Adventures for Anyone

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Bonus Blog With Local Stuff in Kingston, New York!

Today I took a little drive over to the Hudson River Valley and visited a city that I like more all the time. That city is Kingston, New York. Kingston is mid upstate New York in the Hudson Valley, just across the way from Rhinebeck and Red Hook. This is one of those spots along the river that has had a little bit of a rough way to go, but as of late, they are getting it together. Kingston was along the whaling route back in the day, and while the Hudson River is still a shipping lane, things have changed. During the days of industry leaving the area, Kingston ran into some rough times. When I first moved to New England it was called a slum. But today they are reviving the waterfront and getting it together.

The riverfront walkway and park is dedicated to T.R. Gallo. He was the mayor here years ago. The walkway goes along the water, not to be confused with the Hudson, because that's a little ways off. It's still a beautiful waterfront and it does connect to the Hudson River.

The area is coming along nicely with a lot of restaurants and bistros, and a great visitor center with very helpful ladies. They even helped us pick out a great place to have lunch. There are several bridges towering overhead as well along the water that make for some great photos.

Today there isn't much going on down on the waterfront, but the fire department was taking the opportunity of a beautiful day to flush the tanks on their trucks. They are a friendly bunch that took the time to show us how all of the trucks worked and let us play with the hoses. There will be much more going on down at the waterfront when the summer season begins. The entire Hudson Valley is very seasonal for tourism. There will be free concerts, boat tours, activities, festivals, and all kinds of stuff. The season will be starting soon with things opening for the weekends, so now is the time to look into it.

Along the waterfront is the Maritime Museum. It is open year round and has a lot of interesting exhibits about the history of ships on the Hudson. They have a great gift shop too.

The great part about the Hudson Valley waterfront areas, is that they are really promoting the heck out of them lately. Most of the towns along the river are working on this to improve tourism. Most of these areas up and down the river have maps to help you find what you want to see and to get around in general. They are normally located in the park or along the walk right by the water.

But, the thing that I'm waiting for the most this year is the opening of river tour season. Last year we took the River Rose out of Newburgh. This year I plan to take the Rip Van Winkle out of Kingston. This river tour goes down to Hyde Park and back. I love to take rides on the Hudson, and I can't wait for this one to open.

Kingston has a historic section of town that when the season starts will have a few state houses, and historic residences to tour. This is one of the things that I love about the Hudson River Valley. There are tons of famous residences to tour with great architecture and amazing stories. From FDR's house to the Vanderbilt mansion, there are tons of places to tour. Whether you take the boat tour out to Bannerman's Castle or schedule a tour of West Point Academy, you will find some great places to see. Whether you like to eat at the Culinary Institute of America or watch the antique planes fly at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, you won't be bored in the Hudson River Valley.

The great thing about Kingston, however, is that it's your shopping hub as well. They have a mall, a giant Walmart and all the stores that you may want to stop at while you're in town. There are countless restaurants of all kinds and every chain food place imaginable. You can even stop in and try something new at Beer World. There's a lot to do and see in Kingston. There's also a lot of hiking and some great vistas for photographing.

Gone are the days of Kingston being nothing but slum. Come on over and visit one of my new favorite cities in the Hudson River Valley of upper New York State. Come and see Kingston and enjoy!

http://www.booking.com/city/us/kingston-new-york.en.html?aid=346685&label=msn-iXMNSrBciwMkR5nsb3LpFA-8874528171&utm_campaign=NY:+New+York+State&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=bing&utm_term=iXMNSrBciwMkR5nsb3LpFA
http://www.kingston-ny.gov/
http://www.kingstonhappenings.org/
http://www.newyorkupstate.com/?cmpid=NYUS_SEM_Tourism&utm_campaign=NYUp+Tourism&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=ppc&utm_term=%2Bnew+%2Byork+%2Btourism&utm_content=1384623x641246693214028508#/0
http://www.kingston-ny.gov/tourism
http://www.ulstercountyalive.com/
http://www.go-new-york.com/Kingston/Attractions/
http://www.travelhudsonvalley.com/
http://www.iloveny.com/places-to-go/hudson-valley/#.Vw82SHrES70
http://dutchesstourism.com/
http://www.hudsonvalley.org/
http://www.travelhudsonvalley.com/things-to-do/
http://www.hudsonriver.com/
http://hudsonvalleycruise.com/
http://www.hudsoncruises.com/index.html
http://hudsonrivercruises.com/
http://www.prideofthehudson.com/
http://www.riverrosecruises.com/
http://thekingstonwaterfront.com/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
http://terri-dixon.pixels.com/
https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone?fref=ts
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred

