Drifter's Memoirs

Cheap Travel Savings' Tips

2009-07-22T00:56:00.000-07:00

In order to stay in business, companies are starting to actively look for cheap travel savings' opportunities. They find that the slow economy has affected their way of doing business and they can no longer afford to give their employees the best travel options when they have to leave the office on business.

Many business use their corporate credit card accounts to achieve deep discounts on their corporate travel charges. Their travel departments have negotiated travel contracts with major airlines, that guarantee them consistent, low-cost airfare if they are their only airline provider. These cheap travel saving are modest airfare accommodations that do not offer many frills, but will get their employee where they need to be to negotiate contracts for new industry.

Many people try to allow room in their schedules to be flexible with the dates that they depart on their travel adventures. Cheap travel savings can be realized when travel sites require departure on a specific date, for a specific time, that must be accomplished by a specific date. Being specific can afford people to be flexible on their travel departure days, if that flexibility will give them deep discounts on their airfare.

People that travel for pleasure have learned quickly that it pays to travel with airlines that offer miles points for choosing their airline for travel. These cheap travel savings can quickly add up into free flights, or deeply discounted air flights to luxurious locations throughout the world. Other cheap travel savings have been provided to family members that may fly for half of the original fare, if their travel was booked at the same time as another family member.

Retired military get really cheap travel savings, when they use military aircraft as their mode of transportation. These travel benefits are part of their military retirement benefits, and there are flights leaving daily at many major military bases for points all around the world. This type of cheap travel savings is not without risks, however, because at any point in their travels, they may be bumped off the flight by a military member with an emergency to get to.

Some people use Internet auction sites to find cheap travel savings. There are online travel agents that list hundreds of different types of vacations for a very ridiculously low price, and the bidding can be quite challenging at times. Some of these travel offers can be bought straight out for a stated price, but there are thousands of other vacation packages where pricing can be controlled through a bidding process.

There are other cheap travel savings to be found, in air-fare war sales, that pit one airline against another in an effort to take a larger share of the available travel market at any given time of the year. The offers for cheap travel savings can sometimes give the business and personal traveler the option of flying from a specific airport location, or through a certain carrier that is featuring low prices for all of their flights.

These are just a few travel savings' tips that people use. Take care and happy travels.

Exotic Vacations - Roughing It In Style

2009-06-29T01:51:00.000-07:00

You've seen the Expedia.com commercials with the couple
in the beachside bungalow with mosquito nets... and the thought
of going on vacation to stay in a tent gives you the creepy crawlies
already.

Not to worry, you won't need a sleeping bag and a bottle of Off! for
this exotic vacation. When was the last time you stayed in an
air-conditioned, 790 square-foot tent with wooden floors,
embroidered interior canopies, private gardens, outside deck for
sunbathing, king size four-poster bed, freestanding roll top bath
and separate shower? And just to make sure you don't feel like
you're "roughing it," your tent comes with a DVD player and minibar.

It's seems contradictory that the words "luxury" be used to
describe a tent but at the Oberoi Vanyavilas, located between
the Aravali and the Vindhya mountain ranges in South-Eastern
Rajasthan, India, the concept is far from novel.

Nestled among 20 acres of landscaped gardens, lemon and
mango trees, and lakes and fountains, are 25 tents, bordering
on one of the most extraordinary wildlife reserves in the world,
Ranthambore National Park and Tiger Reserve, which is home
to the majestic Indian tiger, as well as deer, leopard, and crocodile.

Now, before you think that this is an isolated retreat, consider
the fine dining options and extensive spa services available. In
the Dining Room and Inner Courtyard, Executive Chef Saurav
Banerjee and Indian Master Chef Arjun Singh Yadava present an
impressive spread of Western, Thai and Indian cuisine from a
revolving menu.

The exquisitely decorated restaurant features hand painted
frescoes of flowers and animals by the celebrated miniaturist
Mohan Singh Kumawat. Outside is the walled terrace of the
Inner Courtyard which is lit at night by a massive log fire
(camp fire songs optional).

As with any quality resort, there is a spa, where you'll find
steam rooms, showers and private therapy suites and a long
menu of spa treatments, massages, facials, manicures and
pedicures. Try the stimulating Indian Spice Wrap and a
delicious Orange Wrap. All the massage and aromatherapy
treatments are aimed at relieving stress and promoting a
deep sense of relaxation and well-being.

For fitness buffs who can't miss a workout, there is an
exercycle, rowing machine, steppers and a treadmill, as
well as an outdoor heated pool.

All I can do is sigh. What a beautiful way to spend a
summer vacation.

Drifter's Memoirs
Pondering Beautiful Vacations

Kansas City, Missouri - Home of Great BBQ

2008-10-01T06:53:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been an amazing time since I've written on this blog.
Right now as I type, I'm in Kansas City, MO checking out
commercial property and visiting family.

There isn't enough time to go to all the places I want to go
here, but there is one place someone may want to check out.
Yesterday, I went somewhere I hadn't been since I was
around 10 years old.

My father and I stopped by the Liberty Memorial. It's a WWI
memorial. It's at the top of a hill that overlooks KCMO and it's
a place you'd want to stop and see. The statues and monument
are colossal.

Liberty Memorial is quite a sight to see. Take a look and see this
beautiful place.

Another place that is very popular in KCMO is Gates Barbeque.
My mother grew up with the owner, who name is Ollie Gates.
He's one of the leading entrepreneurs in KCMO. He owns all of
the Gates Barbeque restaurants and they are known for their
famous BBQ and BBQ sauce. He also owns many properties in
town. He's definitely a role model to emulate.

