Travelingking

Years ago I bought a book titled something close to the above lead line. It was hilarious and the desire to clone myself sometimes wanders through my brain! Trust me, the world does NOT need 2 of me - sometimes I just need another "me" to do all the activities I need and/or want to do. For example, I love to knit, get consumed with my computer, and could safari endlessly. Practically, I can't do all 3 at one time (and no, I can't take my laptop into the bush and maintain Internet connectivity yet) and also I have limited time for each activity. The solution? Voila---Do-It-Myself Cloning!

Well, I haven't tried to clone myself (or anything else, for that matter!) so I am always on the lookout for reliable ways to do more, learn more, enjoy more in abbreviated amounts of time. How about you? Have you ever wished you could accomplish something in less time without sacrificing quality? Stay with me here -  this all leads to my topic:

One of the areas that consumes a lot of time when planning a vacation is the planning, the logistics - where to go, when to go, what to do, what to pack, where to eat, yada, yada, yada. My career is dedicated to telling people where to go AND they look forward to the trip (is that the definition of a travel advisor or a diplomat or both?). At Great Getaways we've logged thousands of miles and many years collecting unique experiences and we use this knowledge when crafting your journeys...BUT...

We cannot be everywhere at all times experiencing everything about all destinations. What's the solution, I hear you ask? For starters we have representatives of Great Getaways in over 90 countries around the world. I can call them, email them, and instantly get the latest, most accurate info for you. We also know many specialists who can dot the "i's" and cross the "t's" to insure you have the best experience at the best value. Of course, we also do research using the Internet and we encourage you, our clients, to do the same...BUT...

As is true for the buyer, let the reader beware! Just because you "saw it on the Internet" doesn't mean it's true. I'm amazed by how many people qualify their comments validity by adding "and I read it on the Internet"! You're reading this on the Internet, aren't you? How do you know what I say has merit. Of course, you can call me and I could fax you pages of my passport bearing stamps from many countries, and all you would know is that I've been to a lot of countries' airports. Better yet, I'd send you to our Picasa web albums highlighting some of our trips! The point is that some websites are useful and some are not.

I just discovered a site that seems useful and I thought I'd share it with you: www.nextstop.com. I like the way it's organized and intend to browse around there more thoroughly. Meanwhile, since I can't be everywhere at one time, could you help me? Visit NextStop and try it out; then go to www.greatgetaways.travel and drop a comment on my blog. Please include any other sites you find helpful! Ciao!

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Great Getaways has discovered the secret to a sublime vacation in Hawaii! Because of the frigid cold temperatures covering much of the continental US, we decided to share this secret with you! It's 2 words---well, a person's name, Judi Chaitman! Judi has been honored by Conde Nast Traveler as the TOP TRAVEL SPECIALIST for Hawaii 9 years in a row! She also is a member of the select group of only 18 travel advisors in the world that Wendy Perrin would trust to plan a vacation ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD! Big WOW! But, back to escaping the arctic cold, Chaitman has been to Hawaii more than 50 times; she knows the hotels, the condos; and she can even recommend activities from helicopter tours to whale watching. When Conde Nast Traveler wanted to write an article about an Iconic Hawaii itinerary, they turned to Chaitman to plan it!

To learn more and to see a video of our personal vacation photos visit the Hawaii page of our new, improved, it slices and dices (but doesn't do windows) website: www.greatgetaways.travel . Go to Where to Go: Click on Hawaii or click here to go directly to the Hawaii page! http://bit.ly/5hyeuW

Contact Judi today and escape the arctic weather! judi@greatgetaway.com

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We love our two dogs, Winnie and Willie, and they totally rule our home---except at night when they sleep in their "condos" (aka kennels) and we sleep sans dogs in our bed. Every morning one of us has to get up early to let the dogs out of their "condos", feed them (takes less than a minute--they eat very fast), let them out, yada, yada, yada. During the week Michael usually is the Captain of Mission: Condo Freedom and on the weekends and holidays we trade off. I know, fascinating, isn't it?

And the point of all this is???? I fell asleep early last night, no longer a member of the "Let's ring in the New Year" crowd, so I got up with the dogs to let Michael sleep in. It's cold (currently 8 degrees fahrenheit--brrr!!!) so I bundled up in case I had to "encourage" the dogs to go outside, off the deck, down the stairs.... Looking like an ancestor of the Abominable Snowman, I performed the duties assigned to the Captain of the rescue mission.

The dogs needed no herding and I almost starting removing some of the protective layers I had donned when the thought struck me, "Why not go out front and bring in the paper?" Granted, that wasn't the most inspiring thought I've ever had, and in milder weather I wouldn't have hesitated; but, give me a break here---it's 8 degrees with a wind chill...whine...whine...whine!

I looked out the window and crafted a battle plan---Mission: Condo Freedom morphed into Mission: Paper Grab. Opting for the surprise attack from the flanks of the garage, I headed outside. Then I saw it...the moon... 7:00 AM, a crisp, clear, and cold day with the most breathtaking moon in the sky. Thank you, God, for the gift of this moment.

I've heard it said that the gift is in the giving, and despite my whining, I wanted Michael to be able to have the morning paper awaiting him (I'm not that much into the newspaper these days). Yet, it was I who received the gift today, January 1, 2010: the gift of knowing in my heart and soul that all is as it should be; that there is a God and I'm not it; and that my job is help others and to notice the everyday miracles that grace my life.

One of my favorite quotes, a copy of which sits on the bookshelf at my office, is: "I am not the same for I have seen the moon rise on the other side of the world." (not sure of the author, perhaps Mary Ann Rademacher???).

I have seen the moon rise in many places such as the Galapagos, India, Russia, Bali, Botswana and Hawaii...and today I saw the moon, the beautiful moon shining down on me here in Kansas City...and I am not the same.

Happy New Year 2010 and may your year be marked by memorable moments and stellar journeys!

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