Bringing the world home to you!

We used to belong to a homeschool group that taught us a great way to experience travel without having to pack, arrange for pet and houseplant care, pay for hotels and airfare, etc. Without leaving home for more than an evening, we had the opportunity to experience a new place through our own eyes as well as through the experiences of others, taste exotic foods, learn local customs, and more.

Every month our group selected a country to "visit" and each family chose a dish of that country to prepare. We studied the local culture and the area, and each prepared something for our presentation. Some families would dress everyone in local costumes and present a skit, some would volunteer their homes and transform a part of it into the country we were visiting, some would collect photographs and make a travel scrapbook, some would do a report or re-enactment of some historically significant event, some would learn a bit of the language and teach it to everyone else on the evening we all met together to experience our "country of the month." Each family (or even each child) could choose what most interested them about the featured country and spend a month researching, preparing, and enjoying their project while at the same time learning about the selected country and usually learning some life skills in the process. At the end of the month we all got to enjoy watching our children's performances and enjoy a variety of local cuisine, all served in an atmosphere that drew us deep into the local culture.

Sometimes I think our little "trips" let us experience more of the selected country than even a real visit would have done, and certainly we learned more in the process, and spent less money!
Even if you don't homeschool, maybe you know a group of families from school, church, or a social organization who would be interested in trying out a project like this. It's a great way to have fun, meet people, and travel the world!

Travel blogs

We can't go EVERYwhere ourselves, so one of our favorite ways to travel is to read an interesting travel blog. We found a great blog with entries for dozens of countries, so you can can experience the world from your own desk anytime of the day or night. Other categories are also offered allowing you to quickly find travel entries that match your interests, whether they be wildlife and safari, cruises, road trips, or family travel.

Photos of breathtaking scenery, colorful local flavor, exotic animals, and more greet you on every blog entry and draw you into the experience of the traveler who submitted it, along with their travel entries and personal descriptions of their visit. You never know what you will find around the next corner, just like when traveling for real!

When you can't get away yourself, take time out and take a mini-vacation by viewing a great travel blog. You'll have a great time, and save money on hotels and airfare at the same time!

Skiing in summer?

It's July and some of us are feeling roasted in the summer heat, and dreaming of winter snows again. Browsing ski brochures? It's not too early to book accommodations because the popular resorts often sell out early and you don't want to be disappointed. The best of the best ski resorts are found in Whistler, Canada (rated #1 in North America for 8 years running!) We found a great Whistler accommodation available for online booking, featuring ski-in/ski-out, pools, hot tubs, breathtaking mountain views, steam rooms, saunas, and more. Upscale penthouses to rustic peeled log interiors, cozy or spacious enough for groups. Whatever your needs and desires, be sure to check out the offerings of Whistler lodging available.

Our favorite was the Creekside log home at Los Lenas Place which boasts cozy log walls and a gray stone fireplace, a breathtaking entrance featuring a wrought-iron gate and covered glass atrium, and an amazing staircase from half-sawn logs with a wrought-iron railing. The kitchen looks like a chef's dream, with open design allowing visiting with those gathered at the long wooden dining table, and the master suite has his and her ensuite bathrooms. Entertainment features include games table and A/V equipment, and bar. Steam room and hot tub round out the luxurious features of this fabulous dream vacation home.

And if that one doesn't suit your fancy, browse from among almost 100 other Whistler vacation lodgings to find one that perfectly matches your needs. We LOVED this site!

Chicken - the festival AND the recipes!

We've just started raising chickens here at home (which will present its own set of travel challenges), so it was with great interest that I discovered the Chicken Festival in London, Kentucky, home of the first location of the famous Colonel Sander's Kentucky Fried Chicken. The festival is coming up September 27-30th. Live entertainment will be provided, along with rides, kid's activities, a themed parade, crafts, games, and a recipe contest. If you want to start practicing a variety of chicken recipes in order to get a feel for your own creation, the time is now!

Speaking of food and travel, one of the great things about traveling is sampling different kinds of food. I love the "flavors" of different places, and often find something I'd like to take home and add to my own collection. Asian recipes are some of my favorites, and I love chicken stir-fry. Another favorite is Indian food (I love saffron!) and my next recipe-to-try is saffron chicken with dried apricots. (Don't miss the story that goes along with it on this website!)

Which brings me to my next point. If you love travel, but can't afford to actually go there, look for ideas in an upcoming post about bringing exotic destinations home to you!