Homesick Wanderlust

Surviving Snowtober

2011-11-27T15:15:00.000-08:00

(First of all, apologies that this post is shamefully late!)

The first day of our autumn weekend in New York City
proved the famous song absolutely correct.
The city is stunning in October sunlight!

We awoke on day two, however, to swirling snow out our window
as Snowtober rolled over the Northeastern United States,
turning an unprepared Big Apple into an icy, slushy mess:

Instead of walking, we wrestled for cabs...
with everyone else.

Instead of wandering outside, we went to the Met...
with everyone else.

Instead of being condemned to our cold, waterlogged trainers,
we went to Bloomingdales hoping for proper snow/rain boots...
with everyone else.

I'm not going to lie;
Saturday in the snow didn't feel much like a holiday.

So imagine our glee when we opened our curtains Sunday morning.
With the exception of patches of white in the parks
and chunks of ice falling from the high roof lines,
all evidence of the storm was completely gone.

All in all, it was a wonderful trip!
Two fabulous Broadway shows, great shopping,
fun wandering, wonderful food...

And once it's behind you, you can truly appreciate the opportunity
to watch a major city respond to unexpected weather.
It doesn't get much more authentic than that!

(However, after going through something similar in London,
I'm starting to get paranoid about bringing boots
wherever I travel, no matter the season!)

A stage full of Aussies

2011-09-26T17:35:00.000-07:00

In choosing tickets for Broadway shows on our trip to NYC next month, I found that Hugh Jackman is doing a 10 week run concert. I reserved tickets immediately!

That led me to this video. I'm not much of an Oprah fan, but I have to hand this to her production team. To get Hugh Jackman, Olivia Newton-John, Keith Urban, Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe on the same Sydney stage paying homage to their country is just cool.

It also makes me REALLY miss Australia!

Autumn in New York

2011-09-22T22:56:00.000-07:00

Well, I made it four whole months with this "saving my last miles" concept. But, boy howdy, were they burning a huge hole in my proverbial pocket! Plus, the uncertainty of starting a family was making me question whether or not I would become physically unable to use them. Clearly, there was only one solution: use them before winter rolls in or I find myself knocked up. So I did.

Next month, I'm going back to New York City. ::big grin::

Specifically, my sister and I are going on a girl's weekend to the Big Apple at the end of October. It was difficult to see our Alaska Airlines Miles go from 40,139 to a measly 139. However, I've always wanted to stroll through Central Park in the fall, and I'm elated that I'm going to be able to see Sutton Foster perform live on stage.

This will be the first time we're putting our new Capital One Venture card miles to use, as well. I used a free loyalty club to get a great hotel deal that I will use the Venture miles to pay for. That means we'll only be paying for food and fun.

By the time we return, we'll be back to square one on earning miles, but I'll continue to use the system to our benefit and find as many ways as I can to combine savings for even better deals.

Besides...I'M GOING TO NEW YORK CITY!!!

I need to get out of heeeere...

2011-08-01T22:17:00.001-07:00

The Roaming Gnome is my personal hero,
and I've loved this commercial since it first aired two winters ago:

However, I don't think I've related to it as much as I do RIGHT. NOW.

I need to get out of heeeere!

Seattle summer

2011-07-26T20:11:00.000-07:00

Just a little hello from my neck of the woods:

Supermarkets on holiday

2011-07-11T22:52:00.000-07:00

Don't miss Peter Jon Lindberg's editorial on one of my favourite parts of traveling the world: foreign supermarkets. I could've written the last two paragraphs about Hobnobs:

"Regional peculiarities aside, our planet is undeniably shrinking, and foreign treats are increasingly available in our hometown markets or, more so, online. Whether we’ve really gained from this is unclear, but it’s true that something—a certain thrill—has been diminished. Back in my Anglophilic youth I visited London once a year, and my first stop was always at the local Tesco, where I’d buy sackfuls of the things I couldn’t yet find back home: Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles, Walkers pickled-onion potato crisps, Ribena black-currant juice, Flake bars, Crunchie bars, Lion bars, Batchelors Mushy Peas (I ate them straight from the can), and, most coveted of all, McVitie’s Dark Chocolate Hobnobs (“the nobbly oaty biscuit”!). The latter became a real problem for me for a while, as I would beg and pester any U.K.-bound acquaintance to please please PLEASE pick me up a dozen packets of Hobnobs here’s a £50 note and an extra suitcase please PLEASE don’t forget I love them so. Friends learned to stop telling me their travel plans.

Years later, when imported Hobnobs suddenly materialized at a yuppie grocery near my Brooklyn apartment—selling for three times the U.K. price—I briefly worried that I might go broke and corpulent from eating cookies 24/7. Turns out the novelty wore off quick. A Hobnob in any other country, I discovered, was simply not as sweet."

Pure Michigan

2011-07-02T00:25:00.000-07:00

I have no particular desire to go to Michigan.
I've never had a desire to go to Michigan.

Which is why I think the Pure Michigan commercials
are the single best tourism ad campaign in years.

A couple soothing shots, Tim Allen's voice,
and the Cider House Rules soundtrack,
and suddenly my life won't be complete until I go to Michigan.

Nicely done, advertisers.
You get me every single time.

May I ask a favor?

2011-06-13T15:07:00.000-07:00

My British Airways Miles Millionaire contest entry has finally posted live online, only their editor clipped off the last line of my essay! I'm going to need as many votes as I can get!

Might you vote for me? Pretty please? My essay can be found here.

Thanks in advance!

Reflections on a wonderful holiday

2011-05-28T17:55:00.001-07:00

Visions of England

2011-05-22T13:12:00.001-07:00

We're having a lovely time in England!
A few photos from the last four days...

Last minute addition

2011-05-14T10:07:00.000-07:00

There has been a last minute rearrangement of plans, and it looks like we're going to Brighton and the coast of East Sussex after all! My inner architecture nerd is especially excited to see the Royal Pavilion:

While the reason behind the change makes me sad (we'll miss you, Lisa!), I'd be lying if I said I wasn't elated to finally make it to Seven Sisters and Beachy Head. These chalk cliffs have been on my bucket list since before I knew what a bucket list was: ten years old, watching Kevin Costner's Robin Hood roll around on the beach under them. I can't wait to stand proudly as close to the edge as I'm safely allowed (much to the chagrin of my acrophobic husband, I'm sure)! Here's hoping for dry weather!

(And a big thanks to Abby for reminding me that I haven't been there yet.
You're holiday pictures were truly inspiring!)

A London-lover sounding off

2011-05-07T18:33:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Tube Strike has been officially suspended. PHEW!
Original article below:

Wednesday morning, I logged onto my computer to read the two words I really didn't want to read: Tube strike.

Over the last eight years, I've experienced many LU rush hours and a crippled Tube, but overall, I've managed to avert the full blown strikes. Yet, there it was: three days of our romantic escape glaring back at me from the screen listing the upcoming strike dates. $%#@&!*&%!#$@!!!!!!!

While I fully understand that stiff-upper-lip London finds a way to go on amidst these strikes, and alternative transportation options will be beefed up for the strike, I also know that 3.4 million displaced commuters have to go somewhere. This translates to long waits in bus queues and/or traffic:

I think this kind of frustration is a bit different for locals versus travelers. Not that it doesn't suck for locals as well; excessive commuting traffic always sucks. But excessive traffic on holiday sucks even more. Londoners didn't save for a year to be there, Londoners aren't trying to make the most of a measly few days they've looked forward to for months, and Londoners most certainly didn't spend thousands of dollars and fly twenty hours round trip in excruciating economy-class to be there. To Londoners, those ridiculous hour-long bus and taxi queues are a headache after another work day. To travelers on a limited schedule and budget, these long waits could actually sabotage the long-awaited and long-saved-for vacation.

While we're still clinging to hope that the talks announced Friday will continue and rectify the situation entirely (oh please, oh please, oh please!), I've also come up with an entirely new Plan B, just in case. It basically consists of walking to any and all places of interest within a few miles of our hotel for the first three days we're in the city and praying to God that it doesn't weep rain. It means we'll have to totally scratch several looked-forward-to spots off our list, but it also means we won't waste time in lines a mile long just to cram onto a overcrowded bus or spend an insane amount of money we don't have in a taxi stuck in horrible traffic.

I have to admit, while I support the basic principles behind unions and don't think anyone should be sacked unjustly, I am now totally on board with the millions of Londoners that believe the Tube strikes are becoming far too excessive. Besides this lovely encounter, three of my past London trips barely escaped strikes, as well. Too many too often, and the point becomes completely lost on everyone. Strikes can't become a crutch, or they'll lose their effectiveness entirely.

Prudence vs fear

2011-05-02T12:50:00.001-07:00

I've been asked several times already whether or not my husband and I are still going to London in two weeks given the US State Department's newly issued Worldwide Travel Alert to American citizens.

My answer is an emphatic YES,
for a myriad of reasons.
I'm not saying we, as travelers, should cease to exercise common sense. I am saying there is a difference between a prudent traveler and a prisoner of fear. Right now, this alert gives us absolutely no specific information whatsoever. It essentially says that anything could happen, anywhere, at any time, including within America itself. Of course, absolutely nothing could happen, as well. No one really knows.

