Take Your Dog With You!

A major concern about traveling is what to do with your dog while you’re away. Many are so attached to pets that leaving an animal behind would be a good reason to turn down travel. But why not take your dog with you?

Patricia Clark wrote an article for GoNOMAD.com called, “Traveling with a Pet in Europe”.
She says, “The country most agreeable and willing to make pet accommodations is the Netherlands. I was surprised to see well behaved dogs in bars and restaurants. However, dogs are not welcome in most grocery stores, but even here I have observed them in shopping carts. The majority of rest stops along the autobahn (freeways) throughout Europe offer dry food and water with dishes placed at the door for animals. Dogs are welcome in shopping malls and amusement parks … Dogs are accepted on trains (intercity railway) and other public transportation (buses and streetcars) if you purchase a reduced price ticket for them. Taxi and limo drivers are often reluctant to accept dogs but since she is small, 23 pounds, I have never been rejected. Dogs are accepted on drive-on ferries and ferries between the islands without a ticket.

I have learned it is wise to have your pet’s health certificate and vaccination record at hand when entering another country. However, I have only been questioned about the records one time and that was when re-entering the United States on the second of our four trips. So far the authorities in Europe do not question but I, to be safe, never cross a border with out the papers.”

Click here for full article: Traveling with a Pet in Europe, or check out petswelcome.com for more info.

Quick Guide to Hong Kong

In a travel guide called, “Quick Guide to the Ways of the World”, compiled by The Parker Pen Company, is ‘A Quick Guide to Hong Kong’.

The author writes:

“General Protocol
The people of Hong Kong are reserved and formal in almost all situations.
Blue and white are the Chinese colors for mourning and should be avoided.

Names/Greetings
When greeting and leaving, handshakes are common. After the initial handshake business cards are presented with both hands.

Hospitality/Gift Giving
A guest will take a gift of fruit, candy or cookies when invited to dinner and will present it to the hostess with both hands. Gifts to avoid: clicks, which symbolize death, and scissors or other sharp objects, which symbolize the severing of a relationship.
Never begin to eat or drink before your host does.
Gifts are exchanged at the time of the Chinese New Year.

Conversation
To thank someone for a gift, say “DOR-jay;” for a service rendered the word is “Ng-GOI” (with the “ng” pronounced something like the “m” in “hmm”).
Since the Chinese are delighted with Westerners who speak their language, a phrase is Cantonese will be greatly admired—but be very sure of your pronunciation.
Casual inquiries about health or business are considered polite conversation. One topic to avoid: the political situation in China."

St. Andrews, N.B., Canada

St. Andrews, N.B. Resort, Canada

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In an article called ‘N.B.’s historic resort town’, Doug English describes the St. Andrews, New Brunswick Resort in Canada.

“No beach. No water slides. No neon. No muscle cars. What kind of resort town is this? Welcome to St. Andrews, N.B., nestled by Passamaquoddy Bay, 120 km from Saint John and almost on the Maine border. St. Andrews isn't a Grand Bend or a Wasaga Beach. It's more a Niagara-on-the-Lake, but less expensive and less crowded,” he says.

“It's designated a National Historic District, 280 of its 550 mainly red brick or clapboard buildings having been constructed before 1880. Some were brought over piece by piece by Loyalists following the American Revolution. For example, the plank floors in The Windsor House, an elegant inn and restaurant, were laid in 1798.”

Some of the attractions include a 4 ½ star golf course at the historic Fairmont Algonquin hotel, a tour of the Kingsbrae Horticultural Gardens, where “classical music is piped in, visitors are encouraged to walk on the grass and gs, and there's an "edible garden" where the kids can pick berries,” Seascape Kayak Tours, and a 90-minute evening ghost walk that leaves from Algonquin and stops in the courthouse, which was build in 1840. This is an inexpensive, fun family destination.

An Acapulco Spring Break

Parasailing, waterskiing, and windsurfing

are popular sports on Acapulco Bay, Mexico.

(AP Photo/David L. Langford)

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My friends went to Acapulco this past spring break and told me that it’s the “new Cancun”. They had the time of their lives and insisted that I look into it for next year.

