"Adventures of The TravelSlut®" TheTravelSlut's Profile

About The TravelSlut® -upcoming travel & events

I am using my Lake Buena Vista, Florida travelogue page for photos and info from our April 2013 VT meet. It was so great meeting our UK friends and local/regional Florida friends. It was a very special time for me and I hope for everyone that attended.

Our meet was 3 nights and 4 days at a 3 bedroom villa in the Old Key West resort area of Walt Disney World and hosted by me (Ann, The TravelSlut) and VT original SONG.

And it was SONG that organized and provided the items needed for our Hat Making Contest and the end results were personalized to each VT'er and both creative and funny! Thanks SONG and all those participated.

Link here: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tt/c4ecd/

NOTE: I'm hopefully back to travels in June.

FLASH 2! I RETURN TO HEDO II WITH MY GROUP JUNE 22-29 & ITS OPEN TO ALL-EMAIL ME IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS "BUCKETLIST" DESTINATION.
Other 2013 travels for me include the Super Bowl parties in New Orleans in February, a JUGS (Just Us Girls) trip, Jamaica @ SuperClubs (7th Annual Group Trip I have organized) in June, New England in August & Australia's VT meet in September plus all the shorter trips within the USA in between.

Check out a GREAT rum & travel blog on life in the lower latitudes here and be sure to view the 3 videos I did with Carlton Grooms at the Tarpon Pointe Grill & Tiki Bar in Bradenton, Florida: http://www.coastlines-tanlines.com/

You can also see a blog interview of me and check the previous two videos of me http://www.coastlines-tanlines.com/the-travel-slut-big-wigs-bigger-fun

To those who know me, no explanation is necessary!
To those who do not, no explanation is possible!!!! !!!

My 2012 travels included:

Indianapolis, Indiana for Super Bowl parties; Hedonism II resort-Jamaica; Nevada; Florida Keys; cross country USA roadtrip for 2 months

My 2011 travels included:
Florida; Dallas, Texas & Super Bowl; Nevada; Florida; Jamaica; Carolinas and southeast USA; Florida Keys; Oregon, California & Nevada; Florida Keys/Key West/Fantasy Fest; Oregon & Nevada; Carolinas & Georgia

My 2010 travels included: Miami & Super Bowl parties; Turkey; Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria & Romania, Jamaica & Hedonism resort, Key West & Fantasy Fest for my 11th time; Washington DC, Nevada, San Francisco; North Carolina & Georgia

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

As for my name-"The TravelSlut®"- 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 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?

I do love all types of travel to all places

The Burj al Arab from my Jumeirah Beach room

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.

I love Australia & New Zealand

The Great Barrier Reef is a Wonder of the World

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.

I love Asia

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).

I love Europe

Copenhagen

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 love adventure travel

Swimming with stingrays in Bora Bora, Polynesia

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 love luxury travel

Grand Cayman Island beachfront home I can obtain

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.

I love unique forms of travel & adventure

Canoeing in front of an Alaskan glacier

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

Intro Updated May 23, 2013
Report Abuse

Personal Pages (22)

1 - 4 of 22

Comments (400)

- disney magical express<\/a>\'. thanks it good to hear other peoples recent experiences which resort did you stay at?\n" data-reportAbuseItemOnPageDetails="Comment #1, ID=10060971" data-anchorFragment="?showComment=10060971#comments" data-reportURL="http://members.virtualtourist.com/members/reportAbuse/" data-contentTitle="Thanks for your answer to \'disney magical express<\/a>\'. thanks it good to hear other peoples recent experiences which resort did you stay at?\n" data-photoURL="" data-commentAuthor="21traveller http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/15842b/" data-authorName="21traveller" data-authorProfileURL="http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/15842b/">Report abuse
21traveller May 16, 2013 at 1:59 AM

Thanks for your answer to 'disney magical express'. thanks it good to hear other peoples recent experiences which resort did you stay at?
- Report abuse
  TheTravelSlut May 16, 2013 at 8:06 AM
  
  Hi there...I have been to Disney 4 times in the past 6 weeks (including a 3 day VT meet) and I have stayed at: Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa; Bay Lake Towers; Saratoga Springs Treehouses; Old Key West Resort; and Animal Kingdom Lodge-Kidani Village
- Report abuse
tropicrd May 10, 2013 at 10:17 PM

Ann, happy belated birthday and I am looking forward to seeing you again at the WA Australia meet and the 5 day tag a long.
Hugs Dorrise ((()))
- Report abuse
  TheTravelSlut May 11, 2013 at 5:29 AM
  
  Thank you Dorrise!
- Report abuse
Homanded May 9, 2013 at 6:12 PM

So....waiting for the big Orlando meet pictures!?
Any to share?
- Report abuse
  TheTravelSlut May 9, 2013 at 8:36 PM
  
  Thanks for the reminder and I promise to upload them soon. Perhaps this weekend....
- Report abuse
HeshamMA May 9, 2013 at 4:30 PM

Ann Happy birth day , will wait your reviews from Egypt and from Sharm El Sheikh Specially
- Report abuse
  TheTravelSlut May 9, 2013 at 8:37 PM
  
  Thank you....
- Report abuse
DavidGB May 8, 2013 at 11:05 AM

Dear Ann,

Thank you for making my holiday so enjoyable. You were a wonderful hostess and stole my heart!

