Is that a Dragon in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

I admit there are times when a particular subject riles me to the point that I just can't seem get it out of my system. I will prattle on about it with the ferocity of a calorically challenged southern belle squeezing into her girdle after a few too many Krispy Kremes. Those of you who are FORTUNATE enough to know me personally, can testify to the accuracy of that statement. Most of the time they listen politely all the while silently praying a big sinkhole will swallow them whole. Some even go so far as to untie my dog Daisy's leash knowing I'll have to run after her, which will effectively end the diatribe. Alas I will not be deterred, even when Daisy's Grandpa Carl utters his famous words "will you just shut up". I will not apologize for the subject matter this week. You can read it and take my advice or not. Just don't come crying to me if you fail to ignore my warning. I am soooooo not afraid to say "I told you so", spiteful gal I am.
I was once asked "What is the one thing that is the biggest danger to travelers?" What a question. I could come up with hundreds of answers to that. Quite frankly, traveling is a risky business. Does that mean you should stay home? No way, staying home is risky too; that whole electrocution in the bathtub thing. There are things that a savvy traveler can do to avoid misfortune on the road. Be inconspicuous, stay clear of shady areas, keep valuables out of sight, travel in groups, don't use a fake piece of trash debit visa or master card, yada, yada yada…. What was that last one? One of my favorite radio talk show hosts is the illustrious Clark Howard. As much as I would love to take the credit for tagging those nasty cards with their great moniker, I defer. He doesn't call them fake piece of trash Visa or Master cards without good reason. Having one or more of those in your wallet while traveling is like prying open Pandora's box with a crow bar. For those of you struck dumbfounded by that, let me "splain a few tings"

When I refer to debit cards I am specifically speaking of the ones with VISA or Master Card Logos on them. Whether you select debit or credit for your transaction, it is all the same. From here on in this article, assume any transactions made with the card are subject to my criticism. As you all know the main difference between credit cards and debit cards is that each time a consumer uses a credit card, he or she is incurring debt to a credit card issuer, while a debit card user is spending his or her own money that is being withdrawn from funds in an existing banking account. Basically with one card you spend money you already have and with the other you spend money you, ugh, hope to have. So it seams that using the debit card would make sense. Well, in essence it does, but in the case of most consumers, the potential harm heavily outweighs the good, especially when you travel. Here are 10 reasons why I want you to ditch the debits:

1. Debit cards don't offer as much protection against fraudulent use as credit cards do. I don't want to hear one more person tell me " well, my bank offers full protection, I have nothing to worry about". When was the last time you tested that theory? Thought so. I do admit that banks are offering more protection than they did in the past and, the exact protection can vary from one card to another. This is especially true if a debit card has been taken and has not been reported as stolen in a timely manner. As with credit cards, the law caps your liability at $50, but only if you report the fraud within two business days of learning about the loss. Miss that deadline and you're legally liable for up to $500 if you report the loss within 60 days. Delay longer than that and your liability is unlimited. Despite a few well-publicized cases of criminals substituting fake terminals to capture PINs, most debit card fraud occurs when someone gains access to your account information by stealing your wallet or a paper bank statement. So now you are wondering why the big deal? Unlike credit cards where you can dispute a transaction as unauthorized without reporting the card as stolen. With debit cards, unless you report it as stolen, you are at the mercy of the bank, which brings me to my next point…

2. When a dispute arises with a transaction, either unauthorized, incorrect amount, double billing, non-delivery of services or other, you are in a weaker position when you use a debit card vs. a credit card. When you use a debit card, the merchant has the money and you don't. It's like one of those possession is 9/10ths of the law kind of things. That means that while the dispute is taking place, your money will remain with the merchant and will only be returned if the dispute is mutually settled in your favor at the end. Regardless of what your bank promises to do for you in these cases, it is still a scary proposition. Once money has been paid from your account, you lose leverage if a problem crops up with your transaction. With a credit card, you usually have not paid for the item yet. This is a big incentive for the credit card issuer to intervene on your behalf. The issuer, and not the consumer is now the one holding the bag and trust me, they want their money back. All credit cards offer at least minimal protection from not only fraudulent use, but also for non-delivery of merchandise or services, faulty items and billing errors. Few if any debit cards offer these. For example, you book a plane ticket 6 months in advance and pay with a debit card. One week before the flight, the airline shuts down. Guess what, you are up the proverbial creek with out you know what, while the passengers who paid with credit cards, got refunds from VISA. Why not you? Your debit card has a VISA logo and you processed it as a credit and not debit? It is not a real credit card and only REAL CREDIT cards have these protections.

3. Not only will you have the headache of trying to dispute a transaction or fraudulent use, you may also have to deal with the effect it can reap on your finances. While the fraud or dispute may eventually be ruled in your favor, the time it takes to resolve the problem means you may not have that money in your account. In English that means your checks would make good tennis balls, bouncy bouncy. Oh, and the best part is that if you default on too many things, it can affect your credit rating. Doesn't that make you feel warm and fuzzy. "Oh, but my bank says they will replace the funds associated with any dispute or fraud within 24 hours." Hope you have wings to fly all over town to let the people you wrote checks to know that they need to hold them for 24 hours. Just think about all the $20.00 returned check fees you will have. If you are lucky you may get some of those reimbursed, but you'll have to fight for them. Federal regulations allow banks up to 10 business days to replenish funds and Visa cuts that to five days for its member banks. Although some banks may give you provisional credit in as little as 24 hours, you have to first find out about the problem. Call me crazy, but most criminals do not alert you to the fact that they plan to empty out your account. Unless you check your account online hourly round the clock, it could be many hours or even days before you know what's going down. How would you like to be in the middle of a 7 day cruise out at sea making expensive ship to shore calls to your bank to find out why your fruity drink purchase was declined. Worse yet, how about being in a foreign country, stranded with no cash and no money in your account. Once notified, credit card companies issue provisional credit usually within an hour. Better yet, you still have money on your bank, safe and sound.

4. Cash is King! While some debit cards are beginning to offer rewards, they are still far fewer and less valuable than those rewards that credit cards offer, like CASH BACK!!!! All of my credit cards offer either cash back, or cash back. No points, no airline miles, just CASH. My American Express Blue gives me 5% on groceries, pharmacy purchases and gas as well as 1.5% on all other purchases. Think about how much you spend on those items with your debit card and get nothing, I get CASH. Response: "My bank has a 'save the change' program". It's your change to begin with so who cares if they save it for you? Actually you should care. Most mega banks that issue those fake cards offer interest rates so small you need an electron microscope to see your interest. I prefer to save my own change and my CASH back with an online bank offering 5.25% interest. So go ahead and keep your change earning .00001% interest.

5. Speaking of interest, when you use a debit card, the money is immediately taken out of your banking account. With a credit card, there is a float period between the time you make the purchase and the date the credit card bill is due. This means that you earn a little bit of extra interest on your money when you use a credit card vs. a debit card.

6. Credit cards often come with added benefits, such as extended warranties on products purchased and insurance for rental cars and airline travel. Debit cards do not offer these services, and that means you will have to pay extra for them if you want them. In the travel business this can add up to big bucks.

