Where to Next? How about back to Ecuador via Blog Carnival?

This time of year is when Hubs and I pick our next destination. Normally we have somewhere in mind and initiate our planning and booking before the new year. This year we seem to be stumped. I really want to look into going to Nepal or Thailand, but Hubs is leaning more toward China or Japan. In any case, I'm thinking we will end up in Asia. (Or maybe back in South America?) Aside from Antarctica, Asia is the one continent to which we both haven't been. (Hubs got to go to Morocco during a school trip to Spain. I love the pictures of 16 year old him on a camel in a fez!)

So of course with all this, "Where to now?" thinking I've been looking back on trips I have taken and picking out the moments I want to recreate. I always get called back to the mountains. I blame it on Ecuador and the Andes. I wouldn't mind going to Chile or Bolivia for somewhere new. Maybe that's why I want to know more about Nepal and the Himalayas. I want to see if they have the same effect on me as the Andes.

Speaking of Ecuador, here's my old blog from when I was there in 2011. If you want to know more about Ecuador, check out the Ecuador Travel Blog Carnival. I was invited to share my stories from Ecuador and of course I said yes! I love looking back, five years after the fact, so I'm going to answer their prompts to help sum up my three months in the beautiful country. Of course nostalgia has kicked in, so I highly suggest reading my original blog posts!

• Did you visit some of the destinations mentioned above so far?

I did! I stayed in Quito for most of my trip and went around to places like Papallacta. I went on a girls' trip to Tonsupa and two other trips with other teachers to Mindo and another to a lodge in Yasuni National Park. At the end of my trip I got to take a solo week-long trip to the Galapagos.

• What was your favorite place?

That's tough to answer! The juxtaposition of the city of Quito against the backdrop of the Andes was breathtaking. However, the Galapagos were, obviously, so unique. I felt very safe on those little islands. Except when a bull sea lion tried to take over my beach towel- with me still on it!

• What was the craziest thing that happened to you?

The sea lion "attack" for one. But one day in Quito I remember walking down the sidewalk and seeing a man with a thick, "marshmallow" jacket (it was really warm that day), jeans down below the belt line (with no undies!), he picked up a half-smoked cigarette from the ground, took a puff, and kept on walking! Haha! Oh! And I got to meet Miss Ecuador! Of course I had just hiked up a volcano and looked extra terrible next to such a beauty!

• Have you made any bad experiences you had to deal with during your trip?

Fortunately, I did not. I did have very good advice from my host mom about using the ATMs with the guards, taking cabs with numbers on the side and running meters or call from a company, and don't carry too much cash on you. It's general safety tips to know when traveling anywhere. Some of my friends there had a few dangerous experiences, but they came out unscathed.

• What were the differences compared to your home country and how did you like them?

I loved the warmth and liveliness of the people. Everyone I met was so welcoming, ready to eat and dance the salsa! They tried to teach me and were very patient with my stiff hips.

• Did you travel alone or were your accompanied by anyone?

I took the trip alone, but I stayed with a host mother and grandmother. I also made friends along the way with people I met and worked with.

• Did you plan your trip all by yourself or did you book it through a travel agency/organization?

My trip was planned through the COST program. They set up the living and teaching situation. I handled the flights and all the side trips on my own.

• How did you like the people?

They were so kind! Especially on the Galapagos. Imagine how nice everyone is at Disney World, but now imagine them as surfers. And now add that they also have that small town, family-like mentality. 

• And the most important thing: According to your overall experience, would you recommend Ecuador as must–travel destination and why?

YES! It has everything you could want- beaches, mountains, rain forest, hot springs, snow (if you go high enough!), delicious foods, awesome night life, gorgeous outdoor activities, I could go on! If I were to go back I would stay in Quito a few days and then go to the Galapagos for at least a week.

I hope you all have somewhere great in mind to go! If you have any questions about Ecuador, please ask! Or if you have a suggestion on where Hubs and I can go next please leave a comment below. Thanks!

Camping with Dogs

This weekend Hubs and I got our pups packed up in our new van and hit the road. We headed to the mountains with another couple and their pup. Hubs and I have never taken the dogs camping before. Sure, we have done a lot of hiking and picnicking with our furbabies. I have to say, it went so well! The dogs were so good in the van and so well behaved at the campsite. They even were calm in the tent and let us sleep in later than normal! Of course, this was all after an eight mile hike so that might explain it.

Since my dogs are my little furry children, I did a lot of reading before taking them hiking. I made sure their vaccines were up to date, they had all their medicines, and I packed enough food and water for them. Hubs and I did have some slight oversights about some conveniences of camping with dogs. Learning by trial and error, right?

Long Creek Falls off the Appalachian Trail

Here are some things I learned while camping with dogs.

1. Bring a dog bed. We are okay with our pups sleeping on the ground in the tent, but after a long hike and in the cool fall weather I wish I had something a little softer and warmer for them.

2. We packed a 5 gallon cooler with ice and assumed enough of it would melt. It didn't. We managed because the couple we were camping with brought a gallon of water and we had some water bottles. I wish we had filled the container with water as well as with the ice. We needed to fill our Camelbaks, but all we had were a few 16oz water bottles. That's not quite enough with four people and three dogs.

