RelaxingMonkey.com

First of all, I hope you never get pick pocketed. I thought I would never be a victim of it because I am so cautious when it comes to keeping an eye on my things. Here is the story of my experience with pick pocketing and then some advice on how to help you prevent it.

I don't know if I can ever describe this food the way it should be described. It is by far the best Italian food I have ever tasted in my life. I stopped at this restaurant soley because of a private tour bus operator's recommendation. I was a little reluctant as I always am from tour guides or others that may have a monetary benefit from my decision to go with their recommendation. But we went with it and man do I NOT regret it!

What is the best way to get local currency when traveling abroad? Well, you have quite a few options: Traveler's Checks, ATM, Money Exchange, Credit Cards, and possibly others. I personally use ATMs and credit cards on every trip and haven't had a problem yet.

ATM Machines (My favorite)
I have a preferred method that seems to work well for me and hasn't failed me yet. I simply go to ATM machines in the country in which I'm traveling to. By doing this, I can simply get the cash I need when I need it. I don't need to plan in advance, bring tons of cash, or wait in any money exchange lines. And you typically will get better rates at the ATM machine. I think every time I have compared the rate I got versus what I could have received at a money exchange place, I was always better off with the bank rate.

This is my third time in Colorado Springs and I think I'm finally getting the hang of the north part of town. I travelled for business for one week starting Oct 15th.

Mountain Biking
We went on a mountain biking excursion at Falcoln Trail on the Air Force Academy. I guess civilians can get on the base before 6pm. Don't forget to bring an ID just in case they check. This was my first time mountain biking and it was fun. We rented the bikes at a bicycle shop named Criterium Bicycles off the I-25 exit #149 for only $45/day. It's a cheap way of experiencing this as the bike I rode can cost over $2500. I can't believe that! It doesn't even have an XM radio.

Since this was my first time I had no idea what to expect. Probably within the first 10 minutes I fell down. That would not be my last time as I fell down a total of three times but I was laughing after each one because I felt so stupid. The first few miles were the toughest as it was mostly uphill. But the work was worth the reward as the downhill portions were so much fun. I had a great time and I definitely recommend it. After telling people about this experience, I have have heard so many stories about injuries. So, be careful!

This is another picture taken in Italy. This was outside of Naples in a small town of Positano, Italy. This is where i had the best italian food I have ever had!

This is a picture I took while on a trip in Europe. This was taken from the stateroom balcony of the cruise ship. This was just outside of Nice, France.