Life is short, so why not take a plunge into a volcano “Joe versus the Volcano” style, if possible, right? Well… we don’t want to instantly burn up in a second, and we definitely don’t want to venture into a journey of with no return. The good news is that the “Inside the Volcano” day tour is a real-life “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” as you do descend 120 meters via a cable lift into the magma chamber of the Icelandic volcano called Thrihnukagigur (“Three Peaks Crater”). From the bottom of the magma chamber, you’ll be able to marvel at the colorfully textured lava-rock walls. How cool is that?!?
Celebration Staycation – Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa
Our favorite man in the house was celebrating his 45th birthday last month and since the kids’ school starts around his birthday; we made it almost a family tradition to have a “celebration staycation.” Our family loves to explore and we are happiest when we are discovering new places and things; meeting new friends and celebrating the small moments in life. So, this year to celebrate his birthday we had the great idea of having a staycation at the one of the most luxurious family resorts in Texas.
Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa – just about 3.5 hours drive from our home in Plano, TX – is famous for its great amenities and the Texas Hill Country setting. It offers tons of activities for the whole family, most especially for the kids, however, you can also just relax and soak in the beautiful nature if that’s your thing.
F1 Monaco Grand Prix Voyage with Azamara
Being at the Monaco Grand Prix has been on my bucket list since I started watching Formula 1, way back 2003. Aside from the sport, I’ve been wanting to see the beauty of Monte Carlo. My husband and I have been in and out Europe but hadn’t got the chance to visit Monaco and the French Riviera until last year. We just passed our 10th Wedding anniversary so we decided to do a couple’s trip – we haven’t done one since we had our first kid. We were lucky in that my in-laws were kind enough to fly in from South Africa to hang out and spend time with the kids. I know… they are the best!!! We went away for 2 weeks, kinda too long but we were so at peace knowing that the kids are in good hands and thanks to advance technology, we got to Skype with them everytime we got WIFI signal. We are beyond thankful.
You know the famous saying of Mark Twain, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Fortunately, I made my passion for travel into something that I can do for a living. I started my home-based travel agency last year and one of “the perks of the job” was to go onboard an Azamara Cruise for free… a choice of any destination I wanted. Pretty neat huh?!? So many options but one stuck out of the catalog was the 5 day F1 Monaco Grand Prix Voyage.
Photo credit by Azamara Cruises
The Beautiful Gaylord Opryland
For this year’s Thanksgiving, my family decided to take our longest road trip yet. Our itinerary was from Dallas to Memphis and Nashville in Tennessee and onward to Bentonville in Arkansas before heading back home to Dallas. It was definitely an amazing trip – educational, fun and an unforgettable one. Lots to talk about from this trip but allow me to first share with you our stay at the famous Gaylord Opryland Resort.
I have learned that it is one of the largest hotels in the world and the largest non-casino hotel in the United States. However, it wasn’t just HUGE but also a really beautiful resort. We stayed for 4 nights to give time for my kids and my mom (their first time in Nashville) to explore this huge resort and surrounding areas; we thought it would need a few days of exploring and how right we were.
This hotel is not just a place to stay, it is itself a destination and an experience unto itself.
There were many things that WOWed us which made our stay so special and unforgettable; here are a few of them: Read More
What to expect when you go on a Disney Cruise
I seriously didn’t know what to expect on a Disney cruise or on any cruise per say since it was our very first time. Despite all the reviews I had read and my friends had said; I still was not sure what to expect. All I knew was that we wanted to experience cruising and we were 100% sure that the kids would love everything and anything Disney.
You see, my husband and I are more like Venturer type of travelers so cruising to us was the least appealing travel option. However, many friends mentioned they love cruising and since I was starting my career in the travel industry, I thought we should try it out.
Here we go!!! We sailed with Disney Magic and here are some of the things you can expect on a Disney cruise.
A romantic Spell – Chateau de Saint Martin
If you’re traveling to Southern France; the Cotes de Provence region is a must visit and best explored by car. It is the largest appellation of the Provence wine region. It covers thousands of acres of vineyards, which produce the vast majority of Provence’s Rosé wine. I love drinking Rosé so I thought a wine tasting trip to the region was simply perfect.
We were staying at Nice for few days, and apparently, there are a lot of options for wine tasting nearby; we decided to take a scenic drive out to see Chateau de Saint Martin. With its strong historical past, rich architectural heritage, oh! and award winning wines; there was no way we could skip this wine estate.
As we arrived in this place, we instantly fall in love. Perfect place to spend a quiet time with my Sweetie. It was during the week and we lucked out in that we were the only people around. It was pure bliss!