Matt Stabile is more than a travel blogger: he's also a co-author of a pretty impressive collection of tales called "The Expeditioner's Guide to the World: Intrepid Tales of Awesomeness from the Open Road" that is a coffee table book you'll actually read. If you want to be inspired to travel the world — no matter if you've always been a wallflower shy to cross the road, or even if you've climbed K2 — read his book and blog, TheExpeditioner.com. We catch up with Matt who kindly paused from his worldwide expeditions to chat with us.

Q. What prompted you to start your own travel blog?

Matt Stabile: Back in school, I thought the dream job when I graduated would be to work for a travel magazine. When I realized that was probably more of a dream than reality, I decided to just go ahead and start my own, which would also allow me the freedom to do what I wanted with it, and to also by my own boss. It turns out I'm a really mean, vindictive boss and I kind of wish I never went to work for me. But I also often let myself wear casual attire to work and sometimes surprise myself with office ice cream parties.

Q. Did you imagine it would have the success its enjoying now?

I'm grateful it's developed the following that it has, and I'm just glad there's a few people out there who enjoy something that I put so much time and effort into.

Q. How did your book come about? How is it doing and where can people buy it?

The book turned out great and I and the other co-editors have had nothing but positive reactions from people who have read it (perhaps those with any negative reactions didn't bother to share those feelings?). It's available now in paperback and eBook form at Amazon: http://amzn.to/pu8L8D.

Q. What's next in your travel plans?

As is usually the case, no travel plans on the immediate horizon, but I do foresee a trip down to Central America this fall. In the next few years or so I would love to see: China, India, Lebanon, Turkey, Morocco, Australia and Kenya.

Q. Who are your travel heroes and why?

If I were to choose one travel hero it would have to be Ernest Hemingway. If anyone else to date has written better about their experiences away from home better than him, I would love to know.

Q. What do you like about the travel blogging community in general?

The travel blogging community is comprised of some of the most interesting people with the most varied backgrounds than probably any other online blogging community. My guess is that every single one of them would lend another blogger $10, offer a couch to crash on, or give a hand in supporting someone's  particular effort, without thinking about it for more than a moment.

Thanks for all the candid responses, Matt! To be considered for inclusion in the Travel Blogger Spotlight series, drop me a line at Charu AT Butterflydiary DOT COM.

For the past four days, the media has engaged in nothing short of frenzied activity informing people to clear out of  Hurricane Irene's path. On Friday, Mayor Bloomberg highlighted the mandatory evacuation zone areas for New York City and its surrounding burroughs.

I was freaking out, and was having some form of inner panic attack. Would my house be uprooted like a turnip? Would Butterscotch survive? And since my basement has been witness to copious amounts of flooding in the past, I was convinced that Irene would do a number on it.

I had not been through Gloria in 1984 (I hadn't even set foot in the U.S. at that point) but my husband remembers it well. He felt that Irene would be pretty similar to Gloria so luckily he remembered all the tips and tricks he had employed at that time to prepare. OBVIOUSLY I would get flashlights but all the stores were sold out of flashlights on Friday. We had a few headlights with strong lights (these really resemble miner's lights) but I felt at the very worst we could use those; plus we stocked up on plenty of triple A batteries for them.

Since I'm also a beauty blogger, I had tons of designer candles floating around the house. I felt prepared. As I watched the news on Saturday morning, I was appalled to see kids surfing on Long Beach just hours before the storm was scheduled to hit, and people walking on the beach in Point Pleasant, NJ — a mandatory evacuation area. I guess I'll never be as brave (or stupid?) as some of these folks.

Friday night, the grocery stores were packed with people purchasing nearly 30 days worth of food. I mean, seriously people?! Can't we just get the essentials and move on? Apparently not. All the shelves were out of pasta, sauce, coffee and water. All I wanted was to buy a few cases of water but no luck. I was getting a bit nervous. As we drove to get some quick Indian food in Jersey City later on that evening, we stopped to refuel our car at a gas station. And lo and behold, they had CRATES of water left.

I asked the attendant how much each case (30 bottles) was. "$8 each," he said. You know, I didn't even bat an eyelash. Typically you pay $5 a case in grocery stores but for a $3 markup and zero lines it sounded like a bargain to me. We had our water.

