http://blog.travelstoreusa.com Travel blog by TravelStore Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:26:00 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Wisdom is communicated in many ways. And sometimes it's found in brief quotes. We started to collect quotes we come across about travel, or the value of a travel experience, and post them on our website here.  If you have a favorite travel quote, we invite you to share it, and if ... http://blog.travelstoreusa.com/2010/03/11/got-a-favorite-travel-quote/ What's not to like about rail travel? Unlike travel by car, you can get up and move around. Views from a train are often better than from a car, because rail tracks are often built through more scenic countryside than highways are.  Unlike flying, you can relax and stretch out better, ... http://blog.travelstoreusa.com/2010/03/05/the-worlds-best-rail-trips/ If you're planning a trip out of the U.S. this year, or possibly in the next couple of years, you may want to get or renew your passport now because the State Department has proposed new passport fees. The total proposed cost of a new passport will increase from $100 to ... http://blog.travelstoreusa.com/2010/03/05/is-now-the-time-to-get-or-renew-a-passport/ This was a special trip for Ray to go back to his old school in Takoradi, reconnect with former volunteer friends and to meet others.  Ghana isn't for everyone, but it was great for us!! We enjoyed the food, the culture and getting to know the locals by going to ... http://blog.travelstoreusa.com/2010/02/15/back-from-ghana-the-obama-hotel-more/ We flew from Tallin to Amsterdam on Estonian Airlines,  and took a train to Leiden, a 30 minute ride to our friend's house, with whom we stayed.  It was so nice to return, as we had rented this same house 30 years ago (when my husband was a visiting professor at ... http://blog.travelstoreusa.com/2010/02/12/revisiting-three-cities-in-europe-close-to-my-heart-leiden-brussels-paris/ The entire coast of these Baltic countries is the land of amber, a fossilized resin. The greatest abundance and probably the best prices for amber can be had in Lithuania. In many shops you see various shades of brown and yellow jewelry, carvings, and other items like chess sets made of amber. The ... http://blog.travelstoreusa.com/2010/02/08/a-visit-to-the-baltic-latvia-estonia/ We flew on Lot Polish Airlines, via Warsaw, and then a connecting flight to Vilnius, Lithuania.   While most airlines are charging for almost everything, from water to checking luggage, Lot still serves complimentary meals (hot in business class, sandwiches in economy). We stayed at the Artis Hotel, in the Old City, and walked everywhere from ... http://blog.travelstoreusa.com/2010/02/08/visiting-lithuania/ On our way to Europe, we enjoyed a two-night stay in the exciting city of New York, and the amazing Sky Suite on the 53rd floor of The London Hotel, with a view of skyscrapers and the Hudson river. It is a beautiful "three room suite" (bedroom, small dining area, livingroom, hallway and ... http://blog.travelstoreusa.com/2010/02/08/a-view-of-the-london-hotel-new-york/ Hawaii is such a popular destination with our customers, for good reason. But probably 90% or more escape to Hawaii during the popular summer vacation season.  Those that venture to Maui during the winter and spring whale watching season, however, are in for a very special treat that most other visitors miss. After ... http://blog.travelstoreusa.com/2010/02/04/its-time-for-humpbacks-in-maui/ The legendary Mauna Kea Beach resort on the island of Hawaii was closed for two years after the damage done by the earthquake and has re-opened better than ever. Mauna Kea has kept the traditional Hawaiian feeling it always had, with upgraded facilities. The look of the hotel has not changed - ... http://blog.travelstoreusa.com/2010/02/03/the-newly-reopened-mauna-kea-beach-hotel-hawaii/