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Wednesday, April 4, 2012

When Travel Bug and “Love Bug” Meet

You know by now that we suffer from the travel bug.
I also have a “Love Bug” – the Volkswagen type. . .a Herbie, VW Bug.

Herbie, is my loved Bug. So when I travel I am always on the lookout for ‘cousins’ and on this Travel Photo Thursday I thought I’d show you where I found them and what they were up to:

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This travelin' Herbie was heading out into the southwest desert after getting filled up at a station in Tonopah, Nevada.

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Another hard-working Herbie was spotted in Las Vegas, Nevada’s Town Square Shopping Center.  As the dill pickle on top reads, “We Dill iver”.

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This precious purple Herbie was parked on a street near a pile of garbage in Trabzon, Turkey.

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Hellenic Herbie came zipping into the parking area to await a ferry on the island of Poros, Greece.

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Cousin cool dude Herbie was in the Fashion Show Mall on The Vegas Strip, doing nothing more than being admired by shoppers.

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Herbie, the Hawaiian, was sitting in the shade in Haleiwa on O’ahu’s North Shore.

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This Baja Bug of a Herbie was in Cabo San Lucas,  Mexico last week.


herbie 012 For those of you who’ve not yet met my Herbie. . . here he is: a 69 VW Bug (stick shift, automatic) that my dad bought used in 1972 to serve as my college car. This photo was taken two years ago; four decades, two engines and nearly 200,000 miles later.

How about you?  Any Herbie’s in your life? Any icons that you seek out when you travel?

Don’t forget to hop in the driver’s seat and head on over to Budget Traveler’s Sandbox for more travel photos.

28 comments:

  1. Love the theme of this post and the variety of bugs out there. Amazing your car keeps going and going. I regret that I don't have a similar story to offer.

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    1. My Herbie sounds like an old fashioned coffee percolator these days with his 'chugga-chugga-chug-chug' motor and I probably look like the Little Old Lady from Pasedena when driving him, but in my mind I am that college-age kid again every time I get behind the wheel.

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  2. So cute, Jackie! I love Herbies and the original Herbie movie, too. Your photos remind me of road trips when I was a child, wherein my sisters and I would spot a VW Bug, yell "punch bug!" and punch each other in the arm. Good times :-)

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    1. There is something about this model of car that just brings back good memories to such a wide variety of people and always a smile. (I still have a DVD of the Herbie movie)

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  3. I love all the Herbie photos you've taken. What a great theme. The Vegas and Hawaii bugs are awesome. Wow on your Herbie's longevity and hoping for more miles and travels on him.

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    1. I am keeping my fingers crossed that Herbie and I will travel a few more miles together before we come to the end of the road. And I'll keep watching for more Herbie's around the world.

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  4. This is great! I have the feeling that there will always be a Herbie somewhere in the world :)

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    1. Nancie, great observation. I too hope there will always be a little old Herbie somewhere out there. . .so I can grab my camera and record yet another 'cousin'.

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  5. Very fun gallery! You almost inspired me enough to hunt one down for myself.

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    1. I can assure you that driving a Herbie will take years off your life (at least mentally and emotionally), turn on some Beach Boys tunes and even a rainy day can be brightened.

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  6. They just don't make them like they used to, Jackie! My step-mom had one and my sister drove it until there was nothing left to drive. They are beautiful.

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    1. I love it when friends tell me their Herbie histories and stories, and isn't it amazing how many lives have been touched by Herbies over the years.

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  7. Very cool. I had a Volkswagen like that a long time ago. A gold one with a rubbish heater. Wonder why it's called a 'bug'...

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    1. The heater and window defroster aren't the strong points of this car are they? Not to mention the air-conditioning and power steering, right? LOL
      I think "Bug" came from the "Beetle" -- the more formal name for Herbies.

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  8. What a fun collection of Herbies! I loved that series as a kid and my sister and I used to watch them over and over :) So cool to see so many different ones.

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  9. Thanks for visiting. Herbies, no matter where they are, bring back memories, don't they?

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  10. What a fun collection of pictures!

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  11. Herbie! 45 years since the first movie and still going strong. #beepbeep

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    1. I can't imagine a world without a Herbie somewhere. Hope to visit NZ someday and photograph 'cousins' there as well.

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  12. What a fun post! My dad had a herbie when I was in school - i could never get it to go, so I couldn't stand driving it! :)

    The word "Tonopah" caught my eye too- I lived there for 4 years while growing up - haven't been back since the late 80's - can't imagine how it looks now!!

    Happy Easter! Would love for you to link up to Friday Daydreamin' this week if you get a chance! Thanks!

    ~Becca

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    1. Mine was an automatic so I was able to drive it; suspect when the transmission gives out, my Herbie will move to inactive status.

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  13. When my wife and I got married in 1971, her '68 Bug was part of her "dowry." Unfortunately, within three years it needed engine work. We added an oil cooler, but it had to be repaired twice on a trip from Oakland to Seattle. It lacked air conditioning, so on the trip back to California we used a plastic spray bottle to squirt each other with water as we drove from Yreka to Sacramento.

    The Bug lasted another 4 years or so, but no one could figure out how to keep it from burning or leaking oil. We finally sold it and used the proceeds as a down payment on a new Datsun pickup.

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    1. I can so relate to this story. I brought Herbie as part of my 'dowry' . . .didn't impress Joel whatsoever.

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