Travelers Thoughts

Since most women love to travel and we ALL occasionally need to get away, why not start planning a fun girls’ getaway with a couple of your friends or family. There doesn’t need to be a special occasion for a fun trip with ‘the girls’. No occasion at all can be the best reason to celebrate and take a little breather. It may just include a long weekend or three or four days, and needs to be relaxing and/or exciting, but definitely guilt-free.

This kind of small, female group travel is one of the hottest trends today and most resorts and hotels across the country are aware of it. You can find package deals almost everywhere, almost any time of the year. Promotional packages can include spa treatments of every kind, chocolates and champagne or gourmet dinners, tickets to the theater or other special events. They can include cooking lessons, dancing lessons, horseback riding or rock climbing — it will all depend on when and where you decide to go and with whom.

One drawback of the pre-planned getaway package is that the perks of the package have to appeal to all the women in your group. If they don’t, then the price of the package will not be worth it. You should be careful when you choose a promotional deal because sometimes the price of an all-inclusive package is just not worth the sum of its parts. You may have much better luck planning your time away by purchasing a la carte items to entertain yourselves.

While in those fun planning stages, the girlfriends can determine if they want to get away to be pampered or go hiking, be in the sun by the pool or go snow skiing, or just try something they have never tried before. (I’m always for being pampered and relaxing because I‘m practically an expert at it.)

Once your interests and activities have been narrowed down and your destination chosen, research some of the points of interest in the area. Contact the local chamber of commerce or visitors’ bureau. Check to see if there are any specials or discounts available at the hotels or resorts that look interesting in the area.

Pull in all those discount offers you can. Are you senior citizens? Does someone in your group have frequent flyer miles to share? Are any of you AAA members? All the breaks you can get in prices can be spent elsewhere on your trip (or not spent at all).

If you can plan six or nine months ahead (or more), you can all start saving towards the big event. Every pay period, each of you can set aside a certain amount. You may want to consider putting it all into an interest-bearing account. If you plan the financial end of it ahead of time, none of you will feel the squeeze when it comes down to booking the event(s) and coming up with the deposit money.

Whatever you do, where ever you go, allow yourselves enough time in your schedule to regroup and reconnect and enjoy those relationships. And remember, you are not abandoning your loved ones and your responsibilities. You are taking a well-deserved mental health break. You are not only entitled to some “Me” time, you owe it to yourselves (and your families) to leave the stress behind for just a little while. You will emerge a better mom or wife or sister or girlfriend for it. Have fun! Wish I were going.

Leave the mouthwash at home. Pack your most comfortable clothes and shoes, bring along your appetite and sense of fun, and DO NOT miss the Gilroy Garlic Festival next year.

Gilroy, in southern Santa Clara County, California is, of course, the location for the famous Gilroy Garlic Festival, an annual event that has transformed this little town into the Garlic Capital of the World. Millions and millions and millions of pounds of garlic are produced every year in this lovely farming area. Though garlic is not the only thing grown in Gilroy, it really put Gilroy on the map — so to speak. (Among many other varieties of produce, Gilroy produces a considerable amount of mushrooms too, another favorite of mine.)

Each year, since 1979, the garlic festival has been held and has been a fundraiser for local charities. Individual groups and charities also run booths at the festival, raising additional funds for their causes. Held the last full weekend in July (the last Friday, Saturday and Sunday), it is one of the largest food festivals held in the United States and considered by most to be the best garlic festival in the world.

Like most festivals, there is always something for everyone in the family — from food to entertainment to shopping. For the children, there is a world of fun activities waiting, including rides, face painting, bouncy houses, games, magic, arts and crafts. For the rest of the crowd, there is garlic inspired food of every imaginable kind. Yes, it is true there is even garlic ice cream. There are garlic recipe contests and cook-offs, celebrity cooking demonstrations, live entertainment, arts and crafts and so much, much more, even appearances by Miss Gilroy Garlic and her court. One of the highlights are the fun promotional products that the booths give out, love collecting that garlic swag! Even if you are not a fellow lover of this pungent bulb, there is plenty of food and fun for you too.

