For more than a year now, I’ve had my eye on Austin-Lehman Adventures’ Rainforests and Ruins Chiapas adventure. It’s the setting for my husband’s upcoming novel, VANISHED, so, perhaps that’s the inspiration. Or, it could be the fact that for the past decade I’ve lived part-time in Mexico, and I’m missing ‘home’. But, more than likely it’s Austin-Lehman’s reputation for crafting the perfect mix of cultural exploration, active pursuits, authentic accommodations and knowledgeable local guides that has me busy cravin’ a jungle-hop south-of-the-border. Whaddya think? They say the coffee is awesome!

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Topping my win-the-lottery travel wish list is R. Cruose & Son's “Around the World to Legendary Places," 23 days of rich exploration to  some of the most legendary places on earth. While circling the globe, exploring the natural and cultural wonders of the world's most treasured and legendary places—Peru, Easter Island, Samoa, the Great Barrier Reef, Cambodia, Tibet, India, Tanzania, Egypt, and Morocco - this trip serves up a chance to see the world's most incredible spots, unfettered by the usual rules of tourism. No boarding passes, no waiting for flight crews, no commercial routes to adhere to (but all the security measures you'd insist on). Plane. Deplane. How elegantly simple.  Sign me up! (:

So, imagine my excitement when I spotted an ad for my ultimate summer road trip. “Twenty spectacular weeks of summer in the Canadian Rocky Mountains with Horizon & Co. Three magnificent fairytale properties of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. One sleek and sexy BMW Z4 Roadster.”

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, BMW Canada and Horizon & Co have teamed up to offer the unforgettable experience of exceptional cars, grand resorts and the magnificent Rocky Mountains all together in one place. With a BMW Z4 Roadster, I could spend spend six glorious days exploring the pristine wilderness and five equally glorious nights at the area’s historic Fairmont resorts. Better yet, the itinerary for this drive allows ample time for exploring on my own.

Now all I have to do is talk an editor into assigning me the story.

Editors start your engines!

Ideally, I envision an extended stay that piggybacks a highlands & islands walking holiday with independent exploration.

My dream itinerary includes visiting the colonial churches and chromatic markets of La Paz, the sacred Lake Titicaca, the highest steam-navigable lake in the world, the famed silver city of Potosí and much more.

I dream of snorkeling amid sea turtles, penguins, and sea-lions; walking among colonies of animals and birds unfazed by my presense; observing giant torosies and exploring by sea kayak.

I envision a lodge-based adventure featuring day hikes within the granite-and-glacier world of Paine and Fitzroy, Andean wildlife and the remote wilds of Tierra del Fuego.

More than a vacation, a voyage to the Antarctic Peninsula would a life-enriching experience withopportunities for exploration found no where else on this planet.