Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!EU Passenger Bill of Rights
By Linda Tancs
Fliers have rights, but so do rail travelers, ship passengers and bus riders. The European Union’s common set of principles related to passenger rights provide certainty and consistency for all EU travelers. Sounds like a good model for the rest of us.
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The World’s Whistling Capital
By Linda Tancs
Do you whistle while you work–or work on your whistle? Whichever it is, you have plenty of company. The International Whistlers Convention takes place each year in Louisburg, North Carolina. Now in its 38th year, competitors come from around the world. This year’s event takes place from 6 to 10 April. If you tire of whistling, you can skydive at the local center. That will really give you something to whistle about.
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Trails Galore in Colorado Springs
By Linda Tancs
Colorado Springs, Colorado is the home of the U.S. Olympic Committee. So you would expect a fair amount of athleticism to prevail–and you would not be disappointed. Consider the 35-mile stretch that hikers, runners and bicyclists are now able to travel from Palmer Lake to Fountain on a continuous pathway that ties together the New Santa Fe Regional Trail, Pikes Peak Greenway and the Fountain Creek Regional Trail. Happy trails to you.
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The Lore of Cape Town
By Linda Tancs
South Africa is called the Rainbow Nation, alluding to its diversity, with 11 official languages spoken there. Cape Town, in particular, is as diverse as it gets, sporting boutique lush vineyards on the one hand and a free-roaming pride of white lions on the other. Located on the shore of Table Bay, the nation’s second-most populous city is teeming with things to do. Listen in at Travelrific Radio.
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Museum Weekend in Holland
By Linda Tancs
Three of the most significant museums in Holland are in Amsterdam’s Museum Square: the Van Gogh Museum, the state museum and the municipal museum. How’s that for convenience? If you’re like millions of other visitors each year, you’ll want to see Van Gogh’s famous Sunflowers portrait, immortalized in postcards and greeting cards. Most of his paintings have never left Holland, so viewing his work is a uniquely Dutch experience to enjoy. During the first weekend in April it’s also uniquely Dutch to visit as many museums as you can–free–thanks to Museum Weekend, now 30 years’ strong. Over a million visitors attended last year’s event.
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Sir Barton’s Abode
By Linda Tancs
Douglas, Wyoming was designated one of the best 100 small towns in America. You might assume that a small town like this has a slight history, but you’d be mistaken. Douglas is the resting place of Sir Barton, the first thoroughbred colt to win the American Triple Crown. Storytellers probably know it better, though, as the official home of the jackalope, a mythical creature described as a jackrabbit with antelope horns or deer antlers. The New York Times attributed the tale to Douglas Herrick of Douglas, Wyoming, and thus the town was named the “Home of the Jackalope” by the state in 1985.
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Libby’s Swinging Bridge
By Linda Tancs
Downstream from Libby, Montana, the Kootenai River enters a canyon and flows over Kootenai Falls, one of the largest free-flowing waterfalls in the northwest. The falls can be viewed from a “swinging bridge” that crosses the river. The falls area is a sacred site to the Kootenai Indians who inhabited the area. Located at milepost 21 on US Highway 2 between Libby and Troy, the site is a hiker’s dream and worth a visit.
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A Sailor’s Life in BVI
By Linda Tancs
Sailors have been competitively plying the warm waters of Nanny Cay in British Virgin Islands now for 40 years. This year marks the 40th anniversary of BVI’s Spring Regatta, taking place today through 3 April. Visitors can fly to the British Virgin Islands through San Juan, Puerto Rico and from Antigua or St. Martin with American Airlines, Cape Air, BVI Airline and LIAT. Flights to Antigua and Barbados are available on Virgin Atlantic, British Airways and BWIA. Ferry service is also available from St. Thomas, USVI.
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Ziptrekking Through Queensland
By Linda Tancs
For those wanting a bird’s eye view on their next journey, one option is a treehouse. Another option is the Kea Tour, a three-hour zipline eco-adventure in Queenstown, New Zealand that includes a stunning 20-minute guided trek along an ancient native beech forest. Best of all, you’ll be promoting sustainability in a unique mode of travel that has no footfall or industrial noise. Just like nature intended.
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Life on the Farm
By Linda Tancs
Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead in Overland Park, Kansas depicts a bygone era. The 12-acre property, designed to depict a turn-of-the-century family farm, has almost 200 animals, vegetable and flower gardens, a one-room schoolhouse and more. Re-named in 1985 in honor of a police officer killed in the line of duty, the aim of the farmstead is to preserve the traditions of the Kansas family farm, a way of life fast disappearing. Children can enjoy the experience of bottle feeding baby goats, milking a cow and taking a horse drawn wagon ride through the woods. The facility opens for the season on 1 April. Reservations are accepted for parties and tours.
Travelrific® Travel Journal 