What do you do when it feels like the longest work week in the history of time? Add another trip countdown entry to my blog of course!
I just talked to CL this morning and her new suitcase arrived and she did a "mini-pack" to see how she likes the bag...hmmmm...I must be rubbing off on her! :)
So I think we are pretty much set as far as the trip planning and trip related purchases are concerned!
Suitcase....................Check
Backpack/day bag....Check
New walking shoes...Check
Convertible pants.....Check
Guidebooks................Check
It sure looks to me like we are ready, and only 44 more days. It will be trudgery getting through the next 6 weeks! Hey...when I say 6 weeks, it doesn't sound as long as 44 days! At least today it doesn't sound as long, I could change my mind by tonight!
Of course I have alot on my plate coming up at work which doesn't ease my mind about going away for 4 weeks of vacation. But I've planned this trip for a year and the work world won't stop just because I am on the other side of the planet! Someone will take care of whatever comes up or it will wait until I get back.
And on that note, I will end this blog with the song lyrics that are running through my mind at this very moment....
I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane...Don't know when I'll be back again!
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Saturday, July 15, 2006
A Saturday in the Life of Me....
Ahhhh....It wouldn't be a Saturday if I didn't spend some time at the local Starbucks drinking an iced carmel macchiatto and reading the latest Oprah magazine!
Although this doesn't seem like a "travel related" entry, it really is, well, kind of.
In an effort to become more familiar with my camera (yes, I've had it more then a year), I'm trying to use more of the special settings. For this picture I used the macro setting which I recently learned is for close up photos! So this is my first attempt and I think it turned out pretty good.
The next camera setting I want to tackle is the night photo setting but that's a bit more tricky since I have to place the camera on a stable surface or get a tripod (not likely at the moment).
So I will continue to post any "trial photos" that I think are interesting!
Friday, July 14, 2006
50 More Days....
CathyLee just ordered her "ultimate" roll-aboard carry-on for our trip. Looks like she may have gotten a better bargain then me. LL Bean has a 21" roll-aboard with more cubic inches then the suitcase I bought and about $30 less then what I spent. But it's all good. I don't think the one she orded expands, and mine does, so hopefully that will make up the difference in cubic inches! :) If not, I can always buy another bag during the trip...afterall, I've been known to do that in the past!
Last week I purchased my reading material for the trip. The second book in the Outlander series, it's 900+ pages so that should keep me occupied for a good part of the trip and I won't be reading every day. But it's a little "compact" paperback, so it won't take up too much room and if I finish it while traveling, I'll just leave it for the next occupant of the room!
I have been trying to post a picture of the cover of the Footprints Croatia Guidebook, but I am not having much luck posting it. I will keep trying.
Well, tonight I don't have any travel-isms to extoll, so I'm calling it a night.
Last week I purchased my reading material for the trip. The second book in the Outlander series, it's 900+ pages so that should keep me occupied for a good part of the trip and I won't be reading every day. But it's a little "compact" paperback, so it won't take up too much room and if I finish it while traveling, I'll just leave it for the next occupant of the room!
I have been trying to post a picture of the cover of the Footprints Croatia Guidebook, but I am not having much luck posting it. I will keep trying.
Well, tonight I don't have any travel-isms to extoll, so I'm calling it a night.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Footprint Guidebook!
I cannot speak highly enough about the Footprint Croatia Guidebook, 3rd edition that was published in May 2006.
In preparation for my trip to Central Europe with 9 days in Croatia (after the guided tour ends) I was in search for a really good guidebook to Croatia. I had been trolling the internet for months and back in January I purchased the Brandt guide to Croatia which was published in 2005. At that time that book was the most recent Croatia travel guide I could find. It's an OK book, but I wasn't really happy with it.
A few months later I was checking things out on both the Barnes & Noble website and Amazon.com. They both listed this Footprint guide, with the note that it would be published in May 2006 and available in June. I was waiting with "bated breath" for June 1st to roll around and when it finally did I made a bee-line for the local Barnes & Noble store. Considering where I live, I came to the conclusion even before I went into the store that the chances of the book being on the shelf there was slim to none. And I was right. So, I beat it over to the information desk armed with both the title and author. You can imagine my surprise when the clerk typed in the information and it came up as not available. They couldn't even order it! I was flumoxed!
All through June I kept checking the websites, still not available. Then finally one day it said available, but a 4-6 week wait! UGGGGH...don't they know I'm leaving on September 2nd and I need to get my "ducks in a row". Ok, so maybe it's unrealistic for me to think that I am the center of the universe for Barnes & Noble and Amazon, but I did! :)
Then lo and behold at the end of June a miracle! The Barnes & Noble website had the book and it was available! I never ordered anything that fast in my life! A week later the book arrived and I did my little 'happy dance" around my living room. It was perfect timing. I got the book on a Thursday and I could spend the weekend going through it and that is exactly what I did.
Now, since I only needed information on a few places I was able to get through the whole book in 2 days, including using my trusty high lighter pen to note the information that most interested me!
So, what do I like the most about this book? Well, I like the way the chapters/information is formatted and it's very easy to read. The information flows well and it gives lots of restaurant recommendations. It gives just enough history information at the beginning of each section so that I don't feel bombarded and give up reading that portion. And I like the fact that even though it's a guide for the whole country it's not so thick that it will take up too much space in my bag!
I have to give credit where credit is due and thank one of my fellow fodorites on the Fodors website message boards for recommending this book to me. I was hesitant to order it online without being able to see if it contained the type of information I was looking for. But this guidebook was "right on the money" for what I was looking for!
In preparation for my trip to Central Europe with 9 days in Croatia (after the guided tour ends) I was in search for a really good guidebook to Croatia. I had been trolling the internet for months and back in January I purchased the Brandt guide to Croatia which was published in 2005. At that time that book was the most recent Croatia travel guide I could find. It's an OK book, but I wasn't really happy with it.
A few months later I was checking things out on both the Barnes & Noble website and Amazon.com. They both listed this Footprint guide, with the note that it would be published in May 2006 and available in June. I was waiting with "bated breath" for June 1st to roll around and when it finally did I made a bee-line for the local Barnes & Noble store. Considering where I live, I came to the conclusion even before I went into the store that the chances of the book being on the shelf there was slim to none. And I was right. So, I beat it over to the information desk armed with both the title and author. You can imagine my surprise when the clerk typed in the information and it came up as not available. They couldn't even order it! I was flumoxed!
All through June I kept checking the websites, still not available. Then finally one day it said available, but a 4-6 week wait! UGGGGH...don't they know I'm leaving on September 2nd and I need to get my "ducks in a row". Ok, so maybe it's unrealistic for me to think that I am the center of the universe for Barnes & Noble and Amazon, but I did! :)
Then lo and behold at the end of June a miracle! The Barnes & Noble website had the book and it was available! I never ordered anything that fast in my life! A week later the book arrived and I did my little 'happy dance" around my living room. It was perfect timing. I got the book on a Thursday and I could spend the weekend going through it and that is exactly what I did.
Now, since I only needed information on a few places I was able to get through the whole book in 2 days, including using my trusty high lighter pen to note the information that most interested me!
So, what do I like the most about this book? Well, I like the way the chapters/information is formatted and it's very easy to read. The information flows well and it gives lots of restaurant recommendations. It gives just enough history information at the beginning of each section so that I don't feel bombarded and give up reading that portion. And I like the fact that even though it's a guide for the whole country it's not so thick that it will take up too much space in my bag!
I have to give credit where credit is due and thank one of my fellow fodorites on the Fodors website message boards for recommending this book to me. I was hesitant to order it online without being able to see if it contained the type of information I was looking for. But this guidebook was "right on the money" for what I was looking for!
54 More Days...
until I leave for my Central Europe trip! And better yet, 53 more days of work...being the "smartie" that I am, I decided to take the day before I leave off from work. This way I will have a day to take care of any last minute issues, final packing and of course my last gym workout before a "grueling" travel day.
I have decided to try a new approach to alleviate jetlag. It will be interesting to see how it works. On my last overseas trip I didn't have any difficulty (that I can remember), I just recall going to sleep pretty early on the first night. But I got a tip from the Fodors website that sounded interesting and I thought I might give it a try.
The premise is to go onto the destination's time a day or 2 before leaving. In my case that would be Prague time. My game plan is to start on Thursday night and go to sleep as early as possible (like around 7pm) get up on Friday morning at about 3am (since it will be 9am Prague time). I will go about my day on Friday doing whatever needs to get done and going to sleep as early as possible. In a perfect world that would be 6pm, but not sure it that is feasible, but I will give it a shot. Then on Saturday, the day of departure get up at 3am. We will have to leave for the airport by around 6am anyway, so getting up at 3am is realistic. By doing this I should be ready to go to sleep by the time we board the plane at JFK for the flight to Prague.
It may sound absurd, but I'm willing to give it a try and thinking about it now, if I can accomplish this I will probably be so exhausted by the time I sit down on the flight from JFK to Prague that I may not even be able to hold my eyes open for take off! This would be great since it will provide me with 7 hours of sleep on the plane! Well, I can dream can't I? Of course I have to get through the 2 flights prior to arriving at JFK, but since they are relatively short flights I don't see any problems there. But then again, when it comes to air travel it's best to always expect the worst and if that doesn't happen my expectations will be exceeded!
Here's to a swift 54 days!
I have decided to try a new approach to alleviate jetlag. It will be interesting to see how it works. On my last overseas trip I didn't have any difficulty (that I can remember), I just recall going to sleep pretty early on the first night. But I got a tip from the Fodors website that sounded interesting and I thought I might give it a try.
The premise is to go onto the destination's time a day or 2 before leaving. In my case that would be Prague time. My game plan is to start on Thursday night and go to sleep as early as possible (like around 7pm) get up on Friday morning at about 3am (since it will be 9am Prague time). I will go about my day on Friday doing whatever needs to get done and going to sleep as early as possible. In a perfect world that would be 6pm, but not sure it that is feasible, but I will give it a shot. Then on Saturday, the day of departure get up at 3am. We will have to leave for the airport by around 6am anyway, so getting up at 3am is realistic. By doing this I should be ready to go to sleep by the time we board the plane at JFK for the flight to Prague.
It may sound absurd, but I'm willing to give it a try and thinking about it now, if I can accomplish this I will probably be so exhausted by the time I sit down on the flight from JFK to Prague that I may not even be able to hold my eyes open for take off! This would be great since it will provide me with 7 hours of sleep on the plane! Well, I can dream can't I? Of course I have to get through the 2 flights prior to arriving at JFK, but since they are relatively short flights I don't see any problems there. But then again, when it comes to air travel it's best to always expect the worst and if that doesn't happen my expectations will be exceeded!
Here's to a swift 54 days!
Sunday, July 02, 2006
2 Months and Counting....
Yay! It's July 2nd and that means 2 months from today I will be jetting off to Prague! The anticipation is killing me! Since my trip is now just 2 months away I feel I can officially begin the countdown!
As nerotic as it may sound I spent a few hours this weekend doing a practice pack to see if everything on my packing list will fit into my bags. I'm glad I did this because I have downsized even more. Yes, I did a practice pack a few months ago, and deleted stuff then too. But, it's all looking good now. The completed packed roll-aboard carry-on weighs 25 pounds, so I'm "good to go"!
As I continue to downsize I keep telling myself "pack as if you are going away for a week". As long as I keep telling myself that and know I will have to do laundry along the way it really makes packing light a whole lot better!
As nerotic as it may sound I spent a few hours this weekend doing a practice pack to see if everything on my packing list will fit into my bags. I'm glad I did this because I have downsized even more. Yes, I did a practice pack a few months ago, and deleted stuff then too. But, it's all looking good now. The completed packed roll-aboard carry-on weighs 25 pounds, so I'm "good to go"!
As I continue to downsize I keep telling myself "pack as if you are going away for a week". As long as I keep telling myself that and know I will have to do laundry along the way it really makes packing light a whole lot better!
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
2007 Trip Plans Shaping Up!
I know some people don't understand my addiction to travel. I sometimes wonder which I love more the planning and preparation of a trip or the trip itself. I've thought about this alot lately.
I love doing the research about a destination I have chosen to visit. I become so engrossed in reading about the history and culture the customs and culinary delights that I often consider myself a travel agent extrordinaire, albeit just for myself or a few select travel companions. I feel that seeking out as much information on a location as I can get will enable me to have numerous choices of things to do, places to see and food to eat while I am traveling and I just love that!
So this brings me to the topic of this blog entry. I have my 2006 trip planning well under my belt, save for a train ticket that I will purchase when I arrive to get a better deal then if I were to purchase the ticket through a broker on line. So I turned my sights on planning a 2007 trip calendar. There are so many places on my wish list that I was torn on where to start serious consideration. But after much lurking/reading on the Fodor's message boards and watching several of the Rick Steves travel shows I have determined that for 2007 my "big" trip will be to Turkey!
And yes, it will be a solo trip, for now anyway. If a friend decides to join me that would be great, but I am not going to sit back and wait for someone else to suggest it! And yes, it will be another group tour and yes, with Rick Steves Europe Through the Back Door. I put my deposit in last week for September 24-October 6, 2007. It should be an interesting trip.
Now why another group tour? Again, it comes down to a few things. 1. I wouldn't feel comfortable traveling completely on my own in Turkey due to the language issue and with a guide I would have help. 2. Although I like traveling solo, I also like to be able to sit down to a meal with others who have shared daily experiences and 3. I really like the Rick Steve style of travel. So there it is, my first 2007 travel commitment.
I've also planned a long winter weekend trip out to Tucson in January 2007 to visit friends. Believe it or not, I was actually able to use frequent flier miles for this trip and only had to pay the $10 tax for the flight.
Now the big question is...should I plan a spring trip for 2007? I'm leaning toward saying yes to this because of how I am handling this years travel withdrawal I am going through. In 2006 I have only one (albeit a long one) trip planned...4 weeks in Central Europe. But that is not until September and the last time I packed my bags to go anywhere was in November 2005 (the infamous Thanksgiving trip to Tucson). So my thought is for 2007 I need to sprinkle even a one week or long weekend trip sometime in the spring so it will be between my Tucson trip in January and my Turkey trip in September (remember this is for 2007).
A few places have popped into my mind for a spring 2007 (think end of May/early June) trip. I loved Ireland so much last year and I was there the same time of year and it was lovely. I'm contemplating renting an apartment for a week and stay in one place and do day trips. So this would also entail renting a car, which may be an obstacle since I'm not comfortable driving a manual transmission (and automatics are pricey) and I would be driving on the opposite side of the road and in all likelihood I would be going it solo. Plus the airfare will probably be around $800-$900.
The other destination I have been considering for sping of 2007 is the Pacific Northwest, more specifically Seattle. I've checked out a trip with Backroads Tours that would be a hiking/walking trip, but that doesn't go until mid-June and I really wanted to take advantage of the Memorial Day Holiday to reduce the number of vacation I would be taking. So now I am mulling over maybe just doing a long weekend and concentrating on just Seattle. Afterall, my Seattle trip that was supposed to be in January 2006 got cancelled and it would be nice to be in Seattle in another month than January! Plus the airfare to Seattle would be half the price to Ireland. But part of me is just drawn to Ireland and if I could would go back every year!
Decisions, Decisions! I am happy that I will be going to Turkey and have promised myself that I will not start researching/reading about that destination until I am back from my jaunt around Central Europe!
As my mother says "Don't wish your life away"! :)
Happy Travels!
I love doing the research about a destination I have chosen to visit. I become so engrossed in reading about the history and culture the customs and culinary delights that I often consider myself a travel agent extrordinaire, albeit just for myself or a few select travel companions. I feel that seeking out as much information on a location as I can get will enable me to have numerous choices of things to do, places to see and food to eat while I am traveling and I just love that!
So this brings me to the topic of this blog entry. I have my 2006 trip planning well under my belt, save for a train ticket that I will purchase when I arrive to get a better deal then if I were to purchase the ticket through a broker on line. So I turned my sights on planning a 2007 trip calendar. There are so many places on my wish list that I was torn on where to start serious consideration. But after much lurking/reading on the Fodor's message boards and watching several of the Rick Steves travel shows I have determined that for 2007 my "big" trip will be to Turkey!
And yes, it will be a solo trip, for now anyway. If a friend decides to join me that would be great, but I am not going to sit back and wait for someone else to suggest it! And yes, it will be another group tour and yes, with Rick Steves Europe Through the Back Door. I put my deposit in last week for September 24-October 6, 2007. It should be an interesting trip.
Now why another group tour? Again, it comes down to a few things. 1. I wouldn't feel comfortable traveling completely on my own in Turkey due to the language issue and with a guide I would have help. 2. Although I like traveling solo, I also like to be able to sit down to a meal with others who have shared daily experiences and 3. I really like the Rick Steve style of travel. So there it is, my first 2007 travel commitment.
I've also planned a long winter weekend trip out to Tucson in January 2007 to visit friends. Believe it or not, I was actually able to use frequent flier miles for this trip and only had to pay the $10 tax for the flight.
