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As I read our recent article The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, I daydreamed about vast plains and endless trails. They led me to euphoric moments where I breathed in the pure air of the New England mountains. As my heart raced, I listened to the soundtrack of distant running water and chirping birds. These images were vibrant, as if I was right there, hiking on Mount Washington.

Located in New Hampshire, Mt. Washington is one of the highest peaks in the northeast. It reaches approximately 6288 feet, making it one of my hiking goals to conquer. I have always wanted to take on this rewarding challenge.

I found a great travel deal that offers a challenging hike, comfortable bed, amazing breakfast, and packed lunch for the journey. The Mt. Washington B & B is offering a fantastic two-night hiking package. In addition to a hearty breakfast and comfortable place to rest your head after a grueling hike, The Mt. Washington B & B also offers a guidebook to the mountain and the comforts of home.

Although Mt. Washington’s weather is erratic, it continues to remain a popular hiking destination. The most popular trail is the Tuckerman Ravine. It is approximately an 8-mile climb.

For the New Year, will you take on the challenge of hiking Mt. Washington’s vast plains and endless trails?  I certainly can’t wait to breathe in that pure New England air.

Everyday the price for flying and additional fees slightly increases. Baggage fees, pet fees, and airline meals are greatly overpriced. As a traveler, I would rather spend my money on exploration and spontaneity. So I choose driving across country instead.

As you explore the depths of the road, the act of traveling becomes part of the vacation and not something to simply endure. Traveling by car allows for the journey and the destination to be the vacation.

I drove across country this past summer, and one of the many reasons why I prefer to travel by car compared to by plane is because of the spontaneous stops.

As I traveled the country, I decided to cross into Missouri from Illinois via the Mississippi River. I stood on the Ste. Genevieve ferry and reminisced about the story of Huck Finn and his adventures along the Mississippi River. As I watched the twigs float by and felt the cool breeze wisp across my face, I pictured Huck Finn on his raft drifting across the river beside me.

Take it from a traveler that often takes the wrong turn, spontaneity is freeing.  It presents a new layer of traveling. As I took unintended turns, I instantly rerouted myself along another path towards my destination. Every unintended turn became a spontaneous new adventure and a shift in a new direction.

I often sit on the San Francisco transportation and allow myself to be carried to a new destination. I find myself daydreaming of my recent adventure across this beautiful country.

My mind retraces all the amazing and memorable moments and I wish that sometime soon I will again be on the road. Traveling is not only an adventure for me—it is a time to be free of the daily stress and daily uncertainty of what am I going to do with life? I feel that more often than not I am ‘boogled down’ by uncertainty; I am driven by the need to endlessly search for a tangible answer. However, traveling makes me feel as though this answer is right in front of me, as if this answer is unimportant, a mere speck of what is truly out there. When I travel, this mere speck is just a weightless distraction left behind.

As I was nearing the end of my trip across the country, I found myself at Seven Falls in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It was enchanting. The color of the mountainside against the beautiful blue sky and forest green trees on my way towards the entrance, promised an unforgettable afternoon.

Entrance fee was $9.25, but well worth the hike and afternoon out of the car.

Seven Falls is located in the South Cheyenne Canyon. It received its title based upon the water that cascades from 181 feet in seven distinct steps. The water falls from the southern edge of Pikes Peak and allows for a picturesque, tranquil sight.

In addition to the waterfalls, Seven Falls has 2 hiking trails: Trail to Inspiration Point and Trail to Midnight Fall. The Trail to Inspiration Point is a mile long, intermediate hike that is the location of the original gravesite of Helen Hunt Jackson. Helen Hunt Jackson was a writer of the 1800s. She is best known for her interest in the mistreatment of American Indians by government agents. This hike was a great way to stretch my legs and breathe heavy as the hill sat in front of me. The sun was beautiful as it set upon the mountainside and the clouds swiftly moved across the evening sky.

Seven Falls is a gem of this country. It is a secluded area, with rushing water as its soundtrack. It is a great place to become in touch with nature and breathe in the amazing fresh air that this earth has to offer.

