All posts by AbandontheCube

If you’ve never been to the Upper Peninsula —GOOD! Don’t go. It isn’t for you. It’s a shit place with nothing to do and nothing to see. Stay away, for your own good.

If you have been, then you know it’s heaven on Earth, and not to tell anyone about it. The first rule of the real diehards of the UP, the so called Yoopers, is not talk about the UP with the trolls. Trolls, if you don’t know, are everyone who live under the Mackinac Bridge, which separates the Upper Peninsula from the rest of Michigan. And the rest of the planet, really. If you do make it past the bridge, stop at the Yooper Tourist Trap. It’s well worth a visit.

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is one of the most stunning natural places on this little blue ball. The fresh water lakes, the untouched forests, the rivers and waterfalls tucked away from the swarms of tourists. It’s a dreamland for the outdoor enthusiast.

Biblical Plagues in Rapid Secession

There are downsides to the UP, and they aren’t for the weak of heart or faint of knee. ‘Round about spring the mosquitos hatch. These nasty buggers can hatch right out of the snow. I’ve seen them crawling around on the ice looking for blood. There aren’t a few mosquitos here or there, but swarms of them so thick you can’t go outdoors.

One time my dad and I decided to hike to a nearby lake through the woods. I had head to two coverage and a hat. I had on so much mosquito repellant that I probably gave myself brain damage. My boots covered my feet, and I had gloves on my hands. So, we set out in mosquito season. ‘Round about the time we reached the other lake I couldn’t take it. I snapped an evergreen bough off of a nearby tree and started whacking the air around me. I saw the lake, muttered, “yeah, it’s great. Let’s get out of here.” And we dashed home, swinging pine boughs at the mosquitos. My neck, face, ears, wrists and ankles were covered in bites.

When the mosquitos die down a bit, the mayflies hatch. These congest the surface of everything from screen doors to picnic tables to windshields to boats. And if you were planning on fishing during bass season you can forget about it, because the fish are full to the gills with mayflies. They don’t want your stupid lure, they want a La-Z-Boy and a multi series Netflix show to binge while they chill in their nests and ignore you.

After the mayflies come the bitting flies. These assholes will nip and gouge at any exposed skin on your body, including your eyelids. But, if you think you’ll just wear long sleeves and pants to fool them you can forget about it, because they can bite through steel. Also, it’s 90 degrees outside, Celsius, and you’re damp and covered in sweat, which only attracts more flies.

And then there is about a week of nothing trying to bite or kill you. In that week, you can enjoy the fall foliage, stroll around in the amber-tinted forests or take in stunning vistas of Lake Superior.

After the Plagues Come the Snow

But right as you start thinking, “Hey, we should get a cabin up here,” the snow hits. And it hits hard. In the UP there is snow from about early October to round about May. And if you haven’t heard the very technical term “round-about” before, you haven’t studied the weather or insect patterns of the UP because that’s as good as it gets. ‘Round about is a technical term in the UP.

Finally, the fishing report for the UP: Many of the folks who come up, the trolls, they come up for the fishing and hunting. Hunting season is so-so, but you might as well stay downstate and save yourself the $5 Mackinac Bridge fare. Lodging costs more in the UP for hunters, too. Stay away, stop killing all of our wildlife, ya jerks. Fishing, on the other hand, is also horrible in the UP. So many people escaped to Michigan after the tourism board launched their Pure Michigan campaign that pretty much all of the fish in the great lakes are now in troll bellies down south. Fishing reports for the past five years have been abyssal. 

‘Round about now, you’re probably asking why I’m even writing about the UP. The answer is that this is a warning, a morality tale of sorts. Stay out of the UP so the fish come back, and the mosquito populations die down. Stay away, ya damn trolls! Back, back! Try somewhere else in America.

Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan are the land of plenty. Plenty of space. Plenty of weight on the locals. Plenty of cheese on the french fries. Plenty of everything. We started in Minneapolis, home of the Mall of America, the largest mall in the country. You can walk for hours and not see everything. I know. We tried. There is a theme park in the center, a movie theatre, spas, hundreds of shops and dozens of restaurants. Anything you want you can find at Mall of America, except your car. You’re going to lose your car. My god, where is the car?

Minnesota: Lakes, Malls and Snow

Minneapolis has a great free zoo in Como Park, out on the east side. Check out the Como Park Conservatory. You can donate at the entrance if you want to, or don’t. I don’t care. But we always tried to drop a few bucks in the pot because damn do they do a good job with the animals at Como. They have a free-range sloth in the greenhouse area, and there are meerkats all over the place right inside the entrance. They have larger animals, too, but for me the greenhouse always won out. Such a lovely spot to come, especially in the colder months. Which, in Minnesota, are about 10 months of the year.

If you’re anybody at all worth knowing than you live on Lake Minnetonka. We don’t, because we’re not worth knowing, but we have friends on the lake. Experiencing how the elite live is a joy and a curse. It’s such a delight to experience, but then you have to zip up your suitcase and go back to the cheap motels with holes in the bedding and curly hairs in the sheets. You can get a taste of the rich life by strolling around the quaint villages that ring the lake, or driving down the mansion-lined streets. There are several open access points to the lake. You can even check out Prince’s house, which is nearby.

Wisconsin: Land of Cheese and Roller Coasters

Wisconsin is famous for cheese, but also for the Wisconsin Dells, which house a bunch of theme parks. Here you can ride all manner of rollercoaster or spinning tea cup. There are decent resorts and it’s near enough to an airport that you don’t have a long drive after landing. The prices are reasonable in the off season, and a bit extreme in summer. If you ever wanted to learn an Eastern European language, many of the staff at the Wisconsin Dells resorts and theme parks are there on summer work visas. 

We didn’t spend much time in Wisconsin because it wasn’t theme park season. Instead, we sort of transited the state, and our hearts thank us for avoiding the artery-blocking cuisine.

Michigan: The Mosquito’s Playground

Michigan is for nature lovers. If you don’t love nature, don’t bother congesting the freeways and airports, it won’t be the place for you. The best thing to do in Michigan is get outside. Detroit has a lot to offer, as does Ann Arbor, but your best bet is to get into the woods, enjoy the lakes, go on an ATV ride or rent snowmobiles if it’s winter. Just get yourself geared up and get outside.

With the launch of the Pure Michigan tourism campaign, RV, ATV, boat and snowmobile enthusiasts from around America started to explore the bounty of Michigan. This was great for the economy but bad for those of us who were already outside enjoying the peace and quiet. Nothing says hike faster than having a group of loud tourists behind you in the peaceful forrest.

I have so much more to say about Michigan. I’ll do a whole post on the Upper Peninsula soon, so stay tuned.

We have done a lot of US road tripping, check out more on the Road Trip page.

For about a year and a half we lived in Missouri, smack dab in the middle of the American Central Midwest. This, I can assure you, was culture shock to the extreme. As a vegetarian and flex vegan, Missouri was a whole new world, culinarily speaking. And not a good one. More like a Mad Max wasteland world, where everything was barbecued or deep fried, and nothing came with vegetables, despite the fact that they were being grown all around us.

In Missouri, we checked out Branson, of course, and St. Louis. Now, if you’re in the market for a solid heart attack, we’d suggest dining in St. Louis. Go literally anywhere. But St. Louis has some healthy options too. You could walk around the zoo, which is free. And St. Louis has a massive park (that houses the zoo, conveniently) and a nearby free science museum. All of these attractions are well worth a visit.

Indiana: Corn, Literature and More Corn

Indiana has some perks worth checking out. For one, Kurt Vonnegut, my favorite writer of all time, hails from Indianapolis. Sure, he spent most of his productive years elsewhere, but the midwest doesn’t have shit to claim, so we’ll let them have it. Indianapolis is now home to the Kurt Vonnegut Museum & Library, which is pretty sweet, to tell the truth. You can go right in, have a tour, buy some themed gifts or attend some of their events. They really are doing an awesome job of sharing Vonnegut’s vision. So, that’s something the midwest has going.

Indiana has an awesome downtown area. We checked out The Garage, an eatery for everyone with tiny stalls selling everything from lobster rolls to Pakistani to cheap margaritas and soup. We loved the downtown. We also checked out the Indiana State Museum, which at $17 was well worth it to see the throngs of taxidermies animals and era-by-era cultural items. Indiana has a lot going on back in the day, including being trampled flat by mammoths. True story.

Illinois: The Cornhole of America

Illinois has a few things to offer the intrepid tourist eager to see real America. I hear Chicago is nice. I went once. It was cold, wet, and everywhere we went a Sheik came up to us and said, “you probably shouldn’t be here.” Apparently south side Chicago is not where I’m meant to be? No joke, that happened more than once as we were looking for a well-known philately shop. I missed the downtown, the skyscrapers and the views of the great lakes because we ran out of gas and decided to leave after the third person in an hour told us to get out of there. So, we did. 

Cahokia is one of my favorite things in the midwest. This, at one point, was the largest native city in the United States. Now we know almost nothing about it, or the people who built it. All we have left are these huge mounds that you can walk around on. We climbed several, looked out at the ol’ Mississippi and enjoyed the views. I can see why they picked that spot. Endless flatlands for crops or grazing and the river for fish and transportation and trade. Still, very little is known about them, and most school-aged kids haven’t even heard of it.

The midwest has some pretty cool parks. Not Yellowstone or Niagara, but still. They try. One of my favorite things about living in Missouri for a year and a half was watching the farming community do their thing. I have to assume this is a labor of love, because they aren’t making a profit. Everything I read about farming suggests it’s all but a starvation wage after investing in everything needed to keep the farm active. Still, I can see the appeal of farming from a job-satisfaction standpoint. You work hard, hands in the soil, and you see real results. We watched the field near our house go from snow-covered to sludge to ribbed for seeds, to sprouting and finally to fruition and harvest. It was a thrill to watch the machines roll through and see real live farmers in coveralls out there checking the plants. I suppose if you’ve always lived near fields it wouldn’t be that exciting, but corn, soybeans and yarrow grew nearby and it was stunning.

We made trips to Minnesota, Colorado and Kansas in addition to our Illinois, Missouri, Indiana trips, but I’ll write about them later. For now, that’s the midwest as we saw it. You’re welcome to it, especially in harvest season when the sky turns grey with little tiny specs of husk and ear finely chopped and ready to clog your lungs.

If you missed our American Road Trip adventures, you’ll find more including routes on the Road Trip page.

I’ve written before about learning languages, and how much I enjoy the undertaking. Here I’ll discuss learning the Bulgarian language and culture. I speak German, and tried for many years to improve my Mandarin. I find languages totally fascinating. How a whole group of people see the world is limited (and advanced!) by their language, their ability to think and talk about what they see, feel and experience. It’s all driven by language, and the differences between languages are so thick and vast sometimes that it feels impossible that any two people from different root languages could share similar ideas, and yet—we do!

For work I was tasked with learning the Bulgarian language, and sent to an instructor who would teach me one-on-one. This was pretty sweet for me, as a lover of words and languages. We sat across from one another for about four months talking about Bulgaria, Bulgarian customs and traditions and ideas, and of course learning the language. This is exactly my type of exploration. A mix of understanding a new place and a new way of thinking about the world. My teacher was an older woman who never acclimated to life in the US, and spoke of her homeland as heaven on Earth.

Bulgarian Language Roots

Bulgarian is a slavic language and Bulgarians swear they invented Cyrillic. Cyril and Methodius being Bulgarian, of course. The Macedonians and Russians also claim them, but they are wrong. I know because my teacher told me, and later every Bulgarian I met would mention it at some point. So yeah, they invented Cyrillic, which was created by simplifying Greek and adapting it to the more guttural sounds of the spoken language. Of course this was all to translate the Bible, as the Bulgarians are the best Christians since Christ. 

In the video below you’ll see a very pregnant me reciting part of a Bulgarian poem alongside others.

The Bulgarian language is stunningly rich in culture and history that it can’t be separated out. You can’t untangle words to find simple nouns, but instead stories and fables support single words. It is a joy to learn.

