Home » Community News Archive |
Community News ArchiveVirtualTourist 4607 Lakeview Canyon Road #468 Westlake Village, CA 91361 USA JUNE 2009 Losses in our Community We're so sorry to report the recent passing of member crazygal's59 beloved brother, Brian. Here, Carolyn eloquently shares with us their mutual love of travel: “Brian was born when I was ten, so he was always special to me. He was mentally challenged and slightly autistic. He loved our special road trips that we would take every year. He of course couldn't drive, so I would take him on little trips. His favorite place of all was Algonquin Park, In Ontario, Canada. He seemed to find it very peaceful. I will miss our adventures together. We never went very far, but it was still an exciting time for him. He loved to hear about the travels of VT'ers, but was quite content with his own little adventures." A New VT’er is Born!!! A big congratulations goes out to Donna_In_India who gave birth to a baby girl on June 5th. Born in the United States, Kasha will start her career as a traveler when she takes her first plane ride home to Bombay in August. All of us here at VT wish her a lifetime of good health and happy travels! MAY 2009 Feline01 is having Twins...AGAIN!! Feline01 really has the inside track on increasing a family very rapidly. She found out exciting news after having just booked a birthday trip (and first airplane ride) for her 5 year old twins. As Sue states, "I found out I am pregnant with twins again. We are all excited though add on several other emotions for me and my husband, who is already a stay-at-home dad to our home schooled 5-year olds". Congrats from VT - quite an amazing milestone!!! Counsel14’s Big, Big Heart has a Hiccup! Is it possible to wear out your heart with kindness? Well, I bet all who know Susan and the good deeds she does for charity and her hometown community would probably think so. In the middle of landscaping the newly opened library, which she helped establish, her heart stent collapsed and off she went by helicopter for emergency repair work. And would you believe, during all of this excitement one of her big concerns was a VT Meeting she had planned in August. Read all about the events and the updates in these two forum thread (update thread and Susan’s thread). APRIL 2009 Top 10 Most Interesting Place Names As most travelers know, every country in the world has its share of funny, hard-to-understand, and provocative place names. With this in mind, VirtualTourist members have compiled a list of the “Top 10 Most Interesting Place Names.” Giampiero Ambrosi, General Manager explains: “In some cases it’s hard to know if it’s just a language issue or a bad public relations choice. Regardless, these names certainly stir up interest in the towns they represent.” Jethanand is a First Time Grandfather I bet jethanand couldn’t stop smiling when he first laid eyes on his first grandchild, a precious little girl named Arya. And it probably inspired him to title his Homepage with the slogan, “Smile…infect the world with happiness”. Every grandparent can identify with that happiness. Congratulations, jethanand!! And thank you zanzooni for sending us the great news. Wanting to Help Earthquake Victims in Italy? icunme has posted numbers, sites, and times for various charitable organizations on her homepage. The needed goods are there as well. Thanks, Carol. Borderhopper Will Be Doubling His Fun! James happily shares some wonderful news. “I've been with VT for 9 years now & within that time I've gone from a solo traveller to a family that travels! I've been fortunate to have continued my travels with my wife, Wacharaporn (aka awayhome), and our son McKinley. We just came home from a trip to Panama and found out that my wife is carrying TWIN GIRLS. They're due in July! We are a now a family of 5! “ Two Members Lose a Parent We are sadly reporting the passing of two of our members’ loved ones. With the recent loss of VeronicaG’s father and with rosie235 having just lost her mother, our sympathy goes out to each member as they enter a new phase of life – the sad phase of living without a beloved parent. VT is thinking of you and passes on our condolences for your sad loss. Top 10 Most Mispronounced Places The confounding pronunciation of the destinations on this newly created list by the experts at VT (the members) is a challenge that, as VT General Manager, Giampiero Ambrosi says, “even the most intrepid of globetrotters” can’t seem to tackle with much finesse. Check it out. See if these beauties will properly roll off your tongue. Good Luck!! MARCH 2009 Topoftheworl has quietly slipped away From a time when Virtualtourist was comparatively small and members were quite few, close bonds and good friendships were formed in the VT Chat Room, as was the case with Alicia and Topp. So as the news has been slowly leaking out about the passing of Topoftheworl, hearts have been touched and feelings shared, as so beautifully stated in Ali's hearfelt comments. "Very saddened to find out you left us so soon... Your friendship and comforting company will be remembered forever". RIP Topp. Herzog63 Becomes a Staple in his Community When Scott moved to Kodiak, Alaska in 1982 with a mere $75.00 in his pocket, little did he know that 27 years later he’d have a thriving and long lasting business that the community would come to rely on. Read in Kodiak Daily Mirror article about our wonderful member and how his hard work and people skills have attributed to his life successes. FEBRUARY 2009 Our ZenLady34 didn’t win, but… Talk about finding a silver lining! I’m sure Maj was disappointed at not winning "The Best Job in the World" competition, but she was quick to relay how fantastic all the 50 final candidates are. More importantly, she said that through the competition, “I met some wonderful VT members who supported me by voting, leaving notes behind and with emails. I wish to send warm hugs to each and everyone of them”. We think that you are wonderful too, Maj. Kiwigal_1 had a baby too!! "On 4th February at 11:30pm our first baby, Nicolás John Montoya Berry was born in Santiago, Chile. He weighed 3385 grams and was 48 cms long. We are calling him our little "CHIWI" (Chilean-Kiwi).” And she told us that she’s reveling in her new role as a mum. Congratulations Rhianon and Christian – he’s a fine boy!! desert_princess had a baby! When Anna announced the birth of her beautiful, baby princess, Celine, she said it best, “May the guardian angels help me raise this invaluable treasure, so she can join her mom and dad in their travels and adventures". Congratulations Mom and Dad…she’s a beauty!! JANUARY 2009 Kzapanta Completes the Race Giant KUDOS go out to VT member kzapanta and his wife for “representing” with VT colors while competing in the High Trek Adventure Race this weekend in Los Angeles. This fun and whacky event is a one-day version of the Amazing Race in major metropolitan cities around the US. Ken and his wife took advantage of VirtualTourist’s Team Sponsorship offer to supply spirited, team garb for charitable, competitive and/or whacky team events and marched off with VT pride and perseverance, finishing in the upper percentile of competitors – and all done in the one weekend so far this year of California rain. When you see their VT uniforms, you’ll probably be asking yourself, “Why didn’t I participate in this memorable experience?” After all, blue wigs, VT visors, VT T-shirts, VT flags (disguised as capes), and VT stickers worn like a Miss World sash make every body type a beautiful site to behold. And as Ken said, “We clearly took top honors for the costume department”. And second Kudos go out to kzapanta’s support team, members VDV and islandgirlmt, who helped with the clue solving and who acted as their life line at the “VT Intelligence Headquarters”. We are proud of all four of you. Way to go!!! YEA - Another Baby!! Member, clivedinburgh, is one lucky guy - he has now joined the ranks of "Daddy". He recently shared his excitement with us, "I became a father for the first time when my lovely girlfriend Fiona gave birth to our son, Callum William Scott, on Sunday, 11 January". Congratulations Clive, we couldn't be happier for you! Have You Heard the News? There’s a new baby boy in our midst. And thanks to Sue_Stone for filling us in because we hadn’t heard anything about this exciting event. Sue reports that, “lovely Italian VT'er Fra.da. recently had a baby boy called Lorenzo.” Thanks Sue; and congratulations Francesca and Lorenzo. DECEMBER 2008 What happens "when love comes in and takes you for a spin"? Well, you may end up in front of a Christmas tree, pledging your love and popping that age old question. And before you know it, you are engaged to “the kindest, most beautiful woman” you have ever met. And that's just what happened to our friend, our pal, our buddy - shohman, ending his pursuit of happiness and replacing it with the fulfillment of happiness, all because of Stella (aka tengj07). Scott’s first date with Stella was documented in our very own Miscellaneous Forum last February; and now the discussion of this next big step is big news in the current miscellaneous forum Got Engaged. Sharing these events makes the journey even closer and more special, not just for Scott, but for the whole VT family. Another girl gets a great catch – a VTer, of course. Congratulations you two!!! The "Killa in Manila" was a smashing success Visit biyahe_pinoy to see how the " VT Pilipinas" Project Team came together and spent their fantastic day of giving (pictures posted) and their wonderful evening of celebrating (pictures soon to be posted). This is exactly the type of Virtualtourist team interaction that we at headquarters are looking for and will work to support. If you too are interested in the VT Team concept, we may be able to help you! Check out the VT Team's page for more info. So what took so long? Summer Camp - always a great theme for a comedy out of Hollywood, but it can also be a life changing experience in many unforeseen ways. Witness our very own member, magdaki - and the story, in her own words, "We met when we were 15 years old in summer camp, and after it went our separate ways. Then a few years later, he called me to wish happy birthday and we started going out. At that time we studied in different cities and later on, as my husband's job is marine engineer and he travels on merchant ships for 6-7 months every year, we both had to work hard to maintain our relationship. To make a long story short, we "tied the knot" in September in Thessaloniki, my hometown, where we currently live, ten years after our first date :-) Our honeymoon