hi guys, it's time to dust off the kids and hit the holiday trail. it's time to find *new adventure for your next vacation tale. share your *helpful holiday hints here toodles --

hi guys, let's begin the stories... -- portugal - 1980 -- we had just finished spending 3 fantastic weeks in the algarve and were heading back up to lisbon on the train. -- albefiera, the algarve - 3 weeks prior -- upon getting to the algarve we discover that the weather in late may and early june was very much like our home -- british columbia, canada -- a little wet and windy in may, but come june 1st, when all the rates doubled, the sun came out and the temperature hit a solid 30 celius. coincidence? we ejoyed our first lapin at, where else, chez lapin. we had our first sample of international road signage. (which did not exist in a big way in canada -1980) FRESH TUNI (tuna) STEAKS! caught that morning! 1 inch thick honckin' bbq'd tuni steaks! NO CANS? ODD?! fresh, homemade, that day, yellow mayonaise (extra, extra, too many, yummmm, egg yolks) everywhere. arruda -- 50 cents per liter -- plonk red wine -- gallons of it and tuni steaks... -- back on the train to lisbon -- 3 of my 4 female travelling buddies are playing cards and not enjoying the rolling countryside. they were in the travel biz and had been here before. myself and my girlfriend, it's our first time in europe, are just golly lagging and having a peek at the local ________... i was totally amazed at how organized the portugese people in the country were. they had numbered almost every tree. roling hills and grasslands, a few towns, a little bit of livestock, and the same kind of deciduous tree - numbered again and again. they were numbered up into the thousands with half meter high, white chalked/painted numbers on the trunks. amazing! awesome! bizarre? a waste? so, the train trip is about 5 hours to lisbon, and sure enough, for about 5 hours -- numbered trees -- -- lisbon and home -- a very metropolitan, eurpoean city with very cheap taxis. 2 of us were in need of a hotel. we get off the ferry, grab a cab and go from hotel to hotel looking for a place that suits us. 2 hours later and about 800 escudos ($20 CDN) -- voila -- hotel! booming...we could have slept in the taxi and seen the city for the same price as the hotel? 3 days in lisbon and home. what was with the numbered trees? i did find out...

By: Brian Olson

Are you torn between taking a luxurious, pampered holiday versus an outdoor, sporty vacation? If you and your holiday partner can't agree (or even if you're not sure yourself) there's no need to compromise when you visit the city of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada.

An Urban Oasis - Stanley Park Vancouver is one of the few cities (including New York with the famous Central Park) that can boast a sizable park as one of its features. Stanley Park is 1000 acres and is one of the largest urban parks in North America.

Vancouver is a coastal city with plenty of walking and biking trails. There's something for everyone, whether you enjoy an easy pace viewing the waters of the Burrard Inlet along the paved sea wall or take on the wooded trails of Stanley Park where you'll find impressive untouched forest as well as beautifully manicured gardens on your hiking or biking adventure.

Art Galleries, Shopping and More... Looking to enjoy some shopping? Vancouver has plenty of interesting areas to shop. For the dedicated shopper a visit to Robson Street will provide designer boutiques as well as trendy coffee shops and restaurants, all with great people watching spots to take a break.

For those who are looking for something a little different than the usual step into Vancouver's Chinatown. You'll find beautiful imported items along with delicious Chinese cuisine along the streets with the red streetlamps and brightly colored signs.

Granville Island, which is also the home to the Emily Carr Institute of Art, is a busy market along the water. Find fresh fruit, flowers and a wide variety of ethnic foods to enjoy. Browse the art and small specialty shops where you're sure to find that special something to bring home for yourself or as a gift.

The Vancouver Art Gallery in the heart of the city also has something for the art enthusiast to enjoy, including presentations of the famous works of Vancouver's Emily Carr.

Science World, Vancouver Aquarium - big draws for Young or Old. Bringing the kids? The mirrored dome with lights will surely catch their attention but what's inside this fascinating structure will impress them (and you) even more! Interactive and astounding you'll be entertained and educated in this attraction originally built for Expo 86. For a slower pace try the Vancouver Aquarium. Watch the Beluga show or visit the tropics for a memorable visit.

World Class Resorts, Hotels and Golf Courses Not far from Vancouver is the world renowned Whistler Village Resort. Ideal for a luxury skiing vacation, it is also a popular summer destination with biking trails, golfing, white water rafting, ziplining and more for the truly adventurous. Camping and RV parks are never far away or you can choose to stay in one of the highly rated hotels for a real pampered treat!

Vancouver is a culturally diverse city with many languages and ethnic attractions. Although well known for rain, Vancouver's mild climate is ideal for the many gardens and parks that make up the city. Full of complimentary opposites, Vancouver is a harmonious blend for enjoying the outdoors and city life in one place.

About the Author Find more information about luxury travel and fractional ownership information at :: http://www.fractional-luxury.com - Fractional ownership makes luxury more affordable!

