Where to Next?

2012 Forecast…

After having started the year with such a bang, I can’t help but be struck with such optimism for the year ahead. I feel so lucky to start 2012 as I have, both personally and professionally. The year started with me making a big transition from Jacksonville, FL to Atlanta, GA. Not only am I closer to my boyfriend which is a huge plus (and my childhood best friend!), but I also have the opportunity to be working with one of the country’s best travel agencies, Century Travel. Century Travel is a Virtuoso agency comprised of expert travel advisors which means I’m surrounded by the best in travel knowledge all day long. Not only is Century a Virtuoso agency but is also a preferred partner of many of the world’s best travel companies. What does this mean for my clients? Your travel experiences are only going to get better! I feel so lucky to be so busy at this point in my career and the diversity of my clients’ plans keeps me on my toes all day long. From planning weekend getaways for young families to the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island, honeymoons in Thailand and Cambodia, ski trips to Colorado and a 3 week itinerary to Mustique, St. Barth’s and Anguilla…I’d say this year of travel planning is off to a fantastic start. 

Personally, I’m so fortunate to be in a city where I have a wonderful job and a great support system. It’s been great fun to start the year with such changes, and I have even more exciting travel opportunities ahead for me…starting with San Francisco and Napa next week. I’ve never been to either and can’t wait to tour some of San Francisco’s hotels (Ritz Carlton, Fairmont and The Clift), see the sights and visit my favorite (and only) brother. In Napa I’ll be enjoying the lovely Bardessono Hotel and dining at the famed French Laundry, an experience I’ve been eager to have for many years.

Next up on the travel agenda is a still-in-the-works visit to Anguilla and potentially St. Barth’s. Both are such popular destinations with clients these days that I can’t wait to see them firsthand to be able to give clients the best tips and recommendations for their stay.

In June comes something I never thought I’d see: Machu Picchu! I have only visited South America briefly on Semester at Sea so I can’t wait to see the fabulous Inkaterra properties and visit one of the highest lakes in the World, Lake Titicaca, while staying at the beautiful Titilaka.

 
peru-machu-picchu.com

The final destination on the agenda so far is Croatia and Montenegro. Both of these countries are still somewhat up and coming and fantastic alternatives to the common European destinations. I can’t wait to see how such recent historical changes in these countries comes to light for travelers. One of the best parts of this trip? I get to take my Mom who’s always wanted to visit Croatia.

Plitvice Waterfalls - Croatia http://www.widerange.org/photo/plitvice-waterfalls-croatia/

All in all, this post is about sharing how lucky I feel to be living such a great life so far in 2012. Happiness is all relative and the fact that I get to share something I love, the World, with my clients on a daily basis makes it all worth it. I feel incredibly thankful to have been so warmly welcomed to Atlanta by Century Travel, fellow travel industry colleagues and long-time friends. There really is something to say for Southern hospitality…

A Disney Finale…

My last trip of 2011 was an easy one…no flying, no passports, no currency exchange. Disney was the perfect finale to 2011 and just the right spot to ring in 2012; After all it is the happiest place on earth, right? The week between Christmas and New Years happens to be one of the busiest for Disney. This means if you are planning your trip late in the game (like I was) the likelihood of finding accommodations at a Disney hotel, especially if you have specific needs/desires for your lodging, is slim. Since telling a 3 1/2 year old who has already been told he’s going to Disney that he is in fact not going to Disney is impossible, we opted to expand the search to non-Disney hotels.

The Waldorf-Astoria Orlando is just 20 minutes from Orlando International Airport and has fantastic views of the Disney parks. Our stay was nearly perfect, from being offered complimentary drinks while we waited for our room to the friendly staff and beautiful grounds. Since the Waldorf-Astoria Orlando is a Virtuoso property, Virtuoso clients receive perks like upgrades to rooms with views of the nightly fireworks, breakfast and a resort credit. We were lucky to be upgraded to a large, corner suite with direct views of the parks and fireworks, which meant we got to watch FIVE fireworks displays on New Years Eve!

It really seems as if hotel management has thought through how their guests utilize the property. This is evident through the “grab and go” breakfast set out every morning as an alternative to the sit down breakfast buffet. The grab-and-go breakfast option really made sense in order to beat the lines at the parks (you can even use your complimentary breakfast credit on this!). The pool is heated year round allowing kids the chance to swim in the late afternoons while parents enjoy cocktails by the poolside fire pits…there was even a hot chocolate bar for kids! The Waldorf-Astoria Orlando thinks as much about the adult guest as it does the younger guests, too. There is a fantastic lobby level bar and lounge that can host patrons of all ages, and the classic Bull & Bear provides a gourmet dining option.