Yes, if something does end up happening, within America or abroad, it will be horrible, it will be scary and it will be heartbreaking. But right now, there is no way of knowing, and if we live our lives dictated by that kind of vague speculation, we're setting ourselves up for a lot of disappointment. Besides, the entire point of travel is to deliberately step out of our comfort zones to expand our own knowledge.

For that reason, unless a far more tangible, definable and legitimate threat presents itself between now and then, we are packing our bags, we are standing in all the painfully long TSA lines, we are getting on that plane and we are spending our holiday overseas as originally planned. I can only encourage anyone else with upcoming travel plans to do the same.

If that still doesn't help, think of it this way: there are an estimated 90,000 flights worldwide every day. Not only are the statistics on our side, but an increase of vigilance surrounding our airports and subway systems just made our travels much safer than they were yesterday.

"Courage is the knowledge of how to fear what ought to be feared
and how not to fear what ought not to be feared."
David Ben-Gurion

String map

2011-04-27T21:22:00.000-07:00

I love this idea!

String map from fsm vpggru on Vimeo.

Staying healthy

2011-04-25T14:08:00.001-07:00

If there is one thing I feel I've perfected over the last eight years of international travel, it's my first aid/health kit. There is a fine balance between over-packing and being prepared. I like knowing I have just enough to get me through to a drugstore/chemist for whatever the problem may be. Whenever I travel, this is what I take with me. (not all items pictured, as I have some shopping to do!)

Staying healthy on the plane
Recycled airplane air is horrible, and the planes aren't really cleaned very well between flights. I'm one of those people that always used to catch a cold after flying. Here is how I learned to win that battle:
- Travel-size Lysol spray (spray seat upholstery/head rest upon boarding)
- Travel-size antibacterial wipes (wipe down everything else upon boarding)
- Ocean saline spray (keeps nasal passages moist; fights airborne illness)
- Antibacterial soap (airplane bathroom soap is a joke, and it smells horrible!)
- Antibacterial hand gel (to use before I eat if I can't get to the lavatory)
- Travel-size quality hand lotion (keep your skin hydrated, especially with all the antibacterial stuff you're using!)
- If I'm taking an overnight long-haul flight, I now bring a N95 grade face mask to block airborne illnesses while I’m sleeping. It seems silly, but it really works!

Fighting jet lag
Sleep is vital to staying healthy, but jet lag doesn't have to ruin a holiday:
- Melatonin (helps your sleep cycle transition naturally)
- Diphenhydramine HCI (name brand: Simply Sleep) for when melatonin isn’t enough

First aid
We always exert ourselves far more on holiday than we do on normal days. This leads to sore/fatigued muscles and sometimes some scrapes and bruises:
- (2) large Band-Aids/elastoplasts
- (2) small Band-Aids/elastoplasts
- Tube of Neosporin
- Travel-sized container of Aleve
- Small tube of Icy Hot
- (2) heat therapy patches (also doubles to keep you warm on a cold plane)

Food related illnesses
New cuisines often trigger indigestion, diarrhea or constipation, as your body processes something it's not familiar with. That doesn't mean you can't eat well:
- Pepto Bismol or Imodium AD tablets
- Travel size bottle of Tums
- (1) sheet of ranitidine tablets (acid reducer)
- (3) to-go packs of Benefiber powder

Those darn pesky colds/flus
As previously mentioned, this is the area I have the most experience with. These items should keep you going so you don't have to miss any of your trip:
- (2) Emergen-C or Airborne
- Travel-size bag of cough drops
- Enough cold medicine/fever reducer for a full day and night
- Vicks Vapor inhaler
- (2) Breathe Right strips (to help you sleep better)
- Small vial of peppermint oil
- 3 oz container of salt (to gargle with hot saltwater)
- (3) Travel-sized packs of quality tissues
- (3) bags of Organic Throat Coat tea

This list is in addition to normal things like lip balm and daily vitamins. And before you think this is excessive, consider that - when packed carefully - all these items fit easily into a small toiletries bags and a TSA-approved Ziploc. After the flight, they can easily be transferred from carry-on to day bag:

This homemade kit has saved my sanity countless times. Every item has been used at least once, whether it was for myself or someone I was traveling with.

I also advise bringing some non-perishable food items to keep your blood sugar up throughout your trip, since timely meals aren't always guaranteed when you're traveling. I like to bring protein bars, dried fruit, granola and/or nuts. I also like instant breakfasts packets. Add to a cup of milk and you'll be full for hours!

What about you? What is in your travel health kit?

London babymoon/anni itinerary

2011-04-25T10:17:00.000-07:00

Our original plan had balanced time in London with a bunch of different day trips out to other parts of England, including Glastonbury, Brighton and Beachy Head. However, money reared its ugly head and we found ourselves "stuck" in London for almost the entirety of our trip. I was initially a little worried since this will be my seventh(!) visit, and I've already done/seen a lot in and around the city. Was I actually going to get bored in London?!

Turns out, absolutely not! This city has so much going on, I was able to find more than enough things we haven't done yet to fill our week. I also really like the laid back vibe this trip will have; it's rather fitting for the reasons we'll be there.

Wednesday
Arrive at Heathrow at 11am. I like to keep my arrival days loose. In case I didn't get much sleep on the plane, we don't have to keep a schedule in a haze of jet lag. We'll most likely wander around Soho, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square. We might include the London Transport Museum; their gift shop is fun! We'll grab an easy dinner somewhere and most likely retire rather early.

Thursday
First stop: British Museum. We've been multiple times, but my husband loves it; it's one of the few things that make his eyes light up. Then off to Borough Market for one of their ridiculous grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. (These are the only two things my husband specifically requested on this trip.) Afterward, we'll wander down South Bank, which always includes a stop into the gift shop at Shakespeare's Globe to see what fun things are for sale. Later, we'll catch dinner somewhere easy. More laid back wandering.

Friday
Kensington museum day! The V&A, Natural History Museum and Tate Britain, all museums we haven't been to yet. Our major anniversary splurge will be dinner at Rules Restaurant, after which we're going to Love Never Dies at the Adelphi. Happy 5th anniversary to us!

Saturday
UPDATED: Unfortunately, our original plan of meeting a friend from Scotland isn't going to work out, so we've decided to hop a coach to Brighton and the coast instead. While I'm sad to miss seeing my girlie, I'm thrilled to be able to finally see Seven Sisters! Here's hoping for dry weather!

Sunday
We'll wake up early to jump on our coach trip to Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. It also includes time in Bibury, Bourton-on-the-Water, and lunch in Burlford in the Cotswolds.

Monday
We're taking a morning train out to wander around Windsor and Eton.

Tuesday
We're taking a morning City Cruise boat down the Thames to wander around Greenwich. Once we arrive, we'll be using the City Walks self-guided walking tour. (Am I a huge geek for really looking forward to going under Tower Bridge?)

Wednesday
Wednesday is a wild card, and we're keeping it that way. Michael wants to climb to the top of St. Paul's again. There are a bunch of random things we haven't done yet, including Little Venice, the Museum of London, paddling the Serpentine, wandering through Selfridges, touring Kensington Palace or Somerset House. Or perhaps we'll spend the day returning to all our favourite places, like our bridge. What better place to celebrate an anniversary, after all?

Thursday
We'll have a small handful of hours until we have to go back to Heathrow. We always like to keep those open in case there is something we don't make it to during the rest of the week. Afterwards, we fly home, hopefully satisfied.

Oversized boarding pass

2011-04-23T10:38:00.001-07:00

Here is a great story for anyone that has ever contemplated messing around with a self-printed boarding pass.

BA Miles Millionaire

2011-04-06T21:54:00.000-07:00

Not only do I adore this commercial,
my husband and I qualify to be entered in the contest!

Needless to say,
we've both already registered...

Matching miles

2011-04-04T16:33:00.001-07:00

You may remember this decision several years ago. Since Hubs and I signed up for the Alaska Air Visa Signature card, it's worked out very well. We've been earning miles steadily while not paying a single penny of interest.

In the travel industry, however, the Capital One Venture card has been climbing the charts, and I had definitely taken notice. Comparitively, miles are earned faster, annual fees are less, and there are no foreign transaction fees. Honestly, the only reason we hadn't switched is because of the huge initial hassle of doing so.

And then I saw this commercial:

We currently have 35K miles on our Alaska account, enough for a single domestic round trip ticket. If we took advantage of Match My Miles, we'd earn not only the matched 35K miles but an additional bonus 10K miles after spending $1,000 within the first 90 days (easy, peasy!). That was the push we needed to switch, and I'm elated that we just earned enough additional miles for a second round-trip domestic ticket with a single phone call! It didn't even matter that we were already Capital One accountholders; this offer is available to anyone that doesn't yet have a Venture card.

I'm now in the process of switching all our finances over to this card, and I'm thrilled to be earning miles twice as fast. When traveling abroad, I used to have to choose between paying a foreign transaction fee and earning miles; not anymore! Since we pay off the balance every month, we won't be acruing any interest whatsoever. Finally, not only is the annual fee lower, it is also waived for the first year.

Match My Miles is honestly the best introductory offer I've ever seen for the best card for diehard travel junkies. If you're in the same situation and searching for the best budget travel possibilities out there, I'd recommend taking the plunge. This is budget-conscious traveling at its best!

