Do you want to ski downhill & play golf? Part 2

Who wants to go golfing & skiing this winter in Palm Springs, California?

In the 1930's & 1940's, Palm Springs was a famous playground to the movie stars. It was reknowned as the jewel of the American West. Palm Spring grew into a contemporary destination and kept its historic flavour. Today there are so many different reasons to visit the area, it's described as "The New Palm Springs".

Did you know that Palm Springs is the hub for a much larger region in a 25 mile long by 8 mile wide valley? La Quinta, Palm Desert & Rancho Mirage are among the towns nearby. The destination has accomodations, cuisine, festivals, & activities to suit every travellers' budget and preferences. Golfers have their choice of 115 courses. Try the La Quinta Resort & Club, home of PGA West and the Indian Wells Golf Resort, ranked as one of the top 50 golf facilities in the world.

Does your dream vacation include skiing or snowboarding and golf on the same day? Palm Springs is pefect. There are 4 ski resorts within driving distance, including the Bear Mountain & Snow Summit Summit of Big Bear Mountain Resorts . Ski again at Snow Valley in the San Bernadino Moutains. A day of photography at The Joshua Tree National Park, the Living Desert, or any of a hundred other places will work for me.

OK I'm ready to go. What about you? TPI - Janus Travel will take us there.

Where is Jurassic Park?

Have you seen the movies Jurassic Park & Castaway? Do you know where they were filmed? I'll give you some hints.

Last night Ron & I attended a travel industry seminar. We do it all the time. This one was special because we just returned from the destination. It's known as both the Garden Island & Hawaii's Island of Discovery. More than 50 films were made on this tropical isle. Have you guessed yet? This morning I'm looking at a picture book, dreaming of Kauai, & drinking the most delicious coffee from the gift bag that was our table's centrepiece. Kauai is a unique & special place. I'd go back in a minute. TPI - Janus Travel will take you there too.

IATA to certify biofuels

On October 23, 2009 the International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced it will approve biofuels for commercial aviation by the end of next year. The environmental significance of this announcement is vast. First, it signals the industry's intention to reduce its carbon footprint. Second, from a technological & financial perspective, it might eliminate some of the barriers to investment in high-quality biofuels for aviation. IATA governs the airline industry world-wide.

Do you want to ski downhill & play golf on the same vacation?

I'm serious. Do you want to go downhill skiing & golfing at the same sunny destination this winter? Perhaps you prefer to ski then relax by the pool. There's a place where it's all possible. Next week Ron is going to a training seminar about this great winter destination. I'll post the answer here soon. In the meantime, who wants to guess?

Norberto & Laura: Felicidades a Todos y Bienvendidos a Jonathan!

Do you remember our friends, Norberto & Laura? Norberto is a Cuban trumpet player & singer. He met his wife Laura after moving to Mexico to play at the Bodeguita del Medio in Puerto Vallarta. Norberto & Laura are proud parents of Jonathan, a baby boy. Their family includes a 6 year old son & an 8 year old daughter. (We haven't met them yet & look forward to meeting them on our next trip.)

Best wishes to the whole family & welcome to the world Jonathan!

Felicidades a todo la familia. Bienvenidos el mundo Jonathan!

Milestone: 150

My first post to this blog was a two sentence announcement. Today is exactly one year plus two days after that first post & there's a new milestone to celebrate. You're reading my 150th post to the TPI - Janus Travel blog!

As a "new travel blogger" I had no idea what to expect and never imagined this would become part of my routine & my life. Much to my surprise, blogging is fun. When other people tell me they enjoy the blog, that makes my day. It's a great way for you to find out about the world of travel & an equally great way for me to provide updates. So, keep on following the blog here or on my Facebook page. There's plenty more to come. TPI - Janus Travel will take you there!

Thank you Andrew!

In yesterday's photo of Table 106 Andrew Glass. He & his sweetheart Kelli Rowland were among our lovely table-mates in the cruise ship's dining room. I want to thank Andrew. Today his name is being added to the Acknowledgement section. If you look at the sunset in the image above, the water looks like it's fluorescent. Great job! I must admit I don't often see avocados "on the tree". As a bonus Andrew took time during his vacation to put the images on my memory stick.

Thanks again Andrew! Your photo contributions are definitely appreciated. If you or Kelli are reading this, please send Ron & I a note via our website or our email! I'd like to get more information about your photos & keep in touch. In the meantime, best regards to you both. Aloha!

Dining Table 106

Dinners were great on the Rhapsody of the Seas. The company we kept in the cruise ship's dining room contributed to the quality of our cruise & the fun. The entire dining room staff upheld the fine cruise tradition of serenading us, twice. The food was great. The service was superb. Leia, & Willen, our Waiter & Assistant Waiter, deserve a medal. The first photo above shows one of their serenades. The second is the dynamic duo of Willen & Leia. Our table of 10 was a great group. In the photo above, they are (left to right): Hugo & Karene from Montreal, Andrew Glass & Kelli Rowland (front row) from Gibsons on B.C.'s Sunshine Coast, Brian & Irene from Scotland (back row), & Lissi McPhillips & Graham Lutywche. (The British bride & groom from Spain near Gibraltar who appear elsewhere in this blog.) It was fun to get together every evening, share some good food, & compare adventures. What a terrific group!

