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<title>Home and Away Magazine Travel Blog.</title>
<description>Home and Away Magazine Travel Blog.</description>
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<title><![CDATA[Spontaneous Adventures Lead to Lasting Memories]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Being in Oahu, Hawaii, was the paradise I always envisioned it would be. It is the farthest away from my home I have ever traveled. Turquoise-blue water; soft, hot sand; exotic plants; and sunny skies surrounded me. Dont get me wrong, I could have been perfectly happy at the beach all day, but my boyfriend and I are adventure seekers and had lots of things we wanted to see and do. Id like to share ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[The Problem With Not Plowing]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[We all know that winter driving can be a real pain. I grew up in Minnesota and have lived in the Midwest all my life, so I am well aware of the challenges associated with getting around when the snow flies. In Minnesota, they do a really good job of plowing and keeping the roads in pretty good shapeeven in extreme conditions. So, I have always been baffled at the difficulty that northern Iowa ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Bucket List]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Im almost 65 years old and had never seen the Grand Canyon in person. Ive visited Arizona plenty of times. In fact, I have visited every state in the U.S. except Alaska, Montana and Vermont. Ive been to several Canadian provinces and Mexico, but had never been to the Grand Canyon.It isnt really that big a deal. After all, a mountain is just a mountain and a valley is just a valley. Id seen ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[The Trip Full of Surprises ]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[I am a night owl, but I jumped out of bed at 6 a.m. excited for my first trip to Chicago with my boyfriend for our four-year anniversary. During the drive, I wanted to listen to my boyfriend Omars iPod, and I reached to get it out of his backpack but he said it wasnt in there. He didnt want me to see what was in the front pocket of his backpackan engagement ring. We made it to The Congress ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Frizzy Maggie and Friends]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[There she hangs outside our bathroom door, with her red spiky hair, her blue-and-green headband, her yellow-flower earrings, her furrowed brow and that o of a mouthas if to say, Oooooooo! Thats what I thought when I saw her, too, Oooooooo, how cute!My husband, Ken, and I were in low-key Anna Maria Island, Fla. Wed eaten breakfast at a local place called Ginnys & Jane E.sa bakery/boutique/hangout ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Another Side of Salem]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[While visiting Massachusetts this summer, my daughter and I made an unexpected stop in Salemyes, that Salem, where several people were accused of practicing witchcraft, tried and executed. And though we visited attractions that focused on the famous Salem Witch Trials of 1692, we broadened our scope to include Salems history beyond the macabre. American author Nathaniel Hawthornes famous book ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Shake, Shake, Shake]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Jim and I headed to Oklahoma City to spend a relaxing weekend with family and friends. We arrived late Friday evening and checked into the Holiday Inn room 511. At roughly 2 a.m., the bed began to shake and woke us up. It was an odd feeling, and after a short time, it quit so we went back to sleep. The next morning the local television news informed us there was an earthquake that occurred with ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[British Columbias Victoria IslandIts Not to Be Missed]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[When we arrived in Victoria, British Columbia, by the Clipper Ferry, I felt like a kid at Disneyland. The flower-lined neighborhood streets leading to the Parliament building were outlined in white lightslike something you would see at Christmas. We joined hundreds of people camped out on lawns and streets with folding chairs and coolers to hear the local symphonys pops concert. Many were buying ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Las Vegas Revisited]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Several lifetimes ago, I worked for a casino company headquartered in Las Vegas. During that time, I was able to make regular trips to the area and enjoyed seeing what was new on the Strip each year. The last such trip I made was somewhere around 2004, and my journeys have not taken me in that direction since then. This past month, I decided to change that and made plans to spend a couple of days ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Theres Nothing Like the Real Thing]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[I have to admit I was more in awe than I thought I would be. As I pulled into the parking lot of South Dakotas Mount Rushmore National Memorial, I was interested, but not overly excited. Ive seen those four faces in so many photographs over the years I thought I knew the mountain sculpture. But my first real glimpse of the peak over the flagged walkway was entirely different than just a flat picture.Presidents ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Leaf Peeping and Apple Eating]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Its my favorite time of yearthe air is growing cool and the trees that line my neighborhood and blanket my community are turning every shade of gold and crimson.Its autumn and Im itching to get out and enjoy the pleasures of fall in my native state of Iowapicking apples at the orchard and a Sunday drive along western Iowas scenic Loess Hills.The Loess Hills are part of a unique land ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[No Malted Milk Blues in Le Mars]]></title>
