The Sweet Life.

Once I was already in Malta, I wanted to start exploring my options for going abroad on some sort of mini vacation. My brother sent me the link to AttitudeTravel.comFrom the main page you can search (or click on) almost any location and the site will return a new page of Web sites and linke to all budget airlines that may apply to that destination.  The site advertises indpendent travel advice, photos, guides, and articles and delivers just that.  I referred to it many times to get an initial list of airline sites, and then links, when searching for a destination and way to get there for Spring Break 2006.

Again, in the words of my traveling-saavy brother, “Check it out.” Travel with some attitude.

Last summer I went south to Destin, Fl to live and work for the summer. It turned out to be a cool experience, although I had to live in a living room and sleep on my cousin’s couch for the entirety of my trip, not to mention I had to dodge two hurricanes.

While I was there my cousin had this burning desire to get a dog. We searched on the internet, found one, but it was in Tennessee. I had a day off coming up, so I offered to drive up there and get it. And so I did. I scooped up a friend from work & she made the journey with me.

We drove all day long starting very early in the morning in order to get there around 5 p.m. The drive back took well into the early morning hours and I had to do all the driving, while she got to cuddle and hold the new pup. We stopped almost everyhere to let the dog out and drank lots of Red Bull.

He’s still doing well (Roy AND Scooter) down in Florida and has grown so quickly. I hardly recognize him now when I see the pictures.

This is the perfect example of how a spontaneous road-trip took longer than expected, but was absolutely worth it. You never know when a spontaneous urge in combination with a desire to do something nice for someone can lead to an adventure and experience that you never expected to get in one day.
I mean, just look at this cute pup. He was named Scooter & my cousin loved him from day one.

Most of you don’t know my mom. She’s great. What a cutie. She’s one of the only people I know that is in her fifties, but completely maintains the innocent, sweet, smiley, yet very on top of things attitude about life.

I decided that a post on her would be fitting, since she’s learning more and more everyday about getting up and going. With the raised gas prices over the last few years (mind you she is most economical) she decided that since she worked at home and traveled very little, but very close to the vicinity of our home that she would begin riding her bike more.

Well, being the awesome mom that she is, when I came to school this fall she gave me her bike that she had been using quite often to run errands. She recently bought herself a brand new bike that was fitted to her with a basket and “all the bells & whistles.”

Check it out…and tell me she’s not the cutest mom ever.

(picture coming soon)

In the spirit of traveling, surfing, and going somewhere, here’s to GOOGLE, one of my favorite things in the whole world.

Today is Google’s 8th Birthday! And like a silly glowing soccer mom, I can hardly believe that it’s been that long! I can remember back to a time when my family didn’t even have a computer yet. Now it is strange or some sort of oddity not to have one in every other room or household. When we got our first Apple II, the only thing I was able to do on it was play Alphabet Soup (the only game my mom had purchased for me.)

For business purposes my mom upgraded computers. We then got dial-up, moade the move to DSL, and it was at this time that Google and I began what has been a very ‘fruitful’ relationship. I could easily say that, on average, I ‘google’ something at LEAST once a day, if not more. And let’s intereject RIGHT HERE how happy I am that ‘GOOGLE’ has become a verb/word in the dictionary. And yes, the extra ‘O’ listed at the bottom of the serach page for each EXTRA page that has returned with items you’ve searched for? I love that, too. (sigh) I’m not using this word lightly, my friends. I really do LOVE google.

Ccredit should be given to all that works behind the scenes of google, but not today. All I want to say is KUDOS to the great site that lets me search for what I want, and gives me just that. Happy Birthday to a dear cyber-space friend.

GOOGLE, I love you.

My first time in Rome was an interesting experience. I was on a family vacation meeting my mom and my brother, but I was also with my boyfriend, of whom I was in the process of falling madly in love with.

To make a very tense and long story short, I will say that Rome was an experience and a great place to visit, but it’s not the heart nor jewel of Italy like most people would think. It’s very touristy, and there’s loads of English speakers all around you - bleh!