On Saturday morning, I didn't venture outdoors at all. We weren't in an evacuation zone (Weehawken is on top of a cliff) but we received several calls from worried relatives who told us "Hoboken is evacuating, why aren't you evacuating?" and we explained to them that Hoboken was right near the water and we would be okay. Still, it added to my anxiety that all the residents were fleeing in my neighboring town.

The sky was lead gray all Saturday morning and as the evening came, I just decided I would start making lots of food and storing it in Tupperware, just in case our electricity died (we knew we'd still have gas, but wouldn't be able to make rice, for instance, as easily without a rice cooker that was working). As Saturday evening rolled around, the rain started to intensify and I could hear the wind howling like a banshee. The worst of it wouldn't really happen in our area until 2 or 3 in the morning, but since we were so plugged into the news and Twitter, we just followed the timeline of events and heard about a few deaths and casualties.

It was a restless night on Saturday, I'll admit. Our electricity went out more than once but immediately came back on — major kudos to PSE&G for maintaining our power. We woke up a few times to inspect the basement since that was our sole point of concern, and were thrilled to find no damage or flooding there!

On Sunday morning, I woke up at the crack of dawn to make sure nothing was amiss. There was a minor leak right above our front door and our entrance room is a tad bit damp but nothing else. Our car, which was parked on the road, had also survived (I was worried about falling trees and branches).

This morning, I chatted with the EMS situated next door to my house and they said there were "zero casualties" in Weehawken. They also told me that Jersey City was completely flooded but as was Hoboken. She had heard people in Hoboken were "bailing water out of their house with buckets."

I caught up with a few of my blogger buddies to see how they had survived Irene and how they had taken measures to prepare:

Anne Raso (@anne241) says:  I filled about 10 quart bottles of water, made sure my flashlight had batteries, went food shopping and made sure the local laundry delivered my clean underwear yesterday! LOL! Oh, and I also made sure that both my Blackberry and Ipod Touch–which also gets email–were charged overnight on Saturday!

Alywalansky (@alywalansky) on what helped her get through Irene: TWITTER: It was sketchy for a while, but being online made me never feel alone. Also, NETFLIX is the best thing that ever happened to a marooned alarmist.

Kimmie Smith (@cocoabebe) was not in town but she prepared nevertheless: "I flew out for a segment, I made sure my boyfriend had candles, knew what foods in the fridge should be eaten & had batteries"

Andi Perullo (@andiperullo) wasn't exactly in Irene's path, but was plugged into the whole scene: We didn't prepare for Irene because we were never in the path. We've just stay tuned to the the news for the last 5 days straight.

Natasha Neagle (@agirlnamednat) lost electricity during Irene: My family camped out in the living room when the power went out and updated friends and family through Twitter and Facebook.

Mario (@MarioTravels) on how he survived: I survived the storm by eating my way through the pantry and catching up on some reading. My waistline was the only thing Irene destroyed.

Amber de Grace (@amberdegrace): I've been through worse storms but we have a tree down, destroyed quarter of our fence. All safe but not without stress.

Leslie Koch (@leslietravel): Irene barely touched the East Village. I awoke from a sound sleep to see a few scattered leaves. Apocalypse averted!

Aaron Shapiro (@adventurousness) on how he survived Irene: Closed windows, stocked up on batteries, canned food and water and stuck to Twitter!

Candice Sabatini (@SabatiniOnStyle), a beauty and travel editor, on how she survived Irene: Had a Girls-Night-In w/ two neighbors. We figured out how to fix the world while consuming wine, vodka, hummus, cheese, fruit and crackers.

The aftermath of Irene. My street was completely like a ghost town. Luckily there were no fallen trees or casualties.

The EMS next to our house was very quiet, a good sign

This was about the real severe damage of Irene

A lone man sits on a bench in front of the Pathmark Shopping Mall right after the eye of the storm went past us

The 24/7 Pathmark behind our house doesn't open until noon today

Butterscotch seems puzzled at all the fuss and wonders, "where are my treats?"

A man presumably headed home after he spent an evening at the shelter

A very misty, drenched view of Weehawken's track & baseball field on Sunday morning

A survivor

A view of New York City's skyline at approximately 6:00pm on Sunday, when most of the storm had cleared

Taping windows is an art

Taped signals : I can't believe someone thought to do this!

