Tourism is NOT a Dirty Word

I have a really special treat for you today. I want to introduce one of my sponsors, Michelle to you all. A girl after my own heart, she lives in the South and is determined to prove that the South is 'a soul-stirring mecca of culture, decadence, passion and the unknown'. She proves with each post not only does the South have a ton to offer but she also provides great ways to be a tourist in your own city. Something I think we could all take advantage of!

Here she highlights some of her best tips on how to travel and how to make the most out of your vacation. Be sure to check out her blog, Dixie Lust!

At a local Indian Associations Holi Festival. I may never get to go to India, but I did get to experience Holi - a tradition that's mesmerized me for years.

Build Your Advice Panel via Social Media

A fellow blogger on my "panel" suggested this place, Tacky Jacks, while I was in Orange Beach. I would have never tried it if she hadn't recommended it.

We all want it. The perfect hotel. The perfect pulled pork sandwich. The sunset that puts all other sunsets to absolute shame. Long gone are the days of relying on travel agents and well-traveled friends for travel suggestions. We crave the “insider” experiences, the hidden gems, the locals-only knowledge.

 About a month or so before your trip, build your advice panel on social media outlets like Twitter, Instagram, and Foursquare. Use a mix of restaurant, brand, blogger, foodie, and event accounts. Find out what everyone’s talking about. Hot new restaurant that everyone’s raving about? Make your reservations now. Great band playing when you’re in town? Buy your tickets.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions or seek out recommendations. Use their knowledge to your advantage. My biggest advice is to know how to ask for what you want. Are you into dive bars and hole in the wall restaurants? Don’t ask for “the best restaurants in town” or “a bbq place.” Be specific with terms like “off the beaten path” or “often overlooked.”

As an added bonus, building a relationship with these accounts may come in handy if you need last minute help or suggestions while you’re actually visiting.

Be a Chatty Cathy.

This is my daddy, Papa Bruce, in action - chitchatting with the boat captain the entire time.

My family loves to tell a story about my dad on a skiing trip in Winter Park, Colorado. Our first day on the slopes, we turned around to realize Papa Bruce was missing. After a few minutes of scanning the crowds, we saw him standing over in the distance with another man, laughing and moving his hands wildly as he pointed to the lodge. We couldn’t believe it. How on earth did my southern Louisiana daddy bump into someone he knew all the way up in Colorado? On the first day? When he finally (and I do mean finally…) made his way back over, we bombarded him with questions. Who was that? How do you know him? Do we know him? Papa Bruce just laughed as he responded “Oh… I don’t know. I was just asking him where he got his beer from.”

My father has taught me a lot about travel, but the biggest lesson has been in how to connect with people. The second we step aboard the charter boat he’s asking about the motor, the gas mileage, and how long the captain’s been doing what he does. He asks field guides where they’re from and how they got into the business. He asks the local hibachi chef how long his training took and what his favorite “trick” is. It’s never in a badgering way. It’s simply curiosity and the desire to connect. He never talks “at” or “to” people. He always makes a genuine effort to talk with them, showing them interest and respect.

Travel isn’t just about seeing monuments and physically being in a location. It’s about cultures, ways of life.. people sharing themselves. Getting to know the people that cross your path as you explore adds a complex layer of richness and intimacy to each adventure. Not all your conversation starters or questions will be home runs, but it’s your effort that gets the connection rolling. Sometimes I’m absolutely terrible at small talk and even plain ole’ awkward in new environments, but I’ve never had someone turn down the chance to talk about themselves, their city, their job or their passions. So ask the waitress how her day is, tell the shopkeeper the pottery is the most stunning you’ve ever seen, ask the shuttle driver about the “busy season”, or even ask the other travelers where they got their beer. The conversation will work itself out. You’ll learn and experience a lot more than if you leave it solely up to maps and guidebooks.

Tourism is NOT a Dirty Word

Just a sampling of some "touristy" things that I absolutely loved.

In not only traveling quite a bit but in researching it for my blog, I’ve noticed a trend among travel writers and enthusiasts where being a tourist is touted as gauche and trite. You’re given tips to blend in and act like a local. You’re told not to be so “American” when traveling overseas. And quite honestly I don’t get it.

Should you avoid being rude? Yep. Should you respect cultures that are different than your own? Of Course. But in no way do I believe that being a tourist should be a “travel sin.”  When you travel you are a representative of where you come from. Travel is about making connections and leaving a bit of yourself behind as you take your new experiences with you.