One of the most common issues that arises when planning a trip to Disney is transportation and proximity to the parks. The Waldorf-Astoria Orlando really has 3 main options for this: self-drive, cabs and complimentary shuttles. We tried out each of these options at least once in order to see how they all worked. With the choice of valet or self parking, renting a car and driving to the parks is a great option; it was just a 5 minute drive from the hotel to Epcot! The hotel also always has a bevy of town car cabs available for guests (one drawback is they are slightly more expensive than a traditional cab, although much more comfortable). Finally, the hotel has complimentary shuttles to all four parks that run on a continuous schedule and take about 15-20 minutes depending on where you’re going.

All in all, the Waldorf-Astoria Orlando is the perfect non-Disney Disney hotel. While it is a luxury hotel, I’d definitely consider it more of a value than the Disney hotels. It came in at nearly a third of the price, included amenities and hosted nicer accommodations. For those guests that dread visiting Disney, this is the perfect place to escape the chaos of Disney at the end of the day! (They make a mean martini, too!)

Check out photos of the Waldorf-Astoria Orlando here and don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @LauraAllenTvl for more of my musings on travel.

Six Nights in Nevis…

As I laced up my tennis shoes yesterday and caught sight of the mud still dried to them from hiking “The Source” trail in Nevis, I was (again) reminded of how long overdue my review of the island is, so here goes…

It all started on the Four Seasons Nevis boat from St. Kitts to Nevis where in addition to being greeted with rum punch and hospitable Nevisians I was also greeted with this:

After such a warm welcome from Four Seasons staff and the weather, I knew we were going to have an amazing week. The thing that sets Nevis apart from other Caribbean islands I’ve been to is that I imagine it’s how many of them felt decades ago before they became too touristy or overrun with cruise ships. Perhaps, advantageously, it’s the island’s size which limits this…all for the benefit of the island. The Four Seasons Resort Nevis is the main resort on the island complete with guest rooms, suites, villas, golf, tennis, spa, etc and was my home for the week. Some other notable properties on island are Montpelier Plantation, Nisbet Plantation and Golden Rock Inn. All of the properties have their own perks or drawbacks, but the commonality between them all is that they are all great! Nevis is the place that has something for everyone…the lounger, the adventurous, the child, the honeymooner. It’s the island that people may not have heard of. It’s the island you can go to and not leave your hotel if you don’t want to, or you can have dinner at a local restaurant every night if you choose. While its size keeps everything in check, it doesn’t affect the availability of variety from activities to dining.

A few highlights for us:

Dining:

Mango at the Four Seasons: This was our first meal on the island and did not disappoint with dishes designed from fresh fruits, vegetables and fish. Exactly what one expects to enjoy in the Caribbean.

Private Nevisian Meal at Four Seasons Nevis: Executive Chef Andreas at the resort overheard us discussing how we wanted to try the local dish of “goat water” (goat stew) we kept hearing so much about. Chef Andreas, an honorary Nevisian having lived on Nevis for a while, offered to specially prepare a Nevisian meal just for us…consisting of conch chowder with coconut dumplings, goat water for boyfriend, dorado roti with mango chutney for me and johnny cakes. Simply amazing…the food and the gesture! 

The Mill at Montpelier Plantation: Montpelier Plantation is a Relais & Chateaux property located on the slopes of Nevis Peak. As an old sugar plantation, which are scattered all over the island, the aesthetics are stunning and character abounds. If you’re lucky, try to snag a table in the Mill…a tasting menu with wine pairings lit by candlelight will not disappoint.

Sunshine’s: Home of the Killer Bee. Any bar that serves a drink with undisclosed ingredients is never a good sign (for your liver), right? The Killer Bees were delicious, the Alabama football great (Roll Tide) and the grilled lobster even better. Sunshine’s has a reputation for a laid back beach bar with potent cocktails, but no one mentioned the food! Delicious!

Miscellaneous:

Beachcombing: While Nevis may not have crystal clear water and white sand like some islands in the Caribbean, it sure has some spectacular shells!