Um, now about that garlic ice cream, I am told the samples are free and free is for me; however, the basil and garlic stuffed sea scallops wrapped in prosciutto and served with a citrus beurre blanc sauce (one of the 2008 recipe/cook-off winners) has me absolutely drooling.

Garlic, in all its gastronomic glory, is also very good for you and has been used medicinally for thousands of years. It is claimed to help prevent heart disease, including atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and cancer. Now if I can get help fighting off all those things with a few bowls of Garlic Seafood Soup, count me in.

Now if all this information has not convinced you to put this festival on your “bucket list”, then consider the following:

Garlic is known to repel mosquitoes and ticks. They despise or are overwhelmed by the scent of garlic and exposure to a high level of the toxins found in garlic can be deadly to them. So if garlic keeps away the mosquitoes and ticks, it goes without saying that it would make a suitable repellant against those other frightening, blood-sucking creatures of the night — VAMPIRES!

So go to the Gilroy Garlic Festival, stock up on lots and lots of garlic, and you can take it with you on your next trip to Transylvania. Oh, be sure to tell Vlad I spoke well of him.

If you have not visited southern Italy, especially on the Adriatic coast, then Puglia could be the trip for you. A vacation spent in “trulli” accommodations will ‘truly’ be an experience like none other.

These gleaming whitewashed houses are the most curious looking rounded structures I have ever seen. They are built of stone (whitewashed yearly), with gray stone, cone-shaped roofs. If you see trulli from a reasonable distance, they may look like stone tents scattered across the countryside. In villages where there is a heavy concentration of trulli houses, you might swear it is some kind of mythical fairytale land and expect to find gnomes busily scurrying about hoarding their treasures.

Though the origin of these oddly shaped stone structures may not ’truly’ be known, it is said to have taken place thousands of years ago in the Middle Ages. At this time, anyone who built a dwelling on the king’s land was taxed so heavily that none could afford it. In order to avoid the unfair taxes, these early tax evaders built the teepee shaped structures of dry, un-mortared stones. Upon learning of any upcoming visit from the tax collector, the structures were dismantled and scattered. After the tax man had gone, the dwellings were rapidly re-erected and life continued.

To my knowledge, Puglia is the only place in the world where these trulli houses exist. Today, however, they are permanent structures, fortified with stucco. The cone shape usually still comprises the common area, with the interiors usually being sparsely decorated. With the exception of the bathroom door, the other rooms (bedrooms) are separated by colorful and interesting curtains (though this may not be true of trulli rental apartments or villas).

The climate in Puglia is fairly warm with its summer lasting from Easter until October. In addition to these amazing housing structures, the beauty of the Adriatic coast is unparalleled. The crystal clear turquoise waters are accessible for swimming as well as fishing and other water sports, and uncrowded beaches for sunning can be also found all along this stretch of the coastline, making Puglia a perfect destination for summer travel.

In the whole of Puglia, accommodations range from modest trulli rentals to trulli villas complete with pool, to a bed and breakfast arrangement or five-star hotel. You can choose to stay in the hillside towns or the seaside villages and the entire area is considered a true bargain compared to the rest of Italy. The people of this region are known for their always pleasant and welcoming spirit and their incredible generosity. In spite of its rustic simplicity, Puglia has something to offer every travel budget — from the lowest to the highest — with the most humble to the most luxurious accommodations.

Consider some vacation time in this region of Italy that is still relatively unknown to the tourist trade. Get off the beaten path of tourist-trodden Venice and Rome and give Puglia a try. The largest producer of olive oil in all of Italy (and before long destined to become a mecca for tourists), Puglia promises to not disappoint you. Benvenuto! A presto!

Ahhh, the lovely Irish countryside of County Mayo, the breathtaking views of the Atlantic, the beautiful and serene Stella Maris Country House Hotel and Restaurant, and a memorable Ballycastle pub crawl! What could be better — of course, I failed to mention the renowned Stella Maris breakfasts and dinners that they are talking about all over Ireland and elsewhere. Just thinking of it all makes me imagine with an Irish lilt to my thoughts.