The other BBQ chain is Bryants BBQ. These are two places you'd
want to see if you travel to Kansas City. Kansas City is known for
their BBQ nationwide.

I'm here to check out the commercial property in the area. Many
homes and apartments are boarded up. It's so sad to see. Online
I checked the retail shopping centers that are for sale in the area.
Many of those are corporate owned for unknown reasons. Not
sure what has happened to the economy here, but looks like it's
taken it's toll.

Well today, I'm scouting a few residential properties to get a feel of
the real estate market. If I see something interesting or with
potential, I'll be sure to submit a letter of intent. We'll see what
happens. This evening I'm going to see if I can locate a Karaoke
spot to hang out at.

Well, until then, take care and thanks for stopping by.

Johnetta Matthews
Johnetta Matthews Corporation
President
Work For Yourself
New Search Engine Vulcoo
Commercial Real Estate Investing

Beautiful Santa Monica

2007-07-09T00:40:00.000-07:00

Hi,

Wow has it been a while or what? I've been singing
karaoke and working on a new job. Haven't had much
time to travel.

On my next post, I want to share with you when I went
to the I Cugini Restaurant by the Santa Monica Pier.

I'll locate my cord so I can post pictures. If you've
never listened to The Wave, you may be unaware that
may Jazz listeners gather at the I Cugini and Spagatini
(spelling) restaurants to listen to live Jazz for a Sunday
Brunch.

Okay, I won't rattle on. Stay tuned for the pics.

The Drifter

Orange County - Travel

2006-08-13T22:40:00.000-07:00

Well, it's no mystery that Orange County has Disney as an
attraction.

From my travels, I would have to say that Orange County is
my pick for a place to live and work in Southern California.
The people appear to be more trusting and more professional
from what I see in Los Angeles County.

I may be wrong, yet if you want to relocate to Southern
California, Orange County is my pick.

I do various deliveries to Orange County Hospitals and I want
to be the first to say to say that the staff in the Orange County
hospitals is above reproach. Not only are the hospitals
professional, the businesses are too.

I'll write more about Orange County in the next few posts.

Take care and be safe.

Drifter's Memoirs
@-------------->-------------

Kicking It In Southern Cali - Hsi Lai Temple

2006-04-15T22:54:00.000-07:00

The next place I'm excited to see is Hsi Lai Temple. I've heard so
much about it. It's a Buddhist Temple that has quite a history.
It's suppose to be one of the largest temples in the area.

The Hsi Lai Temple will be a great historical place to see
this weekend. The hours are from 9 am to 5 pm. This will be a
definite treat. What I can't wait to see is it's layout. The temple
offers group tours up to 15 people. So this can be a treat for
even a nice small group of people.

Here are some insights to their philosophy.

I'll fill you in on the details real soon. Have a happy Easter.

Drifters Memoirs
Travel Banter Blog
@---------->-----

Tags: travel memoirs

Southern California Travel Attaction

2006-02-05T18:59:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Can you believe it's February? Well, I had to take a good look
at my surroundings and I have to say I'm blessed. Since I've
been in Southern California, I've see a few nice places.

One of the places I visited was the Queen Mary. If you're not
familiar with the Queen Mary, take a look at the poster below.
She's docked in Long Beach and a great tourist attraction.

Buy this Art Print at AllPosters.com

She's quite a beauty. She has served in wars and
was well known by the stars in her days. To learn
more about this famous ship, visit her website below.
If you're in the Long Beach area, be sure to see this
great travel attraction.

Visit the Queen Mary Here

It's unbelieveable to see what's happening on the Queen Mary.

Take care and happy travels.

Drifters Memoirs
Travel Banter Blog
@---------->-----

Tags: travel memoirs

Travel Memoirs? Cocktail Dresses? What's Next?

2005-12-17T22:13:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Blogging is so much fun. At times we can run across very ruthless people on here. One of the blogs I had to be changed from a blogspot blog to a dot com blog. This was not because of Blogger. Blogger has supported us above reproach and I'm a true Blogger fan.

It's just when you have a good thing, you have to protect it. Our new web site address for Glamour and Cocktail Dresses is www.cocktaildressandheels.com . So if you want to continue looking for cocktail dresses and evening dresses with us, please go to the above address.

Someone may ask, how in the heck did I go from Travel Memoirs to Cocktail Dresses? It's very simple. When you travel, you want to look good. When people go on a cruise, there's normally parties and formal nights.

Men wear tuxes or suits and the women wear formals. It's really amazing how one travel experience can revamp a person's wardrobe.

I recall taking a trip to Hawaii (while stationed in Alaska). I wanted a few nice outfits, dresses and new high heels. What did I do? I went on a shopping spree and begged a girlfriend for a few of her outfits.

The next post, I'll tell you about my trip to Hawaii! Remember, I was stationed in Alaska and it was around 20 degrees and when I landed in Hawaii, it was 88 degrees lol. What a contrast.

Take care and have a great holiday season.

Drifters Memoirs
Travel Banter Blog
Cocktail Dresses and Heels
@---------->-------------

Tags: travel memoirs
humor cocktail dresses

Sending Flowers - Flower Delivery

2005-12-11T13:20:00.000-08:00

The main thing we'd like to mention is the gift of flowers.
I'm sure every NYC florist, Manhattan Florists, San Francisco
Florists, and Los Angeles florists is buzzing away with
flower orders for the holidays.

You can catch many florists on line to deliver flowers
for you. Calling an 800 flowers number can even be a snap,
especially if you're in a crunch.

In many cases, you can order your flowers today and have
your flowers delivered within 24 to 48 hours.