It's More Than Some Gorillas

It's a tiny little country that no longer draws much attention, but there were points in time when the tiny country of Rwanda was all over the news. Virtually none of the news was good for a good many years, and as a result, people sometimes get the wrong impression of this tiny African country. Through gorilla poaching, the killing of Diane Fossey, the AIDS epidemic, and the genocide during the 1990's; this little country had a lot going on for it's size. But did any of us really understand this country? And what is life like there now?

Let's start with Kigali, the nation's capital. This city has gone through a lot. But, they are becoming very modern. The city is coming into the 21st century in a big way.

1994 brought about the genocide that we all heard about in the news. Being in America, it was sobering, yet it seemed so far away that it was like it wasn't real. It was real. 259,000 people were killed in only a few months in the Hutu attempt to wipe out the Tutsis. Today in Kigali there is the Genocide Memorial. It is believed that several thousand people are buried in the space that the memorial occupies. As with any memorial of this kind that I have visited; it feels real when you see it up close and personal. The good news with this abysmal piece of history is that the people are getting past it. I would love to say that they are all over it, but I can't believe that it's that simple. Out of respect, if you visit the country; you should visit this memorial. I always say that you should learn some history when visiting a country.

Another site to see in Kigali is the former Presidential Palace. This is the other side of the war. This was once the home of Hutu former President Juvenal Habyarimana. There are several exhibits at what is now called the State House Museum, including pieces of the former President's plane which was shot down killing the President. It's an interesting look at pre genocide history. It's one more thing that helps us to understand the complex history of a fascinating country.

The Tutsis were at the epicenter of the genocide and once again, they are a complex bunch. The Hutu people and the Tutsi have long since been enemies and after the assassination of the President, war was on. Decades later, the Tutsis invite tourists into their villages and teach them about their culture. It's a far cry from the lives that they once led. It's amazing to see how they have survived.

But the biggest tourist draw in Rwanda still remains in the world of the volcanoes. Volcanoes National Park is a beautiful park full of wildlife, trails, flora, fauna, and cultural experiences. You can take any of a number of safaris in this park and see all kinds of animals. You have all the animals that you would expect to see on an African safari like Giraffe, Antelope, Zebras and yes, Monkeys and Gorillas.

"Gorillas in the Mist" was the movie that we all saw that taught us about the plight of the Mountain Gorillas of Eastern Africa. They were hunted nearly to extinction. They live in the cloud forests of not only Rwanda, but also Burundi, Tanzania, DRC, and Kenya. This forested area that falls in these countries is the only place in the world where these animals exist. Back in the 1960's, Diane Fossey took up the cause to make sure that these majestic animals could live safely in the forest. She worked tirelessly her entire life to make sure that these animals could be safe and flourish in their home. She was killed in 1985, but her work lives on through the Diane Fossey Foundation. In Volcanoes National Park, you can learn all about her work.

What else can you do there? You can book a guided walk into the world of the Mountain Gorilla. The walk is one of the most memorable experiences you will ever have. The gorillas after many years of being protected and seeing humans, have become far less shy than they used to be. Mothers will let their babies play right in sight of us humans. It's a great time to go and see these amazing animals. The walk can only be taken with a guide, and it does take a few hours to do it right. It's worth it.

If you do take the time to go into the forest, make sure you keep an eye out for another famous resident of the forest, the Golden Monkey. They also only live there.