Now the big question is...should I plan a spring trip for 2007? I'm leaning toward saying yes to this because of how I am handling this years travel withdrawal I am going through. In 2006 I have only one (albeit a long one) trip planned...4 weeks in Central Europe. But that is not until September and the last time I packed my bags to go anywhere was in November 2005 (the infamous Thanksgiving trip to Tucson). So my thought is for 2007 I need to sprinkle even a one week or long weekend trip sometime in the spring so it will be between my Tucson trip in January and my Turkey trip in September (remember this is for 2007).
A few places have popped into my mind for a spring 2007 (think end of May/early June) trip. I loved Ireland so much last year and I was there the same time of year and it was lovely. I'm contemplating renting an apartment for a week and stay in one place and do day trips. So this would also entail renting a car, which may be an obstacle since I'm not comfortable driving a manual transmission (and automatics are pricey) and I would be driving on the opposite side of the road and in all likelihood I would be going it solo. Plus the airfare will probably be around $800-$900.
The other destination I have been considering for sping of 2007 is the Pacific Northwest, more specifically Seattle. I've checked out a trip with Backroads Tours that would be a hiking/walking trip, but that doesn't go until mid-June and I really wanted to take advantage of the Memorial Day Holiday to reduce the number of vacation I would be taking. So now I am mulling over maybe just doing a long weekend and concentrating on just Seattle. Afterall, my Seattle trip that was supposed to be in January 2006 got cancelled and it would be nice to be in Seattle in another month than January! Plus the airfare to Seattle would be half the price to Ireland. But part of me is just drawn to Ireland and if I could would go back every year!
Decisions, Decisions! I am happy that I will be going to Turkey and have promised myself that I will not start researching/reading about that destination until I am back from my jaunt around Central Europe!
As my mother says "Don't wish your life away"! :)
Happy Travels!
Saturday, June 10, 2006
A Better Plan????
I believe I have conjured up a better alternative to getting a train at 2:30 in the morning! Well, at least I think it's a better plan :)
So after much research and banging my head against a wall, or so it seemed, I came up with this plan...Rent a car!
My original thought was to rent a car in Bled, Slovenia where the tours. My plan was to pick up a rental car the last night of the group tour so CL and I could get an early start the next day and drive to Split to catch the fast catamaran to Hvar at 5pm. You can imagine my shock when I started pricing car rentals and the cheapest one came back at $517! We only wanted the car for one day, but since we would be renting in one country and dropping off in another there was a monumental drop off charge...300 Euros!
Hmmmmm...what to do now? Well, if we could get into Croatia to rent a car maybe the prices would be cheaper. But I didn't want to miss the last night of the group tour. So then my brain goes into over-drive thinking through how this can be done, but I know it can be done and not for $500!
After going over the various scenarios in my head here is the plan I came up with and CL agreed...Thank God she is so easy going!
We will take the 5:20am train from Bled to Zagreb, Croatia's capital. It's approximately a 3 hour train ride. We get to the main train station in downtown Zagreb at about 8:30am, this is on a Tuesday. I found there is an Avis rental car desk at the Sheraton Hotel Zagreb which is only a few blocks from the train station so we can walk there easily pulling our wheely-bags behind us. This worked out perfectly because even though we will only need to rent the car for a few hours the cost is about $100. Now you are probably wondering why don't they take the train all the way to Split. Well....it's because the train will not get us there in time for the last fast catamaran at 5pm, and by driving once we get out of Zagreb the A-1 Highway is a brand new, straight shot from Zagreb to Split. And I have from a reliable source the drive from Zagreb to Split on the A-1 is about 3 hours with good traffic conditions. So in my mind I have told myself it should take about 4 hours, because I have giving us 1 hour to negoiate getting out of downtown and onto the highway. And since we are going to drop off the car at the Split airport which is outside the city, the drive may be a little shorter. Once we drop off the car we just hop on the city bus that will take us directly to the ferry terminal!
Now, I know this sounds like a lot of changes in modes of transportation. But even with the train ticket to Zagreb, the car rental, the gas, the tolls, the bus to the ferry terminal and the catamaran, the cost of that is less then renting a car in Bled and about the same amount as a direct train ticket from Bled to Split.
Even though we will be spending an entire day "in transit" we will be getting to Hvar in the early evening and that was my goal for that day. Then we have 3 days to bum around Hvar! :)
All is well in the world of Croatia travel planning! :)
So after much research and banging my head against a wall, or so it seemed, I came up with this plan...Rent a car!
My original thought was to rent a car in Bled, Slovenia where the tours. My plan was to pick up a rental car the last night of the group tour so CL and I could get an early start the next day and drive to Split to catch the fast catamaran to Hvar at 5pm. You can imagine my shock when I started pricing car rentals and the cheapest one came back at $517! We only wanted the car for one day, but since we would be renting in one country and dropping off in another there was a monumental drop off charge...300 Euros!
Hmmmmm...what to do now? Well, if we could get into Croatia to rent a car maybe the prices would be cheaper. But I didn't want to miss the last night of the group tour. So then my brain goes into over-drive thinking through how this can be done, but I know it can be done and not for $500!
After going over the various scenarios in my head here is the plan I came up with and CL agreed...Thank God she is so easy going!
We will take the 5:20am train from Bled to Zagreb, Croatia's capital. It's approximately a 3 hour train ride. We get to the main train station in downtown Zagreb at about 8:30am, this is on a Tuesday. I found there is an Avis rental car desk at the Sheraton Hotel Zagreb which is only a few blocks from the train station so we can walk there easily pulling our wheely-bags behind us. This worked out perfectly because even though we will only need to rent the car for a few hours the cost is about $100. Now you are probably wondering why don't they take the train all the way to Split. Well....it's because the train will not get us there in time for the last fast catamaran at 5pm, and by driving once we get out of Zagreb the A-1 Highway is a brand new, straight shot from Zagreb to Split. And I have from a reliable source the drive from Zagreb to Split on the A-1 is about 3 hours with good traffic conditions. So in my mind I have told myself it should take about 4 hours, because I have giving us 1 hour to negoiate getting out of downtown and onto the highway. And since we are going to drop off the car at the Split airport which is outside the city, the drive may be a little shorter. Once we drop off the car we just hop on the city bus that will take us directly to the ferry terminal!
Now, I know this sounds like a lot of changes in modes of transportation. But even with the train ticket to Zagreb, the car rental, the gas, the tolls, the bus to the ferry terminal and the catamaran, the cost of that is less then renting a car in Bled and about the same amount as a direct train ticket from Bled to Split.
Even though we will be spending an entire day "in transit" we will be getting to Hvar in the early evening and that was my goal for that day. Then we have 3 days to bum around Hvar! :)
All is well in the world of Croatia travel planning! :)
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Should I stay up all night to catch a 2:30am train?
Here's my situation....
CL and I will be ending the group tour portion of our Central Europe trip in Bled, Slovenia. Our last group tour day is a Tuesday, but technically the tour will pretty much be over at the final dinner with the group on Monday night. CL and I have a reservation and made a deposit for a studio apartment in Hvar, Croatia starting Tuesday night. The reservation is through a travel agency, and we have an email confirmation with the apartment owner's name and phone number to contact. So I am assuming we will need to call the owner to arrange a time to meet and get the apartment key and directions to the apartment.
Our plan is to take a train from Bled to Split, Croatia and then catch a ferry or catamaran to Hvar. The dilema I am facing is that the last fast catamaran from Split to Hvar leaves at 5pm. If we get the 7:45am train from Bled that will put us in Split at 4:30pm. The trouble is that the train is not likely to be on time so we would miss the fast catamaran that would get us to Hvar around 6pm. Or if the train is on time, and luckily the train station is just steps from the ferry terminal, but with cutting it so close time-wise the tickets for the catamaran might be sold out by the time we get there.
Now there is the option of the 8pm regular ferry which takes about 2 hours. But this ferry does not dock in Hvar town (where our apartment is located) it docks at Stari Grad about a 20 minute bus ride from Hvar Town and we would be arriving around 10pm, so we will have lost the daylight. With this late arrival time I am thinking this will be an inconvenience to the apartment owner and I would prefer getting to Hvar in the day light.
So the alternative is getting a 2:30am train from Bled so that we could catch the 7am train in Zagreb and arriving in Split around noon time which gives us several options of either the regular ferry or the fast catamaran to Hvar. But this means, most likely, staying up after the final dinner so we could catch the 2:30am train and then sleeping on the train, but have a 2 hour wait in Zagreb...uggghhh! Such troubles to worry about...I guess the best thing to do at this point is talk to CL and see if she is up for the 2:30am option, since that is what I am preferring at the moment, unless she can think of another option.....Oh well!
Stay tuned!
CL and I will be ending the group tour portion of our Central Europe trip in Bled, Slovenia. Our last group tour day is a Tuesday, but technically the tour will pretty much be over at the final dinner with the group on Monday night. CL and I have a reservation and made a deposit for a studio apartment in Hvar, Croatia starting Tuesday night. The reservation is through a travel agency, and we have an email confirmation with the apartment owner's name and phone number to contact. So I am assuming we will need to call the owner to arrange a time to meet and get the apartment key and directions to the apartment.
Our plan is to take a train from Bled to Split, Croatia and then catch a ferry or catamaran to Hvar. The dilema I am facing is that the last fast catamaran from Split to Hvar leaves at 5pm. If we get the 7:45am train from Bled that will put us in Split at 4:30pm. The trouble is that the train is not likely to be on time so we would miss the fast catamaran that would get us to Hvar around 6pm. Or if the train is on time, and luckily the train station is just steps from the ferry terminal, but with cutting it so close time-wise the tickets for the catamaran might be sold out by the time we get there.
Now there is the option of the 8pm regular ferry which takes about 2 hours. But this ferry does not dock in Hvar town (where our apartment is located) it docks at Stari Grad about a 20 minute bus ride from Hvar Town and we would be arriving around 10pm, so we will have lost the daylight. With this late arrival time I am thinking this will be an inconvenience to the apartment owner and I would prefer getting to Hvar in the day light.
So the alternative is getting a 2:30am train from Bled so that we could catch the 7am train in Zagreb and arriving in Split around noon time which gives us several options of either the regular ferry or the fast catamaran to Hvar. But this means, most likely, staying up after the final dinner so we could catch the 2:30am train and then sleeping on the train, but have a 2 hour wait in Zagreb...uggghhh! Such troubles to worry about...I guess the best thing to do at this point is talk to CL and see if she is up for the 2:30am option, since that is what I am preferring at the moment, unless she can think of another option.....Oh well!
Stay tuned!
Friday, May 26, 2006
How to handle money while traveling....
There are so many topics when it comes to money when traveling I'm going to "impart" some of my wisdom on that here...
The age of the ATM is upon us and I have to admit that I have yet to use an ATM while vacationing abroad. The last several trips I have taken I used my bank's foreign currency section on their website and ordered currency before going on my trip. I know, this was probably not the smartest move for several reasons:
1. The exchange rate wasn't the best
2. There is a transaction fee/shipping charge I had to pay
3. Walking around at my destination with alot of cash probaly wasn't such a great idea (luckily nothing happend!)
But, in my defense I have to say that I liked having the local currecy when I landed and didn't have to search the airport for an ATM and it made getting transportation from the airport easier.
I have learned my lesson now. So, for my "big" September trip where I will be traveling for a month to 6 different countries I have decided to go the way of the ATM and not have any local currency on me when I arrive and just find an ATM before leaving the airport. I figure since I will not be checking any luggage on this trip the time I save not waiting for my luggage I can spend searching for an ATM! :)
The other plus side to using ATM's and getting cash in local currency that is withdrawn from my bank account at home is that even with having to pay a transaction fee for using an ATM not affiliated with my bank at home I will be getting the best (inter-bank) exchange rate. Yes, I know I will be paying an ATM transaction fee, but I'm getting the better exchange rate...makes sense to me...well kind of. At least by using local ATM's at my destination I won't have a whole month's worth of cash on me and be a target for a pickpocket.
Which brings me to my next bit of advice on money and that is use a moneybelt. When I was a college student on a study abroad program and traveling alot by train and staying in hostels I faithfully used a moneybelt. As I got older I let the moneybelt go by the wayside. I haven't used one in quite some time, but having read some rather distrubing stories about pickpocketing I am now convinced the moneybelt is the way to go. I didn't use one in Ireland last year, but never felt theatened. Several years ago in Australia and New Zealand I didn't use one but I used a small backpack instead. I felt safe everywhere I went except on the city streets in Auckland where I wished I had a moneybelt on, simply for reassurance. So in September I will have the moneybelt on and have peace of mind.
Debit cards versus credit cards. I use both in my travels but have stumbled across some words of wisdom about debit cards. Do not let a debit card out of your sight! There are scam artists all over and if they get your debit card number and sell it and that number gets used for purchases the money is not going onto your credit card, but coming out of your bank account! So, my debit card is my ATM card and I will only use it for making withdrawals at an ATM.
Now for credit cards, the same warning kind of holds true, try not to let it out of your sight, I know that can be difficult espcecially if paying for a meal in a restaurant when the server takes the card to put it through the machine, but many European restaurants now bring a hand-held device to your table if paying by credit card that you swipe through so the server never touches your card. But if your credit card does get stolen and I know this is little consolation at least the money that is being charged to your credit card is not coming directly from your bank account. And, typically credit card disputes like this can be cleared up more quickly then the debit card disputes. so a word of caution is to use debit and credit cards very carefully.
The age of the ATM is upon us and I have to admit that I have yet to use an ATM while vacationing abroad. The last several trips I have taken I used my bank's foreign currency section on their website and ordered currency before going on my trip. I know, this was probably not the smartest move for several reasons:
1. The exchange rate wasn't the best
2. There is a transaction fee/shipping charge I had to pay
3. Walking around at my destination with alot of cash probaly wasn't such a great idea (luckily nothing happend!)
But, in my defense I have to say that I liked having the local currecy when I landed and didn't have to search the airport for an ATM and it made getting transportation from the airport easier.
I have learned my lesson now. So, for my "big" September trip where I will be traveling for a month to 6 different countries I have decided to go the way of the ATM and not have any local currency on me when I arrive and just find an ATM before leaving the airport. I figure since I will not be checking any luggage on this trip the time I save not waiting for my luggage I can spend searching for an ATM! :)
The other plus side to using ATM's and getting cash in local currency that is withdrawn from my bank account at home is that even with having to pay a transaction fee for using an ATM not affiliated with my bank at home I will be getting the best (inter-bank) exchange rate. Yes, I know I will be paying an ATM transaction fee, but I'm getting the better exchange rate...makes sense to me...well kind of. At least by using local ATM's at my destination I won't have a whole month's worth of cash on me and be a target for a pickpocket.
Which brings me to my next bit of advice on money and that is use a moneybelt. When I was a college student on a study abroad program and traveling alot by train and staying in hostels I faithfully used a moneybelt. As I got older I let the moneybelt go by the wayside. I haven't used one in quite some time, but having read some rather distrubing stories about pickpocketing I am now convinced the moneybelt is the way to go. I didn't use one in Ireland last year, but never felt theatened. Several years ago in Australia and New Zealand I didn't use one but I used a small backpack instead. I felt safe everywhere I went except on the city streets in Auckland where I wished I had a moneybelt on, simply for reassurance. So in September I will have the moneybelt on and have peace of mind.
Debit cards versus credit cards. I use both in my travels but have stumbled across some words of wisdom about debit cards. Do not let a debit card out of your sight! There are scam artists all over and if they get your debit card number and sell it and that number gets used for purchases the money is not going onto your credit card, but coming out of your bank account! So, my debit card is my ATM card and I will only use it for making withdrawals at an ATM.
Now for credit cards, the same warning kind of holds true, try not to let it out of your sight, I know that can be difficult espcecially if paying for a meal in a restaurant when the server takes the card to put it through the machine, but many European restaurants now bring a hand-held device to your table if paying by credit card that you swipe through so the server never touches your card. But if your credit card does get stolen and I know this is little consolation at least the money that is being charged to your credit card is not coming directly from your bank account. And, typically credit card disputes like this can be cleared up more quickly then the debit card disputes. so a word of caution is to use debit and credit cards very carefully.
Monday, May 22, 2006
100 Things you'd ever want to know about me (or not!)
Some interesting (or not so interesting) trivia about me:
1. I was born in New Jersey
2. My sister was born on my birthday 2 years after I was born
3. In kindergarden Carl Sylvester pulled the ears off my knitted wool cap that had a dog face and ears on the back
4. I went to public school for kindergarden but I went to Catholic school 1st-3rd grades
5. Upon entering public school in 4th grade I had to go to remedial math and english classes because I wasn't at the same level as the other public school kids
6. I took dancing lessons from Miss Anne's from the time I was 2 until I was a freshman in high school (ballet, tap and jazz)
7. By Senior year of high school I was taking college level Spanish classes and could read a novel in Spanish (and understand it)
8. In high school my favorite subject was history
9. In high shcool I was terrible in the math and sciences
10. I was on the high school swim team all 4 years and the track team for 3 years
11. I was on the high school flag team (part of marching band) for 2 years
12. I gained an enormous amount of weight at one week of summer band camp during high school
13. My first "real job" was when I was 13 and I worked as a summer day camp counselor for a group of 5 year olds and earned $50 for the whole summer (plus tips) at the swim club my family belonged too
14. The next summer I was the baby pool lifeguard and made about $40 a week
15. The summer I was 15 I was able to work as a lifeguard at the "big" pool.
16. I spent 5 summers working as a lifeguard at various swim clubs and pools
17. When I turned 17 I became a certified water safety instructor and I taught alot of swimming lessons
18. I baby sat during the winter months for 2 families from the time I was 14 until I graduated from high school
19. The best road trip I ever took was with my mom when we went to look at colleges in Pennsylvania (I will never forget the song "We Built This City" and will never order Shrimp with rice, potatoes and spaghetti again!)