7. When using a debit card, you must be diligent in keeping track of what you purchased. So while you are on your cruise, keep a little notebook with you and make sure to write down each cocktail. After a few drinks you may make a mistake on the balance and cause you to think you have more in the account than you really do. Then when you get home, guess what, accidental overdrafts. Unfortunately, banks aren't always helpful when it comes to figuring out how much you have in your account. Some banks report your balance from the ATM as what you have in the bank, plus courtesy overdraft, leading you to believe you have more in your account than you really do. This shady practice can cause you to spend more than is in the account and rack up overdraft fees. With a credit card, once you hit your limit, you get cut off.

8. Transactions and payments made through your debit card are not reported to the credit agencies like they are with credit cards, meaning that your good habits don't help you build your credit score. With credit scores now carrying greater importance in many personal finance areas, building this good credit is becoming more and more important.

9. Most car rental companies and hotels will not accept a debit card as a deposit on a rental car or a hotel room. In the cases where it is possible, you better be made of money in order to use it. The vendor will often freeze a portion of the money in the account, during the rental period or hotel stay. It can take up to a week to release the funds after the car has been turned in or you have checked out. This means that even when you believe you have money, it may not be available for use, and this can cause you to be overdrawn. One of the WORST possible places to use one of these cards is on a cruise for your shipboard account. Most ships operate on a cashless system whereby passengers pay for everything on the ship with key card. The charges are then billed to the passengers credit card at the end of the voyage. Each night the ship gets an authorization for the days new charges from the credit card. If the passenger has used a debit card, funds from that account are frozen. At the end of the cruise, when the final charges are sent to the credit card, the authorization is used for the charge. With a debit card, the funds are released, but as I mentioned before, it can take up to a week for them to be made available for use. This means that the charge is deducted from the remaining funds in the account and not the previously frozen funds. If you plan to use a debit card on a cruise, make sure you have at least double the amount you plan to spend in your account, or you may be asked to pony up cash at the port when your debit card is declined.

10. The word debit is forever entwined with the word fees. Banks love to charge fees for anything and everything. Try and use that fake card outside of the US and your fees will double and even triple. They get you for foreign exchange, and foreign usage. Credit cards never have fees for use in the USA and while all except one charge foreign exchange fees, they are paltry compared to what a debit card will charge you. So who does not have any foreign use fees? Capital One.

Many banks can issue ATM cards without the VISA or MC logos. They don't like to do this because the fake cards generate more fees for them. Secondly, you can ask your credit card company to lower limits on your credit cards so that you don't go overboard with charges. Lastly, if your credit is so bad that you can not get a real credit card, then you should be home working to pay off debt and not gallivanting around on vacation. Even people with really bad credit card get at least an Orchard bank or Providian card.

Don't get me wrong, I applaud those who use their debit cards wisely as a debt preventative measure. I also truly understand how some people can get into trouble with credit cards. My point though, is that if you are disciplined enough to balance your check book each time you use your debit card, then you should have enough brains in your head to do the same with a credit card. Most cards can be paid online instantly through your checking account. I check all my cards almost daily for errors and make payments several times a week. All of my household and daily expenses are paid with my cards and I find it easier to make several quick online payments than to write checks or use debit cards. In addition to the ease of payment, I get more protection for my purchases as well as perks, like free money.

Confession time. I have a fake piece of trash Master Card in my wallet and I do travel with it. Now hold on, before you call me a hypocrite, I have an explanation. While I prefer that you do not use it for purchases, it is ok to have one if you take precautions. My card is from a checking account I keep at USAA bank. I have a small savings account there but I do not use it as my main banking institution. Before leaving on a trip I transfer a the amount of cash I think I will need from my main bank to the savings account. I then transfer only a small amount into the checking account. The card is linked only to the checking and can not access the savings. I use the card for cash from an ATM at my destination. If I need more, then I can quickly transfer from the savings to the checking online. Most of the time the account is near empty and at no time does the account have more than two hundred dollars in it. There is also no way for anyone to access my main bank accounts at my other bank through the card. Bottom line, I lose my card and at most they get a few dollars. The only reason I keep the MC logo is for emergencies overseas. If I am not able to find an ATM that takes my card, I can always get cash from it at a bank or exchange office. I use this particular bank because they reimburse me for any ATM fees I am charged by other banks. I only use the card for cash and NEVER for purchases. That is an example of the smart way to use those cards.

If you do plan to travel abroad (including Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico) in the future, here are a few helpful hints. Do not buy any foreign currency before you go. No matter where or how you cross the border there will be an ATM machine close by. This is the cheapest and easiest way to get foreign currency. If you are smart you will have followed my example and set up a special account for your ATM card that is not linked to your main bank accounts. When shopping for a new bank, try to find one that will either cap your fees or reimburse them. If you are lucky enough to be a USAA member, use them. To find out if you qualify go to www.usaa.com. Even with fees, getting cash from a foreign ATM is cheaper than using an exchange office or going into a bank.

For purchases, a REAL credit card is the way to get the best exchange rate. As much as I love my American Express, I do not use it while outside of the US unless I absolutely have to. They charge me 5% on foreign transactions. The card I use is my Capital One Visa. Capital One is a company I both love and hate. The customer service is not terrible, but not outstanding either. It is easy to check statements and make payments online. What I hate about them is that they do not report your credit limit to the credit bureaus. Part of your credit score is how much of your available credit you actually use. Since they do not report the limit, it appears that you are using your full credit line at all times. What I love about them is that not only can you make a payment every 24 hours online, but they do not charge any foreign transaction fees. They are the only US credit card issuer that does that. It is for this reason I will continue to carry not one but two of their cards, oh and the CASH BACK they give me.

The moral of the story is that REAL credit cards are a useful tool if you know how to use them and are smart enough not to abuse them. While I would prefer that you never use those things for purchases at anytime, please please please consider what I have said. When you travel, please use a credit card for your own protection. Lastly, I just know that someone is going to write me and ask " What did this have to do with a dragon? I didn't read anything about a dragon. I thought you were writing about China this week?" It's an implied metaphor!!!!!!!!!!111 Where is that sinkhole when I need it.

White Girls Can't Dance

Last weekend me and the girls decided to get away for a little fun on the high seas. It was a chance for many of us to let loose and feel like teenagers again. What better ship to sail on than the biggest ship in the world, well, at least it WAS the biggest in the world, during our teenage years. Royal Caribbean's Sovereign of the Seas debuted to much fanfare in 1988. Not only was the ship a marvel of innovation and design, it outclassed everything that had come before. At 73,192 gross tons, she was not the largest ship ever built, but was the largest ever built for the sole purpose of cruising. This revolutionary ship, the first to feature a 5 deck open atrium, now a staple in the industry, changed the course of modern cruising. Pulling up to the dock, it is a bit hard to fathom the impact of her existence. She looks so small sitting the in same slip where I am so used to seeing the Mariner of the Seas. Fifteen years and an additional 74,000 tons makes a bit of a difference when it comes to ships. I had the pleasure of sailing on the Mariner in 2003 when she was only 3 weeks old and at the time held the title of the largest ship in the world. Three years later I sailed on the maiden voyage of yet another of the world's largest ships, the Freedom of the Seas which currently shares the title with it's new sister ship the Liberty.

