BEING SOCIAL ON YOUR TRIP

Being social on a trip can be an added experience and if you're a solo travel can be an added companion.

Now, to some it may seem daunting to meet strangers especially in a foreign place, but it does have to. Just like anything else there's an art to being social.

First, where can you meet people? Well, just about anywhere, on the bus or train, at a bar or cafe, at museums or even while you're walking around.

Next, striking up the conversation. That's actually easier than you think. For a local, simply ask for suggestions on where to go and what to do. People love to share their destination with you. For other travelers, you can ask where they've been, where they're going and what brought them there.

If you want to get more official or organized about it, you can use today's resources for doing just that. That's right...There's an app for that too. There's travbuddy, skout and couchsurfing just to name a few where you can even plan to meet ahead of time.

"Remember, the world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page" - St. Augustine

Ja'Vonne

BECOME THE CELEBRITY ON YOUR TRIP

You may not have the bank account or the status of a celebrity, but you can vacation like one.

If you want to make your next trip celebrity worthy do the following things. Go ahead it's fun!

Pick a destination that celebrities visit.You can stay in a modest hotel but hang out at the celebrity’s hot spots.

• Follow your favorite or most popular celebrity on social media to track their shenanigans and whereabouts
• Go to a swanky bar or night club. You can google where the best mixologists and DJ's work and perform
• If you're more laid back, you can go to one of those high-end hotels for coffee, brunch, a cocktail or spa treatment, depending on your budget of course. Some even have day passes that will allow you to use their facilities at their spa or pool. On one of my trips to Dubai, we stayed at the Fairmont Dubai. Our celebrity upgrade was having tea at the Burj al Arab. It was $150 each but well worth it for the experience (#experientialtravel), the view and it was necessary to step foot on the property.

Make sure your wardrobe says celebrity…Noooo you don’t have to break the bank to do it. It’s all about the look not what you spent.

• Your look should be effortless and chic, especially for traveling. You never know who you might run into or who might be lurking when you step off the plane. I have a "go to" travel outfit. Black leggings (the thick pant like kind), a black long cardigan that belts and my new favorite, MK's high-top wedge sneakers. 
• A pair of shades to hide tired eyes
• A scarf is a perfect accessory to add a pop of color or to tie up your hair if necessary
• The perfect tote to carry your essentials in
• And ditch the gym shoes. They're only for the gym and they're not comfortable on a long flight.

Lastly, and this is a MUST….document it all like a paparazzi on social media 

• You must have a camera or just use your cell phone's camera
• Master the "Selfie"
• Get a Selfie Stick. It's a fairly new gadget that you attach your cell phone to for more and better angles.
• Sometimes you don't have to spend a dime to visit those "celebrity places", but you should document it. Make sure you get the name or sign in the background to prove you were there.
• Now this is the fun part....Photo bomb other vacationers. They'll wonder ...Who was that gorgeous creature in my photo?

Ja'Vonne

"Remember, the world is a book and those who do not travel, read only a page."

HOW TO ACHIEVE EXPERIENTIAL TRAVEL

My wish for you this year is to turn your trips into fabulous experiences and unforgettable moments. Create an experience beyond your itinerary. Do the things that will turn you into a story teller. By this I mean; Get up close and personal with the destination. 

Embrace and learn the culture. That could be anything from religion to food. 

Pay attention to the small things like the flowers and the colors. 

Live in the moment and take time to reflect on what you're feeling. 

Meet people you're sharing space with who are traveling from other places.

Find the pulse of a city and immerse yourself...  Like an outdoor cafe or bistro in France to do some people watching, Dance to Zydeco music on the streets of New Orleans, Take a pasta making class in Italy.

Do something luxurious like fine dining, buying one expensive thing or a fabulous spa.

Go to an out of the way place, search for the best view in town and visit neighborhoods.

When taking photos think about telling a story.

I want to leave you with the quote by Aarti Khurana that inspired me to write this. "While you are alive, collect moments not things"

Ja'Vonne Harley

HOW TO KEEP THAT NEW YEAR RESOLUTION TO TRAVEL

It's that time again, time for a resolution and one resolution at the top of a lot of lists is to travel more. How many times have you put travel on your list only to fail to make it happen?

Here are some ways to keep that travel resolution.

• Be specific. Rather than just saying I want to travel, decide where you want to travel.
• Pick a place that is realistic. It doesn't have to be the trip of a lifetime. Think of a place you want to visit that doesn't have an if or when attached to it. Like, if I won the lottery or when I get married.
• Do your research to know how much it will cost, the best time to go, the things to see and do.
• Put the vision in writing or create a vision board including the results of your research.
• Finally, make a date and a plan. Determine how much money to save and create a schedule for saving.
• Keeping your dreams to yourself without action is a sure way to keep a dream a dream.

Happy New Year!
"Remember, the world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page"
Ja'Vonne Harley, Co-Host

Four Over The Counter and Household Product for Your Travels

Packing a medicine bag is essential to your travels. Finding some things in a time of need and especially in a foreign country can be difficult.  There are four over the counter and household products I like that can aid in a medical situation.

First, yellow mustard can be used to alleviate cramps. Mustard has acetic acid, which helps the body make more acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter that stimulates your muscles to work.

Second, a histamine blocker as a general dose works for an allergic reaction including anaphylaxis. If there is an anaphylactic shock it can slow down the reaction to an allergen.

Then there's honey, especially dark honey. It can be used to treat conditions associated with asthma. Honey soothes the mucous membranes in your airways that forms in the bronchial tubes and causes airway constriction.

Lastly, Triple Ointment, it contains key ingredients that stop the growth of bacteria and treats bacterial skin infections.

