A Taste of Memphis

There'll be more where this came from! But for now, here's a picture of Memphis' famous Beale Street.

Dream Destination: Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik's Old Town is perhaps best identified by its orange roofs. (Photo from Wikimedia Commons)

I’ve been dreaming of Dubrovnik, Croatia’s romantic, trapped-in-time city, since Jade and I began discussing our (as of yet unscheduled) eastern Europe tour. In spite of the fact that it’s inaccessible by train – our preferred mode of European transport – Dubrovnik is on my must-see list for the trip.

To add to my anticipation, my all-time favorite show, Game of Thrones, is filming part of season two in the medieval city. They’re also filming in two of my other Dream Destinations, Northern Ireland and Iceland. Oh, what I would give to be on that production crew…

Dubrovnik is a walled city on the Adriatic Sea, well-preserved since its medieval hey-day. (Poet Lord Byron called it the Pearl of the Adriatic.) The city’s first pharmacy, established in 1317, is still open today. Dubrovnik’s walled Old City was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1979.

Dubrovnik combines all the best of a perfect travel escape: sunny beaches, sidewalk cafés and an almost pearlescent radiance (hence Byron’s nickname for the city). The city is geographically isolated by mountains and sea, making it a hassle to get in (by air seems to be best, but you can also reach it by ferry or car). But that kind of isolation makes a place all the more relaxing once you’re there.

Sponza Palace is one of the many medieval

sights in Dubrovnik's Old Town. (Photo byLászló Szalai)

Many of Dubrovnik’s most exciting sights are from its medieval prime. Visitors can walk the city walls that have protected Dubrovnik since the 13^th century. Other medieval sights include the Franciscan and Dominican Monasteries and the Rector’s Palace. Other palaces, as well as cathedrals and fountains, delight sightseers.

More adventurous types can go on sea kayaking excursions or dive in the Adriatic. Visitors looking to venture further beyond the city walls can travel to Mostar, Montenegro or any of a number of islands, including Korcula (with a beautiful medieval city) or Lokrum, with a ruined Benedictine monastery and botanical gardens. Mostar and Montenegro are accessible by bus or car. Both islands are accessible by ferry.

What to eat: Seafood! It’s on the Adriatic Sea, after all. Seafood specialties include squid, octopus and all sorts of shellfish. Risotto is another local specialty, and you can find seafood risotto all around the city. My fellow vegetarians might have a tougher time in this city, but the city seems to have a variety of pizza and pasta places that might serve.

Where to stay: The most convenient – and most expensive – part of Dubrovnik in which to sleep is the city’s Old Town. Budget options include Fresh* Sheets hostel (www.freshsheetshostel.com) and the Old Town Hostel (www.dubrovnikoldtownhostel.com).  Rooms Vicelic (rooms-vicelic.com) is a guesthouse inside the city walls, and has two other properties with rooms and apartments just outside the Old Town.

For more information and details to plan your trip to Dubrovnik, visit:

• Lonely Planet: Dubrovnik
• Croatia Travel Blog
• Frommer’s Dubrovnik

– Sputnik

Changing habits, perspectives since 9/11

The tenth anniversary of the September 11^th attacks tomorrow has brought about a barrage of media coverage asking variations on the same question: how have the United States and the world changed since that day?

Certainly, the attacks fundamentally changed the way we travel. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the airline industry saw a record number of passengers during the August before the attacks. It took three years for airlines to recover those numbers.

Airport security has changed drastically, and new policies have discouraged many from flying. Recent research by the U.S. Travel Association finds that travelers avoid two to three trips per year due to the “unnecessary hassles” of airport security.

I was 14 years old when the planes hit the twin towers, the Pentagon and the field in Pennsylvania. The events of that day have had a profound effect on my generation, which was too young to experience the fears of the Cold War and oblivious to suffering in other parts of the world. From our perspective, we lived in a world absent of the kind of fear and suffering that previous generations faced.

The events exacerbated my already-pronounced fear of flying, which remains with me to this day. For others, post-9/11 biases have affected how they view other cultures and have discouraged global understanding. Unpopular U.S. policy decisions after the attacks have also caused many to fear discrimination or retaliation when traveling abroad.