Sunsets: Whether you’re directly facing the sunset directly or perhaps facing Nevis Peak, the sunsets are incredible and light the sky no matter which direction you look.

People: How many places do you go on vacation where almost a month later you can still recall staff/locals you met by name? Winston, Fabian, Kishondra, Humpy, Timothy, Chef Andreas, Lisa and Maureen are just some of the many people that made our stay amazing.

On the plane home boyfriend said to me, “I get the feeling that this is the type of place where if we came back next year everyone would remember us”. Could there be a better endorsement for Nevis than that?

A First Thanksgiving…in Nevis

I’ve been dating a man for less than a year (long-distance), and so far we’ve been to six states together and two countries. I don’t know if it’s because we’re long distance, or that we’re both in the travel industry, or that we both just get itchy feet quickly, but we seem to be covering a lot of territory. In this vein, we both agreed to buck tradition for Thanksgiving and spend Thanksgiving in NEVIS! For us, Nevis is somewhat special as in one of our very first conversations together we discussed our preferences in Caribbean islands (again, travel industry), and we both independently said we’d love to visit Nevis one day. Fast forward and we’ll be on our way in less than a week!

Nevis, located in the West Indies and sister island to St. Kitts, is only a short flight from Miami, and also easily accessible from San Juan. What makes this island so unique is its small size, mountainous topography and plethora of activities. Although we’ve attempted to limit our “schedule”, as an example of variety offered on the island we already have plans to scuba dive, go fishing, hiking and “veg”. We’ll be staying at the Four Seasons Nevis where there is golf, spa, swimming, sailing, tennis, etc…everything you’d expect from a luxury island resort. Recently reopened after a full renovation following serious hurricane damage in 2008, this is the premiere five star property on the island. In addition to the Four Seasons, Nevis has a range of accommodations such as boutique properties like Montpelier Plantation (a Relais and Chateaux property on an old sugar plantation-we’ll be dining here one night), Nisbet Plantation and Golden Rock Inn. Nevis’ history is in sugar plantations adding a historical element often overlooked in the Caribbean. Did you know Alexander Hamilton was born and raised in Nevis? Nevis Peak, at 3200 feet, is the recognizable feature of the island, and it is for that which the island is named. When Christopher Columbus landed on the island in 1493, he named it Nevis in honor of its cloud-topped peak resembling nieves – or snow in Spanish.

Four Seasons Nevis

I’m so looking forward to taking tons of pics, relaxing, and learning as much as I can about the island during my stay. Of course, follow along live at @LauraAllenTvl on Twitter; I’ll have lots of stories to share upon our return. We’ve already decided to toast our Thanks for this year over Dark and Stormies…appropriate for a first Thanksgiving in Nevis.

Food Love + World Love = Atlanta

I always knew Atlanta had a pretty decent food scene ranging from fine dining to local restaurant group chains and independent cafes. However, what I didn’t know about Atlanta was the breadth and scope of its international community’s involvement in the culinary atmosphere in the city. Last weekend, during my now almost monthly trip to Atlanta, I had the good fortune of being introduced to “Your Dekalb Farmers Market, A World Market”. I had been expecting a regular outdoor farmers market, but from the exterior it looks just like a regular super market. I became skeptical of what this farmer’s market was all about, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. According to their website, www.dekalbfarmersmarket.com, the 140,000 square foot market serves almost 100,000 customers a week, focusing on organic produce and various products encouraging sustainable agricultural practices globally.

Their mission is as follows: “We declare the world is designed to work. We are responsible for what does not work. We make the difference.

No matter how technologically advanced we become, we cannot escape our fundamental relationships with food and each other. The possibility of these relationships is the world market. In this context, the world works for everyone free of scarcity and suffering.

We commit ourselves to the possibility this world market is for the future generations of this planet.”

From the moment I walked in, I instantly knew I’d found somewhere I’d love; What could make me happier than combining my love of the world with my love of food? There were hundreds of people milling about the stalls of fresh produce, spices, hot sauces, honeys, fresh fish, meat and poultry, many dressed in traditional attire from their native countries. The ceiling of the market is obscured by flags from around the world hanging on display. The staff of the market is extremely diverse, with the majority being Ethiopian. I wasn’t able to buy too much as I was just up for the weekend, but I did get to get some ginger candies from China and I had a piece sugar cane juiced fresh for me. You know those awesome recipes you want to make but never can because they call for crazy, unique ingredients that can never be found? Your Dekalb Farmer’s Market is where to find all of these ingredients…from 6 different types of sweet potatoes to 8 different types of bok choy, hot sauces, wines, whole fish and live lobsters. Unfortunately pictures aren’t allowed inside or else you’d be seeing photos of foods you never knew existed. I was proud that a place so celebratory of food existed, but also one that simultaneously celebrates and encourages the international community of Atlanta.