I love living in an area with so many visitors. When I get to hear about their experiences and how different their home is from my beloved city, I see it as a mini travel experience. Without setting foot outside my home, I get to learn about other places – places I may not ever get to visit.

Tourism is such a huge aspect of our economies today. In Louisiana alone, tourism generates $850 million in tax revenues. Without the attractions, hotels, restaurants, and construction, each household would have to pay an additional $550 in state taxes. One in twelve workers here works in a tourism related job. What’s the point of all these fancy statistics? The city you choose to visit probably depends heavily on tourism. As a response, they’re prepped, primed, and ready to make your visit a fantastic one. Visit the visitor centers, take the guided tours, seek out the special attractions. They’re all there for YOU.

I understand you want to experience some aspects just like the locals. There’s no shame in that. But don’t avoid something solely because it’s for “tourists.”

Getting the most Culture Bang for Your Buck (and Time)

Just a sampling of foods from local festivals - all this in ONE place!

Do some research on the city you’re interested in visiting and find out if it’s home to any events or festivals. Food & Wine Events, Heritage Festivals, and even something as small as an art fair often gather up the best of the best and put it in one easy to navigate place.

In my home state of Louisiana, we love to celebrate just about everything. Cotton, shrimp, hot sauce, gumbo, petroleum, sugar cane, the French language, jazz music, … we celebrate it all. How do we celebrate it? With annual festivals! These festivals are jam packed with food booths from local restaurants, live bands and performances, local artists and craftsman, and lots and lots of fun.

Louisiana, while I may be partial to it, isn’t the only place that holds great events like this. If you’re looking to visit a city and see it’s people, music, food, and culture in action without racing back and forth across the city… see the city’s event calendar. You save a ton of time, money, and energy and get to experience so many aspects

What's Your Motivation?

Relaxation! I made time for peaceful relaxation time at sunrise on a recent trip.

Often times when you’re exploring nearby cities or on a budget, your trip is relatively short. Whether it’s a day trip or a weeklong one, it’s common to feel like you need to “do it all.” Cue the instant anxiety and stress that comes along with trying to cram every. single. thing. on to the schedule. You wind up getting exhausted, you get snappy with your travel mates, and you lose focus on what you came to explore.

When planning your trip, ask yourself why you’re taking the trip in the first place. Are you going to relax? Hear certain bands? Visit a museum or monument? Find your motivation for taking the trip and let that be your guide in planning. If your main desire is to see an exhibit at a museum, decide on the date and times that you’ll do so. Communicate your plans to any travel mates you may have to avoid any last minute drama or confusion. It also gives you a clear picture of what time you have left open.

On a recent trip to Orange Beach, AL with my family, I decided my two main focuses were spending time with my family and relaxing after a busy first half of the year. Knowing my focus helped me to eliminate a few things that were on my list of suggested places and even a few of my tried-and-true favorites. With the focus being on family and getting my zen back, I packed in more family dinners and solo beach time and passed on Hangout Fest and some legendary local bars.

P.S. Be sure to check out my guest post about what we do here in Korea and also some funny stories we've accumulated from living overseas!

Latrine duty?

Yep.  That was on my work list for this morning.  At least there were three of us working on that detail.  Remember all those hundreds of kids that have been visiting out at the Chippewa Picnic Area the last couple of weeks and all the rain?  Use your imagination to picture what this does to a pit toilet bathroom with five stalls.  Yuck! 

Add to that the fact that there is no running water there.  We had to haul in two of those big yellow 5 gallon water coolers that you see strapped onto construction trucks so we could wash the floors.  Apparently the mops have disappeared so we had to use a toilet brush and rags to clean the muddy floors.  Did I mention these were pit toilets?  P-U!!  After the picnic area, there was one other pit toilet to clean several miles away.  It was only a one holer, so we thought it would be a breeze.  Ha!  Turns out someone had gotten sick and spewed their guts all over the throne.    Our clean up crew consisted of myself, an intern, and a staff member, but I’m sure glad I won’t have this assignment very often.  It may be hard to believe, but the three of us really made the most of this chore and had a good time.