Airport funnies

2011-03-31T16:50:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of The Oatmeal

YouTube's Hitodori

2011-03-11T11:27:00.000-08:00

I am frequently overwhelmed by a strong nostalgia of a place I've visited, and I yearn to return, if only for a few minutes. I'm not quite that rich, so I go searching for the next best thing: armchair traveling. Sure, my DVD collection is filled with beautiful travelogues by Rick Steves, Burt Wolf and Samantha Brown, but most travelers would admit that those polished, edited, scripted creations shot only on good weather days and are vastly different from simply being there.

That is when I turn to Hitodori.

At the time of this blog post, Hitodori had 1,252 uploads on his YouTube page. What are they, you ask? Seven to ten minute chunks of a stationary camera set up on street corners and public spaces all over the world. These videos don't have narrative or music; they're simply the experience of being in that space. Sounds of local transportation, bird calls, conversations in many languages...very unique and true-to-life characteristics of that place. It's as if you've stepped through your monitor and sat on that sidewalk for a few minutes. To a wanderluster, that is better than therapy.

I can listen to unique street crossing blips in Sydney:

The squeak of double decker buses in London:

Lively street music in New York City:

The sound of high-heeled shoes on cobblestones in Italy:

I can even experience the personalities of places I've never been before. This morning alone, I've witnessed car horn symphonies in Mumbai and Cairo, the celebration of football fans in Berlin, masked commuters hurrying to work in Tokyo, a call to prayer in Istanbul, the overwhelming majority of men walking the streets of Bahrain, and the fact that even if you're in Mexico, you can't escape the Black Eyed Peas.

I also can't help but wonder what takes this person to all these places so frequently...

Tourist in your own town, 2011

2011-02-25T09:03:00.000-08:00

One of the best parts of being a travel writer is that you get to armchair travel from nine to five. One of the worst parts of being a travel writer is that your list just grows and grows and grows with each new destination you research.

This time, however, my growing list is entirely doable. Why? My current project is on my home city of Seattle. As soon as I started to look at my city as a destination as opposed to just a string of chores and traffic, I got excited to get out there and see it through the eyes of a visitor. This summer, I'm taking the Tourist in your own Town concept to a whole new level!

The things I'm most looking forward to are:

Savor Seattle's chocolate indulgence walking tour

Seattle Bites'
walking/nibbling tour of Pike Place Market

Seattle By Foot's Coffee Crawl

Argosy Cruises' Murder Mystery Cruise

The architecture of and views from
The Smith Tower Observation Deck
(How have I never been there before?!)

Seattle Center's Movie's at the Mural

More Seattle Architectural walking tours

...and, of course, several doses of
Shakespeare in the Park!

I'm also considering just charging up the batteries on my camera and going on photography expeditions around the area, especially Kitsap Peninsula and local farmer's markets and street fairs. There are some great shots out there that I've seen many times but never bothered to capture and share.

I realize I probably won't do all this in a single year. It's encouraging just to know there are intriguing activities out there just waiting for me, especially since we're going to have to slow the full-fledged traveling way down after this spring. In the meantime, I'm actually excited to explore my own city!

Whirlwind NYC?

2011-02-25T08:53:00.001-08:00

Right now, I'm considering a whirlwind trip to New York to see a play. Hubs and I have enough miles earned for a single round-trip domestic ticket, and I found a great sale on NYC hotels. Two nights, a theatre ticket, two more days to wander around the Big Apple...it sounds so very lovely right now!

But is it worth 40K hard-earned miles at a time when money is very tight? Hmmm...

My favourite cities

2011-02-09T20:05:00.000-08:00

London, England

Sydney, Australia

New York City, USA

Vienna, Austria

Venice, Italy

Las Vegas, USA

Rome, Italy

Ka'anapali, USA

Edinburgh, Scotland

Much Ado About Doctor Who

2011-01-29T22:32:00.000-08:00

I must see this when we're in London in May!

Trouble is...tickets seem to be sold out for the week we're going to be there.

What do you think the chances are the Half Price Tix Booth has tickets for the one of the preview weeks? Anyone have two they can't use?

Codeshare

2011-01-29T22:24:00.000-08:00

I thought we'd have to pay the $1220 per person round trip price for a ticket on the only direct British Airways flight from Seattle to London...

And then I found the codeshare flight with Iberia Airlines. Same flight operated by British Airways, same British Airways plane, $859 per person round trip.

Color me thrilled!

London, take seven

2011-01-29T22:01:00.000-08:00

Tickets are booked; Hubs and I are going back to London! Only this time - my seventh visit to the United Kingdom - it's extra special.

May 2011 will mark the fifth anniversary of our marriage, the sixth anniversary of the romantic week in London when we got engaged. And we've made the decision to try to start a family this summer. Where and when better to celebrate a babymoon than with a romantic escape to our favourite city, the place where it all began?

I'm trying to find a balance between wandering and relaxing. The hardcore traveler in me is pondering cramming in three nights in Ireland, but the exhausted romantic (not to mention our budget) thinks staying based in Old Blighty is probably the better option. I definitely want to see something new, though, so we're starting with the few things in/near London that we haven't done yet: Windsor, Greenwich, a handful of museums.

The big decision is which day trips to take. Blenheim Palace is a must, but where else? Having already done Oxford, Cambridge, Bath, Canterbury, Dover, Winchester, Stonehenge, Stratford, Stow, and everything in between, I'm now considering Nottingham or Glastonbury.

Unless, of course, I can find someone who would drive us to Seven Sisters and St. Michael's Mount...

Any suggestions?

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T11:28:00.000-08:00

This Christmas London Tube Map makes me smile!

Created by Max Roberts

What's in a name?

2010-12-13T20:00:00.000-08:00

You know what I don't understand? Different city names in different languages. I mean, city names are proper nouns, right? Just like the name of a person. They aren't up to interpretation. It's a name! To me, it's the same as someone saying to me, "Your name is Lisa? I think I'll call you Lois."

But that's not my name.

At what point did someone somewhere say, "I don't like Praha; I'll call you Prague." Or "Je n'aime London; je préfère Londres."

Am I the only one who thinks that is strange?

More back door

2010-10-15T12:12:00.000-07:00

A new season
of Rick Steves' Europe
begins soon!

I love this show!

Review: Boston, Philadelphia, New England

2010-10-07T21:21:00.001-07:00

It took me awhile to form opinions on Boston and Philadelphia, but I think I've figured out why: we just didn't spend enough time in either of them.

We took a morning train into Philadelphia from New York, wandering mostly in the historic center of the city with a quick trip up to City Hall and the art museum before hopping right back on the train back to NYC. And while it is thick with history in those few blocks, there were a lot of lines to wait in over and over and over again. Both the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall were suprisingly smaller than I expected. I really liked the abstract outlines of Benjamin Franklin's house. I enjoyed eating a cheesesteak in the park behind Independence Hall. Elfreth's Alley was pretty. And Philly's City Hall is a beautiful building. I also liked the interior of 30th Street Station.

Boston...oh, Boston. First of all, I got sick in Boston, and that always makes traveling a bit tougher. Secondly, Boston was at the end of our whirlwind trip, and we were starting to get pretty worn out. Boston started out really well. I adored our hotel, the Omni Parker House. Our Freedom Trail walk started out well, too. I really enjoyed Boston Common, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, and the Italian neighbourhoods in the North End. However, once we started crossing the river to the USS Constitution, I started spiraling downward. We completely nixed Bunker Hill, and by the time we got back to the hotel room, I was pretty sure I was getting sick. Other than venturing out for Chinese food, a quick trip to Harvard Yard and wandering around Boston Public Library and Copley Square, we stayed in the hotel room for the rest of our stay in the city. But, as stated earlier, it was a really fabulous hotel room!

New England woo'd me completely. We drove along the Atlantic Coast from Hampton Beach, New Hampshire to Kennebunkport, Maine, and I wanted nearly every single home I saw. Lighthouses, Cape Cod houses, expansive picture windows, cedar shingles, rocky shores...I was in love! I felt like I could live there. I'm a born and bred Pacific Coast girl, but I left New England pretty certain that I prefer the Atlantic Coast. Kennebunkport was fun, though a bit touristy, a bit overpriced, a bit crowded. I'd love to rent a car and just go wander through those little towns and old homes someday. Absolutely GORGEOUS!

Only in London

2010-10-06T17:03:00.000-07:00

New York and Sydney,
you are good mates.
I enjoy spending time with you
and you make me smile.

But London...
she's my true love.
She feels like home,
Christmas morning,
or coffee with an old friend.
And I miss her terribly!

The Big Apple

2010-09-25T16:24:00.000-07:00

I get it now. That mysterious love of New York so many people have while simultaneously unable to put that love into words. I get it in that way that you have to let New York introduce herself to you. Enough time to get past the initial shock of her pace. And I now see why so many people love New York, because New York got into my blood. Big time.

My first impression was a major culture shock. Cars screeching and honking, people pushing and yelling, people literally everywhere. I was simultaneously dazzled and terrified. The energy had me electrified and a little bit overwhelmed. But by the time I wheeled my suitcase back to the train station five days later, I didn't want to go. I'd found my spot amidst the chaos, and I liked it. I was thriving not only on the energy, but also the quieter personality of the surrounding neighborhoods, the peace of the park, the passion of the arts, the glamour of the architecture, the deliciousness of the food, the glitz of Park Avenue...everything.

