keida84's VirtualTourist Home Page

VT sure does bring people together. Perhaps that is its strongest suit. Of course there are a few "Jerks" but for the most part the folks who have pages here on VT are good, decent, hardworking people who love to travel. They come from all walks of Life & are interested in other people from other countries. Many members have opened their homes to fellow VT'ers, you really would not find this type of camaraderie on other travel sites.

It takes a lot of energy to maintain these pages. I have started to have more symptoms with my PD I am tired often so I am not online as much as I used to be.

Nevertheless, Life goes on and it takes us places that we have never considered before, we meet people that enrich and shape our lives, hopefully we gain insight and knowledge of cultures far beyond our own small corner of the world. I wax somewhat philosophical but in the few short years I have been a member of VT this is what has happened for me. I hope that my pages reflect this attitude. Enjoy!

NEWSFLASH: Our local breakfast eatery here in Hollywood Beach, "Mrs Olsen's Coffee Hut" has made the magazine, "Esquire" one of the top 50 places to have breakfast in the US! Needless to say we are very pleased, we just hope not everyone comes to eat there at once! ;-))

I ask that photos on these and other of my pages NOT be copied unless you have my expressed permission, Thank you

Where in the world did Kat go now? Due to my advancing symptoms I really did not get to travel much but when I did...I did it in style. January 2008 found me yet again packing my parka then headed off to chilly London town for some fun with my traveling gal, Dabs aka Kristi Another lovely repast was shared with Mrs Flower, Kristi, the lovely Sue Stone, Jo 104, Gillian and Carl Shand. We met at Galileo's The trip was enhanced because I flew 1st class both ways. (WOW!)

Then we had a drive-by in our neighborhood. It was a "Santa drive by" check out my Hollywood Beach page. The City Of Oxnard employees seem to perpetrate these drive bys. No one knows when they will show up but I in fact, do know that Santa exists because I was able to snag a quick photo of him!

In July of 2008, Kris (tazmocha) and I left for a few days in Las Vegas. I played and won on the "Wizard of Oz"slot machine hhahahahah The machine must have recognized me as a true soul sister. ;-))

October found my sis Kris and myself back in Maui, this time we stayed on the South shore of the island. We loved it there and we had a great condo we rented and our yellow rental car. Let me tell you as much as we made fun of it did not compare to the benefits of it. We never lost the car in parking lots and we were looking "cool" in our shorts and sunglasses.

This Christmas 2008 was delightful. Our nutty family welcomed madamx and her darling husband to our Christmas Brunch. Helen was such a help to me (I got her to make her famous pie crust in which I put my famous pumpkin mixture. Ok I am looking for Lard and not Crisco for next time. You know here again as it bears repeating...you meet the nicest people here in VT.

Travel is the reason I found Virtual Tourist in the first place, lest we forget that fact. I am forging ahead with pages that reflect my travels and if you care to read them they are here for the viewing. Here are some travel pages worth a look:

SeatGuru
This site is useful for checking out the airplane seats before you choose them. They have many airlines and the types of planes they fly. You can also find out what movie is showing on your flight.

Another great site is Smarter Travel Excellent site for low fares and travel deals

FlyerTalk
A web site devoted entirely to the airlines. You have to learn "Airline lingo" to really decipher this site.

BedandBreakfast.com Look for Bed and Breakfasts all across the United States

These next two were sent to me by Northsea Thank you Frans!
Airliners.net

Airlinequality

This particular chapter is dedicated to the Bed and Breakfast Accomodations. NOTE: You may need to scroll down on the tip page to read the tip:

The Ardmore House Newtown, AU
TheBissellHouse Pasadena, California
The Blue Dolphin Cambria, California
The Fog Catcher Inn Cambria, California
The Brakey House Ventura, California
The Church Town Inn Lancaster (Churchtown), Pennsylvania
Cremorne Point Manor Sydney, AU
The Glenborough Inn Santa Barbara, California

There are Places I Remember, Some are Gone and Some Remain

Here are some photos of the Marshall Fields (Macys) store windows: Chicago travelogue

Orlando

Cape Canaveral

Cocoa Beach

And other fun places I have been

DesertHotSprings rumored to be Al Capone's Secret Hide-away.

