My dear gnomes, I am back, and I have missed you all. I apologize for the long absence but I was detained by life's chaos. I come back to you ready to feed you all with  tongue in cheek wit and brilliant vision. I would blame my lack of sleep. You see, I had a terrible bed. One where not even a troll would live under it because of dreadful back pain. Pain so wretched it ached our bodies and sadden(ed) our souls. But by the kindness of some good people, our suffering was ended and something magical came into our lives - memory foam.

Now when the mattress arrived, I promise this is going somewhere, bear with me, when it came into our feeble lives... We found that something tragic was also happening. Because (strike 'because' start with Where) where the torture bed made us flee from our bed, this new monster, it pulls you in. It locks you in it's embracing comfort and makes you want to stay, linger, or never leave. It's a pit of deception, yes your rest is peaceful and perfect, but when you wake up and it's time to get up, it's impossible to do so without being devastated. it's more torture than the bed of torture!

The great that comes with this bed, is the dreaming, the visions of beautiful getaways, and adventures I want to have, I dream of taking people to. I have inspiration, because no longer do I feel plagued by pain. And with this comfort, I can feel my wide eyes opening to other opportunities in my life. I can imagine the first group I trek through Prague on my first beer tour that takes me to the Augustine. I see the Danube, and those culinary river cruises I know are going to make an impact in culinary tourism so stellar, my phone won't stop ringing with requests.

I see the Danube and Rhine filling with wonderful river cruises featuring the great food and wine of the region. Impacting a new way to get to the heart of culinary tourism... and enticing you to call to request your own personal dream fulfillment!

The new comfort makes me want to go out there and see if there's other's as warm and welcoming. To see what retreats promise you the perfect night's sleep, because I now have this marvel to compare them to. Sweet dreams can come with the ultimate vacation, and I want to see that, and experience that!

It's important to dream, and see your vision. I think believe I was gone for so long because my dreams were so terribly clouded in pain. But now that I can sleep in peace, I can realize what my true goals are, and I'm ready to conquer them... But first let me take a nap in this comfy bed...  The new bed gets lonely!

Learning experiences

The gods of travel have always shown their light upon me.Never  truly shading me in the nightmares that often consume so many others... Being stuck in the middle seat of a plane parked on a tarmac... Missing my flight and having to wait in stand by... Nope not me. I have been given a blessing when it comes to travel. That was until this weekend.  I suppose all in all I shouldn't look at it as a disappointment and accept it as a learning experience.

Rather than writhe in blinded anger and spit venom about how a certain airline gave me the constant run around, lying to me, and clearly blowing smoke up my... nose... yes we'll go with nose. I'm going to shed some light on how you can avoid the headache I was dealt. Said headache was losing my luggage as I went to visit my main squeeze. Luggage I didn't see until I had been home from my vacation for a full day. I was foolish and roasted on what all I did wrong for the first day of my mini vacation.

So, ways to ensure, the nightmare will never occur:

1. Never under any circumstances, ever, do you part with your wallet. When traveling, at all times, keep your wallet (money, credit cards, ID) on YOU. You should never put it in your bag (even your carry-on), because you never know what's going to happen.
2. Pack a small duffel bag (yes even if you only have a rolling small carry on), with a change of clothes, and the "I can't live without's" ie; toothbrush, hair brush, underpants, and your phone charger. I know it seems like over kill when you don't necessarily need two carry-on's but trust me, you rather be over prepared than go four days with the same clothes, and just your cellphone... I promise.
3. ID tags. They are your best friends. I now plan on putting seven on each handle of my bags, writing out my contact information IN LARGE PRINT! The more clear who the bag belongs to, the sooner you will receive it!
4. Finally... When toting a carry-on, I know you don't think it's important to remove the old white tags from former flights, but it is... I swear it is. Because if you don't, you can bet the grumpy miss who begrudgingly tossed your carry-on onto your rather packed flight didn't remove it and when you get to your next destination they are going to reroute your bag to some unknown location, and you won't see it again until midnight the night after you get home from your vacation! Take the tags off!

It all breaks down to this my sweet underpants gnomes... When it comes to airlines, they are dealing with thousands of pissed off patrons every minute of the day, and you will only be a small voice in the ocean of complaints. Instead of being doomed to deal with the "resolutions" team who clearly have no resolve, protect yourself and go through ANY and ALL methods to ensure you have done all you can do, to make sure your travels go smoothly. Make sure to keep a very thorough record (who you spoke with, what time, when and where) so should something happen you will have a full recount of who helped you. Book your flights with plenty time for your luggage to make your connecting flights, clearly label your bag with all your contact information, and again, under no circumstances do you EVER part with your wallet.

