Potty Stops when you Travel

Potty stops when you travel are a huge consideration. You might be traveling solo, or with family, or with pets. You might be traveling for fun, you might be traveling for business. It doesn't matter; you still need a potty stop. When and where can alter your time table, so as silly as it sounds; think about your potty stops.

Here's some basic potty stop rules:

1. You're not in your personal bathroom at home, wherever you are you are NOT alone. So, be quick, do your business, wash your hands and move on. Don't sit and chat on your cell phone, don't pull out a magazine or book.
2. 
   
3. Don't pass up a bathroom because you don't have to go right then. Use it when it exists, you may not have one at hand when you need it.
4. 
   
5. If you're traveling with children and or pets, don't ask them if they have to go. A potty stop means everyone goes potty, so you don't have to stop multiple times. (particularly important when in a car and the next rest stop isn't for 100 miles, or when you've just boarded an airplane and people are trying to get settled and someone who passed by the opportunity earlier now wants to go potty.
6. 
   
7. If traveling by car do you space your potty stops to coincide with eating breaks or getting gas? If you do, that's far more time efficient then stopping separately for everything.
8. 
   
9. When you go potty, ladies take your purses for security reasons. Men make sure you have your cell phone on you.

**note the numbers aren't working still, err, added spaces folks, sorry for the lousy format business
The potty featured here was one I spotted at the airport in Omaha where I did a quick stop, go potty, and change planes. First time I'd seen such a clean public potty and wanted to share with you all. My daughter tells me she's seen these design in a couple of airports. You wave your hand and the plastic bag covering moves, giving you a clean surface. How cool is that! Some facilities have those paper covers; which are typically empty and very annoying.

The most important potty stop rule (more for ladies then men), when you walk into the stall look to see if the toilet paper is empty BEFORE you get undone and sit/squat. Sometimes you have other stall choices, sometimes not. Check to see if there's paper towels. Sadly though, one can sometimes substitute paper towels, if the facility is out of toilet paper, it's also probably out of paper towels and or uses one of those air hand dryers. ALWAYS, carry tissues with you in your purse.

And remember to use a paper towel to open the door on your way, if you can. Any idea how many hundreds and thousands of people use these public facilities? More then we care to know, probably. Don't let your kids walk around in them barefoot.

Happy Traveling, Be safe, Be Healthy, Be Smart and think about your potty stops.
**Due to some technical difficulties yesterday's post was incomplete, click on it... The Lovely Blog Award.

Traveling in the Blogsphere

As we travel around the blogsphere we don't need to pack, or wear special clothes, and it doesn't cost anything. It's free. I enjoy it and if you're here; apparently you do to. I meet new people, learn new things, and read about interesting things. This past weekend as I was out blog walking in the Blogsphere this is one of the adventures I came across. Read below the rules. You'll note this badge is in my sidebar and is clickable as well as here in the post. I'm new to meme traveling and am not sure why the linky isn't showing up here when I entered the code. But you can click
and get where you need to in order to sign up. I did visit everyone and enjoyed my time doing so.

Here is the 411 on the Weekend Comment Club

Make sure you have time for the commitment.

Do not sign up just to sign up.

Once you sign up you will need to comment the other participants.

If we get more than 20 participants, you can stop commenting at 20 or comment as many more as you would like to comment.

You have through Monday to comment the others.

You may want to check back each day to see who has recently joined.

How to join.

1. Sign up on the linky below.
2. Link us to your site or to a post that you would like to share and IS NOT A GIVEAWAY.
3. You do not have to write a special post to participate.
4. Visit the other participants.
5. When you visit and comment, be sure to mention that you are visiting from the Comment Club. This is how they will know to comment you back!

Have fun.

Earlier in the week I signed up for Harriett's August Comment Challenge. She challenges us to leave 1,000 comments during the month of August. Most who've signed up have said they don't know if they can honestly do it; but are willing to try. That seems reasonable. So, that's my approach too. Here's the badge; but you'll also find it in my sidebar.



You can sign up for this blog traveling too. You might need to pack a lunch for this one and take along a bottle of water, cause that's lots of walking and talking folks; but a great way to meet some new folks. Enjoy





The linky for this is also on the bottom of my blog where it will be more accessible once this blog post moves down.

So I encourage you to get out, do some traveling, pack light and have a good time.