Have an Irene story to share? Leave  a comment below or email me at Charu AT Butterflydiary DOT COM to be included in the roundup. Be safe everyone!

- Charu Suri

For most people, looking at beautiful photographs is highly relaxing. For those taking the photos, it's anything but, because photography at its core is both an art and a science. For several years, I approached photography with a deep dedication to everything "auto." It never even occurred to me that there was another way around it. 

This was well before I owned a DSLR camera, and well before I even understood why Ansel Adams was famous. My eye wasn't trained to notice the artistry behind great photography.

Over the past year, as I've become more vested in my travel blog, I've realized the weight of the saying, "a picture is worth a thousand words." So much for being a writer — what I really needed to be was a photographer! So, I was delighted at the opportunity to review Bethany Salvon and Randy Kalp's work in their e-book, "Getting out of Auto." 

First, a couple of general observations about "Getting out of Auto":  

- This is an e-book for everyone: from the serious photographer to the amateur who wants to graduate from polaroid shots. It's written in a simple, fun and highly-engaging way so everyone can get the most out of it;

- It's a book that you can read and reread and still gain so much information because the art of putting photography into practice is a lifetime's work. Take this e-book with you (save it on your desktop) because it will become your best friend;

- Bethany gives you several ways to shoot a photo but always chimes in with her "tried and true" method that I find very reassuring. So, this book is written as a mentor so you can succeed in taking photographs;

- She'll talk about concepts such as exposure, white balance, ISO in a way that everyone can grasp these concepts: a good knowledge and understanding of these core photography concepts will serve you in good stead over the years;

Recently, when I went to Vail, I experimented a bit with ISO and Aperture Priority Mode settings. As a newbie I would do things such as assume ISO and aperture  was the only thing that really mattered for the correct exposure but it's helpful to get reminders like, "remember Aperture, Shutter Speed & ISO work together as a team." I had totally forgotten about looking at Shutter Speed as I started clicking.

By reading and rereading this book (which is worth way more than $9.99, in my opinion — it's so user friendly and better than several books I've seen in bookstores), you'll get a feel for the interactive nature of your camera. But it's also important to realize it's not just a numbers game — the composition matters too! So, playing with aspects like cropping and looking for a good subject and point of focus also matter (now, I won't forget to look at naturally-occurring lines.

MY EXPERIMENT WITH COMPOSITION AND TRULY "GETTING OUT OF AUTO" 

This is on "Auto." It was a point and shoot moment. The auto settings were 1/40 F Stop 3.5 and ISO of 200.

I paid more attention to composition and detail. This is in Manual Setting, Aperture 1/80 F Stop 5 and ISO of 320

This is zoomed in and even more detailed. I focused on the pistil and the petals. Manual setting, Aperture 1/80 F Stop 5.6 and ISO of 320.

I'm thrilled to see how paying attention to all the moving parts (ISO, F Stop and Aperture) as well as the settings can bring a relatively untamed, dull backyard to life. Another point in the book that struck a chord is the perspective aspect. Bethany says, "The quickest way to get a shot no one else has is to go low or go high." I should try photography from paragliding, or underwater photography sometime. 

The book is also filled with incredible pictures — and here, I'm using the word "incredible" deservedly. There are jaw-dropping shots but I feel as though I've got a fair crack at taking such good shots if I remain a diligent student. After reading "Getting out of Auto," I'm definitely more aware of the elements of taking a good picture, and appreciating a good picture like a fine glass of wine.

Every photographer — amateur or pro — should get this book. $9.99 on Beers & Beans. 

- Charu Suri

To kick start a new series I am starting called "Behind the Scenes" of the travel industry,  I interview Sue Lowry from Magellan PR on working with travel bloggers, the shifting landscape, favorite blogs and everything else you've wanted to know but were afraid to ask.

Here is our Q&A.

Q. What would be your primary advice to a newbie travel blogger? Anything
specific you can share that would help him/her?

This week, my spotlight series is on a lovely adventurer whom most of you will likely know: Andi Perullo of "My Beautiful Adventures." A lover of fine things and a fearless wanderer, Andi has an enthusiastic passion for travel –who is very much into the art and craft of taking photographs! We catch up her in a Q&A.

Andi with a dolphin in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

Q: Name one of your most interesting travel conversations.

