Here & There: These New Gizmos Allow Travelers To Be In Two Places At Once

Physicists who study quantum theory tell us that, under certain circumstances, it’s actually possible for sub-atomic particles to be in two places at the same time.  Until they’re able to scale this curious discovery up into a workable Star Trek-like teleportation device, however, I’m afraid we humans are stuck with our highly linear version of reality.

Fortunately, some smarty-pants techie-types have created two new products designed to offer ordinary travelers the next best thing to being both here and there at once:

LogMeIn Ignition is a handy application that allows iPhone and iPod Touch owners the ability to remotely access all the files on their home and work computers.  Simply install the free software on your Mac or PC, download the $30 app to your mobile device, and you’ll be able to view, create, and forward documents and emails from anywhere you can get a 3G cellular signal or wi-fi connection.

Vue Personal Video Network allows you to keep an eye on things at home or work from any location with a high-speed internet connection.  Set-up for both the two included wireless cameras and the browser-based viewer couldn’t be simpler, and you can add additional cameras (up to 50 total) at any time.  You can also record and save video clips, upload them to YouTube, and invite others to view a selected live video stream.

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Blues Travelers: Memphis’ American Dream Safaris Offers A Chance To Really FEEL The Blues

Tad Pierson

If you’re more than just a casual fan of the blues—someone who can trace the connection* between blues legends like Lead Belly and Muddy Waters, for example—sooner or later you have to make the pilgrimage to the land where this distinctly American art form was born.

While you could certainly explore the area on your own, I’ve discovered an alternative that will help you get a lot more out of your visit.  Namely a plugged-in local guide by the name of Tad Pierson, a one-man college of musical knowledge whose decades of experience can help you develop a much greater appreciation for the music and the landscape that spawned it.

Blues is easy to play, but hard to feel.

— Jimi Hendrix

Rather than being packed into a soulless tour bus and fed a canned recitation of local lore, Pierson’s Memphis-based American Dream Safaris offers tours designed to allow you to actually feel the unique vibe here from the back of his 1955 Cadillac.  His repertoire of excursions ranges from a three-hour “Greatest Hits” spin through the streets of Memphis to all-day expeditions along the deserted back roads of the Mississippi Delta.  Along the way you’ll be served up heaping helpings of everything from Elvis shrines to rocking gospel choirs to smoke-filled juke joints.

More than anything else, however, Pierson’s tours offer blues aficionados something as rare as an original 78 of by Blind Lemon Jefferson: A chance to have a truly extraordinary experience.

*Both were interviewed by and made their first recordings for American ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax.

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WFO Weekend: Texas Mile Gives Lead-Footed Drivers A Chance To Feed Their Need For Speed

Read through some of the extraordinary experiences featured here over the years and it’s pretty clear that I like fast cars and motorcycles as much as the next guy.  That said, I think anyone who’s dumb enough to do triple-digit speeds on public roads deserves to have their license yanked right out from under them.

Especially when you consider how many places there are where you can safely run your high-performance machine wide f@#!ing open without putting innocent lives at risk.  Like the Texas Mile, for instance.

This relatively low-key event rolls onto a deserted airport runway located two hours north of Corpus Christi March 26-28 for three days of tire-smoking good fun.  Cars and bikes compete in four classes, ranging from 130 MPH to 200+ MPH, to see who can achieve the top speed from a standing start over the mile-long track.  Like my experience with the USFRA’s 130 MPH Club on the Bonneville Salt Flats, it’s a simple premise but oh-so addicting!

To get a feel for one of the few places in the world where speeding is actually encouraged, check out this short video from the folks at SuperCars Exposed.

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Hot Lead & Lipstick: Becoming An Outdoors-Woman Weekends

While I’m open to all kinds of once-in-a-lifetime adventures, there are some I’m just not physically cut out for.  Like these Becoming An Outdoors-Woman weekends, for example.  Fortunately we were able to persuade special correspondent Christina Newton to attend a recent two-day B.O.W. program and bring us this report:

Looking down the barrel of my 20-gauge shotgun, I track the fluorescent-orange disc streaking across the blue California sky.  Without hesitation I pull the trigger and—BLAMO!—the four-inch clay target is blown to smithereens.  As my classmates erupt in a spontaneous round of applause, all I can think is  “Dang, this is fun!”

