virtualDavis's blog

Lake Champlain: When does it freeze?

"We flippantly toss around the phrase “it’s freezing” throughout the winter, but on average about every other year, at least in the last few decades, the main portion of Lake Champlain hasn’t frozen entirely (the Lake’s bays do freeze regularly). In the twenty years between 1988 and 2007 (the last year for which NOAA shows data), the lake froze nine times. In contrast, in the twenty year period between 1888 and 1907 the lake froze every year. So if you get a chance, take advantage of a day on Lake Champlain’s ice.

What travel is on your horizon?

"Do you know where you want to travel to? What distant lands do you yearn to discover? What inspires you? What fills you with the excitement of the unknown?" (Sharing Travel Experiences)

Paris Step by Step: A Romantic Weekend in the 1st

Paris still holds sway over the romantic. I was invited to the wedding of a giggling couple who flew in, dined on the Champs Elysses, proposed on a bateau mouche, and were now sipping champagne before the Eiffel Tower (flashing its illuminations every hour). And this wasn’t even spring – it was midwinter

How to Pack One Backpack for Six Months

I knew when I packed to move to China for half a year that I only wanted to bring one backpack, assuming that at some point I’d want to be mobile for backpacking. Plus, you can’t take the cheap buses to and from airports if you have to lug a lot of luggage– and I have a total and complete aversion to the cost of cabs, even when they are cheap in China.

Adventures with Ruth

"There’s no better way to experience a culture than to stand at the stove with a wonderful cook." ~ Ruth Reichl

How to avoid luggage fees

Cold War Aircraft, Sleeps Two