<description><![CDATA["I keep drinkin' malted milk, try'n to drive my blues away."Had legendary bluesman Robert Johnson been living in Le Mars, Iowa, around the time he recorded the song Malted Milk Blues, he would not have had those blues for long. Thanks to Wells Dairy and its Wells Blue Bunny ice cream, Mr. Johnson would have had more than enough malted milk to drive those blues away.I grew up ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Homegrown Terror]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Pull your car in under the overhang and come inside, is what the U.S. Customs officer said at the Pigeon River border crossing in far northeastern Minnesota. What I heard was, Your innocuous appearance and the presence of your 12-year-old son could be nothing more than clever cover, sir, thats why we have to cavity search you.Still, I had to remain under control because my boy was a little ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Trying Something New in the Big Apple]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[My journey began at 5:23 a.m. when I checked in at Omaha's Eppley Airfield. Note to self: Find a later flight next time. It was my first time going to New York alone. Luckily, a college friend recently moved to Brooklyn and works in SoHo. I met up with him for lunch at Lupes East LA Kitchen. This is when I found out most places are cash only. They offer vegetarian-friendly Southern California-style ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Great Sand Dunes National Park]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Destination Utah. Jim and I were off to visit two of his brothers in Colorado and seven national parks in 10 days. The Harley was packed with about four days of clothes, camping gear and no reservations.The first day we rode as far as possible. On the way through Nebraska, we coasted into two gas stations as the motorcycle was getting only about 140 miles out of a tank of gas. Our best guesses ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[A Taste of Germany]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[My daughter, Laura, is a senior in high school. Over the last couple of years, shes taken courses such as AP World History and Ethnic Studies. Her teachers have encouraged the students to attend Omahas many ethnic festivals as a way to enhance their learning experience.In June, she went to the Santa Lucia Festival, a celebration of Italian heritage and traditionsand food. Laura said she had ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[But Its Not May]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[I had a great deal of empathy for Tippi Hedren that July night in Gimli, Manitoba. In Alfred Hitchcocks classic movie The Birds, poor Tippi gets dive-bombed by, what else, birdsno matter where she seems to go. While I didnt get buzzed by birds, the sheer number of my antagonists outranked Tippis by hundreds of thousands. Yep, I happened to be in Gimli during a mayfly season.I guess ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[You Make It, I Will Buy It]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[OK, I admit it. Im on the leading edge of the baby boomer generation. Im still working at a time when, 40 years ago, I thought I would be retired, and I plan to work several more years. I love what Im doing, my health is reasonably good, and Im productive in what I do.So what does a boomer like me need to do to stay up-to-date with all the technological changes taking place around me every ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Culinary Tour of Arizona]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[When we travel, we love to find unique, nonchain restaurants with great local flavors. The kids often like to check out the fast food joints we dont have in Nebraska, and we normally allow it. We traveled to Arizona in April for spring break with our kids and their friends. They are all teenagers so eating is a top priority. The Phoenix/Scottsdale area has some great restaurants. One of my ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Boston Layover]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[A story assignment in the Cape Ann region of Massachusetts in July meant I would be flying into and out of Boston, a city I had never visited before. I scheduled the flight home from Boston for late afternoon, just in case I needed a few extra hours in the morning to research my story. It turns out, I had to have the rental car back at the airport in the morning, which meant my daughter, Laura, and ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Southern New MexicoA Variety of Terrain]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Driving up from the El Paso, Texas, airport, you can head into New Mexico and go to Ruidoso, where there are mountains and the famous Hubbard Museum and Ruidoso Downs Race Track. Also near are Alamogordo, home to the Space Museum, and Roswell, home to a UFO museum. Here, its pretty flat, with an occasional plateau. At the White Sands National Monument in Las Cruces, a sea of sand looks like pure ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[River Ramblings]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Rivers have always been intriguing to me, and over the years, I have had the opportunity to experience many up close. Ive floated Alaskas Chilkat River, admiring the bald eagles perched everywhere on branches and the snowcapped mountains in the distance. Ive tackled two rivers in Tennessees Smoky Mountain region, the Nantahala and the Big Pigeon River. Both were exhilarating rides with lush mountain ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Catching the C Train]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[My grandma Lucy used to live about a block from the train tracks (on the right side of them, of course). I often spent the night with her and Grandpa, and when I heard the long, low whistle of the trains in the night, I thought it sounded kind of forlorn, out there in the dark alone.Then, when I was older, Ialong with millions of otherswatched as films portrayed the romance, mystery and sometimes ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Theater, Food and History in New York]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[The energy of New York excites me with every visit. It had been four years