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Okay this is absolutely a must have. A friend of mine was on assignment in Michigan (of all places) and was in a car with a GPS system that featured the voice of Billy Bob Thornton ala Slingblade, uhmm-hmmm.

Turns out that you’re not stuck with the saccharine and generic voice that comes with your GPS system, you can customize them to suit your personality or to shock and amaze your friends. Most receivers come with some voices built into the system so you can choose between friendly male or friendly female voices. Some companies let you download new text-to-speech voices so you can get just the right effect for your situation or find the voice that makes you melt.

Here’s a sample of Dennis Hopper

If you have a TomTom system you’re lucky because you get access to all of Navtones voices, which keeps expanding regularly. You can expect to pay somewhere between $5.95 and $12.95 per voice. The higher priced voices typically belong to celebrities while the lower prices are characters such as Witch Waytogo and Bubba.

Garmin also offers alternative voices but they’re no where near as extensive as Navtones and don’t feature any celebrities. Although one can only assume that they’ll be boosting their repertoire in the near future as well.

photo credit: gahdjun

If you’re like me, even an overnight adventure can mean a lot of packing stress and at least two pieces of luggage, not to mention the purse and the fanny pack, if hiking is involved. Sure, I’m medium to high maintenance and I accept that, but I’ve learned that I don’t necessarily have to pack that way. Below are some tips I’ve learned that can help you pare down your “essentials”. Read the full story

In an effort to protect the public from lithium batteries (and aren’t we all afraid of them) the DOT enacted new lithium battery rules for travel beginning on January 1^st of 2008. Basically the rules state that you cannot pack spare lithium batteries in your checked baggage. Meaning the bags you hand over to the clerk at the counter. And when they say spare batteries they mean loose ones floating around. If you have lithium batteries in your camera, MP3 player or other device those are just fine. Read the full story

Whether you’re jetting across the country for a business meeting or backpacking through Europe, at least one of the nifty travel products below is bound to become the one item you couldn’t do without.
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If you want to get through the airport faster and with more ease, use the following travel tips to help you breeze right through, saving both time and hassle. Read the full story

photo credit: ordinari_grrrl

While the stated goal of the 30-acre entertainment complex known as CityWalk is to entertain and educate patrons in a variety of themed environments, its real accomplishment is giving tourists a place to deposit their cash. Whether you’re a sport’s buff, a cigar aficionado, a fashionista or a conservationist; there’s a store for you.

• Cigarz at CityWalk: Considered one of the best cigar shops around, locals flock to this hidden treasure. The humidor features a number of smoky gems and the bar features some stiff drinks and a few good eats for a light snack.
• The Endangered Species Store: A tribute to the world’s endangered species, this store sells t-shirts, stuffed animals, knickknacks and other trinkets with critters in mind.
• Fresh Produce: Not what you’d expect. This store offers clothing in the typical Florida fashion, bright florals and tropical colors.
• Quiet Flight Surf Shop: If you really want to fit in with the natives at the beach, hit this favorite surf shop for everything you need to ride the waves; except the waves, of course.
• Hart & Huntington Tattoo Company: Want a lasting souvenir? Try a tattoo. This world famous tattoo parlor is one of those places you just have to visit, whether you’re going to get ink or not, take a tour through the flash art and learn a little about this ancient art form.

Tucked between the Magnolia and Palm golf courses, very close to the great mouse’s home, Magic Kingdom, rests a resort dedicated to hosting America’s military.

Florida’s Shades of Green was originally built as a luxury resort known as the Disney Inn. In 1994 the Department of Defense leased the property and turned it into an exclusive oasis for retired and active military personnel, Defense Department civilians and their families. The name Shades of Green is meant as a nod to the well-recognized camouflage colors of the military and serves to encompass all branches of the armed forces.

Ticket discounts vary and can be as little as 6.5 percent and as much as 30 percent. If you’re looking for the best deal and the best discount, more is usually better. Look for passes that cover several days and several parks. The Park Hopper and Magic Your Way tickets seem to offer the best deals all around.

To purchase your discounted military tickets for Disney, check with your local MWR office, get a quote from them and keep shopping. It is not uncommon for prices to vary from base to base. If you’re already in Orlando, check their local Navy Exchange which has a small ITT/MWR base near the airport. Or, those last minute people can pick up their park passes at the Shades of Green resort, but remember this means you won’t get to do any additional discount shopping.

If you’re thinking about a group vacation, your military discount will count for the entire group as long as 50 percent of the people are qualified to receive military benefits. Active and retired armed forces members as well as their dependents qualify.

California’s Disneyland doesn’t have a hotel dedicated to the military, but the Disneyland Resort does offer military personnel a discount. A word of advice here, book early as this hotel fills up quickly. Ticket discounts are still available in California and checking with your local MWR is the easiest way to determine the rates.

If you’re thinking about a vacation that’s a little more exotic, consider a Disney Cruise. The mouse gives some good discounts on their cruises but they’re based on availability and some restrictions may apply. Check dates with Disney Cruise lines to find the best time to cash in on your discount and then research some other specials, the military deals might not always be the best.

(Photo via flickr cc)

If pyramids excite you and make you feel like traveling, how about a trip to Wisconsin? Believe it or not, the Midwestern state is home to an ancient village and ceremonial complex, complete with pyramidal mounds, from somewhere between AD 1000 to 1300. Not much is specifically known about the group that constructed these pyramids as they have long since disappeared, but it is believed that they share cultural traditions with the Cahokia settlement in Illinois.

The pyramids are truly more mound than skyscraper and have actually been reconstructed to give visitors a feel for how they originally appeared. A stockade has also been restored to add to the native landscape.

Aztalan State Park is open to the public from 6 am to 11 pm daily. The area is mainly open prairie, representative of most of the state’s south central region, which makes it perfect for long hikes and picnics. Visitors can also fish, boat or canoe along the Crawfish River, although no boat launch is available. North of the park is the Aztalan Museum which features relics from the 19th Century, including two pioneer churches.

If you hear the word “hog” and don’t automatically think of a farm and squealing pigs, then you’re probably long overdue for a trip to hog heaven. The Harley-Davidson headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin has been home to the hearts of millions of motorcycle enthusiasts for decades but a new home will open this year.

Museum staff expect an annual attendance of 350,000 or more. The Milwaukee location, between Sixth and Canal Streets, easily houses the three-building, 130,000-square-foot homage to Harley. The development is planned with space for exhibits, a restaurant, café, retail space, meeting rooms, special events facilities and the company’s archives.

Future construction plans include an additional building with 100,000 square feet and office space for employees. Designs for this addition and a timeframe have not yet been made public.

Harley representatives haven’t released a grand opening date but the rumor mill predicts an opening by the 105^th anniversary of Harley-Davidson in late August 2008.

(Photo via flickr cc)

If the winter weather has you down then there is no better cure than a trip around the links. Here are some spots to consider.

(Photo via flickr cc)