3. We needed a dog sweater. One of our dogs is a husky so she was fine when the temperatures started to drop. Our other baby is a Labrador and Weimaraner mix so his winter coat hasn't grown in yet. He also didn't want to get too close to the fire either due to the wind blowing the smoke everywhere. Our friends' little puppy, a black Labrador and Pitbull Terrier mix, was shivering most of the night and the morning. They wrapped her up in a sleeping bag to help keep her warm. I have a sweater and a jacket for my little boy and I was upset with myself that I didn't think to pack them. I put one of my shirts for a little bit on him but it was too big.

what I wish we had set up at camp

4. We had leashes, leads. and halters so the dogs could roam the site but not run off. So of course this meant that stuff got knocked over and dogs got tangled. Out little boy basically hog-tied himself more than once! Poor thing. I wish we had a run line for them. That way they could still walk around without all the drama.

morning at the campsite

Hubs and I, like many people, love our pets and consider them family. I love being able to take them places and I know they love being part of our adventures! Overall it was a great experience and I can't wait to do it again!

Inspiring Travel in the Classroom

Before, I’ve written about the importance of geography in the social studies classroom. So far this school year I’ve seem to put a higher emphasis on traveling. Here are a few ways how I’ve done that.

1.       What Time Is It?

the middle clock's batteries are dying so it's time is not in line with the others

On my classroom wall I have a poster from Junior Scholastic Magazine called “What Time Is It?” I then got six inexpensive clocks and hung them around the poster all showing a different time zone. My students like to go over and find where the places are or try to figure out what time it is in another place. I love the questions I hear them ask one another. “So, the people in Japan right now are going to sleep?” “Is Australia already in tomorrow?”

     2.       Where’s Waldo?

This I’ve written about in a previous post about finding the teacher, but this year I’m implementing it with a more student-centered attitude.  To get my students started and provide an example, I wrote a description and included a picture of a location I had been and posted it on our Google Classroom site. Then I gave the students one week to guess where I was. The first to do so correctly wins a homework pass and to “hide” next.  All the students who guess correctly get a piece of candy. To help make it more challenging, if the student who “hides” does not get guessed, then that student receives another homework pass, a piece of candy, and to hide again if they’d like!

This was the first one I wrote to start off my classes.
Can you figure out the answer?

This is one of my student's hiding place.
Not all the entries went off my example this closely,
but this student stumped a lot of her classmates.
Can you find this 6th grader?

The goal of this activity is to have students honing their map skills, learning about new places, and getting to describe their own adventures to their classmates. This activity is optional and works as a great lesson extender. (The students in my classes have their own laptops or Chromebooks so they can easily access it.) Then on the large classroom map (mine is a shower curtain from Target) I plan on posting arrows with where everyone has hidden after the week is up. That way the students from other classes can see where their friends have been. So far, this activity has been a hit!

     3.       Passports

I never keep up with the bathroom sign out list, or who goes where when, it’s simply something I don’t prioritize. So I thought to myself, what can I do so I can see easily which students leave my room without having to analyze a sign-out sheet? A passport! I came up with a document that students keep in their notebooks with “stamps.” The student writes where and when they are going and then I actually stamp the paper. Each student gets nine “stamps” per nine weeks. This helps me see who habitually leaves the classroom and helps the students see how often they are leaving class. I was worried this would become a more of nuisance than a help, but once the habit was formed it goes really smoothly! I like this as a method to monitor the students and it encourages conversations of who has a passport, who’s never even seen one, who went where, etc.

I believe we are all students, no matter what stage of life we are at currently. I also believe that traveling helps open up our minds to new ways of life and news level of education. I suppose this is my way as a social studies teacher to “do” in order to learn. All I want for my students is to have a passion to continue learning throughout their lives, whether it be through travel or other means.

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” -Benjamin Franklin

"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." - Confucius

Arizona in August

Hubs and I took off work, packed our backpacks, and headed out to see my step-brother and friends from Ecuador in Phoenix, Arizona. I was one of those, “Oh, it’s a dry heat. It’s not as bad as the humidity!” types until I got there. As my step-brother says, “My oven is a dry heat but I don’t go in there.” Apparently 100˚F is “nice” summer weather. Oy! The desert was a gorgeous place but I do love my trees back home.

We arrived in Phoenix and went straight up South Mountain. The views of Phoenix were gorgeous! Hubs and I had no idea how huge Phoenix is. The sky was clear and you could see so far out it felt as though you could see the curve of the Earth. Later we went to O.H.S.O. Brewery in Paradise Valley. We had the best time. We got to drink some awesome micro-brews, play ping-pong, and enjoy the family and pet friendly setting.

next day we went by The J since that is where one of my friends from Ecuador works. That was a very nice facility! Hubs and I swam laps in the pool, I mean, how else do you beat the desert heat? We had to meet my other friend for lunch so we didn’t get to enjoy any of the other amenities. From The J we took our first Uber ride to an In-N-Out. We don’t have In-N-Out where we live so it was fun getting the order something “animal style.” Uber was really convenient, fast, and all our drivers in Phoenix were extremely personable and had great advice about what else to check out in Phoenix. After wandering around like vagabonds with our community center showers and old backpacks, we made our way to Chase Field.

