Category Archives: Travel Musings

Sloths Are Cute (And Also A Little Creepy)

30 Sunday Jun 2013

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I have a confession to make.

I’ve never been crazy about sloths.

Look at their cuteness. UNREASONABLE.

Look at their cuteness. UNREASONABLE.

They are cute. And slow. And mostly cute because they’re slow. But they’ve just never been on my animal radar. Dolphins were more my speed. And dogs. Dogs are so flippin’ AWESOME! Long story short, it was never a life dream of mine to cuddle with sloths, or watch them lazily reach for a branch or shimmy down a tree with the dexterity and speed of a totally baked person.

Maybe I just hadn’t spent enough time on YouTube.

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I’m baaaack!

25 Tuesday Jun 2013

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Sloths are cute.

Because sloths are cute.

So. I’m back. Where have I been? Welp, back in April, I told you all I’d be heading for Costa Rica to work on a guidebook for Go! Girl Guides. 

To say it was a dream come true–writing a guidebook, getting to travel and work–is not an understatement. I’d say it’s just a regular statement, really, an a true one at that. Costa Rica was a blast, and eventually you’ll hear a lot more about my bumblings there. The photo above is a little peek into the daily ridiculousness I got to partake in. (Partake of? Just partake? Someone help me out here…)

But to be honest, I’m feeling overwhelmed with the backlog that I have from my Eurotrip & Triumphant Return Stateside (you still haven’t heard about Scorsese stuff in Berlin! And my epic week in Boston that included but was not limited to day drinking, Freedom Trailing and eating my weight in desserts! And so much more!).

No, actually this wasn't part of the day drinking.

No, actually this wasn’t part of the day drinking.

Not to mention my next endeavors, which include a big move to Pittsburgh for graduate school (!!!), where I will happily play local tourist and include you on all the insight and info I gather as I settle into the Steel City. This summer I also anticipate doing a number of I Heart Tucsons, too, seeing as it’s possibly my last summer there ( another !!!).

Rather than playing catch up right now, though, which is also a terrifying thought considering the fact that I have the rest of A BOOK to write, I figured I’d share with you my current doings. Literally. As in, what I’ve been doing this evening INSTEAD of writing this book because I have been having trouble focusing, what with all the life changes and all. Plus, the internet is just so INTERNETISTING! (See what I did there?)

Things I did today other than work:

Ok. Time to open my Microsoft Word doc window again.

Bumblings is Going on Pseudo Hiatus

17 Wednesday Apr 2013

Posted by in Destinations, Travel Musings

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With all the shenanigans I’m going to be having in Central America in the coming months, the blog is going to be pretty quiet.

image

This morning, ready to hit the jungles and beaches of Costa Rica!

If you’re really craving some cool travel stories, I recommend checking out a few of my favorite blogs while I’m on the road (see Link Love).

And don’t forget to follow me @saramelanie14 on Twitter and Instagram for more up-to-date stuff (I’ll be posting there when possible)!

Pura vida!

 

A Snowy Walk in Dresden: A (Short) Photo Essay

06 Saturday Apr 2013

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By some act of literary coincidence, Dresden made an appearance in two of the books I read this year: Slaughterhouse Five, by Kurt Vonnegut (finally) and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, by Jonathan Safran Foer.

That, plus a friend’s rave review of the city, and the fact that it was on my way to Berlin–where I’d fly back to the US from–all made it a perfect storm of reasons to visit.

I’m glad I did. Although I didn’t make it to the old site of the slaughterhouse where Vonnegut himself had been held during WWII, I did explore a bit of the city. Over a couple days, I:

  • visited the German Hygiene Museum (totally worth a trip, but the downside is that many of the explanations are only in German)
  • ate some pretty cheap, legit Turkish food
  • went lindy hopping
  • saw art, art & more art (although unfortunately a big chunk of the Zwinger was closed when I was there)
  • marveled at the world’s largest porcelain piece of artwork
  • had coffee & cake at the smallest cafe in Dresden

Out of all of those things, though, I think my favorite was just exploring the city in the snow.

