My Travel Tales

Can you take your family out for a day in Sydney and not spend a cent? Pack your lunch and your comfortable shoes and make your way to Circular Quay. From there, the world is your oyster. You won't believe how much fun you can have without spending money.

1. Circular Quay

Since first European settlement, the Quay has been at the centre of Sydney's maritime life and its heart of transportation. Circular Quay is situated around Sydney Cove and is the hub of Sydney Harbour. It is a stepping-off point and booking area for most attractions based around the harbour. Every few minutes, ferries leave for destinations on the harbour including Taronga Park Zoo, Manly, Watsons Bay and Mosman.

Along the ferry terminals are a number of small outdoor cafes. It is a busy pedestrian precinct and a magnet for buskers of every description. Follow the walkways to the Opera House and Royal Botanic Gardens to the east or the historic Rocks area and Sydney Harbour Bridge to the west. On the east side of Circular Quay are its many restaurants and stylish boutiques, along with the large Dendy Cinema. On the western side of Circular Quay is the historic Rocks area with a number of quaint shopping arcades and pretty restaurants.

Circular Quay is at the foot of the central business district and the older, historic end of the city. Buses depart here for Bondi and the eastern suburbs.

A 10 minute walk from Circular Quay is Government House . . .

2. Government House

Macquarie Street

Sydney, NSW 2000

t. 02 9931 5222

f. 02 9931 5208

Free guided tours of Government House are conducted every ½ hour from 10:30am-3pm from Friday to Sunday. The grounds are open daily from 10am-4pm. If you are traveling in a group, bookings are advised.

Government House, located in the Domain and overlooking the Royal Botanic Gardens and Sydney Opera House, was constructed between 1837 and 1845 and is the most sophisticated example of a Gothic Revival building in New South Wales. Don't miss the outstanding collection of 19th and 20th century furnishings and decorations in the dining room, drawing room and ballroom. The upstairs rooms have been used as the private quarters for the Governor, Queen Elizabeth and other members of the Royal family and visiting heads of State.

Government House is within the Botanic Gardens . . .

3. The Royal Botanic Gardens

Mrs Macquaries Road

Sydney NSW 2000

t 02 6231 8111

The Royal Botanic gardens is open every day of the year (not including any areas assigned for private or ticketed events). Admission is free.

November-February: 7 am

The best sightseeing I have ever experienced was this year during a recent trip to Denali National Park in Alaska. I could not have hoped for better weather, wildlife viewing opportunities or friends to share it all with. Our accommodations at the Denali Princess Lodge were fantastic as well.

This fall I was lucky enough to get a call from my brother, an aspiring photographer. He had just been awarded a Fall Drive In Permit to Denali National Park. They are issued by lottery and allow a limited number of drivers to enter the park by vehicle. There are only four days in the entire year in which you can do this. I was thrilled, excited and eagerly awaiting my adventure of a lifetime.

We enter the Alaska Park around 4:30 am so that we could beat the other drivers and make it to a pass called Polychrome for the sunrise. Polychrome got its name for multitudes of colors displayed throughout its rocky layers. Normally this is quite a site but at sunrise it was absolutely amazing. We were also able to catch a great viewing opportunity of Mount McKinley at sunrise. There were a few people around for this and it truly was a marvelous Alaskan experience.

Next we were able to see some wildlife up close. We came across three brown bears, a mother and two cubs. They were eating berries just off the side of the road. Around the next corner we came across a pack of wolves. They were out hunting and just happened to be heading unknowingly straight towards the brown bears. We had to turn around to watch this incredible encounter and I'm glad we did.

As the wolves approached the brown bears they let their presence be known. They surrounded the bears and consistently went in close then pulled back to a safe distance while trying to drive the bears out of their territory. The mother bear was somewhat concerned because of her cubs. She kept standing up on her hind legs to see over the vegetation and follow what the wolves were up to. This of course led to many great photo opportunities. Finally after about an hour or so the bears moved back and went over the mountain to the next valley.

