My travel resolutions last year were sort of a mixed bag, but I have a feeling 2009 is going to be a year of more travel and more travel experiences. I want to discover some new places, but I also want to revisit some spots to see how they’ve changed, or how I’ve changed and now see them differently.  So my resolutions are a combination of old and new, all with the goal of seeing the world one place and one experience at a time. Here they are — Visit two new countries Visit two new states Re-visit five places that I’ve already been, but see and experience them differently Discover new restaurants, hotels, and resorts and share those experiences with you. Keep reading this year, and you can help keep track of how I’m doing. How about you?  What […]

I spent some time in personal reflection at the end of last year, and it seems like a good thing to continue. Here are a few special moments, thoughts, travel experiences, and ponderings on the meaning of life as another year comes to an end 8 Memorable Travel Experiences: Coming up from the metro in Rome and seeing the Coliseum looming in front of me Throwing three coins in Trevi Fountain Eating gelato (the real thing) in Italy Wine tasting in Tuscany The ruins at Pompeii Making some great new friends in Guadalajara, and practicing my Spanish a little more Pow-Wow in Las Vegas, a wonderful event in and of itself, but also one that gave me story ideas for the year and more The Vatican 8 Favorite Things: Family & friends Misha & Benjamin My passport which opens door […]

Looking back seems to be the thing to do this time of year.  So it’s time to take a look back at how I did with all the resolutions that I made for 2008.  How did I do? Here’s a recap: Visit two new countries – I can check this one off with my visit to Italy and Vatican City.  Visit two new states – Ooops, a big zero here.  Some plans fell through at the last minute, and never did get rescheduled. Visit four new cities in countries or states that I have already visited – I’ve been back to Guadalajara , Mexico, after a 20 year absence so that almost counts as a new city.  But that’s about it.  Lots of good intentions, but not much follow through. Try a minimum of one new restaurant a month (while […]

After relative success with my travel resolutions from last year, I figured that I need to raise the bar a little higher — to stretch a little more in setting some goals for 2008. Here’s what I have so far: Visit two new countries Visit two new states Visit four new cities in countries or states that I have already visited Try a minimum of one new restaurant a month (while traveling), and blog about it Stay at 10 new hotels (inns, resorts, bed & breakfasts, etc.) and blog about it I’ve also set some personal goals, so don’t think that my resolutions are all fun and games! I don’t think I’ve missed anything, so I hope you’ll leave some of your travel resolutions in the comments. _________________________________________________ Technorati Tags: b5media, Flyaway Café, flight attendants, travel, vacation, travel information, travel […]

With a hat tip to Shai Coggins for the idea, here are 7 from 2007, my personal reflections on the year that is bidding us adieu: 7 Memorable Moments: Getting on an Air France flight, knowing I’d be getting off in Europe Coming out of the metro and seeing Paris for the first time New Year’s at the Needle Road trip to Philadelphia Seeing Jersey Boys Speaking at BlogHer (Chicago) and Blog World Expo (Las Vegas) Meeting some online friends in person 7 Memorable Travel Experiences: Notre Dame Cathedral Night Cruise on the Seine Rodin Museum in Paris and Philadelphia Seeing the Liberty Bell Segway Tour of Diamond Head Dolphin Cruise in Honolulu Visiting Kauai for the first time 7 Important Friendships: Family – whether by birth or by choice Anita – through thick and thin, the best friend in […]

Looking back seems to be the thing to do this time of year.  So I scrolled back through my archives to look at the resolutions that I made for 2007.  I’m please to report that I did pretty well, accomplishing all three of my objective goals: I finally made it to Europe.:  Paris (cityscape in photo above). I went to three US cities that I had not been to before:  Philadelphia, Madison, and Kauai (in photo below, and yes I know it is an island, not a city, but it counts). I went to two state that I had not been to before:  Delaware and Wisconsin. So I’m batting 1000 on my travel resolutions! The end of the year is also a good time to take a look back on the posts that were the most popular over the year.  […]

This was the very first blog post that I ever wrote.  It first published on March 17th, 2006, and announced the launch of my then travel blog, Flyaway Cafe.  Things may have changed in the years since then, and now you’ll find me here at Traveling with MJ, but one thing that hasn’t changed in my love for travel and sharing it with all my readers. — Welcome to the Flyaway Café, the place where everyone goes to talk about travel. In Casablanca, everyone went to Rick’s Cafe.  With Humphrey Bogart as the suave and debonair host, the place attracted those in the know, as well as those who wanted to be in the know. It was the place to go for drinks and gambling.  (Gambling in Casablanca?  I’m shocked!)  You went to Rick’s because everyone went there.  It was […]