Sunday, June 22, 2008

2008 Travels and Other Musings

So guess where I'm going this year? I'm going to DISNEY WORLD! Woo hoo! I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to travel for work seminars, and this year I am attending a conference in Tampa in October. How could I go to Tampa and not take the 1 1/2 hour trip to Orlando to visit Mickey and friends??? I am also fortunate that I actually LIKE my coworkers...after all, we spend more time with each other then our loved ones at times! So the coworkers attending the conference will also be going to Disney World, some for the first time.

The unfortunate side of things is that this may be my one and only trip for the year. My significant other is being activated by the reserves and will be heading to training and then on to the Persian Gulf for a year. Yeah, it sucks. But there's nothing we can do about it, so I'm trying to maintain a positive outlook by thinking of all of the projects I have no excuses for not completing, including getting myself on a regular exercise routine, organizing all of my junks, and finally completing scrapbooks from nine years ago!

I don't mind traveling alone, and actually enjoy it sometimes since it allows me to do things at my own pace without having to consult anyone or field complaints about the choices I've made. I have contemplated going on other trips, such as going to Vegas to help with the Super Run car show, but airfares are so expensive! Try $700 - $800, for ONE person! I've also contemplated a trip to Sedona, Arizona, or Maine, which I totally fell in love with in 2003 (again, a conference trip). I want to use miles that I've earned before the airline industry totally goes down the toilet. But even if the flight is free, I would still have to pay for hotels, a rental car, food, and shopping. I decided that maybe I'll forego the additional travel this year and just focus on Disney World. After all, I only make it there every 3-4 years, so I might as well splurge! I know, I know, some of you are saying, "ONLY every 3 or 4 years? I haven't even been there once!!!" But when you are a Disney addict like me, you suffer from withdrawals. And I haven't even been to Disneyland, California, in about 3 years!

So what am I going to do in Disney World? Well, part of it depends on my coworkers. Since I have already been there, my list of "must dos" is relatively short. And I'll have a couple of days on my own, so I can use those days to do things that they might not be interested in or may not be a priority to them. For instance, the spa. In 2002, I went to Disney World with another coworker, and we booked facials at the Grand Floridian Spa. Boy, was it wonderful! I'm thinking of booking a massage or some kind of treatment there again. And I'm also considering booking Afternoon Tea at the Grand Floridan, perhaps after my spa treatment. So many things to do!

Anyway, I will keep you posted as my Disney World plans firm up. All I know for now is that I'm booked for 8 nights at the Pop Century Resort, a "value" Disney resort. I also know that the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival will be going on at that time and that I will definitely be partaking in some of the food and wine offerings!

No comments: