Where will you "Stay"?

Wouldn't it be nice to log onto some travel website, look up a city and all their attractions, and magically create your very own itinerary?

Well, look no further!  Stay.com is a website designed just for that, not magic necessary.  Once you have navigated your way to this website, create your personal account in just seconds and begin planning your "fit-for-you" vacation.  Create a romantic escape for you and your other half, or create a family friendly experience of a life time.  Whether you're looking for all the tourist spots, or a way to live it up, Stay.com will help you create your trip just for you.

If you need help creating an itinerary, there are already many out there created by other users.  Once your itinerary is complete to your perfection, print it off and on your way!  Or, for the smart phone lovers, download the new app to always have this helpful site at the touch of your fingers.

With all the good, there may be things you don't enjoy.  It has been about 8 months since I've last taken a good look at this website, and since then the site has expanded more than before!  Some destinations may not be found, especially if they are not an extremely popular location.  This is why Stay.com offers you to give feed back on their forum and blog!

Overall, take some time to check this website out for your travel planning worries.  Having your plans organized on one site will ease your stress of  creating the perfect trip.  A great site for all types of travel!  Thumbs up to Stay.com!

Website:  http://www.stay.com/
Twitter:  @staydotcom
Facebook:  Stay.com

Lost & Found

After a good four months of abuse to my blog, it's time to make a reappearance, and revamp now that winter break is in full swing.  Travel has been on my mind a lot (as always), day dreaming of moving next summer and the desire to do something crazy and maybe just go to another country.  With this being said, I still have my wild desire to some how claim my way to fame and host my own Travel Channel show.

As far as the "revamp" to the blog, my daily topics are going to slightly change:
Service Sunday, Marvels Monday, Travel Tip Tuesday, Website Wednesday, Trivia Thursday, Favorites Friday, and Savory Saturday.
I'm not going to explain what the all mean, you should be able to get the hint, if you don't then stay tuned to my blog.

In honor of Marvels Monday, I want to "marvel" in some natural beauty which I will always find quite astounding.  And no, it's not from Australia, for once!

Far, in the northwest corner of the United States, we find a state snug between Canada and Oregon, looking out onto the great Pacific.  The great, green state of Washington!  Seattle has become a new place close to my heart, since my old college roommate is from the gorgeous city and has since moved back.  I've only traveled their twice, but from all that I've seen I love it so far.

The lively, little city and breath taking mountains makes Seattle a place inviting to all.  Each time I have flown home, I have been lucky to be stuck in the window seat looking out at Mt. Rainier.  This folks is my marvel for this Monday.  Beautiful and breath taking.  Enjoy the photos!
 

Mt. Rainier --January 2011

 

Mt. Rainier --August 2011



Love/Hate Tug-of-War with Flying

My little trip this past weekend reminded me and enhanced my love of traveling and the adrenaline rush I get when I'm at the airport and on the plane.  I usually have very smooth flights no matter where I go, which I'm lucky that I've never really had problems.  This was one of my first times I had some issues with my flights going smoothly and trigger the thought of, "Love/Hate" with flying.

The things I hate:
-Delays & disorganization
-Not having window seats
-Rude passengers you are stuck by
-Turbulence
-Prices in the airport & on the plane
-Impatient passengers trying to be the first one of the plane

The things I love:
-The excitement and adrenaline rush
-All the emotions I feel as well as the ones I see from people around me
-Meeting people
-Window seats
-Watching thunderstorms from above the clouds
-Taking off and landing
-Arriving at my destination

Out of everything, I must say that the things I love out weight the things I hate.  You always have to take some bad to appreciate the good.  Every time I return from a trip, I look forward immensely to the next trip I will be taking. 

Scares & Scars of Shark Week

While many of us are enjoying the exhilarating shows of Discovery Channel's 'Shark Week' --there are many things to be learned.  As for my working brain I always go beyond what the actual show is talking about.  One thing that keeps popping into my mind is how to stay safe on your vacation if you encounter a shark infested area.  This is a simple tip, and taking the extra time to follow through could really make a difference.  Check out the latest episode of "Caitlin Takes on the World"!

Caitlin Takes on the World -Episode 1: "Avoid 'Shark Week' Nightmares"

No dancing at the metro station.

One thing I always loved when visiting D.C. was the adrenaline rush I got from riding the metro train.  Basically like a subway, but you're not always underground.  There was something I loved about it in all it's unglamorous glory.  Not only did I enjoy taking the metro, I was excellent at navigating my way from all the different stations and the different lines.  When I was in D.C. this past April with fellow classmates for a communications convention, I was the tour guide.

After introducing them all to the craziness of the metro and paying our respects at Arlington National Cemetery, we were heading back to the city to check out some of the Smithsonian museums.  While waiting in the station, I walked up closer to the track by the floor lights.  Now I've never been diagnosed with ADD, but I often believe I have it.  I was distracted and highly amused with those flashy floor lights, that I felt the need to tap my right foot, then my left foot on top of it in a dancer fashion then strut my way back to my classmates.

Little did I know a security worker of some sort from the Pentagon happen to catch a good look at my 4 second routine.  I saw the man as I walked back, but he didn't appear to be a security worker, plus he was carrying a few grocery looking bags which I thought he was losing grip of.  Oh no he didn't--but oh yes he did.  Marching towards me such urgency and a clear mission in mind: "Now there is no dancing or playing around, especially that close to the tracks.  You understand that I could arrest you for this.  I have more serious criminals to worry about, do you think I really want to waste my time and yours on something silly as this."  Horrifically embarrassed, myself and my classmates were stunned in disbelief that this man made such a big deal.  Sir, I understand your concern for the safety of the public as well as the safety of our government figures, but do I look like I'm 12? or that I'm suicidal?  No sir, I think not.  It was highly uncalled for.

After about 5 minutes, all we could do was laugh and talk about that incident until our train had pulled into the station.  Lesson learned kids, don't get ADD and try to dance in the metro station.  Security folk are lurking and will swoop in for the attack.

Stay Tuned!

Lately I have disappeared from the blog world, abusing my blog and my love of writing about travel.  My busy schedule has worn be down a bit making me lack the motivation to blog.  While I think this is a horrid excuse myself, I have also been thinking of a new idea and here it is--hosting my own mini-series about travel.

I have career dreams, and this one is a crazy one that I will always strive for even if I don't reach it.  I would love to host my own travel show on the Travel Channel opening the eyes of viewers to see beauty in very popular places, but also the "hidden gems" you wouldn't expect.