Andi Perullo: I have had thousands of interesting conversations throughout my decade of traveling.  Honestly, each one in some way is the most interesting.  I try to talk to everyone I encounter in my travels, because you never know where a simple, “Hello,” could lead.

Q: Which place did you think you'd absolutely dislike that you fell in love with? Any that come to mind?

Ibiza, Spain.  I am not much of a partier and everyone knows that Ibiza is the place to party.  I promised my brother, however, that as a high school graduation present I would take him anywhere in the world and that is where he picked.  Thus, I begrudgingly went and was shocked that within hours of my arrival I was completely enchanted with the island!  I have been plotting my return ever since.

Q. What's your travel MUST have? Pet peeve?

A must have is my Canon 30D camera.  My pet peeve is delayed or canceled flights – nothing puts me in a worse mood.

In Delhi, India

Q. Which type of traveler most annoys you?

A fearful person.  Traveling is about being open to new experiences and trusting in the goodness of humanity; it is not about being scared and closed off.

Q. If money were no object, where would you be right now?

Antarctica

Q. Which movies have you recently enjoyed in flight? Travel books?

Whenever I travel long distances I always upload every episode of Sex and the City onto my computer.  The show puts me in the best mood (which is very helpful for when I’m returning from a trip and I am sad).  I normally do not travel with books, rather with newspapers and magazines, so that once I am done reading them I can either throw them away or give them to someone else to enjoy.

Q. Which airports do you love?

My 2 favorite are BCN (Barcelona El Prat) and CLT (Charlotte Airport).  BCN has incredible shopping and CLT has rocking chairs and a Starbucks every few feet.

Thanks for the insightful answers and for allowing us to get to know you better, Andi! Stay tuned for more in the blogger spotlight series each week. To be featured in the spotlight series, drop me a line at Charu AT Butterflydiary DOT COM.

Since we had only two days in Vail (and we arrived late to the Village on Friday afternoon), I made a mad dash to my beautiful accommodations at the Sonnenalp Resort to get ready for the last evening performance of the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival, and listen to the New York Philharmonic perform at Vail's Gerald Ford Amphitheater. I was so excited! Having been a musician all my life (I played Bach at the age of five and there was no turning back), I missed being able to just relax, sit back and enjoy a performance. The real irony: I haven't been to  New York Philharmonic performance in New York City in years…I guess I had to fly across the country to cross that off my list.

The Gerald Ford R. Amphitheater is just a ten minute walk from one end of the town, and in case you don't feel like walking, you can take the free public bus that runs like a cheerful airport monorail through the Village (Vail has the largest free public transportation in the United States). The venue houses 1,260 guests in its seated area, and additional thousand (give or take) people on its grassy hillside above the bright red seats. Listening to Gershwin, Ravel and other classical masters while gazing at the snow-capped mountains is one of those truly memorable experiences I will forever cherish. This is the way music is meant to be savored: in the summer, at some 8,000 feet above sea level with a picnic on the lawn and some great company. 

This is how I will always remember my first impression of Vail: a moveable, musical Alpine feast. 

If you're in town during the summer, take advantage of these can't miss activities:

Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival: I loved the chance to catch the New York Philharmonic at the Gerald Ford Amphitheater. All summer long, visitors can catch world class musicians and soloists as part of this rich watershed of musical activities. Frequent performers include the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and of course, the New York Philharmonic that we caught during the very last day of the summer festival. The Festival runs from June through August each year.

Farmer's Market & Cultural Performances: I loved being able to stroll around at Vail's Farmer's market on Sunday, a few hours before we drive back to Denver to catch our flight. The market — as you may expect — features local and organic product, and also regional wines from Colorado. I was impressed at the taste of the Alpine honey, which also promises to stave off allergies. Vail takes its Farmer's Market seriously, and has rock bands playing cool music to accompany your shopping. Kids enjoy outdoor trampolines and fun entertainment, and of course, dogs are welcome everywhere.

Running Down Trails, Past the Covered Bridges and Gore Creek: Gore Creek in Vail is the source of many a fun activity with kids and parents. You can do kayaking on Gore Creek, get deliciously splashed, or — as I recently found out — go white water stand up paddle boarding. Seriously! Gore Greek runs through vail and naturally, there are beautiful running paths along this bubbling, gurgling, creek. Did I do some running? You betcha! I did two miles and loved it. I didn't break a sweat or anything (we are at some 8,000 feet above sea level) and surprisingly, because of the cool breeze, I wasn't breathing too hard. When I ran along Gore Creek, I spotted several visitors sitting down and reading a book, or doing yoga. Who says you need to be at a beach to finish that novel?