New York is difficult to describe. Some of it makes sense, some of it doesn't. Some of it is brash, some of it isn't. Juxtapositions are everywhere. Farmer's markets and parks amidst skyscrapers. Art museums adjacent to construction sites. Shiny modern buildings next to elegant historic brownstones. Classically trained pianists playing on the sidewalk next to angry traffic. Tiny, unassuming restaurants serving some of the best food I've ever had.

Within four short days, I munched cannoli while walking through a street fair in Little Italy, swallowed back tears inside Paul's Chapel across from Ground Zero, watched a thunderstorm from a restaurant overlooking Times Square, witnessed the whole world pass by from the main concourse of Grand Central Station, listened to exceptionally good street performers on the steps of the Met and a bench in Washington Square Park, watched New Yorkers dance in Central Park, stood underneath the arches of the Brooklyn Bridge and on top of 30 Rock, shopped at Bloomingdales and Serendipity 3, eaten hot dogs at Grays Papaya and pizza at Lombardi's, looked Lady Liberty squarely in the eye, sang along with showtunes on 42nd Avenue, crossed the street in front of the Empire State Building, prayed in Saint Patrick's Cathedral, strolled dreamily through the posh lobbies of The Plaza and The Waldorf-Astoria, and the list goes on.

The only way to describe New York is New York. I've never been in any other city like it, and I think that is what makes it so fabulous; it's just New York. Sometimes you hate it, sometimes you love it. But the truth remains that you'll never find its qualities anywhere else. And if it gets under your skin, there is no other place that will scratch that itch.

From a traveler's perspective, there are a few things that caught me off guard. After countless anecdotes, I had mentally prepared myself for a dirty, nasty, dangerous city filled with danger around every corner. Warnings of muggings, rats, and disease, plus traveling during what has been called the worst bedbug infestation on record....to say I was trepidacious would be putting it lightly.

It was all for naught, however. No bedbugs. The city and subways were cleaner than many others I've experienced. No encounters with crime at all. Never saw a single rat. And every single person we engaged in New York was more than kind; perhaps even nicer than any other city I've visited so far, London included.

Speaking of London, it is still my true love; I don't think any city will be able to take it's place for me. But in addition to that flat in London and that house on Sydney Harbour, I'd also love a brownstone on the upper West Side, thankssomuch. This urban wanderer has added NYC to her top three favourite cities in the world. I will return, probably on a regular basis.

I think I'm in love!

2010-09-23T08:10:00.000-07:00

London is still the ultimate love of my life,
but I've fallen for NYC just as much as everyone thought I would.

Full review to follow soon!

Review: Washington DC

2010-09-23T07:19:00.000-07:00

It's true; the East Coast is different than the West Coast. I'm finally getting all the jokes and comparisons. And our first stop on our independent tour of the East Coast was our capital, Washington DC. Having already visited Paris, the similarity in city planning was obvious. The architecture is stellar. The history is palpable. Washington DC was clearly planned to be a formidable representation of American democracy.

I found myself simultaneously proud and ashamed of my country while wandering the halls of her capital city. While you can't help but admire what our nation's forefathers intended and fought to establish, their efforts also make the current corruption more angering. On one hand, the city represents a government for the people, by the people. On the other hand, the abuse of money and power is just as obvious. I left DC feeling even more torn about my country as I did before I arrived.

From a travel perspective, the word I would use to describe DC is potential. The city was planned and that fact is evident. It's beautiful and rich in architecture and history; there is so much to celebrate. However, instead of coming across as a celebration, the city feels more like an obligation. Everyone is SO serious, wearing only business suits, walking briskly like drones. In every other worldwide city I've ever visited, everyone is dressed uniquely, reading different things, listening to different music, having conversations about everything. Every conversation we overheard in DC, every ad we saw, every single thing had something to do with politics or finance. It was almost like the city MUST be about nothing but government; no other personality allowed. Even the Metro stations are bland and dark and blah. The neighbourhoods have occasional refreshing flair, but after four days, I found that I was psychologically exhausted from having to be so somber all the time.

My biggest beef with DC, however, is the Metro. Or more accurately, the lack thereof. When it was there, it was great. The local station near our hotel worked well, and I can see how the system services the commuters efficiently. But the lack of usable stations in and around the tourist core makes for some serious traveler frustration. I've never walked so much in my entire life with a valid unlimited Metrocard in my pocket.

DC is eye-opening; I think every American should visit once to gain perspective and appreciation of our young country. Overall, I did enjoy myself while I was there. But I'm comfortable checking the city off my travel list. I'm just not interested in money and politics enough to sustain a return trip.

Enjoying DC

2010-09-13T19:38:00.001-07:00

The queue starts here

2010-08-30T09:44:00.001-07:00

T minus one week and six days until we leave, and I'm really starting to get excited! There is one element to this trip, however, that is leaving me with a bad taste in my mouth.

I've been to my fair share of countries and I try to be pretty understanding in areas of tourism and safety, but never before have I had to wrestle with such frustrations to visit a nation's historical sights as I've had to wrestle with my own country. I've always felt sorry for international visitors when it came time for US customs forms on the plane. The announcement of which form they need from which originating country, and how the specific visa they hold corresponds to which line at the airport is always downright embarrassing. But now, my pity extends beyond the airport gate, because trying to piece together a holiday to the historical East Coast of the United States is proving to be far more complicated than necessary.

Did you know there is a website called recreation.gov? (I'm not entirely comfortable that I gave them all my information, either.) However, not all national US sites use that website. Some opt to use privately-operated Ticketmaster, and yes, they tack on that lovely service charge with each ticket. Oh sure, seeing our national documents and historical landmarks is officially free, just like other countries, but if they can find a way to sneak a fee in there, they have. The Statue of Liberty is a great example. The monument itself has no admission attached to it, but if you want access the only boat that will take you to the island, you have to pay at least $12 per person. It's going to cost us $36 to see a "free" monument.

There is also a fee attached to reserve a time slot to skip lines, something other countries do for free, and paying that fee is about as easy as paying your taxes. There are some sites whose wording on the matter is so confusing, I'm still not exactly sure what I've paid for, if I didn't give up altogether. Further reading of the fine print reveals that some of these "reservations" require you to pick up your tickets an hour before your visit, thereby negating the entire need for a reservation in the first place.

I suppose I should be grateful for the option to make a "reservation". During summer's high season, visitors are required to visit the individual ticket offices of each site early the morning of the day they wish to visit and hope to get one of that day's first come/first serve tickets or risk not gaining access at all. To me, time is money when you travel, and the idea of running around to every site's ticket desk before having to return later in the day is asking too much. Our other option, of course, is to just go with the flow and take our chances getting tickets when we arrive, but I'm just not that kind of traveler. If I've flown thousands of miles to see the Declaration of Independence, I'm going to guarantee that I'm going to see the Declaration of Independence. Otherwise, what is the point?

Now that we've managed to get this far, we then learn that, reservations or not, there are several security checkpoints per site that cannot be skipped at all. Forget that sigh of relief as I slip my shoes back on after having gone through TSA at the airport; it seems metal detectors are going to be a major component of this trip. Some sites have a separate security checkpoint on each floor! We're going to have to figure out how to carry our day's supplies without using our trusty backpack (they're not allowed), and we'll probably glow in the dark from all the radiation exposure by the time we get back home.

Part of me is upset at the sad state of the world that we feel we need this much red tape and protection around our national monuments. But another part of me is specifically upset at America, because I can't help but compare it to other countries, especially England. Despite being in a country that has been bombed far more than we have, I can walk through a single set of doors at the British Museum, drop my few pounds easily into the large donation box without skipping a beat, and be standing in front of the Rosetta Stone or the frieze of the Parthenon within a few minutes. If the English - with their reputation for impressively long queues and pissing people off throughout history far longer than we have - can house some of the world's most incredible historical artifacts - some of which are still considered stolen - without exorbitant fees, queues and red tape and having your day bag inspected every five minutes, why can't we?

Could it be our cultural difference in expectation of personal responsibility? Food for thought.

Okay, vent over. Back to pre-trip excitement!

I'll have what they're having!

2010-08-10T21:56:00.000-07:00

This is brilliant! It just makes me smile.

The England I miss today

2010-08-06T13:35:00.000-07:00

Old chimneys through old glass panes.

NYC itinerary

2010-08-01T23:13:00.000-07:00

Time to group together all the New York activities into the four days we'll be in the city. Some sites are missing deliberately. Others are just cheesy, but that's what being a tourist is all about! How am I doing? Any recommendations on which order we should see them in?

Day One:
Noon arrival to Penn Station
Cab and check into hotel
Times Square
Rockefeller Center
Top of the Rock

Day Two:
Empire State Building
Flatiron Building
Chrysler Building
St. Patrick's Cathedral
MoMA
Waldorf Astoria
Grand Central Station
Washington Square Park
NY Public Library
Fifth Avenue
Park Avenue

Day Three:
Central Park:
· Wollman Rink
· Bow Bridge
· Bethesda Fountain
The Met, Cloisters
Guggenheim Museum
American Museum of Natural History
Lincoln Center
Plaza Hotel
Upper West Side
Gray's Papaya

Day Four:
Statue of Liberty
Ellis Island
Trinity Church
Ground Zero
St. Paul's Church
Little Italy
Serendipity 3
Greenwich Village
Cross Brooklyn Bridge
Grimaldi's Pizza

University Rooms

2010-07-30T22:34:00.000-07:00

College campuses always make me want to go back to school, especially Oxford and Cambridge in the UK. Come to find out, University Rooms offers the next best thing: room and board in British university dorms that are unused during breaks.