included a cruise on the Nile and snorkeling in the Red Sea. At the moment, my husband is away again on another trip, which is probably a good thing, because i don't think he would appreciate the picture of him jumping on a bed becoming an international success! Lol¨ Magna - you and your hubby are proof that "absence does make the heart grow fonder", and "look before you"...jump. A Big Congratulations from the VT Staff!! Thanksgiving, Turkey, and Turks combine for a YES, YES, YES!! Some folks have turkey and dressing for Thanksgiving. Other people have Turks and Caicos. One of our earliest members, cjg1, chose all three to "pop" the world's most important question to his dream girl, Liz. And of course, Liz said "YES". And who'd blame her - the time was right, Thanksgiving; the place couldn't have been better, a romantic tropical island; but most importantly, Chris is a longtime VTer which naturally makes him an incontrovertible "perfect catch". Congratulations Chris and Liz on your engagement!!! Community + Community = VTerrific!! It's a simple formula with an unbeatable outcome - members of our fabulous travel community + community service equals great deeds, great fun, and a great VT example to the world. Thusly, the " VT Pilipinas" Project Team was formed. The impetus for the project was the annual VT Manila Christmas Party, which will still end with the regular fun and frivolity; but the beginning of the party is where the real holiday and VT Team spirit comes alive. It will start with the group "donning their gay apparel" (VT logoed shirts) to go dashing off to the Golden Acres home for the aged to do charity work. This is exactly the type of Virtualtourist team interaction that we at headquarters are looking for and will work to support. These enthusiastic members took our offer to heart and ran with it. It's the "killa in Manila" in every great sense of the words...and we love it! If you too are interested in the VT Team concept, we may be able to help you! Check out the VT Team's page for more info. NOVEMBER 2008 The World's Top 10 Ugliest Buildings The great thing about travel may be seeing the world through a different lens, but that doesn't mean the view is always pretty. With this in mind, the travel experts at VirtualTourist.com have come up with a list of "The World's Top 10 Ugliest Buildings and Monuments." General manager, Giampiero Ambrosi talks about the selections: "Some of these picks have all the charm of a bag of nails while others are just jaw-dropping in their complexity. Love them or hate them, the list is certainly entertaining." Gone But Never Forgotten It’s now over two years since we lost one of our beloved members, Kinga_Freespirit.* Living without her physical presence has been hurtful for so many, but her spirit and love will always be in the thoughts of those who knew her. And to always continue and further her loving spirit, Krystyna, Kinga’s mother, has created a foundation in her honor. Please see the forum posting for more information and discussion on the foundation and how you can become part of the team of “fun-loving” volunteers. Freespirit Foundation. Thank you Kymbanm and Raytor for bringing this to our attention. The Happiest of Life’s Stages What is more thrilling and elating than the birth of a baby? The beginning and happiest stage of life has come to member Museeuw and his wife, Meitje, with the birth of their beautiful son , Xinhao. November 6th was the eventful day and we, at the VirtualTourist headquarters, wish them all a big CONGRATULATIONS! The Saddest of Life’s Stages Nothing affects one’s heart so sadly as the death of a loved one. And member pres_16 is having to endure this pain with the loss recently of her mother. Her friend, monina_c, tells us she “thanks the VT Community for helping her cope with her loss.” Our deepest condolences, Priscilla. OCTOBER 2008 So what’s happening on Friday, October 31st? Jack-o-Lanterns, Costumes, Ghost Tours and Treat-or-treats are some fun and fabulous things that come to mind. But the real hoots and hollers will be heard from the beautiful state of New Mexico where our own Kymbanm will be tying the knot. This is no Trick. Kymba is getting married on Halloween. And we couldn’t be happier for her. Great people deserve great people – Congrats Kymbanm! Help give away $1 million!!! “Our friends at TripAdvisor are donating $1 million to 5 travel-related causes, and they're asking all of us to help them decide where it should go. As passionate and opinionated as we all are about travel, we thought you'd like to share your vote. Voting is easy (I already voted and it only took a minute). And it will make a real difference to the people and communities we visit when we travel. They're not asking you to give anything, just your vote. Vote now or learn more at Causes." SEPTEMBER 2008 Losses in our Community Reporting sadness and grief is always so difficult in the most hurtful of ways; however, caring about and supporting one another is what our community is really all about. In that vain, I sadly report the loss of two of our members and the passing of one of our member’s wife. ~~ Members FruitLover and Mirjana51 sadly notified us of the sudden passing of their dear friend, Mirianamak from Macedonia. Mirjana was very active in VT and was looking forward to the upcoming VirtualTourist World Meet in Israel, having helped FruitLover with the planning. Her death was unexpected and has left a horrible void in the hearts of all those who knew her. Her brother sent a touching letter to her friends which we are sharing below: “Dear Friends, Mirjana was our bridge towards the world, our angel present on all meridians spreading her maxim - Love and Peace for everyone everywhere. She carried in herself a lot of wishes and ideas for a better tomorrow for everyone, but unfortunately she did not succeed to realize all of them. Her heart, in which there was a place for everyone, did not sustain. With immense sorrow and pain about the enormous and irreparable loss, we inform you that Mirjana unexpectedly passed away on 10.09.2008 at 12.30, leaving us the task to continue her path called Love and Peace for everyone everywhere.” Kiril Risteski Mirianamak - Member since May 01, 2005 – May you rest in peace. ~~ Britannia2 lost his wife of 22 years in late August. Because she was wheelchair bound, it has given Colin an extra sensitivity to the needs of the disabled traveler; and therefore, he will continue putting disabled access tips within his pages to help like travelers. As Colin says, “Remember - we are all potential wheelchair users.” ~~ Member Leonpics from Lebbeke, BE recently succumbed to one of present days dreaded diseases, a brain tumor. Our hearts go out to his friends and family. Our condolences go out to all those who knew and loved these beautiful people. First across the Finish Line Yes, The VT Team of Adventurers, ant1606, frankcanfly, JohnSakura, and Laurel914, were first across the finish line. And how was the VT team received? “Our VT Team was the highlight of the entire Caucasian Challenge race. Clown car and sparkling VT team made a real blast of it. We dragged clouds of people everywhere we stopped and the interaction with locals was fantastic all the way! The whole thing was an overall success, " describes ant1606. To read more about the storied journey, go to CaucasianChallengeVT. AUGUST 2008 And They're Off!! ~~The VT Team of Adventurers, ant1606, frankcanfly, JohnSakura, Laurel914, have been on their route of discovery and challenges for several days now. If you have any spottings, be sure to give us a shout out in the Miscellaneous Forum The Caucasian Challenge. And if you get a picture of the team as it passes by, we’ll send you a special VT gift. If you haven't read up on this wild adventure across the Caucasus Mountains, go to CaucasianChallengeVT. It’s an exciting and whacky race starting in Budapest, Hungary on August 30 and concluding September 15 in Yerevan, Armenia. The team representing VirtualTourist will be handing out special picture cards as they meet members, and potential members, along the way. So, if you’re anywhere in the vicinity, please cheer on our group as it crosses eleven countries on its way to the finish line. We hope the new team carries on the tradition set by the victors of the Autorickshaw Challenge of 2008 led by our own General Manager, Giampiero Ambrosi. The Caucasian Challenge and Autorickshaw Challenge is sponsored by the same charitable organization. Charity starts at Home – in the UK ~~Yes, a couple of our charitable UK VT members, Deus_Ultima, from Northwich, Cheshire, and Kierk1, from Portstewart, Northern Ireland, both donate their time as Little League coaches. And now, due to their friendship on VT, are bringing their two teams together for a week of competition in Portstewart. August 5 through the 9th are the dates and will be particularly exciting since this will be the first time out of England for some of these Year 7 through Year 9 Cheshire students. Besides the travel being a life changing experience, the generosity of Kierk1’s team in donating equipment is the really special aspect of this wonderful event. Thanks guys for being such a great example for a your groups of youngsters Another tragedy hits one of our members ~~Death is inevitable; however, when the natural order of life changes its course, it makes the pain even greater. Member 6HARRYJAMESSR recently lost his beloved 31 year old son, Nathan. Nathan who is pictured and honored on his father’s pages, was proud of his Navajo heritage and culture and was adept in the American Indian Pow-wow Fancy Dance. He leaves behind a beautiful 11 year old daughter, Jayden. We’re so sorry for your loss, Harry. Our thoughts are with you and your family. VT JULY 2008 FlyingKiwi has Landed ~~ One of our longtime members (almost eight years now) has recently joined the fabulous ranks of fatherhood. He and his Danish girlfriend have just welcomed their new daughter, Astrid, in Copenhagen where Mark now resides. Yes, it’s true. FlyingKiwi’s wings have been clipped…he’s settled down. And since the Danes have won the label of Happiest People in the World, do you blame him? Congrats, Daddy! Two giants in the Travel World come together in beautiful harmony for the benefit of the travel community – and everyone else in the Universe!!! ~~ We staffers at VT were jumping for joy as we recently welcomed the head honchos of our new business partner, TripAdvisor. The expertise of each site is so complimentary that how could we not be ecstatic with this marriage? We will remain two separate entities in friendly coopertition; but will be benefiting from everything