I had a much more pleasant assignment for this afternoon; driving around to make sure the seven refuge information kiosks were well stocked with brochures.  Tomorrow is National Trails Day, and the refuge is celebrating by having the grand opening of the 14.5 mile section of the North Country Trail that weaves through the refuge.  I’m sure you’ve all heard of the Appalachian Trail, well the North Country Trail will be similar offering over 4000 miles of hiking from one end to the other.  I’ll get more information on it tomorrow at the celebration. 

Because of all of the big wigs coming for the ribbon cutting ceremony tomorrow, making sure the kiosks were well stocked and spiffed up was on the priority list.  That’s my kind of assignment!  I could be that mallard duck in the sign above.  I’m sure glad that Rachel Carson woke up the world to the plight of our wild things.  She is one of my heroes.

Of course, I grabbed my cameras before going out into the rain and driving to the kiosks.  With the dismal skies, the red-tailed hawks were hunkering down.

                                               That is until I stopped to admire this beauty.

                                                It decided to move on to a more remote location.

I also found out where the white pelicans were spending this day… on Height of Land Lake.  This afternoon’s journey covered most of the roads on the refuge, and I was able to now feel comfortable with where things are at.  It takes a couple of weeks to get familiar with each different refuge.

Tomorrow I’ll be attending the National Trails Day celebration, and helping with the Photo Hike in the afternoon.  It’s supposed to be only in the 50’s with a brisk wind out of the north, so I’m really hoping the rain gets out of here over night.  I’m yearning for some warmer temperatures and sunshine.

                                                                              THE END!!

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

It’s official, mosquito season has begun!

As of 7:00 pm this evening, I declare that the mosquito season in Minnesota has begun, and I’ve got the first two bites to prove it.  So now I’ll have to deal with ticks and mosquitoes.  Uf-duh.  I haven’t been to a National Wildlife Refuge yet where I didn’t have to battle biting bugs.  I guess it just goes with the territory.

                                                                  Red-bellied woodpecker

The other 120 fourth graders from Moorhead, MN, cancelled their field trip to the refuge this morning.  It was a good thing they did because overnight and throughout the morning we had another inch of rain.  Kids and adults would have had a miserable time of it had they come.  That wraps up the school groups for this spring.

<-----/--^            Male purple finch.

Since my work for the day was cancelled, I decided to head to Detroit Lakes to take care of several errands.  Rainy weather really doesn’t matter when you need groceries, new windshield wipers for the rig, and scheduling the awning repair.

                                                                      Female purple finch.

First off, I headed to Wold’s RV where I was able to order the new wipers, a set of throw rugs, and talk about the awning repair.  Two mobile RV techs will be coming out next Tuesday to get the awning restrung. 

                                             Ruby-throated hummingbird visiting the oriole feeder.

Paul Dahl had a question about having the awning restrung, and I’ll try to better explain that with photos as the RV techs get it done on Tuesday.  Basically, the awning hasn’t ripped, but has started to come out of the groove on the roller bar at the bottom near the front of the rig, and at the top where it attaches to the roof in the back.  I’m sure that is the reason the awning arms where out of whack for closing properly.  I did check the motorized awning recall site, and my awning is not covered by that recall.  I feel it was those awful winds in the Dakotas that were the culprit. 

                                                                 Female American goldfinch.

The skies cleared in the afternoon, and Emma and I were able to sit outside this afternoon so I could get these photos at the bird feeders.  It was a brief respite from the rains.  They have now started up again. 

Emma on her thirteen-striped ground squirrel watch.  One of them has a tunnel right beyond the Hard Rock Bird Café pole.  That squirrel drives her to distraction. 

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

Letters/56

Dear Readers, in case you missed it yesterday, I have new sponsor options! Check out my sponsor page to sign up now. And for the next week, I'm offering a 20% discount on all ads with the code 'bloglove'. If the spot you want is all booked, go ahead and still sign up to reserve your spot in line! Dear Beach, after two days of serious typhoon weather this week, we're so ready for you. Please don't rain.

Dear Hubs, I'm glad you started mountain biking so much because let's face it, who doesn't love a man in padded biking pants?

But I admit I get just a tad bit nervous when you come back and show me crash footage like this. This picture is actually of our friend Jared and thankfully he walked away with just a bruised rib.

Dear Hair, it's time to cut you again and even though I found a great place to go that does exactly what I want, it's still nerve-wracking to go to a place that you have to explain what you want through charades. Dear Zeke, I really have nothing to say to you, I just wanted an excuse to post this photo of you when you get sleepy and cuddly when I'm working.