For the last several years, I've sent my mother and father
meals for the holidays. It's not easy being far away from
them, especially while in the miltary. When you're in the
military, you realize how important it is to send a gift
basket or flowers to someone you love. No matter
how far I was from home, I made sure I sent flowers, gifts,
or food :o).

Just remember, if you're delivering flowers this holiday
season, be sure to place your order as soon as possible
for on time delivery.

Take care and send flowers to the one you love for the
holidays even if you're traveling abroad.

Drifter's Memoirs
Travel Banter Blog
@------->--------- <----As you can see, I love flowers too. :o)

Drifter in Manhattan - The Big Apple

2005-12-07T23:53:00.000-08:00

New York, New York - Brooklyn Bridge

Buy this Art Print at AllPosters.com

Wow, let me tell you about my adventures in New York City.
I wouldn't advise anyone to go to New York like I did. Yet,
I can say I had a bonified blast.

I had been online for a short period of time and had spent a
great deal of time in several AOL Chat Rooms. I lucked
across this one chat room where everyone would chat for
hours. We laughed so much in this chat room that
we all became like family.

After several months talking in this chat room, someone
decided to get together and go clubbing. At the time,
I was living in Delaware. The plan was to meet in
Manhattan at a night club.

There were several men in the group and the women
were really close. So it was on! I was going to ride the
train from Delaware to New York City.

I rode a four hour train ride and as I arrived at the
Penn Station, my palms became really sweaty. I realized
I was going on a blind date. I was going to meet at least
50 people that I had spoken to online and didn't have a
clue about New York City (Manhattan).

Needless to say, I arrived at the hotel and stood in the
middle of the room and asked myself, "What the heck
are you doing?" I got dressed and rode the cab to this
booming night club that had an upstairs and downstairs.
It had at least four rooms with different types of music.

I wish I could remember the name of the this off the
hook club. It was awesome.

I remember walking downstairs to meet everyone. The
music was jammin and there were a lot of people dancing
and talking everywhere in the room.

The first thing I did was walk to the bar and order a
drink. When I turned around, someone asked, "Is that
you *&)*&(%?" I said, "Yes". And that's basically how the
whole night went. We all would walk up to each other
and ask if the other person was a certain screen name.
We danced, partied, laughed, and had an awesome time.

We went out to breakfast and eventually said good night.
I really miss the people from the chat room. We had such
a great time. This all occurred in 1998.

The next morning, I figured out how to ride the train
to Times Square. I went to a restaurant on Times Square
and had the best Chili I have ever had. I think it was called
the Chili Factory. I'm really not sure.

I saw the Empire State Building, went to Tower Records
and fell in love with a group called Alabina, and basically
drifted along Times Square. Be sure to click on the Alabina link,
it's an awesome Flamenco, Arabic sound. The Megamix is off
the chart if you like this type of music.

When I was in Manhattan, I was captivated how it could
be peaceful in such a large city.

Manhattan, you will forever be the apple of my eye.

I highly recommend seeing Manhattan and Times Square.

Drifters Memoirs
Travel Banter Blog
@-------->----------

Buy this Poster at AllPosters.com

Tags: travel memoirs pictures
humor
life
New York
stories

New Cocktail Dresses and Heels Blog

2005-11-26T04:51:00.000-08:00

Well,

It's been a while since we've posted on Drifters. We're drifting
as usual :o). In a good way this time.

We added another blog to our blog group. I've always had a
fascination with cocktail dresses and heels. My fascination
started while singing in bands and competing in talent shows
in the military.

There was one thing all of us ladies would shop for prior to
a talent contest, "Cocktail Dresses". We here always
discouraged from wearing short dresses and always had a
hard time finding dresses. Especially when we were in
Germany. Well, I started a Cocktail Dress and Heels Blog
in memory of playing the dress up game.

Check out our latest post: Here

Our most recent post is on Red and Black Short Tight Cocktail
Dresses (Blush). What can I say? I love fashion and travel.
Let me know your thoughts.

Most of the dresses can be used as cruise dresses, New Years,
and dresses for the upcoming College Spring Break! Once again
check out our site. Hope you like it:

Glamour and Cocktail Dresses

Drifters Memoirs
Travel Banter Blog
@-------->-------

Looking for a Cheap Flight List? Nashville Airport Shuttle?

2005-10-17T21:49:00.000-07:00

Flight to Germany? Summer Vacation? Corporate Travel?

Go Corporate! In Style!

We've scrubbed the web for stretch limousines and limousines are plentiful. There is an airport shuttle and limousines' service available nationwide. It could be Nashville, Chicago, Las Vegas, or San Francisco. Stretch limousines or shuttles can be a company's rental policy and can be economical. Check below for limousine and shuttle services.

Discounted Transportation and Airline Tickets:
(They Give You The Airport Code)

Find the Most Economical Way! Airport Shuttles and Limousines!

Deals and Last Minute Arrangement Links:
(They give you the Airport Code)

CheapTickets: Air Fare Search

No Booking Fees when you buy online! Visit Cheap Tickets today.

CheapTickets: Discount Hotel Rooms

Ship Out Soon: Last-minute Cruise Deals

Find great rates on San Francisco hotels.

Find great rates on Las Vegas hotels.

Find great rates on Chicago hotels.

Las Vegas Deals

Great Travel Deals!

Travel With Class:

We love to travel and wanted to share the great cheap travel list we came up with online.

Enjoy.

Travel Banter Blog
Drifter's Memoirs

Stay tuned for more original ideas!

Original Gift Ideas:

Tags: travel memoirs corporate travel
cheap flight list
summer vacations

Blog Format

2005-10-16T16:51:00.000-07:00

We apologize for our blog format. We're not sure what's going on but it's affecting all of our blogs. Blogger has been notified.