but my girlfriends and I were back at it, soaking up every waking minute.The Metropolitan Museum of Art is always a mainstay, but this visit was cut short because of previous tickets we had booked for a matinee and long lines to get into the place. Still, we managed to hit our personal highlights by synchronizing our watches, ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Beware the All-Knowing GPS ]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[GPS systems are, in general, a good thing. It is nice to know that you can go on a trip without worrying about how you are going to find your way to where you are goingespecially if you are flying into a city that you dont know very well. However, I have learned over the years that sometimes you have to take your GPS advice with a grain of salt (or not at all), even when it makes the little voice ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Is the Thrill Gone? Not at the National Music Museum]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[In November 2000, my son Jon and I attended a concert at the Orpheum Theater in Omaha, Neb. The headliner was legendary bluesman Riley B. King better known as B.B. King. King is possibly best known for his 1970 recording of the Rick Darnell/Roy Hawkins song The Thrill Is Gone.So imagine my delight when my wife, Debbie, and I visited Vermillion, S.D.s, National Music Museum and almost ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Fin-tastic in Georgia]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[The dolphins jumped and spun in time to the music; the audience oohed and aahed at every new trick. The agile marine animals wowed spectators by carrying around their trainers and walking backward across the waters surface on their flukes. The AT&T Dolphin Tales show at the Georgia Aquarium is more than just a few dolphins showing off, though. Its a theatrical performance complete with ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Bucket List]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Ive read a couple of articles recently about individuals putting together bucket lists and working to fulfill the items on the list. As I understand it, a bucket list is a list of things you want to do before you kick the bucket. Ive never had a bucket list but find it interesting to hear about what others have on their lists. Ive seen things like visit Mount Rushmore, ride in a hot air balloon, ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[The Rock]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[For many people, the only familiarity they have with the famous federal penitentiary known as Alcatraz is from Clint Eastwoods 1979 dramatization of a prison break, Escape From Alcatraz.The legendary prison has been the subject of many legends and much lore, but seeing it up close gives interesting insight into its history and many reincarnations. While in San Francisco recently to research ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Tulum]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[It was New Years Day. Jim and I boarded a van to see Tulum, which is located 40 to 50 minutes south of Playa del Carmen in Mexico. The van made stops at the resorts along the coast, and then it was a short walk to the Tulum entrance from the main highway. This would be Jims first time to see Mayan ruins. I have visited several in the past, but each one has been unique.Tulum, known as the Walled ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[The Whisper of Devastation]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[It was 95 degrees when I left work on May 11. On May 10, tooway early for that kind of heat in Nebraska and a portent of thunderstorms. Farther south, the Mighty Mississippi is threatening to devour whole cities along its flood-swollen banks, caused by huge snows and heavy rains higher in the Midwest. And the recent tornadoes in Alabama have caused unspeakable losses.It made me think how the ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Are We on Candid Camera?]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Our publisher/advertising director, Terry Ausenbaugh, had tickets to a Kansas City Royals-St. Louis Cardinals game he wasnt able to use and offered them to the first person in our office who could come up with the cash. My husband, Eric, has been a Cardinals fan all his life andwhen he found out the tickets were availabletold me to pounce on them. Over the years, Eric and I have been to Kansas ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[The Sensitive One]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[My son had been a picky eater for some time, but he had widened his palate dramatically enough to make his near-meltdown inside a Maine restaurant surprising.We had spent the day exploring Acadia National Park, driving its loop drive, marveling at its ocean views and taking short hikes along its trails. It was our first day of the three we were to spend in the park, so we thought wed wrap things ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Dilly Dally Dali]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[While spending a long weekend recently in Clearwater, Fla., my parents, my friend Mary and I took a short drive to St. Petersburg to visit The Dali Museum. The museum moved to its new location on Jan. 1 (1-1-11), a week before we arrived.The museum has 20,000 square feet and is the permanent home of the world's most comprehensive collection of the work of Spanish artist Salvadore Dali. Compiled ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Please, Dont Bring the Kids]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[I am a museum geek. A hard-core aficionado of all things historical. My travels have taken me all over, and Ive reveled in places such as Virginias National Museum of the Marine Corps; Knoxville, Tenn.s, Museum of Appalachia; Whitefish Point, Mich.s, Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum; Mobile, Ala.s, Carnival Museum; Phoenixs Heard Museum; Victoria, British Columbias, Royal BC Museum; Figueres, Spains, ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[A Visit to the Old West]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Sometimes business meetings