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Remembering 9/11

Not only has the morning of September 11, 2001 changed the face of America forever, but the terrible tragedies that occurred on this day also have a huge impact on the way we travel.

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PRE-9.11

I had only been on one flight in my entire life. At 15 years old, in October 2000, I booked a flight to California to visit my father. The only reason I purchased travel-sized toiletries was because they were easier to pack and left plenty of room for souvenirs. Not because of any size regulations. However, I never went anywhere without my Country Apple Body Splash from Bath & Body Works, which filled up a 12 0z. spray bottle.

I arrived at Midway Airport about an hour before my flight was scheduled to leave. Checking in was fairly easy and went by rather quickly. The TSA employee asked for my ID and matched it to the name on my plane ticket. I put my bag in the X-ray machine and walked through a metal detector…with my shoes and zip-up hoodie still on. I repeated the process on my way out of California, with a few more bottles of perfume in tow.

9.11

A total of 19 hijackers took over four commercial airplanes en route to San Francisco and Los Angeles, CA, from Boston, Newark and Washington D.C. At exactly 8:46 a.m., American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the World Trade Center North Tower. A little more than 15 minutes later, United Airlines Flight 175 hit the South Tower at 9:03 a.m. A half hour went by before American Airlines Flight 77 flew into the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. Finally, United Airlines Flight 93 went down in an open field near Shanksville, PA, at 10:03 a.m. The organizer of the 9/11 attacks later revealed that Flight 93’s target was the Capitol in Washington, D.C. All flights in and out of the United States were immediately grounded and the entire country was in a state of emergency (and panic).

POST-9.11

In the days following the September 11 attacks, all international civilian air traffic was banned from landing on United States soil for three days. At the time this was announced, several flights were already en route for America and were forced to turn back or land in airports situated in Canada or Mexico. Many Americans were…stuck. Even flight attendants and other crew members were forced to stay overseas for up to a month.

My fast pitch softball team had planned a trip to Orlando, FL, for a Disney Tournament taking place in November 2001. While my mother was very uneasy about me taking the trip, I really wanted to go. Not because it was my first trip to Disney World, but because I wanted to prove that the American economy and tourism industry could not be crippled by the evil actions of terrorists. I wasn’t afraid to travel and I didn’t want anyone on my team to be scared either.

The morning of our flight, we arrived three hours before the flight time and the airport was PACKED. New regulations slowed down the checking in process, as many people were unaware of the new rules pertaining to the contents of carry-on baggage and checked luggage, as well as what you could bring on a plane at all. Thorough searches found plenty of items that would no longer be allowed on flights such as nail files, scissors and other sharp objects.

Although TSA has a better handle on checking people in these days, there are still plenty of regulations that will never change as a result of 9/11. And even though it may take an extra couple of minutes to remove your laptop, shoes, hoodie, etc., it’s all in the name of safety. The same goes for the regulations ON THE PLANE. Just today, I read a friend’s Facebook update, which read:

just got off a flight where the flight attendant had to literally stand over a fellow passenger until they surrendered to turning off and stowing their laptop. Upon landing the attendant had to twice say “please do not unfashen seat belts until the captain has turned off the sign”. this made me think: Should Flight Attendants be able to issue tickets or fines for braking Federal Airline Regulations? thoughts…

It seems as though many people are always in a hurry and feed off a need for instant gratification. There is a reason all these rules have been made, and it’s not to torture passengers and keep them from getting to their destinations.While you’re busy guzzling down your free drink and fighting those around you for space in an overhead bin, remember the people who have suffered as a result of poor safety regulations. On this day, remember that everyone in the travel industry is working hard to ensure 9/11 never happens again. Don’t let 2,996 deaths be in vain. Remember 9/11 and know there are bigger problems in this world than not being allowed to pack your value-pack bottles of shampoo.

Ten years in the making: a decade of writing and traveling

I can’t believe it’s New Year’s Day 2010! When I think back to the year 2000, it feels like a lifetime ago.

In 2000…

Ten years ago, I was just a kid enjoying life and beginning my journey as a writer and a traveler. In the years ahead, I would continue this journey…which is still far from seeing an end.

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In 2001…

  • I mourned for all those directly affected by 9/11.
  • I played softball at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Orland, Florida.
  • I sent post card after post card to document my trip.

In 2002…

  • I sang with my high school chorus in Buffalo, New York and Toronto, Canada.
  • I attended a mass with Pope John Paul II at World Youth Day in Toronto, Canada.
  • I stared, in awe, at Niagra Falls…twice.
  • I participated in mock trials and the study of law two weeks at the Law & Advocacy session for the National Student Leadership Conference in New York, New York and Washington, D.C.
  • I wrote myself emails detailing my travels, because I didn’t know any other form of “blogging.”
  • I spent four months learning how to write a research paper…and I loved every minute of it.
  • I loved reading The Great Gatsby and The Crucible and chose English as my favorite subject.

In 2003…

  • I started college.
  • I moved to the Northside of Chicago.
  • I explored each neighborhood around every stop on the Red Line from Loyola to Roosevelt.
  • I enjoyed school, but my favorite course was English 101.

