Ah Spring Break! The well deserved and much needed respite that teachers and students get between the 3rd and 4th quarters of the school year.
There is a dark cloud, however, a trouble that plagues those with kids: no school!
Kids get a little crazy when they are home for a week with not much to do. As such I try to plan ahead and have a lot of things of various sorts ready to go beforehand. This past Spring Break I had scheduled a couple hikes, a movie or two, some fun lunches, a visit to the library, and a trip to the Discovery Park of America.
Discovery Park of America, or DPA for short, is a wondrous place located in Union City, Tennessee (Northwest Tennessee). It's not a super huge facility, but it is jam packed with fun and adventure.
We were a bit unlucky in that the day we picked for this trip was during the one rainy day of the week. However, the mix of outdoor and indoor activities provided an amazing time for my two kids. Both boys like different things. The older one likes cars, science, space and stuff like that whereas the younger boy likes dinosaurs, machines and rough and tumble antics. Both were satisfied with the DPA.
Upon entering you are greeted by a stuffed or heavily tranquilized Grizzly Bear. From there they have natural history displays, military vehicles from history including replicas of the atomic bombs used in World War II. There is even a section on torture. They have classic cars, dinosaur skeletons, a giant slide in the shape of a human body that kids can use to go from one level of the museum to the one below. Outside there is a garage with several vintage farm equipment, a reproduction of an old American town, different gardens (one is a Japanese garden). There is also a church and old rockets from NASA from the 60s.
The two boys had a blast and wanted to stay longer. Sadly we had plans for the next day. This is a great place that is not too far for either Memphians or Nashvillians. They have a variety of tickets that allow you to see what you want. I recommend the all access pass so you can do everything. There is also a pass that allows you to have two days. Might be good especially if you want to kill multiple days. I highly recommend this awesome place that has something for everyone.
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
The Kamakura Adventure
My wife graciously allowed me to buy a two week JR pass due to the fact that we ended up having to stay in Japan longer than anticipated. I tend to get a little antsy and depressed if I stay in one area too long, which had happened during our trip two years ago. So in order to keep my wanderlust in check and possibly to get me out of her hair for a bit, she allowed me to do some traveling on my own.
I have traveled pretty extensively throughout Japan. I haven't been everywhere, but I've been to my fair share of places. I've tapped out most of central and Western Japan. Since we were going to be staying in Nagoya, I needed to make sure that my destinations were all in easy striking distance from my home base. Therefore, I couldn't realistically travel to Kyushu or Shikoku. Tohoku was also out. I poured through Wikitravel and my old copy of Lonely Planet Japan and Google Maps to determine my journeys.
The most obvious choice, to me, for my first jaunt was Kamakura. I had never been and it looked to be a reasonable distance from Nagoya.
Making my way to Nagoya Station and booking my seat on the shinkansen was easy. I bought some food for the trip and otherwise prepared for my trip. The trip to Shin-Yokohama station was uneventful. However, when I got to Shin-Yokohama I realized something. I had no idea how to go to Kamakura. I looked at the map with all the train lines on it and had a basic idea as how to go. I found my way to Yokohama pretty easily. The funny thing is that Yokohama Station seemed bigger and busier than Shin-Yokohama. Shin-Yokohama had only the shinkansen and one other train line going into it whereas Yokohama had several. I guess it was my mistake to associate anything with "shin" in its title to automatically mean it's better.
I found my way to a little tourist information center in Yokohama station. I really liked this TI because they actually knew how to do their job. Several times in several countries I have been led astray by idiotic TI staff members who had no idea about their city and would dole out useless or wrong information and cause confusion. Not the Yokohama TI staff. I asked about Kamakura and not only did they know exactly how to get there, they also had these nifty little cards with directions on how to get there! I have never seen this before, but I loved it! So many times I have had to go back to a TI to get new directions because I had forgotten something. I made my way to the appropriate train platform and began the final leg to Kamakura.
I arrived in Kamakura and for some reason I was under the impression that my goal, the Giant Buddha, would be right near the station. I was wrong. I found the handy city map (just outside of the station's main entrance, to the right) and found that the temple was just under 2km away. Rather than waste money on a bus, I decided to walk it. The walk wasn't bad. It was a bit hot, but other than that, it was good. After about 15 minutes or so, I found my destination.
One of the weirdest or quirkiest things I found about the temple area was that there was a little shop selling replica weapons. They had all sorts of things from samurai weapons to M1 Garands. 15 or 20 years ago, I would've bought something. As it is, I looked through it and went to the temple.
