Help me travel and shop from my computer
 

I've posted this on the European board, but I'm going to repeat it here.

So I'm on maternity bed rest for at least the next six weeks. I am allowed to sit at my computer (thank the lordy). I've been on bed rest for a week now and already getting a bit bored. So here is what I'd like from all of you.

Websites to visit!

Fun sites you've come across dealing with exciting places to travel (we will be doing somewhere in Europe in spring 2007), fun gadgets that you love, interesting shopping sites, historical information sites, anything interesting!

I'm trying to see this time as a gift to get things like finances and bills sorted and to maybe learn a few things. I love to learn about other cultures and how things are done in other places.

So show me the world! And help me shop. I have a ton of birthdays coming up.

Overstock.com is a great site for bargain shopping. Hope your bedrest passes by quickly!

I don't remember where I got this site, but its really interesting - from a woman that has served in Iraq.
http://www.armychic256bde.com/index.html

if you like jigsaw puzzles - I didn't until I tried this site. :)
http://www.jigzone.com/

more games, etc.
http://www.killsometime.com/illusion...asp?Sort=Alpha

places to see without leaving your computer
http://kroooz-cams.com/

If you are going to shop on-line be sure to sign up for emails at your favorite stores - Bloomies, Nordstroms, etc...they will send you coupons and free shipping sales to your email address. I have an email address that I use for things like this so that it doesn't interfere with my "real" email. You can really get some great coupons and bargains - especially during Christmas!

I like to browse recipes:

epicurious.com

And I like to browse shoes:

zappos.com

Hi Kelliebellie,

I'm an expert in internet-related procrastination (ha!) and I could spend hours reading travel blogs online. If you're not familiar with blogs, they are essentially web-based journals (web-logs). If you just do a google search for "travel blogs" you'll come with a tons of sites that provide this service, such as travelblog.org. You can even search by area of the world! Of course, the quality of the writing & photography varies drastically, but that's part of the fun.
If you are technologically inclined, you could check out the new trend of colleges and universities posting podcasts on their sites. For example, my sister went to Stanford, and they are now offering a variety of faculty lectures and other speakers as downloadable podcasts

(...oops, pressed post a little early)

In any case, several other schools have gotten into this too -- you can just do a search on a school's main site. The topics are pretty focused (some might say narrow and esoteric...) but it could be of interest to you, and it is a nice rest for your eyes after a long day of reading travel blogs!

Hello! In addition to spending lots of time on Fodors (!!!) here are some things you might try:

Visit the sites of some of the travel TV shows: Passport to Europe, Rick Steve's, etc.

You can also get a "visual" feel for places by doing a Google Image search for just about place your heart desires! I find often that clicking on these leads me on a fun path- sometimes to travel blogs, online photo albums, etc.

I like to browse recipes as well, and FoodNetwork.com has a ton of fun stuff.

A nice store for gifts is Kate's Paperie (based here in NYC): www.katespaperie.com

Another idea that you may or may not be interested in is to take an online class. Many universities offer them now in a variety of subjects, and they're not always expensive. This might help you feel intellectually engaged, in addition to the fun of learning something new.

Enjoy! :)

There is a very funny website that shows and sells abandoned/unclaimed items from various airports - I wish I remembered the name, but with all this time on your hands, you probably could find it. Searched it once for bargains, which it did not have - but it was amusing anyway.

Lonely Planet travel forums are always good for info and odd posts - not necessarily in that order.

Good luck with your bedrest - I used my 2 months of pregnancy bedrest 19 years ago (result of which is now in college) to organize recipes, professional journal articles - but also to watch an embarassing amount of bad TV. Get HBO or other movie channel if you don't already have it and become a movie expert.

Unsolicited word of advice - if you are allowed to use hand weights, do leg exercises, even isometrics, try to. I was surprised how quickly one becomes deconditioned lying on the sofa for weeks at a time.

other travel websites include:
Lonely Planet's forum The Thorn Tree
Rick Steves
Trip Advisor
Frommers
Slow Travel

Town tourist websites can be fun, in Switzerland most have one similar to:
www.montreux.ch
www.vevey.ch
www.lausanne.ch

Kelliebellie, your screen name put a smile on my face because a dear friend of mine, who I don't get to see very often, is nick named KelliBelli :-) Hmmmmm......do you live in Charlotte and is there something you would like to tell me?!? Just kidding of course. I've had several friends go through what you are going through now--hang in there, it will be worth the wait!

The site for "unclaeimed" (i.e., LOST) baggage stuff is:

http://www.unclaimedbaggage.com/

A popular blog that you can get lost in is

http://j-walkblog.com/

Go to the Ebay "Community" discussion boards and learn all about eBay; it's hilarious. Amd be sure to keep up with current urban legends at snopes.com

www.buy.com -10% off amazon and generally better stocked than www.overstock.com

Check out the/our very active TA forum - Central Mexico - San Miguel de Allende.