20. The minute I rode into Providence and the Johnson and Wales Campus I knew that was where I was going to go to college...no doubt in my mind
21. I was the captain of the high school girl's swim team and the only one on the team who wanted to swim long distances
22. Between the high school swim team and the Boy's and Girl's Club swim team I was on, during the season I practiced/swam approximately 4 hours a day (lost that band camp weight!)
23. Although I was on the high school track team I hate to run. I was a shot putter, but couldn't master any of the other field events
24. The first boy I dated was the captain of the high school's boy's swim team and he was the son of the Boy's and Girl's club swim team coach
25. The best swim meets were at West Point Academy
26. I gave up dancing lessons when I started getting serious about swimming
27. I varsity lettered multiple years in swimming and track
28. My first international trip was when I was 15 with a group from high school my Spanish teach put together
29. I am still best friends with my best friend from junior high and high school
30. My best friend from lifeguarding was Allyson Gage and we spent alot of summers together working, swimming and going to Friendly's ice cream parlors.
31. Alot of summers as a youngster were spent at the Jersey shore, especially Ocean Beach with the Dowlings and their boys
32. We always preferred going to Point Pleasant instead of Seaside Heights
33. The most memorable Broadway show I have ever seen was Evita on the night after the Tony awards and Patti Lupone was presented with dozens of red roses
34. After seeing Evita I memorized the entire score of the show that summer
35. My second international trip, to Paris and London, was with the same Spanish teacher who I went to Italy
36. Things I learned on these first 2 international trips, never wear high healed sandals on cobbleston streets in Italy, always check the time you have the alarm clock set for because it could be 3 in the morning, it is the same time on the ground as it is at the top of the Eiffel Tower (some in our group didn't know that)
37. As a teenager the hardest thing I ever had to do was say goodbye to my mom when she dropped me off at college the first time
38. One of the best things I ever did was decide to go to Johnson and Wales University in Providence and chose to live in the only all girls dorm on campus, it was like living in a sorority house
39. I loved college and Providence
40. I was smarter then I thought I was at 18 when I picked to major in travel and tourism management
41. I was a Resident Assistant in the dorm for 2 years and was a senior RA when I was a junior
42. I lived off campus my last semester of college in a house with 5 other girls and only 1 bathroom
43. I worked for CVS after my first year of college and loved working there as a part time job
44. During college I worked at a MASH themed restuarant in Providence called Trapper John's owned by a former Providence mayor, Buddy Cianci, who was elected to the mayors office again, after I graduated
45. My sophomore year of college I did an internship at a travel agency in Johnston, RI and coordinated a FAM trip with my class, we went to Holland, Belgium, and Germany
46. Sophomore year of college I went on spring break to the Costa Del Sol in Spain with my friend Stacey who was from Philadelphia
47. I bought an awesome leather bomber jacket in Spain that I still have and wear
48. Before scrapbooking became "all the rage" I put photo albums together as scrapbooks while I was in high school and college
49. My first month at college I lost 15 pounds and mom sent me back with a boxful of food
50. I spent the last trimester of my junior year of college doing a study abroad program in Montreux, Switzerland
51. The 4 day weekends during study aboard and my Eurail Pass were 2 great things about those 3 months of study abroad
52. I got into the University of New Hampshire in their sports medicine program (didn't get into their hospitality program) and was to be a walk on to their women's swim team...that didn't happen
53. I was able to graduate college a trimester early, in February in stead of May. A week after my last class I started my first full time job and was living in Philadelphia
54. After working 8 months as a management trainee in Philadelphia I got a promotion and I moved back to NJ and started working in NYC
55. At the age of 22 I was living a dream (what I thought was my dream), working in NYC
56. I spent 2 and a half years working in NYC at 48th and Broadway (Times Square)
57. My freshman year of college I rang in the New Year in New York City in Times Square
58. I saw Bruce Springsteen at Giant's Stadium. The seats were in the very last row at the top of the stadium and I had to use binoculars to looks at the concert on the big screens set up at the sides of the stage...yes, I was that far away
59. My first solo travel was during my study abroad and I went to Vienna by myself for a long weekend
60. My first Club Med vacation was to the island of Martinique and I went by myself
61. I've been to 3 Club Med villages, 2 in Mexico and the one in Martinique
62. I moved to Hilton Head Island in February 1993 for a job transfer/promotion
63. The day I came back from my last Club Med vacation I repacked my bags and went to Hilton Head for a job interview
64. I've been on 2 Carribbean cruises
65. I've been to the Hard Rock Cafe in
London, NYC, Puerto Rico, and Dublin
66. I've been to the Cheesecake Factory restaurant in Atlanta, Orlando, and Las Vegas
67. After 8 years in the hotel business I left that industry to work for a local government
68. After living in Hilton Head for 8 months I joined Weight Watchers and lost 94 pounds in 1 year
69. After becoming a Weight Watcher lifetime member I worked for them part time as a meeting receptionist and a meeting leader
70. I am a certified SCUBA diver
71. I am a certified aerobics instructor and personal trainer
72. I've been snorkling at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia
73. I've climbed to the summit of the Sydney Harbor Bridge
74. I've seen the musical Les Miserables in London and New York
75. I bought my first house (a condominium) at the age of 27
76. I bought my second house (a single family house) at the age of 32
77. I've celebrated Chinese New Year (the year of the monkey) in Hong Kong
78. I've vacationed in a villa in Tuscany with 20 friends
79. I've petted a kanagroo
80. The longest flights I've been on were 20+ hours
81. I've been to the biggest bronze buddha in the world on Lantau Island
82. I started listening to country music when I moved to South Carolina
83. I started line dancing when I moved to South Carolina (thank you Alan!)
84. I've seen Hootie and the Blow Fish and Edwin McCain at the Old Post Office in Hilton Head BEFORE they became successful musicians
85. I became an Irish citizen through my family ancestry
86. I thought New Zealand was the greenest place I had seen until I went to Ireland
87. I have been white water rafting on the Chatooga River in South Carolina
88. I have been to the Cliffs of Moher
89. I have taken a black taxi tour of Belfast, Northern Ireland
90. I have run a 5K race in 30 minutes
91. I met Rachel Ray while she was filming an episode of $40 a Day in Hilton Head
92. I saw Chris Farley at the Hilton Head airport (original one) and didn't know it was him until after he left
93. I've shopped at the L.L. Bean store in Freeport, Maine at 3 in the morning
94. Some of the best food I have had has been in Italy
95. All the other best food I have had has been prepared by my mom
96. I still keep in touch with my favorite high school teacher every year at Christmas
97. I used to ice skate every day after school in the winter during junior high school
98. I'm an avid reader of "chick lit" books
99. I have flown to San Francisco and Phoenix on frequent flyer mile tickets
100. I never thought I would live in South Carolina for as long I have been here
101. I never thought I would get to the end of this list!
1. I was born in New Jersey
2. My sister was born on my birthday 2 years after I was born
3. In kindergarden Carl Sylvester pulled the ears off my knitted wool cap that had a dog face and ears on the back
4. I went to public school for kindergarden but I went to Catholic school 1st-3rd grades
5. Upon entering public school in 4th grade I had to go to remedial math and english classes because I wasn't at the same level as the other public school kids
6. I took dancing lessons from Miss Anne's from the time I was 2 until I was a freshman in high school (ballet, tap and jazz)
7. By Senior year of high school I was taking college level Spanish classes and could read a novel in Spanish (and understand it)
8. In high school my favorite subject was history
9. In high shcool I was terrible in the math and sciences
10. I was on the high school swim team all 4 years and the track team for 3 years
11. I was on the high school flag team (part of marching band) for 2 years
12. I gained an enormous amount of weight at one week of summer band camp during high school
13. My first "real job" was when I was 13 and I worked as a summer day camp counselor for a group of 5 year olds and earned $50 for the whole summer (plus tips) at the swim club my family belonged too
14. The next summer I was the baby pool lifeguard and made about $40 a week
15. The summer I was 15 I was able to work as a lifeguard at the "big" pool.
16. I spent 5 summers working as a lifeguard at various swim clubs and pools
17. When I turned 17 I became a certified water safety instructor and I taught alot of swimming lessons
18. I baby sat during the winter months for 2 families from the time I was 14 until I graduated from high school
19. The best road trip I ever took was with my mom when we went to look at colleges in Pennsylvania (I will never forget the song "We Built This City" and will never order Shrimp with rice, potatoes and spaghetti again!)
20. The minute I rode into Providence and the Johnson and Wales Campus I knew that was where I was going to go to college...no doubt in my mind
21. I was the captain of the high school girl's swim team and the only one on the team who wanted to swim long distances
22. Between the high school swim team and the Boy's and Girl's Club swim team I was on, during the season I practiced/swam approximately 4 hours a day (lost that band camp weight!)
23. Although I was on the high school track team I hate to run. I was a shot putter, but couldn't master any of the other field events
24. The first boy I dated was the captain of the high school's boy's swim team and he was the son of the Boy's and Girl's club swim team coach
25. The best swim meets were at West Point Academy
26. I gave up dancing lessons when I started getting serious about swimming
27. I varsity lettered multiple years in swimming and track
28. My first international trip was when I was 15 with a group from high school my Spanish teach put together
29. I am still best friends with my best friend from junior high and high school
30. My best friend from lifeguarding was Allyson Gage and we spent alot of summers together working, swimming and going to Friendly's ice cream parlors.
31. Alot of summers as a youngster were spent at the Jersey shore, especially Ocean Beach with the Dowlings and their boys
32. We always preferred going to Point Pleasant instead of Seaside Heights
33. The most memorable Broadway show I have ever seen was Evita on the night after the Tony awards and Patti Lupone was presented with dozens of red roses
34. After seeing Evita I memorized the entire score of the show that summer
35. My second international trip, to Paris and London, was with the same Spanish teacher who I went to Italy
36. Things I learned on these first 2 international trips, never wear high healed sandals on cobbleston streets in Italy, always check the time you have the alarm clock set for because it could be 3 in the morning, it is the same time on the ground as it is at the top of the Eiffel Tower (some in our group didn't know that)
37. As a teenager the hardest thing I ever had to do was say goodbye to my mom when she dropped me off at college the first time
38. One of the best things I ever did was decide to go to Johnson and Wales University in Providence and chose to live in the only all girls dorm on campus, it was like living in a sorority house
39. I loved college and Providence
40. I was smarter then I thought I was at 18 when I picked to major in travel and tourism management
41. I was a Resident Assistant in the dorm for 2 years and was a senior RA when I was a junior
42. I lived off campus my last semester of college in a house with 5 other girls and only 1 bathroom
43. I worked for CVS after my first year of college and loved working there as a part time job
44. During college I worked at a MASH themed restuarant in Providence called Trapper John's owned by a former Providence mayor, Buddy Cianci, who was elected to the mayors office again, after I graduated
45. My sophomore year of college I did an internship at a travel agency in Johnston, RI and coordinated a FAM trip with my class, we went to Holland, Belgium, and Germany
46. Sophomore year of college I went on spring break to the Costa Del Sol in Spain with my friend Stacey who was from Philadelphia
47. I bought an awesome leather bomber jacket in Spain that I still have and wear
48. Before scrapbooking became "all the rage" I put photo albums together as scrapbooks while I was in high school and college
49. My first month at college I lost 15 pounds and mom sent me back with a boxful of food
50. I spent the last trimester of my junior year of college doing a study abroad program in Montreux, Switzerland
51. The 4 day weekends during study aboard and my Eurail Pass were 2 great things about those 3 months of study abroad
52. I got into the University of New Hampshire in their sports medicine program (didn't get into their hospitality program) and was to be a walk on to their women's swim team...that didn't happen
53. I was able to graduate college a trimester early, in February in stead of May. A week after my last class I started my first full time job and was living in Philadelphia
54. After working 8 months as a management trainee in Philadelphia I got a promotion and I moved back to NJ and started working in NYC
55. At the age of 22 I was living a dream (what I thought was my dream), working in NYC
56. I spent 2 and a half years working in NYC at 48th and Broadway (Times Square)
57. My freshman year of college I rang in the New Year in New York City in Times Square
58. I saw Bruce Springsteen at Giant's Stadium. The seats were in the very last row at the top of the stadium and I had to use binoculars to looks at the concert on the big screens set up at the sides of the stage...yes, I was that far away
59. My first solo travel was during my study abroad and I went to Vienna by myself for a long weekend
60. My first Club Med vacation was to the island of Martinique and I went by myself
61. I've been to 3 Club Med villages, 2 in Mexico and the one in Martinique
62. I moved to Hilton Head Island in February 1993 for a job transfer/promotion
63. The day I came back from my last Club Med vacation I repacked my bags and went to Hilton Head for a job interview
64. I've been on 2 Carribbean cruises
65. I've been to the Hard Rock Cafe in
London, NYC, Puerto Rico, and Dublin
66. I've been to the Cheesecake Factory restaurant in Atlanta, Orlando, and Las Vegas
67. After 8 years in the hotel business I left that industry to work for a local government
68. After living in Hilton Head for 8 months I joined Weight Watchers and lost 94 pounds in 1 year
69. After becoming a Weight Watcher lifetime member I worked for them part time as a meeting receptionist and a meeting leader
70. I am a certified SCUBA diver
71. I am a certified aerobics instructor and personal trainer
72. I've been snorkling at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia
73. I've climbed to the summit of the Sydney Harbor Bridge
74. I've seen the musical Les Miserables in London and New York
75. I bought my first house (a condominium) at the age of 27
76. I bought my second house (a single family house) at the age of 32
77. I've celebrated Chinese New Year (the year of the monkey) in Hong Kong
78. I've vacationed in a villa in Tuscany with 20 friends
79. I've petted a kanagroo
80. The longest flights I've been on were 20+ hours
81. I've been to the biggest bronze buddha in the world on Lantau Island
82. I started listening to country music when I moved to South Carolina
83. I started line dancing when I moved to South Carolina (thank you Alan!)
84. I've seen Hootie and the Blow Fish and Edwin McCain at the Old Post Office in Hilton Head BEFORE they became successful musicians
85. I became an Irish citizen through my family ancestry
86. I thought New Zealand was the greenest place I had seen until I went to Ireland
87. I have been white water rafting on the Chatooga River in South Carolina
88. I have been to the Cliffs of Moher
89. I have taken a black taxi tour of Belfast, Northern Ireland
90. I have run a 5K race in 30 minutes
91. I met Rachel Ray while she was filming an episode of $40 a Day in Hilton Head
92. I saw Chris Farley at the Hilton Head airport (original one) and didn't know it was him until after he left
93. I've shopped at the L.L. Bean store in Freeport, Maine at 3 in the morning
94. Some of the best food I have had has been in Italy
95. All the other best food I have had has been prepared by my mom
96. I still keep in touch with my favorite high school teacher every year at Christmas
97. I used to ice skate every day after school in the winter during junior high school
98. I'm an avid reader of "chick lit" books
99. I have flown to San Francisco and Phoenix on frequent flyer mile tickets
100. I never thought I would live in South Carolina for as long I have been here
101. I never thought I would get to the end of this list!
Monday, May 15, 2006
Is this a dream that could come true?
Ok, so my thought for this post kind of relates to travel but in a round about sort of way. I love to travel, that's pretty evident, otherwise why would I have named this blog Marcy's View of the World. But as I've said I "toil away" at a job to feed my travel addiction as well as my need for food and shelter! :)
So, could it be possible? Am I willing to take a risk? Should I finally figure out what I want to be when I "grow up" and find a job that I absolutely adore? And would that job be travel related or not???
I think part of my problem is that I want to seek out fun and adventure, at least my definition of fun and adventure, but the "realistic" side of me keeps holding back. I need health insurance, I need a place to sleep at night that's dry and warm (or cool when need be), I need a steady income, I need security, but I want to "play" too, and I think I'm trading off a job that I find less then thrilling (at the moment) for that security.
And security is not a bad thing. I like getting that bi-weekly paycheck and knowing if I break my leg or need to stay in the hospital that I have insurance to help me out and I've worked hard for the things I have, I love my house, I've got a car that's paid for, I can travel and I've accrued lots of vacation and sick time at work if I ever need it. BUT, sometimes I think "Wouldn't it be great if I could just toss care to the wind and find a job that I LOVED, even if it wasn't secure?"
