Space Goddess

Explore South Africa with these private tours and exclusive extras

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:39:08 +0000

Contact me to book your trip today!
Barbara King
Great Getaways Travel
913-338-2244
barbara@greatgetaways.travel

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Nurture your inner explorer!

Ever wanted to see South Africa's most awe-inspiring attractions close and personal? Now, here's your chance. We've partnered with world-class tour companies to bring the best of the region right to you. From private safaris and extraordinary local cuisine to stunning scenery and vibrant culture, you'll go behind the scenes in spectacular cities such as Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. And with our valuable connections, guidance and exclusive extras, you'll have the unique opportunity to explore South Africa as an insider.

Virtuoso fares from $7,295 per person >>

With private tour guides, personalized itineraries and ultra-luxurious accommodations, you'll experience all of South Africa in comfort and elegance.

View Offer Details >>

Ask the advisors at Great Getaways Travel

Fares, schedules, Virtuoso exclusives, events and amenities are subject to availability and blackout dates and may change without notice. Unless otherwise stated, prices are in U.S. dollars, per person and based on double occupancy. Restrictions may apply. Virtuoso is not responsible for errors in pricing. The trademarks VIRTUOSO, the Globe Swirl Logo, RETURN ON LIFE and SPECIALISTS IN THE ART OF TRAVEL are registered trademarks of Virtuoso, Ltd. All rights reserved. CST#2069091-40 350061 3/10

Posted via email from Travelingking

Too Geeky or Very Cool? You decide

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:52:32 +0000

Some researchers at the University of Michigan used data from NASA's Advanced Composition Explorer satellite to create a musical composition of what solar wind would sound like. For those of you who plan to bake in the sun over Spring Break, add this to your iPod's tunes. For those interested in Space exploration, you'll enjoy how research into solar winds might help forecast weather here on Earth.

Oh, did I just mention Space??? Have you contacted me yet to reserve a seat aboard Virgin Galactic's suborbital consumer space flights yet? Email barbara@greatgetaway.com and let's get your seat picked out today!

Posted via email from Travelingking

A to Z of the greatest journeys on Earth – News & Advice, Travel – The Independent

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:46:36 +0000

via independent.co.uk

Stroll through the alphabet of places to see in this entertaining article!
http://bit.ly/AtoZtravel

Posted via web from Travelingking

Exclusive Savings on Last Minute Travel

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:13:10 +0000


	Great Getaways Travel 913-338-2244 barbara@greatgetaways.travel

Greetings from Barbara King —

Our world is only as big as we wish it to be. Make 2010 the year to broaden your travel horizons — whether it's sailing the waterways of Russia, tiger viewing in India (by elephant back!) or taking a rail journey through Australia's Outback. Your Virtuoso travel advisor will plan every detail and make sure you receive the best rates and amenities.

	Fares, schedules, Virtuoso exclusives, events and amenities are subject to availability and blackout dates and may change without notice. Unless otherwise stated, prices are in U.S. dollars, per person and based on double occupancy. Restrictions may apply. Virtuoso is not responsible for errors in pricing. MASTERCARD and the MasterCard Brand Mark are registered trademarks of MasterCard International Incorporated. The trademarks VIRTUOSO, the Globe Swirl Logo and SPECIALISTS IN THE ART OF TRAVEL are registered trademarks of Virtuoso, Ltd. All rights reserved. Images: iStock. CST#2069091-40 350003 3/10

Posted via email from Travelingking

HOT OFF THE PRESS: March/April Virtuoso Life THE ISLANDS ISSUE

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:59:54 +0000

IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS:

Run, do NOT walk, to your mailbox for the latest edition of Virtuoso Life!
Turn off all phones, TVs, and other distractions
Pick a cool, mellow jazz song on your iPod (or whatever you use for music) or a funky Jimmy Buffett (my personal fave is "The Weather is Here-I Wish You Were Beautiful")
Mix yourself something islandy to sip on while you thoroughly enjoy your virtual vacation
Now, contact Ken Marshall, Islands Magazine Travel Expert, ken@greatgetaway.com and turn Virtual into REAL!

