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Friday, May 31, 2013

A film of inspiration!

There are books and pictures and films that simply inspire you to get up and go. More often than not, those same pieces of inspiration drive you to think more deeply than anything else that has approached you in some time. For me that film was "Before Sunrise" staring Julie Deeply and Ethan Hawke. It made me want to travel and have these amazing thoughts and discussions!
The same inspiration struck me while watching "Before Sunset", the long awaited sequel. And now the finale of this  inspirational trilogy is coming out this June, "Before Midnight"! I just can't wait.

Dear friends, please watch these movies. Experience them and take them in. And then share them, because its too good to keep to your self!

Friday, May 17, 2013

In honor of my upcoming trip to Italy!

Today I bought my flight to Europe. Like usual, I'm flying into Dublin and spending a day relaxing with the Irish. Then I'm going to Italy! I found this and thought it was perfect to share. Enjoy!

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Abandoned

That title was rather ominous, but what I really plan to share is this image I found on Pinterest. Some of them are kinda scary, but others are definitely making the next bucket list! Check this out:
cool-abandoned-buildings-places
Favorite: Cambodia
Most Terrifying: For some odd reason, the sunken yatch just freaks me out every time!

Beauty is everywhere

cool-places-world-amazing-USA-China
Wow, my bucket list just keeps expanding.

Alice's Adventure

I've been working on this post for a while now, so enjoy it!
My friend Alice has been planning a big backpacking trip for Europe this summer. Since she reads this blog pretty often she's agreed to let me post her travel destination agenda. And I am going to list my top two suggestions of Must Dos in each city. This is a big trip, so it's going to be over the course of 3 blog posts! I mean the girl is going to 25 cities. It takes a lot of planning to utilize all her time wisely.

Amsterdam-Take a walk and grab a bite! Now you can take the free walking tour, of course but I highly suggest paying the 12Euros for the red light district tour. The cafe is Kriterion, a canteen for & completely run by students… a kind of co-op social program commune. I'm not normally into hippies, but the food was great!

Brussels- what first comes to mind? BEER!!!! Of course! But there's more to this lovely city than a good pint. Ascend to the top if the Atomium, a beautiful sculpture that reaches into the sky. Take a stroll through Old Town, especially the Grand Place.

Paris- I really don't care for this city... it's dirty and over-run with tourists, but it's a must-see for any traveler. I suggest paying the well-spent 12euros and touring the montmartre district, better known as the Hill. The tour takes you from the Red light, all the way to the Basilica Sacré Coeur and back. The 2nd is visiting Notre Dame. I regret not climbing to the top... I'll go back some day.
The true main character of Victor Hugo's book was the Cathedral.

Nice- The Nice pedestrian zone, or "zone pietonne," is a hub of activity. This is the place if you need to load up on souvenirs. Street entertainers frequent this area. There are gourmet shops, clothing shops, news stands, bookstores and more. Nice Archaeology Museum and Roman Ruins is an amazing place as well. 

Lisbon- The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum is a sight to see.  Treasures from the East and the West collected by one man is now one of the world's finest private art collections. It includes works by Rembrandt, Rubens, Monet and René Lalique. St. George's Castle- From the millennium-old battlements of this castle you have a bird's-eye view of the city in the company of roaming peacocks. Inside is a small archaeological museum and down the hill are a couple of terraces with perfect postcard views over Alfama, the city's medieval village-like neighborhood.

Barcelona- Stroll on La Rambla, but watch your pockets! If you are in great shape, take a bike tour- the hills are a killer, but you get to see so much!
Madrid

Thursday, May 2, 2013

ROAD TRIP!!!!

I miss the Midwest. I've been want to visit home for a while now, but the 24hr drive is really off-putting. However, when I mentioned it to a friend the other day I save a light of excitement that only two words accurately describe: Road Trip.
What is it about the idea of eating, sleeping and singing in a car with your best mates that just makes you ache for the open road? Well what ever it is, I've got the fever. And what better to do with a fever than to share it!? So here's some food for thought:
Get to the car and put it into high gear! And travel on my friends, travel on!

So behind!

Hey Travelers,
I am so behind and very sorry if you've been waiting on me. It seems like every day is something more challenging. Good news in my quest for travel is that I've got my tax return back so I'll be able to go to Italy after all! My friend would have killed me if I missed her wedding.
Life moves ever forward and last night I stayed in my very first Deluxe Disney Resort: Wilderness Lodge! A friend of mine owns a Disney Vacation Club membership and we had a lovely girls night in a 5th floor deluxe studio. I highly recommend it!
So here's the skinny: I'm soooooo broke! And I'm sure many of you are in the same situation. But being broke doesn't mean you can't travel. Why just this morning I found a flight from Orlando to Bogota, Columbia for $379 rt!? Sure it was for two weeks from now, but when you're poor you have to be flexible. With that in mind, here are some brilliant ideas on keeping busy while keeping your money in the bank account.

1. Design your own walking tour.
     So your planning a vacation on the cheap, you have so much you want to see but you can't afford one of the hop-on-and-off trolleys! So go to the library or use your google and design your own tour. I promise you'll see so much more of the city- maybe even stumble upon a great find!

2. Create a travel play list.
     Set the mood and jump into a culture. Design a play list that will help you relax and maybe bring some of your destinations spice to you day. It will be a nice way to jam through a long flight!

3. Pair up your outfits.
     I own more clothes then I will ever where, but unfortunately every day I travel it looks like I've gotten dressed in the dark! ...And sometimes I have, because if your in a multi-bed hostel you do NOT want to be that person diggin' around with the lights on at 7am! So plan ahead and build your wardrobe. Then once you've started packing you'll know exactly which pieces you need.
     Note: This can also help you condense your luggage. If you have 3 outfits that use the same pair of jeans, you just save yourself some major space!

4. Build a bucket list.
     Don't have your next destination picked out yet? Well that's not my style, but I did say be flexible. By having a general idea of where you'd like to go you can book as soon as you see the flight drop in price!

5. Smash something!
     Now don't go all Hulk on your house or anything! I'm talking about Smashbooks. They're like scrap booking from dummies, which is something I need! They don't take all the crazy supplies like a homemade scrapbook and it's still a great way to store all your memories of that trip: plane tickets, museum brochures, a napkin or menu...

6. Pin project.
     Make those pins a reality. Pinterest is an addiction, but all those ideas are just that if you don't follow through. Build a camping kit, or make a piece of art. Nothing is more inspiring then someone else's imagination ;)

Well I hope that's enough to get you off the couch... or on the couch if you're just making a play list. I'll write again soon. This whole once a month thing is just not going to work out for me!
Travel on, and remember: