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On the Road Less Traveled

By The Fighting Couple on October 27, 2012 in General, Slideshowable

We took turn after turn on dusty lonely dirt trails, passing thick plantations of tall lush trees and seemingly deserted shanty towns. The setting sun was casting a red hue on the trees that matched the color of the road. We finally reached our appointed destination, a small bed and breakfast located on a small rise overlooking forest and meadow.

Beautiful Swaziland

Our travel weariness must have been written on our faces. The welcoming attendant at the front desk dispatched two young women to mind our luggage and settle us comfortably in our assigned abode. The service offered by this small establishment rivaled any 5 star hotel. The proprietors were a lovely Dutch couple and was completely staffed by young women. Our short stay at this little outpost of hospitality has forever changed Luci and I. Our hearts were struck by the hospitality, generosity and sheer beauty of the place. The paradise we have described is Swaziland.

“You are going where??!!” is usually the typically response we get when we tell friends and family about our next adventure destination. “Why would you want to go to (insert remote location)?” The answer is in the paragraph above. Now the rest of the story from the portrait above. Swaziland suffers from a number of challenges, poverty, hunger, disease epidemics and numerous social ills. They don’t tend to put those on the glossy tourist websites. As a traveler, you can choose to let this scare you off, or you can dig deeper and find a treasure as we did in Swaziland.

In addition to Swaziland, we want to introduce you to some off the beaten travel destinations that might change your life. Strap on your walking shoes, its time for adventure!

Bosnia

We are often asked which has been our favorite location out of the travels, Luci will always say Turkey (stay tuned!). Mine would be Bosnia. Bosnia is frankly one of the most beautiful, intriguing, and difficult places we have been. Our trip, which wasn’t an extended one by any stretch, gave me a taste for a land filled with lush forests, dramatic waterfalls, towering mosques, and war hardened residents. Bosnia offer travelers historical insights, out of door adventures including hiking, rafting and camping.

Turkey

As a kid, I always dreamt of being teleported back in time. I wanted to live history. I wanted to see, taste, smell, and interact with the scenes of great literature. Turkey has made this boyhood dream a living reality. The characters of the bible walked the same streets as I did. We drank from the same springs. I ate wonderful olives, savory meats from a roadside kabab, and partook of the most amazing Baklava! Turkey brings history to life.

Read about our Open Love Letter to Istanbul.

Turkey was a surprise to both Luci and I. We were discussing where we might want to go in Eastern Europe. Turkey came up and we both said, yea….Turkey. We started our in-depth research about the country, began our quest to learn everything we could about the history, culture and language. Turkey offers great shopping in the Grand Bazaar, delicious cuisine, ultra friendly natives, and a window into history that has no rival.

Maldives

“Where exactly are the Maldives?” Ask most people, and they might have a challenge pointing the country out on a map. The collection of roughly 1000 islands is located due south of India and west of the African Continent. The island country is bathed in the Indian ocean. The temperature ranges from 75 to 90 degrees year round, making it a wonderful year round destination. It offer travelers seclusion that rivaled by few places.

Lovely Maldives

The most difficult choice is which island and resort to pick! There are so many options for holidays to Maldives. Lodging offerings range from Spartan shacks on the beach to five-star full service resorts. The warm clear waters offer great snorkeling and diving. Rent a boat and go island hopping.

A few words of warning about traveling off the beaten path. First, be prepared. Do your homework. Then be completely flexible. Things including hotels, roads, and people that were to be there for you might not exist. This is truly the beauty of traveling where few do. One of our tricks to traveling well is humility and openness. You must be willing to try new food, smell new smells?, and be completely removed from your comfort zone. In return the dividends of off the beaten path travel will greatly enrich your life.

Tell us, where have you traveled off the beaten path? What lessons have you learned? Where would you like to go?

Leave the Kids at Home

By The Fighting Couple on October 18, 2012 in General, Slideshowable

It is OK to leave the kids at home, and travel as a couple. Forget the guilt trip and take a real one!

In the mad dash that is life, today’s couples need to leave the kids at home and take a weekend getaway . Couples need time to build their relationship, reconnect and make plans and priorities. Some couples just need the quiet time to recharge. Marriage is difficult. Families are under a lot of pressures from outside and in. When it comes down to it, you must ask, “Is it important that the adults in the family have a strong and committed relationship?” We are convinced that it is. It’s not selfish. Strong relationships take time and effort to keep healthy. We promise that what follows is not a “preachy sermon” just a few of the many benefits of finding time to travel as a couple.

