Sands of Adventure

My "Sands of Adventure" jar number two has finally been filled after a couple of years of collecting since number one was filled. Jar one features 17 different areas of sand, and jar two features 10 more. I did make these layers thicker than the first jar to better show off the differences, so I still have six locations unused waiting to start in on number three. I'm looking forward to new adventures in 2020 to help fill the next jar. I love seeing and feeling the color and textural differences of sand from all around this beautiful world.

Lego Fun from Down Under

As the snow falls outside, I'm having fun inside thinking back on my outback adventure during 2019, while building my Sydney Lego set, and pondering 2020 adventures to come.

Expedition cruising is an absolutely incredible way to truly experience a destination!

If you are intrigued by expedition-style cruising, ask me about Hurtigruten's Black Friday Sale! Once this sale starts tomorrow, cabins will sell out quickly! 35%-50% off on select 2020 voyages to Antarctica, Svalbard, Norway, Greenland, Iceland, Alaska, and more. Expedition cruising is an absolutely incredible way to truly experience these destinations.

Send me a message, call, or visit my Hurtigruten page to submit your request.

Australia is the #1 Apirational Destination for 2020

This was an incredible adventure that I got to enjoy while Down Under last month. I'd love to help you enjoy it as well. Australia is the #1 aspirational destination for 2020 according to Travel + Leisure. If you haven't been Down Under yet, as an Aussie Specialist, let me help make your Aussie Holiday dreams come true. Reach out and let's chat.

Suggested Itinerary: HOLY LAND

Anyone interested in joining me on a faith-based adventure to the Holy Land starting December 1, 2020?

Day 1 - Depart USA Your pilgrimage begins as you depart the USA on an overnight flight.

Day 2- You will be welcomed at the Tel Aviv airport by our representative and transferred to your Bethlehem hotel to enjoy dinner before retiring for the night.

Day 3 - Begin your touring in the Holy Land by visiting the Herodion, the fortified palace, and the final resting place of Herod the Great. In Bethlehem, gaze out over Shepherds’ Field and visit the Church of the Nativity, where the cave revered as Jesus’ birthplace resides in the world’s oldest functioning church (Luke 2). Overnight in Bethlehem.

Day 4 - Visit the Jordan River Baptismal site of Qasr el Yahud, the traditional site of the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. Those who wish may be baptized. Stop in Jericho, the oldest known inhabited city in the world. Visit the ruins of the ancient city, which was conquered by Joshua (Josh. 6: 1,2,20), and see parts of the ancient city walls that have been uncovered. From Jericho, you can see the traditional site of the Temptation of Jesus (Matt.4: 1-11) and the Judean wilderness. Visit Qumran, the site of the Dead Sea Scroll discovery, to discuss the mysterious community of Essenes who once lived on the shores of the Dead Sea. Stop briefly at the Shores of the Dead Sea for a quick dip in the salt and mineral-laden waters. Overnight in Bethlehem.

Day 5 - Explore the Church of the Fish and the Loaves at Tabgha, the traditional site of the feeding of the 5,000 (Luke 9:10-17). On the Mount of Beatitudes, contemplate the “Sermon on the Mount” (Matt. 5-7). Visit Capernaum, the center of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, and visit the synagogue built on the site where Jesus taught (Matt. 4:13, 23). Cross the waters of the Sea of Galilee on a very special boat ride, complete with an onboard worship service. In Magdala, once home to Mary Magdalene, visit a recently discovered first-century synagogue. Overnight in Jerusalem.

Day 6 - Visit Mt. Zion and stand in the Upper Room (John 13), near the traditional site of the Last Supper (Mark 14). You'll walk through some of the ancient rooms of Caiaphas the High Priest’s house beneath the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu. Here Jesus was held overnight before His crucifixion (Luke 22). Visit the Temple Mount, once the site of the Temple of Solomon. Take time to pray at the Western Wall. Sit on the Teaching Steps where Jesus once taught. Overnight in Jerusalem.

Day 7 - Stand atop the Mount of Olives as Jesus did and enjoy a remarkable view of the “Golden City” of Jerusalem. Forty days after His resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives (Acts 1: 9-12). Pray in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26) among olive trees in the Kidron Valley across from the walls of Jerusalem. View the Pool of Bethesda where Jesus performed the Sabbath miracle (John 5: 1-31). Sing a hymn in the Church of St. Anne, known for its amazing acoustics. Visit Herod’s Antonia Fortress where Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate (Luke 23: 1-11). Walk the Via Dolorosa, “the Way of the Cross,” and stand in reverence at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Your final destination allows time for reflection at the Garden Tomb. Enjoy dinner tonight before transferring to the airport for your return flight.

