Vagabonding had a recent post on travel journal peeping which pointed me to this link to moleskinerie. It is a pretty cool blog where people open up their own Moleskines and show whats inside, how they use them. I’ll never be a sktechbook artist doing amazing watercolors in mine, but its inspirational none the less.
Word must have got out that we have a house with water rather than a dry cabin, a separate bathroom for guests and aren’t weird stalkers, because we’ve seen a flurry of requests to surf our couch this month. The most important lesson learned is that CouchSurfing experiences vary in what you get out of them. Its really about community and culture sharing rather than free lodging.
Our first guests were quiet and neat and we cooked dinner together, but I couldn’t tell you much about them, their trip or even remember their names in a week. Our second guest didn’t arrive with a guidebook itinerary in hand and actually wanted our input on our hometown. Even if I hadn’t had time to show her around myself she would have had a different experience, because she actually asked us rather than having preconceptions and a checklist from a guidebook.
She also had genuine interest in meeting us as people and getting to know us which resulted in a few late nights talking about travels, life and enjoying the red wine. It also meant that instead of getting just a few blankets and pillows from me, she got two days of my time, a guided bike tour of our town, shopped together at the farmer’s market for a fresh salad to go with a very Alaskan halibut dinner and an 8.5 mile hike guided by us over mountains to a hot springs. In other words she saw things that weren’t in the must-dos of a guidebook and had a far different experience.
Nothing was wrong with the first guests and I left them a positive reference, but I want to be that second guest and go beyond the guidebook.
My Tips for a Positive Hosting Experience
I’ll do another post with Tips for Surfers after our first surfing experience this fall.
We have one week of our Europe trip from August 11-18 where we have no plans yet. (Probably will have a car rented, oh God those poor Germans.)
We know we’ll be in Munich for most of that time, with possible side trips to visit some friends in Passau and Nurnberg in there somewhere, but for now we’re keeping things unplanned so we feel less like we’re on a strict tour of Europe and more spontaneous. This has me freaked to have no hotel plans, just a list of back-up hostels and an iPad with Wifi. Where will I sleep? A bench?! Sigh.
So I am trying to up my Couchsurfing.com cred by being a host before trying to be hosted. I have a feeling that if I was requesting someone in Munich for their couch, they’d be happier seeing I’m not some crazy person. So tomorrow I am having 3 young Chinese ladies over for two nights.
This has brought out my “I’m hosting Thanksgiving and the house must be perfect and everyone must be fed and entertained constantly or I’m a horrible person side.” I really have no idea what they expect beyond what was in my profile: a couch, pillows and their own shower.
I really don’t want to freak them out, so I have limited myself to e-mailing them a list of local events going on this weekend (Solstice baby, oh wait, that’s depressing because then we start losing light.) and cleaning the house to within an inch of its life. (What happened to Spring Cleaning?)
- Clean house
- Folder of local brochures and a list of events during their stay
- Plenty of pillows and blankets and towels
- Bus maps
Previous hosts, chime in, what else am I missing?
Lonely Planet‘s 1000 Ultimate Experiences iPad app Is Free For 3 days.
I don’t have an iPad (yet), but I might download this for future use while its Free [iTunes via SAI]
Unexpected last minute trip to Spokane, Washington of all places. I’m using a companion ticket and bringing hubby along. Stir crazy wander-lust will be assuaged. Hoping that the cute little Greek restaurant we went to last time we were in the area is still there.
Available modes of transportation to us:
With all the options we have is it really necessary to have two cars? NO! In fact, since we got the Forester, we’ve driven the Elantra a grand total of (TWICE in 2 months). And this summer we are going to bike our commutes.
This month we’ll be conducting an experiment. We aren’t going car-free, but car-less (although this family does go car-free).
Normally we drive 15 miles round-trip every day. The 2010 IRS mileage rate for business mileage is 50 cents. So for every two miles under 465 that we drive this month we’ll be transferring $1 to the travel fund. If we drive 0 miles this month that’s $232.50, practically a 3-day German train pass.