Take the Eagle Bahn Gondola Up to Eagle's Nest: Riding the Gondola (a covered lift) was actually more fun than I thought it would be. You'll need to catch it from Lion's Head, which is at one end of Vail Village, and the cost is approximately $29 with lunch included (there are also options for just the Gondola ride alone). The Gondola ride is enjoyable, almost like a gentle rocking motion (the crazy thing is you get on the bahn AS it is moving). 

The Eagle Bahn takes you to the 10,340 feet high Eagle's Nest where you can indulge in views of the famed Mount of the Holy Cross, get free guided nature walks that expose you to the beauty of flowers like the scarlet paintbrush and the beauty and science behind the Aspen trees (apparently the chalky powder on the bark of the Aspen trees was used as a natural sun protectant). There are also horse riding opportunities, and plenty of paths to do mountain biking (bikes are allowed on the gondolas).

GERALD FORD AMPHITHEATER, BETTY FORD GARDENS & SCULPTURES

The Gerald Ford Amphitheater, where cultural events are held year long.

Signage for the Bravo! Vail Valley Festival. If you miss the banners, you probably need glasses.

Aspen tree sculptures in the Betty Ford Gardens. I wonder what machine they used to slice the trees so neatly in half.

Perching on a rock in front of the Gerald Ford Amphitheater. I love how warm the weather was (significantly overdressed here).

A funny thing happened on the way to the Vail Valley Music Festival…

Me in front of some flowers at the Betty Ford Gardens.

Leslie Koch of DowntownTraveler.com and I, enjoying our picnic and soaking in the terrific music performed by the New York Philharmonic during the final evening of Festival.

An iconic branch-looking mass of white. A garden sculpture at the Betty Ford Gardens.

Children's Garden at Betty Ford Gardens

GONDOLA RIDES, EAGLE'S NEST, MOUNTAIN BIKING AND HORSEBACK RIDES

I'm actually excited to go on the Eagle Bahn Gondola, despite my fear of heights.

The gondola's reflection on the paths and trees below.

The view from Eagle's Nest was like a scene from "The Sound of Music."

View of the Mount of the Holy Cross on the extreme left. The snow is supposed to make a "cross" symbol but it's a bit of a stretch to actually see it. I'm waiting for Julie Andrews to come out singing "The Hills Are Alive" here…

You can enjoy a horseback ride…

…savor the wildflowers on the hillside (don't pick one, you'll get a $250 fine!)...

..admire the spectacular poppies …

…bike on many of the mountain trails…

…pose for many momentous shots…

…or be forced to take momentous shots.

There are bikes and rentals everywhere.

You catch the gondola from Lion's Head, which is at one end of Vail.

Lion's Head, also, is bursting with flowers…

…and terrific company.

OUTDOOR SCULPTURES, MUSEUMS, AND ART

Vail at night is beautiful in and of itself (notice the ghostly glow of the aspen trees on the hill above).

But with the outdoor sculptures that give an eerie, luminous glow, it is even more beautiful.

This outdoor light sculpture in the center of Vail Village morphs colors and is a luminous wonder at night.

When I was visiting, there was a temporary outdoor sculpture installation in the village.

Flowers in front of the Vail Ski Museum.

The Ski Museum gives you an overview of the history of skiing, outfits and legends in the area.

Even the bus stop has beautiful tiled art work done by school kids.

Matt has a conversation with Einstein about his theories…

…and really wants an explanation on this whole relativity business.

COVERED BRIDGES, GORE CREEK & THE FARMER'S MARKET

Gore Creek offers an excellent venue for outdoor activities.

This is the place to visit to paint, read a book, or simply have a zen moment.

Gore Creek and Vail's covered bridge at night is one part mystical, another part period piece.

The Sunday Farmer's Market spanned the entire length of Vail Village.

There was locally grown organic produce, of course…

…and Winter Park Honey which helps build your immune levels against allergies…

…there were basket makers from Ghana (odd but wonderful)…

…and of course, the furry visitor.

