THE TRAVEL GODS HAVE SMILED ON ME!

"There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune..."
William Shakespeare, 1654=1616 "Julius Caesar" IV iii, 217

Last week was one of those weeks that started out with frustrations (mainly computer gliches) and ended up to be a most incredible Mother's Day weekend. Last Thursday I booked my flight to Chile, leaving November 18 via Toronto where I'll meet up with my travel pal, Patrick. We're planning to stay two weeks and will visit Santiago mostly, but I want to make it more than a sentimental journey and do some travel writing assignments as well. For one thing, I really want to visit the home(s) of the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda and the city of Valparaiso which was one of my friend A's favorite places. (I hear there is a lovely beach area near there.)

On Saturday it was the annual B.C. Assoc. of Travel Writer's gala and seminar (the one where I had the good fortune of winning the trip to Malaysia last year). I went along with a friend who has just started travel writing. This is an excellent group of people, dynamic and fun. There were several people there who have taken my travel writing courses so it was a nice reunion too.

The seminars are always informative and interesting and of course there is time for schmoozing, visiting and eating good food. Following the gala was the monthly "Beers with Peers" which is also a lot of fun.

During the course of the afternoon various prizes were drawn for members and non-members. My friend and I agreed that if one of us won the spa or mountain retreat weekend, we'd take the other along. We didn't win one of those, but I won a flash thingy for my computer which, co-incidentally happened to be a gift from Malaysian Tourism. Well, the day was drawing to it's close and suddenly there was one last draw - the big one -- the door prize, for members only.
And guess who won the tickets for two to New York City! (plus city tours). I could hardly believe it! Such a surprise. Certainly the gods of good fortune are smiling on me these days!

It's been years since I was in NYC and the idea of going back there is so exciting. I look forward to spending a few days there, probably in the Fall, to take in some shows and look around the old haunts where I had visited so long ago.

So for the next months this travel blog will contain pre-trip research and of course, the interesting little local trips I'll be making throughout the summer. It seems this is to be the Year of Travel. I'm sure looking forward to it! (I'm going out now to buy a lottery ticket!)

"When Fortune is on our side, popular favor bears her company."
Publilius Syrus First Century B.C. "Maxim 275"