that can enhance, but not take away, from the special qualities of each site. TripAdvisor loves the VT concept and community and wants it to remain essentially the same, except for the fact that we will now be able to implement projects that have been on hold (for a long, long time) in our pipeline. Great things are coming – stay tuned, you won’t be disappointed! For further information be sure to read your email or check out the forum posting Some Good VT News To Share JUNE 2008 Another Angel is Added To Our Community ~~ Cielo_Algaeed shares the excitement of her new addition, “my husband and I, member Leo_70, gladly announce the birth of our little angel, Rania Abdulrahman. She came into this world last June 14, 2008 through normal delivery. She weighs 7.3 pounds and 51cm in length. It was an overwhelming feeling to finally see her after 9 months. Another future vt member :-)" She’s beautiful Cielo and Leo – Congratulations! In case you hadn’t noticed… ~~ Our community is abound with fabulously talented people - not only the obvious, writers and photographers, but also fantastic artists. Member Hotsauce28 gave us an update on one of the best, “member Katmosphere hasn't been online in the past while because she's been quite busy painting. And this is a write up of an award she's won!” We have Kathleen’s beautiful work on display in our VT office. It started as stationary, but was so beautiful we put it on the wall. Congrats Katmosphere – you are unbelievable!!! ~~ Ahhhh – Another Baby Joins our Community Member jenniferchin wanted to share some joy as she reports on a fellow VTer, “Sahlenare and husband Peter, welcomes Oliver, their first boy! Oliver came into the world on 2008-06-05 at 12.02pm ; length 49cm and weight 3370gr. What brings a smile more than BABY news? Congratulations happy parents!!! MAY 2008 New VTer ~~ Well, member Saraheg77 had a great Mother's Day! She and husband, member ATXtraveler, welcomed Anna Elise, their first child on Saturday morning, May 10. Anna was 6lbs, 7oz and 19 inches long and as her parents noted "She will soon be on her way to making her map blue"! Congratulations! “I'm a Grandmother at last” Pattypoo Proclaims! ~~ And in her own words, “Hope you wont mind me sharing my excitement with you but I have just become a Nanny for the first time.. My grandaughter arrived five hours ago weighing in at 8lb 6oz, My son and his partner have given her the pretty name of Ellie May..and I cant wait to welcome her to our world with a hug and a kiss. Congratulations Patricia! Another Progeny of Being a VirtualTourist Member ~~ We all know about the beautiful pictures, the fantastic deals, the stupendous travel tips, and the lifetime relationships; however, sometimes the little stories, which may not affect thousands, but nonetheless, show what special events and meaning that our site imparts everyday on a smaller, more personal level. Check out what Pawtuxet shares: “As many members know, I've been enchanted with Poland as I've been traveling back to find my grandfather's village hidden deep in the southern countryside. He came from a very small town by the name of Kolbuszowa. I have a page for it as well as the smaller community of Cmolas, where the family lived. For several years members have been visiting my pages but seldom does anyone know about this town... even native Poles. Recently I had an email from a woman who said her grandfather was also from this little town and she was so happy to find information and photos of this remote village. We've been in touch and met in person. Turns out we live about 3 or 4 miles from one another in Rhode Island! When we checked the old plat maps of the village in Poland, we find that our grandfathers lived only about 3 farms from one another (c.1900) in that rural little place so far away. I'm astounded...but then, this is Virtual Tourist, isn't it?” Very cool, Janet - thanks for sharing! MARCH 2008 WOW! VT Hits the 1 Million Members Mark – and She’s a Goodie! ~~ Have you met our new celebrity? The one millionth member to join the fabulous VirtualTourist Community is another FANTABULOUS person - namely, member raqs82. Raquel hails from the beautiful Phillipines and says, via her motto, that she’s “proud” to hold the prestigious title. Raqs82 hit the ground running – starting her map, posting pictures and, most importantly, making new friends. Welcome Raquel – congratulations – and keep up the great work! ~~ One of our more Engaging Members has become Engaged “Fun” is meeting and spending time with Kymbanm. And, now, there’s one lucky fellow who gets to enjoy her wit, creativity, and thoughtfulness on a regular basis. Yes, she has a fiancée, and we couldn’t be more excited. Congratulations Kymba! Let the celebrating begin!! FEBRUARY 2008 Rest in peace, Catherinecg ~~ Catherinecg, who on numerous occasions has entertained and comforted VT members as they pass through her home city of Las Vegas has passed away after a valiant fight against cancer. Friend and fellow VT member, Seabiscuit shared the news with us on March 17, "CatherineCG, esteemed Member of VT, has succumbed to Her cancer. She passed quietly at home, and her 2 sons were by her side (along with her Husband, Jay). Jay requests that no cards or flowers be sent, rather, you keep her in your thoughts and prayers (whichever you prefer)." Another tragedy has befallen our Community ~~ Australian member, austarman, sadly reports the tragic loss of his friend and member, Elisabeth_Sumarno. “She passed away very suddenly on Friday the 22nd of February from a blockage in the brain. There was no warning and she had not been sick. A clot or aneurism rendered her unconscious and she never woke up. Her funeral was held Saturday the 23rd of February.” Brian had spent time with Elizabeth in Bali and knew her as a beautiful, warm, caring and funny lady. Love and appreciate everyday. Our Thoughts Are With You ~~ We are so sorry to report the unexpected passing of member eden_teuling’s 38 year-old son on March 7th. Elisabeth has been part of the VT community for eight years and is a deeply valued and admired member. We want her to know that she is very much in our thoughts right now and we know she would appreciate hearing from everyone during this difficult time. A Little Country Hopper has Arrived. ~~ As she hops from country to country, Mique has an adorable new and early addition to her luggage. Baby Xenne, due January 22nd, actually made his grand entrance on January 8. His Mommy exudes that he’s the “cutest baby in the world”. He’s adorable – there is no denying that. Congratulations, Sandra! And thanks ATLC for reporting the exciting news. JANUARY 2008 Question – What is as close as a Traditional Family? The VT family, of course. ~~ Beautiful events wouldn’t be quite as special, if your best “VT pals” weren’t in attendance. But that issue never arose, as bpacker and jenaikes were both present to witness the December 8th marriage of their dear friend, sailor_p, to her handsome groom, Martin. Isn't it terrific when love finds beautiful people? Congratulations! ~~ Another marriage milestone was experienced by engeluna who married Jerry, October 6th, in Liberty, North Carolina. And an added wedding touch was the receipt of the traditional VT postcard greetings from her fellow members. Josianne expresses her gratitude stating, “thank you ever so much for helping to make my wedding postcard project come true!” ~~ After wedding news, logically comes the baby news. And thus - after Sourbugger’s beautiful baby, Alexandria, entered the world, three other members welcomed their bouncing bundles of joy. Jenn_d’s second child, Sarah Elizabeth, arrived in early October, closely follow by two new additions to VT staffers’ families. Strapping boy Magnus, the first child of brewjohnson, arrived October 9th; and beautiful Siona, also child #1 of sooyd, arrived October 18th. What could bring more delight than the birth of a child? And we are delighted!!! ~~ The magnetic pull of quality people is a trademark of VT. And once they arrive here, beautiful things happen. Case in point, Craic recently returned from Bogliasco, Italy after taking up a month's residency at the Liguria Study Centre. As Jennifer reports, “this is all due to VT because I met Utttz from Genoa on here and through him got an invite to the Genoa Poetry Festival. Because of this I had an Italian connection which helped get me six months residency at the Whiting Library Studio in Rome last year and that helped with the Liguria Study Centre fellowship. VT got the ball rolling for me.” The VT connection fulfills and thrills…again!! OCTOBER 2007 Member Volunteers his Expertise ~~ Long time member lmkluque tipped us off to a kind gesture by fellow member John195123. “John, from China, is a professional photographer and has generously offered all VT Members a free course in photography!!" This course is just beginning and can be found at: Lessons Thanks for the heads up, Linda. SourBugger has a Sweet Hugger… ~~ and is besotted with love for his September 17th gift. In only the Sourbugger style can baby number two best be described, “Her name is Alexandria, spelt like the Egyptian city. And just for the record, I've never been there, she was not conceived there, and I don't have it on a 'wish list' to go there. We just like the sound of it!” Query: How can such a Sourbugger produce such beautiful gems? :)) Way to go Mom & Dad! Have you Made it over to the Miscellaneous Forum to “Meet a Member” yet? ~~ To introduce the special people of VirtualTourist, Giampiero, VT General Manager, says, “Every day, I'll be posting a little introduction to an interesting member whom many of you might not know. Hey - and if you're looking around and see someone interesting too, drop me a note, or start a different thread to introduce your own Meet a Member a Day! August 2007 Two more Members add the best kind of Travel Mate – a Spouse ~~ On August 23rd Tamirros became a married man! His friend, Nathalie_B, reports that, “the happy couple has already flown to China for the honeymoon, but those who missed the ceremony in Tel Aviv will be able to re-celebrate with them on their New York wedding on September 25th.” For more information, see Natalie’s and Tamir’s homepage. ~~ Richmond, Kentucky was the happening place Friday, August 31, when Krumlovgirl tied the knot with Patrick, the Englishman she fell in love with while living and studying across the pond. Congratulations to both happy couples, and welcome back Tamirros July 2007 VT is Patting Itself on the Back…Again ~~How could we not? Two more members, Jarrad1 from Perth, Australia, and danyelspips from the Phillipines, met on