Prior to my trip there was much trepidation in my thoughts on the Sovereign. I had long regarded this ship, now the oldest in the RCI fleet as a beat up little rust bucket taking weekend booze cruises to the Bahamas. In no way did I feel this ship could even begin to compete on the same level as the Freedom, the Mariner or the upscale Radiance class ships that I am used to sailing on. I am delighted to say that my fears were unwarranted. Don't get me wrong, there is no comparison to the larger ships, but what this baby lacks in size, she makes up for in attitude. The rooms are smaller, the mini bar is a few cans lined up on the desk, there is no in- room safe, and the TV is not interactive. Big deal, guess folks should leave their genuine cubic zirconium jewelry at home. Actually the thing I missed most was being able to book my shore excursions on the TV. I had to go stand in line, but on the bright side this darling Canadian boy was there at the desk to help us.

Sovereign underwent a massive facelift in 2004 so much of the 80's décor is swimming with the fishes. All in all, once you get past the size of the ship, it feels like all the rest of them. On the plus side, it doesn't take as long to run back to your room to refill your drink with your smuggled booze. The food, service and amenities are fairly level with what I find throughout the rest of the RCI ships. This was a wonderful surprise after being previously informed that the standards on the weekend ships usually are not up to par with the rest of the company. While that may be the case with Carnival, it sure is not the case here.

This was also my first 3 day cruise. I did a 4 day on Celebrity for a conference but otherwise never anything shorter than a week. The longer, the better in my book. I was not sure what type of activities to expect and what kind of schedule such a short trip would serve up. I've got to say, they know how to pack it in. Not only did I get at least one trivia session per day but they threw in a Name that Tune each day as well. Do not let the blonde hair fool you, as I extended my winning streak in both events. Trust me when I say I am proud to be the biggest geek on the ship! This cruise also brought about a new milestone in my cruising history. After 5 years and at least 20 tries, I am now a Quest champion. Previous RCI cruisers will understand what I mean, the rest of you will find out shortly.

Our group consisted of 13 ladies and one man. It was supposed to be a ladies only trip, but my assistant Carly could not bear to be parted from her little boyfriend so I let him come along. What I really wanted was to make sure we had at least ONE man with us willing to take his clothes off so that I could win a key chain. What I am referring to is the afore mentioned QUEST. This is an adult scavenger hunt played on every RCI sailing and has become not only a tradition with their frequent cruisers but also somewhat of an obsession. This is a game where if no one cheats, no one gets hurt and no one takes their clothes off, you might as well just go home. The audience is divided up into several teams consisting of both men and women. The cruise director stands in the center of the room and reads an item off of a list. The team who finds the item and gets it to him first gets 10 points, the second gets 5 and all the rest get one point. All of the items will be found in that room. For example, they start off easy with things like a cruise program. Then they get tricky and want items like a piece of fruit ( the cherry from your cocktail or lime from your beer), a portrait of the white house ( $20.00 bill) or a set of black teeth (comb or hair clip). From time to time he may ask for team members to perform an act such as two men holding hands and skipping with their pants down around their ankles. Then of course is the classic of 2 ladies bras, not being worn. On my Panama Canal cruise where I was probably the youngest passenger on the ship, I have never seen so many old ladies move that fast. EEEKKK!!!! Needless to say Carly's little boyfriend Sam stepped up to the plate and gave a fab effort. We did of course have to recruit another man ( gotta have two on the skipping thing), and found this nice guy and his girlfriend to join us. Should have seen her face when we asked him if he had boxer shorts on. They had never played before and she had no idea, poor thing. The piece de la resistance comes at the end when one male team member gets to dress up like a lady and parade around in the "Miss Sovereign of the Seas Pageant". This of course was Sam.

Sam continued to amuse us at dinner as well. I mentioned to him that he could order what ever he wanted from the menu as it is all inclusive and there are no limits on food. So, he ordered everything on the menu. I mean everything. He ate most of it as well. He and Carly are a cruise lines worst nightmare. They do not drink, they don't gamble and take full advantage of the dining. Our waiter, bless his heart, kept a smile on his face throughout the whole ordeal.

I really only had one complaint the whole weekend, the music. It was like I was on the all hip hop all the time cruise ship, except of course when they broke it up with a bit of line dancing. To my surprise or should I say horror, they even line dance to hip hop. I realize that it is popular and I don't mind hearing it, but not the same 5 songs over and over again. I sort of blame the DJ and since most of us left pretty bad comments about him, perhaps future cruisers on this ship will have a better one. Not all of the music was bad and we did have fun dancing to some "Old School" . I guess "Old School" refers to the early hip hop stuff from the 90's like Sir Mix A Lot who likes "big butts" or the classic Bust a Move. Maybe that is why I hated the DJ, he referred to my college music as "old". Skinny little geek, I'll show him…. Well, not really sure what I showed him but rumor has it that some of the girls have me on film doing my crazy white girl butt dance. I guess I sort of make Cameron Diaz in Charlie's Angels look good. Who cares if I had a bit too much liquid refreshment and made fool of myself, what is important is that I won the QUEST!!! As my roommate for the weekend liked to say "everyting ez gud wit the Vodka"! She should know, she smuggled a huge bottle of it onboard.

Since this is supposed to be a serious cruise column this week I better get back into nerd mode. Lest you think I am totally berserk, make sure to see all the photos at the end. Ok so back to your regularly scheduled column:

Most folks have heard of the famous ship the QE 2 ( RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 from Cunard). Currently she is the longest serving cruise ship in service. Christened in 1969 by Queen Elizabeth II, she will be completing her last few cruises this year and then be sent into retirement. The ship has been purchased by a group of investors in Dubai and will be transformed into a floating hotel like the RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA. Contrary to popular belief, the ship is not named for the current British monarch, but rather for her mother Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, wife of King George VI. The 2 in the name of the ship refers to it being the second ship with the same name and NOT for the second queen. ( trivia geek alert). Despite her impressive history, she doesn't quite measure up to her predecessor the original RMS Queen Elizabeth.

Built in 1940 as an ocean liner, the RMS QE started out life as a troop transport during the war. At 83,673 gross tons, she held the record of the largest ship ever built until 1996. Ok, so didn't I just say Sovereign was the largest in 1988? She was, that's the interesting part of the story. The RMS QE served until 1968 as both an ocean liner and cruise ship. She was slated for retirement to make way for the RMS QE2 which rolled out that same year. The RMS QE2 was built shorter and smaller at only 70,327 GT and therefore able to fit through the Panama canal. The RMSQE was originally sold to a group of investors in Ft. Lauderdale and was opened up as a hotel in 1969 like the RMS Queen Mary. The venture was a financial nightmare and the ship was sold once again. This time it was to become the Sea Wise University Ship for the semester at sea program. She was sent to Hong Kong to be refitted for her new life. Sadly in 1972 while in Hong Kong for the refit, several fires broke out on the ship and the resulting influx of water listed the ship so severely that she could not be righted. Arson was highly suspected. The sunken wreckage was featured in a 1974 James Bond Film, The Man with the Golden Gun as the covert headquarters for MI6. Though parts of the wreck were salvaged, a majority of it now makes up part of the foundation of the new airport in Hong Kong.

