TheTravelSlut's VirtualTourist Home Page

NOTE: I just updated The VT Meeting-Orlando, Florida (October 8-12) meeting pages for those interested....

"Too much of a good thing is still not enough"

"The secret to happiness is a good sense of humor and a bad memory"

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow but learn as as if you were to live forever"--Gandhi

UPDATE #1- I'm enjoying boating Tampa Bay and the surrounding areas this summer but can't hardly wait until the VT meet in Australia in September!.

UPDATE #2- I've added a few new tips and photos recently

2009 travels are looking good so far...

Jan. ---Grand Cayman at a vacation home I can access for myself or anyone else that is interested (see my tip page on this also)

Feb.--- Super Bowl and then Gasparilla Festival in Tampa, Florida

Feb----Disneyworld

March---New York City

March---South Africa to four provinces

April--- Atlanta, Georgia and things in the area

April----3rd Annual Group Trip to Jamaica from April 25-May 3, 2009 (see my pages on Runaway Bay, Jamaica for details if you wish to join me and our group)

July----Florida Keys

August----Reunion at Walt Disney World in Florida

Sept. ----Monterey Bay and San Francisco and possibly Oregon & Las Vegas

Sept----VT meet in the Whitsundays in eastern Australia

Oct----Orlando VT meet October 8-12.

Oct.----Fantasy Fest in Key West, Florida

My 2008 travels included:
Jan. 2008- Caribbean cruise, Jamaica, Cayman Island beachfront home, Lyon, France, Cap d' Agde, France, Switzerland, Dubai, Los Angeles,
Australia & Darwin VT meeting, Thailand, Singapore, Reno/Lake Tahoe, Nevada, Mediterranean Cruise of Italy, Croatia, Bosnia,Turkey & Greece with Rome, Vatican City & Venice, WDW (Disneyworld), Caribbean Cruise on Disney, Fantasyfest in Key West, Nevada & a roadtrip drive across the USA, North Carolina, Georgia & Hilton Head Island, SC

QUOTE:-- "Life is short,
Break the rules,
Forgive quickly,
Kiss slowly,
Love truly,
Laugh uncontrollably,
And never regret anything that made you smile. "

"Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't."-Jong

As for my name-"The TravelSlutŪ"- I have been AFFECTIONATELY labeled both "The Travel Slut" & "Travel Slut" for over 20 years by friends who have said I love travel so much that I'd do ANYTHING in order to travel anywhere, anyplace, anytime, anyhow, & anyway --with (just about) anyone. Well, they were right about my love for travel & it looks like I have lived up to my name so far & will continue to do so.

So, I'm now known by friends & family as both "The Travel Slut" or just "TravelSlut". I accept it & even have "groupies" who now want to follow in my footsteps. Some have adopted labels like "TravelSlut 3 (TS-3)" or "TravelSlut 4, (TS-4) ....

I've been making travel a priority in my life for many years now & I don't plan anytime soon to change my ways. I love all aspects of travel from discussing it, researching it, planning it, doing it, & then documenting it.

I love all forms of travel and if I had to pick a favorite it would be cruising. I love it when someone else drives, cooks and cleans-lol. I also love exotic adventure travel especially via trains or floatplane.

I've cruised over 50 times now & I love the oceans & all they have to offer. I especially love exploring seaside resort towns.

I still need to visit Africa (coming up in March 2009-yeah!) & Antarctica although I won't turn down a trip anywhere domestically or internationally if it comes along at the right time & right price. Is it obvious that I love to travel?

It is difficult to pick my favorite destination. I truly can't think of any one place that I would NOT go back to. I love to experience the people, places & things of the world. That's what helps makes me The TravelSlutŪ I am today.

Whether it's the Marion (Ohio) Popcorn Festival or the Gilroy (California) Garlic Festival or whether it's Tet in Viet Nam or New Year's Eve in Times Square (New York City), I love to travel places and experience whatever I can, where ever I can and whenever I can.

On the land, in and on the seas (my favorite), or in the air, I love travel and everything it has to offer. To me, travel is all about learning by experiencing and then sharing that experience with others.

Of all the continents, I love my home in North America best and all it has to offer but since I have seen every state in the United States and many provinces in Canada and states in Mexico, I have to say that I REALLY enjoy travel to Australia because there is so much history and so many diverse things to see and do.

