events

Three Places Not to Miss in 2012

January 10, 2012 By Jillian

There’s a huge list of world activities coming our way in 2012. We don’t have the budget to go to most of them (read: 99% of them), but if we could here are the three we still wouldn’t miss.

1. London’s Olympics
Ever since I was a little girl I’ve wanted to go to the Summer Olympics. Surely sitting at a stadium or inside an arena for hours would get boring, but I have a weird thing about wanted to BE there. Even if I do have to sit through 30 heats of the 100 meter backstroke.

Plus, the Queen celebrates 60 years on the throne this year. How can you not go for a visit?

2. Washington, DC
I’m sorry but there is nothing like being in Washington, D.C. on a presidential election night. Four years ago I sat in a bar in Washington’s Eastern Market neighborhood watching the results roll in. As each state was called the crowd cheered or booed (depending on their party), and a sense of neighborliness filled the bar. When the election was finally called people poured into the streets to celebrate. A city of Political Geeks + Presidential Election = Fun.

3. Palenque, Tikal, Chichen Itza, Copan
If the Mayan’s world is going to end on December 21, 2012, you better check it out while the temples are still there. Their empire stretched from Mexico to Honduras so I suggest you get a move on!

What places or events do you want to go to this year?

There’s a Group for That!

October 4, 2011 By Jillian

You have an adventurous spirit if you read this blog so let me tell you about a little secret.

There’s a group for us, it’s called Meet, Plan, Go. If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about exploring the world, taking a career break or long-term travel, this is the group for you.

Maybe you’re thinking this year is the year. “This is the year I’m finally going to do it !” you promise yourself. “Only I need a little push.” Well, we’re having a national get together of kindred spirits this month. Panels of travelers are meeting all over the country on October 18th– there’s likely an event near you! Over 2,400 people nationwide attended last years event, so you’ll be in good company.

We’re excited to be a part of the Orlando Panel, along with other fabulous Florida travel bloggers like Lisa Chavis and Cheryl McDonald What Boundaries Travel, Shannon O’Donnel A Little Adrift, Ben Reed Adventures with Ben, and Mike Cooney Cooney World Adventures. Quite a line up isn’t it?

Make this your defining moment. Listen to how others have done it, ask questions and above all make this year your year!

Feel free to ask us any questions. To register or for more information go to Meet, Plan, Go Orlando!

Photo: Inside the Bull Ring

September 13, 2011 By Jillian

Spain is forever etched in my mind as the home of late nights, tapas, sangria, siestas and beaches. Spain’s regions are culturally different due in part to its varied history. We ran with the bulls in Pamplona, a once in a lifetime experience, if only because once you’ve done it you never want to do it again.

We flew into Barcelona spent the night and took a bus to Pamplona. It was a whirlwind journey of Northern Spain, as we crammed the festival and San Sebastian into just a few days. Running with the bulls was a crazy event. From the huge street parties with meter wide paellas, to the all night concerts, ridiculous number of young Brits stumbling around drunk, and the street performers (and pick pockets!) it was all a bit like Carnivale in Venice- more than your imagination can handle.

The highlight of course was the actual running of the bulls, which is over in about 5 minutes. After getting up to run the first morning, we learned to go to the Bull Ring with the locals and wait for the bulls, and want to be matadors to pour into the ring. While the streets felt like a drunken festival, the bull ring felt like a cultural event. We didn’t attend the afternoon bull fights, just the morning fights, where young bulls are set free in a ring to teach stupid tourists a lesson!

IF YOU GO: Pamplona’s festival runs for a week the middle of July. While it’s a fun experience, you won’t want to stay the whole week with nothing else to do, 24/7 parties get boring after a day or two. With more time we would have looked for Barcelona apartments to rent and used one as a base to explore Catalonia before heading further north to Pamplona and Basque country. Basically, you should plan your time efficiently in Spain, there’s a lot to see.

London’s Cultural Olympiad

July 31, 2011 By Jillian

It turns out there is more to the 2012 Olympics than just sports. The 2012 Olympic games will be hosted in London, but Olympic rules dictate London must simultaneously host a cultural Olympiad as well. Like the sport Olympics, the cultural Olympiad will highlight different genres, or events if you will. Don’t worry, there are no medals. It’s been a four year project that culminates with, yes the Olympics. The goal is to bring arts and culture to the 2012 London experience, especially to those that cannot get to London for the games, so the events are all over the UK. The Cultural Olympiad includes everything from a Shakespeare Theatre festival to a River of Music festival along the Thames that will represent all 205 Olympic nations. Huge dance parties, live music festivals and the requisite art galleries, there are tons of genres of “culture” represented.