So here it is, my first episode.  It's short and give you a brief synopsis of what this series will entail.  More episodes will be coming regularly a few times a week.  Please watch, stay tuned, and feel free to comment or suggest things!  Enjoy!

Caitlin Takes on the World -Introduction: "Just a Small Town Girl"



What's for dinner?

The age old question of what's for dinner.  This week I got to experience two dinners inspired by two different regions miles from where I live.

My aunt and uncle from Louisiana are in town for the week, and my uncle being born and raised Louisiana thought it was only appropriate to share his love of Cajun food.  My aunt served us all with some homemade jambalaya, craw fish pie, and Cajun shrimp.  Since I'm not a huge fan of fish, I passed on the craw fish pie--even though everyone else said it was absolutely delicious.  I did eat the rest though.  The Cajun shrimp was amazing, perfect kick of spices and southern zing, just how one may imagine Cajun food making your taste buds go wild.  The jambalaya was a nice pallate cleanser, neutralizing the spices of the Cajun shrimp.  Altogether, a wonderful southern home style meal.

This week, I also took my love of Italian food and created a delicious meal for my mother and I while my dad was out golfing (he missed out!). 

So for inquiring minds, here's my little recipe to make a delicious Summer Pesto Pasta.  Also a healthy meal!

You will need:
One garlic clove
Basil
Whole wheat thin spaghetti or capellini
Feta cheese
Cherry tomatoes
Zucchini
Pesto Sauce
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil

-Boil whole wheat thin spaghetti or capellini until it is al dente (moderately soft, still semi-chewy.)

-Peel & slice a zucchini, place round slices on a cookie sheet (sprayed with cooking spray).  Drizzle some olive oil over top, season with pepper and basil.  Broil in the oven for 10 minutes on eat side.

-Slice cherry tomatoes into fourths.

-Once zucchini is finished, let cool for 5 minutes and cut into halves or fourths depending on size.

-After pasta is drained, mix in enough pesto sauce to coat the spaghetti.  It's not meant to be overly covered in sauce.

-Mix in feta cheese, the cut cherry tomatoes, basil, fresh pressed garlic, pepper, salt, and zucchini.

Enjoy!

Where have I gone?

Where have I gone?  Somewhere you would think since I've disappeared from my blog for about a month.  Sadly, I have not gone anywhere except to work.  The energy and motivation to write great posts hasn't been as exciting as usual, mostly because I'm exhausted.  But I'm not here to complain.

This girl has some new and coming ideas to my wonderful blog readers (and in hopes to attract more!)  The past few days I have been gearing up to launch a photo site as well as a YouTube channel.  I will be bringing my readers beautiful pictures that yours truly has taken--and maybe a few I find of places I have yet to go.  I will also be starting a mini-series on my YouTube channel covering tips, ideas, jobs, hidden gems, and so on which are all travel related.

Stay posted and don't give up on me yet!  I'm finding more time to get back to it all and keep you all up on the latest in travel.  Get excited and enjoy any travels you have this summer!

Travel Tip #6: Creating Relationships While Abroad

Whenever traveling on a vacation or studying abroad, you're bound to create some type of friendship with a new face.  This is more common, though, when studying abroad.  When studying abroad, you're gone for an extended period of time, without having your friends and family there and needing someone to spend your extra time with.  Creating new friendships and networking with new people, especially in another country, is a great experience.  While it is great to create new relationships while abroad, you must also be smart about the relationships you make.

The benefits of making new relationships are obvious.  You have people to hangout with, create networks to potentially help your future, and a person to keep in touch with once you have returned home.  The downfall is letting yourself get too attached or too romantically involved.  Sure you may find the love of your life while you're overseas, but don't let this idea cloud your common sense.  Don't get sexually involved either, you don't know what repercussions could come from that as well.

Above all, just use your common sense and enjoy your time you have while overseas.  Create new friendships and stay in touch after you've come home.  You never know how these relationships may help you in the future!

Similar Pride and Honor Across the Sea

June 5th, 2009 was a day in which I never existed.  No I did not die and return back to life, but I was settled on the biggest plane I had ever been on crossing the International Dateline heading towards Australia.  The memories aren't quite as strong which each new passing year, but for what ever reason why I'm captivated by that country lives on.  In honor of Memorial day last week, I noticed pictures from Australia that relate to war memorials we have in D.C. but found in Australia.

Roll of Honour

The capital of Australia is Canberra, with a lot of open area surrounding it.  Unlike Washington D.C. everything is not just a hop, skip, and a jump away.  You will find other similarities though, such as a Senate and House of Representatives, although their government is ran in a British structure with their Prime Minister as the country's leader.  You will also see war memorials and monuments dedicated to those who had served in the Australian military because they were dragged into another country's battle as a helpful ally.  I found all the monuments to be touching, beautiful, and a great way to honor those.  The Roll of Honour is similar to the Vietnam Wall in Washington D.C., but here visitors place red poppies in the wall as a symbol for those who lost their lives in battle.  Also like us Americans, Canberra holds a special tomb to the Australian Unknown Soldier, though not as heavily guarded as the Tomb of the Unknown Solider in Washington D.C.

Like us Americans, Australians really show their pride and love for their country in their nation's capital.  The war memorials I was so lucky to see allowed me to have a deeper connection with Australia than I ever thought possible.

Slang on a Sunday

After realizing how much abuse I have done to my blog, I wanted to write a short, fun post to prove I have not fallen off the face of the earth.  This past week I moved home from college and found a lot of my stuff from Australia, including my journal I kept.  In the back I kept some fun slang terms I learned while abroad.  Here are just a few random ones:

Lift = Elevator
Rubbish = Trash
Cheers = Hello/Goodbye
Dunnie = Outhouse (although we called ever bathroom a dunnie because we thought it was silly)
Chooks = Chickens
Fire Brigade = Firemen
Sun Bake = Tanning

These are the first few slang terms I really encountered, but have more to come in the future that are a lot more fun.  I will close with this insult our professors told to us:

"I hope you chook turns into an emu and kicks down your dunnie!"

Think about that one!

Travel Tip #5: Train Your Body

Whether you're going near or far, it is always best to prepare your body for the trip you have in store.  It's about two weeks before your trip and by now you have a pretty good idea in mind of what you'll be seeing, what you'll be physically doing, and what you will be eating.  Diet, exercise, and rest are going to be your three favorite things to do before leaving on your trip.  Trips that are within the country or only a few time zones away will not be as detrimental to your body as opposed to a trip on the other side of the world.