Traveling by Car or Traveling by Plane?

Traveling is fun, it's educational, interesting, and can be stress free. However, often people make travel confusing, difficult, and more stressful then it needs to be.

How to travel is an important factor in the process and can enhance your experience or detract from it in a very negative way. If you're traveling for business you're probably flying instead of driving. However, that might not be the best method of travel. Habits are hard to break, but consider this for a minute. Getting up at the crack of dawn to take the one flight where you're going can add stress to your day and make you tired and irritable. Missing your flight obviously can produce lots of stress and sometimes added expense to the trip. Weather conditions often delay flights, cause you to be routed to other cities even; more time lost and again potential added expense. Most airlines require you to be at the airport an hour or two ahead of your scheduled departure time. Do you need to rent a car once you reach your destination to get to your hotel or the meeting? That process takes time and cost money too. Consider the distance you're actually going, you might be ahead to rent a car and drive. Having pretty scenery to see coming and going can add a pleasant distraction from your hectic work schedule. You're much more in control of time tables when you drive vs when you fly. Take for example a trip from Columbus, Ohio to St. Louis. Taking into count arriving at the airport appropriately early, flight time; it's about a 4.5 hour time commitment provided everything's on time and you fly non-stop. It's about 6.5 hour car trip. For a mere 2 hours you could be ahead to drive. It's certainly cheaper to drive. Just food for thought. Other considerations obviously are whether you're making the trip solo or with other people. If traveling with other people, driving becomes even more cost effective.

If you're traveling with children I highly recommend car travel over plane travel hands down! Even if the trip is longer than say above example of Columbus, Ohio to St. Louis, Missouri. Kids can be better entertained in the car then they can on a plane. It's definitely cheaper for a family of 4 to drive unless they're using frequent flier miles. You have total control over when you stop to eat, when and where you stop to go potty. When and where to eat and go potty are super important when traveling with kids. You have total control over who sits where or with whom; which you don't have on a plane. The average family is 4 people and most airplanes don't have 4 seats together. Packing for the trip is far easier when traveling by car vs traveling with kids on a plane. You don't have to worry about finding and lugging all your luggage, while trying to hold juniors hand, and finding out you really need to be an octopus to hold and carry everything. Many kids are afraid of planes, and the large number of strangers they see on them. Car travel eliminates that. You also have control over what time you depart. For small children I recommend picking them up while asleep (be it at night or during nap time), and placing them in the car after you are totally loaded and ready to depart. They'll sleep, you'll have a very peaceful couple of hours of travel. You can dress them quickly and easily when you stop at the rest area for a potty break; or if they're infants to change a diaper. You know how tiny airplane restrooms are, you don't want to have to change a diaper in there. In fact, I'm not sure you could. Though I also don't support changing them in your lap while you're in your plane seat. Yes, in my travels I've seen people do that. One mother traveling alone ask the couple she was sitting with if they minded. Well I guess it was nice she asked. Their choice was to put with the smell of the dirty diaper or agree to let her do the diaper change on their shared laps. Ok, now she has the dirty diaper to dispose of and she's in the window seat. Not a good solution for any of us in the surrounding rows.

Planes aren't the cleanest places in the world, nor are airports. If you have children and travel by car, you'll not be exposing them to extra germs that may be difficult for their little bodies to fight off. No one wants a sick child on their hands while traveling.

If you're travel party is all adults, car or plane travel is still a choice you need to make. Consider the distance, the cost, and your time frame. Car travel has added bonuses. Sometimes the trip isn't just about the destination; sometimes the trip can be the trip!

For additional car travel info (must needed safety tips for all travelers), you'll want to read a previous post HERE

For families traveling with children please read all about making a kids special travel trip tick here.

And if you're traveling with your furry friends car travel is much much better, they can run and play in the rest stop while the family's goes potty. And you don't have to leave your pets behind.

Traveling Blog to Blog Business

I've not posted a new blog post for awhile purposely. I've been spending some time wedding out, cleaning up and trying to find a decent way to eliminate spam. I've deleted (almost all still working on it) comments that have nothing to do with the post at hand be they Chinese or Japanese ? characters, or non comments like visit my blog. Yes we all hope for blog walkers to take time and travel from one blog to another, to visit and read and make comments. We all love the interaction. Yes, the more people visit the more encouraged one is to visit their page so it's a two way street. All this internet travel is good, it's fun, and I encourage it. But....I will not visit your page when you leave a comment that says visit my page without taking the time to read or post anything appropriate to the blog post I made here. So, please if you're visiting make your comment (at least part of it) related to the blog post.