In an Associated Press article by Will Weissert called, “Acapulco catching up to Cancun”, he says, “For tens of thousands of college students fleeing frozen campuses for a week of sun, sand and Jell-O shots, spring break south of the border has a new home. Acapulco, the Pacific playground of the 1950s for movie stars like John Wayne and Cary Grant, has become a major destination for their great-grandchildren's generation.

Mario Ricciardelli, CEO of studentcity.com, a website devoted to spring-break travel, said Acapulco is now his company's top destination and that bookings for the resort are up 70 per cent from 2004, compared to a booking increase of from 10 per cent to 15 per cent this year in Cancun.
As in Cancun, Acapulco's drinking age is 18, and bars and night clubs crowd the resort's golden-sand bays.

Students roam from alcohol-soaked pool parties to booze cruises to beach beer blasts by day, then pack into all-you-can drink discotheques at night. But many clubs here require slacks and dress shoes for men, unlike in Cancun. Also, most of the hotels in this city of 800,000 were built decades ago, offering a more traditional feel than the Caribbean resort's ultramodern facilities.”

For more info, check out GoNOMAD articles: 'Acapulco: A fabled resort reconsidered', or 'Mexico is Much More than Cancun'

Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls National Park, Argentina

Part of the fun of traveling is adventure. When I read this article called "Playing Chicken with a Waterfall", by AP writer Vanessa Nichols, it awakened the daredevil in me and I am now strongly considering a trip to Puerto Iguazu, Argentina.

Nichols says, "Darting past jagged rocks, our speedboat plays chicken with the widest waterfall in the world. I hold my breath as the driver veers straight toward the enormous cascade tumbling down from the cliff overhead. As we rapidly approach the Iguazu Falls, I shout to my step-dad that we're getting too close. Too late. The motorboat with its load of tourists is hurtling straight toward the towering curtain of mist.

I'm certain we're going to crash right through the falls and smash into the rocks behind. Then, at the last second, the driver throttles back the engine and the boat spins away. We're suddenly drenched by blinding sprays of water...I catch my stepfather laughing hysterically. Fear has turned to exhilaration and a group of soggy Italian tourists behind us are madly shouting for one more run at the falls -- "Otro! Otro!"

We are touring Argentina's Iguazu Falls National Park. Set in a subtropical rain forest where Brazil meets Argentina, it is a lush and enchanting place, enticing visitors from around the world who come here to see the thunderous forces of nature at work."

Click here to see more pictures of the Iguazu Waterfall, and to read "Playing Chicken with a Waterfall" in its entirety.

Salem Sue-World's Largest Cow

Salem Sue-World's Largest Cow

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Every town and city has its own tourists attraction, whether it be the tallest tree in the world, the oldest church, the biggest shopping mall, or the sweetest maple syrup. New Salem, North Dakota has a very unique attraction; the world's largest cow.

She stands 38 feet high and 50 feet long. Made of six tons of reinforced fiberglass, 'Salem Sue the Cow' had to be built in three sections to get her up the hill. Sue is located on the south side of I-94 off of the New Salem exit.

In an article on roadsideamerica.com called "Salem Sue-World's Largest Cow," the author says, "Today, New Salem is cow crazy. Its high school sports teams are named the Holsteins. And overlooking the interstate, on the only hill visible for many many miles, is New Salem's pride: Salem Sue, the World's Largest Cow...She is the largest of North Dakota's large animals: bigger than the bull in Pettibone, the buffalo in Jamestown, the turtle in Bottineau, the other turtle in Dunseith, the walleye in Garrison. You can see her mighty silhouette from neighboring counties on a clear day: a goddess of dairy, ready to be worshipped. A steady stream of interstate pilgrims pull off of the highway and make the slow drive up the steep, narrow, twisting gravel road to the summit. A sign encourages everyone to drop a dollar into a milk can, thoughtfully provided, to help pay for Sue's maintenance..."

Click here for more information on Salem Sue and other cow attractions

Taipei Temples

Small temples are built into the mountains in Taipei, Taiwan. Many are hidden deep within the walls of the hills. It is an adventure in itself to climb through the mountains and forests attempting to locate these temples, and once found- they are quite a site to see.

