During my business career in New York, I had the opportunity to travel to various parts of the world. When possible, I combined vacation with my business travels making certain never to mix the two. Business is business and vacation is a time to relax and enjoy the wonders of this world.

While business dictated where I would go, I always had a wish list of things and places I would like to see. Owning our own travel business has allowed me to work on that list.

If you are of the same mind set as my wife and I then I would like to share with you some of our travels and perhaps whet your appetite for some of the good things in life. At this point let�s get an understanding. If you are into back packing and staying at hostels then read no further. This is not for you.

Here is a sample of some of the elegant but understated things we have done and, if you were of the same mindset, you would thoroughly enjoy. And we can help you fulfill that wish!

A RIVER CRUISE IN EUROPE WITH ABERCROMBIE AND KENT

Imagine sailing down the Seine and Yonne rivers in France on a barge with only 20 other passengers to share the experience. It was one of the most relaxing and beautiful journeys we have taken.

The locks on the river are only open from 7 AM to 7 PM. You are docked at night in little quaint towns and villages for you to explore. During the day there are many side trips to chateaus, churches and other historic places. Wine? But of course we visited several local wineries and sampled the product along the way. How delightful it was when the barge company bought a case or two to bring back to the boat for our dinner that night. While we would go off on tour by bus, the barge does not travel at any great speed, so we would return to the barge further down the river.

We stopped in Melun and toured the chateau of Vaux-le-Vicomte. It was built for Nicolas Fouquet, Louis XIV�s first finance minister. Fouquet invited the young king to a grand ball at the chateau. When he saw how opulent it was he had Fouguet arrested and imprisoned for life. Louis then had the team that built the chateau set to work on building the royal chateau at Versailles. Another highlight was a stop at Moret-Sur-Loing. Impressionist painter, Alfred Sisley, spent the last 20 years of his life in this riverside village. It was wonderful to see his paintings and the actual settings themselves. Usually there are bicycles on board so that you can meander on your own but you will never get lost. At points, you can actually walk faster along the banks than the barge.

Barge? Well let�s talk about accommodations. The cabins are compact and very comfortable. They are equipped with a private bath and have heating and air conditioning. The rooms are sound proofed so that, if I snored on occasion, I disturbed no one other than my wife. Ouch!!

Food. To Die For!! We had our own French chef on board. We know he was genuine because he spoke very little English! Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner were gastronomic events. Wine was served with Lunch and Dinner and it was chosen to accompany the particular meal. The wines were from the regions we were passing through and the staff explained the character and quality of each wine being served. Ordinarily I would not take more than two glasses of wine because I would not enjoy the small headache and taste in my mouth the next morning. To my surprise, I did not suffer this malady when I had more than two glasses. And the reason is sulfites! American wines have sulfites added to help preserve freshness (and create headaches for me). French wine have no additives and therefore we all drank comfortably without any discomfort.

During the course of the day and evening, the small bar was open for service. Nothing like an aperitif to sip as you read or watch the world sail by.

This journey is suited for someone who wants to relax more than hop about from place to place. It is excellent for old friends to get together and renew acquaintances in a leisurely manner. It is perfect for a honeymoon or an adult family vacation. Or, with only 22 passengers, imagine chartering the barge for your own business conference. There are other barges, some as small as 8 passengers, which will accommodate up to 50 passengers.

We chose to travel with Abercrombie and Kent who are renowned for the quality of their upscale travel itineraries. We sailed on their own barge, L�Abercrombie, and all food, beverages and tours were included. Abercrombie has other barges and other itineraries throughout France. We would be pleased to discuss them with you and help you make your travel dreams come true.

A MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE WITH WINDSTAR CRUISES

Las Vegas on the water! That is how I describe a sailing experience on any of the mega ships that now carry 2,000 to 3,000 passengers. The luxury sailing ships of Windstar is my answer to the crowds. With only 308 passengers on the Wind Surf and 148 passengers on the Wind Spirit you are never just one of the crowd.

Defined as �casual elegance�, this is not one of those �barefoot� cruises. It cruises along at 10 to 12 knots under its own power and when the sails are automatically unfurled it trips up to 14 to 16 knots per hour. Stabilizers help insure a smooth sailing experience.

Our last sailing was on a two-week cruise (two 7day cruises back to back) on the Wind Surf in the Mediterranean. We sailed from Rome to Nice and then Nice to Barcelona. Stops along the way included Corsica, Portofino, St. Tropez, Monte Carlo, Marseille, Sete and Minorca. Sailing near the end of the season we avoided the large crowds that set upon these ports in season. Also, warm autumn days sure beat the heat of summer.

There are many optional land tours in these cities. We took a trip to Pisa to see and photograph the leaning tower as well as visit the church and baptistery. We also took a trip to Avignon to visit the papal palace and fortifications. In several of the cities there is a small tourist �train� to give you a quick tour of the city in general.

In the smaller ports you will take the ship�s tender to shore while in such ports as Monte Carlo you will dock at portside. Overnight in Monte Carlo, we were able to have cocktails outside the Casino and watch the beautiful cars and people pass by. With only 308 passengers it was easy to get to and from our ship. We watched passengers from the larger cruise ships queue up in long lines waiting for their tenders.

