Archive for November, 2010

November29

Images: Windows of Appenzell, Switzerland

By: JoAnna

There’s something about the simplistic and thoughtful details found all around Switzerland that make it particularly appealing to me. Everything is just so darn cute.

One of the things I most enjoyed as we walked around the streets of Appenzell, Switzerland, were the windows, shutters, curtains and overflowing flower boxes. Every single home and storefront had a different look and feel … all because of the windows. I could have snapped photos of every building we passed, but here are just a few that I caught on camera:

Images: Windows of Appenzell, Switzerland

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Posted in: Photos18 comments

November25

A Thanksgiving Memory: Peace Corps Kenya, 2004

By: JoAnna

A Thanksgiving Memory: Peace Corps Kenya, 2004Three months after completing our Peace Corps training in Naivasha, Kenya, Cory and I were back at our training camp for a training session known as IST. It just happened to fall over Thanksgiving, a time when most of us were just a touch homesick, thinking about our families sitting around tables stacked with food while we popped malaria pills and fought diarrhea.

When we arrived at IST, our training coördinator, Simon, asked us if we wanted anything special for dinner for Thanksgiving. A handful of people in our group enjoyed cooking and immediately suggested that the cooks take the day off. Instead, they offered to help put together a menu and organize the meal. We all brainstormed what we wanted to eat. Forget the ugali and spaghetti noodles without sauce. We wanted the real deal: A turkey, sweet potatoes, stuffing.

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Posted in: Contemplation14 comments

November22

5 Tips for Avoiding Jet Lag

By: JoAnna

5 Tips for Avoiding Jet LagA typical travel scenario: You hop on the plane for the 6-hour flight to your destination. Perhaps you nap a bit, or maybe you stay awake and chat with your travel partner or read. When you arrive at your destination, your body tells you it’s time for dinner, but the light in the sky tells you breakfast is on the menu. Or maybe you’re ready to hit the streets and start exploring … but it’s already 10:00 p.m. in your new destination.

Jumping across time zones when you travel by plane can do all sorts of things to screw up our circadian rhythm — the natural clock by which our bodies run. This condition is called jet lag, and it doesn’t only affect first-time travelers or those who travel infrequently. Even seasoned flyers like flight attendants and pilots fall prey to the effects of jet lag.

You’ll know if you’ve got jet lag if you display any of these common signs: Disorientation, irritability, fatigue, headaches and cold-like symptoms. And studies have shown that if you’re traveling west, you are more likely to suffer from jet lag than if you’re heading east.

My secret? I travel regularly (though I wouldn’t say frequently), and I rarely suffer from jet lag. This is because I force my body to act like the time of day it’s supposed to be. If the flight attendants turn the lights down, I try to sleep even if I’m not tired. If it’s time to eat breakfast, I eat breakfast. Regardless of where I am, I force my body to act like the time of day it is, and so far that method has worked for me. I know it’s not so easy for many people, so I’ve culled these 5 tips from other resources to help you start your vacation in a new time zone jet-lag free:

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Posted in: Resources20 comments

November18

5 Hotels in Vietnam

By: JoAnna

Last January, Beth Whitman of Wanderlust and Lipstick got in touch and told me that I had won the WanderWomen Write contest. My prize? Twelve fabulous days in Vietnam organized by Buffalo Tours. As part of my itinerary, I had a chance to stay in several high-end hotels and resorts throughout the country.

5 Hotels in VietnamIntercontinental Hanoi Hotel — Hanoi

The Intercontinental Hanoi Hotel is located north of the Old Quarter on the northern side of West Lake. The hotel is massive with 359 rooms and is built right over the lake, so just about every room has a view of the water. I had a Deluxe Hanoi View room.

Rooms are very clean with large balconies, large bathrooms, hot water and clean and crisp linens. There are lots of in-room amenities, including robes and slippers, allow guests to relax. Cable internet service, however, runs a pricey $18.00/day. Overall, the look and feel of the entire hotel is very Western and modern. This is also reflected in the on-site restaurant, which has standard Western menu options as well as Vietnamese ones, all at Western prices. Room service is also available for a hefty price.

Unfortunately, the hotel is really out of the way, and casually strolling to a restaurant isn’t really an option. That said, the on-site concierge speaks English very well and has plenty of recommendations of places to eat and shop, and the staff will call a cab for you.

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Posted in: Stay4 comments

November15

Tours4Fun: A Review and Recommendation

By: JoAnna

Tours4Fun: A Review and RecommendationEarlier this year, a representative from Tours4Fun invited me to explore the company’s offerings and take advantage of one of its tours.

I admit to being a bit skeptical. Me? On a tour? Never!

Well, I’m lucky that Tours4Fun was persistent because about a month ago my husband and I had the opportunity to check out the Hoover Dam from inside, outside, above, below and from the sides thanks to the Upgraded Hoover Dam Tour with Colorado River Float Tour. The tour, which was actually conducted by Pink Jeep Tours Las Vegas, is about six hours long. It includes transportation to and from any hotel in Las Vegas, a snack and unlimited bottled water, several stops to view the Hoover Dam from a variety of angles, entrance on the Hoover Dam tour (generally $11.00 per adult) and a special Colorado River float tour that offers a view of the dam from the river below. This portion of the tour is only ever experienced by only 1%-2% of all visitors to the dam.

Booking this tour directly through Pink Jeep Tours Las Vegas is advertised at $156.00 per person. Tours4Fun, which is a tour wholesaler, often offers severe discounts on the same tours. Through it, the upgraded Hoover Dam tour is $129.00 per person. (Pink Jeep Tours Las Vegas also offers discounts on its tours; at the time of this post’s publication, the company was also offering this tour at $129.00.)

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Posted in: Resources4 comments

November11

Good Reasons to Visit Jamaica

By: JoAnna

On my trip to Jamaica this past summer (sponsored generously by the Jamaica Tourism Board and Secrets Resorts & Spas), I had the opportunity to participate in some awesome activities (Dunn’s River Falls was a highlight), eat incredible food (jerk chicken, anyone?), check out some historic sites (like the Rose Hall) and dance late into the night at some of the clubs in Montego Bay.

I was only in Jamaica for a few days, though, and I definitely didn’t get a chance to explore the island in depth. So while I was there, I asked the people who know best — the Jamaicans themselves — about why you should travel to Jamaica and what you should do while you’re there.

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Posted in: Go4 comments

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