I felt as though I needed a Swiss stamp in my passport. Summer in Vail meant flowers blooming and spilling with colorful force from their box windows and painted carts. Runners in shorts and tees whizzed by, and bicyclists sped past unhurried tourists taking in everything.

Vail in the summer reminded me of my visit to Geneva and Mount Arosa — the only two places I remember from my visit to Switzerland when I was only nine years old. I could see the the mountains covered in Aspen trees, Birch and Pine; I loved walking through the main street in Vail Village with its charming cobblestone streets and breathing — almost gulping — the fresh air. This was such a far cry from New York City, it was like comparing apples to hedgehogs. 

One of the first aspects I noticed about the town is how friendly the people were. I feel as though the general "I have no time for you" syndrome becomes much less when you move away from the metropolis (New York in particular), but there are few places where people have taken genuine delight in talking to you. And then there are the pets. Almost every other person I saw owned a dog, and a Golden Retriever at that. Vail has several pet stores, grooming salons and hotels that pamper the four-legged guest. The only other place I've been to that is as pet friendly is Carmel, California.

The first aspect of the Village I loved was the floral explosion. Strong, vivid colors. These are pots of blooms Renoir would have loved. A photographer can perch his tripod anywhere and be at home. A naturalist could study every tree in Vail Village and still not exhaust the possibilities.

Yoga is a popular sport here, and often in the summertime, there is free community yoga. There is likely no better location to unwind, to let your tension and cares go to the cliched and proverbial wind. Vail may consistently be ranked as one of the country's best ski resorts, but summer time, as Gershwin put it, "is when the livin' is easy."

You'll be taken with the blooms at the get go. This is no "paint by number" town. From scarlet to purple, colors are everywhere, and it's up to you to find out how to savor them. It's easy to be overwhelmed by the sensory spectacle of Vail, so pace yourself. The pictures above are from the entrance to the Sonnenalp Resort, and it's easy to get caught up in the details of the place.

My Junior Suite at Sonnenalp Resort in Vail: warm colors, a cozy fireplace and a distinctly chalet-style feel. As a vegetarian, I'm always wary when there are antlers in the room but was informed that the animal "died of natural causes." The hotel has "breakfast included" plans, so be sure to inquire. I loved the meticulous turndown service and freshly-baked cookies and bottle of fresh spring water that was brought in each evening.

A room with a view (the Swiss-style hotel rooms outside my balcony). The idyllic setting, European-style look and feel, and impeccable service are some of the factors that may have influenced Travel + Leisure Magazine to give the hotel the "World's Best" Award in 2010.

Vail has several cobblestone streets that give the town a distinct European flair. It's both a walking town and a biking town (you'll basically trip over mountain bike rental stores). Tourists and residents can find so much to take in: the flowers, scenery, colors, pets, stores and shops are all eye candy. The Village was hugely popularized by President Gerald Ford whose family vacationed here from the 1970's.

Naturalists will love Vail: from the flowers to sprawling pines to the unmistakeable aspen trees, every nook and cranny is covered with flora and greenery. The residents obviously take great pride in their gardens.

Our travel blogger spotlight series continues with the charming Jeff Titelius, who has a thing for the Classics. Hence his site, Euro Travelogue, which is filled with fables on the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and other ancient gems. His enthusiasm on Twitter is infectious, and everyone who knows him loves him. In Jeff's case, familiarity breeds affection.

Here is his skinny on life, philosophy and the global whole nine yards.

1. How old were you that you remembered your first "vivid" travel memory, and what was it?

Jeff Titelius: Wow, that's taking me back quite a long ways…all the way back to 1969 when  I traveled to Fort Lauderdale on vacation with my family.  At the time, I  was 5 years old and it was to be my first adventure on a plane. You can  imagine how excited I was not only to be flying but to be going to the  "Sunshine State."  What wonderful memories I still have from the Lago Mar  Resort where we stayed to the Lion Country Safari in West Palm Beach.  My  dad rented a red convertible for us to cruise around in and it was because  of this car, that I lost one of my favorite sweaters…it flew right out of the back seat and was gone.  Needless to say, it was quite traumatic for  this 5-year old.  LOL.  But I still look back fondly to the "old Florida"  and how much I miss it, especially now that I live here and so much has  changed.

