The Grand Canyon is just two hours outside  of Las Vegas, Nevada. On my last trip to Las Vegas, a friend and I decided to take the fourteen hour daytrip that was offered at the hotel concierge desk. It's a must see and well worth the two-hour bus ride across the dessert. Our South Rim tour, included photo stops at the Hoover Dam and a buffet lunch at Williams Arizona, the gateway to the Grand Canyon park. Prepare to be mesmerized by this awesome wonder.  The rock formations have stairs from the bottom of the canyon up into the heavens, stairs not carved by the hands of man. The colors deep down into the canyon mimic the color splashed against the sky, at sunset. The name says it all, The Grand Canyon.

Las Vegas has held the reputation of being one of the most adult cities in the world, living up to its nickname, Sin City. The glitz, glamor and granduer is real. Millions of dollars each year go into enticing tourist to gamble. There are over the top riskque shows and to make sure that sex and gambling sells, open container laws allow drinkers to walk up and down the strip, with alcohol in hand, making the Las Vegas strip a nightly block party. If that's what you are looking for, its all waiting for you in Las Vegas. But what if you don't gamble and you're not interested in the nudity and other all adult attractions. Is there another side of  Las Vegas? Absolutely yes! The city offers tours that will take you behind the scenes or into the dessert, either way you will find a whole new world of  E rated fun; exciting, enthusiastic, experiences. If you would rather be an on your own explorer,  grab a map and a ticket on the Deuce, the connecting bus along the strip. Pay one fare and jump on and off along the route. Tickets lasts all day or three days, allowing you to chart your own course. Enjoy the opulent shopping, whether you are buying or browsing give yourself enough time to  do it Vegas style. Take in a show, Orlando's own, Wayne Brady  offers a great show at the Venetian Hotel and the new Mr. Vegas, George Wallace is the headliner at The Flamingo Hotel, two fun and classy shows. Las Vegas also offers attractions all over town and some are actually free. Each hotel is a destination and each destination offers up its own brand of entertainment for adults and families alike. Visit the Bellagio Hotel  and see the Fountains at Bellagio, featuring serpentine streams of water projected from 1,000 synchronized fountains, dancing to music. Inside, visit the conservatory, an elaborate display of horticulture and art. At the Circus Circus Hotel, see America's largest indoor amusement park, with more than 20 rides and attractions. Don't forget to venture off the strip into downtown, old Vegas. The Freemont Street Experience, boasts a spectacular light and sound show on the world's largest LED screen, shops, resturants and outdoor entertainment. They aren't missing many meals in Las Vegas either, treat yourself to a Kobe beef slider, a gourmet meal or pace yourself at any one of the city's breakfast, lunch or dinner buffets. It's Vegas baby! But  know your own limits, cause luck's no lady it won't take you long to figure out what stays in Vegas.

One thing that I uniquely enjoy, is a sunset. Whether it is from my balcony at home, or from a cruise ship sailing in the Caribbea. I write poetry about them and I take photographs every chance that I get. Although the ocean provides the best back drop, I've found that the warm reassuring colors splashed across the sky are  just as beautiful no matter where you are when you see it. Why not see America first. As we all look for the most cost effective way to stretch our dollars, consider seeing the sights in your own backyard, right here at home in America. We still live in one of the most picturque countries in the world . While we all can't jump on a ship or on a plane, many of our once in a lifetime views are just a short trip away. 


        Sunset at the Seattle SeaTac airport
                                                                                                                                                             
Taken from inside the terminal
photo credit CaSandra Williams

My firt trip to Europe turned out to be one of the most exciting travel experiences of my life. When thinking about Europe, I know the most immediate thoughts and images are of Paris, London or Italy, but have you thought about Ireland? Yes, that's right Ireland. It's not just about St. Patrick's Day. Ireland is a small island off the western coast of England. It's rich in history, culture and landscape. My Irish Harmony Motor Coach Tour combined all of the comforts of a more expensive tour of Europe, at a great value. Not only is the sightseeing great, but the guides can usually recall spectacular history lessons, telling stories about  the more than one million people who lost their lives due to famine and the history of Celtic wars. Stone monuments in towns and along the countryside, were erected to honor those who lost their lives and those who live on.  Ireland offers some of the most beautiful landscape in the world.  Imagine if you can, dark green yards and  pastures, everywhere. I visited in the month of January, the land was green and flowers were blooming in many places. Ireland has massive stone castles and forts constructed centuries ago for war, now nestled into relaxing, peaceful countryside. I hardly saw a piece of land that didn't have a a flowing  country river stream traveling across it. The progressively modern city of Dublin, offered a look at the bustling city life, culture and it's style. The Guinness Brewery, turned out to be a remarkable tour with incredible 360 degree views of Dublin that could be seen from the top level of the 60 acre brewery. More castles, folk stories, Pubs, (lots and lots of Pubs), and finally,  the Waterford Crystal Factory. Save money for shopping, once you see how the crystal, that is so expensive in America is pain stakingly made, you won't want to leave without your own authentic memory piece. The factory tour ends in the largest showroom of handmade crystal in the world.  After the factory and the beauty of glass, we went on to marvel at more of  the landscape and on to the Blarney Castle. I got talked into kissing the Blarney Stone. Legend has it, that once kissed the stone promises the gift of eloquence . One thing for sure,  the climb up the ancient steps of the castle to the battlements at the top, left me speechless, in more ways than one. Poets, Painters, Writers and Musicians have all tried to convey the beauty of Ireland, from it meadows to mountain ranges. The spirit of the land is wll worth experiencing.

