On April 1st, 2012 I set out on my first road trip from Northern Indiana to Southern California. By November 2014 I had added four more similar trips, each time taking a different route. It's easy to say that the journey is better than the destination, but the reality is, the longer the road trip, the greater the monotony. Fortunately, there is relief that comes from finding great places to stop, stretch your legs, take some pictures, get … [Read more...]
7 Best US Living History Museums
If you want a little more out of a vacation, take the kids somewhere history comes alive. More than just a collection of artifacts, living history museums bring history to life in a way that children remember long after the visit. Think walking along the streets our founding fathers did or touching 450-year-old buildings. Imagine mining for gold or driving the first motorized vehicle. These hands-on experiences put you in the middle of history … [Read more...]
Hot Springs, Arkansas – A CouchSurfer’s Slant on Immersion
A smile of contentment warms the crisp evening breeze, as my Big-Easy reality eases back to its default setting: A humbled existence devoted to saving lives, amidst the controlled chaos of a stressful clinical environment. Just a few days back, the dullness of my royal blue nursing scrubs surrendered to the brightness of my candy pink hiking suit. The travel bug took an awful bite! It is nudging this brown-eyed, fun-size wanderlust to defy … [Read more...]
Cherokee Nation Salutes 150th Anniversary, Civil War
Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism 2011 season to salute the American Civil War's 150-year anniversary Civil War History Tour highlights the award-winning cultural tourism program's new season TULSA, Okla., (January 25, 2011) --- The Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism program is set to launch the 2011 season, which runs from March through October and features its four historically authentic cultural tours and a wide array of cultural … [Read more...]
Cherokee Hills Byway features five fall foliage spots to catch the colors of the season
From recreation to cultural, Cherokee Nation spotlights five scenic points along the 88-mile stretch of highway to take in the fall colors TAHLEQUAH, Okla., (November 18, 2010) --- A brilliant kaleidoscope of autumn colors are set to light up the Cherokee Hills Byway as illuminated by an 88-mile stretch of fall foliage running through Sequoyah, Cherokee, Delaware and Adair counties. The curtain of turning colors for the drive-thru theater … [Read more...]
My Foreign Language
The preparation for the trip back to Vietnam was almost as unsettling as the trip itself. Mom didn't want me to go because she was afraid something might happen to me. I had planned to go with several other people, including a Vietnamese guy who goes by his Catholic name of 'Matthew,' and I had assured mom that Matthew would look after me since he had gone back several times already. Father had demanded that I not go because he didn't want me … [Read more...]