Bora Bora

Maui

It does not get any better than this. I got to spend some quality time with my girlfriends, Hexepatty(Patty) and Dabs (Kristi)

Here are a couple of links you might enjoy perusing, that is of course, unless you have something better to do ;-)

Hawaii Big Island

Kauai

Talk about Canada a summer trip has taken me back up to Canada to see VT's dynamic duo, our very own Waalewiener (Hans) and
LoriPori (Lori) who yet again graciously opened their home to me and Kristi (Dabs). We had a great time together (just like always)

London--The town I never ever dreamed of seeing but as "fate" would have it, and thanks to VT, I am glad I did. I never wanted to travel to the UK and other various countries such as Germany, France, Italy. I was a firm believer in seeing my own country first before going off to parts unknown. Thanks to VT members Jenniflower, BerniShand, Beach_Dog, and Dabs I made the trip and had a wonderful time. On this journey a few more friends joined us, namely Carmela71 , Kaspian, and my buddy, my pal, my lying-until-he-is-blue-in-the-face
Waalewiener

I have Young Onset Parkinson's Disease and with stringent medication dosing I have become fairly stable on the PD medications, I decided to spend a bit of money and see the world. A big "Thank you" to my hubby for his total support and encouragement to do this. I am getting to the point now where traveling is becoming harder and slower to recuperate. Here are some travels since being diagnosed:

**San Juan Capistrano, California 2005
**Edmonton and Le Duc, Canada 2005
**Australia (one of my favorites for sure) 2005
**Weinheim, Heidelberg, Frieburg, Germany 2005
**Oahu, Hawai'i
**Toronto, Niagara Falls & Windsor, Canada 2005
**Chincoteague, Greenbackville, Virginia October 2005
**Sacramento, California 2005
**Las Vegas, Nevada October 2005
**Chicago, IL December 2005
**London & Upwell, England January 2006
**Sacramento, California 2006
**Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Flagstaff and Sedona, Arizona April 2006
**Marbella, Spain May 2006
**Kaua'i, Hawai'i May 2006
**Big Island of Hawai'i July 2006
**Henderson, Nevada September 2006
**Cambria, San Luis Obispo, Hearst San Simeon State Historical Park, Santa Barbara October 2006
**Orlando, Florida November 2006
**Chicago and Milwaukee 2006
**Henderson, Nevada February 2007
**London, Upwell, Blackpool and Wimbledon UK 2007
**Cancun, Mexico June 2007
**Maui, Hawaii July 2007
**Windsor and Iowa August 2007
**Oahu October 2007
**Chicago 2007
**Greenbackville, Virginia 2007 & 2008
**London UK trip in January 2008

I am glad that I had the opportunity and funds to finance these trips over the past 24 months. I saw a world and met people I never knew existed. There is a silver lining to this Parkinson's disease because if I never contracted it I never would have met my wonderful VT friends nor would I have ever traveled the world like I have done. I live a truly blessed life and I am grateful.

My husband was filming a lecture for TV on Valentine's Day so we plan to celebrate ours on Friday the 16th with Chicago Deep Dish pizza flown in from Lou Malnati's pizzeria in Chicago. However fate intervened and he presented me with a duct taped rose which was given to him by a student. He had thought to thank me for all my love and support during the final moments of his lecture. He said to the women in the audience, "Well ladies that should score me some points with my wife since I have done nothing for her for valentine's day?" One of the young ladies handed him a rose made out of duct tape and said,"this is for your wife" The funniest thing about this is the on going comedy act we have in our house about duct tape. I gave him a roll of it for Christmas in "camouflage colors" and in "hot pink" as well. He loves duct tape and has recently "repaired" a guitar case with a whole roll of it! So this was truly "fate" when he brought home the duct taped rose. (click on the Rose photo.)

