FOAMHENGE!!!!!

The name says it all...

So, we (as in, Heather, Lily, and my brother-in-law Scott) managed to travel 540 miles today from "Casa de Roller" to the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia!  After about 500 of those miles, we stopped off at a place called Foamhenge (please imagine multiple deep voices speaking in unison)!

The iconic, awe-inspiring Foamhenge!!!

For those that cannot afford the trip to England (or for those that have been to England twice and passed on the overpriced tours there), this is a more budget-friendly alternative as admission is FREE!!!  That's right, FREE!!!

"Free?!?!?  Hey, that made me smile!"

The backstory on Foamhenge (again, cue multiple deep voices in unison, please) is that about 4-5 Mexicans and a crazy white guy (not me) built out of blocks of recycled foam weighing upwards of 420 lbs. each!  Sadly, it appears to be only a partial replica as it was under construction.  But, then again, that's the price of it being FREE!!!  Because of its cheesiness, creativity, and being a budget-friendly option, I give this my stamp of approval (which I forgot to pack).  So, in lieu of that, I'll just post a family photo instead...

In between shots, we stopped to play dominoes...

More from on the road, down the road...  Heading to New Jersey tomorrow!

Gnome

When I was in graduate school, the movie Amélie came out on DVD. This movie featured a garden gnome that travels around the world and poses for photos. I thought it was a cute idea and bought a gnome. Gnome has gone on every major trip I've taken since his purchase.He quickly became popular with family and friends who like to see his pictures posted on his Facebook page.

Although Gnome loves to travel, he has suffered some serious injuries such as when he tumbled down the mountain in Yosemite National Park while posing for a picture. Luckily, super glue is cheap and readily available. He survived that close call and continues to satisfy his wanderlust.

So when you are reading about our trips, be on the lookout for Gnome. He will be a frequent guest here.  Below are some of his photos from our trip to Europe last summer.

 Gnome and the Arc de Triomphe on the famous Champs d' Elysses

 Gnome inspecting Notre Dame

Four Years Ago...

Four years ago today (after satisfying Heather's pre-requisite of obtaining a U.S. Passport), Heather and I exchanged vows and rings in a semi-private ceremony at Lost River Cave in Bowling Green, Kentucky.  After the ceremony, we took a boat ride into the cave and returned to the mouth of the cave, where we had our reception under natural air conditioning!  (It was once a nightclub back in the 1930's...)


It was a rather unique experience that I would highly recommend for anyone planning a wedding for anyone from the Southern Kentucky or Middle Tennessee areas.  Years later, distant, younger family members of ours would talk about "the cave wedding."  Even though they may not remember who was married that day, they do remember its uniqueness...

Saving Money on Hotel Rooms

Soon the Tour de Lily will continue with a drive up to Beach Haven, New Jersey to visit my aunt. Although we will stay with my aunt in Beach Haven, I need to find hotels for the drive to and from New Jersey. Often I use websites such as Priceline or Hotwire  combined with Better Bidding to find cheap hotel rooms.

However, on this trip I plan to combine Holiday Inn promotions to get a good deal. Currently Holiday Inn is offering a $75 gift card (link) when someone stays two consecutive weekend nights at a participating hotel. In addition, Holiday Inn Priority Club is offering 5,000 bonus points for 3 nights stay this summer. Priority Club members can use those 5,000 points for a free nights stay at select hotels. Finally, I play to stay at a Staybridge Suites (part of the Holiday Inn family of hotels) that caters to business travels during the week. During the weekend, room rates drop drastically. I plan to spend about $300 dollars out of pocket for 3 nights. However, I will also receive $75 dollar gift card and points for a free nights stay!

Indianapolis

Recently Dave, Lily, and I trekked to Indy to show Lily off to Dave's extended family. While there, we enjoyed yummy tamales from The Tamale Place and visited the Indianapolis Zoo. The Tamale Place offers a variety of authentic tamales at affordable prices. I had a recession tamale and an apple & pecan tamale. Both were awesome.

After fueling up with Mexican goodness, we ventured to the zoo. It was a half price day and admission was $8 a person instead of the normal $16. The zoo is located in central Indy and is pretty compact. I enjoyed feeding a giraffe a slice of sweet potato. It costs $2 cash or 1 ride ticket which costs $2.50.

As a nursing mother, I also appreciated the new nursing rooms at the zoo. It was great to relax and feed Lily comfortably and privately. However, fathers are not allowed inside so Dave explored the lorikeet exhibit alone.

On our way out of the zoo, we bought the neatest souvenir, Lily's handprint turned into a pig.

After investing $10 on the picture and another $10 on a frame from IKEA, Lily has a new piece of art in her room. Plus, she really enjoyed making it!

About Us

My name is Heather and I am a travel addict. Before marrying my husband Dave, I made him get a passport. Now he enjoys our international trips together; in four years, we have visited eleven foreign countries. Last December, trip planning became a bit more complicated with the birth of our first child, Lily. So, join us as we talk about past and present vacations. Hopefully, our tips will help readers enjoy more fun and economical trips at home in the US and abroad.