Movie Inspired Travel

Many movies inspire the audience to want to pack their bags and hit the road.  Here are a few to load into your DVD or Blu-Ray player for some travel inspiration.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Filmed entirely in New Zealand, the best scenery that the country has to offer was on brilliant display as Tolkien’s Middle Earth. Notable sights to visit include Tongariro National Park, home of three active volcanoes and the setting for the Land of Mordor: Mt. Ruapehu,  the largest active volcano in New Zealand, Mt. Tongariro and Mt. Ngauruhoe. The Whakapapa Ski Field on the slopes of Mt. Ruapehu hosted the battlefield for the opening battle sequence in Fellowship of the Ring. Want to visit the Shire? Then head over to the private Alexander Farm in the Waikato area. This farm now proudly advertises itself as “Hobbiton.” The city of Wellington supported quite a few filming locations such as the town of Bree and the road where the Hobbits first hide from the Black Riders.  A host of tour companies offer packages that take travelers around New Zealand to the locations of the movies’ filming spots.

A River Runs Through It: This Academy Award winning movie was set in Montana and was filmed there, as well. The scenery played a large part in the telling of the story, and the Academy win for cinematography speaks to that. The river scenes were shot on three different rivers. To take in the wonderful river scenery from the film, travel close to Paradise Valley on the Yellowstone River, south of Bozeman on the Gallatin River, and south of Big Timber on the Boulder River.

March of the Penguins: Adventurous souls may be inspired by the scenery of Antarctica seen in this award-winning documentary on penguins. This film was shot mainly around the permanent French scientific base Dumont d'Urville in Adélie Land, Antarctica. Those who like it cold, rugged, and rough may find that this movie gives the push needed to schedule a journey to the south.

The Sound of Music: This movie has been inspiring travel to Austria for years, and with good reason. The bulk of the movie was filmed in and around Salzburg, Austria. For example, the exterior of the Von Trapp Villa was filmed in two different locations. The front of the house was Schloss Frohnburg which was a country house but is now a music academy. The lakefront terrace at the back was filmed at Schloss Leopoldskron, a castle which is now a private college. The Do-Re-Mi song begins on the Winkler Terrace which provides great views of Salzburg. The abbey where Maria married Captain von Trapp is the twin-towered church of Mondsee Cathedral, just 15 miles from Salzburg. Sound of Music fans will have no trouble finding any number of companies in Salzburg that tour the actual film sights. Sing the songs, and make it seem even more authentic!

Braveheart: Fans of this movie will be interested to know that while the entire movie is set in Scotland, only a fraction of the movie was filmed there, such as the sweeping mountain scenes with William Wallace traipsing along the mountain pathway which were filmed on the Mamores, a group of ten mountains that stretch between Glen Nevis and Loch Leven.  Glen Coe and the base of Ben Nevis were a few of the other Scottish sights that made it into the film. The rest of the outdoor movie scenes were shot in Ireland, such as Trim Castle which became the town of York. Dunsoghly Castle stood in for the more famous Edinburgh Castle of Scotland, the base of Robert the Bruce. Either way, travels to one or both of these countries would satisfy the appetite for what the British Isles have to offer.

The Harry Potter Saga: Speaking of the British Isles, consider the recently popular movie series, Harry Potter. The beautiful U-shaped gulley at Glen Coe in Scotland provided the backdrop for the area around Hogwarts Castle, although the castle is strictly a CGI creation. Scotland also provided the Glenfinnan Viaduct, the 21-arch viaduct that the Hogwarts Express steamed across. In England, swing by Alnwick Castle in Northumberland to see where Harry first rode a broomstick, Christ Church at the University of Oxford which provided the inspiration for the Great Hall of Hogwarts, and Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire which became the setting for many of the classrooms and hallways at Hogwarts.

These are just a handful of the wonderful movies that have graced the silver screen and inspired movie goers to pack their bags.

LEGOLAND Florida is a LEGO Fan's Dream Come True!

The main entrance

LEGO. Approximately 19 billion LEGO elements are produced every year. Over 400 billion LEGO bricks have been sold since 1958. That’s 62 bricks for every person on Earth. Considering these facts it’s no wonder that a place like LEGOLAND Florida is a huge draw for LEGO fans, both young and old.