You don't subscribe to Virtuoso Life??? Click here for your complementary online copy. You do know VL won a Folio Award for the best travel magazine, don't you?

http://bit.ly/VirtuosoLife

Posted via email from Travelingking

STOP! Don’t give your old sweater to charity!

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:35:46 +0000

No, I'm not Scrooge. I'm trying to help you keep what you have! I bet you have a sweater or two that you keep year after year with the thought "I might wear it next year." Of course, I have several sweaters that fall into that category. What happens? I try it on and it just doesn't look right anymore. However, I end up putting it in the cedar closet hoping that next year it will morph into something I'm dying to wear. Now I offer you 3 options: 1) donate it to charity so someone can benefit from your kindness and actually wear the sweater; 2) If you are a knitter or crocheter (like me), unravel the sweater–Yes, UN-ravel it! Pick a pattern you like and reknit something useful and fun; 3) go to http://www.rekn.it/ and learn how you can send your sweater to a lady who will reknit it for you.

Just the other day a good friend, who knows I am an avid knitter, told me about this site and then today it popped up on Netted by the Webbys. I decided there are no coincidences and I would pass on this tidbit of repurposing to you.

Finally, just when you thought I'd blog about something unrelated to travel and you were so thankful, I will add just one travel idea: Why not wear your new, reknit sweater when you visit Paris? How chic to be a fashion statement in the city known for fashion!

Posted via email from Travelingking

There’s quite a story behind the Olympic flowers – Fourth-Place Medal – 2010 Olympics Blog – Yahoo! Sports

admin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:20:56 +0000

via sports.yahoo.com

from YAHOO! SPORTS by Trey Kerby
After every Olympic event, rather than receiving their medals, athletes are given a bouquet of flowers. At the Beijing Olympics, roses dominated the bouquets. In Turin, it was rhododendrons, azaleas, and camellias. This year, it’s green mums and hypericum berries.

The bouquets come from Just Beginnings Flowers and Margitta’s Flowers in Surrey, British Columbia. Their entry was chosen from 58 contending florists. June Strandberg, the bouquet designer and owner of Just Beginnings, teaches floristry to women who have left prison, are recovering from addiction, or have been victims of violence. It’s a pretty amazing program, and Strandberg has even taken it behind bars, where she educates convicts. She believes it’s her work with these correctional programs that secured the Olympic contract.

For the Vancouver Olympics the florists made 1,800 bouquets, 1,707 of which will be given to medal-winning athletes in the Olympics and Paralympics. The flowers are grown locally, but they aren’t in season during February, so additional supplies were flown in from Ecuador.

The flowers were chosen to represent British Columbia and Canada, and are intended as keepsakes for the athletes. There are even strict regulations for the bouquets presented at the flower ceremonies. Per IOC protocol, bouquets must be 20 to 30 centimeters tall and about 25 centimeters across.

Though these flowers might look like something you give your mom at a homecoming football game, a lot of thought and planning goes into choosing and making these bouquets. When you consider the societal benefits behind these flowers, it almost makes the bouquets as valuable as the medals.

Posted via web from Travelingking

Space Bulletin: February 2010

admin — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 19:34:16 +0000

STATUS UPDATE: SPACEPORT AMERICA

Watch the Spaceport America Groundbreaking

Steve Landeene, Executive Director of Spaceport America.

The Virgin Galactic terminal design by URS/Foster+Partners.

Click on the image above for a tour of Spaceport America.

On June 19th of 2009 ground was broken on a project of historic proportions. Construction has been progressing on a 10,000-foot long, 200-foot wide runway designed to handle any flying vehicle on the planet or returning from space! As of this week, 50% of the asphalt has been laid. That is the third layer of a four-layer process. Next and last will be a 14-inch thick layer of concrete, which is projected to finish off the runway by mid summer. Appropriately enough, the project has been sped along with the precision assistance of satellites! Rapid construction of the terminal will begin soon. In fact, if you were to drive up to Spaceport America in December 2010, you would see the finished airfield, taxiway and apron, and a fuel storage area – all in the vicinity of a nearly completed Virgin Galactic terminal. Yet another real-life example that the New Era of Space Tourism is here!

