The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.

[soleta_nf]

I walked to the mall today after work (after unsuccessfully trying to take a regular short cut that is now full of mud and fell trees, construction workers, and *lots* of mosquitoes) and, upon realizing I wasn't in a shopping mood, figured I wouldn't be very productive there. Was I ever wrong. I sat down in Chapters and read about $200 worth of travel books - two general budget U.S.A. travel guides, one Texas guide and two Washington, D.C., guides. They pretty much told me what I already knew from the internet and talking to friends, but it was reassuring to read a travel book and see actual maps and pictures and know I found all the main museums/sites (though I did find a new Houston one - the Art Car Museum!). I got some more safety tips (if you are in tourist areas you are generally okay; act confident and never admit you are by yourself; on the train hug your bag(s) and never, ever, fall asleep). I also saw an Amtrak map (I'll be going through New York City! I wonder if it will stop there at all. I'll be able to look out the window, in any case. Wait, I think I go through there in the middle of the night. Dammit).

So in the spirit of my renewed and ever-increasing trip excitement, I bring you more travel babbling. Behinds cuts for the travel-phobic.


I filled out a map generator a while ago that mapped where I've been in the world, and I think it would be fun to duplicate it for my U.S. trip, with a future projection, here.

U.S. states I've visited up until now:



create your own personalized map of the USA
or check out ourCalifornia travel guide

Yes, I do live in that country to the north!

Where I will be travelling: (I took a guess as to which Amtrak line I will to taking from D.C. to Chicago)



create your own personalized map of the USA
or check out ourCalifornia travel guide

And what this map should look like come August 2006:



create your own personalized map of the USA

Not bad for a Canadian, eh?


My prior trips to the U.S.:

Probably took a lot as a kid, but I don't remember them now. I grew up in Calgary, Alberta, and we went camping near Coeur-d'Alene, Idaho, a few times, and went shopping one of those times in Spokane, Washington.

Went to Maine a lot growing up, either cross-border shopping while visiting family, or visiting my exstepmom's relatives.

In junior high we moved from Calgary, Alberta, to Prince Edward Island (the opposite end of the country), and decided to drive through the U.S. instead of Canada. We went through Montana (which I found dirty, and some retail guys made fun of me for mispronouncing 'pint', saying "You ain't from 'round here, are ya?"), North Dakota (I remember eating at an Applebee's and liking it), Minnesota, Wisconsin (either MN or WI was where we encountered THE FIREFLIES OF DOOM; I had to run to the bathroom amidst a swarm of them, swatting frantically, holding my breath and trying not to scream as they bounced off my face and body. *shudder*), Michigan (the northern part going into Ontario; we took a short cut to visit family in Ottawa), New York, Vermont, New Hampshire (VT and NH were GORGEOUS. I fell in love with them. One -- I forget which -- had more water scenery and the other had more tree scenery, but both were breathtaking), and Maine.

I have a vague memory of cross-border shopping while visiting my grandmother in Winnipeg, Manitoba, so that would have been ... either North Dakota or Minnesota.

Went to a conference in my undergrad in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and stopped in the creepy chocolate-monopoly town of Hershey. There was an episode of The Simpsons where Bart makes fun of this super fake museum tour where you're in a boat floating past changing exhibits and they pump in smells and change the temperature as subjects change -- THAT'S TOTALLY THE HERSHEY MUSEUM. CREEEEEPY. We had a very bumpy ride through NY state on the way there that made us sick, and so drove back to Ottawa through Ohio and Michigan.

Went to another conference in Oberlin, Ohio (driving through, I think, Cleveland, as well as Michigan). I loved that town and the college was gorgeous. There was a funky book store and comic shop nearby that was having a huge sale AND I WAS SO HAPPY OMG. I completed my collection of Starfleet Academy comics there. Now that I think of it, Ohio might be one of my favourite states. I've had great experiences there.

Transferred through the Boston airport in fall '04 on my way to Paris, and ended up sleeping there (stupid weather) on my way back. Now I will be able to say that I have actually been to Boston, since apparently seeing the airport doesn't count.

Also: Cool travel quotes.