Here are some of my favorites:

Lakes Alive: June 21, 2012

I saw the word pyrotechnics and I was sold. A sound, light and fire show put together over music, and composed over a lake? What more could be better? Plus, it’s free. My recommendation? Spend the day hiking in the Lake District and the night watching a fireworks show across the lake. Bring a bottle of wine and get close enough to hear the percussion section.

World Shakespeare Festival April 23, 2012- September 2012

Three actors meet at a bar… just kidding. Every single one of Shakespeare’s play is going to be performed for the 2012 season. Over 37 international theatre troupes are scheduled to perform, and each play will be in a different language. The event is spread all over the UK for six weeks so it shouldn’t be hard to catch at least one! If you’re flying out from London be sure to book your Heathrow Airport Parking, Gatwick Airport Parking or Luton Airport Parking in advance and get out of the city for a few days!

River of Music Festival Jul 21-22, 2012

Live music along the Thames? Count me in. This series of concerts will highlight music and performance art from a different continent. Specially commissioned works, the concerts will include young people from all 205 Olympic and paralympic nations.

Tate Movie Project

A movie completely put together by children will be screened at the Tate Gallery during the Olympics. A rather sweet project, elementary school children from across the UK participated in the making of this animated film; they sent in storylines, animations, voted on voice actors and created the sound. A collaboration of workshops and online voting, the film will surely be imaginative. I wish I had the opportunity to do something like this as a kid!

Unlimited

I have to admit I didn’t realize there was a performing arts genre called disability arts. Unlimited, a UK program designed to encourage collaboration between disable performers and mainstream organizations was commissioned for 10 performances across the UK. Their mission of course, is commendable, but the ethics aside, I can only imagine the talent and dedication it must take to perform in a wheelchair, deaf or blind. I’d love to catch one of these performances.

IF YOU GO: The cultural Olympiad is spread throughout the UK, so if you can’t get tickets to a performance near London, it’s not a bad idea to look for other venues. While most of the events will culminate with the Olympics in July, there are some (like the Shakespeare Festival) that run through September. Discount airlines like RyanAir flight throughout the UK, so although the train from London to Scotland might be tempting, check on a flight deal first. Don’t forget to check the airports on the outskirts of London as well, as the discount carriers tend to stay away from the bigger airports. If you were planning to fly to any of these events be sure to book your Airport Parking in advance to save a few bucks!

Photo Credit: www.london2012.com

Taking Time Off

July 21, 2011 By Jillian

Have you ever taken a mental health day? I don’t mean just from work, I mean taken a true mental health day, gone to do something fun and left your “to do” list for another day?

A few weeks ago we realized that we’d be in Florida for the final shuttle launch. Neither of us had ever been to a space shuttle launch and we figured it would be our first and last opportunity so we took it. That’s not to say we shirked out responsibilities for the day, but rather that we decided that we’d regret not going if we stayed home. So we took off, had a great day, and recharged our batteries.

Our philosophy in life is to live without regrets. This means taking a proactive approach to life. I know I’m not going to wake up 20 years from now and say I wish I had gone to work instead of the shuttle launch. Have you ever wished you had made the extra effort to go somewhere to do something, instead of passing up the opportunity? Living a proactive life means not passing up those opportunities. My favorite quote is from the writer, Mark Twain.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Take a page out of Mark Twain’s book, every once in a while, when the opportunity presents itself to take time out and have fun. I’m not saying take a day to go to the movies or lounge around the house, I’m saying when that music festival you’ve always wanted to go to comes around next year, go. Take a day off of work if you need to, rearrange your schedule and go. You’ll never regret it. Living a proactive life means living your life in balance.

Will you regret taking a day of vacation to run with the bulls in Spain? Even if it means taking leave without pay? Probably not, just skip a few meals out when you come home. Will you regret that you didn’t jump on that opportunity for cheap holidays in Santa Ponsa that you saw online yesterday? Probably, especially when you’re at home watching TV wishing you were there.

To help us live our life more proactively, we put together a bucket list. It’s an evolving list though, as we hear about new things we’re constantly adding to it, but honestly I think that’s half the fun. I hope it keeps us focused on living a proactive life, especially now that we’re settling into something a bit more routine.

We’re putting together a calendar of world events. Interesting, fun, unique festivals, holidays, celebrations, events, and things to do from around the world. Check it out on the sidebar. Let us know what you want to see on the calendar, leave suggestions in the comments below and we’ll be happy to add events. We’re going to constantly update the calendar, so check back often!

Three Places Not to Miss in 2012

There’s a Group for That!

Photo: Inside the Bull Ring

London’s Cultural Olympiad

Taking Time Off

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