With the scrapping of the RMS QE, the title of largest ship did not pass to the RMS QE2, but rather to the S.S France. A classic ocean liner like the RMS QE, the France was launched in 1961 at 66,343 GT. Ocean liners are designed for speed and travel, not for luxury cruising. They are long, narrow and usually have smaller accommodations than ships built for cruising. Due to this body style, they do not usually work well when converted into cruise ships. Though upgraded 3 times in her life, she never reached the size of the RMS QE. She was sold to a fledgling Norwegian Cruise lines in 1979 who promptly rechristened her the S.S. Norway. Since she was built as an ocean liner and was now being used for both transatlantic sailing and cruising. She was upgraded to 70,202 GT in 1984 and continued to hold her title until, you guessed it, the Sovereign came out in 1988. NCL once again refit the S.S. Norway in 1990 making her 76,049 GT, stealing the title away from the Sovereign. The S.S. Norway held her title until 1996, but continued sailing until 2003. She served as the flagship for NCL until 2001 and was her most popular ship. Cruising and ship aficionados heralded her as the finest ship afloat. Sadly she does not have a happy ending. Slated for retirement in late 2001, she sailed out of New York Harbor bound for France on September 9, 2001. Her passengers heard of the tragic events 2 days later while at sea. In the midst of the post 9-11 turmoil in the travel industry, the S.S Norway was pulled back into service to do cheap Bahamas cruises out of Miami. In March of 2003 shortly after docking in Miami, one of the boilers exploded, killing 7 crew members and injuring 17. She was towed to Germany but upon inspection, she was not worth repairing. After several court battles over her apparent asbestos contamination, she was finally sent to scrap in India and dismantled.

In 1996 the Carnival Destiny debuted at 101,353 GT. She became the new largest ship in the world and also the largest built since 1940. She did not hold her title long as she was displaced in 1998 by Princess Cruise lines Grand Princess at 109,000 GT. Now the race was on. RCI, having lost it's title in 1990 was determined not only to win it back, but to keep it, and they did. The first of five Voyager class ships, the Voyager of the Seas took her maiden cruise, on MY birthday in 1999. Weighing in at a whopping 137,276 GT, Voyager took cruising to a whole new dimension. It was only fitting that the godmother of the ship with the first Ice Rink at sea would be figure skating champion Katerina Witt. The ship also featured another new innovation, like the Sovereign before her. The center of the ship is hollowed out to form a "main street" lined with shops, bars and eateries. This ship carried more passengers, had more amenities and entertainment options than any previous ship afloat. The next four ships in the class, the Explorer, the Adventure, the Navigator and lastly the Mariner, each retained the size and magic of the original. With every new ship, slight alterations were made and each ship was built slightly larger than the last so that all could be the "titleholder" when launched. It was on the Mariner that I first experienced this class of ship.

The run ended for RCI in January of 2004 with the launch of the RMS Queen Mary 2 by Cunard. The first new ship for Cunard since the RMS QE2 and like all Cunard ships, she was built in the Ocean Liner style. Though purposely built for cruising, unlike her predecessors, she retains the classic look of times gone by. Cunard now plans to build two more ships just like her: the MS Queen Victoria (2008) and the MS Queen Elizabeth (2010). The two new ships will not have the distinction of "2" in the names even though there are two older ships with those titles. The previous ships held the title of RMS and not MS. Geek alert here: RMS means Royal Mail Ship and MS stands for Motor Ship. The two new ships will not carry mail.

Not to be outdone, RCI reclaimed their title in 2006 with the Freedom of the Seas. Like the Voyager class, she brought many new innovations of her own to the plate while keeping the best of the Voyager class as well. The Flow rider surfing machine, kids water park, karaoke lounge and regulation size boxing ring are only a few of the new attractions on this class of ship. On June 4th, 2006 all 154,407 GT of her sailed out of Miami with me aboard. Her two sisters, the Liberty launched in May and the Independence due out next year, will round out the class. Don't worry, RCI is not done yet. The highly secretive Genesis project is due in 2009. These ships are to be 239,000 GT and carry over 5,000 passengers. Rumor has it that the ships will feature bowling alleys, outdoor trapezes and even central park with live plants and trees on the back of the ship. Time will only tell if all that is true but one thing I know for sure is that they will be mammoth in size.

Red Neck Riviera

Day late and a dollar short. Sorry this is a bit tardy, but good things are worth the wait. Of course considering my location, punctuality is not really a virtue to be admired here. This week I am coming to you from the famed Riviera. Tropical ocean breezes, breathtaking sunsets and all the beer you can chug. Huh? No silly, I'm not in France…., I'm on the "Red Neck Riviera". This long expanse of Gulf Coast beaches stretches from Panama City Florida to Gulf Port, Mississippi. Why is it called the "Red Neck Riviera"? I asked around but neither the guy with the mullet or his buddy with the monster truck seemed to know why. Perhaps it is due to the area's proximity to Georgia, not to mention Alabama and Mississippi. I spent this past week driving from Florida to Texas along the gulf coast. It s a drive I used to do at least twice a year commuting from my home in Florida to my other home in Phoenix before moving to Florida full time in 2003. It's been many years since I had time to pop in and take a look around. First stop, Destin , Florida.

Smack dab in the center of the "Emerald Coast" sits the glittering jewel know as Destin. Floridians have this strange habit of naming all of their beach areas to emphasize attention to a special feature or attraction of the area. For example, I live on the "Space Coast", which is home to Kennedy Space Center. Just south of me is the "Treasure Coast", which got its name from a ship wrecked Spanish Galleon off its shore. Therefore I made sure to comb the beaches of Destin looking for sparkly green gems, but sadly I came up empty handed. What I did find though were some of the most beautiful beaches in Florida. I feel confident with that statement as I have been to almost ALL of the Florida beach areas at one time or another. What I like best about Destin is the fine sugar like sand and what I dislike the most is the fine sugar like sand. Gets on your skin, in your hair, on your clothes and won't come off. Despite the minor inconvenience of the micro fine sand, it, in combination with crystal clear water and snowy white soft dunes paint an extraordinarily stunning portrait. The best places to stay are either on or close to the beach. Parking is limited near the beaches as most of the shoreline is either hotels or private homes. There are plenty of public beach access points for those within walking distance. Traffic can get a bit gnarly during the high season. September and October are perfect times to visit. The weather is still quite nice; hot and sunny daytime, comfortable breezy evenings. Most of the summer beach goers have vacated and it is a bit too early for the snowbirds. This same rule applies to just about anywhere on the Gulf Coast. Although part of the "Red Neck Riviera", Destin has a bit more class than its neighbors, perhaps even a bit snooty. So, for less snot, try Fort Walton Beach, just down the road. They'll let you park your RV there.