Alaska, it's amazingly different. Alaska has the tallest mountains, the largest area of national parkland, the highest concentration of glaciers and the longest stretch of coastline in all of the United States. Alsaka is a place of magnificence, but it not beyond your reach. Alaska is closer than you think, with direct flights from many major cities in the U.S. Alaska is also a port of call for all of the majore cruise lines. World Village Travel's Alaska voyage was aboard Holland America Cruiseline's The Oosterdam. In 2008, we set sail aboard Princess Cruiseline's Golden Princess. Cruises operate May through September. Hailed as America's last frontier, Alaska is perfect for visitors seeking a more personal connection with nature, culture and wilderness. Whether you have outdoor experience or not, Alaska offers great gold dust ports along the inside passage, beautiful lodges and resorts further north and great excursions and guided tours and don't forget, the freshest tasting  salmon you'll ever find. Go a day or two early, before your cruise out of Seattle and enjoy the sights and sounds of Seattle, it's just plain fun.

I believe that every person, given the opportunity, should see the world. Once you get out there, you will begin to understand the life of a visionary, an explorer, an inventor, and a traveler. The common thread for all of these individuals is the desire to know more. To learn and seek out other ways of doing things and seeing life from new perspectives. The more they seem to learn, the more they want to learn. The benefits of a quality vacation can not be ignored. Vacations improve your physical, emotional and mental health. Spending time away from home with your family is one of the most therapeutic things that you can do towards instilling family values and bonding with them. It done right a vacation can inspire new passion for the job that you need a break from. It can ignite passion in relationships between couples, married and single and create memories for children and elders alike. A quality vacation takes the traveler away from daily responsibilities, stresses, and constant distractions. A TV commerical launched  in the eighties, beckoned, "Calgone, take me away!" Unfortunately the bath that it refered to only last for a little while. A quality vacation can get you through the year and have you and your loved ones looking forward to the next time that you  can spend quality time together. Regardless of the amount of time that you have, it is the set aside or actual investment of time that counts the most. Time spent exclusively, without the cell phones, emails, or deadlines is the most valuable time of your life. Plan ahead for the next long weekend. Rather than working before and during the celebration, then having to clean up after, why not get away with people you care about. Better yet, just get away and spend some time alone. A personal retreat can work wonders towards helping to put your life and leadership into perspective, whether you are leading a corporation or a family. Call a Travel Consultant today and invest in yourself.

I would be the first to say that life is not all about me, but let's face it, don't we all have times when we would just like to think so? Vacations can be inspiring, not only do you get away from it all, you have a golden opportunity to rest, rejuvenate and just have some plain old fashioned fun. On an all girls get away in May, a few of us headed  to  Seattle, Washington,  where we embarked on a seven day Alaska cruise. Because I had cruised with the Princess Cruiseline before, I was invited to join the Captain at a special Welcome Back reception on board ship. There is nothing like being wined and dined, waited on hand and foot, then getting VIP treatment on top of that. The reception was held on the formal night of the cruise and I decided to wear my formal African attire, it happened to be a gold and ivory lace traditional dress with a traditional head wrap. I felt very  much like the queen that I am. The captain stood to greet me all decked out in his formal dress uniform, just for a minute, it felt as though it was all about me. The reception, the Cruise, the entire vacation felt like it was all for me.  I think that was a moment of total relaxation. The night went on to be quite charming, as was the rest of the cruise. A few bumps here and there, but overall awsome sights at sea. It will be recorded as one of my fondest memories, the night the captain met the queen onboard the Golden Princess. 

You must see Alaska, the last real frontier. Spend a few days before your cruise, visiting the sights and sounds of Alaska.

To celebrate the Fourth of July, a few girlfriends and I decided to take a short drive to St. Augustine Florida. It's in our Backyard and one of the most historical places in America. Off we went, a good ole fashion Girls ROAD TRIP!  Ok, not exactly the least expensive thing to do, but at least when you travel with your friends expenses are shared. There are all kinds of places to stay in St. Augustine, from Hostels to Bed and Breakfast Inns, Hotels, Motels and brand Hotel Resorts. Many are  near each other,  within walking distance and they are all expensive or sold out, this time of year, so plan ahead.  It's the celebration of Independance of  America, in America's first city. I guess crowds are to  be expected. We choice The Hampton Inn located in the Historic District. They offer large rooms, hot breakfast and a location close to area attractions. It's good to be central in a new place. We picked up the local guides at the hotel and the calendar of events for the weekend. We could have done a little research, but roadtrips are more adventurous, when you are not exactly sure of what to expect.  We found out that one of the local tours would send a shuttle to the hotel if we wanted to take the tour. We decided to take the SightSeeing Train to get the full lay of the land. They offer a narrated tour, free parking at the station,  and Step on and off service at 22 stops around the city. The complete tour takes about an hour, with plenty of time left to take a closer look at interesting stops. The ticket is also good for 3 days and a round of miniture golf at Bayfront Mini Golf. 