So here is what I know personally. In the mid-1800s, the property was used as a Coast Guard station while the British ruled Ireland. Then in 1914, it became a convent for the Sisters of Mercy who taught primary school for the village of Ballycastle and later lace making and music. In 1960s, a new school was built in the village of Ballycastle and the property subsequently was sold the Whelan family who then operated it as a small, family-run hotel for many, many years.

When the branch of the Whelans who had continued to run the hotel decided to sell it, fate intervened. The lovely Frances Kelly, who had lived in Ballycastle as a young girl and had worked at Stella Maris alongside her sisters after it had become a hotel, returned to Ireland for another visit after having pursued her education in culinary arts in the United States. When Frances learned that the property was up for sale, she and her husband, Terrence McSweeney, purchased the property, and began renovations on this unique property to the point that it is today — a beautiful and luxurious environment for a choice clientele who could appreciate the tranquility that West Mayo has to offer.

Today, Stella Maris is a member of Ireland’s Blue Book of Country Houses and Restaurants, as well as Historic Hotels of Europe. It also has been named one of Ireland’s Top 100 Restaurants, with it‘s many home-grown vegetables and herbs and local fishes and lamb, and, of course, Frances overseeing every detail of the modern Irish dinner specialties.

Situated very close (40-minute drive) to both the Enniscrone and the Carne/Belmullet golf courses, two of the finest links in all of Ireland, this meticulously restored structure provides the perfect lodgings for the golf enthusiast. With its 100-foot glassed conservatory, the views of Bunatrahir Bay will comfort and delight you. There is both fresh and salt water fishing, bird watching, hiking and biking all available in this area, as well as strolls to the famous Downpatrick Head. One version of the story of Downpatrick Head is that it is where St. Patrick cut off the head of a giant serpent, dividing the Head from the mainland and driving all snakes from Ireland.

And now I am there, if only in my imagination, and I swear I can almost feel the wind on my face and the sound of the birds and crashing waves. Is it my imagination, but as I look out upon that vast Atlantic, do I almost see the roundish curvature of the earth…?

Now, as for Sundays, as far as I can tell, the hotel and other rentals definitely begin reducing their prices a ‘little bit‘. Depending on your desired location and the hotel or whatever accommodations you have chosen, that ‘little bit’ can be equal to anything from a dinner out to a gallon of gas. As a matter of fact, recently when I was checking prices to stay in Savannah in the near future, some hotels were even offering gas cards in amounts of anywhere from $25 to $50 depending on your length of stay — and that was for either a two-night stay or a three-night stay. Now that’s incentive enough for me to go. How can you beat it? I believe with gas prices being what they are right now, incentive gas cards are a common practice in quite a few places across the nation.

I think also, the business travelers are frequent Sunday through Thursday travelers and many hotels are reasonably quiet during those days. The kids are most likely in school, the moms and dads and everyone else is working, so you can enjoy some adult time around the pool, if that interests you or in the jacuzzi. No need to be an old meany and chase the children out of the adult areas or quietly mention it to the hotel managers.

Yep. Business travelers and retirees. Good rates. And now that I am a retiree and living on a limited budget, my few travel excursions will definitely have to be planned when I can get the best deals. Although there are also discounts offered to senior citizens in many hotels, be sure you cross-check the rates with other discount opportunities. You might just find that your AAA membership card will get you the same rate, if not better.

In addition to finding good deals during the Sunday through Thursday travel times, you are going to find that the museums and botanical gardens and day tours and things like that are less crowded. The lines will be shorter wherever you go, the restaurants won’t be quite as crowded (and neither will the bathrooms). The guided sight-seeing tours might even seem to be a little more informative if you can actually hear the narrator.

Avoiding the traffic can be another plus if you are driving to your destination during the weekdays. If you live in a large city, there is no doubt that at some time you have witnessed the interstates crammed with cars because people are trying to get out of the city for the weekend every Friday. Conversely, returning to the city on Sunday afternoons, you are going to be sitting at a dead stop for long, long stretches of the interstate as everyone tries to return home again for that Monday work day. It is even worse on holiday weekends.

