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Ladies, we all know what coming in a few weeks, right? Guys, think hearts, chocolates, and overpriced but oh so necessary flowers a/k/a Valentine's Day. Consider creating a really special valentine, a romantic getaway!

In the January/February issue of PRIME Magazine KC, I wrote an article about romantic getaways. It's on page 46----just in case you want to read on...

Prime_Magazine_KC_January_February_issue.pdf Download this file

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The second stroke of luck was getting to meet Lee Hill Kavanaugh, a features writer for the Kansas City Star. She is a delight and oh so interesting! A multi-degreed talent, Lee spent a few years sailing the oceans aboard some legendary cruise ships, entertaining guests with her music. She and her artist, musician husband, have two children.

Lee is a woman of many interests and passions and I look forward to getting to know her better. Here's her story about me, which was prominently placed on the FRONT PAGE, by the way:

Click on the link below to read Lee's story about my passion for space travel and Virging Galactic:

 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/01/07/3358123/leawood-travel-adviser-offers.html#storylink=cpy

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In 2009 I attended the gala unveiling of Virgin Galactic's Spaceship, the VSS Enterprise. 850 people from around the world gathered in Mojave, California to be part of that historic moment, the beginning of a new frontier of the consumer travel industry. As the mother ship, with the spaceship securely attached, rolled into the viewing area, I remember the whole crowd became silent, in anticipation and awe. When Governors Schwarzenagger and Richardson joined Sir Richard Branson in christening the ship, the crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I realized I was experiencing a significant milestone in history. Years from now, when my toddler-aged grandsons are older and space travel more commonplace, I hope the boys will brag, "My grandma was at the christening of the first consumer spaceship!" Then again, by that time, rather than the exception, people traveling in Space will be the norm and its beginning might be a long-ago faded memory. How cool would that be? Either way, Virgin Galactic gave me an incredible life experience.

What are your thoughts about Space flight? 

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These offers brought to you by: Barbara King, ASA Great Getaways Travel 913-338-2244 913-338-2244 barbara@greatgetaways.travel

Greetings from Barbara King, ASA — Now's the time! Escape the winter doldrums with a spontaneous weekend getaway, or plan an epic adventure for later in the year. No matter where you want to go, you'll find exciting vacations from all over the world — sail across the Atlantic on a fabulous cruise ship, zip line through the rainforest canopy in Costa Rica, or slip away for a romantic spring weekend in New York City. Call today for the best rates and availability!

All offers may not be available in all markets. All prices shown are per person, based on double occupancy, in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated. Prices converted from the supplier's local currency are based on the current exchange rate at the time of printing. Fares do not include taxes or other fees unless otherwise stated. While every care is taken to ensure accuracy, fares, schedules, Virtuoso exclusives, Virtuoso Voyager Club events and amenities are subject to availability, blackout dates, international currency fluctuations, and may change without notice. Virtuoso Voyager Club events require a minimum/maximum number of participants and may not be combinable with other offers. Space is limited and other restrictions may apply. See your Virtuoso travel advisor for more details and applicable restrictions. Virtuoso assumes no responsibility for the presentation confirmed within, including errors in pricing. The trademarks VIRTUOSO, the Globe Swirl Logo, SPECIALISTS IN THE ART OF TRAVEL, WE ORCHESTRATE DREAMS, VOYAGER CLUB, and RETURN ON LIFE are registered trademarks of Virtuoso, Ltd. Virtuoso, Ltd. has a U.S. copyright registration for the Globe Swirl Logo, ©2000. All rights reserved. CST#2069091-50 351201 01/12

© 2012 Virtuoso, Ltd. | 505 Main Street, Suite 500 | Fort Worth, TX 76102

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Meet Angela Di Feo, Great Getaways newest family member! Angie hails from Ohio (think Akron and Kent) and moved to the Kansas City area last month to be closer to her fiancé. 

Angie, who is an active member of the Air Force National Guard, has garnered many awards, honors and degrees including Associates Degree in Hospitality Management, Fitness and Lodging (graduated with honors); National Collegiate Scholars for Academic Excellence; and Airman of the Year and Air Force Achievement Medal.

Her volunteer efforts include being a Founder of the Skye Jany Humanitarian Assistance Private Organization; participating in Homerun for the Homeless; Breast Cancer Awareness; and Harvest for Hunger.

Angie is well traveled and will be a wonderful addition to our staff. Please welcome Angie, angela@greatgetaways.travel, and let us know how we can assist you with your vacation plans. 

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Featured here: In this online guide featuring the Best of Europe, you'll find a host of exciting travel opportunities to spark your imagination, along with insider Advisor Tips and exclusives offered only to you. Click here to start planning your lavish Europe vacation.

