A lot has happened since I completed part 2 of my France adventure

I am sorry to keep you hanging.  I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and before I get on with my recent events let me finish my adventure to the South of France. 

Day 4 was a filling of such mixed emotion, I new my father was going to have surgery but hey I was in FRANCE and my father would want me to enjoy myself, right.  Those feelings were very conflicting, I wanted to be happy and excited buy I was very frightened about my father.  We started the day going to Uzès a little village that was the first duchy of France we then proceeded to the Pont Du Gard.  A UNESCO World Heritage site and words cannot describe this amazing site.  It is a huge aqueduct that now has 3 levels.  We where accompanied by a tour guide through the top level. (a tour that you can only get with special access through your travel agent)  It was amazing, and what was more amazing is while I’m on the top of this world heritage site, I get a Skype call from my niece and was able to see and talk to my father before he went into surgery.  It was very healing to my heart and allowed me to enjoy myself and my surrounding.  We departed from there to visit my one of my favorite towns on the trip Nimes. It was here I again was able to Skype with my father after surgery and I new everything was going to be okay. It was a lovely little town; wonderful shops a beautiful church and still home to bullfights in a miniature Roman Coliseum.  Here we spent a wonderful evening in a little sidewalk café.  Day 5 we visited a “Town of art and History” Pezenas.  This little town is a place I could retire to someday.  It was clean, quaint, friendly and beautiful, also about 20 minutes from the Mediterranean.  Then we returned to Montpellier where it all began.  We had a short tour of the town and a visited the Fabre Museum. My dad was doing well and the trip was almost completed and I had made many, many memories. All that was left in the South of France was to catch the TGV (high speed train) to Paris for my next adventure. 

So that ends my adventure in the South of France.  My next entry will follow me to Paris and continue to update you on my father. 

As I said in the beginning a lot has happened.  I attended my first travel sale and training meeting in Las Vegas,  over 1100 agent from all over came together to learn about travel.  It was very overwhelming the amount of knowledge filled my head.  Then one of most amazing things happened to me.  At the end of the meeting I won the opportunity of a lifetime.  I will be traveling around the world with my husband.  Yes a paid trip for 2 around the world courtesy of Ker & Downey.  We will visiting New Zealand, Hong Kong, Saigon, Dubai, Mauritius, Johannesburg and Buenos Aries, and it will be taking place in March of 2013.  I can wait. 

So as we enter this holiday season and even though I may be struggling financially trying to build a business is a very slow process, I still have so much to be thankful for.  Everyone says that winning this trip and being able to experience France as I did, is a sure sign that choosing to follow my passion, even with the financial burdens was the right choice.  Thank you all for your support.

Please comment, I like to know who's reading this.

God Bless

Happy and Safe travels

My France Adventure Part 2

So here I am a mature woman seeing things I never anticipated, seeing and having a feeling of total amazement of the beauty that is surrounding me.  Day 2 we departed Mountpellier for the Mediterranean Pyrenees, we will visit 4 towns today, each one with its own special character.  We stop in Rivesaltes for a wine tasting experience I never expected.  This beautiful region is dedicated to producing outstanding wines.  The product of their grapes are so diverse, there is a wine created there for every taste my favorite the Muscat di Rivesalte.  After a wonderful lunch at La Table d’Ayme Restaurant we ventured on to Perpignan, a beautiful little town, where we had a tour through the center of the city, so many historical sites to see you could spend days here, including the beautiful Saint Jean Cathedral.  We then boarded the bus for one of my favorite town, Collioure, a breathtaking town, colorful, charming, clean and right on the Mediterranean. Yes, I actually put my feet in the Mediterranean. After a short tour, we had some free time to walk around the little shops and enjoy the wonderful weather and scenery.  Here I definitely could have stay a few days, but not this time, back on the bus to Banyuls for a seaside dinner and back to the hotel in Perpignan for a little rest.  Day 3 took me to a fairly land we stopped first in Narbonne, where we were greeted with a wonderful City tour and then to an historical Abby, where peace and serenity surrounded you. They had a beautiful rose garden that even in the fall was beautiful, after a wonderful lunch, we departed to Carcassonne and a 2 hour boat tour in the Cana du Midi a tree lined canal that I expect is breathtaking in the spring and summer.  We were then taken to Carcassonne’s’ medieval City a grand castle that was once a medieval fortress.  This castle was like being in a fairy tale.  Our hotel was inside the castle walls and the room, made me feel like a princess. We dined on local cuisine in a small restaurant inside the castle. I was having a magical time when I received news from home, my father had a brain hemorrhage and was going to have surgery in the morning.  Every feeling ran through me, should I leave, should I stay, I knew that God wouldn’t take my father from me while I was on the wonderful trip.  I spoke with my family and settled into a bed knowing that my father was in good hands. As I said in part one this trip was filled will every feeling imaginable. On one hand It’s sad to think how much of this world and the beauty God created lies hidden and if we get to view it it’s through a television screen, computer screen or magazine, on the other hand if it wasn’t for the magic of technology I wouldn’t have been able to speak with my family.  I will sign off for now, but will continue the story of my journey later.  Make sure to follow me, comment and share my adventure with your friend.  Also, within the next few days I hope to post  video of my trip on my website. For now

God Bless and Happy and Safe travels.

Wow what a couple of weeks

October 8^th started me on journey of a lifetime.  I Gina Kemper, this 52 year old woman ventured out solo to a foreign country to try and learn as much as I could about the south of France and that I did.  My first FAM trip was amazing.  Day 1 and 2 was a mixture of emotions, excitement, anxiety, happiness and trepidation.  After 17 hours, 3 connections and experience customs in a foreign country I arrived safe and sound and luggage in tack.  Majority of fear has passed as getting there was causing the majority of my stress. I did learn that I have the ability to go without talking, which if you know me is very hard because I very seldom stop talking, but traveling solo you learn the ability listen and observe.  I got settled in the Pullman hotel, highly recommend, went for a swim and then went for a walk in the beautiful city of Montpellier. I took so many pictures; there was something that took my breath away around every corner.  Later that evening, I met up with the other agents, 27 wonderful ladies all waiting to experience this magical land of the Langodoc-Rousiollon region of France.  We went on a short walking tour of this quaint town and met the head of the Baudon de Mauny family which has owned this hotel since the 1700s. It’s hard to imagine so much history that pasted through those walls.  When you really think about it the United States is still a baby compared to the European countries.  We also me one the most highly regarded Violin makers in the world.  At 32 years old he has such a talent and passion that I not witnesses before, imagine taking 30 days to produce a musical instrument and then have it gone and have to start all over again., then we got to experience some tastes of the region not only in a little bodega but at a beautiful welcome dinner. These are all things that not everyone that travels to South of France can enjoy but I found out that I can arrange for my clients through our destination specialists.  I really had to step out of my box. When eating in a foreign country, I had Octopus pie, lamb appetizers and so much more.  Within 48 hours I learned to have confidence in being me, in my ability to talk to strangers, to try and speak a new language and to enjoy the company of ME.  Instead of writing a book I will post a little for the next few days,  so keep coming back to hear about the Mediterranean, an amazing castle, river cruises, high speed trains and exceptional experience in Paris.  Not to mention I will add some drama from home regarding the family.  Sounds kind of like a James bond movie.  I look forward to sharing my experiences with you and I am sorry I wasn’t able to post as it happened.  Still have some technology issues to work through while traveling.  Please send me your comments, share my blogg with your friend and watch for my pictures and video to be posted on Facebook, pinterest and my website GLKDreamtravel.com.

God Bless

Happy and Safe Travels.