Actually, you can go either east or west from Destin in order to fill your quota of Rednecks. Panama City Beach to the east is the unofficial "Spring Break" capital of Florida, replacing Daytona and Ft. Lauderdale. The latter cities long ago decided they had enough inebriated college students bringing down their property values. Not only did Panama City Beach welcome them with open arms, they built them the biggest dog-gone night club in the world. The 7,000 person capacity La Vela plays host to MTV each spring, offering up enough drunken naked student debauchery to make Animal House look like a Disney flick. In other words: it is the world's largest gathering of village idiots. Idiots take note: when you see a sign that reads: " Caution, ALL animals may bite" they really do mean it. One can never be too careful in this paradise filled with snakes, snapping turtles and alligators.

Next up, the Flora-Bama Lounge and Package. It is located on the Florida-Alabama line, hence the name. "The Bama" as locals call it, is the considered by many to be America's last true road house. So what's the "package" part have to do with the name. I understood immediately as will all of my New England readers, although I was a bit confused to see it used in that context down south. Must have been a Yankee sniffin' around somewhere. What it refers to is the Liquor store adjacent to the Lounge. In Connecticut we call a liquor store a package store (due to the brown paper bags that the bottles are placed when you purchase them). The Bama is host to a number of annual events including the Mullet Man Triathlon and Super Bowl Chili cook off. The most popular by far though is the Interstate Mullet Toss. Contestants must throw a mullet (not the hair-do but rather a slimy fish), from the Alabama side of the beach, over the state line into Florida. Sadly Hurricane Ivan in 2004 took a nice bite out of the Bama, ripping away the boardwalks and the Package. Like the true redneck s they are, they got right back on their feet to the delight of Tammy's every where. Here at the Bama, they say "the girls look like Sunday but treat you like Saturday night".

The Alabama coast in conjunction with several barrier islands, one of which they share with Florida, boast some of the best fishing in the US. In the summer a special phenomenon occurs where the ocean temp rises and the population of oxygen depriving plankton starts to knock most of the sea life unconscious. All manner of fish including crabs and shrimp flood the shallow bays and inlets as easy prey for wife beater wearing, beer swilling Bubba's all along the coast. If gold panning is not your style you can still catch the fish the traditional way. Alabama has more than 200 artificial reefs off its coast. In true Alabama fashion they are made mostly of junked cars.

The city of Mobile, Alabama is not particularly interesting, except, that is, after a hurricane. Only in Alabama would they be smart enough to build a tunnel, yes a tunnel, with a mouth that is barely above sea level AND is located adjacent to one of the largest bays on the Gulf Coast. I guess it shouldn't surprise anyone that when tourists ask locals about whether or not to evacuate in the path of an oncoming hurricane, they give you a pitying stare reserved for visitors from countries without 240 TV channels. "You'll be fine Sir". My Father, in charge of the Catastrophe team at one of America's largest insurance companies related to me a story about post Hurricane Georges Mobile. The USS Alabama, a retired battleship and now a museum, appeared not to be docked in Mobile, but rather anchored off shore. It was in fact still docked, everything around it was simply covered with water. Upon entering downtown Mobile, my Dad and his team spotted an oil derrick from the Gulf of Mexico, sitting right smack in the middle of the city. Apparently it floated in through the tunnel, nuff said.

Cross the Mississippi state line and you'll find your self in the "sleepy little town of Pascagoula", site of the famed "Mississippi Squirrel Revival". Ok, actually it is just a Ray Stevens song, but definitely worth a listen. (You can find it on You-Tube). In reality, it is a bit of a sleepy town, not widely visited and more industrialized than it's sister cities on the Mississippi Coast. Once home to many famous people including the Pirate Jean Lafitte, Presidents Andrew "Old Hickory" Jackson and Zachary Taylor. Even famed Admiral Farragut, hero of the civil war battle of Mobile Bay, once resided here. You may know him better by his tag line: "Damn the Torpedoes, full speed ahead!" No one is really sure if he actually said that, after all Davey didn't carry a cell phone. The most famed resident of all is none other than the original "Parrot Head" , Jimmy Buffet, who was born in Pascagoula. A piece of Pascagoula's history may best explain why it never developed into the mega beach and casino resorts as it's neighbor Biloxi did. Local legend says the Pascagoula tribe chanted and waded hand in hand into the Pascagoula river, drowning together, rather than become enslaved to an enemy tribe, the Biloxi. While driving out to the beach, I almost missed the signs reading "Don't feed the alligators", mostly on account of the fact that this huge ferocious snake was crossing the road, close to my tires. The beach itself was pristine and secluded, evidently all the previous visitors had been eaten.

Biloxi, once stood out in my mind and one of the most romantic and charming examples of antebellum architecture, second only to Charleston, South Carolina. Hurricane Katrina changed all of that. All and I do mean ALL of the beautiful old homes that once lined the beach are gone, not damaged, but gone. If not for the tell tale brick steps leading up to the empty lots, one would never know a grand home had once been the occupant. I have not been back to the gulf coast of Alabama and Mississippi since Katrina. Quite frankly, I just wasn't ready to stomach it. I have lived through hurricanes and the aftermath and know what they are capable of. I had heard first hand accounts from the Gulf Coast from my , father who was one of the first on the scene. He and his staff roughed out Katrina in Pensacola, FL, and were in Biloxi less than 24 hours after the strike. Ground Zero for Katrina was 20 miles to the west in Pass Christian, MS, so naturally Biloxi and neighboring Gulfport were flattened. The recently completed Hard Rock Hotel and Casino was completely destroyed without ever having opened it's doors. Similarly, several other casinos suffered catastrophic or complete losses. The Casino Magic, slammed into an adjacent apartment hotel, yes the entire building moved many feet inland. The iconic Treasure Bay "Pirate Ship" floated to a watery grave out at sea. The storm surge reached the 3rd level of the Beau Rivage Hotel and gutted the entire bottom 3 floors of the building. It s a wonder it was still standing. Prior to Katrina, Mississippi law required that all casinos be built over water , not on dry land. Therefore the casino sections of the resorts were either built on stilts over the ocean or inland waterways, or were on floating barges. The devastation after Katrina, forced the hand of the state of Mississippi, to review this law or risk losing the profitable casinos. The Hard Rock did finally open in July of 2007, but the stately old homes that lined the historic waterfront are gone forever. Beauvoir, the childhood home of Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy, and his Presidential Library, survived Hurricane Camille in 1969, but proved too weak to withstand Katrina. Heavily damaged, Beauvoir is currently under restoration. The beaches in Biloxi and Gulfport have recovered and with the advent of the new casino laws, the beach horizons are no longer broken up by massive buildings.