The temple was good. There's not much to it. You turn a corner and BAM! There's the Giant Buddah. It's a great statue and it was neat looking at. I loved taking pictures. It was so serene once you found a way to keep the other tourists out of your shot. Looking back at some of my pictures it almost seems like I was the only person there. But pictures can sometimes be deceiving. The place was packed.
I wandered a bit and decided that I should probably make my way back to the train station since I had a fairly long journey back home. On my way out I saw a large map of the area. I could see the path that I had taken to the temple, but couldn't help notice that there seemed to be a hiking path located near by. Never one to shirk an adventure, I went with the hike.
I got to the street and turned the opposite way from where I came and set out. I could see some distance away a road tunnel and right next to it, a very small path leading up the steep hill. The path was rough and a little steep. It was also obviously not heavily traversed. It was overgrown and generally unkempt. Immediately after cresting the hill, I saw a dilapidated, old house. I tensed up. This structure was unexpected and when I'm hiking I don't like seeing strange and unexpected buildings. It gave me the creeps as visions of J-horror flooded my brain. I pressed on and suddenly saw people approaching me. The path was not wholly unused. I was safe from the phantoms of my imagination.
The trail was nice. In parts it overlooked the town and you could just see a bit of the ocean. I chatted with the occasional fellow hiker, who was often just as surprised to see me as I was them. The trail seemed to run along the spine of a mountain (or tall hill). It was wooded and gave some nice views of the land below. After about 20 minutes, I suddenly emerged into a small residential area.
One of my whole reasons for choosing the hike was to see some more of what Kamakura had to offer. The main objective was to check out Sasuke Inari Shrine. It's a fox spirit shrine and an unofficial hobby of mine is to visit those particular shrines. Shortly after beginning my trek down the hill and towards the shrine I met a middle aged gentleman who stopped me and engaged in the typical conversation of where I was from, what I was doing and so forth. As I was edging away, he smiles and says "Please visit Zeniari Benzaiten Ugafuku Jinja" and proceeds to tell me how to go the aforementioned shrine. Since it was recommended by a local, I decided to check it out. And boy am I glad I did.
First off, I nearly passed the shrine entirely since the entrance was hidden from the direction I was coming. There was a torii and I thought nothing of it, but suddenly realized that Zenirai should be around there. I turned around and saw a cave behind the torii. Of all the shrines and temples I've visited in Japan this one is the most unique. It's in a hollow completely surrounded by rock. There is also a spring inside of another cave that according to legend, if you wash money in the waters it will multiply and return to you. Not wanting to be greedy, I only washed 1000 yen.
After a long while I decided to head out and begin the trek to the station. Along the way I finally found Sasuke Inari Shrine. It's a bit hard to find, being tucked way back in a neighborhood. In my opinion it wasn't worth the trouble. It was small and nice and totally deserving to be off the beaten path.
If you have not been to Kamakura, I highly recommend it. It makes for a really nice day trip, one that I wouldn't mind going back in the future.
I have traveled pretty extensively throughout Japan. I haven't been everywhere, but I've been to my fair share of places. I've tapped out most of central and Western Japan. Since we were going to be staying in Nagoya, I needed to make sure that my destinations were all in easy striking distance from my home base. Therefore, I couldn't realistically travel to Kyushu or Shikoku. Tohoku was also out. I poured through Wikitravel and my old copy of Lonely Planet Japan and Google Maps to determine my journeys.
The most obvious choice, to me, for my first jaunt was Kamakura. I had never been and it looked to be a reasonable distance from Nagoya.
Making my way to Nagoya Station and booking my seat on the shinkansen was easy. I bought some food for the trip and otherwise prepared for my trip. The trip to Shin-Yokohama station was uneventful. However, when I got to Shin-Yokohama I realized something. I had no idea how to go to Kamakura. I looked at the map with all the train lines on it and had a basic idea as how to go. I found my way to Yokohama pretty easily. The funny thing is that Yokohama Station seemed bigger and busier than Shin-Yokohama. Shin-Yokohama had only the shinkansen and one other train line going into it whereas Yokohama had several. I guess it was my mistake to associate anything with "shin" in its title to automatically mean it's better.