I really enjoyed the meet, the BBQ at your house, and all the effort Charlie went to, to make sure we all had a great time. Having said that, there’s no denying that he screwed up cos he couldn’t find me a gator – even in your neck of the woods where there’s millions of them (apparently!!!)

Was determined to see one before I left Florida, so I went to a farm in St Augustine (I now know how to say it in American speak – “Sin Ahhhhgastin”). Saw them close up there. I didn’t realise they smell of sulphur/rotten eggs/stink bombs. Not sure which end of them is responsible for that!

One gator unnerved me. It wasn’t his chomping mouth that did it, but his eyes. They were lifeless and locked onto mine like a laser beam. When I moved, his head didn’t; only his eyes. He was the only one that did that.I was pretty sure he was waiting for me to fall in so he could have lunch. That made my holiday complete :-)

Loved my Florida road trip – was the best holiday I’ve ever had. You and Charlie made it extra special.

Big hug to you both,

David
- Report abuse
  TheTravelSlut May 8, 2013 at 11:36 AM
  
  Thank you David,I appreciate the complimentd and it was great meeting you!
  
  And I'm happy you saw a gator upclose and personal.
  
  Thank you to for the bubbly and we look forward to hearing from you and seeing you again here, there or anywhere!
  
  Ann, TS
Reply
- Report abuse
SONG Apr 30, 2013 at 2:24 PM

Ann, I did not get any notice about your birthday......so are you really a year younger just recently? If so, I hope you had a fabulous day celebrating. Aussierose..........hhhhmmmm......is she coming to Florida? I promised her a ride in my new Mercedes convertible. The three of us could reallly stir up some trouble. Let me know if she is going to be in town and all of us could possibly get together.
- Report abuse
pieter_jan_v Apr 29, 2013 at 9:58 PM

Ann, Congratulations on your Birthday. Should I start counting downwards? PJ
- Report abuse
  TheTravelSlut Apr 30, 2013 at 7:18 AM
  
  Thank you for the visit and birthday wishes! :) And age is irrelevant after 21 (at least here in the USA...lol).
- Report abuse
  pieter_jan_v Apr 30, 2013 at 10:04 AM
  
  I totally agree! PJ
- Report abuse
Gillybob Apr 29, 2013 at 7:22 AM

Thanks again for a wonderful weekend - can't believe it was already over a week ago. Tallahassee was lovely - well worth the stop. Pensacola was nice. Have really enjoyed Mobile. Off to Biloxi today.
View all 3 replies
- Report abuse
  Gillybob May 6, 2013 at 3:16 AM
  
  Sorry, Ann, I didn't get much time on the internet after Mobile - busy bunny and all that - but I know you hooked up with David. Hope you had fun times on your Disney visits. Where next?
- Report abuse
  TheTravelSlut May 6, 2013 at 6:08 AM
  
  Hi Gillian! It was So GREAT meeting up with you again and I hope your American visit continued well after the VT-Orlando meet. And yes, we had a nice visit and dinner with David in our home and tried to find him an alligator locally. And we just returned last night from the latest Disney adventure and back again this weekend with our VT recruits from Switzerland before trips tp the Carolinas and Jamaica next month!
- Report abuse
SONG Apr 22, 2013 at 7:05 PM

Ann, thanks for our second Orlando Vt meet. Sorry I deserted you as a co-hostess after Friday night, but I really had to spend the time with my Dad. I KNEW you would march ahead full speed! :-) I know from all the comments that everyone had a fabulous time. Now the natives are begging for pics. Hope you can get some up soon. I will also try to do so.
Thanks again. You should become a chef!!!!
- Report abuse
  TheTravelSlut Apr 22, 2013 at 8:04 PM
  
  I want to thank you for all your front end efforts and of course, the inspiration for the hat making (very fun!), the decorations, and I only wish that circumstances were better for your dad. I am just thankful we were all able to see you on Friday,,,,,
- Report abuse
  Michael_D Apr 23, 2013 at 12:46 AM
  
  we missed you days 2/3....seeya next time...
- Report abuse
Michael_D Apr 21, 2013 at 7:51 PM

BTW,..THIS is VTs history from Giamperos page....VirtualTourist started in 1994 as a project at the University of Buffalo. In those days, it was just a world map showing all the internet servers in the world. You can imagine how early that was due to the fact that you could still show all the servers on a map! Word is that it was the first clickable map on the web, though I'm not positive that's the case. That version, was the first webpage that a couple of German Computer Science students, Tilman Reissfelder, and Thorsten Kalkbrenner at the University of Karlsruhe ever saw. It was the start page for computer science departments in a lot of places in those days and fairly well known in a small circle of internet enthusiasts. Well, in I think 1997 or maybe 1998, Tilman and Thorsten saw that the URL, VirtualTourist was up for sale and they decided that it would be an interesting adventure to grab the URL and try to do something cool with it
- Report abuse
  TheTravelSlut Apr 22, 2013 at 7:57 PM
  
  Thank you for the background info!
- Report abuse
  Michael_D Apr 23, 2013 at 12:52 AM
  
  no worries...I just knew the kid at UB and knew the real story