Thanks, Mom for Giving Me a Love of Travel!

I believe that I got my love of travel naturally--I inherited it from my parents! Even as a child, my mother and daddy would plan wonderful trips for our family of five. I can remember writing off to all of the states and requesting maps and travel brochures. We would then anxiously await the mailman, hoping each day there would be new information to study. It seems so long ago--way before we had even heard of computers, much less email! We then studied the maps for hours, dreaming of the places we would see along the way.

We always did "driving" vacations-- we couldn't have afforded to fly or take a family cruise. Most of the time we camped. We really "roughed it". Maybe that's why I enjoy cruising--you certainly don't HAVE to rough it on a cruise ship! One June morning in 1960 we awoke in Colorado to find water frozen in our bucket, and my dad and brothers were sleeping (or trying to sleep) outside. I don't even think they had sleeping bags! Another time we purchased a new "fancy" tent, and didn't get time to practice putting it up before we left on vacation. It took both of my parents and we three kids over an hour to get the thing assembled, much to the delight of our neighbors in the campground. We were all so embarrassed. There are many other wonderful stories that we all cherish. Although my dad and one of my brothers have died, the three of us left still enjoy exploring and seeing new places and things.

Now that I'm older (and have more disposable income), I've learned to love cruising. I'll still travel any way, any where, any place, but I do love being pampered. Since I constantly have to make decisions at work, cruising is a relaxing way to vacation for me. Cruising is also a perfect multi-generational vacation. My mother and I have done many cruises together, and she is hooked on cruising, too. I hope we can plan another one together soon!