Bucket List O'travel!

Hello my gnomes! I hope everyone had a fabulous New Year celebration and welcomed 2012 with happy open arms. This is my first blog of the year! Everyone throw some confetti and dance the jig. Alright now that's enough. I have been stewing over what to write in my blog  all week. Should I write about my goals as the newest most amazing travel blogger of all time? No. Should I speak my mind about the hardships mankind faces? No. Should I write about the Mayan's calendar stating that this is the end of time and we are all doomed?! No.

No!

Let's look to a happier subject.... These are the places I want to travel to before I die. I understand that the subject of death isn't sunshine and flowers but we're all going to come to a demise, so let's try and see as much of the world and explore our dream locations before we meet our makers. Let's face it, there are certain things and places you can visit at a certain age. Like I want to go snorkeling in Fiji, not something to do when I'm eighty. I'm not saying no one CAN go snorkeling at eighty in Fiji, but I think it's an act of kindness after seeing how.... fluffy my grandmothers were at that age to just go ahead and do it now. Remember folks, spandex is a privilege, not a right.

The list one makes about where they want to go can be a looking glass into their soul. I always dreamed of being a princess living in a beautiful castle when I was a child. So it would seem logical that on my list is... Well every castle ever in the world, and Red Square. I also dreamed of being a mermaid, hence my desire to go to all the most luxurious beaches in the world.

It's more important to have a desire to travel than it is to have a set list of places you want to trek to. We have this life, just the one, to see what out there in the world makes your heart soar, and brings sense of accomplishment to your life. I often find myself wondering what would have happened if my parents had put me in ballet, it's odd but I really reflect on that often. It's a vanished dream because I can't go back to being five and try it, the chance to be a ballerina has long passed me (I still think I can wear a tutu).

I don't want to be old and look back in... some years and wonder why didn't I take the chance to go see Red Square when I had the chance. I'm not going to let my ballerina let down also be my travel let down. Yeah I realize I was suppose to make a list but I got a little side tracked. Next time my gnomes you will have a list you can dream over.

The Nerd is the Word!

Hello my darling little gnomes, I trust you all had a  weekend, filled with wretched packed malls  as you scrambled to find the perfect last minute gift. Christmas time is known for a few staples. One of them is making sure you bought the perfect gift for all your loved ones, and another is Holiday Parties! I went to one holiday party this weekend in Austin, and it wasn't your traditional one. It was hosted by one of the world's largest gaming companies, it was phenomenal. Usually holiday parties are adorn with Christmas trees, garlands decorating every surface the eye can see and delightful Christmas jingles playing for everyone to sing along to. Not this party, this was decorated with classic arcade games, the coolest throw back toys and candy from the 80's, and a wild mix of techno pumping up the dance floor. As I sat back watching absorbing the awesome spirit of the party, I realized nerds do it better.

In the spirit of honoring my nerdy brethren, I thought I'd discuss something that would be a great Christmas gift for your favorite nerd/geek! I present you with (drumroll please) Geeky Travel, brought to you by the Wide Eyed Traveler.

• Switzerland, yes I understand that little geekcicles trembling up in the mountains sounds a little cruel, but there's something that calls out to those of us up there in that snowy paradise, the Cern Sepercollider. Your favorite nerd will love you beyond comprehension for taking them to see the research facility where they search for the elusive God Particle. This atom smashing research extravaganza would be a notch on your geek's belt that none will be able to compete with. While you're there, you and your geek can hit the slopes, if they're anything like me, they'll wipe out over and over again... on the bunny slopes.
• Game Central! If you're like me and the cost of traveling to Switzerland immediately isn't really in your budget, then consider this as a holiday gift for your darling pocket-protector-wearing love. Taking them to visit their favorite gaming company. It's a small gesture that goes a long long way (trust me I know). Find out who their favorite developer is and make a weekend of it. Find the coolest hotel, most obscure restaurant, and get the information you need on the company's tour information. You'd be amazed at how wonderful it is to see the inner workings of something you love to do, and the appreciation one gets when they lay eyes on all the hard work they put into making your favorite gamer's past time run smoothly.
• Starstruck, instead of getting your sci-fi enthusiast another DVD to add to his/her monsterous collection, try taking them somewhere they can actually look at the stars. Find out when the next meteor shower is predicted to take place and take them to a cabin, or even better a trip to Kokopelli's cave up in the cliffs of New Mexio. You can sit on the terrance secluded from the noise of the world and watch the cosmo's own lazer light show.

Nerd vacation's are the new frontier, you need to hop on the segway and follow suit, or you'll get left behind wondering who is going to show you where the HDMI cable is suppose to go. Make your Geek happy this Christmas with an imaginative trip they'll respect and love you for and a stocking full of bacon theme'd products! Merry Christmas my gnomes!