West of Naples on Route 302 in Bridgton lies a goldmine of entertainment.

Grant Auctions in the Rivard Auctions building offers several auctions a month for the savvy shopper or the casual browser.  The second and fourth Tuesdays of every month are dedicated to so-called Tailgate Auctions.  Items for auction are provided both by the auctioneer and by sellers coming in that morning with their stuff.  Estate Auctions, predictably including rarer and higher end items, are scheduled as stuff is available.

There is no fee to get in, and what it will take to get out is entirely up to the bidder.  The fun isn’t all in the bidding, either. The repartee between auctioneer and audience, an amazing caterer, and fellow attendees all make for a memorable auction experience.

To find auctions at Grant Auctions, visit Auction Zip. Grant Auction’s ID is 14572.

There is no one who comes to visit Maine for a week, a weekend or a summer that doesn’t aspire to see, at least, a moose.  The  intrepid wildlife seeker can find an alternative to driving the highways and byways in the Maine Wildlife Park in Gray, Maine. Open from April to Veteran’s Day, the park is a self-sufficient facility under the auspices of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (IF&W).

Entrance fees are between $5-$7.00, but your money will be well spent as it goes back to the maintenance of the Park. Many of the animals at the Park were brought there because they were injured or orphaned or have become human dependent and cannot survive on their own in the wild.

A big ‘must see’ at the Park is the Dry Mills Fish Hatchery which raises thousands of Brook Trout annually.

Bring stuff to barbecue, pack a picnic lunch, or purchase lunch from the snack shack.  Stop in at the Visitor’s Center or visit the Nature Store.  Walk the tree trail or animal trail to learn more about the flora and fauna native to Maine.  To locals, especially those with children, visits to this park are part and parcel of summer in Maine.  Visitors to Maine should include it on their travel agenda, too.

While travel skills in general are likely too numerous to list efficiently, these ten are the ones Trek Hound consider to be universally helpful. What are they?

How to drive a stick shift.

In many parts of the world, automatic transmissions are the exception rather than the rule. If you don’t believe me, just ask a few of the folks who have gotten bitten in the butt by this on the Amazing Race.

Navigation.

It’s amazing how many people are uncomfortable with maps and their use. Particularly where automobile navigation is concerned. One of the main perks of having a travel partner, in addition to getting assistance with problem solving, is having someone available to tell you where to go while you drive. While it isn’t technically impossible to read the map and drive at the same time, it’s difficult under the best of circumstances and unsafe under the worst of them. Be sure to take a good navigator if possible. Another travel tip? Placing a map that needs to be re-used a great deal inside a page protector keeps it from getting unnecessarily tattered and water damaged.

CPR / first aid.

I’m no medical expert, and the first to admit I have more to learn. However, I’m more than capable of cleaning a wound and know when to use ibuprofen for pain and swelling. As I said, I know I have more to learn. But the point is, you never know when you might need to perform first aid on yourself or a travel companion. Having some basic working knowledge of the subject is a smart move.

How to drive a motorcycle.

I have to come clean. I have absolutely no skill in this area. However, it has bitten me in the tush enough times that I know I need to make learning this skill a priority. In many parts of the world, small motorbikes are the norm. Bonus? They are way less expensive to rent and fuel than automobiles.

How to cook on the fly.

One major way to save money while traveling is to prepare your own food. Trying to make your own meals in unfamiliar kitchens with unpredictable access to certain tools and appliances can be more than challenging. Having a repertoire of simple, low ingredient recipes and travel menus can help. A few specific ideas would be caprese kabobs, quesadillas and Polynesian chicken.

Patience.

Seriously, I mean it. The trials and tribulations of problem solving in a foreign language, unfamiliar city, or developing country can be as taxing as they are enjoyable and exciting. A good supply of patience will go a long way towards helping you make the most of your travel experience.

Driving on the left (or for some the right) side of the road.

While the need for this may be less prevalent in global travel than the manual shift capability suggested earlier, there are still a fair number of places in the world where you’ll require the know-how if you choose to rent a car or bike there. I’m a bit embarrassed to say I have not mastered this yet. However, it’s on my list and I intend to develop the skill as soon as my life situation permits it.

Deciphering international train and bus schedules / routes.

This might sound like a “well, duh” type of item to include here. But honestly, these things can get incredibly complicated, particularly in countries with highly developed mass transit systems. The more basic a route and schedule chart is, the more likely I am to roll with it. When we were in Italy though, there were some train charts that would have made anyone’s eyes cross. My husband is much more of a rock star when it comes to figuring things out. Even if you don’t have time to make yourself into a self-taught guru in this area, developing some basic skills will serve you well. Trust me.

