Best of 2010: We <3 our Kindles!

Andreas' 3G-Enabled Kindle

First I gifted Amazon’s 3G 6″ Kindle to Andreas then realized that I wanted one myself.  So I got myself the 9.7″ Kindle DX a few weeks later.  We absolutely love our Kindles.  Andreas has taken his to Hawaii and loves the clarity of the text in even the brightest of sunlight.  I am bringing mine on my forthcoming trip to the Philippines, and I’m excited to be able to access the Kindle store with its 3G capabilities while I’m there.  One aspect of the Kindle DX that is already becoming a life-savior of sorts for me is its ability to read PDFs.  As an academic, I have a hard-drive full of PDF articles.  And I loathe reading the PDFs on my laptop screen. So now  I am slowly transferring all my PDF files onto my Kindle.   Amazon, if you are reading this, I would love, love, love to be able to annotate my PDF files!  That ability would really be the best thing ever!

We both like the fact that the Kindle is an e-reader first and foremost.  It is certainly less distracting than if the Kindle were a tablet.  For those trying to compare the Kindle to an iPad – they are two different things!  I just love the idea of not having to fill my suitcase with books.  Kindle, you had me at “Slide and release the power switch to wake.”

For those wanting a stylish case for their Kindle DX, I suggest the Moleskine case.  While there are certainly limitations to the case, I just love it.

Best of 2010: I-84 and the Columbia River Gorge

Columbia River

2010 might as well be called the year of I-84 and the Columbia River Gorge given the number of times that I drove on it to get to Portland from Eastern Washington.  I can’t count the number of times, actually.  I never tire of it though, in large part due to the absolute beauty of the Columbia River Gorge.  Breathtaking and sublime.  There aren’t enough words.  Just look at the some of the photographs that I’ve taken of the Columbia River Gorge.  You’ll see what I’m talking about.

A shout out to Hood River!  Stop by Hood River.  You’ll love it.

Roadtrip!

Columbia River Gorge

I-84 and the Columbia River Gorge

Best of 2010: Angry Birds

How many hours in 2010 did I spend playing Angry Birds?  An embarrassing amount, I have to admit.  I even got Andreas hooked.  But there’s no better way to kill time at an airport than playing Angry Birds.  The game is so addictive.  Be forewarned: you will want nothing else to do than continue playing once you start.  Limit yourself to playing on planes, trains, and automobiles (and all airports, stations, and rest stops in between).  Plus, you’ll also start dreaming about the birds and perhaps even purchasing Angry Bird paraphernalia (How can you resist?  They are so cute!)  Angry Birds is available on most mobile platforms.

Best of 2010: Palm Pre Plus Mobile Hotspot

Now people can roll their eyes at me all they want, but my travels in 2010 has been enhanced greatly by my Palm Pre Plus.  In an age of the iPhone and Android mobile phones, I’m sticking with my Palm. Andreas can tell you that I have been talking about the iPhone all year, reading everything on Verizon getting it in 2011.  Yes, as a mobile device, the Palm Pre is very limited.  The app store is embarrassing (thank god for Angry Birds!)  and using it as a phone is not always the best experience.  So why is it on my Best of 2010 list?  It boils down to one application: Mobile Hotspot.  Transforming my phone into my own private hotspot is the best thing ever.  No longer do I have to pay ridiculous fees in hotels (Starwood – get your act together!) or in airports. I switch on my hotpot, and voila!  My Verizon plan has a 5GB limit on data, which is just about right.  I’ve never gone over.  So unless the new iPhone on Verizon has the Mobile Hotspot function, I’m sticking with my Palm Pre Plus.

Best of 2010: Starting off 2010 on the Oregon Coast

I happily entered 2010 with a great deal of excitement and curiosity, and I’m pleased that almost a year later I’m still excited and curious, and most importantly, happy.  What a year!  My friends Arthur and Lauren and their child Thea spent New Year’s Day 2010 at Cannon Beach, Oregon.  Even though the weather was absolutely atrocious, I couldn’t have asked for a more  perfect way to celebrate the New Year.  I absolutely love the Oregon coast, and it was made all the more special with my friends with me.

I look forward to all the travels and adventures in store in 2011!