Finally, Buford Highway might be a bit off the beaten track for some in Atlanta, but I can’t think of anywhere else I’ve seen in the United States that has such an array of ethnic restaurants within a span of a few miles. If it’s Vietnamese food you’re after, you’ll have your choice of what must be at least fifty+  restaurants. From Cuban, Mexican and other Latin American cuisines to Vietnamese, Korean Chinese and many, many more, Buford Highway is a must for anyone interested in fantastic international food in Atlanta. Pennywort mung bean juice, anyone?

As I’m a newly frequent visitor to Atlanta, if you’re familiar with Atlanta’s international food scene I’d love to hear your recommendations. Drop a line below and buen provecho!

Ireland: Pints and Possibilities

There are a lot of places in the world I’d always wanted to go; Ireland was never one of them. It wasn’t until I met a new friend who is infinitely passionate and enthusiastic about the country that I realized how unique and exciting Ireland is. I just returned from a 5 night whirlwind trip to Ireland and I couldn’t be happier I finally visited.

I have three main takeaways from my too short time in Ireland:

1-      Ireland is a place that can suit a wide array of tastes as it is one of the most diverse destinations I can recall. Irish topography changes continuously, there’s a range of accommodation options from castles to 5-star hotels to country homes and B&Bs, and the culinary scene is incredibly dynamic. Ireland is host to Michelin star restaurants, fish and chip shops or pubs serving simple bar food. If it’s city your after Dublin, Cork and Galway are good haunts, or the rest of the country for rural village. For travelers that might have the perception that Ireland lacks culture, this is not true! I was overwhelmed by cultural experiences from the food to history to people to language (Gaelic only towns still exist!).

2-      Ireland offers incredible value to tourists. Why not travel to a country where you get all of the above, plus luxury, at prices often unobtainable in continental Europe? Five star accommodations are available in Ireland for a fraction of the price in other European destinations, which means accommodations are available for any travelers’ means.

3-      And most importantly, I’m not sure that I’ve ever met such effusive, warm and hospitable people anywhere else that I’ve traveled. 

I’ll let the pictures below tell the story of my time in Ireland. However, a special thanks to The Dylan in Dublin, The Merrion in Dublin, Cliff House Hotel in Ardmore,   Aghadoe Heights in Killarney, The Lodge at Doonbeg in Doonbeg and my incredible guide for showing me such overwhelming hospitality, generosity and warmth during my very special trip to Ireland.

Street performers in Dublin (and Molly Malone)

First stop: Rock of Cashel

Abbey below the Rock of Cashel

Beginning the Conor Pass, Dingle Peninsula

Start of the Conor Pass, Dingle Peninsula

Inch Beach, Dingle Peninsula

English Market, Cork City

Me and @CorkBilly at the English Market, Cork City

Dingle Peninsula

Dingle, Dingle Peninsula

Me at the Cliffs of Moher

Lodge at Doonbeg

Slainte!

TravelMart Round-up

I’m just home from Vegas where I was fortunate enough to attend Virtuoso’s TravelMart for the second year in a row. For those of you that don’t know, TravelMart is Virtuoso’s annual conference of all member agencies, hotels, tour companies and various travel suppliers. The main crux of the conference occurs Monday through Thursday at a succession of 4 minute appointments where suppliers present their products to agents, resulting in nearly 300 one on one appointments.

Bellagio conference room during appointments

Marie Chawke, General Manager of Aghadoe Heights, presents to an advisor

While the appointments are the bread and butter of TravelMart, there’s really more to it than this. It’s VAST (Virtuoso Active and Specialty Travel) Globetrotting where 45 suppliers present to agents in 7 minute presentations, hosted breakfasts, lunches, cocktail parties, off-site activities and handshake after handshake, double kiss after double kiss. What TravelMart is really about is all of the connections that can be made in a period of a week. Not only did I learn of new and exotic destinations, hotel improvements, updated itineraries and new products, but a main takeaway for me as an advisor is learning from the best of the best. I had a chance to meet some of the most successful and knowledgeable advisors in the industry, some with decades of experience under the belt, and some with only a few years. I had the opportunity to reconvene with my group of young advisors (and friends) who continue to be a source of knowledge and support for me as I grow my business in the travel industry.