Alternative communication.

Short of learning the language of every country you travel to before you hop on the plane, I highly suggest developing a comfort zone with the following:

• Sketching – no major artistic abilities are needed. Simple Pictionary skills will get you by. If you need something specific at the store or have a medical ailment you need to explain, a sketch pad and stick-man drawing can get you out of a jam more often than you might think.

• Charades – Again, no need to be a world champion. But basic pantomime ability when asking or directions or time to come back to a particular place is way more universal than a language that might only be spoken on a handful of islands in the entire world. Not that there’s anything wrong with learning those languages for education’s sake.

• Calculators – Finding room in your bag for a calculator or asking a salesperson or waiter for theirs is a great way to go. This comes in handy while shopping in souks or bargaining for a price on hired transportation. If you didn’t bring one with you, pantomime one. It’s a fairly international gesture.

Foreign language training.

Again, nobody has time to learn them all, and very few people have time to learn even a country-specific one before traveling to that particular destination. However, a few have a fairly broad reach. English, Spanish, Arabic and French come to mind. Also, if you happen to be growing up in a school system that still teaches Latin, consider signing up. It’s the basis for several languages and make deciphering them easier.

These are the top ten skills, at least in my humble traveler’s opinion, that will help you out most often, and in the greatest number of countries. Got another skill or tip you wish you’d known about before you hit the road?

Recommended Reading: Sight-Seeing Tips for Bolzano, Italy.

Photo Credit: TrekHound.Com

That’s right. I said it. Even when I go on adventure travel destinations, there are still a few basic items I need from the beauty supply store. Not only does the Sally’s chain come in handy for regular savings on overall health and beauty items, but it has a few goodies that fit my needs for reduced sized items while on the road. All of them are in the seventy-five cent to five dollar range. Curious to know what my top picks are? Read on.

Stainless steel, universal makeup pencil sharpener.

The diameter of these circular wonders is slightly less than a United States quarter. The depth is somewhere in the half-inch neighborhood. Not only do the plastic ones tend to crack and break after getting tossed around from one third world farm truck to another, the maximum number of eye and lip liner pencil sizes they can address is usually two. These little beauties (normally available near the cash register) have openings to fit all four sizes these types of cosmetics tend to come in.

Miniature travel tin of hair pins.

You’d be surprised what bobby pins can come in handy for on the road. Emergency zipper pull, impromptu paper clip, holding together curtain edges in an otherwise privacy barren hostel room, chip bag clip, page marker in a book, clothespin for thinner hand washed items, securing a head scarf when viewing certain religious sites, and of course creating hairstyles on the fly without a ton of bulk accessories. Think super model style poofy bang twists, French twist with a local flower tucked in for a night on the town or a partial braid down the top half of your head.

Miniature emery boards and four-way buffers.

These are the ones of the 3 ½ to 4 inch variety, and help keep ridges smoothed, bare nails buffed and ragged edges filed. They come with no packaging and are well under a buck each.

Neutral tone lip liner pencils.

If Walgreens isn’t having one of their three for a buck cosmetic pencil sales, you can pick these up affordably at Sallies as well. They can be used not just to line your lips, but to color them in and use with your finger to smooth on as cheek blusher.

High grade tweezers.

Eyebrows, chin hairs or the occasional splinter all need to be dealt with on the road. Get the strongest pair you can find and tuck them in your backpack.

Cuticle pusher.

I like the stainless steel variety with one flat edge and one pointed edge. They are great for getting debris from under your nails.

Miniature nail brushes.

These are great for getting your finger and toe nails clean in the shower, and also for doing some hand washing of socks and such while waiting for your hair to condition.

Baby sized nail clippers.

They still get the job done for grownups and take up minimal space in your toiletry kit. Hang nails happen. Be able to nip them in the bud when you are far away from a pharmacy.

For quicker trips, this list will get you a long way. If you are going longer, you’ll want to snag cuticle trimmers as well. This is my list of faves to pick up cheap for the road. What are your top picks for personal care necessities? Do you have a favorite place to get them affordably?

Photo Credit: Kate

Picking up all the incidentals you need for a trip can result in a rather hefty shopping tab. Fortunately, there are several items you can pick up for cheap at your local Dollar Tree. That’s right. The same store that provides uber affordable classroom and home management supplies can also offer bargain basement prices on numerous handy travel items. Here are ten of note:

• Rain ponchos. Great for those rainforest adventures or having a bad weather back up in your day pack that doesn’t take up too much room.

• Umbrellas. The ones in the stores are compact enough size to fit well in smaller pieces of luggage and aren’t a huge financial loss if they get left behind or turned inside out by a strong wind.

