My US Travel Bucket List

by hcherdon | Jan 3, 2017 | Blog, Travel

Here’s where I’m at…    I’ve visited 22 of 50 states so far and I’m hoping to hit Colorado next.

U.S. States I’ve Visited

Visited 22 out of 50

Visited States in Pink
States Not Visited in Green

The Magic of the Trulli of Alberobello, Italy

by hcherdon | Jan 2, 2017 | Blog, Travel

One of my favorite little hideaways in the world is one of Italy’s best kept secrets. Located not too far from the bustling Southern Italian city of Bari, the tiny historic town of Alberobello remains an historic wonder.

I love this place because it feels like I’m in an alternate universe.

The houses seem to be from some long lost alien planet. I also love that it represents a group of people who thought outside the box to make the best of their situation, people who weren’t afraid to challenge the expected.

Home to less than 11,000 people, the little town is famous for their cluster of trulli, a particular type of small structure. And wow, aren’t they are adorable!

This little village does not disappoint!

A UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996, the Trulli of Alberobello are indeed, truly unique. At the time they were constructed, trulli were typically used as temporary field shelters or storehouses. However, in Alberobello the trulli a tax was placed on homes and by not having a permanent roof, one could avoid their home or business being taxed as permanent property. So cool! Built of stacked rocks with no mortar, the roofs could be easily knocked over in the case that the authorities show up.

While the town was founded as early as 1000 AD, the trulli date back as far back as the 1400s. They were all built on land that was granted to a feudal lord, who ordered the people to build temporary structures instead of permanent ones to avoid having to pay taxes as city. Alberobello was not officially recognized as a permanent town until 1797.

There’s not a whole lot to do here, but there is enough to fill at least a long afternoon. The town museum here is definitely worth a visit.

Plus, you could spend the afternoon just walking the winding streets and pathways throughout this maze-like, little village.

There are also plenty of shops with a wide variety of souvenirs, if you’re into that sort of thing. Choose to support a local business selling things made locally and your money will go the further towards helping this place survive. This community thrives on tourism.\

If you get a chance to make it to Southern Italy, be sure to stop in and visit this little town. It’s one of the most unique places you’ll ever visit.

Have you been to Alberobello? Did you like it? I’d love to hear about your experience. Please post it in the comment section below.

8 Ways to Cruise Greener

by hcherdon | Jan 21, 2016 | Blog, Travel

Let’s face it. Cruising the high seas is by no means a green or eco-friendly method of transportation. Cruise ships waste more and pollute more than most all other forms of travel. But if you find yourself taking a cruise, there are a few ways that you make your trip a little more eco-friendly than it might have been.

1 – Carry a reusable water bottle.

Never buy water sold in disposable water bottles. Also, you can take these reusable containers to the restaurants on the boat with you. And of course, you will also want to carry them when you go into port. As an added benefit, carrying a reusable water bottle can also help you stay consistently hydrated while traveling, which can be difficult and often gets overlooked in all the fun.

2 – Reuse your towel.

If you can use it several times before tossing it to the dirty laundry, that would be best. I tend to use my towels for at least a few washes before discarding them. One thing that helps is that I am careful to hang them up properly to allow them to air out properly. This prevents mildew and bacteria from growing, allowing for more uses.

3 – Don’t flush the loo unless you go number two.

Yep! There I said it. A little pee never hurt anyone, but the excessive flushing of toilets is wasting an unbelievable amount of precious water resources. So, unless you go two, don’t flush the loo.

4 – Take as few showers as possible.

Speaking of wasting water resources, it’s best if you can reduce the amount of waste water you produce on the ship, you can reduce the amount of pollution going into the ocean.

5 – Turn your powered items off when you leave the room.

Don’t leave your power appliance plugged in, as many of them still use a little bit of energy. This is good habit to practice everywhere you go and at home, too.

6 – Skip the souvenirs.

Especially the cheap, plastic souvenirs both on the ship and in port, too. Instead, take lots of photos and make videos. These photos and videos will work better as souvenir replacements if you put yourself and your travel mates in them. Don’t try to take a great landscape for your desktop background. You can get those photos all over the internet. Don’t waste the opportunity. Put people in the pictures. These are the photos you can never replace and can never take again.

7 – Take mass transit in port.

When you go to port, walk if you can. If you can’t walk or bicycle, opt for mass transit travel options as much as possible. This is an obviously greener option.

8 – Bring reusable bags.

If you are going to shop when you travel, be sure to throw a few reusable shopping bags in your backpack or travel pack, so you can avoid collecting new ones.

9 – Choose one of the “greener” cruise lines.

While all cruise ships are big polluters, some companies are attempting to take a more responsible approach and are taking small steps to make their ships more eco-friendly.

In 2012, a Neilsen survey on global corporate responsibility found 46% of consumers are willing to pay extra for products and services from companies that show a commitment to social responsibility. 66% ranked environmental sustainability as more important than any other cause listed.