	Contact me to book your trip today! Barbara King, ASA Great Getaways Travel 913-338-2244  barbara@greatgetaways.travel

All offers may not be available in all markets. Virtuoso prepared this catalog in the USA. All prices shown are per person, based on double occupancy, in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated. Prices converted from the supplier's local currency are based on the current exchange rate at the time of printing. Fares do not include taxes or other fees unless otherwise stated. While every care is taken to ensure accuracy, fares, schedules, Virtuoso exclusives, Virtuoso Voyager Club events and amenities are subject to availability, blackout dates, international currency fluctuations, and may change without notice. Virtuoso Voyager Club events require a minimum/maximum number of participants and may not be combinable with other offers. Space is limited and other restrictions may apply. See your Virtuoso travel advisor for more details and applicable restrictions. Virtuoso assumes no responsibility for the presentation confirmed within, including errors in pricing. MASTERCARD and the MasterCard Brand Mark are registered trademarks of MasterCard International Incorporated. The trademarks VIRTUOSO, the Globe Swirl Logo, SPECIALISTS IN THE ART OF TRAVEL, VOYAGER CLUB and WE ORCHESTRATE DREAMS are registered trademarks of Virtuoso, Ltd. Virtuoso, Ltd. has a U.S. copyright registration for the Globe Swirl Logo, ©2000. All rights reserved. CST#2069091-50 351024 12/11

To receive emails in your Inbox from Virtuoso and your Virtuoso travel advisor, please add the domain email.virtuosoemail.com to your address book or safe senders list. © 2011 Virtuoso, Ltd. | 505 Main Street, Suite 500 | Fort Worth, TX 76102

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A couple of years ago we sent out a YouTube video of the song "Stand by me"  from "Playing for Change". The message is as valid today as it was in 2009, perhaps even more so.

Experiencing our world and making new friends wherever we go is our passion and our mission is to help you enjoy the same joy.

Our friends at Micato expressed our truth in their holiday wish to us and we happily pass it on to you: Wherever we are in the world or in life...our hearts beat together.

May your actions touch those around you with love and kindness and may peace embrace our souls...

Once again, enjoy the video of "Stand By Me":

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Congrats to us for being selected as a member of 25 Under 25 Class of 2012! Every year for the past 10 years Kansas City companies have been nominated to become a member of this elite group. For the Class of 2012 over 1000 companies were nominated and only 25 selected.

Not familiar with this award? Here's what Thinking Bigger Business says on their website:

http://www.ithinkbigger.com/25-under-25r-awards/about-the-awards

ABOUT THE 25 UNDER 25 ® AWARDS

Awards Criteria & Selection Process

·         Employ fewer than 25 full-time employees (or full-time equivalents)

·         Operate a for-profit business for three or more years

·         Be located within the Greater Kansas City area

Nominations are accepted from the business community from August to mid-October each year. Qualified nominees complete an application and provide additional support materials that are reviewed by a panel of third-party judges from the business community. The panel of judges reviews the applicants and selects the final 25 honorees according to the following:

·         Financial stability

·         Ability to overcome obstacles/adversity/challenges

·         Community involvement/service

·         Distinguishing or defining characteristics/qualities

·         Company vision

The 25 finalists are announced in mid-December, and events are scheduled throughout the following February and year to honor the finalists. Honorees are profiled in a special 25 Under 25® supplement in the February issue of Thinking Bigger Business magazine and are invited to be guests on the “Smart Companies” radio show. In addition, a pre-gala dinner is held for the honorees in mid-February. The events culminate in a black tie optional awards Dinner & Gala held in February. The 25 Under 25® Dinner & Gala features a cocktail reception, Wall of Fame, dinner and awards presentation.

SAVE THE DATE: Dinner and Awards Gala will be held on March 3, 2012. Will you join us?

Need a flight to KC to join us on March 3rd? We can help arrange your flight and hotel stay! We might even take you to Oklahoma Joe's for the best BBQ in the world!

To quote the Pointer Sisters "I'm so excited!" 

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Ready to see the world from a different perspective? Let me help you reserve a seat aboard a Virgin Galactic's Suborbital Space flight! Talk about a gift that will be remembered!

Below is a video of the recent dedication ceremony at Spaceport America in New Mexico. Enjoy!

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Watch a video of the latest test flights! Every time I watch it, I get so excited! By the way, did you know that the Virgin Galactic Hanger Facility at Spaceport America was recently dedicated? Remember, if you want to experience a suborbital space flight aboard Virgin Galactic, contact me, Barbara@greatgetaway.com

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Words not needed!

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I am currently somewhere over the north Atlantic heading home after spending 6 nights in Marrakech Morocco and two nights in London.  Why, you say, this combination? Well what drew me to Marrakech was my first invitation to attend a travel conference called PURE- ostensibly for the “purist” who plan experiential travel- which I try to do.

