My husband and I recently moved to a new house in a new neighborhood. We lived in our previous house for 6 years, and I’d forgotten what a hassle moving was. Aside from purging every room of our house, consolidating, packing it all in boxes and hauling them across town, there’s then the unpacking and setting up that also takes a couple weeks. When Scott and I moved into our last house we immediately signed up for cable and internet with the first provider we thought of because we were young, impulsive and addicted to television. At that time we also didn’t realize how small our paychecks would be and the importance of stretching them as far as possible (oh to be young). This time, we took the opportunity to thoroughly research our options. After much research and deliberation, we decided we’d get the best Deals from dish. It’s only been a week, but we’re really satisfied with the installation and service. Now that the important things are out of the way, we can move on to other less important tasks, like paying the rent.

I will divert from my story this month to offer some travel tips.

The first rule of travel is: Take one bag only preferably a carry-on with wheels. Here is the exception to the rule: If you are traveling through different climates in one trip you may need two bags or one large bag because of bulk.

When I travel in late winter to a warm climate, I wear my down jacket and a pair of sandals with heavy socks in the car. Then I leave my jacket with the car at the airport. I change into a hooded garment and layer it with a denim jacket that can be worn later with pants or a skirt. I remove my socks upon arrival and do not put them on again until we fly home. This way I only have to take one pair of shoes. I bring sandals with good treads in case we have to hoof it. I make sure all my clothes can be mixed and matched with whatever top or bottom I wear.

For a 21-day trip with temperatures ranging 70-75 by day and 55-60 at night, I take three pairs of linen or lightweight pants, which don’t wrinkle easily and dry fast if they get wet from rain or need washing in a hotel sink. I take enough underwear for one week. They can be washed in a sink as well. I take two skirts that are not so fancy they couldn’t be worn during the day, and not so casual they can’t be worn in a restaurant at night. I take three tank tops and three shirts so I layer when cold or remove layers when hot. I take a scarf for style and warmth. When packing, I roll my clothes. I get maximum space out of the bag and they won’t wrinkle.

In my toiletry bag I have the following: one toothbrush, one full tube of toothpaste, dental floss, soap, a small sewing kit, band aides, Neosporin, tweezers, nail file, razor, deodorant, one lotion for both face and hands, Q-tips, hand sanitizer and tissues (real handy when forced to encounter public toilets that are not cleaned with any regularity), hairbrush, hairclip (good for when you haven’t showered), ear plugs (great on the plane or for snoring companions), Tums (helpful while getting acclimated to food), and travel size shampoo and conditioner; some hotels provide them, some do not. You can always buy more while abroad without incurring a large expense. The small sizes take up less space and weight. I also take sunglasses, a paperback book that can be left behind when finished, and a Swiss Army Knife for cutting cheese, opening wine or reading the small print on maps with the magnifying glass. I don’t bother with make up or a blow dryer but if you must take a blow dryer, make sure it has a plug adapter that will fit the plug configuration in the country you visiting. You may also need an electrical transformer to convert your dryer from 110V to 220V for example, as in Europe.

If you find when you have returned home that you wore everything in your bag at least once, you did well. I recommended writing down or photographing exactly what you took, so next time packing will be a breeze.

COMMUNICATIONS:

Before I leave, I email myself all my important information like passport and credit card numbers, flight confirmation, hotel information, etc., so I do not have to carry those papers on me. I have a password-protected site that I send this to. (Remember, the key is to travel light and every little bit helps.) I can easily access the information at an Internet café and also conduct business while I am away, and line up business for when I get home. Internet cafés eliminate the need for carrying an expensive, heavy laptop that can get stolen. I can also check the local weather online if I am unable to find a newspaper or can’t read the language. If inclement weather is predicted for the region I am in, I can leave. And if I do, I can find lodging online in next town I want to visit.

Telephones vary from country to country. Some still have phone boxes on the street, while others have telephone offices where the person behind the desk connects the call for you, and you pay on your way out. I usually buy a 5-euro international phone card for example, when in Europe, that usually lasts the whole trip. I don’t bother bringing a cell because the international fees are astronomical. Making a local call to another area of the country you are traveling is more difficult than making an international call. It requires a different phone card than the international card. You will also need the city codes of the places you are calling, which can be found in a phone book or online. When phoning the US from overseas you must dial 011 first, then the area code, and then the number.

MONEY:

Nowadays we have the ultra convenient 24-hour ATM machine, which has rendered travelers checks obsolete. Some banks will reimburse you all your ATM transaction fees, and the conversion fees charged by the foreign bank whose ATM you are using. If using a credit card, be aware they charge 3-5% in conversion fees every time you use your card, so whatever you are purchasing will cost that much more.

Content by Kyle Lowe

My mother-in-law is not very good with technology. She and her husband just got the internet recently after my husband convinced them that they really needed it if they were going to keep up with the rest of the world. He set them up with a provider that he found by searching “St. Paul wireless internet”. I think they are happy with it so far. My mother-in-law got her email set up, and she literally sends me an email every morning and wants me to read it to our kids. All it usually says is hello and that she loves them. It is really sweet and kind of funny. Last week she emailed me asking me to send her a picture of our two kids together, which I did. She sent me another email yesterday asking if I had time to send the pictures. I told her I had sent them last week, but she said she does not know how to open an attachment. She wants my husband to come over and show her how to do that when he gets home from work. I guess until she gets that figured out, I am better off mailing her pictures or driving them over to her house. Believe it or not, it would probably be faster than teaching her how to open an email attachment.

