Thursday, February 26, 2009

Traveling on Vacation

When people choose to travel, they all face a common problem, how are they going to get there. With the economy becoming weaker, people do not always have a lot of money to use for travel. Over the past few years, the prices of gas have been steadily increasing, but lately it has decreased a little. Today's most popular ways of transportation include by plane, train, and car.

Taking an airplane to a destination is one
popular way to travel. Although this is a quick way to travel places, it is also very expensive and can be frustrating. When looking at airline prices, the cost is not always expenisive, but it can be. With todays economy, not all people can afford to fly and are watching their usage of money. When people are flying with their families on a trip to Disney World or another destination, the price for the whole family to fly can be very costly. My family and I hardly ever fly unless we are going someplace far away because it costs a lot of money for plane tickets for a family of four. Going to an airport can also be a wearisome and difficult. When a person arrives at the airport, they have to go through airport security. A person can never predict how long it will take to go through the security, which means they have to arrive at the airport a few hours before their flight leaves. It is also a pain to have to make sure that your luggage and carry-on bag has all of the the right requirements. Overall, airport experiences can be exhausting and the costs can be expensive for people.

Another wa
y that people can travel to their destination is by train. Although I have never traveled this way to a far destination, I have taken a short train ride to Boston a few times. This April, I am going to visit Disney World on a chorus and band trip and we are traveling by train. Although the chorus and band have gone to Disney World, this is the first time they are going to travel by train. This is due to the high cost in airfare, which would make the total price of the trip very expensive. They found that the train is a much cheaper way for the chorus and band to travel, even though it takes longer. When traveling by train, there are options to get a sleeper car or just regular seats. The chorus and band are traveling on comfortable seats that supposedly have a lot of legroom. This will be an interesting experience, mostly because there are going to be a lot of teenagers on a train for 24 hours, but it should be a lot of fun. I have also heard from family and friends that traveling by train is comfortable and is a convenient way of transportation.

Road trips are another popular way of travel that a lot of people
choose to take when traveling. Not only do families get to spend quality time with each other, but this can be a cheaper way of transportation than flying for families. Even though driving can sometimes be cheaper than flying, the price of gas for a person's car is still expensive. The price of gas has been getting more expensive each month, although recently the price has dropped a little. Driving places is usually my families way of transportation unless we are going on a trip far away. During the summer, my family and I get into the car multiple times and drive three to four hours to our family summer house in New Hampshire. The trip goes by reasonably fast and we amuse ourselves with today's technology. My sister and I will watch movies, read books, or listen to music. My family has also made the seven hour car ride to Maryland a few times. This trip was less expensive then if we were all to fly there and it was an easy trip. Another poplular way to travel is by camper. Although I have never done this, I have heard that driving across the United States in a camper is a fun way to travel and you get to see a lot of places at the same time. This is convienent for people since they have a hotel and a way of transportaion in one form. Campers can also come with all of the conviences of home including televisions, stoves, bathrooms, running water, and much more.

When going on a trip, take the easiest and cheapest way for you and your family. As long as you are satisfied with your trip and you get there, then that is the right way of transportation for you. Planes can be the easiest way for some people even though they can be expensive for people with todays economy. Traveling by train can also be a great way to travel that a lot of people do not consider when they have to go on long trips. Driving in a car or even a mobile home to the destination is also another satisfactory way to travel. Traveling is only part of your trip, but your trip will be a lot more enjoyable if you travel comfortably and easily.
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Sunday, February 22, 2009

School Vacations at Home


During the school year, the students and facility are always excited when vacations come. Many of these people jet off to tropical islands, ski resorts, or other exotic places. While all of these people are off on their thrilling vacations, I am always stuck at home. Over the years I have surprisingly found that a person does not have to travel far from home to have a fantastic vacation.

The events of my vacation began a few days before February break even started. In my friend's math class, she found out that her boyfriend was going to Florida for all of February vacation. She was not happy when she found this out and then she and my other friend formed a plan that they would have a better vacation than him. Determined to have the better vacation, the two of them came up with lots of astonishing activities that a person can do in and around our town.