We (my love of my life – Barbara and I) believe in order to be the best at helping people to experience a great time while they are traveling, must not only travel ourselves but go to the meetings where providers of travel go and meet with them to be as prepared as possible. Hence, I traveled to Marrakech with Barbara, who intended to rest up a bit while I attended the conference.

Arriving in Morocco I was reminded of Arizona- lots of sand and a few green areas, and mountains off in the distance.  However this was where the similarities ended.  We were greeted at the airport by one of the representatives of the company we decided to use to tour the city and surrounding areas before the conference began.  Once outside I noticed the mountains off in the distant were snowcapped and while the climate was dry it was not hot with temperatures in the mid-60s.

I looked around thinking we might take a camel to town (really only kidding – but I did think it), but there were modern vehicles and off we went to the Four Seasons. (Yes- that Four Seasons)  I was certainly impressed- apparently the hotel had just opened a couple of months ago. Alarm bells should have been going off – maybe I was still a bit groggy from traveling so far – who knows.  I was in for a bit different experience than what I was use to – this property wasn’t quite ready for prime time.  Very slow check-in, went one day without the room having been serviced, difficulty with room service- i.e. filled out one of those little cards for breakfast that tell you to hang it on the door before midnight and then your breakfast will be served in your room at the time requested- when it didn’t arrive I thought I would check the door before calling room service and voila – there was my card still hanging from the door knob. However on the very positive side – the staff was very warm and friendly and I figure given a couple more months the other difficulties would be corrected.

None of this had put me off- I was in an exotic land and determined to see all that I could.  The tour guide was young (again alarm bells should be blazing away) and inexperienced with groups – I was traveling with Barbara and some other travel advisors.  Despite the guide’s youth we did experience much of Marrakech and the countryside including a beautiful property in those mountains I mentioned (the Atlas Mountains) owned by Sir Richard Branson (made a mental note that if I came back next year I was going to try and stay there for a couple of nights) and even visited a Berber home in the mountains. The people of Morocco speak French and Arabic and many also speak English and they are a very welcoming people.

Now I had been warned by another advisor to be very careful what I ate- and I always follow a few rules- no unpeeled fruit, or uncooked vegetables; and definitely I do not drink the water or use it to brush my teeth – must be bottled water only; but I try to experience the local cuisine everywhere (after all this is part of the travel experience) and the food was great! And I did not get sick (Yahoo!!) – little things like enjoying the food without a bad experience, having your luggage arrive when you do, people to meet you and get you to your hotel etc… are good and go a long way to adding to an overall good experience.

The conference had (I believe) a couple of hundred travel companies of which I met with approximately seventy over three very long days. Let me tell you- there are some incredible travel locations and itineraries to experience throughout the world!  You know you are in the right place when your conversation with your fellow travel advisors is all about how there are so many places and so little time.  I mean every continent was well represented – and the trips were spectacular – I found at least a ½ dozen I would take at the drop of a hat.  I concentrated on some of my specialties – Africa, Australia, New Zealand, China, and adventure and I came away with some great ideas and learning about each area (which is why I go in the first place).  I don’t know how other agencies plan travel without going to conferences each year.  Yes, these take me out of the office and cost Great Getaways money and time – but wow they are so important for me to have knowledge and additional contacts and ideas for great travel options!

On Friday night Barbara and I headed off to London (we had to fly through London anyway) to spend a couple of nights in one of our absolutely favorite hotels- the Goring (one hundred and one years in business – same family ownership- in the very heart of where I wanted to stay).  Saturday we strolled around Buckingham Palace, and Knightsbridge (of course we visited Harrods- even I love walking through Harrods) and then in the evening we visited the Taj  properties – a hotel and suites located in a very private cul-de-sac just a couple of blocks from Buckingham.  The suites offer great alternatives for families traveling together and we book the suites for our clients so Barbara and I wanted to see the accommodations first hand. Afterwards we had dinner at a wonderful restaurant (see Barbara’s blog) and retired early for our morning departure home.  I was reminded how much I enjoy London – fun city, great to walk around, etc…

Which brings me back to heading over the Atlantic and wishing somehow I could avoid flying altogether and just be Dorothy (you know- click my heels …).

If you have stumbled on to this abbreviated capsule of my week and are just dying of curiosity, call me and I will share my favorite places I learned about (we can all travel vicariously!. ) 

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Meet Hassan, a well-groomed, kind young man who was our guide for two days in Marrakech. On our day trip to the High Atlas Mountains, Joel Zack, CEO of heritage Tours Private Travel, joined us so we had both Joel and Hassan. Poor Hassan had to cut his teeth on guiding a group of travel advisors AND he had "da Boss" along, too! Geez! 

