Some travel is better than none...right?

Since moving back to Chicago from my beloved London, I haven't had a chance to travel as much as I would like.  It's just so darn hard to get out of the US!  A flight from the Midwest to the East coast is around 2.5 hrs and a flight from the Midwest to the West coast is around 3.5 hrs.  If I want to go out of the country, unless I am flying to Canada or Mexico - it takes at least 8/9 hours.  There goes my weekend trips to other places!

I was asked to go on this project in Ohio a month ago, so I have been flying to Columbus, Ohio and staying in a small town of Dublin, Ohio.   Not knowing much about small towns, Dublin is actualy quite a pretty town!  There is a cute high street area, some shopping, a few malls around, but what is really gorgeous is the river that runs through it.  It's one of those lush tree lined, water sluicing over boulders, people in small boats, fishing - kind of rivers.  The building that my client is at actually has an enclosed walkway and confernce rooms over the forest and river. 

I split my weeks between Chicago and Dublin, whenever I am in Dublin, we typically always go out to eat. So far I've eaten at:
- countless Indian buffets (mostly vegetarian) as my coworkers are Indian
- BD Mongolian Grill
- Boston Market
- Blue Ginger Asian Fusion
- Windchimes Chinese restaurant
- more Indian buffets
- Max & Ermas
- Jeni's Ice Cream

Here are some pictures of Dublin:

Singapore and Malaysia trip - Part I

I love destination weddings.  I know that they are expensive and everything, but what a better time to go visit a city that you've always wanted to visit but never had a great reason to go to or put off going in lieu of a place that is closer, cheaper, or more familiar? 

Obviously when I found out my friend Amelia was getting married in her home country of Malaysia, I leapt at the chance to go celebrate the nuptials of my little sister from another mister as well as explore the island of Penang where she grew up.   

Of course I can never let an itinerary just BE, I always need to add other trips and adventures to it, and accomplish that I did!  I figured, I'd fly to Singapore first to look around for two days or so and then take an overnight train to Penang the 2nd night rather than pay for a hotel and hang out on the Island, eat at food stalls, walk around on the beach, get splendidly golden, meet a studly foreigner who would sweep me off my feet and feed me custard apples and mangosteen while gazing into my eyes...what? I was single at the time and it was a nice thought if nothing else!

I am not going to prattle on too much about the lows of the trip - but I will warn you that if you DO decide to take an overnight train from Singapore to Penang, make sure you do not take a shower and not change into anything too comfortable before you pass through border patrol on the Malaysian side - they WILL make you get off the train and march to the building with dripping wet hair and a towel or whatever you are wearing.  Also - the temperature in the cabin may not be ideal...so make sure you have enough clothes to keep warm enough to sleep.  Truth.

Onto the pictures!!!!!

Travel that I need to update on!

Goodness me, it’s been almost a year since I last wrote an entry…how sad is that?  I need to start building blogging into my schedule so that I don’t slack off and not post something.  I typically always have something to say or display…

I need to update on so many things – my goal for tonight is to update on Singapore and Malaysia (before I pass out because I have been up since 4am today).

The other posts I need to update on are:

-          Italy, Rome

-          Italy, Naples

-          Hamburg, Germany

-          Vienna

In between, I’m sure I’ll rant in rave about something of no significance. ;)

Watch for the Singapore/Malaysia one tonight!