I can’t leave my kids!

I am sure you are wondering, do you guys love your kids? Don’t you want them to get out and see the world too? Of course. PBS Kids is great, but we want our kids to get out and see the world. We love to take our kids on vacation. Each year we plan an annual family vacation, sometimes near, sometimes far. We always involve the kids in the planning and try our best to include some education points of interest along the way. Our kids are required to compose a power point presentation on their assigned topics, and must present to family prior to the trip. Yeah… we are those kind of parents.

For some parents, leaving the kids with grandparents or friends is very difficult. With very young children, a weekend away might be all that you are able to muster. Some parents find it difficult to be away from kids for a week at a time. Then when the kiddos leave the nest, they find that you have lost their relationship with their spouse. Taking time away is good for both the adults and the children. Trust us, a week with grandma is going to be a blast! We were a little shocked, when we started leaving for a week each year to travel, our kids wouldn’t even call us, they were having too much fun. Kids need a vacation from their parents sometimes as well!

Adult things

Adults need to do adult things. On our recent trip to Turkey, we had a chance to have an extended stay in Selcuk, Turkey home of the famed biblical city of Ephesus. The entire area is dripping in history. We had a chance to visit one of the more interesting landmarks, the Celsius Library. Whilst there, waiting for the crowds to wander off, we witness a harried couple with three kids. We could tell that the mom was trying to read the guide book and figure out what they were looking at and why. Frustrating her concentration was a 5-6 year old tugging on her sleeve. The father was negotiating who knows what, with a teenager. In the end, the mother was pulled away down the path toward the food stands. Luci and I smiled at each other. We missed our kids, but we were grateful to have a few moments to contemplate what we were seeing. We would never trade our adult holidays to Turkey. You need that time together.

Let’s be honest, many adult outdoor activities are just no fun for kids. Hiking over temples in Cambodia in the heat of the day is a major bummer for teenagers. Wandering around a cemetery in upstate New York can be pretty pointless to a 4 year old. Yet both of these adult activities have been highlights of our couples trips. You also need time to do other adult things (ah hum)…but we wont go into detail on that, we will leave it up to you.

Talk

One of our favorite pastimes on vacation besides fighting of course is talking. Like many of you, both Luci and I have demanding jobs. There is a tremendous amount of pressure placed on us in our careers. Both of our occupations are the 24/7 and 365. We rarely get the chance to just sit down and talk. Our conversations are usually the sort : who is going to take the kids where on what day. In the harried everyday life, we just don’t get many opportunities to discuss what’s going on in our lives. Traveling is the perfect time to have those important conversations.

The Sound of Silence

One of the more underrated gifts of couple travel is a little peace and quiet. Kids can be loud. (Again, we are not kid haters, just being honest here.) Kid’s activities are usually high energy, active, and exhausting. We have done the Disney’s. Parents should be awarded a medal for spending a week in the parks! I can’t tell you what it has meant to us to sit on a make shift bench aside the Amazon river and watch the sunset over the jungle together. Or what it was like enjoying a makeshift dinner at our hut on the savanna in South Africa, while listening to the elephants in the distance. You need quiet time together.

Set Goals and Priorities

The final and perhaps most important part of traveling as a couple is setting goals and discussing priorities. We talk a lot about our kids when traveling. We talk about what they need from us, what they need help with and how we best can meet their individual needs. We talk about what our individual goals are. Both of us have a set of lifetime goals. We bring those out on our couple trips and mark our progress. By setting goals and priorities together will actually make you better parents, better lovers, better friends if you only leave the kids with grandma.

We highly encourage couples to make time to travel together. Leave the kids home with grandparents of friends. Your kids will love it. Do you need to spend loads of money on a couple vaykay? No. A perfectly timed weekender can work magic on you marriage.

We know that this might be controversial We want to hear your point of view. Do you travel alone? Never leave home without the kids? What works for you? Leave us a comment below and give us your take.