A number of notorious visitors have left a lasting mark on the "Red Neck Riviera" throughout the past 40 years. Camille, Katrina, Opal, Frederic, Ivan and Dennis. They say that beauty has a price and in this case that cost was told by what those visitors left in their wake. Katrina, now the costliest disaster in US history, was not the most deadly storm nor the most intense. The deadliest, also a Gulf Coast Hurricane, the unnamed 1900 or sometimes called Galveston Storm, cleared that island like and eraser on a chalk board. In its wake, over 9,000 people perished. In 1969 Camille roared ashore as a category 5 storm, quite near the same spot that Katrina struck 36 years later. In comparison, Katrina was only a category 3 storm. The 1969 Mississippi coast, largely unpopulated by today's standards, suffered a modest death toll with only 255 confirmed fatalities. Until Andrew in 1992, Camille was the only Category 5 storm to hit the mainland of the US and still today remains the strongest storm ever to make landfall on our shores. Katrina supercedes Camille in damage only due to the large number of people affected. Had it not been for the levee collapses and the inadequacy of the State of Louisiana's preparations, Katrina might not have gained as much notoriety. It never fails to surprise me how people forget that it was the Mississippi Coast that took the brunt of this storm, NOT New Orleans. Except for Slidell, LA and the far eastern reaches of the New Orleans Metropolitan area, that area sustained only minor wind damage. Like Jekell and Hyde, storms have a good side and bad side. Depending on wind direction and the shape of the storm, two areas equidistant from a storm can experience quite different impacts. With Katrina, New Orleans found itself on the "right side". What they did get is rain and tidal surge. If not for the catastrophic failure of the levee system, Katrina may have gone down in History as just another storm. After all you don't hear much complainin' from the folks from Mississip'.

I find the people of the "Red Neck Riviera" to be a modest god fearing lot for the most part. Down home cookin' and down home values are never at a loss in this neck of the woods. Perhaps that is what gives the Gulf Coast so much of its charm and appeal. That and the never ending supply of souped up fishin' boats, beer kegs and pot bellied trailer park gals wearing spandex. So pass the gator tail, get ready for the mullet toss and head on down to the Riviera for some fun in the sun. I get teary eyed as I leave but then remember there are more adventures ahead. I'm going to the Big "D" and I DO mean Dallas. Yee Haw!!!

Dean Rears it’s ugly head

Its that time again, time for the dirtiest word in travel to rear its ugly head. Its It's Hurricane season, yeah!!!. Ok, let's consider that half of the year is hurricane season since it runs June to November. The worst months though are August and September. That's not to say that you cannot get a deadly storm in the other months, but they are far more common during the two months with the most ideal conditions. As a cruise guide writer and as a cruise agent, the most frequent excuse I get from prospective travelers is that they are afraid to cruise during hurricane season. For some reason they have this notion that a ship will blindly venture into the path of a storm. Hardly. Nice thing about hurricanes is that generally you know where they will hit, at least a few days in advance. Most storms travel about 15 to 20 miles per hour and most cruise ships travel about 20 to 25 MPH. Now I am Blonde and not a math genius but think about it? Add this to the advance warning of Doppler radar and cruise lines have plenty of time and opportunity to alter courses to avoid any danger. In a bad case scenario, your may find that your port of call itinerary is changed. Worst case scenario is that your embarkation port of call is affected and you either have to stay out longer or return to an alternate port. In either case the cruise line will usually take care of all expenses involved due to the changes. This is not generally the case when land based trips are disrupted by storms.

So all those people in Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cancun who booked land based vacations in lieu of cruises during hurricane season are in for a rude awakening this week. As Hurricane Dean bore down on Jamaica as a category 4 storm, tourists scrambled to evacuate. Many airlines added extra flights to accommodate the tourists but nevertheless some were forced to remain. Of those who remained, remarkably some elected to stay voluntarily. They either refused to cut their vacations short or wanted to experience a hurricane first hand. As someone who has experienced these storms first hand, what a bunch of flippin fools. Fortunately for those in Jamaica, the island has plenty of high ground and many resorts do have hurricane proof structures for people to take shelter in. What I do not think they comprehend is how bad it can get. The actual storm is the easy part, it's the aftermath that gets uncomfortable No water, food or electricity (read no air conditioning). In fact the government in Jamaica cut off power to the island before the storm in order to preserve the power grid. Like with anything in Jamaica, do not expect it to be restored quickly.

Grand Cayman is a whole other ball of wax. This tiny narrow island sits barely above sea level with almost no ground higher than 7 feet above sea level. When sailing out in the bay on the far side of the island, you can see all of the cruise ships towering over the island up to 7 miles away. I remember my first trip to Grand Cayman, thinking to myself... " this is the LAST place on earth I want to be when a storm hits". Tourists starting queuing up outside the airport days ahead of time, many camping out there for most of their vacations. Lines snaked for several hundred feet outside and order was kept by the police. While most of the tourists did manage to get out, not all were so lucky. They will now need to rely fully on the hospitality of the government as most of the resorts have been shuttered and abandoned. At this point Dean was only a category 4 and passed just to the south of the island. The coast of the Yucatan Peninsula was not so lucky.

After passing through the Caymans, the storm had hundreds of miles of open warm tropical water to build strength. It hit Mexico and Northern Belize as a Category 5 storm, the deadliest strength. Frequently ravaged Cancun and Cozumel to the north were spared a direct hit but will nonetheless have severe storm impact. Just like in Jamaica and Grand Cayman, tourists assaulted the airports in order to get a flight out. Airlines were helpful in accommodating passengers by sending several empty planes, but all the flights quickly sold out. They waived the fee for passengers to change their tickets but that doesn't do much but get them on a standby list for an over sold flight. It is not only the people currently in these destinations that will be affected by the storm. How about those who are scheduled to visit next week or the week after. Just because the threat of the storm has passed, does not mean that everything is back to normal. It can be weeks or even months before infrastructure is repaired enough to handle tourists.

I have visited Cozumel by ship many times. One trip in particular was in December of 2005. The island had been ravaged by Hurricane Wilma in October and suffered extensive damage. Cruise ships which bring an enormous amount of wealth to the island in the form of tourists were prevented from visiting the port for almost 2 months. Our visit in late December was 3 weeks after the port reopened and almost 3 months after the storm. The devastation was palpable even after so much time had passed. The ships were required to tender in (passengers taken to shoreby small boats) because the docks had washed away. A small beach and bar that used to sit adjacent to the pier was now a rubble strewn heap. The Malecon (waterfront promenade) had recovered for the most part and almost all of the shops were open. The local roads did not seem to be moving along as quickly. Good example of the difference between capitalism and socialism. Although several of the hotels had reopened, it was apparent that many were still awaiting needed repairs. The merchants on this island know where their bread and butter are coming from and for that reason I believe the shops were probably ready to go sooner than anything else. Just imagine taking your dream vacation to a resort with leaky roofs and a garbage filled beach. Well, guess what, that is the reality of a hurricane's aftermath.

Let's compare the average passenger on cruise with that of a land based passenger. The land based passenger has to cut their trip short and spend stressful hours trying to evacuate whereas a cruise passenger is slightly inconvenienced at worst. According to the RCI website only 3 of their 15 ships sailing the Caribbean have altered itineraries this week. The itineraries will be altered only if damage from the storms prevent the ships from entering the port. Most other cruise lines are following similar suit. Therefore the worst case scenario for a cruise passenger is an altered port of call itinerary. They still get to enjoy their full week and not have to waste it trying to evacuate. Huh? They pay less and miss out on none of their vacation time due to hurricanes. Sounds like a case of cruise envy to me.