Lost Luggage Department at Miami International Airport

Hey, Pony. Where you been?

Remember when running away from home was a tactic to scorn your parents? To punish them for their insolence and general defiance against your precious desires. It was a wagging finger at their audacity for daring to ask you to perform a menial chore, or passive aggressive chastising for having the nerve to place ridiculous punishment on you. No! You would show them that you were the victor, the one in charge, you would run away from their wretched shackles... until you got to the end of the block and realized the defiant tyrants at your gilded prison are the folk who feed and clothed you, so with your head held high and pride intact (as you were returning on your own terms) you graced the unfitting with your precious presence once again. 

What if it was now an adult standing at the corner, suitcase in hand and deciding where you would flee to? What place in this world would be the ideal place to escape the everyday life that vexes you? Well, I'd start with somewhere I didn't have to think about anything. All inclusive resorts are good for that. All your food, drinks, house keeping, and play time are effortlessly (it would seem) provided for you. The worry about things like cost and time frame slips from mind and you are swaddled in relaxation.

Ok beaches aren't your thing, if you're running away seeking adventure, there's always some nerve racking, thrill based getaway you could attack head on. Like a safari, and I know you're thinking "Oh African safari's are so last year." and I'd tell you that number one, you're full. Khaki's and lion watching are always in season. But secondly you should have waited for me to explain further. As I was going to say Alaskan safari, who feels foolish for jumping the gun now, you do. It's ok, I forgive you. Seriously my wee underpants gnomes, it's really amazing the wildlife one can find when they take a cruise in Alaska, yes there's whales, but there's more than that, it's the most untouched region of North America, our disgusting carbon footprint has barley made a mark there, and the wonders you can see are breath taking.

Trafalgar Square

Finally, if I truly could find a place where I really dream of running away to. I'd go back to London. I love England in general, but London stole my heart and soul when I went there. The culture is amazing, the people were kind, and the history mesmerized me. It's the one place I went and instantly felt like I had found where I belonged. There was no need to adjust to anything, it all felt like I had been lost and finally made my way home. If I truly had the chance to pack up everything I owned and everyone I loved that's where I would go. I'd runaway to London.

STRESS!

Ahh stress, it's a vicious thing stress. It's a virus of an emotion, that seems to only grow larger and more fierce the more you notice it. Indeed, of the baser emotions Stress is the body's Freddy Kruger, only when one puts it out of mind, and forgets it's existence does the nightmare dwelling, die away.

I've been thinking of ways to relieve life's stress. Not saying I'm stressed, I'm just simply curious about the means of letting said wretch go. When the world sucks, and you feel pulled in all directions getting away for a short... or very long vacation, can be the perfect answer to your stress problems. If you're on a budget look for something local to do. Just a day or two out of your element away from your razor sharp hub of undeniable pain and misery, can help you look at your problems with a level and sound head.

My perfect get away from the monster that never let's you sleep... A beach. It's cliche, I know. But something about laying out on a warm beach, umbrella drink in hand, sound of the crashing waves. It's paradise, especially if I leave my smart phone in some void where no one can reach me.

Now you might wonder if I'm going to give you some great ideas in the sandy tranquil beach department, and you'd be right! Direct from Dallas there's a lot of places one can hop a plane and be in the soothing paradise of your choice. Places like Puerto Vallarta, San Juan, and Cancun, and if you don't mind a longer flight you can always high tail it to Hawaii. Between now and early summer you can take advantage of mid seasons fares that are so cheap you have to take a moment and wonder when the other shoe is going to drop. It does though, it's just a great price for a much needed break from reality. The all inclusives in the Caribbean are even more relaxing, as once you are there, generally everything you do, eat, or drink is included in the price of your stay, and often have package deals with your airline.

The only question that really remains at this point is, when are you going to treat yourself and take a much needed break and return home and fully relaxed.

Let's try a new spin...

I have been deep within the search for all the most fascinating cruises one can enjoy. I wanted to get away from normal, you know the whole four day cruises around the Caribbean with three stops one always being in Mexico. Yes they are all amazing cruises and you see some of the most breath taking scenery in the world. But it's been done, a lot. It's time to branch out, go for something that is outside of your comfort zone (Ha! Someone has said this to you before, must have been a genius). There's so much to discover and to pigeon hole one's self because you know it a good time from the fifteen times you've all ready done it, well you're robbing yourself.