LEGOLAND Florida is the newest LEGO theme park to hit the United States. With the only other U.S. LEGOLAND park being in California, the Florida park is a great asset to Midwestern travelers who’d like to have the ultimate LEGO experience. Located In Winter Haven, Florida, LEGOLAND Florida is a just an hour’s drive from Orlando or Tampa which means that a day at LEGOLAND Florida can easily be included in a vacation that’s based out of either of those cities.

LEGOLAND Florida sits on the site of the old Cypress Gardens Park, and it still includes some of the past features of that park. The beautiful botanical gardens are still intact, as well as the waterski show. The water-skiers now include the famous LEGO minifigures zooming around on water skis alongside other performers doing the traditional tricks and flips.

Rides are mild but still fun!

But what about the LEGOs? Indeed, this is the place for the ultimate LEGO fan. The park is designed for kids ages 2-12, but for true fans of the LEGO, there will be something for all ages. The park’s areas are designed to focus on some of the more popular LEGO sets, including LEGO City, LEGO Technic, and LEGO Kingdoms, just to name a few. All the rides and theming for each area revolve around the LEGO sets.

The rides at LEGOLAND Florida are mostly mild. Height requirements on the majority of the rides are 48 inches or less. This park doesn’t focus on big heart-stopping thrills. The draw here is how cleverly LEGO has been incorporated into every ride in the park. Theming is king here, and LEGOLAND Florida has mastered that aspect.

Even caped crusaders are made from LEGO's at LEGOLAND.

No LEGOLAND Florida visit would be complete without a stop in the Imagination Zone. Here kids can spend hours building LEGO cars and racing them on a track. There are endless possibilities for building and testing kids’ own creations. Builders are issued a set of wheels at the door which must be returned at the exit, but beyond that requirement, thousands of LEGO pieces wait to be turned into the next racecar. This is a spot where the creative juices can flow.

Kids and parents alike will marvel at the LEGO creations throughout the park. At every turn there is a new LEGO figure that boggles the mind. In Miniland USA, visitors can view seven themed scenes that mirror their actual counterparts from around the United States. Have cameras ready when viewing places such as New York City, Washington DC, and Las Vegas all created out of those famous LEGO bricks.

The newest section of LEGOLAND Florida is the water park, which just opened in summer 2012. This is a great way to beat the Florida heat. The park features a wave pool, lazy river, multiple slides, and a splash element. Again, the LEGO rules the theming here, and it’s definitely a unique water park.

You never know which characters will get
the LEGO treatment.

What would a visit to LEGOLAND Florida be without a little shopping? LEGO fans will salivate at the number of different LEGO sets and pieces that can be purchased at LEGOLAND Florida. The various stores around the park provide all the sets, plus many other LEGO themed souvenirs. LEGO sets can be expensive, but the selection at the park is unmatched.

LEGOLAND Florida is a family-friendly park that will delight LEGO fans young and old. A one-day visit is usually sufficient for most visitors, although season passes are available for those who want to be frequent visitors.  Start planning your LEGOLAND Florida trip at their website, http://florida.legoland.com/ , and get ready to enjoy a fun-filled LEGO kind of day at LEGOLAND Florida.

Lobster Ice Cream...Only in Maine!

Visions of Maine include lush forests, sparkling blue water along a rocky coast, lighthouses, and  of course, lobster. If this intrigues you, then pack your bags and head to Bar Harbor, Maine, where lobster is king. There you’ll find lobster prepared in a hundred different ways, even in ice cream.

Yum...lobster ice cream!

What exactly is the make-up of lobster ice cream? It starts as vanilla ice cream, but chunks of lobster meat are distributed throughout the confection.  The taste of the lobster is evident with every mouthful. Not a treat you’re likely to find in Ohio, it’s a must-do for the Bar Harbor visitor, if, for no other reason, than to be able to brag about eating such a unique sweet.

If you prefer your lobster in its more natural form, then you’ll want to dine at a lobster pound. These restaurants serve up the state crustacean on picnic tables with lots of drawn butter close at hand. You order the lobster by weight, and it’s cooked immediately in large, boiling vats of water. Keep some paper towels handy because by the time you’ve cracked and eaten it, your hands will need some attention. These lobsters come straight off the boat into the lobster pound. It doesn’t get much fresher than that.

Speaking of lobster boats, it’s great fun to take a ride on one. Visitors can tour on a lobster boat to learn about lobsters and lobster fishing. On these excursions you’ll see seals basking on the rocks, bald eagles by a lighthouse, and live lobsters pulled up in traps from the ocean floor. Lobsters, who are scavengers, are carefully fished in Maine to help keep the population healthy and well-stocked. The lobster fishermen of Maine pride themselves on their work to keep a thriving lobster population. The entire family will enjoy learning all of this and more when you cruise the waters off Bar Harbor in a lobster boat.