On his blog today, travel writer Rick Steves is encouraging Americans to continue traveling, in spite of fears and a recent U.S. State Department alert reminding travelers of the continued threat of terrorism. I echo Steves’ statement. Travel not only promotes your own understanding of other cultures, it encourages others to better understand yours.

I’d like to hear from you. How did your travels change on September 11, 2001, and how have they evolved over the last ten years?

To read more about how travel and our perspectives have changed over the last ten years, check out some of these stories around the web:

“Security has changed flying in myriad was since 9/11,” Vancouver Sun

“The true cost of 9/11 for travelers,” Smart Money

“From 9/11/01 to 9/11/11,” Blog Gone Europe (Rick Steves)

– Sputnik

Butterbeer

Jade and Sputnik tasting frozen butterbeer at Universal Studios

This is where our dorkiness comes through. Butterbeer is one of the most amazing drinks you will ever have. I've been fantasizing about its flavor since I was 12 years old. Last April I finally got my chance when Sputnik and I spent a week in Orlando with our friend Ash Tree. At some time I'm sure we'll go into detail about the whole trip but for now I'd like to focus on the butterbeer.

If you don't know, butterbeer is a beverage of wizards and witches from Harry Potter. The first time Harry tastes it he thought "it was the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted and seemed to heat every bit of him from the inside." J.K. Rowling was quoted in Bon Appetite as saying "I imagine it to taste a little bit like less-sickly butterscotch."

With the opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Orlando Island's of Adventure, many fans (myself included) were particularly excited to finally taste the brew. Universal's version is not exactly what's described in the books but it's pretty darn good.

The version in the book should be slightly alcoholic; not enough to effect a teenager but plenty to get a house elf wasted. Since Universal's is mostly (I believe) aimed towards children there's no booze. Harry and his friends drink butterbeer two ways, cold in a bottle or hot in a mug. Again, the theme park has a different take. The only option is in a mug either chilled or frozen. Both are delicious. I feel the differences can be forgiven since the park has their own perogative.

Ash Tree and Jade enjoying some homemade butterbeer

About a month after our trip, Ash Tree and I made some of our own based on a recipe found here: http://wizardingworldpark.com/top-5-butterbeer-recipes/2010/08/20/  If you're interested in making it, we used recipe number1. This came very close to what we had at the park. One of the things I like best about this recipe is it can be served warm and easily be made alcoholic (instead of rum extract use actual rum) to more closely resemble what is described in the book. This version was so good Sputnik and I made a batch to celebrate Harry Potter's birthday at the end of July. We can't wait to find another occasion to make it or get the opportunity to return to Universal!

~Jade

Memphis, Tennessee!

Courtesy of Memphis Travel

Jade and I are spending a weekend in Memphis in a couple of weeks to see the touring Les Miserables show (so excited!!!).

We're still researching and prioritizing options for the trip, and trying to make the most of our short time there. Of course we're looking at Graceland and the National Civil Rights Museum. I'm also excited to tour downtown on the streetcar and check out Memphis's musical roots on Beale Street.

I looked at Urban Spoon to find some cheap, highly-rated places to eat. We can't go to Memphis without trying some barbeque, and I found a great-sounding place with a vegetarian option! The award-winning Central BBQ in central Memphis has complete plates for under $10 and sandwiches for under $5 – including a portobella mushroom sandwich that I can't wait to try. We're also going to check out Muddy's Bake Shop, with awesome-sounding cupcake flavors, like prozac and razzle dazzle.

Anyone have suggestions for other sights or great places to eat?

– Sputnik

New Ideas

First, I know I have not kept my resolution. I'm sorry. Finding time is not easy.

Sputnik and I have had a little brainstorm today and have some new ideas. I'm not going to reveal them at this point since we are still working out the details. In the meantime, here's a fun photo of us and our friend Ash Tree from a trip we took to Orlando in April.

-Jade

I've been down this road more than twice

I did not hitch a ride with a vending machine repair man but I am high on intellectualism. All that's from a Sheryl Crow song.

First let me apologize for not writing sooner. I was on the road for over a week and therefore unable to keep up with the goal.

