Travel for Fun

Jan. 12, 1992

 

I’m still in Bangkok, trying to get this scam thing straightened out.  Tomorrow I am going on a 1 day tour, but I have forgotten the names of the places, although one is the River Kwat.

 

Now for the lesson…when traveling for fun…DO NOT DO BUSINESS!!!! Especially before you have seen things!   Rather than spending money on the trip, I tossed my money into a business scam only to lose a good portion of the money that I had.  Please if you are reading this blog, do not do any type of business when you are on a pleasure trip, or you may find that you have fallen into the same trap that I did (and loads of others.)

Listening to: Titanic Soundtrack

TYour heart will also yearn for the tropical setting of the beautiful islands of Hawaii.

he second half of the New Zealand/Australia trip was a stop in Hawaii.  Though I have been to different parts of the Caribbean, Hawaii is the most gorgeous place I have been to before in my life.  It is on my list of places I would love to revisit.  The beautiful seascapes, gorgeous views, and elegant sunrises and sunsets are a magnificent and magical vacation getaway destination.

            The trip's itinerary began on the island of Kauai.  We got off the plane and immediately hiked Walmes Canyon.  The sites and views were stunning, a major difference from the snowy and cold Australia.  Over the next few days we kayaking on the Wallus river, camped out on the beach, and hiked Fabulous Na Poll.  Since Hawaii is comprised of five major islands, we flew to another one, Oahu.  This is the island on which Pearl Harbor is located.  Visiting this landmark will no doubt enrich you in knowledge about a historical attack on the U.S.

            Hawaii is six hours from California.  Instead of making a quick stopover on the way home to New York, we stayed over two days in L.A. to tour and visit Universal Studios.  On the plan trip from Hawaii to California, I listened to the Titanic Soundtrack.  The movie had just been in theaters earlier that year and I was addicted to the soft compositions and calm, serene effect of the music.  As we departed Hawaii, this music suggested a montage in my mind of all the amazing memories and experiences I would take with me from my trip.

 

Listening to: Armageddon soundtrack

Aerosmith music may leave one longing for New Zealand and Australia.

            Lately I have been reminiscent of my summer trip to New Zealand and Australia when I finished ninth grade.  The memories always spring up when I hear Aerosmith's "I don't wanna miss a thing."  I had bought this CD right before the trip and listened to it on almost every bus ride through the mountains, to the ski resorts, and on the way to hiking destinations.

            Traveling from New York to New Zealand and Australia was a long trip, which thankfully I can't fully remember which is why I'd probably be crazy enough to do it again.  Though it took three planes to get there, I truly and honestly recommend a trip to this part of the world.  When New York has their winter, Australia is in the summer season.  Since this was a summer trip, the experience was devoted to skiing and visiting all the different resorts.

            We arrived in the South Island of New Zealand and toured around Christchurch.  From there we traveled to Mt. Hutt to ski, hiked, went jet boating, and bungee jumped in that area as well.  We also skied Mt. Cardrona and took a boat ride on Milford Sound.  Then we were off to Australia.

            We began at our Melbourne destination where we explored the Healsville Animal Sanctuary and toured the Victorian market.  I have timeless and priceless pictures of me inches away from kangaroos and cute koala bears. We also skied Thredbo, an area a few hours away from Canberra, the capital of Australia.  Our Australia leg of the trip ended with a few days stay in Sydney, touring the harbor and visiting the Sydney Opera House.

            To this day, when I see the Sydney Opera House in movies or commercial I exclaim to whomever's around me, "I was there!"  And when Aerosmith's ?I don't wanna miss a thing? comes on the radio, I remember my amazing adventure Down Under.

Though this blog is primarily about travel, I will be introducing each trip/destination and associate it with a specific song or album.  To me, music is a way of understanding, relating to, and enjoying life.  Songs can evoke feelings and many different memories.  One quote that best defines me is, ?There is a radio in my head and I am always listening to it.?  No matter where I am, where I am going, or what I am doing, I constantly hear, crave, and listen to music.  Music makes one happy, sad, remorseful, hopeful, and excited.  Traveling also makes people feel different emotions.  Excitement to go, nervousness to get on a plane, stress about hotel reservations, and finally contentment when everything works out.

Though people listen to music in their cars or on mp3's on the way to work, music is used as a relaxation technique when on vacation.  Whether one is on the beach in the Caribbean, on a train from Ibiza to Barcelona, or camping in the woods of New Hampshire, music is often played to soften up the background.  When I travel, I am usually obsessed with one album at that time and listen to it over and over again.  Therefore, I tend to associate the trip/destination with that one album.  When I hear the song, ?Come On Eileen?, I automatically think of my trip to Miami, Florida when I was sixteen.  As I lounged by the pool, that song would play over my CD player.

I urge you to choose your music carefully when on a trip.  Be conscious of what you are listening to because it will be in your memories forever!