in new locations offer a great opportunity to see or do things you would never do on your own. On company-related trips over the past year, I have had the opportunity to explore a beautiful conservatory in Columbus, Ohio; take in a minor-league ball game from a suite at the park; sample fare from an organic garden on top of a restaurant in the middle of Chicago; and most ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Wild Blue Yonder]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Having worked as an editor and writer for Home & Away for several years, I am accustomed to traveling to destinations to experience all that a city or attraction has to offer. I am often in the heart of the action, with a full itinerary of things to see and do. Its rare that I travel for any other reason. So, last August, I put away my reporters notepad and headed to San Antonios Lackland ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Taking Flight]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Shelly Steigs feature on the  Pima Air & Space Museum got me thinking of our local military museum. The Strategic Air and Space Museum in Ashland, Neb., houses an impressive collection of airplanes, missiles and Air Force memorabilia. Just west of Omaha, Neb., Ashland is a short drive and makes for a perfect afternoon ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Best Sandwiches in the World]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Ever had a sandwich so good, itd make you stand up and slap your mamma? Well, the Black Camel sandwich cafe in Toronto has what it takes to turn you into a mouth-watering, mamma-slappin fool.The next time I visit my friend up north, itll be the first place we go. I can guarantee that. The Black Camel offers a choice of slow-roasted beef brisket, pulled pork, seared steak, roasted pulled chicken ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Baja 1000 ]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[The 43rd Annual Tecate Score Baja 1000 took place November 1620, 2010. The race gets its name from the location the race originally started, in the Baja Peninsula. This year I was lucky enough to be invited along to meet the team at the finish line. The team was made up of Davy Jones, who has won the 24 Hours of Lemans, the Rolex 24 at Daytona, and finished second in the 1996 Indy 500; two-time Indy ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[A Cruise Ship Is a Cruise Ship Is a Cruise Ship, Right?]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Ive always said I cruise to get off the boat. And primarily, I do. The opportunity to examine a new city/island/country/attraction is one of the things I live for, and my job couldnt be more tailor-made for a travel junkie.I really havent cruised that muchnot nearly as much as some of the people I meet on boats and ships. But, normally, getting on a ship where I can unload all my stuff ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[The Cubs Fan]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[My mothers always been mostly an even-keeled person (a nice counterbalance to my fairly uptight father) who lives in the moment. Shes never been one to peer too far into the future or look too longingly at the past. What happens, happens.None of that applies, though, when it comes to Nebraska Cornhuskers football or Chicago Cubs baseball. Ive always joked that the only time my mom curses is ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[How Do You Say 'Shoes' in Spanish?]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[When my daughter, Laura, and I travel, shopping is always on our must-do list. While I prefer to come home with something that represents where Ive been, Lauras focus is always on fashion. During our trip last summer to Spain, we quickly discovered there was no shortage of clothing stores in Madrid. But what truly amazed us was the number of shoe stores in the capital city. Up and down every ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Lesson Learned]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Traveling is a great opportunity to learn. In addition to learning about places and cultures when you visit a new location, there is also the opportunity to learn helpful tips for future travel. This past December, I was reminded of that fact when I learned a valuable lesson about hotel living. The lesson? Never, ever, evereven if you think you are doing it in the nicest possible waycomplain to ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Historic St. Joseph, Mo., and the Pony Express]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[For as many trips as I have made to Kansas City, Mo., I have rarely taken the time to stop in St. Joseph except to gas up or get a snack at McDonalds on the south edge of town. Recently, my husband and I took a slow trip home on the side roads and discovered a wealth of history and beauty in St. Joe, both architecturally and naturally.My husband seldom travels but loves to take the back roads ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[A Visit to Connecticut]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Last month, I had to opportunity to spend a week in Connecticut. I shared the time with three of our sales team as we talked to numerous potential advertisers in our various AAA publications. Id have to say I was pleasantly surprised at the diversity of museums, seaport towns and historical places within the state. The picture accompanying this blog is a lighthouse at Saybrook Point.The state ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[The Bridges of Madison County]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[As I was making a return trip from Chicago with my parents and Jim westbound on state Highway 92, we noticed brown signs that said, Covered Bridge #2, #3, etc. We determined we were in Madison County, Iowa, and these must be signs to the covered bridges. After seeing a third sign, we decided to take a detour and go see one of the covered bridges. After driving for some distance, around corners ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Dogsleds and Flamethrowers]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[My family and I traveled in December