Pulaski, TN

So after driving all day long, and when I say all day I mean from about 7:30am to 11:00pm! We stopped along the way to get food and gas but that was it! Elizabeth is laying here beside me as I jot down a few thoughts, and highlights from yesterday and today. I am totally supprised at my reaction to seeing Niagara Falls in the flesh. It was absolutely breathtaking. I guess the best things in life are free, we spent 0$$ and had as good a time there as I have had most anywhere I have ever been. I have to say it has to be one of the most beautiful spots in the world, and rivals some of the sights I have seen. Pictures posted below, I am sure Liz will post more later.
-M

Toronto!

Hi everyone, we are sitting in Toronto relaxing and figuring out what we want to do. Last night we stayed at a rest stop (Flying J) in the middle of nowhereville Ontario. Place was packed with old folks in RVs.

It was great to drive through Montreal. We went by McGill University which I had never seen before and they have a beautiful campus there. Also loved the apartment buildings there. They are all about 2-3 floors and have spiral stairs leading up to the next floor. Very quaint.

It is oddly super hot here in Toronto. We are near several really cute pubs and I would love to go in one and have a pint before we move on.

Anyway, our next stop is Niagara Falls and I can't wait to take pictures there.

Cheers!

Oh Canada!

Hi everyone,

We have just arrived in Ontario after a brief stop in Montreal. We are headed for Toronto and then on to Niagara Falls next. We are hoping to stop soon and camp out so that we can wake up in Toronto (one of my favorite cities!). I have to say I tried my best at speaking French but most of the time the folks in Montreal would stop me and say "English?" and I would have to give in. Anyway, we just want wanted to send a quick shout out to everyone. We do not have cellphone service at all but will keep up with facebook and the blog while we are in Canada.

Oh Canadaaaaa, my home and native laaaand. lol trying to sing the national anthem. :)

Still in Vermont

Hi everyone! It is Sunday night and we are still in Vermont. We will be leaving for Montreal soon enough and then on to Toronto. Not sure what type of access we will have to the internet but wanted to say hola (or better yet bonjour!) to everyone. We have had a wonderful time in Vermont and couldn't have asked for a more wonderful time with family. I am going to miss everyone. If y'all have any suggestions about where to go in Montreal (that's cheap and free) let us know. We are going to set our course for some point there but could always use some suggestions. Oh! and for Toronto as well. I know we are both looking forward to Niagara Falls as well where we plan to camp out in our SUV (really living the camping life lol) and just relax (which is something I am having a hard time doing. Never have been much of a relaxed person but am trying to chill out. :) Below are a few more photos from our trek in Vermont.

VT

Elizabeth is currently sleeping, but I wanted to update a little while the internet is working here. It goes in and out at her Nana Lynch's house. So here are a few pictures! We had such a great day yesterday and today.

Washington DC!

Hi everyone,

We have been in Vermont for the past 2 days and enjoying being complete tourists. Yesterday we went to Cabot Cheese Annex, Cold Hollow Cider Mill, Trapp Family Lodge and Mt. Mansfield. On our way up we stopped in Washington DC and walked the Mall and took quite a lot of pictures and then made a pit stop in Manhattan for dinner with our friends Tia & Marko.

Oh and what was great is that we parked the car at the Mandarin Orient hotel, and when we walked through with the dogs to get to the Mall, we may as well have been the Beverly Hillbillies.

We will write more later but we wanted to go ahead and get all of the photos up online.

And We're Off!

Good morning everyone! So it is about 2:30 a.m. and we are planning to leave at about 3 a.m. to make it to Washington, DC for breakfast on the Mall (which will most likely be McDonald's). Last night we finished packing up our bags and the car. I, of course, ended up cutting back on a few things realizing that realistically, I am probably not going to try and workout and exercise on this trip (although have the best intentions) and that studying for the paralegal bar exam while driving and wanting to do some leisurely reading will not be possible. So out went the gym clothes and stack of books.

I would write something more meaningful, but right now I am watching Frasier and waking up. More to come, with photos and video of packing shortly.

Oh! We (Marty) bought a thing that mounts the video camera to the dashboard of the car, so if I can get a hold of that and set it up we will either film ourselves sleeping (kidding) or sharing stories from the road.

We will TTYL! :)

Welcome to our Travel/Journey

Recently after having the shock of my life and being let go from my job, Marty and I decided that this would be the perfect time for us to pick up and take a bit of a journey of our own. We will both take time to post to the blog and hope you will join us on a much needed time to relax and just be in the moment. I think sometimes we get so wrapped up in all of the small day to day hustle that we do not take the time enjoy the lives that we have been given.

For me, I have never taken a risk like this and just taken off on a journey. I have always admired those that have been able to take those risks that allow them to truly become themselves and live their life. There will always be good times and bad, and lessons to be learned and hopefully by going (somewhat) back to the beginning I think it can only help me move forward.

So, now for the straight forward good stuff and the plan from which we may deviate depending on how we feel or what changes as we go. Essentially our plan is to take off this week from the fabulous metropolis of Knightdale, North Carolina and travel up to my hometown of Montpelier, Vermont. Along the way I am hoping to stop in Nyack, New York where my mom grew up and where my brother and I spent time as kids during school breaks and some holidays, and Westchester County (Tarrytown and Pleasantville) New York across from the Tappan Zee Bridge where I went to college and lived for 4 years.

I can't wait to finally get to show Marty all of the great things about Vermont like the Ben & Jerry's factory, Cold Hollow Cider Mill (best cider donuts on the planet are made here) and some other quaint places. (Vermont is nothing but quaint and very New England).

After a visit in Montpelier, the plan is to travel north to Montreal, over to Toronto, camp at Niagara Falls and then make our way south to Pulaski, Tennessee to see Marty's dad and family.

Along the way we hope to post pictures and videos of our journey to stay in touch with friends and family and share the experience with everyone. Oh! And the best part is our dogs Rubie and Sweetie will be traveling with us! I am so excited that they will both become international travelers.

I will close with my favorite poem that I think sums up how we both see the journey ahead.

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.