https://www.wanderingcamps.com/BLOG RSSThu, 04 Feb 2021 18:59:23 GMTThu, 04 Feb 2021 18:59:23 GMThttps://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/nostalgia-restaurant-tourThis trip is for all my fellow Gen Xers (and Boomers) from Bryan/College Station that ever thought “I wonder what happened to that restaurant?” Some of those much-loved chain restaurants we used to have actually do still exist and I’m on a mission to find them! We had to go all the way to Thailand to find a Swensen’s but we’re staying in the U.S. for this trip.November 25, 2025: First up on the itinerary is…Corn Dog 7. Back in the 80s when malls were in their heyday, I worked at Miller’sSat, 10 Jan 2026 23:46:02https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/nostalgia-restaurant-tourhttps://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/bangkok-buddhas-and-beaches-a-thailand-adventureDeciding to travel from Texas to Thailand for vacation is a serious commitment because 24 hours of travel time is no joke. Ultimately, our stay in Thailand made it worth all the time spent in planes and airport lounges. The scenery was gorgeous, the food was delicious, and the Thai people are some of the friendliest you will ever meet. There are a number of one-stop flights from the U.S. to Bangkok, and some non-stop flights should be available soon. However, if you fly business with QatarMon, 02 Jun 2025 23:43:28https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/bangkok-buddhas-and-beaches-a-thailand-adventurehttps://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/embracing-the-chill-at-the-world-s-coolest-hotelI’m not sure how sleeping on a bed of ice in a room made entirely of ice and snow ends up on someone’s bucket list, but there we were in Norway, ticking off an item from Robert’s list—spending the night in an ice hotel. While there are numerous ice hotels around the world, both seasonal and year-round, our ice torture of choice was the Snowhotel Kirkenes in northern Norway, just 20 minutes from the Russian border. Standing in front of the hotel check-in building, wearing every article ofSun, 18 Aug 2024 23:21:26https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/embracing-the-chill-at-the-world-s-coolest-hotelhttps://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/an-80s-flashbackBeing a 1985 high school graduate, 80s music (along with the hair and clothes) will forever be my favorite.  So, when we heard that the Totally Tubular Festival was coming to Houston, we bought those tickets! The lineup was fantastic, and even though we’ve never been fans of driving in downtown Houston, 713 Music Hall was a great venue (order the brisket nachos, trust me).The lineup varies in some cities but ours was:The PlimsoulsBow Wow WowThe TubesMen Without HatsModern EnglishWed, 17 Jul 2024 03:44:06https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/an-80s-flashbackhttps://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/sint-maartenDespite the best attempts of American Airlines, we finally made it to Sint Maarten! The majority of the first two days were spent stalking the St. David, the yacht from the Bravo show Below Deck. We were even treated to fireworks courtesy of the show. I like to think they were celebrating us finally making it to the island. Day two was spent poolside with an adult beverage or two. We made an iguana friend that we named Tucker. Everyone at the pool said they’ve never seen an iguana come up soWed, 26 Jun 2024 02:11:45https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/sint-maartenhttps://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/belgium-luxembourgWaffles Frites Beer! Oh My! That pretty much sums up our first days in Belgium. My goal was to eat my body weight in Liege waffles and frites.Our first few days, we spent most of the time doing some sightseeing and lots of eating, including Robert's birthday dinner at the Atomium Restaurant.No matter where I go, I have a knack for finding the most random, oddball places to visit. Like Illusion Brussels.Our first adventure outside Brussels was to Bruges and Ghent, which was aMon, 26 Feb 2024 02:48:38https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/belgium-luxembourghttps://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/marfa-texas-kitchen-college-station-txI’ve written about this restaurant before so I’ll keep this one short and sweet. If you haven’t been to Marfa Texas Kitchen in College Station, TX yet…what are you waiting for? Robert is obsessed with the pistachio crusted chicken fried steak with jalapeno gravy and I always get the shrimp and grits (if you like spicy food, this one's for you!). Pistachio Crusted Chicken Fried Steak with Jalapeno GravyShrimp and Cheddar GritsBut my favorites are always the seasonal cocktails, stuffed eggsThu, 14 Dec 2023 23:22:19https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/marfa-texas-kitchen-college-station-txhttps://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/winfield-mill-house-gatesville-texasIf you’re like me and love old, historic and/or interesting buildings…and find yourself traveling to Gatesville, TX…you have to stay at the former Winfield Mill near downtown Gatesville. Available to book on Vrbo and Airbnb, this former grist mill is a unique property with so much history, and we loved reading all the stories and details of the Mill provided by the owners. One feature that meant a lot to us was something that seems to be lacking in so many other properties and that is plenty ofThu, 02 Nov 2023 17:12:45https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/winfield-mill-house-gatesville-texashttps://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/bacon-bash-texasAnother year, another Bacon Bash in the books!For those that don’t know, Bacon Bash is a charity event to raise money for children with Type 1 Diabetes. Participating cook teams come up with all kinds of dishes incorporating bacon. I never get tired of eating creative bacon dishes and all-you-can-drink Bloody Marys! This year’s winning team was Dyin Breed BBQ and their Bourbon Bacon Cheesecake.  