In an article on Bootsnall.com by Vivien Lai called “Tiny Temples”, she says, “Just outside Taipei there are several "mini-mountains". Hidden in these hills are several ancient and not-so-old temples. Some are huge, new, colorful monstrosities, but some of the old ones hidden away in the hills are slowly being reclaimed by the forest…
You feel like Indiana Jones as you enter cobweb-covered doorways and lizards scurry away out of view. Some of the bigger temples even have rooms that you can explore. The amazing thing is that many were build directly into the mountain, if you head to the back of a temple eventually you come to a room that is actually a cave, or you realize that there is no ceiling, just the inside of the mountain. But from the front of some of the temples you can see the huge 101 tower, the tallest building in Taipei, and the shopping mall area directly below it. All this just outside of central Taipei, with fantastic views of the city.”

Click here for the complete “Tiny Temples” article.

One of the easier to find temples

View from Taipei temple

'One of World's Most Beautiful Beaches'

Magens Bay Beach, in St. Thomas, is located 3 miles north of the capital, Charlotte Amalie. It is a very inexpensive place to visit, and the site is breathtaking. Tourists come from all over the world to see this famous travel destination.

In an article called “Virgin Sands,” Patricia Schultz says, “Much has been made of the fact that National Geographic magazine voted Magens Bay one of the world’s most beautiful beaches. You’re bound to second that, especially if you visit this mile-long, horseshoe-shaped strip of white sand when it’s uncrowded. The thick fringe of palms that line the bay’s calm blue waters makes the admission charge the best $1 you’ll spend in your life.”

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Click here for history and more info on Magens Island,
or click here for pictures and a virtual tour of the island.

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Magens Bay Beach

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Lesser Antilles

(U.S. Territory)

'Still Feels Like Mexico'

Many Mexican cities have become Americanized, but San Miguel de Allende perserves the Mexican authenticity that makes it a prime travel destination.

In a New York Times article from May 22nd, James C. McKinley Jr. writes, "The jacaranda trees are blooming, and so too is this 16th-century colonial town, thanks to an ambitious renewal effort that is halfway through its two-year run. Every building along the narrow cobblestone streets has been repainted in the colors of a desert sunset: ocher and sienna, deep orange and clay red. The government is restoring churches and theaters, rebuilding plazas and illuminating the arches of the plaza and the ornate spires of the main church with Disneyland-like brightness.

The civic improvements have coincided with a housing boom as Americans searching for vacation homes are increasingly buying up property in the old section of town, anchored by the Parroquia de San Miguel de Allende, a Gothic-style construction of spires and arches.

…All this investment has not altered the bones of the place: the 300-year-old architecture from Spain, the heavy, carved wooden doors along narrow sidewalks, the explosion of bougainvillea over compound walls surrounding meticulous courtyards. Unlike Cancun or Acapulco, where American fast food joints and discos rule, San Miguel de Allende still feels like Mexico."

Click here for more a GoNOMAD DESTINATION MINI GUIDE on San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, or click here for more GoNOMAD articles about San Miguel.

'Cabernets and Coloring Books'

Visiting the wine country in Napa Valley, CA used to require you to pay nearly as much as the cost of the trip for a weekend babysitter, or the stress of finding a place to leave the kids. Now, however, many of the wineries are providing family experiences and welcoming children of all ages- even those too young to appreciate the finest part; the wine.

In a New York Times article from May 22 called “At Wineries, the Visitors Can Be Young and Bubbly,” Kermit Pattison says, “With a little planning, the wineries of Napa will serve the under-aged. Some wineries offer coloring books, crayons, and fruit juices to occupy children while their parents sip chardonnays and cabernets. Others have picnic areas, interactive displays, aerial trams or caves that capture young imaginations.

The Napa Valley Wine Train, which operates rail trips with meals in vintage cars, holds a family night, when kids go into one car supervised by a day care worker while their parents enjoy a romantic dinner in another. It’s only a matter of time before a restaurateur puts pinot butter and jelly on the menu.

The Napa Valley is known for cozy bed-and-breakfasts, romantic restaurants, and of course wine. That combination encourages behavior that sooner-or-later produces children…I believed it was time for the wine country to face the consequences of what it had wrought…The Napa Valley has about 300 wineries, and their attitudes toward kids run the gamut. The best rule of thumb is to call ahead.”

Some wineries that welcome kids include: Sterling Vineyards, V. Sattui Winery, Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery , Frog’s Leap Winery, St. Supery Winery, and Napa Valley Wine Train .

