"Travel Guide" for Bloggers

I like blogging - telling you about where we travel, what we're doing, and finding out about your lives as well. But I'm not always sure how to do it well, so I decided to look at some of the blog trainings available online.

I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.

It covers:

• The best blogging techniques.
• How to get traffic to your blog.
• How to turn your blog into money.

I think it's a bit like a travel guide. I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it's still free.

It can't hurt. We'll learn something new together.

Panama Cruisin'

I haven’t seen cruise prices like this in … forever! Maybe since I was a travel agent in the 70’s. An email arrived in my inbox from Princess Cruises offering – and I quote - a "10-day Panama Canal cruises from $599*". Brochure rates start at over $1,000.

Of course, that’s plus tips, taxes, surcharges and airfare to Ft. Lauderdale/ Acapulco. (air add-ons are available from $399.) And it’s an inside cabin. But bargain hunter/cruisers should check this out quick! Departures are Mar. 23 and April 2.

Cruise 51 miles from Atlantic to Pacific through the jungles of Central America. The Canal celebrates it’s 95th birthday this August. Ports of call include Puntarenas, Costa Rica (visit the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve); Fuerte Amador (Panama City’s port) on the Pacific side of the canal; Ocho Rios, Jamaica (and famous Dunn’s River Falls); and Puerto Quetzal, Guatamala (tour the capital or Lake Azitlan’s volcanoes).

Bon voyage!

My Two Favorite Little Words: Let's Go!

To get away from one's work environment is, in a sense, to get away from one's self; and this is often the chief advantage of travel and change.

~ Charles Horton Cooley

Wow! Ed just turned a normal week into an exciting one. He said, “Let’s go!” So, we’ve decided to take off after Thursday’s business meeting for a long weekend. The anticipation bubbled up in the middle of cleaning and laundry this weekend like fizz in my favorite cola. Mini-vacations do that … add an element of excitement, anticipation, and joy before we leave. Then there’s the relaxation and joy of the trip. We’ll see family and friends, plus we’re going to get our one-year-old Japanese Chin a brother: Bojo’s birthday Buddy. And when we get back, we’ll have photos, memories and be recharged for next week.

Where are you going next? Why not plan a mini-vacation as a surprise for your spouse, kids or significant other? Maybe get a group of friends together for a weekend away. And if you’d like some planning tips and destination ideas, go to www.magicalminivacations.com It’s a great resource and dream-builder. Go ahead! Short trips save you time and money. And there are some great bargains out there. Most travel venues are discounting prices right now to stimulate their economies.

Let us know where you decide to go. We’d love to hear about your travels! And as always – remember, LIFE is a journey, travel first class!

Lovin' Atlanta

Those that say you can't take it with you
never saw a car packed for a vacation trip.
~ Author Unknown

We're baaacck from our 'relative vacation'.
Atlanta is one of our favorite cities, and
we have several favorite places to visit
-- in addition to our relatives!

Stone Mountain is the largest
exposed granite monolith in the world.
A massive Confederate Monument
is carved into the granite face, like Mt. Rushmore.
Ride a Swiss cable car to the top of the mountain.
In season, enjoy a paddlewheel steamer ride.
Visit an antebellum plantation, the auto museum
and the Stone Mountain museum. Great day!

The new Georgia Aquarium is a tribute to ingenuity.
Stroll through an acrylic tunnel as tropical fish swim
beside and above you. Explore the world's varied
water habitats within the themed "aqua-areas".

ZooAtlanta started with an abandoned carnival
in the mid-1800's. It's located in Grant Park,
next to the Civil War Museum and Cyclorama.
Cyclorama – a 360º painting of the Battle of Atlanta,
is one of only two in the nation.
The museum also houses the "Texas",
the famed engine from "The Great Train Race".

Next time you're in the area, spend a day or two
exploring the history and attractions of Atlanta.
It's a great place to visit …

In the meantime, remember ...
Life is a journey, travel first class!

Favorite Vacation Spots

You can fall in love at first sight with a place as well as a person.
-- Alec Waugh

Hello, dear reader, and welcome.

Someone asked recently where our 'favorite' place is. That's a hard question to answer.