Johnetta Matthews

Drifter's Memoirs' New Turn - The Art Lover Remembers Paris France

2005-09-27T21:58:00.000-07:00

Drifter's Memoirs is buying in on the idea of being able to display additional art for our art lovers in a bigger way. As you probably can tell, I love art and the creative aspects of it.

When I was assigned in Alaska, I started purchasing numbered prints. Well today, may have been a new turn for me. I may be able to make a difference in artists' lives.

When I went to Paris, France, there was a place that I went to that had a lot of stairs and it was where all of the artists painted and sketched. I think it was called the Student's or
Artists' Square or something like that. Folks, I was 19 when I was in Paris and I'm Forty..... (cough) (cough)...uhhh something now lol. So please help me remember the name of the place I went that's well known to artists.

Forex Enterprise

One thing was to see the Mona Lisa and how her features are so captivating. I remember staring at her and saying to myself, "So this is the painting everyone admired for thousands of years." To be honest, I never thought that a small town person like me would end up in front of the Mona Lisa at the age of 19 years old. I had known a young man for 45 days that wanted to get married. He had already had orders to go back to the states. There was one thing he promised before he went on leave.

"I promise to take you to Paris for New Years." Can you imagine that?? Well, we went and I had a wonderful time. He was really a great guy, I was just too young to get married....ok...I trailed off again...I do that when I speak of Europe. I loved it there. Europe gave me an appreciation for museums, art, culture, cathedrals, and castles. Did I forget wine? lol

The Louvre Museum in Paris is where you'll find the Mona Lisa and the artist is Leonardo Di Vinci. What an awesome artist. He had a way of playing jokes on people through his paintings he was commissioned for paint for them.

Some say Leornado Di Vinci painted himself as a woman. Some say the painting is an androgynous depiction of him. They also say that the only way he could have painted the picture was by looking at himself in the mirror while painting. (This wouldn't be any different than how Freida painted herself when you think about it). This wasn't revealed to me until I read "The Di Vinci Code". Wow, now that was an awesome book!

HurryDate

There are many fascinating stories about the Knights of Templar and the ....wow...I can go on and on about this. To sum it up, life is under a Law of Balance (some say the Law of Opposites) and each opposite polar energy has to exist simultaneously with the other. (Next I'll start saying a mantra and wear the Yin Yang symbol around my neck....I do like those you know). This is part of the reason why I believe Leonardo Di Vinci depicted Mona Lisa the way he did. He was a brillant man and understood felt the Laws of Nature on a deeper level. A man before his time and a very cunning man in his art. His pictures speak a different message than what's on the surface. He seemed to always have hidden messages in his paintings.

Then again, this is just me rambling, yet the Egyptians and the Art of Tantra believe in the Laws of Nature and it's opposites. Uh oh, guess I'm really getting deep here. Guess I have too much time on my hands lol. Soooo, how's football? I sure love those Niners and Raiders lol. Pass the chips and dip lol.

Eat. Drink. Save!

I'll keep you posted on the art developments and trust me, I'm going to share every juicy detail as it occurs. I'm sure any art lover will feel pleased.

Johnetta Matthews
Drifter's Memoirs
My Secret Hiding Place
The Art Lover
@------------>--------
Travel Secrets

Tags: travel memoirs France
Europe humor life paintings
artists stories art lovers
metaphysics

Beautiful California

2005-09-07T22:39:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that it's been a while since I've posted on this blog. Tonight, I was thinking about being grateful about my current surroundings and where I grew up at.

It's nice to talk about the many different countries where I've lived and traveled to, yet I have failed to show my appreciation for California.

Below are a few pictures of places in California that caught my eye. California is by far a beautiful place and the beach and ocean are hypnotizing. Take a look at this beautiful picture of the ocean. This is a picture of the California coast.

Buy this Giclee Print at AllPosters.com

Now for a nice picture of where I currently live. Long Beach is known for the beautiful Queen Mary and it's a sight to see. Below is a picture of the Long Beach Coast.

Buy this Art Print at AllPosters.com

Now below is my old stomping ground. San Francisco is where I used to spend most of my time as a teenager. Below is a captivating picture of the Transamerica Pyramid.

Buy this Giclee Print at AllPosters.com

Last but now least I'd like to share a common scene we used to see in San Francisco:

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Travel Banter Blog
Drifter's Memoirs
@------>----------

Tags: travel memoirs veterans
California
pictures
life
posters
stories

2005-09-05T16:05:00.000-07:00

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

Drifter's Comments - Bitte Ein Bit

2005-08-01T00:40:00.000-07:00

Tags: travel memoirs veterans
Europe
humor
life
Germany
Military
stories

It's been a while since I've been able to post to this great blog of memoirs. When I first saw the web site for Bitburb Air Base Germany (previous post), I realized how much I used to really love Germany.

Being stationed in Germany was like living in a fairy tale. There was so much to do and see. I've never played so much spades, dominoes, backgammon, or shot pool in my life. Can you believe there was beer in the vending machines in the dormitory?? For $1 you could by a can of Heineken!!

Living in the dormitories over there was a blast. My first week there I think I went to a Toga Party in the Security Police Dorm lol. I made sure I was fully clothed under the Toga because I had heard so many rumors about Toga Parties lol.

Dormitory life was really fun. I remember being introduced to Milk and Apple Schnapps. Milk Schnapps was an unsual drink and I remember it looked like watered down milk and it was really good.

Well, hope I can run across the great people I knew at Bitburg. We had a really great time.

On the previous post, one of the sites has pictures of how Bitburg looks now. The whole base has been transformed. The church is now a club if my memory serves me right. The gate is gone yet, many of the buildings are still there. Oh how I wish the base didn't close. Great Place. Great Times.