Dear Travels, in true a.d.d. style, we've already started planning out not only our summer vacation this year but also our Korean Thanksgiving and Christmas as well. Nothing like looking at lots of travel destinations to get your wanderlust going.

P.S. I'm guest posting over on the sweet Laurie's blog today and talking about my awkward life in Asia. Go check it out!

P.P.S. We have a WINNER for the Thai giveaway! Congrats Kelly Sperber, I'll be emailing you soon!

Linking up with Ashley, Jean, Lauren, Kerry, Chrissy, Kenzie

Minnesota Nice

Didn’t think I’d have anything worth posting about tonight, but I was wrong.  We had 120 or so fourth graders from Moorhead arrive this morning for four different environmental education presentations.  I was slated to help out at the Water Cycle station.  Local volunteer Craig was doing the presentation to groups of 36 students at a time for 50 minutes each.  Since I’m new here, my assignments have been about helping rather than presenting.  This refuge has a great support system of local volunteers, many of whom are Minnesota certified Master Naturalists.  What a resource for these visiting school districts!  They do a marvelous and exhausting job each day that students visit.  These school groups are busy enough for all of us that there is no time to take pictures.

We got the whole four hour program in just in time before the rains began again.  I decided to give the wildlife drive a go on my way back to the rig even though it was raining.  I’m glad I did.

The chestnut-sided warblers have arrived.  This fellow was the only thing I got pictures of today.  With dull overcast skies and rain, it didn’t make for many photo opportunities.  Can you see how puffed up he is against the inclement weather?

Once I got back to the rig, there was a break in the rain so Emma was able to spend some time outside.  Soon I heard the rumble of a lawn mower.  What?  Didn’t I just mow this whole area yesterday?  Cody, a staff member that looks like he’s about 14 years old, began to mow the same areas I covered, and looked perplexed as he approached all of my bird feeders in my front yard.  I hopped out so he wouldn’t mow them down and told him I had just mowed this place yesterday.  Apparently he didn’t know anything about that.  It would have seemed obvious to me, but then I’m an old fart and have the time to notice things like 2” grass as opposed to 8” grass.  Uf-dah!

As I was sitting at my computer around 5:00 this afternoon, I noticed a van pull into Steve’s site next to me with a Wold’s RV sign on its side.  I threw open the window and asked if he was a mobile RV tech.  He was, so I asked him to stop by when he was done.  I figured he was installing a new invertor for Steve.

When he came over, I told him about my awning issues.  He took a look at it, climbed up the ladder to the roof, took out some screws, and re-aligned the awning and arms.  It now closes and locks like it is supposed to.  There is still a problem with the canvas needing to be restrung (?) through the tubing because it has been blown out of whack, but he suggested I call the Wold’s RV service department in Detroit Lakes about having that taken care of.  He felt it could be done here, on site, but that it would take two people to accomplish it.

I thanked him for fixing what he did, and told him I would be sure to call soon.  The charge for all of this?  Zero…Zip… Zilch!  Now that’s Minnesota Nice!!  I’m sure you can imagine what a relief this is for me.  I’m still going to investigate the recall on automatic awnings that a couple of you informed me about before I call Wold’s, but for now at least the awning is secure.

A bit out of focus, but I couldn’t pass up posting this last pic.  That little guy was just singing his heart out… ♫ ♪ ”Joy to the World!… Joy to boys and girls… Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea… Joy to you and me!” ♪ ♫

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy 

Discount Ads!

This is my 'excited' face for new sponsors

Want to sponsor Lost in Travels? Great! I would love to help your business or blog grow in any way that I can! I have some new sponsor options up right now so hopefully you can find something that works for you. Check out this page too see all options available and also some stats on how this blog o mine is growing each month. Also, don't forget that for the next week, I am offering a 20% discount on all ads with the promo code: 'bloglove'! Is the spot you want already booked? Go ahead and purchase it and jump in line for the next available date!

Have another idea of how to work together? I'm always open to new ideas! Please email me at lostintravelsblog@gmail.com. I can't wait to hear from you!

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Speaking of sponsors, I want you to meet some of the lovely ladies on my sidebar this month! I'm so lucky that I have such amazing women and bloggers on my sidebar! I asked them to tell you a bit about themselves and to also answer the question: 'If you could pack your bags and go anywhere tomorrow, where would you go and why?' 

Be sure to check them out and show them some love!