I found my way to a little tourist information center in Yokohama station. I really liked this TI because they actually knew how to do their job. Several times in several countries I have been led astray by idiotic TI staff members who had no idea about their city and would dole out useless or wrong information and cause confusion. Not the Yokohama TI staff. I asked about Kamakura and not only did they know exactly how to get there, they also had these nifty little cards with directions on how to get there! I have never seen this before, but I loved it! So many times I have had to go back to a TI to get new directions because I had forgotten something. I made my way to the appropriate train platform and began the final leg to Kamakura.
I arrived in Kamakura and for some reason I was under the impression that my goal, the Giant Buddha, would be right near the station. I was wrong. I found the handy city map (just outside of the station's main entrance, to the right) and found that the temple was just under 2km away. Rather than waste money on a bus, I decided to walk it. The walk wasn't bad. It was a bit hot, but other than that, it was good. After about 15 minutes or so, I found my destination.
One of the weirdest or quirkiest things I found about the temple area was that there was a little shop selling replica weapons. They had all sorts of things from samurai weapons to M1 Garands. 15 or 20 years ago, I would've bought something. As it is, I looked through it and went to the temple.
The temple was good. There's not much to it. You turn a corner and BAM! There's the Giant Buddah. It's a great statue and it was neat looking at. I loved taking pictures. It was so serene once you found a way to keep the other tourists out of your shot. Looking back at some of my pictures it almost seems like I was the only person there. But pictures can sometimes be deceiving. The place was packed.
I wandered a bit and decided that I should probably make my way back to the train station since I had a fairly long journey back home. On my way out I saw a large map of the area. I could see the path that I had taken to the temple, but couldn't help notice that there seemed to be a hiking path located near by. Never one to shirk an adventure, I went with the hike.
I got to the street and turned the opposite way from where I came and set out. I could see some distance away a road tunnel and right next to it, a very small path leading up the steep hill. The path was rough and a little steep. It was also obviously not heavily traversed. It was overgrown and generally unkempt. Immediately after cresting the hill, I saw a dilapidated, old house. I tensed up. This structure was unexpected and when I'm hiking I don't like seeing strange and unexpected buildings. It gave me the creeps as visions of J-horror flooded my brain. I pressed on and suddenly saw people approaching me. The path was not wholly unused. I was safe from the phantoms of my imagination.
The trail was nice. In parts it overlooked the town and you could just see a bit of the ocean. I chatted with the occasional fellow hiker, who was often just as surprised to see me as I was them. The trail seemed to run along the spine of a mountain (or tall hill). It was wooded and gave some nice views of the land below. After about 20 minutes, I suddenly emerged into a small residential area.
One of my whole reasons for choosing the hike was to see some more of what Kamakura had to offer. The main objective was to check out Sasuke Inari Shrine. It's a fox spirit shrine and an unofficial hobby of mine is to visit those particular shrines. Shortly after beginning my trek down the hill and towards the shrine I met a middle aged gentleman who stopped me and engaged in the typical conversation of where I was from, what I was doing and so forth. As I was edging away, he smiles and says "Please visit Zeniari Benzaiten Ugafuku Jinja" and proceeds to tell me how to go the aforementioned shrine. Since it was recommended by a local, I decided to check it out. And boy am I glad I did.
First off, I nearly passed the shrine entirely since the entrance was hidden from the direction I was coming. There was a torii and I thought nothing of it, but suddenly realized that Zenirai should be around there. I turned around and saw a cave behind the torii. Of all the shrines and temples I've visited in Japan this one is the most unique. It's in a hollow completely surrounded by rock. There is also a spring inside of another cave that according to legend, if you wash money in the waters it will multiply and return to you. Not wanting to be greedy, I only washed 1000 yen.
After a long while I decided to head out and begin the trek to the station. Along the way I finally found Sasuke Inari Shrine. It's a bit hard to find, being tucked way back in a neighborhood. In my opinion it wasn't worth the trouble. It was small and nice and totally deserving to be off the beaten path.
If you have not been to Kamakura, I highly recommend it. It makes for a really nice day trip, one that I wouldn't mind going back in the future.
Sunday, May 17, 2015
JR Railpass
Japan is a train country. You can get just about anywhere in Japan by train and indeed it is the most convenient mode of transport in that country. Something that makes rail travel all the more easy is the JR Railpass. It basically allows you to ride any JR train as many times as you want during the validity of your pass.
There are several different types of passes. First you have the general pass which allows you access to all of JR. Then you have an individual pass for each region of Japan (Hokkaido, East, West and Kyushu). Personally I don't know why you'd want to limit yourself to one region. I wander so much that picking just one region would be extremely difficult. The passes also have a time limit. They do not go on forever. You can choose a 7, 14, or 21 day pass.