If you know you're going to be doing a lot of walking, hiking, or any other physical activity, be sure to take some time to walk a few extra feet or maybe even do a little cardio.  By doing this you will be able to boost your stamina and endurance, all so you feel lest winded and less exhausted will you're on your trip.  Any time you travel somewhere there is usually always a vast amount of walking involved, especially if you are doing a lot of site seeing.

Make sure you get plenty of rest within the week or two prior to your departing date.  If you're driving, you'll need to rest to stay focused on the road.  If you're flying, you want to make sure jet lag doesn't take it's toll on you making you exhausted and sick.  If you happen to be in a time zone that has a great different from your home town, take the few days before leaving to start adjusting your body to that time zone.  Stay up later or go to bed earlier--depending on if you're traveling East or West or even beyond the International Dateline.

Lastly, keep your diet in tip top condition.  If you know you're going somewhere where the food is extremely different from your everyday diet, invest in supplementary vitamins and other supplements that control gas and bowel movements (sounds gross, but you'll thank me later).  Make sure you're eating well balanced meals before you leave that are full of protein, vitamins, and all the good stuff you need!  Stay well hydrated as well, traveling by car as well as by plane can easily dehydrate you.  One common side effect from jet lag is dehydration, which I happened to experience when I returned from Australia.

Take all these pointers into consideration.  You'll feel great and not miss a beat while on your trip you have been looking forward to for weeks or months!

The 60's Live On

As I was boarding my flight from Auckland, New Zealand to Brisbane, Australia I day dreamed about that great experiences that were awaiting me.  Seeing the red dirt of the outback, taking post-card photos of the Sydney Opera House, and most importantly listening to those charming Australian accents.  Now I knew there would be things I would come across that I would not expect, but this one was really off the charts.  The village of Nimbin is tucked away off numerous side roads in the mountains of New South Wales, about an hour drive from the university I was at in the Gold Coast, Queensland.

About 7 of us hopped into a van, and after two hours of being totally lost, found this magical village known as Nimbin.  As we pulled up to the village, I had to blink twice.  It was unlike anything I had ever seen, something you would see in a movie or hallucinate when you are high (which is probably how it was developed).  Nimbin was a true hippie village, creating everything from all natural hemp, and hosting rallies each day at 4:20 p.m.  The rallies were hosted by locals who either sang or spoke in the support of legalizing marijuana.  The locals who hung out there and work their were as friendly as they come, I'm sure for reasons than other being a welcoming Australian.  You could roll your own fatty in some of the cafes, enjoy a hemp cookie or some hookah.  Either way it was a place to escape the bustling cities on the coast and really just chill.  A couple of us tried the cookies while we were there--absolutely delicious!  Resulting in absolute happiness later.

Nimbin also had their own special museum dedicated to that special green plant.  The museum had replicas of old VW buses as well as protest signs for legalization of marijuana.  One room is dedicated to wars Australians have been brought into as allies, promoting nothing but peace.  It was just astounding to me to see such a museum exist in such a town.  If not for my pictures I took I would have thought I was dreaming it all up or just on some crazy high.

This is something I can truly never forget, even if I tried.  So as I close with this wild adventure I experienced, I leave you all with some pictures.  Nimbin made me love Australia even more.

In a Sunburned Country

If you know me at all, you know I have an obsession with Australia.  If you don't know me, well here's your heads up.  Ever since I studied abroad in Australia I have felt connected to that beautiful country and always feel like it has a part of me.  Sounds like a cheesy love story doesn't it?

One of the girls I studied abroad with recommended to our group to read this humorous book about traveling through Australia.  Since our program was a study tour, we got to see a vast majority of the country experiencing all climates, which made the book easy to relate to.  The book is In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson, and he takes you on his own personal trip through the country allowing you to feel like you are actually there.  His witty personality and dry humor keeps you gripped into his wild adventures.

I've enjoyed reading this book, relating to my own memories of my trip there.  Take the time to travel on the wild side while still sitting in your own home.  You'll get an idea of the mystery, marvels, and mischievous adventures found in Australia.

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
--Dorothea Mackellar, "My Country" (formerly "Core of My Heart")

Hidden Hibachi

Being inspired by my own tip about looking for that hidden gem, I've decided to create a mini series about looking for that diamond in the rough.  Whether it's local or national, I will highlight places or things I have found or others have found.  My first inspired hidden gem comes from the heart of Youngstown, Ohio--a city that is mostly known for high level of crime, murder, and unemployment.

The Tokyo House is a well kept dining secret that a handful of people in the area know about.  Advertisement is word of mouth through family and friends.  This establishment has been around for about 20 years now owned and operated by a strong husband-wife duo, Can and Hin.  The loyal customers start lining up at least an hour prior to opening to assure they can get the first table.  Since only Can and Hin are the only two who run the restaurant, you can sometimes wait up to a few hours, so it is important to get there before they open!  And yes, they are ALWAYS busy.

While the food is delicious and cheap for the mass amount you get, Can really makes the entire visit.  For his loyal visitors or even those who come now and then, he will remember who you are and the small details of your life like he is one of your close friends.  For the new comers, he gladly welcomes you to his restaurant and will have you laughing from the moment you sit down.  His witty humor and friendly personality makes the wait worthwhile and the food taste even better.  This truly is Youngstown's best kept dinning secret and a place well worth your time.

The Vindicator-Tokyo House article

Travel Tip #4: Look for the diamond in the rough.

So I'm a little behind on blogging, the semester is winding down and I'm getting ready to graduate (yippee!)  I will be combining my travel tip and website favorites together today because they go hand in hand.

The other day, the Travel Channel posted a tweet to find out what are some favorite travel tips of their followers.  I got excited because I had a few up my sleeve that would hopefully gain some attention.  Much to my surprise, one of my tips go retweeted, which brings us to travel tip #4: looking for the diamond in the rough.

When traveling near or far, you may really want to see the glamorous, tourist attractions, but don't be afraid to go with the flow.  You may stumble upon a hidden gem in a small town or big city.  I continuously find exciting places and outdoor places local to me that very few people know about, and I love it.  While abroad in Australia, I found numerous hidden gems--mostly found by my professors taking us around.  This is a short and simple tip, but a very wise one none the less.  You will get more out of your traveling adventures if you go with the flow and discover something ten times more astounding.