So, for this desert girl, here are some of my favorite snowy pics from Saxony.

Statue in Dresden

The Golden Horseman is August the Strong, an elector of Saxony, duke of Lithuania and king of Poland in the 18th century.

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How to Score Cheap Tickets for Broadway Shows

18 Monday Mar 2013

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I love New York. There are many, many reasons for this, but one of the biggest is because I’m kind of a theatre nerd (<-notice how I automatically spell theatre the silly British way with the RE instead of ER, heyooo!) and I also adore musicals. So, naturally one of the reasons I love New York, is for BROADWAY!
Breakfast at Tiffany's on Brooadway

Breakfast at Tiffany’s at the Cort Theatre in NYC! We got tickets for the March 4 show, first night of previews!

In the few trips I’ve made to NYC, I’ve seen a handful of Broadway shows–both plays and musicals–and have managed to land some killer seats (like, 2nd or 3rd row) to Tony award-winning shows without paying more than $35 for a ticket.
So how did I find affordable tickets for hit Broadway shows? The ticket lottery.

Daylights Savings? Or, How I Had Coffee with a Bishop

09 Saturday Mar 2013

Posted by in Destinations, Expat Life in Italy, Travel Musings

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Written October, 2009.*

Apparently, daylight savings went into effect last Saturday at midnight. Nobody told us. As an Arizonan, I have never had to deal with the whole daylight savings ordeal; never had to figure out which way to change my clock, never wondered what would happen if I forgot. Time travel of the most man-made kind, and iit did not even remotely exist in my world. Simply not an issue.
Clock

Source

So, I wake up, put on my Sunday best, and go to church, just as I have been doing for the past month. I arrive, and the door is locked. No sounds of chairs scraping inside, no chatter of the kidlets who go to Sunday school. I check my phone clock. 10:25 a.m. The service starts at 10:30. I am confused. I turn around and see a portly man walking towards me. He has the build of a linebacker, but is wearing a large cross necklace, in the design of the 7th c AD, one of those squarish ones.

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How Living in a Small Town Taught Me About Travel

09 Saturday Mar 2013

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Agatha Christie is one of my favorite mystery writers. Most folks love Poirot, but I loved Miss Marple, the old lady from a tiny town who was a genius sleuth. Characters were always very skeptical about her detective skills, because who was she? Just some spinster who  never left her little corner of the world. But Miss Marple knows something that people forget: it doesn’t matter where you come from to garner lessons about humanity and life.

At this point in my life, I’ve spent a bit more than an accumulated year in  Italy. Most of that time was passed living in Orvieto. Now, Orvieto isn’t very large. Wikipedia says it’s 20,000 people, but I”m skeptical. In any case, Orvieto was certainly the smallest place I’ve ever lived. And guess what?

The Orvieto duomo and skyline of Orvieto

Orvieto: where I learned how to travel.

I learned some of the most important lessons about traveling by living there.

Lesson 1: Be flexible. 

In a small town–especially an Italian one–shops close early, they might be open at random times (i.e. the grocery store randomly closed every Wednesday afternoon), they might go on vacation *gasp!* for two weeks and you won’t be able to find your favorite bread or whatever.

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How to Buy Awesome Souvenirs (Without Overloading Your Bag)

06 Wednesday Mar 2013

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As you know, I’m a light packer. And as much as I love shopping (when I’m in the right mood), I have a hard time justifying buying souvenirs unless I’m on a short trip and don’t have to lug stuff around too long.

But traveling for 8 months and seeing things you’ve never seen before sometimes prompts a desire to take home a relic or two. Here are some of my favorite souvenirs that not only fit into my bag, but will also remind me of my fabulous trip and the incredible people I met along the way.

Look for Unique and Practical Garments

If you buy a t-shirt for every destination you travel, you might end up with a lot of extra weight in your pack. Trust me, there were so many clever and cute t-shirts I wanted (Appelman in Berlin, anyone?) but really often at souvenir shops they’re kitschy and overpriced.