Visit a lobster pound to eat fresh Maine lobster.



If you want more than lobster on your vacation, then you’re still in the right place because Bar Harbor is the home of Acadia National Park. This national park is a nature lover’s dream come true. Miles of hiking trails snake along the rocky Atlantic coast, into the forests, and up and down the mountains. Cadillac Mountain is the tallest mountain in the park, and views from the top afford a wonderful panorama of the surrounding area. You can see where the blue sky meets the blue-green waters of the Atlantic, a breathtaking reminder of our country’s natural beauty.

Swimming in the waters off the Bar Harbor coast will be a chilly experience. The waters of the north Atlantic are not warm, even in the summer. A swimsuit with more coverage will suit you well if you plan to do more than dunk your feet. The Maine coast is also very rocky, so plan in advance if you want to find a sandy beach. Sand Beach in Acadia is a great place to visit if sand is a requirement for your ocean-going experience.



Hiking to the top of Cadillac Mountain is fun for everyone.

Bikers also have plenty to do in Acadia, and you will often see bikers tackling the many hilly roads that cross the park. The park contains 45 miles of carriage roads which are off-limits to motor vehicles, and these are wonderful pathways for avid bicyclists. Horse drawn carriage rides are another popular way to enjoy the carriage road system.



Bar Harbor and Acadia have addressed pollution problems by offering free shuttle busses around town and also into Acadia. These busses, fueled by natural gas, have helped alleviate traffic issues. It’s easy to hop on and off the many busses that run all day long.

If you crave the outdoors and want to enjoy some of the finest nature that Maine has to offer, then Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park are sure to be a hit for the entire family. Couple that with the king of the coast, the lobster, and you’ve got an experience just waiting for you unlike any that you can have elsewhere.

Tour on a lobster boat to learn all about Maine's lobsters.

Shoes, Chopsticks, and Buddha – Adventures in Japan

Shoes must be taken off at the door, and chopsticks are used to eat food. Along with 200 other American teachers, I faced these cultural experiences while traveling Japan for three weeks as a guest of the Japanese government and a member of the Fulbright Teacher program. Our purpose on this trip was to be immersed in the culture and to learn about the Japanese educational system.

The "shoe cubby" at a Japanese junior high school

One of my first lessons upon arriving in Japan dealt with footwear. When entering particular Japanese buildings, such as schools, homes, and temples, outside shoes are exchanged for inside shoes. These inside shoes normally resembled slippers, and the slippers never went outside. Japanese people prefer to keep outside dirt out of their buildings. Zones at entryways provide a convenient place where shoes can be swapped.

Japanese students take off their shoes as soon as they enter their school buildings. Shoe cubbies are provided at entryways where their inside slippers wait. The shoe swap takes place, and then students head to class. When the students need to go outside, they switch their shoes again. It’s a never-ending process of taking shoes on and off. As a visitor, I was expected to do the same. Inside slippers were provided for visitors, but I brought my own. My large American feet were not easily accommodated by small Japanese slippers.

My school lunch, including the cuttlefish

Eating with chopsticks is another expectation of a visitor to Japan. I admit that before going to Japan, my ability to eat with chopsticks was poor. But, with nary a fork in sight, I had to quickly master the chopsticks. During a visit to an elementary school, I ate with a group of first grade students in their classroom. They all watched the “American sensei” to see if I could use my chopsticks. Thankfully, I managed the entire meal without a major faux pas, but oh, those kids just waited for me to stumble. Later I realized that I should’ve been more concerned about what was on the menu that day. I ate the school lunch, and the main item was cuttlefish. A Google search revealed that the cuttlefish is a mollusk related to squid and octopus. Thank goodness the cuttlefish on my lunch tray had been deep fried. I have a theory about eating on the road -- I can eat anything, no matter how scary, if it’s deep fried.



One of the many Buddha statues seen in Japan

One of the main religions in Japan is Buddhism. In my mind, I had a picture of what Buddha looked like, so I felt confused by the myriad of statues that I saw in Japan. Which one was Buddha? In time, and after asking questions through various tour guides and translators, I learned that the statues of Buddha do not always appear to look the same. His physical appearance varies from statue to statue. After gaining this bit of information, my sight-seeing in Japan was clearer.