to LeMars, Iowa, the Ice Cream Capital of the World, to watch its annual Christmas parade. The weather was too cold for my 2-year-old daughter, so she and her mom watched from the inside of our heated vehicle. However, my 5-year-old daughter and nephew endured the sub-zero, wind-chilled night, most likely for the spoils of candy and treats being tossed out by the ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[On the Slopes]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[The Christmas season is in full swing and we have recorded our first measurable snowfall, so naturally my attention turns to cold-weather activities. Well, that, and the fact that my son has been itching to go snowboarding again and rarely a day goes by that he doesnt ask when we can make plans to go.His first go at snowboarding occurred this past March when he and the rest of my family accompanied ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Ill Be Home for Christmas]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Ive found myself more than a little nostalgic at Christmastime this year. Life has dealt me a lot of things I never saw comingamong which is living in Nebraska, 400 miles from my extended family in Oklahoma.When I was a child, my family and I spent nearly every weekend at a grandparents homeso I grew up with a gang of aunts, uncles and cousins on both sides of the family tree. And every Christmas ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Colorado Rocks]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Just 15 miles west of Denver is one of my favorite spots on Earth: Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater. Surrounded by massive red rocks jutting up 300 feet, I am always sucked into the scenery and serenity of this natural and man-made wonder. The hectic gridlock of Denver is left behind in this quiet place, and with an elevation of 6,450 feet, Red Rocks offers panoramic views and a different perspective ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Magical Memories in St. Louis]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Several years ago, my husband and I took our daughter, Laura, on a trip to St. Louis. She was about 5 years old at the time, so one of our stops was the Magic House, a childrens museum in the suburb of Kirkwood. The museum is housed in a Victorian mansion built in 1901 as a private home for the George Lane Edwards family.While we were waiting in line for the museum to open, we struck up a conversation ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Maine, a Slice of Americana]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[I always wanted to visit Maine and finally the opportunity presented itself this summer. Rockland, the Lobster Capital of the World, and the entire coastal drive from Portland screamed Americana with clapboard buildings, roadside fruit stands, American flags and historical sites.The Rockland fishing port provides ferries to several nearby islands and is home to the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse, ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Sunbeams]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[As Jim and I were planning our April trip to northern Arizona, we came up with a list of options of what we wanted to see and do. One weekend, while watching Sunday Morning, there was the most incredible footage of Antelope Canyon. This was an option on our list that became a definite must-do.One day as I was talking about our trip to Arizona at work, I was informed the article Coming ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Enjoying the Best]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Unfortunately, I havent traveled in the last few months, so I decided to write a Best of Hotels travel blog. It may sound like its a blog about California, but the state truly has some of the most beautiful hotels/resorts and best weather. The Estancia: This La Jolla hotel is my top pick of the list, mainly because it was also our wedding hotel. The site was an equestrian estate in the ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[In Search of the Doughboys]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Twenty years ago, Home & Away received a letter from T. Perry Wesley, then editor of Spencer, Ind.s, local newspaper, the Evening World. Wesley wanted to know if any readers had seen a copy of the World War I memorial statue The Spirit of the American Doughboy by sculptor E. M. Viquesney in their hometowns or during their travels.Working without e-mail or digital photo attachments ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Its a Celebration]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Back in April, I started planning for a trip to Spain, which would be taken in July. I had been given the assignment by our editor and wanted to take my daughter, Laura, with me. Shes been studying Spanish for a few years now, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to test her skills in real-life situations.Summer was busy as usual, but our schedule was even tighter with Laura taking ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[A 'Barry' Good Night]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[My friend Teresa was turning 40 and had planned a great trip to Las Vegas to celebrate the occasion. My husband, Rob, and I were lucky to be invited along for the ride. Teresa is one of my dearest friends, and I would do just about anything for her. So when she suggested she wanted to see Barry Manilow as part of the birthday activities, I willingly agreed to go. I was so excited to be going on the ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[For Everything There Is a Season, Even Fall]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[There is a big tree outside my office window turning yellow. Fall is fast upon us here in Nebraska. And while I just told a friend yesterday that fall was not my season, there is a neighbors tree along my street that is a joy to beholdI look forward to seeing it every year in its rampant golden glory.I tend to think of the seasons in terms of three things: how theyre going to affect my daily ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Enjoy Your Food ]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[I happen to believe that one of the best parts of traveling is eating. I particularly like trying out the foods that are native to a place or finding the restaurants locals like to frequent. I have no interest in chain restaurants, even in my hometown. You will rarely ever (only under the most dire of circumstances) find me having lunch or dinner in a national chain when I am out and about. I have ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[What to Do?]