The 50 Most Inspiring Travel Quotes Of All Time

Memorable travel quotes are like messages found on the beach; beautiful, timeless, and read at just the right moment.

My favourites:

26. “Two roads diverged in a wood and I - I took the one less traveled by.” - Robert Frost

19. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain

25. “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

From the editor’s introduction - Tim Patterson: I’m typing on the deck of a hostel in a little Uruguayan surf town called Punta del Diablo.

Travelers are chatting around me; the usual conversation about where they came from and where they’re going next. Down on the beach, surfers are catching the last waves of the day and men driving horse-drawn carts haul firewood into town.

In many ways this is an idyllic scene, but to be honest, for a while today I was feeling a bit tired and jaded about travel. When you’re on the road too long the spark of newness fades, and travel can feel like a long, pointless slog, a detour from loved ones and from life.

Then I started reading the quotes you’ll find below. Some made me laugh. Some made me wince.

But all of them rang true, and reminded me of why I travel: to learn and grow, to challenge myself, stretch my limits and foster an appreciation of both the world at large and the chair waiting in front of the woodstove back home.

I hope you’ll find similar inspiration in these quotes. Without further ado…

The quotes are here

“Top 10 Best Cities for Recent College Graduates.”

While many new grads tend to look for jobs near their college or hometowns, scores are considering places they might not have four or five years ago.

While there’s relief that classes are over, exams have been taken and term papers turned in, what lies ahead for the Class of 2009 is an extremely challenging and competitive job market.

For new grads who plan to expand their job searches beyond their college or hometowns, Apartments.com and CBcampus.com just released the “Top 10 Best Cities for Recent College Graduates.” The list is based on the ranking of the top U.S. cities with the highest concentration of young adults (age 20 - 24) from the U.S. Census Bureau (2006), inventory of jobs requiring less than one year of experience from CBcampus.com (2009) and the average cost of rent for a one bedroom apartment from Apartments.com (2009).

According to Apartments.com and CBcampus.com, the top 10 cities for new grads are:

1. Indianapolis
Average rent:* $625
Popular entry-level categories:** sales, customer service, health care

2. Philadelphia
Average rent: $1,034
Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, management

3. Baltimore
Average rent: $1,130
Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, health care

4. Cincinnati
Average rent: $691
Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, health care

5. Cleveland
Average rent: $686
Popular entry-level categories: sales, marketing, customer service

6. New York
Average rent: $1,548
Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, admin-clerical

7. Phoenix
Average rent: $747
Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, marketing

8. Denver
Average rent: $877
Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, health care

9. Chicago
Average rent: $1,133
Popular entry-level categories: sales, marketing, customer service

10. San Antonio
Average rent: $696
Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, management

If you are considering expanding your job search to other cities, here are some tips:

* Contact an alumnus from your college who lives in that city and join your alumni chapter if there is one.
* Get an insider’s perspective by familiarizing yourself with the local media and other resources. Read up on the city’s business and community news.
* Develop a list of companies within the area and learn about their businesses and company cultures.
* Register with a national recruitment agency; interview with a recruiter in your local office and have that person put the word out to other offices in your target cities.
* Consider spending a few days in your desired city to learn more, network and set up informational interviews. In your applications and cover letters, tell hiring managers the dates you’ll be in the city and available to interview.

Although this is a challenging market for new grads, remember: Attitude can be the key to your success. The reality is that the job search will take longer for these new grads thrust into the “real world” but the right mind-set can make you resilient.

Free Internet in Philadelphia

On a recent flight out of Philadelphia, I was dismayed to be delayed without free wi-fi.

Turns out, the normal cost for wireless Internet access at Philadelphia International Airport is $7.95 for a 24-hour connection; $39.95 for monthly unlimited access.

This is not a good investment when you don't know if your flight is going to be 10 minutes or 10 hours!

After speaking to staff though, I discovered that there is a way to access Wi-fi for free.

Charles Isdell, Acting Director of Aviation said, "Philadelphia International was one of the first airports in the country to offer wireless Internet access. We're pleased to take that to another level and provide free access to college students every day and to everyone on weekends."