The other issue I struggle with is...would it be any different if I did have a significant other? Would it be easier financially? I'm pretty sure it would be and I wouldn't have to painstakingly watch my spending. Or would it? I've heard horror stories of people's marriages or relationships that are just horrendous. So which way is better? So you can see my connundrum, well, it's certainly a connundrum for me.
I know, I know...after having one of my "pity parties" for myself I always stop and think, why do I feel this way? I have it really good. I do have a good job that provides well for me, I'm hard working and that has paid off, I'm finally, after years of living accumulating credit card debt, getting to a place where cash is becoming my preferred method of payment. And, look how fortunate I am to have a great little house and a paid off car, how many people can say that? And I have a terrific family and friends and get to do what I want when I want to. But my mind always seems to drift off into..."What If" land. What if I was married, what if I had a job I LOVED, what if I sold everything and moved to Ireland? Sometimes the questions just keep coming.
Is all this a sign of discontent? If so, what am I so discontented about? Is it the job, the single syndrone or any other crazy thing I can come up with at the moment? If I don't know, how can I find out? Am I a "scaredy cat", or is it that I take my responsibilities too seriously? Maybe one of these days I will figure it all out. But for now, I will continue to dream as I do, and when I am ready to make my dreams come true I will be ready to do just that.
So, could it be possible? Am I willing to take a risk? Should I finally figure out what I want to be when I "grow up" and find a job that I absolutely adore? And would that job be travel related or not???
I think part of my problem is that I want to seek out fun and adventure, at least my definition of fun and adventure, but the "realistic" side of me keeps holding back. I need health insurance, I need a place to sleep at night that's dry and warm (or cool when need be), I need a steady income, I need security, but I want to "play" too, and I think I'm trading off a job that I find less then thrilling (at the moment) for that security.
And security is not a bad thing. I like getting that bi-weekly paycheck and knowing if I break my leg or need to stay in the hospital that I have insurance to help me out and I've worked hard for the things I have, I love my house, I've got a car that's paid for, I can travel and I've accrued lots of vacation and sick time at work if I ever need it. BUT, sometimes I think "Wouldn't it be great if I could just toss care to the wind and find a job that I LOVED, even if it wasn't secure?"
The other issue I struggle with is...would it be any different if I did have a significant other? Would it be easier financially? I'm pretty sure it would be and I wouldn't have to painstakingly watch my spending. Or would it? I've heard horror stories of people's marriages or relationships that are just horrendous. So which way is better? So you can see my connundrum, well, it's certainly a connundrum for me.
I know, I know...after having one of my "pity parties" for myself I always stop and think, why do I feel this way? I have it really good. I do have a good job that provides well for me, I'm hard working and that has paid off, I'm finally, after years of living accumulating credit card debt, getting to a place where cash is becoming my preferred method of payment. And, look how fortunate I am to have a great little house and a paid off car, how many people can say that? And I have a terrific family and friends and get to do what I want when I want to. But my mind always seems to drift off into..."What If" land. What if I was married, what if I had a job I LOVED, what if I sold everything and moved to Ireland? Sometimes the questions just keep coming.
Is all this a sign of discontent? If so, what am I so discontented about? Is it the job, the single syndrone or any other crazy thing I can come up with at the moment? If I don't know, how can I find out? Am I a "scaredy cat", or is it that I take my responsibilities too seriously? Maybe one of these days I will figure it all out. But for now, I will continue to dream as I do, and when I am ready to make my dreams come true I will be ready to do just that.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
The "It Must Be Nice" response...
Right off the bat I will admit that I have taken this topic from a post on the Fodors website. The post there got alot of responses and although I did not post a reply on that website it got me thinking about if people ever tell me this when they find out about one of my trips.
I'm sure that I've had people make similar comments to me, but can't recall any specifics. And as many of the Fodorites posted, it does kind of "get on my nerves". What irritates me is when people ask me about my vacation/trip plans and I tell them and then they give me the "roll of the eyes" and a smart-alec remark.
Such as when I tell them I am going to Eastern Europe (because if I told them Central Europe as it is correctly called from a geographic standpoint they would have no clue where I was talking about) they immediately want to know why I would pick there to go on vacation? Well, maybe because it's an area of the world that interests me or maybe I'm intrigued by the culture and history and I want to not only relax during my vacation but also learn a little something. One person asked my travel partner who I'm going with on my upcoming September trip, why would we want to go see Auschwitz? (I know I probably spelled that wrong!) Well, it's part of history and it intrigues me.
Then there are the people that can't believe I'm going to Europe because it's so expensive, well if you plan accordingly it can be affordable and because I choose to drive a 7 year old car that's paid for and not have the latest big screen HD TV and digital cable I can put my pennies in a "travel account" because that's what I like to do, it's a hobby and it's something (travel) that I make a priority in my life.
So maybe the "It must be nice" is because those people are jealous or envious or want to do it too, but don't have the nerve. It hasn't happened so much with my Central Europe trip because I am going with a friend and that seems so much more acceptable to people then when I tell them I am going by myself.
It's true, when people have asked me in the past "Who are you going with on your trip?" and I tell them no one, they look at me like I have 7 heads and come from another planet. Like they would never be caught dead traveling solo. Well, if you've read this blog before you know my feelings about traveling solo...LOVE IT! :)
Well, why wouldn't I travel solo? Sometimes I travel with others, but the majority is on my own, and it's because some of the places I want to see, my friends don't want to, but I won't let that stop me, why should it stop me? Granted even though I am traveling as a single traveler many times I go on a group tour, so I'm not always "alone".
And why should I wait until I retire? How many times have you heard that someone makes all these grandiose plans for retirement only to turn around and a day, a week, a month or year after retiring they have a heart attack, stroke or get hit by a bus. For that matter any of those things could happen at any time, so my philosophy is do it while I can, and that way I won't say, "I wish I had done more traveling" when my time is up, I will say "I have such great memories"!
So, my reply to "It Must Be Nice"....Yup, it sure is!
I'm sure that I've had people make similar comments to me, but can't recall any specifics. And as many of the Fodorites posted, it does kind of "get on my nerves". What irritates me is when people ask me about my vacation/trip plans and I tell them and then they give me the "roll of the eyes" and a smart-alec remark.
Such as when I tell them I am going to Eastern Europe (because if I told them Central Europe as it is correctly called from a geographic standpoint they would have no clue where I was talking about) they immediately want to know why I would pick there to go on vacation? Well, maybe because it's an area of the world that interests me or maybe I'm intrigued by the culture and history and I want to not only relax during my vacation but also learn a little something. One person asked my travel partner who I'm going with on my upcoming September trip, why would we want to go see Auschwitz? (I know I probably spelled that wrong!) Well, it's part of history and it intrigues me.
Then there are the people that can't believe I'm going to Europe because it's so expensive, well if you plan accordingly it can be affordable and because I choose to drive a 7 year old car that's paid for and not have the latest big screen HD TV and digital cable I can put my pennies in a "travel account" because that's what I like to do, it's a hobby and it's something (travel) that I make a priority in my life.
So maybe the "It must be nice" is because those people are jealous or envious or want to do it too, but don't have the nerve. It hasn't happened so much with my Central Europe trip because I am going with a friend and that seems so much more acceptable to people then when I tell them I am going by myself.
It's true, when people have asked me in the past "Who are you going with on your trip?" and I tell them no one, they look at me like I have 7 heads and come from another planet. Like they would never be caught dead traveling solo. Well, if you've read this blog before you know my feelings about traveling solo...LOVE IT! :)
Well, why wouldn't I travel solo? Sometimes I travel with others, but the majority is on my own, and it's because some of the places I want to see, my friends don't want to, but I won't let that stop me, why should it stop me? Granted even though I am traveling as a single traveler many times I go on a group tour, so I'm not always "alone".
And why should I wait until I retire? How many times have you heard that someone makes all these grandiose plans for retirement only to turn around and a day, a week, a month or year after retiring they have a heart attack, stroke or get hit by a bus. For that matter any of those things could happen at any time, so my philosophy is do it while I can, and that way I won't say, "I wish I had done more traveling" when my time is up, I will say "I have such great memories"!
So, my reply to "It Must Be Nice"....Yup, it sure is!
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
The Countdown Has Begun!
The other day, May 2nd to be specific, the realization hit me that in exactly 4 months I will be heading out for my Central Europe "excursion". So, now it's actually less then 4 months away...YIPEEEEE!
I have been immersing myself in all information that I can soak up on Prague, Krakow, Eger, Budapest, Plitivice, Rab, Bled, Hvar and Dubrovnik. And believe me there is a wealth of information out there. In fact, I may be suffering from a bit of information overload at this point. But I am getting really excited. I just sent off my final payment for the Rick Steves portion of the trip and have as many of the little details taken care of for the "extra 10 days" that I can possibly handle to this point, so I'm feeling pretty good. I've even found out about a terrific evening marionette performance in Prague that I think CL and I will enjoy. I don't want to pre-order the tickets for that though until I find out what might be planned with the group tour for any or none of the nights in Prague. I can find that out easy enough closer to the departure date, but from what I have read I can most likely get tickets the day of or day before the performance, so not a big deal there.
Now that I'm feeling "settled" with the September 2006 trip I started thinking about where to go in 2007...ok, so it's a disease with me...this travel pre-occupation...see I really do need to work in the travel biz! Coincidentally while I am thinking of 2007 I get the email from Rick Steves Europe Through the Back Door announcing they are opening up their 2007 tours. How could I not take a look at what they have to offer since Scandinavia and Turkey are high on my list, but yet pretty "polar opposites". The more I read the description of the Turkey tour the more intrigued I became...so...cut to the Fodor's website (as usual). I've been reading some very interesting stuff on Turkey and believe I have just found my "big" destination for 2007. If I put down my deposit now, I have my pick of tour dates, but I am leaning towards late September/early October 2007, which seems to get the vote as "great time of year" to visit Turkey from my fellow Fodorites. Sooooo, I'm 99.9999% sure I will be visiting Turkey next year...but I've had to stop myself from doing any "major" research just yet, since I keep telling myself that I haven't even been on this year's "big" trip yet! Patience is a virtue I need to practice! So, for now I have not committed to Turkey, but my little voice is telling me to "Just Do It"! Hey, I've got nothing to lose and so much to gain!
Happy Travels!
I have been immersing myself in all information that I can soak up on Prague, Krakow, Eger, Budapest, Plitivice, Rab, Bled, Hvar and Dubrovnik. And believe me there is a wealth of information out there. In fact, I may be suffering from a bit of information overload at this point. But I am getting really excited. I just sent off my final payment for the Rick Steves portion of the trip and have as many of the little details taken care of for the "extra 10 days" that I can possibly handle to this point, so I'm feeling pretty good. I've even found out about a terrific evening marionette performance in Prague that I think CL and I will enjoy. I don't want to pre-order the tickets for that though until I find out what might be planned with the group tour for any or none of the nights in Prague. I can find that out easy enough closer to the departure date, but from what I have read I can most likely get tickets the day of or day before the performance, so not a big deal there.
Now that I'm feeling "settled" with the September 2006 trip I started thinking about where to go in 2007...ok, so it's a disease with me...this travel pre-occupation...see I really do need to work in the travel biz! Coincidentally while I am thinking of 2007 I get the email from Rick Steves Europe Through the Back Door announcing they are opening up their 2007 tours. How could I not take a look at what they have to offer since Scandinavia and Turkey are high on my list, but yet pretty "polar opposites". The more I read the description of the Turkey tour the more intrigued I became...so...cut to the Fodor's website (as usual). I've been reading some very interesting stuff on Turkey and believe I have just found my "big" destination for 2007. If I put down my deposit now, I have my pick of tour dates, but I am leaning towards late September/early October 2007, which seems to get the vote as "great time of year" to visit Turkey from my fellow Fodorites. Sooooo, I'm 99.9999% sure I will be visiting Turkey next year...but I've had to stop myself from doing any "major" research just yet, since I keep telling myself that I haven't even been on this year's "big" trip yet! Patience is a virtue I need to practice! So, for now I have not committed to Turkey, but my little voice is telling me to "Just Do It"! Hey, I've got nothing to lose and so much to gain!
Happy Travels!
Monday, April 10, 2006
Kayaking with "The Council"...and Kevin
My latest "outing" with friends, otherwise known as The Council of Wise Women (and Kevin) was a GREAT DAY! Even though the start of it looked like it might be a "weather-challenged" day, it turned out to be perfect weather!
Of course, with any momentous event in our daily lives, I should give some background information on how this GREAT DAY evolved.
Donna's birthday was back at the end of March, the 26th to be exact. Typically the birthday person will pick a restaurant and we will all go there for dinner. Donna decided she didn't want her birthday celebration with us to be centered around food (and I was happy for a change in the routine too!) and she mentioned that she would like to go kayaking. We all thought that was a terrific idea.
Dori heard good things about a kayak outfitter called Swamp Girls and called them to get the details. Turns out they are based in Hardeeville, SC and would be able to do a Sunday kayak trip for us to Ebenezer Creek, near Rincon, Georgia about an hour from where we live.
So we all met up at Belfair's recreation center on Sunday, and by "we all" I mean, Donna (Happy Birthday Girl!) Melissa, Eddye, Dori, Me and of course our "token male" Kevin. We pile into Donna's car and off we go to meet the Swamp Girls (Sue and RoseMary) at a gas station at the intersection of Highway 278 and I-95. No problem, we even manage to get there only 2 minutes late! :) It's about another 45 minutes to get to Ebenezer Creek, but it's no worries since we are following Sue (aka...SwampBoss) who is towing 8 kayaks...it would be kind of hard to lose track of her!
We get to the launch site and get everything set up and kayaks adjusted, have a brief paddling lesson, meet the other 2 guides who are coming along with us (Don and Mary) and one other solo paddler Mac (from Savannah), who Sue said was a doctor and Eddye hoped was a psychiatrist if he was coming with our group! :)
We all get into the water (in our kayaks of course!) one at a time and start paddling. Sue gives a really nice commentary on the environment and points out lots of interesting things, mother and baby eagles, alligators, herons...it was really peaceful. The creek/swamp was very placid and the water level was very low so we got to see the roots of the cyprus trees...very cool.
After about an hour of paddling we pull up onto another landing with a little picnic shelter and it's LUNCH TIME. The Swamp-chef (RoseMary) had pasta salad, cold chicken, chips and salsa, pineapple and strawberries and "killer" brownies (which could quiet possibly be THE BEST brownies I have ever tasted...secret ingredient...rum...who knew!) AND since it was Donna's birthday, Mary had made a German Chocolate cake, needless to say, there weren't may left-overs! And our kayaks were much lighter on the afternoon paddle! :)
When we were finished with lunch we headed back out onto the water and paddle for another hour or so before going back to the landing where the cars were parked. By the time we finished helping get the kayaks out of the water we were back in the car around 3pm-ish and heading for home...or so we thought. We took a wrong turn at one point and got a bit turned around, but between Melissa calling Sue the SwampBoss to get directions and asking a passing car, we managed to get back to I-95, we just took the scenic route! :)
We were back at Belfair shortly after 4pm. It was a great time, what a fun way to celebrate Donna's birthday, and I can't wait to see the pictures from this outing.
This was a great way to see a beautiful area. And since some of our group hadn't kayaked before it was the perfect first time experience since we didn't have to fight the tide. And the best part is that my arms (or abdominals) are not sore from paddling!
Happy Paddling!
Friday, March 31, 2006
I'm Marcy and I'm a "Travel-holic"....
OK, so even now I think I'm becoming obsessed with my travel addiction...does that even make sense?
I have been compulsively trolling the Fodors website message boards. Well, technically only the Europe message board recently, but hey, doesn't that make sense because in just a mere 5 months time I will be traversing the nooks and crannies of Central Europe? Anyway, any chance I get to log onto Fodors I do and some of the trip reports on that board have me in stitches! They are so funny, and some truly (as expressed by other posters there) have the potential to become terrific comedy movies! :)
But in my defense I have picked up some really great tips/advice from fellow travel junkies. Such as a huge list of recommendations for restaurants/activities/sites to not miss while in Krakow, or at lest definitely try to fit them in. And not just these recommendations, but also links to some fantastic websites for the cities or countries I'll be in to get a feel for the location and find out if there are any events that might be of interest to check out while there.
I can't say enough good things about the friendliness of the other "Fodorites" on that board for sharing information.
So, enough about Fodors...my other "issue" if you can call it that, is my ever constant thoughts of travel and the places I want to visit next. Maybe the trouble is that I have subscriptions to Budget Travel and National Geographic Traveler magazines, which just add fuel to my fire while exposing me to places I hadn't ever really thought about going to but after reading a great article about someplace immediately want to either (1) jump on a plane there or (2) put it on my Places to See List. Ohhhhh...such things to have "dilemma" over. And by the way, I think I'm doing pretty good with just 2 travel magazine subscriptions, it could be worse...much worse! :)
Some days I truly think I need to get my butt in gear and do work in a travel related field...but traveling for pleasure won't pay the bills that traveling usually seems to create...