VT, fell in love, became engaged July 9th, and will soon be marrying and living in Australia. VirtualTourist members are lovable people – there’s no denying it! Big congratulations from VT!!!! VT Members Come in All Shapes and Sizes ~~Agraichen proudly announces the birth of the new member of his family – and it’s a boy, “30 inches and 80 lbs of love”. Scroll down Agraichen's page to see the black beauty and his Mom! The VT Connection – have you felt the power? ~~Working in one office in a travel related business in Germany, three old-time VTers can attest to the power. Sabsi writes, “I got my job in this agency 5 years ago because of my VT connection to Icebear7”. She then shares how Imaniac from The Netherlands, using the same "power of VT", joined them in February as an intern while he finished his studies. His schooling is now complete as he “recently handed in his last paper, earning him his Bachelor degree in European Studies from the Maastricht School of International Communications”. Congratulations Roy/Imaniac…feel the power and let the real work begin!!! June 2007 Holy Matrimony!! One of VirtualTourist’s First Members Ties the Knot ~~And who do you think member Bregman fell in love with and wed? Its fellow member AndieS who he met 2 years ago on VT, of course. Since VirtualTourist has the utmost in quality people on our site, it’s easy to understand when VT friendships turn to love. We are a witness to your loyalty, Gil, and this fine quality will serve you wonderfully in your future life with your beautiful new wife. We wish Gil and Andie a lifetime of happiness and fulfilled travel dreams. VT Mom Has The Right To Be Proud ~~Callavetta had a busy weekend recently, when her two daughters both had graduations – and universities, no less. Further adding icing on the cake, they are both VT members. Lorna, aka lornabug, is heading to Michigan to begin her PhD program, and Jill, aka scienceteacher, is entering the working world. However, before they move on to tackle their life goals, they are enjoying a graduation trip to Paris – after all, they are members of VT. Congrats to the girls and their proud and skillful mom! May 2007 We always get excited when we hear baby news! ~~Member Fergie01 excitedly shares, "We have a beautiful baby girl, Sophia, she was born May 15, 2007 at 5:38pm....we are back home now, and doing well...." Huge congratulations from VT! Congratulations and Best Wishes, Larry and Mark! ~~Best wishes to Larry AKA Littlesam1 and Mark AKA Hikerpark on their upcoming commitment ceremony in Baltimore. It's a whole VT fest. Larry's daughter Danielle, VT member PVHS02, will be taking part in the ceremony. Congratulations and much happiness! Rest In Peace, Cary ~~We sadly announce the passing, after a long illness, of VT member Cary AKA Careyon2002. On her page, Hexepatty shares her best memories and stories about her friend, including an emergency landing ... "Carey and I actually - for a brief moment - shared that if I had crashed, and this was heaven... we could deal with this. Well, my beloved friend & brother, I hope you have all this and more where ever your last journey has taken you." October 31, 2006 The Baby has Arrived We were excited about the pregnancy and we couldn’t be happier with the arrival of a new VT traveler, perfect baby David Bernard Merz. Proud Mother, Jessicadf, shares, “We are so proud and pleased to announce the birth of our baby boy, Davey. He made his appearance at 4pm on 7 October, 2006. Weighing in at 6lbs 6oz and 20 inches long, he is healthy, calm and beautiful... absolutely perfect”. You can see the first family photo on Jessica’s homepage. Job well done Jessica. September 30, 2006 VirtualTourist…The Instrument for Wedded Bliss…Again! ~~ There was no doubt about their love, and in August they became one. Congratulations to Dr.Firas and Piccolina on their marriage. ~~ Earlier we reported the marriage plans of Aaron7 and Gatopardo; now half of those plans are complete. They were married on September 23 in the U.S. The second celebration is planned for November 24 in Zacatecas, Mexico. ~~ Two other VT members who met on VT, recently celebrated their first anniversary, CrtnShdofGrn and ciuchi now living in Kirrberg, Germany are still traveling and still smiling. And a testimonial along with a marriage announcement ~~ Although she didn’t meet her husband on VT, jennwerner testifies to the importance of VirtualTourist in another importanct aspect of a marriage…the Honeymoon! “I got married after two months of being on VT. All the wonderful VT sites and pages on Rome and Venice and all the new friends I have made here made my honeymoon the most amazing trip ever.... Thanks for this kick butt site. I love it. And let’s not forget the Babies! ~~ TropicGirl77 is excited about being a new grandmother. “My new grand daughter Loralie Elaine, arrived on September 1, 2006. She doesn't know this yet, but there are already plans for her travels before she reaches the ripe age of ONE year! Her VT Mommy is Kauionalani. Her VT Uncle is blurryguy and VT Aunty is Dornbrau. There are more VT cousins; it's definitely looking like a family affair!” ~~ Thanks to Jeca011 for reporting good news. She shares, “Our member Prasnjavi got a son on 09.08.2006. The new baby’s name is Vuk (Wolf). Hope one day he will be great VT-er as his father is :)”. August 10, 2006 Further Update -- Make it 1 Engagement, 3 Weddings and a Baby ~~ Well, August 2, 2006 was an extra joyous day at the VT Corp. office. First we celebrated the birthday of our Senior VT programmer, Supun; then we got the surprise announcement that one of our staffers, Vice President of Advertising Sales, Mark, was about to propose to Marketing Director, Erika, via the VirtualTourist website. What a creative and perfect way to propose. Best news is she said YES!!! Marry_me_Erika ~~ Carolondon, aka Carolyn, an Aussie member living in London, became a beautiful, blushing VT bride, as she married Englishman Matt, July 10, on the majestic island of Santorini. Congratulations Carolyn & Matt! ~~ A wonderful member, who has been with us for over 5 years, changed her name as well as her continent as June became a June Bride when she married Englishman, Andrew Pickering on the 22/06/06. Zuriga, along with the pictures in her travelogue, shares, “now I've got a spouse visa and a new job or two to keep busy with in England”. Congratulations June…it was fun finally getting to know you in person at the London Meeting. ~~ Dmirebella, aka Deepa, sends a hearty congratulations to her friend and fellow VTer Sahlenare on her recent marriage to Peter on the 24th June 2006. Deepa and Jenniferchin were first hand witnesses of the wedding serving as Bridesmaids. Three VTers in the wedding…gotta love it!! ~~East and West come together again to make beautiful music in the form of a family. A few weeks ago we read about Borderhopper and his adorable son, now his bestfriend, 34N118W, aka Jason, shares the great news about his new, and second daughter, Emily Mei…” My daughter Emily Mei was born in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on Saturday July 15th at 5:30am. She weighed 2.8 kilos and measured 49cm. I've posted photos in an album on my homepage for everyone to see. I arrived in Vietnam 5 years ago with my best friend James (aka Borderhopper). With just a backpack, a head full of dreams and a vague itinerary, we set out to travel around the world. We never expected the detours! Funny how travel can change your life so much...Thanks for providing such a great forum for fellow travellers!” Well said Jason…and thank you for sharing your wonderful story. July 10, 2006 The Joy of Babies!!! ~~ On 06/06/06, Jeca011, aka Jelena, “became a happy mother of small baby-son, Matija.” Her friend, diocletianvs, who reported the great news, was the first to tease her about the birth date. Congratulations Jelena…job well done! ~~ tracylacie shares her joy…”At 8:15 CT this morning (June 29) I welcomed into the world my first grandbaby! A boy! Dalton Cole 6 lbs 3 oz and 18 1/2 inches long. A full head of black hair! Will post pics soon!” June 28, 2006 Tidbits of Good News ~~ Member UKAmerican, aka Elaine, has gone from Nana to Mama after adopting her beautiful grandson. See Forum posting. ~~ A photograph of member Borderhopper’s young son appears in the June/July issue of National Geographic. James reports, “I took the photo of my son posing under a giant Sequoia tree and at the time I obviously never imagined it would end up in a National Geographic publication.” VTers are overflowing with talent even though its sometimes unintentional. Keep up the great work, James!!! Member lauds Member …and rightly so! Proud Papa, littlesam1, reports on his daughter, member PVHS02, who “graduated May 15 from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia with a degree in Economics” -- proving, once again, that the VirtualTourist community has the smartest people on the web. Congratulations Danielle!! June 10, 2006 The Community is Shocked and Saddened ~~ We are so sad to report the passing of our dear, sweet friend Kinga_Freespirit. Members of the VT staff were lucky to meet her last year at the Verona, Italy meeting. She was a sensitive and truly brave traveler and a pleasure to be around. There was a quiet strength about her that makes it even more shocking that even malaria could have brought her down. We send our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends and admirers. We have the book of her travels in the lobby of the VT offices, and we will keep it there, always, in her honor. Please join the following forum, or a previous forum, to express your sentiments. ~~ The sudden loss of member Purpleshade’s husband has stunned her Western Australia friends and the rest of the VT community. We join the community in offering our heartfelt sympathies to Lesley and hope that the love of this wonderful community brings her strength in this saddest of times. May 15, 2006 Spring = Engagements, Weddings and Babies ~~ Ahhhh…VirtualTourist…again the conduit for a beautiful relationship. Members Aaron7 and Gatopardo are getting married after meeting through VT. Congratulations to the happy couple…your smiles say it all. ~~ VirtualTourist members have many virtues…patience being one of them. Member leebee1 reports that it took 6 years of waiting and 12 months of planning…finally her wish came true with a beautiful Fijian wedding on Saturday, the 22nd of April 2006. Leanne, you were a beautiful bride. Best wishes and much happiness!! ~~ jessicadf shares, “a new world traveler is hatching.” The new little VTer, due October 10th, “will go for its first international travel in