If you want to see a lot of Japan easily and in a short amount of time this pass is the way to go. Not only will it save you money, but it will also save time. Instead of standing in line to purchase tickets, you just flash your pass to the station personnel and away you go. The JR pass is also very easy to buy. I went to JTBUSA, got the contact info and called the Chicago office. A fax and one more phone call and I had my passes (note that I had to do things differently because my wife is Japanese and you have to do some special things for Japanese nationals living abroad to get the pass, normal ordering can be done online with much less documentation). The documents you get in the mail are actually vouchers that you must use in Japan to obtain the pass themselves. Now, you must buy these passes before you go to Japan. They cannot be purchased within country and you must have a tourist visa. If you have any sort of long term visa (student, business, etc.), you cannot use the rail pass.
There is one other limitation to the pass: you can't use the Nozomi super express bullet train. The other two, Hikari and Kodama are able to be used. Also, keep in mind that not all trains in Japan are JR. There are other rail companies and you cannot use the pass with them, so please check to make sure that your destinations can be accessed by JR.
I will be using a 14 day rail pass this summer. I'm looking forward to being able to come and go where and when I please. It'll allow me to explore at ease and to have a general liberty. I've used the pass in the past and it was great being able to travel freely.
There are several different types of passes. First you have the general pass which allows you access to all of JR. Then you have an individual pass for each region of Japan (Hokkaido, East, West and Kyushu). Personally I don't know why you'd want to limit yourself to one region. I wander so much that picking just one region would be extremely difficult. The passes also have a time limit. They do not go on forever. You can choose a 7, 14, or 21 day pass.
If you want to see a lot of Japan easily and in a short amount of time this pass is the way to go. Not only will it save you money, but it will also save time. Instead of standing in line to purchase tickets, you just flash your pass to the station personnel and away you go. The JR pass is also very easy to buy. I went to JTBUSA, got the contact info and called the Chicago office. A fax and one more phone call and I had my passes (note that I had to do things differently because my wife is Japanese and you have to do some special things for Japanese nationals living abroad to get the pass, normal ordering can be done online with much less documentation). The documents you get in the mail are actually vouchers that you must use in Japan to obtain the pass themselves. Now, you must buy these passes before you go to Japan. They cannot be purchased within country and you must have a tourist visa. If you have any sort of long term visa (student, business, etc.), you cannot use the rail pass.
There is one other limitation to the pass: you can't use the Nozomi super express bullet train. The other two, Hikari and Kodama are able to be used. Also, keep in mind that not all trains in Japan are JR. There are other rail companies and you cannot use the pass with them, so please check to make sure that your destinations can be accessed by JR.
I will be using a 14 day rail pass this summer. I'm looking forward to being able to come and go where and when I please. It'll allow me to explore at ease and to have a general liberty. I've used the pass in the past and it was great being able to travel freely.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Neat travel hacks
Sunday, August 3, 2014
The Gulf Coast
Being the typical Southern that I am, I took my family down to the gulf coast for part of our summer vacation. Actually, my wife had a Zumba course to take so it was an added incentive to hit the Mississippi coastal region.
We went to the Las Vegas of the gulf coast, Biloxi, Mississippi.
I had been to Biloxi once back in 2002. I went down for a Tool concert with some buddies from college. We didn't see too much of the area. Just went to the mall, hotel and arena. Spent maybe 12 hours there in total. Not much time to see the sights.
I had been meaning to go back to that area and I finally got my chance this year due to my wife's desire to become a Zumba instructor. The closest place within a time frame that we could make was Biloxi. Thus our family summer vacation spot was chosen.
Due to a little communication mix up, the original hotel I wanted to stay at was fully booked (Hampton Inn on Highway 90). I was pretty heartbroken because I love Hampton Inn. There will be another blog post soon on the awesomeness of Hampton Inn. So I had to do a mad dash to find another place. Most places in Biloxi proper were full. Made sense seeing as it is in the middle of summer and it is a beach town. I finally had success at a Day's Inn in Ocean Springs, a small town just across the bay from Biloxi.
Ocean Springs is a pleasant little town. It's not as touristy as Biloxi, but is only about 5 minutes away. I actually liked it better than Biloxi proper. Ocean Springs is quieter and more relaxed than it's more famous neighbor. It's also away from the hustle and bustle. In Biloxi, there crowds of people everywhere you turn. Traffic is as slow as molasses and people constantly tail gate. I liked being able to go the more populous places, but then retreat back into my nice quiet place.