The local Quick Guide offered the most profound look into the valuabe experience offered by St. Augustine.  In the guide,Derek Boyd Hankerson,  an Ambassador for the Gullah/Geechie Cultural Heritage Corridor and the national Underground Railrod network to Freedom Project wrote, " The city of St. Augustine is a haven of heritage, from the earliest days of European contact, with free black sailors aboard Spanish expiditions, to the recruitment of Indian allies, to the acceptance of Minorcan immigrants, and later the establishment of the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, St. Augustine has been a place for small groups to gather in a culture-rich community. St. Agustine represents an American city where freedom is enjoyed by all." 

We found St. Augustine, to be a quient little town, that seemed to dillibertly hold on to it's past, with a relentless, unapoligetic, sense of pride. I got the feeling here that everyone was well aware of there heritage as a town that fought intolerance even if they had to continue to challenge each other in order to stay true to that heritage. We were actually visiting a true American melting pot.  St. Augustine offered history, culture and pride, all in the package it came in, back in 1821, when the Spanish sold Florida to America. In 1883 Henry Flager, (Oil Tycoon) and his money came to the city. Visit St. Augustine and see the restoration of it's colonialized town, feel the village welcome and taste the flavor of the it's past.  For some of the best seafood anywhere, visit Barnacle Bill's on  Castillo Drive. They offer great prices and good food. Long lines are normal, but well worth a little wait. www.barnaclebillsonline.com. To get  that "one love" hippy kind of feeling, stop by Frantiques, home of the  Love Tree Cafe  on Cordova Street. They offer  a great healthy lunch menu of sandwiches, salads and wraps.  The antiques and collectibles are out of this world, it's a real groovy scene. Say hello to the  Frenchman, "Little Gemini",  real good people. There is plenty to do and see in St. Augustine. It.s the Fourth grade fieldtrip for many school districts and I'd say it would be well worth a grown-up weekend too. 

On the Fourth, we had the best vantage point in the city. On the Bayfront, we spent a couple of hours people watching, before we got to enjoy one of the East Coast's largest and most spectacular fireworks show, over the waters of Matanzas Bay. Jazz enthusiat can visit the San Sebastian Winery for great music in the Cellar Uptairs and a great view of the fireworks, although it will cost a little more than the free venue that we enjoyed. By now we all know that the water in the famed Fountain of Youth has no magical properties in it; but, I beleive we can find a spirit of youth and freedom,  in the colony that is still St. Augustine, Florida.  See our pictures at www.worldvillagetravel.com

Birthdays are always special, but there are times when you are not able to spend a lot of money or you don't have the time that you want to get away. There is always a solution for giving a great gift for the ones you love. Do what we recently did. My eldest grandson just turned seventeen years old. It was sort of sentimental to me, so I wanted to capture the moment. I scheduled a family photo shoot. Not just a posed, still life portrait, "still life" is an oxymoron, there is no such thing.  Life is alive, vibrant, playfull and fun. We met our Photographer, Liz at Avalon Park, just at sunset. It was a beautiful location and we had a great time. We played like children, the boys climbed the huge old  trees and, their mom and I laughed and reminisced about how hard it was raising them. We both agreed that this day was well worth all of the hard days. The boys started out a little shy, but our photograher did an excellent job at making everyone feel at comfortable. Pretty soon she was able to capture those moments that were special to us. After a couple of hours, we were off to dinner to continue the laughing, and enjoyment of just being with each other. Quanity is not always what kids want. Quality time together will ultimately make the difference. My grandson will always remember that day and warmth and family support that he has. It was a quality birthday for all of us. Visit Liz, at www.Luminosphotography.com very affordable and family friendly.

Well its sort of your own backyard kind of story, when your backyard is America that is. Our president recently kept his word and took his wife out on the town, to dinner and a broadway show. He promised that he would after the campaign was over. He kept his word. They took in a soccer game with the kids, then flew from Washnington to New York for "Date Night". Just because you can't take a weeks vacation to spend time together, doesn't mean that you should put it off. Date Night is a golden opportunity to remind that someone special, that they are special. We may not have the responsibilities of a President or the visibility for that matter, but our little lives carry big weight with the people that we do it all for. Dinner and a movie, miniture golf, picnic in the park, a long slow walk eating an ice cream cone, whatever you choose, don't stop doing it.  No matter what the economy does over the next few years, life will go on and eventually for all of us it will end. I will not waste a day on worry about next year. Find those things that make you smile and take a break doing them, in Your own Backyard. Alright guys, those who can afford to make it happen,  feel free to take a few pointers from your President.  That's so romantic.