Being in an indoor stadium was different but definitely something we’d do again. Not having to worry about where to sit because of the sun and having air-conditioning made the game more enjoyable. Plus, we got to watch the Braves beat the Diamondbacks! The Braves pitcher that night, Matt Wisler, almost threw a no hitter! Getting to watch part of the game from inside a bar made us feel like we were commentators in the sky box.

atop Devil's Bridge

The next morning Hubs, Bro, and I headed up to Sedona for camping. Our original camping reservation didn’t save and all the sites were booked due to the lower temperatures so we were chancing it by going up there. The drive up to Sedona had beautiful views of multi-colored rock formations, cacti, gorges, even the town of Sedona itself made the 2 hour drive well worth it. Our backup plan was to keep heading north to the Grand Canyon, a place Hubs and I have not yet been. We snagged the last walk-up campsite which was extremely lucky. We then drove through town to a trail to hike to Devil’s Bridge. The views were exquisite, the weather was perfect, and since we had three of us we had plenty of photographers. It’s nice to have different photographers because then you get to see the same site from a varying point of view. The hike was a nice, quick jaunt with a few steps to climb. 

our makeshift tent

Back at the campsite we started setting up. Bro has been doing a vegan diet for a month so he was cooking up a delicious vegetable dish while Hubs went to set up the tent. Since the day had been going so perfectly, it was time for something to go wrong. We had the tarp, the tent, the rain cover, but no tent poles. Hubs had to use all of his Eagle Scout skills and rig up the tent with paracord. He worked his magic and got us set up. Bro slept in a hammock. He awoke because something landed on him. He looked up and discovered it was a chipmunk! They made eye contact and the chipmunk scurried off.

What do you expect while camping in the desert? A clear view of the night sky? A warm fire and a cold beer? How about a thunderstorm? Bro was the next to scurry off and into the car when a bright bolt of lightning woke him up. Hubs and I attempted to stay in the tent but then our lopsided tent began to flood so we had to abandon ship. We joined Bro in the car. Overall I wouldn’t change a thing. It made for quite the bonding experience!

The next morning we, as Hubs and I like to do, went back to O.H.S.O. Brewery to say good-bye to my Ecuador friends. From there it was straight to the airport to make our trip back home. Hubs and I would definitely like to go back to the Grand Canyon state and explore some of its other wonders. Later in the year when it’s cool enough to drive out there with the dogs might be fun. We’ll have to wait and see!

we're the fun siblings

Road Trip 'Round the Ring Road

In early June, Hubs and I rented a Chevy Spark for 8 days and drove around the Ring Road in Iceland. Along the way I kept a daily log to our family back home of our adventure. I thought you all might like to read about our experiences as well.

DAY 1

We rolled into Iceland around 9:30am as opposed to 5am due to a strike at Keflavik airport. We ended up in a row with extra leg room! But, the exit row was behind us so we couldn't recline our seats. After flying for 5 hours we got off the plane and onto a short shuttle. Then we had maneuver through the airport. We didn't have to fill out a customs form or anything. We walked down the "no items to declare" hallway and then they stamped our passports and asked us how long we'd be in Europe. Then we had to wait for the shuttle to go to pick up the rental car and that whole process took over an hour.

So by the time we actually hit the road we hit it multiple times because we got all turned around. We then stopped at a gas station for hotdogs since at this point it was already after 1pm.

trollin' around at Geysir

Once we got into Reykjavik we couldn't figure out the parking meter. We walked into a local church for a few moments and then moved our car to outside the Airbnb. We were so exhausted from not having slept we napped in the car for about two hours while we waited for our room to be ready. Which it was ready the whole time it turned out, but we had no Wi-Fi so we didn't get the message. Once we got settled in the Airbnb things started going more smoothly. The couple we are staying with tonight are a little older and have the cutest dog. It's an Icelandic Shepard. It looks like a border collie and a husky mixed.

We got some delicious coffee at a local place and met some Americans who just finished an adventure similar to what we've planned and they gave us a lot of helpful insight! Then we walked along the harbor and had dinner at a place called the Lebowski Bar. It was all Big Lebowski themed. Then we got back to Airbnb around 7:30 and fell asleep. We are trying to sleep now but it's so bright it doesn't feel like 10pm! We had some blunders, but overall I've loved out first day here!!

DAY 2

It's almost midnight and the sun is still out! We got to see the midnight sun, but I'll talk about that later. Today we left the Airbnb around 8am, had a quick, light breakfast, and hit the road. Of course with me as navigator we got turned the wrong way.

We eventually made it to Geysir. Geysir is the reason that all geysers are called geysers! Geysir itself hasn't erupted since 2000 since it only erupts after earthquakes. Strokkur Geyser is like Iceland's Old Faithful and erupts every few minutes. We saw it erupt about 5 times.

After that we left for the waterfall Gullfoss. Naturally, we headed the wrong way. Gullfoss was huge and gorgeous! It said it's about as powerful as Niagara Falls but not quite as big. The best part about Gullfoss was the gift shop where we got a map. :) Downloaded Google Maps was not working for us. It's hard to know you're going the wrong way with no Wi-Fi or data to help you! So we went old school. I can handle a printed map much better. Plus, it had all the roads marked if they were gravel or paved.