A new addition this year was a booth where you rang a bell and a hand would come out with aFri, 27 Oct 2023 22:53:38https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/bacon-bash-texashttps://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/favorite-travel-things-1We’ve come to the end of my top 10 favorite travel things! This last thing on the list comes in super handy if you’re a light packer or, in my case, if your luggage gets delayed and you have to wear the same clothes for several days in a row. Febreze To Go ($13 for a 4-pack on Amazon) comes in bottles that are small enough to toss in your carry on and are a great way to freshen up any clothes you need to wear a second (or third) time.I’d still enjoy hearing any favorite travel items you haveTue, 17 Oct 2023 18:35:42https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/favorite-travel-things-1https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/favorite-travel-things-2This favorite is always packed in my cord/charger organizer bag that I posted earlier this week. Because we travel internationally so much, I need something that I can use anywhere and that has enough places to plug in all my gadgets. I used to take those single plug power adapters with us but I’ve come to really dislike them because 1. They’re so forward heavy that they constantly fall out of the plug and 2. I always have a ton of things I want to charge overnight. This power adapter ($40 onSat, 14 Oct 2023 14:29:12https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/favorite-travel-things-2https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/favorite-travel-things-3Yet another example of me being a heavy packer! Most of us have a plethora of gadgets that we take with us no matter where we travel…phones, tablets, headphones, etc…and those gadgets will inevitably need to be charged at some point. And if you travel outside the U.S., you’ll also need an adapter to charge/power them.This cable organizer bag ($26-$36 on Amazon) is my go-to for all the cords, adapters and portable chargers I have with me on any trip. Believe it or not, I haven’t actuallyTue, 10 Oct 2023 15:21:17https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/favorite-travel-things-3https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/favorite-travel-things-4What is an obsessive person to do when traveling and you don’t want to walk around barefoot on hotel carpet? Pack a pair of slippers! I wear slippers at home ALL the time so it only makes sense that I would have a travel pair. These slippers ($22 on Amazon) are SO lightweight and pack nearly flat so they take up very little space in your suitcase. Also, the memory foam makes them exceptionally comfortable. Now I can walk around a hotel room or down the hallway to the ice machine without worryingThu, 05 Oct 2023 22:24:00https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/favorite-travel-things-4https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/favorite-travel-things-5My next favorite thing has been in the news over the past year or so and that is an Apple AirTag. I’m sure they don’t need a lot of explanation…AirTags can help you locate your bag should they get lost on your travels. I have one in my carry on and my purse and I have one in each of our checked bags. Having them in our checked bags allowed me to keep track of them when they missed our flight from Turkey to Croatia, and to confirm that they had made it onto our flight home. Fortunately, we’veThu, 28 Sep 2023 22:11:57https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/favorite-travel-things-5https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/favorite-travel-things-6These are a few of my favorite (travel) things…Fellow heavy packers might appreciate today’s favorite travel thing. While my husband tosses his toiletry items in a Dopp kit before each trip, I go a little more extreme. This Bagsmart toiletry bag from Amazon ($22) is huge, comes in tons of colors, and can hold pretty much everything you might want to take. It also has a hook for hanging so you don’t have to dig around in a bag or clutter up a countertop…just hang it in the bathroom andThu, 21 Sep 2023 17:30:42https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/favorite-travel-things-6https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/favorite-travel-things-7These are a few of my favorite (travel) things...Traveling is SO much fun! But let’s face it, getting to your destination can be long and exhausting. Several years ago, we spent a full 24 hours in a car, 3 airplanes, a van, a boat and a golf cart getting to our overwater villa in Bora Bora. Sometimes you just need a refresh to feel like a human being again and these deodorizing body wipes from Amazon ($26 for 30) have been a lifesaver. I always have a few in my carry-on and they areMon, 18 Sep 2023 15:58:28https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/favorite-travel-things-7https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/favorite-travel-things-8I’m obsessed with pretty much anything miniature so, years ago when I realized you could buy a mini flat iron, I said “take my money!” Little did I know that it would actually be one of the travel items that I use the most. It takes up very little space and allows me to touch up my baby fine hair without having to spend time washing/drying it every morning. Most of them, like the Babyliss from Ulta ($34.99), come with a travel pouch so you don’t have to worry about letting it cool before packingSat, 16 Sep 2023 02:50:03https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/favorite-travel-things-8https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/travel-products-9These are a few of my favorite (travel) things…So, I’ve already admitted I’m a heavy packer, which means I’m cramming 7 outfits in my suitcase for a 2-day trip. You know what those clothes look like when I get to my destination? A wrinkled hot mess! I really dislike ironing anything and not every place we stay has an iron anyway so I always have a travel-size bottle of Downy Wrinkle Releaser in my toiletry bag. It’s a life-saver for anyone that’s too lazy to drag out the iron but not too lazyThu, 07 Sep 2023 03:21:50https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/travel-products-9https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/favorite-travel-things-10These are a few of my favorite (travel) things…Since it’s a couple of months until our next vacation, I thought I’d share some of my personal favorite travel products. Full disclosure though…I’m a “heavy” packer. I wish I could pack light but I always find “just one more thing” that I absolutely, positively need to take with me. So, some of these may seem really “extra” but that’s pretty much me in a nutshell. In no particular order, the first thing I take on every trip is a fan. If you’re aMon, 04 Sep 2023 23:47:43https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/favorite-travel-things-10https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/marfa-texas-kitchenWhen we first moved to our current house, there were no restaurants nearby and only Chinese food for delivery. Ten years later, we now have a plethora of restaurants within a 10 minute drive and it’s awesome. We recently tried @giddyupmarfa for the first time and I can’t say enough good things about it.What I will say is if you don’t order the Virgie’s Stuffed Eggs appetizer, you’re totally missing out! Best deviled eggs I’ve ever had at a restaurant.Fri, 04 Aug 2023 00:22:28https://www.wanderingcamps.com/wandering camps/marfa-texas-kitchen