Almost every single day this week, my two friends and I have visited Gold's Gym as a part of the plan. This was so that we could stay in shape between the months of winter track and spring track without having to run outside in the cold everyday. Besides using all of the machines at the gym, we were able to take a lot of enjoyable classes. We took heart-racing all cardio classes, a muscle conditioning class, and we even took a zumba class one day. My favorite class there was the zumba class, which is a Latin dancing class. We had never done anything like this before and it proved to be a great class. While keeping in shape we were able to have an entertaining time.

After the gym, my friends would sometimes go into the hot tub to relax their muscles. The hot tub was outside at one of my friend's houses and was just as good as all of the Florida beaches. On one of the days, the air was fresh and the temperature was moderately warm. The sun was shining down on them and my friend believes that she started to tan a little. On this day, they learned that the Florida weather was not very good. My friend's boyfriend informed her that it was windy so that he could not go in the ocean. The weather at the beach was also not the warmest and the wind was whipping around the sand.

After going to the gym one day, we all ventured to the mall. There my two friends got haircuts and than we browsed throughout the mall. We did not end up spending any money, except for the two haircuts and some pretzels, and it ended up being an inexpensive, but a pleasant trip. Later on that week, we also went to Wrenthem Village. Although this trip proved to be a little more expensive, we did not spend a lot of money at all. We had fun trying on lots of different clothes and ended up spending almost our money in the first store. After the first store, we walked around the outside and went into a lot of stores. Eventually, we all got hungry and went to Friendly's for food. We had a lot of fun at the restaurant, filled with laughter and good food. We also could miraculously afford the delicious food that we ordered.

Another fun activity that we did was go to the movies. My two friends and I saw He's Just Not that into you, which is about the different relationships between guys and girls. This movie was exciting to see with my friends and we enjoyed seeing it. The movies is a amusing and easy activity that people can do if they are bored or just need an activity to do. It was relaxing and I was able to hang out with my friends again.

On the Friday of the vacation, we ventured into Boston to see our friend Jill run in the Division III championship. This was an exciting race and Holliston did an amazing job. The girls came in 5th overall and the boys also did an outstanding job. Jill had already beat the freshman record in the mile in the TVL championship and at this meet, she made a personal record of 5 minutes and 44 seconds.

Part of my vacation also consisted of staying at other people's houses instead of my own. During a lot of the nights this vacation, I sojourned at my friends houses or they sojourned at mine. Those nights we just sat around and talked with each other or played games. One night we even brought out Yahtzee and had an intense game. I never had to go far from home to have a good vacation. Most of it consisted of spending time at my friend's houses, just laying around and doing various activities.

Throughout this week, I have done a lot of activities with my friends. This has proved to be a much better vacation than a vacation on the beach or skiing. First of all, it proved to be much less expensive. I did not have to pay for any airfare, hotels, and other major costs that many people spend when they go on vacation. Instead, I spent my money on cheaper activities that I could do with my friends. Also, when many people go away during the vacation, they are missing out on the opportunity to spend time with their friends. Most of the time when people go on vacations, they are only allowed to bring one friend at the most and sometimes none. While I was on school vacation at home, I was able to constantly spend time with my friends. I also never had to travel far from my home, a maximum of forty-five minutes. While my friends and I were having fun here, my friends boyfriend was also having fun in Florida, but not as much fun as we had. He admits that he wishes that he had been here instead of in Florida and I am sure that we had a better vacation than he did. Everything that he told us that he did down there including going to the beach, shows, and going out to dinner, made it sound like he was enjoying himself, but it also seemed to be unexciting. Our vacation back home was amazing and exciting, mostly because we were doing all of the activities with friends.