I will leave you with one of my favorites gems from Australia, North Stradbroke Island.  Geology research is done here, and it is also thriving with their small local population and coal mines.  Very few know about this island, but not many venture there unless they have a reason.  It's a quaint island thriving in aboriginal culture along with some of their more modern day residents.  Koalas run wild and you will not find an ounce of light pollution at night.  In the later hours of the night away from public shores, by light of a small flash light you will find dolphins coming up to the shore line.

Above:  A beautiful view of North Stradbroke Island

Left:  Sunset on Straddie
















Stay up to date with the Travel Channel!
Website:  travelchannel.com
Twitter:  @TravelChannel
Facebook:  facebook.com/travelchannel

I believe.

I don't wear pink simply because it's a trend--I have a reason and a passion. I know I am making a difference with my sisters. The day I stop wearing pink is the day they find a cure for breast cancer.

This Friday brings a special extra post since I am heading on a quick day trip tomorrow to Indianapolis, IN with a lot of my wonderful sorority sisters.  This trip is different than any other trip I've been on with an extremely special reason behind it.  Earlier this year, in January, 7 of my sisters headed to Indianapolis to donate breast tissue and blood to the Komen for a Cure Tissue Bank at the IU Simon Cancer Center.  Only 7 were able to attend because of such short notice, but because of their wonderful experience and our entire chapter's excitement we got the opportunity to attend their second donation collection for this year. (which they only do twice a year)  The tissue bank takes all the donations of breast tissue and blood to a lab where tests will be ran in order to understand how someone gets breast cancer and what can be done to fight this terrible disease.

Our philanthropy in Zeta Tau Alpha is Breast Cancer Education, Research, and Awareness--and as you could imagine we spend many hard, working hours towards our cause.  Each year, my chapters hosts the annual Pink Ribbon Cheer Classic to raise money for our philanthropy.  This cheerleading and dance exhibition is held to honor those still in the fight, those who have conquered it, and remembering those who fought until they could no more.  Since it's inception 10 years ago, we have raise well over $400,000, which is very impressive coming from a smaller chapter on a commuter campus in a community that is trying to come back to life.  I am so proud to be who I am today, and love donating my time and efforts to this cause.  I have a friends and family members who have been affected by this disease, so it definitely hits close to home.

So tomorrow I will be on a bus to donate my blood and tissue to help find a cure.

I believe a cure will be found.
I believe my sisters make a huge impact.
I believe I am helping find a cure.
I believe we are one step closer everyday.
I believe one day no one will ever have to be faced with this disease ever again.

Check out more about the first donation in January and the donation bank:
komentissuebank.iu.edu
thejambar.com/
vindy.com/

An Unkown Paradise

Earlier this week, a friend of mine sent me a link to a beautiful, unpopular paradise.  He's very aware about my love of travel and knew this would be something of great interest and now the topic of today's future destination.  This little-known paradise is found in Croatia at their Plitvice National Park.  Tucked away in Central Europe, Croatia has not been a top destination of choice making it apparent why much of the world is unaware of this gem.  Now becoming a trendy location to visit, Croatia is getting more attention along with it's most well-known park, Plitvice.





Pltivice National Park captures all shades and colors of natural beauty imaginable.  Sixteen clear, blue lakes surrounded by green flora stretching up to reach the beautiful blue skies.  Numerous series of paths take you through the park, some leading up to docks where you can float down the beautiful rivers in the park taking in every astonishing view.  The fauna also runs wild with wolves, bears, and other various animals calling this place their home.  Pictured above and below are some beautiful photos I found.  Also, check out the websites below to learn more about this exciting European Paradise!



This has definitely been added to my list as a place I must go see!  A place for anyone to fall in love with, especially if you love nature and the outdoors.

www.hellomagazine.com/travel/

www.rediscover.co.uk/croatia

 



photos from: www.tripadvisor.com and www.zagrebworlds.com

Study & Intern Abroad with Panrimo

There is no doubt in my mind that the best way to see the world and learn something new is through a study abroad or intern abroad program.  While it is always great to go venture out on your own, there are things that you will more than likely miss out on.  I have always had the travel bug, but I truly believe that having the opportunity to study abroad in Australia really set it off and pulled me in even more than before.  Experiencing study abroad allows you to merge yourself into the population and culture there as well as more opportunities to learn new things and to enrich your current attributes.  From my personal experience I feel I have gained a lot from studying abroad; a stronger sense of independence, a desire to explore, and a whole new wealth of knowledge.

A great company to plan a study abroad experience with is Panrimo, a smaller company that is affordable and very easy to find what you are looking for.  At the time I was looking at study abroad, Panrimo offered the trip to Australia I took, which they sadly no longer offer.  I paid half the price that others in my group paid using a different company, and I got the exact same thing they did.  The workers and advisors there were very friendly and helpful, especially in understanding that I was a broke, college student trying to pay for the expenses.  Panrimo also gives you the option to customize your experience by adding on additional supplements or extra excursions for a low fee.

After going on the site recently, I caught that pesky travel bug again--I'm thinking Stirling, Scotland for a summer internship in 2012?  I think it sounds fabulous to me!  Check the site out for yourself!  Explore the options and don't be afraid to ask them questions.  This is a great company to go through, especially if it is your first time studying abroad!

Website: www.panrimo.com
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/panrimo
Twitter:  @panrimo_abroad

Sydney, Australia 2009

Travel Tip #3: Don't wait before it's too late!

Planning to travel outside of America?  Or even just to Canada?  Well, do you have your passport?  Yes this seems like something that should be common sense, but many people still do not realize how long it takes to get a passport or just procrastinate until it's too late.  In previous years you could travel to Canada without a passport, but now you will need one.

Obtaining a passport can take about a month give or take a few weeks depending on the time of year and the peak travel seasons.  Getting your passport is super easy, you fill out a form, pay a fee, then send it away.  It will usually cost around $100 dollars to get your passport, especially if you are not re-newing an older one.  If you receive a passport before the age of 16, your passport will need to apply for a new passport once you have turned 16 or older since you will now be considered an adult.  You must apply for your passport in person if you are a minor or a first time applicant as an adult (16 or over).  Yes this does mean if you got a passport before 16 you must apply in person when you apply for your passport as an adult.  Once you have your passport as an adult, you have about 15 years before you need to worry about renewing it!

Most places you can get your passport photo taken on spot, I have gone to a US Postal Service branch not far from my house where you can fill out a passport and get your photo done.  Photos should be from your shoulders up, in color, and a very clear focus.  Make sure you present yourself how you would normally to avoid confusion when entering or exiting customs.