We continued our trek back into Denali National Park to the very end of the road. Roughly 90 miles back you will find Wonder Lake. Alaska has many beautiful lakes but this one was simply amazing. The water was crystal clear and so calm you could see the reflection of Mount McKinley just as if you were looking into a mirror. We spent some time at the little pullout the park has there and then began our return trip.

On the way back out we saw several moose. This time of year the moose in Alaska are in rut and you will find many Bull Moose ready to compete for the females. We only saw a little confrontation between the moose however we did see several Bull Moose with racks that had to have measured over 60 inches wide. That is quite impressive by all accounts.

We came across several Alaskan Dall sheep, more brown bears, a beaver, spruce hens, a falcon and a plethora of ground squirrels. The fall colors were out, the sky was blue and this was definitely a once in a lifetime trip through Denali National Parks in Alaska. In my opinion, it was well worth the cost of the travel to Alaska.

My Mercedes is waiting. The sun beams diffusely down through the moisture laden air causing beads of sweat to drip continuously on my already drenched t-shirt. I am going to Satun and the Mercedes is a classic well kept 1962 model. In fact there is a whole fleet of Mercedes waiting to take tourist to Satun from Hai Jai in Southern Thailand. They are all black with an exaggerated curved body indicative of automobiles of the late 50's. And believe it or not, they still retain the comfort that Mercedes is famous for.

The year is 1998 and I am going to the Andaman Sea in the Straits of Malacca. There I will plant myself for two weeks on one of the many somewhat deserted islands that dot this reclusive part of the world. A world inhabited by pirates and honeymooners in the Koh Tarutao National Park system in the very south of Southern Thailand.

Which island I am going to, I don't know, but I am not the only one. Sharing my taxi ride is a young couple in love from Germany and a family from Thailand, husband and wife with their 5 year old son.

It takes about twenty minutes for the taxi driver to stuff everyone's belongings into the trunk. I have made substantial purchases of deliciously fresh dried fruits and filled my water container with pomegranate juice from one of the ?made for tourist' vendors surrounding the taxi. We squeeze into tightly together; the family and myself in the rear of the taxi and the couple from Germany in the front and prepare for a long and fascinating journey.

"Are you comfortable" the driver asks in broken English.

I answer like an excited kid, "Let's get this rocket rolling."

My feelings were of excitement and anticipation and I don't know why I said such a strange thing. No one else said anything and I felt as if my words were still echoing in the silence minutes later. But no matter, here I am in the middle of the world, on an adventure that relatively few have gone before.

The journey takes 3 hours of driving through exotic and undeveloped country side; incidentally through a warm and friendly Islamic side of Thailand. At one point we passed two foreigners on bicycles pedaling in racing uniforms. Later they caught up to us in some remote village on the way as we were stopping for refreshment. They came up next to our taxi and said with a heavy European accent "hello?" I answered, "Wow! I can't believe this! What are you doing way out here in the middle of nowhere on bicycles?"

The young man in his twenties answered, "We are traveling around the world. We are on our way to Indonesia." The other couple traveling in the taxi with me immediately took notice and a very long and interesting conversation ensues between all of us.

It turns out that the bicyclists are a married couple and the last county they pedaled through was Myanmar. After Indonesia, they planned to cycle the islands of Hawaii and then to Mainland USA.

To this day I still have dreams of that encounter and the miraculous and dangerous journey they were taking. I have never heard of them since and have no idea what became of them.

Before we know it, the taxi driver is honking his horn for us to return and we are saying our goodbyes to this marvelous couple. We pile into the taxi for the last leg of our journey. Looking out the window we pass fields of coconut palms, women balancing wood or foods in baskets on their heads wearing colorful loose clothing down to their feet. The homes we pass by are often made of palm frawns or a patchwork of wood and debris. And in the fields are men and women, young and old with their ox and children tilling vegetables in the same way at their ancestors have done for thousands of years.

