2014 – Tumble Along Tales

When Luxury Turns Dangerous

I recently promised my readers to always tell the truth about travel including the good, bad and ugly. So here it is:

We were flattered when we arrived at our hotel in Old Town Albuquerque and they informed us that they had given us an upgrade. The suite was beautiful. Located on the 11th floor, it had a fantastic view of Albuquerque. It was spacious and nicely decorated. The bed was comfortable. The first morning we laid in bed and watched the hot air balloons launch from Balloon Park in preparation for the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta that would start on October 1. The sunrise was beautiful coming over the Sandia Mountains to the east.

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Ghost Ranch – On the Way to Santa Fe

Ansel Adams said of Ghost Ranch: “…The skies and land are so enormous, and the detail so precise and exquisite that wherever you are you are isolated in a glowing world between the macro and micro.”

Every aspect of our April road trip to Santa Fe was planned. The maps and guide books had arrived from the car club. Ghost Ranch. The banner ad caught my eye. I had a vague recollection of hearing about Ghost Ranch before but didn’t remember when or where. Clicking on the banner, I was immediately immersed in the story of Ghost Ranch (ghostranch.org). Georgia O’Keefe lived at Ghost Ranch and painted the beauty of the area. As an artist and photographer, I knew we had to stop there. Our travel plans were about to change. Continue reading “Ghost Ranch – On the Way to Santa Fe”

When Vacation Plans Change

Plans can change and will change whether you like it or not. The first change to our plans came at the airport as I arrived. Can you take an earlier flight? A storm is headed to Dallas, Texas and we need to get as many people to Dallas as possible. My travel companion was on her way. We agreed to take the earlier flight and notified the other 2 in our party. Everyone made it onto the earlier flight. When we arrived in Dallas we heard that our original flight had been cancelled. How lucky was that.

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Preparing for the Big Trip

Currently preparing for my 32-day trip to the South Pacific. Stay tuned to this page for stories and photos of my adventures along the way. The fun starts on March 6, 2015 when I land in Sydney, Australia with my best friend and tour club owner, Karen H. After a couple of days in Sydney, we will boarding the Holland America (hollandamerica.com) ship Oosterdam for 28-days of fun and adventure in New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, back to Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. Nineteen locations. The trip of a lifetime. I will be posting as often as I can depending on internet availability. I am hoping for at least every 3 days. Come visit Tumble Along Tales (tumblealongtales.com) to take part in the fun and be sure to “Share” with your friends.

All Aboard! Riding the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner to San Diego

Train Station passenger shuttle to platform

Barely 30 miles from our starting point of Oxnard, California, my husband has already eaten 2 sweet rolls and drank 2 cups of coffee. We were on our way to San Diego, California by Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train. A plane would be faster but expensive. A car would have allowed us to stop along the way if we wanted to but traffic is an issue. The bus was economical but would stop at every city along the way. The train had 6 stops, was economical and allowed us to easily move around during the trip. As senior riders the discount made the business/leisure car very affordable. The train fare was about $50 less than renting a car and hundreds of dollars less than taking a plane. For families traveling with children the economy car would be the most affordable.

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