Dean Rears it’s ugly head

Its that time again, time for the dirtiest word in travel to rear its ugly head. Its It's Hurricane season, yeah!!!. Ok, let's consider that half of the year is hurricane season since it runs June to November. The worst months though are August and September. That's not to say that you cannot get a deadly storm in the other months, but they are far more common during the two months with the most ideal conditions. As a cruise guide writer and as a cruise agent, the most frequent excuse I get from prospective travelers is that they are afraid to cruise during hurricane season. For some reason they have this notion that a ship will blindly venture into the path of a storm. Hardly. Nice thing about hurricanes is that generally you know where they will hit, at least a few days in advance. Most storms travel about 15 to 20 miles per hour and most cruise ships travel about 20 to 25 MPH. Now I am Blonde and not a math genius but think about it? Add this to the advance warning of Doppler radar and cruise lines have plenty of time and opportunity to alter courses to avoid any danger. In a bad case scenario, your may find that your port of call itinerary is changed. Worst case scenario is that your embarkation port of call is affected and you either have to stay out longer or return to an alternate port. In either case the cruise line will usually take care of all expenses involved due to the changes. This is not generally the case when land based trips are disrupted by storms.

So all those people in Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cancun who booked land based vacations in lieu of cruises during hurricane season are in for a rude awakening this week. As Hurricane Dean bore down on Jamaica as a category 4 storm, tourists scrambled to evacuate. Many airlines added extra flights to accommodate the tourists but nevertheless some were forced to remain. Of those who remained, remarkably some elected to stay voluntarily. They either refused to cut their vacations short or wanted to experience a hurricane first hand. As someone who has experienced these storms first hand, what a bunch of flippin fools. Fortunately for those in Jamaica, the island has plenty of high ground and many resorts do have hurricane proof structures for people to take shelter in. What I do not think they comprehend is how bad it can get. The actual storm is the easy part, it's the aftermath that gets uncomfortable No water, food or electricity (read no air conditioning). In fact the government in Jamaica cut off power to the island before the storm in order to preserve the power grid. Like with anything in Jamaica, do not expect it to be restored quickly.

Grand Cayman is a whole other ball of wax. This tiny narrow island sits barely above sea level with almost no ground higher than 7 feet above sea level. When sailing out in the bay on the far side of the island, you can see all of the cruise ships towering over the island up to 7 miles away. I remember my first trip to Grand Cayman, thinking to myself... " this is the LAST place on earth I want to be when a storm hits". Tourists starting queuing up outside the airport days ahead of time, many camping out there for most of their vacations. Lines snaked for several hundred feet outside and order was kept by the police. While most of the tourists did manage to get out, not all were so lucky. They will now need to rely fully on the hospitality of the government as most of the resorts have been shuttered and abandoned. At this point Dean was only a category 4 and passed just to the south of the island. The coast of the Yucatan Peninsula was not so lucky.

After passing through the Caymans, the storm had hundreds of miles of open warm tropical water to build strength. It hit Mexico and Northern Belize as a Category 5 storm, the deadliest strength. Frequently ravaged Cancun and Cozumel to the north were spared a direct hit but will nonetheless have severe storm impact. Just like in Jamaica and Grand Cayman, tourists assaulted the airports in order to get a flight out. Airlines were helpful in accommodating passengers by sending several empty planes, but all the flights quickly sold out. They waived the fee for passengers to change their tickets but that doesn't do much but get them on a standby list for an over sold flight. It is not only the people currently in these destinations that will be affected by the storm. How about those who are scheduled to visit next week or the week after. Just because the threat of the storm has passed, does not mean that everything is back to normal. It can be weeks or even months before infrastructure is repaired enough to handle tourists.

I have visited Cozumel by ship many times. One trip in particular was in December of 2005. The island had been ravaged by Hurricane Wilma in October and suffered extensive damage. Cruise ships which bring an enormous amount of wealth to the island in the form of tourists were prevented from visiting the port for almost 2 months. Our visit in late December was 3 weeks after the port reopened and almost 3 months after the storm. The devastation was palpable even after so much time had passed. The ships were required to tender in (passengers taken to shoreby small boats) because the docks had washed away. A small beach and bar that used to sit adjacent to the pier was now a rubble strewn heap. The Malecon (waterfront promenade) had recovered for the most part and almost all of the shops were open. The local roads did not seem to be moving along as quickly. Good example of the difference between capitalism and socialism. Although several of the hotels had reopened, it was apparent that many were still awaiting needed repairs. The merchants on this island know where their bread and butter are coming from and for that reason I believe the shops were probably ready to go sooner than anything else. Just imagine taking your dream vacation to a resort with leaky roofs and a garbage filled beach. Well, guess what, that is the reality of a hurricane's aftermath.

Let's compare the average passenger on cruise with that of a land based passenger. The land based passenger has to cut their trip short and spend stressful hours trying to evacuate whereas a cruise passenger is slightly inconvenienced at worst. According to the RCI website only 3 of their 15 ships sailing the Caribbean have altered itineraries this week. The itineraries will be altered only if damage from the storms prevent the ships from entering the port. Most other cruise lines are following similar suit. Therefore the worst case scenario for a cruise passenger is an altered port of call itinerary. They still get to enjoy their full week and not have to waste it trying to evacuate. Huh? They pay less and miss out on none of their vacation time due to hurricanes. Sounds like a case of cruise envy to me.

Shuttle Endeavor Lifts our Hearts

Hi everyone, Blondie here

Now and then I get questions from readers that I feel need to be addressed in front of a larger audience. Now, ya'll that know me assume that I will pick the most asinine questions with the nefarious intent on destroying their writers, but I demure. For the sake of my integrity I will only address the correspondents who seem to actually have a brain and will continue to torment the mentally challenged in private.Q: I saw a photo of you recently and you appear to have red hair but you call yourself travelblondie?A: Honey there is something you must learn about women. We change our hair color as often as you change your underwear. I did the red bit on Valentine's day back in February. Red hair color is like a catch 22 situation: you can't live with it, and you can't live without it. It is a very difficult color to maintain and horrific to get rid of. Obviously a single guy must have sent that question cause ya'll married guys know than to ask.

Now back to the subject at hand, travel. Ok this week I am focusing on something much closer to home (and not it's not a Disney review. Get real). This evening at 6:36 PM the space shuttle Endeavor lifted off from Kennedy Space center destined for the international space center. I take it for granted that I can walk out my front door and see the shuttle lift off. I have seen about 5 shuttle lift offs and many satellite launches in my life so it's not new to me. What I did enjoy today was watching others see a lift off for the first time and how awe inspiring it really is. To think that tiny fireball we see in the sky is a man made vessel lifting off for the great unknown. It does nothing but humble you at the thought.