I just thought that in the spirit of getting out and seeing the world I would share this picture with you… It was taken at 3 or 4 a.m. in front of the Pantheon in Rome. If you have ever been there you’ll know that there is a nice-sized piazza facing the pantheon. There are a multitude of little cafes that you can sit at under an umbrella and enjoy the dining or drinking al fresca. There is also a fountain that is almost centrally located in the piazza.

Brad and I had once again needed to escape from the anxiety of the ‘Tatroult family vacation’ setting. Luckily, our tiny hotel was not far from the pantheon. He and I went for “birras” at some Irish pub (I know right, an Irish pub in Roma?) and on the way home this picture was taken. Pretty good and drunk, and very much in love, we decided that going along with the theme we had going of taking kissing pictures, we would have to take one in front of the pantheon. I propped my camera on the edge of the fountain praying to god that it didn’t fall in. There was not a soul in sight. (If you want to have Rome all to yourself, creep out at night with all the other weirdos…there was NO ONE around.)

I set the camera on self timer and we ran forward and kissed in the moonlight.

I know, it sounds great, and believe me, it was. Maybe it was just my imagination, or the hopeless romantic 14-year-old that stays locked up inside of me, but I am inclined to believe that Roma, and all parts of Italy, are just as intoxicating as they seem to be in the movies. I can’t say that the atmosphere is always the same. There are always some things you don’t plan on like the gypsies, the garbage, the lack of beautiful instrumental violins playing Italian love songs… life isn’t a movie. However, this looks like a movie poster to me.

I know, I know. You’re thinking to yourself. The zoo? Is she crazy?

Well, that remains to be seen, but in all honesty I have found that even as an adult the zoo can be an enlightening and eye-opening experience. You would be suprised what it spurs inside of you when you make an effort to return to the animals, even if they are in captivity.

On my last trip to Boise, one of the coolest things Brad and I did was visit the zoo. It was a small zoo in the middle of downtown, but we saw an amazing tiger that was literally, less than six feet from us. One of the best ways to get away from life is to return to nature. In the city-setting - the best way to do this is in a zoo! When in one of the animal houses I remember seeing a small monkey. It may have been a chimpanzee, or some other type of sapien, but he was perched up on a thick branch, and carrying the saddest look on his face that I have ever seen. Brad and I stared at him for a while trying to imagine what he might be thinking. I’m not saying that pondering monkeys is a great getaway. The point I am trying to get across is that thinking about others, even trying to comprehend the psyche of a tiny chimp - it’s an exploration into somewhere that most don’t go on a regular basis.

The community within couchsurfing is incredible. People all over the world sharing a similarly simple attitude about seeing the globe.

(Click on the globe to visit the Couchsurfing Store!)

The general consensus is, WHY TRAVEL AROUND FROM MOTEL/HOTEL TO STINKY HOSTEL, see only the touristy sights, and never get a real taste of culture…? Why ever do that again instead of staying WITH someone who lives in that area who is EXCITED about you being in a new location just as much as you are about being there? Someone that will offer you a couch, if not a bed, or a room for free! and maybe even cook you a meal of local fare?!

The question is, why would you ever subject yourself to traveling solo again when you can travel WITH the world!?

All I can say is go check it out. -

The initiative is incredible, and the people are even more so.

www.Couchsurfing.com

I had a few friends over last night for my birthday and it went really well. We had just enough wine…considering we ran out, and lots of things to laugh and talk about.
I made a little ghetto food tray with cheeses, a sharp cheddar & a little bowl of cream cheese, some dark chocolate pieces, crackers, and walnuts. I’d would have loved to have gone all out and really had some fun stuff to compliment the wine. However, considering I didn’t shell out more than $10 for any bottle, I figured Best Value Extra Sharp Cheddar would do just fine.

Kelsey came over with Dollar Tree wine glasses and pink streamers. I let her go nuts and hang them all over the house. Whatever. It’s the thought that counts, and deep down I truly believe that you are never too old for crepe paper streamers. She had me pick her up a riesling. Apparently I’m not a fan of those - it was so sweet. Nice with the chocolate though, as was the Barefoot Syrah.

Happy 22nd Birthday to me…!