Adventure to the Four Corners Monument

Ever wonder what lies at the four corners? The spot where Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico meet?

There really is something there. It's called the Four Corners Monument. I was in the neighborhood last summer so I dropped by to check it out.

Let me first say that unless you just happen to be nearby this place is not worth the trip alone. It's literally out in the middle of nowhere. The nearest towns are miles and miles away. There are scarce amenities here and cell phone service is questionable at best.

The four corners sits on Navajo land. They charge a $3 admission fee to enter. I should also mention that the turnoff from the main road to go in was so ambiguous I actually missed it the first time and had to turn around.

Once I got in there was not a whole heck of a lot to see. There were four sets of stalls (one in each state) where Native American merchants sold stuff. Most of the stuff for sell consisted of t-shirts, jewelry, and other Native American crafts.

In the center of everything on the ground sits the actual marker for the four corners. Everyone was crowding around getting their picture made. I waited about five minutes myself for a picture after which I was ready to get the hell out of there. Although it looks empty in my picture above there were actually about 20 people crowded right outside of what you can see.

What I found most interesting is that there were so many people there. There was no one on the surrounding roads for miles, yet this place was packed. If you happen to be nearby, or if this is on your bucket list, it's worth a stop. Otherwise just look at my pics above and you'll get the full experience.

Axiom 19: The Power of Travel (Part 2)

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” -Mark Twain

In part 1 I gave an overview with some generalizations of why travel is important. I wanted to continue to expand that idea with some specific personal experiences. My guess is that a lot of people that read part 1 will agree that travel is important but will fail to take any further steps to travel because they do not see specific benefits. Hopefully some of my observations below will show some specific benefits and inspire you to take a journey of enlightenment of your own.

Los Angeles was the first real city that I ventured to on my own. It was intimidating at first, but now that I've been a few times I have grown to love the city and actually know some of the streets better than here in Dallas. LA made me learn about the power of individualism. I find the people there infinitely interesting (in some cases to the point of extreme vanity). From the beach bums, Hollywood weirdos, Beverly Hills socialites, and so on, everyone has their own unique story. What makes it even more interesting is that no one seems to have been born here. 

Las Vegas is really one of the few cities I've really grown to dislike. The fact that there is practically no where to sit down anywhere on the strip that doesn't have a bill changer in front of you is repulsive to me. Fanny-pack wearing tourists are herded like animals from one casino to another. They are plied with alcohol, sex, food, and gambling to the point of exhaustion. The only lesson of value I learned here was one of weakness. Las Vegas will bring out the worst in you if you let it. It will bring out your weakness. Las Vegas taught me what I don't want to be like.

London was a breathe of fresh air in classic style, tradition, formality, and class. Its really one of a few places in the world easily accessible to Americans. For me it was different enough there to throw me totally out of my element yet I still felt comfortable. I'm still figuring this place out, but I can't help deny this is one of the most powerful places I have been to.

New York City made me aware of the importance of the collective. Growing up here in Texas the importance is always placed on the individual because of the abundance of space and resources. NYC is a symphony of people that sometimes hangs delicately in the balance from things as simple as trash pickup. If you're are a republican from the heartland of America coming here will help you understand things from the left. And while you may not agree with their politics, you will at least make sense of the situation.

San Francisco surprisingly taught me about nature. There's almost no where in the city that your not aware of its presence. The bay, the redwood trees in nearby Muir Woods, the cliff side on the beach, the steep hills all throughout the city, and the threat of death by a massive earthquake all make you feel different about your place in the world. The presence of nature may not seem like a big deal to some people but growing up in Texas the power of nature pales in comparison. I can't even remember seeing a mountain until I was a teenager.

Lastly, Paris taught me the importance of learning to live in the moment. Here in America we get caught up so much in productivity and making money we fail to relax enough to do something as simple to sit down and enjoy a meal with our friends and family. In Paris the emphasis is on what's going on today, not what's going on tomorrow. I've realized that as important as planning for the future is it is also equally as important to enjoy life today.