If you are like me and make frequent trips to Florida to explore Miami and the surrounding areas, or simply use Miami International Airport as a starting point to board a puddle jumper bound for the islands, then you know how difficult it used to be to find decent Miami airport parking. Gratefully, this is no longer an issue. I have discovered a great place to park my car that has very reasonable rates and great service. Their lots are clean, safe, and well lit, and in most cases fenced in. Some lots have options to park indoors or uncover. All the lots take reservations, and have complimentary shuttle buses that will transport you to the airport in plenty of time to catch your flight. When you return to the airport after your trip, you simply pick up the courtesy phone in the baggage claim area or call from your own cell phone, and the shuttle bus will arrive momentarily. Sometimes there are buses already circling the terminals and the wait is mere moments rather than minutes. It’s completely hassle free and easy.

Edmonton is located in the province of Alberta, Canada and the second largest city in the area. Now don’t be put off by cities. This one is great. I recommend staying a few days and exploring all this city has to offer. But, before you can do that comfortably you need a place to stay.  If you are looking for houses for rent in Edmonton there are plenty available.

After your housing is sorted out, you set out exploring Edmonton. It is a vast cultural and educational center with world class festivals year round, North America’s largest mall (West Edmonton Mall) if shopping is your thing, and home to Canada’s largest living history museum (Fort Edmonton Park).

The city is broken up into districts that boast art centers, the government and commercial area and the warehouse district with old brick warehouses that have been turned into condos but the architecture is worth a look. So go and enjoy. The climate is mild in winter and dry in the summer.

Where else would you go for winter sports and skiing but Calgary? I love the snow and I love the mountains so this is where I head to rid myself of the winter blahs. There is one site that I always use to find the best places to stay in Canada and that is this: http://www.rentcalgary.com/. They have a long list of houses and Calgary apartments complete with comprehensive descriptions and pictures so there are no surprises when you get there. The prices fit everyone’s price range as well.

They are always happy to help out US only travelers. In fact their Target audience are people looking to rent an apartment in Calgary, Alberta. So pack your bags, put on your snow shoes, grab your skis and head north to Canada for some great fun without the worry of where to stay.

Guest post written by Tara Milton

I remember watching reruns when I was in elementary school of the show Sabrina the Teenage Witch and absolutely loving it. I’ve been a fan of Melissa Joan Hart ever since then. I was a little skeptical when I heard that the CW was doing a new show about teenage witches, but I’ve liked what they’ve done with the show Vampire Diaries so I thought that it would end up being at least decent.

I looked up about all that I could about the show when I was online with my CLEAR WIRELESS INTERNET SERVICE. Then right after that I decided to set my DVR to record the show.

I’ll admit that I feel a little bit silly DVR-ing a show about teenage witches and being a twenty something. But my DVR list is full of all kinds of guilty pleasures I’d rather strangers not know about, most reality TV. I actually really like the new Secret Circle show. It has so much potential to be really great. I’m sure it’s going to be the next Vampire Diaries.

In addition to being a photographer and world traveler, I am also a certified SCUBA diver.  Whenever possible I like to travel to the great dive and snorkeling sites of the world. With the reefs dying off so fast from pollution and human disturbance it is more timely then ever to check out the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, or the underwater preserves of St John’s in the Virgin Islands, or the Turks and Caicos in the Caribbean.

I like to practice my underwater photography with my underwater camera and assorted gear. I am able to get completely outfitted online at my favorite Canadian shop. They have everything I need like waterproof cameras and cases, housings for a variety of cameras, masks, hard shell backpacks in which to carry your gear and basically everything you need in a one stop shop. And who wants to spend time shopping when you can be out diving and snorkeling and taking pictures!

Helping my daughter with the latest school fashion trends

Guest post written by Patty Saunders

One of the hardest things about having a daughter that’s in middle school is that I have a really hard time simply buying her clothes. I know that I should be able to pick out clothes for her, but her tastes are not at all like mine. Plus, she has much better fashion sense than I do now, much less than when I was her age.

So I try to get approval on anything and everything that I buy for her when it comes to clothing. While I was online looking up some good back to school sales, I ran across the website http://Www.WirelessInternet.Net. After I looked through it a little bit, I decided to change over our home internet service to one of the plans that I found on there.

I did find some pretty good deals for some school fashion trends that she really seemed to like. So we ordered a few pieces that were to her measurements and I think that she’s going to be glad that we got them once school starts back up.

In addition to my world travels, when I am at home, I like to go hiking, camping, to outdoor concerts and boating particularly around my native state of Connecticut. When engaging in these activities, I always pack a picnic lunch or dinner depending upon the occasion. It used to be that I carried the bowls, cups, napkins, plates and cutlery in a very cumbersome recycled shopping bag, and my food in yet another very unattractive reusable shopping bag with a cooler. Not only was this impractical, cumbersome and heavy, having carry all three, but I was always digging inside the bags looking for this because they were so untidy, until I discovered these amazing picnic baskets at Picnic World.

The picnic baskets come in every shapes, sizes and colors, and neatly organize everything you could possible want and need. The designs are unique, each to fill a particular niche. They have backpack baskets, collapsible baskets, tote baskets, festival baskets, black tie baskets, baskets with BBQ tools, insulated cooler baskets, a coffee set with blanket, wood baskets, bamboo baskets, wine and cheese baskets, romantic baskets and empty baskets if a personalized touch is preferred.

I use them all the time and the only problem I have ever had was in deciding which one to get!