Fontainebleau: France’s Finest

By The Fighting Couple on October 14, 2012 in General, Slideshowable

France is known for its high style and cultural avant-garde….one of the most overlooked masterpieces in Paris is hands down Napoleon Bonaparte’s Fontainebleau. It seems like Fontainebleau must always live in the shadow of its big sister the Palais de Versailles. Located just an hour south of old Paris is one of the most captivating royal residences in all of Europe.

The official site of Fountianebleau.

Like its former occupant Napoleon, who was always one for over the top self-promotion and flash: as you arrive at the property you are welcomed by a broad courtyard with a dramatic stairway leading to the entrance. Once inside you can stroll around the palace in awe at the nearly 1500 rooms!

A Quick History Lesson

Fontainebleau has been appropriately called, “the Home of Kings.” It has played host for more than 700 years to the French monarchy and later to the French Emperor. The area first welcomed the eye of Louis VII in 1137 and continued welcoming blue bloods and potentates till the end of the second empire in 1870. Walking the halls of Fontainebleau you can’t help but feel that you are in the midst of history.

The mansion has always had a close connection with religion. In 1169 the Archbishop of Canterbury, in exile in France at the time dedicated the chapel of the castle. In 1812 Napoleon held Pope Pius VII prisoner in the cozy confines of the castle’s apartments for nearly two years.

Fontainebleau’s development has been classified into two distinct eras: the first (from the 1530’s) and second school (From the 1590’s) of Fontainebleau. These eras not only decorated and designed the palace, they are decorated the halls of the French elite. The first was created by Francis I partnering with famed architect Gilles le Breton. Italians Sebastiano Serlio and Leonardo da Vinci also were involved in the design and layout of the villa, gardens and water features. Leonardo also has another interesting connection with the palace. One of his lost master pieces (Leda and the Swan) was las seen in the palace in 1625. It has since been lost.

The second school of Fontainebleau was lead by Flemish artist Ambroise Dubois, Toussaint Dubreiul and Martin Freminet. At the turn of the 17^th century, the word of interior design, originated from the heart of Fontainebleau.

Key rooms to visit

Library

The highlight for the entire tour was for us the Library and map room. Unfortunately you are prevented from ascending the four stairs to the elevated library. You can only lean over the red velvet ropes and look into one of the most interesting rooms in the world.

Napoleons study

Napoleon, besides being a detailed oriented military general, was a city planner, inventor, cartographer, lawyer. He worked 24/7 on his many various endeavors. To assist in his workaholic nature, he attached his own personal bedroom to his office.

Cathedral

Our next favorite room if you can call it that is the cathedral inside the mansion. It actually has two areas, the viewing balcony which the master of the home would view, as well as the nave proper. The art, woodwork and the sculptures within the cathedral are stunning.

Gardens and Lake

The gardens and forests of Fontainebleau rival Versailles. We actually prefer the wonderful “backyard” of the palace. A small lake with a wonderful gazebo type structure an island is an idyllic setting.

Getting there

The short journey from Paris to Fontainebleau is defiantly part of the adventure. The train takes you through the south gate of Paris, past the sleepy town of Saint Genevieve de Bois and gives you some fleeting moments to capture some views of the wandering Seine River. Sounds wonderful huh? Just wait!

You will need to purchase the billet Ile-de-France ticket as this is well outside the metro range of Paris.

Take the Transilien (http://www.transilien.com/web/site) Train from Gare de Lyon Station in Paris.

Board one of the many trains that make a stop at the Fontainebleau-Avon stop, these can include: Laroche-Migennes, Montargis, Montereau, and Sens. You can confirm that you are on the right train, by checking the monitors along the train’s boarding lane. It should list Fontainebleau-Avon. (The journey from Paris to your stop should take 35 mins.)

Once you disembark at the station, descend at the rear of the station, walk a short ways to the well marked bus stop. There are three different bus routes for the area. You will want to take Bus 12 A.

Cant get enough of Fontainebleau? Check out our post: Fountainebleau: The Better Versailles

Paris and its surrounds is truly one of the Fighting Couple’s very favorite destinations. Paris proper offers a lifetime of exploration and learning. Fontainebleau is one of those perfect day trips from Paris. Have you been to Fontainebleau? We want to hear from you!

Which is Better the Bed or the Breakfast?

