Sometimes you just need to get away, right away! Working too hard without a break I hadn't been on vacation in a long time. I called Shannon and asked her to find a 3-4 day getaway with transportation to and from the Cruise ship. I sailed to Ensenada Mexico on the SS AZURE SEAS, I relaxed poolside and enjoyed the trip. Upon returning, I ask Shannon to plan another trip for the Christmas holidays. And that trip was to Hawaii and was beautiful.

My neighbor is a travel advisor and was talking about the fun of traveling by train. I hate to fly nut wanted to visit my family and take a slower route. She advised there are many options, and would look into it. Shannon booked my travel arrangements. Catch the train in Auburn, CA, and went all the way to Phoenix. Its a long trip, many stops along the way. I arrived in Phoenix about 24 hours later. The train went through major cities, like San Fransisco and Los Angeles. The food was good, and I enjoyed reading and catching up on my sleep. Shannon arranged for me to get a sleeper car that was private and easy to relax. Upon my return back home, I came into the Sacramento train station, and was greeted by my wife and neighbor Shannon, who drove me home.

My girls friends from work and I wanted to get way from the office and wanted to go on a cruise.

My friends and I were looking for a European trip to see more of the countryside not accessible on City tours. I saw a commercial for train tours through Italy, with glass domes to see more of the spectacular landscape, while sipping perfectly paired wines and the most excellent europeans style cuisine. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, is a luxurious and iconic train experience that evokes the elegance and glamor of the golden age of travel. Needless to say, we were all onboard for the experience. Shannon provided information and options with pictures to give us a taste of what to expect. Shannon booked the round trip flights, tickets on the Orient-Express, plus transportation to and from the airport. We had a blast! The staff was friendly, making it easy to relax. We all felt the service was excellent. The train was stunning European decor and a smooth ride. The cuisine was epic, and the wait staff attentive to our needs, making our trip all we expected and more.

Even though searching online is convenient, its a lot of work. Picking the right Vacation sights and tours was confusing and we didn't want to spend hours looking, so we called Shannon and ask her to help us find the best way to Get-away. She ask lots of questions and provided pictures, quotes on Airfare and Hotel and even excusions trips while in Mexico . We flew to Mexico and spent 6 days-our first time in a bungalow overlooking the Pacific. Heaven. It was relaxing and affordable. We got everything we wanted and plan to return. Next time....Maya ruins exploration.