You might wonder what an ordinary minivan-driving mother is doing here pumping these harmless skeet-shooting targets full of hot lead.  Actually, it was the promise of  just this kind of extraordinary experience that drew my friend Karen and I to this Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (B.O.W.) weekend.

These two-and-a-half-day sampler programs, which are held at locations throughout the U.S., are designed to introduce women of all ages and backgrounds to a wide variety of traditionally male-dominated outdoor sports.  Our B.O.W. weekend’s menu of available classes included everything from backcountry navigation using GPS and topographical maps to Dutch-oven cooking.

In fact, the most difficult part of the entire program was choosing which outdoor activities we wanted to try.  Ultimately, we ended up signing up for workshops that seemed like they’d be the biggest stretch for a couple of big-city girls.

Like our archery class, for instance, where we got to enjoy the satisfying “thwap” as our arrows hit the target, even if they weren’t exactly bullseyes.  Or an introduction to fly-fishing session where, suited up in full gear, I waded into the river and landed my first leaf.  Or the twilight kayak paddle where we got to watch the full moon rise over the Sierra Nevada mountains.

By the time we got to the skeet shooting range Sunday morning, I really felt like I was beginning to get the hang of this outdoors-woman thing. At least until I reached into my pocket for a shotgun shell and ended up trying to slip my lipstick into the gun’s open chamber!

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Sailing Through Airport Security: 2 Great Sources For Travel-Size Products

Going through the TSA security checkpoint in San Diego a couple of weeks ago, I ended up in line behind a tres chic young woman who began giving the screeners a heaping helping of attitude after they politely pointed out that she couldn’t carry-on the four full-size containers of shampoo, hair gel, and whatnot they’d extracted from her over-stuffed roll-aboard suitcase.

If this were an isolated incident, it probably wouldn’t even be worth mentioning.  But, as someone who flies 100,000-plus a year, I can tell you it’s something I see all the time.  Honestly, it’s a mystery to me that there could still be folks out there who haven’t gotten the message about the TSA’s three-ounce rule for liquids and gels in carry-on bags, a restriction that was put in place way back in 2006.

Naturally, it wasn’t till later that it occurred to me that I could have saved this stylish 20-something a world of TSA grief on her next trip by sharing a couple of great sources I’ve found for an amazing array of travel-size products.  From run-of-the-mill sundries to high-end cosmetics, these two operations can set you up with everything you’ll need to make sure you sail through airport security on your next adventure:

Minimus.biz

From tiny tubes of toothpaste to individual-sized gourmet snacks, if it’s offered in a travel size these folks probably stock it.  Their wide assortment of pre-assembled kits also make practical bon voyage gifts.

3FLOZ.com

This operation’s clever name—short for “3 Fluid Ounce”—doesn’t begin to describe the depth and breadth of their offerings.  Let’s just say that if the only reason you’re still paying to check a bag is that you can’t find your favorite upscale beauty products—you know, anti-aging potions and the like—in TSA carry-on-friendly sizes, this is the website for you.

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Bungee Jumping Bonus: What One Young Woman’s Leap Of Faith Can Teach Us About Living Life To The Fullest

While this website is filled to overflowing with stories of  way-cool once-in-a-lifetime adventures, read between the lines and you’ll discover everything here is really intended to promote the larger idea that life was meant to be lived to the fullest.  Which is why I wanted to introduce you to Mary Thompson and let her tell you the tale of her first bungee jump.

In many ways her experience might not seem that unusual.  But what really impressed me is the way this plucky young woman didn’t let her fears stand in the way of having an extraordinary experience she’d always dreamed of.  Let me know in the Comments section below if there’s anything in here that you can relate to!

What made you want to do this?  Or, to put it more bluntly, what the heck were you thinking?!

I’m not exactly the typical adrenaline-junkie.  In fact, even though I have stuff like bungee jumping and skydiving on my life list, these things make me a bit nervous and I generally have to be talked into doing them.  While I never thought I’d actually do it, my boyfriend said he’d always wanted to try it so I figured, well, why not?  You only live once and you might as well do the things that scare you a little because they make you feel really alive.

Describe the safety precautions they take — did they actually make you feel more secure?