So, for now I will just suffer from wanderlust and continue my monthly armchair travels with as many real journeys as I can fit in!
Happy Travels!
I have been compulsively trolling the Fodors website message boards. Well, technically only the Europe message board recently, but hey, doesn't that make sense because in just a mere 5 months time I will be traversing the nooks and crannies of Central Europe? Anyway, any chance I get to log onto Fodors I do and some of the trip reports on that board have me in stitches! They are so funny, and some truly (as expressed by other posters there) have the potential to become terrific comedy movies! :)
But in my defense I have picked up some really great tips/advice from fellow travel junkies. Such as a huge list of recommendations for restaurants/activities/sites to not miss while in Krakow, or at lest definitely try to fit them in. And not just these recommendations, but also links to some fantastic websites for the cities or countries I'll be in to get a feel for the location and find out if there are any events that might be of interest to check out while there.
I can't say enough good things about the friendliness of the other "Fodorites" on that board for sharing information.
So, enough about Fodors...my other "issue" if you can call it that, is my ever constant thoughts of travel and the places I want to visit next. Maybe the trouble is that I have subscriptions to Budget Travel and National Geographic Traveler magazines, which just add fuel to my fire while exposing me to places I hadn't ever really thought about going to but after reading a great article about someplace immediately want to either (1) jump on a plane there or (2) put it on my Places to See List. Ohhhhh...such things to have "dilemma" over. And by the way, I think I'm doing pretty good with just 2 travel magazine subscriptions, it could be worse...much worse! :)
Some days I truly think I need to get my butt in gear and do work in a travel related field...but traveling for pleasure won't pay the bills that traveling usually seems to create...
So, for now I will just suffer from wanderlust and continue my monthly armchair travels with as many real journeys as I can fit in!
Happy Travels!
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Another entry to my "Places to See List"!
How could I forget South Africa!
Ok, so maybe since my friends Sandy and Alan just sent me a link to their pictures from their recent trip to South Africa it spurred my memory that this was yet another destination I had read about and thought I needed to add to my list. So, here it is!
Sandy and Alan's pictures were AMAZING! They truly have a great eye for catching some wonderful shots. The scenery of South Africa was breathtaking and that's just my opinion from looking at the pictures. But also the shots from where Nelson Mandela was a prisoner were thought provoking.
I had read an article in one of my travel magazines several months ago, can't remember which magazine it was, I'm thinking most likely my National Geographic Traveler, about South Africa and the article really brought the country to life and at the time I was reading it I kept thinking this would be a wonderful destination to visit. Then lo and behold I get the email from S&A with their pictures...they always seem to be on the "cutting edge" of travel...lucky ducks that they are! :)
Geez, my list keeps growing and growing, maybe I should cut down on my travel magazine subscriptions (yeah...right!) and I have become a fodor's message board junkie! Especially the Europe board...what funny trip reports and some really really helpful advice. I've posted several questions regarding my upcoming trip to Central/Eastern Europe in September and have gotten a wealth of knowledge from the other "fodorites" on the site. I highly recommend that site to anyone planning a trip!
Ok, so maybe since my friends Sandy and Alan just sent me a link to their pictures from their recent trip to South Africa it spurred my memory that this was yet another destination I had read about and thought I needed to add to my list. So, here it is!
Sandy and Alan's pictures were AMAZING! They truly have a great eye for catching some wonderful shots. The scenery of South Africa was breathtaking and that's just my opinion from looking at the pictures. But also the shots from where Nelson Mandela was a prisoner were thought provoking.
I had read an article in one of my travel magazines several months ago, can't remember which magazine it was, I'm thinking most likely my National Geographic Traveler, about South Africa and the article really brought the country to life and at the time I was reading it I kept thinking this would be a wonderful destination to visit. Then lo and behold I get the email from S&A with their pictures...they always seem to be on the "cutting edge" of travel...lucky ducks that they are! :)
Geez, my list keeps growing and growing, maybe I should cut down on my travel magazine subscriptions (yeah...right!) and I have become a fodor's message board junkie! Especially the Europe board...what funny trip reports and some really really helpful advice. I've posted several questions regarding my upcoming trip to Central/Eastern Europe in September and have gotten a wealth of knowledge from the other "fodorites" on the site. I highly recommend that site to anyone planning a trip!
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Did I find the perfect luggage?
So my new luggage arrived on Tuesday! I got the 21 inch roll-aboard suitcase and a day pack. Actually I think I like the day bag better then the suitcase, but I like the suitcase too! :) Both are expandable and the day bag looks like it will fit alot of stuff!
Check them out here...
And now for the day bag....
OK, so when I first opened the roll-aboard I thought...hmmmm...maybe this won't due, it looked kind of small. But after I pulled out my old "tried and true" roll-aboard (that will be replaced with the one above) I saw that they are basically the same size. But since my old one has a "hard" top and this one doesn't it makes the new one appear less "substantial". So, the final opinion is that I think I got a good deal.
Now all I'd like to do is take the luggage on a "test run" before my one month trip to Central Europe in September. I'm feeling a short trip to Tucson to see Ken and Lisa or Boise to see Katrina in the near future! It wouldn't be too far and not for too long, but would have to fly there and would need a suitcase. Now all I have to do is find a decent airfare to my preferred destination.
I really am considering checking out Boise, ok, so my friend Katrina lives there so it would be great to see her! But I recently read an article in National Geographic Traveler magazine about Boise and before I finished the article I wanted to book the next flight there! :)
And remember, as Rick Steves would say..."travel is intensified living..."
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
In search of the perfect luggage...
I am on a quest to find the perfect roll-aboard/carry-on suitcase. This odyssey has been going on for several months now. OK, so maybe that's because I'm a bit picky when it comes to my luggage requirements. But I think I have found the perfect match!
After wading through numerous internet websites that sell luggage not to mention stopping in all the local luggage shops and department stores I am satisfied with what I have found.
But first let me mention what my luggage requirements are. First the suitcase must be of the roll-aboard variety so that I can carry it on the plane with me, and it must fit into the overhead bin of most airplanes, although on the smaller planes it can be checked plane-side, so ideally it should be either 21 or 22 inches. It should have good manueverability, I prefer the "in-line skate" type wheels. I like to have the expansion option and prefer to have at least a 2 inch expandable option. And lastly and most importantly, in my opinion anyway, is that it should be no more then 10 pounds empty, actually I prefer even lighter then that, but 10 pounds is the maximum limit I will consider. The reason I am so "anal" about the weight of the bag is that since the airlines are becoming more strict with the luggage weight limitations I want to get the most stuff I can inside the suitcase without worrying about going over the weight limit and a lighter suitcase can help accomplish this! And yes, I know when it's expanded the carry-on option is out the window, but I typically don't use the expansion option until my return home and quite honestly at that point I don't care if my luggage arrives home when I do. I'm more concerned with arriving at the start of a trip without my essentials.
So, now for the verdict. After much research I found the Rick Steves website/travel store to have a bag that really seemed to meet all my requirements. It's a roll-aboard, it's 21 inches, it's expandable (2 inches) and most importantly it's 7.25 pounds! YIPEE!
Now I could have ordered it from the Rick Steves website but I went digging even further and found the name of the manufacturer (Kiva luggage) and did an internet search and found a website called selectbags.com and lo and behold...the don't charge for shipping (Rick Steves does).
So I placed the order with selectbags and here I anxiously await the arrival of my new roll-aboard carry-on. Hopefully it will arrive this week and I will post my opinion and comments about the bag. It will certainly get a good break-in on my month long trip in September to Central Europe!
And remember...traveling light makes life less stressful! :)
After wading through numerous internet websites that sell luggage not to mention stopping in all the local luggage shops and department stores I am satisfied with what I have found.
But first let me mention what my luggage requirements are. First the suitcase must be of the roll-aboard variety so that I can carry it on the plane with me, and it must fit into the overhead bin of most airplanes, although on the smaller planes it can be checked plane-side, so ideally it should be either 21 or 22 inches. It should have good manueverability, I prefer the "in-line skate" type wheels. I like to have the expansion option and prefer to have at least a 2 inch expandable option. And lastly and most importantly, in my opinion anyway, is that it should be no more then 10 pounds empty, actually I prefer even lighter then that, but 10 pounds is the maximum limit I will consider. The reason I am so "anal" about the weight of the bag is that since the airlines are becoming more strict with the luggage weight limitations I want to get the most stuff I can inside the suitcase without worrying about going over the weight limit and a lighter suitcase can help accomplish this! And yes, I know when it's expanded the carry-on option is out the window, but I typically don't use the expansion option until my return home and quite honestly at that point I don't care if my luggage arrives home when I do. I'm more concerned with arriving at the start of a trip without my essentials.
So, now for the verdict. After much research I found the Rick Steves website/travel store to have a bag that really seemed to meet all my requirements. It's a roll-aboard, it's 21 inches, it's expandable (2 inches) and most importantly it's 7.25 pounds! YIPEE!
Now I could have ordered it from the Rick Steves website but I went digging even further and found the name of the manufacturer (Kiva luggage) and did an internet search and found a website called selectbags.com and lo and behold...the don't charge for shipping (Rick Steves does).
So I placed the order with selectbags and here I anxiously await the arrival of my new roll-aboard carry-on. Hopefully it will arrive this week and I will post my opinion and comments about the bag. It will certainly get a good break-in on my month long trip in September to Central Europe!
And remember...traveling light makes life less stressful! :)
Thursday, February 09, 2006
"Places to See List"
Well, now that I've FINALLY finished the "places I've been to" list, it's time to start my ever-increasing "places to see" list. Every time I hear about a great place a friend has been I add that to my list and fortunately I have some friends who have been to great places...and you know who you are! :) Or, if I've read a book, newspaper or magazine article about an interesting place that will typically get added to my list too. And since I subscribe to 2 travel magazines I seem to always find new places that spark my interest.
So I should probably start my list off with the places I will be going to this year and follow-up with my future destinations to been seen!
Planned for September 2006:
Prague, Czech Republic
Krakow, Poland
Budapest, Hungary
Eger, Hungary
Plitivice National Park, Croatia
The Island of Rab, Croatia
Bled, Slovenia
Hvar, Croatia (island off the Croatia coast between Split and Dubrovnik)
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Montenegro (a day trip while in Dubrovnik)
Future Destinations (in no particular order):
Hawaii (prefer an "active" vacation for this...hike, bike, kayak, etc...)
Scandinavian countries (Finland, Sweden, Norway & Denmark)
Greece
Turkey
Egypt
Russia
Mainland China
Japan
Thailand
India
Australia (I know, I've been there, but I didn't get to see all that I want too!)
New Zealand (same comment as Australia)
Alaska
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Iceland
Ireland (yup, again!!!)
South of France (didn't get there on previous visits to France)
New Mexico (Santa Fe)
Pacific Northwest (specifically Seattle, Washington and San Juan Islands and Portland, Oregon)
Idaho (to visit Katrina!)
New Orleans, Louisiana
Austin, Texas
San Diego, California
Sedona (yup, again, want to spend more then 2 days there)
The Grand Canyon
Argentina
Brazil
Costa Rica
South Africa (possible photo safari)
Key West, Florida
Nashville, Tennessee
Scotland
Great Britain (yup, again, hey, it's been a while, but would like to go back to London to visit friends and then venture out to the Cotswolds)
Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia
So I should probably start my list off with the places I will be going to this year and follow-up with my future destinations to been seen!
Planned for September 2006:
Prague, Czech Republic
Krakow, Poland
Budapest, Hungary
Eger, Hungary
Plitivice National Park, Croatia
The Island of Rab, Croatia
Bled, Slovenia
Hvar, Croatia (island off the Croatia coast between Split and Dubrovnik)
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Montenegro (a day trip while in Dubrovnik)
Future Destinations (in no particular order):
Hawaii (prefer an "active" vacation for this...hike, bike, kayak, etc...)
Scandinavian countries (Finland, Sweden, Norway & Denmark)
Greece
Turkey
Egypt
Russia
Mainland China
Japan
Thailand
India
Australia (I know, I've been there, but I didn't get to see all that I want too!)
New Zealand (same comment as Australia)
Alaska
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Iceland
Ireland (yup, again!!!)
South of France (didn't get there on previous visits to France)
New Mexico (Santa Fe)
Pacific Northwest (specifically Seattle, Washington and San Juan Islands and Portland, Oregon)
Idaho (to visit Katrina!)
New Orleans, Louisiana
Austin, Texas
San Diego, California
Sedona (yup, again, want to spend more then 2 days there)
The Grand Canyon
Argentina
Brazil
Costa Rica
South Africa (possible photo safari)
Key West, Florida
Nashville, Tennessee
Scotland
Great Britain (yup, again, hey, it's been a while, but would like to go back to London to visit friends and then venture out to the Cotswolds)
Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia
Friday, January 13, 2006
The Places I've Been To List
I got to thinking the other day about all the places I've visited. If I consider every place since I was a "wee child" (ok, there's the Irish in me coming out!) the list would be pretty interesting. Or, at least I think it would be pretty interesting. So I thought, why not put that down in my blog and write a little about each place. Of course I could probably rattle off a list in a relatively short amount of time, but writing something about each place might take a bit longer, so you may have to be a little patient. Then I started thinking that this would also be a great place to write my "Places I Want To See List" so I will do that too, but in a separate entry.
OK, so the game plan is to start with my "Been to List"And here it goes, in no particular order, just as it comes to my mind. And, some of these places I have been to more then once.
Ireland (Dublin, Kinsale, Dingle, Galway, Westport)
Well, what can I say about Ireland...I love it. Not necessarily Dublin, although I enjoyed the city, but the small towns and tiny villages are really what make it amazing to see. The only other place on earth that I have visited with such green hills was New Zealand. But back to Ireland...the people...such hospitality, you never meet a stranger in that country and the pub life...such fun...the music and singing...you can't help but join in, even if you can't carry a tune (like me!) So, maybe I'm a little bias, I have roots there, and it was my most recent trip, but when I was in the taxi going to the airport for the flight home, I truly did not want to leave, and that doesn't happen alot, it's one of a only a few places that I have felt "that drawn to"!
Northern Ireland (Derry, Portrush, Belfast)
I saw Northern Ireland (or as the locals say "Norn Iron") during the same trip I visited "The Republic". It was interesting to see the contrast between the North and the Republic. Part of what I think made it so fascinating was having a tour guide for the entire trip who was from the North and could clearly explain "The Troubles". The 2 cities visited seemed more industrial then other areas, but once up on the Antrim Coast the wild beauty of the North shined through. I am glad I got to see the 2 countries and learn about the history of such a troubled country.
Italy (Rome, Sorrento, Pompei, Capri, Florence, Sienna, San Gimiagnano, Gaiole in Chianti, Venice, Pisa, Lugano)
Ahhhh...Italia, what can I say...the food, the history, the scenery, the vino! I have such fond memories of Italy maybe because it was the first overseas trip I took way back when, or maybe it was the second time when I was in college and went back to Florence, or maybe it was the third time when I spent an unforgettable week in Tuscany with a great group of 20 friends! Words just don't do Italy justice...you have to see it to believe it.
Hong Kong
I decided to go to Hong Kong because I wanted to start seeing Asia and I figured Hong Kong would be a good first Asian city to visit since there are many English speakers there. I went during Chinese New Year 2004, which was the Year of the Monkey. As it turned out, the year I was born was also the Year of the Monkey. I enjoyed my time in Hong Kong, but the weather did not cooperate and because of the New Year holiday many businesses and attractions were closed. So, if I make another visit, it will not be during the Chinese New Year. I was only there for a week and wished I had more time to go and explore Mainland China, but that will have to be another trip!
Australia (Melbourne, Cairns...Great Barrier Reef...Sydney)
For as long as I can remember I had always wanted to go to Australia. At the time I booked this trip, none of my friends were interested in going with me. So, I researched various singles tours and found one that looked good. I loved Australia, but in the end I was not thrilled with the tour company, but met a great gal who I have stayed in touch with (but I digress). I started in Melbourne, then headed to Cairns up near the Great Barrier Reef and then onto Sydney. Melbourne and the Great Barrier Reef were great, but I LOVED Sydney. The best part of my time in Sydney was doing the Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb. Yes, you read that right, I climbed to the top of the Sydney Harbor Bridge. And from a tip we got from some other travelers we booked the climb for about 3pm because that way the climb to the summit was during the day and we could see for what seemed like forever and on the climb down the sun was setting behind the Blue Mountains...it couldn't have been more gorgeous!
New Zealand (Auckland)
New Zealand was the last segment of my Australia trip and unfortunately only for 3 days, which was no way near enough time. We stayed in Auckland on the North Island. From what I've heard the South Island is even more beautiful. I did do a day trip to an area in the far north of the North Island about 4 hours from Auckland and it was beautiful. We got to see the first settlement in NZ where the Maori and the English signed a treaty and the small town of Russell. It was one of the best days of that trip.
San Francisco, CA
I've been to San Francisco 2 times and considered it one of my favorite U.S. cities. The first trip there was with my mom and we had such fun. Although mom wasn't too thrilled that I made her trudge up the hilly streets of San Francisco.