Ein Bit Bitte!

Travel Banter Blog
@----->----------

Drifter's Memoirs

Bitburg AB Germany Web Site!!

2005-08-01T00:19:00.000-07:00

Tags: travel memoirs veterans
Europe
humor
life
Germany
Military
stories

Wow!

Talking about running across a great website that brought back memories of living in Germany! A very long time ago, I was stationed at Bitburg Air Base Germany where I had the ball of my life. Check my previous posts regarding Germany.

Here is a link to a website I ran across. There's going to be a reunion for the people who were stationed at Bitburg in September 2005. Take a look:

http://bitteeinbit.net/

The website even has a Roll Call for the Air Force service members who were stationed at Bitburg! Take a look:

http://bitteeinbit.org/BT/btrollcall.html

As some of you may know, there is a Military Transition Blog and website attached to this blog. See below:

http://www.veteransinmotion.com/

http://www.veteransinmotion.blogspot.com/

The two above sites are in honor of the servicemen and women who desire a Military Transition Coach. The Military Transition Blog was just added to the Veterans of America web ring.

Travel Banter Blog
@----->---------

Drifter's Memoirs

Drifter's Memoirs - Amsterdam, Holland

2005-06-30T21:46:00.000-07:00

Tags: travel memoirs pictures
Europe
humor
life
Holland
Military
stories
Netherlands

Can you believe I found myself in Amsterdam, Holland at the age of 20 years old in 1982? Who would have ever thought that the girl from Richmond, California would find herself in Holland?

This was a big time party place. At times, Holland was a little frightening. Thank goodness we always were in a group of six or more people whenever we traveled abroad.

We went to a place called the Flora Palace and danced like we had lost our minds. This is one place we had to be very careful. Drugs were legal and used in public places.

Can you imagine dancing in a night club and finding yourself around drugs? This wasn't cool. We ran out of a night club when we discovered that there were drugs around us. You won't believe what type of club we ended up in that evening.

For the first time in Europe, we heard Reggae music coming out of this spectacular night club. We walked in and discovered that it was a Rastafarian Night Club. Would you believe that this was the one club where we didn't see or smell drugs? The people were extremely friendly and gave us free drinks when they found out we were Americans. We danced to Reggae music until almost daylight. We had a ball.

The next day, we took the traditional trip on our tour bus to downtown Amsterdam. We saw the Red Light District and visited every shop we could find.

We stopped by one store and everything in it was red and black. Black pants, red pants, black tops, red tops, you get the message. The store next door only had black and white clothes. We so much fun and we all left looking like the bopsie twins. Madonna was really big during this time (1982) and everything we bought was made out of lace.

Holland was a beautiful place. The canals and tulips is what I enjoyed the most. For some reason, I can't remember all of the attractions I saw there. Too much time has passed and we were only there for a short period of time. The below pictures will give you an idea of the type of sights I saw while I was there. Just remember, we had a great time and the Dutch really knew how to party.

Illuminated Canal And Houses., Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands

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Canal At Night, Amsterdam, Holland

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Exterior Of Royal Palace, Amsterdam, Netherlands

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Tulips, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Buy this Giclee Print at AllPosters.com

Isn't this a beautiful picture of Germany? I couldn't resist.

Neuschwanstein Castle
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Drifter's Memoirs

Travel Banter Blog
@----->----------

Feed

2005-06-26T21:34:00.000-07:00

No Need to Click Here - I'm just claiming my feed at Feedster feedster:61d2b2e401db23c9378d877c8335e239

Las Vegas Nevada - Sin City

2005-06-21T21:46:00.000-07:00

Tags: travel memoirs pictures
Las Vegas
humor
life
Egypt
Military

Can you believe that the military sent me to Las Vegas as my first duty station in the Air Force? The Air Force was definitely good to me.

At the ripe age of 18 years old, I was stationed in luminous Las Vegas. The city never slept. Where else could a person get Steak and Eggs for as little as 99 cents? We casino hopped every other weekend. I couldn't believe how such a place existed. I actually fell in love with the bright lights.

While stationed in Las Vegas, I began my singing hobby. Before I knew it, I was singing with bands. Talking about getting out of a comfort zone, I was terribly shy.

A lot has changed in Las Vegas since 1981. Every time I go to Las Vegas, I get lost. The streets have changed dramatically.

My life in Las Vegas was exciting. I felt like an adventurer and in constant flux. It's one thing to visit Las Vegas, it's another to actually live there. You see, I had an overload of the senses. We were constantly on the go.

Below is how Las Vegas would look on a typical evening.

Las Vegas

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The only thing I regret is that I didn't go to the shows on the Strip. Many people know that Las Vegas is known for their shows. Lets face it, the King of Rock and Roll performed in Las Vegas regularly. Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Junior, Dean Martin, Wayne Newton, and many others performed at the casinos in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, Elvis had already passed away by the time I arrived in Las Vegas.

King of Rock and Roll - Elvis Presley

Elvis in Vegas

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As I mentioned before, Las Vegas has really changed. Below is a casino that really caught my mind's eye.

Luxor Casino

Luxor Casino, Las Vegas, NV

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The Luxor Casino is exquisite and the concept came from the Temple of Luxor in Egypt. Below are actual pictures of the Temple of Luxor in Egypt.

Luxor, Luxor Temple, Egypt

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Statue In Luxor Museum, Luxor, Egypt

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Luxor Temple, Egypt

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Colossi To Thutmose II At Temple Of Luxor, Luxor, Egypt

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My desire to visit Santorini Greece matches with my fascination to see Egypt. One can only see why Las Vegas designed a casino from the Great Temple of Luxor.