Since my work week has been reduced to part-time and occasional work, I am free to travel whenever and wherever I can afford to go. And since nothing makes me happier or more excited than visiting a new place and experiencing all that it has to offer, I will definitely be doing a lot more of that in the upcoming future while taking advantage of every little bargain I can find along the way.

You must plan these things according to rates and availability, of course, but no matter how inexpensive it is, you probably won’t choose to vacation there in the cold winter months when the outdoor sights and activities are not very accessible. Now spring would be great as well as summer, I believe. The gray whales and the humpback whales are in the area at that time for your viewing pleasure. (The seals and orcas are there year-round I am told.)

I know there are many lodging alternatives to The Wickaninnish Inn, but since some friends stayed there last spring, I have not been able to get it out of my mind. It is a lovely small hotel sitting out atop huge rock formations that jut out into that wild Pacific coast. The beach stretches out for miles and miles. The ancient lush, green forest surrounds the beach. Most of the rooms have incredible views. The restaurant is one of the finest in the country and the spa on the premises pays attention to every detail designed to make it an extraordinary experience for you. Their website alone gives you a little peek into paradise. (www.wickinn.com)

The most difficult thing for me personally, will be getting there. I happen to live at just about the most extreme opposite corner of North America — in central Florida — and I must get drugged up to travel by air. So it will be a flight into either Seattle or Vancouver, then most likely a car rental for the remainder of the trip. Although, there are now flights available from Seattle or Vancouver directly to Tofino, the small town just a short distance from the Inn. Either way, the hours involved in the journey will be more than worth it.

Tofino itself is quite quaint (must remember those words for Scrabble next time) and offers sight seeing excursions by air and by sea. There you will also find restaurants and shops to investigate for that one special souvenir or piece of art and such friendly people. Also, always close to my heart is really good food and I understand you can dine on some of the finest, freshest fruits of the sea that the Great God of Gourmet could ever hope to have available.

So my trip is still in the planning stages, but I can hardly stand it. I know how to pack light and how to pack in layers. I know to plan ahead for all the details of leaving my dog and my house for a period of time. I’ve learned how to psyche myself up for air travel. I know to book my spa appointment way ahead of time and I‘ve started my checklist already. If you can think of any little thing I might possibly overlook, keep me advised. Goodness knows, this will be a trip to remember, but I guess that’s what traveling for pleasure is all about — the memories.

As a senior citizen, I rather like that someone takes care of everything for me, but I was not sure I wanted to have to eat where ‘the group’ eats or sleep where ‘the group’ sleeps for six to eight days at a time. And honestly, six to eight days traveling with ‘the group’ was not exactly my style. My fear was that it might make me begin to feel like I was being held captive with a bunch of strangers. I guess if you haven’t tried it you won’t know if you would like it. So I tried it. And I liked it.

Last year, I made the commitment, plunked down my money and vowed that if it became too uncomfortable for me to handle, I would just leave that group bus tour, rent a car or hop a plane and find my own way home. What a delightful surprise awaited me.

From my hometown in central Florida, we climbed aboard the big blue bus (herein referred to as Big Blue) and away we went. The seating was very comfortable and there was a bathroom (very, very small though) on Big Blue the Bus. The windows were large and all aboard could see very well.

Our first stop was just across the Florida/Georgia state line where we had lunch at one of the southern cooking restaurant chains (not bad), stretched our legs, and had a short period of time to look around the gift shop before we re-boarded Big Blue for our next stop just south of Atlanta at a reputable hotel for our first night on the road. Now, I don’t know if you have ever noticed this or not, but once you have dined with strangers, they are no longer strangers. So as we traveled on, we all began to feel like we knew each other just a little better.

Well, our first overnight stay at the mid-priced, but very clean and reputable hotel was uneventful. We all had dinner together, breakfast together and continued on our way. We made another stop or two along the way for meals and breaks and finally reached our destination, Asheville, North Carolina. The tour was a great success thus far. The changing of the colors in the landscape was fascinating. The countryside was gorgeous — everything I though it would be and then some.

