When life throws you a curveball, you have two choices. Either, one can take a called strike and wait for a better pitch or turn that curveball into a double. My childhood was dominated by baseball; playing, watching and trading baseball cards, so many of my life lessons revolve around baseball metaphors.
Late last week, I was thrown a curveball. My baby sister called and informed me that she was moving to Austin for a job. I was so excited for her. Then came the ask. "Can you come to Austin with me next weekend to look at apartments?" Really? Drop everything, take time off of work, and buy an expensive ticket to visit a different city? Of course!
So, this weekend I am head to the state of Texas. This is the fifth out of the past six weekends that I won't be in Washington, DC. Honestly, the travel schedule is starting to ware on me, but I am loving every moment. Over the past six weeks, I will have traveled to all four time zones in the United States \
(San Francisco, Colorado Spring, Austin, & Connecticut).
I am excited to visit Austin, because I have only heard great things about the city. Great food, great drinks and even better people. However, my work schedule has not allowed much time but I have not had time to do research. So, I need help my fellow travelers. I need suggestions on places to visit for the following categories:
1) Best Doughnut
2) Best BBQ Place
3) Best Must See Spot (restaurant, attraction or street sign)
4) Best Area for A Young 20 something Professional to Live
Life throws you curveballs from time to time. Its what you do with those curveballs that matter. For me, I am taking this curveball all the way to Texas.
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Follow us on Twitter @doit4thepoints!
Have a question for us? E-mail us at chris@doitforthepoints.com or jd@doitforthepoints.com
Showing posts with label 20s Travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 20s Travel. Show all posts
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Monday, May 27, 2013
730 Days Left!!!!
Today is my 28th birthday! Today, also, leaves me 730 days left to accomplish my big travel goal: travel to seven continents in business class by May 2015.
Today, I add a new goal: visit all 50 States before the age of 40. In typically JD fashion, to count a state as visited, I must stay 3 nights in the state. The 3 nights don't have to be consecutive, but I do need to put my head on a pillow, rock or bench to count.
Below is a map of the states that I have visited and those I have not. The states colored in Red are ones that I have stayed 3+ nights in, the states colored in Green are ones that I have stayed 2+ nights, and all the rest are calling my name. So far I have visit 17 states: 10 for more than 3+ days.
Accomplishing 20% of my goal with 12 years left is a good start. As you can see, I need to visit middle America. Sad to say, I have treated it as fly-over country. Looking down from the plane wondering what is down there. Today, I make my promise to you, middle America...I am coming to visit!
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Follow us on Twitter @doit4thepoints!
Have a question for us? E-mail us at chris@doitforthepoints.com or jd@doitforthepoints.com
As of today, I have hit four continents: North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Leaving South America,Australia and Antarctica. My plan is to visit South America in the fall. Next year, hit Australia or New Zealand; leaving Antarctica for January or February 2015.
Today, I add a new goal: visit all 50 States before the age of 40. In typically JD fashion, to count a state as visited, I must stay 3 nights in the state. The 3 nights don't have to be consecutive, but I do need to put my head on a pillow, rock or bench to count.
Below is a map of the states that I have visited and those I have not. The states colored in Red are ones that I have stayed 3+ nights in, the states colored in Green are ones that I have stayed 2+ nights, and all the rest are calling my name. So far I have visit 17 states: 10 for more than 3+ days.
Accomplishing 20% of my goal with 12 years left is a good start. As you can see, I need to visit middle America. Sad to say, I have treated it as fly-over country. Looking down from the plane wondering what is down there. Today, I make my promise to you, middle America...I am coming to visit!
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Follow us on Twitter @doit4thepoints!
Have a question for us? E-mail us at chris@doitforthepoints.com or jd@doitforthepoints.com
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Travel By Millennials On the Rise
For the so called "Millennial" generation technology and mobile drive our lives. But what also drives life is a desire to travel and see the world. JD and I are both a part of the Millennial generation and we have that travel bug and have used our hobby of points and miles to the fullest advantage. But our friends and fellow Millennials seem to be stuck in the age of, "I would love to travel, but I just can't."
A recent study by American Express Business Insights and featured by ABC News found that despite a struggling economic picture that travel expenditures for Millennials grew by over 20 percent in 2010. Recently the study found that when they analyzed social media they saw that 42 percent of all posts by the Millennial generation focused on travel. The hunger to go out and explore the world is there and the dedication to do it is growing.
As a member of the Millennial generation the desire to travel was instilled in me by family, friends and my undergraduate university where almost 85 percent of undergraduates studied abroad at some point in their undergraduate career. The growth of study abroad programs in recent decades has created a new generation of travelers who have experienced the world, got a little taste of other cultures and wants to go do it all over again.
But the struggling economy, low pay of entry-level jobs and shrinking vacation/sick time balances has them struggling to find their way to their dream destinations. The great thing about the miles and points hobby is that it can't take away a struggling economy, it can't take away the low pay of a job (if only it could) but it can help maximize that vacation time and salary to make travel closer to reach. The even better thing is this hobby, while focused on the luxury life, doesn't have to be. If you don't care to experience Business Class or First Class on your flight and are quite content in Economy...there is still a place for you in points and miles.
In the coming weeks I plan to show how far I have come in just over a year in this hobby and some of the mistakes I made along the way because there are pleanty of resources out there that will show you how to do this hobby well. But there are few resources that will show you how a fellow Millennial did it and the mistakes they made along the way. And lets be honest...I haven't stopped making mistakes and I won't in the future. So I plan to be open and put out on the table and I hope we both can learn through this process and show you how we've done it and how you can do it too.
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Follow us on Twitter @doit4thepoints! Have a question for us? E-mail us at chris@doitforthepoints.com or jd@doitforthepoints.com
A recent study by American Express Business Insights and featured by ABC News found that despite a struggling economic picture that travel expenditures for Millennials grew by over 20 percent in 2010. Recently the study found that when they analyzed social media they saw that 42 percent of all posts by the Millennial generation focused on travel. The hunger to go out and explore the world is there and the dedication to do it is growing.
As a member of the Millennial generation the desire to travel was instilled in me by family, friends and my undergraduate university where almost 85 percent of undergraduates studied abroad at some point in their undergraduate career. The growth of study abroad programs in recent decades has created a new generation of travelers who have experienced the world, got a little taste of other cultures and wants to go do it all over again.
But the struggling economy, low pay of entry-level jobs and shrinking vacation/sick time balances has them struggling to find their way to their dream destinations. The great thing about the miles and points hobby is that it can't take away a struggling economy, it can't take away the low pay of a job (if only it could) but it can help maximize that vacation time and salary to make travel closer to reach. The even better thing is this hobby, while focused on the luxury life, doesn't have to be. If you don't care to experience Business Class or First Class on your flight and are quite content in Economy...there is still a place for you in points and miles.
In the coming weeks I plan to show how far I have come in just over a year in this hobby and some of the mistakes I made along the way because there are pleanty of resources out there that will show you how to do this hobby well. But there are few resources that will show you how a fellow Millennial did it and the mistakes they made along the way. And lets be honest...I haven't stopped making mistakes and I won't in the future. So I plan to be open and put out on the table and I hope we both can learn through this process and show you how we've done it and how you can do it too.
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Follow us on Twitter @doit4thepoints! Have a question for us? E-mail us at chris@doitforthepoints.com or jd@doitforthepoints.com
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