What's Your Dream?

In a previous post I mentioned how to travel in many European cities using bike rental services. When reading National Geographic Traveler May 2012 edition I came across an article written by Becca Hensley. At first glance I thought she crazy, biking in Switzerland, there are way too many mountains! It turns out she isn't crazy. There are over 400 rental stations in Switzerland for specialized Swiss Electric Bikes. They are specifically made to help the cyclist get up those steep inclines. To me the idea of being able to bike through Switzerland sounds amazing, you get to go slow enough to really enjoy and take in the beautiful scenery. With this post I have included a photo of the original article.

Yesterday I took a mini break away from work and school and traveled to Branson, MO a full 45 minutes south of Springfield. It isn't far but I rarely make the trip. Branson is full of the typical touristy attractions, shopping and restaurants. There are lots of shows, theme parks, mini attractions and simple distractions. Branson is also located along Table Rock lake so there is plenty of fishing, camping, hiking, boating, and any other outdoor activity that you can imagine. Yesterday on my mini break I was able to take a walk in two different parks, go shopping, partake in mini golf, and eat at an amazing restaurant on the Branson Landing. It was a typical tourist day and I loved every second of it.

A couple friends and I recently went to the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I currently live about three hours away from Tulsa, so it was an easy drive to break up the mundane everyday life. Once I saw the Philbrook Museum of Art, I could not resist a mini vaca to the museum. The grounds are by far the most spectacular gardens that I have seen in the mid west. The house used to be family owned and then was donated to become the museum that it is today. The art ranges from every style imaginable and can capture any viewer's imagination. There is also a splendid little restaurant in the museum that is great for anything from a cappuccino to a full meal.  The area surrounding the museum is a beauty of its own. The private homes are a delight to drive by, spinning your imagination and sense of wonder. Tulsa holds many other little delights, from museum and casinos to wonderful restaurants and shopping. It is a wonderful change up from the everyday routine in the little tow...

I have recently taken up jogging and cycling. When I can, I use a wonderful trail called the Frisco Highline Trail near my apartment. It is a 35-mile trail that goes from Springfield, MO to Bolivar, MO, it is perfect for walks, jogs, runs, cycling, rollerblading, etc. There are some magnificent views along the as well. These pictures are from the southern portion going north towards Bolivar. On the Bolivar side there are dozens of bridges that I have yet to see, but I can't wait! This is a picture perfect farm that I saw around the seven mile marker. I just couldn't pass it without taking a picture.  This is what I saw hitting the eight mile marker. It explains its self.

When you are out on the road, the main concern is how to get from point A to point B. I have found a few inexpensive options for short distance transportation options but airfare is hard to come by "on the cheap."  However, here are some ideas to help keep those costs down. Use the Bus! There are many different bus options from country to country or just to the next block, using bus transportation is a great option for all lengths of travel. http://www.eurolines.co.uk/coach/index.aspx http ://uk.megabus.com/Default.aspx Trains are another wonderful option for both long and short distances. Many cities are incorporating metro systems into their city plans and in places like Europe; trains are used frequently for country city or country hopping. http://www.raileurope.com/index.html http://www.railroaddata.com/ Rideshare is not extinct! This is not a lost art of the 60s and 70s. You can still hitch a ride, however, this requires a bit more due diligence in the sense that one sh...

If you're like me you have a constant urge to travel that nothing can suppress. However, between your traveling there are a few things that you can do to tide you over until your next bit trip. 1. Take a weekend trip to a near by destination. 2. Drive to a near by town and check out their museums and shops. 3. Go to Vegas for the weekend, a lot of make airlines offer extremely low direct ticket flights to Vegas. And hotels in Vegas are constantly having specials. Check out travelzoo for some amazing Vegas deals. 4. Take a long bicycle or motorcycle ride. Plan out your trip to include a couple of towns that you haven't been too before. And just have fun exploring, be sure to take enough water! 5. My personal favorite is to drive around and try to get lost. You can find some incredible places this way. I just pick a random back country road and just drive.

Have you ever thought about teaching as a career? But decided to go for a different major instead? Well here is your chance to teach! You can have an all expense paid trip for as little as two weeks to up to a year teaching English as a second language! The shorter trips such as with VaughanTeacher you get to stay in resorts, free! All you have to do is spend a good part of your day conversing in English with the program participants. You do not have to do anything extreme. There are also other long-term options, getting your TESL certificate and teaching aboard in certain locations in a more permanent basis. Just be leery of the TESL certifications you can find online. A lot of them will fly you to an exotic place and get you certified for thousands of dollars but others will give you the certification while in training to teach in your new location for the at cost pricing. However, you do not have to have a TESL certificate, it just depends and where you want to go. You can look up ...