They Let Her Travel

When Jeff and I visited Jackie in Germany, although we visited several different cities we didn’t have to worry about finding a place to stay. I am certain there are plenty of cheap hotels in Berlin that we will have to decide between when we return with the kids. It was neat to see the different pieces of the Berlin Wall in various spots in the city. We spent the day there with a guy that was a German exchange student here in Michigan his senior year. That was a special treat while there.

Hostels in Berlin are very reasonable, starting at only 10 euros! On the other hand, we could stay at a 5-Star hotel in Berlin for only 106 euros! I think we all will agree either option is a great value for the type of accommodation.

I will have to look back at the pictures of our trip and reminisce. It was February so there was plenty of snow on the ground. There was so much to see and do in each German city we visited. I would love to find cheap hotels in all of the major German cities and spend a month traveling the country! Heh. Maybe one day that will actually be a possibility. For now, I’ll just continue to check out all the inexpensive accommodations in Berlin.

Technorati Tags: travel, Berlin, Germany, cheap hotels

I pride myself on being a great traveler.  I can take my kids on long car rides and I actually enjoy it.  I know the tips I have to offer will save others the time and headaches that come along with learning from your own mistakes.  That said, I have a traveling challenge I have yet to overcome.

I always pack much more than necessary.  Jeff still makes fun of me for whining while in the train stations in Germany and France about how heavy my bags were.  I do believe I’ve gotten better since those days, but admit I am far from the best person to be giving advice on packing smart.   I honestly want to get better and learn to be at ease with minimizing.   My biggest obstacle is my own mind!  I always give myself far to many options when it comes to clothing.  I come home clothes I never had the opportunity to wear.  That, my friend, is nonsense!

As I learn new tricks or find resources that help me make this change, I will be certain to share them with you.

Technorati Tags: over packing,   overpacking, smart packing

Having Jackie home from Germany and visiting us brought the memories of our trip overseas to the forefront of our minds. Jeff mentioned more than once that he’d really like to be able to take the kids to see Munich, Berlin, and several of the other German cities we were fortunate enough to visit. And once finished there, we would repeat our last itinerary and take a train into Paris for a few days.

Having visited the city before it would be much easier to navigate this time around. There are so many different places we could stay while there. Should we secure Paris accommodation in the same area as last time? Or should we try a different location? Decisions, decisions! Oh yeah, and there is the issue of money - we haven’t really started planning this trip, even though we have been talking about it for several years. One day it will happen. Until that day it’s fun to research all of the different hotels in Paris without having the pressure of needing something “NOW”.   Daydreaming and getting to know my options is a way to escape from the demands going on around me.   I have even signed up for a newsletter from a Paris hotel near Disney Paris!    That is one new place we would certainly have to visit when we finally do make it back to France.

What vacation do you want to repeat? Is there a place you dream of taking your kids to?

Wow. Visiting Washington last week, I wondered if the people living there appreciate the beauty of the mountains the way I did. I have traveled to many places, and I am always most impressed with the green and mountainous areas. It was especially beautiful to see the snow capped mountain peaks. I couldn’t stop wondering if the locals spent as much time staring at the horizon as I seemed to while there.

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Buying airfare can be a guessing game. Is it less expensive to leave on a Friday or Saturday? Is it better to return in 3 days or 4? While stumbling the other night, I came across a neat tool for travelers that helps answer those very questions. Farecast has several different tools to help you determine when it’s best to fly.

With more than 1500 condos and hotels to choose from, Hawaiian Beach Rentals has something for every traveler and every budget. Don’t let the name fool you, they not only offer gorgeous homes on the beach, they have condos on the fairway for golfers and mountain view homes for nature lovers.

Hawaiian Beach Rentals, offers Hawaii vacation packages on the Big Island of Hawaii, Ohau, Maui, and Kauai. If you’re planning a trip to Hawaii, spend some time viewing the thousands of gorgeous hotels, homes, and condos available!

Technorati Tags: Hawaiian beach rentals, Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Kauai

Explaining the concept of timezones to children can be a bit tricky.  This great interactive timezone map creates the visual to help it all makes sense.  With varying shades of green, it’s easy to see which area of the world each zone covers.  In the upper left hand corner of the window your current time appears.  Select an area on the map and the current time there appears in another text box.  It’s all pretty cool!

Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think!

Technorati Tags: timezones, travel tools

If you’re interested in learning a little bit more about the author behind Where Was I? New York!, you can visit his blog.  It’s simply titled Dave Carberry.

Even better yet though, he started a Where Was I? blog.  There, Dave shares even more great information about the cities featured in his books.    Enjoy!

Each year after choosing the destination for our vacation, I will surf the web and send the boys links to various websites. I look for sites that tell both the history and have pictures to help excite them about the upcoming adventure.

Over the years I have also purchased several different children’s atlases, as Josh loves to follow our trip on the map. Family vacations can be fun and educational! The kids don’t even have to know they’re learning.

Although we have been to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, we have yet to go to New York City. Where Was I? New York! tells a story to keep children interested while teaching them about the many different sights to see in New York City. Where Kids, Inc. is even thoughtful enough to include a teachers guide with their book.

The author, Dave Carberry is planning more titles for such great cities as Chicago, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C.; for paperbacks just under $9 each, these children’s travel guides are affordable and informative. Need the book now and want to save money? You can download Where Was I? New York! for less than $4! If you’re looking for something about New York for kids, you certainly can’t go wrong for that price!

I wish Dave and the rest of the team behind this project much success!

Technorati Tags: New York City, children’s travel guides, NY for kids, NY travel

This afternoon happened upon the website of a young couple planning a trip around the world. My first instinct? OH.MY.GOSH. I am so incredibly jealous! Brooke and Brian are my new heroes! I am so proud of them for doing what it takes to live their dream!
Jealousy aside, I am so excited for them. I am anxious to follow their journey. However, I’ll have to wait until the end of this year for them to get started.

In the meantime, Brooke has inspired me to learn more about David Elliott Cohen and the time he spent traveling the world with his wife and children.

I could do that. I could sell all of my possessions and use the money to travel the world. You know that feeling you get when you want something so badly it hurts? Yeah, THAT is how I feel when thinking about doing something like this! I suppose it hurts even more knowing it’s something that Jeff would never entertain. How on earth did I end up with a husband that lacks the adventurous nature that I have? Perhaps he is meant to tame my adventurous side? Or better yet, perhaps it is meant for me to pull him out of his shell.

Hmmmm …

Technorati Tags: world travel, David Elliott Cohen, living your dream