July, to Sweden, while it's still safe and warm inside me. It'll just experience lots of herring.:-)” Happy Future Mother’s Day, Jessica. ~~ And more baby news…whilst perusing the pages of VT, I came upon the adorable pictures of jmac75’s precious new little girl. Happy Mother’s Day, Jenn…job well done. March 15, 2006 "Introducing.....” Naturechica, aka Krista, has some wonderful news to share with her VT family…the birth of her beautiful new baby girl, Maya Elizabeth, born February 23. Congratulations to Mom, Dad and Maya! December 5, 2005 In this Corner... Weighing 8 pounds, 12 ounces and at a height of 20 inches long, lays the beautiful, new arrival of VT Member, Cruisingbug, and her husband. Daughter, Kate Serenity, was born November 17 at 7:08 pm. August 7, 2005 Baton East - Alive, Well and in Good Hands The hostess with the mostess, ATLC, recently entertained and cooked for 3 Vters (the carriers of the baton, the great Canadian couple, Waalewiener and LoriPori, and fellow Netherlands? resident ruubje) before passing the stick off to Nathalie_B, where she?ll transport it to its next stop, Israel. For an added touch, the group attached a message and picture. Some questions to ponder are?how long can it go? Has anyone seen Baton West? And most importantly, ATLC when are you going to open a restaurant? Your menu sounded fantastic, and the VT staff would like to make a reservation. ATLC and Baton East...KEEP COOKIN'! July 7, 2005 Attack on the World by way of London Again, our loving VirtualTourist community feels pain in their hearts over the intentional actions of some mentally deranged individuals in London this morning. The VT staff joins the community in sending our sympathy and condolences to the United Kingdom who has gone from highs to the lowest of lows in the blink of an eye. As with the rest of the world, our thoughts are with you. June 30, 2005 Pakistaniguy meets his Goal Umer, aka. Pakstaniguy, became the 'Youngest Pakistani to Visit 50 Sovereign Countries'* when he arrived in Slovenia in a caravan of VT friends on their way home from the European Meeting. Congratulations Umer, and thanks for all the postcards commemorating each step along the way. In VT the institution of MARRIAGE is still going strong as Canada joins China and Belgium ~~VT was again the conduit to love as members ChuckG from Canada and Shun from mainland China met, fell in love, and are tying the knot this month in Montreal before taking off to China to spend the month of July. Then they will be back in California for Chuck to continue his MBA work at Berkeley. Shun will do the same in the near future. ~~~Member Ann75 from Belgium wants to share a great moment in her life as she and her Canadian man bond their true love. ?I am getting married on July 14, 2005 to the love of my life, Michael, in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. It will be an outdoor wedding by a beautiful lake.? Congrats to both couples! May 29, 2005 VT's Littlest Travelers want to get the "Show on the Road" as they make early entrances ~~~Jadedmuse shares her excitement writing, "I just gave birth to our daughter Gabrielle Francesca on May 01, 2005...a few weeks earlier than we anticipated. And though she won't remember any VT meetings, she has in fact already "met" other VT members Martin_S, Sharon, leffe3, and G.Deniz, when I was 4 months pregnant and traveling through Israel with my husband this past December 2004. So that sort of makes her an unofficial VTer....!" ~~~RobDavis reported another birth. "Dorothy, a.k.a soccergrrl and her husband had a new baby girl, Carys Elizabeth." Carys arrived 5 ? weeks early. Welcome little bundles of joy and future travelers. Moms & Dads-jobs well done! Love in a Different Form Compassion and love for one?s fellow man is an ever-present quality in the VT Community. This is perfectly demonstrated by into-thin-air?s recent feat. He writes, ?I have just arrived back from Spain where I walked 1,000k from Sevilla to Santiago de Compostela. This trip was planned with the help of zumodemango (Eva) from Madrid (then we met up in Madrid at the end of the walk) and I was joined by bijo69 (Birgit) from Berlin who walked with me for one week. So a real VT Event. I was doing the walk to raise money for cancer research.? Way to go Rob and friends! You make us proud. April 29, 2005 More VT Love --Inside & Outside ~~~Toward the end of the year, one of VT?s most popular members, richiecdisc, will marry his love, doreende, whom he met as a result of being a member of VirtualTourist. ~~~Ex VT staff member, JBER, found love outside of VT. Jamey will wed his beautiful girlfriend, Elise, at a New Jersey landmark in September. JameyandElise documents their story. Congrats to both couples. April 21, 2005 Another write-up in the Wall Street Journal VT and member kazander got ink Monday, March 21 in the WSJ in an article titled "Notes From Nowhere - Travelers get the real skinny online - from other travelers". It's nice that the world is discovering what we, the community, have known for a long time. The Love Never Stops in VT -- More Members Marrying ~~ Pakistaniguy announces the engagement of his friend xest to wendeth, who he met through VT. Wendeth visited Pakistan where she fell in love with xest, his family, country and culture. They will be married in Lahore, Pakistan on the 17th of September 2005 and will later take up permanent residence in Arkansas, USA. ~~ Brewjohnson and his high school sweetheart, will also be wed in September in the beautiful wine country of California. Read their interview which appeared on the front-page in the Wall Street Journal. ~~ Longtime member, Mignonne, recently tied the knot with her love in a wedding in Singapore. February 21, 2005 Congratulations are in order Our own Worldtrekker was chosen the Grand Prize winner in the PIEA (Photo Imaging Education Association) photography contest. He won in the computer assisted category under College and University. You can view his ?Blue, White and Red? at the following link. Award. Community Project Flyingkiwi has sent a Little Kiwi flying. Read about his ongoing World Tour and the participants who are making it possible. February 14, 2005 Sad news in the community Fudge reported, ?I just learnt two days ago that VTer, Northernarea, Salman has died in a car accident. He died on Sept 11 last year, actually. He was going to get married last December so everyone close to him is very affected. I had met him in August just before heading up north of Pakistan for which he had painstakingly given me tips upon tips on travel distances, timings, places to stay etc.? Our condolences to his family and friends. February 7, 2005 Deadgirl is Alive Girl Sha_stallion, after reading the Asian news last week, realized the girl in the headlines for a Climbing Accident at Kuantan Waterfall was our own VTer, deadgirl, who thankfully is alive and well. Love & Marriage ~ East meets West in the uniting of Don_Wright & Jane84 at their wedding in Taipei on January 21. After the traditional Banquet with her family and friends and celebrating the Chinese New Year, they will be returning to the US on February 10. ~ Luv has befallen Patricialuv who recently received a romantic, public proposal from the (non-VT member) love of her life with both families witnessing the exciting event. The wedding is planned for the Summer or Fall of 2006. Get that fella signed up Patricia...he sounds wonderful! ~ We reported their engagement and now the follow-up?ClarkRB and PA2AKgirl are husband and wife, having been married in New Orleans on December 14, 2004. They would like to thank all the well-wishers. Baby Carriage ~ Aukjejetty announced the birth of her beautiful ?international? baby girl, Pijka, born September 1, 2004 to her Dutch Mother and Chinese Father. She is a budding future star of VT having already been to Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar while her mother was pregnant. ~ Jamiesno is a new Dad. Jonah Hughlett Snook was born November 28th weighing in at 6lbs 12 ounces. ~ Sourbugger not only wrote the 1 millionth tip on VT, he also is the proud father of a son Arann, born on November 25. He thanks the members who sent kind words of support. ~ Umea6 and her husband became proud parents of baby Enej on August 5, 2004. January 1, 2005 The World Weeps We, the staff of VirtualTourist.com, join with our wonderful community in sending our heartfelt sympathy and condolences to those around the world who have been tragically affected by this unimaginable Tsunami Disaster. And to all whose hearts have been touched, we are one with you as well. For those wanting to make a financial donation, a few of the organizations handling this kind of relief are listed below. - Red Cross, unicef, AmeriCares, Oxfam, Network for Good May the thoughts, love, charity and relief bring solace and support to all those in need. November 16, 2004 What the World Needs Now is Love Sweet Love!* Or, what the world needs now is VT. No matter how much the staff of VirtualTourist admonishes that we are not a dating site, love wins out. We announced their engagement, now we can say ?Best Wishes? to Jeremmy and hamouras who met through VT and who were recently married in a traditional Japanese wedding. And it doesn?t stop there. Kazander announced the engagement of two of her favorite VTers! PA2AKgirl and ClarkRB, who also met through VirtualTourist, will be getting married next month in exciting New Orleans. We can?t wait to see the pictures. We would also like to say congrats to VTers who found love outside of VT but ?love? nonetheless. Kazander just got engaged in New York to her boyfriend Lou. Endrem was married in Budapest on August 14. In September percy961 married his girlfriend Mandy in Oahu, Hawaii and is thankful to VT and its members for helping in the planning of their ceremony. August 28, 2004 It may not be June, but LOVE is still in bloom! sha_stallion, who normally shares the good news of others writes, ?Finally, our turn! I married VTer Fazahar in exotic Bombay.? And vigi shares some good news of her friends, ?One more VT couple will tie the knot. Jeremmy and hamouras got engaged and are planning to have their Japanese traditional wedding in October!? We love the love...keep it coming! July 20, 2004 I Do, I Do, I Do, I Did, I am Doing! Love abounds as couples tie the knot. Besides Sim1, which we already reported, two other members entered into matrimony. Tumblingtoast wrote, "I would like to share with you all the joy of my marrying a wonderful woman from The Gambia on 31st May." sha_stallion shared with us that she, along with 2 other VT members, Fazahar and traps, attended the beautiful