A Delicious Trip To Missouri

Now, we know that half the fun of traveling is tasting the native dishes in each of our destinations. Even within the United States, food is such an important part of vacationing. If you visit Missouri, Arthur Bryant’s Barbecue is a must. Located on Brooklyn Avenue in Kansas City, meals cost about 12 dollars and the experience is worth every penny.

In “A Traveler’s Life List”, author Patricia Schultz says, “…Legendary Arthur Bryant’s is near-unanimously considered to be the best barbecue joint in town, or maybe anywhere. There’s no décor to speak of…but that just means there’s nothing to distract you from the signature half-pound of slow-cooked brisket slapped on plain old white bread, with a gritty herbs-and-spices flavored barbecue sauce and the best skin-on French fries in America…For a full-tilt barbecue experience, come during the two-month American Royal Livestock Horse Show and Rodeo, held every autumn since 1899 (Starting in early October). There are parades, steer auctions, and hog pageants throughout the 180-acre former stockyards area, but all that pales when compared to the barbecue competitions, in which more than 3,000 contestants from all over the United States set up camp and fire up their meat, each tent emitting an aroma more tantalizing than the last.”

For more information visit Arthur Bryant’s or learn more about the Horse Show and Rodeo.

"Be Careful! Actions Speak Louder than Words"

Travelers often attempt to break language barriers by using hand signals, or gestures. But one must be careful in other countries. Signals may mean something entirely different outside of the U.S. In the book, “Do’s and Taboos Around the World,” Roger Axtell explains that hand gestures may cause awful misconceptions.

“As he looked around the table, he knew he had clinched the sale. Triumphantly, he raised his hand to his Latin customers and flashed the classic American okay sign- thumb and forefinger forming a circle, other fingers pointing up. The sunny Brazilian atmosphere suddenly felt like a deep freeze. Stony silence. Icy stares. Plus embarrassed smirks from his colleagues.”

In other countries, the sign that we understand to mean “great” or “OK” actually means “You’re an asshole” or something similar to the middle finger signal we use.

“In Europe the correct form for waving hello and goodbye is palm out, hand and arm stationary and fingers wagging up and down. The common American wave with the whole hand in motion means no—except in Greece, where it is an insult that is likely to get you into big trouble.”

So before you think to lift your hand, nod your head, clap your hands, or wink your eye- look up what these things mean in the country you are visiting!

Learn more about foreign understanding of gestures and signals!

Art-Inside & Out!

For all of you art-buffs out there, who have seen every exhibit in the New York Guggenheim, it may be time for a trip to Basque Country, Spain to see the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.

In Patricia Schultz’s “1,000 Places to See Before You Die”, I read an article about the museum. It is much larger than the NY museum and contains temporary and rotating exhibits. Conveniently located 72 miles east of Santander, the museum’s admission is only $6. The exterior of the building, which cost $100 million to construct, is as fascinating, artistically, as the exhibits inside.

“The dazzling titanium- and stone-covered edifice that dominates this ship-building and steel center is one of the century’s most talked about museums—the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. The bizarrely shaped structure is described as ‘a ship run aground on the Nervion River.’ Art lovers visiting Europe now include Bilbao as an essential part of their itinerary… The New York-based Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation manages the operation, rotating parts of its own permanent collection and helping to organize temporary exhibitions…The vast, free-form Bilbao museum is almost twice as large as its New York sibling. It is, declared Philip Johnson, “the greatest building of our time.”

For more info, check out the Guggenheim Bilbao!

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Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

Basque Country, Spain

“St. Petersburg is the Athens of Russia, the capital city of Russian spiritual culture.” -Nikolai Antsiferov

The architecture is reason enough to visit. While reading about St. Petersburg, the most fascinating part was the unbelievable detail in the buildings and the colorful history behind each structure in the city. One in particular stood out the most; the Cathedral of the Resurrection, which was recently opened after many years of restoration. It is also commonly known as “Our Saviour-on-the-Split-Blood”.

In the book, St. Petersburg, Irina Chursina says, “A decision was taken to put up a cathedral at the place of assassination (of Tsar, Alexander II). Its interior encompassed the part of the roadway at the edge of the canal, which was stained with the Tsar’s blood. This accounts for the unusual position of the cathedral. The builders even had to extend the embankment to erect the bell tower. The Cathedral of the Resurrection reflects a recourse to national stylistic devices characteristic of Russian architecture in the second half of the nineteenth century.”