And so, with my shoes off, my chopsticks in hand, and recognizing the Buddha a bit better, I felt more confident with every day I spent in Japan. As those three weeks continued on, I also began to understand and appreciate the people of Japan more.

A Teacher's Tips for Traveling with Kids

When I’m planning to hit the road with my family, I employ a few strategies straight out of my classroom to help ensure a successful vacation. Traveling can be stressful and expensive venture, but a few well-placed strategies can help the entire family have a good time and get the most out of the money being spent.

Happy, busy kids make for a great vacation!

1.  Front Load: Before we leave on a trip, we fill our kids’ minds with information about the places we’re getting ready to visit. We borrow books from the library, search for videos on YouTube, and visit the websites for the sights that we’ll see. When the kids are armed with knowledge ahead of time, they’re more engaged when they actually arrive at each sight on the trip.

2.  Practice Makes Perfect: If little ones have never been to any type of amusement park, then how can they be expected to enjoy and appreciate a place like Disney World? This is true for a whole number of places that might be visited on a vacation, such as museums, historical sights, and hiking trails. To maximize the experience for my family on vacation, we search out local sights in our own area and visit those in the weeks before our trip. Are we heading to the mountains for some hiking? Then we hike local trails to get in shape. Will we visit zoos and amusement parks? We look for the local equivalent and spend a few days visiting there. Is a week on the beach on our calendar? Then we spend plenty of time in the local pool so the kids are used to the water. This practice gives kids experience with the type of vacation that’s been planned, and as an added bonus, we get to take advantage of the local opportunities that our area has to offer.

3. Pack the Essential Gear: Whether driving or flying, we pack plenty of onboard entertainment for our brood. This includes books, toys, small games, coloring books, and personal electronics. We have a good supply of snacks and drinks ready, too. Coming prepared helps keep everyone happy and content.

4.  Schedule Play Time: It’s important to schedule time for kids to play. Kids need downtime just like adults, so we search out a playground, swimming pool, or other area where kids can be kids. This gives them a chance to mingle with other kids, both local and from other vacationing families.

5.  Do Your Homework: Before leaving home, we spend time doing research. We visit websites, read tour guides, and get a good idea of what we’ll do and the activities we want to participate in. We don’t wait until we’ve arrived at our destination to make a game plan. We leave the house with a good idea of what the vacation will hold, knowing that we may have to tweak our plan when we arrive.

6.  Divide and Conquer: Depending on the ages of the kids in the group, time is sometimes better spent by one parent taking older children in one direction and the other parent taking the younger children in another. This gives everyone an opportunity to participate in activities that are age and interest appropriate. It also gives family members a break from one another, which can be a welcome change after a week or more of togetherness.

7.  Know the Audience: It’s important to choose a vacation spot based upon the interests of the family. If no one in the group is very outdoor-sy, then a week-long camping trip in the mountains is not appropriate, even if it sounds like it will be spectacular. We get the biggest bang for our buck by planning a trip that fits our family.

8.  Be Ready for Anything: Even the best laid plans go awry. We’re always ready to change the game plan when necessary. Is rain interfering with a day at the beach? Then we search out a museum or an indoor arcade. Oops, someone forgot to pack underwear? We’ll just visit the nearest store. It doesn’t matter if the itinerary changes or if we decide to come home a day early. It’s our vacation and we can do what we want.

Let older kids plan and lead for a day.

9.  Pack Light: We try to leave all the unnecessary items at home. We also buy supplies along the way, especially when when we’re flying. Consumable items like diapers, food, sunscreen, and sometimes even beauty products are better purchased once the final destination has been reached. When we stay in one place for awhile, we explore the option of renting equipment for baby or the beach. If possible, we do laundry halfway through the trip so that we don’t have to drag as many clothes along. All these things make the luggage less cumbersome and it means we’re hauling less.

10. Put the kids to work: Older kids can play the role of tour guide. Have them plan and lead certain parts of the vacation, or give them a budget and let them plan a day. This gets them actively involved and helps them to see what’s involved in planning and financing a vacation. It also gives them a chance to put some of the things they’ve learned at school to good use. It’s a great experience to have kids put their knowledge to work for the family.

While you’re working out the details of your family vacation for this summer, try to employ some of these strategies to get the most out of your money and to help everyone in the group have a good time.