He also presented me with the original song lyrics to "our" song.....ahem...that classic one hit wonder "Feelings" by Morris Albert. It became "our" song when we were dating and I sang him this true romantic classic tune as "Elmer Fudd." He obtained the original sheet music which is wirtten in English but wait.............there are Spanish lyrics as well. "Di-me solamente di-me" ROFLMAO!!!!

Check out the Las Vegas, Grand Canyon and Sedona pages for some vow renewal fun and trip for BerniShand and Carl "Camcorder man. So much traveling in the space of a short period of time, it is hard to keep up with it all. RexVaughan and Kymbanm have some great photos of the vow renewal. This lovely lady is a dear friend and a wonderful wedding planner too CatherineCG

If you have never been to London you are missing out, go and experience what it has to offer. You won't be disappointed, not a chance!

Upwell as the brochure says, "A village worth a second glance." But no brochure can match the lure of the "House of Shand" One thing that is vital if you are ever so lucky to visit this beautiful village is to say the phrase, "Hello darling, are you alright?" These were the words that rolled off the tongue of the mistress of the House of Shand every morning upon arising. The lilt and tone cannot be matched by anyone and it will be a phrase that will stay with me for the rest of my life! Beautiful beyond description!

and I think its going to rain today" (song from Beaches)

March 17, 2008: An Irish lass picked a fitting day to leave us and slip away to the verdant fields and meadows of another world. CatherineCG was my friend and she succumbed to the lung cancer that racked her body. A dear gracious and loving lady, I am honored that she was my friend. Rest deeply my friend, I love you.

March 17, 2008: The universe has claimed yet another great soul. I weep for the loss of a friend yet I feel a terrible relief that she suffers no longer. God love you Catherine. My love and thoughts go out to Jay and the boys.
In August of 2007 I stopped to visit my dear friend CatherineCG A more charming and lovely woman cannot be found. I have been to both of Catherine and Jay homes several times now and I always feel welcomed. Catherine and I met when together we had th honor of setting up the vow renewal for Berni and Carl. Catherine is quite ill now and I meditate and pray for her everyday. I love her like a sister. I have not wanted to intrude whilst she has been so sick. I think of her several times through out the day.

March 23 2007 1am UK timeSleep well my precious girl. Although your laugh and wit are silenced now you will live on in my heart and soul for decades to come. You were a gift to this world and as Jeff stated, "A beacon in the dark, not to just VT but for the whole world." Thank you, thank you, thank God for you. To Carl, Carla, Colin, and Christian, our love is with you may you gain strength when you need it for it is full and without end.

April 2, 2007 we said our good-byes to Berni. The day was a beautiful one in the UK with the promise of Spring in the air. It was the perfect service and tribute to our dear girl, with poems read so beautifully by Gillian and Berni's son, Colin, messages from G and Rex Vaughan and a heart wrenching song from the movie "Beaches" that caused the entire congregation to sob and weep. A tribute to Berni continued at a local pub where everyone raised a glass in Berni's honor capped off the day. It was the finest group of people who loved Berni and I was honored to be a part of it.

Thanks go out to Jenniflower for opening her home to Kris and myself giving us a place to stay whilst in London. Her kindness and compassion are the reasons we love her and her husband, Lance so much. Always know you two are welcome to anyplace we are at.

Gillian, I thank you too for your friendship and your love and support through these tough times. You are near and dear to me although we are thousands of miles apart. My home and heart are always open to you

Carl: here is a poem I have posted on your "Camcorderman page on my Upwell travel logue. Carl Shand

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You can read about my last trip to see Berni and Carl but a mere 3 weeks prior to her passing. I was honored to have spent quality time with my dear friends BerniShand and Carl in Upwell with a side trip to Blackpool. check out my T-L at the bottom of this page for a hilarious "true story" told to me by our dear Miss B

The photo here was taken on our trip to Las Vegas, Flagstaff and Grand Canyon then onto Sedona, AZ.