Twitter

While mainly geared for socializing, Twitter has many applications. It can be used for educational purposes, as with as the project we just completed or through posts of informational videos like those found on TED Talks. It can be used by organizations and celebrities to spread news and reach fans. Twitter, like other forms of social media, gives the impression of having a personal relationship with those you follow, even if you have never met.

Twitter is also a way to make news known. I recently read an article about the fact that China, which is extremely strict about Internet policies and what the west is allowed to know about the country, once tried to hide that they had an earthquake. It took months before they admitted to the news. They have had another earthquake since then, but this time their citizens immediately started spreading the news by posting it on Twitter. In fact, people knew about the earthquake through Twitter before it was even broadcast on the news.

Because so many people are on Twitter and networks can be so broad, it can be a useful tool for journalists, politicians, and organizations. Journalists can spread news much faster than they can through other media sources and they have the ability to post links to articles or videos that people typically would not have searched for.

Politicians are able to use Twitter for their campaigns as well. People want to hear what candidates think and know about what they do in their communities. By posting tweets and links, candidates can show what kinds of policies they stand for and gain supporters. The fact that it creates that feeling of having a personal relationship works in their favor when it comes to votes.

The organizations I chose to follow for the purpose of the project included NPR, BBC World News, Howstuffworks.com, TED Talks and HDSA.

I chose to follow NPR News and This is NPR because I occasionally listen to them on the radio. The station always has unique specials on topics that I am interested in and even if I’m not interested at the beginning, I am by the end. The have a unique way of balancing the news with intriguing stories. The news broadcasts are typically well done. They cover more than just the most popular stories and they are not only nationwide stories. Some are worldwide as well.

Another organization I chose to follow was BBC World News. One thing many American news organizations seem to miss is news from the rest of the world. With the exception of NPR, unless there is a huge story, we rarely seem to hear about other countries. I feel it is important to keep up with world events, especially because I travel so much. Because the BBC tends to be good about remaining unbiased in their coverage of these stories, I rely on them for much of my international news.

I love to learn and try to get as much knowledge about as many things as I can. My searches consistently lead me to Howstuffworks.com, so I chose to follow the site on Twitter. From learning how a car runs to how Chinese New Year works, I can typically get a nice overview about the information I am seeking and there is an opportunity to find out more information through other articles. On Twitter I have found that new articles and those that are the most popular at the moment are tweeted.

I followed TED Talks for many of the same reasons I followed HowStuffWorks.com. I have a thirst for knowledge and the videos on TED Talks are interesting, unique and often inspiring. They cover topics from how to use the newest technologies, such as Aurasma, to inspirational speeches, such as the last lecture, to suggestions on how to improve menial tasks, such as tying your shoes. Some videos go into great detail, like the Aurasma video, which demonstrated how to attach an aura to a photograph or object so that when someone holds his or her smartphone up to it, a video appears on the phone. If one has a particular interest in a certain topic, TED probably has a video for it. The Twitter page posts some of the most popular videos and the trending videos.

Another organization I chose to follow was HDSA, or the Huntington’s Disease Society of America. Huntington’s disease is a genetic neurodegenerative disorder, which affected my dad, as well as my grandma, my uncle and my cousin. I decided to follow HDSA to get news on any research, fundraisers, and any other important details about the organization and the disease. While all of the members of my family who had the disease are now deceased, it is still a cause that is close to my heart and I want to do what I can to create awareness and raise money for the organization.

Twitter greatly differs from blogging because the number of characters is limited. While blogging, I find myself rewording things to make them flow better and to make them easier to read, but on Twitter I find myself rewording things to make them fit. Many times there were things that I wanted to say because I felt they were important, but couldn’t because there just wasn’t enough space. While this helps to prevent unnecessarily long-winded tweets, it can also limit the amount of communication the site allows.

Twitter tends to be different from other forms of social media, such as Facebook, because it is less personal. With Facebook, you have friends instead of followers and while you are able to post things on their walls that everyone can see, people are not as likely to read them as they are to read a Tweet. Facebook also has more privacy settings. While it is certainly not private, it is possible to choose who is able to see the content that is posted, an option that is not available on Twitter. Anyone can be your follower and respond to your Tweets.

