TGIF!
Sorry I’ve been missing posts. I’ve been worn out from work. My goal is to get back on track on Sunday. Saturday I hope (weather permitting) to explore a “waterfall trail” in New Hampshire. With all this rain they should be really full.But it won’t give me any time to write. Plus I have some news I’m really excited to share but you need some background before I do. So see you again on Sunday!
Thanks for your patience.
Last week I took a few hours off from work to take a class at the Boston Center for Adult Education. http://www.bcae.org/Located on Arlington Street near the Arlington T stop on the Green Line. I took a class there a few years ago and it was an excellent experience even if I haven’t used the skill set I was working on. Now I was back again to meet the Boston Blogger, Brittany from Boston http://brittanyfromboston.com/; a full time traveler and blogger.
Brittany is a full time traveler whose home base is Boston. Her blog is full of the places she’s been and hints for things to do and see. She first came to my attention when she was interviewed by a TV news station. She is young. I mean seriously young, I won’t reveal her age even if I knew it but I’d say under 30.
Boston Swan Boat, Public Garden
Like I said, Brittany travels full time and I want to know how she does it. Not how in the sense of booking her trips but how can she afford it with no income? Did she win the lottery or something? Was she independently wealthy? Inquiring minds want to know!
According to the news report she quit working 2 years ago to begin her international adventure. I immediately signed up for her blog and bought her E book. Its free to sign up for the blog but the E book is $9.99. If everyone who discovers her blog buys her book she could be making a tidy sum there.
The class wasn’t about Brittany so much as it was about how to keep travel expenses under control. I know quite a few tricks but I don’t always use them so I wanted to see if I could get any new ones as well as meet Brittany in person. So here I was on a Thursday afternoon heading into the BCAE in Boston.
The class was small which allowed for a lot of personal interaction with Brittany. Her tips ran from the obvious…like traveling on a “shoulder” season to the more unusual like “couch surfing”. She told of staying in Hostels all over the world, some for as little as $5.00/per day. On one adventure she work on a yacht to pay her way. She shared photos from her journeys and stories of her trips and some misadventures. Of course, like a good TV show, everything worked out fine. She was standing in front of us all in one piece.
I can’t tell you her specific tips because then I’d be stealing her lesson plan. Suffice it to say that I enjoyed her class and enjoyed meeting this extraordinary young lady. Times sure have changed since I was her age! (For the better)
Grand Canyon
Let’s all keep traveling!
Just a heads up. aroundustyroads.com is changing hosts. This should be all background work but in case I goof up I want you to know I/we will be working diligently to get it fixed. My hope is that there will be no interruption. Fingers crossed.
Apologies to all. I do not write political posts. I do not feel that I have the knowledge to properly present political arguments. (Not that half the pundits or politicians do either) It’s just not a game I want to be involved in.
But I will say that Immigration seems to have been a “bone of contention” for a long time.
Still when I was searching for some illustrations for my previous posts I ran across this political cartoon allegedly from the 1800’s. (I say allegedly because I don’t think ball caps & back packs were popular in the 1800’s)
If it really is that old, (After all you can believe it if its on the internet, right?) then all I can say is some things never change. Just look at this one from our time.
Don’t forget the Irish and the Germans either.
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”
What happened to “Fresh Thinking?”
Well I’m off to visit Washington D.C. Seems appropriate that I divert from my no politics policy. Back soon!
I was just cruising some of the other travel blogs out there and I ran across Little Miss Traveler.
https://lovetravellingallaroundtheworld.wordpress.com/
On the very first page, about the author, she talked about why she started her blog. She wanted to have an online diary of her trips.
I couldn’t agree with her more!
I started my blog because I was afraid I’d become one of those people that always comes back from a trip and invites everyone over to show off her “home movies” or slides or photos. You know the ones. You get the invite and cringe. If you’re family you probably can’t get out of it and if you’re a neighbor and you don’t go you’ll be seeing me at every turn. And co-worker? Well my my, you are a captive audience from 9-5! There is no escape!
So as I saw myself becoming that person that everyone dreads I needed another way to share my stories to the folks that really wanted to know about my vacations. After considerable thought and many stops and starts this blog was born. Now you can visit when you want, read what you want and even make comments (which I will answer) when you want. No Boredom!
So it’s been around for awhile now. If you’re curious about my very first post you can read it here. It was posted on September 8, 2010
http://aroundustyroads.blogspot.com/2010/09/my-first-time.html
Little Miss Travels says her blog has evolved into an online resource providing inspiration to other travelers. I would be so lucky if my little tales could do the same. In fact I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the future of my little blog. My purpose has evolved over the years. I travel with more passion now and my motivation is different. I think I need to make some changes so aroundustyroads grows with me.
I’m just not quite sure what that will entail but I think after 7 years it’s time to shake things up a bit. You can be sure you will be one of the first to know. For now, stop by Little Miss Traveler’s blog and say Hi. and please visit my archives to find some really early posts.