Today was extra special for me and many others watching. It was not just the thrill of sharing the experience of the first shuttle launch for my parents and my assistant but rather 22 years of sadness being lifted off my shoulders. In 1985 spectators on that same stretch of beach I was on saw Christa McAuliffe's lift off in space shuttle Challenger. She was the first teacher in space and thousands of school children all over the USA and the world watched this momentous moment in history. Sadly about 20 seconds into the launch, Challenger broke up in mid air killing all aboard in front of the eyes of so many of my generation.

As I watched today, I held my breath as Endeavor passed the point of the Challenger explosion. I think my breath continued to hold until I was rocked by the sonic boom that follows the lift off about 2 minutes after departure. Barbara Morgan is one of the astronauts aboard. She was Christa McAuliffe's understudy in 1985 for the first teacher in space program. Witnessing a shuttle launch is one the many things you need to do before you die, of course holding a baby alligator is right up there as well. Guess what you can do BOTH right here in Brevard county. The best place to watch a shuttle launch is from the visitors center at Kennedy space center or from the Port Canaveral cruise port. Both are difficult. It takes a lot of money and pull to get a Space center pass for a launch and getting into the port when no ships are docked is equally as hard. There are solutions. The beach and park adjacent to Port Canaveral as well as Canaveral National seashore are great places to watch. Basically anywhere on the beach as far south as Melbourne Beach are perfect veiwing sites. I live 20 miles south of KSC and my view is perfect. Nothing fancy doing on this as the southern folk would say, just sat yerself down on the beach!
On non-shuttle launch days the space center is open for visitors. You must buy a ticket for a bus ride in and a guided tour but it's worth doing at least once in a lifetime. Nothing at the center can really compare to the launch itself, so by all means if you find yourself in Florida the day of a launch, GET TO BREVARD COUNTY any way you can.

This was my 6th launch and for those who have lived here longer than I, it is an even higher number but we all still turn out to watch. I consider us in the privileged few to have watched something so historic, momentous and awe inspiring! So now I better go and finish my Big Gulp sized mojito (gotta kill today's quota of brain cells).
Blondie out .....

A girl and her boobs go traveling

Hello, everyone. I received a question a few weeks ago that got me thinking and NO, I didn't hurt myself. A reader asked me if I thought that all of the free stuff I get when traveling is because of my looks. My immediate answer was no, silly, they give me stuff because I am a travel agent and I write about travel. It's not really free stuff, more of a bribe. But is it???? In mentioning this to other agents I found that I do indeed seem to get more than my usual share. So I started take note of things. I realized that when I wore a particular low cut shirt, I always got free things. Then it dawned on me, it really wasn't me at all, it was the boobs. We always hear about how a nice rack can get a girl anything she wants. The movie Erin Brockovich brought this theory into a whole new light a few years back. I read about a study today on plastic surgery; breast augmentation is the most widely performed surgery in the USA. Gee, no surprise there. The return on your investment makes them well worth the money. You know, big boobs equals free stuff. In the travel world this can mean faster service, free upgrades, better rooms, better cars and "complementary" everything.

In my 20's the "girls" seemed to open a lot of doors for me. Now in my naiveté I always assumed it was my intellect or charm that got me to the right people and places. A few years and a bit of growing up, I've learned that's a load of bull. It was the boobs. Having a large chest does not automatically assign power to the owner, you must have the rest of the package and know how to use it. Sorry if this sounds harsh but ugly fat girls can have a chest the size of Texas and get nowhere. Also it does not matter how real they look either. Anyone seen any recent photos of Victoria (Posh) Beckham lately? She looks like she has two baseballs glued to her bony body. Take Pamela Anderson, a woman who's name is synonymous with silicone. We all know they aren't real, they don't look real but no one cares. She's got that whole package that men seem to like. Oh, and the fact that they are enormous.

As I have gotten older, I don't put the "girls" on display as much as I used to. I'm very big on the whole age appropriate thing when it comes to clothing. Just because I am in my mid 30's does not mean that I can't be sexy, but I don't want to look like a prostitute either. Several of my friends and colleagues are at least 10 years younger and I have no problem holding my own. Anyone see that show recently called "Age of Love"? It features a washed out 31 year old tennis player named Mark Philippoussis. He has to find love from a pool of 20 women. Half are gorgeous, athletic, intelligent, educated , successful women with great personalities and bodies to match in their 40's. The other half are slightly attractive, dumb, unexciting crybabies in their 20's who all seem to be on a gold digging expedition. The odds are stacked well in the favor of the older gals. So who will he pick? Will age matter? That's easy, he'll pick the one with the biggest chest , he is foreign after all.

Speaking of foreigners…. As I mentioned above, breast augmentation is the most widely performed surgery in the USA. They do perform this in other countries but not nearly on the scale of the USA. American girls are known for their large bust sizes. Baywatch was the most popular show around the world for many years after all. If you have ever gone clothing shopping in Europe this point is driven home in the dressing room. All of the tops are too small. I travel in Europe several weeks each year. Trust me when I say that I am not going for the weather. The men on the other hand are a much better climate over there. Europeans in general are NOT known for their exemplary customer service skills. Surprisingly when ever I have needed assistance they fall all over each other trying to help me. It's as if they have never been that close to anything larger than an A cup before. Even the French, notoriously the nastiest of them all, appear to soften at the sight on an ample bosom.

In actuality I am really not that big, only a 34C ( most common bra size in the USA). My secret? Wear a good bra. The older you get the meaner mother gravity becomes. If you find that a good bra is not enough then do what our mothers did in the 50's and fill them up. Note to all the blondes out there: Please do not forget to take the tissues out of the box before stuffing your bra.

All right, the whole boob thing might be a bit out there but there is a point here I am trying to make. Back in the 50's when our mother's were stuffing their bras, the traveling public "dressed" for the occasion. Taking an airline, ship or train trip was a grand occasion and people took care to look their best. Think about the last flight you took. With the exception of the few business travelers, all of the women were wearing sweats. Most look like they just crawled out of bed. If you read my column regularly you know how I feel about cruises these days. The term "floating trailer park" is justly appropriate for some lines. The excuse they all use is that they just want to be comfortable. There is a difference between comfortable and just plain lazy.

A well groomed, well dressed traveler is simply going to get better service and attention than a slovenly dressed one. I learned this in college. I wore a skirt or dress almost every day to class. I rarely wore jeans and NEVER wore sweatpants or pajamas. Why? 3 reasons. Some days I went directly from class to my job which was in the fashion industry and required me to dress well. Other days I either had meeting with one of the different organizations I belonged to and needed to be well dressed and groomed. Lastly I did it because I felt a shabby appearance was disrespectful to my professors. I took pride in myself and I did not want to be classed with all of the other "slobs" walking around. I noticed that in every class I ever had, there was never ever an empty seat next to me. My professors singled me out for "good attention" while giving negative attention to sloppily dressed students.

You can take that scenario and translate it to many things in life especially the travel business. Look around. How many sweat suits do you see getting free upgrades? So ladies, next time you take a trip remember what I have said. You don't need to put on a prom dress but take a bit of care in your appearance and see where it gets you. To those of you that already do, you know EXACTLY what I am talking about.