I mean, who wouldn't want to stay here?

America's travel habits

2010-07-26T17:38:00.000-07:00

I found this Bundle study very interesting. I'd be even more interested to see a comparison of cost of living, earned incomes and types of travel for those surveyed.
(click image to enlarge)

For even more information, read Bundle's full Travel and Leisure report. I find it interesting that my city comes in a number eight in all three polls.

Let's talk travel mags

2010-07-23T12:32:00.000-07:00

I am such a sucker for travel magazines. I get lost in the expansive selections at the large bookstore chains, trying to justify $60 for a huge pile of glossy pages. This is even worse when you consider that I have subscriptions to four monthly travel publications, as it is. And I definitely have favourites:

Budget Travel: My favourite usable travel mag. The tips and articles in BT are entirely functional, and it is always full of clever ideas to stretch your budget and make travel easier. I usually rip into BT as soon as I see my copy in my post box; it's like talking travel with a friend. I especially love the traveler's tips and the humourous stories posted in every issue.

National Geographic Traveler: My favourite daydream travel mag. I know I won't be able to do half the adventurous things in Nat Geo Traveler, but I love to imagine myself trying. It is a wonderful inspiration for images and ideas! Daisann McLane's Real Travel column is quite possibly my favourite thing to read in the entire travel world.

Afar: I'm pretty sure Afar is relatively new to the scene, but I already really like what I see. Describing themselves as "uncommon travel" and "in pursuit of passion", this publication addresses how travel can change the perception of the traveler and how to travel while remaining conscious of those effects. I've only thumbed through a single issue, but my subscription slip is already in the mail.

Smithsonian's Travels with Rick Steves: Smithsonian publications have just begun to publish a proper magazine for Rick Steves; the premier issue is on newsstands now. I'm curious, but I hesitate purchasing a copy only because I already have every other newletter he has ever released. I'm curious to see how much new material there will be in this magazine, or if it is just more of the same advice he has already published elsewhere.

Lonely Planet Travel: When I can get my hands on an import copy from across the pond (which is just about never), this one is usually pretty useful. Lots of tips and ideas laid out in a very easy to read way. I just wish it was available in the States! (hint, hint!)

Travel + Leisure: I see T+L as the sort of old-standard travel magazine. Some usable information, lots of filler. They tend to run a lot of "Travel Awards!" and other similarly hyped campaigns, which end up making it not as useful as others. But the articles and photography can still be enlightening.

Condé Nast Traveler and Town and Country Travel: I confess, these luxury travel mags usually incense me. While their spreads are stunning and it can be fun to daydream that one day I could win the lottery and actually afford to consider these types of trips, I usually just end up closing the back cover painfully aware of how detached from the real world the rich can be. I mean, just how many ads for Rolexs and diamonds does a travel publication need, really?

London summer

2010-07-21T16:12:00.000-07:00

It has been over a year since I've visited my beloved United Kingdom. (twitch, twitch) I've been managing my UK fever somewhat decently this year.
Or at least I thought I was.

Today, I opened the home page of the Londonist
to this lovely group of photographs:

Something about these pics.
Warm days. Green parks. The energy of the city.

Yep, there it is.
Raging case of I-Miss-the-UK now in full force.

My weakness: luggage tags

2010-07-19T15:49:00.000-07:00

A suitcase for your suitcase

Perfect for a designer

Me gusta!

Boston itinerary

2010-07-18T20:54:00.000-07:00

I'm slowly working out general itineraries for our East Coast trip in September. Here is how Boston looks so far. It is a lot to cram into a short period of time, but we're the kind of travelers that hit the ground running in the morning and don't come staggering back until the late evening, so I'm pretty confident we can achieve this list. However, I'm still wide open to advice, from tourist traps to restaurants and beyond.

Day one:
Arrive by train at South Station at 11:30am
Cab to Omni Parker House hotel
Boston Common
All 14 sites on the Freedom Trail
Observation Deck of the Custom House Tower

Day two:
Boston Public Garden
Copley Square and Newbury Street
Trinity Church
Boston Public Library
Town of Cambridge
Harvard Square
Charles Street Meeting House
Louisburg Square
Charles River Esplanade
Beacon Hill, Acorn Street

Day three:
Spend the entire day out of the city
at a TBD Atlantic coastal town

Day four:
Check out of Parker House by 12N
A small handful of free hours, any suggestions?
Must be at the airport at 4pm

One of our biggest ponderings is which transportation option to choose within Boston. Should we do the more affordable LinkPass for the T or the more convenient Hop On/Hop Off trolleys? And finally, does Boston really live up to its walkable reputation?

Itch to roam

2010-07-11T09:52:00.000-07:00

"I had an itch to roam.

I wanted to wander through Europe, to see movie posters for films that would never come to (my country), gaze wonderingly at billboards and shop notices full of exotic umlauts and cedillas and No Parking sign O's, hear pop songs that could not by even the most charitable stretch of the imagination be a hit in any country but their own, encounter people whose lives would never again intersect with mine, be hopelessly unfamiliar with everything, from the workings of a phone box to the identity of a foodstuff. I wanted to be puzzled and charmed, to experience the endless, beguiling variety of a continent where you can board a train and an hour later be somewhere where the inhabitants speak a different language, eat different foods, work different hours, live lives that are at once so different and yet so oddly similar.

I wanted to be a tourist."

Bill Bryson
Neither Here Nor There

Daydreams in tribute

2010-07-07T18:02:00.000-07:00

Uk 24hrs from greenjelly film on Vimeo.

Just in time

2010-07-03T09:23:00.000-07:00

My favourite travel DVD series just came out with a NYC version, just in time for me to sit in front of it and drool. My must-see list just became challengingly longer, and I'm now frightfully aware of how large this city really is. And if I thought my excitement was hard to contain before...

The Bronx is up, and the Battery's down

2010-06-29T22:57:00.000-07:00

My current reason for getting back into shape:

(Photo courtesy of Vanshnookenraggen)

Olympic View Cabins

2010-06-26T23:20:00.000-07:00

To everyone that has requested a link to the cabin I highly recommend on the Olympic Peninsula, click here. In addition to great communication before our arrival and a brilliant experience while we were there, I've also received my security deposit refund a mere four days after our departure, along with a very sweet note from the owners.

I highly recommend not only this property, but any of Olympic View Cabins properties. Suzann and Martin are wonderful!

City Walks, Architecture versions

2010-06-23T17:17:00.000-07:00

You may recall me previously mentioning
City Walks card packs.

Well, looky what I found
coyly smiling at me on the bookstore shelves yesterday:

AN ARCHITECTURE VERSION!

I will absolutely be purchasing this,
and probably many more cities to come.

Laughterful

2010-06-23T12:57:00.000-07:00

Dhani tackles Sam and Tony

2010-06-23T12:48:00.000-07:00

Did Dhani's Italian episode have anyone else giggling?

"Samantha....FIVE STAR HOTELS ALL THE TIME!"

It's good to know we all have moments like that.

Travel by color

2010-06-21T16:11:00.001-07:00

Click here.
Get hooked.
Daydream.
Add destinations to your list.

Believe me,
it's worth it.

Olympic Peninsula, Washington State

2010-06-20T22:26:00.000-07:00

I've just returned from a perfectly lovely and entirely relaxing weekend mini-break to my state's Olympic Peninsula, and I'm still on a bit of a high from it.

I've previously mentioned being ashamed that I hadn't yet visited Olympic National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site mere hours from my home. The land is protected because of the wide variety of ecosystems - including rainforests, glacial peaks and old growth forests - as well as the longest undeveloped wilderness coastline in the contiguous United States. I finally picked a weekend and decided to just go, though I didn't really have huge expectations, to be honest. I've grown up in a city surrounded by mountains and water; after awhile, appreciation wanes. Besides, this kind of trip is way outside my comfort zone, a tried and true city girl who finds herself misplaced when romping through nature. Add to that the overwhelming international inundation of fans from a book series I'm not terribly fond of, and I honestly wasn't sure how well this weekend was going to pan out. But as it turns out, this may be my new favourite part of my home state.

In a mere three days of wandering, we visited ocean sea stacks in La Push, historic Victorian houses in Port Townsend and Scandanavian bakeries in Poulsbo, WWII bunkers at Fort Worden, lighthouses at Point Wilson, a turn-of-the-century general store in Port Gamble, mystical forests dripping in moss everywhere you look, long spits of land in Port Angeles extending far out into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, deep green glacier waters of Lake Crescent, distant Canadian shores across the water, and snow covered peaks at Hurricane Ridge. We watched silently as marmots watched us on steep mountain slopes and deer grazed precariously on mountain crags and lazily through our front yard. We experienced stunning blue skies, swirling misty fog, and brilliant orange sunsets. Even my admittedly pedantic self found herself without words many times.