wedding of JuraidahJ. Congratulations to all the Newlyweds. Your pictures and traditions are beautiful!! Then we have a member who is in the next stage of life. Caddy's baby son Aaron Rhys, born 22nd May 2004, weighing 9lbs, writes, "Okay, so I'm aaaaaaalmost 8 weeks old....now can I join? Mom has already got my passport so I' ready to roll :o) And I promise to wear the regulation sleepsuit everywhere I go! Last but not least, one of our members is doing good deeds. This seems to be a common thread in this wonderful community. Check out how selfless devmicha is. Her page more than illustrates her words that, "I will soon be participating in a fundraiser event for people who are suffering from Cancer. The funds go to Cacer research and patient support. You can read more on my homepage or go to the Canadian Cancer society web page at www.cancer.ca. If you think it is important perhaps you can help me promote cancer awareness within the VT communty. Thank you. Devon." May 26, 2004 VT Gear Is Finally Here OK. You've been asking for it for a LOOOOONG time and now it's finally here. VT GEAR--hats, t-shirts, sweatshirts, womens gear, kids gear, mugs, mousepads, stickers and all the rest. Ever wonder who you're standing next to at the baggage claim, or in the cafe? Next time you're traveling, make sure to wear your VT gear because you just might bump into some VT friends on the road! Grab some gear, and keep your eyes peeled. If you do happen to have a chance encounter with a fellow VT traveler, take a photo and send it to us. We'd love to see it! And also, let's see who comes up with some interesting and innovative photos featuring VT stuff! We're a small staff and just can't handle the ordering, shipping, returns, stocking etc., so we've turned to cafepress.com to handle it all...they're really good, so it make the process efficient and easy. Just click the link for VT Gear on the left hand side in the blue bar. By the way, prices are set by the company who produces them and in order to keep prices low, we add only about 10% and only on some items. April 6, 2004 Oui Oui The Wall Street Journal included Paris, Guyon and VT!!! Yes, today in The Wall?s Personal Journal, insightful Journal reporter, Abigail Pesta, gave travelers some offbeat sightseeing options to pursue if traveling to the City of Lights. But even better?she pointed readers to the most helpful, up-to-date and friendly site on the web --- VT, of course. She also gave one of our resident and expert Parisians, Guyon, some ink which included a quote about La Butte aux Cailles? ?like Montmartre without the tourists.? Good work Guyon, Abigail, and VT. February 16, 2004 Could America?s Cup be next? The winds were not the only prevailing force at the recent Tigullio Winter Sailing Championship, but also all the "hands on deck" (which included our own VT member and seaman extraordinaire utttz) who handled sailing vessel ?bigjim? were a force to reckon with. After hoisting ?bigjim?s? sails, the team sailed triumphantly to victory taking both Category First Place and the Overall Championship. We second the sentiments of pollon's posting who reports with pride about her boss?congrats, compliments, and hip, hip hurray!!!! February 1, 2004 Bam Tragedy ? Members putting their money (and creativity) where their mouth is. Talking about and feeling for others in time of tragedy is a common reaction to the pain. Then there are those who take a more proactive role. Member Ramster (aka Ramey) and his mother (a published poet) have chosen the latter. Besides contributions, Ramey?s mother is donating proceeds from her upcoming poetry book to the victims of the Bam earthquake. Ramey invites all those who are so inclined to read more about their mission of help in the forum Bam Earthquake or on his homepage. Thanks Ramster. Two Batons spotted at sporting event!! A track meet perhaps? No, not this time. Member australia2 (aka Laurie) wrote to give us a Baton update ? not one, but two. It seems Baton_East and Baton_West were last being handled by a couple of tennis fans who simultaneously showed up at the Australian Open Tennis Tournament in Melbourne. Laurie writes, ?Any betting people willing to calculate the odds related to that happening? They will probably be on their way again when the Open winner is crowned. A pity we can't tie a tennis ball to each!? Roger Federer won the tennis, and Baton_East won the photo contest. Come on Baton_West?post some pics. January 30, 2004 Will she still be ?going places?, or will she be staying home? After August, a likely change that Paula (goingplaces) will be making is the addition of some new luggage (in the form of a backpack). GP will be toting some precious cargo?a warm, cuddly, cooing, future VTer. She writes, ?Baby goingplaces is due on my husband's birthday, August 8th, and we're very excited to be first-time parents. My only problem will be dealing with 115 degree El Paso heat while I'm as big as a whale.? Remember Paula, if you do decide to stay in, you can always travel ?virtually?. Congratulations! January 28, 2004 Thanks keti_angel for sharing that your friend and VT member Odissey, (aka Mitia) had a baby girl on January 22, 2004. ?Baby Nika?s picture can be found on my VT homepage. She's a cutie :)?, adds Keti. January 26, 2004 MMMM?....acronymically speaking?.or, Members Model while Meeting in Mexico. pedroebc, jenn_d, flyingpig, Laura_Mexico, and JorgeDichter, as members do daily around the world, gather to share the commonality of their love of travel and of VT. (See the follow-up posting in the Meeting's Calendar.) Meeting. But these members kicked it up a notch by modeling a couple of new items that will soon be offered for sale by VirtualTourist. (Note: Caps & Frisbees) So far, all sample testers have reported back that they love the goods. Watch for information on how to order these, and many others, in the near future. January 12, 2004 Do they know something that you don't know??? We have had an onslaught of new members who have primarily joined VT to take advantage of our auctions. Said one new couple, "we only take auction vacations. The places and deals can not be beat; and VirtualTourist offered one of our favorite spots for the best price yet. This will be our 11th auction trip. And what about some testimony from a veteran member, on returning from her auction get-away, bruingirl was so excited about her package, she couldn't wait to tell about it in the forum - See "VT Auctions are AWESOME!!!!!" We love bringing new and fantastic features to our community...so we're loving the the input and feedback from all the lucky winners --- keep it coming!!!! January 10, 2004 So how long have VT Meetings been taking place? Ye Olde Yorke VTe Meetinge It seems ancestors of members sandysmith, Hayward68, Steventilly, Cheekymarieh and Susantilly had as much fun then as current members do today. January 9, 2004 Congratulations to our newest joined lovebirds who were recently married in the "Bling Bling" Capital of the World! Carnation (AKA Jyan) wrote to share her nuptial experience with the community where it all started: "Initially there were no set plans but on the spur of the moment TedRico (AKA Ted) and myself just took off to Las Vegas for five days and decided to get married. We found a very nice chapel and the service was just perfect for us - then we hit the casinos and had a ball! We were married on Friday 12th December at 3.30pm. We met right here on VirtualTourist, in August of 2001 - became good friends and eventually fell in love. The rest is history! :o)" December 12, 2003 Here's an incredible note from VT Member IIguana (AKA Jorge in Chile) who writes, 'I just wanted to tell you about tini58de (AKA Christine), a German woman that donated bone marrow for a 16 year old polish girl. This is the kind of people we want in this world, and it was great meeting her on her trip to Chile. If you can, I'd appreciate if you leave a comment about her donation on the main page, as we all should be donors on this world to save other people's live. Why take with you what somebody else might need to live? Donate whatever you can and save the lives of others. That's what Christine did, and I'm proud to have met her." That's really amazing, but in a way it doesn't surprise me, seeing how giving VT members are! Well done, Christine! December 5, 2003 Hurray, more budding VT'ers on the way! Our friend, VT member, Feline01 (AKA, Sue) just sent a short note about 2 pending VT births. "VT Member Caddy (AKA Claire) is expecting her 3rd child May 2004 and I am expecting my first two (twins) May 2004 as well. The two of us have been in regular contact comparing our pregnancies and will probably be meeting up in December when Caddy and her mother visit NYC. Both of us post our ultrasound photos on VT to give the new babies exposure to some of the world's greatest travellers." Thanks Sue. Congratulations and best wishes and don't forget to put them all on each other's friends list! November 17, 2003 Impressive news and congratulations for VT Member Fish_Fish(AKA April) "I have participated in a very meaningful charity walk "TrailWalker 2003" in Hong Kong. Our team with 4 members spent 40 hours to complete 100 Km trail and raised USD $6,000 for Oxfam. It took huge determination to continue in the terrible weather and we are amazed that we finished the course. Our team completed it in 40 hours and this is my first attempt. I wish other VT can come to join me or sponsor the event in next year. This is a popular event and many walkers come from overseas to join this event. The Official guest of Trailwalker 2003, Mr. Chris Moon from the UK completed the trial with his teammates in 28 hours only. He was blown up whilst walking through a 'cleared' area and lost both his lower right leg and right arm while clearing mines in Mozambique in 1995 . " Well done April! To see pics from this great achievement, see April's TrailWalker 2003 Travelogue. November 12, 2003 You may have heard about the widely destructive fires that have burned in Southern California recently. One VT member, Cachaseiro (AKA Claus from Denmark) took a break from his epic cycling trip to volunteer and help folks fighting the fires. A great big thanks from all of us here in California. Some of the VT San Diego crew are honoring Claus's volunteer efforts at helping with fighting the devastating San Diego area fires with a VT party being being held in Encinitas, on November 15. November 1, 2003 This should entertain you lovers of the golden brew. Our friend, Danielle, Irisbe writes in with this announcement. "I wanted to congratulate member Brewdog (Leroy) with his Best-of-Show Mead/Cider award