Rwanda is an amazing country that has overcome some great atrocities to come into the 21st century on the right path. The Tutsis are thriving, the cities are improving, and the gorillas are getting used to being looked at instead of shot at. I've only mentioned a very few amazing things that you can see and do in this incredible tiny country. Rwanda has gone from one of the most dangerous countries to one of the safest. Take an incredible journey and see a place that is nothing like it was 20 years ago. See the result of a people that decided that they had had enough and that it was time to move forward and make it better. Come and meet the friendly, outgoing, empowered people of Rwanda. And don't forget to visit the cloud forest and the amazing wildlife that lives there as well. Enjoy!

http://www.geoex.com/destinations/rwanda/custom-travel
http://www.wildernesstravel.com/trip/uganda/bwindi-mountain-gorilla-safari
http://www.responsibletravel.com/holidays/gorilla-safaris
http://www.rwandatourism.com/
http://www.tourismrwanda.com/
http://www.our-africa.org/rwanda/tourism
http://www.volcanoesnationalparkrwanda.com/
http://aroundguides.com/12749692
https://rwandamountaintea.com/
https://www.expertafrica.com/rwanda/nyungwe-forest-national-park
http://travelscope.net/episodes/view/rwanda_among_the_gorillas/
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/rwanda
http://www.livinginkigali.com/category/rwanda-tourism/tourism-in-kigali/
http://gov.rw/home/
http://www.history.com/topics/rwandan-genocide
http://us.jetcost.com/en/flights/rwanda/?utm_source=msn&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Flights-Country
http://www.booking.com/city/rw/kigali.en.html?aid=801942;label=yahoogemini-city-kigali-fgti5HsUKEKHb5GrDHBsbA&utm_source=yahoo-gemini&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Rwanda-Kigali---UFI--2181358&utm_term=hotels-kigali-rwanda-b
https://www.audleytravel.com/us/rwanda?audcmp=365964264&audadg=23990405784&audkey=rwanda%20tours&auddev=c&gclid=CLP_nPisjcwCFRJbhgodAD0OLA
http://www.enchantingtravels.com/ppc-landing-pages/rwanda?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=africa-rwanda-us&utm_term=rwanda%20tours&gclid=CP7urfysjcwCFUJkhgodxMcH_Q
http://www.africatravelresource.com/rwanda-gorilla-safari/?gclid=CLX0moCtjcwCFQZZhgodTNoD6Q
http://www.intrepidtravel.com/rwanda
http://www.wildlifetours-rwanda.com/
http://gorillafund.org/
http://www.state.gov/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
http://terri-dixon.pixels.com/
https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone?fref=ts
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Took a Little Weird Connecticut Day Trip

What is it? Well, sometimes in Connecticut we just don't know and have to go out and see for ourselves. Connecticut is my home and one of the most fascinating microcosms on Earth. There is such a melting pot in the state of Connecticut that you never know what language you might hear, what churches may pop up, what kind of restaurants may appear, and there is a whole lot of creativity here no matter what you may have heard. That being said, the fact that my son and I were driving down Route 3 in Middletown and saw three Yugos on balls didn't seem that odd. What is it all about?

This is Wild Bill's Nostalgia Shop. I'd heard a lot about it in the internet world lately, so I thought we should go and check it out. It was just part of a roadtrip that we took today to see some unusual things. It's that in between season in Connecticut, and since mother nature decided to drop winter on us for April, there's not a lot to do yet. It's too late to ski, and it's too early for most other things. So, we stopped in to see what Wild Bill's was really like.

I must admit, I saw some mighty strange things at Wild Bill's. I saw a lot of things from old carnivals. There's a couple of rides, one that looks like an old Himalaya and another that looks like a regulation fun house out back. There are a couple of painted up Volkswagen Vans. There is a haunted fun house that I believe has been in progress for some time. It's all interesting stuff.

Wild Bill's is home to the world's largest Jack in the Box. For a roadside attraction there are some interesting sights to behold. But, what is Wild Bill's really about? For one thing, this is all a product of the love generation. On Earth Day they are planning a free concert out back to celebrate. There are hippie things going on here. But, the thing that I enjoyed about it was the fact that it was also America in action. This whole place is like an open air art gallery and it's freedom of expression at it's very best.