Asheville, with all of its views and vistas was the best of all. Once we reached there, though still staying in the same hotel (a little rustic cabin theme this time), we were all free to do as we wished or we had the option to join in on a little sight seeing and history tour of the local area. Since we had two nights in Asheville, I chose to strike out on my own for one of the days and take the guided Biltmore tour on the following day.

That decision turned out to be a wise one for me. I was able to dine and shop as I pleased and I actually met and spent some time with some of the artisans in some of the charming little shops. The Biltmore tour with the group the next day was pleasant, but once again I chose to dine separately from the group and head for bed early at the quaint little cabin hotel room.

On the return trip home, again the vistas were lovely but by this time, some members of the group had begun to become a little disgruntled with some of the other members of the group. Barbara’s husband was the worst, but I guess there always has to be “one“. When traveling with a group, never, ever bring up the subject of religion or politics, unless you are quite sure everyone feels exactly like you do. But being “one” of those that assumed his way was the only way, Big John just wound up annoying the hell out of everyone all the way home.

The last night the tour surprised us with the dinner. Instead of a regular dinner, they booked a murder mystery dinner for us. This proved to be a wonderful and needed surprise. We were a little tired, and needed a different sort of event. The murder mystery troupe that performed for us brought in local history to the mystery, and involved many of us in the plot. It was loads of fun!

Would I take another escorted group tour again? Definitely yes, but…not if Barbara and John were going.

One of the best ways to get away and still maintain a reasonable travel budget is often one of those all-inclusive trips. If you are patient and spend some time online, you can find deals that offer airfare and hotel rooms as well as your food and drinks. They don’t require a travel agent and you can book them yourself. The drawback to an all-inclusive vacation is that since everything is provided for you, you may not partake in many of the sights and sounds of the location. You may not do much more than just relax at the hotel. But a really good vacation does not mean you have to take in every single thing the area has to offer. Sometimes what you need the most is the rest and relaxation that you most likely will not get if you just stay home for your vacation.

Cruises are a great example of all-inclusive travel. They also are one price. Food, lodging and entertainment are all a part of the package. Some of the best parenting advice I have received was to take a cruise, it is perfect for kids. Make up your mind to cut down on the souvenirs for all of your family and friends when you reach the various ports, and a cruise will get you out of the house and take you to destinations that would be difficult to reach in any other way. You get to choose the length of time you want to be away. You get to choose from a variety of destination stops. You get to choose how active or inactive you feel like being. You also can book your cruise online. No travel agent necessary.

Now you need to remember that travel agents are in the business to know about the flights and hotels and sights and restaurants. They can be an incredible help with just basic information about the area. Most travel agents travel often. They usually know about the best deals available whether it is the best airfare or the best hotel rates. They can advise you if your vacation destination is a family friendly destination or probably more of a singles destination with singles activities available. If you don’t know exactly where you would like to go but you have a definite dollar amount that you want to spend, travel agents can suggest something that may just fit your budget and it may be some place that you would never have thought of.

If you have the flexibility to travel on the spur of the moment, airlines and hotels have some great last minute deals available. You never know when they are dealing with cancellations that could result in the perfect travel experience for you. The flight alone may be so inexpensive that you can afford a much more luxurious hotel or possibly take advantage of some particular sight-seeing adventure that you wouldn’t otherwise splurge on.

Even if your travel budget limits you to packing up the car and driving to your getaway, that in itself can be a vacation to remember. You could just fill up the tank and see how far it takes you, though I would not advise that during a holiday. You can stop along the way and buy some of the local wines or produce from the area. Stick to the hotel chains you recognize and that pride themselves on quality guest services if you have not made reservations for this trip. After traveling for hours in a car, you will definitely want to land in a place that has good beds and pillows and a place where you can get the rest you need to continue your trip.

In whatever manner is most appropriate for you, do take that vacation. Travel by boat or plane or automobile, but do yourself a favor — get out there and travel.