Any language you approach from the outside seems methodically structured, but of course they aren’t. They are hobbled together by necessity. With English, it’s apparent in how we steal and use words from other languages (Garage, aisle, kindergarten, for a few examples) but other languages aren’t as Frankensteinian. Bulgarian has words from Russia, words from Greek and words from the Turkish language, all neighbors geographically, but for the most part Bulgarian is pretty pure. And this isn’t surprising once you meet a Bulgarian. They don’t want outside influence. 

Stubborn People, Stubborn Language

When the Ottomans took control of Bulgaria they held it for over 500 years. That’s longer than America has been around, folks. And in all that time, the language and culture of Bulgaria hardly budged. Their religion, often underground and attacked, survived. Their style of clothing: intact. After 500 years the Ottomans were forced out (bloody, horrible affair, too) and the culture was little changed. That is some grade-A stubbornness. And they retain that stubbornness to this day, steadfast in the preservation of their culture and language. So when you learn a new word you don’t get a one-to-one translation but an epic story complete with a Bulgarian hero or grandmother or saint.

You can learn more about Bulgaria here.

Bulgarian music takes advantage of the easier grammar (at least compared to Russian!) to fuse traditional music with modern rap. This is a delight to any listener, and should be appreciated as a complex cross-cultural experiment in both language and music.

If you haven’t heard Bulgarian before, check out this video clip of a native speaker and note how fluidly and smoothly the language cascades, as compared to the harsher Greek, more nasal Turkish and more guttural Russian languages that surround Bulgaria. 

Make no mistake about it, summer in Athens is HOT!

We spent a month and a half in Athens and the surrounding areas this summer. At times, the temperature was a sweltering (and dangerous) 115 and higher. While the sea was an inviting way to stay cool, it was often too hot to even trudge to the car to reach the shores.

Still, there was much to see and do in Athens on the less-than-murderously-hot days. Here are the top five things we enjoyed. More to come!

The Parthenon

This ancient temple at the Athens Acropolis is pretty impressive. It has everything a good traveler could ask for: impressive history, ancient-looking rock stuff and a gentle pathway to the top for easy viewing. Still, when you have to fight crowds of tourists and blaring tour guides. Dodge pointy parasols and be barked at by bitter tourists, you realize the Parthenon is one of those once-in-a-lifetime stops. The structure is impressive, but covered in scaffolding and hard to photograph given the crowds and metal and wire support structures.

With Kids- the Parthenon

Our daughter enjoyed chasing lone lines of ants around the giant marble slabs that make up the entrance to the Acropolis. That and the slushies near the ticket booth were the highlights for her.

The Beach

There are a few  great beaches to choose from if you’re in Athens. We went to Rafina first. This beach is rougher than what you’d picture for the Aegean. Rough rock led out into beautiful turquoise water where you could slip under the waves and watch little crabs and small fish poke in and out of the formations. It is about half an hour from Athens.

Marathon Beach is the site of the famous battle between the Athenians and the Persians who outnumbered them. The Athenians wom, repelling the invaders. Legend has it a runner dashed to Athens to tell of the victory, dying upon arrival. The beach today is quaint and quiet. Sand leads into gentle water without much surf. There is no shade.

The nearby Battle of Marathon mound is worth a drive by.

Poseidon’s Temple Beach is a great little spot to cool off after you see Poseidon’s Temple. The temple is 8 Euro per adult and 4 for EU members. It is every bit as cool as the Parthenon, only smaller and without any crowds. The views of the sea from atop are unparalleled. Its about an hour outside of Athens. The water is warm and gentle, though rougher than Marathon Beach. Sea urchins and loads of rocks make for a more dynamic adventure.

With Kids- the Beaches

Rafina– not for young kids, but if your children can swim comfortably or wear a mask they’ll enjoy the wildlife.

Marathon– Perfect for young kids who can’t swim. They can still sit in the water and enjoy the gentle waves.

Poseidon’s Temple Beach– Rougher water and the perfect mix of rocks for snorkeling and gentle surf for younger kids.

The Bazaar

The bazaar isn’t one thing but several streets with souvenirs and trinkets, high-end memorabilia and antiques. The flea market ranges from people’s home items displayed on little blankets along the cobble stone to book sellers with loaded carts. In all, the area is worth a visit. Of additional  value, the views of the Ancient Agora and Acropolis are great from along the bazaar alleyways.

With kids: The bazaar- There are trinkets and ice cream for the kids, but mostly they’ll be unimpressed by a shopping adventure in high heat. 

The Food

Athens has great food! Downtown there is no shortage of restaurants, and many of them offer great local cuisine, including seafood. In the more central tourist areas the food is overpriced and mass produced, but if you find a side street or a higher-end establishment you’ll be wildly impressed.

With Kids: The Food

We’d like to call out an unlikely win for dining with kids- Athens Beer. This establishment brought out a baby cradle when we arrived, and accommodated our older kids with great after dinner drinks that mimicked the adult drinks.

The Museum

We visited the Archeological Museum on a rather warm 114 degree day. The draw was not only the wealth of amazing history but the air conditioning that would make viewing it possible. The rooms of pottery were interesting, but the real attractions are the rooms full of statues. Some of these artifacts are in mint condition, others are the classic no armed Greek garden piece you’ve come to expect. Still, the collection will blow away even the most seasoned museum visitor.

With Kids: The Museum

Skip the pottery side rooms and go straight to the first floor statues. We had fun trying to mimic the poses of the statues and drawing them in little notebooks.

As anyone who follows international adoptions already knows, China released unexpected changes to their adoption requirements on the 6th of July. The new regulations became effective immediately. One of the new regulations precluded our family from adopting from China.

We started the process earlier this year. Here is more about our first steps on the road to adoption.

To share something personal. The day we found out that the new regulations would preclude us was one of the hardest days in recent years. So much emotion goes into an adoption and to have it yanked away in an instant was crushing. We spent the day in tears, all of us. As an adoptive parent you think of your adopted child as yours– even now before we even know what she is like or who she is. She’s out there somewhere. She’s our daughter’s sister. She’s part of our family. To suddenly find out she’s never coming home was almost too much.

In desperation, we called and emailed our adoption agency in the USA. They were swamped with similar correspondence but did finally get in touch with us. “Hang tight,” was their suggestion. They promised to petition on our behalf and reach out to China for more information.

The regulation that precluded us was the new youngest child rule. The youngest child in the home must now be three. Previously, there was no youngest child rule. Many other Hague signatory countries have similar rules so China is tightening up its requirements. Still, the timing and lack of grace period was surprising to our adoption agency.

I emailed and called friends and contacts in China to better understand the origin of the new regulations. No one knew anything substantial. More correspondence with our agency revealed that they were had people in China, petitioning for waivers for families like ours who were already well into the adoption process.

We waited 14 grueling and painful days, but this morning at 2:30am we got an email from our adoption agency that China has agreed to grandfather our case in under the old regulations!

Thank you China, and thank you to our adoption agency for petitioning on our behalf. After two weeks of pain and anxiety, we’re only back where we started but now we’re elated to be there!

With that painful bump in the road behind us, we are now ready to be paired with a child. Basically, China takes a look at our dossier and takes a look at the kids they have in orphanages and institutions and they try to find kids that match. When they do, they’ll send information on the child to us and we’ll determine if that fits our needs. Essentially, they do their best to make a good fit, and we do our best to stay open minded and not get an image in our head of a specific person. You don’t know the most important things about a person from a picture or a medical summary. What they will like, their personality, their interests… all of those important things can’t be documented. That’s the adventure.

As with our two lovely kids, we’ll find out who our adopted daughter is as she grows and lives with us.

So, the adventure continues and we’re all the more thankful to be on the road to adopting from China.

We began the journey to adoption the way many parents start thinking about adoption: by realizing just how lucky we are. We have a beautiful family; we have food, clothing and the means to provide. We have all of these things but we know that there are a lot of people out there who have nothing.

It was a long road from thinking about adoption in a detached, distant way to thinking about adoption in “we could really do this!” way. And so, after months of discussing the idea, we finally started researching the process.

If you don’t know anything about adoption, prepare to be confused. We sure were. To start, it is an expensive, bureaucratic nightmare that only an insane person would ever try to navigate. And there are many beautiful, insane people out there who have trudged through the process because the end result is worth the agony.

I don’t know who made this graph, but it perfectly summarizes the clarity of the Hague adoption process.

International adoptions by Americans have declined between 65-75% in the last ten years. A fact that isn’t lost on anyone now navigating the Hague process, especially from abroad. People give up because of the cost, because of the paperwork required, because of how invasive the whole process is…

The average adoption costs about as much as a few cars. Once we looked at the cost this way, we realized we could do without some things to make room financially for the adoption. We don’t need a new anything. We can do without luxuries. When you wrap your mind around the total estimated cost and then decide not to let the little fees get to you, the process becomes much less stressful.

The money is spent in a range of fascinating and bizarre ways. First, home study and adoption agencies charge application fees, technology feeds, document fees, processing fees and so on. While they are accredited and must adhere to non-profit laws and Hague requirements, they sure find creative ways to nickel and dime prospective adopting parents. So, before you even officially get started, you toss away a grand.

Next you pay for your home study. Since we live abroad, we pay more to have an “international” home study. We filled out mountains of paperwork. We filed dozens upon dozens of documents. We wrote essays. We asked friends for recommendations. We ordered police certifications. We paid to fly an accredited social worker over and paid for his hotel, his flight, his transportation and even per diem. Then we paid the home study fee. Then we totaled it all up and said goodbye to another three and a half grand.

Then we called our adoption agency (not to be confused with the home study agency) and paid their first fee. Mwah, another three and a half grand. And in return, they send us another bundle of paperwork to fill out, documents to order, tasks to complete. If you want to adopt and don’t have access to a free notary, that’ll be a big part of your total cost. If you want to adopt and don’t have the patience for bureaucracy, that will add a lot of time.

After the dossier is prepared and the home study is done, we file with USCIS for approval to adopt. They, of course, also charge a fee.

So, this is where we are now. We’ve turned in every required document. We’ve jumped through every Hague hoola-hoop of bureaucracy and now we wait. We wait for our agency to: A) approve all of our documentation and; B) charge us the next three and a half grand fee to actually send all of this to China. At each step, you pay to play.

From there, we pay China. Then China matches us with a child based on our home study and dossier, and we accept or reject the match. Once we’re matched we’ll fly to China, pay the orphanage, and pay for visas and passports, do a bunch of paperwork, jump through more interviews, red tape and Hague hoops, and then go home with our child.

It’s so exciting and terrifying to think our kid is out there right now somewhere in China. Playing the same waiting game that we are. At least we will have patience in common with our child.

From other adoptive parents we’ve heard this is actually the hardest part of the process. The waiting. You do all the song and dance and then you sit on the sidelines and wonder what will happen. What our child will be like. What our family will be like. Just wait and wonder.

Wish us luck as we wait.

And Wait.

and wait.

Read the next post about our China adoption here: Adopting from China: A Bump in the Road

Books open a window into how another person sees the world. For travelers, we strive to see the world in new ways everyday– and reading is just one of the many ways we expand our vision. As an avid reader, I’ve collected quite the glorious bookshelf of travel literature, and as I go through the shelf, book by book, I feel a sense of nostalgia and joy remembering where I was and who I was when I read these books. All of them have, in a way, helped me to see the world in a better (or more honest) light.

Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage

For over a year Shackleton and his crew survived in the frigid waters of the Antarctic seas, their ship crushed by ice and rendered useless. Yet they endured, and survived. No one would come to their aid, and indeed– no one knew where they were or would find their bodies if they sunk below the sheets of ice they floated on. Eventually they would set sail– in a life boat– and several would live to tell the tale.

The Great Railway Bazaar

I’m not a fan of Theroux books in general because he seems to be on these epic adventures almost begrudgingly. His banter isn’t witty or interesting, it’s full of disdain, and it infects the patient people around him. I had high hopes for his books about China, and especially about train travel– something I’m passionate about and love. But still I have to say that this book is good– mostly because there are not many other great reads about train travel around the world, and it’s such a lovely way to move around.

