Being Geek Chic is a blog for stylish geeks, sophisticated nerds and people who enjoy the musings of a complete dork. Join us as we dream of driving the TARDIS, cuddle with our eBooks and test out an iPad sleeve. It's written by Elizabeth Giorgi and a team of brilliant lady nerds. Meet the team.
Well, it’s my birthday. That means cake (or in my case, pie) and presents and Facebook messages.
But for me, every year when I turn one year older, I can’t help but think of the new places I’ve seen in the 365 days since my last birth anniversary. This year has been mighty productive. Like a patriotic caravan in the Prairie Home Companion, TJ and my brother and I have seen a lot of new corners of the US of A. And we’ve revisited some familiar territory too.
Los Angeles. Laguna Niguel. Orange County. Salt Lake City. Madison. Cornucopia. Bayfield. Duluth. Spring Green. Ely. The Dells. Dallas. Fort Worth.
Ultimately, thinking about where I’ve been gets me noodling on where I’d like to go next. And this year, I’m dreaming really, really big. Some people make “life lists" or “bucket lists" - I make travel lists. As I’ve expressed before, my mind has a fixation on places and my heart has a longing for the unknown. And of course my camera lens always loves a new muse.
In the last year, I’ve had a friend who went and dubbed it “real life Disney Land," my mom has twice given me magazines with Budapest imagery on the cover and three movies featured the lovely city. It seems like a message to my Passport: go to Budapest.
TJ has been totally vexed by my sudden fixation on the Hungarian city, but after nearly five years together, he’s starting to understand that my stubbornness is part of the issue here. I mean just look at the Széchenyi Baths and Castle Hill. I have a good feeling about Budapest.
Philosopher and Saint, the Blessed Augustine once said:
If there is even one morsel of worthwhile knowledge in my head, it’s the fact that there is nothing more valuable to the spirit than seeing something new. It makes you appreciate the wonder of the unknown while making you value the certain knowns of your life; your home, family and friends.
There’s a reason that Tolkien made Lord of the Rings a travel log. And Game of Thrones thrives in moments of wandering. And Doctor Who visits different planets and galaxies and black holes. Creators put their characters into these situations so that the unknown within themselves can be revealed to us.
While wandering through England in 2007, I had up to that point in my life never truly been in love. There was a freedom to this, but there’s something strange about the human mind before love has made its mark. I NEVER worried. Or fretted. It’s part immaturity and part youth. And so I did things at random without a plan all. the. time.
I woke up one Saturday in May with a hunch that I might like Stonehenge and hopped a train. I had no idea how you got from the train station in Bath to the rocks on the hillside. I didn’t know how much it would cost. Or if I could even afford it. Truly, it didn’t matter. I was going to see this marvel of the past, although I didn’t entirely know why.
I’m older and wiser now, sure. But it’s this openness of mind and heart that I seek when I travel. Sure, it’s about the sites. And the food. And the beautiful photos. (Repeat after me: it’s NEVER about the t-shirt.) But ultimately, it’s the unveiling of my potential, my opinions, my feelings and my future that I treasure most. It’s like all my favorite stories. It’s a journey. And at this point in life with my love and better planning skills, it’s a romance and a comedy and admittedly, a drama too.
And yes, I did get to Stonehenge. And it was worth it.
Teej and I just got back from a road trip. My bro Adam just got back from Comic-Con. We’re kind of into geeky travel. So this week I tried to think about how we’ve planned our trips over the years to make them uniquely geeky.
We’ve gotten pretty darn good at it.
Two years ago it was the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, before that it was occasional Chicago trips for shows and events, three years ago it was Nashville for music and now we’re planning a huge tour through England in 2013. Each time, we build in lots of time to enjoy the sights, but also create opportunities to read, watch movies and catch up on the things that we overlook when we get busy in our day to day life.
Before I get into my specific tips, I want to share my ultimate vacation lifesaver key to awesomeness, happiness and good memory making. Are you ready!?
The key to any good vacation, geeky or otherwise, is REST.
Seriously. Build in lots of time to sleep and take time away from the chaos of traveling. This is critical. You can’t just sleep while riding planes, trains and automobiles. Otherwise, you’ll get back more exhausted then when you left and maybe even end up in a brawl with your travel mates.
Alright, now that we have the rest bit out of the way, let’s talk about the real details.
First, pick vacations that allow for “experiences" and not just visits. What do I mean by that? Geeks are hands-on. As much as I like a great museum, after a while I find it boring to just walk through the galleries and see beautiful paintings and gorgeous photos. Eventually, I want to DO something. I absolutely love the Science Fiction Museum and Music Experience in Seattle. It’s part museum, parts hands on activities. Plus, come on, Star Wars and Indiana Jones props are art to me.
This is also why amusement parks are so great. Hello, Islands of Adventure with your Wizarding World of Harry Potter and your Marvel themed rides.
The second thing you should do is look for tickets for shows, concerts and plays in advance. I’ll always remember the concerts that TJ and I went to in Nashville, because when the songs come on the radio, my mind goes right back to those moments. Because we built them into our vacation, they feel extra special. Sometimes, seeing concerts in my home city just feels like another fun Saturday night and not a big event and it just doesn’t stick in those memory banks.
Third, engage in the world you are celebrating and visiting while you are on your trip. Basically, connect the dots. If you’re going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, bring one of the Harry Potter books. You’ll want to build in pool time and rest time, so using that opportunity to reemerge in the original work will feel ultra special. Are you thinking about a trip to the Doctor Who Experience in the UK? (ME WANT TO GO NOW PLEASE.) Preload an iPad or your laptop with a couple seasons of Doctor Who and your visit will be ten times more immediate, raw and special.