This was my first experience with Twitter and I intend to use it more in the future. I find that commenting on the tweets of others can be a challenge, but I am able to learn a lot about people and organizations by reading them.

Vimeo vs. YouTube

YouTube and Vimeo are today's main sources for uploading videos, but choosing which site to turn to can be a difficult decision. Each one has it’s pros and cons.

According to the “Best Video Hosting Service” article, YouTube has unlimited HD uploading and a larger audience than Vimeo, which potentially allows for more exposure. However, the article also points out that the interface is ugly, the YouTube icon is included on every video, and it is easy to lose visitors.

The same article found that Vimeo tends to offer better quality videos, a clean look and it holds the attention of more viewers. The problem with the site is that it only allows one HD upload per week with a 500MB upload limit, unless an upgrade is purchased, and it reaches a much smaller audience.

In the Don Power article, it is argued that YouTube videos are more likely to be seen for the simple fact that the site has more traffic and is included in Google searches. The trouble with YouTube is that videos are more difficult to find because there is professional content and unprofessional content cluttered together and the viewer has to sift through everything to find what he or she is looking for. YouTube also features ads, which tend to drive away consumers.
Vimeo, on the other hand, offers more customization. Users have the opportunity to utilize their own logos and businesses are able to maintain a more professional look. Paid accounts have a lot of freedom and the average Vimeo audience typically remains engaged longer than the average YouTuber. However, once again Power points out that in addition to having to pay for the better features of the site, it has less traffic than YouTube and videos tend to appear lower on Google searches.

The other articles argued many of the same points, but the Vimeo vs. YouTube article also mentions that the Vimeo comments tend to be more constructive because the audience typically has a better understanding of video production or an interest in the specific topic. While YouTube comments can be very entertaining, they rarely offer any real insight on the content of the video.

The “How Vimeo became hipster YouTube article” explains that Vimeo was created with quality in mind. They could not compete with the amount of traffic on YouTube or the price, so they combat YouTube with the quality of the videos found on the site.

Video services allow for communication and feedback in ways unlike any before.
The experience of watching posted media, such as video, is much different from the static text sites that once dominated the internet. In addition, people can even make comments on videos or create a video response for particular clips. It allows the viewer to be involved with the site and the ideas shared between people can lead to further comment and new ideas.

iMovie Projects

Our video topic was communication. As a group, we decided to cover various aspects of communication, moving from personal to impersonal. Maureen took the personal side of the topic. Her footage covered the overwhelming, cloying side to being an RA and her inability to escape from her residents. Rushaun took the middle ground, covering social media, which tends to be less personal, but still involves interaction with others. I covered long-distance communication and the more impersonal or international side of the topic.

Our group worked well together and our videos had a good flow between them. I had some experience with iMovie already, so the program was not as much of a challenge for me as getting footage that I really liked and enough of it to create the one minute and twenty second video. Because the second section, Rushaun’s video, was focused on social media, we wanted to transition between each of our films using forms of social media; a phone call for Maureen and a Skype call for me.

Because I covered travelling, I wanted to have footage from various places. Obviously time and money were limited, so I couldn’t get international footage (with the exception of Canada), but I was able to go to Pittsburgh and Providence. Every time I went to edit, I realized that I needed more and more footage, so I would venture back out with my camera and a better idea of what I wanted to film or what needed to be changed in the project. In the end, I had at least an hour of footage to work with, which allowed for a great deal of selection for my video.

The next struggle was to figure out how to organize the footage. At first, I tried to put similar topics together. I had all of the footage of being in the car, then anything that involved the airport and planes, all of the train footage, and so on. However, the video did not flow very well and did not create the mood I wanted the film to have. Then I tried to mix up the clips so that similar topics were spread throughout the film. I feel that this strategy gives the impression of constant motion and constant communication that I wanted to convey in my portion of the movie.

I left out the transitions until the very end of my editing because I wanted to make sure the clips were in an order that I liked. This really threw off the timing of several of my clips. They no longer moved to the music and some of the footage went by too fast to be able to see what was happening. Because of this, I started to play around with the precision editor.  

The precision editor is a tool I steered clear of in the past because it seemed so complicated, but this time I had a specific goal in mind of lengthening the clips. Due to this fact, I was able to tell if the changes I was making were altering the video in the way that I wanted and the precision editor made much more sense. I realized that it is not quite as complicated as I thought, just very sensitive, so it can be difficult to maneuver.