The Geography of Bliss

One man sets out to find the world’s happiest people. Shockingly, they aren’t all first world countries. Or maybe that shouldn’t be surprising at all. Still, I read this while on the road and always came back to the idea that Burma, despite its endless problems, is one of the top countries on my bucket list.

Shantaram

This book isn’t about travel, per say, but elements in Lin’s story bring the color and vibrancy and excitement of wanderlust to life. Lin, the escaped convict, disappears in Bombay to hide and find a new life for himself. He finds a lot more than that. What I love about this book is how well the setting plays into the story, and how important “place” is to the outcome and direction of each character’s life.

Vagabonding

Like so many other travelers, I liked Rolf Potts book about life on the road. I read this sitting on a white-sand beach on an island off of Texas, and have a lovely picture of me in the sun with this travel book shading my face and filling my brain. Full of great insight and advice, this is a must-read for any world traveling hopeful.

The Sex Life of Cannibals

If you know where Kiribati is you’re ahead of where I was before I opened this book. Stranded on the island (by choice) this writer gives intersting, comical and witty insight into traveling around the islands, and a blunt and honest take on what will likely become of the small islands in the central Pacific.

Honeymoon with my Brother

One of my all-time favorite travel sagas, this book tells the story of a man whose fiancee leaves him and he decides to take the already booked and paid for vacation honeymoon– with his brother. The two set off on a gloomy, bittersweet trip and end up falling in love with themselves, and who they are as people. It’s great because yes– they travel and see new things, but in the end what they really find is who they are. And fraternity.

Marco Polo

You can’t have a travel book list without this epic. Although a lot of the history in Marco Polo’s tales are not accurate, he does an excellent job of painting a picture for readers. You get a sense of the Khan’s palace, realm and riches, but take it all with a grain of salt. Still, the book wouldn’t be what it is without a bit of exaggeration.

Hector and the Search for Happiness

A therapist suddenly realizes that he works non-stop to make his clients happy while he himself isn’t happy. He has no idea what happiness is. So, he sets out on a trip around the world to try to find happiness. What I love about this is that in the end (spoiler alert) he doesn’t know why he went on the trip at all. He just ran from his life, and tried to find resolution on past experiences. It’s great because it doesn’t idolize travel.

Lost on Planet China

Written by the same funnyman who wrote The Sex Life of Cannibals, this read was hilarious for anyone who knows China. His first time in the country was full of missteps, observations and mistakes that all China travelers make– and later laugh at. And yet his insight into China and the Chinese was thoughtful and kind, almost loving. This book inspired me to wipe the slate and try to see each place anew every morning.

A Peace to End All Peace

This isn’t a travel book, to be sure, but I read this when I was backpacking through Central Asia, the Caucus and Eastern Europe. And then, finally, I finished this book in Istanbul one day while looking out over the Bosphorus. It was fitting that I closed the book in Turkey, as that’s where this nonfiction account of WWI and the ridiculous aftermath began– with Churchill looking out on the same waters. This book, like many travel literature, framed much of the rest of my travel through Europe. Why are boundaries and borders where they are? And was a temporary peace worth the lasting conflict these lines in the sand created?

Race to Dakar

I love Charley Boorman. I don’t know what it is, but there is something about this guy that is instantly likable. Maybe it is his friendship with Ewan McGregor that elevates him to such “cool” strata, or maybe it’s the fact that he is man-boy who was able to keep his hobbies as his primary job well into adulthood. And not only that, but he manages to make it in everything he tries– including writing. But his real passion is a good road rally, and I have that passion as well (though not as fast or to the same level!)

The Ridiculous Race

While in Shanghai, I read a lot. I read on the subway (with the book pushed flat against my face from the crowds) and I read on the bus (with a lap full of cabbages to store for winter). And when I was reading this book, I laughed a lot out loud, causing the Shanghai-ren around me to laugh too. This is the true story of two young men who decide to set off around the world in opposite directions and race back to again– a circumnavigation of silliness. I loved the idea of two friends setting out on adventure– and it was all the more comical knowing they were apart and yet always thinking of how to best one another.

Flightless

We travel by ground transportation a lot since I’m not a fan of flying, so Flightless– the tales of people who travel without flying– was perfect for me. I loved the idea that other people are out there with the same mindset. It’s always good to get reassurance. For me, travel isn’t about flying over the ugly parts– it’s about all the parts. And that, my friends, has landed me in some ugly territory at times– but those memories are just as priceless as the beautiful ones, and often more memorable.

Wild

When the person who is your anchor in life dies, what holds you together? For some people, the answer is, “I don’t know,” and that was the case with Wild. One woman sets off to try to find herself on the Pacific Coast Trail– and ends up walking for a long, long time before she finally does. What I liked about this book was that the author doesn’t hold back. She made big mistakes and wasn’t too shy to tell us all about them, in all their dirty details, just to highlight how important it is to be outside, in nature, moving and nomadic.

 Three Cups of Tea

Despite the controversy over his books, I liked Three Cups of Tea, and read it when I was in Uzbekistan, not far from the lands he was describing. I loved his descriptions of the villages, of the cultures, of the way of life I’d never likely see. And, ultimately, I loved that there was a person out there brave enough to go into the chaos of Pakistan and try to help young girls get an education.

Wild Swans

Again, this isn’t a travel book, per say, but it is an excellent book that inspired me to want to travel to China– to really see the China I had missed in prior visits stuck in the cities. After reading this book in Illinois, I set off for China and backpacked in the western provinces for several months. At last I had seen more of China– that land outside the major cities that so few travelers really see.

Road Fever

One of my all-time favorite road rally books begins with Tim Cahill deciding to drive from Tierra del Fuego (the most southern point in South America) to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska (the most northern point in North America) by truck. This book is insane, and covers deserts, ice lands, bandits and a whole lot in between in a record 23 days. This is part of what inspired me to want to participate in the Mongol Rally. Thanks Tim, for the inspiration!

If you know of other great travel books, let us know in the comments and we’ll add them to the list!

This post was written by Bear J., who recently spent a week in the Boundary Waters with his brother. Read more about their trip, or read on to see how the canoe trip was planned.

The Boundary Waters of Minnesota are unlike any other wilderness. For one, a canoe carries your packs for most of the trip. And when its time to carry your pack, you may have a canoe on your shoulders as well! But it’s the pristine nature, the loon calls, and the fishing that brings people back year after year. This would be our 10th trip into the wilds of the Boundary Waters.

There are a million acres of lakes on the U.S. side, and twice as much on the Canadian side in the Quetico Provincial Park. The lakes have many similarities, such as many campsites, fish, mosquitoes, ruggedness and solitude.

Here are photos of the Johnson Brothers’ Canoe Trip

Planning Your Trip to the Boundary Waters

There are many outfitters in the Ely area of Minnesota that have planning guides online, and who will start up an email and phone dialogue about what to bring, when to go, and what you will need. I would recommend using one of them to plan, and outfit your trip. Especially if it’s your first time up north.

Plan and practice everything. Test everything. Know how to use that water filter, start the stove, turn on your head lamp. Load your pack and try carrying it. Load a food bag and carry it. Try out all your fishing gear. Find the deepest darkest swamp, and test your bug dope. Serious bug dope. Seriously.

Route Planning

There is a saying up in the Boundary Waters. With every portage you see half as many people and twice as many fish. This is very true. This trip we went nine portages in and saw no one, and the fishing was phenomenal. You could see 12 lb bass and 18 lb Northern swimming around the canoe saying ‘pick me.’ We ate our fill of fish every night. We planned for 10 miles a day, and 5-7 portages the first two days. We made that easily. If you have never canoed, or portaged plan for less, and make contingency plans. For your first couple of trips, plan an up and back route, so if you fall behind, you can stop. Later, you can make a circular type route through Canada and the BWCA. I recommend going in two days, and setting up a base camp, then exploring from there minus most of your gear.

Maps

There isn’t much choice in maps. Fisher Maps has detailed topographcial maps of the U.S. side, but I have not found good ones for Canada. Fisher does carry the Canadian side without topo for $6.90 each. Bring two sets just in case a mosquito carries yours off.

Staging Your Trip

You will need to park your car, and get a canoe in Ely, unless you live close enough and have your own. There are many good outfitters in Ely. They are all about equal. I tend to pick one with a base camp on Moose Lake, where I like to launch. Moose Lake offers easy access to Canada. You can pull up and be met, outfitted, packed and ready to go in two hours. Since Ely is about 5 hours from the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport, I like to arrive in the afternoon, take in Ely, head out to the outfitter, pack, have a nice steak dinner, and relax in the bunk room. First tow heads out after breakfast the following morning at 7:30 (the Canadian Ranger Station does not open until 8:00). Regardless, arrive early enough to load and pack everything, test everything you get from them, and try out your fishing gear.

Here are photos of the Johnson Brothers’ Canoe Trip

Canoeing into Canada

If you want to go into Canada, you have to plan it three months in advance.

You will need a Remote Area Border Crossing Permit (RABC) and a fishing license for Canada. You can find the form here, and you will have to mail it in to the address in Canada listed on the form. Permits are numbered and a limited number of  people are allowed in to any one area. This is a good thing. I have gone four days before without seeing anyone.

You have to enter Canada through one of the Ranger Stations. We chose Prairie Portage. This allowed us easy access through Carp Lake to the Man Chain of Lakes, five lakes with “Man” in them, such as Other Man, No Man, This Man, That Man, and He Man. Bring your credit card and I.D to the station to pay the rest of your fees and register your route. Prices are $110 per person for the Quetico permit, half up front, the rest at the Ranger Station, plus $40 for a fishing license. The fishing license you can obtain here.  Order one well in advance.

Bring special bug dope for Canada.

Picking a Canoe

Unless you have your own lightweight canoe, you will be renting one from one of the outfitters. The plastic composite canoe that is fine for your neighborhood park will not make it up here. The last thing you want is a damaged canoe 25 miles into your trip. It is a long walk back to civilization, through many mosquito nests. My first trips to the BWCA were with fiberglass, later aluminum canoes. This trip we tried the new Kevlar canoes. They are amazingly light.

Pick a canoe to your ability and planned activities. For example, if you plan to do 10 miles and 5-7 portages a day, take Kevlar. If you have not canoed much, or if you plan on taking your time or fishing en route, take aluminum. Kevlar trades off some stability for lightness, while Aluminum is more forgiving in big wind, rocking, or with younger folks. Kevlar is $42 per day, aluminum $25, roughly.

Who can go to the great Northwest? Everyone. There is a trip to meet your ability, experience, and party composition. I’ve had 5-year olds on trips, and even teenagers. It will be an incredible adventure for them if you let them experience everything, and have the right gear to make it fun.

Portaging: The Muscled Side of Canoeing

If you have canoes, but have never portaged, it’s an art form you’ll need to master. It is not as easy as picking up your canoe and walking up to your car. Portages come in all sizes and shapes. Some are a mile long. Some are straight uphill, then straight downhill. This trip we found several with trees down across them paths, meaning pulling and pushing your gear, and canoe, through some pretty thick stuff. If it’s been raining anytime that summer, some portages are ankle-to-shin-deep in muck, with crawly bitty things and mosquitoes and biting flies waiting until your hands are full and you are stuck in mud to strike. They sense weakness, waiting to attack, in swarms, on que.They look for weak prey, struggling under weighty gear.

Many portages are easy to find, but if there has been a windstorm, some portages may be impassible. Canoeists before you will have made another trail, and it will not be pretty. The place you make landfall may have a nice place to pull up your canoe to unload, or you may be balancing on a log, or standing in knee-deep water to unload and pull your canoe up on your head. Use much bug dope prior to hitting the portage, especially right after rain.

Equipment

There are many lists of what items to bring on a canoe trip in the BWCA. I suggest laying everything out, taking a third away, then packing and carrying it around your neighborhood. Here are a few tips based on many excursions over many portages.