The best part? We've found the perfect cabin for a city girl. It included a pool, a hot tub, internet access, a surround sound entertainment system, a full kitchen and a huge stone fireplace, all nestled peacefully in a valley with its own pond and the giant snow-capped peaks of the Olympics overhead. This is how I go camping!

I'm now seriously considering making this an annual trip. Anyone traveling out to Seattle needs to make this journey across the sound. It's is completely worth it. If anyone is interested in our itinerary or a link to our highly recommended rental cabin, leave me a comment; I'm happy to share!

London, 1946

2010-06-16T16:24:00.000-07:00

This is just incredible.

I'm not sure what impresses me most:
how much London has changed,
or how much it has stayed exactly the same.

It's interesting how the narrator describes bomb damage
as having been "blitzed".

And to know that their hope came to fruition.

NYC Tourist Lane

2010-06-08T20:56:00.001-07:00

I already apologize to New York.

Childlike wonder

2010-06-07T13:02:00.000-07:00

"That’s the glory of foreign travel. I can’t think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything. Suddenly you are five years old again. You can’t read anything, you have only the most rudimentary sense of how things work, you can’t even reliably cross a street without endangering your life. Your whole existence becomes a series of interesting guesses."

Bill Bryson

Spitalfields tango

2010-06-05T23:09:00.000-07:00

Note to self:
my next trip to London will include
the free tango and salsa events
in front of Spitalfields.

My home

2010-05-29T19:21:00.001-07:00

Sometimes, we need a little reminder
of the beauty of the place we call home.

This guy gave me a little perspective of mine.

I will admit:
we do have the best apples in the entire world.

Choosing East Coast hotels

2010-05-27T15:59:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't picked it up already, I'm a unique sort of traveler. I prefer a ridiculously comfortable hotel, but I refuse to pay too much for it. The ability to find the best possible accommodations for the best possible price is a skill I've worked hard to perfect. I'm in the middle of that hunt right now for our trip to the East Coast in the autumn, and here's what I've found so far.

It is official: we'll be staying in two different Omni hotels in September. After such a brilliant experience with them in San Francisco, I've become a fan of Omni. And you get fabulous perks and sale prices when you sign up for their loyalty program. We'll be able to indulge ourselves in a bit of luxury for far less money than even less-than-comparable hotels.

The Omni Shoreham Hotel in DC comes very highly recommended, backed up against quiet Rock Creek Park, and I snagged a great price just before it skyrocketed for a number of conferences going on at the time. Then, the Omni Parker House in Boston also offered us a fabulous sale price on a junior suite, only after which I realized the hotel comes with a bit of history. And the loyalty program gets us free wi-fi and complimentary coffee and juice delivered to our room every morning in both hotels.

NYC, however, has proved to be a worthy opponent to my budget travel instincts. I always told myself I'd stay at The Library Hotel if I ever went to NYC, but that was before my lesson in just how mind-numbingly expensive NYC square footage really is. Finding a room that fit three people was my first challenge. Trying to include a kitchenette was the second. Finding the right neighbourhood was the third. Finally, finding it all at a price that didn't leave us completely broke has proven to be the ultimate test.

I've finally settled on a Marriott Residence Inn near Bryant Park that comes with a full comp'd breakfast and afternoon snacks. I'm currently playing the waiting game on a high-floor package to see if prices don't take a bit of a dip as we get closer to the end of the high tourist season. I'll admit, though, that I'm nervous, because it has become crystal clear that you can easily spend a small fortune on NYC lodging. Stay tuned!

Salish Lodge

2010-05-26T13:12:00.000-07:00

For our anniversary, Hubs and I escaped to The Salish Lodge (yes, this is the hotel in "Twin Peaks"). I mentioned this briefly on my personal blog, but I thought I'd leave write a proper review for anyone actually considering a stay at the hotel.

Overall, we had a lovely time. It is a nice combination of pampered luxury in the midst of a rugged, woodsy landscape. Here is what I liked:

The food is good. Really good. You'll eat A LOT.

The average-sized rooms offer many unique amenities, like a huge, jetted tub and a wood-burning fireplace.

Comfortable beds

The staff is very friendly and accommodating.

Now, a few warnings. First of all, while planning this weekend, I kept reading the phrase, "Seattle's premiere luxury resort and spa" everywhere. That is so misleading, and as a frequent traveler and travel researcher, it really bugs me. The Salish Lodge is not in Seattle. In terms of accommodations, I wouldn't even qualify it as convenient to Seattle. It's a thirty mile drive over bridges and an island, through several cities and up into the foothills of the mountains that could easily translate into an hour of driving in ugly traffic. Don't think you're going to have a view of the Space Needle from your window. Also, it's a quiet mountain area with limited tourist resources versus the plethora of the options in the city. Don't stay at Salish if your goal is to see the sites of Seattle; stay at Salish if you want a quiet, spa-like escape up in the mountains.

Secondly, Salish is expensive. In all the cities of all the countries I've ever stayed in, including some really ugly currency exchange rates, Salish is officially the most money we've ever spent on a hotel room. Part of that expense is the delicious, award-winning food; it's not as if you don't enjoy it. But it's certainly not budget-friendly. For example, bubble bath to enjoy that aforementioned tub costs $45, $65 if you'd like them to draw the bath for you. Dinner in the dining room is $95 per person. All vehicle parking is by valet, and while the cost of valet is included if you're staying at the lodge, the gratuity is not.

Overall, The Salish Lodge is one of those worth-it-once experiences. I especially recommend that you have breakfast in the dining room and request a table overlooking Snoqualmie Falls. We really enjoyed watching the water peek out through the fog.

My biggest fear in life

2010-05-17T14:34:00.001-07:00

Le printemps

2010-05-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

(Pardon the delay in this post. I wrote it nearly two months ago. Must remember to press the "Publish" button.)

Spring is my favourite travel season; I've been to some part of the EU every spring for the past three years. And now, the spring season represents something entirely new and different. After all, the last spring I encountered was last November in Australia. To me, spring is meant for journeying.

But not this year. We're saving money for a house this year.

For this entire past spring season, I've been going about my life here in Seattle feeling like I'm late to something, that someone is waiting for me somewhere else and I'm not there.

Surprising inquiries from friends and family don't help either. "Why are you still here? Isn't this the time you usually go to Europe?" YES, I should be overseas. NO, I don't know why I'm still here.

I'm trying not to already resent this massive financial burden of a house we're saving for; this overwhelming travel-resistant anchor to our little city. I'm trying to focus on our amazing trip to the East Coast coming up in September. I'm trying to count all my tremendous blessings and realize that most Americans don't travel at all.

But the feeling I can't shake is more than just a feeling of nostalgia. It is more than just memories of good times. It actually feels wrong not to be there, mucking it out with other Londoners or other Sydneysiders. Somehow, I feel like that is where I belong.

But that scares me even more, because the answer staring me in the face is such a massive undertaking. Should Hubs and I actually try to expatriate? How terrifying of a word is "expatriate"? And how unbelievably difficult is it for two people with absolutely no legitimate ties to a country at all? And if we did, would that eventually ruin the appeal? Would we go through all kinds of immigration difficulties only to find ourselves sitting in London daydreaming about Seattle in October?

Or did my stork just get lost and I've finally found home?

Keep Calm

2010-04-24T19:18:00.000-07:00

I adore this.

Airfare booked

2010-04-07T20:38:00.000-07:00

It's official; we're definitely going to the US East Coast in September! Flying into DC, flying out of Boston. In between, we're seeing Monticello, Philadelphia, Amish Country, New York City, and Kennebunkport. T minus five months and counting!

For the first time, our airfare is entirely mileage redemption. Six open-jaws tickets for three people. Grand total came to 120,000 miles and $15 USD. Of course, it took us literally years to earn all those miles, but it's good to know it eventually pays off!

Like a crack addict taking another hit, I'm giddy knowing I officially have a trip to look forward to. Buying airfare does that to me. Besides, there's a delicious freedom about nothing other than the flights being planned right now. I think I'm going to sit back and enjoy the feeling for awhile...

Accurate representation of your face

2010-03-31T22:51:00.000-07:00

Sinking

2010-03-16T20:21:00.000-07:00

Last spring, I was more nervous than usual to leave my husband for a couple weeks to head off to a German-speaking country. Realizing my nerves, Hubs stole my mp3 player and recorded himself saying the punchline to one of my absolute favourite language-related TV commercials. Not only did that sound file keep me smiling through my time in Austria, it's been making me smile ever since.

Gutted

2010-03-12T16:32:00.000-08:00

I'm pouting this weekend. Why? Because I'm gutted that I won't get to see Illuminating Hadrian's Wall in person on Saturday night. I mean, what a unique site that will be! A step back in history, almost. And a 1,600 year anniversary?! As an American, I can't hardly fathom that. There isn't a single man made thing around me that is even a quarter of that in age.

Add to that the fact that all the media coverage isn't available in the US, darn region encoding laws!

I tried to make it happen; I did. I researched flights and accommodations. I tried creative budget spending. But when it came down to it, we just didn't have the extra money.

So while I wish the UK a flawless commemoration, I go on pouting, 4,000 miles away.