When it came to working together in class, our group was able to work very well. We made helpful suggestions for each other’s films because we knew what each person was trying to convey and how our videos needed to tie together. Throughout the project, everyone seemed to be on the same page. Maureen had no experience with iMovie, so I was able to help her learn how to use the program and offered some tips and tricks that I use in my own editing. In turn, she was able to comment on my video and suggest any changes that I could make or footage that I could add.

We were moving along well and felt that our videos were almost ready to be put together, when all of Maureen’s files were lost and she could no longer open her video.  This put us behind a bit, but we intended to finish the project the following Tuesday and stay after class or meet Wednesday if we really needed to.

On Tuesday, the hurricane kept me in Providence and I was not going to be able to make it to class, so I texted the other members of my group. Maureen told me that she had dropped the class the day before, but we could have her files to work with if we needed them. Rushaun and I tried to come up with a new plan now that we thought we had to figure out how to tie her footage into our project, which was going to have to be done from scratch because her files were missing from the video. Unfortunately, we were not able to meet until the Thursday the project was due because I still was not able to get home until Wednesday night.

On Thursday, the only things missing from our own projects were the transitions and the credits, but we had the footage we needed for those.  We met up in the morning to make final edits to our portions of the video and, with the exception of Maureen’s video and the combining of our movies, we had everything prepared for class. When we got to class and realized that we didn’t need to add Maureen’s section, we were able to easily combine our movies in a way that still flowed fairly well from personal, local communication to less personal, international communication, the goal that we were aiming for in the beginning.

Until the final week, the project was relatively painless and I am happy with the final product that Rushaun and I were able to put together.

Video can be a much more interactive form of communication than writing and/or photographs. It includes movement and sound that makes the viewer feel almost as though they are actually there, something that can not be done in as realistic a way in writing or photography. Viewers are able to hear the sounds and see the motion of things that would just be described in writing or shown in a photograph. It is much more lifelike and easier to connect to.

Video can also be used as a communication tool in the form of video chats with programs such as Skype or ooVoo. Regardless of distance, conversations using these programs is almost the same as having a conversation in person, with the exception of physical contact.

Choosing a place to upload a video can indicate a lot about the creator and the audience they are attempting to reach. I tend to think of Vimeo as a higher-quality version of YouTube. The videos posted on the site tend to be more advanced than the videos on YouTube. The camera quality is typically better, and the editing is much more appealing, as YouTube videos are rarely edited at all.

YouTube seems to be a better place to reach more people, but Vimeo is more professional. They offer tutorials, options for sharing and the comments tend to be more positive and offer useful feedback, as opposed to the argumental or pointless comments often found on YouTube.

Facebook and It's Uses

There have been numerous times when I have considered deleting my Facebook account because I rarely post any statuses or leave messages on other peoples' walls, but then I think about all of the situations in which I rely on Facebook and realize it plays a much bigger role than I sometimes think.

I use Facebook mainly for socializing. It is a great way to keep in touch with friends and family who live across the country or overseas. My cousins and I use the messenger features to plan our yearly trip to Delaware or just to chat, despite the fact that we are kept apart by distance. And I probably would have lost touch with many of the people I met during my trips without it.

I have started to use the site more and more for sending articles, videos and other links to friends to show them what I have been reading and watching if I think they may also be interested. Especially with the election coming up, Facebook has become a place for discussion and debate about crucial issues.

In addition to the ways in which I use Facebook, it can also be used by businesses to attract customers and build relationships with consumers. Facebook “enables [businesses] to talk with consumers and prospects, not at them.” Organizations that are able to grow a following on social media sites, such as Facebook, are able to establish themselves as sources of authority. People trust what they have to say and rely on those companies to provide them with valid information about things like where to shop or what products to buy.

Facebook can also be used as a platform for political debates, or even scholarly ones. Individuals who have a particular stance on specific issues tend to follow candidates or organizations that support similar viewpoints. On pages that revolve around those interests, people are able to comment and discuss their ideas with others. Even in status messages, political viewpoints can be addressed and debated (some in less civil ways than others), but Facebook creates that avenue for discussion.