L-R: Beth Jenkins, Lindsey Epperly, Ansley Thomas, Jamo Ladd, Cassie McMillion, Me

TravelMart is a week of networking, meeting new experts (both advisors and suppliers), and making the connections that will only improve the experiences that my clients have on the trips I have the privilege of planning for them. It means that because of my great new friends at the Old Course Hotel, I have even greater confidence in getting clients on some of the World’s most exclusive courses, or clients heading to Africa for safari next year are guaranteed to have the best safari one could have. Even clients spending a long weekend at Ritz-Carlton Reynolds Plantation in Georgia will have a better experience due to my connecting with the hotel representatives this past week. Having the opportunity to meet face to face with the best of the best in the travel industry is an asset to me as an advisor, and ultimately a benefit to my clients. TravelMart also brings connections made from Twitter to real life, where I finally got to meet many of my “Twitter friends” in person for the first time.

L-R: @EpsteinTravels, Jonathan Epstein, expert in the UK and Ireland, me @LauraAllenTvl travel advisor, @LuxeTiffany, Tiffany Dowd, Luxury Hotel Inspector, @Lindsey_Epperly, travel advisor, @VSawtell, Vanessa Sawtell-Jones, travel advisor

On top of all the professional benefits, TravelMart is alot of fun, too. From dining with hoteliers from Amelia Island, catching up over cocktails with agent friends, singing around a table with Irish hoteliers or celebrating the Golden Age of Travel with people from England to Georgia to Hawaii and South Africa. Also, because of TravelMart, I’ll have the opportunity to visit Peru within the next year thanks to Andean Experience and many Virtuoso Peru partners. While I’m over the moon that I have this opportunity to see Peru, the real winners will be the clients who have come to me to plan a Peru trip for them next year, since I will have seen it firsthand.

An Irish singalong…

All in all, a big thanks to Virtuoso for continuing to help advisors in improving their business and product knowledge…especially through TravelMart…

Safari Soundtrack…

“The first lesson when you sleep here is keep the good ear off the pillow”- Jao Camp

After seven days in the bush, Kristin and I have safely and securely arrived in Cape Town. Not only have we arrived, but we have easily transitioned from the bush to living in the lap of luxury at the Cape Grace Hotel. I just would like to preface this post by letting you all know I am writing this post from the Cape Grace business center while drinking champagne…

While on safari, periodically Kristin and I would announce to each other that we had so and so song stuck in our head. After a few instances of this, we started to notice a theme. What follows is our safari soundtrack…

- Zimbabwe - Bob Marley
- Morning Has Broken - Cat Stevens
- Good Day Sunshine - Beatles
- Oh, What a Beautiful Morning…
- Here Comes the Sun - Beatles
- Under African Skies - Paul Simon
- Her Name was Lola/Copacabana - Barry Manilow (we named a lion cub after Kristin’s cat, Lola)
- Hey Mombo, Mombo Italiano - Rosemary Clooney, Dean Martin (Mombo Camp is one of the preeminent safari camps in the Okavango Delta)
- Beautiful Day - U2
- My Heart Will go On - Celine Dion (Kristin reenacted this scene from Titanic while we were stranded in a broken down boat in the middle of the Delta)
- S.O.S. (Rescue Me) - Rihanna (Also sung as we were stranded in the Delta)
- 2x2 - Setswana song that Kristin and I are obsessed with
- I Like to Eat, Eat, Eat… - origination unknown. Wilderness Safaris really feeds its guests well. Here is a typical eating schedule while visiting one of their camps. 6 am-continental breakfast (pastries, croissants, cereal, etc), 9 am - tea/coffee in the bush with cookies, 11 am - full brunch with hot breakfast/lunch, 3 pm - tea with one savory snack and one sweet, typically a cake, 6 pm - sundowners in the bush (cocktails with another snack), 8 pm - 3 course meal. The eating has not slowed in Cape Town.