I spent the last week on a trip that I had done parts of several times before. It's strange how when you go down a specific road again you remember the most random things. Things you would never think about when planning or reminiscing. For instance, you pull into a gas station in Northern California because you need something wet after those treacherous mountains and realize that a year ago almost to the day you did this exact same thing in this exact same place. The reason: it was the first place to stop since Oregon. Or driving through West Texas you can do 80 miles an hour as long as it's still daylight.

These things aren't terribly important but it's fun to come to realize something like a huge cross country trip can become old hat. That's not necessarily a bad thing though. After all, every day is a winding road.

It's been a while

Hey there internet people! This is Jade writing to you from my parents' couch in Kent, WA. I know it's been a while since you've heard from Sputnik or me but don't you think for one second that we've given up on traveling or this blog. We're just bad at managing our time and keeping up with things. But that's all about to change.

I've made a mid year resolution to update this blog at least once a week. Now don't get too excited. Some of those updates will only be a picture with a brief description but some will be in depth accounts of our numerous (and crazy) adventures. So keep checking back here. In the mean time, just to tease you, here's a pic of Sputnik and me from a trip we took a month or two ago. Can you guess where we are?

-Jade

The Urge to For Going

There is never a time in my life when I wouldn't want to take a trip but at certain periods what I want to do more than anything is get in my car and just drive; grab my tent, leash up Ginny, fill the tank, and set off. There is something so wonderful about a road trip. Driving for hours on end allows my brain to be at peace and truly contemplate the universe.

Joni Mitchell has a song call "Urge For Going". One of the most powerful verses is :
"The warriors of winter they gave a cold triumphant shout
And all that stays is dying and all that lives is getting out
See the geese in chevron flight flapping and racing on before the snow
They've got the urge for going, they've got the wings to go".

Every winter I feel that same sensation of being trapped and all I want to do is leave. Something about the low clouds and freezing weather makes it hard to get the motivation to leave my bed. Summer gives us the sense of possibility while winter locks our souls away. The song has one line which always scares me a little. "I get the urge for going but I never seem to go." Even as I feel stuck by the harshness of the season I have to remember the time will come when the possibility to leave is present. Luckily, Louisiana has decided that the end of February is the beginning of Spring. I'm now looking forward to be able "to go" and working on planning some of my upcoming road trips.

-Jade

Summer Plans?

Shanti Bhavan, about 2 hours from Bangaluru, educates
the lowest caste of Indian children, ages 4-17.
(Courtesy of Shanti Bhavan)

As teachers, we pretty much have our vacation time mapped out for us. So right now we're in the process of making plans for our two-month break this summer. We could tour central Europe. We could road trip across the U.S. We could visit every national park within a 500 mile radius.


Or, we could continue teaching. Today, we went to an informal info session on teaching at Shanti Bhavan, a school for ages 4 to 17 that seeks to provide a world class education to some of the poorest kids in the world. The school is located about 2 hours from Bangaluru (formerly Bangalore) in southern India. Many of its teachers are volunteers who donate anywhere between a month or a year of time working at the school. Kids receive instruction in general academics, as well as arts enrichment, economics and other subjects.

The two of us are considering applying to spend 4 to 6 weeks teaching at the school this coming summer, then spending an additional week or two exploring the country by train. Our room and all our meals (which are mostly vegetarian) would be provided free of cost. All we'd need to cover is airfare and any additional travel within the country.

We're super pumped for this possibility, and we'll keep you informed about the application process and let you know as our summer plans develop. If you're interested in the organization, you might like to check our their website at http://www.shantibhavanonline.org/index.html or their blog at http://sbchildren.blogspot.com/

Essential Hosteling Accessories

That's me, Sputnik, at the Valley Hostel in Lauterbrunnen,
Switzerland, where I went during the summer 2010.

As I’ve mentioned previously, my dad and I spent a month touring western Europe last summer. We were on a budget, so we stayed mostly in hostels, with the occasional small hotel or B&B thrown in the mix. Here’s a list of items we brought and found immensely helpful, and a few items we wish we’d packed.

Sleep sack. Some hostels will require you to rent sheets, or might not have any at all. And then, of course, there are the hostels with questionable cleanliness. A sleep sack will keep you clean under the covers. You can get cotton sacks, or splurge and get silk, which are much lighter and smaller. Check out the Sea to Summit collection ($26.95-$64.95, www.rei.com).

