HoundsGood: Chronicles of a Virtual Volunteer

Did you ever take a relaxing vacation, only to come home with a bad cold?  It never ceases to amaze me.  Sometimes an airline passenger decides they aren’t going to stay home no matter how sick they are and they happen to have the seat next to you.   Did you know, that even if you escape being coughed over, that there is another common way to pick up a bug?  

Airlines don’t automatically give you a pillow and blanket anymore.  If you ask for one, you can be pretty sure it has not been cleaned in awhile.   I never even thought of that until I read the Cabin Cuddler website! In fact, the inventor of the product was actually a pilot and he felt so strongly about it that he quit his career to develop the product with his wife and sister. If a pilot feels that way, then you know its not just merely an urban legend.

I think I may buy a few travel blankets and put them away for the holidays. There are a few relatives that are always on business trips and endure long flights. The Cabin Cuddler is not just a regular blanket, but has a foot pocket and is a special shape so that you are well cocooned instead of struggling to get warm.  

My dachshunds give their seal of approval that anything that keeps you snuggled or burrowed in.   Too bad they have to stay under the seat in the carrier during flight.

Actually, the name of this new site i found is called WEneedavacation.com, not I Need a Vacation.  However, I really do need one!     If you took a social networking site, and a travel website, and then the two had a baby, this site would be it.  There are sites out there that let you rate properties, but this site is much more interactive.    You can actually network with your friends, swap stories, and invite eachother to come along on a planned itenerary.    For example, if you were looking for Destin vacation rentals in Florida, you could choose your favorites.

Right now, there is talk of a family photo being taken with the whole extended family.   Because people live in different states, it is not easy to pull together.  It is even more difficult when one person as the contact person, and then the contact person thinks someone else is organizing it.   With a tool like this site, there would be no question!

Since there are is usually a lot going on every Friday, the day usually makes my mind wander to taking some sort of a vacation.

My husband keeps talking about wanting to take a trip to Memphis someday. He went there for a training class for a job he had, and he saw a few of the sites but didn’t see everything he wanted to see. When you go someplace on business and have minimal free time, you really have to pack it in. Also, when you are dependent on someone else for transportation, you are also very limited.

He wanted to try some of the world famous Bar-B-Que, but got “outvoted.” Someone’s brilliant idea was to go the supermarket and get deli made sandwiches. After all, it would be cheaper. Little did they know they would be charged by the slice on anything they wanted on their sandwich. A generously sized sandwich that could be enough to hold you over was more expensive then going to a full service restaurant. To add insult to injury, the cheese was turning colors so vivid, it would have been in the modern art section of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, had that not been a public health risk.

What were they all thinking? Usually, whether you are planning a business trip or are looking for family vacation ideas, old cold cuts are something that could happen, but you don’t make it part of a planned itinerary when so many historic and interesting places are around.

They did have enough time to see Graceland, but after everyone sort of bickered over who was not happy with the lunch choice, that there was not enough time to do more than just drive by and wave.

Trusted Tours & Attractions is having a contest that ends THIS MONDAY, March 31st. A lucky person who signs up for their Trusted Travels newsletter during this time will win an IPOD Nano. It will be perfect for the plane ride. Also, it can be used as an excuse not to socialize with the other people at your conference to save you from having to go along with iron clad plans of terrible bologna sandwiches or only seeing things on your trip that are also back home.

I am always looking to make sure when I travel that a hotel has internet connectivity. I always let shelters and rescues know when I am going to be away, but I absolutely cannot resist checking in and trying to email to try and save “just one” dog or cat or rabbit when I am supposed to be committed to something else. Some hotels have a business center, or offer Wifi or wired hookups in your room. The Orlando Vista Hotel not only offers internet, but you can rent a laptop to use, so you don’t have to pack yours! If you are traveling by plane and taxi, or by motorcycle, this is a definite bonus.

Lake Buena Vista is centrally located if you are looking to visit the various parks in the Orlando area. However, the area is also a central location if you are looking for just a central spot to gather your family from across the country. The American Urological Association hotels search resulted in the group choosing Orlando Vista Hotel for their convention. They can accommodate large groups if you are looking for the next place for your awards banquet or conference.

I called, and pets up to 35 lbs can stay at the hotel, with a $50.00 room charge. Since the hotel is located at the entrance to Downtown Disney, if you are there to see the park it is an excellent alternative to a kennel stay for your cat or smaller dog. Because of the proximity, it would be very easy to check in on them during the day and keep close to their routine.