Beach Birds at Cannon Beach

Best of 2010: LAN Airlines

View From My Seat On-Board LAN Flight

LAN … how I love thee.  Wow.  My short flight from Santiago, Chile, to Buenos Aires, Argentina last July was quite possibly the best flight I’ve taken all year.  My coach seat felt quite luxurious, and the personal video player was stocked to the max with movies, music, and television programming.  It all felt chic – the interior, the outfits of the flight attendants, the experience – unlike my not-so-fantastic flight from Dallas to Santiago on American Airlines.

Considering a trip to South America? Fly LAN.

Best of 2010: Sleep’s Cabins at Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho

On a lazy weekend in April, Andreas and I hopped into our car to go to one of the most scenic and heart-warming places in Idaho: Lake Pend Oreille near Sandpoint.  We had rented a cabin at Sleep’s Cabins, which had garnered fantastic reviews and is located right on Lake Pend Oreille.  We had originally chosen Cabin #6 – the Byways Cabin – a little further away from the lake, but were upgraded to Cabin #5 the Boathouse Cabin before we got there.  Boy were we pleasantly surprised and completely blown away from the view from our cabin! The front lawn extends down to lake.  The two-bedroom cabin has a lovely nautical theme and an old-fashioned wood fireplace.  Every morning we woke up to a gorgeous view of the lake.  What a sight!  We took advantage of the outdoor grill.  And made smores at the fire pit as we watched the sublime sunset over the mountains.  For folks needing a restful time away, Sleep’s Cabins is a must.  Cabin #5 stole our hearts, and we won’t want any other cabin for our next trip out there.  The cabin’s kitchen is fully equipped (there is a Safeway in Sandpoint); the reservation process is painless; and once you are there, your worries will disappear. We loved pulling out the sofa-bed in the evening to watch a movie.  Most of all, we loved that our cell phones didn’t work (or at least mine didn’t).  One of the best getaways Andreas and I had in 2010!

Our View From from the Living Room in Cabin #5

Sunset at Lake Pend Oreille

For more photographs of Lake Pend Oreille, click here.

Best of 2010: Kealakekua Bay – The Big Island

For my first time snorkeling, Andreas and I headed to Kealakekua Bay on the Big Island this past May.  We were in for a treat.  The weather was a bit cruddy, but the water was warm and our spirits were high.  We rented a two-person kayak and paddled across the bay towards Captain Cook’s memorial.  For beginning snorkelers, this is an ideal place to learn.  The water is generally calm, and there’s plenty of things to see under water.  The highlight of Kealakekua Bay came as we were resting in the middle of the bay on our way back to shore.  Spinner dolphins jumped out of water and gave us a show.  I managed to video two dolphins spinning out of water – certainly a delight!

Check out Kealakekua Bay when you are on the Big Island!

Best of 2010: TripIt

In 2010, Andreas and I traveled to three continents, took more than 20 flights each, booked god knows how many hotels, and rented a couple of cars, and we managed to keep all of our itineraries in order and our  sanity in check because of TripIt.  We absolutely love TripIt for its ease of use and helpful add-ons.  Every time we book a flight, we send our confirmation e-mail directly to TripIt, and what feels like a minute later TripIt has taken all the useful information from the confirmation  e-mail and has created a trip folder for you which is automatically updated if you book other travel-related things.  We love that we can access our TripIt travel plans from our mobile phones and other portable devices (I use the TripIt app for my iPod Touch).  TripIt is a must for frequent travelers!  Andreas and I use the free version, which offers more than enough to keep us using it.  I love the automatic Facebook sharing feature as well as the ability to combine travel plans into one folder from multiple travelers.

We love TripIt!

Winter Wonderland: Lake Tahoe in Photos

Andreas and I had a wonderful time in Lake Tahoe over the Thanksgiving holiday.  The weather on our first full day was just ideal.  The sun was out.  The snow atop the Sierra Nevada mountain range created the perfect view.  And of course the lake looked spectacular.  It definitely felt like a winter wonderland.  But little did we know that the following day would be a snowy mess. (Snow chains are essential when visiting Lake Tahoe during the Winter season!)  But alas, I’ll only share photos of the beautiful Lake Tahoe in all of its natural glory.  I took all of these photographs with my Panasonic Video Camera, which I am not really loving for photos but do love for its video capabilities.

By the way – we also loved the Montbleu Resort, Casino, and Spa.  Harrah’s Casino feels a bit like a dump compared to Montbleu.