It makes my list for the top 10 places to visit in America. What’s on your list?

Forgive me for the brief hiatus in your Travel Deal posts.  Though great bargains are all around us, adventures of my own—traveling across the country and building a new foundation to call home—have prevented me from posting.  But now I am back, situated securely on the West Coast, where I continue to dream about future travel plans and the beautiful wonders that sit under the same moon as I do each night.

One of my close friends has the habit of announcing his ideas for new and strange places to live. Tonight he threw out the idea of Singapore. I contemplated his suggestion for a moment, and finally thought, what do I really know about what Singapore has to offer?

Singapore is an island between Malaysia and Indonesia in Southeastern Asia. Singapore plays an important role in the finance and trade development of the world and relies heavily on their exporting process.  The nation houses a diverse population, with English as most common language. Their unemployment rate is 3%, they predict their economy to grow of 3-5% in 2010. Their climate is generally tropical, all things that Americans highly consider in today’s world.

Expedia is offering an amazing deal to Singapore: with 10 nights in the Orchard Parade-A Far East Hotel and including a flight from the states, you can be exploring the depths of Singapore for just over $2000.

So what does Singapore have to offer the frequent traveler or an every-so-often tourist? Well, first of all you are on an island.  There is something incredibly romantic, and even slightly fantastic, about island-living.  Even the word island calls up an enchanting image in my mind.

In Singapore, you can spend your days on Orchard Road, indulging in the extravagant tastes of Louis Vuitton and Chanel. Or you can take a ride on The Singapore Flyer and pinpoint the locations you want to travel to. Take a walk through the beautiful botanical gardens in the early morning when the dew is just rising or spend your evenings indulging in some of the wide varieties of ethnic food that Singapore has to offer.

Singapore was founded in 1819 and since then has made remarkable improvements towards the betterment of their country. It is a continuously developing territory that holds a promising future of greatness and success.

Happy travels.

My Southern England trip continues as I edge closer to my time ending in Salisbury. As I write this post, it’s a washout as the Brits like to say. In other words, it’s raining heavily. Therefore, yesterday was my big excursion; I visited Lacock and Bath in one day … and without a car.  Here’s how it went:

I took the train from Salisbury station to Trowbridge.  I have to admit I much prefer the buses because they’re much cheaper and you get to see much more sitting atop the double decker.  The train costs 10 pounds for only a 30 minute or less trip.  The day before I took a bus ride for 30 minutes for 3 pounds, 80 pence. It’s a huge difference to a budget traveler.

I got off at Trowbridge, a bit lost, but a nice Brit walked me to the town center and showed me to the right bus.  Trowbridge is the county seat and a busy, little town, and I was glad I was able to see it.  I hopped aboard the 234 (or you can take the X34) toward Chippenham.  I made sure it stopped at Lacock, even though it clearly said it on the sign.  The bus cost 4 pounds, 15 pence.

The ride was charming on my absolute favorite, the double decker bus.  We went through villages and farmland and even got to see a version of a British trailer park.

Then we arrived at Lacock after a 30 minute or so ride. Lacock is the National Trust village where scenes from world-famous BBC films such as the original Pride & Prejudice (the Colin Firth version) and Cranford were shot.  Scenes from two Harry Potter films were shot here as well.

Lacock is a step back in time.  It looks like an 18th to 19th century, English village. The English tudors, flower boxes, lush green landscapes help the tourist step back in time.  It was easy to see how Lacock was a film set.  Simply throw down some dirt for the roads and place actors in old-fashioned clothes and you’re ready to shoot.

I walked around Lacock, winding through the cobblestone streets, peering up at the perfect English cottages, adoring a kitten in a window (see photo) and even stopping off at the bakery to smell some goodies. I stopped outside The Abbey and took some photos through the fence and thought of Jane Austen. This was a perfect setting for her novel.

After sitting on a bench and eating in Lacock, I walked down the road towards Chippenham and caught the X34 (you can also take the 234) to Chippenham.  Only a 10 minute ride and 2 pounds, 40 pence, I got off at the Chippenham bus station. Alas, there was a bus waiting to go to Bath.  I hopped aboard for 4 pounds, 45 pence.