Below are newer Las Vegas casinos. The one below looks like something out of a fairy tale.

Casino And Hotel Complex, Las Vegas, U.S.A.

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Here's a breath taking photo. Be sure to visit the Mirage Casino in Las Vegas.

Mirage Hotel waterfalls, Las Vegas, Nevada

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Check out our LA/Las Vegas Tours link on our blog. Take a trip to Las Vegas and see the awesome hotels and casinos. Some will take your breath away.

Our Travel Links:

Los Angeles and Las Vegas Tours

Airport Shuttle and Hotel Reservations

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Yours Truly,

Johnetta Matthews

Have A Jammin Week!

2005-06-19T00:11:00.000-07:00

Tags: humor
life
pictures
work

The Travel Banter Blog would like to wish all visitors a jammin week!

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Playtime
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Please tell me it's not Monday already!

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Alaska - Breath of Fresh Air

2005-06-17T01:03:00.000-07:00

Tags: travel memoirs pictures
Alaska
humor
life

Alaska is also one of my favorites. During the summer months, when it never got dark outside, we would party at a night club until 2 am and immediately change into our fishing clothes. We would combat fish for salmon until 6 am almost every weekend. You may be wondering what's combat fishing?

Combat fishing is when everyone on the bank stands 12" apart and consistently cast out for the salmon. Once a person catches a salmon and begins to walk upstream, everyone yells "Fish On". This is when everyone without a fish moves away from the edge of the bank to allow the person to reel in their fish. It's combat fishing because everyone is trying to catch a fish at the same time and are standing really close to one another.

Talking about being spooked out. A baby bear cub was found in our dumpster at my apartment building. Have you ever been in the near vicinity of a bear?? Bears have a very distinct smell. It's a very sour and disgusting smell. Just to think they are still capable of being able to smell someone else. :o)

Another time, a couple of friends and I were hiking in Alaska, and guess what? We smelled that sour smell and I swore that I would never go hiking again. I just didn't want to see us have a scene from one of the horror movies where the dummies go out in the woods asking for trouble. You know the types. The ones that think they can out run a bear. Anyway, here's a lovely picture of a momma and her baby cub. They're real cute on a poster, glad I didn't see them in person. I guess you figured we didn't fish that day.

Brown Bear Carrying Cub, Alaska

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Below is a realistic picture of Alaska. I've heard all sorts of rumors about the Northern Lights. Yet, when you see them, they're breath taking.

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Just remember, if you move to Alaska, it doesn't get dark in the summer. So, if you have plans of leaving your girlfriend's house at 4 am., someone will be certain to see you. Remember how the group TLC sang about Creepin? No one Creeps in Alaska. :o) And you're definitely going to smell a bear if it's nearby. :o)

In closing, here's a picture for your thoughts from Alaska.

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Contemplation

"If today was perfect there would be no need for tomorrow."

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Drifter's Memoirs

Drifter's Fantasies - Star Wars

2005-06-06T23:57:00.000-07:00

Tags: Movies memoirs pictures My Life
Banter
Star Wars

Now I know I have to go see Star Wars. There's so much I used to love about Star Wars as a kid. Here are some posters in honor of our Star Wars Fans. There's a search box to find the ones you want. Have fun! See below.

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Drifter's Memoirs
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Take a look below for posters for recent movies:

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Posters will rotate. Come back and see a different poster everytime!

Rome!

2005-05-18T01:16:00.000-07:00

Tags: travel memoirs pictures
My Life

It was on a Thursday evening when my boyfriend asked if I wanted to take the Traghetti (ferry) to Roma. We both had a long week and wanted to get away. We decided to leave early Saturday morning and return on Sunday.

Well, we started from the southern tip of Sicily in Comiso. We drove through the vineyards, nearby villages, and Catania until we were in Messina, Sicily.

The water was a dark blue and the sky was a beautiful blue with very few clouds. The ferry was approaching. Once in Italy, we drove through Reggio, Naples, and Pompeii Italia (Italy for us American folks). While in Reggio, we had to turn around. Someone a few cars in front of us had been shot while driving in traffic.

We eventually made it to Rome!!! I was so excited. Have you ever had a dog that stuck it's head out the window as his ears flopped in the wind? Well, that was me. I believe the whole time we drove in Rome, my head was out the window amazed at the fact I was in Rome. Good thing my boyfriend spoke fluent Italian. We were able to get around really good throughout Italy and Sicily. As for me, I only spoke present tense. At least the locals could understand me. Oh well, I was the African American two year old when it came to speaking the language. (But I got much better with time..trust me). Thank goodness I had a really good boyfriend. He taught me Italian, took me everywhere, and showed me a great time in Sicily and Italy. Back to the trip.

We visited the Colosseum and the nearby attractions. We stayed overnight and enjoyed the scenery and culture (as my memory serves me). On the way back to Sicily, we stopped in Reggio, Italia.

I recall going to a museum that had an exhibit of two African pirates. Their ship had sank hundreds of years ago because of the weight of treasure they had aboard their ship. The locals were selling replicas of their statues everywhere you went in Reggio.

Let me explain these enormous statues I saw in the museum. The statues were pure bronze and their teeth were made of silver. The anatomy and color of the statues clearly depicted they were of African descent. Can you imagine having so much gold, silver, and other treasures that your ship sank??? Talking about having a bad day. The statues were on high stands and the statues had to be at least seven feet tall.

Parts of the ship were in the museum. I was amazed at the size of the ship and tried to imagine having so much gold that I ship that size sunk from the weight of it.

