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

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? 

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":

Yowzer, wowzer and more! It's official!!! Great Getaways travel has been named one of the Top 25 Women Owned Businesses in Kansas City the the Kansas City Business Journal!!!

On Safari in Southern Africa 

 Barbara and I have had a love affair going with Africa and we want to share some of our best experiences.  To that end we have worked with one of the great Southern African companies – Wilderness Safari and Londolozi to offer a unique experience in safaris – we are traveling to the game parks in Botswana and South Africa and stopping along the way at one of the wonders of the world – Victoria Falls – the “Smoke that Thunders”  We are planning to leave the last week of March 2011 (dates may change a bit to try and insure we have the lodges we want).  The areas of these lodges are rich with wildlife and in Botswana we will probably not see other tourists at all – the lodges are that remote.  Please check out the websites for the properties we have selected – these can be found at the bottom of the email.  We can also help book air and of course you MUST have trip insurance and we can also handle this for you. 

Because we are only taking five couples we expect to have a full group within the next 45 day to 60 days..  Please call us with questions or comments – but please – if you can – do not pass up this unique opportunity.

Day one arrive Johannesburg – spend evening at Intercontinental Hotel at the Johannesburg Airport (we are met and greeted to South Africa by a Wilderness rep who will assist us to check in at the hotel)

Day two – Meet in lobby where a Wilderness rep will take us to check - in for our flight to Maun, Botswana; arrive in Maun and transfer to Sefofane for light aircraft transfer from Maun to Duba Plains; afternoon game drive at Duba Plains

Day three – full day at Duba Plains where we have sole use of the camp

Day four – after morning game drive and breakfast – transfer to air strip for light aircraft transfer to Savuti Camp; afternoon game drive at Savuti camp

Day five – full day at Savuti camp where we have sole use of the camp

Elephants near Savuti Camp

Day six – after morning game drive and breakfast, transfer to air  strip for light air craft transfer to Kasane Airport; then again light air craft transfer from Kasane to Livingstone Airport; clear customs – purchase visa, then we’ll be met and transferred to the Royal Livingstone Hotel and in the evening take a cruise aboard the African Queen – sundowner cruise – on the Zambezi river above the falls.

Day seven – meet in the lobby after breakfast for a private tour of the falls; then collect luggage and private transfer to Livingston Airport; Commercial air flight (South African air) from Livingston to Kruger Airport – clear customs and transfer by light aircraft to Londolozi air strip.  (not sure if we will arrive in time for game drive)

Day eight and nine – spend at the Londolozi Varty camp

A Leopard near Londolozi

Day ten after morning game drive and breakfast – transfer to air strip for flight to Johannesburg (those who are not going to Cape Town)

 End of these services

Total price is $10,968 per person plus $1790 internal air fights and air transfers

Deposit is 20% of the landed costs and in Africa, since most of the lodges book their rooms 6 to 9 months in advance – with very little chance of rebooking cancelled rooms – the deposit is non refundable.

Does NOT include:

• INSURANCE (Mandatory)
• STAFF GRATUITIES
• ANY NEW GOVERNMENT TAXES, LEVIES, FUEL OR INDUSTRY INCREASES BEYOND OUR CONTROL
• VISA FEES WHERE RELEVANT – VISA FEES MUST BE PAID IN U.S.DOLLARS (ZAMBIA)
• INTERNATIONAL AIR (U.S. TO SOUTH AFRICA AND RETURN), DEPARTURE TAXES NOT INCLUDED IN TICKET PRICE
• ZAMBIAN INTERNATIONAL DEPARTURE TAX OF $25 PER PERSON AND $8 SOUTH AFRICA DEPARTURE TAXPER PERSON
• ANY ITEMS OF PERSONAL NATURE.

Here are the websites for the camps and Royal Livingstone Hotel

Duba Plains – www.dubaplains.com

Savuti Camp – www.savuticamp.com

Londolozi – www.londolozi.com

Royal Livingstone - www.royal-livingstone-hotel.com

 WE HAVE A THREE NIGHT EXTENSION TO CAPE TOWN, A FOUR NIGHT EXTENSION TO CAPE TOWN AND THE STELLENBOSCH WINE COUNTRY; A TWO NIGHT EXTENTION IN JOHANNESBURG; AN EXTENSION TO THE SEYCELLES OR TO MOZAMBIQUE – PLEASE JUST REQUEST THIS FROM US.

Sincerely,

Michael & Barbara 

Michael and Barbara King

Email michael@greatgetaway.com or barbara@greatgetaway.com for details

Watch Virgin Galactic’s official video of the unveiling of SpaceShip 2, the VSS Enterprise!!!

Barbara King  |  Co-President  |  greatgetaways.travel  |  913.338.2244  |  800.546.TRIP  |  Virtuoso Member

LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT WANTS TO SEND YOU TO SPACE-NBC ACTION NEWS KSHB-TV 41

http://www.nbcactionnews.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=557448@kshb.dayport.com&navCatId=4295

 Braving a strong windstorm in the Mojave, I witnessed the birth of a new era---the beginning of consumer space travel, tourism and commerce. What an amazing event- the unveiling of SpaceShip 2, named VSS Enterprise, on Dec. 7, 2009!

An ice sculpture carved by an ice artist from the Ice Hotel in Sweden. There was also an ice bar and drinks were served in ice glasses. There were free non-slip gloves given with every ice glass. The gloves sure helped because the weather was unbelievably horrid---very strong, cold winds and sleet! In fact the evening was cut short because the weather got so bad. I heard that one of the tents set up for the event ended up being blown over after we had all left!

The moral of the story: We can now create spacecraft to take tourists into space but we can't control the weather---some things are beyond our control, beyond our grasp, and that is as it should be or else there would be no mystery to life!

-- Sent from my Palm Prē