Finally we reach Satun. I don't know what to expect. The town is about two blocks long; a fishing village whose main street leads right to the ocean. There fishing boats made of old rotting lumber wait to take us to one of the many islands we will now select in the many makeshift tourist offices that line the street.

Each old rickety tourist office has pictures of the islands they offer and provide for a fee, the means to get their. And if you are uninformed, you will pay in advance for you accommodations. Something better to do when you arrive on the island. Occasionally an owner of one of these offices tries to get us inside by enticing us with words like ?beautiful, exotic, cheap…' We all walk down the main avenue looking and asking questions until each of us select our travel destination destiny.

I study all the pictures from all the offices of all the islands carefully and I choose Langkawi only 5 kilometers away from the southern tip of Tarutao Island. I pay the equivalent of approximately $7 for a round trip boat ticket and I am then led to one of the boats. The boat can fit about 4 people and sits low to the water. There is single engine propeller that is barely hangs attached to the rear of the craft. I wait about 15 minutes before we begin our three hour journey through rough and dangerous seas to the somewhat deserted and exotic island of Langkawi…

My days on the island with boa constrictors, pirates, a lost tribe of Islamic fishermen, my isolated beach cottage right on my own private beach, the couple isolated on the other side of the island studying esoteric Buddhism, the small exotic café serving daily fresh fish from the sea, the many tourist from Europe that came and went, lightening in the sky on a clear day and the marvelous skin diving in clear deep tropical sears are topics I will discuss in my next article. Stay turned.

Are you planning your next trip? Do you want to save more money and have more fun? You may stop by a travel center and ask for a quote. And then, you walk by another travel agent and ask for another quote. You read your local newspapers, look through travel magazines, and check for the cheapest vacation package to Europe, Caribbean, Asia, or South Pacific. You are still not sure if it is the best price. You become a little obsess. You spend several hours every evening on the Internet to search for the best travel deal. It doesn't have to be so complicated and difficult. Let me show what travel agents won't talk about can save you 50% to 70% every time on all your vacations.

First, we need to understand the travel industry. It is a very "elastic" or "seasonal" industry. This means prices change quickly according to supply and demand. When there are lots of people want to go to Hawaii in summer, the prices for all the hotels, resorts, and condos will be very expensive. When there is no one going to a ski resort in summer (where is the snow?), the prices for these winter resorts will be very cheap. Travel industry is very dynamic and price sensitive. Tourism goes hand-in-hand with the ups and downs of a travel industry. So, if you want to save money, you need to search for the ideal vacation package that will allow you to book rooms, recreations, and tours "whenever" you want and "wherever" you want at the best discount prices.

Here are 10 simple ways to save money on all your vacations:

1. Get a discount travel membership card for hotels, resorts, and condos. These are not time share condominiums. These are in fact quality and brand name hotels and resorts that are looking for ways to fill up their rooms early so that they can charge the last minute clients at high price. When hotels don't fill up their rooms or don't have full occupancy, they lose money that night with no income at all. Therefore, hotel managers' job is to fill as many rooms as possible at the best possible rates to maximize their profit margin. Using a discount card to book your rooms allows hotels to fill up empty rooms and guarantee occupancy. You may just pay the basic cleaning fees and taxes and enjoy a room at 50% to 85% off.

2. Use travel certificates and coupons to get discounts on golfing, camping, skiing, and various recreation activities. You can save money from 2-for-1 passes or 25% to 75% discounts anytime. When you travel with families or groups, you can save lots of money for shopping later.

3. Get discount dining cards to save on meals, from casual to classy breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can save up to 50% each meal in 26,000+ restaurants in 1,000 cities around the world. You choose your taste of French, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and many more world cuisine. Enjoy life with exceptional dining values.

4. Join a discount travel membership that provides you with discounts for any tour around the world. No matter it is a family or business group. You can save money and time to have a tour guide showing you around. Stop reading your maps and get a professional tour guide at a discount price.

5. Find out where you can get discount coupons for all the theme parks across USA. Admission fees and rides in these theme parks are expensive. Visit the websites or join a travel membership that includes discount coupons.