It took over an hour to get to Bath.  The bus was not double decker, and the ride was uneventful until we approached just outside of Bath …

Please continue reading about my travels in Bath on the Editorial Director’s Forum.

And don’t forget to read about my non-touristy, Stonehenge visit.

- Jennifer, Editorial Network Diector

I’ve officially started my Literary Traveler England trip.  It began last night in Salisbury, England and will end with a once-in-a-lifetime cruise on the world-famous Queen Mary 2!  So please stay tuned all this week and next week for my blog posts.

This morning, I woke up at the Cathedral View Bed & Breakfast in Salisbury. It’s a lovely, charming place with a literal view of the Salisbury Cathedral from my window. The innkeepers, Wenda & Steve, cooked an incredible spread of eggs, bacon, toast and fresh, homemade jam.  Breakfast was fun this morning because I had the pleasure of dining with two intellectual and well-traveled couples from Canada and England.

After breakfast, off to Stonehenge I went.  But I refused to take the incredibly expensive tourist bus there. Instead, I took a bus from the Salisbury bus station for 3 pounds, 80 pence one-way to the stop after the Amesbury station (less than 30 min). My intentions were good, as I was to walk down country paths to Stonehenge, but the stubborn bus driver dropped me off at the wrong stop and insisted this was the best way to walk to Stonehenge.

Alas, I turned the corner and ended up walking along the A-303 highway. It was not only dangerous, but not very enjoyable either.  Just as I was about to give up, there it was … Stonehenge.  I climbed the hill, paid my fee of 6 pounds, 90 pence and walked through the tunnel to that magnificent pile of rocks.  Up close, it’s powerful, even if the rocks are roped off.  You can only encircle them now–unlike the old days where you could climb atop them.  Older Brits will tell you stories of how they played on them as children.

Back on my way from Stonehenge, I finally was able to walk through my beloved country paths, which were marked clearly with gates from the National Trust. I weaved through cute sheep and not-so-cute, sheep doo-doo.  Then I took my own detour, cutting through the lovely town of Amesbury.

Even though the highway experience wasn’t great and I walked miles and miles today, I was glad I stayed away from the tourist buses.  No one was on the country paths except for me.  I saw Stonehenge from afar, surrounded by silence and countryside.

All in all, it was quite a day.  Please continue to read on tomorrow as I visit Lacock, the National Trust village where Pride & Prejudice was filmed, and Bath.

- Jennifer, Network Editorial Director

Day 10 of this road trip across the country and I find myself in the center of Memphis, Tennessee.  I spent over twelve hours in the car yesterday and drove through 5 states; it was liberating and quite astonishing.  I am sure I am not the first person to do such a thing, but I never really thought that I would travel that much in a twelve-hour period.

I am currently sitting beneath the balcony where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968.  The sun shines down upon me on a very different era of this nation; our African-American president, Barack Obama can attest to that.  He plainly demonstrates the advancement of Black Americans everywhere and the growth of our country as a whole.

I visited the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis at the Lorraine Motel, the exact location where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot.  Admission was $13 dollars and for an extra $2, I purchased the audio tour, which I highly recommend.  It clearly guided me through the museum and allowed me to stop or pause when I wanted to read further into what they were speaking about. The museum offered a great display of our nation’s struggles with civil equality.  Displays of segregation, the sit-ins, the riots, the protests, the lynchings, the KKK, the marches–all this and more was made visible, present.  Both the desire and willingness African-Americans had to fight for our country and the terrible reality of our history of oppression were prominent throughout the museum.  I was overwhelmingly impressed with this museum and am so happy that we asked Camille, a local, for her recommendations.

