Prompt #27: Share a photo or video that just makes you want to GO. RIGHT. NOW.

“Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.” –Seneca

Every few months I come across a video on Vimeo that definitely makes me want to pick up and leave, and then I find myself repeatedly searching for travel deals to Paris or Tokyo deals or {Insert ANY country} deals. Here are a few that did that to me in the last year…

Travel videos that give me wanderlust:

Inspired by Iceland

I’m sure you’ve seen this one by now. I was so excited to find this one last year, after I’d already purchased my ticket to Iceland.

Move. Eat. Learn.

This is by the same guys (Rick Mereki) who did the walking across America one last year (note: not the guy who actually did walk across America). I love to see all the different food and scenery and people.

Tokyo Slo-mode

Love seeing Tokyo this way. By Alex Lee

I Believe I can Fly

This ‘flight of the Frenchies’ trailer about highlining/slacklining absolutely fascinates me. I put it on tumblr a few weeks ago, and have watched a half dozen times. By Sebastien Montaz-Rosset

Iceland = Mad Wanderlust

The cool thing about finding one inspiring video, is that it leads you to more. (I found this one from the Flight of the Frenchies’ Sebastien Montaz-Rosset, a video by Austrian Klara Harden, who did a 25-day solo hike through Iceland this summer.

A Journey Through Vietnam

This video by Leon Visser reminded me of my time in Vietnam. If you’ve been to Vietnam, watch it! It’s like a trip down memory lane — the people, the traffic, Halong Bay, riding on the back of motorbikes… it’s beautiful.

Do you have a recent favorite?

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Prompt #7: Joining in a local festival, holiday or special event is a great way to learn more about a local culture. Share the story of a celebration that meant something to you on your travels.

In 2006, I was in Paris on Bastille Day. Here’s a short video of watching fireworks at the Eiffel Tower.

What’s a foreign holiday you’ve experienced?

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Prompt #5: One of the greatest joys of travel can be the random acts of kindness you’ll receive from total strangers. Have you ever found kindness from strangers in unexpected places?

“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness.” –Seneca

So much of traveling is relying on the kindness of others, and it’s amazing how kind and helpful complete strangers can be. While I’m naturally a bit suspicious of a total stranger’s motivation to help me, more often than not, it’s just one human seeing another in need.

My first experience with random kindness while traveling occurred in Marseilles. I had gotten a sunburn the day before and couldn’t seem to find any aloe vera at the giant Monoprix grocery store (which reminded me of a Fred Meyer because they had home/beauty etc departments). I don’t speak French, so my 5 phrases and ability to count to 10 wasn’t helping me find aloe vera for my scorched shoulders. After unsuccessfully looking in the lotions and potions area, I decided to ask a woman and her daughter for help.

“Bonsue… Parle-vou anglais?” (this question was always met with kindness in the south of France. I was sad to find it was not as successful upon reaching Paris, where it was met with “what are you saying” spoken back to me in English). The teenage daughter said no, but the mother spoke a little English. So I asked them about aloe vera, sun burn, hand motions etc. and they had no idea what I was talking about so I was going to just be like “ah nevermind, merci”. But this woman wouldn’t give up. She then gets all excited and whips out her mobile, calling her son. So then she makes me talk to him. He was like “so it’s some kind of ointment for a sunburn?” and I replied “yes” and so he asked me to spell it, and as I was saying “A-L-O-E…” the mother screeched what was the French equivalent of “aloe vera gel”. After a bit of giggling by all three of us, she explained that aloe is found at the pharmacy. So she had her daughter take me across the street to the pharmacy, and help me find it there. We were both laughing and all I could do was say thank you and smile.

It made my day that a complete stranger would take the time out of their busy day and grocery shopping trip to stop and help a poor sunburned American girl find aloe. So incredibly sweet and a great memory. :)

How have you experienced random acts of kindness on the road?

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1. The Count of Monte Cristo Location: Marseilles. My first foray into French novels was Alexander Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo. This books stands out in my memory as the ultimate epic tale – adventure, betrayal, romance, revenge… (if you’re not into 1,300 page books the movie is pretty good as well).  Visiting the Notre-Dame de la Garde in Marseilles & Chateau d’If — you almost forget that Edmond Dantes was a fictional character!
2. A Year in Provence Location: Provence. Peter Mayle’s book, A Year in Provence, was recommended to me while I was studying in Marseilles. Of course the recommendation came from a professor who ironically had also relocated from England.  Mayle has a great writing style that makes you think “that’s exactly how it is!” if you’ve spent any time in the south of France, which is probably why his books are so popular among the Brits. Encore Provence is a fun book too.
3. Tender Is The Night Location: Cote de Azur. Like many teens, I went through an F. Scott Fitzgerald kick in high-school. Tender Is the Night was probably the first book that made me think about France as a vacation destination and not just a backdrop for old historical novels. After reading Gatsby or This Side of Paradise, you can appreciate how personal this book is.
4. Words In A French Life Location: Aix en Provence. I spent an afternoon at a winery near Aix en Provence in 2006 and my wine tasting (& lunch) guide, Jean-Marc Espinasse, told me about a book his wife, Kristin Espinasse (an American) had written called Words in a French Life: Lessons in Love and Language from the South of France. They met while she was an exchange student in college and they now have a family and live in Provence. When I returned to the States I read the book and have been reading her blog French Word-A-Day ever since. It’s a quick and charming read.
5. French Women Don’t Get Fat Location: Paris. I may have been a little obsessed with the French way of life after coming back from my three weeks of summer school in Marseille, as evident of picking up French Women Don’t Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano. This book is part narrative of her life growing up in France and part learning to eat for pleasure with recipes and tips thrown in. Even if you’re not looking for a lifestyle change or diet tips I would recommend this book.
6. The Dirt On Clean Location: Versailles. Ever wonder why the French have a reputation for being dirty? The Dirt On Clean explains it all. While it’s not just about France (it profiles our collective unsanitized history), it has some fun facts about the state of cleanliness in Europe.

I spent three weeks in Marseilles on my first-ever adventure abroad, so these books my be skewed slightly to the Provencal… :) What books have inspired you to travel?

Reminder: I mentioned last week that I’d be doing a giveaway on my new deal site — the Frugal Bon Vivant. So go leave a comment and you might just win the MP3 player!

Bastille Day in Paris:

By this time, we were in Paris and got to experience the madness that is Bastille day at the Eiffel Tower…

“We headed to the Eiffel Tower and it was much too late to stake out a great spot so we ended up waaaaay back, but I think any spot was still a good view! We used our street maps as seats and waited for the show. I must say that fireworks at the Eiffel Tower were better than any Independence Day celebration I have ever seen! They play classical music during the fireworks. It most certainly beat our cheesy rock montages for the 4th. After the fireworks we swam through the masses to the metro and headed “home.” *sigh* I love Paris.”
–my thoughts on Paris, circa 2006

What sacrilege! Oh well, you be the judge… here’s a video of the fireworks and music on Bastille Day at the Eiffel Tower:

Do the French really do it better? Happy 4th of July! I <3 America!  :)