at the 20th Annual Dixie Cup Homebrew Competition. I already had the chance to taste some of his great homebrew beers and know he deserves to be awarded! Next I will have to try that best award mead !Congrats Leroy!" And don't be shy about spreading the cheer this way. October 20, 2003 Randall_Burt writes in with long awaited news. "I am finally helping restore The Sea Lion Ship. The Sea Lion is a 16th century replica of a British sailing ship. It has only been around for 19 years but has had a shaky past. It was sold to a group in Buffalo, New York in 1992 and sank in Buffalo in 1999. It was raised from the bottom of Lake Erie and now sits at Barcelona, New York. I enjoy working on the ship and watching people photograph it and listen to Them talking about the ship. I hope to sail on the ship someday." And in other news, congratulations are in order to Sandysmith who has just become an aunt with the birth of her niece Hannah Grace a week ago. Hannah is the daughter of VT member Mickos (Sandy's brother). August 29, 2003 The VirtualTourist Cupid scores once again. Please join us in congratulating Deus_Ultima (AKA Ioan) and NickiE (AKA Nicola) who were recently married at a beautiful bed and breakfast in Killington, VT. The wedding had a medieval theme and the bride wore a bracelet and tiara hand-made by Roz.van (AKA Rosalyn). Congratulations and many happy days! August 27, 2003 In other news, Alain_Smeets encourages everyone to give their best wishes to Suzanne_M (AKA Zuzu) who is recovering from a broken leg. Seems that they were climbing Slieve Donard (850 metres high) with oneonta_ni when Zuzu slipped and broke her leg. Get well soon! July 11, 2003 On another note, our friend Tini58de (Christine) writes to share good news and congratulations for Nepalgoods (Ulrike), 'Ulrike is now on her way to the townhall to get married - plus it's her birthday and has been for 6 1/2 hours now!!!' Wow! What a day! Best wishes from all of us! June 18, 2003 Our friend b1bob (AKA Nat) write with this great news! On June 7, VT member Codrutz married his fiancee Christina in Bucharest. The couple will honeymoon in Turkey. Please join us in wishing them the very best wishes. June 13, 2003 Our friend, Utttz writes to congratulate just one of VT's celebrated authors, Oja(AKA Polona Glavan) from Slovenia. The author's book English Title; 'A Night in Europe' has been selected to participate in the Italian Literary Festival, Festivaletteratura to be held in Mantova, 3-7 of September. I'm sure, there will be an enthusiastic VT/Fan meeting. Keep your eyes peeled. Congratulations, Oja! June 03, 2003 VT Discount Coupon Unleashed! Great news, Irisbe (AKA Danielle) writes to tell us about the first use of a Local Merchant Coupon for a lovely 15% discount at the Hotel Florida in Antwerp, Belgium. (There she is presenting the coupon at the front desk in the picture at left) As you may know, local travel and tourism businesses--like inns, tour operators, restaurants, shops, attractions--can advertise in a special Local Merchants section on VT--for Free. In exchange, they offer substantial discounts to VT users like you. To get a discount, all you have to do is look at a location in which you're interested, spot the discount you want, print the coupon, and present it to the merchant to save money. Danielle writes, "Yesterday, 4th of June, The Macdoggie's turned their VT-Coupon in to obtain reduction at the Hotel Florida in Antwerp! It was no problem." You can have the same discounts too, and small local merchants can get some exposure. Now that's a real win -win situation! Check out the local merchant section. May 17, 2003 Our VT friend, Daarth (David) writes to wish fellow Norwegians a happy National Day. He writes, "A greeting to all Norwegian VT members and wishing a Happy 17th of May on their great National Holliday! Almost all Norwegians will be marching on the streets waving flags :-)." Our best wishes to our friends in Norway. May 13, 2003 Howdy folks, our friend Jim35 writes with the following world record attempt! "Hi all, Just wanted to annouce that we are attempting the shortest VT meeting. It will be held at the Dallas Airport so that we can party with the oh-so-famous Geisha_Girlas she waits for a connecting flight... Total time for the VT meeting will be less than 3 hours (if the planes are on time) on Friday, the 23rd of May from 2pm to 5pm. See the Dallas Forum: http://www.virtualtourist.com/f/p/5106/ for more information." Have fun, guys! April 24, 2003 A few days ago, VT friend, ATLC (Anke-Thea), was asked by Welsh TV to show them around Gouda as part of a show featuring places situated on the 52nd Parallel. Anke-Thea was contacted by the crew when they saw her VT page, and accompanied the crew as they visited a "STROOPWAFELBAKKERIJ" and the STAINED GLASS WINDOWS in the St. John Church. She served as a kind of expert tour guide and secret ambassador for VT. :-) Her Gouda page has all the details and even features her directorial debut! April 21, 2003 VT friend Travelcool (Drew Blanton) has a physical disability which makes it hard for him to get around. Doesn't stop him from being a TV star. At a date in May, Drew makes his TV debut on WATC, a local FAMNNET affiliate in Georgia, USA. They'll be filming Drew as he demonstates a bike for folks with physical disabilities called 'The Rabbit'. Good luck, Drew. And see if you can slip a word for VT in while you're at it :-) April 18, 2003 VT Member, shdw100 (Dave) writes to pass some public congratulations on to tini58de (Christine). "Not only did she recently pass her audiotherapy final exams, but she also received 1st place on Leipzig's weekly geography quiz, AND she successfully donated bone marrow to a young girl named Karolina from Poland suffering from leukemia on Monday, April 14th. Christine is due some well deserved praise for accomplishing so much. If the world had more selfless, kind and thoughtful people like Christine, it would be a better world indeed! Felicitaciones a Christine!!" We agree! April 12, 2003 Well here's a nice piece of news today. Time Magazine has cited VT as one of 3 top travel forum sites in their latest issue. Here's what they had to say, "While printed guides may offer good cultural and historical information, the listings are typically a year old by the time the books hit store shelves. Online forums, in contrast, are buzzing with timely tips from fellow travelers ? many of whom have just returned from a trip or, better still, are logging on from a cybercafe abroad. www.virtualtourist.com This free community site allows users to build their own travel Web pages and dish out advice. The pervasive ads are annoying, but the member pages, many with photos, must-see activities and tips on tourist traps to avoid, are heartfelt and fun." Well done VT members, give yourselves a big pat on the back. April 4, 2003 VT Member Meeting and Party Planner Extraordinaire, Geisha_Girl writes with the latest plan for your audio visual entertainment. "At 9pm Italy time, Jenn_d, Jenn75, Johnny_CA, and Suzanne_M, are supposed to call me whilst standing in front of the web cam in front of their Manarola B & B in the Cinque Terre, Italy. If you're in front of your PC, try logging into the web cam and I'll let them know that the VT 'eyes are upon them !' I'll be telephonically patching in Ivan_Jimenez who is calling from Athens. In the Forum, VT well wishers Utttz and Globetrott are waiting for up-to-the-minute info on this 'virtual VT meeting!'. Right now, things look dark on that webcam, so let's hope we can at least see their shiny pearly whites and maybe even those 'smokin' Blonde highlights' on that chick, Jenn_D!" G_G April 3, 2003 Well it's another VT celebration. Please join us in congratulating Grishav1(Grisha) and Zentrinko (Sasha). The happy couple were married on March 26, in Germany and are currently vacationing. Of course they logged in to write (now that's a VT addict) "We are currently on our marriage trip and should be back online after April 15th regularly. Thanks and best wishes to all!!" March 13, 2003 Hey, VT Member Meeting madness continues. VT Member, Journeyof1 (Yvette)writes in with the following news. "Member Cachaseiro (Claus) and I are attempting to arrange a VT "mini" meeting in Berlin, Germany on April 4-6th. It's rather short notice I know!! But everyone is welcome to attend....email inquiries can be sent to me or Claus or posted on the forum thread about it. We are taking suggestions on where to meet...if anyone has any ideas they are more than welcome to share them! As Claus said, more VT meetings in this area would definitely be welcome." Drop Yvette a note and find out more! March 8, 2003 Women of the World Unite! Today is International Women's Day. According to the United Nations, this official event was first celebrated in 1909 by declaration of the Socialist Party of America as part of a drive to secure Women's right to vote. Now it is celebrated in various manifestations in many countries across the globe. Please join us in expressing our respect, appreciation, and friendship to the women of VT and the world. March 3, 2003 Hey Folks, here's an update on the great VT Baton Race from Jim35. "Hello,The batons have been on the road for a month now and have made much better progress than I'd ever have imagined, thanks to helpful and intrepid VTers. Baton_West has traveled 6,900 mi (11,100 km) from the San Francisco starting point and arrived safely in Hong Kong.Baton_East has covered 6,280 mi (10,160 km) from the same starting point and is now in Munich, which means the batons are almost even in terms of distance covered... a very close race, so far. Thanks to everyone who has helped so far! If you'd like to help, contact Jim." The Baton's cousin M.I.B. has just started its journey from the Netherlands. Watch this space for updates! February 27, 2003 We just got this note from a new VT member, MissKarina, and it just made our day. "I found VT because I put the phrase 'world map' (because I wanted to search and dream) into a search through Google ( I think) and VT came up somewhere in that search. Since then, I have become a VT junkie! This is the most amazing Internet site available and I have recommended it to family and friends. I am NOT a person who has travelled much but the responses I have received from fellow VT members have encouraged me to JUST GO!! The VT community has overwhelmed me with kindness and support - not an expected thing from complete strangers in this world (sadly). I think the VT community is made up of the most awesome people on earth - good, kind people who, like I said in my posting, renew my faith in humanity." -- MissKarina. Well