Napa Valley, CA
Napa was a side trip when I was in San Francisco with my mom. We had a great time seeing a few of the wineries and just having a really nice mother daughter trip.
Monterey and Carmel, CA
These two spots were part of my second trip to San Francisco with a friend who lived in San Francisco. We had a great time driving down the coast and what a beautiful coastline it is. Carmel is just adorable!
Las Vegas, NV
I'm not a gambler at all. But lots of conferences take place in LVNV and that was the reason for my first trip there. I've been 3 times. The first was for an international fitness conference and it was lots of fun. And, since my cousins live there I tacked on an extra day to visit them. The second time was to meet up with a friend who lived there and I spent 4 days seeing the sites of Vegas with him. The last time I was there I was heading to another conference in Anaheim, CA and flew into LV visited my cousins and then rented a car and drove across the desert to Anaheim. I don't think I would have visited LV if I didn't know people there or had a conference to go to.
Anaheim, CA
So back in my fitness instructor days I liked to go to the big annual international fitness conference that is usually held out west. One year it was Anaheim, so Dori and I met up out there for the conference and 4 days of sunny California in July...at least the humidity wasn't as bad as in SC! Beside the conference we spent the day at the Knott's Berry Farm water park and one evening at DisneyLand...it was good fun and great weather!
Orlando, FL
Orlando...vacation mecca! I have lost count of how many times I have been to Orlando. But I do remember the first time I was ever there. It was 1976 and our family vacation to DisneyWorld, when it was still just the Magic Kingdom. We drove from NJ to Florida in my dad's beige Chevy Nova...stick shift with no airconditioning in April. The things I remember! :) Since that first time there were several other family vacations to Orlando and then once I moved to SC the trip to Orlando became much easier...only about 5 hours by car. I've been several times for (yes again) fitness conferences. But now there is so much more then there was in 1976! :) I like going there just because there's so many more choices or options of things to do then here at home!
Charleston, SC
Since I've lived here in the SC lowcountry I've made several trips to Charleston for both business and pleasure. It's pretty city filled with lots of history.
Atlanta, GA
Having several friends who have moved from here to Atlanta, I try to get to Atlanta a few times a year. I like Atlanta when I visit, but I'm not too fond of the traffic situation around the city. For me the best part of Atlanta is the shopping! And like Orlando, there are so many more options for entertainment and restaurants in ATL then there is here.
Philadelphia, PA
I haven't been in Philly for a long time, unless you want to count a layover at the airport on my way to Italy a few years ago! I lived in Philly right after I graduated college and thought it was a pretty nice city, and another city with lots of history.
Pittsburgh, PA
I was debating if I should even put this one on here because although I've been there twice it was for business trips both times. Spent most of my time inside doing work or in a hotel since when I was there it was the dead of winter! So, unfortunately I don't really remember a whole bunch about Pittsburgh.
Boston, MA
I've got lots of very fond memories of Boston. Having spent a good amount of time there during college. It was and probably still is a really fun town, especially for college age people! :) There were always some funky place to hang out or neat shop to browse through!
Providence, RI
I loved living in Providence! I spent my 4 years in college in Providence and it is a great little city. I haven't been back in a very long time, but have heard lots has changed since the early 90's. There was always so many things to do and just a great college town in general.
Newport, RI
Well, you can't live in Providence for 4 years without going to Newport at least once, and in my case I went much more then once. The mansions, the ocean, the cliff walk....just a picture waiting to be taken!
New York City
Growing up in the shadow of the Big Apple I couldn't help but visit the city on a regular basis. I don't even recall the first time I was ever taken into NYC because from the family photos I have seen I was a toddler at the San Genaro festival. As a kid I went to Madison Square Garden for the Circus and Ice Capades, Concerts, and hockey games. I was taken to numerous Broadway shows and how could I forget the night when I was 12 years old and my parents took me to see Evita on Broadway with Patti Lupone, it was the night after the Tony Awards and she got a standing ovation and was presented with dozens of roses...after that I memorized the entire score to that show and to this day I could probably still sing it! :) Then there were the times as a teenager when my sister and I would head into Greenwich Village ("the village") every weekend we could to hang out, check out the used clothing stores and walk through Washington Square Park. How could I forget the year I went to Times Square for New Year's when I was freshman in collage and then the big job I got at the Crowne Plaza Manhattan at 48th and Broadway! I could probably write an epic about my NYC trials and tribulations, lets just leave it with I spent alot of time in that city in the 80's and 90's! :)
Oh my God! I can't believe how long this is taking...be patient!
Chicago
The windy city! Since my sister lives not to far from this city it's only natural that I've been there a few times. I have to admit though, that I've never been there in the winter, but one trip I made at the end of October it snowed, so, needless to say I tend to go there in the spring or summer. But I digress...I really like Chicago, compared to how I remember NYC, it was a very clean city. The buildings are pretty cool to look at too and the food is awesome. I went this one Italian place (can't remember the name now) but it was amazing, in a little neighborhood...you couldn't beat it!
Milwaukee, WI
It's only logical that since my sister lives half way between Chicago and Milwaukee, I take a side trip to Milwaukee too. Actually I've flown into Milwaukee's airport a few times, since it's so much easier getting in and out of there then it is getting around O'Hare, or, Midway (before the renovation...it was hellacious!). Anyway, I didn't really spend alot of time in Milwaukee, just one time to catch a really fun show called Triple Espresso...it was really funny and then another time to have a drink at The Safe House. The Safe House was alot of fun and had an interesting entrance...I won't spoil the surprise, but just know that it's not the easiest place to find!
Lake Geneva, WI
Another side trip while visiting my sister. I spent a nice relaxing weekend at a resort there and totally enjoyed myself. It's a pretty lake with some beautiful homes.
Phoenix, AZ
I'm not even sure if I should really count this. I've flown in and out of Phoenix a couple times when going to visit friends who live in Tucson. One time I stayed the night in there and another time I rented a car and drove down to Tucson (airfare was less expensive into Phoenix). So, I haven't really seen much of Phoenix, unless you count the time we stopped at the big shopping mall there on our way to Sedona from Tucson. But from the interstate highway it seems like a nice place! :)
Tucson, AZ
I love Tucson...ok, ok, maybe it's because my best and oldest friend and his family live there. But I love going to Tucson. What I like the most about this city is that although it is a sizeable city, it still feels like a small town, at least it does to me. The other thing about Tucson is the weather...I know the summers are brutal, but how can you pass up sunny, clear blue skies and 75 degree temperature in late November! I can honestly see myself living there, maybe when I retire! :)
Sedona, AZ
Amazing beauty! That's what immediately comes to mind when I think about the weekend I spent in Sedona. I was in Tucson visiting friends and we made a weekend side trip to Sedona. Some side trip, it was Memorial Day weekend and with the traffic it took us about 5 hours to get there, but all worth it in the end. The red rocks are such a natural wonder, and of course spending time there with great friends made it all the more better. In a way it is somewhat similar to Hilton Head since there is a large retired population there.
Cancun, Mexico
Two words...Club Med. Yup, one of 3 Club Med vacations I went on in my early/mid 20's. And I left left the Club Med "compound" a total of 2 times, well if you want to count the one SCUBA diving excursion I took, but that left right from the resort, and then a second excursion to a national park with an underground river we got to float down. That was lots of fun. So I can't regale any "wild and crazy" stories of drunken nights bar hopping in Cancun!
Martinique
This was my first Club Med vacation and I went it on my own. It was just what I needed/wanted at the time. The water was so clear that while standing in the water I could see my entire foot, toes and all! :) I enjoyed this first Club Med vacation and it was pure relaxation.
Freeport, Maine
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Freeport is LL Bean! I've been to Freeport several times. The first few were when I was in college and would do road trips up there from Providence. Yes, and even in the middle of the night to shop at LL Bean since they are open 24 hours a day. On subsequent trips after graduating from college it was usually my mom and I going on shopping excursions. During one of these trips we had the BEST New England Clam Chowder I have ever had at a restaurant called Crickets, just down the road from the LL Bean store. Those road trips to Maine with mom were always such fun.
Burlington, Vt
While I was in college in Providence my best friend (who now lives in Tucson) was going to school in Ottawa, Canada and his mom lived in Burlington. So a road trip up to Burlington was a "no brainer". Although it was a long time ago, I remember really enjoying Burlington and thinking it was a great little city. Lots of young people, thanks to the University there.
Baltimore, MD
When I lived in Philadelphia I took a day trip to Baltimore, so I'm by no means a Baltimore expert. I remember checking out the Inner Harbor area and enjoying just walking around the city.
Williamsburg, VA
Another fond family vacation memory. It was 1976 the bicentennial of our nation and I was 8 years old. The family vacation that year was our first to Disney World in Orlando. The mode of transportation to Orlando...a Chevy Nova...no AC and no automatic transmission. One stop on the trip to Disney was Williamsburg, VA and it was great. I remember loving it and seeing the colonial way of life and all the hoop skirt dresses! Have never been back there since then to see what it is like now...hmm...maybe another return trip is in order!
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Ok, not sure if I should really count this since it was for just a few hours on a cruise ship stop, but I do remember going to she a fort there that seemed pretty cool and how "cheesey" was I, stopping at the Hard Rock cafe there for dinner...sometimes you just gotta "go with the flow"!
St. Thomas
Another stop on a cruise. I enjoyed it, some nice little shops in the town area. Don't really remember too much else about it, it was pretty and warm, what more do you want during a cruise!
St. Martin
Actually have been here twice. Each time was during a cruise. The first time didn't really seem eventful. The second time (second cruise) St. Martin was our only stop because the ship was trying to "out run" Hurricane Lenny and St. Martin was the only place on the itinerary that we were able to stop at. That was the last cruise I've been on (1999).
St. John
Absolutely beautiful. Again spent a day here while on a cruise and took the whole day to just chill out on the beach at Half Moon Bay, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and did the underwater snorkeling trail...very cool!
Asheville, NC
Spent a long weekend in Asheville, NC a few years ago right around Thanksgiving with my sister. We toured the Biltmore estate and it was beautiful all decorated for the Christmas holiday. I'd like to go back in the spring and see the gardens when they are in full bloom!
Los Angeles, CA
Not sure if I should really count this, because it was a stopover while on my way to (and from) Australia and New Zealand, but I did spend a day there when I was headed to Australia and did a Hollywood Tour before having to rush off to the airport to catch my flight. Honestly, from what I saw I wasn't really impressed with LA, but maybe if I spent more time there to see some of the sites instead of being "whisked" around on a whirlwind city tour I would feel differently about it! On the return I stayed in LA too, but never left the hotel, I fell into bed at 6pm and slept until I had to get up for my 6am flight the next day...travel to the land down under can really "tucker a girl out!
Ottawa, Canada
I visited Ottawa while I was in college and I was visiting my best friend who went to college there. Of course, being the not-so-savvy traveler at that point in my life, I went to Ottawa in February...what was I thinking! I really enjoyed my visit there, even in the cold weather and snow. I was there during some kind of festival on the Rideau Canal and it was lots of fun. Although I seem to remember almost not being able to get out of Ottawa because of a blizzard, but by the time my flight was scheduled to take off, the weather had cleared!
Campbelton, New Brunswick, Canada
Another visit "up north" but this time I was smart and went in the summer! Ken was working there I went to visit. It was a pretty small town, but there were some pretty water views and it was just fun visiting Ken.
Switzerland (Montreaux, Geneva, Lausanne, Bern, Zurich, Interlacken)
I could probably go on and on about Switzerland, but I will do my best to keep it brief. I lived in Montreaux, Switzerland for 3 months during a trimester study abroad program in college. It was such a great experience and I got to travel alot thanks to a Eurail pass, and long 3 day weekends from school! But some observations about Switzerland in 1989...amazingly clean and unbelievably beautiful. OK, so going to school on the shores of Lake Geneva, can't get much better. But I had such fun traveling all over the country by train and staying in youth hostels, which I have to say (at least at that time) were at times better accommodations then hotels! Also it was true that you could set your watch by the trains that ran in Switzerland, everything was always on time! Or so it seemed! And I always felt very safe there as a female student sometimes traveling solo, I never had a bad experience there!
Austria (Vienna)
I spent a long weekend in Vienna during my time going to school in Switzerland and it was one of the best trips I had done. No one from school wanted to go with me, so I did it solo and met up with a great girl from Australia and we hung out with each other the whole time, even shared a room at a hotel. Took in all the touristy things to do and just have all around good memories of that trip.
Germany (Munich, Cologne)
What I remember the most about my weekend in Munich was first, going to Dachau (Nazi concentration camp) and feeling very moved by all the history there. The second thing I remember most about Munich is the Haufbrau Haus...went there twice in one visit to the city because we had such a good time. The third thing I remember the most, and probably should remember the least was the crummy youth hostel we had to stay in because there were no free beds available at the recommended YMCA...oh well...maybe that's why I like to plan ahead now!
Portugal (Lisbon, the Algarve, Evora, Sintra)
1 week of a 2 week spring break, during my trimester in Switzerland was spent in Portugal and I LOVED it! There was plenty of rain at the Algarve, and it was March so it wasn't really beach weather, but I really enjoyed my time in Lisbon and Sintra. The best part of Portugal on this trip was how strong the dollar was back then (1989) and how cheap everything was. See, our arrival into Lisbon was after what seemed like an eternity on a train from Madrid and only seats open in the smoking car...cough, cough, cough! But luckily I turned to my trusty guide book, called the hotel I had decided to get a room at, after much help from a friendly local who showed me how to use the phone! And was able to talk to Tony the owner who had a room for us (me and my school mate Kim), but it wouldn't be ready until 9pm...no problemo...Tony picked us up a the train station and took us back to the hotel. We found a little restaurant down the street and had was seemed like the best meal ever. Now, it could have been because we hadn't eaten all day, no food car on the train and we didn't bring any with us (will never make that mistake again!) or because it cost us a total of $7.00, but it tasted like the best fish, potatoes, vegetables, bread, and 7-up soda I had ever had!
Spain (Barcelona, Madrid, Costa del Sol)
I've been to Spain a couple times. The first time was during a spring break trip to the Costa del Sol, more specifically the town called Torremolinas. It was a fun week, packed with day trips to Granada, Sevilla, and Gibralter. I went with a college friend Stacey and it was fun, but the most memorable part of the trip that I still carry with me today was the purchase of my leather bomber jacket that I still wear and love and how "beaten up" it looks, I will never give it away! The second time in Spain was during my spring break from school in Switzerland. The plan was to go to Barcelona, Madrid and then onto Portugal. I loved Barcelona so much that instead of staying just 2 days, we stayed 4 and only had 1 day for Madrid, but that was ok. I didn't really care for Madrid. At the time it seemed dirty and very much like NYC to me...not that that's a bad thing, it was just that I had grown up near NYC and Madrid didn't really impress me that much.
Morracco (Algiers)
I only spent a day here during my Spain spring break trip. It was the typical day tour/bus group. Although it is what I would call a "tea bag" visit (in and out very quickly) it was pretty interesting. This trip was the first time I had ever eaten couscous and thought it was good. Of course we had to go to the obligatory carpet store, snake charmer, and camel photo op, but it was interesting all the same.
Gibralter
As with Morracco this was part of the Spain spring break trip. We literally popped into Gibralter on the way to Algiers. Got to see the monkeys and the Union Jack flying high. Not much else to say about this destination.
Paris, France
I've been to Paris twice and each time I have never had a bad experience as so many people say you will have when you go there. The first time there I was in high school and went on a group tour my Spanish teacher put together. I remember it was such a fun time. It was the first part of a 2 city trip...London was the second city. The second time I was in Paris was during my study abroad when I went for a weekend. Especially that time, I was told the Parisiens will treat the tourist badly but as I said I never experienced any of that and have to say that the street-side crepe stands were the best...chocolate crepes were the best!
London, UK (Bath, Oxford, Windsor, Stonehenge)
It's been a long time since visiting London. But I've got such great memories. The first time there was with a school group tour doing high school and just loved London. The second time is probably the one I'm most fond of though. I was 19 and my sister was 17 and my parents let us go alone to London for a week, and we were equipped with BritRail passes so we could see Bath, Windsor and Stonehenge. Such fun we had even going to see 2 shows in the theater district. God, as teenagers! What a great opportunity! It was on that trip that my choices in restaurants left a lot to be desired and after a pretty bad choice I left the restaurant selections up to my sister. Luckily with a bit of experience and learning how to research and plan (much easier now with the internet!) I have gotten much better at choosing restaurants while on vacation!
English Channel (before Chunnel)
So, I know this entry is technically not a destination, but I had a funny story about this and wanted to include it here! On the school trip to Paris and London, Paris was first on the itinerary and then we took the ferry across the English Channel and made our way to London. I guess I hadn't really enjoyed the food too much in Paris and hadn't been eating much. So, when I got on the ferry (apparently an English ferry) there was a huge buffet full of bangers and mash...yummy. Or I was just so hungry I thought it was yummy. So, I filled up until I could barely walk. Well, being on the English Channel during bad weather (read...choppy seas!) and having a full stomach of bangers and mash was not a good combination. I'm sure you can guess by now, that I was turning a pretty shade of green and felt pretty miserable for the rest of the crossing. I was never so happy to see dry land then I was that day!