Air Traffic Control

2010-02-27T22:58:00.000-08:00

taken by Stephano Corso

East Coast is calling

2010-02-25T18:07:00.000-08:00

We're starting to plan our 2010 autumn holiday to the East Coast US. So far, we know we're flying into Washington DC, then take the train to Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston. We also want to spend some time in one of those "quaint" New England coastal towns. So, East Coast natives and enthusiasts, TALK TO ME! Recommendations, warnings, favourites, advice...bring it on!

Frosting on a cake

2010-01-30T22:52:00.000-08:00

For my friend, Lisa,
mucking her way through
a frigid (yet beautiful) Scottish winter.

Stay warm, sweetie!

Tumult into peace

2010-01-29T09:40:00.000-08:00

"Those who prefer Paris or Rome complain that the English capital has no precise center, that there is no spot in the city that could be considered the hub around which the wheel revolves. But the truth is that that is not really how London is apprehended. It is divided into chapters, the chapters into scenes, the scenes into sentences; it opens to you like a series of rooms, door, passage, door. Mayfair to Piccadilly to Soho to the Strand. Or, on a more intimate scale, the narrow little maze of Shepherd Market, with its ethnic restaurants and small spare trendy shops, to the wider but still quiet length of Curzon Street, to the full-on cacophony and traffic, both foot and auto, of Park Lane, and hence into the more quiet embrace of Hyde Park. It is though four different landscapes, histories, ways of living, can be encapsulated in a walk around the corner - almost any corner. One moment, the throng and the lowering office building. The next, quiet, isolation, and the window eyes of a mews house. London has nearly as many residents as New York has, yet even its most central locations never feel overwhelming in the way much of Manhattan does, mainly because of this effect, this ability to step within minutes from tumult into peace. In its variety - architectural, historical, topographical - London holds as unique and singular a place in the world as the glory of its literary legacy would suggest."

- Anna Quindlen, Imagined London

THE travel shoe?!

2010-01-24T21:41:00.000-08:00

Regular readers might be aware of my endless search for the perfect travel shoe, and I think Puma may have heard my whining. Easy to pack, comfortable, low profile...I plan to try this new shoe on as soon as they hit stores next month. FINGERS CROSSED!

Frozen canals

2010-01-12T19:39:00.001-08:00

I know we're accustomed to hearing about acqua alta in Venice, but how about weather so cold, the sea freezes? It did in 1929:

Winter wonderland

2010-01-11T10:37:00.001-08:00

Google satellite image of Britain completely covered in snow.

Beautiful!

The London I miss today: church bells

2009-12-02T18:06:00.000-08:00

Aussie daydreams in peacock green

2009-11-25T20:21:00.000-08:00

Flight001

2009-11-22T17:07:00.001-08:00

One of the perks of San Francisco was accidentally running into a Flight001 store. Flight001 is one of my daydream websites, so you can imagine how excited I was to stand in the actual boutique and play with all the fun travel items.

After spending way too long looking at absolutely everything, I proudly walked out with this luggage tag and this passport cover.

Masks on a plane

2009-11-22T16:45:00.000-08:00

I've had a few people ask me if I did indeed wear this mask on the plane. The answer is yes, I did...on the way there. I got the best sleep I ever have on a plane, amongst coughing and sneezing co-passengers nearby. And the simple thing worked, as well. I stayed perfectly healthy for the duration of our trip; not even a scratchy throat bothered me a single time. I seem to be a poor mask-wearer, however, as the metal bit you're meant to pinch left two bruised abrasions on the bridge of my nose. Yes, it was funny. I spent the first few days in Oz looking as if I'd recently been in a bar brawl. Yet, to me, my health was more than worth it.

High on a very successful holiday and wanting to avoid looking as though I'd been punched (again), I opted not to wear the mask on the plane ride way home. And whadayaknow, I'm typing this post from my bed, wrapped in blankets, doped up on cold meds, running a fever, congested to the point of being dizzy.

Therefore, my final conclusion: the mask works, and that is worth looking just a little bit foolish. (Though I plan to better mold the metal bit next time!)

Review: Sydney, Australia

2009-11-21T17:22:00.001-08:00

I've been trying for two weeks to describe Australia, and I'm still at a loss for the proper words. It is different than any place I've ever been to, and it frequently contradicts itself. But there is one thing that is absolutely certain:

Australia is wonderful.

Australia gets under your skin. It romances you; it stays with you. The weather is warm and the people are kind. Flip flops are as common during the workday commute as they are on the plentiful beaches. There is a constant breeze that smells like eucalyptus, plumeria and gardenia. Beautiful blue-green water crashes dramatically against warm yellow sand and stunning red cliffs. Sounds of lorikeets, kookaburras and ibis fill your ears. Forests of peeling eucalyptus trees roll across neverending hills. Influences from Europe, America, Aborigines and the Far East seem to coexist without any effort at all. It is old and it is new. It is rugged and it is elegant. It is arid and it is lush. It is city and it is bush. It is Australia, and it is proud of that fact.

London is still at the top of my list, but Sydney has powered its way to number two. Not really that surprising, as Australia is obviously a Commonwealth country. Reminders of Mother England are everywhere; any Anglophile will feel quite comfortable there. The fifteen-hour flight was actually no less miserable than the ten-hour flight I'm accustomed to, and I commend Qantas for their frequent snacks and much-appreciated hot towels.

Our two-bedroom Meriton Kent Street apartment was perfect for us, and the location near Town Hall offered a vast array of dining, grocery and transportation options. There was even a Starbucks the next building over; I was thrilled! Our view of Darling Harbour and the city skyline was stellar, especially during the two spectacular thunderstorms that rolled through during our stay.

Some aspects of Australia are so stereotypical, it actually brings a tear to your eye. Kangaroo fur is soft, emus are a little bit creepy. Forests of eucalyptus look just like in the films and photos. The bird songs are beautiful, a constant reminder of how far from home you are. The sun is brutal; we sported sunburns the entire time. The insects are incessant; bring insect repellent! I've never seen as many flies as I did while we were horseback riding in the bush.

On the other hand, some elements of Oz surprised us. Food and drugstore items are ridiculously expensive; worse than Hawaii. I never thought I'd find a more consumeristic country than America, but the sheer number of malls and food courts in Sydney left us totally gobsmacked. And just as soon as you think you've got it all down, something else different presents itself. For example, we London-lovers are totally accustomed to the law of standing on the right. In Australia, you stand on the left. You walk on the left. Everything is on the left.

The horseback riding was a dream come true. The Blue Mountains are stunning. The beaches take your breath away. Oh...and the BridgeClimb. Wow. I highly recommend it, even to people with an issue with heights. Their safety procedures are so secure, it's no wonder no climber has ever fallen. Sydney Harbour cruises should also be compulsory. It is stunning; nothing more, just simply stunning. My first jet lagged, right-off-the-plane view gave me goosebumps.

My plan has once again failed; I'd hoped to cross Australia off my list and finally settle down. That simply won't be happening. I will return someday; I must. Sydney was fabulous, but it is only a small percentage of the immense country. In the meantime, I'll buy lottery tickets so I can live in London for the Northern Hemisphere's spring and summer and live in Sydney the other half of the year. Just the thought makes me smile.

Thank you, Australia, for an amazing holiday. I tip my hat at your beautiful country and amazing people. You are a land to be respected and appreciated, and our trip was absolutely wonderful!

Review: San Francisco

2009-11-21T13:33:00.001-08:00

Our 31 hour layover in San Francisco went beautifully well! I'm spilling over with rave reviews for every vendor we used. (Disclaimer: the author was not compensated in exchange for any recommendations in this blog. The information provided in this blog is solely the opinion of the author.)

The Omni Hotel San Francisco was beautiful. We were welcomed with complimentary cake, champagne and a kind birthday card. Our accommodations were perfectly comfortable, and the complimentary pre-scheduled morning breakfast and beverages delivered to our door was the perfect way to start our busy day. The location on California Street was convenient, and we were able to find reasonable dining close by.

Call us cheesy, but we loved Alcatraz. It was a peek into a completely different time and different world. I'm glad we chose to take the first cruise of the day; it cut down on crowds, and the morning sun above the water was a lovely way to see the city skyline.

Our secret to seeing all of one city in only one day was hiring a local guide, and I can't say enough good about Holger with Silver Lion Tours. From the ease of communicating with him to his exuberant greeting hug, it truly was like having a friend show you proudly around his city. He snuck us around traffic and tourist traps, stopped for any photos we wanted, offered informative commentary about everything, provided much needed snacks, and surprised us with little known local secrets all throughout the day. He not only took us everywhere easily, but he recommended his favourite restaurant for dinner (didn't charge us for the time it took us to eat), helped us prepare for our long-haul overnight flight, and saw us safely to the airport in a timely manner. Thank you so much, Holger!

I enjoyed San Francisco very much; it seems like a warmer version of Seattle with heaps more character. Perhaps I'll go back again someday and spend a bit more time.

Loving Australia!