The good thing about buying t-shirts as souvenirs is that if you’re traveling long-term, you’ll probably have to toss or donate your old, ruined ones at some point. And what better to replace them with than ones that are both practical–I mean, you can wear them!–and have a story behind them.

The trick? Look for items that you might not be able to get anywhere else. And that you WILL USE AND WEAR.

Example 1: In October, I traveled in Italy with the fantastic Emily & Logan. While they were off being their badass selves cycling 135 km through the picturesque Tuscan hills, I was eating porchetta and watching as people came in at the finish. Oh, and I also perused the L’Eroica market place.

There, I stumbled upon the tent for Borracce di Poesia, a project joining the joy of cycling with love of reading. Literally translated to “Water Bottles of Poetry,” its founder inserted poems he’d written that focused on urban cycling. I LOVED the idea behind this, and they had the coolest design for their t-shirts. The founder and I had a really great chat, and I asked myself: Where else would I get something like this that was paired with this experience?

Overlooking Siena and promoting poetry!

Overlooking Siena and promoting poetry!

I love my Borracce shirt and can’t wait until there’s warmer weather to wear it all the time again–I did in Italy!

And by the way–now you can get their t-shirts online! They are super cool and come in many colors.

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Favorite Five: Hostels I Stayed In

03 Sunday Mar 2013

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Now that I’m back in a non-shared sleeping space and don’t have to rent a towel, I can reflect on the many types of accommodation I’ve used. I’ve been welcomed into homes, which were always my favorite, and stayed in some very cute budget hotels and AirBnB rooms.

Our hotel room in Litochoro--NOT a hostel. They upgraded our room to a triple with a balcony...

Our hotel room in Litochoro–NOT a hostel. They upgraded our room to a triple with a balcony…

But much of my travel and time was spent in hostels. Here are my five favorite hostels I stayed in during my nearly eight-month stint traveling Europe.

Click on the name of the hostel in the header to get to their site, which has all their details and current pricing!

Art Hole Hostel: Prague, Czech Republic

Know when you watch a trailer, and the movie is totally NOT what you were expecting? Well, at Art Hole Hostel I totally got what I wanted–and expected–from their description. On their description for Hostelworld and Hostelbookers, they clearly say they are not a party hostel and are great for solo travellers.

This was absolutely true on both counts. With a great location nearby to bars, guests could go out and dance the night away or party to their heart’s content, but quiet hours started at midnight and were pretty well enforced, meaning those of us who wanted to stay in (read: I am an old grandma and like my beauty sleep) or go to bed before 3 a.m. could do so.

Plus, they don’t book big groups, and it was really easy to chat with other travelers there. AND breakfast is included–WITH protein! Cute little hard boiled eggs in egg cups right in the kitchen, ready for your enjoyment.

I also loved the look of the place; it’s in a big old building with wood floors and high ceilings, and the lockers were big enough for me to fit my entire bag into it.

The cons? The number of bathrooms is a little low compared to the number of folks staying there, and for those of you who are unwieldy packers, you’ll have to lug your stuff up a few flights of stairs, as there is no elevator.

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On Coming Home

02 Saturday Mar 2013

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For the past few days, I’ve had three songs stuck in my head on repeat:

“New York, New York” by Frank Sinatra

“NYC” from the Broadway musical, Annie (aka one of my favorite musicals of all-time, especially at age five)

“Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys.

Why, you ask?

BECAUSE THAT’S MY FIRST STOP STATESIDE. And although it’s not technically my home in that I don’t legally reside there, it feels like home (and I’d love for it to be  someday).

This is what I saw arriving into JFK in NYC on Feb. 28th.

This is what I saw arriving into JFK in NYC on Feb. 28th.

I could barely contain my excitement during my flight. When we finally touched down at JFK, I had a huge crazy person grin on my face. The sun was setting and as I made my way from the terminal and entered the fray of the MTA to get into the city, as I heard not only English but Russian and Mandarin and thick Bronx accents,  I saw Chelsea Papaya and Doughnut Plant and my crazy person grin fit right in.

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