Axiom 19: The Power of Travel (Part 1)

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” 

-St. Augustine

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” 

-Martin Buber

Growing up in Texas I never traveled much. Family vacations were relegated to no further than a few hundred miles from home. Nothing even existed beyond the Texas state line as far as I was concerned. However, as a I got older I developed a natural curiosity about the world - something that my parents never had.

After I graduated college in 2003 I was contemplating moving to Los Angeles. I was looking for a job in public relations and most of the PR firms were out there. I flew out there by myself to scope things out. This was my first real adventure into the world outside of Texas and I was terrified. At first everything felt wrong. The "us versus them" mentality I had been raised on was ringing in my head. Everyone talked differently, acted differently, drove differently, ate differently, voted differently, and so on.

It took all of my willpower to approach LA with an open mind. I decided to look for what made LA special instead of trying to find ways in which Texas was better. I didn't end up moving there after all, but I learned a lot about myself and still travel there when I can. From then on each subsequent trip I made around the country became increasingly easier until the apprehension of travelling to a new place was replaced with delight.

I approach each new city with an open mind and a natural curiosity. I want to see what the city is like as a local, not as a tourist. I can't help but always ask myself, "Would I want to live here?" Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes no. I think ultimately travelling has made me realize that if I was wealthy I wouldn't relocate I would just travel more instead.

One great thing about our modern society is our ability to travel. The ability to wake up in one continent and fall asleep in another. Boat rides that took months have been replaced by plane rides that take hours. Our ancestors would have killed for such an opportunity. Don't let this opportunity go to waste. Travel helps you look at things from another perspective. It eliminates the "us versus them" mentality. It inspires you with new ideas. It pushes you beyond your comfort zone. It changes you for the better. Don't continue to live vicariously through travel shows because the real places are never quite as they seem on TV.

If you're terrified of travelling like I once was, trust from my experience above that it is just an irrational fear that you must overcome. The other excuse for not travelling I often hear is, "I don't have the money." Nonsense. If you're 18 and you have a job you can afford to travel. If you save $1 a day you can buy a round-trip plane ticket to just about anywhere here in the country in less than a year. So cut back on your Playstation budget and instead go somewhere that will really teach you something new.

With an open mind and a natural curiosity I would argue that one would get more benefit from spending $30k travelling the world than spending $30k on a college degree, and next time in Part 2 of this Axiom I will show you specific life lessons I've learned from travelling.

10 Random Things About Paris

10. The French are not rude - I'm not sure why so many people claim the French are rude. The only plausible explanation I can come up with is that these are the people that went to France with a cocky American attitude. Walking up to a French person and saying in English, "Do you speak English?" is no more acceptable than if they came to America and said to you, "Parlez-vous français?" When speaking to French people for the first time always start off the conversation with, "Bonjour, parlez-vous anglais?" If you do this you will most likely be rewarded with for your efforts.

9. Waiters don't rush you - Unlike here in America, the waiters don't bother you very much. There's no, "Is everything okay? Do you need a refill?" every 5 minutes. The French actually think its kinda rude to continually interrupt someone's meal to check on them. The beautiful thing is that just because they don't bother you doesn't mean they aren't around. As soon as you need something or look like you need something they will come right over to help you. 

8. No tipping - At restaurants the tip is already added into the price of the item on the menu (and so is tax). If you use a credit card there's not even a space for a tip on the receipt. So don't feel bad for not leaving a tip, but if you must leave a tip 1 or 2 euros will work fine.

7. Counting on your hand starts with the thumb - So if you want two of something hold up your thumb and first finger.

6. Parisian subway - The Paris subway is a beautiful thing. It is cheap, convenient, and way better than using taxis. Don't let the language barrier scare you, just dive right in and try it. Or actually before you go and try it read the Paris Metro Guide.

5. Taxes are added into the cost already - If something says 5 euros, it is 5 euros. I wish we could do that here in America. Everything is also usually rounded up to the nearest 50 cents or euro, which helps you from getting stuck with lots of loose change.