By The Fighting Couple on October 3, 2012 in General, Slideshowable

In advance of every one of our adventures, we do a ton of homework on where and what to eat. The Fighting Couple likes food, A LOT. We peruse all the typical sites: Trip Advisor, Urban Spoon, Yelp etc. We like food so much we’ll walk for hours in a foreign city just to find the restaurant we read about on the internet. True story: once we wandered aimlessly around Amsterdam for two hours because Mike wanted to eat at a certain restaurant, but that’s another fight.

Finding the perfect undiscovered café is always a chore. Finding a great breakfast is even more difficult. Sure, you’ve probably been victim to the free hotel breakfasts of Wonder bread and Smuckers Jam. But what if you could stay at a charming place and wake up to a gourmet breakfast that would blow your food budget if you ate it separately? You can!

We introduce you to Kindred Spirits located in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island. 1000 Fights toured Prince Edward Island this summer to worship at the altar of Anne of Green Gables, oh and to golf. There’s a lot to like about PEI and really in our experience zero to dislike.

But what we liked most was the food and particularly the food at our bed and breakfast. Kindred Spirits is the kind of place you stay and like so much you come back to stay again and again. And for the Anne followers, who couldn’t like a place named, Kindred Spirits?

When we read the room included breakfast, we imagined the typical fare you get at any standard hotel. Imagine our surprise when for breakfast we walked and found the homemade meal that would make your grandmother envy! French toast made from French bread with an apple and caramel sauce to slather over it. Or try the homemade blueberry scones with the lemon blueberry preserves or raspberry champagne jam. Don’t forget the breakfast casserole that includes cheese, potatoes, and sausage. And that’s just the main entrees. There is also fresh fruit, yogurt and cereal, plus fresh juices. Are you hungry yet?

Prince Edward Island is truly a culinary mecca.

Bed and breakfasts have long been the choice of traveling couples who want something that feels like home, but a room they don’t have to clean up. But a new movement is brewing where the breakfast is becoming just as important as the bed. A quick internet search and you’ll find many of the the B&B’s proudly advertising what guests will eat, not just where they will sleep. There’s also a site dedicated just to recipes at premiere B&Bs.

Thanks to Kindred Spirits, 1000 Fights is pleased to publish the Inn’s signature breakfast dish: Blueberry Cake. I took one bite of this and then another and another and another. It’s embarrassing when a grown woman goes for thirds, not just seconds. But it was that good! So here’s the recipe for you to enjoy! Who knows maybe it will spread like the $250 Neiman Marcus cookie recipe! You are probably wondering where the Pinterest worthy picture of the cake is? Yeah, the cake is so good…we kinda forgot about blogging for a few mins…. We hope you have the same experience!

Kindred Spirits Blue Berry Crumb Breakfast Cake

Ingredients for cake: 2 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 2.5 cup flour, 4 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 2/3 cup milk, 6 tbsp melted butter (or margarine), 2 cups blueberries (small, wild berries preferably), 4 tbsp sugar

– Grease 9 x 13 pan

– In medium bowl, beat eggs with wooden spoon. Gradually beat in sugar until well combines

– In separate dish, sift together flour, baking powder and salt and then add to the sugar/egg mixture alternately with the milk. Beat well after each addition

– Add the melted butter and beat thoroughly

– Gently fold in blueberries (fresh or frozen). Batter should not be blue!

– Pour into the greased pan

– Sprinkle the top with 2 tbsp sugar

– Refrigerate Overnight

The following day, bake in a preheated oven (350 degrees) for approx. 45 minutes (until springs back when poked!)

– When finished, pour a mixture of 1/4 melted butter and 3 tbsp lemon juice and then sprinkle the following topping to cover thecake:

– Topping: 1/2 cup shortening, 8 tbsp flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, 2 cups of brown sugar, 1/4 cup oats (optional). Mix together with a pastry blender

YUM!

A Day at Bangkok’s Grand Palace

By The Fighting Couple on September 23, 2012 in General, Slideshowable

On the banks of the Chao Phraya River stands a 200 year old tribue to power and wealth of old Siam. The Grand Palace is a must see for any visit to the Thailand capital. First off, the Grand place is not simply one building, it is a entire village of palaces and temples.

