It’s a question I often hear.

As a matter of fact, someone posed this question just a few minutes ago as I sat here ruminating about what to write about for my blog posting.

So . . . here’s my answer (and the inspiration for this week’s newsletter!):

I’m in Jacksonville, Florida at the moment, visiting my beloved step-daughter and her family. It’s fun to see rain and thunder and lightning. And, of course, always a joy to spend time with Sandy.

Friday morning, I’ll meet up with my friend, Julie, to drive to Greenville, SC. At 7 hours, it will be the longest road trip I’ll have made in a long, long time. We’re attending the 10th Anniversary Celebration of an organization called Dining for Women (DFW). Last March, I organized a journey to Vietnam & Cambodia expressly for members of DFW, which is where I met Julie.  DFW is a dinner giving circle. Chapters of women (and enlightened men) from all over the U.S. “dine in” together each month, each member bringing a dish to share. The accumulated “dining out” dollars (what would have been spent at a restaurant) are sent to well-vetted NGO programs which empower women in the developing world. As part of our journey in Vietnam, we visited dozens of single mothers in Danang who received micro-loans and other support through a Dining for Women grant.

I published a fun video of our Vietnam experience to YouTube. (If you watch it, that’s Julie at the end in the funny cooking class segment!).

Julie and I will stop in Columbia, SC en route to pick up her sister, Rannie – who also traveled with us to Vietnam. These two southern sisters are absolutely delightful … and the interstate hours will pass by quickly!  An added bonus– I’ve never been to Columbia or Greenville before!

At the weekend Conference, I’ll be one of a couple hundred (mostly) women who are passionate about supporting women around the world.  I’ll be showing the video at the Conference and announcing dates for another journey to Vietnam & Cambodia in February 2014. (Wanna come? You must join DFW first!)

At the conclusion of the Conference on Sunday afternoon, I’ll bum a ride to Atlanta Airport for a quick flight to Miami, where I’ll overnight before heading to Havana early Monday morning. I am accompanying clients on a site inspection for their association Conference to Cuba next year. Their members are making connections in Cuba in anticipation of the day (which will happen) when they will be allowed to do cross-border business.

NOTES: No, Cuba is not the “enemy” that our government claims them to be. And yes, it is legal to go there … if you have the proper license.

After a few days in Havana, I’ll extend to a small colonial town called Remedios, which was founded in the early 1500s. Since the inception of People-to-People Licenses, there are more and more American traveling to Cuba – to the point that charming, once-pristeen colonial cities like Trinidad are overrun and facilities are stretched to the max. I’m always in search of undiscovered travel treasures, and I’m hoping that Remedios is it!

Then it’s back home to LA late on Saturday night before turning around on Thursday to board a flight to Italy. An incentive client has chartered a small cruise ship, the Tere Moana, for a week-long voyage through the Adriatic from Venice to Athens. We’ll skip along the Dalmation Coast, visiting places I’ve never seen before: Rovinj, Split, Hvar, Korcula and Dubrovnik (all in Croatia), plus Kotor in Montenegro before stopping in Monopoli in Puglia, Italy. You know how excited I am about Puglia . . . and I’ll be “jumping ship” here to do a few specific inspections in advance of the WOW! Travel Club adventure here in late October!

Home again on July 14 before heading out again ten days later to Coeur d’Alene in Idaho for a conference for an association group with whom I’ve done business for 24 years!

And then I’m off to . . . . .

. . . well, you get the idea. You may wonder, “Do I ever get tired of traveling?” My answer: No, not yet. Maybe one day I’ll put away the passport, but I don’t foresee that happening anytime soon.

I’m fortunate to have enjoyed decades of fabulous travel experiences to the world’s most wondrous places with my extraordinary customers – and highly recommend it to any young person who is looking for an amazing career choice!