In order to access the free Wi-Fi service, students present a college identification card at any Airport Information Counter and obtain an authorization code to connect when prompted to do so on their computer screens. The code enables the students to log onto the Internet for up to 24 hours on their laptops.

Even though I graduated in 2006 - I still carry my student card. And that's why!

On weekends no authorization code is needed to access the Internet - and all members of the public can log on for free.

And, if you're staying in Philly - check out this LINK for more free wifi spots!

48 Hours in Pittsburgh

Arriving in Pittsburgh Friday night, we set out to see and do as much as possible with just 48 hours - hold on tight as we take you on some recommendations for a weekend in the Steel City...

Friday Night

Check-in: Renaissance Hotel, Downtown Pittsburgh
Right in the heart of the action on 6th St, the historic Renaissance Hotel is housed in a building dating from 1906, completely refurbished and reopened just a few years a go.

The staff were surprisingly unhelpful and cared little to make us feel welcome. With a big of haggling though we managed to persuade them to move us up from the fourth floor to the top floor - and the room offered some great views of the city and rivers.

Pittsburgh Steeler's Pep Rally @ Heinz Field
With the Steeler's big game the following weekend, we lucked out and arrived in time to experience the hype surrounding the city's Superbowl expectations with an organized Pep Rally at Heinz Field.



The honking and hollering on the roads around the stadium was as if they had already won the Superbowl!


PNC Park
With all the bedlam surrounding the pep rally, we opted to skip the taxi line and walk back over the bridge to the hotel via PNC Park.

Right next door to Heinz Field, this is home to the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball team and definitely worth the walk on the way back to the city.

Primantis
The Sandwich that made Pittsburgh famous...

The Primanti Brother's sandwich is said to have its origins in the city's steel days when blue collar workers needed a hot meal mid-shift that would keep them full all day long. However, the workers had neither the time nor the utensils for such a meal. By combining the sides of fries and coleslaw with the sandwich, a Pittsburgh staple was born.

Of note: Primanti Brothers made the list of "1,000 Places to See Before You Die in the USA and Canada," by Patricia Schultz.

Next, depending on what your in the mood for, Friday night is a great night to experience either a musical or some of Pittsburgh's nightlife.

Menopause the Musical


With a title like Menopause The Musical, we opted for the latter and headed to the South Side and counted over 40 bars driving from one end to the other! We were certainly spoiled for choice on where to drink!

South Side
With an unbelievable amount of bars, a pubcrawl up East Carson Street could be a weekend within itself!




Saturday

Sightseeing Around the City
We decided to check out some of Pittsburgh’s 89 neighborhoods. From the steps in the South Side slopes to Little Italy in Bloomfield, Pittsburgh’s eclectic neighborhoods are worth exploring.


Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Quite simply, stunning. The Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens have been inviting visitors to explore the beauty and mysteries of plants since 1893. Set amidst one of Pittsburgh's largest greenspace, Schenley Park, Phipps Conservatory stands as a cultural and architectural centerpiece of the city's Oakland neighborhood.



In recent decades, Phipps has evolved into one of the region's most vibrant, thriving cultural attractions, and is a great way to spend a crisp winter morning in the sun.



Cathedral of Learning

A local and national landmark, this is the centerpiece of the University of Pittsburgh's main campus in the Oakland neighborhood. Standing at 535 feet, the 42-story Late Gothic Revival Cathedral (above) is the tallest educational building in the western hemisphere and the third tallest educational building in the world.

Heinz Chapel
The Heinz Memorial Chapel began as a gift. Henry John Heinz, the founder of the H.J. Heinz Company, wanted to honor his mother, Anna Margaretta Heinz, with “a building” at the University. To this day, it still hosts hundreds of concerts, religious services, and weddings.


Fitzgerald Field House Dance-Off
Flicking through a copy of the Pitt News, we discovered a dance marathon taking place for charity and couldn't resist stopping in...