My Travel Bucket List

by hcherdon | Sep 17, 2015 | Blog, Travel

Ask anyone who’s ever really known me and they’ll tell you I’m ambitious, to say the least. That’s what life is for, right?! So, after much thought, I have decided to share my travel bucket list with you. I hope you’ll follow along with me on my adventures across the globe.

 Visit all of the 50 United States

I’ve visited 22 of 50 states so far and am hoping to hit Colorado next. See my whole list of US Travel Goals.

 Visit all of the European Countries

Visited:  Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy
Still Need to Visit:  Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic of), Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, Ukraine, Vatican City

 Visit all of the Continents

Visited:  North America, Europe
Want to Visit:  Asia, South America, Africa, Antarctica, Australia

 All the US National Parks:

Visited:  Glacier Bay, Hot Springs, Mammoth Cave
Want to Visit:  Acadia, American Samoa, Arches, Badlands, Big Bend, Biscayne, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Reef, Carlsbad Caverns, Islands, Congaree, Lake, Valley, Death Valley, Denali National Park & Preserve, Dry Tortugas, Everglades, Gates of the Arctic, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Great Basin, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Great Smoky Mountains, Guadalupe Mountains, Haleakala, Hawaii Volcanoes, Isle Royale, Tree, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Kenai Fjords, Kings Canyon, Kobuk Valley, Lake Clark, Lassen Volcanic, Mesa Verde, Mount Rainier, National Park of American Samoa, North Cascades, Olympic, Petrified Forest, Redwood, Rocky Mountain, Saguaro, Sequoia, Shenandoah, Theodore Roosevelt, Virgin Islands, Voyageurs, Wind Cave, Wrangell – St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Zion

 Random Travel Goals

• Take an Alaskan cruise and see the glacier
• Cruise the Greek islands
• Make a film in Paris, France
• Kiss someone at the top of the Eiffel Tower, in Paris, France
• Attend the opera in Paris, France
• Have a warm drink in ice hotel
• Eat at an underwater restaurant
• Stay in an over-water bungalow
• Climb Machu Picchu, Peru
• Dress for Carnival in Venice
• Attend a broadway musical, Manhattan, New York, New York
• Niagara Falls, New York
• Swim with dolphins
• Swim with manatees
• Try peode in the desert
• Visit space
• Mash grapes with my feet in a vineyard
• Scuba dive the Blue Hole in Belize
• Backpack the rainforest
• Ride the Chunnel train
• Soak in Grutas Tolantongo, Metzquital Valley, Hidalgo, Mexico
• Edward James’ Las Pozas, Xilitla, Mexico
• Xcaret Park, Riviera Maya, Mexico
• Play in the jungles of Tamasopo, Mexico
• Swim between continental plates in Iceland’s Thingvellir Lake
• Participate in Burning Man
• Tour Lava Beds National Monument
• Visit Williamsburg, Virginia
• Visit Edith Macefield’s house in Ballad, Seattle, possibly the inspiration for the movie Up
• Dive in the Bonne Terre Mine in Missouri
• Have a Drink at the Tonga Lounge in San Francisco
• Take a boat ride on Kaindy Lake in Kazakhstan
• Fly away at Coupe Icare where flying and art come together
• Play at St. Louis’s whimsical City Museum
• Cross Le Passage de Goi ou Goa
• Pedal myself to bliss at Ai Pioppi in Italy
• Hike the spine of Angles Landing Trail at Zion National Park
• Celebrate Festa alla Zucca in Italy in October (festival of pumpkins)
• Swim in the tradition of the Antique Pool in Hierapoiis
• Scale the Travertine Terraces of Pamukkale, Turkey
• Walk between the continental plates in Iceland
• Kayak to Mound Key Archaeological State Park, a Native American-made shell island.
• Ride the world’s largest water coaster at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana.
• Canoe the Gorges du Verdon in South France.
• Cross the Ponte Vecchio bridge in Firenze, Italy.
• Creep around Bodie California State Historic Park where ghosts of the 1800’s lurk.
• Explore Coronado, California’s sunken ship, SS Monte Carlo.
• Stand 282 feet below sea level in Lake Badwater in California’s Death Valley.
• Stomp the grounds of Caesarea Maritima in Israel.
• Attend the Battle of the Oranges in Northern Italy’s Ivrea, the largest food fight in Italy
• Walk the paths of Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia
• Hear the Sea Organ on the shores of Zadar, Croatia
• Walk the potentially deadly, historic Boomway in Britain
• Stay in Aydinli Cave Hotel located in Cappadocia
• Stay in Castello di Galeazza in Italy
• Climb the Chocolate Hills in the province of Bohol in central Philippines
• Walk on Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland
• Visit Deadvlei in the Namib Desert in Africa
• Play at Salina Turda in Romania