This may not be an interesting topic to talk about, but it is important.  And what is even more saddening is that only about 30% of Americans today have a valid US Passport.  So 70% of the country is missing out on the world?  This fact makes any travel enthusiast cringe at the thought of it--there is so much to see!  Getting your passport is simple and easy, but it is understandable that these economic times are hard to see all the world has to offer.  If you're not ready to apply for a passport, or can't afford to travel too far out of the country--you can still get a taste of paradise by visiting the U.S. Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico!  These places are more affordable if you're on a tighter budget, and even better news--NO passport required!

I highly recommend for everyone to go out and get a passport, you never know when an opportunity may arise when you can go see the world!  And get it soon, don't wait before it's too late and your opportunity is here and gone.  I love my passport, it's something I can show off with all the different stamps from different countries at their customs gate.

Flying Solo

The first time I flew on a plane on my own was an experience all on it's own.  Of course I have been on other flights here and there with my parents or some friends, but never alone.  This was the summer of firsts for me, I was doing my first big trip and all on my own--I was heading to Australia.  The trip itself was a leap of faith; about 6 weeks in a country with no one I knew, as you could imagine my parents were thrilled! (yes that was very sarcastic--my parents were beyond worried.)  Flying across the country and the international dateline was more of a manic adventure than I would have ever imagined.

On June 4th, 2009 I showed up to the Pittsburgh International Airport with my monstrous suitcase and a backpack carry-on.  It was a fiasco as soon as I showed up!  I flew all red-eye flights, my first flight wasn't until 6:30 p.m., but the airport was crazy, as usual.  Internationally I would be flying Air New Zealand, but domestically I had no clue!  In a small panic, I was frightened I would miss my flight, my online booking did not clearly show I would be flying American Airlines.  After a moment of panic, a polite attendant helped me out.  After checking in and hanging by the gate, I was finally boarding the longest flight I had ever been on: 5 hours to the LAX.  Yes, my flight to LA was the longest flight I had ever taken, until I had to swap planes and head across the Pacific.  While on my flight to LA, a mother was trying very hardly to set her 15 year old son up with.  Wisely, I turned my iPod on and pretended to sleep.  Upon landing our captain had informed us we were running a little behind, checking the time on my phone I realized I only had 45 minutes to find my way out of one terminal, search for the next one, and hopefully find my gate.

I grabbed my backpack, and ran out of the terminal.  Being in the sleepy state I was, I paid no attention to what terminal I had left and only knew I had to be in terminal 1.  Standing on the street outside of LAX, another kind attendant saw my distressed look and asked if she could help.  After feeling slightly stupid, she kindly showed that I had just left terminal 2, and terminal 1 was only a few feet away.  I bought some food right outside my gate to save for the plane, called my parents, and within minutes I was boarding my 12 hour flight to Auckland, NZ.  As I found my seat, I found myself lucky to be sandwiched between two Aussies!  I only remember Simon from Perth, OZ because he was rather nice looking and very friendly.  Him and I had struck up a conversation for some time, until I felt the Eastern time zone catch up to my body.  Sleeping for endless hours, skipping dinner, and forgetting about my food in my backpack--I woke up feeling slightly light headed.  I rushed to the bathroom to splash water on my face, but it was too late.  As soon as I locked the bathroom door I had a momentary blackout, scary as all hell when you're flying above the Pacific Ocean.  I woke up in a panic, thinking my feet were dragging on the runway--oh yeah very trippy black out.  I splashed water on my face, sat back down and ate a granola bar, then slept until breakfast.  I scarfed down the flight meal that was distributed, and felt so much better.

Upon landing in Auckland, I found it was a new day, and also found that I totally skipped June 5, 2009.  That's correct--I never lived on June 5th, 2009--how's that for a fun fact?  Auckland's airport was very small, so I managed to work my way through it very quickly.  After an hour of waiting, I was finally boarding my flight to Australia!  This flight was only 3 hours, so very short compared to what I had gone through.  I was so excited I could not even think of sleeping.  Once I landed in Australia was where the fun began.  I walked around the Brisbane airport jet lagged and confused for a good 20 minutes until I found the exchange station so I could get some Australian cash.  Another 20 minutes later, I found the train that would take me to Robina which was about 45 minutes away.  After arriving in Robina I flagged down a taxi to take be to Bond University, where I would be staying for 2 weeks of my visit.  I was amazed by everything I saw, Australia was so beautiful, sunny, and clean.  Once I was dropped off, I attempted to tip the driver--who kindly reminded me they don't take tips in Australia.

Once at the university, I was confused as to where I had to be, but found my way shortly.  I snuggled into my dorm room, and passed out.  Only 4:00 p.m. in Australia on June 6th, but 2:00 a.m. in my hometown on June 5th.  20 hours of traveling had never been more eventful.

Celebrating Easter on Vacation

In celebration of the Easter weekend (for those of you who do celebrate), I did some research on cool places to visit during Easter.  Through my searches, I found a website featuring 7 Fun Places to Celebrate Easter--not only as a vacation, but where you will find Easter as a major celebration.  Like any other major holiday, these several Easter celebrations are as big or bigger than Christmas and Thanksgiving here in the U.S.!  Typical destinations such as Jerusalem, Vatican City, and Bethlehem are on this list, but other surprising locations are on here as well.

Taking a particular interest to the Jamaica Carnival, held in Jamaica each year during Easter weekend, I did a little more research.  The Jamaica Carnival is Jamaica's largest cultural celebration held in Kingston, Ocho Rios and Montego Bay.  Performers are covered head to toe in glamorous, extravagant costumes and parade the streets through dance and song.  Bands that are popular to that area perform while those dance and join the celebration.  You will experience folk customs and old traditions while celebrating Easter in Jamaica.  Little information can be found about the Jamaica Carnival, since it's annual inception was in 1990, only 21 years ago!

If you want to plan a vacation over Easter next year, check out these locations featured here:
7 Fun Places to Celebrate Easter

Not only will you experience a wonderful get away, but a new way to celebrate an old holiday.  Happy Easter, and God Bless!

The Jamaica Carnival

Soggy Summer Vacation

Seattle is known as the rainy city, when quite frankly where I live is worse than it is there.  The rain is not as terrible as it is said to be, usually a light mist, even though a lot of cloud coverage is depressing.  The winters are never fiercely cold like the Northeast, usually mid 40's-50's sometimes 60's-- I never wore my winter coat once while I was there in very early January.  And the summers are quite pleasurable with the ever-green colors and scenic, mountainous views.  This is my new pick for a quick summer trip!

