This year we have partnered with Deseret News to take on 12 Travel Challenges in 2012. We added another member to our family last year and decided not to let it stop us from what we enjoy. So we created 12 challenges that we must do this year with two small children along for the ride. It would be a lie to say I’m not nervous but I’m also excited. The experiences will be on Deseret News but tips and reviews will be here for you all to read. Hope you enjoy and write your own list of travel challenges too!

Follow our updates on twitter too! @HilaryeTravels @ReidTravels @TheBabyTravels

Thanks to my amazing wife, and her willingness to watch the kids, I had the opportunity to visit Chicago this month. I hadn’t been since I was a kid and felt it necessary to visit the city again. I had a ton of fun and it was was great to eat all the delicious food and see some sights around town. Chicago is a town full of life, history and vibrance. Here are a few photo highlights from my trip:

Chicago Skyline at night

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One of the most important things about traveling is learning about the culture and lives of the locals. My favorite part of immersing myself in a new place is trying the local food. In Jamaica I immediately fell in love with the traditional food I tried.

Scotchies

Lets start with my favorite, Scotchies. It was said to my travel group that similarly to many people that hope to go to heaven when they die, pigs and chickens hope to go to Scotchies when it’s their time. Scotchies serves up traditional Jamaican jerk. Its even cooked out back in the traditional ways, which they were nice enough to show us the process. The fish, chicken and pork were all great and were served up with traditional sides of beans and rice, breadfruit and festival. Scotchies also was the place I was introduced to my Jamaican soda addiction of Ting, a wonderful grapefruit soda.

Jerk Fish at Scotchie's, Montego Bay, Jamaica

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I was recently a guest of the Jamaican Tourist Board for a few days on the beautiful island of Jamaica. I had a ton of fun, did some amazing things and met great people. Here are some of my favorite photos from the trip to hold you over until I’m able to write more posts:

The ocean as seen from the front doors of the Rose Hall Great House. What a view.

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Reid is currently in Jamaica right now on a blogger meet up. I am currently at home in 101 degree weather, 7 months pregnant, taking care of a rambuctious two year old and feeling sorry for myself. So today while thebabytravels was napping I decided to look through some of our previous posts and also some of the pictures I have taken while traveling on my phone. I came across this set of pictures I took last year on our journey to Tokyo and decided to post them in case anyone else found them as interesting as I do (also these are not meant to be braggy. I can’t stand reading braggy blog posts can you?).

I’ve flown first class many times in the recent few years, and I always get the same question: “Is it really worth it?” YES! It’s this amazing place where you are treated with dignity and respect, get as many snacks and drinks as you want, have legroom, easy access to a lavatory and did I mention the snacks? It’s actually relaxing when you fly in first or business class. I know what a concept right? To be able to relax on an airplane?

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