I've also been busy deleting lots of blogs on the DoFollow list. Some don't allow comments on their blogs which defeats the give and go spirit of being a Do Follow Blog, others have their blogs set to subscribe only--again that defeats the give and go spirt and they are also being deleted. Additionally blogs that have clearly not been updated are being deleted. I like giving the links, but only to real bloggers; not webpages, not dead end type blogs.

Flat Stanley will be back tomorrow as schedule with an adventure. And stay tuned in a couple of weeks, one of his cousin's is coming for a special visit. You'll not want to miss Flat Stanley's cousin, Flat Bob's visit.

As you make blog walk abouts, please pop into The Bridge and Beyond. A blog dedicated to knitting and crocheting for homeless is having a blog contest. You can win FREE yarn. The Bridge and Beyond is approaching a blogging milestone, 200 blog posts and is having the contest as a means of celebrating the milestone.

I never pack to travel without giving some thought to what yarn to pack, what yarn to accompanying me on the trip. With that said you might have noticed a new badge on my blog, The Hive. If not, do take a look. It's a wonderful new forum where creative people can get together, have fun, share ideas and learn from each other. I highly recommend it. It's easy, quick and very user friendly. Click here, or my cute little Bee in the sidebar.

Traveling with Children

I posted this some time back, but since it's almost the end of the school year and families will be hitting the highways, and airports for their family vacations; I thought it worth repeating. Plus I'
ve added a few more do's and don't's at the end for you.

"Are we there yet"? "I'm hungry". "Mom, he's on my side........Brings back memories I bet for lots of us. Make travel easier for all. Make your child his or her "special", very own trip tick. You can keep them busy, make them feel special, and the time spent in the car will be more pleasant for all. PLUS, the bonus is your kids will actually learn something while on vacation.

Supplies needed:
3 ring notebook
pocket dividers
colored pencils (not crayons they melt, not markers they're too messy)
Plain White Paper for drawing
Lined paper for writing

Divide by area, or state depending on the age of the child and where you're going AND how long you'll be in the car.

Make a few math problems that involve the kids keeping track of monies spent for gas, food, miles traveled, ...let them figure out how many miles per gallon you're getting. Things like how far it is from point A to point B.

Make hidden word puzzles about vacation, the things you're going to do and see along the way.......like the names of cities you'll travel through, the capitals of the states you'll be in, the state bird.

Have pictures to color that are appropriate....like the state bird. See if they can find them or the state flower as they look out the window.

Make a fact sheet about what's interesting in that area, like what famous person came from there, or what sports teams are in that city (if you've got a sports minded kid). Always cool is to find something the kids can identify with, like a child about their age who famous for something from the area. Think Shirley Temple, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Johnny Shilo and the like.

Encourage them to write a travel journal (we left the house at 7 am, and I was the first to see a Cardinal, the state bird of Ohio...), tie it all in together. If your child's a reader, try to find a book appropriate for the area so they'll have something they can tell you. **For helpful tips on how to encourage them to journal, PLEASE visit my SIL's blog. She has all kinds of writing exercises, some can even be verbal depending on the age of the child.

As you travel ask them what you're going to see next, how far it is to the next stop etc. Make them a part of it.

I did this every year, and after the first year; my daughter could hardly wait to get in the car and see what I'd put together for her. DON'T LET THEM SEE THEIR TRIP TICK BEFORE GETTING IN THE CAR. KEEP IT A SURPRISE.

Turn off the DVD player, car time is wonderful family time...use it. They can watch TV and DVD's anytime; make vacation special--make it different.

And think about how far you're going, how old the children are. Make sure they get a good nights sleep before you start out. Don't count on them falling asleep on the plane or in the car. Generally, even young children know something is different, something special is going on and they don't want to miss it. So, they stay awake; then you have an already tired grumpy child who makes everyone involved not enjoy themselves. Be respectful of their need to rest, to use the bathroom. Never ask them if they have to go. Simply stop and everyone use the bathroom (if you're in the car). Ask any adult how many times they've asked a child who says no. They don't use facilities when they exist and you get rollin again then they urgently have to go. If you're flying go to the bathroom right before boarding so you don't need to mess with it on the plane. Limit what they drink. It stands to reason if you give a child a biggy size drink they're going to need to use the bathroom.