Aside from the previous beauty I stated, the real reason I am heading out there is to visit my old college roommate who is from Sammamish, WA and now resides in Seattle.  After visiting there earlier this year, I fell in love with this place.  The mountains are gorgeous, especially Mt. Rainier, and there is so much adventure out there.  It's a small, quaint city capturing the city life-style while be extremely clean and just minutes from the suburbs.  You get the best of both worlds with Seattle--outdoor adventures and city living.  Now I could go on for a while about how this appeals to young and old, the naturist and tourist, but I'm writing this for the sake of "Future Friday," and what I will be doing this summer.

(To the left: myself & the old roommate, January 2011)

Seattle rests quietly on a beautiful docking area, leading out towards ever-green hugging lakes and the majestic Pacific Ocean.  If you play your cards right, you'll even be able to take your boat by Bill Gates' house!  Aside from boating, hiking, camping, and other outstanding outdoor adventures await out there.  This summer, my old roommate and I plan to take the boat out for a couple of days, head on up to islands right off of British Columbia, Canada and enjoy the sun and "post card" views.  We'll spend a day or two in the city, exploring my new favorite, Pike Place Market, watch at least one Mariners game in Safeco Field, and head up the space needle to hopefully find a clear, beautiful view of Mt. Rainier.

 (To the right: Pike Place Market, also where the original Starbucks resides!)

Seattle is a wonderful place, and for those of you who think it's nothing more than a "rainy city," you may want to give it a chance.  The climate is enjoyable and there is so much to do there.  So jump outside of your little bubble and try something new.  I highly recommend this city for any and everyone.



Mt. Rainier from the plane, Jan. 2011



Qwest field, home of the Seahawks.

Living on a 'Lonely Planet'

Looking for a website that not only books your flights and hotels, but plans your stay as well?  Look no more!  Lonely Planet is a great travel website featuring travel guides and options to book your trip all in one stop.

I found this website on accident, randomly searching for a new travel site to check out.  As I began to explore the website, I found it to be one of those sites that just draws you in.  This site gives you suggestions on where to travel, some "best kept secrets" of different countries, and travel guides to help you choose your trip.  Options to choose itineraries for specific cities, as well as tips on what time of year is best to travel in a specific country or city.  Once you have found your destination of choice, scroll over to booking flights and hotels.  Many options are available when booking, at it is also powered by Kayak.com--another popular website used for booking trips.

You can always keep up to date with Lonely Planet via Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, and numerous travel forums found on their website, as well as apps available for smart phones.  Sign up for a subscription of their magazine to learn more about new cultures, top vacation sites, and other exciting tips and information.  This website is designed for the new and experienced travelers both in mind!  A perfect site to make your travel planning simple, efficient, and even affordable.

I'm glad I randomly came across this site, it is a very exciting site with plenty of information to start planning for your next trip!  Take a few minutes and check it out!


Website: www.lonelyplanet.com
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/lonelyplanet
Twitter:  @lonelyplanet

I'll never say no to a challenge.

One of my friends so kindly posted a link on my wall about this crazy trip that was completed in 1998.  This trip was done by Barry Stiefel, and CEO out in California, who happened to visit all 50 states in one week.  Yes, ONE WEEK.  Crazy?  Most likely, but I was intrigued and began to read all about this insane experience.  Taking one week off from work, he strategically plotted out his journey across the continental United States, as well as flights to Hawaii and to Alaska.  I won't go into detail in my blog, I'll post the link for you to check out, but it is so fascinating.

Now with my crazy brain, I am DYING to say that I have visited all 50 states, preferably at a younger age.  Being realistic, I'll never have enough time or money to spend fabulous vacations in each of the 50 states, and quite frankly there are states that I really just want to pass through and say I've been there.  As my friend posted on my wall, he expressed if I was able to do such a task?  Well this is seen as a challenge to me, especially after reading this website.  After little consideration--I decided I will do this.  Of course I'll have to thoughtfully plan out the trip as well as save up the money to do so, but wouldn't this just be a wild experience? 

This isn't for someone who wants to relax and enjoy luxury spas--no, this is for someone crazy and adventurous like me.  Follow the link below and read all about the planning, motivation, trip log, and summary of this crazy experience.

50 States in One Week

Mortified by Mickey Mouse

What child doesn't dream of going to Disney World or Disneyland?  All the amazing rides, magical destinations, and most importantly the mouse behind it all.  When my family decided we were going to take a trip to Disney World, I was beyond excited.  We were going with my cousins, aunts, and uncles--it was bound to be a blast.  Everything I remember from that trip was absolutely amazing, except for the fact that Mickey Mouse really freaked me out.

After leaving Minnie Mouse's adorable house and acquiring her autograph, I did not want to leave!  Her house was everything a little girl could dream of and adore, and I loved it.  My family told my younger cousin and I that we better hurry over to see Mickey, apparently he's in high demand.  Mickey was tucked away in a large, air conditioned building, with an outrageous winding line.  The family didn't mind the line, as you can imagine, air condition is a nice alternative to that intense Florida humidity.  Us kids were getting anxious, and I couldn't wait, but as soon as I got closer to catch a glimpse of that mouse, I instantly became nervous.  As we got closer, the adults created hype and excitement, trying to settle my nerves.  I remember wanting to run away and just say forget it, but after some coercing, I met that mouse.

The rest is a bit of blur, it happened so fast, but after all that I was perfectly happy and content.  I guess that mouse wasn't so bad, he was happy and welcoming.  He made a child's day brighter and magical, which is what that silly mouse is there for after all.

Travel Tip #2: Cash or credit card?

Happy Tuesday all!  For today's Tuesday tip, is it smarter to take cash or a credit card with on your vacation?

There are pros and cons to taking either of these on a vacation, which can be handled by using common sense.  Cash is great, it gives you a spending limit, but it can easily be stolen if not properly hidden or kept safe in a wallet.  Credit cards are small and easy to carry around, but if that is stolen, unlimited charges can be made by anyone.  The best answer?  Take both!

You don't want to go overboard on vacation with charging things on that little rectangle piece of plastic, and as stated previously cash gives you a nice set spending limit.  The most important reason: banks could shut down your credit card while on vacation thinking it's actually fraud or identity theft.  If that was your only form of payment, you would be screwed (for lack of a better term).  So take both cash and credit card, that way you can charge some items, but you also have cash as a back up and to help you keep in mind a spending limit.