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[For most travel writers I know, the destination is the exciting part of the job. The travel, on the other hand, can be kind of a drag. Airports and planesand the harried treks and unexpected wait times that go with themare the necessary evils of getting even the best stories.To date, my favorite destination was Quebec, Canada. I split a week between Montreal and Quebec City, and even now, more ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Birds-Eye View Is Best]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[While in Seattle on a recent assignment, my son and I reserved a table for dinner at the Space Needles SkyCity Restaurant. We arrived early to spend ample time on the Observation Deck, taking in the views of the sea, the buildings and the seafaring commerce as the sun set over Emerald City. During dinner, we sampled some great food but, more importantly, we feasted on the amazing panorama that continued ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Lower Expectations?]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[If you have read some of my previous blogs, you know I travel quite a bit. One way Ive chosen to deal with airline travel is to lower my expectations. I dont think of myself as a pessimist, but after a certain number of experiences, you just learn what to expect. Since Im currently on a trip and sitting in a New York hotel, I dont want to jinx this trip. However, it has gone amazingly well. ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Green Mountain High]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Are we almost to the top, asked my wife of the hiking-stick-wielding duo descending Burrows Trail on Camels Hump, the highest undeveloped mountain in Vermont.Youve got about a half-hour to go, was the reply.I could read my wifes body language; she wouldve preferred a much different answersuch as Yep, just around the next bend.We were two hours into the hike and had reached the ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Up, Up and Away]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[It was Friday evening, and Jim and I were off to the National Balloon Classic in Indianola, Iowa. We were planning on meeting my cousin and her family at dusk for the Nite-Glow event. As we were heading east on state Highway 92, we came across a detour that took us more than 40 miles out of our way, thus arriving too late to see the event.The following morning's hot-air balloon flight was scheduled ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Kansas City Weekend Getaway]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Staycations and traveling close to home are still the rage given the tight economy, however, that doesnt mean you have to sacrifice quality, learning something new or relaxation.For as many trips as I have made to Kansas City, it was fun to be able to visit a brand new place on a recent visitThe American Jazz and Negro Baseball Museum. Being a music fan, I spent the bulk of my time on the jazz ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Michigan Avenue, Here We Come]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Statistics show 24 percent of American women have taken a girlfriend-getaway vacation in the last three years. In fact, the girlfriend-getaway market represents 4 percent of all U.S. travel spendingalmost $200 million a year.Well, the girls in my family dont mind being part of such statistics, and of course, we must do our part in bringing this economy back on track. So, it is with this noble ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Surprise Party]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Birthdays are always a good reason to celebrate someone you love. And a 50th birthday is a great milestone in a friends life. Planning for a surprise birthday trip for my friend Bill began in February. It was decided that the trip would be at the end of April in Scottsdale, Ariz. There were about 10 of us who agreed to help coordinate the trip, and plans were set.Our group of 11 arrived on a ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[A Grand Tour of Iowa]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[In August, readers of HomeAndAwayMagazine.com will enjoy reading Laurie Brekkes Eating on the Run column titled Iowa Blue Cheese, Steaks and Whiskey, a culinary journey through her home state. I, too, am a native of the Hawkeye State, and reading Brekkes column reminded me of a vacation I took with my parents through Iowa several years ago. I dont remember the year, just that it was ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Purse Purgatory]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Last fall I had the opportunity to travel with a group of friends to New York. I hadnt been there in more than 10 years so was looking forward to a return visit. I love the busy streets, the interesting people and the fact that I can shop, eat or drink into the wee hours of morning. I seem to always have an interesting experience when I visit, and this trip didnt disappoint.  