Belgium (Brussels, Brugge)
I've had the pleasure of seeing Brussels twice, once during a trip organized by my class at school as part of our final project (ok, we were travel management majors) and once on a long weekend while at school in Switzerland. I enjoyed it, but other then the Mannequin Pis, I don't remember a whole lot about Brussels. But I do remember the one day I spent in Brugge and believe it to be one of the prettiest places I have ever visited. It was so picturesque and maybe that as we were walking down the street church doors opened and a wedding party streamed out helped to make the setting even more magical. I haven't been back, but just may have to put that on my places to see again list!
Netherlands (Amsterdam, Rotterdam)
Seeing the Netherlands was part of the trip that included Belgium with my fellow classmates in the travel program. I enjoyed Amsterdam and especially the Anne Frank house. The amount of bicycles the locals uses amazed me...seemed like the major mode of transport there. As for Rotterdam, the only real thing I remember about visiting there is that it seemed to be very industrial looking city.
Dallas, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama
So, it's probably not fair to lump all these together, but if you've my previous post about my Thanksgiving 2005 journey to Tucson you will understand why I put all these together. In short I was delayed at the Dallas airport for so long and eventually my flight was cancelled so in order to return to work in time for a meeting (2 days later) I rented a car and drove from Dallas back home. The route I took out of Dallas was via Interstate 20, so I drove through all the states listed in this entry. I can't really say too much about Dallas since the extent of my visit there was seeing the airport, the car rental terminal and the highway at midnight. So some day maybe I will make it back there, but honestly, I'm in no rush to see Dallas. The other 3 states were pretty much a big blur since I was driving like a maniac and taking a nothernly route through the states, so I didn't see much of the coastal area, but I did cross the Mississippi. Some day I would like to go back to Louisiana and see New Orleans, but that will not be any time in the very near future since I'm sure the effects of Hurricane Katrina (August 2005) are still being dealt with there.
Savannah, GA
OK, so I may be a little biased, but I really like Savannah, especially the downtown area with all the beautiful homes and the tree lined squares. And of course the "big" shopping malls that I go to if I want to do any kind of semi-serious buying, since Hilton Head doesn't have all the major retailers (although we are starting too!). I unfortunately don't get to Savannah as much as I'd like to but when friends come to visit I always make it a priority to show them the town.
Jacksonville, FL
My visit to Jacksonville (other then just driving through on the way to Orlando) was back in 1999 for a Shania Twane concert. A bunch of my line dancing gang decide to go and we drove down got a few hotel rooms for the night and went to the concert. We didn't really get a feel for the city since we just went between the hotel and the arena, but maybe on one of my future Orlando excursions I can make a stop to check it out!
Jersey Shore
This entry is a right of passage if you grew up in the Garden State (NJ) like I did. As a state requirement you had to go to "The Shore" at least once during every summer you have lived in NJ. And I can do a bit better then that. As a kid my family rented a summer house (nothing extravagant) at the Jersey Shore for a few summers and they were always fun. We usually rented the house for 3 weeks or so and we would have family friends who also rented a house a block or so away and we were only a few houses from the beach...it was great as a kid...so much fun! We would spend the days on the beach swimming in the ocean and at night we would play miniature golf, or go to the boardwalk in Point Pleasant or Seaside. Point Pleasant always seemed to be kept up better then Seaside which we gave the glorious nickname of "Sleeze-side". Gosh, the things you remember. And it was always fun to head over to the Barnaget Bay side of the road and go crabbing from a dock in the bay...gee, it's that lyrics to a song! :)
Bahamas
Bahama Mamas...that what me a a high school friend could consider ourselves. As a treat we took a few days after high school graduation and went to the Bahamas for some fun and relaxation. Looking back I was probably to young to enjoy it there since it was mostly just hanging out by the pool and casinos, which we couldn't get into even if we wanted too. I'm not a big gambler now and wasn't then either! But it was a fun way to kick back and celebrate graduating from high school!
San Marino
As I said when I started this list, it is in no particular order, so you can probably guess that I thought of this after listing everything else. But I did go to San Marino on my first trip to Italy. It's a little tiny country in the middle of Italy. I don't remember a whole lot about it, but I do remember that I bought a really neat gold snake ring that I still have 20 some-odd years later.
The Vatican
And of course, a trip to Rome (both times I was there) would not be complete with a visit to the Vatican and even though the Vatican is located in Rome, it is it's own country so obviously I had to include that in my list. Although I am not a devote Catholic, I have to say that on my first trip to Italy during the Easter holiday, it was quite an experience being in St. Peter's Square with the throng of people and seeing the Pope at the window of his residence!
Well, this brings me to the end of my list, for now anyway. I'm sure this list will continue to grow as I travel to more places....The world is a big place and I've only seen a little piece of it!
Happy Wandering!
OK, so the game plan is to start with my "Been to List"And here it goes, in no particular order, just as it comes to my mind. And, some of these places I have been to more then once.
Ireland (Dublin, Kinsale, Dingle, Galway, Westport)
Well, what can I say about Ireland...I love it. Not necessarily Dublin, although I enjoyed the city, but the small towns and tiny villages are really what make it amazing to see. The only other place on earth that I have visited with such green hills was New Zealand. But back to Ireland...the people...such hospitality, you never meet a stranger in that country and the pub life...such fun...the music and singing...you can't help but join in, even if you can't carry a tune (like me!) So, maybe I'm a little bias, I have roots there, and it was my most recent trip, but when I was in the taxi going to the airport for the flight home, I truly did not want to leave, and that doesn't happen alot, it's one of a only a few places that I have felt "that drawn to"!
Northern Ireland (Derry, Portrush, Belfast)
I saw Northern Ireland (or as the locals say "Norn Iron") during the same trip I visited "The Republic". It was interesting to see the contrast between the North and the Republic. Part of what I think made it so fascinating was having a tour guide for the entire trip who was from the North and could clearly explain "The Troubles". The 2 cities visited seemed more industrial then other areas, but once up on the Antrim Coast the wild beauty of the North shined through. I am glad I got to see the 2 countries and learn about the history of such a troubled country.
Italy (Rome, Sorrento, Pompei, Capri, Florence, Sienna, San Gimiagnano, Gaiole in Chianti, Venice, Pisa, Lugano)
Ahhhh...Italia, what can I say...the food, the history, the scenery, the vino! I have such fond memories of Italy maybe because it was the first overseas trip I took way back when, or maybe it was the second time when I was in college and went back to Florence, or maybe it was the third time when I spent an unforgettable week in Tuscany with a great group of 20 friends! Words just don't do Italy justice...you have to see it to believe it.
Hong Kong
I decided to go to Hong Kong because I wanted to start seeing Asia and I figured Hong Kong would be a good first Asian city to visit since there are many English speakers there. I went during Chinese New Year 2004, which was the Year of the Monkey. As it turned out, the year I was born was also the Year of the Monkey. I enjoyed my time in Hong Kong, but the weather did not cooperate and because of the New Year holiday many businesses and attractions were closed. So, if I make another visit, it will not be during the Chinese New Year. I was only there for a week and wished I had more time to go and explore Mainland China, but that will have to be another trip!
Australia (Melbourne, Cairns...Great Barrier Reef...Sydney)
For as long as I can remember I had always wanted to go to Australia. At the time I booked this trip, none of my friends were interested in going with me. So, I researched various singles tours and found one that looked good. I loved Australia, but in the end I was not thrilled with the tour company, but met a great gal who I have stayed in touch with (but I digress). I started in Melbourne, then headed to Cairns up near the Great Barrier Reef and then onto Sydney. Melbourne and the Great Barrier Reef were great, but I LOVED Sydney. The best part of my time in Sydney was doing the Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb. Yes, you read that right, I climbed to the top of the Sydney Harbor Bridge. And from a tip we got from some other travelers we booked the climb for about 3pm because that way the climb to the summit was during the day and we could see for what seemed like forever and on the climb down the sun was setting behind the Blue Mountains...it couldn't have been more gorgeous!
New Zealand (Auckland)
New Zealand was the last segment of my Australia trip and unfortunately only for 3 days, which was no way near enough time. We stayed in Auckland on the North Island. From what I've heard the South Island is even more beautiful. I did do a day trip to an area in the far north of the North Island about 4 hours from Auckland and it was beautiful. We got to see the first settlement in NZ where the Maori and the English signed a treaty and the small town of Russell. It was one of the best days of that trip.
San Francisco, CA
I've been to San Francisco 2 times and considered it one of my favorite U.S. cities. The first trip there was with my mom and we had such fun. Although mom wasn't too thrilled that I made her trudge up the hilly streets of San Francisco.
Napa Valley, CA
Napa was a side trip when I was in San Francisco with my mom. We had a great time seeing a few of the wineries and just having a really nice mother daughter trip.
Monterey and Carmel, CA
These two spots were part of my second trip to San Francisco with a friend who lived in San Francisco. We had a great time driving down the coast and what a beautiful coastline it is. Carmel is just adorable!
Las Vegas, NV
I'm not a gambler at all. But lots of conferences take place in LVNV and that was the reason for my first trip there. I've been 3 times. The first was for an international fitness conference and it was lots of fun. And, since my cousins live there I tacked on an extra day to visit them. The second time was to meet up with a friend who lived there and I spent 4 days seeing the sites of Vegas with him. The last time I was there I was heading to another conference in Anaheim, CA and flew into LV visited my cousins and then rented a car and drove across the desert to Anaheim. I don't think I would have visited LV if I didn't know people there or had a conference to go to.
Anaheim, CA
So back in my fitness instructor days I liked to go to the big annual international fitness conference that is usually held out west. One year it was Anaheim, so Dori and I met up out there for the conference and 4 days of sunny California in July...at least the humidity wasn't as bad as in SC! Beside the conference we spent the day at the Knott's Berry Farm water park and one evening at DisneyLand...it was good fun and great weather!
Orlando, FL
Orlando...vacation mecca! I have lost count of how many times I have been to Orlando. But I do remember the first time I was ever there. It was 1976 and our family vacation to DisneyWorld, when it was still just the Magic Kingdom. We drove from NJ to Florida in my dad's beige Chevy Nova...stick shift with no airconditioning in April. The things I remember! :) Since that first time there were several other family vacations to Orlando and then once I moved to SC the trip to Orlando became much easier...only about 5 hours by car. I've been several times for (yes again) fitness conferences. But now there is so much more then there was in 1976! :) I like going there just because there's so many more choices or options of things to do then here at home!
Charleston, SC
Since I've lived here in the SC lowcountry I've made several trips to Charleston for both business and pleasure. It's pretty city filled with lots of history.
Atlanta, GA
Having several friends who have moved from here to Atlanta, I try to get to Atlanta a few times a year. I like Atlanta when I visit, but I'm not too fond of the traffic situation around the city. For me the best part of Atlanta is the shopping! And like Orlando, there are so many more options for entertainment and restaurants in ATL then there is here.
Philadelphia, PA
I haven't been in Philly for a long time, unless you want to count a layover at the airport on my way to Italy a few years ago! I lived in Philly right after I graduated college and thought it was a pretty nice city, and another city with lots of history.
Pittsburgh, PA
I was debating if I should even put this one on here because although I've been there twice it was for business trips both times. Spent most of my time inside doing work or in a hotel since when I was there it was the dead of winter! So, unfortunately I don't really remember a whole bunch about Pittsburgh.
Boston, MA
I've got lots of very fond memories of Boston. Having spent a good amount of time there during college. It was and probably still is a really fun town, especially for college age people! :) There were always some funky place to hang out or neat shop to browse through!
Providence, RI
I loved living in Providence! I spent my 4 years in college in Providence and it is a great little city. I haven't been back in a very long time, but have heard lots has changed since the early 90's. There was always so many things to do and just a great college town in general.
Newport, RI
Well, you can't live in Providence for 4 years without going to Newport at least once, and in my case I went much more then once. The mansions, the ocean, the cliff walk....just a picture waiting to be taken!
New York City
Growing up in the shadow of the Big Apple I couldn't help but visit the city on a regular basis. I don't even recall the first time I was ever taken into NYC because from the family photos I have seen I was a toddler at the San Genaro festival. As a kid I went to Madison Square Garden for the Circus and Ice Capades, Concerts, and hockey games. I was taken to numerous Broadway shows and how could I forget the night when I was 12 years old and my parents took me to see Evita on Broadway with Patti Lupone, it was the night after the Tony Awards and she got a standing ovation and was presented with dozens of roses...after that I memorized the entire score to that show and to this day I could probably still sing it! :) Then there were the times as a teenager when my sister and I would head into Greenwich Village ("the village") every weekend we could to hang out, check out the used clothing stores and walk through Washington Square Park. How could I forget the year I went to Times Square for New Year's when I was freshman in collage and then the big job I got at the Crowne Plaza Manhattan at 48th and Broadway! I could probably write an epic about my NYC trials and tribulations, lets just leave it with I spent alot of time in that city in the 80's and 90's! :)
Oh my God! I can't believe how long this is taking...be patient!
Chicago
The windy city! Since my sister lives not to far from this city it's only natural that I've been there a few times. I have to admit though, that I've never been there in the winter, but one trip I made at the end of October it snowed, so, needless to say I tend to go there in the spring or summer. But I digress...I really like Chicago, compared to how I remember NYC, it was a very clean city. The buildings are pretty cool to look at too and the food is awesome. I went this one Italian place (can't remember the name now) but it was amazing, in a little neighborhood...you couldn't beat it!
Milwaukee, WI
It's only logical that since my sister lives half way between Chicago and Milwaukee, I take a side trip to Milwaukee too. Actually I've flown into Milwaukee's airport a few times, since it's so much easier getting in and out of there then it is getting around O'Hare, or, Midway (before the renovation...it was hellacious!). Anyway, I didn't really spend alot of time in Milwaukee, just one time to catch a really fun show called Triple Espresso...it was really funny and then another time to have a drink at The Safe House. The Safe House was alot of fun and had an interesting entrance...I won't spoil the surprise, but just know that it's not the easiest place to find!
Lake Geneva, WI
Another side trip while visiting my sister. I spent a nice relaxing weekend at a resort there and totally enjoyed myself. It's a pretty lake with some beautiful homes.
Phoenix, AZ
I'm not even sure if I should really count this. I've flown in and out of Phoenix a couple times when going to visit friends who live in Tucson. One time I stayed the night in there and another time I rented a car and drove down to Tucson (airfare was less expensive into Phoenix). So, I haven't really seen much of Phoenix, unless you count the time we stopped at the big shopping mall there on our way to Sedona from Tucson. But from the interstate highway it seems like a nice place! :)
Tucson, AZ
I love Tucson...ok, ok, maybe it's because my best and oldest friend and his family live there. But I love going to Tucson. What I like the most about this city is that although it is a sizeable city, it still feels like a small town, at least it does to me. The other thing about Tucson is the weather...I know the summers are brutal, but how can you pass up sunny, clear blue skies and 75 degree temperature in late November! I can honestly see myself living there, maybe when I retire! :)
Sedona, AZ
Amazing beauty! That's what immediately comes to mind when I think about the weekend I spent in Sedona. I was in Tucson visiting friends and we made a weekend side trip to Sedona. Some side trip, it was Memorial Day weekend and with the traffic it took us about 5 hours to get there, but all worth it in the end. The red rocks are such a natural wonder, and of course spending time there with great friends made it all the more better. In a way it is somewhat similar to Hilton Head since there is a large retired population there.
Cancun, Mexico
Two words...Club Med. Yup, one of 3 Club Med vacations I went on in my early/mid 20's. And I left left the Club Med "compound" a total of 2 times, well if you want to count the one SCUBA diving excursion I took, but that left right from the resort, and then a second excursion to a national park with an underground river we got to float down. That was lots of fun. So I can't regale any "wild and crazy" stories of drunken nights bar hopping in Cancun!
Martinique
This was my first Club Med vacation and I went it on my own. It was just what I needed/wanted at the time. The water was so clear that while standing in the water I could see my entire foot, toes and all! :) I enjoyed this first Club Med vacation and it was pure relaxation.
Freeport, Maine
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Freeport is LL Bean! I've been to Freeport several times. The first few were when I was in college and would do road trips up there from Providence. Yes, and even in the middle of the night to shop at LL Bean since they are open 24 hours a day. On subsequent trips after graduating from college it was usually my mom and I going on shopping excursions. During one of these trips we had the BEST New England Clam Chowder I have ever had at a restaurant called Crickets, just down the road from the LL Bean store. Those road trips to Maine with mom were always such fun.
Burlington, Vt
While I was in college in Providence my best friend (who now lives in Tucson) was going to school in Ottawa, Canada and his mom lived in Burlington. So a road trip up to Burlington was a "no brainer". Although it was a long time ago, I remember really enjoying Burlington and thinking it was a great little city. Lots of young people, thanks to the University there.