Guiding a group is a learned skill and guiding a group of travel advisors on an educational tour could be compared to trying to herd a swarm of bees. We want the "honey", the essence of our destination, in quick, concise bits. We ask questions, lots of questions about culture, history, current events, best places to see or avoid and we are not an orderly group. Blink and you'll miss the advisor who just had to duck into the shop to bargain for "that to die for" pashmina. Drone on and half the group will be through the museum waiting for you to catch up. No, guiding travel professionals as your first group experience is trial by fire! Add having your employer tag along to really make a guy sweat, figuratively and literally. Hassan did okay, actually more than okay. He could have been a little more informative, a trait we were confident he'd mature into.

Next day paired us with Hassan sans Joel. We knew he'd be more relaxed, but that wasn't the case. Somehow we skipped the sightseeing and headed straight to the Medina for some serious shopping. We were told we'd see the snake charmers and people expecting to be paid to have their picture taken. Didn't happen! Instead, we followed Hassan, whose walking pace qualified him for an Olympic event. Our stroll through the souks was like watching a movie in fast-forward. We did spend a significant amount of time at one shop (fact-all guides in Morocco have relationships with certain shopkeepers-get used to it!). Understand when you are buying things in the Medina, you are buying because you like it not because it is old, antique, extremely rare or valuable-none of those descriptors may hold true.

Michael and I tried to buy a few things at "the shop-the best shop-you can trust this place" but we failed to agree on price. Leaving the shop, we continued at breakneck speed, the souks appearing through peripheral vision, a kaleidoscope of color. Darting down James Bond style alleyways, we found our way to Riad Joya,  our lunch destination, gem of calm and a wonderful place to stay right in the center of the Medina. 

Our luncheon was delightful and we felt fortified for the afternoon sprint! Bravely, I asked Hassan to slow the pace down, which he did. We could have shopped more but the whole group decided to use our regained strength to stop at the convention center and register for PURE Life Experiences, the reason we were in Marrakech.

Registration was a breeze for those attending PURE and we returned to the Four Seasons.  Because I had scheduled a private shopping tour while the PURISTS did what they were here to do, I wasn't particularly disappointed with the adrenaline inducing dash through the Medina. However, I was concerned that Hassan might behave like this with our clients-not good!

When we got out of the multiple personnel transport vehicle a/k/a the van, Hassan told us he had an emergency in the family and had to say good-bye to go to Fez. We learned that his uncle was in the hospital and had only a few hours left. Was this why we moved at Mach speed? Most likely! Joel's company is known for its quality guides and in-depth immersion into Morocco.

Our guide the next day, Jalil, was excellent! He shared wonderful stories about Morocco, past and present, and suddenly Marrakech and its culture began to make more sense to me. Three days later I returned to the Medina with another guide, Aziz, an absolute delight and a seasoned veteran guide with Heritage Tours. Aziz regaled me with stories about Marrakech. We ambled through the souks on this trip and I managed to find some mementos to send home. When I asked about Villa des Orangers, where Michael et al dined one night when my body said, "Stay at the hotel and rest!", Aziz arranged for me to have a private site inspection.

My morning with Jalil and the 2 1/2 hours with Aziz turned my discomfort with Marrakech into a fondness for the quirkiness and intrigue of this destination. It turned my "been there, done that" into "I will probably return someday, armed with my new found knowledge and my list of preferred hotels. Thank you, Jalil, Aziz, and thank you to Heritage Tours, who seamlessly provided us replacements for Hassan, and such high quality replacements, too! These types of situations, a guide suddenly departing or maybe a client not meshing with a guide, can dampen or even ruin a client's journey. How our partners in-country handle the situation makes all the difference. Heritage Tours proved it knows its stuff, is professional, and our clients would have been totally unaware of any changes or hiccups in the itinerary. To borrow a phrase from one of the major credit card brands, our relationship with Heritage Tours is "priceless"!

The moral of this story? First, this experience underscored a fact I already knew, the importance of a superior guide. Also, I accepted a new self-discovery, I no longer enjoy a diet of unpredictability, that this travel advisor prefers to have certain constants-a welcoming place in which to rest my weary body and a host who honors my desire to experience a destination while avoiding the rough edges.

If you have been following my hectic travel schedule of the past several weeks, you'll know I've been to China on two separate occasions, to Morocco and London. Thank you, Joel Zack, for sharing your passion for Morocco with me. Thank you,Guy Rubin and Nancy Kim, of Imperial Tours, for the ultimate, personalized experience in China, twice in a month! You are simply the BEST. Nothing more need be added.Xie, xie (thank you, in Chinese). 

And as Toto wrote in a note to Dorothy, "Done with Oz, took the shoes, and going back to Kansas!"

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