Below are a few prints of the gorgeous sites I saw and some I wish I had seen. (Whatever you do, have Tortellini and a dish called Fruitti de Mare if you're in Sicily or Italy. Fruitti de Mare is similiar to Paella in Espana (Spain). The only difference is rice versus pasta). Enjoy!

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Oh how I love Sicilia. Very down-to-earth, romantic culture. If there was one place that made me think twice about coming back to the United States, it was Sicily! Sicily has a huge part of my heart and always will. I miss you Sicilia! Grazie.

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*After being back in California, I mix Italian and Spanish together. At one time, I spoke Italian enough to only hang out with the Sicilians. They used to smile when I spoke. I had taken an Italian class and spoke very proper Italian. The dialects varied from township to township. All of the Sicilians I knew treated me like family. Pray all of you are well dear friends.

The Cologne Cathedral and Hohenzollern Bridge

2005-05-15T13:30:00.000-07:00

Tags: travel memoirs pictures

Wow! While surfing the poster images, I ran across across The Cologne (Koln) Cathedral and Hohenzollern Bridge. This is mentioned in a previous post about how we used to go see this really tall cathedral and cross the Rhine River to go to a Spanish restaurant we loved.

Out of all of the places I've lived, Germany gave me a lesson on how to appreciate culture. The Germans have suffered many wars and have had to rebuild their country many, many times. The warmth that I felt there was a family type of warmth.

This is one place that I had the luxury of living on the economy. I lived on Bitburg Air Base for a year and lived in Kyllburg for nearly 2 years. I'll have to check the spelling of Kyllburg since it's been over 20 years since I've lived there. Kyllburg was a little town that looked like it came out of a fairy tale.

The houses were close together, very colorful, and were on a hill. Every Saturday it wasn't uncommon to see women beating their rugs across their balconies. You actually could eat off of the floor of most German homes. The locals were friendly and often I would walk down to the market for fresh fruit and vegetables. I was always greeted with smiles. Can you believe the Deutsch Mark was got up to 3.45 to the dollar when I was there?

Kyllburg Link (I miss this beautiful place...it was home. I lived on the right side about five buildings along the right. The large building is the church on the hill. I used to turn left at the church and start down the hill to my home. The market was at the bottom of the hill. Gosh, guess I'm homesick). You will see me refer to every place I ever lived as home. :o) Didn't think I could find a picture of where I used to live on the Internet. Wonder if my landlords still live there. Wow.

Pruem was the adjacent town that was nearby. I loved my German landlords. The wife would often send the husband over with fresh baked goodies and I would always return the favor by taking them American Ice Cream. It was a great trade arrangement (her pastries were awesome).

I loved Kyllburg and it's curvy streets. I felt like a NASCAR race driver while commuting to work. The area was extremely green and I belive the approaching streets to Kyllburg were 100 Kilometers. The autobaun was the greatest. No speed limits.

If you ever have a chance to go to Germany, leave the tourist attractions from time to time. Germany has such a refreshing culture and it was very family oriented where I was located also the many places I traveled to througout Germany.

There was one historical moment that happened to me while in Germany. I had the honor of protecting the President of the United States. President Reagan, may your soul rest in peace.

One day I'll tell you about a festival I went to at Bernkastel. I asked for a glass of wine and they gave me a whole bottle. I took one bewildered look around the festival and realized no one was drinking out of a glass. Everyone were drinking out of their own individual bottle. Can you imagine this happening in the states? :o) Amazing and truly beautiful, warm, and loving country. I love you Germany and I will treasure you always!

Take a look at my favorite refuge while in Germany. The Twin Peaks is the Koln Cathedral on the Rhine River. Now you know my secret hideaway while in Germany.

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Retire In Mexico!

2005-05-12T03:33:00.000-07:00

Tags: travel memoirs pictures

Did you know more and more people are leaving the United States and retiring in Mexico? I've recently ran across an ezine where a gentleman and his wife became expatriates and how their transition to living in Mexico was rewarding for them. They indicated how their expenses were cut down to a minimum.

Save on flights and retire in Mexico:

Check it out below!

Fly Really Cheap

Retire in Mexico

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Lovely Print of Mexico

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Greek Isles, Santorini

2005-05-11T23:11:00.000-07:00

Tags: travel memoirs pictures

Before I go any further about my Travel Banter, I would like to share with you a place that has captivated my heart for at least two years.

Santorini in the Greek Isles has to me one of the most gorgeous places. For the past two years, I've had this thing for calendars showing the beautiful landscapes of Santorini. Every morning I look at my success collage (long story and many things have came true), walk in the bathroom, and see beautiful landscapes of Santorini. Let's see, a 58' Pilot Home on the Med, sounds like a winner.

The Mediterranean area has to be the most scenic and romantic place in the world. Sure, Alaska was beautiful and so was Delaware. Nothing compares to the Med. Well, Hawaii comes close. Below are some captivating prints I ran across. Along with the print in the right margin in the upper right hand corner. That same print is on my calendar. Wow...take a look. What a view!

From what I hear, all of the building on Santorini are made of rock. Lava rock to be exact. The rumor I heard is that the locals dug homes out of the rock and painted them white. I'll have to do some research to find out the validity of what I heard. Just another beautiful place I wanted to show you.

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Personal Quote: Living is feeling passionate about something!

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Buon Giorno!

Quick Note: There's a volcano on Santorini. The island used to be circular and the eruption made the island sink in the middle according to the net. Wow, had Mt. Edna in Catania and now have a smoking volcano in Santorini. Gosh, which is worse? Earthquakes or volcanoes? :o) Don't think I'll be taking any volcano tours. Like living on the edge, but going on a volcano tour is like jumping off a cliff.