Machu Picchu...Where Incas Once Walked

“The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail. Travel too fast and you miss all you are traveling for.” And so, as my time in Peru was coming to its end, I reminded myself of this very thing. Machu Picchu was the end of the trail for me, the final big moment of my entire adventure. But hadn’t the whole journey and everything that I’d seen and done been just as spectacular as Machu Picchu was sure to be?

I pondered these thoughts as I stood in the bus line for Machu Picchu. It was 5:00 a.m., the rain fell steadily, and I tried to reconcile my excitement for the approaching Machu Picchu experience with the rest of the trip. I also worked to temper a growing rise of despair. After a week in the rainforest where we saw virtually no rain, I now faced a rainy and cloudy day. There was no alternative to the plan. I had only one day left to see Machu Picchu, and it was today. If this weather didn’t cooperate, I would head back to Ohio without the final jewel in the crown of this trip…Machu Picchu.

The bus ride up the mountain found us on a switchback road where every turn nearly brought us into a head-on collision with another bus. The drop from the side of the road was a sheer plummet down the side of the mountain. One wrong turn would bring certain death, but I pushed that thought as far out of my mind as I could. My focus was on the ancient city of the Incas, which had been hidden in the mountains for hundreds of years. An amazing feature of Machu Picchu is that it cannot be seen from lower elevations. The Incas positioned it to be perfectly hidden. In fact, the site was unknown to the Spanish who invaded in the 1500s, even though they had taken over and plundered many other Inca cities nearby. I was filled with anticipation as we made our way up the mountainside, and I felt impatient that there wasn’t anything to be seen as we traveled.

Finally, the moment arrived. And, the moment was shrouded by rain and clouds. I was disappointed. I had hoped to enter the city and see the beautiful vista that is always shown in pictures. With the cloud cover and rain, I couldn’t see anything but the structures in close proximity to us. I felt let down, but I kept reminding myself that the day wasn’t over yet. It was still early.

Our tour guide led us around to the major sights. He spoke English, but his accent was quite thick, so I found it difficult to understand what he said. I sympathized with some of the other people in our group for whom English was their second language. I wondered how much of the information they were getting. I tried to absorb as much as I could about the Incas and this city they had built. It has stood the test of time, but much of its purpose can still only be speculated.

As the tour wound down, I felt encouraged as I realized that the cloud cover was lifting and the rain had stopped. I now realized that I might actually get to see the city as a whole. While waiting, I explored more of the city and watched as the skies started to show more and more blue sky.

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Finally, I got to see this breathtaking view of Machu Picchu!

Finally, the clouds were practically gone, the sun was out, and the sky was blue. There it was…this majestic city of the Incas laid out in front of us, and what a magnificent site it was to behold. I kept climbing up higher and higher until I stood at one of the highest peaks of the mountain. I looked down across the city, the surrounding valleys, and all the mountains adjacent to this one. A bird soared high above the summits, and I could clearly see why the Incas chose this site of splendor for their city. It truly was as if we were closer to God in this place, a place that brushed the heavens.

With the sun on my skin and the wind in my hair, I felt like I never wanted to leave. I sat down on the ground and just tried to absorb the beauty and the power that this place held. Like a scene from another world, it seemed to have a life all its own. This, my end of the trail, could not have been better. The journey, with all its trials and difficulties, was worth it. It was worth every step, every drop of sweat, and every tear. It was a journey that changed me irrevocably, and because of that, I knew I had seen everything for which I had traveled.

The Road to Machu Picchu is Long

After a week in the rain forest, the official college class portion of my Peruvian trip had ended. I could have gone home, but that would have been way too boring and not nearly complicated enough. I decided to stay and take an extra trip to Machu Picchu, the site of an ancient Inca city and the number one tourist destination in South America. I felt that it would be pointless to go all the way to Peru and not visit Machu Picchu. Several of my classmates had the same idea, so a group of us headed off to Cusco, the main city used for a sojourn to Machu Picchu.

Getting to Cusco from Puerto Maldonado was no problem. It's a simple plane ride between cities. Surprise! It was only 60 degrees in Cusco which sits at an elevation of 10,000 feet. What a shock to the system after spending a week in the humid rain forest. Thankfully, I had a sweatshirt with me. I wore it the entire time I was in Cusco and Machu Picchu. I also bought a hat and gloves made from Alpaca fur to keep me warm because it was so cold.

