Southeast Travel Learn about the Southeast and find fun things to do and see in Southern states like Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, and the Carolinas.
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I’ve stayed in a LOT of hotel rooms in my life. When I was in my twenties I would camp out mostly while traveling, but every few days would check into a 20 dollar a night room to take a shower and watch TV. Now that I’m older and married with kids my cheap motel days are over. My standards have increased too I guess because the hotel I’m in tonight just isn’t doing it for me. It looks good on the surface, but every time I look at the floor I see ripped carpet and little bits of dirt and debris. In the hallway I saw trash. The elevator floor looked like a basement floor after a flood. It’s simply a dirty place.
The hotel is the La Quinta Inn in Newnan, Georgia. I don’t expect a hotel on the side of the highway to be four-star, but I do expect it to be clean, especially when I just paid what I paid for a room on a Monday night. The Comfort Inn next door is probably a much better option. I’ll know next time.
 If you are always curious about what’s around the next bend in the road, then chances are, you are a prime candidate for hiking and backpacking. After all, there’s nothing quite like the feel of the sun in your face as you explore a new trail and see the stunning beauty of the world around you. Even on days, when the weather is not as warm or cool as you would like, there is always something beautiful see as you hike or backpack your way along the winding trails of nature.
Of course, part of the journey begins long before you take the first step, yet it must be done in order to have the ultimate in hiking or backpacking. This is the preparation.
To help you have the backpacking or hiking experiences you desire, here are 10 tips to amplify your delight.
- Be sure to follow well-marked trails with terrain that can be easily hiked by all those in your group.
- Be realistic of the ability of those in your group and keep the distance to be hiked within their range.
- Be sure someone at home knows where you will be hiking and what time you plan to return.
- Make sure that you have the proper shoes for hiking. Opt for shoes that are slightly larger so that you can wear wool hiking socks.
- Always make sure that you have enough clothing for the excursion—especially if planning an overnight hiking trip.
- Plan for fun—while you want to use your backpack to its full potential, adding in a deck of cards a book or two or any other lightweight items that can provide entertainment for the evening is worth the minimal added weight.
- Plan your food in advance by writing out a menu and shopping in advance. Repackage any heavy food items whenever possible.
- Read directions and maps, make sure you know where you are and how to get where you are going. You will also want to make sure that you know how to use and assemble any camping gear before you leave!
- Respect the animals and their home(s)…remember you are the guest.
- Be sure to sleep well; use a sleeping bag that is 1.5 to 2.5 inches this and long enough that to keep your limbs from hanging off the side.
Following these 10 tips can make all the difference from have a mediocre hiking experience and a marvelous one. Yes, it may mean a bit more prep time, but in the long run, it’s worth it.
If you are a small business owner then, most likely, among your list of favorite word(s) would be “save money”. After all, when you own your own business you are always aware of the bottom line and finding ways to get more for less it a good way to improve that line. If yours is a business that requires a great deal of travelling, then you are already aware of the high costs of communication. To save money on business communication, you will want to consider VoIP for small business, or Internet phone service.
Depending on the size of your company and your communication needs, you could be paying as much as 3 times more for traditional phone service than you would with Internet phone service. Not only are you paying more, but you are getting less. Not a very good choice if you are trying to save money.
If your business entails travel-regardless of how much- then you may be surprised to learn how using an Internet phone service. Here are 5 reasons why swapping to an Internet phone service can save your business money:
1. Using a VoIP router in hotel rooms allows you and your employees to avoid the high fees associated with hotel phone calls.
2. International calling is much lower with VoIP…often just pennies per minute.
3. If you combine Bluetooth technology with Internet phone service, you can turn your computer into a mini phone booth, making any hotel room an office away form the office.
4. You or employees are accessible, regardless of your location, without paying the high roaming costs of mobile phone usage.
5. VoIP offers a long list of business friendly features such as Call forwarding, voice mail as e-mail, 3 way calling (some companies even offer up to 10 way calling options), fax and many other choices that can make your business easier and even more efficient to manage than you ever thought possible.
O’Connor is a Savannah born author who was influenced not only by the South but by her devotion to Catholicism. Flannery’s father died from lupus when she was fifteen, and it would take her as well when she was 39. O’Connor was known worldwide for her writing, and known as a shy person by her friends.
O’Connor worked for her student paper where her work as a student and writer won a scholarship to graduate school at what is now the University of Iowa in the famous Iowa Program. Learn more about Flannery O’Connor at our Georgia Authors page.
Georgia author Renea Winchester just released a heartwarming book titled In The Garden with Billy: Lessons About Life, Love, and Tomatoes that shares her experiences with 78 year old farmer Billy Albertson of Roswell. After the passing of Mr. Albertson’s wife of half a century Winchester met the farmer and started helping him with day to day tasks on his farm. In her book she shares lessons from Billy about gardening and life. Learn about the South, farming, and a good man in this charming book.