After that we tried to go to a volcano called Maelifell. We couldn't because the road leading up to a trail was blocked off. So we headed toward our next Airbnb. We did pass Hekla on the way. That's a volcano here that erupts pretty frequently in geology terms. It used to be feared and thought of as the gateway to Hell. We also stopped for hotdogs again at a gas station. Yummmmm!

The Airbnb we stayed at today is GORGEOUS. It's on a little isolated farm. It even has its own "mountain" to climb. Hubs and I climbed it twice :). The family has multiple Icelandic horses, two rabbits, two cats, sheep, and cows. The sheep they release outside of their property during the summer. In the fall they get on horseback and round them all back up. Their ears are tagged so they know who's who. We didn't see the cows either because they were out grazing. Apparently this is a tradition done all across Iceland.

We ate dinner with the family, it was lasagna with jelly as an optional topping, and then after I did go horseback riding! Hubs followed along on foot and took pictures. He didn't want to ride. The horses here have 5 gaits: the walk, trot, tölt, canter/gallop, and skaith. The tölt is like a very fluid trot. I loved it! And the skaith is faster than a gallop but smoother. They are the only horses in the world that can do all five gaits.

Around 9pm we climbed the little mountain twice (it's a hill); it’s called Dimon.  It’s not called Dimon because it’s devil-like, but the name derives from Latin and apparently there’s two. On the way down the last time it was about 11pm and we saw the sun start to "set." This time of year the sun doesn't really set it just lowers and turns this brilliant red color. It's called the midnight sun. It was worth staying up late and seeing!

It's supposed to rain for the next few days but tomorrow we will be spending about 7 hours in the car to get to our next Airbnb.

DAY 3

Today we left the farm and drove for FOREVER (about 7.5 hours) to our next place. Along the way we stopped at another waterfall called Skogafoss. We passed a lot of beautiful fjords and the largest glacier in Iceland. It's called Vatnajökull. We went up to a section of it called Svinafellsjökull and got some cool pictures. There were even little sections of it broken off into little icebergs washed up on the bay. We got to walk of them and touch them. They aren't solid blocks of ice or dense snow. They were like tiny glass pieces all fitted together. You could hear the water melting underneath them and the glacier itself. When I touched it, it fell into little pieces in my hand.

Eventually we passed glacier lagoon where a much larger section melts into to sea. It's really gorgeous because you can actually see where the glacier water meets to ocean. After what felt like a week we made it to Höfn, a coastal town, and had a really nice early dinner. I had langoustine pasta (it's like lobster) and Hubs had the langoustine and lamb. It was all very delicious.

We got back in the car and continued on our way. We drove over a mountain called Oxi. You could see the snow left on the mountain and hear the snow melting from underneath forming the rivers and waterfalls. We actually stopped for a water refill from the waterfall water. Hubs was convinced it was clean. It was crystal clear in the bottle and smelled clean. I had Hubs drink it first of course. I waited a while and he felt fine so I drank some, too. It tasted way better than the tap water here. (I looked it up before hand, the tap water is safe to drink and it's said that Iceland has some of the cleanest water in the world.) The waterfall water was honestly some of the best water I’ve ever tasted. It looked cleaner than the tap water back home.

After a mere 10947590 hours in the car we FINALLY made it to the Airbnb where we crashed. Well, Hubs crashed. I’ve been playing Sudoku.

DAY 4

Dettifoss

So today we left Egilsstard and headed about 2 hours up the road to a waterfall. There were really two, Dettifoss and Skellfoss. They were huge and beautiful! We passed Goðafoss somewhere along the way. That means “waterfall of the gods” because a lawspeaker allegedly threw the Nordic gods over the waterfall to convert Iceland to Christianity. We didn’t stop for pictures, which I regret, but the view from the highway was stunning. After Dettifoss we drove another hour to a lake called Myvatn. We stopped here and had pizza. The pizza had the regular sauce and mozzarella, but it also had smoked salmon, pine nuts, and cream cheese! It was really good.

We realized over lunch that our rental car plan doesn't include unlimited mileage but only 200 km a day so we've had go make some changes. We changed our Airbnb locations because the rental place said we couldn’t change the reservation to unlimited miles. So, very sadly, we did not make it into the Western Fjords. That would have added another 6.5 hours in the car one way but I still wish we could have made the haul. Once we got to our Airbnb, where we are now, we got an email saying we could change it! It's been a pain. But we still decided not to drive an extra 6.5 hours the next morning... it's just too long! I didn't realize how big this country is.

We did go to a place called Dimmugorgir which translates to "dark city." It also was thought to be a gateway to Hell. It is a bunch of lava rock formations and a couple of giant lava tunnels and caves. It was really neat! They even had a little cave set up like trolls lived there. Haha!

We drove through a town called Akueryi and had burgers with fries on them and ice cream cones. I had mine dipped in dark chocolate. Yummm. The burgers had a sauce on it that tastes kind of like the seasoning the softball park used to use on its fries. It was pretty good! The town is situated on the western side of a fjord. The birdlife is insane here!

DAY 5

Today we started with a whale watching tour. We saw "Puffin Island." The puffins were so little and cute! We did get to see a whale; actually, we saw many whales! We saw porpoises, hump backs, and Minke whales! It was so cool! It was some sort of feeding frenzy so many species of birds and those three species of whales were all gathered in one place.