Before walking to the museum, we ate brunch at a local hotspot on the corner of Second Street and Union Ave: Cockados.  A quaint, welcoming restaurant that offers bottomless mud coffee and an amazingly decadent dish of bananas and peanut butter sandwiched between two French toast drizzled with maple syrup, whipped cream and blueberries.  Cockados is a great way to welcome yourself to Memphis.  This is also where I received the museum recommendation–as opposed to going to Graceland.  Clearly, we took their recommendations and are 100% happy with our choice.  I was very impressed with Memphis and had a great time there.  After the museum and before getting back into the car, we took a stroll down Beale street and sat outside with our large beers, live music and 7-year-old street performers.  Memphis was not only beautiful, it was also rich with history and culture.  But enough for today.  The road still stretches in front of us, so we head north… safe travels.

Now that I have begun my journey across the country and have my destinations planned, I find myself breathing easy and at peace with my choice to leave my home state. Maybe it is the rush and excitement of an amazing adventure coinciding with new discoveries and sites, but my happiness has almost entirely overwhelmed the feeling that there is something I’m missing.

Another two weeks of unknown routes, friends, new knowledge and self-discovery still lie ahead.  These weeks are sure to promise long days of driving, sunburns, fast food, hot weather, and many moments of being lost; I welcome even these inevitable inconveniences for the mere pleasure of learning about my country and myself.

Today’s discoveries took place in Washington, DC.  In all my 24 years, I had never been to DC and have never explored the ‘Mall.’  Today I had the opportunity to walk the long distance of the National Mall towards our Nation’s Capital, then back towards the Washington Monument, and over to visit Lincoln on his Memorial.  I popped in to see the Obama’s with hopes to play a quick game of basketball (actually I stood outside the gate like every other tourist and snapped pictures). I visited the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and later hit up the National Museum of American History where I had the chance to view the flag that inspired the Star-Spangeled Banner, our national anthem. Today was a full day of walking, sun burns, and almost endless amazement.  Although our country is young compared to other nations, I felt proud to be standing in front of all the sites that proclaim our heritage.

Traveling for over two weeks and moving across the country puts me in a position of unemployment and quickly very conscious of money. So, needless to say, I plan to travel in such a fashion that will leave me with funds to begin a new life, in a new state.

Today, I got a heavy dose of history, national sites, with the added perk of self-discovery – all for the price of $19.60. The museums were free and because I chose not to rent scooters or bicycles to get from one site to the other, it was an extremely inexpensive day. Of course, I could have spent more money (you can always spend more money) but if you want to explore for cheap, all you need to do is pack some water, a lunch, sunscreen and good walking shoes.

Tomorrow will bring a new destination with new discoveries.  It will also bring me one state closer to the eventual goal, so stay tuned for more tips, lessons, and stories from my trip.

August 1st, a marker in the year that could represent summer concluding, back to school shopping for the kids, classes reconvening, or summer excursions approaching. Whatever this date may represent to you, it is always beneficial to have a vacation lined up, it creates excitement and anticipation.

Do you have children and feel like you have been bombarded with play dates, pool parties, floaties and pigtails all summer? Do you need an adult vacation away from the kids to reconfirm your adulthood and step away from the apple juice? I have found an all-inclusive 4-night excursion to Riviera Maya, Mexico.

All your meals and drinks are included in the price, as well as snorkeling, windsurfing and kayaking. Enjoy a few blissful nights on the white sand and playing in the baby blue water to replenish your energy.

If you are opposed to leaving the children with the grandparents, or if you happen to feel that they should be rewarded for their angelic behavior, I have found a 7-day pass for Disney World in Orlando, Florida. This pass will grant you entry into all the parks including Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom for a week. The Disney pass is $234 per adult and $201 per child. Spend the last few weeks of summer together as a family visiting with Mickey Mouse and all his friends.

I came across another great site, the Suite 101 Budget Travel section.  It provides informative articles on how to budget for Disney World and beyond.  Check out this article on 5 Cheap Places to Eat at Disney, written by feature writer Michelle Snow.

Whatever this date represents to you, whether it be about celebrating your adulthood or spending some time with the children before they go back to school, there is no better time than now to take a moment to breathe in the fresh summer air.  I am sure the memory will be much appreciated when winter hits and the atmosphere turns cold enough to burn your lungs.

Enjoy the rest of the summer months and breathe deep.