I am definitely a Fun and Sun type of vacation gal. So when the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica presented itself, I jumped at the chance.

When I started my career in Travel, it was truly just a job, a way to pay my rent, take-out or dinners out, and the occasional camping trip.

I love trains and train journeys. One of my all-time greatest rail adventures was The Ghan Expedition across the Outback of Australia. One of the World’s Great Rail Trips in my opinion. This crosses the entire country of Australia, North to South over four days and three nights from Darwin to Adelaide.

Experiencing Italy for the first time is a bit like falling in love. The excitement of what is unfolding. The unexpected joy. The overtaking beauty. The flourishing adventure. The feelings you didn't even know were there. That moment when you just don't think it can get any better, and then it does... that is Italy.

There are many places I travel, experience, enjoy and take in and then I am ready to move on to the next great adventure..

One of my all-time favorite spots and activities in the central Pacific Coast region is a full afternoon of hiking and tracking the sloths and monkeys within Manuel Antonio National Park. Plan for 3-6 hours at this pristine oceanfront park.

This port had a terrific example of how to live like a king. No expense spared in a local merchant's home, reflecting his immense wealth. Olveston House is a Jacobean home from 1906 based on wealth from trade.

NZ's Yellowstone -- lots and lots of geological features not to mention world famous flyfishing in season.

Travel Adventures come in many shapes and sizes, many styles, budgets and modes of transortation!

IT WAS WONDERFUL TO MEET THE the locals and step onto land after 8 days from Panama, although I did enjoy all the activities and the time staring at the ocean from the deck chairs just as much I have to give HAL credit for all the trained staff they have to help the guest who has mobility problems...  Honestly, in the past 5 years, there are so many lightweight assistance devices beyond a cane that is allowing many more to enjoy the grand world cruise experience.

Although the Amsterdam does not have a 1/2 dozen restaurants, the main dining room has themes which this evening was French cuisine inspired. Personally, the Dutch dinner was a favorite and we keep seeing the male passengers wearing their black Dutch caps out and about the ship to ward off the sun's rays. There have been offerings of Sommelier Dinners with a flight of wine pairings, Rudi Sodiman's pop -up Sel de Mer restaurant concept of classic Mediterranean fare with a contemporary twist, as well as a tropical paradise Dinner soon to come. I am promised dining under palm trees indoors so more on that later posting!

1,000 miles off the Galapagos -- SW toward the Marquesas, Well, it has been about a week since setting sail and it is time to change out the flower arrangements. In this Water World of ours, the blossoms are strangely comforting that there is land in the vast expanse around us.

What an amazing trip!  I was lucky enough to sail from Antwerp, Belgium to Amsterdam in the Netherlands on my first River Cruise in 2016.  Of course, I had to start at the top, with Uniworld - Boutique River Cruise Collection! They say a picture is worth a thousand words - so enjoy!

I recently had the pleasure to tour the m/s Regatta, and enjoy lunch aboard in the Grand Dining Room with Adele and some other Travel Industry Professionals. When launched in 2002, Oceania Cruises, founded by industry veterans Joe Watters and Frank Del Rio, created a new category in cruising - and called it Deluxe cruising. The idea was to fill a missing niche between Premium (Holland America, Celebrity, etc.) and Luxury (Crystal Cruises, Regent, etc.).