Before you go:

Anyone planning on visiting the Grand Place must understand what The Grand Palace is and isn’t. First off, the grand place is a holy place held in reverence. Monks and priests live and work on the campus. Certain areas are held with extreme revence. People come to the Palace to worship from all over Asia. The Palace is also a ceremonial home to the Royal Family of Thailand. King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit Kitiyakara are the longest current serving monarchs in the world, and according to the Forbes list the King is one of the wealthiest individuals in the world. Thai’s revere the King and disrespect toward him or the royal family is a punishable offence. Needless to say, visitors to the Royal Palace should be prepared the conduct themselves in a proper manner. Here are a few of the requirements directoy from the official site of the Palace:

Proper Dress in The Grand Palace for Visitors

Visitors are requested to be dressed properly and appropriately upon entering the ground of the Bhubing Palace. Thus the following dress – code (applicable to both ladies and gentlemen) will be strictly enforced:

1. Shorts, mini-skirts, short skirts, tight fitting trousers, as well as tights can not be worn as outer garments.
2. See-through shirts and blouses, as well as culotters or quarter length trousers can not be worn.
3. Sleeveless shirts or vests can not be worn as outer garments.
4. Sandles (without ankle or heel straps) can not be worn.
5. All shirt sleeves, whether long or short, can not be rolled up.
6. Sweat shirts and sweat pants, wind-cheaters, pajamas and fisherman trousers can not be worn.

The point above saying “strictly” enforced is just that. You will be turned away of not dressed appropriately. Security is tight. Of the many sites we have visited, this is only rivaled by the Vatican. We are going to insert our opinion here, we are the Fighting Couple, it is our nature. We couldn’t help but overhear complaints about the rigid guidelines as we were in line to enter by other tourists. Frankly, this disappointed us. Showing respect by the clothes you wear is appropriate. The rules are clearly posted and advertised. Prepare ahead and you will be fine.

We recommend getting there early. The audio guide that is offered for a fee is actually very helpful in understanding all of the many structiures withing the compound. We are going to highlight some of the key things to see within the Palace. Frankly, there is so much to see and expiriance, this is just a few things that we found interesting.

Many religious statues line the halls of the Palace.

The Grand Palace

Temple of the Emerald Buddha

Many Chinese statues adorn the Palace grounds. These were actually used a ballast on ship trading between Siam and China.

Many gardens small and large decorate the courtyards.

Even the rooftop eves are ornately decorated.

The Grand Palace We made the mistake of only allowing a morning for our visit. very bad idea. There is so much to see and take in. Allow the better part of a day to really experience the Palace grounds. Photographers are going to find a new angle at ever turn. Thailand truly holds so many great adventures! There are many low cost airlines that fly into and out of Bangkok. Book yours today and enjoy your visit!

Kissing Capitals: Barcelona

By The Fighting Couple on September 22, 2012 in General, Slideshowable

Best places to kiss in Barcelona

“Her lips on his could tell him better than all her stumbling words.”-Margaret Mitchell

Are you looking for a few good places to kiss? We are here to help. We are launching a series of the best places to kiss in the world. We are calling it the best of the kissing capitals. Our first nomination is Barcelona, Spain. Barcelona with its warm ocean breezes, Eclectic art scene, and Latin vibe is well deserving. The Entire Catalonia region of Spain is steeped in romance. Kiss in Catalan is pronounced petó. Peto has a number of different meanings…we will leave that between you and Wikipedia.

Lets begin our kissing tour at the top literally.

Montjuic

Overlooking the entire city of Barcelona is Montjuic. It is more of a hill than a true mountain, but the vistas night or day are dramatic. Nestled on the banks of the hills are wonderful walking paths that meander through gardens. Montjuic is a wonderful place to pack a picnic, or take an evening stroll. Montjuic came to its prime through development during the Olympics. Many of the Olympic events were held at venues on the Mont. Montjuic continues to be a favorite of both locals and first timers.

Sunset is truly the best time to visit Montjuic. There are a number of benches and stops along the trails up and down the mount that offer great places to watch the sun go down and steal a kiss or two!

Magic Fountain

At the base of Montjuic you will discover a wonderful display of water, light, music and magic. We give you our next stop on the kissing tour: the Magic Fountain of Barcelona. A little history on the fountain, it was erected for the World’s Fair that the city was playing host to in 1929. The original plans by designer Carles Buigas were initially cast off as an overly ambitious impossibility. One year later, thousands of workers completed the fountain ahead of schedule.