Day 8 - Arrive home with a new understanding of the Bible, the land, and the life of Jesus!

What’s Included?

> All-Inclusive Pricing

> First Class Hotels

> Breakfast and Dinner Daily

> Deluxe A/C Motor Coaches

> Fuel Surcharges and Gov't Taxes

> Entrance and Program Fees

> International Airfare from NY (getting to NYC is additional)

> Guided Sightseeing with Top Guides

Alaska's 2021 Cruise Season is NOW OPEN!

The Alaska 2021 season has now opened with a few cruise lines and will be opening and others will follow suit very soon. If Alaska is high on your bucket list, let's talk. There's still availability for 2020, but now is the best time to get the best room locations on ships, and lock in the best pricing for 2021. Put your deposit down, and then have many months to take care of the balance. Plus if you'd like to lead a group to Alaska, now's the best time to lock in group space as well. Adventuring together with friends and family is a fantastic way to travel!

Ready to Plan a Ski Adventure?

Ski season is just about here. There are some great offers on some great resorts ready for you to book before December 15th. Who wants to get their ski vacation on the calendar? A ski vacation is a great choice, and we would love to help you plan it. Learn more on our Snow Ski Adventures page.

Give the Gift of Experiences Instead of Stuff

There is no better gift to share that I can think of than giving the gift of travel. With the holidays approaching us, why not consider getting your loved ones an EXPERIENCE where the memories will never fade away. Toys, gadgets, electronics, and "stuff" go out of style, but travel memories are timeless treasures! I have many ideas to share for various vacation options on LAND, RIVERS, and on the OCEAN. Each adventure is unique and will create a lifetime of memories for those you love!

www.icanshowyoutheworld.vacations | 317.776.1733 | clingren@cruiseplanners.com

#givethegiftoftravel #takethetrip #makememories #travelisthebestgift #planfor2020 #planfor2021 #travelin2020 #familytime #familymemories

Suggested Itinerary: IRISH ADVENTURE - October 2020

Be inspired and join in an Irish Adventure next October. Only 12 seats remain available. Secure your spot today.

www.icanshowyoutheworld.vacations/group/Ireland2020 

Ready to Plan a Down Under Adventure?

Sydney's laid-back outdoor lifestyle and physical allure make it one of the world's top cities to visit and live in. The stunning harbour provides a dramatic backdrop for the city's famous icons - the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. Sydneysiders are a friendly, energetic bunch with a positive approach to life. It's a city with a genuine sense of style, a love of sport and celebrations including New Year's Eve, Mardi Gras, the Sydney Festival, and the Sydney International Art Series. You'll find plenty of things to see and do in Sydney. Sydney Harbour is a natural playground, and the views are world-class. There's a wide-ranging cultural life, a dynamic food scene and vibrant cityscape of outstanding contemporary and colonial architecture. Iconic beaches - most notably Bondi and Manly - and five major national parks deliver unforgettable outdoor experiences.

Are you ready to plan a Down Under holiday? As an Aussie Specialist, I'm ready to help you make your Down Under dreams come true. Click the link to be further inspired! Then visit my Australian Adventures page to submit your request to start planning the adventure!

Suggested Itinerary: Western Australia's THE KIMBERLEY Region

The Kimberley awaits!

Three times larger than England and with a population of less than 40,000, the Kimberley region – spread over Australia's entire north-western corner – is one of the world's last wilderness frontiers. Here you'll find prolific wildlife, majestic canyons, freshwater swimming holes, and several outback stations, as well as one of Australia's greatest 4WD road trips. Despite the area's remoteness, it's also a place of great food, luxury accommodation, friendly locals, and one of the most romantic beach towns on Earth.

Who's ready to explore this amazing destination? I'm ready to help you do it. Let's chat about your dream Aussie holiday.

I'm exhausted. Take Two Will Hopefully Work

Take two! Hopefully, this one actually works this time. It's been eventful, to be sure. After last night's fun, the flight pair I was moved to that would have taken me to Tampa, and then to Indy, changed this morning. The Tampa to IND flight was canceled at about 5:30 this morning! Sigh. Back to the counter. Sweet and polite once more, and the nice lady found me a canceled seat on the 10:50 am flight which is nonstop and was not there last night! But then the flight was delayed due to weather in Houston, causing the plane to arrive late in Denver. But I'm on the plane now waiting to leave. Pray, I get home with no more issues. I love Southwest, but again...none of us control the weather! Gotta roll with the punches, and just smile. Blessed are the flexible, for they won't get bent out of shape... but I don't want to set foot in an airport for a little bit. The overnight in Denver did more of a number on my body than the flights to/from Sydney. I'm exhausted. Going to sleep well tonight.

