Travel Blog

Now that you have climbed Buddhist temple stairs, stood on the killing fields and partied in Bangkok, you can spread the word to all those smirky friends that backpacking in Southeast Asia isn’t just for college kids trying to find themselves. Or you may want to keep the information to yourself so it will still be affordable next time you go. Southeast Asia is beautiful, culturally rich and a place where its easy to live off of $20 or less a day. You won’t even feel guilty eating greasy street food–the cheapest way to dine–because you’ll burn off all the calories on the trail. Go now and you’ll avoid the crowds that come in peak season but still benefit from the cooler weather.   read more | digg story

http://blog.mint.com/blog/finance-core/backpack-in-southeast-asia-on-20-a-day/

I have always wanted a collection of brown leather trunks with brightly colored stickers from all the world’s corners. They remind me of travelers in the early 1900s who spent days on the ocean in order to reach their destinations. Back then, arriving at the destination was as much a part of the trip as the destination itself. This story has some pointers for researching and planning your own adventure on the high seas…     read more | digg story

Looking for someplace special to spend the Fourth of July? FP investigates five fabulous destinations where a summer getaway is next to impossible.

Locations include: Mount Kumgang, Kumgangsan Tourist Region on North Korea’s east coast, Baracoa on Cuba’s eastern tip, Mogadishu’s Beaches on Somalia’s east coast, Persepolis in southern Iran and Mandalay in Burma
read more | digg story

For a family vacations, we decided to head for the beach. There are many beach options along the eastern coast; Myrtle beach, Ocean City, Virginia Beach and many others. We chose to go to the Outer Banks (OBX) in North Carolina. Now that we decided where to go, we needed a place to stay. Instead of picking a typical hotel to stay at, we chose to rent a house for the week. The house rental went smoothly over the Internet and we were able to easily check into the house once we got to Kitty Hawk. The house was spacious and well supplied with all the necessities for living. We just needed food and alcohol.

In 1903, the Wright Brothers went to the Outer Banks and made the first successful flight of an airplane. In Kill Devil’s Hills, there is the Wright Brothers National Memorial Park that is built on the exact site they made their historic flight. The park consists of a visitor’s center and pavilion. Atop the hill is a stone monument dedicated to the Wright Brother’s amazing feat.

When you think of the beach, you usually think of water sports. The Outer Banks is no exception, there are the beaches of course. But more then that are the many places you can rent Jet Ski’s Sailboats, surf boards, kayaks and many other things to do on the ocean or in the sound. Kitty Hawk Water Sports offered sailing lessons, so we jumped at the change to learn to sail. The lessons lasted for 2 hours and cost $99/ person or $149 for 2 people. The lesson was a great introduction to sailing and was very easy to learn for beginners.

The Outer Banks also offers many different cultural experiences. Roanoke Island was the first attempt by the British to found a colony in the New World. You can visit Roanoke Island Festival Park or watch the The Lost Colony outdoor drama. There are also many shops and galleries all along the island.

Other activities that you can do on the Outer Banks is Miniature Golf, Go-Karts, 4WD Off Road Adventures and Lighthouse visiting just to name a few.

The Outer Banks is a great place to spend a little time relaxing and getting away for awhile.

Useful Links:

The Coastal Explorer
http://www.thecoastalexplorer.com/
Great resource for finding out where to stay and what to do on the Outer Banks.

Kitty Hawk Water Sports
http://www.kittyhawkwatersports.com/

Wright Brothers National Memorial Park:
http://www.nps.gov/wrbr/index.htm