Willen & Leia (above)

Dining room staff serenade (below)

Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden: Founders Tribute

Thanksgiving is a perfect time to pay tribute to the founders of the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden. The history of this garden's creation begins with Daniel & Pauline Lutkenhouse.

Daniel & Pauline first visited Hawaii in 1977. They fell in love with 17 trash-filled, overgrown acres on Onomea Bay near Hilo & purchased it shortly afterwards. The couple moved to the Big Island the following year. Dan went to work in the gardens everyday, hand-clearing & planting the vast site. Eight years later it was opened to the public. The garden had three visitors that day. Dan & Pauline contined their devotion to the garden & purchased the neighbouring 30 acres on the bay. In 1994 the couple donated their beautiful garden to the world. Daniel Lutkenhouse is memorialized at the entrance to the garden that is now an educational & scientific trust. The Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden is now home to 2500 plants including one the world's largest Giant Red Lobster Claw Heliconia as well as many other rare & reknowned specimens. Today, the visitor count is more than 3 million & Pauline Lutkenhouse continues the legacy with her family. Thank you for the gift of this beautiful Garden on a Bay by the Ocean!

P.S. I took today's photos with a disposable camera I purchased on site. Ron had our camera at the volcanoes that day. Please visit the Photo Gallery for a bounty of pictures, most of which were kindly provided by the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden.

A huge Monstera or 'Split Leaf Philodendron' climbs a tree. It's taller than the house my Monstera plant lived in!

Red Heliconia

Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden: More Photos

There will be more posts about the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens on this Blog later. For now, here are more photos of the garden from its TPI - Janus Travel Photo Gallery album. Enjoy!

Close-up with Ala & Kahi, two of the Green-winged Macaws

Neomerica northiana blue

Common name: 'Rose of Siam Ginger'
Botanical name: Etlingera

Thank you Kate Logan & Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving

Kate Logan is the Adminstrative Manager at the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden (HTBG) in Hilo. I met her briefly during my visit. It was a stroke of good fortune! On Thursday her package arrived. I immediately read Kate's lovely letter then dived into the great hardcover book & photo CD. As I looked through it all, it "wowed" me again... just like the garden itself. The history is as interesting as the garden. Thank you so much Kate! Your HTBG package definitely brought summer back during Edmonton's first snowfall of the season.

While we're on the subject of thanks, "Happy Thanksgiving" to all! Today is the holiday in Canada. I am thankful for my family, friends & the life I lead with Ron. One great blessing in our life is travel. It allows us to meet wonderful people & appreciate the beauty in the world.

Introducing the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden

The Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden subalbum is the newest addition to the TPI - Janus Travel website Photo Gallery. This site & the photo collection definitely get my "Don't Miss It" rating. Look for the new pictures in the 2009 Vancouver to Hawaii album.

Hilo's renowned Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden is "A Garden in a Valley on the Ocean". This Non-profit 501 (c) (3) Scientific & Educational trust has a history as interesting as the garden itself.

For now, let's go browse the photos. Wander through this "Garden in a Valley on the Ocean". Start at the Visitor Centre. Then walk the paths into the rainforest & past the waterfalls, creek, Palm Jungle, Orchid Garden & much more. Well-marked paths with gorgeous gardens wind through the site starting at the visitor centre. Your final stop is scenic Onomea Bay. The Twin Rocks in the bay are the subject of a wonderful Hawaiian legend. There are waterfalls, a creek, an orchid garden, & many other features to see on the way. The 2500 species of tropical flowers, fruits, plants & trees create a breathtaking spectacle in their 17 acre setting. Don't worry if you get tired or have limited mobility. Friendly staff members will drive you up & down the boardwalk.

The Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden is my favourite botanical garden to date & the most beautiful place I saw on Hawaii. Happy Trails to you!

Onomea Bay Photo Credit: Amy Evans

John Stowell & Benny Green at the Yardbird Suite. Welcome to Edmonton!