I had a great time ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Par for the Course]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[My cousin, a friend and I were on our way to hike in Colorados Rocky Mountain National Park when we stopped to play a round of golf at a cool course in Gothenburg, Neb. Called Wild Horse, the course hugs the topography and uses the regions grasslands in mimicking layouts found on the British Isles. This links-style approach to course design, unlike its American counterpart, doesnt employ much ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Stress-free Holiday]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[I am the planner in my travel world. Any time there is a trip to be taken, I am the one making the reservations, booking the flight, mapping out the directions and generally taking care of getting things lined up. I feel better when I know that everything has been done and that I (and whoever else is going with me) will have a place to stay and a way to get there. Of course, when you are the one to ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Gone Hunting]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[It was a Tuesday night, and my boyfriend, Jim, and I had returned to Phoenix in the afternoon after touring northern Arizona for five days. We were ready to relax and soak up the sun as it was not that warm in the northern part of the state. We were staying with friends, and the entertainment for the evening was to go hunting. I was handed a rubber hammer and was at a complete loss as to how this ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Planning a Vacation Is Part of the Fun]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[My wife and I are going on a vacation next week. We plan to see a section of California that we have not visited before.  We are probably not unlike many people who are taking vacations in the next few months. Ive read research that says people are looking for bargains and value when they travel. We will be flying Southwest Airlines for a few reasons: Its rates were very competitive, the times ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[New Mexico: Be Enchanted  ]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[New Mexicos new logo be enchanted shows a return to its long-held cultural identity. It will be a welcomed message by most AAA members, as many of us are lured toward history and culture rather than aliens (as used in past New Mexico advertising campaigns).My recent stay at the Buffalo Thunder Golf Resort & Spa just north of Santa Fe was truly enchanting. It reminded me of the Hyatt Regency ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Meltdown in Missouri]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Several years ago, my husband, daughter and I took a trip to St. Louis. It was in the middle of summer and blazing hot. We planned to visit attractions our daughter, Laura, who was 5 at the time, would enjoy. One day we scheduled two stopsSt. Louis Childrens Museum, which is also known as The Magic House, and the St. Louis Arch. We have never been early risers, and that day, we took our ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Bean Town Beauts]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Ever since I was a boy, Ive been fascinated by history. So much so, in fact, I can comfortably call myself a full-blown dork. Anyway, two of my American history highlights have always been the Battle of Bunker Hill and the USS Constitution.I was intrigued by Bunker Hill from the moment I learned about it in grade school. I think it was the fact that we stood toe-to-toe with the British ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Dream Getaway]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[I havent gone on a personal vacation in about three years. For my job at Home & Away, I get to travel across the country (and a couple times, the world), so its not like I dont get out of the office. Ive taken days off around the holidays, to visit friends or just to rest, but I havent gone on a trip to somewhere Ive chosen to visit in too long. When I think about what I would want ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Shopping To-go]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[When Im at home, I shop like a man. I figure out what I need before leaving; then, at the mall or shop or grocery, I park as close as I can to the entrance of the destination, go in, purchase what Ive already decided to purchase and get out. I dont like crowds and I dont like dilly-dallyingat least, as I said, when Im at home.When Im traveling, my efficient shopping plan gets tossed out ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Travel Doesnt Wait]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Granted, these days some Americans are being evicted from their homes, are unemployed or are mired in credit-card debt; however, for those who are lucky enough to be employed and who have lived pretty conservatively on a cash-in-cash-out basis, pack your bags.It had been eight years since I was in Europe, and in 2009, I was able to go twice: in the spring to Spain and in the fall on a multicountry ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[For My Own Good]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Earlier this week, my family and I were hoofing it through Denver International Airport to catch our flight when my son casually asked me how people who work for the Transportation Security Administration get their jobs, what qualifications must they have. Moments earlier, we had made our way through the security process, unscathed by the hurry-scurry procedure but nevertheless sweaty and a bit unnerved. ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[More Than a Place to Rest Your Head]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Often when going to a destination like Universal Orlando Resort, the hotel is an afterthought. Upon arriving, its merely a place to store suitcases while pursuing more important taskslike getting in line for all those amazing rides.During my first visit to the Florida theme park this month, I had the pleasure of staying for three nights at the AAA Four Diamond-rated Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Broncos or Bust]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Last fall, with his eighth birthday approaching, my son, Zach, announced to me and my husband that all he wanted for his birthday was to fly five or six of his friends to a Denver Broncos game (apparently he thought we had recently won the lottery). Zach is a huge Broncos fan, though Im not sure why. My husband and I lived in Denver for two years but it was before Zachs timemaybe he just feels ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Yonder on the Chattahoochee]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Last