was pretty much uneventful, not much traffic and pretty much like it usually is - having done this drive countless times.

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But as we drove into Virginia and closer to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel the weather got worse. 

We pulled up the the toll booth and behind a few cars when there was a lane that was open and available right next to us that Cosette suggested.

But knowing that the weather was bad I had explained to her that it wouldn't be a safe thing to do. I patiently waited  my turn (and we  all know that I am not the most patient person). 

Once it was my turn, I paid the $15 toll and was told that the speed limit was 35mph. 

Well I sure as heck didn't want a ticket, so I abided to this seemingly slow pace. Cars had all merged around me to go even just a bit fasted. 

But there was one in specific (a tractor trailer) that raced by us like a maniac (have you in the pouring rain) and he was going about twice the speed limit! We had all commented on his negligence and reckless behavior. 

I continued at 35mph and about half way across the bridge I had noticed a police car parked in a pull out. No problem here. I wasn't speeding. 

The fact was that the posted speed limit was 55mph and a minimum of 45mph. But since there was a T-storm with high winds there had been an adjustment in the maximum safe speed posted on flashing boards.

The police car then pulled onto the roadway and began driving in the left lane. Going somewhat over the 35mph speed limit. 
We figured it might be to catch that speeding truck driver.    But honestly even though he was going faster then we were, there was no way he could catch up to him. Hopefully somewhere down the road this unsafe driver would be pulled over and ticketed.

The rain was pouring and we could barely see the car in front of us. This was the type of rain that even windshield wipers can't keep up with! 

Within seconds of the police car driving by all few cars that were on the bridge in front of us came to a complete halt.

Stopping like this on this bridge made me incredibly uncomfortable. I have always had some worries about this ridiculously long 17.6 mile bridge.

What I was always concerned about was what if there was a major storm? A hurricane? Or what if there was an accident?

Traffic was slowing. There was a Uhaul truck in front of me who was stopped and I safely and slowly merged around him and into the left lane.  

We could barely see in front of us.
And then we were at a stand still, facing my fears about this bridge!

We all wondered why were we at a stand still.

As the wipers would move the rain from the windshield and for a split second we could make out that the cop was stopped a few cars ahead of us and that there was a car accident with a mini-van perpendicular to the roadway!!

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There was a mess of debris in the roadway. Bumpers and smashed up unidentifiable pieces scattered everywhere.  

Slowly but surely we were allowed to pass in the left lane and could see people emerging from the smashed up vehicle.

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But where was the other vehicle involved? And then as we crawl past the scene of the accident we all took notice of a huge gaping hope in the guardrail. It was obvious that the other vehicle must have just went over!

OMG this just happened. 

There the water depth in the area of the accident of between 30-35 feet and there were no other emergency vehicles on the scene. Only the one CBBT Policeman. The family seemed to be okay. Thank God they were alive! 

​They had to be in shock. I know I was.

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Once past the accident we continued to drive to the end of the bridge without another car or vehicle in front of us.

​Shortly after driving through the tunnel we would find ourselves out of the rain and none stop talking about what we had just witnessed.

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By the time we had driven another 13 or so miles, we had hit land and had finally seen the first responders arriving to the bridge.

​We would then see several more that were dispatched. And we would see that the speeding truck was also there. Pulled over and being detained by an officer.   ​

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More and more emergency vehicles headed in the direction of the awful accident. And I continued to drive to Lynn's new beach house. 

We arrived and it all started to catch up with me. I too was in a state of shock. Lynn wanted to show us around and take us out on the beach. ​

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We could see the storm coming. Lightning crashing over the Chesapeake Bay and the Bridge that we had just come from.

We could see the Coastguard with his siren making his way to the scene.

A helicopter also heading in that direction. And although it was 13 miles away via the bridge.

​We could even make out all the flashing red lights way out in the horizon. This was bad. I could feel it in my gut that this was bad.

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I called Elisa to share my experience and to ask for her help in trying to find out more information. I was too shaken to function.

After telling her what happened and her knowing that we were safe she began to search the internet and sent me 2 alerts about the accident.
But there really still was no details being shared.

I continued to refresh the pages and search others and then I found it...Confirmation that the "other" vehicle had gone over and into the water. 

As I continued to check updates it was obvious that there had been no recovery of the vehicle or driver. But that the "other" vehicle was the cab of a fright truck, driving without his trailer.

I called my mom and told her about what happened. Heavens knows that I didn't want her to find out about it here.

After everyone (except me) ate dinner, we left Lynn's and came to Dave's mom's house - where we will be staying for the next few days.

Hours and hours of feeling uneasy, I slowly started to feel more like myself and managed to finally eat and relax.

By bedtime there was still no recovery.

I do feel better this morning and I will be loading the kids into the car and making our way to Victoria, VA where my dear cousin Elizabeth recently moved to. With much eager anticipation we will spend the day in her company before making the 2.5 hour drive back here to Chesapeake.

That's about all for today. I'll catch up with you tomorrow.
-Travelin' Tanya