6. Remember to get your roadside assistance or emergency service before you start a road trip. You never know what will happen when you are driving on a highway in the middle of a day or night. You can save hundreds and thousands of dollars on towing and repairing.

7. Search for a car rental company that gives the best discount and provides free upgrades. Car rental companies will usually provide a 10% to 15% discount for members.

8. Get a few phone cards that give you best long distance rates with free calling minutes. When you are away and feeling home sick, you can quickly pick up a free phone card and make some calls. Using the long distance at hotels, on cruise ships, and in tourist centers can add up to be very expensive.

9. Purchase gift coupons or gift cards all the times. You can get many free gifts, such as: earrings, pens, rings, radios, wine glasses and many accessories at a discount rate or free. You can fill up your suitcases and giveaway real gifts (not the free napkins from the airlines) for real people in your family, in your office, or even your neighbors next door.

10. Take every opportunity to get a bonus cruise vacation to Alaska, Mexico, Bahamas, or Caribbean. The best part is all your meals and entertainment shows are inclusive. You only need to pay for your drinks and tips. You can save 90% of your vacation fees.

Visit http://www.Dream-Travel-Comes-True.com to learn more ideas on how to plan for your dream vacation. Dress right, carry light, and travel safe!

Please feel free to reprint this article in your ezine, newsletter, RSS, website, or print publication with original content and author bio.

Copyright © 2005 Dr. Vivian Lee, Global Marketing Communications Network, Inc.

If you are looking for a wide variety of excellent food in a unique and friendly atmosphere, then Lake of the Ozarks has just what you desire. There are over 150 restaurants in the Lake area. There are restaurants on the water or you can choose to dine on land instead. Unlike many cities, in Lake of the Ozarks you will not find a mass amount of franchise restaurants. While there are some, many of these fine dining establishments are family owned.

When choosing a restaurant you can go gourmet or casual. The gourmet restaurants offer some of the best imaginable chefs and dining options. Meanwhile, the casual restaurants offer fair prices and a wonderful family environment. If you are looking for something unique you cannot find anywhere else, consider dining at a floating restaurant. Lake of the Ozarks offers restaurants near or on the lake.

Casual Dining

Lake of the Ozarks casual dining comes with many options. You can choose from a variety of flavors and types of restaurants. You will find it all from Mexican inspired dishes at Vista Grande Mexican to German and American at the City Grill. If you are looking for a little history to go with your food you can visit Camp Bagnell's Fish & Steak Restaurant, which offers live entertainment and a true Ozark atmosphere.

For steak try Michaels Steak Chalet and enjoy a bluff view overlooking the water while you dine. They have arguably the best prime rib dinner to be found anywhere in the Midwest.

If you are more interested in salads, sandwiches, and pizza as opposed to traditional meals you can check out such hot spots as Peace N Plenty and Lil Rizzo's. Maggie Mae's is another excellent choice which is bound to have something for everyone in a comfortable atmosphere.

Dining at the Lake

Dining on the Lake is one of the best dining experiences in Lake of the Ozarks. When it comes to this location, you will find something for everyone. You can dine on the lake at the Barge Floating Restaurant. This amazing restaurant actually is on the lake. It's two stories and is moored 300 feet off of Horseshoe Bend. Patrons reach the Barge via the ramp.

If you're interested in specific foods you will find them while dining on the lake. You can find authentic New Orleans cooking at Bayou Bill's or at The Big Easy. If you want a child-friendly environment, the Ozark Bar-B-Que would be a great spot for the family. Not only do they offer food for the whole family, the kids are treated with the respect they deserve. Other fun and unique options for lake-side dining include dining at the Salty Dog, Paradise Restaurant, Time-Out Sports Bar, and The Wharf Restaurant.

There are also many other unique and formal dining options when you choose to visit. Whether you bring the children or seeking some time alone with other adults, you will find the perfect restaurant in the Lake of the Ozarks.