Matt and Jeff Titelius in Venice: Lunch on their first day in the city

2. What inspired you to be a travel blogger? 

What inspired me most to become a travel blogger was my desire to preserve my first European adventure in 2005 and what a whirlwind journey through Italy and France we undertook that year!  Usually, I rely on my camera to capture my experiences along the way, but when we booked our journey to Europe, a life-long dream of mine since college, I decided to tote along my journal to record every moment of my time from the time we got up to the time we retired.  I didn't want to forget a single thing – where we stayed, where we ate, the exciting places we ventured, my personal reflections on those places and the people we met long the way.  During that time, I first heard of "weblogs" as they were called in the beginning, and soon thought how magical it would be to write about my journeys and showcase my photography of all of my European adventures.  How exciting is the prospect to preserve these memories forever, okay almost forever.  It is this desire for posterity that I began to blog and now, I am an addict.

Exterior of the Louvre Museum

3. Name one thing you couldn't live without when you travel that you'd even bribe the TSA to give back to you.

I know you said one thing but these two things go hand in hand…sorry.  I would absolutely pay anything to keep my journal and my camera. For these are my appendages when I travel and I never leave the room without them.

4. Who is one your travel inspirations?
 
I think I am most inspired by Frances Mayes, author of "Under the Tuscan Sun."  Having finished that book just before my first trip to Europe, it was her poetic prose that lived on in my mind during the travels.  I so desperately wanted to capture my experiences as eloquently as she did in her extraordinary chronicles.

5. Name one place on your bucket list that is most likely to happen.

The one destination on my bucket list, which if I may add, it like a novel unto itself, that is most likely to become part of my travel experience is my journey through Austria, Switzerland and Germany. These places evoke such enchanting images in my mind from storybook villages nestled in spectacular Alpine settings; to each city's magnificent architecture along the way; to the cultures and histories spanning hundreds if not thousands of years; to the epicurean adventures that await; and finally to the majestic castles perched like sentinels high atop scenic mountains so mighty!

6. Name one place on your bucket list least likely to happen.

Bali and Indonesia…however, it because it is least likely to succeed in my near future, I will endeavor to visit one day,  these island nations on the other side of the world!

Follow Jeff Titelius on Twitter, and check out his travel blog. Thanks for the answers, Jeff! If you’re a travel blogger and would like to be featured in the series, just drop me a line at Charu AT Butterflydiary DOT COM.

When I left New York City, it was humid and a little damp. Westward bound to Colorado, I knew all my preconceived notions of the state would disappear when I visited. This has happened before: that standardized postcard image of any destination would be put on the back burner once I knew what a destination's flavor, vibe and scenery was like. As one travel writer put it, "you can't write about a place after reading Wikipedia."

My flight to Denver was surprisingly brief. I had expected five hours at the very least, but once we were airborne, I was chatting away with a pleasant, intelligent companion about her travels. Typically, I do fly with my husband, but in this instance I flew Continental Airlines on my own, and had Matthew take American Airlines because I had a few miles saved up. As luck would have it, we managed to find flight times that synchronized almost to the minute, so there was no pesky, disconcerting wait times.

I arrived in Denver just three hours and thirty minutes after a smooth, unhurried departure from Newark, and almost gasped at the vast stretch of flat lands, crop circles and greenery. Denver, called the "mile high city" is around 5,280 feet above sea level, accessorized with an iconic airport (the largest in the United States) that looks one-part sculpture, one part circus tent. Since Southwest Airlines commenced operations to Denver in 2006, it has made the destination its fastest-growing market.

I can see why the city is suited to both business and leisure travelers: the air felt filtered clean, and there was a sense of calm and friendliness; I felt like a typical New Yorker, rushing to pick up the rental car while visitors savored and strolled. As we drove past the airport, we took I-70 towards Vail, Colorado. The interstate, free from obnoxious honks, beeps or irate passengers, was crowded, but definitely not like New York. I did not experience bumper to bumper moments, and the silhouette of the Rockies' front range –pale smoky blue and an enigma like Lochness – calmed in the distance.

As my husband explained to me, since he had previously been at a music festival in Aspen, "you go straight up." There are no switchback roads on the ascent to Vail from Denver (or at least the kind of switchbacks I had experienced when we rode up Mount Washington in New Hampshire — which was nothing but switchbacks, sending me into minor shocks every time I saw oncoming traffic). The journey on I-70 is completely painless and full of scenery. I started snapping away, taking any shots of the mountains I could from inside the car. Pines, spruce (we had not seen the iconic aspen trees yet), I was taking shots as though I were a wedding photographer. "Honestly you'll get much better shots once we're at Vail," my husband said, as I paid no attention and took photos of the side view mirror with spruce, side view mirror plus birch, wind shield wipers plus interstate plus valley.