Here are photos of the Johnson Brothers’ Canoe Trip

Bring less of everything than you think you need.

• Headlamps. Night illumination is a must, and hands free is best. Worth any weight.
• Bring bug dope. Enough to share. Have I mentioned there are mosquitoes?
• Water shoes with enclosed toes that will stay on in ankle deep mud with 80lb on your back and your hands full killing 8” long mosquitoes. JK. Maybe.
• Quick dry clothes are great, you will get wet, and if you don’t. you ain’t trying hard enough.
• Wide brim hat that covers your neck. Paddle all day and you will burn.
• Rain suits are a necessity. Otherwise you may miss out on a few days of your trip while sitting in a tent swatting mosquitoes. Make them breathable, cause it can be hot in June and July, and warm in August.
• It’s cool at night, so bring a sweater, and camp shoes cause your water shoes will have to dry.
• A good tent with a rain fly is critical, else the Minnesota State Bird will carry you away (the mosquito).
• Bring a tent one person larger than your party, so you have room for gear, and moving around during the frequent rain squalls, and if you find yourself spending an entire day inside during a storm, you will appreciate the elbow room.
• A game (cribbage) or two. A notebook to jot down ideas for your next trip.
• A good waterproof camera that fits in a shirt pocket. You will want to snap pictures of your partner struggling under the canoe in shin-deep mud.
• Leave the cell phone – there is no coverage of any kind other than satellite and its against the rules to bring any electronics into the BWCA, and Canada. If another camper finds you with a cell phone, or iPhone, they are legally allowed to throw it in the lake. Its the only littering allowed. Carry everything else out. Well, there is one other thing you can leave in a hole there. Ween yourself off your cell early so you don’t suffer too much on the first day.
• Bring a compact fish net, some of the Northern will tear your fingers off trying to de-hook them or bring them in the boat. Bring pliers to extract hooks from the fish, and a leader!
• A water purifier that fits right on you water bottle (bring two bottles). There are a bunch of good ones, I have two that I like, the Katadyn Pocket Water Microfilter, and the MSR.
• Make sure you have water bottles that fit your filter, or you end up balancing on a rock, or over the edge of the canoe trying to pump and hold your bottle. If you lose your filter, go to the center of the lake with your big cook pot and dip out water. Giardia lurks around shore, and moving water, not in the center. You can fill your water bottles out there also, or while crossing a lake.
• Bring some drink mixes-it’s nice to have something different once in a while.
• Quick dry towel for after your swim (Saturdays in the BWCA are swimsuit optional days). JK
• Small foldable camp stools – one thing I would never canoe without. Get the kind that can fold small enough to fit inside your pack – you would not believe how many things there are to grab ahold of anything on the outside of you pack trying to get it in or out of the canoe, or portaging. I have one that has a folding back on it.
• Instant coffee and a insulated travel mug, stainless. I bring a coffee press for my Espresso, and i’ve used a French Press too, depends on how vital coffee is to your morning.
• Ziplocks for everything. Plan on dumping your pack into the lake once, or getting a downpour, and I don’t mean that west coast drizzle, I mean more rain that a bucket challenge.
• Camp shovel for digging those morning holes.
• Small foldable saw for cutting fire wood. I used to bring a hatchet too, but the small stoves to what I need now.
• Lots of paracord. It’s amazing what you will need to tie up. Duct Tape too. Works great to fix a tent, tent pole, fishing pole, snoring tent-mate…
• Bungie cords make tarps go up easier.
• Rain tarp for your cooking area, and if you have enough people, for your eating area. I use 12×16 for two people.
• First Aid Kit: burns (sun and cooking), blisters (hands-paddling), Trac Kit (fish bones in the throat. Maybe JK, maybe not. Try eating a Northern once.
• Suntan Lotion, and put it on your hands. While paddling this is the most exposed part other than your neck.
• Clothes pins for hanging wet clothes on your laundry line.
• Sun glasses, reflection can make you blind.
• Watch cap for sleeping – it can get cool.
• Bug dope. Seriously.
• Wash cloth.
• Kerchief

Fishing… and Other Food

If you’re an expert fisher, good, you know what to bring. If you are not, ask the outfitter, and stop at an outdoor store in Minnesota and ask them.

Food is an entire category to itself, critical to you energy from the exertion of paddling and portaging, and one of the areas where you can gain a sense of comfort.

Bring less than you think. Plan to eat fish every day.

We like to bring real food for the first day or two. By real food, I mean food not in aluminum pouches. You can go freeze-dried, or you can try to make a menu that will leave your camp satiated. Try potatoes, carrots, onions, and frozen steak for day one. Apples travel well also. Don’t bring garlic, bears love it and can smell it 20 miles away.

• Clarified butter, or Ghee, for cooking your fish in – does not need refrigerating.
• Home-made gorp – or granola mix. High energy and tasty. Most good grocery stores have a place you can make your own. Keep some handy in the canoe to snack while paddling, especially easy if you are in the back of the canoe and the person up from can’t see what you’re doing while he paddles.
• Shore Lunch of Planko for breading your fish.
• One of those little plastic lemons for the fish.
• Old Bay, and other spices and salt/pepper.
• Soup mixes are good too.

Bear Bag

As I said, each time you leave camp, or go to bed, you must raise your food bag, and ALL food including those Oreos you snuck into your pack. You do this by loping your rope around a rock, then throwing this rock or log over a limb of a tree in camp. Then you and everyone else in camp pull up your 50 lb bags. Or, you throw a rock with para cord tied to it over the limb, then tie off a two-pulley three snap link munter hitch belay system to two trees and you can pull it up and lower it with ease. Practice this.

Fires

Sometimes, it is too dry up there to have camp fires. Check with the Forest Service, or Canadian Mounties. If it’s safe to create fires, know how to make a fire in advance, and bring waterproof matches. You’ll also want a backup in case your matches run out. Fire can mean life if it gets cold or a freak snow strikes.

Cooking

You will need a stove. A variable speed stove is nice, but expensive. JetBoil stoves are amazing. Pressurized gas is lighter, but takes longer to boil on some stoves. White gas is heavier, and takes priming, but boils nicely. Two stoves are nice, in case one fails. Did I say test it and test it well, and boil water on it. Get really good with your stove. I have two, a MSR Whisperlite International and a Coleman Peak One.

Other cooking essentials:

• One big pot for boiling water.
• Pot scrubber, small bottle of dish soap, sponge, drying towel.
• Aluminum foil.
• Two fry pans.
• Now I bring a cast iron skillet for fish. It’s heavy but worth it.
• Filet board and knife.

Now they say to clean your fish and do your dishes away from camp, so as to not attract the bears and other critters, like Raccoon, Seagulls, Porcupines, Pack Rats, Mice, Beavers, and Alligators. But, no one does this, so try to do your cleaning on one side of camp, and your tooth brushing on the other, or you may bend down to wipe off your toothbrush and snag a fish liver.

Other lessons:

Visit one of the big outdoors stores in Minnesota before your tip, and get some expert advice on lures, rods, line, and other gear. Talk to the people at the outfitters where you will rent you canoe. Find out which fish are biting on what lures. I’ve found ten lures in a floatable Plano box will do you, steel leaders for the Northern, 10-12lb line and two rods and reels. It sucks to lose you gear two days into a week-long trip. Tie one rod/reel into the canoe. I have found Daredevils, spinners, Mepps, Silver Minnows, Jigs, and poppers will do. The purple worm (Chuck’s) works well (no live bait is allowed in Canada).

When portaging, you can do one trip across or two. If you can go super lightweight, and are experienced at camping, you can put your pack on, flip the canoe up on your shoulders, and walk across many portages that way. If you like a more leisurely trip, make two trips across, one with pack, one with canoe. For two people, you will have three packs. One per person, and one food pack. You must have a separate food pack because when you are done eating, you need to haul it up in a tree, away from the trunk at least 3 feet and at least 8 feet off the ground to keep furry critters off you Pop Tarts.

Bring three paddles. Tie one in with your extra rods. Bring some of those large twist ties, about 12” long, and when you reach a portage, tie in your paddles and other rods, so you can have hands free to assist with crossing the portage.

Practice picking up the canoe and putting it on your shoulders. There is the two person technique, but after a few tries, you can master the one person lift, flip and duck.

Have fun!

Here are photos of the Johnson Brothers’ Canoe Trip

We escaped up to the mountains again last weekend for some R&R in the woods. Nothing clears your mind like a long hike in the deep woods. On the hike, I brought my trusty SLR and snapped a few shots of the surroundings. From sunshine through the trees to wildlife and even growth from detritus, it was an all around beautiful escape.

At the Julien Price campground, there are thin trails woven through the woods that are underpopulated and ready for exploration. Where the paths get muddy, rocks have been placed so you can keep your boots mud-free. Where the path is covered in roots, someone has lovingly inserted steps or sprayed the roots so you don’t trip. Usually I’d find this type of action distracting and invasive, but at J.P it was done well, using natural elements, and added to the mysterious beauty around each bend.

Although we set out in the early afternoon, the light was ideal for great woods shots. I’m a fan of the early morning light, but this afternoon it was just a stunning, and made for some epic shadow pictures.

Hiking along one trail, I heard a branch snap up ahead and began to creep through the woods, hoping it was a deer and not another hiker. My wish was granted when this mother doe popped her giant ears out and looked right at me. I snapped a few shots as I inched closer. Suddenly, her fawn bounded around her side and she panicked. The dashed off along a stream and I chased them through the woods snapping shows as I ran until, as expected, they outran me. As soon as I stopped moving, they halted and went back to eating.

One of the most interesting aspects of the mountain hikes are the strange mushrooms. I became fascinated with the range of colors, shapes and textures, and snapped this photo of the red mushroom early on in my first hike.

Eventually we made our way to Moses H. Cone house, which is a stunning piece of old architecture with a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains that is to die for.

Not all wildlife has to be exotic to be charming. This little squirrel was a riot, and hopped around on some sort of secret mission, snatching up acorns and tossing them about before diving back into the grass. He must have been humming the James Bond theme song in his head.

Another little creature hopped up to the path while on a hike near the Moses H. Cone building. He was undisturbed by people, and continued to munch his lunch while I got ever closer with my camera.

You cannot tell from the photo, but this mushroom is about a foot in diameter, and about a foot off the ground. Essentially, it’s taller than the two animals whose mug shots preceded this. Another thing my camera failed to capture was the array of tiny gnat-like bugs who were swarming the top of the mushroom. Apparently they live there, or dine there, or else just like to hoover above the spores. Either way, I find it a somewhat disgusting existence. Poor bugs.

My father and daughter head into the Moses H. Cone building. If you have excellent vision you can learn a bit about the area from the sign.

And, at long last, a beautiful shot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Worth the scrolling wait, eh?

If you’re sitting around watching TV all day, you’re not out seeing the world. Let’s face it though, every traveler knows that downtime is important to long-term travel happiness. Once, in Kashgar, sick with dysentery and heat exhaustion, we spent an entire day at a hostel watching TV shows on our laptops. Was it a proud travel moment– no! But it’s the truth about long-term travel. Sometimes, the museums and back-alley photo shooting expeditions can wait. Here are the shows we devour, and that inspire us to travel.

Idiot Abroad

This is one of my all-time faborite travel shows because Ricky Gervais’ comedy coupled with the witty banter of Karl Pilkington is a hit. Gervais and his buddy Stephen Merchant send Karl out into the world, intentionally directing his travels to the hardest places on the planet for a normal London bloke to survive. An epic prank against Karl turns on its head when he starts to love the adventure, and comes back for an additional two seasons.

Anthony Bourdain – The Layover, No Reservations, Parts Unknown

I’ll admit that I’m late jumping on the Anthony Bourdain bandwagon, but now that I have– I’m hooked. I love how he mixed tidbits about the countries he travels to in with great food and witty banter. I resisted watching because I don’t like cooking/food shows, but this is a whole lot more. And now I’m constantly craving foods I can’t find at home.