If you're having a Halloween party this year, chances are pretty good that there will be at least a few people there who don't know each other. Party games are a great way to break the ice and help make everyone enjoy themselves even more.

If you're planning to play some games, keep in mind that your guests will probably be wearing costumes. This may rule out certain things - bobbing for apples for example - since the costumes and makeup could be ruined.

If the Halloween party is for kids, you've got a ton of options to choose from. Kids love almost any game that lets them act silly and win prizes!

You can take all kinds of games and put a Halloween twist on them. For example, instead of pinning the tail on the donkey you could pin the nose on the pumpkin. You could even use a real pumpkin for this game.

Party food is important, no matter what age your party is for. If your feeding a bunch of ravenous kids, you can make cookies or cupcakes and decorate them as ghost and goblins. You'll probably also want to have lots of candy on hand - after all, it is Halloween.

If you're planning the food for an adult party, you can come up with some creative twists on common things. You could make cookies shaped like fingers and ice them to look like severed fingers, for example.

Pretty much anything can be made to suit a Halloween theme. Just make it gross or scary and it will fit right in.

Here are a couple of other ideas for party games:

- Pass the orange. Put an orange under your chin and pass it around a circle without using your hands. Play music and anyone with the orange when the music stops is out. Last person left in the game wins a prize.

- Scavenger hunt. You can do this inside or outside. Give everyone a list of clues and they have to go find the hidden treasures. Or you could make it a "trading up" scavenger hunt where everyone starts with a penny. They have to go out and trade their way up from the penny, and whoever comes back with the best item after a certain amount of time is the winner.

On the borders of Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland overlooking the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers is the historic village of Harpers Ferry. Harpers Ferry is a perfectly preserved mid-19th century river town that is managed by the U.S. Park Service and is a very unique place. It offers fantastic views of the Shenandoah and Potomac River gorges from its many promontories, including the famous "Jefferson Rocks". The town itself houses several restaurants, including outdoor dining, a well known outdoor outfitter, museums, living history displays and is even rumored to host the ghost of famous abolitionist John Brown. All this is the perfect compliment to my favorite reason for visiting Harpers Ferry, and that is its charm as a hiking and bicycling destination.

Harpers Ferry is lucky enough to sit astride two famous trails; the Appalachian Trail (AT) and the C&O Canal Towpath bicycle trail. The AT stretches from Katahdin Mountain in Maine south to Springer Mountain in Georgia. The C&O runs the length of the Potomac River from Georgetown in Washington, D.C. to Cumberland, Maryland; a distance of 184 miles. Both trails share a short run along the Potomac of about 3 miles just North of Harpers Ferry before separating again.

A weekend hiker wanting to enjoy the park to the fullest should get an early start. My favorite overnight hike is to start 8 miles (trail miles, that is) south of Harpers Ferry on the West Virginia / Virginia border where the Appalachian Trail crosses highway 9. There is a small parking area on the north side of the highway here and this serves as a good place to park a car overnight for the hike. If you are alone, you can double back and retrieve it the next day or, optimally, drop another car at the other end of the hike in Maryland at Crampton Gap right next to the historic and bucolic village of Burkitsville.

Your hike north from highway 9 will take you on a gentle drop through what once was once farmland, but is now forested upland. The highlight of this section of trail comes as you cross highway 340 and enter Loudon Heights. The forest in this area is as close to old growth as you're likely to see in the mid-atlantic region. You'll wind down the path toward the steep drop toward the Shenandoah crossing. The forest here takes on an almost otherworldly charm.

