I've told my tales to so many people since I've been home that it's no longer unusual for me to go to a party and end up listening to someone retelling one of them to a third party while I listen on. They aren't co-opting it as their own and they're often the more interesting stories that they're retelling so it's not like I can fault them on either of those counts. I think the only real problem I have with this new found happenstance is that they tell it differently than I do. Not even worse necessarily...just different. But it's MY traveling story! Maybe I'm being selfish or arrogant but I want to tell it with my nuances, I want the pauses to be where I've practiced putting the pauses over countless retellings. Words have power and one word out of place changes all of the connotations! It's well chosen words that help tell the stories between the words...and I can't pretend I'm the world's greatest story teller but I've had a lot of practice telling these particular stories. Bah, rant over.

People sometimes get lost in the idea that traveling in Asia means pick pockets, poverty stricken villages and orphans in a sprawling and moist jungle setting. What those people are forgetting is that 1) Asia is HUGE and has just about every setting and social class imaginable and 2) perhaps more importantly, those settings they first envision are every bit as fascinating to explore as any other. However, if you insist on looking for something a little more upscale than you're average stilted and thatch roofed hut then you're not out of the running just yet. Asia is filled with enormous cities that have more luxury and nightlife than you could ever hope to cram into a long and full lifetime. Seoul, Jakarta, Tokyo, Shangai; all are packed to the rafters with hotels and restaurants of a quality you would never see outside of Las Vegas in America. Not to mention the staggering array of museums and cultural centers that each of these proud cities boast as a way to share their histories with visitors.

Before you head out for a day of skiing or on a ski trip vacation, make sure you've got everything you need. It's good to prepare a checklist before you start packing. You may want to do this a few days beforehand so that you have time to go get or order anything that you may be missing.

You'll, of course, need your skis, bindings and poles. If you're going to rent equipment, then find out where you will be skiing and check out their pricing on rentals and find out what you need in order to rent equipment - like a credit card, etc. Next is your ski jacket and pants. Make sure you bring your hat, helmet, gloves, goggles and face mask. Then for your mid layer, you'll want good socks, long underwear and a non-cotton top layer, too.

Bring a handkerchief, granola bars, trail mix, a bottle for water, gum, extra gloves, handwarmers, a boot dryer if you have one, money and any coupons you've found for lift tickets or rentals. Bring an extra jacket to wear at night if you go out so that your ski jacket can dry out (if it needs to). Have plenty of socks, too.

Check out the weather forecast for where you are going. This will also help you decide how to dress and you'll be alerted of any travel warnings that may occur. If you are flying, find out the weather forecast for all the layovers that you have so that you can prepare for what may be happening.

Lay everything out before you pack it to make sure you have all that you need. If you're missing anything, then it's time to shop or borrow something from someone. Shopping online will get you the best deals.

Get more tips and information about skiing equipment so that you're ready to go have some fun in the snow!

Just a few weeks ago I was at Horseneck Beach. The state park is pretty nice. There is a long beach on Buzzards Bay, a campground, some bathrooms and a concession stand. You pay a little less than $10 per car load to get in and then you can go enjoy the beach. You have to pay an overnight fee if you want to use the campground.

Having never been there before I was not sure how I would find things there. I also did not prepare very well, as I found out after I was there for a little while. I did not bring a cooler with some food and drink supplies and I really, really should have. I went to the concession stand an the prices for things were just outrageous. Almost everything they sold was at least double what you would pay if you were not hanging out in the state park.

I did like the park and I do think I will try to go back again next summer. This time though I will be prepared. No emptying my wallet at Horseneck Beach just to get a sandwich and a drink.

If you are going to be traveling for some years to come it will be advantageous for you to purchase luggage that meet as many of the airliners’ standards and restrictions as possible. This will enable you to use the same bags for all of your trips no matter which airline you end up flying with for all those travels. It is worthwhile to take a little bit of extra time to determine the size limits for the 5 to 10 companies you are most likely to fly with and then buy bags that fit in with those criteria – especially if you are a budget traveler or free travel vagabond. Keeping the bags relatively small will also make it easier for you to respect the weight limit for luggage and avoid extra charges.

There are some great features in a leather duffel bag you do not find in a regular one. Authentic and stylish, polished calf-skin leather, thick stitching to name just a few. The interior of this type of travel bag is mostly lined softy and has breathable plaid cotton inside. Leather travel bags offer wonderful quality and durability that you hardly find in nowadays of mass produced luggage. Wouldn´t you like to own a bag that has stitched seams and comfortable reinforced handles? The kind of bag that is made to last under the most demanding travel conditions and circumstances?

We find them being the most stable and reliable bags around. Admittedly, you will not get a leather duffel bag for little money. What you buy is also some kind of prestige.

For anyone looking to get a jewelry box to take on their travels a leather one is a great choice. Leather jewelry boxes offer several advantages over the competition and if you are carrying something around the world with you, you will want to make sure you get the most useful one you can even if it does cost a little more. And a leather jewelry box can cost more than the other options but you get what you pay for in this world, generally speaking of course as there are examples to every rule.

Why do you want to get a leather box for jewelry? Well they are made to last and this is the major advantage. A decent example will out last you and will look better after a decade of use than on the day you buy it. They are also nice and light so you won't have a problem carrying it around with you even if you are trying to travel ad lightly as possible.

German Park, New Ulm, Minnesota.

One often overlooked place to visit in Southern Minnesota is the small city of New Ulm.  This city is small but charming with a unique German heritage celebrated by the local people with a number of traditional festivals throughout the year.

One of the largest festivals held in New Ulm to commemorate the immigrants who founded the town, is the 'Oktoberfest' - a celebration of German music, food and of course, beer.  There is also a craft show and a trolley ride tour of some of the historic buildings and homes in the town.  Oktoberfest is held the first two weekends of October every year.

New Ulm has an interesting variety of shops, including everything from large department stores and regional boutiques to quaint souvenir and specialty shops.

Traveling can be a rather rewarding experience and they say that traveling with a detailed and manageable plan is an even more rewarding and memorable one. I for one always use the internet to help me book and plan my travel as I find it the most convenient all in one tool up for the job. On the internet, after all the commercialized sites like Travelocity or Priceline or Hotwire, I consider the simple and user friendly site, Pete’s Travel Tips, to all the rest. With its highly interactive features and easy to follow interface, it’s no surprise that people are joining Pete’s site at record numbers and flocking to one of the hottest and easiest to use sites available. On the site, you will find everything you need to help you book your trip. Pete’s even offers 24 hour live assistance over the phone or through the web site’s live chat feature. With its emphasis on customer service and mission to find you the lowest prices available Pete’s is a truly valuable internet tool.

The first air mattress that I ever had was truly a great gift I got. I used that thing so much that I had to frequently fill it up with air. Every two weeks I had to re-inflate it just a little bit. Luckily it was one of the automatic pump types. That is what you really want to get if you can afford it. They are not even that expensive anymore. An air mattress for camping (both indoors and out) is an excellent way to enjoy the great outdoors. A lot of people think that this is some sort of a violation of being a real camper but I disagree. My air bed came with me to every camping ground I ever went to. There is no way I am going to lie down on the dirt. Nor will I sleep on rock hard ground. I need a good night’s sleep.