If you're going to be in the car for an extended time, take breaks. Pull off and let the kids run and swing at say a school yard. Prepare the kids ahead of time. Let them know how long they'll be in the car. Let them know they need to get along. Don't throw surprises at them. Prepared children fare far better and when they do well, so will you.

Next post will address some specific issues when flying with children in more detail. Stay tuned.

Wanted to add this comment from my daughter, when parts of this post were published previously.
Christine said...

As the person for whom the binders were made ... loved it. Wish more parents did this rather than plugging their children in and letting them tune out - is it a wonder that so many children are unable to communicate with adults?!

I'd like to add, my daughter is now a school teacher.

Traveling Safely in your Car

Travel season is upon use, many families will be hitting the roads for vacation when the kids get out of school for the summer. We sometimes take travel too lightly, we forget the dangers involved. Be safe, travel safe and you'll have more fun when you arrive at your destination. Practice car safety, you life may depend on it.

But before you go review this list, make sure you and your car are ready for a safe journey.

• Have you checked your tire pressure?
• Do you a full tank of gas?
• Have you filled up the window washer fluid? Sometimes its' a good idea to have extra in the trunk
• Do you a window scrapper (depending on when and where you're going, like the mountains even in summer you may need it)
• Do you have a flash light for emergencies?
• Do you have a cell phone charger that works in your car?
• Does someone have your license plate number and the route you plan to travel?
• Do take frequent breaks to stretch your legs and give your eyes a rest, change drivers if you're not alone.
• Do you have a map along with written directions/GPS in case you run into road blocks, construction or changes that sometimes happen?
• If you're alone, don't travel late at night.
• Take your purse and cell phone with you when you stop to go to the bathroom, you may need them should an emergency arise.
• Lock the car at all times, when you're in it and when you're not.
• Do you have an extra car key in your pocket/purse? Or does the person you're with have an extra key?
• Don't run on fumes because you don't want to stop for gas, fill up when you still have at least 1/4 of a tank. You never know when you may get in bad traffic, or exists are closed or you run into construction. Any number of things can happen. The gas may not be readily available in certain areas.
• Many states have laws prohibiting the use of cells phones while driving without it being hands free. I love my blue -tooth for travel. You're connected if you have to make a fast emergency call, but you don't have to take your eyes off the road to make it happen. With that being said, limit your calls to necessary calls. I know I've been behind people for miles and miles who are chatting totally unaware they're changing speeds, crossing the line, and in general paying more attention to the call then the importance of driving.
• Buckle up ALL THE TIME!
• Don't drive barefooted. How many of you have seen someone with a foot out the window? I have, even the driver on a few occasions. That's not safe, it's just plain stupid.
• Don't have music on so loud you can hear a siren or emergency vehicle
• Be aware of your surroundings. Look where you are, notice who's around you. Don't walk to the restroom with your head down texting or changing your music with your earphones in. People unaware are an easy mark.
• Don't leave valuables visible in the car, like your mp3 player, your video games, your cell phone, your purse, your GPS, your IPod, or laptop. Those are call out to would be thieves who are watching and waiting for their opportunity.

Now enjoy yourself, and happy traveling.

Souvenir's when Traveling

A souvenir (from French, for memory), memento or keepsake is an object a traveler brings home for the memories associated with it. Souvenirs include clothing such as T-shirts or hats, postcards, refrigerator magnets, miniature figures, household items such as mugs and bowls, plates, ashtrays, egg timers, spoons, notepads, and paintings plus many others.

The above is the Wikipedia definition for Souvenir. We all buy things when we travel, things to help us remember the vacation and the fun associated with it. I tend not to buy nick nacks or trinkets; but items I need or items that I will use repeatably. The pink fleece purchased in Savannah because the weather was colder than expected and I needed another layer. So, it's useful...serves a purpose. I had been looking for a fleece, have plenty of sweatshirts but no fleece so; this is an item I was going to purchase anyway and didn't therefore spend extra money.