Robyn:
Hi! I'm Robyn, a full time world traveller and part time teacher. My heart and home will always be in Scotland, but for now I am enjoying my nomadic lifestyle. I started my blog in Uganda, where I was living at the time.  I lived in East Africa for 3 years but now I am living in Kuwait...these are my adventures of Africa and beyond..!

Answer: I would head to the cobbled streets of Paris. Time in the sandpit makes you crave for Sunday afternoon strolls round a city, stopping for coffee and popping into shops. Sounds bliss right now.
Blog // Bloglovin'

Bonnie:
Bonnie Rose is a Third Culture Kid (TCK) living the Expat life in England with her family.  She works as a photographer and owns a blog, A Compass Rose.  She writes about growing up nomadic lifestyle as a TCK, about being an Expat, about life in England, and her travels across the world.  

Answer:My sons ask me this question frequently and my answer is the same. I would love to go back to southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. My husband an kids have yet to go there and it is a place I frequented as a child growing up in Europe. We used to go camping in the summer in Germany and snowboarding & skiing in the Alps. I miss eating Germknödel at the ski lodges on the mountain tops, Oktober fests, Christmas markets, and hiking in the countryside. 
Bloglovin' // Twitter

Belinda:
I'm an American from Seattle who picked up life to be with her new British husband, now living in Northern Wales. My blog covers my expat victories {and fails} plus all of our adventures. I love meeting fellow bloggers, so come on over and say hello!

Answer: I love this question! One of my dream trips would easily be a 2-3 week African safari.  I have always loved animals, especially elephants.  My dream trip would be to Kenya, to visit The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust where orphaned elephants and rhinos are raised.  Each day, you can visit the elephants and watch them play.  This sounds like a dream.
Bloglovin' // Twitter

Rachel:
Hi, everyone! I'm Rachel and I blog over at Postcards from Rachel. I started my blog to keep my friends and family up-to-date after a big move abroad to Scotland. Now that I'm back in the States and relocating every six months, I write about moving woes, travels, recipes, and ugly sobbing at gas stations because I can't remember my own zip code. In my spare time I enjoy chugging mimosas, walking my two grumpy dogs and zip lining with the hubby. Stop by and say hello!

Answer: If I could go anywhere, I'd pack my bags and leave for Dubrovnik, Croatia. While traveling on easyJet last year, the husband and I picked up a travel magazine and fell in love with beautiful photos of the scenic coast. It has been on our bucket list ever since! We would love to stroll around Old Town and island hop someday!
Twitter // Instagram

Shio:

Hello, my name is Shio and I have a little lifestyle blog where I share tid bits of my life, family, faith, and any & all things that spark creativity! I am married to the love of my life, and we have 3 cute munchkins whom I am smitten over!!

Answer: If I could go anywhere tomorrow, I would have to say I'd go to Egypt! Ever since I can remember I have just LOVED learning about pyramids, tombs, mummies, and Egyptians!!! Seeing a pyramid in real life would be AMAZING!!

Bloglovin' // Instagram

Britta:

Hi Lost in Travels readers! My name is Britta and my blog is The Boots Parade. Over there you'll see posts all about my life in Costa Rica. I write about my life as an English teacher, my life in this country, my adorable puppy Rocco, and all the little adventures I have as an expat. I hope you will come by and say hello!

Answer: If I could back up my bags and go anywhere tomorrow I think I would go to Greece! I have heard so many wonderful things and seen so many beautiful pictures that I just need to go and see Greece for myself.

Bloglovin' // Twitter

Got new wheels today

To celebrate Memorial Day, yesterday, Jack and I each got to do something we wanted to do.  First we headed for a casino.  What?  I have no interest in casinos, but Jack was on a mission.

He was on the hunt for a couple of $1 poker chips.  He uses them for the center of some of his pine needle baskets.  Some of you may remember our escapades around Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR when we went out hunting longleaf needles when he visited me in 2012.  No longleafs around here, but there are casinos.  I think it takes about eight hours of work to weave a basket this size.  Of course, that doesn’t include the finding of the needles or their preparation for weaving.  This is an old Native American craft, and I think it’s rather poignant that these baskets are a melding of the old and new Native American culture.  Kind of sad to me.

After lunch at the casino, it was my turn to enjoy a different kind of hunt.  We went back to the refuge to try to find some morel mushrooms.  I have spent many an hour looking for them, but have never been successful.  Morel hunters won’t tell you where to find them, and it is a real social no-no to ask. 