Facebook can also be used for educational purposes, as it was in this class. Instructors could create a page or group for a particular class which would provide a space for discussion or assignments. With the internet at their disposal, students would be able to pull up sources to back up any comments or arguments. However, there are still drawbacks to the educational ties with Facebook, as evidenced by the second article.

Creating new accounts was important for this assignment because the new Facebook account is much more professional. On existing Facebook pages, people tend to post comments, statuses and photos that would not be appropriate in classroom or professional settings. This way, if the school reviews the pages or if a student directs a future employer to look at a page as an example of past work, they will not have to sift through the personal messages posted on the account.

I think that there is an opportunity for both personal and private information on Facebook. Even though privacy settings on Facebook can be adjusted, I believe that statuses and wall posts are very public. I think carefully about what I want to say before writing anything in a public setting like that, especially because I am friends with family members, former teachers and employers. There are certain things I wouldn't want just anyone to read.

This also comes into play when it comes to choosing the photos that I allow to be posted on Facebook. My friends and I have an agreement that we do not post any photos that include anything that we would not want future employers to see, such as photos from parties.

Private messages are the only place on Facebook that seem to be truly private. If I want to talk to someone, but do not want the rest of the world to be able to read it, this is generally where I will turn.

As far as etiquette is concerned, Facebook does have restrictions as to what can be posted on the site. They limit the amount of spam that can be sent to users because the site is meant for social interaction, not to bombard its users with ads. Too much exposure to spam may eventually turn people away.

Facebook also restricts some of the content that can be posted on the site. Inappropriate pictures can be removed and accounts may be blocked for behavior that goes against the user agreement.

Despite these few restrictions, Facebook users have a quite a lot of freedom and other rules of etiquette tend to come from the people with whom they interact. In general, people expect others to be respectful in their comments and messages. It is important to recognize that people are entitled to their beliefs, whether you agree with them or not, and those who comment too harshly are often called out on it by their peers.

The frequency of the comments you post is also considered in Facebook etiquette. Someone who constantly updates statuses or comments on every upload is not typically well regarded by their Facebook peers. There is a sense that too much time on Facebook limits a person to that virtual reality.

The quality of comments is another aspect that is monitored by Facebook peers. Stupid comments that are meant to sound profound, but end up sounding petulant, are not well received by other users. Yes, Facebook can be a means to express opinions, but it is not really necessary to tell everyone that you are having relationship problems. Many people tend to de-friend or remove notifications from people who have nothing to say, but can't stop talking.

Personally, I have never had an awkward situation arise because of something I posted to a social networking site. Because I consciously think about who will be able to read whatever I post, I do not write anything that could be considered offensive or uncomfortable for anyone. I have had friends who, in the past, have ended friendships due to something someone else said over a social networking site. I think the key to successful use of Facebook is to consider that anyone may encounter something you say, so don't say anything that you wouldn't want a room full of people to know.

Communication and Facebook

Communication plays a huge role in Facebook. When creating a group page or an event, the language must be very clear. People want to know what a page is about before they decide to like it and they want details of an event before they decide to attend.

When creating an event page, dates and times must be accurate and easy to find so attendees know when to be there and where they need to go. It is important to make it as easy for the readers as possible. No one wants to be invited to an event and have to hunt down the information in order to attend. It just makes the invitation that much easier to ignore. The clearer the descriptions are, the more likely others are to be interested and the more likely they are to respond.  

Especially in the case of businesses, Facebook pages must remain professional. Sending an event invitation to friends is one thing, but sending an invitation to potential customers or other professionals is not just representing an individual, but also the organization.

Sample Student Videos

Coming up with ideas for a project can be difficult, but by looking at examples of other students’ work, the possibilities open up. The videos posted on the blog provided a starting point for examining what works and what does not work in a film.


It’s Like Cooking
I like the footage from the cooking video. The frames are clear, they show the process of making the meal, and they include some really great shots, especially the lighting of the stove and scenes with the skillet.

While the film is visually appealing and flows with his use of steps in preparing the meal, the audio could use some work. He probably could have done without the dialogue. I think he tries to convey a deeper meaning in his words, but the message gets lost because he says too much.  

The music is a little darker than I would typically choose for a cooking video, but I do like the way it speeds up at the end as the meal is presented. The sounds of the kitchen, such as the chopping, the flame igniting, and the sizzling in the pan, really add to the atmosphere of the film as well.
 