The Vera Bradley purse is also an item I had been wanting, needed a new purse and would have purchased anyway. But, I think the prices are crazy and so hadn't purchased one. While vacationing in Hilton Head, hubby saw a sale sign and so.........got this baby at 50% off which makes it reasonable to me.

So, I've purchased items I needed, items I wanted, items I'm using and will continue to use and have meaningful souvenirs; but nothing to dust or get broken when knocked off the table or counter. This handy tip will save you money, but still give you the opportunity to purchase a special something in your travels. Stir clear of the tacky little knick knack souvenir shops, you'll be glad you did.

DON'T FORGET TO GET IN ON MY CONTEST, YOU CAN ENTER THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF MARCH, CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE CONTEST

Traveling, Dear-DEER? Columbus Ohio

Traveling Dear DEER's? Early Sunday morning before I even had a sip of coffee hubby and I looked out the window and walking up the street single file were these 5 Deers! **click on photo for close up**


Now, it's note worthy to know we do not live in the woods, or near the woods. We live on a very residential street; as I think you can see by the pictures. We live about 1.5 miles from The Scioto River, but between there and here we're talking a main road--4 lanes connecting 2 freeways, lots of cars, lots of people! Thankfully these traveling Deer's were traveling early enough on a Sunday morning they weren't in the middle of rush hour; but still we thought it pretty crazy. Food must be scarce along the river for them to go in search in such a people populated area. And or, they've gotten far too used to people feeding them that they now are going door to door. I fear the latter maybe true which is a dangerous sign for them.

The house and car you see them clustered by is where they stayed for about 3 minutes after walking up the street, 3 doors up from us on the opposite side of the street. As soon as we saw the traveling Deer, I nabbed my camera and hubby in his socks without shoes went quickly and quietly outside to get the pictures on zoom (they were far enough away, pics are a bit blurred).

I hope they were able to travel safely back to The River without incident.

Watching this type of travel fits nicely into the budget, requires no packing, and is suitable and highly recommended for people of all ages.

When, Why, and Where of Travel--Follow Me

First let me say, I wish I could take credit for this fabulous picture; but I can't it's one of the sample pictures that came loaded on my computer. No doubt you've got one like it on yours. It seemed appropriate though, ever wonder how many places a butterfly has visited? How many things it's seen?

The when, why, and where of travel may not be something a butterfly thinks about you; but you should. Thinking and planning will make all who travel with you enjoy themselves more.

The when of travel maybe dictated to you based on your work load, or when the kids are out of school, but even within those restrictions you need to think about when. Is this window of travel time a high or low season? Meaning are you paying big bucks or getting a deal for travel during an off time. Naturally you can save money if you travel during non peak times, you can save further if you look at what days even to go. Are you staying at a hotel that gives deals on week days or the week ends? A hotel we've frequented in St. Louis (when our daughter was in school there), had great wk-end deals. Why? Isn't that when people travel? It was near a large computer center that had lots going on through the work week with business travelers, and so offered great deals on the wk-end to get people to stay there. If you fly, often the same thing is possible. In other words, check things out before you book.

Why? Why travel? Do you travel to relax, do you travel to see interesting things, do you travel because you like history, do you travel for recreation? Do you travel for family time, or adult time. These are very important questions to ask yourself before you book a vacation/adventure. If you have a hectic life and work schedule; you might not enjoy a hectic busy adventure style vacation like getting up early every morning to be the first in the lift line to ski. You might prefer a quiet relaxing vacation curled up with a book instead. If you're days are filled with children because you're a school teacher, you probably don't want a child filled resort like Disney on your vacation. If you sit at a computer day after day at work, you probably would really enjoy a hiking, skiing, more active vacation. Hubby and I in our early years were very different in this regard. He wanted the active vacation because he wasn't active at work. I was super active at work and wanted down time for vacation. He couldn't understand why I didn't want to get up at 6 am on vacation to hit the slopes and ski to the ski patrol pulled us off the mountain. I was on vacation, I didn't want a schedule. Through the years, we've found compromise; but it's important to discuss and understand what going on vacation means to each person you're traveling with. Otherwise things probably won't run smoothly.

Once you figure out the when and the why; then think about the where. Most people do this backward. As a result they come back from vacation tired, sad because they didn't get to do what they thought they were going to do, and in general...things just didn't measure up.