Today the fountain continues to wow its crowds.

You will need to time your visit when the Fountain is in full splendor:

Winter: (October to April)

Fridays and Saturdays from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Music sessions: 7:00 PM 7:30 PM 8:00 PM 8:30 PM

Summer: (May to September)

Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 pm to 11:30 pm
Music Sessions: 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM 11:00 PM

Park Guell

Could we have a tour of Barcelona without a Gaudi location? Impossible! Antoni Gaudi, the Catalan master of art and architecture designed a number of unique attractions throughout Barcelona and the Catalonia region. One of his most expansive projects was an entire housing development for Barcelona’s well healed. Located on a hill just outside the city is his vision of subdivision living. Fortunately for today’s visors, Gaudi’s vision was a little deeper than the pockets of prospective investors. Today, the entire development has been transformed into a public park and greenspace. It is a masterpiece.

You and you lover can walk on trails criss crossing the entire development. Climb the famous “lizard” stairs, and arrive at the main terrace. It commands excellent views of another Gaudi masterpiece the Sagrada Familia Cathedral. The terrace is surrounded by cozy benches that are designed to a tee for couples. These unique benches are actually in the design of a sea monster! Park Guell is a wonderful place to kiss your sweetheart.

On the tram to Montserrat

Clinging to the crests of cliffs outside Barcelona is the Monastery of Montserrat. For those couples demanding a little more adventure in their smooching venues, we highly recommend the tram to Montserrat. The highest summit of Montserrat is called Sant Jeroni (Saint Jerome) and stands at 4,055 feet above sea-level. The tram ride up to the top is truly an experience that cannot be fully described or missed! Visiting Montserrat can be a full or half day venture depending on your interest level. Don’t get conned into taking a special tour bus ect. There is train service to the tram station. It is a very affordable side trip for any stay in Barcelona.

How did we do? Did we miss any special places in Barcelona? Where do you nominate that we discuss next?

Croatian Waterfall

By The Fighting Couple on September 8, 2012 in General, Slideshowable

Waterfall in Croatia

Three Things That Will Ruin Your Vacation

By The Fighting Couple on August 28, 2012 in General, Slideshowable

The Devil is in the Details

At times, on our blog and others “we” glamorize travel. Our posts are dripping with pics of white sandy beaches, dense lush jungles, and wild and crazy adventures. We kind of like it that way. But at times, we must take a step back and fill you in on some the more “boring” yet practical details of travel. We hope that these “Devil is in the Details” posts help. Let’s dive in:

Visas:

Some countries want to make it as difficult and confusing as possible to get into. Other countries want to collect half of their gross national product by charging unsuspecting tourists for the “privilege” of coming to their country. One of their best tools in inflecting this pain and suffering is the almighty VISA. Sheepish tourists land sleep deprived and loaded to the gills with cash to spend on trinkets to take home to prove that they have been somewhere. They are herded through a zigzagging maze to the Visa window. At this point in your adventure, a stuffy uniformed attendant lightens your wallet. Nothing says, welcome to our country, like taking your money. (Some more interesting visa charges: Bahrain: $280, Russia $150, UAE $250, but Angola takes the cake with a whopping $600. Ouch!) Don’t say we didn’t warn you. Hey Angola….enough already.

Visa requirements are one of those know before you go details. Every single county is different. Some countries require you to purchase the Visa weeks or even months in advance. One of our friends neglected to look into this detail, and tried to board a plane to Vietnam. Bad idea. Vietnam requires a Visa that takes weeks to get. Once you pick you destination and book your tickets, seek out info on the all-important Visa. Regrettably, we couldn’t find a website that had all the requirements of every country in one place. We would recommend your own due diligence and look it up the old fashion way-one country at a time.

The Checks in the Mail:

One of the key details you should never neglect is mail collection. Sounds like a boring detail for sure, but life can get really interesting if you neglect it. Make arrangements with friends, family, or a service to regularly check your doorstep for deliveries. Better yet, arrange with the major package delivery companies to hold you items. Put your regular mail service on hold. If you live in the States you can do that HERE. Nothing says, “We are not home, here are some packages you can steal, and feel free to come back and break into the house because we are gone,” than a stack of goodies on the doorstep and mail gushing out of the box. Bad form. You might also be at further risk of identity theft if a Baddie takes your credit card bill out of the box and goes on a shopping spree in Angola (granted they have $600 to get into the country). Really bad form.