Ocean Springs isn't without it's attractions. It's got a very nice beach complete with a kids' park/play ground. The beach isn't as crowded as Biloxi so if you want some nice family time, OS is the place to do it. I found the beach clean, quiet, almost abandoned and very relaxing.
The food in Ocean Springs is also pretty awesome. BB's Po Boys and Seafood was great. We ate there twice. I had the roast beef po boy and a cheeseburger po boy. Both were amazing. It's a bit expensive, but worth it. We also tried a couple other places while in town. Aunt Jenny's was okay. Not a whole lot of food for the price, but the view from the dining room was fantastic and the food was tasty. Stonewall's BBQ was okay. Being from Memphis, I'm pretty picky about my BBQ, but Stonewall's was okay. Not great. Okay. Their sausage was pretty good though and if I were to visit there again, I would probably skip everything else and go for the sausage by itself. I really recommend the sausage.
One of things that I was most excited about was seeing Jefferson Davis' house, Beauvoir. Now, I'm not a pro-Confederate, crazy racist. No, I'm a history nerd. Pure and simple, I'm a history nerd. My wife showed no interest in going to Beauvoir, so I decided to visit while she was at Zumba.
It was a bit hectic and confused at the historic site. When I entered, I was told that I would have to wait nearly 2 hours for the tour to begin. Apparently somebody called out sick in a bid to show their power over the management. I resigned myself to wandering the property and gift shop for however long my son could last before we would have to leave for lunch. Miraculously they were able to schedule a tour for about 10am.
The tour itself is short. Maybe about 30 minutes. The house is also rather small. It's amazing to see how little the people of the 1800s lived with. The house is simple, yet beautiful and the museum and Presidential Library is pretty cool. Definitely worth the visit if you are into history.
Another place we ventured to was the Lazy Magnolia brewery in Kiln, Mississippi. It's a bit of a drive from the Biloxi area, but the brewery tour is good and tasty (you get to have samples throughout the tour). I always enjoy a good brew tour and seeing how things are made. You really need to call and schedule a tour because it was just dumb luck that I got there and they were just so happening to be starting a tour. It would be a pity to drive all the way out to Kiln only to be turned away like I almost was.
The trip was a good respite from normal everyday life in the South. It's a great destination for us Southerners to blow of some steam and enjoy beach life.
We went to the Las Vegas of the gulf coast, Biloxi, Mississippi.
I had been to Biloxi once back in 2002. I went down for a Tool concert with some buddies from college. We didn't see too much of the area. Just went to the mall, hotel and arena. Spent maybe 12 hours there in total. Not much time to see the sights.
I had been meaning to go back to that area and I finally got my chance this year due to my wife's desire to become a Zumba instructor. The closest place within a time frame that we could make was Biloxi. Thus our family summer vacation spot was chosen.
Due to a little communication mix up, the original hotel I wanted to stay at was fully booked (Hampton Inn on Highway 90). I was pretty heartbroken because I love Hampton Inn. There will be another blog post soon on the awesomeness of Hampton Inn. So I had to do a mad dash to find another place. Most places in Biloxi proper were full. Made sense seeing as it is in the middle of summer and it is a beach town. I finally had success at a Day's Inn in Ocean Springs, a small town just across the bay from Biloxi.
Ocean Springs is a pleasant little town. It's not as touristy as Biloxi, but is only about 5 minutes away. I actually liked it better than Biloxi proper. Ocean Springs is quieter and more relaxed than it's more famous neighbor. It's also away from the hustle and bustle. In Biloxi, there crowds of people everywhere you turn. Traffic is as slow as molasses and people constantly tail gate. I liked being able to go the more populous places, but then retreat back into my nice quiet place.
Ocean Springs isn't without it's attractions. It's got a very nice beach complete with a kids' park/play ground. The beach isn't as crowded as Biloxi so if you want some nice family time, OS is the place to do it. I found the beach clean, quiet, almost abandoned and very relaxing.
The food in Ocean Springs is also pretty awesome. BB's Po Boys and Seafood was great. We ate there twice. I had the roast beef po boy and a cheeseburger po boy. Both were amazing. It's a bit expensive, but worth it. We also tried a couple other places while in town. Aunt Jenny's was okay. Not a whole lot of food for the price, but the view from the dining room was fantastic and the food was tasty. Stonewall's BBQ was okay. Being from Memphis, I'm pretty picky about my BBQ, but Stonewall's was okay. Not great. Okay. Their sausage was pretty good though and if I were to visit there again, I would probably skip everything else and go for the sausage by itself. I really recommend the sausage.