Travel Inspirations

2005-05-09T01:33:00.000-07:00

Tags: travel memoirs pictures

I was inspired at a very young age to travel. At the age of 3 years old, my mother and father split. My mother and I went from Kansas City, MO. to the Bay Area near San Francisco.

Let me tell you, San Francisco Bay Area and Kansas City, MO. are like two different animals. Kansas City is known for their music and barbecue. When I say barbecue, I mean mouth watering, finger and bone licking, barbecue sauce slinging, using all the napkins barbecue. I think I was sharing about how I was inspired to travel. Kansas City's barbecue is worthy of having a blog of it's own. Now for my travel banter blog entry.

The Drifter Was Born

My mother worked in elementary schools as far as I can remember. She retired one year after I did a couple of years ago. One day, when I was around 5 years old, she brought a book home with pictures of children from different countries. This book showed different cultures in their authentic settings. Many of the children wore their native clothing. This book fascinated the you know what out of me at the age of 5. I couldn't put it down.

(To see a copy of the book that inspired me to travel as a child, click on the below link and do a search for Hanns Reich. The name of the book is, "Children of Many Lands". The book was selling for $1.95 which is subject to change). The other book my mom had by Hanns Reich was "Children and their Fathers." The merchant changes the pages often. If you click on the below link and see something other than "Children of Many Lands", place Hanns Reich name in the search box on the page below. The book will be located if in stock.

Children of Many Lands

I remember running home plopping down on the living room floor and looking at every page of this book, over and over again. My poor elbows were raw. With my head in my hands and elbows to the floor, I would stare at every pages' details. One page sent me running to my mother asking her if I could have some wine. There was a picture of an Italian family at their dinner table drinking wine. Get this, the kids were drinking wine too! Well, we both know mom declined my request for wine.

My mother had no idea that for years I would look at every child's face in this book wishing I could meet each and every one of them. They were so different from I and all I wanted to do was find out if we had anything in common. Were they nice? Would we be able to speak to each other? What were they like? I must have given my mother the 100 question drill asking about these kids in this book. Poor lady, I'll never know how she dealt with such a curious child.

I found many of the answers to those questions once I turned 19 years old. I had to wait 14 years, because that's when I traveled and lived in Germany for 3 years. While in Germany, I traveled to Spain, Austria, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Holland, France, gosh, I may have missed one or two but you get the idea. Many years later I moved to Sicily and stayed for a year. When it comes to Sicily, I may need a whole blog to share the great experiences I had.
(Provo parlare l'Italiano). The below picture is my most favorite place in the whole world. Taormina, Sicilia.

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Europe was such an eye opener for me. The people were open- minded, in most cases my color wasn't an issue, and differences were tolerated more than what I see here in the states.

Over there, I was an American. In the United States, I'm an African American or sometimes called Black female, depending on the context of the situation.

While I was in Europe, I understood why Tina Turners and Josephine Bakers stayed in Europe. The most refreshing moments in my life was when someone said, "You're a pretty American". Wow, was I glad to be addressed as an American. The sense of pride I had is indescribable.

Thanks mom for bringing home that little book. It inspired me to leave home as an only child and wander into the unknown abyss of self discovery. Parents have no idea how they inspire their children. That little book changed the course of my life and had a direct impact on the decisions I made while serving in the military. I became a drifter.

Every weekend, while living in Germany, I traveled to a different country or scouted the hills, cities, and prairies of Germany. I lived life to it's fullest and appreciated the surroundings and cultures I was exposed to daily. Since 1981, I've never lived in one place for more than 3 years. The goodbyes I've had to say are endless and form a distinct blur in my memory, yet the memories of the places I've seen have enriched my life immensely.

Personal Quote: We find out our true character, when we are in direct eye contact with someone whose different from ourselves.

By the way, that little book is still by the front door, on my mother's book shelf, on the second shelf. :o)

*Note: Due to the cost of royalty free pictures, Drifter will use posters of places visited.

Welcome to Drifter's Travel Banter Blog.

Germany - Auslese, Eisvien, Spatlese

2005-05-08T21:33:00.000-07:00

Tag: Food and Drink

By the time I was 19 years old, I found myself in Bitburg, Germany. This was one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. My favorite place was Koln, Germany. I'm going to have to research for the name of the beautiful cathedral I used to go see. The hotel was right across the street from the tallest cathedral I've ever seen.

The Rhine River was nearby. We used to go across the bridge and go to this Spanish Restaurant. This may have been a Spanish Restaurant and it had the most awesome Crab Louie (with 1000 island dressing) salad with large fresh shrimp. The most soliciated drink in the restaurant was Sangria with fresh fruit.

My Personal Wine Lessons From Germany

The prominent wines in Germany were from the following rivers: Nahe, Mosel-Saar, and the Rhine.

The most popular wines were Auslese, Spatlese, Eisvien, and Kabinett.

The next several posts will be my accounts of Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Holland, Italy, Mexico, France, Spain, Sicily, Hawaii, Alaska, and the United Kingdom. Wow, do I have a lot to share with you.

Travel Banter Blog

First Entry

2005-05-08T18:42:00.000-07:00

Tags: travel memoirs pictures

This blog is to give an account of the many places I've visited. A great deal of time has passed since I've seen these places and my entries will be out of sequence. My main goal is to share with you the great things I remembered about Europe, the United States, and abroad.

This could be looked upon as a travel blog. There are so many places I still want to see. Sit back and enjoy. Posts will be added soon. Pictures and prints will be shown within the posts. It's going to take a while for me to scan my personal photos for the blog. Until then, enjoy the prints and posters of the mentioned places.

Now, I have to decide to talk about Paris or Spain. Wow, this is going to be exciting!

The Travel Banter Blog