Well Spring is finally here....I must admit I thought it would never arrive.  The azaleas, dogwoods, tulips are in bloom and it is warm and sunny and hopefully no serious rain...it is has been a long cold winter--not to mention a wet winter.  The downside to Spring is all the pollen---I hate seeing all that yellow pollen on everything....I refuse to wash my car only to have it coated with pollen the very next day---so I pray for short showers to help wash off the dust, oh and can you spell ALLERGIES!!  Allergies are the scourge of the season, but I have to say the Spring and Fall are still my 2 favorite seasons.

I just wanted to tell you to be sure and read my Blog over the next few weeks.  I will be winging my way to New Zealand very soon, so I hope to be able to provide you with a Virtual tour of this wonderful country.  I must admit that I don't look forward to the long flights---not quite 2 days of traveling---but I am excited because I have never been to  that part of the world.  New Zealand is a wonderful country and has just about everything you could want....from the Glow Worm caves to glaciers, bungy jumping---not sure that I will be doing that---to thermal springs, sheep shearing and awesome scenery.  I will see both the North and South Islands and everything in between, so I hope you will come along on my journey.  I will be writing in my travel diary and taking lots of pictures so that I can share this great experience with you.  Hopefully it will make you want to go to New Zealand.  Call me when you are ready!

Just wanted to mention that it is not too late to book that summer vacation, but you need to start now if you have not planned your vacation.  Summer is peak time for most destinations from Alaska to Europe, and from the Caribbean to Mexico....because it is the best time to travel.  For cruises and Europe it is high season, so the rates will be a little higher.  For Mexico and the Caribbean it is low season until Mid-December, so start planning now, remember the earlier that you book the better the airfares!  You will need a Passport for any destination that you fly to from the United States, so if you don't have a passport you need to start the process for obtaining one NOW!!!  It normally takes about 2-4 weeks to get your passports.  If you need a passport quickly, you can have the Post Office expedite the process for you-- but you will pay a higher price for this service--this way it guarantees that you will get your passport in about 7-10 days.   To get a Passport you will need to either print the application online or go to a Post Office that handles Passport applications ---you will need these documents in order to apply for a passport:   State issued Birth Certificate with raised state seal, 2 passport size photos, and if you are a married woman---you will also need to carry a copy of your Marriage Certificate to show why your name is different on the passport application than what shows on your Birth Certificate....why is it that women always have to be different!!!  Men never have to do this because their names stay the same, anyway once you have all your documentation you must go back to the Post Office, swear an oath that all the documentation is correct, pay your passport fees and the Post Office will send it off and you will get your passports back in about 3-4 weeks or less --depending on the time of year that you are applying.  The cost of the passport is $97.00 and it is good for 10 years---that is less than $10 a year---so it is a bargain---probably the only thing that is actually inflation proof!!   Please note that if you are divorced and have child support issues, or been convicted of a crime or have outstanding tickets, you can be DENIED A PASSPORT!!!  I  recommend that you start the passport process as early as possible.  A Passport is your key to travel and it means that you can travel at the drop of a hat---if you have a Passport, you are already half way to your destination!

Don't forget to keep reading my Blog and have a happy and safe weekend! 

Debbie

April 15th....the most dreaded day of the year.....The 3 letter word that most Americans hate to say....IRS and Income Tax Day!   I hope that if you have an opportunity to participate in a Tea Party on April 15th, that you will.  All Americans need to come together and support the Tea Parties...as they will help to hold our Congressman and Senators accountable and hopefully help bring about the changes that Americans want for this country.  Please let your voices be heard tomorrow...Stand up for this country and remember that the most important thing that you can do is VOTE in November for the right type of change!  All Americans have the right to Freedom of Speech and to express your opinions so now is the time to speak up, but remember to be peaceful, respectful and above all civil.

Help keep the faith and please say a prayer for a safe and peaceful April 15th. 

This was certainly a great Sunday for golf.  If you don't know by now--Phil Mickelson won this year's Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Ga. and it was one of the best Masters in many years! This year The Masters had many great stories, but the best one was the story of love for Phil's wife- Amy and his love of the game!   For those of you who don't play or watch golf,  Phil's wife Amy was diagnosed with Breast cancer 11 months ago and his mother with Breast cancer last fall.  Phil's love for the game of golf is well known as he has been on the golf circuit for a long time, but his love for his wife and mother is the greater of the two.  His family is the most important part of his life and for several months after Amy was diagnosed, he put his golf on hold to be with them both as they went thru the cancer treatments.  It's been a long and tumulteous year for both, but  for Amy even though she could not walk the course on Sunday, she was able to make it to the 18th hole to see her husband win the 2010 Masters and earn that 3rd Green Jacket!  That special moment when she congratulated Phil was both very emotional and heart wrenching---it was one of those times when you get a knot in your throat and want to cry for joy!  The whole world was looking on as they shared a very private moment and you felt that special bond between a husband and wife who had been through so much this past year.  It was a well deserved victory for Phil and one that they both will remember for the rest of their lives.  This was truly a sweet, sweet victory for both Phil and Amy in more ways than one, and for Phil it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy!