To prevent your card from getting a freeze on it, contact your bank or credit card company about two weeks prior to leaving for a vacation to let them know you will be out of town.  It may seem silly if you're not going too far, but it is better to be safe than sorry.  For those of you doing international travel, this is a highly important step you MUST take.  Seeing that you would be more than a couple time zones away, your bank could easily mistake this a identity theft.  Keep this tip in mind for your next vacation--it will save you from stress and save you some money.

Orbitz: Assuring you with a great vacation?

Orbitz has been my go to site for quite a while now, and I have had many good experiences with this site, so I felt this would be the perfect website to discuss first for Website Wednesday.  Orbitz is a large, well known site that offers travel variety.  It is found to be user friendly, easy to navigate, and a great database for booking trips.  A great, new feature are the apps available for smart phones allowing travel planning to happen at the tips of your fingers.

Why I love this site:

1. If you're looking for a package deal, this is great!  You can look for just a flight or just a hotel or you can look for a flight, rental car, and hotel all in one click.  This is a great option for those of you out there who would rather package every all together or don't have the time to browse everything piece by piece.
2. Daily deals every day!  There are always new advertisements on the website for new ways to save or special deals on exotic vacations.  I get email alerts sent to me every time there is a new special.
3. Price Assurance is highly advertised with the company, assuring you that what you see is what you pay.  Another feature I have discovered is the Deal Detector which allows you to set a price you want to pay and Orbitz will find it for you.
4. The flexible flight option is my personal favorite if you are able to have flexible days or times for a trip.  It will compare the same flight you want for different departure dates combined with the length of your trip.  It will find you the best deals to fly out.
5. Orbitz also allows you to check out attractions, cruises, and gives you popular searches to help guide you to a perfect trip.

Why this site may not be the best:  Overall I have little to complain about with this site.  Only one time I had to book through a different website because Orbitz was down for website construction for a day or two, but I typically have no problems.  One frustrating item I have stumbled upon has been times when I have searched for flights and I get a response of "no flights found to match you search."  This is a major travel website and they should be able to fulfill every request or at least suggest an alternative method to arrive at a destination. 

Orbitz is a site I encourage a lot of my friends and family to use since it is so easy and upfront.  I have also found it to be very reliable and credible.  As much as I'd love to critique some more, this is a site for you to personally explore.  So click away and check out Orbitz.com today!


website:  www.orbitz.com
twitter:  @orbitz
facebook:  www.facebook.com/Orbitz

A family favorite vacation.

Ocean City, MD--boardwalks and beaches for miles, and one of the favorite places my family LOVES to travel.  So here we are kickin' of Throwback Thursday with the first vacation that I can remember off the top of my head.

I was 3 or 4 years old for this vacation, seeing that my younger cousin wasn't born yet and she's 5 years younger than  me.  So this probably took place summer of 1992 with my crazy family--aunts, uncles, and a couple cousins.  That's right we used to do it big each summer--the loud, obnoxiously large group of vacationers.  We often stayed at a hotel right on the ocean front called the Carousel, which I loved because of my fascination with their indoor ice skating rink.  I had never seen an indoor rink, especially in the middle of summer!  I thought that was even more exciting than going out to the beach!  I remember my mom saying, "Caitlin, we're at the beach, we can ice skate at home in the winter--we don't  have a beach at home!" "But mom!  It's inside and it's summer!" I cannot believe how amazed I was but that ice rink.  My older cousin Ashley and I stood out in the hallway a few times mesmerized by the skaters below while we would sip iced tea.

Our hotel had a post-card view of the boardwalk and the beach, and the atmosphere setting tone of those gawking seagulls.  We would spend early mornings on the beach, and come in around 1 p.m. to hide from those dangerously strong rays of sun while we would eat our lunch.  After lunch we would venture down to the boardwalk and rent bicycles or our ever favorite multi-seated pedal cycles or surrey bicycles (there are a few names for them).

image: www.primekarts.com

Yeah one of those bicycles, but image it bigger.  We would have an extra row of seating, and lucky little me got the opportunity to sit in the basket in the front.  I'm sure we were quite the image rushing down the boardwalk.  Two or three surrey cycles, loud females, males attempting to speak over the women--oh I'm sure we were louder than all the seagulls in that area.  We were like our own little brigade on a mission to enjoy the finest tourist attractions of all.  Just thinking back on it makes me chuckle.

One more memory I have from this trip is a picture of my older cousin and I, while she's trying to brush out my hair.  I wish I had that photo on me at the moment because it is hilarious.  My mom snapped a picture while my cousin Ashely was brushing my hair--Ashley full of smiles, while I was clinching my teeth and grinning most likely in pain.  It's just the little, silly memorable things I remember which remind that it was a great vacation and a fun place to go.  It really is the little things that do count and make the memories.  As my post comes to a close, don't fear, there will be more from Ocean City as it is a family favorite.

Travel Tip #1: Do your homework.

Kicking of Tip Tuesdays with my first travel tip.  This one seems obvious and also stupid, but very important--but do you travel homework!  Get familiar with travel sites and other travel resources to see where you can get the best bang for your buck.  Don't just stick to one website for all your hotel and flight bookings, shop around.  Compare and contrast differences or if you have a price assurance booking with them.  With our tight economy, every cent counts that you will save.

Last minute trip?  Well this still applies!  Chances are you've gone to a particular place before, but you and your friends or family decide in rather short notice you want to go for a quick weekend trip.  Jog your memory, think back to where you have stayed before--was it affordable?  fitting?  If yes, you should have no problem staying there again.  You should have a few days to still book a room or a flight if not driving, give yourself at least 2 days to look over different hotels, offers, and combination flight and hotel packages.

Check travel sites more than once a day, and not always on weekends.  Travel sites work exactly how the cost of flights and hotels work, they go up and down in price depending on time of day and what day of the week.  If you check earlier in the morning, flights may actually be a little cheaper as to trying to book a flight later in the day.  It makes sense though--most people sleep in, work, or have class to tend to which means less traffic on the site for booking flights.  Less traffic equals lower prices.  Later in the day when people have more time to check out prices for flights and lodging, prices may go up since there will be a lot more traffic than before having a potential for a higher profit.  Now with hotels that may differ a bit, since they are usually at a flat rate--but travel sites and other travel resources offer discounts now and then, so keep your eyes pealed and remember where you saw the savings!

There really isn't must more to the tip than I have already stated.  Take some time to research all the possibilities out there to get your vacations affordable as possible.  Wake up 30 minutes earlier to check out travel sites, you may find a hot deal early in the morning.  And it never hurts to just check out sites for fun to get pricing ideas, even if you aren't planning a vacation in the near future.  Remember this tip, and plan yourself a great, affordable getaway!