Money, Money, Money:

In the immortal words of AC/DC: “money talks.” We could write an entire post on the topic of travel money. Let’s keep it simple. Step one is to have good credit cards which means – ones that don’t charge horrendous fees and interest. That is a given. Step two is to let them know where you are planning to travel. Turn the card over, call the 1-800 numbers and give them all your details. Ask about exchange rates on the card and fees. Take at least three different types of cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, etc. Time and time again we have found that one card didn’t work at one ATM or hotel while another did. Compare the benefits and don’t keep them all together. Each traveler should have their own card. Leave copies of each card, your passport, and medical card at home. One little suggestion that we always do before departure is buy some foreign currency before we leave from our local bank. We do this for a number of reasons. It avoids stress of finding an ATM right out the gate. More importantly, it helps you acclimate to what the new currency looks like, and what denominations are available. Some currency is different sizes and colors. Having some of the new cash in hand creates options for you.

What if something happens abroad and you need currency quickly? While we have yet to face this challenge, learn more about international money transfers. Accidents, robberies and other “stuff” can happen whilst abroad. Knowing a few of your options is never a bad idea. We get asked a lot about traveler’s checks. We don’t believe in them. They end up being more of a problem than a solution. During a visit to Israel a number of years ago, I struggled to get them cashed in a pinch. This search cut into my get out and vacation time. Credit cards have become the payment tool of choice in most countries. Nothing says, “I don’t travel and I have no idea how to function in the 21^st Century,” like buying travelers checks.

Heed these three details and you will have a much better trip. Never neglect the so called little things. Now go back to looking at the glossy pictures of pristine beaches and green jungles…this stuff is no fun. Happy travels from the Fighting Couple.

Did you neglect a “detail”? Did it impact your travel? Drop us a line below in the comments section and tell us about it!

7 Questions with World Flavor

By The Fighting Couple on August 25, 2012 in General, Slideshowable

Rachel and Jeff are on a mission. They are on a grand quest to seek out everything delicious and interesting in the world. The duo runs a travel blog called World-Flavor.com. The entire site is stuffed with amazing pics of food porn. They lived and taught in South Korea, if you are planning to explore Korea, spend some quality time with their blog. So helpful. Jeff and Rachel have graciously accepted our challenge to answer our 7 questions.

http://www.facebook.com/world.flavor.blog

http://world-flavor.com/

1) How many countries visited between the two of you?

We’ve been to 18, but after our upcoming trip it will be over 30.

2) If you had to travel with someone else besides your travel partner, who would it be? (this person can be living, historical or mythical?.)

He Said: I would travel with one of my three brothers. I already know I get along great with them. For all I know Einstein and Julius Caesar both snore and whine all the time about how much their feet hurt.

She Said: I want to travel to other countries with my mom. We have done plenty of within-the-US travel together, but she is afraid to fly. My dream has always been to take an exotic horse trek with her, so I guess I would travel with a version of my mom who isn’t afraid to fly.

3)What has been your favorite destination in your wanderings?

He said: I love when I find unique experiences that make me feel like part of the local community. For example, a friend of mine took us to a tiny rural village in Costa Rica. They were baking bread and had spent all day warming up the great big earthen oven in their backyard, the only oven in the town. This giant extended family welcomed us in and shared what they had, put us to work crafting empanadas, and let us hold their adorable newborn pigs.

She said: When I was in New Zealand, I was constantly amazed at how beautiful the country was. I kept thinking to myself “surely, nothing is more beautiful than this,” and there kept being other more amazing views around every bend. Also, I did a lot of high adrenaline activities which made it stick very firmly in my mind.

4) If you had to eat one last meal, what/ where would you eat?

He said: I would want a world famous chef like Ferran Adrià to cook me a 30 course meal. And, since we’re going all out, I might as well invite all my friends and family and hold it in space.

She said: Truffle mac and cheese and a plate of delicious Spanish cheeses (for example: Garrotxa, Idiazábal, and Queso de Varé) on the side.

1000Fights: Ok…now we are really hungry! YUM!

5)How do you pick the places you visit? Spontaneous vs. planned?