I did find some unusual looking mushrooms, but sorry to say, they were not morels.  Shucks!  I struck out again.  I believe ideally there should be rain and warm temperatures.  I did see a refuge visitor with a mesh bag of morels a few days ago, but that was right after our 3” of rain.  I’m not giving up though.  This could be the year I finally get to fry up some tasty morels that I’ve found myself.  The going price for them right now is $25/pound!

As for my new wheels?  It was back to work for me today, and as I attended the weekly staff meeting, I asked if I needed special training to operate a riding lawn mower on this refuge.  The grass is getting pretty long around the RV sites, and I offered to cut it.  Several eyes lit up around the table when I said that.  The deputy manager asked if I could start mowing today.

So here is my new, to me, set of wheels.  I’ve never ridden a Deere before.  With a big celebration planned for Saturday with lots of big wigs arriving, they were thrilled that I could help spruce up the place.  I’ve never minded mowing as long as I can ride and not push.  So now I guess I’m the new groundskeeper for RV pads, bunkhouse, maintenance area, and temporary headquarters for the duration of my stay.  Sure beats being inside!  Of course, there was some training involved… mostly in the safety area.  I put on my boots, safety glasses, and ear protection plugs, and off I roared.  I think the area is looking pretty spiffy!  (and I can drive home for lunch!)

After work, I drove to Detroit Lakes to meet Jack for a fare thee well dinner.  No Waffle House this time!  The Ice House Restaurant had linens on the table and cloth napkins.  That’s what I’m talkin’ about!  I had the garlic steak with wine cooked mushrooms while Jack had the broiled fresh Red Lake walleye.  Very tasty, indeed.  We had a nice visit this go around with lots of fun activities.  I look forward to the next time our paths cross.

When I got back to the rig, I sat outside with Emma for a while and replenished the new addition to the Hard Rock Bird Café.  I bought an oriole feeder the other day, and boy has it been popular with the locals!  You can see how they’ve attacked the orange half, and Ms. Baltimore Oriole finds the grape jelly irresistible.  Seems like it might be about time to hang out some string pieces for the orioles to use to build their nests.  Maybe tomorrow if I get the chance.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

In the Land of Rice-Learning to Make Sushi

Remember those friends that I met in the grocery store? Well let me tell you, she is an amazing cook! Just when I thought that I was doing good and cooking grilled chicken pasta for dinner, I call her up and she tells me that on nights they don't have much time, she just 'whips' together some sushi. Pretty sure I couldn't just 'whip together' anything if I tried, especially sushi. It would turn out like a bad Pinterest fail. But she can and she does quite well. And thankfully she was kind enough to have me over and teach me her skills. So here ya go, for those other women who want easy meals besides peanut butter and jelly (which is what we have on way too many occasions).

What you need:
Avocados
Crab
Cucumber
Seaweed paper
Rice

What you do:
.Gather your ingredients. You can put whatever your heart desires on the inside. We stuck with crab, avocado and cucumber but also tried some tempura shrimp which was to.die.for. Slice veggies in long strips. You can also cut the crab in strips but we decided to shred it and it worked just as well.

.Lay out your sheet of seaweed on top of your bamboo mat. My friend suggested wrapping the bamboo mat in saran wrap before you start. This makes for easy cleanup at the end. Take a spoon and dip it in water before using it to spread the rice on the paper (dipping the spoon in water makes the rice not stick as badly to the spoon. There are also special rice spoons that you can use). Make sure the rice reaches all sides because this is what makes the roll stick together.

.Start placing ingredients in a line towards one end of the seaweed paper.

.Now here comes the tricky part. Unfortunately, I didn't take any photos of it but I found this one online. Start rolling the sushi to make a tube. Roll the sushi and bamboo wrap until the seaweed meets the other side. Then place the bamboo wrap folded over the roll like shown before(confused yet?). As you roll, pull back on the wrap to make sure the sushi roll is really tight and won't fall apart. When it's all rolled, make sure to press the edges at the end to make sure it sticks.

via

Viola. A sushi roll. 

To cut it, dip a knife into water and cut. Dipping the knife into water makes it so much easier to cut and doesn't smoosh (is that a real word?) the roll.

After having someone show me how, this meal has also become an easy lunch or dinner to have when I just can't think of what to cook. Have you ever tried making sushi?

Linking up with Lisette, Rolled Up Pretty and Shanna