Raising $36,713.09, this was the most successful fundraiser in the history of Pitt's student organizations, obliterating the former record of $15,000. Full story is here


The Church Brew Works
This converted 1902 Catholic church offers a variety of brewed-on-site ales and lagers (the brewing equipment sits front-and-center, on what was once the altar) and a satisfying menu - even the original stained-glass windows are still in place!

A great place to stop for a relaxing pint after seeing the sights and sounds of Pittsburgh!

The Duquesne Incline & Mount Washington
A great place for a romantic dinner to round off the day, this nighttime view from Mount Washington was voted the the No. 2 beauty spot in America by USA Today.



The author wrote, "Standing atop Mount Washington, the steep hill that rises giddily on the city's south side, sightseers enjoy the unforgettable panorama of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers flowing together to create the mighty Ohio, that waterway so essential in the nation's settlement. The rivers cup downtown's lustrous Golden Triangle, where landmark skyscrapers thrust upward like rockets. At night, lights twinkle on no fewer than 15 bridges."

Sunday
Our original plan was to head to Shady Side for a massage for madame while I watched the football. We slept in and ordered a complimentary breakfast in bed before driving through on the way to:

Carnegie Museum of Natural History
From the discovery of Diplodocus carnegii to the skull of Samson, the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skull known to date, and the brand new, yet to be named, species of oviraptorosaur, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History has one of the finest dinosaur collections in the world.



Other exhibits include the Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems, the Alcoa Foundation Hall of American Indians, Polar World: Wyckoff Hall of Arctic Life, the Walton Hall of Ancient Egypt, the Benedum Hall of Geology and the Powdermill Nature Reserve.



Carnegie Museum of Art
The Hall of Architecture, with its collection of over 140 plaster casts of architectural masterpieces from the past survives today as the largest architectural cast collection in the country, rivaled internationally only by collections in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and in the Musee National des Monuments Français, Paris.



Having persisted through changes of taste and decades of public exhibition, the Hall of Architecture offers an opportunity to appreciate a cultural phenomenon of international scope.



Summary
Pittsburgh's diversity really surprised me and I was pleasantly surprised by just how much the city has to offer. This was a very fulfilling weekend and we didn't even get to the Andy Warhol Museum, the nearby ski resort, or even a Penguins or Pirates game.

Once renowned as the smokey Steel City, Pittsburgh has reinvented itself as cultural and entertainment city. From Heinz Hall to Hindu temples, from The Warhol to the Inclines, from Kennywood to a Steelers game ... Year round there seems like there is always tons to do here and I'd definitely love to come back to do it all again, in addition to the moments we missed.

Milwaukee, WI

Blurred through the airplane's window - this is a shot of Milwaukee, Wisconsin where I had a brief layover on the way to Pittsburgh.



Located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee is the largest city in Wisconsin and 23rd largest in the United States.

Growing up I'd assumed that Milwaukee was founded by German settlers due to the large number of German immigrants that arrived during the 19th Century.

Yet, it was actually a French-Canadian explorer Solomon Juneau who settled in the area, and in 1846 Juneau's town combined with two neighboring towns to incorporate as the City of Milwaukee.

Once known almost exclusively as a brewing and manufacturing powerhouse, Milwaukee has apparently taken steps in recent years to reshape its image.

In the past decade, major new additions to the city have included the Milwaukee Riverwalk, the Midwest Airlines Center, Miller Park, an internationally renowned addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum, and Pier Wisconsin, as well as major renovations to the Milwaukee Auditorium.

Apparently, the word "Milwaukee" comes from an Algonquian word Millioke which means "Good/Beautiful/Pleasant Land"

About This Blog

What is an Enneagram?

The enneagram figure is believed to have originated around 2500 BC. It is a nine-pointed figure inscribed in a circle and it's name derives from two Greek words, ennea (nine) and grammi (line).



The meaning of the symbol itself, together with specific category types organized around the nine points, convey a system of knowledge about nine distinct but interrelated areas of personal growth - or nine ways of seeing and experiencing the world.

My goal is to utilise the Enneagram for mapping and understanding nine areas of personal growth and development; for us to look at ourselves in new and different ways, and for us to ultimately become better people.