we couldn't have said better ourselves. Thank you VT Members. February 25, 2003 Here's the latest batch of postcards from cheerful batch of VT members., james_thorn, frankcanfly, waalewiener, Sharrie, Darja123, janiana, worldtrekker, cjg1,newyorkerman, nathalie_b, kindberg37, and tamirros. Thanks guys. Keep yours eyes out for the New World Postcard map coming soon! February 23, 2003 VT member Pepples46 writes to congratulate Miksu (otherwise know as Mike and Sue) on the birth of their grandson, baby boy Ben. Parents (and grandparents) are doing fine. Join us in congratulating them! February 19, 2003 Our friend eden_teuling writes to say, 'It would be nice to let all members know that my VT friend PORTEPLUME became the proud grandmother of her first grandchild on the 4th FEBRUARY ! Her daughter Rebecca gave birth to a wonderful little daughter JOS?PHINE. CONGRATULATIONS for JOS?PHINE, REBECCA and PORTEPLUME!' Please join us in wishing them the best. February 14, 2003 Here's a cool idea that Jim35 just came up with. He's made 2 Batons (the kind relay racers use) that will get handed off between VT members until they go around the globe. The Batons are called Baton_East and Baton_West. The Batons were first handed off at the big VT Member Meeting in San Francisco. You can follow the race around the world on the Baton pages. Who knows, you might even be a Baton Carrier one day! February 10, 2003 VT Member Titti would like to extend a gracious welcome to her friend and new VT member, Ramingo, who she just turned on to VT. She writes, 'welcome to VT, Ramingo, congratulations for your graduation, and especially - best wishes for a long, safe and wonderful silk road trip.' Welcome and have fun on the road! February 09, 2003 I'm delighted to say that this kind of thing below seems to be becoming a habit with you VT'ers. Carnation (Jyan) and Tedrico(Ted) write with the following good news. "Hi VT. We would like to announce that since we met online August 11, 2001, our friendship has blossomed into a lasting relationship filled with love and devotion. After having met and spent time together we are delighted to announce our engagement on 5th February, 2003. The wedding date has not yet been decided.--Ted and Jyan" Well I think we're going to have to start including a dedicated 'Weddings' section on VT pretty soon. Congratulations and all the best from your friends at VT! February 6, 2003 Oh Lord! We've just limped back into town from San Francisco. Huge thanks to Geisha_Girl for organizing the San Francisco VT Member 'Party' Meeting against which all 'party' meetings will be measured! In the words of Joseph Conrad, "the horror." Dinner, Dancing, Dim Sum and amazing people. What else do you want out of life? January 29, 2003 Our old pal call_me_rhia (Augusta) from Switzerland writes to welcome her new friend and new VT Member from Syria, dr.firas . Augusta writes, "He's a nice fun Syrian man I met in Aleppo (courtesy of VT member fouads) and had the pleasure to dine with both in Aleppo." That's what I like to see, VT'ers sharing the joy! Let's all welcome our new member. January 27, 2003 And the hits just keep on coming. Long time VT member, Lucyguajardo writes with this great news, "I will get marry with a VT member, we met coz he was planing a trip to Monterrey, Mexico. He lives in USA. I was just his tourist guide, and the rest of the story is not necessary to tell...we fall in love. :-) We met on May 05, 2002. We will get marry on February 8, 2003 in Zacatecas Mexico, one of the cities we traveled to together and we like a lot. The VT Member is Arcious;) Thanks VT!" Well you're in good company with a VT wedding. Congratulations and much happiness from your friends at VT! January 20. 2003 Our friend, VT member Mannymiami writes to say that one of his pictures of Havana , Cuba was chosen by Kodak pictures as picture of the day and will be featured on the Kodak Times Square Big Screen all day on January 30. So if anyone is in Times Square, checkout his picture of the Morro Castle in Havana. It will be up on the Big Screen all day. Congratulations! Too bad you won't be able to send the big screen as a postcard. January 19, 2003 VT Language Helpers. If you'd like to join us but need occasional help reading or writing in English or if even if you just need help translating something from English to another language, you can get help from your fellow members--The VT Language Helpers . January 16, 2003 Well I've always boasted about what a talented bunch of people VT'ers are and here's some more confirmation: Our friend, VT Member, SirRichard (Joaquin) from Spain writes to share the news that his travel diaries have just won a special contest from the Spanish Travel Agency Ambar/Kananga. You can find out more about the contest at http://www.pasaporte3.com/concurso.htm and see all of Joaquin's VT pages, well, you where! January 13, 2003 Our friend ATLC (Anke-Thea) wants to congratulate Nepalgoods (Ulrike) on her new computer job and wish her lots of success. Although, unfortunately, she won't be online as much it's great news. Take it from us, it's not so easy to get a real computer job these days. All the best from your friends at VT! January 10, 2003 Today is also the birthday of a much loved VT member Ersal from Turkey. Ersal passed away last year, but he is fondly remembered here. January 6, 2003 Member Steve-H writes to us with this inside scoop. (Their families don't know yet.) 'I've been a member at VT almost 2 years now and this year I have used this special site for something rather special--planning my wedding. If you ever looked at my site then you will already be familiar with the lovely Steff and next year we will be posting pictures and travelogues from sunny Australia where will be getting hitched in March on Whitehaven beach, one of the world's greatest beaches, situated on Whitsunday island.' Congratulations and keep us posted! Happy VT Day! It's the 3 YEAR ANNIVERSARY of VirtualTourist as the fully realized travel site that it is today. (Previous versions were a lot different). January 3, 2000 was the magic date. So from us to you, thanks for being with us and hope you'll enjoy VT for many years to come---Hey, we'll take any excuse to prolong the holidays a little more! January 2, 2002 In his own inimitable style, VT Member Lochlainn (AKA Marc) writes in with this news. "I've been told in no uncertain terms by certain female members that I should ask your good selves to announce the arrival of a potential VT member in the last few weeks. It seems the kind of news they reckon the whole VT community should share! Anyway, it's a boy and both he and his mom are doing fine can't say the same for the proud father though! Marc (Lochlainn) PS - Anyone available for babysitting?" A hearty congratulations from all of us. If we do babysit, can we raid the fridge of Guiness? On another note. pieter_jan_v (AKA Pieter) writes to say that today he stops being a rookie and turns in to a Veteran. Happy Veteran's Day. You're a man now, son! :-) December 20, 2002 Well, well, well. Looks like there's a new VT member on his/her way. Here's a little note from VT member, shdw100, otherwise known as Dave. "I will be changing my VT pic next year to include a new baby! We are expecting around the end of June. Hope it will be a boy, but as long as it's healthy, that will work! saludos, dave(shdw100)" Congratulations from VT, we'll be thinking about you and the little guy/gal! November 20, 2002 Howdy Folks. Thanksgiving time in the USA, so we're wanting to give spread a little joyfulness, and thankfulness. So here it is: you can now add up to 100 Friends! Go forth and be merry :-) November 19, 2002 At VirtualTourist we have a wall covered with postcards that wonderful members have sent us over the last couple of years. We love getting these postcards from all around the world! Next time, you're out and about or even when you're home, send us a postcard and MAKE OUR DAY! We'll take a picture of the postcard wall and post it when it fills up! VirtualTourist 2899 Agoura Road #228 Westlake Village, CA 91361 USA November 18, 2002 We've been mentioning meetings in this space. Some of them have already taken place recently. Click to see pics from the recent San Diego meeting . November 15, 2002 Wow! More meeting fever. I've seen forum announcments for upcoming Stockholm, Kansas City, Las Vegas and other meetings. If you're in any of those areas, take a peek in the Travel Forum to find out more. In other news, Mannymiami writes to say he's finally together with his other half from distant lands. He'd like to thank his VT friends Pebbles46 , la_beba, dedeckerm, Kunchik, Darkwind and Guantaramera for their friendship and support. November 14, 2002 VT is full of amazing people in many fields. Our San Diego VT member meeting featured a new VT member who was on the British Olympic rowing team in Sydney. Pretty cool huh? Say hi to RowanGBR. In the rarified field of poetry, English member Steve, AKA Raunchypoet writes to tell us he?s on cloud nine for having won first prize in the Speakeasy Poetry competition for his poem 'Photo'. Congratulations. Know some noteworthy folks on VT? Let us know! November 13, 2002 Some good news and some best wishes. Alec (Heplion) writes in from Moscow to announce his wedding to his girlfriend in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in December! Wow! Congratulations and keep us posted on the celebrations! On the get well front, Dutch member, Pieter_j_v writes to inform us that Belgian VT member Rene_Cardoen is recovering from neck surgery and is doing well. Let's send along our best wishes! A final note for all the chat addicts. Carnation has set up her own back up chat for VT'ers who need their fix. Chat with your friends at http://vtchat-backup.iscool.net November 12, 2002 Seems like folks are getting into the spirit of things with the VT Meetings. There's a whole bunch of them coming up: Umer AKA Pakistaniguy is organizing a meeting in Zurich, Switzerland on Saturday, 16th November 2002. There's a meeting in Bangkok coming up in November or December. London in the house on December 2nd. Melbourne, Australia has a meeting coming up on December 6th. Chicago on December 7th. Antwerp, Belgium on December 21 and Madrid, Spain on December 28. And don't forget that Portland, Oregon has a meeting coming up on January 25, 2003. For the whole scoop on upcoming meetings and to see pics from past meetings, check out the VT virtual member, 'Meetings.' Have fun! Have some VT Community News to share with your fellow travelers around the world? Drop us a note at feedback@vtourist.com > Go Back to VirtualTourist Home |