For all the Edmontonian music lovers out there, this post's for you! Go see the Benny Green & John Stowell Duo this weekend at the Yardbird Suite. I'm really looking forward to it! Both Benny & John are musicians' musicians who've played with the greats of the jazz genre. Doors open at 8 pm. Music is at 9 pm. In addition to being on my list of the all-time best guitar players, John is a longstanding friend and a terrific person. Therefore, on a personal note... Welcome Back to Edmonton John & Benny. I'm sure "The Yardbird" will swing this weekend.

above: John Stowell
below: Benny Green photo credit: Marc E. Lamoreaux

Moonlight on the Pacific with Thanks to Chris & Lindsay Wallpe

Special thanks to the most recent Photo Gallery contributors, newlyweds Lindsay & Chris Wallpe from Ohio. We met Chris & Lindsay on the Rhapsody of the Seas. Our adventures with the Wallpes, Lissi McPhillips & Graham Ludywche included: several memorable meals, a belly flop competition in which Graham took the bronze medal and Chris "tucked"; a tango lesson; and a drive to a wedding. As a result there are several great pictures of & from the Wallpes in the Photo Gallery. Chris is a fine photographer who seems to take most of their photos, including 'Moonlight on the Pacific' below. Of course, Ron & I send our congratulations on their marriage & their names are the most recently added to the Acknowledgements section of the website. Thanks folks!

News flash & a big "thanks again!" to you!

Today's post is a "news flash". Have you browsed the Photo Gallery at the TPI - Janus Travel website lately? If you haven't, it's definitely the right time. As of today, the Photo Gallery features more than 125o photos! Thanks again to all of our great clients & kind photo contributors!

Our TPI - Janus Travel website launched on October 31, 2008 with 800 pictures. In December 2008, there were 916 pictures in the Photo Gallery. My work today included uploading & editing the latest additions from our Vancouver to Hawaii adventures. There are a relatively small number of additional photos coming soon from our fellow adventurers. Meanwhile, today seemed like a good time to get a new total. Today's count is 1274. So make sure you "rebrowse" often. Dream your travel at the Photo Gallery then travel your dream with us!

Ron's Big Gourmet Volcano Adventure - Part 3

Here are just a few of the photos from the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Enjoy! Browse the Photo Gallery on the TPI - Janus Travel website for more volcanoe images. Most of the images we selected from our Vancouver to Hawaii cruise trip are already uploaded now. Four of the six subalbums are ready. The last two are under construction. Those two will be finished in a day or two. Be prepared to dream about travel. Then travel your dreams with us!

Kilauea Caldera. I call it "The Big Steamy."

A steam vent in Kilauea's largest crater

Thurston Lava Tube - above with visitors & below with tree roots visible

Ron's Big Gourmet Volcano Adventure - Part 2

Ron's Gourmet Volcano Adventure began at the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. This unique area is an International Biosphere Reserve and the only World Heritage Site in Hawaii.

Ron stopped at Kilauea's steamy caldera as well as at its Halemaumau, Iki and Mauna Lau Craters and the Thurston lava tube. I'll upload more pictures in my next post to the TPI - Janus Travel blog. To give you a sense of scale here are some facts and figures plus links to two useful maps:

1. Map - Kilauea Volcaoe with the island Hawaii as an inset
2. Map - Kilauea Caldera detailed map.

• Kilauea Volcano has a total area of 1,430 square km or 552 square miles
• Kilauea Volcano comprises 13.7% of the Big Island's total area
• Kilauea Caldera itself is 165 m deep
• Kilauea Caldera is 6 x 6 km wide at the outermost faults & 3 x 5 km at the main depression
• Halemaumau Crater, at the western side of the caldera, is the largest of Kilauea's craters at about 3000 feet wide.

Ron's Big Gourmet Volcano Adventure - Part 1

In Hilo on the island of Hawaii, Ron went on his big "Gourmet Volcano Adventure". He experienced the Hilo Coffee Mill, the Big Island Candy Factory & the Volcano Winery. Sounds yummy doesn't it?

If you're wondering 'Where are the volcanoes?' or 'Where's Cindy?', the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is coming soon. As for me... I went to the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens with 2 disposable cameras. My TPI - Janus Travel Blog will take you to both of these Hilo highlights later.

Take a rain jacket and wear comfortable walking shoes on any tours around Hilo's volcanoes or rainforests. Hilo is the rainiest city in the U.S.A. Never fear though, the rain showers are very brief. You'll want sunscreen and bug repellent too.

Nawiliwili Tavern Part 2 - Getting Silly

Here we are... we've arrived at the westernmost tavern in the world: the Nawiliwili Tavern. You'll know it's the real thing as soon as you step in the door. Please join us! Check out the Nawiliwili's well-stocked bar, the great atmosphere, yummy food, two pool tables, and great people. (P.S. It has the best fish & chips we've had in years.)

If Jessica is tending bar, say hi for us & tell her Cindy & Ron took you there to "Get Silly at the Nawiliwili". That's their motto & you know our motto, don't know? TPI - Janus Travel. We'll take you there.

Nawiliwili Tavern Part 1 - Getting There

The westernmost tavern in the world in named for the town of Lihue's harbour, on the island of Kaui. Welcome to the Nawiliwili Tavern. On the map you'll find it al north 21º 57’ 40.14” latitude and 159º 21’ 9.9”longitude. In Hawaii, the tavern is just a stone's throw from a scenic beach, good shops, & the cruise ship dock. It's adjacent to Duke's Canoe Club at the Marriott Kaui. You'll want to stay a while in this relaxed Kaui hangout. We did!