These are types of alternative treatments that can provide you relief, however, they shouldn’t be your only source of treatment in case of an emergency. In case of emergency you should always call 911 and seek professional medical attention.

Ja'Vonne Harley

OUR PONY EXPRESS NEVADA ITINERARY

On The Road Again!

FERNLEY: This is where we began our adventure. Because of it's close proximity to Reno, Fernely thrives today. It's also the gateway to the Pyramid Lake Paiute Indian Territory and Pyramid Lake.

What to do:

• Drive west to Pyramid Lake. Pyramid lake is absolutely beautiful and serene. The blue green color of the lake is unbelievably vibrant with beige mountains as a backdrop and Tufa Rock formations dotting around the lake. Tufa rocks are porous limestone formed when calcium carbonate is deposited by springs or lakes.
• Before heading to Pyramid lake stop by the Pyramid Lake and Paiute Indian Tribal Museum. Here you can learn the history of the Paiute Indian Tribe.

DAYTON: Gold in Nevada was first discovered here and is one of Nevada's oldest settlements of European Americans.

What to do:

• Take the Historic Downtown Dayton walking tour. Visit Dayton's Historic Society Museum and stop by the 1881 Depot, the only Carson and Colorado station depot in Nevada.

FALLON: Called the "Oasis of Nevada" is surrounded by farms and ranches.

What to do:

• Eat at Slanted Porch, a farm to table restaurant that has the freshest food that is deliciously prepared and seasoned with fresh herbs and spices.
• Visit Lattin Farms and taste "Heart Of Gold Cantaloupe. The sweetest of cantaloupes, we are told.
• Stop by the Churchill County Museum, which houses exhibits of The Pony Express, the earl days of Churchhill County and Northern Paiute culture.
• Leaving Fallon Grimes Point is along Highway 50 and a great stop to discover Petroglyphs, pre-historic rock art.
• Traveling along Highway 50 pay a visit to Middle Gate Station for some kitsch and a good burger
• Next stop Cold Springs Pony Express Station. This is a historic marker and photo stop.

AUSTIN: A boom and bust town that is now on the National Historic Register. Discovery of silver was the reason for boom and made Austin the second largest city in Nevada at that time. 

What to do:

• Take a historic walking tour and visit the Courthouse and The Gridley Store Museum.
• Drive up to the Cemetery. Towns have great history in cemetery's and this one has the best view in town.
• Stokes Castle was built by a mine developer as his summer home in the late 1800's.
• The Little Blue Bird Mine shop for silver and turquoise jewelry

EUREKA: Highway 50 runs through the middle of this well preserved historic town.

What to do:

• You can take a quick walking tour of the historic buildings and it's a good place to stop for a bite to eat.
• Visit the Museum, the Opera House and the Court House

ELY: Originally established as a stagecoach station and post office, Ely has grown into a vibrant city with a lot to offer. In our opinion it's the best city to finish The Pony Express Trail in.

What to do:

• Nevada Northern Railway for a train ride through town.
• Renaissance Market (Saturdays and seasonal) Old homes were built for the immigrant railway workers
• Nevada Northern Railway Museum
• Dine at the Cell Block Steak House for some fine dining without big city prices.
• Great Basin National Park

Accommodations: There's plenty of comfortable and affordable places to stay from motels to B&B's

We stayed one night in Fernley, Fallon and Austin and we stayed two night in Ely.

We flew into Reno and out of Las Vegas.  Fernley is just 30 minutes from Reno and Ely is about 4 hours from Las Vegas.

Most of your road trip will be along Highway 50, "The Loneliest Road". You'll stop along the at Pony Express outposts and stations, discover the history in the towns and witness some of the best scenic beauty.

The Traveling Eye gives The Pony Express Nevada and The Loneliest road two winks!

Tune into to our radio show this week on The Pony Express Nevada. www.wvon.com at 11am Central time September 19 and Sirius XM channel 141 at 11am Central time September 20

THE PONY EXPRESS NEVADA

Sometimes you have to pay a visit to the road. A long stretch of pavement, be it highway or byway, that beckons for visitors from near and far. Wheels to the pavement mapping a course, retracing history, embracing the solitude, taking in the surroundings and meeting the locals at unassuming sometimes planned and other times unplanned stops along the way.



You see a "Road Trip" is not about arriving as you set out to do, rather it's about discovering, getting lost and all the in-between's.




We received the call and answered with our modern day steed (a Chevy Tahoe). With wheels to the pavement we set out to discover, "The Pony Express Nevada", along Highway 50 aka, The Loneliest Road in America. Highway 50 runs through Nevada and along side The Pony Express Nevada Trail. 

Two city girls left Chicago, flew into Reno, NV, picked up our steed, drove to our first town for a quick overnight and viola .... became two city gals taking on the west. We didn't really know what to expect. We read the history and visited the website but still had no idea what we were about to embark upon. As we rolled in and out of the historic towns that make up The Pony Express Nevada Trail, we had a Eureka moment, long before we rolled into the town of Eureka. We were experiencing a piece of a 17 million acre museum; The history of The Pony Express, The Paiute Indians and the towns we visited; The geography and archaeology; The early discovery of the west by its European settlers and let's not forget natural beauty. It all unfolded before our eyes and for that we will never view "The Road" merely as a way between two places again.

Our five day road trip following the Pony Express Trail took us from Dayton to Fernley, Fallon, Austin, Eureka and finally Ely. Actually because Fernley is closest to Reno we began there, headed west to Dayton and then back east again.

Gitty Up!
Photos by Howard Little

Ja'Vonne Harley
Tune into The Traveling Eye, Friday on WVON @ 11am Central time and Saturday on XM Channel 141 @ 11am Central Time for our show on The Pony Express.