2009-11-13T13:28:00.001-08:00

Arrived in San Fransisco

2009-11-08T18:29:00.000-08:00

Staying healthy en route

2009-10-17T19:43:00.000-07:00

We all know airborne bacteria thrives on airplanes. This is a huge problem for me. Why? Because I'm a mouth breather. My partially deviated septum makes it exceptionally difficult to get enough oxygen when breathing solely through my nose. This gives all that nasty bacteria a free, unprotected path straight into my system. I try to drink lots of water to combat the problem, but that temporary solution doesn't really work when I'm asleep. It seems every time I nod off on a plane, I end up getting ill at some point during the trip. And since we're facing an upcoming fifteen-hour overnight flight, I must find a solution to this problem so I can get some rest.

That is why I'm going to try something new. I'm going to be one of those people this time around. You know, the ones that are wearing one of these:

Add my sleeping eye mask to block out the light and ear plugs to quiet the noise, and I'm going to look...well, quite humourous, frankly. My sister joked that I should write a note on the mask:
Don't worry. I don't have H1N1...but you might!

I'm definitely going to have to hide the camera from my husband and sister, but I should also stay healthy during the flight and arrive in Australia at least somewhat rested, and that is worth looking just a bit foolish. So please, don't judge! And don't laugh...too hard.

Chiseling out an itinerary

2009-10-08T23:08:00.001-07:00

Our Sydney itinerary is slowly coming together:

Sunday
Fly to San Francisco
Dinner and comfy hotel

Monday
Tour of Alcatraz
Private tour of San Francisco

Tuesday
In flight en route to Sydney

Wednesday
Sydney Explorer bus ride
Sydney Harbour cruise

Thursday
Sydney sightseeing
including Sydney Opera House tour

Friday
Horseback riding in Glenworth Valley
Parramatta

Saturday
Beach day in Manly

Sunday
Trip out to Katoomba,
Blue Mountains, Three Sisters, Scenic Cableway
Sydney Olympic Park
Return on the Parramatta RiverCat

Monday
Bondi Explorer
Wooloomooloo, Rose Bay
Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte Beaches
Ocean cliff beach walk
Watson's Bay and the Gap

Tuesday
Sydney Harbour BridgeClimb,
Sydney sightseeing

Wednesday
Fly home, pass out, sleep for a week

Don't trust this man

2009-09-23T22:31:00.000-07:00

Anyone that's been following my London estate agent scam artist saga might be interested to read this article. It's the second time the London Mirror has tried to shine some light on his company's underhanded dealings. However, even I didn't realize the grand total was so high, especially considering those that haven't come forward...yet.

As you can read in the article, I actually managed to get contact Robin Larkins several months ago. Knowing he had just lost a court case to another victim, I threatened to do the file the same claim. Mr. Larkins responded by promising he would return my money - a full year late, mind you - if I removed my warnings about his company from this blog. And though I conceded, I still never heard from him after that.

My warnings have been republished, to say the least.

Dusty Aussies

2009-09-22T23:00:00.000-07:00

Anyone following Aussie news?
They're enduring a massive red dust storm right now.
The photos are incredible.

Sydney Harbour in the middle of the day:
(Yes, that's Sydney Harbour Bridge!)

Bondi Beach:

Manly Beach:

Hang in there, Australia!

PS - it is intimidating to consider we are going to the other side of the globe. Now it looks like we're going to Mars. ::gulp::

It comes with a turnip and a spork!

2009-09-17T23:40:00.000-07:00

Determined to find the humour in misery:

What time is it?

2009-09-11T18:13:00.000-07:00

I'm having a bit of trouble with the vast time difference we're going to experience this time around. I mean, think about it. Sydney is quite near the International Date Line, one of the first cities to see the day. With the exception of New Zealand and parts of Indonesia and Siberia, the rest of the world falls in line behind Australian Eastern Standard Time. They greet the day and pass it back.

Seattle, on the other hand, is near the caboose of this train. Pacific Standard Time is seventeen hours behind Sydney, eight hours behind London, three hours behind New York City. Pretty much the only ones behind us are Alaska and Hawaii...and they admittedly have their own non-concept of time anyway. (wink, wink)

This goes beyond thinking in terms of hours in jet lag; to fly from Seattle to Sydney means you have to start speaking in terms of days. These two cities only inhabit the same calendar day for seven measley hours. Just as Seattlites are waking up to start their Monday, Sydneysiders have lept into Tuesday without looking back.

This is doing my head in. Our flight to Sydney departs on Monday and arrives on Wednesday. We lose an entire day on a fifteen hour flight. On the flip side, we arrive home five minutes later than we departed. When we want to call our loved ones at home, when do we do it? What time is it at home? What DAY is it at home?!

I hope this gets easier...

The England I Miss Today

2009-09-09T16:41:00.000-07:00

Wandering through the echo
of a massive stone cathedral
filled with the smells
and sounds of history.

St. Paul's.

Canterbury.

Yorkminster.

Candles flicker. Light floods through the stained glass. Everyone whispers. Hushed awe, if not solely for this magnificent edifice, than for what the building stands for.

And from the center of this great expanse, from inside the warm, wooden quire, a boy's choir sings a flawless evensong:

Winged beauties

2009-09-05T00:15:00.001-07:00

Sometimes it's the little things
that remind you how far from home you are.

I hope I see some of these beauties in Australia.
I don't even know what they're called,
but they're absolutely stunning!

Shifting my thinking

2009-09-04T11:14:00.000-07:00

I'm realizing a strange trend as we plan our trip to Australia.

Ask any citizen of a commonwealth country if they would like to visit down under, and their answer is usually that they have already been there. Australia is a common destination for them.

However, ask an American if they'd like to visit Oz, and though their answer is almost always an emphatic YES, they have never actually gone and are likely never to go. In the same vein, the travel sections of American bookstores have bookshelf after bookshelf of American, European and Mexican cities, but the Australia section never consists of more than ten books. Considering how large Australia is, ten books doesn't even begin to scratch the surface. When it comes to the topic of Australia over here in the American bubble, no one knows much, no one offers much information. It is almost as if Americans view Australia as some kind of Neverland, much revered but never visited.

For this reason, I can't help but feel like this trip is more of a rite of passage than others in the past. When we were planning our first trip to Europe, everyone had opinions and advice. Now, we mention we are planning a trip to Australia, and the responses are limited to, "Wow! Cool!"

I'm beginning to grow curious as to how many - or more aptly, how few - fellow Americans we will encounter on our trip. It is exciting that we could very possibly be in the tourist minority, though I can't help but hope our trip will encourage more Americans to follow suit. Pop the bubble. Pack a bag, buy the ticket and go. Even though it takes a great deal of effort, it is never not worth it.

(As a sidenote, I'd like to thank the Brits and Kiwis for taking on the position of most resented visiting nationality. It's a nice break for an American!)

Adorable safety procedures?

2009-08-31T10:49:00.000-07:00

We all hate this part. We've heard it a million times before.

But Thomson found a way to capture our full attention:

When the aliens come

2009-08-29T18:55:00.000-07:00

I LOVE this:

To a faraway land

2009-08-26T05:57:00.000-07:00

Beautiful

2009-08-25T17:50:00.000-07:00

Rush Hour London from Chris Searson on Vimeo.

Where are you from?

2009-08-25T09:57:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite parts of traveling is the inevitable, “Where are you from?” It is that brief initial moment when you first interact with a local, when you are as much of a novelty to them as their city is to you. And you start to learn just how others view your country, your city or your continent.

The first time I answered this question, I answered in a very standard American way. “Seattle, Washington.”

You see, it is customary here in the great US of A to include your state, which fiftieth of our big ole country you call home. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that half our city names are duplicates of each other, but the only time you wouldn’t include your state is when you’re from somewhere huge, like New York City or Los Angeles. Otherwise, tack your state name on the end.

However, that is generally not how people think of a country that is not their own. Just like the Englishman who once answered my inquiry with, “I’m from Derbyshire.” My American brain was immediately confuzzled. Where the heck is Derbyshire? In those terms, it makes perfect sense that the moment we say Washington to a non-American, the inevitable reply is, “Oh, the capital!”

Now, if you’re still stuck in Ameri-think, like I was during my first encounter, you immediately wonder, “That’s strange. The capital of the state of Washington is Olympia,” and look at them strangely. It takes a moment to realize they’re referring to the only Washington most non-Americans are aware of.

“Oh, you mean DC! No, I’m not from DC. I’m from the opposite side of the country.”

Well, now they’re totally confused.

Okay, forget the whole Washington thing; focus on Seattle. “Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Space Needle?” seems to be understood internationally, as you immediately bond over, “How’s my butt?”

And if all else fails, grab a map. Our cab driver in Vienna had a worn world atlas on the passenger seat of his car covered in little dots, presumably all the hometowns of his fares over the years. And as soon as I pointed to Seattle, his immediate response was, “OH! Near Canada!”

Well, yeah, I suppose we’re near Canada. Kind of. It’s a three-hour drive that hardly anyone actually takes. I’d never really thought of it that way.

Or the guy in Canterbury, England who responded with, “Oh, Seattle! That’s on the West coast, right? I’ve always wanted to go to San Francisco.” Okay, that’s two states away, but it’s definitely closer than DC. So I responded with, “Yeah, we’re only a two-hour flight from San Francisco.”

To which his friend provided my absolute favorite where-are-you-from response to date: “TWO HOURS?! How is that close?! I could cross my entire country in a two hour flight!”

Ah, it’s all relative. And I simply love it!

Putpockets

2009-08-20T23:12:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I find something
that makes me love London just a little bit more.