Changes

Changes

30 April 2013

8:05 pm local | 8:05 pm est

This last week, particularly the last forty-eight hours, has seen a lot of changes in what this trip is going to end up being. Last week I had my last day of work officially commencing the countdown to May 23rd. In the last two days I've found out I won't be able to see two of the friends I had planned on seeing and another threw a wrench in my plan to sob happily like the closet romantic that I am. As sad as that makes me (I'm still pouting), the last week has also seen the development of some really awesome things: Jonathan Young in Hamlet for starters (this beats out Christopher Plummer in Ceasar and Cleopatra by lightyears), a Jim Byrnes show (his vooooice), and the discovery of the new UBurger at Faneuil Hall aka Quincy Market. Yes, I know I just put a burger place in the same bit of EXCITING as Jonathan Young and Jim Byrnes, but I have a serious thing for real, simple food. The UBurger discovery happened as part of my trip planning, which is going well. I have almost everything tentatively sketched out until I leave London, details will have to wait until I'm in transit. I'm still open to suggestions though, if you have anything to suggest hop on over here and let me know.

Walk

Walk

21 April 2013

12:31 pm local | 12:31 pm est

I'm having a bit of a hard time thinking seriously about packing clothes for my upcoming trip given that it's still snowing here at the end of April and I'm optimistically planning on summer temperatures by the end of May.  The rest of the planning, however, is going rather well even if I am beginning to think I may need to pack another pair of my favorite sandals instead of the less practical but oh so shiny boots I was planning on taking.

I'm blaming Vancovuer Walkabouts, although in all fairness Walk London, Edinburgh Walks, and Pentland Hills came first.  Guided tours, recommended walks, routes past the best attractions in the city, it's hard to pass up.  I love walking, or more accurately I love a leisurely stroll with my camera, or an unintentional rambling wander filled with people watching and good food.  Normally, my vacations are filled more with people, long chats, and shared (mainly sedentary) hobbies, this time though I'll have more time alone, more time to wander.  It's an odd thing to think about, this absence of friends and presence of new opportunity, but I'm looking forward to it and hoping that I stick with a good portion of the walking and sightseeing I have planned.

Decisionitis

Decisionitis

Utica, NY

16 April 2013

8:56pm pm local | 9:27 pm est

I had a bit of decision paralysis over the weekend in regard to my impending stay in London. I’m sure there’s a more scientific word to describe it other than ‘AHHHHHHHHHH’ but regardless, it was a bit of a problem. I know myself well enough to know that I shouldn’t plan a dozen things to do in four days. There’s a good chance jetlag will kick my butt or the weather won’t cooperate. Plus if there’s one time I don’t mind a bit of spontaneity (and by that I mostly mean epic tv watching) in my life, it’s when I’m travelling. The problem is, I watched a couple of London travel vids on Youtube, and suddenly wanted to do everything. And by everything, I mean everything, things I wouldn’t normally consider like ferries (hello motion sickness) or bus tours (I prefer the walking alternative) mixed in with all the usual suspects.

In the end, I gave up and went back to reading the book I started last week (Clean by Alex Hughes if anyone's wondering) and figured this whole travel planning business would get straightened out later. It did, of course, but the funny thing about decisionitis is that it highlights a couple of things: notably that travelling with other people is nice because they can make all the complicated-like decisions and that I really need to stop and look at the things the compulsive planner in me had already planned out.

Lists and planning are good, but with a trip this size things tend to get overlooked, and this time my ‘Things To Do in London’ list had fallen by the wayside. Looking it over, I discovered most of the things I really wanted to do from the videos were already there on the list. There were bookshops, walks through several of the more scenic parts of London, a trip through Whitechapel and the Sunday markets, a day in Oxford. There was also a nice big gap on Saturday so that I could have a day off, wander around a bit, pretend I’m stalking Becca’s vacation, and get a feel for the city without getting caught up in all the touristy hype.

I'm calling this one a win.

Introduction and Giveaway

Introduction and Giveaway

Utica, NY

03 April 2013

9:27 pm local | 9:27 pm est

I thought it was about time I resurrect this blog since I'm planning on doing a fair bit of travelling this summer. The first step is to give this space a new look, but while I'm working on that, I thought I would give you all a rundown of what I'm planning.

The trip starts by spending Memorial Day weekend in Boston, Massachusetts and ends right before Labor Day in Belfast, Ireland. It will include stays in seven states and two provinces as well as at least three countries in the UK, and a smattering of places in between (yay buses!). The trip will include visits to:

• Boston, MA
• Belfast, Northern Ireland
• Burlington, VT
• Chicago, IL
• Cleveland, OH
• Columbus, OH
• Duluth, MN
• Edinburgh, Scotland
• Edmonton, AB
• London, England
• Minneapolis, MN
• Oxford, England
• Portland, ME
• Salem, MA
• Seattle, WA
• Vancouver, BC

Because I'm still in the planning stages of the trip, the specifics of what I'm doing in each location are still largely undetermined. If you would like a postcard of your very own from one of these places, leave a comment below suggesting a place to visit in or around one of these locations. If you’re not sure what to suggest, tell me about something you would like to do in one of these cities or a place there you love. I’m closing the giveaway on May 15th which should give me enough time to take all your recommendations and thoughts into account before finalizing my plans, as well as collect all your addresses and stash them away for the appropriate city.