Safari Highlights: (Photos and video to come)

1 - Elephants crossing the Zambezi River in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe
2 - Calling male lion (duma tau in Setswana, which I like to think I taught myself in Botswana)
3 - Leopard sleeping, waking, walking, climbing tree, devouring baboon kill
4 - Boma, traditional Botswana song and dance during outdoor dinner in the bush
5 - Boat breaking down in the middle of the Okavango Delta while at Jao Camp (post fishing, pre-sunset)

“Every morning in Africa, a lechwe wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest lechwe or it will starve to death. It doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a lechwe…when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.” - Jao Camp

Safari So Far… (by numbers)

It’s the second full day of our trip to Africa, and I already feel like I’ve been gone for a week (considering I left Florida on a Tuesday and today is Saturday). We’ve had quite the experience thus far and we still have 4 nights to go in Botswana. I’m bringing in a co-author to this post, Kristin, as we have together accumulated a pretty substantial number of unique sightings, experiences, and encounters. Please see below:

Glossary:

Hippo Highway - path forged by hippos

Binos - binoculars

Ellies - elephants

Touch wood - knock on wood :)

Bush Chicken - guinea fowl

Vic Falls - Victoria Falls

Bush Breaks - pit stops, bathroom breaks, pop a squats, squats behind land rover or termite mound

Safari by Numbers

8 = airports or airstrips we have landed on in the last 4 days

2 = camps visited so far (Ruckomechi Camp, Mana Pools, Zimbabwe - Toka Leya Camp, Zambia)

4 = times I walked directly in to the same bed frame

2 = mushy brains affected by malaria prophylaxis, travel, bring on holiday

2 = number of rehydration salts that cure vomiting on first night in Zimbabwe (I’m ok, Mom)

2 = lionesses spotted by yours truly (one pregnant, one with cubs) - heretofore to be referred to as Leona and Lala

1 = cocktails introduced by Laura to the Zimbabwean and international community. I love a good Dark and Stormy

4 = wild dogs sleeping on airstrip upon landing

22 = wild dogs spotted sleeping at night

1 = in tent wildlife experience (Mickey the Mouse)

3 = crocodiles spotted, one full length swimming in the water

3 = sundowners, 1 on airstrip, 1 on peninsula on the Zambezi, 1 on boat IN the Zambezi

1 = American men who have hit on us so far in the bush

1 = unnecessary site inspection (location to be withheld)

3 dozen = elephants swimming across the Zambezi River using trunks as snorkeling equipment

3 = number of 6 am wake-up calls on trip up to day 3

1 = wonder of the world, Victoria Falls

Too many to count = bush breaks, questions asked by Laura, naps taken by Kristin, elephants (cooler animals than they appear), impala (the dorks of the animal kingdom), incredibly gracious, knowledgeable and hospitable Wilderness Safaris staff, stares and statements of amazement at two twenty-something women traveling throughout Africa…

Anticipating Africa…

It’s the night before I begin my 2 day journey to get to Southern Africa. Tomorrow I go to NYC where I rendezvous with Kristin for the night before commencing our 16 hour flight to Johannesburg on Wednesday morning.  We arrive in to JNB Thursday am, where we immediately connect to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, where we immediately connect again to Mana Pools national Park in Zimbabwe. From there we’ll be stationary for the first two nights of our trip at Ruckomechi Camp.

This is by far the longest planning process I’ve undertaken for any trip I’ve ever gone on, even the first safari I went on which was planned in only six weeks. The plans have been in the works since September and it’s been awesome to have such an amazing experience to look forward to for the last 7-8 months. Not that life is boring otherwise (maybe), but I find myself planning trips so I always have something to look forward to. I’m already dreading my first day back on June 2, terrible right? But luckily for me I’ve got some other stuff going on in my life which gives me much to look forward to in a different vain, though…

I find myself anticipating this African experience in a different way than my other two. Since I’ve been fortunate enough to experience safari in Botswana before, I kind of know what to expect (even though they are different camps). However, since the other experiences were so incredible, dare I venture to say life-changing, it makes the anticipation of this one all the more exciting. Will this top the other? Will it be worse? Three years older with more knowledge under my belt will I have the same reactions to things I see, people I meet and experiences I have? I’m going to have to remind myself not to compare Africa 1 and Africa 2 to Africa 3, but I find myself more and more hopeful about this trip. Because I know the caliber of what I’m about to embark on, I feel so incredibly lucky that I get to do it all over again…

P.S.:  If you read my previous post about packing anxiety, I think you’ll be impressed that the two photos below are of my answer to that challenge. Not too shabby for a girl packing for 2 weeks, huh?