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Cathedral of the Resurrection

St. Petersburg, Russia

The Cathedral of the Resurrection

St. Petersburg, Russia

Warm, dusty Accra, Ghana is the largest city in the country- home of 2 million people. There is an upper class that lives in mansions as large as 12,000 square feet. A lower class lives just blocks away in grass huts along the Volta River, the only river in Ghana. The lower class bathes and washes their clothing in the river and fishes for food. There are very few indoor stores in Ghana, everything is sold on the streets; from toilet paper, to fruit, to dishes and appliances. The average wage in Ghana is $2 per day. Americans, often used to shopping malls and laundromats, should definitely consider visiting Accra.

The Ghanaian culture is fascinating.

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Here is a sneak preview of Accra:

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Taken by Edward Goldman 3/2005

This is a liquor store in Accra.

It is along the main turnpike in Ghana.

Taken by Edward Goldman 3/2005

Eight to 10 families share in the ownership of a

single cow. The cows walk wild, but never roam

more than a few blocks from home. People in Accra know

who each cow belongs to. Four times a year, the

families slaughter and eat their livestock.

Taken by Edward Goldman 3/2005

Wood carvers sit in the streets carving the most

intricate shapes and sell them each day.

Taken by Edward Goldman 3/2005

Everything is sold outside; even clothing,

appliances such as refrigerators and electronics.

Taken by Edward Goldman 3/2005

People live in these huts along the river. This picture shows

children napping, and clothing drying on their roofs.

Taken by Edward Goldman 3/2005

There are 2 tolls on the turnpike, which runs the entire length of the country.

One in Ghana and one in Nigeria, on the border. Men, women and children

stand along the turnpike selling goods to people as they drive by.

Taken by Edward Goldman 3/2005

In the background of this picture is the only bridge in the

country. In the foreground is freshly baked bread-ready to be

loaded into the large bowls for women to carry on

their heads along the highway for sales.

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For more information about Accra, Ghana, Africa- please visit www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/africa/ghana

"Homophobic Airline?"

I read the funniest article on Zipadeeday.com’s travel section from Feb. 6, 2001. Now although the site guarantees the authenticity of their articles, regardless of whether this story is actually true, I just had to share it. This article is a reminder that sometimes strange things happen on vacations and the travel time is often a story in itself. I have Xd out the name of the Austrailia based airline to protect them in the event that this article is not completely accurate.

“It has been reported that an employee for XXX Airlines, who happened to have the last name of Gay, got on a plane recently using the company's "free flight" offer for staff. However, when Mr. Gay tried to take his seat, he found it being occupied by a fare paying passenger.
So, not to make a fuss, he simply chose another seat. Unknown to Mr. Gay, another XXX flight at the airport experienced mechanical problems. The passengers of this flight were being re-routed to various other airplanes.A few were put on Mr. Gay's flight and anyone holding a 'free' ticket was being 'bumped'.

XXX officials, armed with a list of these 'freebee' ticket holders boarded the plane, as is the practice, to remove them in favor of fare paying passengers. Of course, Mr. Gay was not sitting in his assigned seat, as you may remember. So when the Ticket Agent approached the seat where Mr. Gay was supposed to be sitting, she asked a startled customer, "Are you Gay?" The man shyly nodded he was, at which point she demanded: "Then you have to get off the plane."

Mr. Gay, overhearing what the Agent had said, tried to clear up the situation; "You've got the wrong man. I'm Gay!" This caused an angry third passenger to yell, "Hell! I'm gay too! They can kick us all off!" Confusion reined as more and more passengers began yelling that XXX had no right to remove gays from their flights.It is reported that XXX have refused to comment on the incident.”

Many weird things happen while traveling- but take them lightly, because they make for great stories later. I’d bet that many of the passengers on Mr. Gay’s flight told this story to their friends and families when talking about their trip, and I’d bet this story ended up next to their ticket stub in their trip scrapbook. So when you travel- keep an eye opened for excitement in even the most unexpected places!

"A Trip for Trees?"

So, I lived in NY and NJ all my life and I moved to Amherst, MA a few years ago for college. I remember glancing at the scenery as I passed through on the drive up. The trees did display a vibrant array of colors that shouted autumn, reminding me that I was entering New England. Still, I was amazed to see lines of cars with license plates from all different states parked on the sides of highways in New England taking pictures, sight seeing and picking leaves off trees. I guess I never really took the chance to appreciate the true beauty of the New England foliage- I just didn't get it...