BEHIND THE SCENES

A little-known fact is that Spaceport America is being constructed with particular care given to historical sensitivities. The site happens to be adjacent to the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro – the historic 1,500 mile trade route from Mexico City to Santa Fe which dates to 1598. Archaeologists are on hand full time scrutinizing every piece of overturned dirt. If a discovery is made, everything stops to allow for analysis and cataloguing the artifacts in question. Hundreds of historically significant artifacts have been located, catalogued and stored for future exhibitions.

For more information and updates see Spaceport America Twitter and Facebook.

Special thanks goes out to Aaron Prescott, Chief of Staff with the New Mexico Spaceport Authority, the state agency responsible for building and operating Spaceport America.

For more information on Spaceport America, the Virgin Galactic project or to reserve your place in space contact me today…

Barbara King
(913) 338-2244
barbara@greatgetaways.travel
www.greatgetaways.travel

The VIRGIN GALACTIC name and logos, the GALACTIC logo and IRIS device are trade marks of Virgin Enterprises Limited.

The trademarks VIRTUOSO, the Globe Swirl Logo, SPECIALISTS IN THE ART OF TRAVEL are registered trademarks of Virtuoso, Ltd. All rights reserved. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. CST#2069091-40 12/09.

To receive emails in your Inbox from Virtuoso and your Virtuoso travel advisor, please add virtuoso@virtuosoemail.com to your address book or safe senders list. Copyright 2009 Virtuoso, Ltd. | 505 Main Street, Suite 500 Fort Worth, TX 76102.

Posted via email from Travelingking

A Dozen Social Media Love Lines with a Travel Twist For That Special Someone

admin — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 01:07:36 +0000

I borrowed some social media love lines from an article on Hubspot.com and added a travel message! Happy Valentine's Day from all of us at Great Getaways!

1) I am so glad I Stumbled Upon you on the beach in Kauai!

2) You and I are so Mashable! Want to hop over to Scotland and tour whisky distilleries?

3) I really digg you and I know you’ll love discovering Egypt with me!

4) We should totally get Linked In and fly off to Bora Bora!

5) You have a really pretty Face Book so let’s visit the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles!

6) Thanks for that love note. I reddit again and again on my way to the Antarctica.

7) I want to be more than just a Friend Feed! I want to take you to the Taj Mahal!

Let’s move to the next level, Orkut me loose so I can travel the world!

9) I would love to whisper tweet nothings in your ear about a romantic getaway!

10) Unlike oil and water, we mixx and speaking of water, let’s go on a cruise!

11) After dinner and drinks, let’s head over to My Space, aboard Virgin Galactic

12) You smell del.icio.us http://bit.ly/smlove” target=”_blank”> like a fine French perfume. Care to join me in Paris?

Posted via email from Travelingking

Grab Your Ukelele! Hawaii is SNOW free!

admin — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 20:29:31 +0000

Yesterday, February 12, 2010, marked the first time since 1977 that 49 out of 50 United States had snow. The only state without any trace of snow was Hawaii! Before you say, "Well, duh", consider that the Big Island's Mauna Kea Volcano stands at 13,800 feet and often has snow on it. In 1977 the only snowless state was South Carolina. And, for any of you Florida folks who may dispute having snow yesterday, even a dusting of snow counts according to the National Weather Service. Obviously, our daughter, Lauren, who moved to Kauai 2 years ago, was very, very wise!

Remember, when planning a Hawaii vacation, be sure to consult with our own Judi Chaitman. She's been selected as the Top Specialist in the world for Hawaii 9 years in a row by Conde Nast Traveler magazine. Email Judi today! Judi@greatgetaway.com

Posted via email from Travelingking