Touring the Sacred Valley on the way to Machu Picchu

The next day we headed out for the trek to Machu Picchu. It started with a tour of the Sacred Valley, a collection of ancient Inca sights full of history. This part of Peru is mountainous, so these ancient cities are built into the sides of cliffs, hills, and mountains which meant there was plenty of walking and climbing. But, what a variety of breathtaking splendor awaited those who ventured out. I was amazed by the structures the Incas built with their own bare hands. Our tour guide provided us with a wealth of information, and by mid-afternoon when we hit the town of Ollantaytambo, my head swam with facts and new knowledge.  

My head was also swimming in Ollantaytambo because we found ourselves waiting to catch a bus which would take us to catch a train to Aguas Calientes, the small town at the base of Machu Picchu. Normally, travelers could take a train all the way from Cusco to Aguas Calientes, but a landside just four months earlier left the train system partially inaccessible. We felt confused during this wait because we didn't speak Spanish, and we were at the mercy of anyone who could translate for us and explain the situation. We weren’t with the tour group anymore, so this part of the adventure left us to find our own way.

After what seemed like an eternity, we boarded buses and took off for the train station. The bus ride had us on a one-way road where we sat in a traffic jam for part of the trip. Once we got moving, we flew! High speeds, hair-pin turns, and narrow roads left me white-knuckled and gripping my seat. The river was on the left side of the road, and it was a decent drop-off from the road down to the river. One wrong move, and we would've been dead! This journey was not for the faint of heart, for sure.

When we finally got to the train station, we had to wait some more. It was fun, but in an awkward kind of way. Again, we had the confusion of not understanding the situation. The representatives from Peru Rail were bilingual, and so we kept asking for assistance. A few times we just followed the crowd and hoped we were headed in the right direction. This was how we got down to the train platform. Then, we stood there and watched as they put the train together right there on the tracks at the station. No one seemed to be in a hurry, so we just watched and waited because there wasn’t anything else we could do.

After all this waiting, we finally got on the train bound for Aguas Calientes. This was the "Backpacker Express" train, and it was filled with young people and families. We sat across from a young Spanish man and an American missionary. This was a slow train, so we had plenty of time to talk, sleep, read, and take in the general atmosphere. Unfortunately, it was dark outside, so we didn't get to see any scenery. I was disappointed in that because I wanted to see the mountains.

When we arrived in Aguas Calientes, it was midnight. We hadn't had dinner, and we were starved. We stayed at a hostel, and they had food ready for us when we got there. It was delicious and exactly what we needed. The rooms at the hostel were basic, but clean. We hit the showers and then the beds to catch some shut eye for our exciting day at Machu Picchu. The wake up call would be coming at 4:00 a.m. Ay, yi, yi!

How to be a Rain Forest Explorer

Want to travel to the Peruvian Amazon rain forest? Here are some tips and tricks to consider before you head out on your trip.

1.  Don’t touch anything. That is, don’t touch anything without looking first. Animals lurk where you least expect them. So, shake your shoes before you put them on.  Check the floor before you put your feet down in the morning, and pull back the bed covers before you climb in. Keep your suitcases shut, and don’t grab trees and plants in the forest. Never, ever walk barefoot.

2.  Knee-high rubber boots are your friends and also your enemies. While hiking in the rain forest, knee-high rubber boots keep your legs and ankles safe from mud, animals, and plants. However, if you wear them in the boat and your boat tips over, those suckers will fill up with water and drag you to the bottom of the river.

3.  Forget all those sacred cows in your life. Electricity, running water, air conditioning, hot water, washing machines, Internet access, long showers, cell phone coverage…these things do not exist in the rain forest. Amazingly, your life will go on without them.

4.  It doesn’t always rain in the rain forest. The rain forest has a dry season and a wet season. In the dry season, it doesn’t rain much. Despite this, you’d better be ready for rain because it could rain at any moment.

Waiting along the river in the Peruvian rain forest

5.  Rain forest animals do not come out to play. Finding animals in the rain forest is difficult. You have to know what to look for and how to listen carefully. Also, you have to be quiet or you definitely won’t see anything. If you plan to take pictures, then bring a zoom lens and a memory card with lots of space. Animals don’t pose for pictures or say, “Cheese.” They are hard to photograph.

6.  There’s no sleeping in during a visit to the rain forest. Early morning is the best time to see animals. So, plan on a hike before breakfast and before the sun rises. Don’t worry, you’ll go to bed early because there won’t be much to do in the evenings. No electricity, remember?

