Scotland

One of the many reasons I want to travel here with my sister. So pretty.

Beautiful! RT @andyywatson: Hopeman #Sunset #Scotland #Moray pic.twitter.com/YclGoljUem
— VisitScotland (@VisitScotland) April 10, 2015

Travel Journal?

As I sit here, staring out the window at the ice-covered trees (and bushes, and cars, and old crusty snow...), I'm beginning to get my plans together for some of this year's upcoming trips. I've been using the Moleskine Travel Journal as a planner and journal over the last few years. I like its format and its size.

The funny thing is that I don't actually travel with it, preferring instead to sit with it once I get back home, and recording my memories.

In this day of social media, I find it often easier to just upload to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Flickr and revisit my trips that way. But there's something about putting pen to paper that will always fascinate me. So, even if I don't write copiously, I still write.

I admire people who can keep a journal or a diary, and I always thought it would be easy enough to do while traveling. The problem is often that by the end of the day I am just too tired to write.

I've come across some travel blog entries recently that talk about travel journals. One that I particularly like was this one, on From Home to Roam. The author talks about the joy that comes later, after the trip, when she pulls one of her journals off the shelf and relives all the fun.

I think I'm going to try to journal on each trip this year - wish me luck!

Yes Please

In need of a mini-vacation right now. This would be nice.

Visit one of Europe's secluded hamlets for a blissfully unspoiled experience: http://t.co/oQ0p6kdn0q pic.twitter.com/iOWO2M0T30

— Travel + Leisure (@TravlandLeisure) September 21, 2014

Our Roots in Scotland

My sister and I have been talking up a trip to Scotland, the "land of our people", sometime in the next few years. It will be interesting to see what happens if Scotland votes for independence on September 18th. I'm not sure it will impact our travels, but it might be disruptive to the country's economy and politics.

Today's #DailyEscape is from Dornie, Scotland. http://t.co/YKb7lv0KJO pic.twitter.com/X48EFv3oST

— Travel Channel (@travelchannel) September 9, 2014

Why I Want To Go To Iceland

"Now with lava fountains" 60 meters high #ashtag #Bardarbunga Fresh images of seismic activity http://t.co/qnM4oQnXNI pic.twitter.com/9tV9uIfmLe

— professorsabena (@professorsabena) August 31, 2014

Road Trip!

It's been a long time since I took a road trip vacation. I had forgotten the planning that has to go into packing up the car and driving 500 miles from NJ to ME. We were sharing a house with four friends; we each had a list of things to bring - games, food, linens, etc.

This trip really was all about lists. A list for clothing, a list for food, a list for specific items we knew we'd need (our own coffee grinder/pot). I'm not used to packing as much as we wanted to; no 3-1-1 bags! I brought an entire bottle of shampoo. It felt decadent.

On our way to South Bristol (where our rental house was), we stopped in Freeport to visit L.L. Bean and some other outlet shops. It's a good thing I drive a Honda Element - plenty of room for shopping bags :-)

We ended up spending the better part of a Saturday here, browsing and eating and shopping.

The house (view from our bedroom, above) was spectacular, if a bit remote. It was a good 30 minute drive to anywhere, but that's ok. Each morning we awoke to the sounds of the water lapping at the rocks below the window as the tide came in.

Our days consisted of day trips, mostly involving some sort of water activity, whether it was lighthouse visiting, whale watching, kayaking, or sailing. We were very fortunate to have gorgeous weather almost the entire trip.

All in all, it was a very relaxing week spent with good friends. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed the New England coast, and am looking forward to my next opportunity to head north.

Ayeh, headed to Maine this summer

Falmouth, Maine pic.twitter.com/AhnnxpSW0Q

— New England Scenery (@NEScenery) May 9, 2014