What my tacky photographs did not show was my excitement at escaping to a cooler, purer region that I had seen only in magazines. After a two-hour drive, we had arrived at the small, Swiss-style town of Vail, blossoming with flowers. I had never been so charmed.

These photos are extremely tacky because they were taken by a highly-excited amateur (me) from the car as we drove on I-70. Nevertheless, I wanted to show you the journey from Denver to Vail on I-70, so bear with me. It gets better, promise.

Forget flash photography. This is "dashboard" photography at its best.

A far cry from New York City (or New York city photo shopped with mountains).

Everything looks foggy from inside the car. I blame it on the tinted windows.

The Idaho Springs sign in Colorado made me chuckle. Not as funny as Boring, Oregon, but I'll take it.

Many towns along I-70 were part of the Gold Rush, and there are several gold mine tours.

The traffic became thick as a cluster when we approached Vail.

For the first half of our journey on I-70, I saw nothing but valleys and hills studded with pine and spruce.

At last, snow-capped mountains in the distance.

I love the expanse of the sky and the few puffy clouds.

At last, Aspen trees. The unmistakeable slivers of white — thin stripes dotting the hillsides.

At last, our first glimpse of Vail.

The Switzerland analogy was clear, but in the forthcoming posts I'll try to give you an insight as to why this town resembles the European country, and also why it's so different. The journey from Denver to Vail took us a little under two hours, but we were not tired from any of our travels, unlike some of our previous destinations. This mountain town would be our home for the next two days.

- Charu Suri

Welcome to my new Manic Monday series: a series of questions to help us become  acquainted with the people I think
rock the travel world: travel bloggers! The first brave participant in this series is Ted Nelson, who writes and runs the inspired
nature travel blog Traveling Ted. Here's his skinny on things, travel and life in general.

Ted Nelson on a backpacking trip in the Black Hills of South Dakota

1. What inspired you to start a travel blog?

Traveling Ted: During a three month trip in Southeast Asia I started emailing friends and family back home about my adventures. I got many compliments for my narrative and soon had many people addicted to my tales. I enjoyed having people read my stories, so I decided I needed a website where I could share my trips with a larger audience.

2. Who are some of your biggest travel influences?

My dad is number one as he installed a spirit of adventure in me by taking me on many camping, canoeing, skiing, and hiking trips when I was young. Paul Theroux is my favorite travel writer. I love how fearless he is on his travels, and I also enjoy his sardonic humor in his writing style.

3. Do you take your own pictures? Do you consider yourself handy with a camera?

I take all of my own pictures. I get many compliments on my photography skills; however, I mostly use a digital camera and just point in click. I believe I have a good eye for what is a good picture, but I do not consider myself a photographer. I also work hard to get to beautiful places. It is easy to take beautiful pictures of beautiful places, but sometimes it is not so easy to get to these places. I backpack and canoe to remote places where many lack the ambition and the fortitude to get to.

4. If you had the chance to meet one travel guru (dead or alive) who would it be and why?

I would like to meet Marco Polo and hang out with him at a swimming pool. It would be cool to play the game "Marco Polo" with Marco Polo.

5. Desert Island Questions: three things you'd take with you on a week-long desert island trip?

1. Fanny Pack – I have a new one, which will be the source of an upcoming post.

2. The book Surviving Paradise by Peter Rudiak-Gould. I like to read books while traveling that pertain to the place I am visiting. Surviving Paradise is a hilarious account of an English teacher on a remote Marshall Island teaching a bunch of unruly islanders. Fantastic book.

3. Some type of flotation device – Never know when that Desert Island goes underwater due to climate change.

6. If money were no object, what would you be doing now?

I would like to hike some of America's longest trails. The Appalachian immediately comes to mind, but the Pacific Crest would be awesome as would the Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin and the Florida Trail.

Thanks for the answers, Ted! If you’re a travel blogger and would like to be featured in the series, just drop me a line at Charu AT Butterflydiary DOT COM.