7.  Be ready for close encounters. You’ll have some freaky animal encounters. For example, bats flew past my legs so fast that I felt wind on my calves. I had a large cockroach on my shirt. There was a frog in my bathroom, and a vicious bullet ant crawling up my arm (their bite hurts for days). Bats woke me up while they fed during the night. A guy in my group found an extremely large spider in his bed. Toughen up before you leave home. You won’t regret it.

8.  You will sweat. The humidity is high and there’s no breeze. Air conditioning doesn’t exist, and you’ll need to wear long pants over your legs. You might even need to wear long sleeves. Oh, and on some hikes you’ll need to wear those knee-high rubber boots. You can bring all the moisture-wicking clothes you want, but you will not be cool or comfortable. You will be hot, sticky, sweaty, and stinky. Don’t worry, though. Everyone else will be, too.

9.  Picky eaters had better bring snacks. Granola bars work particularly well. Rain forest food will be native food, including lots of locally grown fruits. If you want a cold drink, then you’d best search for a lodge that caters to tourists. The more rustic accommodations will not serve anything cold. Caffeine addiction? Bring your own or hope for coffee.

10. There’s no time for beauty. Leave your make up, hair dryer, curling iron, and other beautification items at home. For one thing, there’s no electricity to power all those appliances. Make up is pointless because of the heat and humidity. Make sure you can put your hair in a ponytail and then throw a hat on your head. Everyone else will look equally plain, so you’ll fit right in with the crowd.

11.  You will not blend in with the locals. No matter how hard you try, everyone you meet will know you’re a foreigner. Your Spanish won’t be authentic enough, and your clothes will be too American. If you’re taller than about 5 feet, 5 inches, your height will give you away. Blonds and redheads don’t have a chance of passing as native Peruvians. People will stare at you, and you will not be able to avoid it.

12.  Get ready for awesome. If you can handle all these tips, then you’re ready for an awesome, mind-blowing experience as you journey into the wild. You’ll learn, see, feel, and think. It will change you beyond your wildest expectations, and it will leave you thirsting for more. So pack your bags, buy your plane ticket, and get ready for the journey of a lifetime to the Amazon rain forest. You will not come home the same.

A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Mist Net

I am not a “bird nerd.” So, why in the world would I go on an educational trip to the Amazon rain forest where one of the study topics was birds? That’s a question I often asked myself as I tromped through the forest looking for birds. The answer?  Well, I like adventure. I like to learn new things. I needed college credit hours, and so all those things brought me to the forest to study birds. I learned a lot about birds in just a week...more than I ever thought I could.


On the first day of the trip, my group and I dove right into our learning activities, and one of the first things we did was to set up mist nets. A mist net is a long net that is used to catch birds in the wild. The birds can't see the nets, so they fly right into them. It doesn't hurt the birds to be in mist nets, but the person removing the birds has to be careful. Only our professors, Ursula and Jose removed birds from the nets.


Once the nets were set up, we checked them about every 45 minutes. Once a bird was caught in a net, it was removed and placed into a special bag. Ursula assured us that the bags did not harm the birds and that being in the bags helped to calm them. We then took the birds back up to the main lodge to be tagged.


The tagging process involved several tasks because one of our goals was to identify the types of birds we caught. So, all the birds were weighed and measured. Measuring involved the length of the beaks, legs, and wings. The colors and markings of the birds were also observed. Sometimes it was difficult to identify the birds because many of them looked similar. Ursula and Jose identified quite a few of the birds, but the rest of us typically had to look them up in a book, such as The Birds of Peru. After all the observations were made and noted, tags were placed on the bird's legs. The tags were tiny because birds don't weigh much. To place heavy tags on birds would greatly interfere with their ability perform needed tasks.

I'm in my gear and watching birds!

After the tags were on, the birds were ready to be released. The birds were held in such a way that they could simply fly away when they were ready. We were told not to give the birds a toss or a push because the ones who had been struggling during the tagging process might be weakened. If we tossed them, they could fall to the ground and be injured. Most of the birds we tagged were happy to get away from us, though.


Another learning activity during the trip was listening to birds and identifying them by their calls. I would like to say that I got really good at doing it, but that would be an exaggeration. By the end of the trip I could pick out about five birds every time by their calls. At the start of the trip, I couldn't do any, so I felt successful in this venture.

Up until I went on this trip, I thought being an animal researcher was all excitement and danger. In some cases, I’m sure it is. However, I also learned that it can be mundane. This became evident on the day my group sat at the bird researcher’s station at the clay lick.

