The first thing I come away with is a renewed appreciation for my country; United States of America. Traveling by car is my preferred mode to see my country. I enjoy being able to stop and detour whenever the urge strikes and I also enjoy the highway level view the car affords me. There are many similarities across our country, while at the same time, unique topography, climate, fauna, and flora add a sense of wonder to any road trip. The human influence also serves to distinguish areas of the country and add variety.
I visited several states for the first time. One of these was New York, and I was pleasantly surprised to travel through all of the farm country located in the western part of that state. The forests of Maine had the most wonderful fresh clean smell. The large cities along the way, while not an appealing place for me to live, amaze by the sheer number of people crammed in a small area. The variety of architecture seen in small towns and metropoles alike, always delights whether buildings or bridges. If you haven't had an extended road trip lately, I would encourage you to take one and explore a new state if possible.
I enjoyed taking photographs of buildings and bridges on my travels. I realized as I neared home that I needed to document some of these same things in my small town and surrounding areas. Buildings come and go and we often don't think to document current life, but it will one day be nostalgic too. So I have decided to make an ongoing digital album for my area of the country.
Food is another area that comes to the forefront when I travel. Since I cook often at home, I am often unsatisfied with much of the over salted, pre-made food found in many restaurants, especially chain restaurants. I prefer small, local places to eat. The simpler the preparation, the better the taste. What I take away from my recent travel experiences; buy the best I can afford. I compared several organic/non organic items on this trip. Organic had the best flavor every time. Price difference was minimal. More chain grocery stores are carrying more organic products and prices are very competitive. Grocery store visits are a must on any vacation, in country or out.
Memories of this trip inspired me to try this recipe for African Peanut Soup. I garnished it with chopped unsalted peanuts and it was simply delicious. A keeper that will go in the recipe box.
Our extended travels did not produce many tangible souvenirs. I took over a thousand pictures but only purchased one hoodie, a purse, and a few local food products. No knick knacks. I simply don't need more stuff that takes up real estate in my home. I share my photos on FB, scrapbook some of the best, and watch the pictures as a slide show on the WII. If you don't know about this feature of the WII, it is worth learning about. The WII has a slot for an SD card and it will produce a slide show with interesting fade ins and outs and play background music. It is amazing how lovely it is to watch and relive your vacation. TV size really makes a difference in pictures, especially landscapes.
I have learned that I need to label and write descriptions right away for my pictures. Like most of you, I think that I will remember the where and when but in reality, the details can quickly be forgotten. The year or ages of children should also be immediately written on/by the photos because we really won't recall these details. That project has begun for this trip but there are plenty of older photos on my computer that can use this also.
I enjoy traveling and I learn somethng on each trip. I look forward to identifying and incorporation more things from my latest vacation. Every experience I have adds to the tapestry that makes up who I am and how I live my daily life.
