Ditch That Itinerary

For years I have traveled with an itinerary for each place I go, not by choice though, usually something planned by family or another reason.  After my 6 month hiatus, I've decided to re-enter the blog world which I have missed so dearly now that summer is here and I have time to travel.  I am very thankful that my site has still been getting so many views, even over the past few days.  You all rock!  Anyways...

If I only one piece of advice to give you right now, I would tell you to leave that itinerary of yours at home, or better yet--never create one!  Well, unless this is a business trip or something of the sort.  Using an itinerary is only going to create stress will you are trying to enjoy time away from your hectic life.  Isn't the point of a vacation to enjoy those around you as well as your destination with not a care in the world?  That is always my plan!

This past week, my old college roommate and I packed up and headed south.  While she resides on the west coast and I live close to the east coast, we both have this crazy desire to travel whenever possible.  Our trip consisted of three days in the Big Easy, while ending our trip in Death Valley.  I have been to both these exciting hot spots before, but with family so my experience was limited.  This time, we hit the streets of the French Quarters with no plan in site and made some great memories I'm sure we don't exactly remember.  Our time up in Baton Rouge was a little more planned, since we were attending the Bayou Country Superfest, but still had an excellent experience and even had a home style craw fish boil!

Exploring without a plan gives you the chance to experience the touristy and non-touristy things to do.  Granted I do not love the tourism attractions, but they're also great to experience because that is what they are there for.  I believe finding the hidden gems within the area are even more exciting, they're not commercialized and you get the true experience of a place.  Now do not go on a trip completely blind!  I prepared for this trip by looking up maps of the local area and also looking up some of the tourist attractions.  By doing this simple and quick research, you will be able to find the items you really want to explore, and also discover where the safe and not so safe areas of town are.  Also be open minded and make some new friends.  Let the locals tell you some of the best places to check out, while also being cautious.  We talked to some bartenders, servers, and other travelers we met and got some excellent trips.  I am fortunate to have had such a great Louisiana experience!

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"

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"