Long Way Round and Long Way Down

As a motorcycle fan, these shows about traveling bikers was an easy sell for me. I started watching it when I heard Charley Boorman was competing in the Dakar Rally– I want so badly to participate someday in a Kamaz. I love their friendship and the way they travel and try new things together. Ewan McGregor may be a big-time Hollywood star, but when he’s with Charley he’s just a pal, and these two kids are out on adventure together.

The Amazing Race

I’ll admit I’m not into reality TV, but this show has captivated my attention more than a few times. I’m not a die-hard fan, but if I catch an episode here or there I’m happy to be seeing more of the world. Travel is already awesome, so I’m not sure why there needs to be money and a game attached to it, but hell– it sells.

Pole to Pole

This travel series, although old, was one of the first to really captivate armchair travelers. And like a few of the other best travel shows, it’s by Michael Palin.

LOST

Loads of people were caught up in the drama and chaos of the series, but we were just excited to be seeing a new place. And what kind of travel is more extreme than time travel?

Expedition Unknown

As historians and travelers we were geared up to love this show– and we do. I think it could stand to go more into the history and relevence of the myths, and also branch into lesser-known figures, but all in all– we’re hooked.

Around the World in 80 Ways

This was a hilarious concept for a show and I could see myself trying to do this in a country just for a bit of good fun.

Samantha Brown

Her passports are great insight into travel, and whats more important– this was one of the few shows aired in China on the English CCTV channel, so we got to know her quite well over the years.

Madventures

These two world-traveling backpackers have finally landed in the big time with this series documenting their trips around the glove.

Bizarre World, Bizarre Foods

This show starring Andrew Zimmerman was a short-lived follow up to Bizarre Foods, which, again– isn’t really our thing. We did, however, like the idea of drawing attention to the world’s most interesting and unique things– whatever they are. It’s so fun to learn about other cultures before you visit so you have some insight into what you’re eating/seeing.

Around the World in 20 Years

This British documentary is only one episode, but it’s captivating, and Michael Palin has other episodes around the world that really make this a complete picture of one man’s travels through time and place.

Top Gear

A lot of people don’t think of this as a travel show, but I’ve seen them in Africa, and the US, and South America and riding up to the North Pole in a truck/dog sled– and all the while they follow their passion for motorized fun. It’s great to travel, but traveling with passion is even more enlightening.

Have other suggestions? Let us know in the comments below.

High Rock Lake, NC

If you’re looking for bass, High Rock Lake is the spot to go in North Carolina for record-breaking catches. I wasn’t there for the fish, but rather the sport and serenity. Below is my trip report from High Rock Lake, where we rented a pontoon for 8 and also took out three manual, single-person aquatic vehicles.

We rented a pontoon and also had three people on manual boats; two kayaks and an XL paddle board. Naturally, I started off in a kayak. In the pictures, you won’t see much traffic on the lake but rest assured, it was packed. From speedboats to jet skis, and even fishing boats and pontoons–this was a busy lake with bumper-to-bumper boats and a never ending wake that made paddle boarding a more difficult endeavor.

Jumping on the paddleboard was a lesson in patience and stability. After a few minutes I got the hang of it, but if you sneeze on a paddleboard you’ll find yourself quickly underwater.

The water was warm and although murky– felt clean despite all the oil and fuel being pumped in and around the lake. When you could find a minute between wakes, it was a pleasant experience to dip into the water and splash around.

We did a bit of fishing on the lake, but caught nothing and wee happy to just be out in the wild, on the water, enjoying the summer sun. We rented out pontoon from High Rock Lake Campground and Marina, but there are other outfitters on the lake.

Going on a day-long canoe trip with a toddler doesn’t seem like the most relaxing way to spend a weekend for most, but relaxation isn’t what we look for– it’s adventure.

Kayaking, Canoeing, Rafting and Tubing all available on the New River

Anything related to water with kids is nerve-racking because they can’t handle themselves well enough in the water to be self sufficient. For us, that means a life jacket, low-weight clothing, no shoes and we watch her like a hawk. All the preparation and paranoia is worth while when we get to see her love of the water blossom along with her budding interest in the great outdoors.

New River, North Carolina, USA

We decided to head up to the Appalachian Mountains for a weekend of canoeing on New River. The river isn’t deep– and the segment around the outfitter we choose is especially slow and gentle– allowing us the opportunity to relax along with our daughter. We could kick up our feet and point out the horses, river snakes and birds along the bank.

Exploring the New River

We started off in a rather large canoe, gently flowing down the New River at a slow clip. Our daughter sat up front with me, rendering my ability to paddle obsolete. We just slowly floated down the river, at the pace of the current. A much different pace than our normal, fast-paced lives.

Cruising on the New River, NC

After the first 2-hour run down the river we decided to do a second run with inner tubes– what most of the people on the river were using to drink and drift down the river. The ourtiffter we used was Woohoo’s Adventures, of Boone. From here, you can rent the equipment you need as well as pick up a snack, sunblock and other essentials. You park at Wahoo’s and then the handy folks on site load your boat or tube onto a trailer and drive you in vans up the river where they drop you off and then you float merrily down the stream until you reach the outfitter again. Wahoo’s is also a campground and has tiny huts for rental, but for us one day in the sun was enough, so we headed home after the second run.

Wahoo’s Outfitters, Boone

And at long last, we drove home from the sun and damp from the river– but happy.

August, 2015 was a monumental month in the lives of two brothers. Although they disagree on the optimal facial accessory of beard or handlebar, the two Johnson brothers set out into the wild together on a week-long canoe adventure aimed at following in the footsteps (or, rather– the paddle strokes) of their father.

See the Gallery:

We know you’re really here for the photos. Skip right to the visual awesomeness by viewing the Boundary Waters Photo Gallery, with photos from the brothers.

Follow Their Adventure:

The Launch:

Before & After Photos:

Photos:

Here is a sneak peek at some of the beauty they saw in the wild. For more, view the Boundary Waters Photo Gallery.

The view from the outfitters (above).

Let’s face it, movies are inspiring. They are thrilling, titillating, tear-jerkers and we all love them. Sometimes films inspire us to be more than we are. Sometimes they inspire small changes in our life, sometimes drastic ones. And sometimes they help us in the most fundamental ways to find happiness. Here are some of the best films about finding happiness through travel, the ATC way.

Hector and the Search for Happiness

This was a fantastic book that was rightfully made into a fantastic film starring Simon Pegg (Yes, that’s the guy from Shaun of the Dead). The plot centers on a psychiatrist who discovers he is unhappy with his life. He embarks on an epic journey from Asia to Africa and then to America before, ultimately, returning to the UK. Along the way he finds love, hate, fear and– happiness.

Best quote from Hector and the Search for Happiness: “It’s a mistake to think that happiness is the goal.”

Little Miss Sunshine

This film follows the desires of a little girl to compete at the finals of a beauty pageant, and the family that embarks on an epic road trip to get her to the finals. Along the way, some family members emerge as heroes, some are flawed, and eventually they all realize that the only important goals in life are building good relationships.

Best quote from Little Miss Sunshine: “A real loser is someone who is so afraid of not winning he doesn’t even try.”

The Razor’s Edge

If you haven’t seen this film you’ve been cheating yourself. Bill Murray takes off on an epic journey to find himself, and happiness, on the road. From Tibet to Paris, this intrepid traveler survives the worst and best of humanity, only to end up back where he started.

Best quote from The Razor’s Edge: “To live a good life is like living on a razor’s edge.”

Groundhog Day

In this inspired film Bill Murray awakes each day as a news broadcaster to repeat Groundhog day, covering the trivial event in a small town. Each day he finds sadness instead of happiness until one day– he finds love. Then it all turns around and he uses this amazing gift to find fulfillment, and yes happiness, in the repetition of life.

Best quote from Groundhog Day: “What is there is no tomorrow?”

Forrest Gump

This is the tale of one man’s journey through life, and all the amazing adventures he has because he opens himself up to the possibility of optimism. Despite the world he sees, Gump believes and hopes for the best in people– and ignored the rest. He may be simple, but he’s managed to accomplish something the rest of us can only fleetingly dream of.

Best quote from Forrest Gump: “Mama said dying is a part of life.”

The Wizard of Oz

An unsuspecting girl is torn from her home in Kansas and finds herself in a far away land. Though she is a stranger traveling in an odd new world, she befriends the odd locals and together they set out to make each of their dreams come true. While the story has a somewhat realist twist, the characters learn to live as dreamers in a world without happily ever afters.

Best quote from The Wizard of Oz: “A heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others.”

The World’s Fastest Indian

Despite his advanced age, one kiwi sets off to prove that his hobby of building the fastest motorcycle can become a reality. He travels to the salt flats to test his mettle against much younger, more technologically advanced racers only to find that age is relative and happiness is a state of mind.

Best quote from The World’s Fastest Indian: “If you don’t follow your dreams, you might as well be a vegetable.”

James and the Giant Peach

One boy’s troubled life leads him to find friends in the orindary critters around him. When a magical man bestows on him a magical peach, the boy sails away with his insect and arachnid pals to find a better life– and eventually, happiness.

Best quote from James and the Giant Peach: “Try looking at life another way.”

Slumdog Millionaire

Although his adventures were not planned, one Indian discovers through hindsight that he has lived an amazing life– a life almost too interesting to be believable. In the end, this man’s search for happiness was put through a range of tests, including women, drugs and money.

Best quote from Slumdog Millionaire: “What the hell can a slumdog possibly know?”

Homeward Bound

When a family goes on vacation and leaves their two dogs and cat behind at a farm, the animals decide to try to find their way home. They embark on an epic adventure through all types of terrain and eventually, find their happiness with family– at home.

Best quote from Homeward Bound: “Home, home sweet home!”

The Land Before Time

When home starts to boil and burn, it’s time to move. As the dinosaur herds depart, their children are separated and must seek out paradise on their own. Small, ill-equipped and unprepared, the kids find themselves and save each other– and eventually they reach their happiness.

Best quote from The Land Before Time: “Let your heart guide you.”

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

A quiet introvert decides to stop daydreaming his life away and take a stab at finding happiness. He pushes himself, and, in the process, finds that he had value– not just in his cubicle, but in his personal life.

Best quote from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: “Life is about courage and going into the unknown.”

The Hobbit

A timid, home-bound man decides to stop being grumpy and to go on a once-in-a-lifetime journey. What started out as a whimsical impulsive decision to hit the road turned into a passionate journey of discovery that made the little hobbit realize happiness can sometimes be found at home– and with friends.

Best quote from The Hobbit: “I’m looking for somebody to share in an adventure.”

Up

Two friends who crave adventure fall in love, marry, and then are separated by death. In the void that is left behind, the widower decides to live out their joint dream of traveling to the end of the earth. He finds his happiness in a little child who tags along, and in sharing his adventures with someone.

Best quote from Up: “Adventure is out there.”

Thelma and Louise

Two women take off to escape their lives and end up finding themselves, an their happiness– n the idea that they are finally free to make their own futures.

Best quote from Thelma and Louise: “I don’t ever remember feeling this awake.”

The Bucket List

Two sick old men find friendship in a shared hospital room and then set off on an adventure to strike items off their bucket list. Oddly, their lives were lacking not achievement, but happiness- something they find in one another.

Best quote from The Bucket List: “You measure yourself by the people who measure themselves against you.”

For our nihilist friends, we’ve put together the top trips for fun, active holidays sure to please even the most exhausted of nihilists.

Tour the Inside of an Active Volcano

For a truly inspirational ending, try touring the interior of an active volcano. There are a few bubblies in Hawaii perfect for the occasion– though getting to the summit will likely be most of the trial and produce a plethora of error. And if the idea of hoping over lava doesn’t light your fire, try touring the interior of a gas crater instead– there are several in scenic Turkmenistan.

The up side: Perhaps your human sacrifice will ward of evils or help with crops in the region. Although, for a nihilist this is more of a downside.