I researched bungee jumping in general and Taupo Bungy in particular beforehand and I knew they had a great record for safety.  The fact that I knew the general safety procedures by the time I got there also helped me feel more secure. I was still clearly nervous though, so the two guys who worked there started joking around pretending they didn’t know what they were doing.  Which made me laugh even as I was watching them double-checking everything.

What was it like to stand on the edge?  Did you look down?

I was only on the edge for a few seconds, long enough to take a photo and count down to jump, but I was thinking, ” I can’t believe this!  I’m really going to jump!”  The only time I looked straight down was when I started to fall forward and by then I was committed!

Did you expect to hit the water?  What was that like?

I told them I wanted to hit the water with my hands, but they said that they couldn’t guarantee it.  I ended up going in up to my waist, which was fun even though I got water in my contacts that made my vision blurry for the first bounce.

What was the scariest part?  And at what point did it become fun?

The scariest part was standing on the edge because your feet are hooked together and the weight of the bungee cord feels like it might pull you off before you’re ready.  It really started to be fun after I bounced up out of the water because then you know it’s all going to be fine!

Now that you’re back home, how do you feel when you look at the photos and video of the experience?

The first couple of days afterwards I looked at them all the time because I still felt such a thrill from actually doing it.  Now I like to look at them because I’m proud of myself and they remind me that I can do anything!

What advice would you give someone who was thinking about doing this?

On a practical level, tuck in your shirt unless you want to flash everyone watching you jump!  Other than that, I’d encourage anyone who wants to bungee jump to do it even if it seems scary.  For me, things like this are all about proving you can achieve anything you really want to, and actually doing it makes you feel great!

Mary Thompson is a freelance writer based in Memphis.  To read more of her adventures, check out her Life Is Awesome blog.  You can also follow her exploits on Twitter.

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Fashion Designer Dreams: 4 Fab Ways To Make Your Fashionista Fantasies Come True

Not sure how to put this delicately, so I’ll just come right out and say it: I don’t do fashion.  Unless, of course, you consider cargo shorts, t-shirts, and flip-flops to be valid fashion statements.

That said, I have a niece who reads every issue of Vogue cover-to-cover and has even started sketching out and stitching up some of her own creations.  Add the success of long-running television series like Project Runway and What Not To Wear and I’ve come to realize that there are an awful lot of people out there who share her passion for fashion.

Which got me to wondering if there was a way all these style-savvy folks could do more than just watch someone else bringing their distinctive designs to life on TV.  Programs that, unlike the many career-oriented schools out there, require commitments measured in days or weeks instead of years.

And to my surprise, I’ve found several extraordinary experiences that seem all but guaranteed to make anyone’s long-repressed fashionista fantasies come true:

Teen Fashion Camp NYC

This five-day “summer camp” in midtown Manhattan gives teens a chance to explore all aspects of the fashion industry while dreaming up and presenting their own unique “brand.” An advanced follow-up session offers an in-depth look at working for fashion magazines and designing for the runway.

Istituto di Moda Burgo

The haute couture capital of Milan, Italy provides a once-in-a-lifetime backdrop for these summer fashion design programs that feature individualized instruction from pros currently working in some of Europe’s trendiest design studios.  The best part is that classes are available for all levels of experience, from complete novices to working professionals.

Austin School of Fashion Design

No time for a drawn-out program of study?  Try this school’s series of adult-friendly four-day “crash courses” in everything from fashion illustration to basic sewing.  Also check out their one-day workshop on how to design, manufacture, and market your own collection.

M. Avery Designs

Located across the Hudson from New York City, these Bag Lab workshops make it easy for anyone to design and stitch up their own one-of-a-kind handbag. Can’t make the trip?  Send them sketches and notes on fabrics, detailing and the like and they’ll be happy to make your vision a reality.

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Sailing Away: 2 Extraordinary Cruise Ship Alternatives

As a general rule, I’m not a big fan of cruises.  The idea of watching the world pass by from atop a floating high-rise hotel, visiting over-commercialized ports-of-call with thousands of fellow passengers in what feels like an invading tourist army, and sitting through sequin-encrusted musical revues just isn’t my idea of a good time.