River cruise, I know they sound a little 'eh' because when you're from this country, rivers are meant for white water rafting, fishing, or providing a ridiculously long word to learn for your third grade spelling bee. But river cruising in Europe and Asian is something to behold. It's one of the ways to see Europe untouched by modern day. You travel down these canal and rivers and see the world as it was ages ago. And the history you learned about as a child is right there. At your finger tips. Not to mention, it really fine cruising, and by fine I mean high end. The restaurants are five star dining, and the cabins are some of the finest accommodations I have ever seen anywhere, and the ships are not filled with thousands of patrons, they're small, and you have this intimacy you cannot get on an ocean liner.

Now let's say, you want an ocean experience, but you're willing to step outside of the box. There's a vast amount of options for you out there. One of them is cruising north to places like Alaska. One of my favorite cruise companies explains cruising around this area is like seeing the world before it was touched by the human footprint. You can see glaciers, go whale watching, even see the aurora borealis. Again, it's top of the line. There's no cramped cabins, packing in a family for four into a closet. No these places are meant for lavish luxury, and the ship fits the bill. It's the perfect marriage of experiencing top end, luxury travel and witnessing nature in it's truest, untouched setting.

So that's two options of two very different types of cruising. And the options are really limitless as to where you can go, what you can see, and what sort of cruising you want to do. It's a matter of know who to contact so they can help you find it. Like I don't know, maybe your favorite wide eyed traveler.

I'm on a boat!

Boats. Yep they're awesome. And strangely a HUGE part of travel. Ok, well it's not strange when you think about it. It's actually a brilliant way to travel. When I had to pick my specialty I was smack with a hard reality, that there is a roughly a billion specialties to chose from. From business travel, to eco tourism. It's a massive spectrum, and being thrown into the mix and being told I better pick or I'll drown in all the options, well it's scary.

How does one decide what is the one focus they want in this career, it's broad and amazing what all you can do. But it's not practical, and it's not smart business to be all over the board. You can't know all the tasty details over every kind of travel out there, you have to set your focus and become the uber guru to your chosen specialty.

I started thinking about what I love to do, and I kept going back to three things. First, was that I love the creepies! I do, I cannot get enough of that stuff, but again when being practical, it's a very limited field. And then there's Island travel, white sandy beaches, sending my clients on a vacation that seems to take place in paradise. The problem I find with that is, it's not diverse, not really. Yes there are several resorts and beautiful locations to be seen, but the diversity really breaks down to what you can afford.

The third calling I felt drawn to was cruising. At first I hesitated to even consider it, because I thought it more than likely lacked a lot of diversity. But when I started going through brochures we had here in the office, I found that the cruising we saw Kathy Lee promoting, wasn't all that was out there for people to do. There's whale watching cruises, theme cruises, and what got my attention, European river cruises. The field of cruising is endless, and it's got something for anyone who is looking for a great vacation, that is affordable.

So there it is my gnomes. My chosen field is cruises, of all shapes and styles! I found my yellow brick road, and I'm really off on this adventure.

Lesson #1, they're called ships, not boats.

From the swells of distraction.

I'm back my dearest underpant gnomes! I apologize greatly for my wretched neglect and pray to your chosen higher power that I can please dissolve this shroud or rancid let down that I pulled over myself shunning those I hold near and dear to my aching heart. Please I beg of you, please find it in your tender, warm souls to forgive my misgivings and enjoy this new entry I bring to you with love and new found direction.

Taking this journey has been at times a calm and steady stream, but at other times, it's fast moving and sometimes difficult with maintaining the smooth and steady focus I hold so precious. It's when the current of my office life is off the rapids that I can find it easy to sit down and write something profound and inviting, gaining smiles and hat tips for a sound quip, or remarkable tongue in cheek comment that really gets you thinking.

My thoughts have been centered elsewhere, creative writing class, writing a bio that seems to have no end in sight, or picking a specialty. All of these paths that would have amazing pit stops here on my dear sweet blog but no, I have shunned away what inspires me, and that is wrong. So I am back, focused on all the avenues of my new career. Heading down this path with a new found focus thanks to some direction from my fearless and brilliant mentor (that's a freebie!). I'm going to get back to walking my path and sharing it with my readers. No more shutting you all out. Nope, back to being your quick witted wide eye'd traveler.

I can't wait to roll you with giggles on the metaphorical floor as I explain to you the search for what wide eye'd traveler has chosen to specialize in.