Its easy to go car-free in some cities, but in Alaska its not that easy. How easy would it be in your home-town?
I have been so vocal against my battle against the household bulge that I am being joined by several of my coworkers. We’re turning our workplace parking lot, which is on a major thoroughfare into a employee-wide garage sale. Hopefully the pool of stuff and prime location will result in better turn out and more money coming from our purging.
Today is the day of the big yard sale following up on our downsizing purge. We’ll see how much all that clutter is worth. Right now its actually costing me in time, energy and space so even though it will be worth far less than paid, its worth infinitely more than being in my house. I’m not falling for the sunk-cost fallacy. All remaining items will be going to charity. The cash is going straight into the travel fund.
via: John in LA
Oahu, a tropical wonder of beach and sand, mountains and jungles, but it can also be the land of uber-big tacky hotels and tons of tourists.
Hubby will be there for four days of Army training with just a few hours here and there to do more than stare out the window at the rainforest. Given more time, I’d go with him and do things again like sea kayak or scuba dive. Oahu is everything you’d want a tropical paradise to be, with enough to see and do here to keep you busy for a lifetime (duh people live here for just that reason), but between cosmopolitan Honolulu anad the mountain ranges of Ko’olau there is still an incredible diversity of things to do, even with just a short amount of time.
Here is the little list that I made for him to take with (after jealously whining about the injustice of being left behind).
Stroll through the Botanical Gardens
The 1st time we went to oahu we went to the Foster Botanical Garden, but it was fall time. Now it is Spring and Hawaii’s amazing collection of sweet-smelling flowers and treeswill be in full bloom. Its right downtown and only takes an hour or two to go through.
Bishop Museum
This museum took me all day and for most people it will take at least half a day, especially if you have kids, but you can time it to go just in time for one of their one hour topic specific tours and be in and out in just over an hour. Even if you do not have kids, this is a must-see on your vacation. Originally founded by Princess Bernice Pauahi, it contains a great collection of Hawaiian and Pacific artifacts and a huge science adventure center where they actually make lava as one of the displays.
Nu-uanu Pali Lookout
Honolulu traffic is hell, it once took me 2 hrs to go 3 miles. So why not go a little out of the way on your commute (yes rental car is pretty unavoidable for business trips as the bus system is so slow). Take about a half hour drive from Waikiki to the Nu`uanu Pali Lookout which has a great view of the windward side of Oahu and Kaneohe Bay.
Hawaii’s Royal Palace
Take a unique tour of the only royal palace in the United States. Built in 1882 for King Kalakaua, Iolani Palace takes only about an hour to see and is just a short walk from the State Capitol in downtown Honolulu. http://www.iolanipalace.org/
Pearl Harbor
He went to Pearl Harbor on a family vacation with his parents once, but with military I.D. its super easy to see the U.S.S. Missouri simply by driving yourself and not waiting for the shuttle bus. Both the beginning and end of World War II are memorialized forever at Pearl Harbor today in the form of the U.S.S. Arizona and the U.S.S Missouri. To save time you can drive to the Missouri yourself with military I.D. and see the U.S.S. Bowfin real quick. Tickets to the Arizona are timed so if you only have an hour or so to stop by you’ll have to get there early or skip it.
Historic Mission Houses
The Mission Houses were the original headquarters of the Sandwich Islands Mission, a group of New England Christian missionaries who arrived in Hawaii in 1820. It takes less than two hours to quickly peruse all three buildings. http://www.missionhouses.org/
Hike Diamond Head
Located on the southeast coast of Oahu, not far from Waikiki, Diamond Head is one of the world’s best-known volcanic craters. The view from the 760-ft. summit is well worth the climb. The steep trail to the top is mostly paved and includes two sets of stairs. One is 99 steps, the other 76 steps. They lead to a 225-foot tunnel (bring a flashlight) and end with a spectacular view of the island’s west side. This is also an excellent spot for whale watching during the winter months. While the park service suggests you allow 1.5-to-2 hours for a leisurely hike; the hike itself, round trip, takes less than 30 minutes for an in-shape Army guy.
