July Cruise as a Speaker

I will be taking my first cruise as an on-board "Destination Speaker" this July, and I'm really looking forward to the excitement and adventure -- not just for me; also for the guests on the Celebrity Constellation. Here's my schedule:

• July 17 - fly from Boise to Amsterdam, arriving on 18th
• July 18 - rest day
• July 19 - Celebrity Constellation sails from Amsterdam, Netherlands
• July 20 - at sea
• July 21 - Warnemunde, Germany
• July 22 - at sea
• July 23 - Stockholm, Sweden
• July 24 - Helsinki, Finland
• July 25 - St. Petersburg, Russia
• July 26 - St. Petersburg, Russia
• July 27 - Talinn, Estonia
• July 28 - at sea
• July 29 - Copenhagen, Denmark
• July 30 - at sea
• July 31 - Constellation returns to Amsterdam, Netherlands
• August 1 - fly from Amsterdam to Boise

I hope you'll be following along while I'm posting photos and other entries on the cruise. I'm sure there's still some space available if you'd like to come along on this 7-country journey.

Shopping at REI for Jackets

With 3 weeks to go until we leave for the Copper Canyon trip, we decided we should go ahead and invest in good -- no, excellent -- jackets that are versatile and that pack light. Our plan is to take a carry-on suitcase and backpack, just like our 4 weeks in Europe 3 years ago. One area our travel attire was lacking was the jackets, so off to REI we went today; it appeared that lots of others had the same idea.

After talking with most-helpful associate Nancy, we knew the type of jacket we were looking for -- lightweight, water repellant, and wind breaker. Darlene ended up with an REI Ultralight jacket with zip-off hood; mine is the Marmot PreCip jacket. We both got an REI RevelCloud vest; super lightweight, comfortable, and can provide that extra layer of warmth when needed.

We haven't rolled these items up yet to see how small they pack, but everything (including a shirt for me and a hat for Darlene) all fit easily into one shopping bag. So I'm confident that packing them will be a breeze. I'm really glad we got these things because they will be used for many trips to come.

Planning Trip to Mexico's Copper Canyon

This is EXCITING! Darlene and I have talked for several years about taking the train ride to Mexico's Copper Canyon, and we are now booked for next month -- wahoo! I'll be posting updates here before we go, then there will be detailed reports along the way (each day internet accessibility assumed).

We are using T-H-E   B-E-S-T company for a tour of the Copper Canyon that exists. Copper Canyon Travel (www.coppercanyonmexico.com) has been providing these tours since 1971, so they know what they are doing -- don't even considering using someone else. They are based in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, making it much easier for you to rest assured that your travels within Mexico will be handled properly, politely, and promptly.

Copper Canyon Travel has an easy-to reach number (it's Vonage, so that's why it shows up as an Oklahoma phone number) 405-216-3142. You don't have to tell them that I suggested you contact them -- just contact them. By the way, I really recommend that you start your tour in Los Cabos -- it's an easy flight from there to Los Mochis, where the fun begins! Remember that the trip to the Copper Canon includes so many possible activities with local Indians.

Here's the quick overview of our trip:
Friday June 15 -- fly from Boise, ID to Los Cabos, Mexico
June 16 -- fly from Los Cabos to Los Mochis; interact with locals at Rio Vista Lodge in El Fuerte
June 17 -- El Fuerte; birding in the day; "Dance of the Deer" traditional Indian ceremony
June 18 -- train ride to Bahuichivo, tunnels and bridges along the way; owner-built San Isidro cabins
June 19 -- Cercahui
June 20 -- train ride to Barrancas; hotel balcony is right on the cliff
June 21 -- waterfalls, hiking
June 22 -- perhaps a third day there (they're quite flexible that way)
June 23 -- train ride back to El Fuerte; dinner and evening at Rio VistaLodge
June 24 -- fly from Los Mochis to Los Cabos
June 25 -- enjoy the beaches of Cabo San Lucas
June 26 -- ditto
June 27 -- fly from Los Cabos back home to Boise.

Sounds like fun, doesn't it? When are you going to book your trip? Hey --want to come along with us? All you have to do is call Copper Canyon Travel at 405-216-3142.

Hasta luego,

Stuart