In 2004…

  • I moved back home to suburbia Chicago.
  • I enjoyed a week of fun in Orange County and Los Angeles, California.
  • I received my first digital camera: a SONY Cybershot.
  • I signed up on Webshots.com so that I could share my travel photos with the world.
  • I joined MySpace.com and began writing about my travels on my MySpace blog.
  • I spent eight days in Rome, Italy.
  • I took a day trip to Florence, Italy.

In 2005…

  • I rang in the new year, celebrating at Campo di Fiori in Rome, Italy.
  • I moved to New York.
  • I explored every area of Manhattan.
  • I moved back home to suburbia Chicago.
  • I became the Features Editor of my college newspaper.

In 2006…

  • I spent my first week of being a “legal” adult in Sin City aka Las Vegas, Nevada.
  • I went back to New York for two weekend getaways.
  • I studied a women’s lit course that required travel to Paris, France.
  • I walked the gardens at the palace in Versailles.
  • I moved to London.
  • I saw breathtaking views of rolling green hills in Wales, UK.
  • I walked the same streets as one of my favorite authors, Geoffrey Chaucer, in Canterbury, England.
  • I drank Guinness, Bailey’s and Jameson at the original Brazen Head in Dublin, Ireland.
  • I dealt with gypsys stealing my camera in Barcelona, Spain.
  • I fell in love with Venice, Italy.
  • I had a blast with new-found friends in Bath and Avebury in England.
  • I saw the iconic Stonehenge.
  • I purchased a second SONY Cybershot digital camera.
  • I completed a travel writing course, documenting my trips, my thoughts on various pieces of travel literature and my exposure to new cultures.
  • I moved back home to suburbia Chicago.

In 2007…

  • I rang in the New Year at a cozy cottage in Michigan.
  • I became the Editor of my college literary magazine.
  • I ventured east again, skipped good ol’ New York and instead opted for New Jersey.
  • I started hosting karaoke and DJing at night clubs.
  • I went to Chicago White Sox Spring Training in Tucson, Arizona.
  • I graduated from Saint Xavier University with a BA in English.
  • I celebrated my graduation with a week in New York City…again.
  • I landed a job as an Editorial Assistant at a national real estate marketing/advertising company.
  • I met up with my favorite British boy in Kansas City, Kansas
  • I spent time with my best friend in her hometown of Denver, Colorado.
  • I visited London for the second time.

In 2008…

In 2009…

  • I met several Chicago Blackhawks players in Nashville, Tennessee.
  • I became a columnist for HipCompass Escapes Magazine.
  • I visited London for the third time.
  • I sang karaoke on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana.
  • I purchased a Canon Rebel EOS and an additional 70-300mm lens.
  • I watched the Bison roam in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
  • I beat the heat in Guadalajarra and Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico.
  • I spent a gorgeous, sunny day in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
  • I watched the Pirates vs. the Diamondbacks at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
  • I attended ALCS Game 1 at brand-new Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York
  • Gettin’ Carried Away WON the Divine Caroline LOVE! This Site Award for 2009.

My passions for writing and traveling are stronger than ever. I am so happy to spend another year doing what I love. Thank you for making the first 17 months of my travel blog a success. Happy travels and Happy New Year!

Colorado day trip: from Denver to Evergreen

If you really want a true Rocky Mountain experience, then you probably shouldn’t spend all your time in Denver, Colorado. You deserve a better taste of the Rockies than a simple swig of an ice cold Coors Light. And that is why my good friend Lindsey took me up to the charming mountain town of Evergreen, which is only 40 minutes to an hour away from Denver’s city center.

The drive from Denver to Evergreen itself is well worth the trip. In other words, keep your camera handy. The somewhat tree-lined highway (I-70 West) passes by open fields where mass loads of buffalo graze like no one is watching. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself pulled over along with other carloads of people, taking post card-like pictures. And even as you continue into the mountains, you’ll be winding your way around gigantic mounds dotted with Evergreen trees.

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Because I was only visiting for two days, we headed straight for the most popular spot, the “downtown” area along Main Street (aka Highway 74). Imagine walking into a log cabin. Now picture 20+ log cabins, all connected by covered porches. Essentially, that is what you will find along Highway 47 in the form of jewelers, art galleries, clothing stores, restaurants and cafes, all connected by a rustic, wooden boardwalk. Some of my favorite shops like Unique Boutique–providing quality goods made by local artisans–and The Green Merchant–offering eco-friendly gifts–have yet to develop an online presence. You are sure to find something special that people will only be able to obtain if they make the trip up to the mountains.

evergreenboardwalk

Of course, there’s more to Evergreen than shopping and dining. If you want to learn more about the town’s beginnings, take a free tour at the historical Hiwan Homestead Museum. Evergreen Lake offers boating in the summer and ice skating in the winter, in addition to fishing all. year. long. Numerous trails are spread all over the town for leisurely walks (around the lake) or rigorous hiking (in the mountains).

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