The Sweet Life.

One of the most well-known names in travel and traveling on a budget is that of Arthur Frommer. His line of Frommer’s Travel Guides are one of the best-selling lines of travel books today. The research that has been done into the do’s and do NOT’s of the world’s greatest destinations has saved many, and been more than helpful to some.

Budget Travel Online is a site from the people at Frommer’s that is an extension to Budget Travel magazine. It lists suggestions for travel deals, destinations, strategies for purchasing, and spotlights different aspects of travel from consumer feedback.

The best feature is The REAL DEALS. It is a feature of Editor’s Choice Picks thats offers up some amazing deals to all corners of the world. There is also a link to the Travel Marketplace, which features the best travel deals and vacation packages.

Check it out, here.

It all started when my boyfriend said, “We should go somewhere really great!” This is not a rare thing for him to say, yet when he mentioned to me that the cost for his destination in mind was rather cheap, my ears stood to attention.

As I was on the phone with him I searched travelocity and found the cheapest price listed for a ticket to COSTA RICA was around $400-$500. ‘To Costa Rica?’ I thought. For as much as it costs to get to Europe, this seemed to me to be a fairly good deal. My mind has been spinning, so therefore, here is my post about COSTA RICA.

It is gaining popularity as a traveling destination and I am bound to find out why…

Some fun things to know that you may be wondering…

- What is the difference between the rain forest and the cloud forest?

The main difference is that in the cloud forest doesn’t rain as much as in the rain forest. The species of flora and fauna that you might find differ from one to the other. (Hmph…that’s what I thought.)

Some average prices…(according to lonelyplanet.com)

• litre of petrol, ¢0.65
• small bottle of beer, ¢0.75
• souvenir t-shirt, ¢8.00
• loaf of bread, ¢0.50
• cold coconut water, ¢0.50
• litre of bottled water, ¢0.75
• two hours surfing lessons in Tamarindo, ¢30.00

Average Room Prices can be as low as $5! all the the way to $70 and above. Doesn’t sound too bad to me for a remote destination with lots of greenery and water.

Accommodation: Low US $5-15, Mid US $15-40, High US $40-70, Deluxe US $70+

Average Meal Prices: Low US $3-10, Mid US $10-20, High US $20-25

All I know is that if I can get one of these exotic mud mask/bath-thing brushed on by some little old costa rican lady with wise eyes and beautiful skin while I sip on some sort of toxic local fare, well then sign me up. The more exotic the location the better!

Costa Rica, here I come!

(passports ARE required!)

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A large percentage of the population (mainly female) approach important feats such as traveling with care and organization. I will not discredit all men, but in this example it only seems fitting that example imitate life. Therefore, I would like to give a fair warning in planning ahead and acting in a timely manner in order to accomplish what you desire. In a word, it’s one of the many pieces of advice that most mothers give. I know mine did.

PLAN AHEAD. If you intend on traveling, especially air travel, it is wise to plan ahead and accordingly in order to have the proper resources ready at

your disposal. This includes, but is not limited to:

• FINANCES: money to purchase a ticket, money for the actual trip, and money that will cushion you when you return otherwise broke and stunned.
• PASSPORT: If traveling domestically this will most likely not be an issue. However, when traveling abroad/internationally a passport is required for travel. It IS a good idea to travel with copies of this document and keep them in different locations.

• For example…In Spring 2006, I was in Madrid and due to exertions from the night before I arrived at Barajas airport as my flight was at its ‘LAST CALL.’ I attempted to get another flight later on that afternoon and when asked, I was unable to produce my passport. Set-back #2 for the day. I was able to recover it about an hour later, and then made plans to get on a flight exactly one hour later. When I returned to check in and then board, it was gone AGAIN. No joke. Basically, I had to stay in Madrid for two more days and have to visit the American Embassy at the crack of dawn. DON’T LOSE YOUR PASSPORT. When traveling abroad, it is YOUR BEST FRIEND.

