It’s that time as a lawyer, you have the opportunity to travel to incredible destinations. Trouble is, you’ll probably only have time for a quick peek through a boardroom window or a frantic shopping trip through the local market. These are not the kinds of trips that satisfy a traveller’s spirit. There is another option. The short trips below offer you a deeper experience, whether you stay for a day or a week, and send you home with a skill you didn’t even know you needed.
> Bagpipe Lessons – Sea Island resort (Sea Island, GA) You’ve long harboured a dream to breathe life into some Scottish song; now’s your chance. Every evening at The Lodge at Sea Island, a Bagpiper plays out the tones while dressed in the regalia of a Scottish Highlander. Take your turn at the centuries-old tradition. Learn from one of the resident Sea Island bagpipers in individual or group lessons that start at US$270 per hour. Reservations require 24-hour notice. Rates at Sea Island start at US$395 per night.
> Truffle Foraging – Castel Monastero Resort & Spa (Tuscany) There are two ways to gather the truffles that you’ll want to bring home from Tuscany. You can hit the food stores in town on your way to the airport, or you can head out, after a relaxing stay at a restored castle in the Tuscan countryside, to Castel Monastero’s fields to find them yourself. Famous for their black and white truffles, you’ll accompany the resort’s expert truffle hunter and his pack of dogs, in search of the delicate gems. Buy from the ones you’ve found for a tale you can share when cooking them up for friends at home. Pricing for the excursion starts at 300 euros; rates at Castel Monastero start at 600 euros/night.
> Carriage Driving – Blackberry Farm (Walland, TN) If you’ve ever sat in the carriage of a ride through Central Park and thought you were in the wrong seat, this one is for you. Blackberry Farm puts you in the driver’s seat with “carriage driving lessons.” You’ll take the reins during a two-hour class that includes an introduction to harness, hitching and safe driving techniques through the Great Smoky Mountains. The scenic drive and lessons start at US$250 per person. Rates at Blackberry Farm start at US$745 per night.
Heather Greenwood Davis is a lawyer and freelance columnist. Reach her at www.globetrottingmama.com.
> Bagpipe Lessons – Sea Island resort (Sea Island, GA) You’ve long harboured a dream to breathe life into some Scottish song; now’s your chance. Every evening at The Lodge at Sea Island, a Bagpiper plays out the tones while dressed in the regalia of a Scottish Highlander. Take your turn at the centuries-old tradition. Learn from one of the resident Sea Island bagpipers in individual or group lessons that start at US$270 per hour. Reservations require 24-hour notice. Rates at Sea Island start at US$395 per night.
> Truffle Foraging – Castel Monastero Resort & Spa (Tuscany) There are two ways to gather the truffles that you’ll want to bring home from Tuscany. You can hit the food stores in town on your way to the airport, or you can head out, after a relaxing stay at a restored castle in the Tuscan countryside, to Castel Monastero’s fields to find them yourself. Famous for their black and white truffles, you’ll accompany the resort’s expert truffle hunter and his pack of dogs, in search of the delicate gems. Buy from the ones you’ve found for a tale you can share when cooking them up for friends at home. Pricing for the excursion starts at 300 euros; rates at Castel Monastero start at 600 euros/night.
> Carriage Driving – Blackberry Farm (Walland, TN) If you’ve ever sat in the carriage of a ride through Central Park and thought you were in the wrong seat, this one is for you. Blackberry Farm puts you in the driver’s seat with “carriage driving lessons.” You’ll take the reins during a two-hour class that includes an introduction to harness, hitching and safe driving techniques through the Great Smoky Mountains. The scenic drive and lessons start at US$250 per person. Rates at Blackberry Farm start at US$745 per night.
Heather Greenwood Davis is a lawyer and freelance columnist. Reach her at www.globetrottingmama.com.
