This article is being re-posted from FLiP Magazine April 2017.  FLiP Magazine is a great publication with insight into pop-culture for both men and women! Aeri Rose is a regular contributor to FLiP W, the female focused half of the magazine, though this month’s article was shown in FLiP M, the men’s side. You should definitely check it out, and subscribe for the free digital editions! Even if I’m quiet here…I’ll always find something to say there!

Walking in Memphis

By: Aeri Rose

Let me start off by saying, I had no intention of singing karaoke that night. I blame Beale Street. It just pulls the music right out of you, whether you’re ready for it or not. But for one reason or another (or three, all of which may or may not have involved generous pours of gin and a splash of lime) I suddenly found myself belting “Put on my blue suede shoes, and I boarded the plane…” at the top of my lungs in front of a bar full of karaoke fans with a table full of cheering friends somewhere in the back.

Shortly there after, we too found ourselves making our way down Beale Street, thankfully NOT in the pouring rain (hats off to you Mr. Marc Cohen). Beale Street is a must see for any music lover or booze drinker. It’s a lively bar district in downtown Memphis, Tennessee where the bars are packed with live musicians nightly, ready to lure in passerby’s with the sweet sound of blues and rock ’n roll. Though any night will find you at least a handful of live performances, Thursday through Saturday nights are most raucous.

The next morning, wash away the last remnants of the night before with a cup of strong coffee or some hair of the dog from Tamp and Tap, home to artisan coffee and local craft beers. Once properly fortified, get ready for a day of sight seeing at some of Memphis’s most famous historic landmarks.

No, I’m not talking about old battlefields and snore-fest museums. I’m talking about Graceland and Sun Studio the Birthplace of Rock ’N Roll!

Graceland is the home of Elvis Presley. And if you don’t know who that is, put down this magazine, crawl out from under that rock you’ve been living under, and go listen to Hound Dog, Burning Love, and All Shook Up, to start. Now that you’ve been introduced to the King of Rock and Roll, you can start to appreciate just what kind of impact Memphis had on American music in the ’50’s. They changed the way we thought music could sound; packing so much soul, heartache, and longing into every song they recorded. They developed new sounds, playing guitars in front of hollow boxes just to get crunchy moans and deep vibrations out of the instruments; paving the way for modern rock, amplifiers, and electric guitars.

After paying your respects to the King, head on down to Sun Studio and the birthplace of Rock and Roll. Here, Elvis first recorded ‘Thats Alright Mama,’ and other rock and R&B greats like Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, and B.B. King recorded some of their most famous works.  Take the tour through Sun Studios and stand in the actual recording studio where the magic happened. Can you feel the rhythm and soul, and the lingering remnants of the musical revolution in the walls around you?

Allow yourself plenty of time to be suitably awed by the musical history and enthralling memorabilia at these two fantastic historic landmarks. When you’re ready, head on down to one of my favorite BBQ joints for a good old Memphis BBQ dinner.  Memphis BBQ is special because of its pit smoking slow cooking style of preparing the meat (usually pork).

For something traditional, my favorite BBQ joint is the Germantown Commissary, home to hickory-smoked barbecue, perfectly brewed sweet-tea, and to die for sides of beans, slaw, and potato salad. The sandwich, on a fluffy white roll, is delicious, and the rack of ribs is heavenly.

For something a little different I like Corky’s, where I can order a heaping helping of sweet and smoky barbecue on top of a perfectly cooked baked potato, complete with sour cream and cheddar cheese on top.  Its decadent. Its delicious. It’s worth every minute the nap you’ll surely need to take afterwards.

After that nap, put on your blue suede shoes, and get ready for another night out on the town. After all, the best way to honor the musical legends that called Memphis home is with a glass in your hand and a lass on your arm, dancing the night away to some of their favorite songs.

Get those toes tapping boys!

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Have you ever had the urge to just drop what you were doing, pack a bag, and set out on an adventure? Seven years and over two dozen countries later, Aeri Rose is proof that excitement, independence, and discovery await those who are bold enough to say “yes” to life’s craziest choices. When not exploring the world with her little grey backpack, Aeri Rose an be found living a nomadic lifestyle traveling the United States as a writer and entrepreneur.  To follow Aeri on all her adventures, check her out online at travelingwithaeri.com; or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aerirose.

This article is being re-posted from FLiP Magazine February 2017.  FLiP Magazine is a great publication with insight into pop-culture for both men and women! Aeri Rose is a regular contributor to FLiP W, the female focused half of the magazine.  You should definitely check it out, and subscribe for the free digital editions! Even if I’m quiet here…I’ll always find something to say there!