SCHEDULING: Before you make plans to travel, make sure that you are not skipping out on any obligations or pressing matters back home. As humans we have the ability to choose, and do, and go whenever we please. However, as party of humanity and American citizens we also have an obligation to our responsibilities and holding ourselves accountable for our own lives. Remember this before you spontaneously buy a ticket to go see something or someone. Check your schedule, assuming that you have one. SAVE, SAVE, SAVE: This goes back to #1, FINANCES. Unless you have a rather comfortable monetary pillow comforting you, you might need to save a little in order to make this excursion happen. Especially if you are planning to make a large purchase, keep track of your spending and balance at the bank to make sure that when the time comes, you will be able to purchase what is needed with few complications. I know I’m not your mother. But choose to be responsible and take care of what you need to. Otherwise, you could be very disappointed when your plans fall through, as could the parties that were anticipating your arrival.

This weekend was incredible. Since this semester has been so damn demanding, it was truly the first weekend that I really got to just absolutely cut loose and hang out.

I got off work Friday afternoon around the same time Kyle and John E. rolled into my driveway. I had to work on a paper that was due the next day, Sunday, at 4 p.m. so they cracked open a beer for me and turned the music on. Tiffany T and Seth arrived a little later, then Tyler T, then Susan. My toilet broke and it was mayhem until I was able to borrow the “necessary tools” from the neighbors.

I finally came to a stopping point around 5-ish and had to get ready lightening fast in order to try and make it to Aggie’s Big House in time for kick-off for Seth, which we didn’t. Regardless, I donned my only good pair of fit-me jeans, my black chucks, black beret, and bright red velvet blazer. It was fab, yet I was the only one not in orange.

We proceeded to get absolutely belligerent at Aggie’s and munched on chips, laughed, took lots of pictures, and went through lots of Aggies’ mugs of beer. It was such an incredible time. After a quick run back by my house, we went to Mike’s and the night slowly disintegrated into passing out.

Sunday morning found me - head aching & sick - still needing to finish my story before 4 p.m. Kyle, Tiff, Seth, John, AND Thompson were all sleeping on my floor covered in blankets and I can only imagine how freezing it was. I got up and did my story, but it was damn hard and only possible with frequent trips to the once broken bathroom. Phew.

Tiff and Seth had to unfortunately return to Tulsa, but John and Kyle and I made a run to El Tap for some seriously tasty Mexican food. We came home, they played guitar and we were all lulled into a fabulously late afternoon nap.

It is something to be able to look back upon, such a weekend with such friends. I considered for a moment that maybe leaving Stillwater wasn’t the best thing for me. However, I realized that this time I’d had was a temporal and rare occasion. I am the only one out of the bunch that still lives in Stillwater, and knowing I’ll be back comforts me to know that I’ll be returning to the most amazing people I have ever met.

I found the most awesome tasty fall treat while I was in Boise.

Simply put: Pumpkin Ale & Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies.

I guarantee you that if you can get your hands on this combination, it is absolutely blue-ribbon. Add in the atmosphere of leaves of every color cascading down like rain, crisp cool air, and a handsome guy that you’re madly in love with, and I promise - it will become an INSTANT fave.**UPDATE!** Amazingly enough, I found that these delicious cookies ARE available to those not living directly in Boise. Here’s a couple ways to get them wherever you are.

1. Contact a little someone named “To whom it may concern,” at INFO@BOISECOOP.COM
2. Secondly, you can call Customer Service at (208)472-4500.
3. And thirdly, you can take a killer road trip and hunt these delectables down yourself! The address for the Boise Co-op is: 888 West Fort Street, Boise, ID 83702.

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.

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…!

The prospect of having a webpage ‘of my very own’, as silly as it sounds it quite exciting to me at the moment. I’ve been thinking since Tuesday’s class about what I could do with this oppurtunity. What could I make a page about? The idea of endless possibiliies is incredible…I mean think about it. I could make a page about chocolate, about dancing, about toe nail polish. Or instead of absolutely squandering this good fortune & JB credit, I think I have found something that will not only be interesting, but definitely worth my while.

I won’t unveil my plan right away, because depending on the shape it takes - I’d hate to look back in comparison of the description of ‘to be’ and realize that I either a) failed, or b) did indeed squander my oppurtunity.

I took on another class today. It’s a two-weekend short course that now puts me at a total of 20 hours for the fall semester. Who knew that I would ever be enrolled in 20 hours? I may as well wrap a noose around my neck and walk down a hill very very slowly. Was that the right analogy? They’re absolutely dreadful when they’re not right.

Ok, enough. I had my last cup of coffee at 6:00 pm. That’s insane, but lately that’s been my theme.
I miss the hanini, I’m ready for another short sabbatical.