One New Website

http://www.bust.com/letsgo/index.html - Search where you want to go and get a travel guide

Tips for Iceland From a Traveler

Iceland was fantastic, the only thing I'd recommend is not going in the winter. Not so much because of the cold (it's not that much colder than New York in winter, at least normally...not this strange winter we've had this year), but because there's only about 5 hours of daylight in the winter. The sun comes up at like 11:00 and goes down at 4:00, so I'd get up and look at my watch and see 10:00 and have no idea if it was morning or night. If I went back (which I'd love to) it would be in the summer, when they have 24 hours of daylight per day.If you go, definitely do a tour of the golden circle, which is a day tour of some of the most impressive geographic features of Iceland, including Geysir, Gullfoss the waterfall, and glaciers.Also really fun was the geothermal natural springs, which I didn't have any pictures of. Since Iceland is basically a volcanic island, there is a lot of geothermal heat, and there are these outdoor hot springs where the water is like 80 degrees while the air is 40 degrees, and you just sit in this steaming water amongst volcanic rocks. It's really relaxing.In Reykjavik, check out the Hallgrimskirkja, a church that is the tallest building in Iceland, you can get a great view of the city from there. There is a lot of interesting architecture too, like Perlan, which is this funky looking building that's actually a water reservoir, though they also turned it into a high class restaurant/mueseum. We were lucky in that my friend I went with had a friend in Iceland who showed us around, and his mother even cooked us an authentic Icelandic meal (a lot of fish, very tasty).Have fun!

2 websites

• http://www.flare.com/travel/index.jsp - Gives tips on lots of Canadian destinations and some international ones.

• http://travel.discovery.com/ - Destination guides, reviews, etc. Has the potential to be very useful.

Shop Like a Fashion Editor in London (courtesy of Flare magazine)

Chic but Cheap: Fridays are best at London's legendary Portobello Road Market on Portobello Road (get there by 8 a.m. for the best selection). Start at the undercover market, alongside Cambridge Garden Road, where you'll find fab vintage clothes, shoes, and accessories, antique textiles, and bric-a-brac. And don't be shy about trying to strike a bargain. Then toward Golborne Road, where you'll find stores stuffed with antiques alongside great Portuguese and Moroccan cafes. Walk farther and you'll be rewarded with Rellik (8 Golborne Rd.), a fabulous but pricey vintage clothing store with an amazing Vivienne Westwood collection. Keep you eye out for Kate Moss, who's known to riffle through the racks.
In London's West End, Topshop, in Oxford Circus, is a fashion mecca: runway and trend-driven looks arrive in record speed and you'll find them here at the best prices. Really, no outfit is complete without a bit of Topshop's cheap frippery thrown in for fun. And celebs know this, too- although they go undercover or send their stylists to do the gathering.

Budget-blasting Fun: If Brit/homegrown labels appeal, head for Wigmore Street, where you'll find Margaret Howell at number 34. Fans of Paul Smith love this label, too, which was launched in the '70s. The men's and women's collections are as true to the designer's classic vision as ever, with lovely fabrics, simple detailing, precise cuts, relaxed tailoring and quirky touches. Get your decor fix while you're here: this flagship store houses mid- to late-20th-century-designed furniture, home accessory classics, and a concise selection of design reference books.
For a different flavour, try Marylebone High Street, where you'll find stores with a well-heeled, typical Brit feel. Look in on The White Company, 12 Marylebone High St., for quality chic fashion and housewares.
Looking for the designers with street cred? Head to the hottest department store: Selfridges, 400 Oxford St. The ground floor houses Spirit - key collections from all the hot high-street names in women's wear and shoes: Topshop, Warehouse, French Connection, and more. Don't miss the best of high design and high fashion on other floors. If you're in need of still more designer retail therapy (Dries Van Noten, Marc by Marc Jacobs or See by Chloe, anyone?), check out Liberty, 210-225 Regent St. Walking through that Tudor black-and-white frontage on Great Marlborough Street makes you feel as if you're as unique and eclectic as the department store itself.

Ok, I know I said this blog will help me travel cheaply.
Let's just say window shopping is key.

Places to go in London (from a Londoner)

It would be illegal not to have a whole page on Oxford Street. It has to have the biggest writing and totally stand out.So, everyone out the bus. We can always catch another. The largest highstreet in Europe is NOT to be missed!

Accessorize, Faith, H&M, Laura Ashley, Miss Selfridge, Mango, Warehouse, TOPSHOP, GAP, Next, Oasis, Boots, Superdrug, Jane Norman, Ernest Jones, Swarovski, H. Samuel, Supercuts, Debenhams, House of Fraser, John Lewis, Disney Store, Starbucks, French Eye, Jeans West, W H Smith, New Look, HMV, Schuh, Urban Outfitters and so many more!

2 Websites

• http://www.globetrekkertv.com/ - The website for the tv show Globe Trekker. Has travel and cultural guides

• http://www.wwoof.org/ - A listing of organic farms where you can volunteer in exchange for food and lodging.

A Bunch of Websites

• http://www.globalfreeloaders.com/ - People around the world let you stay with them for free. Same idea as hospitality club, except that the guest is also required to host.

• http://www.hiayh.org/ - International hostel listing

• http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/travel/index.shtml - Tips on budget travel, cultural travel, and more.

• http://budgettravel.about.com/ - Apparently a budget travel search engine

• http://www.contrariantraveler.com/resources.html - Travel resource site...may prove to be useful

• http://www.virtualtourist.com/ - Covers all aspects of different world cities and regions. May not show the cheapest things, but it has reviews and ideas.

• ****http://www.travel-library.com/rtw/html/faq.html - Supposedly an amazing collection of travel tips.

• ****http://www.worldscheapestdestinations.com/id10.html - Tons of useful travel links. I started to list them, but there were too many.

• http://www.findagap.com/ - Will help me find something to do on a gap year, if I decide to take one

Today's Findings - 2 Websites

• http://www.hospitalityclub.org/ – People all over the world host you or give you tours or whatever for free

• http://www.jewishservice.org/ – Travel volunteer programs for Jews

In Which I Explain the Reason for this Blog

I have lots of dreams, everyone does. I want to publish a novel. Hell, I want to finish writing a novel, and then publish it. I want to master the art of drawing a person realistically. I want to graduate high school. I want to graduate college. I want to find the love of my life and stay with him forever. I want to do a whole lot.

One of my strongest desires is to travel all over the world. I don't want to travel just to see the sights. I want to get a real taste of the places I visit - the people, the culture, the history...everything. I want to make friends I will never forget, to develop such a deep love of these places that they will never get checked off my list, because I will want to visit them again and again. I want to take vivid pictures and write about my experiences.

I spent 3 weeks in Israel this summer, living with Israelis and experiencing their culture. I know that this is what I want to do.

I have a plan to get me started on my journeys. Well, my second cousin, Juli, and I have a plan. Our mothers spent the summer traveling cheaply around Europe together in college. We want to follow in their footsteps, make this a family tradition. It will happen. Our families think that it's just an idea that we muse over for fun, like "oh, wouldn't that be great.' It's not. We are dead serious. We want to do it so badly that it just has to happen.

Unfortunately, money may be an obstacle for both this trip and the others I plan to take, as well as a lack of opportunities. Which brings me to the point of this blog. This blog is a place for me to record my ideas for travel, my inspirations, the places I want to go, and the resources that may help me reach my goal.

I doubt anyone will read this besides me, but if you do, feel free to post ideas or useful links or whatever. I would be eternally grateful.