When? Our next vacation will be in early February. It's a slow time for hubby at work, an ugly time here at home, and it's low season which fits our budget.
Why? I want relaxation, he wants more active.
Where? We're heading to South Carolina where it will be warm enough for him to play golf. I can relax, go for walks, knit or crochet, and sleep in. Perfect! We'll get in some site seeing, because with it being low season things won't be crowded. We both love to do that, and both enjoy history. We'll both get to do what we enjoy; and because of good planning the vacation will be a success. We will spend time on the beach, but probably won't have to worry about getting too much sun.

Travel Shopping

If you knew men, you would know I am NOT a shopper. I did not get there fairly typical female gene. I don't go shopping with my girl friends; it's just really not me. There are necessities of life that one must shop for however. So, sitting in the comfort of my computer chair -- clicking my mouse to shop truly calls out to me. ShopWiki is my kind of shopping. I don't have to travel shop to shop, I don't have to fight for parking, and lug heavy parcels once I purchase something. Instead, I let my computer and mouse do the traveling.

ShopWiki let's me shop anytime day or night right from my computer chair. I save time, money, and energy (both mine and the car's) when I shop for any and everything with ShopWiki.

Looking for something with a specific dollar amount, make your search work for you. You can search/shop by occasions such as Mother's Day, Birthday, Valentine's Day; you can shop/search by the person you're buying for such as Dad, Brother, Husband; you can search/shop by seasons, as well as by categories. ShopWiki has on line shops available for several English speaking locations beyond The United States, as well shops in France and Germany.

Traveling with Kids, SPECIAL Trip Ticks

"Are we there yet"? "I'm hungry". "Mom, he's on my side........Brings back memories I bet for lots of us. Make travel easier for all. Make your child his or her "special", very own trip tick. You can keep them busy, make them feel special, and the time spent in the car will be more pleasant for all. PLUS, the bonus is your kids will actually learn something while on vacation.

Supplies needed:
3 ring notebook
pocket dividers
colored pencils (not crayons they melt, not markers they're too messy)
Plain White Paper for drawing
Lined paper for writing

Divide by area, or state depending on the age of the child and were you're going AND how long you'll be in the car.

Make a few math problems that involve the kids keeping track of monies spent for gas, food, miles traveled, ...let them figure out how many miles per gallon you're getting. Things like how far it is from point A to point B.

Make hidden word puzzles about vacation, the things you're going to do and see along the way.......like the names of cities you'll travel through, the capitals of the states you'll be in, the state bird.

Have pictures to color that are appropriate....like the state bird. See if they can find them or the state flower as they look out the window.

Make a fact sheet about what's interesting in that area, like what famous person came from there, or what sports teams are in that city (if you've got a sports minded kid).

Encourage them to write a travel journal (we left the house at 7 am, and I was the first to see a Cardinal, the state bird of Ohio...), tie it all in together. If your child's a reader, try to find a book appropriate for the area so they'll have something they can tell you. **For helpful tips on how to encourage them to journal, PLEASE visit my SIL's blog.

As you travel ask them what you're going to see next, how far it is to the next stop etc. Make them a part of it.

I did this every year, and after the first year; my daughter could hardly wait to get in the car and see what I'd put together for her. DON'T LET THEM SEE THEIR TRIP TICK BEFORE GETTING IN THE CAR. KEEP IT A SURPRISE.

Turn off the DVD player, car time is wonderful family time...use it. They can watch TV and DVD anytime; make vacation special--make it different.

The picture is just a pretty flower, has nothing to do with the post, just thought you'd all enjoy it.

Preparing for Summer Travel with Children

Summer is officially here, kids are out of school in most areas or soon will be. Families are beginning to think and plan for family vacations, and family outings. Vacations in these economic times might be a bit more varied then in other years. Think of day trips, things to see and do that don't involve the cost of a hotel room. Pack picnic lunches and take snacks and save the money you might otherwise spend at various fast foods.

Think outdoors, think fun, think educational, think Family, think Children. Everyone loves to go to the Zoo. Most metropolitan areas have a zoo. Check on line for discounts that maybe available for "special days". Can you gather the neighborhood, the kids of your co-workers and obtain a group discount?