M

This is my absolute favorite -- one stop shopping for world news and everything inbetween...<i> Arts and Letters Daily </i>

http://www.aldaily.com/

kelliebellie:

I was on bed rest for one month - I agree that it gets boring quickly!

Here is one of my favorite computer timekillers: go to Google, and type in &quot;homes for sale in U.K.&quot;, or whichever country you're obsessed with. Fill in the minimum and maximum you're willing to spend on a house (I always put &quot;no maximum&quot; and pretend I'm J.K. Rowling, looking to buy a country estate). It's so much fun to view these homes, and look at the pictures of how they're decorated, etc.

Enjoy!

I do that for Manhattan all the time!

Drool over the hotels we'd all
love to stay in,
but probably aren't on Priceline!

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/luxury/index.html

or www.luxurylink.com and determine if the packages are a good &quot;deal&quot; or not....

Or www.skyauction.com and see if the properties are ones that no one really wants to stay at....

www.virtualtourist.com is fun

Search Emril's or Martha Stewart's
receipes!

Plan your T-giving menu down to the
receipes and shopping list....

Ok...that last one, I would do, and organize by food catagory!

:)

Before I internet shop, I like to check out the coupon codes, promo codes, special internet promotions - you know the ones that are sometimes on a catalog or a special mail offer, but you might not know them if you don't get that mailing - you can find them for all the stores and get better discounts aand/or free shipping, etc by putting into google.com - &quot;coupon codes for shopping&quot; - and a bunch of sites will come up that list the up to the minute codes -

sometimes saves you even more money.

I also like for small gifts (esp for teens, young people, funky accessories) www.stylebakery.com

I also like -
www.skin-one.com

Rest and be good - you will not get as much rest once that little one arrives !! Sending good wishes your way -

Google anyone you can think of from your high school days and see what they have been doing.

www.televisionwithoutpity.com for hilarious show recaps.

message boards at marthastewart.com http://www.marthastewart.com/communi...0?rsc=msfooter
since you are on bedrest, you should check out the baby ones.

download google earth if you haven't already

good luck!

Hi kelliebellie (or should we now call you kelliebelly - :-) )...it is wonderful you are expecting, but so sorry for the bed rest. Well, it sounds like you plan to take advantage of the time - try to enjoy.

Shopping: I like amazon.com and zappos.com is the best for shoes. Ebay would be worth a try. Pretty much every place one likes to shop has a website these days. Coach, Nordstrom, Patagonia, LLBean, Circuit City, Target, etc... Scary, really, that we don't have to leave home to shop.

Go ahead and start researching your Spring 2007 trip. Maybe you could work on a language course of some type - either online, CD, book or whatever. Perhaps pick where you are going in 2007 for your language choice.

Good luck!

I'm a shoe whore so I second www.zappos.com. You can search by size, color, style, heel heighth and view opinions of other customers who have purchased shoes to get an idea if they run tru to size.

zappos offers free shipping and often gets them to my door in 2 days. If you don't like your purchases you get back on their website, pull up your order, indicate which shoes you will be returning and you simply print off a shipping label calculated from your order and return shipping is on them as well. Oh, and you have 365 days to return shoes in new condition and in their original box. Wow!

Kellie, I feel for you! My daughter in law was in the hospital for six weeks before our grandson was born. I discovered this website and really like it! Best wishes for a healthy delivery.

http://del.icio.us/

Thank you all so much for your kind wishes and wonderful suggestions! I will be checking out each and every suggestion. They were all great! It was so nice of you all to take time out of your busy day to give me something to do.

Kelliebellie:
Hi! I just realized you responded to a post of mine about favorite toiletries. I am also a fan of Burt's Bees. I just discovered them. I LOVE their lip shimmer, and the plain lip balm. I'm also crazy about the almond oil hand cream. Let me know what your favorites are. Where do you buy them? I haven't bought anything online from them yet, just from Walgreen's. But, I've heard great things about the Marshmallow Vanishing Cream. Let me know when you've got time (ha ha, I know you have a lot of that!) Thanks, Margot

I love the hand salve. They have little trial tins of it, so I keep one in both cars and in coat pockets for winter hands. And their colored chapstick is a great alternative for lipstick in the winter. And I think it is their carrot lotion that smells so good. I want to try their foot creams too, but I want to smell them all first and I don't know when they will let me leave the house!

We have a fancy local grocery store that carries it, but they might have it at Whole Foods and I know that Borders Books carries it.

drugstore.com just sent me an email saying they are having a sale on Burt's Bees products - another on-line shopping opportunity.

kelliebellie: call or email customer service at Burt Bees, tell them you are on maternity bed rest and interested in their products and see if they will send you some samples to smell/try - you never know....

I had to wean myself off:

www.BlueFly.com

because I was spending so much money.

My other favorite travel site is Travel To Go off EZBoard.com and www.FlyerTalk.com