Home comes first, filled with memories and favorite things. It's the refuge we come back to after we've been away.

Our favorite seashore is Virginia Beach for sentimental reasons. We started going there when our daughter was small. We've been dozens of times, and keep going back. Another favorite is Ft. Meyers in Florida, again for sentimental reasons. It was my dad's favorite – the place he took us for Christmases long ago. After that, it's anywhere with sun and sand …

For mountains, Aspen CO tops the list. It's not at chic as some other resorts in the Rockies, but it's filled with historic flavor in a beautiful setting. Of course, the Great Smokies are also magnificent. We see them more often since we live east of the great Mississippi.

For fun, it's Oatman AZ, a real 'ghost' town, turned tourist mecca and artist colony on old Route 66. Clark Gable and Carole Lombard honeymooned there. We also enjoyed Williams AZ, a former pony express stop and rail depot, also on Route 66. It's now home to the Grand Canyon Railway – an experience in itself, and a great way to see the Grand Canyon.

We'll tell you more about each of them in future posts. You can also join our mailing list at www.touringwithus.com to get our monthly travelzine. It's loaded with travel trivia, vacation ideas, tour and cruise information, and some fun. We hope you'll join our TWU family – whether you're an armchair traveller or a vagabond. Happy travels!

Family Vacations

The only way to live is to accept each minute as an unrepeatable miracle, which is exactly what it is - a miracle and unrepeatable. ~ Margaret Storm Jameson

Well, we're off again on the family vacation circuit: 15 relatives, 2700 miles, eight states, 14 days. South from PA to friends in WV, a recently widowed uncle in Charlotte, Ed's parents in GA; back through VA. Scattered along the route are various siblings, nieces & nephews. Maryland is just a blip on the route, but I still count it! It's quite a trip, but a wonderful way to hug everyone and tell them how much we love them.

The elders are in their mid-80s so we travel this route more often than we used to. Now it's three times a year or more. Sad to say, when they are gone, this trip won't be such a priority. Somehow, once parents are gone, traditions change and many families lose touch. It's part of our scattered lifestyle.

Sometimes, though, the loss of a parent brings siblings closer. That's true for my brother and me. Now we make an effort to get together on a regular basis (he lives in NY), something we never did while mom was still alive. Our sister is on the 'relative vacation' route, so we don't see her as often.

It's interesting to compare stories of our childhood. They are younger than I so the memories are different. I remember vividly our Christmas trips to Florida; he recalls only snippets. My sister remembers almost nothing. I was in college when the 'family' toured New England – no memories for me there. But we love to share stories.

I hope that 2009 is your year for family ties. With cell phones, email and gas prices lower, there's no reason not to keep in touch. No matter what has happened in your past, it's the only family you've got. We lost a much loved younger brother last May – to cancer at 52. There will be no more reunions with him. Forgive, forget, remember the good. And stay in touch. God bless you and your family. ~ Ruth & Ed

One Trip,Two Unique Small Town Museums

I told you a few posts ago that I'd tell you about some of the places we've been visiting recently. We plan a quick day or weekend mini-vacation at least once a month … just to get away. Hope you do the same. Here's one favorite trip we made a few months ago.

Nestled in the hills of northwestern Pennsylvania are two unique museums. Both house an extensive collection of militaria and memorabilia that honor those who fight for freedom around the world. One tells the intimate story of WWII from a small town perspective; the second displays the vehicles and armor of the military since WWI.

We visited them one day last fall with friends. It was a wonderful 'day-cation' – sunshine, fall colors, good company, nice drive, and great lunch! The museums also turned out to be much more than we expected.

The first is in a town of less than 1,000 people. The Eldred WWII Museum is a tribute to the dedicated museum board that labored to bring an exceptional museum to the area. The Allegheny Arms & Armor Museum boasts an extensive collection of retired military … arms and armor. Both were fascinating and well worth the trip.

To read more about these destinations, visit here:
Touring Military Museums in Northwestern PA - Two Unique Collections, Plus a Quaint Dining Spot

They're about an hour from either Buffalo NY or Erie PA. For those who enjoy militaria, museums, and history, this is a great mini-vacation get-away.