Life Is a Ride
Out of all of the videos we watched, this one was my favorite. I really liked the way it told a story, starting with the bike and ending in the wheelchair. Even with still photos, he was able to capture the idea that life is a ride and that he was constantly in motion until the accident. As the pictures move from the outdoor adventures to the hospital, there is a definite change in mood.

The use of post-its was a clever and unique strategy for conveying a message in text and the music flows well with the film. I also like that even though the story was very sad, he was able to end on a high note. His optimism is reflected in the video and the final question leaves the viewer thinking.


Seriously
The “serious” video was a really clever idea. Throughout the film, it seems as though the subject is telling about herself, but in reality everything she says is a lie. However, she does tell us about herself in a way because by using this strategy, she shows her sense of humor. That sense of humor is further emphasized by the fact that she has a guy in a wig pretend to be her in the video.

Overall, the film conveys the opposite message of what it seems.  “Life is too short to not take seriously” clearly comes across as life is too short to take seriously.


All of the student projects provided some great ideas. While there are things that could be probably be improved about each, they were all well done videos. It gives me hope that we will come up with something just as good.

Wikihow: How to travel abroad while studying in London

London is a great home base to have while studying abroad in Europe. Once you know your class schedule and have set up a routine, it is time to start planning your side trips. Here are some travel tips and a few recommended destinations for your journey.

1. Choose a destination.

• Search airline websites for flights to places you would like to visit. Sometimes prices can decide your destination for you.
• Check dates for festivals and events in various cities, such as Oktoberfest in Munich or Carnival in Venice.

2. Book a flight. Try to book as far in advance as possible to find the best fares.

• Ryanair and EasyJet offer cheap flights, but watch out for additional fees and baggage limits.
• StudentUniverse and lastminute.com provide flight comparisons to find low fares.
• Thomas Cook sometimes has great deals on flight and hotel packages.

3. Flying is not the only way to travel. Especially when traveling within the UK, trains and buses may be a cheaper, more efficient way to travel. For better fares, you may want to book these tickets in advance, but they can usually be purchased at the station as well.

• National Rail, Virgin Trains, thetrainline.com, and redspottedhanky.com are a few sites where you can purchase train tickets online.
• When traveling to Ireland, you can take a train and then a ferry. For ferry prices, try searching directferries.ie or Irishferries.com.
• Take the Eurostar to Paris or Brussels.
• With various train lines all over Europe, train travel is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to get around.

4. Book hotels or hostels.

• Compare prices and book rooms at Hostelworld.com or Hostels.com.
• If you are planning to spend the whole trip in one place, you may want to book ahead for rooms just to be sure that you have somewhere to stay when you get there.
• Before you book, be sure to check the location of the hostel in relation to other places in the city.
• CouchSurfing and Only-apartments are other options for finding accommodation.

5. Book tours you may be interested in taking.

• Some places can be difficult to get to without a car, so a tour may be the best way to go.
• Evan Evans Tours and Premium Tours offer day trips to places like Stonehenge, Oxford and the Cotswolds.
• Hop-on, hop-off buses, like those offered by City Sightseeing can be a great way to learn about a city while getting around.
• Many cities offer walking tours as well.
• Ghost tours are a fun way to see a place at night. Not only are the spooky stories entertaining, but you get an idea of the city's history and hear tales of the people who lived there before.
• Pub crawls, especially in Ireland and England, are a great way to meet new people and sample some of the local brews.

6. Do some research.

• Look at maps of the city. Find out where your hotel is in relation to the places you want to visit.
• Find out how to get to your hotel when you arrive, whether it is on foot, by subway, by taxi, or on a bus or shuttle.
• Have a few ideas about what you want to see and do. Plans can change, but at least you'll have a starting point when you arrive. Tour books, such as Frommer's or Lonely Planet, and TripAdvisor are good places to find suggestions.
• Check the weather reports to help make packing decisions.
• Most of the people you meet in your travels will probably speak English, but if you are traveling to a non-English speaking country, try to learn a few key phrases. Hello, please and thank you are a good way to start.

7. Don't be afraid to talk to people.

• Get to know any flatmates and classmates. They may even be interested in traveling with you in the future.
• Traveling alone can be fun, but it can get a bit lonely. Take a tour and meet some new people. You might be surprised what you have in common.
• Locals are typically very friendly and like talking to travelers.
• If you know how to speak a foreign language, even just the basics, don’t be afraid to try. The only way you will improve is with practice and locals love to see that you are trying to learn their language.