Trek to the North Pole in Summer

Loads of adventurers travel to the North Pole in winter– and for good reason. In the colder months, the rivers, lakes and waterways freeze over offering a slippery but safe road to Santa’s isle. In summer, however, the ice is thin, cracking and even the elves don’t pitter patter across it. You’re unlikely to make it to the pole, but it’ll be a lovely and serene hike until the ice swallows it’s payment for future safe passages.

The up side: The ice roads are long and boring for many of the ice road trucker who ply the routes each year, seeing a foot sticking out of the ice might provide something to break up the trip.

Drink From the Ganges

If you’re looking for a quick out and you’re not from India, book a flight to Mumbai then make your way to the Ganges. At parts the river can be quite beautiful, but it’s also a dumping ground for everything from trash to bodies to food– and it takes life as easily as it gives it. A little slurp from the Ganges and you’re sure to be joining the bodies on their slow journey out to sea.

The up side: As a nihilist, you’ll be in a river full of the cast away parts of humanity– a fitting end.

Free Dive the Marianas Trench

If you’ve seen the amazing videos of free divers and thought to yourself, “hey, I can do that!” then this adventure is for you. Slap on a GoPro and dive into the Marianas Tench– the earth’s deepest-known scar and home to creatures only David Cameron can afford to see. You’re sure to see some interesting aquatic life before you pass out, and on the up side– your body will feed a host of animals that humans haven’t even discovered or named yet.

The up side: You’re likely to end up the first human interaction many of these deep-sea animals encounter, so will be a great and filling first encounter with humanity.

Pit-Fry Bacon in the Serengeti

Although the big five are protected in the Serengeti– humans aren’t. Fill your Teflon pan with lard and when the fire is roaring, toss on the bacon. You’re sure to spot at least a few of the treasured majestic animals of the savannah before the lions find you– and if they don’t, at least the hyenas well get a show as the flies and mosquitoes carry you off.

The up side: At least you’ll feed a creature who hasn’t polluted the earth, built monuments to it’s own immanent demise and waged war on it’s own kind… well, two out of the three anyway.

Sign Up for Mars One

If you’re a true nihilist, the idea of strapping fire to your ass and flying into an inhospitable void may seem welcoming. For the rest of us, it’s pure idiocy. If you make it to Mars (unlikely) you’ll have the impossible job of trying to make the barren planet livable (also an unlikely task). Finally, you can never return to Earth and will be one of the first humans to be buried on a different planet than he was born on.

The down side: You may just end up bringing humanity to another planet.

Swim in the Amazon

It doesn’t take a naturalist to know that swimming in the Amazon is an idea that might bring about an early demise. There is no shortage of things that could take you out in the Amazon. From Jennifer Lopez’s horrible acting to the anacondas she and Ice Cube fled from, to real-life man-eating piranhas and tiny critters that swim up a piss stream and inflate inside a urethra– the Amazon is an easy dip-and-done death.

The down side: Piranhas and humans have a lot in common, so death by vicious fish may just help propagate a similarly dysfunctional species.

Visit the Outback During Drought

These days you don’t have to make the 20+ hour flight to Australia to feel sand in your eyes and your tongue shrivel and dry up in your mouth. Now you need look no further than the dust bowl of California to find an arid plateau of desolation. But for a real nihilist holiday, blow the money on a first-class ticket to the real Aussie outback and take a one-way hike into the greatest inhabited flatland on the criminal isle.

The down side: Once you run out of water and fall over in the Outback, you’ll likely be consumed by a giant snake, spider other ungodly creature. Since insects outnumber humans, this isn’t the best use of your body.

Snorkel With Chum off North Carolina’s Coast

For a quick escape into the depths, rub yourself down with chum and dive off a pier in North Carolina. With all the sharks nibbling on humans in the area, you’re sure to attract a hungry fella. If nothing bites, you’ll get a gentle surf-ride back to to shore and then can try again off another pier. If nothing comes of this endeavor, at least you got to see the underbellies of NC’s finest fishing spots.

The up side: You’ll be food for a fish– and if you weren’t a vegetarian you can consider this payback, from the animal kingdom’s perspective.

*This post is for Ami

You may have noticed that ATC has been under construction for a few weeks. Okay, okay it’s been a few months. I’ve been busy painstakingly selecting and tweaking a design, loading new content, redesigning the layout and organizing the archives into a more searchable horde of content. If you visited while the pages were in disarray, I apologize for the chaos– the creative process isn’t an orderly thing, it’s more of a buckshot-into-glass type thing.

NEW STUFF on ATC:

We’ve added a new section called ATC Lifestyle where you can find information on what it means to ATC, what we believe, our philosophy, financing travel, and more. Our humor page is here, but so is our page on why vegans are neat. Under resources, in the same section, you’ll find tips to abandon your cube as well as great gear to start your paired down lifestyle.

You’ll also notice off the bat that we have an expanded section on Adventure, which covers everything from famous explorers, to top ten travel lists to great adventure travel companies to backpacking.

On the Road is where you’ll find insight into the Best American Road Trips and the Mongol Rally.

Our Guides section has been cleaned up and we’re excited to offer a bit of information on every country we’ve been to. We only cover the places we’ve actually been. What’s the point of reading a blog about hypothetical travel? Nope, these guides are about the places we have been, where we’ve stood and what we saw.

The homepage is different, and the first thing you’ll notice is that it’s pulling in a lot of our featured content. It was like looking through a treasured photo album for me as I picked and chose which blog posts would pull into the home page. After nearly a decade of blogging about abandoning the cube, there is a lot of content on the site. Some good, some not so great, some riddled with typos from writing on bumpy back roads in China, others riddled with typos from the time I had dysentery in Turkmenistan, or had only ten pre-paid minutes of internet in Odessa to blog. It was a nostalgic hoorah that ended with me finally grabbing a few to pull into the homepage, with the aspiration to rotate out old content and keep a cycle of fresh content on the page. Dream big, they say.

What do you think of the new design, layout, direction? Let us know!

Best Wheeled Backpacks

For travelers who spend a good deal of time in urban areas, or flying a great deal, a wheeled backpack is a great option. A few years before these babies were common place I had a long conversation while lugging a giant rucksack through Bratislava that wheels would be a nice addition for urban travel. Apparently the travel gods were listening and some of the best luggage companies are out there making awesome wheeled backpacks.

The Victorinox CH 22 Tourist Expandable Carry-on is an excellent bag for versatility and urban travel. It seems to have everything a seasoned travel dreams of: front load, comfortable straps and supports, wheels and expansions. If you’re looking for something that can go from rugged terrain to urban jungle, this is your bag.

For something with a bit more color, try the Eagle Creek Activate Wheeled Backpack, which is expandable, wheeled (of course) and has a sleek design that is perfect for flying because there are no lose straps, flaps or hangers on. And since the wheeled backpacks come in bright red and neon yellow, you’ll be able to identify your bag easily on the carousel.

Osprey consistently ranks highly for their quality and design. The Osprey Ozone Convertible is great because it features a zip-off day bag, carry straps, wheels, sleek design and decent colors. It’s another slam dunk for Osprey. My favorite part is the zip-off pack perfect for exploration with the essentials when you can check your big bag behind.

Best Backpacks for Women

Bar none the best backpack for women is the REI Venus 75, which is the pack I use. The frame is curved for a woman’s shape, the hip supports carry more than the shoulder straps, catering to a woman’s lower center of gravity. But while the design features female features, it remains tough, versatile and ready for rugged use. With both top and front-load options, this is great for all packing types, and the compact design makes it perfect for air and train travel. Unfortunately, this  pack is no longer available, which is a real shame because it was a slam-dunk design. The replacement seems to be the REI Flash, which by all accounts has the same features and similar design. The big sell here is the claim that it will swivel and twist with your spine, and its lightweight design.

For women who plan on spending serious time with a backpack on, the Ospry Aether 70 is a great option. It doesn’t have the features I love so much in the Venus, but it’ll do. The removable hip belt is an interesting feature but perhaps not the greatest idea for longer expeditions where secure, snug fit is key.

The Terra 65 by The North Face is reported to be a great design, and offer a hydration pouch, female frame and Optifit design. It is lightweight and hardy, but since it is marketed as multi-day and not long-expedition wear I’d reserve this pack for shorter backpacking expeditions.

Best Backpacks for Photographers

Photographs have too much gear. It’s true. We all know it and yet we’re still lugging around DSLRs and tripods because hey, night shots of the Hagia Sophia are worth it. If you’re willing to bring less clothing, then there are travel backpacks for photographers that can handle your gear and your garb.

The Loewpro Photo Sport 200 AW is a great option because you get a top loader backpack for your personal stuff (what more do you need than a toothbrush and a change of clothes?) and then most of the pack is for your photo gear, which is housed in a separate compartment along the base so the weight is evenly distributed.

The Rover Pro AW Series is great because you’ll find enough space for all of your personal stuff as well as a laptop, lenses, a DSLR and a few special pieces like a tripod on the side. This sexy blue bag is pictured above, tripod in place. Check out the waist strap, which adds to the stability needed for clear, crisp shots.

One of the down sides of a photography backpack is that in third-world regions you’ll be quite the prepackaged target for pick pockets or thrives. The Rover Pro AW Series doesn’t look so much like a camera bag that you could be singled out for it, but those looking for cameras will spot them.

Best Tactical Backpacks

This section is sure to garner the most comments and debate, and for good reason. A tactical pack is designed to be durable, strong, versatile and easy to access. You need to be able to get to items quickly and, sometimes, silently. And (apparently) most importantly you have to look cool doing it. A ruck that can meet all of those requirements is hard to find– well, it was twenty years ago anyways. Now there are all manner of tactical backpacks on the market. Now we did get some insight from one Marine, and one Green Beret before suggesting the backpacks below.

The Maxpedition Falcon II Backpack offers a fantastic design, structure and fit, but still offers tactical options like a water pouch, strap on options and is made of nylon– strong and waterproof.

Grey Ghost Gear Wraith Pack Kryptek is a great bag for anyone in love with serious tactical packs. You’ll get superior quality, versatility, durability and of course the tacti-cool points you’re looking for. This comes with the hydration pouch, which is key for serious expedition hikers, backpackers and long-haul explorers.

If you’re looking for something segmented, compartmentalized and yet compact, look no further than the Velox II Tactical Backpack. This epic find is perfect for the hyper-organized (like me). There is a compartment for everything, specially designed to keep your organized and chaos-free. And it’s all easy-access, and yet with a few ratchet straps you’re able to keep it compact.

Best Carry-on Backpacks for Flying

Flying is tough, and it’s tougher when you don’t have the right gear. The Timbuk2 Aviator Travel Backpack is great because it’s versatile and can handle fragile items like a laptop and camera as well as a book, notepad, pens, and a few clothing items. If you’re the kind of person who can travel light, this might even be all you need, and the shape is perfect for fitting into the overhead bin. One of the things I like best is that it is tall and thin, so your elbows wont’ rub against the sides, back or waist support. For someone with a small frame, this is paramount, and if you’re on small planes, trains or buses it’s imperative to fitting down the aisle.

Another great carry-on option is to go with what’s winning awards- the Goruck GR1 is a great backpack, slender and contained. It has a laptop pouch and sleek design, but is durable and sturdy enough to toss around for a person constantly on the road.

I’ve had road trips in the USA on my mind recently. There is something supremely liberating about jumping in your car and facing an open road. Sometimes you know what’s ahead, most of the time you have a vague outline of what you’ll see (and end up seeing completely different things).

From the largest ball of twine to Wall Drug, to gem mining along the side of a highway, to battleground tours, Mystery Spots and monuments to American heroes– the roads in the US hold it all. At times, I feel like the open roads in America are the real libraries and museums of American history– the keepers of American pop culture, war histories and accurate indicators of the American economy.

I set off to build a page on ATC where I could house all the research on routes, hot spots and highlights for road tripping around the United States. In the end, I built a single page for this purpose, and will continue to expand the offerings across the US. Check out Best American Road Trips for the first two installments in what I hope will be an ongoing series of fun American road trips.