Next time that you want to go away on vacation during school vacations or any other time, remember that a person can have just as much fun at their home. The vacation will cost less and they will also have lots of opportunities. A vacation does not mean that a person has to go to some exotic place just as long as they are relaxed and enjoying themselves. I have found that the best type of vacation is the ones that I spend with my friends and the ones that I am constantly doing interesting activities. Instead of booking the plane ticket, take your vacation close to home.
(word count:1,185)

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Boston


After living not too far from Boston, Massachusetts’s capital, I have found that this city holds a lot of fun and history. I have only traveled there a few times for various reasons, but each trip has held a different memorable event. The tall, brick and glass buildings line the streets of Boston, almost touching the sky. The streets are crowded and the busy traffic whizzes through the dirty streets. The sidewalks are normally crowded by the people who are visiting, working, or live there. Every time I go to Boston, I am greeted by the whirlwind of the city and the fun activities that it holds. Although Boston has a lot of crime, is dirty, and can often be crowded, it has many enjoyable activities that amaze all people that come here.

Throughout Boston there are many museums, each for a different age group to enjoy. As a child my mother would take my sister and I to the Children's Museum and also to the Museum of Science. At both of these places our young minds were nurtured with valuable information. They also have a great deal of entertaining play areas that we found to be quite amusing. One of the play areas I can remember distinctly was the huge play supermarket. The room was set up like a pretend supermarket, complete with the registers, checkout isles, produce section, fruit section, and automatic doors. This room had plastic fake food, all which people would find at a regular grocery store. At the Museum of Science, children can learn all sorts of scientific ideas through activities. Children are able to interact, while they learn about science. Besides museums that are meant for children, Boston also has art museums, culture museums, history museums, and many other types. Some of these museums include the Museum of Fine Arts, Paul Revere's House, and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

History also fills the streets of Boston with many other historical aspects. One fun historical activity in Boston is the Freedom Trail. This is a pathway through parts of Boston that has historical sites and a lot of information about the American Revolution. While learning history, people can get exercise by walking along this 2.5 mile trail to each historical site. There are also opportunities to visit and learn about many other historical people and events that have happened to America.

One way to see these amazing historical aspects and other sights of Boston is to take a ride on the Boston Duck Boats. The Duck Boats take you all over the city to view many museums, historical buildings, parks, and many other sights. If a person wants to see a lot of sights in one day, then they should get on a Duck Boat to be educated and amazed. At the end of the Duck Boat ride during the spring, summer, and fall, the Duck Boats end the ride by going into the water. These transportation vehicles take a person from the streets of Boston to the peaceful waters in a garden. This is something that everyone should experience and is a great way to spend the day.

This city also holds a lot of culture in it through the diversity of food it has. Whether a person goes to get Chinese food, Italian food, or sea food, they are experiencing a different culture. In the south end of Boston, there are multiple Italian restaurants. This part of the city is where a person can indulge in eating a variety of breads and pastas as they eat Italian foods. A person can get Chinese food in China Town, which is another part of the Boston area. This part of Boston holds a lot of history and culture from China in Europe. These restaurants are decorated with vivid colors and objects from China. People are able to learn about China’s history and tradition when they visit China Town, while also getting the opportunity to experience the culture of China. One major food in Boson is seafood, which is imported and pulled up from the harbors of Boston. A lot of the restaurants in the Boson area serve fish. The fishing and seafood that people eat is part of the culture from the New England area. Wherever a person decides to eat when they come to Boston, they are learning and getting the opportunity to practice a different culture.

In the streets of Boston, there are also a lot of theatres to visit. At each of these theatres a person will be amazed by the spectacular shows that are brought in from all over the place. For the past few years, I have been lucky enough to view some of these amazing shows. Every year as a Christmas present, my aunt and uncle take my sister and I to see a show in Boston. The theatres that we have been to have been beautiful and the shows have been intriguing. My favorite theatre that we have visited is the Cutler Majestic Theatre. When I first stepped into this theatre, I was amazed by the detailed decorations that are all over the ceiling. There was soft music playing in the background and the curtains were red velvet. I felt like I was in an old palace that royalty lived in during the 18th century. Every show that I have seen there is full of life and energy, which gets the audience excited.