And, if the outside isn't enough, there's a whole giant store full of all kinds of stuff. As you enter past the clown and the suit of armor, you realize that you have not entered a typical store. What did I find? I found a lot of things. I found funny posters of Donald Trump. I found about a million various bobble heads. I found vintage posters from the sixties, seventies, and eighties. I found sports memorabilia. I found art, clothes, signs, buttons, CD's, LP's, cassettes, vintage video games and even arcade games. You can buy an Asteroids game there. Not one for an Atari either; the real arcade deal. Every inch of the place is covered in curious and interesting throwback items and some new ones too. It's quite a collection and quite a store.

You never know what you will find. Question; is it worth the drive? Answer, on a questionable weather day when you've had just about enough of winter it sure is. I do think that if you plan to come from a long way's off, I would wait until some more work is done on that haunted fun house. I love the unusual, and this place certainly is that. Bill is a hoot too.

After we left Bill in Middletown, we drove on down to Long Wharf in New Haven to check out another curiosity that has landed in our state recently. Jordan's Furniture. Doesn't sound curious until you hear about It. "It" is the largest indoor rope adventure course in the world. Not what you expect when buying furniture.

Let's start off with the dancing fountains. This reminded me of the pond in front of the Bellagio in Las Vegas. They were playing 80's hair band music, which I love and there were people everywhere. I will say that there were very few people in the furniture part, which is a shame, because they have some great furniture at reasonable prices. There's a warehouse sized store to go through too. You should be able to find just about anything there. They have a whole section for rugs.

But, I digress. "It" is a multi part course. There's a food court and the fountains in the middle. There are sections of rope course on either end. There are zip lines connecting the two sections of rope course. It's really quite remarkable.

They have some climbing experiences that are separate from the rest of the course, and they have a mini "It" for the little ones to play on. You can play for $25 to $30 which is a great deal in the world of zip lines and rope courses. Not to mention that it's inside where you can enjoy "It" during this awkward in between season in New England.

So, there's two places that are pretty neat to check out on a questionable day in Connecticut. The best thing about a tiny state like ours is that no matter how small it is, it still packs a bunch of surprises. I hope to spend some time this summer checking out some more spots in my state to entertain you with. And, if those prices at Jordan's don't suit you, IKEA is right next door. The Long Wharf neighborhood of New Haven, CT is full of surprises like the theater and Brazi's Italian Restaurant. So, pack up the car and take a day trip to some cute and fun spots that you probably never new about. Spend a little time road tripping in Connecticut. Enjoy!

http://www.wildbillsonline.com/
https://www.facebook.com/wildbillsnostalgia
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/19394
http://www.jordans.com/
https://www.facebook.com/JordansFurniture
http://www.jordans.com/attractions/it
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/store/new_haven
http://www.longwharf.org/
http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/Government/LongWharfPier.asp
http://www.brazis.com/
http://www.ctvisit.com/
http://www.visitconnecticut.com/state
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
http://terri-dixon.pixels.com/
https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone?fref=ts
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred

Thursday, March 31, 2016

In Answer to Some Questions About Traveling...

I've been getting a lot of questions lately about how to make a trip happen. In the world of online everything, it's not as easy as it used to be to go out to the travel agent and have them help you plan a trip. On the plus side of that argument, the internet gives you the chance to look around and see where you would like to plan your dream vacation before you figure out how to make it happen.

I've done a lot of running around over the years, and it's not easy to get into the swing of planning a really good trip. First, I watch television some. That's right, I look for travel shows on TV that showcase interesting locations. I read articles, I look at websites. Sometimes, I spin my globe and investigate the spot that my finger landed on. I'm not joking. Sometimes that's what it takes to start finding a path to the vacation that you really want. I also read blogs, just like mine to see what other people are doing for vacation.

Once I find a place that sounds interesting to me, I start to investigate the location and see what's really there to see and do. I also look to see if the destination is financially viable and safe. I consider what season it is in that location, what the political situation is, and in my case family and woman friendliness. But, the questions that I've been getting lately are about how to find out these things.

First, I check the official website for that destination. You can find them for most countries and states. There are some counties, provinces, regions, areas, national parks, and cities that have online guides as well. You may be able to look up a guide by just using a keyword like "TheHenryFord". It works, and what you will find is great information about the attractions and areas that you are looking to visit.