The allure of the open road

Some of the routes I’d like to research and write itineraries for include:

• The Biggest ______ in America! — A tour of all the strange highway attractions claiming world records
• The Best Trans-continental Drives
• Southwest USA with Cinema Guide — hey, I actually wrote this one!
• Where the hell is Wall Drug, and other things to see in South Dakota –Why North Dakota is Jealous of their southern neighbor.
• Mystery Spots Unraveled— a post that goes behind-the-scenes at highway mystery spots.
• The South-to-North Pacific Coast Drive— done, and done!
• The Best Festivals to Road Trip To in the USA — Mardi Gras to Stergis, and beyond.
• East Coast Battlegrounds Trip— How to hit all the top Civil War spots along the Atlantic.
• ATC Road Trip Routes — Hey, a trip we actually did already!

One of the things I love most about travel is the slow, ambulating way cars make their way across a terrain. They are stuck on a road (well, most of the time) and so the views are limited to the car’s track. But while this could be seen as a negative, in the US– the tracks were like the arteries that carried life Westward, to Manifest Destiny. When you hop on Route 66 you’re not just riving down some dusty road, you’re driving down history alley– towards the future (well technically, the past– they are the last to watch the sun set each day).

Just what is a Mystery Spot? When I know, you’ll know. Pinky promise.

Europeans are always shocked when the visit the US for the first time. You know it’s huge, and yet when you get there you realize how large the continent really is, and how little you’ll likely have time to see. Tourists are shocked that you can’t walk to anything, and that’s true. Without a car, you’re stuck! That’s why cars are such a big part of American culture. Whether you drive a $2,000 beater or a $200,000 sports car, you share the same road, going to the same places, and feel the same liberating wind in your hair. The road does that to people– it equalized them and makes them all capillaries, on their way to other places but just enjoying the ride.

Stay tuned and check back often, because Best American Road Trips is going to grow into an awesome collection of US escapes that anyone, with any ride, will love.

This post will compete with thousands of other similar posts on the web. What makes it different? Well, to be honest– nothing. But I will be upfront about what we did, how we did it, what worked, and what didn’t and how to go about using that mysterious FastPass+.

Disney World — Magic Kingdom

We traveled to Disney World’s Magic Kingdom with three kids ages 8, 5 and 3, and four adults.

We purchased out tickets on site at 8:30am after parking in the middle of the Simba lot and then taking a (fun!) trolly to the gate. Everything at Disney is set up to be efficient. If we ever wanted to streamline the military/government, etc– we should hire Disney to do it. Folks called “cast members” greet you and direct you to the ticket counter where someone else lightens your wallet for you and hands back a few credit-card sized plastic tickets with a barcode on the back. You can scan this with a smartphone and, after you download the MyDisneyExperience app, you can program your three free, complimentary FastPasses (see below for more on that).

Having never been to Disney World (or any of their affiliates, like Disney Land, Disney Hong Kong, etc) I was shocked to see that they didn’t skimp on anything. Everything was lovely, clean, organized and fun. The rides were fun, well organized and every attempt was made to make waiting in line fun. They have some interactive stuff to do while you wait, and in the little kid’s attractions there are even little playgrounds. I liked, also, that they kept some of the staple attractions (Small World) and combined in new stuff, like Tangled in the parade, along with Frog Princess and Frozen. What I didn’t like was that you couldn’t see the characters. For whatever reason I was under the impression you could walk around the park and meet and greet with stuffed characters like Mickey and Donald. Instead, you had to wait in long lines, which was kind of lame. I thought part of the magic was that you walked around and it seemed like the characters actually lived there. To piggyback on that, we were sad to find out that there was a 90 minute wait to meet Ana and Elsa, so we couldn’t do it. 90 minutes with a preschooler is just too long. It would be cool if they opened a few more Frozen meet and greets so every little girl’s dream could come true (and so parents didn’t have to deal with grumpy kids in lines!). But that minimal, small complaint is about all we had to complain about. The rest was so amazing, the rides so fun, even the park food was decent. I expected a cheesy, overpriced, under delivered experience and I was wowed. Hard to do, so I applaud you, Disney. No wonder you are the magic makers.

Disney World — Animal Kingdom

With tots in tow we only wanted to do two parks, and Animal Kingdom was an easy second choice for us. Kids love animals, adults love the global aspect and the artwork, so it was a win for everyone.

I’ll admit that I didn’t think it could be as cool as Magic Kingdom– but for me I ended up liking the park better! The safari ride was a blast, all of the architecture and art and amazing details throughout the “continent” regions of the park made it feel like you were on an around-the-world journey but instead of TSA and visa hassles there were rides and caramel nuts. Sweet!

We loved the Everest ride. Sadly, the Kali River Rapids were closed (after waiting in line 40 minutes they evacuated the ride, us along with it. It never reopened). The Big’s Life show was short, but awesome and great for all ages, while the Finding Nemo musical was probably once of the most amazing performances I’ve seen as an adult. Again, I was shocked at how nothing was skimped on. There were no shortcuts taken. Someone put a lot of time, money and creativity into every single aspect of the park. Every tile was a tiny work of art, every piece of stucco was just perfectly placed to replicate a region of the world, down to the tiniest details (squat toilets in Asia!). One of my daughter’s top delights was the live music in Africa, complete with a dance area. Those kinds of touches make the day brighter.

Disney World — DownTown Disney

Downtown Disney is a cute experience, but we went before any adventures at other attractions, so the kids were a bit disappointed by the fact that it wasn’t “DisneyWorld.” Fair enough!

They have a fun Legoland experience, where I beat a bunch of kids at building Lego rally cars. They have statues of Mickey Mouse and his posse and  Winnie the Pooh. We dined at the Rainforest Cafe, a first for me and a lot of fun for the kids. With snacks, treats, loads of shopping and a fun candy store, there was no shortage of stuff to do, but with a 3 and 5-year-old the fun was a bit pedestrian. With younger kids, probably skipping this or bringing a stroller would be best.

How to Use the Disney FastPass+

Here are a few tips for Magic Kingdom FastPass+. First off, people around you at will have purchased their tickets well in advance, meaning they already inserted their top ride and attraction picks. So, if you buy your tickets at the gate you’ll be hard pressed to get a FastPass to the more coveted attractions, like the Seven Dwarfs Ride, Meet Anna Else, etc. For us, we put in what we wanted and managed to get decent time slots. Most open slots will be in the evening, when the park is less busy. Especially in peak season.

The thing to remember is that the system, although efficient and well designed, isn’t totally stable. Of our three FastPasses, only one worked. One ride we were told our daughter was too short for even though she bumped her head against the measuring bar. The other ride was down when we showed up for our FastPass time– a shame since we had run across the park in 90-degree weather to use our cards. The third ride worked well, though when we got to the attraction we found that the normal standby wait time was only 10 minutes– a bit of a waste of a FastPass. So, for us, the whole system was more of a hassle than it was worth.

Here are a few tips for Animal Kingdom FastPass+: We arrived at 8:30, bought our tickets and then discovered the park wasn’t that packed so we went to the most coveted rides (Everest, Dinoland, etc) and rode those a few times since the wait was less than ten minutes. Because we had a preschooler with us we did the ride swap option, which Disney kindly does to allow parents of small children the chance to do the rides one at a time. It worked well for us. Ask about it at the gate, or with one of the hundreds of attendants or kiosk gurus if you’re curious how it works.

As with our visit to Magic Kingdom, the FastPasses were more of a hassle than they were worth. Kali River Rapids was closed down and the other coveted rides didn’t have much of a wait at all, so for us we ended up only using one FastPass again. I think if you go on an off-peak day you can’t scrap them if you don’t need them. For us, the parks were rated a 4 out of 10 for business (week one in May, 2015). We can’t imagine how the parks would be possible to enjoy at a 10 day as they were plenty crowded.

What to Bring to Disney World with a Preschooler and Elementary School Kids

If you bring a bag, you have to go through a somewhat long security line, FYI. I had one bag (see pic above) with a poncho for each kid, a bunch of energy bars, snacks, and water bottles. I brought sunscreen, Band-Aids, a hat and change of clothes (there is a water park to run through at Magic Kingdom, and River Rapids at Animal Kingdom could soak the tots). We ended up using everything in the bag. One major fail was we forgot the stroller. You can rent them on site for $13 for a single or $16 for a double and they have stroller-parking areas by each attraction. We didn’t do it right away, and by the time my arms were sore from carrying the kid the rental area was too far away to get back to without sacrificing an hour or more. Bring a small camera with a video recorder (record the parade, it’s awesome!) that is (preferably) waterproof. So many rides have water, and even the shows have little splashes.

Where to Stay in Orlando for Disney World Access

We stayed for a week at the Marriott Harbor Lake Resort, Orlando. The place is amazing. It has two kid-friendly pools. One has a pirate ship sunk into the water with slides and climbing stuff, water shooting out of alligator mouths, etc. The other pool has two tall towers that dump huge vats of water on kids below as well as a wading pool and huge water slide. There are hot tubs nearby for the adults, and fun activities were going on all the time.

Marriot Harbor Lake Resort, Orlando

Our room was a great, two-bedroom, two-bath apartment with kitchen, balcony, and all the normal comforts of home. I would stay here again! The only down side (if it is one at all?) is that they don’t clean the room every day. This was great for us because we had kid stuff everywhere but I imagine if you were a party animal you’d want someone to mop up after you a bit more.

Marriott Harbor Lake Resort, Orlando Lake View Room

There’s no doubt Thailand belongs to the world’s most popular and exciting vacation destinations. Thanks to the amazing natural potential which gave this authentic Asian country plenty of beauties reflected in fabulous beach landscapes, fascinating rainforest vastness and wildlife diversity, it definitely has much to offer to everyone who sets out here. Actually, spending a time in Thailand, apart from pleasant seaside moments, opens opportunity for other unforgettable ventures, such as wonderful things to learn. If you want to merge amusement and pleasure along with creating memories for life, enrich your Thai time with those funny activities:

Take a cooking class

Great things to learn in Thailand include taking a cooking classe.

Thai cuisine is pure explosion of delicious tastes, exotic ingredients and fascinating cooking skills combined in the way which leaves exceptional impression to anyone who tries Thai specialties. Regardless whether you’re fan of exotic dishes or you want to take a piece of Thai cooking magic with you, cooking classes will give you fun and a chance to discover the secrets of one of the world’s most astonishing cuisines. While you can choose the exact length of the course, cooking experts are also willing to present you crucial spices and combination of groceries needed for authentic meal. Besides, you’ll be taught some great culinary tricks and, what’s very exciting- there are stunning food kinds you’ll introduce for the first time.

Scuba diving schools

Learn to scuba dive in Thailand

You were admiring outside sea wealth of Thailand beaches, but what’s deep in the water will certainly blow you away. There’s no excuse to miss this stunning adventure, since most of the coastal and island resorts abound with schools offering excellent scuba diving courses. Apart from receiving great knowledge about diving techniques and equipment, trainers will lead you through the most glorious submarine places where you’ll be face to face with sensational animal species and divine undersea scenes.

Learn massaging techniques

Massage techniques specific to Thailand can be picked up while staying in country.

There’s nothing what explains Thai pleasure more than perfectly performed mind and body relaxing treatments. Although pure joy comes from the moments while you’re relishing in wonderful massage during your leisurely vacations, wouldn’t it be great for you too to actually learn Thai massaging techniques? Unique mixture of skills and knowledge related to body care achieved maximum in Thailand, and for those who treat their bodies with respect, there are beneficial coaching opportunities where you can master fantastic massaging techniques. This way you won’t just gather magnificent manual skills to afford to your friends or family members, but you’ll discover which methods thrill your body.

 Practice yoga and meditation

Though it hails from nearby India, yoga has become popular in Thailand.