• Travel bottles for toiletries. They sell an entire set for a buck with tight screw on lids in smaller sizes to meet the one-quart bag requirements of the airline industry.

• Pharmaceutical items. Stock up on the cheap for things like aspirin, triple antibiotic and more. They also have a compact first aid kit with over forty items. For a buck, that’s a bargain in anyone’s book.

• Word puzzle books. Need something to keep from going crazy while waiting for your flight to take off? Pick up some of these cheapie entertainment options and a few pencils.

• Toothbrushes. They have sets of one plus miniature toothpaste tubes, or a multi pack of five with cover caps suitable for a small family.

• Sunglasses. Not exactly a designer selection, but for taking a trip on the cheap without having to worry about losing an expensive set these will get the job done.

• Tote bags. Love your small purse but wanting something bigger to use as your carry-on for a simple weekend getaway? They have a couple of different styles available that can be used as reusable shopping bags when you return.

• Mesh bags. They have several different kinds in various sizes that can be used to organize backpacks, hold dirty laundry and more.

• Toiletries and incidentals. Numerous travel sizes of personal care and other items are available. Hand sanitizers, tissues, sewing kits, safety pins and matches are just a few of them.

Know of any other cheap travel items you can pick up at Dollar Tree? Be sure to let us know in the comment section below.

Photo Credit: Broker Saunders

Photo Credit: Trek Hound

It’s one of the most coveted spiritual destinations and indigenous heritage sites in the world. Don’t you want to get the most out of it while you’re there?

Let’s face it. Machu Picchu in Peru’s Sacred Valley is not only expensive, it’s incredibly difficult to get to. Once you do, a couple of rookie mistakes could seriously cut into your time there. What’s a traveler to do?

Don’t make the whole trip in one day.

Seriously, I mean it. Most people start in Cuzco, regardless. From there, it’s a several hour train ride to Aguas Calientes where you still have to meet your guide, wait for the bus up the mountain, stand in line, fight the crowds . . . see where I’m going with this? If you don’t even make it through the entrance before one o’clock and have to be out by five, that’s not much time to experience what for many is a once in a lifetime spiritual and cultural event.

Rest up.

Not used to being at high altitude? Neither was I. And quite frankly, it’s a long enough day to get up at the crack of dawn to leave from Cuzco. Add in at least another day if you’re coming straight from Lima, multiplying your exhaustion level by about 25 due to altitude adjustment, and you will (believe me) be more than ready to rest a bit and spend the night at the base of the mountain.

There are plenty of little shops, restaurants, hotels and massage opportunities. Take a break, gather your energies and prepare for the next day.

Make the most of your entry ticket.

When my husband and I were there, every entry pass was good for only one time, they cost around forty dollars each, and once you were in, you were in. There was no coming in and out of the site to go to the restroom. In retrospect, we should have gone to Aguas Calientes the day before, spent the night, and taken the earliest bus up to the site the next morning. That way, we would have had the entire day to explore, meditate, photograph, etc.

Obviously, bathroom issues are a bit trickier this way. Suggestion? Take steps to clear your system the night before. Take only trail mix and fruit to the top, and maybe snag an egg for protein before you leave your hotel. Lightly sip water throughout the day rather than gulping. This should help keep things under control.

Photo Credit: Trek Hound

If money’s not a huge issue, consider staying at the top.

There’s one hotel at the very top of the mountain, just outside the entrance gate to the ancient city. In short, it isn’t cheap. Several hundred dollars a night, in fact. However, in addition to being a higher-end, full service eco-hotel, it offers another major perk. Guests of the establishment are the only people allowed into the ancient city prior to the arrival of the first tourist bus each day and after the last bus leaves at night.

Also, my understanding (although things may have changed) from the local guides and tour books was that these hotel guests weren’t required to have an additional entry pass either. Nothing like having a world heritage site all to yourself, coming and going as you please. Particularly this world heritage site.

Bring a tote.

In addition to whatever day pack and camera gear you’ll be lugging, bring along a bag to carry any trash you generate throughout the day. In an attempt to keep things as pristine and authentic as possible, no trash cans are available inside the city.

Move ahead one train station.

Just outside of Cuzco is another station where busses and drivers can drop you off and pick you up. Bonus? You get to skip the uber-tedious track shifting and save significant time and frustration off your day trip to the spiritual city.

In my opinion, this is one of the most incredible travel experiences you will ever have, and a must-see when traveling to Peru. And unless you’re independently wealthy, you’ll only have a certain level of funds to spend on your journey there. While we were there, we had a fantastic time, if a short one. We plan to go there, and to Lake Titicaca, again in the next year or two. When we do, we’ll be using some of these tricks we wish we’d known about the first time.