The rest of the day we spent going through the town Akueryi and driving. We got to our Airbnb early. It's an "apartment." Really, it's an old style house that's been added on. But we are in a newly renovated original part. It's so cute! Apparently it's how most middle class Icelandic people lived 70-80 years ago. I love its layout. It has a separate mudroom, then stairs up to the main living area. The washer was under the stairs. Upstairs was a small hallway with floor to ceiling storage, a shower on one end and the WC on the other. There was a living room, which I believe used to be a bedroom, a bedroom, and a tiny little kitchen with an eat-in table. It was so quaint and the views were breathtaking. The views everywhere in this country are breathtaking. The little town where we are is small and surrounded by water. I’m falling in love with this country life.

DAY 6

Egil

So today we left Skagaströnd and went to Borgarnes. There we went to a museum called the Settlement Centre. We learned about the history of Iceland and one of the Viking sagas called Egil's Saga. I had no idea sagas were that intense! There was definitely enough action, drama, romance, and plot twists. No wonder this one saga got its own audio guided museum exhibit!

After that we headed to our Airbnb, dropped off our stuff, and headed back onto Reykjavik for dinner. I had red fish and Hubs had rainbow trout. We both had lobster soup. Yumm! Shark, puffin, and whale were also on the menu, but we supported the “Meet Us! Don’t Eat Us!” campaign.

Now we are back at the Airbnb resting. All this driving around really zaps your energy!

DAYS 7-8

Our last full day in Iceland! We walked around Reykjavik looking in shops after a delicious brunch down on the Harbor. We popped into the Saga Museum, but didn't go through because we weren't sure we'd have time since we still needed to drive out to Keflavik and had a reservation for the Blue Lagoon. Plus I think Hubs was “museumed out” after yesterday. Then we headed about 40 minutes down the road to our last Airbnb in Iceland. We lounged around a bit, picked up some snacks at a local supermarket, and then back to the Airbnb to get ready for the Blue Lagoon! At the Blue Lagoon we had to take showers before and after. I saw a lot of women who were not shy about their bodies. You could tell who the Americans were because they were the one showering in their swimsuits or walking around in a towel.

The Blue Lagoon was awesome! It sits on the North American and European tectonic plates. It's a man-made lagoon and wasn't all totally planned. It's a byproduct of a geothermal plant. There were silica mud masks and algae masks. There were also a ton of Asians with selfie sticks. We were there from about 7-10:30pm and got to see the sun "set."

This morning we had breakfast at the Airbnb and then went into the little town near the airport. Then we returned the car and now we are at the airport with two hours before our flight. We have one more night on Boston at the Airbnb from our second day there and then we fly out around 8am with a quick layover and will get in about lunch time, around 12:30. Anyway, it's been a beautiful trip. The people here are so kind and speak excellent English. They scenery is stunning. I wish we had more time to do more outdoor activities and sight-seeing. I believe Hubs and I had a thorough trip considering how much we got to see and do in such a short time. If we had to do it again, I’d want to stay for at least two weeks and make more side stops along the way. But honestly, you can’t go wrong with anything you do here. 

Boston 2016

When Hubs and I first started planning the trip to Iceland we found it was cheapest to pick a layover spot. At first we considered New York since the Braves would be playing the Mets when we'd be there, but instead we ended up in Boston. I've never been to New York but now I've gotten to visit Boston twice. I love that city. I love the access to public transportation, the food, the sights, and the people are so kind. You'd think I'd be used to that with "Southern hospitality," but Bostonians have proven themselves very hospitable, too. So much for damn Yankees!

The first day in Boston we got in and settled at the Airbnb about 5:30. We had our own personal guide, named Sheila, who is my aunt's longtime friend, came and picked us up. We went to dinner at the Highland Kitchen, which was very good! We then walked along the Long Wharf on the Harbor Walk. It was a gorgeous evening! Sheila told us about the Big Dig how they lowered a highway to be underground and then turned where the highway used to be into park spaces. The flowers were so beautiful! We went and had gelato in the North End.



Our second day we walked around the city before the Red Sox game against the Toronto Blue Jays. We got lunch at Unos outside of the Fenway. We tried to go to the Cask 'n Flagon, but all the bars right outside the park we jammed packed. Unos had some awesome deep dish pizza! The beer was great, too. We had the Green Monsta and other local brews. At the game we sat in the visitor section so we met a lot of Canadians! After the game we went to the Budweiser Right Field Roof Deck and watched the sun set over the field. It was so beautiful. Then the Canadians talked us into going out with them so we went to a bar for a little bit. By the time we left the buses weren't running and the cabs were full so we walked the 2 miles back to the Airbnb. It was a really pretty night and it felt good to walk off the beer. I'll tell you what, those Canadians drank us under the table!



Our third day we got brunch at the Cambridge Brewing Company. That place hit the spot. In fact, after Iceland we went there again for dinner and had some of the best wings ever. Best part, they were only 25¢ a wing!

Boston was as fantastic and perfect as I remembered it from when I was a young teen. I love going back to a place and remembering why I fell in love with it in the first place. Boston has that effect.