All Good Adventures Must End - Returning to the US from Down Under

I had a window seat on the way back from Australia and enjoyed watching the view. As we worked our way to LAX, I snapped a photo and grabbed a screenshot of the map as I found it fun to see how after flying into total darkness, somewhere east and north of New Zealand, the light began to creep in somewhere east and south of Hawaii until the city lights of LA began to really illuminate the morning sky.

  

   

Time to Say Farewell...for Now!

Our chariot is here, ready for the nice, long flight home. See you all tomorrow (though for us it'll be a repeat of today! ). ADVENTURE!

Scheduling an Overnight Stay in Sydney But NOT Going to the Harbor? I Think Not!

Seeing Sydney was not part of our scheduled agenda, just dinner upon arrival...but this adventurer led the rebellion. Our hotel was an airport hotel and just a short drive to Circular Quay, and most of us had not been to Sydney before. We HAD to see the Opera House and the bridge at the very least! Most of our group made the quick trip and it was awesome!!

At Home or Abroad, I Can Definitely Make Fire with Sticks!

Another favorite of this adventure came at the Aboriginal Culture center when I made

with sticks, the Aboriginal way!

Thanks to Scouts, Summer Camp, and Firecrafter I've done it with a bow and spindle before, but not just with my bare hands and the spindle! It was awesome! Fabulous memories were made on this adventure across the Northern Territory.

#ntaustralia #topdidj #aboriginal #firecrafter #makememories

Top Didj Cultural Experience & Art Gallery - What an Incredible Part of the Trip!

We stopped in at Top Didj for an awesome cultural experience. Upon arrival, we got to interact with several of their resident wallabies.

#ntaustralia #aussiespecialist #wildlife #culturalexperiences #takethetrip

Happy 49th to Me as I Spend the Day at the Happiest Place on Earth!

My 49th at Disneyland

Living in the midwest, but heading Down Under, means that I had to fly west before I could fly to the Southern Hemisphere. With a nearly 16 hour flight, I didn't want to have the 5 additional hours to get to LA be shortly before hopping on the next plane, so a stopover was called for. Departing for Australia the day after my birthday meant that I really didn't want to also be flying on my birthday, but would much rather spend the day doing something I wanted to do and hadn't been able to do in decades...visit the park that started it all...Disneyland. So I flew to LA two nights early and spent the night of the 3rd in Anaheim across the street from the park. With this trip, I will finally get to experience the park's newest land, which opened back in June...Galaxy's Edge, the new Star Wars addition. I'm pretty excited about it, and can't wait to get back inside my beloved Disneyland. 

As a kid, I always began my day in the park in this space, and then worked my way around. Today I'm headed to a whole new world to start my grand circle tour of this amazing place. Going to get my Han Solo fix and see the Millennium Falcon first.

Single Rider plus right at opening means on the second flight of the morning! That was an awesome experience. I will be doing this one again later!

I've popped across the esplanade to Disney California Adventure and am now just hanging out with my favorite visionary dreamer and the Mouse. I love how this statue is accessible and makes for a great photo spot, unlike the more famous Partners statue in the hub over at Disneyland which is in the center of a large planter and completely inaccessible to guests. I got a similar photo to this one though when we got to visit the Walt Disney Studios for an awesome tour a couple of years ago, as the Partners statue found there is completely accessible in the Courtyard, just as this Dreamers statue is at DCA.

Some people probably wonder how someone could go to a "family" place like Disneyland alone. Well one of the best parts of being solo, is I get to do things that my family doesn't like to do! I LOVE Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room, and they don't. I've enjoyed it TWICE today...with a Dole Whip each time! AND, it never gets old. I love this show.

Halloween is NOT my favorite holiday, but The Haunted Mansion IS my all-time favorite attraction in the park. So I'm going to declare that this is a Haunted Mansion-themed slice of birthday cake, and not a Halloween one. Since this is my day, I can make that declaration. 😎

(Tomorrow it'll go back to being the other thing for anyone who enjoys it )

It's been such a great way to spend my 49th birthday. I got to be in a place that I love, chat on the phone with people that I love, and just do anything that I wanted going at the pace that I wanted. I couldn't have asked for anything better.

Life is short. Take the trip. Explore. Make amazing memories. Become a storyteller.

 

Goals for 2017

One of my goals for 2017 includes visiting four new countries. In just 3 weeks I get to enjoy a great new adventure and knock that goal down by one. I'm so excited! Where oh where will I go this time?