Do you have a Machu Picchu travel tale? Let us know about it!

Photo Credits: These pictures of Machu Picchu were photographed by the Trek Hound team and are available through a creative commons agreement with Pictures of Travel Places for outside use, provided the linking requirements are reasonably followed.

Flickr Photo Credit: TrekHound.Com

Read all about our journey into the Holy Land.

Getting ourselves from Jordan to Israel proved to be logistically challenging. Upon getting up early to catch the first bus over the northern border crossing to Nazareth, we made our way to the station and waited until the departure time only to be told the bus would not be going after all. Apparently, while the Trust Bus Company operates smoothly from domestic locations, they wait to see how many customers show up for the border crossing trip before they decide whether or not the bus will go that day. On this particular morning it was David, myself and one other backpacker from Germany . . . not enough for a go. So, the three of us decided to chip in on a cab to the same border crossing we’d been destined for on the bus. Simple, right? Wrong.

First, we had to flag down a taxi driver who spoke enough English to understand what we wanted to do. Then, apparently there was some sort of permit necessary to drive to that area and get us through the first series of checkpoints. (This was figured out after several sessions of charades, taxi switches and kiosk stops before finally getting on our way.) Next, we had to find a driver that actually wanted to drive that far (this also took several tries), and someone who understood which station we wanted to cross at (several additional changes of direction, highway swaps and frantic cell phone calls).

Once all that was accomplished, we finally arrived at the northern crossing and all its various checkpoints. In context, this was actually a piece of cake. Although there were multiple checkpoints and bag checks, the lines were short and the border officials very helpful and friendly. Across the border now, we problem solved a couple of taxi swaps, the ATM, had lunch and made our way to Tiberias on the shores of the sea of Galilea.

Not much there, but picturesque it was and an amazing experience to be able to grab some solitude in a place where Christ spent so much time. After an overnight there, it was off to Haifa via a 2-3 hour stopover in Nazareth to visit the spot where Mary was visited by the the angel Gabriel. As a port city, Haifa was not half bad. There are a few museums, some decent restaurants and of course the world center for the Bahai faith.

Akko was close by, and we overnighted there as well. From here we headed to Tel Aviv. We didn’t find much touristy to do here, but is a clean modern city, and a convenient place to catch up on travelers’ errands such as email, phone calls, laundry and pharmaceuticals. The markets in the Yemeni quarter were quite fun to explore and photograph, and the beach was long and well-groomed. We enjoyed watching sunset there, and walking along the water one day to spend the day down to Jaffa, a town founded by one of Noah’s sons.

From Tel Aviv, it was off by bus to spend holy week in Jerusalem. We entered through the Jaffa Gate and spent our first night at a place with an excellent rooftop view of the city and Dome of the Rock. We spent several days exploring the holy sites, such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the stations of the cross, the wailing wall, tomb of Mary, garden of Gethsemane,  the Dome of the Rock and the temple mount. In addition to the sites and alleys of the old city, we also went into the newer section to see the Church of the Holy Cross and the excellent Israeli National Museum. This museum deserves at least one full day if not more. We spent an entire day at high speed and had not the time to see everything before we left. It is the home to a scale model of the ancient city as it once appeared, a walkable outdoor modern art gallery, archaeological park, ancient coin and antique costume displays, and art works from nearly every master you can think of.

It is also home to the enormous Shrine of the Book, a museum in its own right. The Shrine of the Book is home to an extremely well done display and presentation of the Dead Sea Scrolls. We had seen a few fragments of the copper scroll and some recreated models of them in Amman, Jordan. The bulk of the scrolls and the displays related to them are at this shrine, however. Very thoroughly and serenely done.

After Jerusalem, we made our way to Eilat to spend the night and cross the border the next day back to Aqaba, where we would grab the ferry to the Sinai. There, our original plan was to make the pilgrimage to St. Catherine’s Monastery and the top of Mount Sinai, were Moses received the ten commandments. Due to weather and illness however, we spent our time convalescing on the beach for a few days in Dahab, before heading over to Kuwait.

There, we would be visiting friends for a couple of weeks before heading back to Amman to pet sit. Kuwait has changed a great deal since I was last there. Massive new construction and road development, most remembered landmarks replaced and the traffic nearly double what it was when I was there just 5 years ago. It was nice to see old friends and have a few more times at my old restaurant hangout – Palm Palace.

Upon our return to Amman, we have been enjoying spending time with the animals. We miss our own two dogs, so it’s been pure pleasure to bestow extra affection on these two. The cat, Freeway, has also been a source of nearly constant hilarity. Additionally, we have been catching up on some much needed rest, writing and photo sorting, as starting our “to do” list for when we get back home.