The lightweight Jetlag Alarm Clock
takes up barely any room in your
pack. (Courtesy A+R)

Portable alarm clock. You don’t want to miss the sights (or your train)! Pack a lightweight one to save space. Try the Travel Alarm Clock (Rick Steves, $15.95) or Sam Hecht’s Jetlag Alarm Clock (www.aplusrstore.com, $40).

Ear plugs. Every hosteller has stories about snoring bunkmates or drunk and stumbling spring breakers. Unless you sleep as deep as the Mariana Trench, you’ll be glad to have these on hand. You might also want to pick up a sleep mask for the same reason.

A good paperback. Not only does a good book help pass the time, but many hostels have book exchanges, so when you’re done with the one you bring, you can choose another one. A book that somehow involves your destination is a nice choice.

Headset. No one wants to hear the other side of your Skype conversation. Get a lightweight, USB headset, complete with a microphone, to easily voice- and video-chat over the internet. Try the super lightweight Freetalk hands-free device, which also helps to cancel out that background hostel noise (shop.skype.com, $49.88). Jade also recommends the Skullcandy line of headsets (skullcandy.com).

Deck of cards. You don’t need to speak the same language to connect over a card game. It’s also a great diversion if you’re stuck inside or outside your hostel during lock-in or lock-out hours.

The FlexiLock allows you to
secure your belongings.
(Rick Steves' Travel Store)

Combination lock. Most hostels have lockers of some sort, but often they require you to supply your own lock. A combination lock is better, because then you don’t have to worry about misplacing a key. When hostelling, though, make sure to keep the really important stuff (passport, credit cards, big bills) in a money belt, and keep that money belt on you at all times, even when you sleep! I like the FlexiLock, which has a flexible cable, allowing you to secure your stuff in lockers, on trains and elsewhere (Rick Steves, $9.95).

Netbook. If you’ve got the space, a netbook (smaller and lighter than a regular laptop) will be immensely useful. You can Skype, Facebook and e-mail, and you can also use it to confirm hostel reservations, check museum hours or catch up on the news. In my experience, most hostels have internet, and if they don’t, they can recommend a nearby internet café. Since there’s no way to protect your stuff fully while hostelling, don’t invest in expensive or attractive-looking netbooks (or really, any technology).

Clothesline. Dry out hand-washed laundry or wet clothes overnight using a packable clothesline. You can get some that have clips attached (like REI’s Hang-up Clothesline, $9.50) or with braided elastic, so you can stretch it and hold clothes in place (Travel Clothesline, Rick Steves, $9.95). Also pick up detergent, like Tide Liquid Detergent Travel Sink Packs, with just enough soap to wash a few clothes in the sink.

If you can think of any other essentials, mention them in the comments!

-- Sputnik

42 Hours in Vegas

Las Vegas is one of those places about which you hear and think "what's the allure?". If you are one of those people, put your judgment on hold. Sputnik and I randomly ended up there last summer and were pleasantly surprised. The story of how we got there will be reserved for another day but I will say we didn't expect to be there or like it and yet we did. But that's a different story.

Last weekend I found myself in the city of lights for the second time. Two of my dearest friends were getting married and decided to do it in grand style. Because I was there for the wedding I didn't get to do as much as I would have liked but now I have some great ideas for when Sputnik and I wander that way in about a year.

Since my stay totaled less than 42 hours I mostly wandered along the strip. Again, one of those things that sounds uninteresting until you do it. Even though everyone I was with was from the city we all felt like country bumpkins because of the grandeur of the city. Every direction you look there's something eye catching. The new hotel, the Cosmopolitan, is the perfect example. They manage to combine the classic idea of glittery Vegas with modern flair as well as sophistication. The first thing you see when you enter is a three story chandelier which is large enough to have a bar inside. All I could do was stare up in wonder. My friends and I had dinner at Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar and Grill, which was excellent. One of the best things about this hotel was that everyone working there (including the waitstaff and bartender) we're both congenial and professional. This was refreshing considering the poor treatment we received at the Bellagio. While that hotel has a list of pros as long as your leg, the staff all acted like we were something stinky stuck on their shoes. New York New York was on the opposite end of the spectrum. Their workers were extremely friendly but failed on the end of professionalism. One of the bouncers at Coyote Ugly made a comment which was highly inappropriate and made me quite uncomfortable. I realize that this kind of informality is appealing to many but there is a line. Despite this, the club was one of the highlights of the trip.