He said: My top two criteria for choosing places are expense and cuisine. We recently went to Malaysia largely because the flights were so cheap.It was also one of the best countries for food I’ve ever been to.I like to have a basic plan in place, but leave some flexibility to enjoy whatever opportunities arise when I’m actually there.

She said: I read a ton of travel blogs, and if some place captures my imagination, I add it to my list. I love lists – I’ve got a ‘where to go’ list and a ‘what to eat’ list. I enjoy planning, but only to a certain extent.

6) If you could solve one problem in the world what would it be?

He said: It’s hard not to answer this with something extremely general like, “I would solve the problem of everything not being perfect for everyone all the time,” but I’ll do my best to narrow it down a little bit. I would solve the problem of people and organizations making shortsighted decisions. Whether it be about health, environment, spending, or something else. Minimizing regrets seems like a good idea.

She said: I guess illiteracy. I know it might not help that much, but it’s better to be able to read than not, in my opinion.

7)You knew it was coming….What has been your greatest travel fight/disagreement?

She said: I can’t seem to decide…

He said: Generally when we fight it’s because we are both too indecisive about something and we get really annoyed that we’ve just been sitting around trying to get the other person to make a choice for, like, half an hour. I think that neither of us wants to feel liable if we choose to go somewhere and it ends up being terrible.

1000Fights:Rachel we think that is a bit of cop out!

What a great traveling couple! Give their blog a look-see. A word of warning…dont go there hungry!

Travel vs Vacation: How to know the difference

By The Fighting Couple on August 21, 2012 in General, Slideshowable

To understand this post, you must understand we are strange. We really are. We have been meaning to put down our thoughts on this topic for some time….We aren’t trying to make a judgment call, rather explain ourselves a little. You’ve heard of 1000 Fights’ travel plans based on crazy detailed spreadsheets and timetables. We map out activities and restaurants timed down to the millisecond. Yes, we are Type A planners. We are over the top and take our travel time extremely seriously. It takes a lot of effort to get us on the road (getting off work, babysitters, plant waters) that once we go; we want to make the most of it. We usually plan our adventures a year out. Our planning rivals many military campaigns! People have said to us, “your vacations look a lot like work!”. They would be right, we don’t vacation….we travel.

What’s the difference?

1000 Fights “Travel” Definition: Where one goes to a foreign place to see and experience a different way of living. The primary purpose of traveling is to expose oneself to a new culture, cuisine, ideas, ect.

1000 Fights “Vacation” Definition: One takes a break from their normal activities to vacate from every day experiences. The primary purpose is to relax physically and mentally. Vacations can occur in a foreign place or in their hometown AKA “Stay-cation.”

Which is better? There is no one perfect answer. Sometimes your soul needs to travel and other times your body needs a vacation. From a few fights (or a 1000 of them), the Fighting Couple has discovered that you can have both with proper planning, of course. In our recent vacation to Thailand, we packed in a lot of activities, while also taking time to vacate. This gave us the best of both worlds, gaining the intellectual stimulation that true travel can offer while letting the body recover.

We try to have our cake and eat it to. One of the best things to do when planning is to build into your schedule one day where nothing is planned. Give yourself a “vacation” from your “traveling”. Schedule a free day at the end of each of your travel segments. For instance, if you are spending five days in London, plan four days, and keep the last day free. Splurge and go for a massage in London. That way you can let your body catch up. When 1000 Fights went to Cusco, Peru, we kept a day free and were able to get some much needed rest and a massage to ease the tension from hiking and altitude.

If you need to plan your free day, do some advance work on quality spas in the area and look for some spa day offers in advance. That way it’s scheduled (which calms the spreadsheet obsessed husband) and gives you something to look forward to as your husband runs you at Olympic speeds from museum to museum. For the guys, hitting the golf course might hit the spot. At times, having a little down time makes the rest of the travels more meaningful.

The fruits of a good vacation are so valuable. Your body and mind are recharged. The result of a positive travel experience is your soul is educated and invigorated. So whether you choose to travel or vacation or a little or a lot of both, make sure you plan so you can get the most out of whichever method is in your future.

So what is your preference? Do you prefer a week on a white sand beach with an “umbrella” drink in hand? Or does the thought of hiking the Inca trail in the quest of ancient Peruvian ruins appeal to you? Leave us a comment below. We would love to hear your take.

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