I guess you never thought I would talk about golf, but this was  a great day, and it just goes to show what a great sport the game of golf is and that there is more than one person in the field of golf that can showcase this sport with integrity and still be a gentleman and a true lover of the game!  Congratulations to Phil and Amy and I hope this is just the first of many more victories that they will share together.  If you are a golf lover, don't forget that there are golf packages for the big golfing events...like the British Open, the U.S. Open, not to mention that you can play golf in the Caribbean, Mexico as well as Hawaii and other US desitinations, and make it a vacation for the family as well. 

I wanted to mention that coming up in June is the start of summer weddings and honeymoons and the SANDALS resorts are a great place to spend your honeymoon.  The SANDALS resorts are Adult only and are All Inclusive--which means that all meals, snacks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, non-motorized sports and gratuities are included.   Did you know that if you want to learn how to Dive, you can even get your certification at the Sandals resorts!   This is a real value for the money and a great way to spend your honeymoon....no kids but great amenities.  SANDALS have 8 different resorts in Jamaica, one on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, one in Antigua, three in St. Lucia and a new resort in Exuma, Bahamas.  All of the resorts are wonderful and each resort is different from the others, in that some are more active than others, and some are very laid back.  Their flagship resorts also have the Red Lane Spas and if you want to get married at the Sandals resorts, they even offer a selection of Martha Stewart Weddings to choose from. If you book a Concierge type room for 6 nights or more, then they will give you a free wedding, but you do have to pay a wedding fee to cover the cost of the taxes..which can run from $150 to about $300!   If you like Jamaica, there are three resorts in Montego Bay, two in Negril and two at this time in Ocho Rios.  My favorite area is Negril---they have the best beaches and are similar to the white sand beaches that you see in Florida.   The Negril area is very laid back and much more casual than Montego Bay, so if you really want to chill out...this is the place!   Ocho Rios has the mountains, Dunn's River Falls and beaches. Each resort is different and there is something unique about each one, so you have plenty to choose from.  One of the great things about Sandals is that you can stay at one property, but play at all Sandals resorts.  If you stay in Montego Bay, but you want to visit either Ocho Rios or Negril, you can visit these properties  and use their beaches, but you will have to provide your own transportation from Montego Bay.  If you stay in Montego Bay where they have 3 different resorts, you can go and use the different beaches, and restaurants, and SANDALS will provide the transportation between each resort since you are in the same city.  

If you have not booked your honeymoon, then now is the time....June is the most popular time of the year for honeymoons, so get moving!  SANDALS is also great for anniversaries and vacations all year long.   Don't forget that SANDALS also offers BEACHES  as their All Inclusive resorts for friends and families.  BEACHES has 2 resorts in Negril, and one in Ocho Rios, Jamaica as well as a BEACHES resort in Turks and Caicos, Bahamas.   The really nice thing about the All Inclusive resorts is that everything is included at the resorts, so it really is a hassle free vacation!   If you need more information,  my email address is:  Debbie@gulliverstravel.com and my office hours are Monday thru Friday from 9am to 5pm.  

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Today was the holiest of all Holy Days----Easter Sunday.  I hope that everyone had a wonderful Easter Sunday with your loved ones and family.  Today all over the world Christians celebrated that Christ died for our sins and that he arose from the dead just so that we could live.  We must never forget that Christ died so that we could celebrate our faith for all the days to come and never, ever give away the freedoms and rights that he gave to us, and that we must live up to his expectations.  We must live each day to the best of our ability and always keep Christ in our hearts and life, he is what makes us who we are.

I wanted to tell you about a movie that my husband and I saw on Thanksgiving Eve, 2009.  My husband bought the movie for me, because I loved it and wanted to watch it again, so today -- this Sunday afternoon I watched it again.   It is a true story about a young black man from Memphis who changed not only his life but the lives of the family who adopted him. The movie is.......THE BLIND SIDE....and this is a story about Michael Oher, who was abandoned by his mother and living on the streets of Memphis.  He was alone, cold and hungry and fought to survive.  His life changed one cold and rainy night when he was offered a ride by Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy.  The Tuohy family took Michael in, gave him a loving home and family, and worked with Michael to get him into Briarcrest school, provided him with tutors to get his grades up, and helped him study to take and pass the ACT test.  Michael went on to play football and graduate from Briarcrest, was recruited to play football at Ole Miss, became an All American football player at Ole Miss and was a number 1 NFL draft pick and is now playing with the Baltimore Ravens.  This story shows just what love can do, that no matter whether you are black or white, love is color blind and that it can overcome all odds.  Did I fail to mention that the Tuohy's are white and that the whole family became Michael's legal guardian!   They are extremely proud to have Michael as their son, and of what Michael has accomplished in his life, and for the man that Michael has become.   If you love SEC football and a great feel good story, then this is a MUST SEE movie, it just came out on DVD this past week, so if you missed it in the theaters you can now buy it and watch at home.  Michael is part of the Ole Miss family and we are so very proud of him!  By the way, Sandra Bullock who played the part of Leigh Anne Tuohy, won the Academy award for Best Actress for this movie!  I highly recommend this movie and your entire family will enjoy it!

Don't forget to checkout my Facebook page and comment on my blog!   Stay tuned!