The clay lick is where birds come to eat clay, which helps aid in their digestion. Our task was to spend three hours watching the clay lick and making notes about the activity we saw there. Well, as our luck would have it, just about the time that we took over the duties, there weren’t any birds at the clay lick. For three hours we sat and waited, but we didn’t see anything. Then the bugs descended on us and decided we were good for a snack. It got so bad at one point that we all resorted to wearing mosquito net hats. We looked ridiculous and had a great laugh about it. However, it didn’t change the fact that we had no birds to observe. On occasion, we studied birds in nearby trees. We saw some excellent blue and gold macaws, but they didn’t go back to the clay lick.

I was relieved when the regular researchers returned, and we got to relinquish our bird researching duties. I concluded that patience is one of the key attributes of a good bird watcher. Patience and a lot of bug spray.

A Little Touch of Paradise

   

A silvery moon shone high in the sky. The leaves of tall rain forest trees gently whispered and rustled. The frogs chirped brightly, calling out through the night air. The forest pulsed and hummed as millions of insects conducted their business. Birds and other animals used the forest’s highways and byways to travel and search for sustenance. And thrust into the middle of it all, was one American teacher very far from home.

As I stood in the Peruvian rain forest, it struck me…I was in the midst of true, pristine nature. This place, virtually unspoiled, was about as far removed from Ohio as the moon. Now that my group and I had arrived in a place that wasn’t close to any civilized location, I truly felt that I had come to an exotic paradise, a place where humans were the visitors and nature was at its most virulent.  

It was just me and the moon alone on this walkway at night.

And yet, Refugio Amazonas, a travel lodge two-hours by boat from the closest civilized location, was our oasis in the midst of this vast wilderness. Unseen from the river, it was a ten-minute hike through the woods to reach this slice of heaven. As we hiked, the humidity of the forest once again enveloped us like a thick blanket. Even though I only had my field pack, my arrival at the lodge found me dripping with sweat. Fortunately, we did not have to carry our larger suitcases because I’m sure I would have been soaked to the bone on the walk from the river to the lodge. The staff at Refugio (as we called it for short) took them to the lodge for us.

When we finally emerged from the forest, the lodge rose up in front of us. As we entered, each one of us was handed a washcloth that was cool and wet because it had been kept in the refrigerator. I laid the whole thing across my face and just let it lay there for a few minutes. I'm not sure if I've ever felt anything so refreshing and wonderful in my life. It felt like air conditioning for my face. There was also cold juice for us to drink. Delightful!

I couldn’t help but marvel at this place. Refugio was a big, beautiful lodge dropped in the middle of an already spectacular setting. There were even creature comforts, something we had sorely missed at our last location, CECCOT. Our rooms at Refugio were enormous. One whole wall was open to the forest, and it was peaceful and serene. We had a bathroom with running water, a flushing toilet, and an actual shower with big towels to go along with it. The water was cold, but after being so hot and sweaty all the time, it felt refreshing. The beds had the requisite mosquito netting, which the staff came and set up while we were at dinner. This was definitely my style of life.

Of course, as much as I wanted to lounge in the lap of luxury, we still had tasks to accomplish and things to learn. One evening’s activity was a caiman search. Caimans are relatives of alligators, and they like to come out at night. So, we all hiked back down to the riverbank, got into the boats, and cruised up and down the shore looking for caimans. The guides shone lights along the riverbank trying to get reflections from the eyes of any caimans that were out there. We only saw one, but it was fun to search.

When we got back to shore, some of us stayed on the beach for awhile. We sat and listened to the sounds of the forest. The moon was full, and it was a bright orb hanging in the sky, keeping us company and lighting our way. After awhile, I laid back on the sand to watch the moon and stars and listen to all the animals. I saw constellations that were new to me, and as I listened to the frogs calling in the trees, I was in awe of the beauty and splendor of the forest around me. The symphony of the forest were so soothing, I could have stayed on that beach all night.


Several nights later, I walked back to my room alone. Most other people in the lodge were already asleep, so it was just the jungle and me. As before, the moon was brightly shining, casting its silvery light all over me. There was something eerie and beautiful about that light. The forest seemed to glow with it, and yet, I couldn’t see into the forest’s depths. I stopped and stood on the walkway by myself, taking it in. It was just me, the forest, and the moon. I felt very small in a big world, but so happy to be standing in the middle of paradise.