The whole point of the visit was to participate in my loved ones stunning union. When they told me they were getting hitched in Vegas and not doing the tacky Elvis wedding, I was a little disappointed. Maybe it's just me but I think getting married at the world's littlest chapel with ushers wearing powder blue tuxedos ala Dumb and Dumber and brides maids with dresses straight out of a thrift shop has its own charm. This is not what my friends did and I cannot say the wedding was lacking. The ceremony at the Paris Hotel was absolutely beautiful and combined both their personalities. We had the reception at Augustus Cafe in Caesers Palace. There was only one problem with the meal: there was so much food I couldn't finish a single dish. This was only a problem because it was the best meal I've ever had. Their french onion soup can only be described as delectable and the prime rib was simply amazing (the most perfect medium rare I've ever had paired with huge asparagus and a stuffed baked potato). Unfortunately, the piece of meat I left on my plate could have been a meal unto itself. If I hadn't been getting on a plane in less than 7 hours I would have taken it with me.

After the meal we had cake at the condo where some of us we're staying before going out for drinks. Nothing  of particular interest happened at this point; just a group of friends celebrating. I was only there for a few hours before I had to run off to catch my plane.

All in all Vegas is one of the few cities in the world that can get away with charging you an arm and a leg at every point but have you leave still feeling good.

-Jade

Jade is the Girl of the Hour

Jade in front of Hoover Dam

First off let me say I am not THAT self absorbed; the title is a lyric from one of my favorite bands. Brownie points if you know who I'm talking about.

This is Jade writing (in case you couldn't tell). Like Sputnik, I'm from Washington State. I was born in Virginia, lived in Indiana until I was 6, then lived a little South of Seattle from that point on. Now I'm in Louisiana.

Traveling is probably my favorite thing in this world. I've been on numerous cross-country trips across the US, to Canada (BC specifically) countless times, Mexico, Germany, France, and briefly lived in Austria. Some upcoming trips I'm looking forward to are Washington DC, Florida, and hopefully India. In the back of my mind I'm considering traveling to Las Vegas, Central Europe, and a through hike of the Appalachian Trail.

To balance out Sputnik, I am the meat eater. Also, I have a sweet German Shepard mix (Ginny) who travels with me often and will almost certainly show up in this blog from time to time.

Happy exploring!

-Jade

A Bit About Sputnik

Hello fellow travelers,

Sputnik in Siena, Italy.

Sputnik here, writing to tell you a little about myself and my travel philosophy. As a kid, I did a lot of traveling in the United States and Canada. I've been to 37 U.S. states and 6 Canadian provinces. My favorites so far are Massachusetts (where I spent most of my summers as a kid), Arizona, Quebec, and of course, my home state of Washington.

Until recently, I hadn't had travel experience outside of North America. Last summer, my dad and I did a tour of western Europe, visiting France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands. The trip only increased my appetite for international travel. Next, I'm looking forward to trips to India, Spain and central Europe.

Even before my Europe trip, my passion for travel was inspired by my French language studies and by Rick Steves' TV program and travel books. In future posts, I'll further explore my mild Rick Steves obsession...

A final note -- I'm vegetarian, which affects my travel plans, especially internationally. I'll post about my food experiences along my journeys.

Thanks for traveling our way!

-- Sputnik

Welcome to Our Awesome Blog

Howdy y'all! Can you tell we're in the south? Welcome to our brand new blog. This is Meghan (Sputnik) and Anne (Jade). From now on we will be using our travel names. We've started this blog to share our travel adventures, aspirations, and advice to you, our fellow wanderers. We're not by any means experts but rather we enjoy the path through life. Sometimes we will post together and sometimes we will post alone. You can always tell who is writing by the sign-off at the bottom.

Enough about that. You probably want to know a little about us. We are currently special education teachers in Jackson, Louisiana. Neither of us is from here although this is where we met. Completely coincidentally we are both from Washington State, love to travel, and are complete goof balls. Because we both have a teacher's income all of our trips are low budget. As we post more you will surely get to know our distinct personalities. Just to end on a cheesy note: thanks for wandering by!


-Sputnik & Jade