I was looking through old magazines a few months ago and I came across an article in a September issue of Bergen Magazine called ‘Autumn in Vermont’ by Marilee Crocker. To satisfy my curiosity about the matter, I decided to tear it out and see what the hype was all about.

“High up in the mountains, in village centers and along the roadsides, the telltale signs are starting to appear. Though it is still summer here in New Jersey, in northern Vermont there’s already a chill in the evening air, and the trees are transforming into blazing displays of gold and orange. It’s Mother Nature’s way of heralding the season that weaves the Green Mountain State’s landscape into a tapestry of color.

It’s also your cue to plan this year’s fall foliage trip. Late September through mid-October is the peak viewing season in northern Vermont. The hues vary by region, so the best way to savor the show is by taking a leisurely drive. Especially rewarding is Route 100, a two-lane byway that winds its way through picture-perfect villages, wooded valleys and pastoral farmlands to the resort town of Stowe. There are plenty of scenic spots along the way for spying a spectrum of hues from scarlet to burnt sienna. (If you find foliage you’d like to keep, press the dry leaves in a heavy book between sheets of wax paper, or spritz them with a little aerosol hairspray and they’ll last for years)...”

Now, I certainly am a fan of sightseeing, though for me it has typically entailed large buildings, flashing lights and ‘the city that never sleeps.’ And even though I appreciate the serenity and beauty of nature…something about driving hours to look at trees always struck me as strange, until recently. In October I was driving on Interstate 91 in Massachusetts, where the highway overlooks the mountains. There was a bit of traffic and once I got over my initial state of annoyance at the wait, I began looking around, and I realized that the site was breathtaking. I remembered the article I had read and it was confirmed.

Having the opportunity to see New England foliage was like looking at a painting. The colors seemed almost artificial in their intensity, and I finally understood why thousands of people take the trip from all over the country to see the trees each fall.

It's about that time of year again, so if you are looking for a relaxing place to take a ride, if you are especially interested in foliage, or if you are like I was and don’t particularly understand the fascination with trees- please take a ride up north this fall- you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

"Frequent-Dier Miles"

I read the most peculiar article by Anne Marie Chaker in today's Wall Street Journal. Instead of spending money with your credit card to earn flight miles, why not just ship a few dead bodies and get a free flight?

"On JetBlue Airways, about 15 shipments of bodies earns a funeral director a free round trip ticket...On US Airways, funeral directors earn a point each time they ship or receive a body. 30 points equals a free round trip ticket...The Daytona Beach International Airport rewards funeral directors with 500 frequent-flier miles on Delta Air Lines for each body shipped out." Imagine that...you don't even have to get on a plane and you can earn sky miles.

"Airlines have always made their money by putting bodies in the seats. Increasingly, they're also turning a dollar by putting dead bodies in cargo, as carriers pursue the funeral-home and mortuary busniess...The yield on transporting human remains--I want to be sensitive when I say this--is definately worth our while," says Dale Anderson, director of mail and cargo for JetBlue. "I have to move close to 1,000 pounds of general cargo to equal the revenue of one human remain."

While the flights are payed for by the family of the deceased, funeral directors are encouraged to charge the flights to their credit cards to earn miles. "The most coveted airline perks are what some in the industry refer to as 'frequent-dier programs'." But here's the catch. The families that recently experienced a loss, may be cheated into paying for a more expensive airline for the shipment of their loved ones, just so that the funeral director can earn sky miles. Something about this system seems like it may need a little revision, but hey...there's something to be said for reaping the benefits of your latest client's travel.

First Day

I'm beginning an internship at GoNomad.com and in learning about traveling, I realized that travel reading is imperative to the whole process. If you are lucky enough to be traveling - you should always read up on the place you intend to visit before you go. If you are not traveling, why not take a break from the chaos of your every day life and fall deeply into an article, or book about the Carribean, London, Paris, or any other travel destination. Some of the most interesting readings that I have done lately are travel readings. We're all so used to our daily routines, but it's truly amazing to read about life in other places, and potentially go visit those places. Each day I will be posting a new excerpt or article about travel so keep checking back! Thanks!