Baltimore, MD
When I lived in Philadelphia I took a day trip to Baltimore, so I'm by no means a Baltimore expert. I remember checking out the Inner Harbor area and enjoying just walking around the city.
Williamsburg, VA
Another fond family vacation memory. It was 1976 the bicentennial of our nation and I was 8 years old. The family vacation that year was our first to Disney World in Orlando. The mode of transportation to Orlando...a Chevy Nova...no AC and no automatic transmission. One stop on the trip to Disney was Williamsburg, VA and it was great. I remember loving it and seeing the colonial way of life and all the hoop skirt dresses! Have never been back there since then to see what it is like now...hmm...maybe another return trip is in order!
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Ok, not sure if I should really count this since it was for just a few hours on a cruise ship stop, but I do remember going to she a fort there that seemed pretty cool and how "cheesey" was I, stopping at the Hard Rock cafe there for dinner...sometimes you just gotta "go with the flow"!
St. Thomas
Another stop on a cruise. I enjoyed it, some nice little shops in the town area. Don't really remember too much else about it, it was pretty and warm, what more do you want during a cruise!
St. Martin
Actually have been here twice. Each time was during a cruise. The first time didn't really seem eventful. The second time (second cruise) St. Martin was our only stop because the ship was trying to "out run" Hurricane Lenny and St. Martin was the only place on the itinerary that we were able to stop at. That was the last cruise I've been on (1999).
St. John
Absolutely beautiful. Again spent a day here while on a cruise and took the whole day to just chill out on the beach at Half Moon Bay, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and did the underwater snorkeling trail...very cool!
Asheville, NC
Spent a long weekend in Asheville, NC a few years ago right around Thanksgiving with my sister. We toured the Biltmore estate and it was beautiful all decorated for the Christmas holiday. I'd like to go back in the spring and see the gardens when they are in full bloom!
Los Angeles, CA
Not sure if I should really count this, because it was a stopover while on my way to (and from) Australia and New Zealand, but I did spend a day there when I was headed to Australia and did a Hollywood Tour before having to rush off to the airport to catch my flight. Honestly, from what I saw I wasn't really impressed with LA, but maybe if I spent more time there to see some of the sites instead of being "whisked" around on a whirlwind city tour I would feel differently about it! On the return I stayed in LA too, but never left the hotel, I fell into bed at 6pm and slept until I had to get up for my 6am flight the next day...travel to the land down under can really "tucker a girl out!
Ottawa, Canada
I visited Ottawa while I was in college and I was visiting my best friend who went to college there. Of course, being the not-so-savvy traveler at that point in my life, I went to Ottawa in February...what was I thinking! I really enjoyed my visit there, even in the cold weather and snow. I was there during some kind of festival on the Rideau Canal and it was lots of fun. Although I seem to remember almost not being able to get out of Ottawa because of a blizzard, but by the time my flight was scheduled to take off, the weather had cleared!
Campbelton, New Brunswick, Canada
Another visit "up north" but this time I was smart and went in the summer! Ken was working there I went to visit. It was a pretty small town, but there were some pretty water views and it was just fun visiting Ken.
Switzerland (Montreaux, Geneva, Lausanne, Bern, Zurich, Interlacken)
I could probably go on and on about Switzerland, but I will do my best to keep it brief. I lived in Montreaux, Switzerland for 3 months during a trimester study abroad program in college. It was such a great experience and I got to travel alot thanks to a Eurail pass, and long 3 day weekends from school! But some observations about Switzerland in 1989...amazingly clean and unbelievably beautiful. OK, so going to school on the shores of Lake Geneva, can't get much better. But I had such fun traveling all over the country by train and staying in youth hostels, which I have to say (at least at that time) were at times better accommodations then hotels! Also it was true that you could set your watch by the trains that ran in Switzerland, everything was always on time! Or so it seemed! And I always felt very safe there as a female student sometimes traveling solo, I never had a bad experience there!
Austria (Vienna)
I spent a long weekend in Vienna during my time going to school in Switzerland and it was one of the best trips I had done. No one from school wanted to go with me, so I did it solo and met up with a great girl from Australia and we hung out with each other the whole time, even shared a room at a hotel. Took in all the touristy things to do and just have all around good memories of that trip.
Germany (Munich, Cologne)
What I remember the most about my weekend in Munich was first, going to Dachau (Nazi concentration camp) and feeling very moved by all the history there. The second thing I remember most about Munich is the Haufbrau Haus...went there twice in one visit to the city because we had such a good time. The third thing I remember the most, and probably should remember the least was the crummy youth hostel we had to stay in because there were no free beds available at the recommended YMCA...oh well...maybe that's why I like to plan ahead now!
Portugal (Lisbon, the Algarve, Evora, Sintra)
1 week of a 2 week spring break, during my trimester in Switzerland was spent in Portugal and I LOVED it! There was plenty of rain at the Algarve, and it was March so it wasn't really beach weather, but I really enjoyed my time in Lisbon and Sintra. The best part of Portugal on this trip was how strong the dollar was back then (1989) and how cheap everything was. See, our arrival into Lisbon was after what seemed like an eternity on a train from Madrid and only seats open in the smoking car...cough, cough, cough! But luckily I turned to my trusty guide book, called the hotel I had decided to get a room at, after much help from a friendly local who showed me how to use the phone! And was able to talk to Tony the owner who had a room for us (me and my school mate Kim), but it wouldn't be ready until 9pm...no problemo...Tony picked us up a the train station and took us back to the hotel. We found a little restaurant down the street and had was seemed like the best meal ever. Now, it could have been because we hadn't eaten all day, no food car on the train and we didn't bring any with us (will never make that mistake again!) or because it cost us a total of $7.00, but it tasted like the best fish, potatoes, vegetables, bread, and 7-up soda I had ever had!
Spain (Barcelona, Madrid, Costa del Sol)
I've been to Spain a couple times. The first time was during a spring break trip to the Costa del Sol, more specifically the town called Torremolinas. It was a fun week, packed with day trips to Granada, Sevilla, and Gibralter. I went with a college friend Stacey and it was fun, but the most memorable part of the trip that I still carry with me today was the purchase of my leather bomber jacket that I still wear and love and how "beaten up" it looks, I will never give it away! The second time in Spain was during my spring break from school in Switzerland. The plan was to go to Barcelona, Madrid and then onto Portugal. I loved Barcelona so much that instead of staying just 2 days, we stayed 4 and only had 1 day for Madrid, but that was ok. I didn't really care for Madrid. At the time it seemed dirty and very much like NYC to me...not that that's a bad thing, it was just that I had grown up near NYC and Madrid didn't really impress me that much.
Morracco (Algiers)
I only spent a day here during my Spain spring break trip. It was the typical day tour/bus group. Although it is what I would call a "tea bag" visit (in and out very quickly) it was pretty interesting. This trip was the first time I had ever eaten couscous and thought it was good. Of course we had to go to the obligatory carpet store, snake charmer, and camel photo op, but it was interesting all the same.
Gibralter
As with Morracco this was part of the Spain spring break trip. We literally popped into Gibralter on the way to Algiers. Got to see the monkeys and the Union Jack flying high. Not much else to say about this destination.
Paris, France
I've been to Paris twice and each time I have never had a bad experience as so many people say you will have when you go there. The first time there I was in high school and went on a group tour my Spanish teacher put together. I remember it was such a fun time. It was the first part of a 2 city trip...London was the second city. The second time I was in Paris was during my study abroad when I went for a weekend. Especially that time, I was told the Parisiens will treat the tourist badly but as I said I never experienced any of that and have to say that the street-side crepe stands were the best...chocolate crepes were the best!
London, UK (Bath, Oxford, Windsor, Stonehenge)
It's been a long time since visiting London. But I've got such great memories. The first time there was with a school group tour doing high school and just loved London. The second time is probably the one I'm most fond of though. I was 19 and my sister was 17 and my parents let us go alone to London for a week, and we were equipped with BritRail passes so we could see Bath, Windsor and Stonehenge. Such fun we had even going to see 2 shows in the theater district. God, as teenagers! What a great opportunity! It was on that trip that my choices in restaurants left a lot to be desired and after a pretty bad choice I left the restaurant selections up to my sister. Luckily with a bit of experience and learning how to research and plan (much easier now with the internet!) I have gotten much better at choosing restaurants while on vacation!
English Channel (before Chunnel)
So, I know this entry is technically not a destination, but I had a funny story about this and wanted to include it here! On the school trip to Paris and London, Paris was first on the itinerary and then we took the ferry across the English Channel and made our way to London. I guess I hadn't really enjoyed the food too much in Paris and hadn't been eating much. So, when I got on the ferry (apparently an English ferry) there was a huge buffet full of bangers and mash...yummy. Or I was just so hungry I thought it was yummy. So, I filled up until I could barely walk. Well, being on the English Channel during bad weather (read...choppy seas!) and having a full stomach of bangers and mash was not a good combination. I'm sure you can guess by now, that I was turning a pretty shade of green and felt pretty miserable for the rest of the crossing. I was never so happy to see dry land then I was that day!
Belgium (Brussels, Brugge)
I've had the pleasure of seeing Brussels twice, once during a trip organized by my class at school as part of our final project (ok, we were travel management majors) and once on a long weekend while at school in Switzerland. I enjoyed it, but other then the Mannequin Pis, I don't remember a whole lot about Brussels. But I do remember the one day I spent in Brugge and believe it to be one of the prettiest places I have ever visited. It was so picturesque and maybe that as we were walking down the street church doors opened and a wedding party streamed out helped to make the setting even more magical. I haven't been back, but just may have to put that on my places to see again list!
Netherlands (Amsterdam, Rotterdam)
Seeing the Netherlands was part of the trip that included Belgium with my fellow classmates in the travel program. I enjoyed Amsterdam and especially the Anne Frank house. The amount of bicycles the locals uses amazed me...seemed like the major mode of transport there. As for Rotterdam, the only real thing I remember about visiting there is that it seemed to be very industrial looking city.
Dallas, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama
So, it's probably not fair to lump all these together, but if you've my previous post about my Thanksgiving 2005 journey to Tucson you will understand why I put all these together. In short I was delayed at the Dallas airport for so long and eventually my flight was cancelled so in order to return to work in time for a meeting (2 days later) I rented a car and drove from Dallas back home. The route I took out of Dallas was via Interstate 20, so I drove through all the states listed in this entry. I can't really say too much about Dallas since the extent of my visit there was seeing the airport, the car rental terminal and the highway at midnight. So some day maybe I will make it back there, but honestly, I'm in no rush to see Dallas. The other 3 states were pretty much a big blur since I was driving like a maniac and taking a nothernly route through the states, so I didn't see much of the coastal area, but I did cross the Mississippi. Some day I would like to go back to Louisiana and see New Orleans, but that will not be any time in the very near future since I'm sure the effects of Hurricane Katrina (August 2005) are still being dealt with there.
Savannah, GA
OK, so I may be a little biased, but I really like Savannah, especially the downtown area with all the beautiful homes and the tree lined squares. And of course the "big" shopping malls that I go to if I want to do any kind of semi-serious buying, since Hilton Head doesn't have all the major retailers (although we are starting too!). I unfortunately don't get to Savannah as much as I'd like to but when friends come to visit I always make it a priority to show them the town.
Jacksonville, FL
My visit to Jacksonville (other then just driving through on the way to Orlando) was back in 1999 for a Shania Twane concert. A bunch of my line dancing gang decide to go and we drove down got a few hotel rooms for the night and went to the concert. We didn't really get a feel for the city since we just went between the hotel and the arena, but maybe on one of my future Orlando excursions I can make a stop to check it out!
Jersey Shore
This entry is a right of passage if you grew up in the Garden State (NJ) like I did. As a state requirement you had to go to "The Shore" at least once during every summer you have lived in NJ. And I can do a bit better then that. As a kid my family rented a summer house (nothing extravagant) at the Jersey Shore for a few summers and they were always fun. We usually rented the house for 3 weeks or so and we would have family friends who also rented a house a block or so away and we were only a few houses from the beach...it was great as a kid...so much fun! We would spend the days on the beach swimming in the ocean and at night we would play miniature golf, or go to the boardwalk in Point Pleasant or Seaside. Point Pleasant always seemed to be kept up better then Seaside which we gave the glorious nickname of "Sleeze-side". Gosh, the things you remember. And it was always fun to head over to the Barnaget Bay side of the road and go crabbing from a dock in the bay...gee, it's that lyrics to a song! :)
Bahamas
Bahama Mamas...that what me a a high school friend could consider ourselves. As a treat we took a few days after high school graduation and went to the Bahamas for some fun and relaxation. Looking back I was probably to young to enjoy it there since it was mostly just hanging out by the pool and casinos, which we couldn't get into even if we wanted too. I'm not a big gambler now and wasn't then either! But it was a fun way to kick back and celebrate graduating from high school!
San Marino
As I said when I started this list, it is in no particular order, so you can probably guess that I thought of this after listing everything else. But I did go to San Marino on my first trip to Italy. It's a little tiny country in the middle of Italy. I don't remember a whole lot about it, but I do remember that I bought a really neat gold snake ring that I still have 20 some-odd years later.
The Vatican
And of course, a trip to Rome (both times I was there) would not be complete with a visit to the Vatican and even though the Vatican is located in Rome, it is it's own country so obviously I had to include that in my list. Although I am not a devote Catholic, I have to say that on my first trip to Italy during the Easter holiday, it was quite an experience being in St. Peter's Square with the throng of people and seeing the Pope at the window of his residence!
Well, this brings me to the end of my list, for now anyway. I'm sure this list will continue to grow as I travel to more places....The world is a big place and I've only seen a little piece of it!
Happy Wandering!
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Hello to the newest Irish citizen!
Yipee! Patience really does pay off. I only waited 17 months to get my official Irish Foreign Births Registry entry form.So the story goes....since my grandfather on my dad's side was born in Ireland (Tubbercurry , County Sligo to be exact) I am eligible to be entered in the Foreign Births Registry at the Irish Consulate General in New York City. With that entry I can now apply for an Irish passport (let's hope that doesn't take as long as the Foreign Births Registry entry).
I applied for this back in August 2004 and all the paperwork said it takes about 9 months to process. I don't know what the hold up was, but when I called the Irish Consulate in NYC last week they said it would be sent out next month. You can imagine my surprise when it arrived this past Saturday.
So the big question is why would I do this? I just thought it would be something good to have if I ever wanted to live in Ireland, or work in a European Union country...it never hurts to have all my bases covered! :)
Ok, Ok, I know the picture is not the best I have ever taken...Can you say..."Open your eyes Marcy"! :)
Erin Go Bragh!
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Happy New Year!
Welcome 2006!
It was a quiet New Year's Eve for me this year, and sometimes I just prefer it that way. I was able to ring in the new year in the comfort of my own home and didn't have to battle any crowded bars or parties! :)
So some of my planned travels for 2006 have changed. I decided not to take my trip to Seattle that was planned for January. There were a couple reasons, my friend, Katrina who I was going to meet up with there to celebrate our birthdays wasn't able to make it. And although I would have loved to go to the Europe Through the Back Door tour reunion it just wouldn't be the same without Katrina. Plus work is going to be busy during January, so it's probably best that I put Seattle on the back burner. And afterall, Seattle in January probably isn't the best from a weather perspective!
In light of the cancelled Seattle trip I've been putting some time and energy into researching flight and accommadation options for my European trip in September. I know, September seems like a long time away, but I like to get my "ducks in a row" well in advance!
Coordinating flight to get to Prague and then leave from Dubrovnik is proving to be a bit difficult but I think I have found a way by using London, Gatwick as a roundtrip destination from the US and then getting a low fare from Gatwick to Prague and then back to Gatwick from Dubrovnik. I am sure as time progresses and I determine the "perfect itinerary" it will be reflected here in my blog!
Well, it's a "short and sweet" post tonight!
Here's to a happy and healthy and travel-filled 2006!
It was a quiet New Year's Eve for me this year, and sometimes I just prefer it that way. I was able to ring in the new year in the comfort of my own home and didn't have to battle any crowded bars or parties! :)
So some of my planned travels for 2006 have changed. I decided not to take my trip to Seattle that was planned for January. There were a couple reasons, my friend, Katrina who I was going to meet up with there to celebrate our birthdays wasn't able to make it. And although I would have loved to go to the Europe Through the Back Door tour reunion it just wouldn't be the same without Katrina. Plus work is going to be busy during January, so it's probably best that I put Seattle on the back burner. And afterall, Seattle in January probably isn't the best from a weather perspective!
In light of the cancelled Seattle trip I've been putting some time and energy into researching flight and accommadation options for my European trip in September. I know, September seems like a long time away, but I like to get my "ducks in a row" well in advance!
Coordinating flight to get to Prague and then leave from Dubrovnik is proving to be a bit difficult but I think I have found a way by using London, Gatwick as a roundtrip destination from the US and then getting a low fare from Gatwick to Prague and then back to Gatwick from Dubrovnik. I am sure as time progresses and I determine the "perfect itinerary" it will be reflected here in my blog!
Well, it's a "short and sweet" post tonight!
Here's to a happy and healthy and travel-filled 2006!
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