One of things that I was most excited about was seeing Jefferson Davis' house, Beauvoir. Now, I'm not a pro-Confederate, crazy racist. No, I'm a history nerd. Pure and simple, I'm a history nerd. My wife showed no interest in going to Beauvoir, so I decided to visit while she was at Zumba.
It was a bit hectic and confused at the historic site. When I entered, I was told that I would have to wait nearly 2 hours for the tour to begin. Apparently somebody called out sick in a bid to show their power over the management. I resigned myself to wandering the property and gift shop for however long my son could last before we would have to leave for lunch. Miraculously they were able to schedule a tour for about 10am.
The tour itself is short. Maybe about 30 minutes. The house is also rather small. It's amazing to see how little the people of the 1800s lived with. The house is simple, yet beautiful and the museum and Presidential Library is pretty cool. Definitely worth the visit if you are into history.
Another place we ventured to was the Lazy Magnolia brewery in Kiln, Mississippi. It's a bit of a drive from the Biloxi area, but the brewery tour is good and tasty (you get to have samples throughout the tour). I always enjoy a good brew tour and seeing how things are made. You really need to call and schedule a tour because it was just dumb luck that I got there and they were just so happening to be starting a tour. It would be a pity to drive all the way out to Kiln only to be turned away like I almost was.
The trip was a good respite from normal everyday life in the South. It's a great destination for us Southerners to blow of some steam and enjoy beach life.
Monday, April 28, 2014
I'm dreaming of a white Thanksgiving!?
The white stuff didn't make itself known until we were in Knoxville. The weather had been cold and overcast but dry. The further we pushed into East Tennessee, the more the snow built up and the heavier it fell. The funny thing though was that no one was over reacting like they do in Middle and West Tennessee.
The roads were clear throughout the way from I-40 exit 407 through Sevierville and Pigeon Forge (one of the gaudiest tourist towns this side of the Mississippi River). We stopped at a Kroger in Sevierville to get some last minute Thanksgiving supplies and to get some directions. I also took the opportunity to get some info on the road conditions. According to the locals it was clear through Gatlinburg. They weren't wrong.
The drive continued South, deeper into the Great Smoky Mountains. After passing through Tourist City USA aka Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, we entered into a winter wonderland. This place was amazingly beautiful. Everything was glazed in white and though traffic was steady, it was extremely peaceful. The road wound its way through this small portion of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and treated us to the splendor of the mountains that we so rarely get living in the delta.
I was apprehensive, being a flat lander and all, while driving through this gorgeous scenery, but the roads were nice and not icy sheets of death.
That is until we go to the last little bit of road to our cabin.
My mom had warned me that it was a steep climb up to the cabin and the road was icy. I was now confident (maybe a bit too much so) and went head long up the hill. It was fine for the first 3 or 4 minutes. Then we got to the last hill. It had a good angle on it and sure enough, it was frozen. We inched up. The tires would slip and the car would whine. We'd climb up a few more inches and slip again. I was nervous, having my wife and young son in the car. We made a turn and I began to relax. Then within sight of the cabin, maybe 20 or 30 feet from the driveway, we get stuck. I can't move forward at all. I cut the wheels to the left and manage to creep out. Then I'm stuck again. I cut more and pump the gas and end up in a shallow ditch. After a bit of cursing and unnecessary steering wheel punching, I put the car in reverse and out we go. Suddenly my car can make it up the last bit of hill and we coast into the driveway.
Hugs were given and I got to introduce my wife and son to my cousin Johnny whom I haven't seen in 11 years. We chatted and unloaded the car. The boy was whisked off to our room upstairs to get a well needed and earned nap, which he eventually refused to take.
I needed a beer. We had plenty and lord knew I needed one. So Johnny and I started early. After awhile my uncle woke up and joined us in spirits. It was a fun time of male bonding and catching up.
Early afternoon saw the arrival of my cousin Frank and his family of six. The quiet cabin was no more. The day was fun and enjoyable. Stories were told and everyone caught up on each other's lives. It was a great time and of course we all stayed up late into the evening talking and just enjoying each other.
