It’s so fun and easy to plan a vacation for my clients.  But when it comes to my own travel – boy do I get crazy and bogged down.  Believe it or not, when I plan my own trips, I am thinking of you!  I want to experience what you would want to experience.   So, I do a lot of research and don’t miss a beat!

My next trip coming up will be to La Rioja, Spain –the Basque Region. I have been to Spain, more than once, but never this area and I am excited!  My husband and I will be picking up a car in Madrid upon arrival and driving 4 hours north to Elciego.  We will visit 3 wineries (1 with a winery lunch), stay one night in the incredible Frank Geary Hotel Marques de Riscal, and then continue on to San Sebastian – Spain’s capital of gastronomy!

While in San Sebastian, we will dine at a 3-star Michelin Restaurant rated #8 in the world (Oh, I do hope to get to meet the 2012 best female chef Veuve Clicquot); we will take a Pintxo (tapas) Tasting Tour, which will be paired with fabulous wines, and we will drive through some quaint and beautiful coastal villages in the area (of course before the wine pairings!).

Next is Bilbao; a must-see since it houses the incredible Frank Geary Guggenheim Museum.  One night in Bilbao and then we will be on our way back to Madrid with a quick stop and look-see at Burgos; home of the only cathedral in Spain which has been individually awarded the World Heritage designation by the UNESCO.

Upon arrival in Madrid, a change of clothes and dinner at 8pm!

Gail’s World – I wouldn’t have it any other way!

So you want to go on a Mediterranean Cruise for 10 days.  You want to visit places such as Venice, Rome and Sorrento.  OK…….  You look over all the shore excursions offered by the cruise line – yawn!!!  The groups are too big, the busses are too big, you can’t hear the tour guide and for sure the Sistine Chapel will be bumper to bumper people.  Not what I would call a great experience!  Right?  A few of my favorite experiences would be:

-          Venice – Get lost in the maze of the city without a guide, since after all, you really cannot get lost; or take a Vaporetto to Burrano for lunch and sit among the brightly colored buildings and quaint canals.

-          Rome –  Visit the Sistine Chapel before or after hours when no one else is there or for a thrill, take a Vespa or Segway Tour through the streets of Rome.

-          Athens – Enjoy an evening drink at the top of the Grand Bretagne Hotel as you gaze across the city rooftops to the incredible fully lit Acropolis – very surreal!

-          Sorrento – Take the public bus to Positano for lunch on the beach or pre-book a fabulous cooking class or drop by a deli and then “picnic”.

Experiential travel has challenged me, enlightened me and taken me outside of my comfort zone.  Through it though, I’ve learned patience, tolerance and to laugh at myself!  More examples of other destinations to come in future blogs.

Welcome to “My World”!  Hallelujah!!!  My first blog!  I have thought of blogging for years, but just didn’t quite know what to say, how to say it, where to start or where to find the time.  Well, I just sat in on a seminar this past weekend and maybe now I “get it”.  I simply need to start talking about travel – duh!!!  And, anyone who knows me knows that “travel” is my favorite subject so why should this be so difficult?  So, welcome to “Gail’s World”!  A blog about places I have been in the world, places I plan on going to, great adventures I recommend, food I have eaten, food I will eat, culture I have encountered and experiences that have changed my life – MY WORLD!  “Stay tuned……!”