All cabins are outside cabins on the Wind Surf. From flat panel TV�s and DVD players, the accommodations are first rate. The ship has two dining rooms with open seat dining. It is so nice to dine with other passengers as you make new acquaintances on the ship. While breakfast and lunch are set as buffet style, you can order anything from the menu as you wish.

Dress is stylish, casual. A jacket and tie was appropriate when visiting the Casino at Monte Carlo. The ship has an excellent exercise room with windows all around. It is actually larger than some of the bigger ships we have been on. The sauna was a nice treat at the end of the day. While in port there is a water sports platform where you can go kayaking or wind surfing.

There is casino on board and a large lounge. At night there is a 4-piece band for your listening and dancing pleasure. Another small lounge has a music duo for your listening pleasure.

Two pools, two hot tubs and plenty of lounge chairs make for a comfortable day at sea. There is a large library with books and DVDs to borrow. An Internet lounge lets you communicate with family and friends.

For 2005, Windstar has some very good prices on sailings in the western Mediterranean this season. Prices are up to 50% off their published rates. With the Euro so high, this is an excellent way to visit Europe and benefit from U.S. dollar pricing. Please contact us if you would like more information. We would be happy to work out an itinerary for you.

AN AFRICAN SAFARI WITH ABERCROMBIE AND KENT

No journey through life would be complete without an African safari under your belt. And no one does it better than A&K. And in the style of Hemingway, we did a tenting safari in Tanzania. What a fantastic experience!

We flew into Nairobi and stayed overnight to catch our breath. The next day we flew to Arusha and later caught a private plane to the Kusini Camp in the Serengeti National Park. Landing on a dirt airstrip is quite interesting.

Let�s discuss the �tents�. These are permanent tents set on wooden platforms and are approximately 15 x 30 feet in size. They contain two double beds, and feature a private shower and bathroom. You have your own private terrace to enjoy your morning coffee. Needless to say you have electric and running water.

Meals are served in a large dining tent and the food was excellent. The presentation was what you receive in a fine restaurant. Beer, wine and other beverages were included with meals.

Our second camp was at the Ngorongoro Crater. Unlike our first camp, which was a permanent camp, this camp was especially set up and taken down just for our group.

Our third stay was at Swala Camp in the Tarangire National Park. It was a permanent camp and very similar to Kusini. Sitting around an open campfire, sipping wine, under a starlight sky, it just doesn�t get any better than this.

We traveled in our modified Land Cruisers and every one had a window seat. The
pop-top roof was great for panoramic viewing and taking pictures. As the old saying
goes that you can never have too much money - you can never have too much film
(or memory cards). A compact pair of high quality binoculars is important plus
a high quality zoom lens up to 300mm. I also recommend a haze or polarizing filter.
I had both video recorder and a film camera for this journey and each has its place. The tendency is to shoot everything in sight on the first days out. Relax a bit, you will see more wild life than you ever expected. While there is no guarantee that you will see all of the big game, we did see the big five. We also witnessed the wildebeest migration, extending from one corner of the horizon to the other.

When recounting this journey, four events come to mind:

We stopped to see a herd of elephants about 50 yards away. As we watched the mothers and babies, a large bull elephant sauntered up to check us out and see that we were no harm to the herd. He walked up to the edge of the road about 50 feet in front of us. He then stood in the middle of the road blocking our way. Then he quietly walked towards us! At about 2 to 3 times the size of our land cruiser, we knew we were no match for him (and none of us had any peanuts!). At about 15 feet in front of us he stopped in front of us and then turned and sauntered back into the fields. I have really �up close and personal� shots of him.

Descending into the Ngorongoro Crater, there was about 160,000 acres of land in this extinct volcano. With the abundance of wild life in the crater, they said there is only 14 rhinoceros in the area and our chances of seeing one were slim. Our guide spotted one in the distance about a � mile away. Even with binoculars, looking at a black dot and being told it was a rhino, wasn�t a big thrill. Then our driver spotted something in the distance and he barreled along to it. Sure enough, just ambling along through the bush was this gigantic rhino. He stopped, grazed a bit, and then past about 20 feet in front of us.

One day, after our morning drive, rather than return to camp for lunch we drove to an open plain. There the crew had set up a hot lunch, with wine and beer. Sitting at tables on the open plain we had a most enjoyable al fresco dining experience.

One day we visited a Masai village. We met with the chief of the tribe and we were told that he had 10 wives. We were entertained with dancing and singing by the tribe and actually went into their tiny mud dome homes. In speaking with the chief, my wife asked him if he really had 10 wives. He answered yes, would you like to be number 11?

For those who prefer hotel or lodge accommodations, A&K has several tours, which stay at some of the finest resorts. Whether it is Kenya, Tanzania or Zimbabwe, you are bound to have an unforgettable experience as we did. Please give us a call and we will be happy to recount our experiences and let us arrange a safari just for you.