Thursday. I woke up early as I had volunteered to make omelets in a bag (something I learned from scouting and wanted to try it out). I crept downstairs and as quiet as I could be, started to make breakfast. I already had chopped onions and such (you always want to do as much prep work at home as possible). My little second cousin loved the omelet and begged me every morning after to make "that thing we made yesterday". It was an easy breakfast and kept everyone out of the kitchen for the important meal.
The rest of the weekend was spent reminiscing about our loved ones who are no longer with us and telling stories and generally updating each other on our lives.
We did manage to get out to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but didn't see much other than from the car. It was still spectacular, but I felt a bit disappointed that I didn't get to do any hiking. I guess I have an excuse to go bum around Gatlinburg again.
We were going to go up to Clingman's Dome (highest point in Tennessee), but on the way up I got spooked by the amount of ice that was on the road (I've become a bit more cautious since my son was born. A couple years ago I would've bounded up the mountain with barely a thought.). The drive up to Clingman's was great and very beautiful. I love the mountains! However, we couldn't find a parking space so we decided to return to the visitor center and then back to the cabin.
The return to the cabin took almost an hour after we left the visitor center. Keep in mind that the park is only 4 miles from where we were staying. The entirety of Gatlinburg was crammed full of cars and pedestrians. We crept down the strip, inching past shops, bars, restaurants, and hotels. We finally made it back and I vowed that I was not going to be leaving the cabin again until we were heading home.
I kept my promise and only ventured out when my cousin was driving. The rest of the time was spent eat, drinking and catching up on everyone's lives. It was great trip and I greatly enjoyed it. Gatlinburg is on the list of places my family wants to revisit.
The roads were clear throughout the way from I-40 exit 407 through Sevierville and Pigeon Forge (one of the gaudiest tourist towns this side of the Mississippi River). We stopped at a Kroger in Sevierville to get some last minute Thanksgiving supplies and to get some directions. I also took the opportunity to get some info on the road conditions. According to the locals it was clear through Gatlinburg. They weren't wrong.
The drive continued South, deeper into the Great Smoky Mountains. After passing through Tourist City USA aka Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, we entered into a winter wonderland. This place was amazingly beautiful. Everything was glazed in white and though traffic was steady, it was extremely peaceful. The road wound its way through this small portion of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and treated us to the splendor of the mountains that we so rarely get living in the delta.
I was apprehensive, being a flat lander and all, while driving through this gorgeous scenery, but the roads were nice and not icy sheets of death.
That is until we go to the last little bit of road to our cabin.
My mom had warned me that it was a steep climb up to the cabin and the road was icy. I was now confident (maybe a bit too much so) and went head long up the hill. It was fine for the first 3 or 4 minutes. Then we got to the last hill. It had a good angle on it and sure enough, it was frozen. We inched up. The tires would slip and the car would whine. We'd climb up a few more inches and slip again. I was nervous, having my wife and young son in the car. We made a turn and I began to relax. Then within sight of the cabin, maybe 20 or 30 feet from the driveway, we get stuck. I can't move forward at all. I cut the wheels to the left and manage to creep out. Then I'm stuck again. I cut more and pump the gas and end up in a shallow ditch. After a bit of cursing and unnecessary steering wheel punching, I put the car in reverse and out we go. Suddenly my car can make it up the last bit of hill and we coast into the driveway.
Hugs were given and I got to introduce my wife and son to my cousin Johnny whom I haven't seen in 11 years. We chatted and unloaded the car. The boy was whisked off to our room upstairs to get a well needed and earned nap, which he eventually refused to take.
I needed a beer. We had plenty and lord knew I needed one. So Johnny and I started early. After awhile my uncle woke up and joined us in spirits. It was a fun time of male bonding and catching up.
Early afternoon saw the arrival of my cousin Frank and his family of six. The quiet cabin was no more. The day was fun and enjoyable. Stories were told and everyone caught up on each other's lives. It was a great time and of course we all stayed up late into the evening talking and just enjoying each other.
Thursday. I woke up early as I had volunteered to make omelets in a bag (something I learned from scouting and wanted to try it out). I crept downstairs and as quiet as I could be, started to make breakfast. I already had chopped onions and such (you always want to do as much prep work at home as possible). My little second cousin loved the omelet and begged me every morning after to make "that thing we made yesterday". It was an easy breakfast and kept everyone out of the kitchen for the important meal.
The rest of the weekend was spent reminiscing about our loved ones who are no longer with us and telling stories and generally updating each other on our lives.
We did manage to get out to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but didn't see much other than from the car. It was still spectacular, but I felt a bit disappointed that I didn't get to do any hiking. I guess I have an excuse to go bum around Gatlinburg again.
