Blogs from Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, North America

Getting started... Well, folks, I am taking a moment to set up what will become my summer blog where I will post pictures and updates about my time in Arusha. This may be an obvious attempt to ignore the prospect of impending finals, but it is also going to be where I will try to create some sort of cogent account of my experiences as the summer progresses. I will probably start posting in the week or so leading up to the trip as I attempt to get ready to go and I will try to post at least once a week while I am gone (with LOTS of pictures).... read more

Getting organised. Still need to: 1. Book hotel in LAX 2. Book hotel in SYD 3. Book friends and family to catch-up with!!!!! 4. Get laptop ready. 5. Start packing.... read more

What a great experience to work in Virginia in Midlothian exactly. I got to know my colleagues much better, my office was just great. I had never had an office just for myself and a complete view on the woods with thousands of birds with all colors. My favorite one is the Cardinal, what a wonderful red, it's stunning ! Each week end Jon and I travelled through the country side and this part of the US is just wonderful. Probably so far, my favorite ! I loved the dynamic of the nature, the views and the rolling hills are my favorite, the reason why I love Switzerland ! Our favorite city is Charlottesville, there is a real core of the city, with a pedestrian path with tiny privately owned boutiques. There they like organic cooties ... read more

The art of travel is a vibrant, ever-present necessity that I need to make it through my current life situation. It’s also something that I think we all need to embrace. I have allowed my blog to go untouched and stagnant, but like an upcoming trip or promise of a new home, the travelogue won’t stay down forever. I managed to visit a new state in 2010 as well as return to Disney World (and I do not plan to do that in the summer for anyone for a while!). My last real adventure was a road trip in mid-October to Virginia. My plans were really to visit the campuses of Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia. I was drawn to these college towns and I secretly (well, not so much now since nothing has ... read more

Wednesday we started the day out in Harpers Ferry - on another cold, grey morning - walking the historic downtown area and the site of John Brown’s raid. The National Park Service is doing an increasingly excellent job with its museum exhibits and at this time of year we frequently have the place to ourselves. One of the most interesting exhibits was about the Niagara Movement, from the first decade of the 20th century, founded by W.E.B.DuBois, which was the first major organization demanding equality for all blacks. It was the predecessor of the NAACP and held Harpers Ferry as sacred ground, as a result of the John Brown raid. Albeit with lousy weather, we still tootled off down the Skyline Drive in Virginia and it was aptly named as we were sometimes above the clouds, ... read more

In the late summer of 2008, my parents and I took a vacation down to Virginia to visit Thomas Jefferson's, Monticello, and George Washington's, Mount Vernon. Both Monticello and Mount Vernon are national symbols of our historic nation and embody the spirit of freedom and liberty. Our first endeavor was visiting Monticello located in Charlottesville, Virginia. Monticello is famous for its design on the 5¢ nickel. This is, by far, one of most famous residential pieces of architecture in the world. Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd president of the United States, wanted to construct a masterful residence that was built to his liking. The floral gardens surrounding the main mansion were exquisitely laid out, an important component to Jefferson's work of art. This part of Virginia is very hilly and the roads leading up to Monticello ascend ... read more

This weekend we will travel to Washington, D.C. to visit Tori's family and procure visas. We've figured out our route across the country and are trying to meet up with friends and family when possible and camp out for the rest of the nights. Right now we're looking at the last month of work before we quit our jobs, move out of our apartment, and hit the trail. Expect more updates in the future, particularly once we actually leave. EDIT: Please use http://stewandtorisexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/ for future posts. ... read more