4. Everthing is expensive - Due in part to the generally bad exchange rate a dinner for two at a cafe can run you $70USD pretty easy. I would avoid shopping in France for anything you can get at home if possible because of the bad exchange rate. 

3. Macaroons - Macaroons are sort of like puff pastries with a gel filling. The two most well-known places for macaroons in Paris are Pierre Herme and Laduree. You got to try some if you go to Paris.

2. No high-pressure sales - Street vendors, homeless people, sales people at shops, waiters - I didn't experience any up-selling or high pressure sales techniques. The French are very laid back, which comes from the "today is as good as it gets, don't worry about tomorrow" attitude. 

1. The touristy things are the least enjoyable - Large groups of people are generally awful to be around. Getting stuck on a Seine riverboat cruise with a bunch of German teenagers, and being in a room at the Louvre with 200 people shoving each other to get close to the Mona Lisa is not my idea of a good time. I'd much rather people watch at a cafe or walk through a quiet park along the Seine.

5 Tips For Easier International Travel

I just got back home after spending a week in Europe. This was my first trip overseas, and I really learned a lot about myself and about our world. If you are planning on taking a trip out of the country below are five tips that I have learned. These will be especially beneficial for novice travelers who have never been outside of the US.

5. Never Underestimate the Power of Jet Lag - If unprepared it can wreak havoc on the first part of your trip. You'll be exhausted dealing with culture shock and nothing familiar to cling to. To avoid jet lag as much as possible make sure you get a full night's sleep before your flight. People mistakenly think they can just get all the sleep they need on the plane. The problem with sleeping on the plane is that the quality of sleep in pretty much worthless. It's nearly impossible to get comfortable long enough to sleep and get any REM sleep, which is the deep phase of sleep that recharges your body. Sleeping pills don't give you REM sleep either, so they won't do much good except to knock you out for the duration of a long boring flight.

Once you are at your destination leave the first day's itinerary light. You want to make sure you give your body time to rest and adjust to the time change. 

4. Arrive Prepared - Before you leave home make sure you have an itinerary with addresses and phone numbers for all of the places you'll be going to. This will cut down on wasting time once you get there.

Other things to make sure you pack are: city maps (especially subway/mass transit maps), travel power plug outlet adapters (your electrical devices may not work without them), and backup copies of your passport and credit cards.

3. Buy Quality Luggage - I've learned the hard way over the years that buying cheap luggage costs more in the long run. The airlines are so hard on checked luggage that the cheap bags fall apart very quickly. Spend the extra money and get a quality brand like Samsonite. Sometimes you can pick up the quality brands for cheap at clearance stores like Ross, TJ Maxx, or Nordstrom Rack.

The first bag on international flights you check is free, as long as it is under 50 pounds. A good rule of thumb is that a 26" bag will weigh about 50 pounds fully packed and should be enough room for one person to pack 5-7 days worth of clothes. You can also buy a luggage scale to take with you to make sure you don't go over the weight limit.

2. Learn the Language - If you are going to a non-English speaking country make sure you take a phrasebook, and try to learn a little bit of the native language. I think people sometimes have grand delusions of trying to become completely fluent before their trip. Don't make this mistake, just buy a language CD and start with the basic phrases you'll be using on your trip. I bought some CD's from Michel Thomas that really saved me on my trip. They ended up being far more helpful than Rosetta Stone. While Rosetta Stone starts by teaching words like "boy" and "dog", the Michel Thomas CD's start by teaching phrases you use to order at a restaurant. 

Throughout the world English is more commonly spoken than you might think because of the economic power of the USA. Most people you meet will probably know at least a little bit of English, you just need to learn enough of their language to "meet them in the middle".

1. Embrace Their Culture - I think the biggest reason people have a bad time on a trip out of the country is because they lack the ability to step outside of their American expectations and embrace something new. Yeah sure America kicks ass at almost everything it does, and the standard of living is higher here than pretty much anywhere else. However, if you go to another country and embrace their culture I'm sure that you'll find things that they do better than here in America. Just remember that sometimes less is actually more. Focus on what makes that country special and try to adapt to their culture the best you can while you are there.