We were going to go up to Clingman's Dome (highest point in Tennessee), but on the way up I got spooked by the amount of ice that was on the road (I've become a bit more cautious since my son was born. A couple years ago I would've bounded up the mountain with barely a thought.). The drive up to Clingman's was great and very beautiful. I love the mountains! However, we couldn't find a parking space so we decided to return to the visitor center and then back to the cabin.
The return to the cabin took almost an hour after we left the visitor center. Keep in mind that the park is only 4 miles from where we were staying. The entirety of Gatlinburg was crammed full of cars and pedestrians. We crept down the strip, inching past shops, bars, restaurants, and hotels. We finally made it back and I vowed that I was not going to be leaving the cabin again until we were heading home.
I kept my promise and only ventured out when my cousin was driving. The rest of the time was spent eat, drinking and catching up on everyone's lives. It was great trip and I greatly enjoyed it. Gatlinburg is on the list of places my family wants to revisit.
Travel Accessories: The iPad
Accessories are important to the traveler. One always needs equipment, tools, and other items to ensure the trip is good. On my recent trip to Japan I discovered how nice it is to have a tablet device.
I am an avid reader. I often read a couple books a week and this number increases when I'm on vacation. It's also a great way to pass the time while flying or otherwise traveling. In the past, I used to pack six or seven books each time I flew to Japan. There were a couple problems to this; one being the weight. It would add to the difficulty of moving around and would make my back ache. The size and shape was also a problem. Trying to fit a book filled bag into the overhead compartment was no easy task and when I wanted a certain book I would often have to dig around for it. Another problem was that I had to bring the books back home too. So basically I had a ton of dead weight going and coming home.
The iPad changed all this.
This past summer when I went to Japan I carried an almost empty backpack. The only thing in it was my iPad, a change of clothes and a couple other traveling essentials. Basically my bag was super light. This was a new experience for me. I was used to lugging a huge and heavy backpack around, but now it was light and easily maneuvered about.
The iPad allows you basically carry all of your travel entertainment needs in one nice, compact and light weight device. On top of entertainment it serves as a calendar book, address book, internet device, GPS and much much more. At the time of its first trip it did not have much on it, but now I have a lot of apps and other info to help make trips run smoother. Among some of my apps I have a couple Tennessee specific ones especially TDOT. I have Kayak, Expedia, National Parks Guide, and many more. On top of the ones I have, there are tons of other apps out there that I just haven't gotten around to downloading. There are several dictionaries and translations apps. There are even several bag packing apps that guarantee that you won't forget anything if you use it.
Overall, I feel that the iPad, or any tablet for that matter, is an indispensable item. It'll cut down on luggage and weight. It will keep all your important items in a compact and easy to use manner. It's definitely worth the money and I look forward to learning more about mine.
I am an avid reader. I often read a couple books a week and this number increases when I'm on vacation. It's also a great way to pass the time while flying or otherwise traveling. In the past, I used to pack six or seven books each time I flew to Japan. There were a couple problems to this; one being the weight. It would add to the difficulty of moving around and would make my back ache. The size and shape was also a problem. Trying to fit a book filled bag into the overhead compartment was no easy task and when I wanted a certain book I would often have to dig around for it. Another problem was that I had to bring the books back home too. So basically I had a ton of dead weight going and coming home.
The iPad changed all this.
This past summer when I went to Japan I carried an almost empty backpack. The only thing in it was my iPad, a change of clothes and a couple other traveling essentials. Basically my bag was super light. This was a new experience for me. I was used to lugging a huge and heavy backpack around, but now it was light and easily maneuvered about.
The iPad allows you basically carry all of your travel entertainment needs in one nice, compact and light weight device. On top of entertainment it serves as a calendar book, address book, internet device, GPS and much much more. At the time of its first trip it did not have much on it, but now I have a lot of apps and other info to help make trips run smoother. Among some of my apps I have a couple Tennessee specific ones especially TDOT. I have Kayak, Expedia, National Parks Guide, and many more. On top of the ones I have, there are tons of other apps out there that I just haven't gotten around to downloading. There are several dictionaries and translations apps. There are even several bag packing apps that guarantee that you won't forget anything if you use it.
Overall, I feel that the iPad, or any tablet for that matter, is an indispensable item. It'll cut down on luggage and weight. It will keep all your important items in a compact and easy to use manner. It's definitely worth the money and I look forward to learning more about mine.
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