Travel Blog Your Next VacationWritten by Jed Clark
Some years ago, I took an extended trip to Europe. During that vacation, I kept a travel journal in which I made notes of places I visited, people I met and events that occurred. I still get out that travel journal and read through some of entries. The problem with journal was that entries were not easy to share. I still had to write postcards and letters to my family and friends.Now, with advent of blogs (web logs) your travel journal can also serve as a way of sharing your vacation with your family and friends. Your friends will be able to immediately read about your adventures as soon as you've written about them. No need to buy stamps or send letters via snail mail. Because you're writing a blog, there's also no need to send out multiple emails either. Write it once and your done. Your friends and family can subscribe to your blog and they are automatically notified when you make an entry. Additionally, your friends can make comments on your blog post that are available for others to see, giving your friends an opportunity to actively participate in your vacation. The best part about your blog is that while you are sharing your vacation with your family and friends, you'll also be making a record of your vacation so that you'll be able to easily remember what you did and reminisce about great times or challenges that you faced. Because blogs are web-based, you can make an entry from any location that has access to Internet. Many of my friends have started to make regular trips to an Internet cafe a standard part of their vacations. Many hotels also offer and Internet terminal that you can use for a few minutes.
| | Falling In Love In EcuadorWritten by Steve Gillman
On my first trip to Ecuador I discovered that official currency of is U.S. Dollar. A nice surprize, since I thought I'd have to find a place to exchange money at midnight in Quito. Not only could I use dollar bills in my pocket, but just one of them would buy a three-course lunch at a clean restaurant. I fell in love with Ecuador immediately. I fell in love with my wife Ana a few days later.Quito, Ecuador I loved Quito, capital of Ecuador. Centro Del Mundo, hostel where I stayed first few days, cost $4 per night, including breakfast. The walls had maps and all information I needed on them. There were travelers from fourteen countries there during my stay. I took a tour to volcano Cotapaxi, and hiked up to glaciers with three others, from Israel, France and England. I danced (Free Rum in hostel on Friday nights), wandered city streets, and took spanish lessons from a beautiful tutor. Ana was not only a great teacher, but soon became my tour guide and, eventually, my wife. Riobamba, Ecuador Riobamba is another beautiful mountain city. My hotel was $3 per night, this time in a private room with a TV. The manager had connections, and information on anything I wanted. He arranged for a guide to take me up Mount Chimborazo, which at 20,600 feet is furthest point from center of Earth (due to bulge at equator). After climbing 4,000 feet of glaciers, I made it to summit. Banos, Ecuador Back in Quito, I called Ana, and we made plans to go to Banos De Santa Agua, a town in central Ecuador, famous for its hotsprings. The bus was $3, a nice motel with cable T.V. cost $7 per night. The second day there, we ate out for breakfast, lunch and dinner, went to hotsprings, bought souvenirs, went to a movie, went out drinking and dancing - and entire day, including motel, cost $34!
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