summer, I took a couple days off work to travel to visit my friend Craig in Atlanta. I was eager to see this bamboo forest he had told me about within the Atlanta city limits, so we headed there almost straight away. The bamboo forest is on the banks of the Chattahoochee River in a wooded area. Craig, his boyfriend, David, and I hiked down the trail to the banks of the river. Feeling adventurous, ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Skiing for Dummies]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[For some reason I thought itd be fun to try skiing for the first time at the advanced age of 30. It looked fun, Im athletic and Id be going to Colorado with three cousins and three friends. Alas, looks were deceiving.I knew I was in trouble right away during an all-day ski school at Keystone because learning to snowplow (for the uninitiated: stopping by forcing the pointy ends of your skis ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Fun Times in Kansas City]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Its always nice when an evening with nothing planned turns out to be unexpectedly fun. So many times, we make huge elaborate plans and end up being disappointed when things dont live up to excessive expectations. When you have no expectations and you happen upon an evening that thoroughly entertains, its like a gift from the universe.Recently on a trip to Kansas City, Mo., my boyfriend and ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Winter Is Not My Friend]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Omaha, Neb., is breaking all kinds of records this winter of 2010. Weve had nearly 3 feet of snow so far. We havent seen most of the ground in more than two months. The schools ran out of snow days and the city out of snow-removal money ages ago. Ive driven to work in the dark on slick streets and minus-15-degree weather more than once. The potholes are beyond Mammoth Crater size. Well, OK, that ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Racing on the Autobahn]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Danica Patrick, Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon do it all the time. They drive race cars and can go as fast as they like. You and I usually cant do that, but most of us would like to if given the chance. When I worked for the pharmaceutical company Bayer, my travels took me to Germany many times, where I had that opportunity.  Before you tackle the autobahn, you should learn some of the rules of ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[New York ... A City That Never Sleeps]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[It seems sacrilegious to go to New York just for an overnight, but often thats what happens with work trips and personal schedules. However, on a recent visit, I was determined to soak up as much of the city as possible in the time given to me.The flight in and out went without a hitch, and in this day and age, thats miraculous. My one evening was spent having a good meal and seeing Billy ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Where Is the Beach?]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Several years ago, some friends and I were led to believe that Naples, Italy, was a quaint Italian city with cafes that overlook beaches, cobblestoned streets and romantic atmosphere. In some ways thats true. The streets are narrow and crisscrossed with residents washing hung out to dry. Naples is home to some significant pieces of Renaissance art and lies in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, the volcano ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Dancing With Dolphins]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[While on a short cruise in the Bahamas a few years ago, my 15-year-old daughter and I had the chance to stop off in Nassau for some shopping and to connect with the company, Dolphin Encounters, which provides opportunities to interact with dolphins. The experience included a short boat ride to the stunning Blue Lagoon Island, an orientation on ocean ecology and conservation, and a lesson on dolphins, ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Experience Columbus: A Guided Tour ]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[Site selection for Home & Aways annual sales and editorial meeting began in October 2009. Our boss contacted several convention and visitors bureaus in order to hear from a variety of venues and destinations. The CVB who best replied to our requests was Experience Columbus. The CVB was able to put together a tour of seven hotels and two venues for evening activities. Day one started with ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[One for the Road]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[While making our plans for a Christmas trip to visit my wifes family in Minnesota, we wondered what to do with our three cats. Normally, my sister watches them without complaint, but we were feeling guilty because watching the cats requires multiple visits to our house.Thats because Fiona, our runty shelter cat, has to be fed in intervals. Among the instructions we received when adopting her ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[No More Pain in the Neck]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[They say a change of scenery can make a huge difference in a persons state of mind. Getting away from the same old routine, the same old sights and sounds can do wonders to recharge a persons batteries. However, I discovered that a short trip can cure physical ailments as well. Last November I took a four-day business trip to Albuquerque, N.M., which admittedly was a lot more pleasure than business. ...]]></description>
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<title><![CDATA[Change of Mind]]></title>
<description><![CDATA[In the November/December issue, we ran an article about dream vacations. Titled Nine for '09, the story featured nine staff members choice of location theyd love to see but never have. Mine was a simple New England trip in the fall. However, as I worked on the January/February issue, I decided to change my destination. Designing ...]]></description>
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