You can buy the book on Renea Winchester’s website
History buffs will be happy to find a new Georgia Civil War website. At this new site you can learn about Civil War events in Georgia like historical marker dedications, book signings, tours, and other events. The attractions page holds information on historical parks, gravesites, and other places worth visiting. My favorite section is timeline built using Flash technology that makes it really pop. A map page will guide you through Georgia to important historical locations.
This new website was created by The Tourism Division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. It’s a beautiful site and a great starting point for anyone interested in the Civil War in Georgia.
I would like to see a section to sign up for a newsletter, RSS feed, or a social media connection, but other than that the site is perfect.
The owner of Gecko Tales Media, LLC is a huge fan of Georgia author Terry Kay. This author has a unique style that must be experienced first hand. To see a book list and biography review our new page dedicated to Terry Kay. If you want to know what book to read first check out To Dance with the White Dog.
 Author Terry Kay and Scott Thompson
If your first thoughts of South Carolina involve beaches or the historic town of Charleston, then you are not alone. However, there are many other regions of South Carolina to be explored. One of which is the capital city of Columbia. A city rich in history, it is now a place of numerous activities sure to provide many smiles for anyone in your group…from the young ones to the young at heart. Here is just a sampling of the many things you will find to do when you visit Columbia, South Carolina.
- The Columbia Museum of Art- With paintings from the Italian Renaissance, bronze sculptures, works by 18th European and American artists, glass pieces by Louis Comfort, textiles and many other beautiful artwork, this is a great place for art lovers and aspiring artist.
- Edventure Children’s Museum-Does you little one always have touch everything? Does your school-aged child think learning is boring? Then spend some time here at Edventure, where learning is fun. The exhibits actually encourage hands-on/interactive learning. Children can climb a giant spider web, meet Eddie-a 40 foot sculpture of a child, see a talking skeleton in the Body Works gallery, and explore real fire trucks as well as many other exhibits sure to show that learning really is fun!
- Fort Jackson Museum- This has been an Army Training Center since 1917. While here you can learn about the weaponry, training, actions and more of the U. S. Army. The exhibits and displays showcase equipment like tanks, helicopters, half-trucks along with the story of the Army both past and present.
- Hampton-Preston Mansion and Garden- Love stepping back in time without leaving the present? Then take some time to visit the restored 1818 house, which once served as the Union Army Headquarters, 2 different and a convent. Today, guests can see antiques furniture, the family silver, the family gallery, crystal and dinnerware. Be sure you take some time to roam the gardens area as well.
- Riverbanks Zoological Park and Botanical Gardens- Whether its watching the animals in the aquarium, the amazement of the beautiful colors of the tropical fish, hearing the roar of the lions and tigers or laughing at the antics of the ostriches you don’t want to overlook the fun and adventure of the Riverbanks Zoo. While there, flower lovers will want to take some time to check out the 70 acre flower garden.
- The Congaree National Park- The Park is a sanctuary for and abundance of birds and wildlife as well as the site of giant hardwoods and towering pines. In fact, it is known for being the home of one of the tallest trees in the eastern United States. Guests can enjoy picnicking, hiking, fishing, camping, canoeing, bird watching, ranger led walks and an assortment of educational excursions.
Columbia, South Carolina has many other great places for you to visit. So the next time you are in the area, make some time to enjoy this delightful Southern city.
 When making a trip to Georgia, don’t overlook some of its celebrities. Of course, you may not find tall monuments and buildings inscribed with their names, or towns bearing their monikers, but chances are, you will find their works on bookshelves in homes, stores and libraries all across the state and beyond.You see, some Georgia’s most loved inhabitants are its writers.
There are many Georgia authors that you can choose from-regardless of your preferred style of reading material. After all, there are the fiction writers like Margaret Mitchell and her well-loved story Gone with the Wind that has stood the test of time and Hollywood to be one of the most well known stories about the Civil War, the stories set along the Georgia coastline by Eugenia Price and the beloved tales about Uncle Remus by Joel Chandler Harris.
If you are looking for adventure stories and tales of growing up in the Deep South, then don’t miss books by writers like modern day writer Terry Kay or older books by the late Erskine Caldwell. Or, for an insight into the mind of renowned columnist and humorist, be sure to read the books by Lewis Grizzard, as well as take a few minutes to drive to Moreland and visit the museum for the Southern son.
Georgia has been home to a long list of literary greats over the years. In fact, to get a detailed look into the lives of the Georgia authors, both past present, spend a day at the University of Georgia’s Writers Hall of Fame where you can learn about such writers as Poet Laureate, Conrad Aiken, Celestine Sibley, Anne Rivers Siddons, Lillian Smith, John Stone, Jean Toomer, Jimmy Carter , Harry Crews, Alice Walker, Bailey White, Calder Willingham, Frank Yerby and many others.
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About this Blog This travel blog for Southeast states is brought to you by Scott Thompson from Gecko Tales Media, LLC. At Gecko Tales we provide informational websites with the information you need without all the fluff found elsewhere. From travel guides to tips on getting free ringback tones you'll find it on one of our sites.
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