You should reach Harpers Ferry with plenty of time to spare to take in the museums and, perhaps, cool down with a frosty beverage of your choice. There is no camping in the park, but the Hilltop House Hotel offers very reasonable hiker rates. Hiking out of Harpers to the north you can choose to see the ruins on Maryland Heights and then return to your car to the South or move on to Crampton Gap. Crampton Gap was the site of a fierce battle during the prelude to Antietam during the Civil War. The park is well populated with items of historical interest including numerous markers describing the action of the battle and the very unique war correspondents memorial. On the approach you'll follow along the C&O Canal towpath to the base of South Mountain. Feel free to dip your feet in the cool Potomac or take along a pack-rod to do some fishing. When you reach the top of South Mountain above Weverton be sure to take in the view as it is one of the best in Maryland. North for another few hours and you're hike is done. Just grab that second vehicle and return to highway 9 for the swap-out. Congratulations on a great weekend!

Spain has long been a favourite of British holidaymakers but many of us are now looking for more than just lying on a beach. Not only does Spain have a fabulous coastline, it also has a beautiful mountainous interior sprinkled with historic towns and villages, and a spectacular natural environment, perfect for sports and activities. With so much to explore, a wealth of history and culture and a feast of wonderful gastronomy, Spanish breaks are now just as much about a weekend in Madrid as they are a walking holiday in the Pyrenees. There are few countries with so many hidden treasures.

Of all the countries around the Mediterranean, Spain is the most popular destination for low cost, low fare and budget airlines. There are at least fifteen budget airlines flying from the UK to Iberian Peninsula. The spurt in Brits independent travel to Spain is attributed to the growth of no-frills airlines and increasing public confidence in self-booked travel. More people are also taking short breaks to Spain using budget airlines in addition to their main summer or winter holiday.

The British first begun travelling to Spain 40 years or so ago on package holidays and regions like the Costa Blanca, Costa del Sol and Costa Brava suddenly became household terms.

UK visitor numbers went up by 10% to 16 million last year. More and more Brits travelled to Spain independently. According to Spanish Tourist Office, the numbers of UK package holidaymakers to Spain fell by almost 4% while the number of independent travellers increased by 30%.

Whilst Spain is one of the world's leading destinations for the package holiday there is more to this country than the beaches of the Costas and islands. The independent traveller will want to move around see what more Spain has to offer.

The mountains of Spain have proved increasingly attractive in recent years to those adventurous souls in search of rocky mountain highs in the depths of the British winter. A combination of cheap flights and favourable year-round temperatures has led to a burgeoning reputation among Britain's seasoned walkers and climbers. At around 3,500m, the Sierra Nevada is recognised by accomplished mountaineers as a significant step up from climbing in the UK, where the highest peak, Ben Nevis, stands a mere 1,344m high.

Many travelers have to waste time queuing for the screeners at the airport. This is unavoidable and it is the front line personnel that you see as you make your way toward the gate are just the worker bees. They're not Congress and they're not the big wig decision makers. If at times they seem like robots, deviating very little from their spcheel, it's because they have procedures that they must follow and deviating from the standard operation procedure is not an option.

There are a number of things you can do yourself to speed things along. Listed below are the top ten tips to help your visit to the airport security checkpoint hassle-free.

1. Don't wear pants or suspenders that contain a lot of metal. If you can't remove the metal prior to passing through the metal detector, you'll be sent for additional screening, thus increasing your wait time.

2. Laptop computers and video cameras that use cassette tapes, not digital cameras, need to come out of their carrying case prior to passing through the x-ray machine. Have these items out of the case before you reach the table to divest your items.

3. Wear tennis shoes or known airport friendly footwear so you'll avoid setting off the alarm on the walk through metal detector. Often the screeners will encourage you to take your shoes off before passing through the metal detector. What many passengers fail to recognize is that many, many shoe manufacturers place steel shanks (supports) in the souls of the shoes. Just because you don't see metal, doesn't mean they are metal-free.

4. If you have an inkling that your belt buckle or larger metal watch may set off the metal detector, remove them while you're waiting in line and have them ready to place into a bin.

5. Have your boarding pass and government issued photo ID readily available. Some airports have someone checking your boarding pass and ID as you first approach your concourse, then shortly thereafter there is another employee asking for the same thing. Actually they may be asking for the same thing, but these employees, often one a federal employee and one a private company employee, while looking at the same thing, aren't looking for the same thing. Each person has a different role to fill. If you have to dig in your purse or wallet for these items, that will increase the wait time. Ensure your boarding pass is pulled out of the airline envelope.