 
England

• London
• See the crown jewels in the Tower of London.
• Take a ride on the London Eye, the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe.
• Take a boat ride down the Thames.
• See the Rosetta Stone at the British Museum.
• Visit the eclectic shops of Camden Market.
• Take a walk through Hyde Park. If it is a Sunday, stop at Speaker’s Corner, where it is tradition for anyone who has something to say to have a platform to say it.

• Liverpool
• Have a Beatles Day.
• Visit the childhood homes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
• Journey to Albert Dock to explore the Beatles Story Museum.
• Spend the evening at the Cavern Club, where there is live music every night.
• Take a walk around the city and admire the architecture. Add places like St. George’s Hall and the Liverpool Waterfront to your list of stops.

Scotland   

• Edinburgh
• Stop at Edinburgh Castle and be sure not to miss the one o’clock gun.
• Walk the Royal Mile, one of the most famous roads in the world.
• For whisky lovers, take a barrel ride and learn how Scotch Whisky is made before a tasting at the Scotch Whisky Experience.

• Stirling
• Climb the 246 steps to the top of Wallace Monument.
• Visit Stirling Castle, the crowning site of Mary, Queen of Scots.

Ireland

• Dublin
• Have a pint at the Guinness Storehouse along with a tour.
• Learn about the production of whiskey at the Jameson Distillery.
• Go on a pub crawl through Temple Bar.
• Take a free walking tour through the city with SANDEMANs NEW Dublin Tour.
• Explore the hallowed grounds of Christ Church Cathedral and St. Patrick's Cathedral.
• Venture through the gates of Trinity College, whose graduates include Jonathan Swift, Bram Stoker, Oscar Wilde, and Samuel Beckett .

• Belfast
• Take a free tour of City Hall.
• Make the trip up Cave Hill to Belfast Castle.
• See where the Titanic was built at Titanic Belfast, the largest museum of its kind.
• Do some shopping at Victoria Square and be sure to stop at the observation deck to take in the view.
• The hop-on, hop-off bus tour is highly recommended because it covers history and parts of the city that you may not see otherwise.
• If you have time, plan a side trip to Giant's Causeway and Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge to see some of Ireland's natural beauty.

 
  France

• Paris
• Visit the Cathedral of Notre-Dame.
• Spend a day admiring the masterpieces at the Louvre.
• Climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower.
• Take a boat ride on the Seine.
• Enjoy the view from Sacre Coeur.
• Visit the final resting places of Chopin and Jim Morrison at Pere Lachaise.

• Nice
• Spend a day lounging on the beach.
• Stroll along the Promenade des Anglais.
• Find a market and browse through the selection of food and goods. And be sure to try the crepes.

Italy

• Rome
• Visit the ancient grounds of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum.
• Throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain.
• Enjoy a meal in Piazza Navona.
• Take a walk along the Tiber river and stop at the shops and bars.
• Go to Mass at St. Peter's Basilica.
• Stroll through the streets and enjoy a gelato.
• Appreciate the night view of the city from Castel Sant'Angelo.

• Florence
• Admire the master paintings at the Uffizi
• See how the Medici’s lived at the Pitti Palace
• Visit Brunelleschi's Duomo in Santa Maria del Fiore.
• Gaze over the city from Piazzale Michelangelo.
• Explore the markets. Florence is known for it’s leather works.

Germany

• Cologne
• Journey into the Cologne Cathedral.
• Walk across Hohenzollern Bridge to see the love padlocks as well as beautiful views of the city.
• Visit EL-DE Haus, formerly the Gestapo headquarters.
• See how chocolate is made at the chocolate museum.

 
Tips:

• Pack light.  One of the best things about having a home base in London is that you don’t have to lug everything around with you on your side trips.  (Though you may want to bring a towel for certain hostels.)
• Don’t forget to bring any chargers you may need and the proper converters.
• If you are traveling outside of the UK, you may want to have some Euros with you until you can take out more cash.
• Spend some time walking around in cities and towns as well. Some of the best trips can come from just admiring the sites and talking to people you meet on the way.