Its been a long time since my last iPhone Travel apps post. We did eventually get a iPod Touch and have been loving some apps. Now that the new iPhone OS 4.0 comes with multi-tasking I may be taking the full-time plunge and getting an iPhone this summer. Here’s what I’ll look forward to having with me once I have 3G goodness instead of straight-up WIFI. What are your favorites?
Apps that lighten my load:
USB Drive = Dropbox (Free)
I have lost more USB drives while traveling than I care to count. Now I use Dropbox instead. 2GB of free space available on the iPhone, on the web and synched between all my computers…perfect.
Camera =
I think photo editing on your iPhone is a stupid idea, way too time consuming to do that on a small phone, I’m spoiled by my home setup. But photo taking? Absolutely necessary and occasionally you can leave the camera at home if you have some good apps. I’m told ProCamera ($2.99) or Camera Genius ($1.99), both are improvements over the iPhone native camera, although I haven’t tried them myself yet.
Presenter Remote = Remote (Free)
Forget buying/bringing a presenter remote, just install this app.
Wireless Mouse = Air Mouse Pro Wireless Mouse ($1.99)
Cheaper than any mini-mouse and more functional too. I rarely want a mouse with my Macbook, but when I do this replicates the functionality of a wireless mouse and lightens my load.
E-Reader = Amazon Kindle (Free)
Amazon’s Kindle
Apps that make trips smoother:
TripIt (Free)
Does one thing and does it well it takes all of your confirmation codes automatically puts it into an itinerary complete with additional hotel information and links that you can share with others. Even Tim Ferriss loves it.
Flighttrack Pro ($9.99)
I wouldn’t pay for an app unless it was awesome and this one is. For the frequent traveler needing it once pays for it. It does what it says and is the best flight tracking app out there with push alerts, real-time flight itinerary updates, automatic synching, and maps that work offline. Flight cancelled? It even helps you find alternate flights. Integrated with TripIt too.
Around Me (Free)
Allows you to quickly find out information about your surroundings. Doesn’t replace a guidebook, but helps.
Apps that solve problems of traveling:
Mint (Free) and Paypal (Free)
Maybe I’m the only one who has missed a bill payment while traveling internationally, but if not Mint.com and Paypal.com apps will save your bacon.
Shape Travelista
Travel is hard on the gym plan. “Don’t let a business trip derail your workout ever again.” Workout app designed with the traveler in mind.
Location specific apps
Well there are tons, and this list can’t go on forever. Point being, apps make travel awesome. In no way can they replace a good guidebook (even though Rick Steve’s guides have apps now) or should absorb you into not paying attention to the world around you. Take off the head phones and wander a bit.
March was the single most expensive month of my life, but that’s ok and here’s why. We weren’t planning on purchasing a car, a piano or a PlayStation this month, but we were planning on purchasing them and we had saved for them by putting money aside to pay cash. We saved and then watched for the right deal.
Car: The 2010 Subaru Forester we bought was used. Rather than buying new we purchased a 3 month old vehicle for $7k less and we still have 33 months of warranty left. The owner drove it up to Alaska and then decided he wanted a big truck. His poor planning is our gain.
Piano: I have been taking lessons again for 4 months by driving to the University and borrowing one of their pianos, but now I have my own. Estate sale sold me a Grandma’s barely used piano which was worth $4,500 for $1,500 after a little negotiation. I had my piano tuner’s jaw on the floor when I told him what I paid.
So despite the fact that I spent more money this month than I did when I got married I would consider it a success. Planned spending after saving is ok. The main spending I wanted to control was the frivolous and discretionary spending.
Here’s how we did on the frivolous and discretionary fronts:
Food/dining = $1,155 went to $630.83 for a savings of $524.00 a month. Wow that category was out of control.
Entertainment = $225 went to $128.97 for a savings of $96.03.
I think we’ll try again to work on those two categories and start making transfers into our goal savings account for our next trip. Its looking pretty empty at the moment and its good to have a goal to save for.