6. Only undeveloped film with a speed of 800 or higher should be hand checked. All other disposable cameras, film of 100, 200 or 400 speed and digital cameras are safe to pass through the x-ray. Know your film speed before reaching the x-ray machine.

7. Leave all tools, Swiss army knives, pointed end scissors, and bladed corkscrews in your checked bag. You may not bring them onboard the aircraft in your carry-on bags. If your bag must be searched to find these items, it's definitely going to increase your wait time.

8. Strollers and pet carriers need to pass through the x-ray machine. Remove your children and pets from this equipment prior to reaching the x-ray.

9. Most small jewelry such as rings, necklaces and earrings will not set off the alarm. Don't bother wasting time removing them.

10. Yes your fanny pack, hidden money belt and wallet on a string around your neck must pass through the x-ray, have it ready to place into a bin.

With this method, you can pass the metal detector easily without much checking from the officers. When you fly next time, use these strategies and try having fun by being prepared!

You can take plenty of photographs on your vacation, even digital video is fairly easy, but those things won't help you record the little incidents that give meaning to your vacation. That is why keeping a travel journal is so helpful. The journal of your vacation is the place to keep notes of the small things that give color to your trip. It is also the place to keep the details of the big things that make a vacation memorable.

If you don't usually keep a journal, that's okay. There is just one rule in journaling: it's your journal and nothing else matters. It isn't necessary to go into great detail if your don't want to. You shouldn't worry about your spelling or grammar. The important thing is to record those things that will trigger the memories of the vacation.

For example, what did you feel like when you found out that the gentleman who gave you directions in Washington, DC was the Ambassador from France. You discovered that when you saw him being interviewed on the national news. The photograph of the outdoor food court in Singapore was nice, but what did the place smell like; what kind of food did you try and what was it like; and how did the other patrons react to seeing an American tourist away from the usual tourist places. That is the kind of experience that everyone has at one time or another, but only those people who keep a travel journal will be able to savor the memory long after the trip is over.

Keeping a journal can also be a learning experience. The longer you keep the journal the more you will find yourself mentally noting the small things that should be recorded. A young girl's eyes when she first sees the Grand Canyon can only be properly described by a parent who keeps a journal. The teen age boy, who considers himself too cool to be seen with his parents even on vacation, can't stop talking to you about his first ride on the Powell Street cable car in San Francisco. There is no way to keep that memory except in your travel journal.

It is your journal and that allows you to keep your thoughts on all of the things that are important just to you. Your mother-in-law met your father-in-law in New York City fifty years ago. They always meant to go back, but something always came up. He has since passed away, and now you are taking her back to the Big Apple for the first time in half a century. While you are there you ask her about her memories and what it was like to be young and falling in love in New York City. Those are the things that go into a journal.

Having the proper tools is important, of course. The journal can be just a few scraps of paper, but those are likely to get lost. A book of blank pages designed specifically as a journal is the best way to go. You should look for the kind of book that you feel comfortable carrying and using. And you should look for a journal that can be used for many trips and will last for many years. After all, this is likely to be the book that you go back to to regain the warmth of that trip that meant so much to you. When the children are grown and the grand parents have passed away, it will be your journal, chosen so carefully today, that will be there to remind you of the good times and the not-so-good times.

A vacation is a set of shared experiences between friends and family members. You may find that the memories of those experiences are quite different among the people who were there. A travel journal is an excellent pre-vacation gift for everyone who travels.

Now that you have a journal be sure to have it with you at all times. Perhaps place the journal with your camera so that, just like the photographs you should be taking, you will have your journal handy to record the memories in a different way. Keeping a journal in a pocket or purse is always a good idea. Once again, just like your camera, a journal is only good as long as you use it. So keep your vacation journal handy while you are traveling and be sure to record all of the events and activities that make up a vacation.