When I was younger, my Dad talked a lot about how he loved and wanted to visit the land out west in the United States. He liked the stories of tradition, the love of the land, and the great open spaces where people and animals roamed for miles. I was often happier on the coasts, as the ocean and her lapping waves provided the serenity I needed, but I knew there was more. From the minute I first set foot in Australia, over a decade ago, I knew there was more to the country than the coast.

This past weekend was surreal! As part of our study abroad program, the program director invited us this past weekend to La Serena and Vicuna, a six-hour drive north of Santiago. I am so grateful that we took rest stops to stretch our legs, because I would have gone insane. Given that our trip is coming to an end in less than a month, it was such a perfect way to spend time together as a group.

I first spotted them as we drew into the parking lot of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore's Visitor Center. Stunned at this unexpected, extraordinary beauty, I hopped out of the car almost as soon as Ed had put it into park.

Redolent of the spices of India, and especially warming during cold winters, Chai tea is a delicious beverage that has migrated from India to, well, everyone! You can find Chai tea lattes at Starbucks and other coffee shops, recipes on Pinterest, and premade at the store. But many of them have strange ingredients - and weak spices.

We all love literary travel (of course. As evidenced by us being regular readers and avid consumers of literature of all types. But I digress). It’s an interesting way to learn about the world, much different than what you’ll get from guidebooks.

European travel is glorious in any form. The food, sights, arts, culture, languages, vistas, and new friends just make it such an enjoyable experience.

Why Travel Europe by Car?

Traveling by car, however, has its own advantages to rail or air travel. Let's look at some of the advantages of touring Europe by car (click here for our recommendations)

Blanketed with big-bushy trees that flame red and orange in the fall, then soak up the snowflakes in the winter, and burst with green the rest of the year, Holmes County, Ohio is a world apart. 
 
And along the road, it’s not uncommon to see Amish buggies with horses plodding along the gently, curving roads. 

As autumn turns to winter, it becomes a time for reflection, for connection, for celebration. Music makes a good companion for the questions, connections and celebrations this season invites.

While I was studying abroad, getting to class was just part of my day to day activities in order to be in class. But, looking back, getting to class was part of the adventure as well. You don’t consider the small details until you reflect on your time abroad. Although it took me almost an hour to get to class, I had come to really enjoy my commute because I was able to exercise, spend time outside, and meet new people. So don’t fret if you end up living in a different area of London! It's doable, and a very interesting journey.