Another activity that many people partake in where ever they go is shopping. With all of the variety and multitude of stores in Boston, there are always a lot of people there who enjoy shopping. One place in Boston that has a lot of stores is Newbury Street, which is in the Back Bay area of Boston. This area was once part of Boston Harbor until it was filled in the mid 1800's. Today, people come to the streets of Boston to go shopping in the assortment of stores. The stores range from expensive jewelry stores to little boutiques to brand name stores. There are toy stores for children, gift shops, electronic shops, and many other types. Besides all of the stores packed into this area, there are restaurants, coffee shops, hair salons, and pharmacies. This area attracts people from surrounding areas to come and shop in the endless array of stores.

As a person strolls through the streets of Boston, they will find themselves in a dirty city, but with lots of activities to do. A trip into Boston can be a trip into history, knowledge, culture, and fun. Even though this city can be a busy and filthy place, a person has not experienced all that life has to offer until they visit Boston.
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Sunday, February 1, 2009

A Vacation in the Woods


Not all people enjoy having a nice vacation with room service and fancy restaurants. For these people who enjoy living on the edge or just spending a quiet vacation in the outdoors, I would recommend going camping. Although this type of vacation is not quite my type with the poison ivy, outhouses, and living in the woods, I would find that anyone who likes living off nature or living a simple life would enjoy this vacation.

Deep in the wilderness, life is quite and peaceful. The ground is covered with either crunchy or wet leaves; the surrounding variety of trees sway back and forth, blowing cool air throughout the woods; and the wildlife is active throughout the area. When the sun shines brightly and the weather is good, the forest comes alive with activity from all of the different animal species and all of the plant life becomes green and lush. Everything is normally quiet in the woods so a person can enjoy the peace of being with just themselves or other people.

Pitching a tent and sleeping in sleeping bags is one way for people to go camping the inexpensive way. Instead of buying a huge trailer or mobile home, they can buy a tent and sleep in it. If they decide to sleep in a tent, then they will have to cook their own food over a campfire or they can bring a grill. They will also most likely have to use a portable toilet or use a public bathroom if they choose this method of camping. Although I find this myself to be an unpleasant vacation, some people find it relaxing to live in the wilderness without the comforts of home.

Some people also enjoy to sleep in campers when they go camping. Instead of sleeping in tents, they can enjoy all of comforts of home in simpler campers or in more complex campers. Some of these campers have stoves, refrigerators, microwaves, running water, bathrooms, and even televisions. While enjoying the outdoors, these people can enjoy the comforts of home and they do not have to sleep on the forest floor. This makes it easier for many people to camp and makes camping available to more people. Using a camper makes it easier for parents who have young or multiple children. They can cook for the children, have food available at all times, have an easier place for the children to sleep, and also have room for all of the equipment that children need. Campers are also the perfect way to be outdoors without having to live in the wilderness.

There are many camping activities that are fun to do with families, friends, or just by yourself. Whether a person is roughing it out in a tent or in the safe components of a camper, one of the many activities that people do when they camp is building a camp fire. Sitting around a campfire in the early evening and into the night is a great way to spend time with family or friends. One of the only activities I enjoyed when I went camping once was roasting marshmallows to make smores over the open fire. Although I smelled like smoke after, I enjoyed myself and even had fun. Some people even prepare their dinners over the open fire, which is a very interesting experience. Other activities can include taking nature walks in the woods, playing outdoors, going swimming if there is a lake nearby, or just sitting around playing games. These activities allow family and friends to become closer and have fun together.

One of the best parts about camping is that it can be an electronic free time if you choose so that you can spend quality time with family or with friends. When you are in a camper, you can choose not to have electronic devices such as televisions, electronic games, and other things that keep us occupied today. If you are sleeping in a tent, you can definitely avoid use of all of these devices. This way you can spend time with your friends or family by going on hikes together or playing sports outside. This makes people more active if they go camping instead of spending other vacations where people just lay around on beaches. Camping is a great way to have fun with your family and to be more active outdoors.

If you are tired of the regular vacations that cost a lot of money and are too fancy, go the simple and inexpensive route of going camping. This is a great way to enjoy the fresh air and to be relaxed at the same time. Although camping does not suit everyone, a person will never know if they like it or not until they spend a vacation in the woods.

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