Grab your sunscreen and make a day of it. Remember small children tire and need breaks, they need to be able to keep moving and not wait in lines, they need bathroom breaks, they need good walking shoes for protection and comfort. No one wants to carry a hot sticky child. If one area is especially busy, pass it by and find something else of interest. Engage the children in the conversation. What do you know about animal x y z? Have you seen one before? How big do you think they are? Take pictures, but keep them at a minimum. Children tire of that very quickly. Use sunscreen and find shade when you can. The happier the child or children are the better time everyone will have.

Prepare them ahead of time....if you're traveling to get to the zoo (or other attraction), do a writing exercise about what they'll see when they get there. Children do better when they know what to expect. Older children can write a journal about their day which can include the traveling to and from, as well as what they saw and did while there.

Follow Beco and his mother to visit with their friends on Animal Talk

**if you missed traveling to The Mission with me, see my previous post
****I'll be writing as a quest blogger Sat 13th on Animal Talk, be sure and check it out

Williamsburg, Virginia

Is it possible to travel to Williamsburg and not have one of these pictures?



With snow on the ground, thought we could all enjoy seeing a beautiful flower from one of the many gardens there. This is just one of the many benefits of traveling.



Tips/facts for traveling to Williamsburg
Food is scarce and expensive, take your own (pack a picnic and leave in your car). Water is a must (bring the small bottles, though less than standard 8 or 9 oz.
You are unable to take any water bottle into the buildings with you when your tour, thus the small bottle that can be put in your purse/travel bag, and or consumed and pitched prior to entering is a must. The food being scarce is a bit of a timing issue. The few eateries in the historic area close up shop EARLY...some as early as 2, so our thought of touring while others ate, eatting later didn't work. One can't even find a place inside to cool off with a cool drink in the historic area. Many places require reservations, and even then people wait in lines. The down side to food in your car means extra walking on your part to get back to it. And by all means, if your traveling with a pet, make other arrangements for the cat or dog; as it's not wise to leave them unattended in the heat.

You must be organized, scheduled and know well ahead of time what you want to do and see, and where things are located.
I personally dislike being scheduled on vacation, I go on vacation to relax and like to do things spontaneously. That mode at Williamsburg simply will not work. I purchased our tickets ahead of time on line...great idea, right? Well, not really. Though you can decide what type of a ticket you want and pay ahead it does not mean you don't wait in line for your ticket. Having purchased tickets on line for several other vacation areas as we were traveling, this was a big surprise. Most encourage you to print your ticket ahead. Williamsburg doesn't permit that. You must pick up your ticket in a will call arrangment; however will call is the same line as those buying the tickets who've not yet decided what type of ticket they want. Futher complication, there are only 3 locations through Williamsburg where the one person maned booth's exist, to pick up your tickets.........AND thats where you get the maps to show you were the booths are located. We lucked out in that we walked down a street where one such booth was. But, the person ahead of us had many questions and we waited in line 20 minutes to pick up the tickets we had already purchased. The only way to avoid this is to lodge right in the Williamsburg vacinity, a few of those hotels provide the tickets in house. We were traveling Marriott facilities due to points earned off site.

My last major tip for traveling to Williamsburg is, you MUST go early. We purposely took our time arriving, feeling those with the young children would go early and leave early and we'd be able to tour more leisurely. The flaw in that plan is, Williamsburg shuts down early, and there are many events and happenings that only take place once a day, in the morning. So, you must join the herd and fight the crowds if you want to experience these events.
*I don't think it's a place well suited for small children in stroolers or babies, seems everyone is miserable in those situations. Parents have to lug kids in and out of the strollers as they can't go in the buildings in them, that makes the kids irritable and while they're being irritable the rest of tour group are unable to hear the guides. Kids 3rd grade and up probably actually get something out of it.
**Comparing this last trip to one hubby and I took there years ago, I don't believe it's a nice as it used to be. You must wait everywhere for a guided tour now, previously you could tour some of the areas on your own. The tours are very robotish and you're not really given time to look, and enjoy.

I probably would not go again, nor do I recommend it as relaxed vacation destination. I believe it is well suited for large school groups who get special considerations when traveling as an educational-school trip.
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However, if at the end of the day you want a quiet, peaceful adult atompshere to enjoy a nice drink, I highly recommend The Williamsburg Hotel. Be sure and take your traveling visa though, it's pricey!