These areas are:

Family
Desmond Tutu once wrote, "You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them." I will forever be indebted for what my family has sacrificed for me, present and past. And I hope to grow by continuing to appreciate everything they are for me. The Joyce Brothers wrote, "When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses."

Spiritual
Jack Kornfield wrote, "To undertake a genuine spiritual path is not to avoid difficulties, but to learn the art of making mistakes wakefully, to bring them to the transformative power of our heart." The goal of this blog is that very journey of learning that art.

Financial
"We live by the Golden Rule. Those who have the gold make the rules," Buzzie Bavasi once said, and Zig Ziglar reinforced this when he said. "Money isn't the most important thing in life, but it's reasonably close to oxygen on the "gotta have it" scale." For me money is about balance to which this blog seeks to find, as George Horace Lorimer once said, "It's good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it's good, too, to check up once in a while and make sure that you haven't lost the things that money can't buy."

Self/Personal
Louis L'Amour's quote captures the very essence of this blog, "Up to a point a man's life is shaped by environment, heredity, and movements and changes in the world about him. Then there comes a time when it lies within his grasp to shape the clay of his life into the sort of thing he wishes to be. Only the weak blame parents, their race, their times, lack of good fortune, or the quirks of fate. Everyone has it within his power to say, "This I am today; that I will be tomorrow."

Also, H.F. Hedge wrote, "Every man is his own ancestor, and every man his own heir. He devises his own future, and he inherits his own past." In The Prison and the Angel, Henry Van Dyke said, "Self is the only prison that can ever bind the soul." Through this blog I hope we can break out of our individual prisons and comfort zones to become the best we can possibly be.

Professional/Work
In Scnes de la vie Parisienne, Honoré de Balzac wrote, "An unfulfilled vocation drains the color from a man's entire existence." A view Jackson Browne reinforced, "Find a job you like and you add five days to every week." he said. Our jobs and careers can bring out the best in us.

Charles Kingsley wrote, "Thank God every morning when you get up, that you have something to do that day which must be done, whether you like it or not. Being forced to work and forced to do your best will breed in you temperance and self-control, diligence and strength of will, cheerfulness and content, and a hundred virtues which the idle never know."

Health
The greatest wealth is health. James West wrote, "Health is a large word. It embraces not the body only, but the mind and spirit as well;... and not today's pain or pleasure alone, but the whole being and outlook of a man." Arguably the most important of all the nine, as (George William Curtis wrote) "Happiness lies, first of all, in health."

Social
My blog Dom Forth Presents... focused heavily on some of the better social aspects of life. We are (afterall) social creatures. Yet, socializing nonstop without personal improvement is an opportunity wasted. "We Are the Sum Total of the Five People We Spend The Most Time With" Jim Rohn once said. Do the goals of your social groups match your own?

Education
This quote by William Haley encapsulates the very essence of my belief in education. "Education would be much more effective if its purpose was to ensure that by the time they leave school every boy and girl should know how much they do not know, and be imbued with a lifelong desire to know it. Great stuff!

Finally, the last area is Travel. Jawaharial Nehru once wrote, “We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” I hope that through my travels I can become complete, but am fully aware that it is not travel itself that determines the individual. As Henry Miller wrote, “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” Too true.

Is it a coincidence that it is these 9 areas that are so important? The number nine is a most remarkable number in many respects. It is held in great reverence by all who study the occult sciences; and in mathematical science it possesses properties and powers which are found in no other number.

In his book, The Enneagram, Understanding Yourself and the Others in Your Life, Palmer wrote that each Enneagram number, or style, is based on a pattern of where attention goes. By learning about what kinds of things one habitually attends to and puts energy into, one can observe oneself more accurately and develop more self-awareness.

And, that enhancing one’s self awareness with the help of the Enneagram, one can exercise more choice about one’s functioning rather than engaging in patterns of thought, emotion, and behavior in an automatic, habitual, unconscious way.

It is my goal for us to improve all of theses areas by really challenging these 9 specific areas of life. If it can help us look at ourselves in new and different ways, and we become better people then I'll be happy :)