Four Must-Do’s of Train Hopping on the Trans-Siberian Railway

How can I pack the wonder and excitement of the Trans-Siberian Railway into a one page article? I can’t. It’s impossible. The colors! The smells! The sounds! The Russian culture! The other travelers! Every moment is memorable. You’re just going to have to go do it yourself. But before you do, I can  at least offer these four “must-do’s” for your trip.

“But wait!” you say. “What exactly is the Trans-Siberian Railway?”

It is an incredibly long train route (the longest in the world in fact) that extends from Moscow in the west to Vladivstok in the east. It spans 6,152 miles and takes seven days straight to complete.  It crosses much of Russia’s Taiga and Western Siberia.  A similar route, the Trans-Mongolian Railway extends from Moscow in the west to Beijing in the East, passing through Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, on the way.

For those adventurous travelers on the hunt for slow travel experiences, this should be high on your bucket list.

On our particular journey, we began in St. Petersburg and ended in Ulaanbaatar.  We stopped in Moscow and Irkutsk along the way. We spent roughly two weeks on our journey, and the longest leg of our train ride was the three days between Moscow and Irkutsk.  Which leads me to my first tip.

Tip 1: Build city stops and side trips into your itinerary.

Jumping on the train in Moscow and not stopping until you reach the eastern coast is ambitious, but you may get more enjoyment out of your journey if you break it into smaller legs with breaks to sight-see along the way.  In Moscow we spent three days exploring and it still wasn’t enough. There is so much history and modern day culture to take in!

In Irkutsk we took a side trip to nearby Listvyanka, a small village on the shores of Lake Baikal. Here we took time to hike parts of the Great Baikal Trail, dine on local fish, and take in the breathtaking beauty of the crystal clear lake. After three days of sitting on a train making small talk with our cabin mates and wandering between our bunks and the meal car, having a few days of fresh air was a pleasant change of scenery.

Speaking of cabin mates, my second tip is to treat yourself to a second class ticket.

Tip 2: Buy 2nd/Kupe Classe

I know, I know. You’re an intrepid backpacker, not afraid to travel rough. You want to stretch each travel dollar and make the most of your experiences.  I’m right there with you. But I am forever grateful that I let myself be convinced to splurge on a second class ticket. In second class up to four people share a cabin with four relatively comfortable beds and a door that closes and locks.

In Plackscarta/Platzcart (Third Class) they pack up to 54 beds in a train car with little to no privacy, security, or comfort.

Anyway.

Tip 3: Bring Tea, Buy Piroshki/Pirozhki

Each train car has a hot water station at one end and a bathroom at the other. You can drink the water from the hot water station. Travel with tea and sugar cubes to liven up your beverages without resorting to the exorbitantly high costs of the meal car drinks. It is also helpful to pack snacks to eat and share.

At most stops the train will pull into the station and stay for 10 minutes to an hour or more. This can be a nice chance to hop off and stretch your legs. Just be sure to check with the conductor before wandering too far from your car! On the platforms there are often old Russian Grandmas selling freshly baked and still hot and steaming piroshki, vegetables, potatoes, and even some fish. Buy the piroshki. Often filled with potato, cabbage, meat, cheese, onion, or carrot, each is more delicious than the next. Try them all!

Tip 4: Pack a notebook and pens

As you get farther east there are fewer concessions to English speakers. There are fewer signs translated and fewer strangers who might just happen to know some English. Don’t think you can just rely on your trusty cellphone either. You are in Siberia after all!

Packing a notebook and pen can be a help when trying to communicate. Additionally, you may want to journal some of your experiences, and sometimes breaking open the laptop and furiously typing away just isn’t prudent.

As always, pack light and enjoy yourself. Life is an adventure!

For more stories about my Russian railway adventures, be sure to check out my Russian Adventure Posts!

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Have you ever had the urge to just drop what you were doing, pack a bag, and set out on an adventure? Seven years and over two dozen countries later, Aeri Rose is proof that excitement, independence, and discovery await those who are bold enough to say “yes” to life’s craziest choices. When not exploring the world with her little grey backpack, Aeri Rose an be found living a nomadic lifestyle traveling the United States as a writer and entrepreneur.  To follow Aeri on all her adventures, check her out online at travelingwithaeri.com; or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aerirose.

I know it’s hard to think about halter-tops and sun dresses in the middle of winter, with many of us still under bombardment by the epic Polar Vortex that has been plaguing the much of the northern United States this winter.

But I promise spring will soon be upon us!

So cast off your mukluks, crawl out of your igloos and dance in the light of the sun.  Prove to Winter and tricky Jack Frost that you can’t be defeated by a few grey skies and a bit of ice!

Feeling warmer? Good now take a peek at our freshly released Rainbow Rampage Catalog, and order your happy summer-wear today!