Globalization unfortunately I guess, is making its way to the lands down under.

Australia however still has many spots that a person can relax in and get away from the routine locations. A winery in the Barossa Valley or marine life on a reef in the Great Barrier Reef--Australia has so much to offer to someone seeking refuge from just the cities or cookie-cutter vacation holidays.

Trips to Viet Nam, Korea, China have changed my perceptions of Asia.

The people are genuine, friendly, industrious, and hard-working. The topography of the countries is different than I expected. The mountains are higher and steeper, the rivers wider and bluer than I originally thought and certainly more beautiful than I imagined.

Having friends from Viet Nam and temporarily living with a family there opened my eyes and mind to what a wonderful world this is (thank you Louis Armstrong).

Of course, when you want to explore or experience the cities, Europe reigns surpreme and is wonderful as city centers are so compact that walking is the transportation du jour. I love that about Europe.

That and taking trains. I love when someone else drives and cooks for me--did I mention that?

I could write a book on how much I love adventure travel as
I look back over the years and reflect on all the things I have done that most non-travelers, or people that travel only on a limited basis, would consider way too adventuresome for them, while I take it in stride and perhaps even take it for granted.

Swimming and feeding stingrays and sharks in Bora Bora, zip-lining thru Costa Rica's rain forest canopy, crawling thru the Cu Chi tunnels in Viet Nam, shooting a machine gun in the desolate Nevada desert, canoeing in front of an active Alaskan glacier, interacting with the "Barbary Apes" of Gibraltar, handling an alligator in the Florida Everglades, drinking "cobra" rice wine in Viet Nam, getting bodypainted in Key West (Florida), snorkeling Black Rock (Maui) in the middle of the night, interacting with marine and bird life in the Galapagos, walking the glass floor of the Skytowers in Auckland, New Zealand and Macau--these are just a few of the fun times I have hadand will never forget.

I still may sky dive and do something totally unique if the time and location is right. I have been known to be somewhat spontaneous and wild at times.

I would have a difficult time choosing between my favorite travel types. I would probably lean towards luxury travel as of late, but I still have a lot of adventurous spirit left in me and could easily switch from a 6 star cruise ship to a thatched hut in Thailand (on the beach of course).

Sometimes, I take the luxury travel route because I feel I need it. Sometimes I take it because I want it. Sometimes, it just comes to me naturally : > )

I really don't have a favorite luxury destination or mode of travel at this time. I have stayed in some very nice hotels like The Dorchester in London, the Shangri-La in Beijing and Shanghai, the Plaza in New York City and I have also enjoyed some great luxury cruiseships like Regent and Crystal.

If I have a choice, I'll take the path of least resistance and usually I cannot resist a luxury travel journey and destination.

Let's see. How have I gotten around in my travels???

I have flown in helicopters, seaplanes, prop planes and 747's.

I have taken various types of trains including the Alaska railroad, Eurostar, MagLev Bullet Train in Shanghai and an unnamed train from Hue to Hanoi in Viet Nam.

I have been a participant in a hot air balloon race, bounced around off-road in a Humvee, wrestled with dirt bikes, zip-lined through a rain forest canopy, walked across a deep divide on a narrow rope bridge, jet-skied in the Pacific Ocean, boated in everything including a zodiac raft, canoe, kayak, sailboat, powerboat, catamaran, submarine, freighter, ferry and cruiseship.

I have slid down sand dunes in Viet Nam, hiked up Haleakala Volcano in Maui, walked on a path used by Roman soldiers, and run between airline terminals trying to catch a flight!

Regardless of the manner in which I travel, I do my best to accept whatever form it takes and am grateful whenever I arrive at my destination safely.

"Live as if you were going to die tomorrow--but learn as if you were going to live forever!"

So, that's (some of) my story. Remember, "Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go everywhere".

Life is a gift...accept it.
Life is an adventure...dare it.
Life is mystery...unfold it.
Life is a game...play it.
Life is a struggle...face it.
Life is a beauty...praise it.
Life is a puzzle...solve it.
Life is opportunity...take it.
Life is sorrowful...experience it.
Life is a song...sing it.
Life is a goal...achieve it.
Life is a mission...fulfil it.
Life is a love...feel it.

TTS