Oriental spirit of Thai culture is greatly expressed in local meditation activities, which are real treasure for our mind. Whether you already meditate or you plan to start yoga sessions soon, Buddhist temples in Thailand are the best place where you can learn original and proper ways of successful mind –relaxing mediation.

Take a batik course

Learn to dye fabrics the traditional way in Thailand.

Thailand offers a chance to expand your creativity by obtaining unique batik skills based on artistic textile dying. This traditional craft is pretty attractive, interesting and useful, so you can apply it whenever you make decorating items or authentic gifts. Besides, batik course will flare-up your imagination and boost your artistic potential.

* Guest post by Nicole Noel

I don’t often do product reviews but I’ve been hearing so many women rave about tieks for travel that I had to try them myself. At $175 per pair the cost is prohibitive for many travelers. I’d count myself in the group that finds this price point nearing the ludicrous, but I go through shoes so quickly that one good pair of durable, long-lasting shoes might be worth the money I’d have otherwise spend on 3-5 pairs of cheap shoes. A bought a pair of nice, everyday boots at Target only to have them fall apart two months later. Shoes aren’t meant to be disposable, people!

My tieks arrived this morning in lovely packaging. I’d agree with other reviews that the packaging is handsome but if it is contributing to the higher cost than not entirely worth it. One nice touch was a hand-written note with my name. Very rare and, I’ll admit, it kind of won me over a bit. I’m a sucker for old-school flare and this family-run company is pretty neat. If you don’t know much about the company, check out their website.

The shoes come with a little carry pouch and a larger tieks- blue bag. I’m not sure what the intention of the bag is, or how it relates to the shoes but hey, who scoffs at free stuff? I will say that if you’re sensitive at all to smells, the bag has a post-production chemical reek to it. Mine is currently airing out in the great outdoors. The packaging also had a nice pink flower on an elastic loop. I guess in a pinch you could wear this as some kind of middle-school headdress.

I slipped the shoes on and noticed some pain and pinching right away. I’m a 7.5 so I read the instructions online carefully before ordering a size 7 (tieks don’t come in mid sizes). The 7s are a bit painful around my heel and the toe joint (is that a term? toe joint?). Anyways, I will do as instructed on the tieks website and wear them with wool socks around the house for a while to see if they will stretch out. In the meantime, I took them off to write as the pain was a bit distracting. I spent a lot of money on these tiny shoes so if they don’t comfy-up really fast I’ll be on the phone to tieks pretty quick.

I’ll also point out that the mini toe buttcrack is showing, which seems somehow trashy. Am I over-thinking it or should shoes cover more of my toes? You’ll also notice int he picture below that you can see the outline of my toes near the front of the shoe. I’ve read other reviews that said they wore through quickly where the nails rubbed. I’m worried about this already and the shoes are 11 minutes old. So, I’ll keep an eye on the durability factor and let you know if my toes pop through or the visible toe crack is distracting to more than just me and my overly-taxed brain.

For a traveler, I’m not sure tieks would be a great fit simply because they can’t get wet. I bought mine for everyday wear, but other reviewers have said that even a few sprinkles on their leather tops and the color was damaged. I’m going to try to preserve these by adding a waterproofing agent designed for leather. I’ll let you know if that works. In the meantime, have any of you ever had a day of travel where water didn’t come into play at least once? I’ve had a whole toilet explode on me in a bus station. I’ve slipped on god-knows-what and landed in a ditch full of waste. I’ve been out in the wild under the premise of good weather only to be stranded by Biblical thunderstorms and showers. Any one of those days would have seen these tieks ruined. And I wouldn’t trade those days for a pair of shoes. So, if you’re planning on traveling like a (ahem) traveler, then maybe stick to boots. If you plan on traveling in a first-world city where sewage is moved about politely underground than perhaps these are for you. Especially since they can be dressed up or down and seem very versatile for a pleasant, Parisian-like wardrobe.

UPDATE: Returning my Tieks

After wearing them around the house in wool socks for an afternoon there was no improvement. They are still pinching my feet, hurting my heels and my toes are threatening to pop through the leather. I will be returning my tieks with a somewhat heavy heart. I contacted customer service. They immediately sent a return shipping label and I was able to return them with ZERO hassle. Awaiting refund now.

I really wanted to love them. I’ve been looking for high-quality shoes that I could dress up or down and wear everyday. I was hoping tieks would be it. If you’re a half size, you might want to consider ordering two pairs and then keeping the one that fits. Just an idea. I don’t know that I’ll try again, but if I do you’ll be the first to know.

At the core of Europe, there is an exquisite country with the population of around 5.5 million called Slovakia. Slovak Koruna used to be the currency of this country, but in 2009, it changed into Euro. Its capital city’s name is Bratislava. Slovakia is famous for its beautiful sceneries, stunning castles, friendly people and lively cities.
Slovakia has very attractive cities, spa, unique nature and UNESCO sights which are surviving for centuries. Here you can find so many rich, diversify and attractive places.

The top 5 tourist attractions in Slovakia are:
Bratislava

It is the capital city of the Slovakia and call it crowning the city of Hungarian kings. Its population is around 430,000 and lies near the banks of the Danube River. Bratislava is from the youngest cities of Europe, in past Bratislava’s names were Prespork, Pozsony and Pressburg. You can dive into this city’s pulsating life, enjoy coffee in its famous cafes, and take a walk in the city center. One of the prime attractions of this city is Bratislava Castle, the symbol of this city. This Castle appears on Slovak euro coins, which has four towers and overlooking the Danube. The new most famous attraction of this city is its UFO restaurant, which is located on its new Novy Most Bridge. This restaurant is that much higher that you can view the whole city from there. The Old Town Hall is also a famous place to visit and charming historical part of Bratislava. There are other so many attractive places like Devin Castle, St. Micheal’s Gate, President Palace, Hviezdoslav Square, Museum of Clocks, Slovak Radio Building and Bratislava Zoo.
Spis Castle

These ruins of Spis Castle are one of the famous, biggest castles in Europe, which is 900 years old. In the countryside on travertine rock you can find this beautiful Castle, this is the place form where landscape gives away. In UNESCO Heritage List, Spis Castle is legally listed because it is legally considered as one of the most valuable monument in the whole world. This place has its magical attraction, which drives you away in the old times, and you feel like walking in the streets of the old Spis Castle. They have very profound and extensive exhibition where you can spend your whole day wandering here and there. On weekends, you can find so many visitors and locals in the Spis Castle.
High Tatras

High Tatras are the symbol of Slovakia, which you can also find on the shield of the Slovak flag. High Tatras’ highest peak is 2655m high, and the name is GerlachovskyStit. It is a mountain range, so many visitors come here in the winter because of its ski resorts, stunning scenery and beautiful hotels. You can also find so many wild animals like wolf, bear, Eurasian lynx and fox. Visitors also visit High Tatras in summer for hiking. Those who don’t want to ski or hiking have walking routes, cable cars for beautiful views and can also chill at the lakes.
Kosice

Kosice is the second massive city of Slovakia, with the population of 250,000. This city is located in the Eastern part of Slovakia. If you are a fan of cultural events or you like to attend a concert then you should visit Kosice. If you are interested to visit the biggest church in Slovakia, then you should also visit the St. Elizabeth Cathedral in Kosice, which was built in 1380.
Slovak Paradise National Park

The Slovak Paradise National Park is also located in the East Slovakia. If you would visit this place, then you can understand that why they call this park a ‘Paradise’. Take a break from your stressful life and daily hectic routine to visit this virgin nature. This place will make you forget about the other world because of its thick wood that you can’t see anywhere else. The most attractive part of this park is its ladders and steps made of iron plus its mountain riverbeds.

And a bonus:
Caves of the Slovak Crest

Slovakia is very famous for its caves, and they say that Slovakia has gems under its surface. It is surprising to have so many caves in such a small country, which are decorated and maintained for visitors. Some of its cave are: Dobšinská Ice Cave has decoration of ice, Gombasecká Cave where you can have a boat ride, and Ochtinská Aragonite Cave which is naturally decorated with crystals.

*Guest post by Jessica Gold, of Travel Weekly.  Check out her amazing travel blog!

This has been an interesting year of short excursions around America, several road trips and a few flights across country. We’ve traveled across numerous states and have seen a great deal of geographic variance as well as changes in people, food, music and culture. This really is a big country and sometimes, especially when it comes to places like Texas and the U.P, little alcoves of America seem like their own little countries. Here is a roundup of some of the places we visited this year.

Travel to the Olympic National Forest in Washington, USA

I traveled out to Washington for a wedding and was overjoyed that it was an outdoor affair full of swords, ferns and coffee. It was a wedding that fit the beautiful surroundings of Port Angeles. The redwoods were tall, thick and stunning, and the lakes raging like the rest of the wilderness around the national forest. Coffee, the main staple of the Seattle-dweller, is strong and drunk black. The people are so in love with the outdoors that they carry backpacks instead of purses, and wear boots instead of heels. That’s a win in my book. Overall rating of the scenery, people and food: 9 out of 10.

Travel to Ocean City, Maryland, USA

Visiting Ocean City in winter is an odd adventure. It is like visiting a carnival before it opens. The clowns and bearded ladies are still there, but they aren’t yet smiling for the crowds. I walked along the beach and was the only person out there being pelleted by the whipping wind and freezing waves. Domesticated squirrels would run up to my legs and beg for food while disenchanted locals would push them out of their way with booted toes. If you ever wondered, restaurants at the beach are overpriced year round– not just in the summer.

Travel to Beaufort, North Carolina, USA

We spent a week at the beach and rented a small house on the shore within a stone’s throw of public access. It was a glorious blur of sand, sunscreen, and bright colors. We go every year and every year it gets busier and the crowds get thicker and the seagulls get more aggressive. It’s a beautiful spot, but since it is getting so crowded I imagine it won’t be beautiful for long!

Road Trip to Justin, Texas, USA

I drove myself, my mother and my toddler to Justin, Texas from North Carolina. We stopped in Nashville, Texarkana and finally Justin. If you have never driven in Texas be forewarned the road signals hang horizontally across wires and (surprise) I got a ticket for running a red light when I thought the yellow was one of those flashing warning things. Anyways, live and learn. I also learned that Texas had a boatload of excess money that they use to put in TONS of spaghetti-roads and then decorate them with the lone star. No, I didn’t end up buying any boots– although  I did look! Also, if you ever fly out of Dallas– be warned that it is the most chaotic airport this side of Heathrow. I had to pay just to drop my mother off at her terminal! Not a fan of the airport, but I’m quite a fan of the rest of Texas that I saw.

Travel to Marquette, Michigan, USA

We come up to the U.P every once in a while to visit family and this year we were fortunate enough to come up to the U.P twice, once in the summer and once in the frozen winter. Winter is my favorite season and the U.P is about the best place to experience it. ATVing in the snow, snowshoeing, ice fishing, sledding, and all kinds of other frozen festivities await you in Marquette and the surrounding towns. Hey, Jeff Daniels spends his time up here, so it can’t be all bad!

Travel to Beech Mountain, North Carolina, USA

Since we live relatively close to the mountains of North Carolina, we get to make a few trips a year up to Beech Mountain, near Boone. It’s a delightful small down with all the amenities nearby of a major metropolis. On top of Beech Mountain is the highest bar on the east coast, I hear tell. Yes, we’ve been there. You have to ski your way down after a few very strong, locally brewed drafts. Well, you don’t have to but it’s way more fun!

Travel to Washington, District of Columbia, USA

We went to Washington D.C a few times in 2014, mostly because we have friends in the city. It’s an amazing capital and truly befitting the country. All the major museums are free and it’s a delight to get to explore so much history for free– as it should be! There is always something fun going on. Last time up in DC I saw a group of people preaching the good word, loudly– almost violently, in China Town. At other times there are demonstrations near the White House. On one other trip I was fortunate enough to get to stay out in Leesburg, where we did a night time stroll of the town’s haunted sites (yes, it was Halloween!).

Happy 2015. May the year bring you more travel, more freedom to roam and a better appreciation of the wide, wide world!