Saving the Book

Simone Andrews does not have time to clean her cluttered desk. There is just simply too much to do. She has to fly off to Paris, jet over to China or spend a quiet weekend on a remote island in the Northwest.



Busy!? you may ask. Well, for Andrews, travel has become weaved into her work life. Wallingford is host to the first travel only bookstore in the United States (according to the sign hanging above the front entrance--lets take it at face value) and Andrews leads a staff of 8 at the historical Wide World Books & Maps.

The store was originally established in 1976 and owned by brothers Garth and Royce Wilson. In 1982 it was sold and then sold once again in 1997 to Andrews who has owned it ever since. The other travel-only bookstores and resource centers are located in Edmonds, Wash---her competitors---Rick Steves and The Savvy Traveller. However, Andrews would contest that the stores have nothing on Wide World. Looking around the store that seems to be the case. You can get a lonleyplanet book on Indonesia and a pack of plane ear plugs. Talk about one stop shopping! Plus, Wide World has an extra benefit---an expert like Andrews and her knowledgeable staff.

Whether you are planning a sophisticated trip to Europe, a safari in Africa or a family vacation in Hawaii, Wide World Books & Maps has it all. The store itself brings you to a whole new place---surrounded by guidebooks, maps, bags, world music and more you wish to leave Seattle and head to a faraway place and never look back. The atmosphere is eclectic, informative and welcoming. The staff has had a wealth of travel experience whether it be in France, England, South Africa, Australia or China to name a few. They know their stuff and at their helm is Andrews who, while she says the dollar may suck right now, finds time to explore a new place every so often. She leaves for France, Switzerland and Italy come October.

She insists that a place is always better the second time around. The key is to go back and you will find different aspects of the country said Andrews. “There is always something new.”

“I don’t feel as if I have to see every country” Andrews stated, but you would not know it based on her laundry list of countries she wants to visit---Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia and the Antarctic are a few. She is already planning her trip to Vietnam for the Spring of 2009.

“I am addicted to the experience!” Andrews said. This attitude transcends to her staff and customers. She has a steady flow of regulars as well as the random customers. Just that morning Andrews stated that a lady came in rushing off (bag in tow) to the airport and needed a quick guide on her way out. Andrews was there to guide.



Andrews first left the country when she was 19 years old. While many of us would spend a week or two on our first long-distance trip, Andrews spent a month in Japan. Her brother had been stationed there.

“Asia is so rich” said Andrews. “There are a lot of people there.”

While she may have started in Asia and progressively moved across the world she still has one favorite city. The city of love and romance Paris, France has been attracting her for years. The people, the sounds, the smells and the sensuality are just some of the few things that keep her coming.

For college students it is difficult to travel. Lets admit it--we do not have a lot of money. However much we would like to explore the Caymans or ride on safari in Kenya the fact of the matter is school drains us of any cash flow. Plus with airline and food prices so high it is near impossible. When it comes to these fluctuating prices Andrews said “Travel has its ups and downs.” Although, when the college student deos get that occasional paycheck (or one that we actually save) Andrews in collaboration with myself have some suggestions for saving money when traveling:

1. Buy your ticket early! Ticket prices get more expensive as you near the date of departure.
2. Stay at lower budget hotels. When it comes down to it, you are only in your hotel at night. If you are a really committed traveler you will be out all day exploring. Thus one or two star hotels work just fine. No need for fancy amenities.
3. Eat your main meal during lunch time. Prices are roughly 30 percent lower during the lunch hour. When it comes to dinner grab some deli items to go. Stop at a local market. This keeps cost down and you can take it with you while enjoying the city at night.
4. Use budget airline search engines like cheaptickets.com or kayak.com
5. Pack lightly. Airlines charge extra for overweight bags. Nothing excessive.

For more travel tips, contact information as well as a listing of in-store events you can access Wide World Maps & Books website here. Simone would love to talk to you!

Gay marriage the next step in WA?

While the Seattle mayoral race may be taking media precedence in the upcoming off-year election, it is a small yet powerful referendum that is growing in both popularity and controversy.

Referendum 71 (R-71), which would uphold Washington State's domestic partnership bill if approved, has been a contentious issue among Washington voters. According to a new poll by Survey USA the referendum will be overwhelmingly approved in the Seattle area but will have more trouble for proponents in the areas outside of the metropolis. For those who wish to approve the referendum the fact that the race is so close has becoming increasingly frightening.

The most recent expansion to the domestic partnership bill was signed in by Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire in 2007. Included in the latest expansion is the right to allow same-sex couples the privilege to visit their partners while in the hospital as well as the right to inheritance the will among many things. Under this newest piece of legislation same-sex couples are afforded all of the same rights as heterosexual couples with one exception—the word marriage.

Washington state currently has 12,000 registered domestic partners who have been awarded the same legal rights as their heterosexual counterparts according to the REF-71 campaign.

Those in opposition of the referendum, most specifically conservative populations, indicate that the approval of this referendum may very well lead to the label of marriage. Conservative voters have indicated that this vote will determine Washington's fate of gay marriage.

A large group of religious conservatives collected enough signatures in July to put the referendum on the ballot. They collected a total of 120, 577 signatures.

According to Protect Marriage-Washington an approval of referendum 71 “will demolish the state's historical understanding and definition of marriage as that of uniting a man and a woman for life as Washington State will immediately become subject to litigation by same-sex partners demanding that the courts overturn the Defense of Marriage Act and impose "same-sex marriage."

Opposition to the referendum primarily runs along similar talking points to the national debate.

Because it as on off election year--there are not very many "exciting" measures on the ballot and/or "major" voting--it is very common for voting to be down in numbers.

The referendum language has caused controversy because many believe it is not clear. The ballot measure will ask the following of voters:

“Statement of Subject: The legislature passed Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5688 concerning rights and responsibilities of state-registered domestic partners (and voters have filed a sufficient referendum petition on this bill).

“Concise Description: This bill would expand the rights, responsibilities, and obligations accorded state-registered same-sex and senior domestic partners to be equivalent to those of married spouses, except that a domestic partnership is not a marriage."

Voters are then asked to either approve (a vote to uphold same-sex rights) or reject the referendum.