Other ways that you can find out information about a holiday that you are interested in is to put in a subject. It can be a sport, a hobby, a celebrity, a festival, or anything that might bring up a location to do something that interests you. Just add travel to you keywords. I literally put in where can I see a moose? I got Greenville, Maine. This spot has become one of my favorite little getaways over the years, and they were right. I always see moose when I'm there. But, I digress. You can put in cooking tours, religious activities, photography, waterfalls, and just about anything. You will get information on your topic.

So, you've found a destination that interests you based on your personal criteria. Next you have to find out if that place is viable. Look at the cost of airfare, hotels, rental cars, maybe even some local restaurants. You can check any booking site to find out these things. Expedia, Booking.com, Travelocity, Orbitz, Kayak, or any of a hundred other sites to see what it costs to visit the location that you've picked. Remember, after checking travel sites, try to look into what the same items would cost if you bought them direct from the source; the hotel, the airline, the car rental agency, etc. If you can afford to go to your location, you can move on.

Following the obvious, affordability, you must make sure that it's safe to go there. There's nothing more shocking and disturbing than to get to a location and find out that it's not safe to be there. This is where you need brass tacks information. The CIA Factbook is a great place to get information about countries. They have all the basic statistical information on pretty much everywhere. This will also tell you what season to travel to the location in for the best time, and what the most congested areas of the country are. It will tell you the country's religion which can be something that you need to know in some countries. It will tell you if the country does not allow alcohol, what the holy days are, what the national holidays are, which side of the road to drive on, and many other useful tidbits to get you around a country. One of the biggies that it will tell you is if that country speaks English or not. That can be a deal breaker if you're traveling without a guide.

Then you will want to find out if you should go there and how to do it. The United States Department of State is your website. You will find travel advisories there. They are there for your safety. I cancelled arrangements for a trip to Morocco once because they were having some problems at the time. The State Department is where I got a lot of my information on the situation. When I did pick a destination for that trip, I registered me and my family's itinerary on the website for our safety as well. I also found the locations of the embassies in the countries that we were visiting just in case. This site also tells you about passports, visas, immunizations and many other useful things that will help with your travel. There are some countries that Americans aren't even allowed in, so that is something that this site will help you with.

Once you have that spot picked out, and you have all the information that you need to make an informed decision of should you go there and can you afford it, it's time to start looking into booking that trip. Do you want to take a guided tour? Excellent question. Students and first timers should definitely take a tour. If you really want to go on a cruise, that's a tour. There are many tour companies that can help you out. Here's some:

http://www.intrepidtravel.com/
http://www.travelvantage.com/
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/tours
http://www.kensingtontours.com/
http://www.goawaytravel.com/new/
http://www.expeditions.com/
http://www.abercrombiekent.com/
https://www.ymtvacations.com/
https://www.smartours.com/
http://www.tours4fun.com/

Remember, traveling in a group means doing what is planned for you. If that's not for you, and it probably won't be after your first trip; then you have to do your homework. There are many places that you can find out all the information you need to know. It's really not that hard. If you do want to take a tour, the above list is the best place to go. You can also look up travel agencies within the country that you wish to travel to. Sometimes they can get you in to see things that foreign travel agencies cannot.

Cruising is a comfortable way to travel. River cruises appeal to me more than ocean cruises, but it's up to you. River cruises have smaller crowds on board, because they have smaller boats. There's always a view, because you're never out to sea, and there are more stops and more time in the places that you wanted to see. It's a personal preference, but if you are like me, it's an important one. Make sure that you find a cruise that is right for you if you decide to take a cruise. Don't just pick the cheap one.

What I'm trying to say is that if you want to do it right, do some homework. There is no five minute vacation plan if the vacation is worth a hoot. Look on the website for the location you wish to visit. Get the information from their website. Then look into travel options. I know that Kayak and some other sites tell you that they can save you time, but don't save the time. You want to make sure that you are going where you want and seeing what you want when you get there. You need to make sure that you are traveling within your budget instead of someone else's. You need to make sure that you go at the right time, and that it's safe and that it's really what you want. I am giving you some great sites to check into on this one, and I hope it helps answer some of the questions that you have asked me about travel.