Which makes it all the more surprising that I find myself drawn to these two remarkable “cruising” adventures.  Though they differ in scale, both offer a chance to have true extraordinary experiences that go way beyond simply oohing-and-ahhing at the elaborate ice sculpture anchoring a traditional cruise ship’s midnight buffet:

Tall Ships

While the region you’re traveling through is the most obvious attraction to any cruise, there’s a lot to be said for sailing aboard a ship that has its own unique appeal.  Like the 439-foot Royal Clipper, for example.  With its 42 sails unfurled from five masts, the world’s largest sailing ship is an imposing spectacle you’re not likely to see again anytime soon.  And if feeling yourself being carried along by the power of the wind isn’t enough of an adventure for you, there’s the chance to visit distinctly less touristy destinations and try once-in-a-lifetime on-board activities like climbing up to the crow’s nest to enjoy the panoramic view.

Small Boats

While the idea of chartering a sailboat and island-hopping through the Caribbean sounds romantic in theory, from a practical perspective the lofty price tag and steep learning curve put the experience out of many people’s reach.  Which is where the idea of being a crew member aboard one of the luxury sailboats that ply the waters of this yachter’s paradise comes in.  While you’ll need some sailing experience for most paying gigs, there are a few boats that will take complete novices who are willing to pay a reasonable daily rate and invest a little sweat equity by raising sails and pitching in with a few chores.  To learn more and get an idea of whether this affordable cruise ship alternative is right for you, check out this New York Times story of one such trip aboard the two-masted schooner S.V. Illusion.

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Horsing Around: How You Can Ride Into History With Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show

When I read that today was William “Buffalo Bill” Cody’s birthday, it made me wonder whether anyone out there was still putting on the kind of Old West extravaganzas this larger-than-life showman made famous in the waning days of the American frontier.  What I discovered will surprise city slickers and delight all those folks for whom cowboy skills are much more than just quaint historical relics.

You see, it turns out that Buffalo Bill’s Wild West is currently gearing up for its 39th season full of trick riders, fancy ropers, stagecoach robberies, Native American dancers and much more.  Modern-day impresario Montie Montana Jr. says he likes to think of this blend of history and theater as the kind of show old Buffalo Bill himself would be putting on if he were still with us.

While that’s all well and good, what makes this such an extraordinary experience is the fact that Montana holds open tryouts the morning of every performance.  Virtually everyone who turns up can earn a spot in the over-the-top grand finale of that night’s show, while a lucky few may be offered a permanent spot in the show’s internationally touring cast.

To find out where you can see Buffalo Bill’s Wild West—and possibly audition for what’s sure to be an unforgettable moment in this living-history spectacle—check the show’s online calendar.

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There’s A Spell For That: How To Magically Transport Yourself To The Land of Harry Potter

Is it possible to wear out a DVD?  The question came to mind this past weekend as my son watched Harry Potter and The Order Of The Phoenix for what seems like the millionth time since he opened the package on Christmas morning.  Add his new-found habit of walking around the house practicing his “spells” with a home-made magic wand and I think it’s safe to say we have a die-hard Harry Potter fan in the family.

Which is why I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised at the ensuing excitement when I casually mentioned the fact that the Universal Orlando theme park was opening a huge new attraction called “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.”  If you know someone equally smitten with the mysterious goings-on at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, well, we’ll most likely see you there when the place opens this spring.

While this three-dimensional version of our hero’s cinematic world will undoubtedly be great fun, it also raises one unavoidable question.  Where does the serious Harry Potter enthusiast go from here?

Fortunately, with a little digging, I’ve turned up three extraordinary experiences where hardcore wizard-wannabes can take their Potter-mania to the next level:

HP Fan Trips

This is the ultimate Harry Potter experience.  While there are no trips scheduled for 2010, sign up for their mailing list to make sure you get the details of the 10-day tour they have planned for July 2011.  High points will include storytellers, a ride aboard the Hogwarts Express steam train, and a grand Hogwarts-style farewell banquet in the great hall of Edinburgh Castle.

London Taxi Tours

Combine a ride in one of London’s classic black taxis with visits to a long list of memorable Harry Potter filming locations, including the chance to have your picture taken at King Cross Station’s Platform 9-3/4.

The Jacobite Steam Train

Roll through the stunning scenery of the Scottish Highlands on the train that played the role of the Hogwarts Express.  Memorable moments include a trip over the dramatic stone viaduct featured in Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets and a chance to ride in the same carriages where Harry and Ron first met Hermione.

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