Iceland Insight

Before our trip I read many books and blogs about how to prepare for Iceland. Of course you never really know anything until you experience it for yourself. I've compiled a list of the best advice I could come up with to give someone visiting the beautiful country for the first time.

1. Pack layers

I am so glad I took this piece of advice seriously. Layers really are key. Some mornings I needed gloves and a hat but once the clouds cleared I was starting to sweat in a long sleeve t-shirt. The weather is much cooler than where I live, but it really could feel quite warm. One afternoon we walked through lava formations at a place called Dimmborgir. I was in a flannel shirts, jeans, and boots. I thought I was going to sweat to death. The next day we went to a museum and I needed two shirts, jacket, vest, gloves, and a hat.

2. Pack lotion, sunscreen, and lip balm

It was really warm this day. The headband was to keep my hair under control.

I had sunscreen covered and then didn't wear it the day we went on a glacier and got burned. I had raccoon eyes the rest of the trip. Luckily we experienced gorgeous, sunny weather so I have my sunglasses on in all the pictures. I only packed my tinted lip balms and my poor husband had none. He was man enough to put some on to avoid some terribly chapped lips. The air was much drier than I had anticipated so we were both walking around with shiny, pink lips. Our hands were like sandpaper so we started wearing sunscreen as lotion.

3. If renting a car, make sure it's unlimited miles/kilometers

We originally had a 200 km budget for each day. That wasn't enough for the ring road with all the stops and airbnbs. At first our rental company said we couldn't change to unlimited. We, sadly, cancelled our reservation at the airbnb in the Western Fjords. Of course about an hour later the rental company said for a fee, much smaller than paying the overage fee, to get unlimited mileage. We still decided to forgo the Western Fjords since it would have been an additional six and a half hours in the car one way. I was really bummed about it. Where we stayed in Skagastrond we could see across the water to the fjords so that was neat. But missing them gives us another reason to return.

4. Take proper credit card precautions.

Obviously you should alert your bank and credit card companies whenever travel. It's embarrassing and perturbing to have your card declined. I mean,  really it's good because that means someone else can't use your card. I have a few simple steps about card use in Iceland. First, notify the appropriate parties. Second, call your credit card company to add a PIN number. In Iceland they require PIN numbers at gas stations even with a credit card. Third, check your foreign transaction fees. Depending on the company and your card plan, you could have no fee or about a 3% fee. Lastly, most places prefer cards with chips. They take the traditional swipe method, but sometimes they have to use a different machine for that.

5. You may need bug spray.

There are a ton of flies in Iceland. Well, there were for our trip in June. They were swarming us and then the front of our car was basically black with bug guts. Gross.

6. Keep your eyes peeled on the Ring Road.

Not only for the amazing views and the cool pull-off places, but in the summer when the sheep are grazing freely they cross the road. The mama sheep check for cars first but the lambs, and most sheep have twins, don't. We had one walk right in front of us! Luckily, Hubs has great eyes and saw them and slowed down in time.

7. Get a waterproof camera/phone case.

We had a waterproof phone case and used it at the Blue Lagoon for pictures. We thought we would need it for rain or while whale watching but it was sunny and not needed.

Enjoying a Gull beer in the Blue Lagoon.
Hair tip: I kept mine up with conditioner in it and was fine!

8. Have a real map.

I started with the downloaded Google Maps. That worked great as long as we knew our exact beginning and ending location. On the second day of our trip we bought a map and downloaded Lonely Planet for Iceland. The map we bought was great. It even had the roads color-coded for paved, gravel, off road (the F roads), and tunnels. We rented a Chevy Spark so long periods of time on gravel roads weren't too fun and the F roads were definitely off-limits for us. The Lonely Planet helped when in towns and looking for places to eat. It had suggestions and the town maps. I got to download it for free as a trial use of Kindle Unlimited.

Overall, everything about Iceland was as perfect as people made it out to be. Everyone in Iceland was so warm and welcoming; we only had the most positive encounters with locals and other visitors alike. A big plus was that Icelanders' speak wonderful English. Iceland is a beautiful country and, since we can take our dogs with us, I'd love to think we could live there one day. 

Prepping for Iceland

Hubs and I leave for Iceland in a matter of days! I can hardly believe we are really going. It's something I added to my bucket list but honestly I never thought I'd get there. I love my husband for helping make this happen.

This trip is one I have prepped for more than any others. We are not going through a tour group as we did in Peru; nor are we going through a travel program as we did in Dominican Republic or as I did in Ecuador. All of the planning has been on us. So how did we tackle it? I narrowed it down months of planning to 6 seemingly simple steps.

1. Researched.

Do your research. Read. Read books, blogs, skim through pictures, whatever helps you learn the most. I read Insight Guides' Iceland. I read about Iceland for about a year or two before we even booked the flight. I mean, who wouldn't want to learn about Vikings and all that geothermal activity? I'm a nerd, I know. I even went on Twitter and asked questions. I was surprised I got so many answers! Even better was that those answers were from Icelanders so I figure they know what they are talking about. I also spent a lot of time on Pinterest reader what other bloggers, authors, and photographers had to say/show. Also, I've been on Google Translate trying to learn the correct pronunciation of different cities.

2. Booked the flights.

Flights are really low right now as a way to draw in tourism for Iceland. Their tourism has definitely been booming recently. As with anything, there are pros and cons to this for Iceland.