Toppin' it off in the "Top End" -Manic Monday

Australia--the land down under--and the land of many wonders.  The land of kangaroos, wallabies, and the thorny devil.  The land of beaches, bars...and army crawling through city landscape?!  This is where one of my crazy and manic stories come from, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia--this region also commonly referred to as the "Top End."  It is referred to the "Top End," mostly because this area is not ideal for living in.  Dry and tropic, no great vegetation, and some beastly critters around.  Read some more about this crazy place in a chapter from Australia for Dummies, which I so intelligently researched via google!

photo: wikipedia.org

The highlighted area is the Northern Territory, what is highlighted in red is considered the Top End.  Darwin is all the way at the very top! 

As for my manic story, it comes along in the latter half of the trip, about 10 days left in this beautiful country.  Being the crazy college students we are, of course we made sure to hit up every party scene in every place we went.  Darwin, even though rather small, had a very typical tourist area full of shops, restaurants, and bars.  Our final night it Darwin, 6 of us girls decided to hit up the bar scene one last time.  Not only would we find fine looking Australia men, but this was a big area for the Australian military--a man with and accent AND in uniform?!  Oh yes, we loved the sound of that.  Not everyone in the group felt the urge to stay up until 3 a.m., like myself and my friend Blair (that's another manic story itself).  Our group withered away person by person--and yes it is okay for a girl to walk home or take a taxi by herself, Australia is really safe (I'm sure some areas would be questionable, but we were in safer areas).  The next morning our friend Lauren had quite the story for us while we were heading to the airport preparing to go back to Brisbane.

On her walk home, an area halfway between the bars and our hostile had been barricaded by police due to a water leak flooding the streets.  Some girls told Lauren to follow them--up a block, over a fence, and crawl through some bushes--the "only" detour around the water leak.  In her intoxicated state, she believed the girls, even though she was slightly skeptic.  The 3 of them made it all the way to the bush crawl, army style, when they heard the police--"Oh shit!  We're out," chimed the two navigators, Lauren was stuck by herself.  She popped up from the bush behind the Holiday Inn, tangled in branches and soiled in dirt, while the cop had a puzzled look on his face.  "Excuse me Miss, what are you doing? Can I help you?"  Lauren replies with sobs, "I...just...want...to go...back.... to my...hotel!"  The cop spoke in a comforting tone while giving her directions back to the hostile, Lauren face began to get red and well-up with tears.  The cop realized she was completely lost, and offered her a ride in the cop car back to the hostile.  Lauren was the only one on this trip to be escorted in a police car, thankfully for no law breaking reasons.

We were dying of laughter, attempting not to pee our pants.  Lauren is a very sweet girl with a sense of style, and enjoyed getting dolled up for a night out.  It was very comical that out of everyone in our group, Lauren would have been the one to crawl through a bush at a Holiday Inn, then getting taken home by a cop--an Australian cop none the less!  I guess Lauren met the dream man after all, and Australian man in uniform.

July 2009

Before we headed out for our final night in Darwin

Bethany, myself, Susanna, Kim, Lauren, & Blair

Cabin Fever & Future Friday

With the feeling winter is never going to end and spring break popping up on college campuses nationwide, it's not surprise cabin fever is here!  Living in the glorious state of Ohio, or should I say SNOWhio, the cold and snow really never seem to end.  I'm getting the extreme itch to travel, but unfortunately that college kid budget interferes with brilliant travel plans I've thought of.  So instead of gearing up to go out and explore, I figured I'd just talk about travel some more! (Yes I just made a cheesy rhyme.) 

What I really want to talk about is the blog.  I've finally come down to some ideas to keep the blog evolving.  My habit with any social site, or journals for that matter, is that I am terrible at keeping perfectly up to date on it.  I really would love to write everyday, but I get distracted easily or usually have about 5,000 other things to do.  With this in mind, I am going to attempt to abide by some fun plans I have to keep consistency, new entertainment, and hopefully staying current with everything.  I've thought of corny subjects for each day of the week, travel related of course, that will bring new topics within in the travel world each day (if I can keep up!):

Snoozy Sunday--Sunday is a lazy day, this day is open to whatever really!  I'll probably just cover things going on, or maybe a trip that I can't stop thinking about.  Sunday is really a wild card day.

Manic Monday--Since Monday is always a crazy day to swing back into things of a work or school week, why not write about some crazy and "manic," experiences that have happened during a trip?

Tip Tuesday--Every Tuesday receive a travel tip!  Plan exciting, affordable, and sensible trips.

Website Wednesday--Oh the world wide web, so many hidden treasures and flops.  There are good travel websites, mediocre travel websites, and sadly some horrible travel websites.  Which ones should you stay true to?
Throw-back Thursday--THROW-BACK!  Reminisce on previous trips!  Now this may seem redundant since I obviously talk about trips I've been on, but I'm talking years and years ago.  I'll talk about silly trips I went on when I was younger, fun memories and scary memories.
Future Friday--Where in the world will I travel next?
Silly Saturday--Funny and silly moments from trips, or even planning trips.

Of course I may not be on everyday, but at least topics will change and make what you're reading a little more exciting (at least I hope so!)  So in honor of Friday, I'll take a brief moment to talk about one future trip.  I'm excited to announce that I will be heading to Washington D.C. for time number 5 or 6 this April!  Actually, I'm going for scholarly, nerdy purposes which makes the trip more exciting.  I'll be presenting research with my research group at a communication conference which I think is pretty exciting.  It's also a really great excuse to get out of school and work for a few days.  Plus we get to explore our nation's capital, which is no doubt one of my favorite things to do!  I started visiting Washington D.C. when I was in 5th grade, and actually have two trips coming up this year.  There's just something I love about visiting D.C., I find something new every time.  Here are some pictures from some of the more recent trips (if only I had the embarrassing pictures of me in D.C. back in 5th and 7th grade near by!):

Memorial Day Weekend 2008



Memorial Day Weekend 2010

 

And my favorite view...

Photo taken Memorial Day Weekend 2008--Arlington National Cemetery --over looking the capital.

(not the best picture, and definitely doesn't give this view justice)

And on a sad closing note--please keep Japan in your thoughts and prayers after dealing with a tsunami and an earthquake.  Also keep Hawaii & California in your thoughts and prayers as well, the tsunami waves may be heading their way.  That's all I have today--have a fantastic Friday :)