My number four tip? Try to design vacations around the big events you hope to attend. For example, if you want to go to Comic-Con and you also want to go to Los Angeles in the same year, instead of planning a separate trip, why not go to Comic-Con and then hop a trip to LA for a couple days afterwards. Sure, the one trip will be longer and a bit more expensive, but it will be a heck of a lot cheaper than two separate trips. Same thing goes for neighboring states like the East Coast where sites are geographically within a 2-3 hour car or train ride.
If you can’t afford to travel very far, then think creatively about adventures you can have locally that recreate the feeling of your favorite fictional world. For example, there was a brief moment when I wanted to go to North Carolina to see the town where The Hunger Games was filmed, but I ultimately decided that I would rather experience something else. Instead, I tried to think about things I could do locally that reminded me of the books, like shooting archery or going berry picking.
If you just want to get away for one night, then there’s always things like buying tickets to The One Man Star Wars Trilogy and then inviting friends over for a marathon viewing of the actual Star Wars trilogy in your back yard. By making a day of it - it will feel ultra special
So have you ever taken a geeky vacation? Where did you go? And what did you see?
If you are a true Potter-Obsessive, you have moments or memories about the series that are so strong, they can truly transport you back to that happy place in an instant. In honor of that very idea, here’s My Top 3 Harry Potter Memories:
1. Walking through Hogwart’s at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter last summer was nothing short of magical. It was absolutely everything I imagined it would be and so much more. It was the perfect primer for amping me up for the Deathly Hallows part 1 too. Plus, I got so many wonderful photos that I can peruse whenever I want to wander in Rowling’s world.
2. When my brother and I were going crazy with anticipation for DH7P1, my boyfriend was getting antsy because he didn’t feel part of the psychosis. I finally convinced him to let me read Philosopher’s Stone with him and some of my favorite memories are giggling in bed with him over Dudley falling in the snake tank and Hagrid smashing Harry’s birthday cake.
3. In 2007, I was interning at a London Newspaper. I remember walking to the tube station every morning in the days leading up to the release of the final book and noting the continued growth of the lines. I don’t believe I will ever see a party over a book like the one the entire world seemed to be a part of when Deathly Hallows was released.
I’d love to hear, what are you favorite Potter memories?
I’ve just returned from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and I soaked in as much as possible in 2.5 days so I could deliver you some tips and tricks to get the most out of your visit.
Early and Late: If you haven’t already booked your trip - consider booking a Harry Potter package through Universal’s website. If you stay at one of their three on-site hotels (Loew’s Portofino Bay, Loew’s Royal Pacific or the Hard Rock Hotel) you’ll get early admission to the park. They say it’s one hour early, or 8 AM, but we arrived at 7:30 and were allowed into the park. The next day, we arrived at 7:45 and it was a ten minute wait - but they were still allowing people into the park early. This was a huge benefit to us. We were able to get into Ollivander’s and ride all four rides before park opening at 9 AM. And they really do stick to that 9 AM opening time, because the masses didn’t start crowding in until about 9:15, this is especially true because the WWoHP park is located at the back corner of the park, so it’s about a 8-10 minute walk.
As for late, try heading back to the park at 7 PM. Both nights the line for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey was down to a 20-30 minute wait after 7 PM. The Flight of the Hippogriff was less than 5 minutes and the Hungarian Horntail and Chinese Fireball coasters were only 10-15 minute waits. Another great part about heading back later in the evening? Everything seems so different once the sun goes down! The attention to detail on Hogwarts is incredible - nearly every window has light coming from it and Hogsmeade has a totally different feel in the dark.
Listen closely: At peak hours the WWoHP can be crazy noisy, but you are going to want to listen closely everywhere you go - or you’ll miss some truly fantastic details. Be sure to head to the bathrooms, yes, both men and women - because you’ll find our favorite whiny ghost has a complaint or two to get off her chest. Just outside, listen closely for mandrakes. Across the way, just outside the back door to Dervish and Banges, you’ll hear a custom Howler just for visitors of the Wizarding World. Don’t overlook the staff at the park either, because they are completely in character. While wandering Filch’s Emporium, I was called a “muggle" by two staff - it was delightful!
Look up: It might seem ridiculously silly, but everywhere you go - be sure to look up. In several parts of the Wizarding World there are light projections on the walls depicting shadowy scenes from the books and movies. In several different spots in the Three Broomsticks, you’ll find some particularly funny magical moments. In addition, there is a seating area near the entry to Hogsmeade, beneath the clock tower, where you’ll find some wonderful winged messengers.
Chow down: As I mentioned before, there are some serious perks to booking a vacation package through Universal and one of my favorites was the free breakfast at the Three Broomsticks. They have American food too, so if you aren’t into English food, don’t worry, they’ve got bacon. But don’t miss the pear cider - it’s delicious. The chocolate frogs are probably one of the most purchased souvenirs at the Wizarding World, but the frogs themselves really don’t taste great. If you’re looking for something delicious and positively Rowling-esque, head to Honeydukes and check out the fresh treats instead. The cauldron cakes and pumpkin pasties are both reasonably priced options - so you’re getting the best of both worlds. Oh, AND ROCK CAKES!
I had read a lot about the Wizarding World before I left and was a little worried that I wouldn’t be wowed, but let me tell you - it far exceeded my expectations. Just like everything Rowling is involved in, it’s so precise, so magical and so much fun. Plus, there are now reports that the park may be expanding in the next 2-3 years and I have complete faith that Universal and the designers that worked on the project can continue the awesome work they’ve done so far. Plus, who wouldn’t love to take a walk through the Burrow? Maybe even stay there?