3. Rented a car.

We wanted to see as much of this gorgeous country as we could and be free to be spontaneous. We got a compact car. Hubs handled this aspect since he'll be my personal chauffeur.

4. Booked places to stay.

We used Airbnb in an effort to save money and experience a more authentic Iceland. We have even been invited to share meals with the host families. This planning step went hand-in-hand with the next step. We needed an idea of where we'd be in order to know where to stay.

5. Plan the itinerary.

This is where my "teachery" personality thrives. It was like extreme lesson planning for my husband and me. However, I am not as detailed orientated as you may think. I tend to jot down big ideas and then allow the pieces fall into place as they may. Hubs laughed when I came home with a printed out map plan of our trip. Did you know you can make and save maps in Google Maps? That has been a life saver! I can view the trip as a whole and as individual days with all the stops marked along the way.

Here is the map outline of our 8 days in Iceland on Google Maps. We tried to visit as many different regions as we could. This is still up for editing and finalizing, but you can have a sneak peak of our trip overview!

6. Packed.

I have read, and read, and read what to pack for the weather in Iceland. Where I am it's already in the 90s. However, while we are there the weather is expected to range from the 50s to 40s and it could rain at any moment. Fortunately, there is a lot of advice out there from travelers and Icelanders alike. Mostly I read to bring: knit hat, rain coat, hiking boots/rain boots, rain pants, gloves, wool socks, sunglasses, and swimsuit. Here is what I plan on including in my suitcase. Now bear in mind, we will be spending three days in Boston so I had to add in some clothing for slightly warmer weather.

I'll be sure to write after the trip about what I would change for next time and what I would do again. As with everything, especially lesson plans, hindsight is 20/20. 

If you have any important tips you want to share, please feel free to let me know! Leave a comment below, e-mail me, or direct message me on Twitter or Instagram.

Teach to Travel or Travel to Teach?

Are you a traveler at heart who teaches between trips? Or are you a teacher who travels in order to enrich children’s lives with experiences of other cultures? Either way you have some major passion in your heart. I find you can neither teach nor travel without strong motivation. Which am I? It depends on the day. If I come home from a rough Monday, I teach so I can afford my travels. If it’s late July, then I’ve been traveling so I can teach the next generation of explorers.

Teach to Travel:

• Traveling on a Budgetà If you teach to travel, then you must be a professional at stretching the dollar for long periods of time. Here’s to you! I still have my college mindset when I travel which is, spend little and get a lot. The get could be a piece of artwork or an extra excursion.
• Summer Tripsà Summer is the prime travel time. This sounds great, but that can backfire on you my teacher friends. Summer, along with the holidays, is when traveling prices go way up. The good thing for you is you have a lot more flexibility with your travel dates. Flying midweek rather than on the weekends really can save you some money that can be spent better elsewhere. You also get to take longer trips and therefore get to do more traveling within a region. I have a teacher friend who takes a big trip each summer (sounds familiar…). Last summer he went to South America. He did a tour with some of his other teacher friends through Peru, Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. One of my mentor teachers took a “back to our roots” with his wife starting in Ireland, where his family was from, down the east coast of Africa to Kenya, where her family was from. To take trips like these and actually be able to experience the place you need time. You also need money, but teaching isn’t necessarily the best job for funding these excursions.
• Teachers Travel Free Programsà At a social studies conference I learned that there are ways teachers can travel domestically or internationally for free. FREE. Who doesn’t love that? Teachers have to apply and then, if accepted, write lesson plans in return. Sounds easy enough! There are a couple of different programs depending on where you want to go. Check out this link for information on programs like The Korea Society, TOP, and Fulbright. 

Travel to Teach:

Williamsburg, VA

• Freebies & Discountsà Wherever you go, take your teacher’s badge. You never know when you might benefit from it! Back in 2012 I went to Virginia and while there we visited Mount Vernon. One section of the museum was for children and near there was for teachers. Yay! Free teaching materials! I was able to get a whole folder full of materials. I do no teach about George Washington, but I was able to pass it off to the fourth grade teachers at my school. Another plus is all you can learn on your travels. Take the guided tours, grab handfuls of brochures, and take pictures! I often laminate the brochures to use as research materials or as examples for projects. I tend to want to travel more to places I actually teach about because I know I get to teach about it.
• Out of Town Conferencesà Use teaching as an excuse to travel! There are conferences all the time! Your county or school district most likely will reimburse you for the trip. Even better! I love going to the GCSS conference in Athens, GA each year. I learn how to be a better teacher and I get to visit my alma mater (Go Dawgs!). I’ve had coworkers go to sessions in Atlanta, Savannah, and even Washington, D.C. Take advantage of any free time and do some sightseeing. 
• COST Programà AKA Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching  – this is how I got to go to Ecuador. I was there for three months and completed my student teaching there in an international school. I cannot begin to explain how much this study abroad helped me grow up both as a teacher and as a young adult. I highly suggest COST to any and every education major. You get to spend a semester abroad and it sets your resume apart (in a good way!). Check out my old blog for more details on that chapter of my life. 
• Field Tripsà What better way to encourage students to travel than to actually take them somewhere? Even if you only go down the street, I promise you they will get 100 times more from that one day than sitting in a classroom merely hearing about it for a week. Think about it.

name tag, coffee, and bulldog-
all a teacher needs at the GCSS conference!

Whether you teach so you have longer vacation time to take those more extravagant trips, such as hiking sections of the John Muir Trail or spending two weeks at an all-inclusive Caribbean resort, or you travel so you can take pieces of the world home with you to share with others, both traveling and teaching are rewarding endeavors. Props to you for participating in one or both!

Tails & Trails

Hiking with Dogs

I love my fur babies. I have two, a husky and a Labrador-Weimaraner mix. So of course Hubs and I love taking our little “poops,” as I so affectionately call my pups, on walks. Those walks often include hikes at local parks. Through our experiences we have compiled a list of advice for others and their four-legged children to help the hike be an enjoyable one.

1.  consult your dog’s veterinarian beforehand

                Make sure your dog is in the proper shape, doesn’t have allergies, etc. The dog doc will probably have some useful tips for you and your pooch before you hit the trails. Just like you should consult you your own doctor before beginning a new workout regime, you need to the same for your pup.

2. check the park’s rules

Are dogs allowed? What is the maximum leash length? Are dogs only allowed on certain trails? Make sure you research some before heading out on the trail.

3. always use a leash

I know, I’m guilty of letting my lab off at times, but frankly it isn’t safe or good trail etiquette for others. We recently passed a lady who was very afraid of dogs and made a wide loop around us over a narrow rocky pass even though all the dogs, there were four at the time, were on leashes and lysing down. Another time our lab was off and found something in leaves. I first thought it was a squirrel, but called him back and he came, thankfully, because in the leaves was a snake. Upon further investigation it was merely a king snake (nonvenomous), but we were lucky! One other time we were in the woods behind out house, where we go nearly every day, and off he went after some deer. Everything again was ok, but how many times can we push our luck?

It’s also so annoying when you have your dog on a leash and other people don’t, especially on a very crowded trail. They think because their dog is friendly nothing bad could happen. That isn’t true. Dogs, no matter how cuddly and cute, are still animals and can react to situations unpredictably. You never know when your dog will chase after some wildlife, another dog, or who knows what else! For the safety of your dog and others, please use a leash.

4. make sure your dog is good on the leash

Being pulled across creeks or down rocky hills is not fun nor is it safe, too often my dogs get passed off to Hubs (sorry Hubs!). I also have big dogs, about 75 and 55 pounds, so when they throw their weight I can feel a little out of control. When I feel like that, they know it and continue to pull. Hubs is definitely the pack leader so it works out better for everyone if he has them both. If you dog pulls and ignores commands and corrections, please rethink that long hike until after you have mastered a walk around the neighborhood and your dog knows you are in charge.

5. use the right type of collar or harness & leash

Make sure your dog can’t slip out of its collar and that a harness doesn’t encourage your dog to pull. You need to consider the comfort for your dog and what helps you feel in most control. We like this leash because the handle is padded, you can wear around the waist, and there is a built in short handle for more control.

6. bring plenty of water & snacks

We got a late start one early summer morning and ended up on too long of a trail with too little water. We had to find creeks for our dogs to lie in and running water for our dogs to drink. I would much rather carry the extra weight of too much water than ever stress about my dogs overheating again. Don’t forget a bowl! And just like you, your dog is burning a lot of calories and needs a snack break.

7. if you want your dog to carry its own food & water, then train with the pack before hitting the trails

                This helps in two ways. One, less weight for you! Two, your dog goes into work mode and less out of play mode. This helps your dog’s focus. Please, please, please don’t load your dog down the first time and go a really long distance. Ease into it with an empty pack, then a little weight, and never go above 10% above your dog’s total weight. Also, make sure the weight is equally divided. The temperature should also play into account when added a pack to your pup. (See #1 before incorporating a pack) Here is what Cesar Milan says about it. 

8. pest control

Double check that your dog is up to date with its medications. (See #1) Remember to check for ticks after. When pulling out a tick you need to ensure you get the head out. Watch the spot to make sure it’s healing properly and not developing into an allergic reaction or a disease ticks can carry. Click hereif you need more help with this. A bath at the end might be a good idea as well.

9. use proper trail etiquette

Not just for you, but your dog as well. Pick up anything left behind, so bring baggies. Be considerate of others on the trail especially when passing other dogs. Dogs are still animals and can be unpredictable; just because your dog is super friendly and submissive doesn’t mean that other hikers’ dogs are (See #3). Allow faster moving groups to pass you. If someone else’s dog is barking at yours, don’t stand and watch! Keep moving.

10. make sure the trail is a good fit for your dog

Dogs can’t tell you when they are tired and they will most likely be too excited to stop. The terrain should be gentle enough for your dog’s paw pads otherwise you may want to invest in some little booties. Consider as well the weather, the length of the trail, and the trail’s gradient. Just like you, your dog will need to prepare before going on a strenuous trail.

I’m not a perfect dog mom, but I do try my best to keep my dogs safe and happy (as well as Hubs and me). I hope you find these tips helpful and useful. Do your own research first if hiking is new to you and/or your dog. Your dog will love the exercise, being outside, and the bonding time with their #1 human, YOU!