By: John Ross The Iron Mountain Inn in Tennessee Read Jetsetters Magazine at http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/cabinweb/east/tenn/iron/iron.html Thick, eastern Tennessee hardwoods hug The Iron Mountain Inn, standing in glossy magnificence against a backdrop of green mountains and crystal clear brooks. We pull into the circular drive of the Iron Mountain Inn after a two hour trip; the last 15 miles are up a beautifully winding highway that forms an arbor umbrella in the heart of the Cherokee National Forest, a spur of the Appalachians. Inn owner, Vicki, greets us on the porch of her gorgeous log cabin lodge.The inn is a pillar of stability, exuding gentleness and comfort along with reliability. The large porch wraps around the entire structure, with tables, chaises, and a hammock on each side. Equipped with the occasional cat to greet guests, the inn welcomes us, luggage and all. Vikki shows us through the air tight door where scents of fresh cut burning wood wafts through the Inn, happily spitting out its fragrance. The reading and breakfast room is to the right, the kitchen to the left, with an all purpose room adjacent, making a full circle around the stairs. Upstairs houses three bedrooms, two on the left, each room representing a time period of Vikki's life and telling the story of what brought her to the sleepy town of Butler. All rooms have whirlpool tubs; the two outer rooms have balconies overlooking a small rock garden with a trickling stream through the middle. We place our bags in our room and I proceed to the porch and the hammock for some relaxation before dinner. But first I pick a book off the shelf where travelers trade in their tomes for others, continuing on their journey with fresh reading material. We talk for some time, Vikki and I, about why she lives in eastern Tennessee and what the deciding factors were in her building a bed and breakfast. She loved horses for as long as she could remember. She used to ride in an annual celebration through the national forest. She is from the North but she loves the pristine stillness of the South and the area she was riding through. Hee husband passed away and she thought there was no better time to make the move.Vikki lived in a small trailer on the property she had searched for endlessly; when the inn was completed. She opened the doors to the public and she has loved it ever since. While dining at the Cherry Hill restaurant in Butler that night we hear about great things. The owner ran a grocery several years earlier and decided to move to New Orleans and pick up the art of Cajun cooking. The Louisiana weather was unbearable and he moved back to the area, bought an early 1900s home in town and turned it into a gourmet treat for anyone walking through the door. Dim lighting proves a perfect romantic treat for my fiance and myself. There are only a few tables to each room and the quiet melodies of blues chirp from speakers in the corners as we taste blackened chicken, Cajun shrimp, bean soup, warm bread, and a banana dessert that is presented in front of us by the chef. He shuts off the lights to exaggerate the lit brandy; he spouts entertaining ghost stories about the old house. The Inn sits at 3000 feet above sea level and that night an amazing thunderstorm strikes, and at that elevation each roll of thunder shakes the very screws and nails that hold the building together. What an electrifying experience. We rise to the smell of an all out buffet style breakfast and watch the sun fight the fog back into the mountains and cast shadows on the still wet porch. Tennessee State Atlas & Gazetteer Since arriving, Watauga Lake has me curious, and I hear rumors about its transparent waters and terrific scenery. We schedule an appointment with the owner of Fish Springs Marina and we are riding in a pontoon boat a few hours later. The water spins in a seltzer-like whirlpool underneath the boat as we speed off in a hunt for the old town of Butler, Tennessee. The jailhouse is nearly visible at over one hundred feet below the surface of the crystalline water, and it is a churning, bubbly remnant of a city long since moved up mountain. A few other buildings that the government decided not to tear down swim under the third cleanest (manmade) lake held back by one of the world's largest earthen dams. I'm not sure where we heard that from - the owner of Fish Springs Marina tells us, after he decides to take the afternoon off and join us on a tour of the majestic body of water. It is as if we are peering into a million gallon fish tank. To read this entire feature FREE with photos cut and paste this link: http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/cabinweb/east/tenn/iron/iron.html John Ross, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent, Read Jetsetters Magazine at: http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit Jetstreams.com at : http://www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at: http://www.beachbooker.com. About the Author: John Ross, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. - Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at: http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com. Leave your email next to the logo for FREE e travel newsletter.

By: Suzy Davis I've just returned from a memorable journey to "the end of the world" in Chile's Patagonia region leading another Adventures For Singles trip, http://www.adventuresforsingles.com/ 770-432-8225. Dramatic landscapes provided us a continual Kodak moment throughout. It is late spring in the region and the weather was cooperative with a lot of sunshine. This however is a land where the unexpected is the norm, so we came prepared for occasional wind and rain. After a rest at the lovely Hotel Neruda and a city tour in Santiago, we flew south to Punta Arenas. There we transferred 2 hours by coach to Puerto Natales at the Patagonia steppe. We welcomed an overnight at the spartan but cozy Charles Darwin Hotel and a fabulous dinner of king crab and fresh salmon. The following day we sailed several hours on the cutter vessel "21 de Mayo" up the fjord of Ultima Esperanza. We stopped for a hike around the fabulous Serano Glacier and a lunch on lamb at a remote cattle ranch. Later we boarded zodiac boats for a thrilling ride to our lodge located inside Torres del Paine National Park. Hosteria Pehoe is rustic for a rate of $200 per room but it lies on the edge of a turquoise glacial lake with an indescribably beautiful view. The backdrop of the spiny tall rugged mountains capped with ice was as vivid as a postcard. Three days were spent touring the park. We were able to photograph the wildlife including guanaco's of the llama family, foxes, flamingo, sea lions, black neck swans, condors, cormorants and more. Several in our group arranged a nocturnal hike to view the elusive puma but none were spotted. Free time was provided for horse riding and boating to magnificent Grey Glacier which was a delight. Some people opted for an arduous 8 hour hike up the famous towering peaks known as The Torres. We flew on to Puerto Montt and checked into the first class Hotel Gran Pacifica for four glorious nights to explore Chile's lake region. It began in Puyehue National Park with the backdrop of two spectacular and very active volcanos named Osorno and Calbuco. The afternoon was spent at the hot springs area of Aguas Calientes for a soak in the 110º crystal clear water. Here we participated in an optional canopy cable swing adventure through the treetops which was more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Enroute back to our hotel, we visited a handicraft market with excellent buys on alpaca sweaters and blue lapis stoned jewelry. The next day we rafted the powerful Petrohue River on class 3 and 4 white water rapids. Four people fell out of an overturned raft but wet suites provided protection from the frigid water and expert guides in kayaks were able to quickly retrieve all. This excursion for me was the highlight of the trip. On day 8 we enjoyed a catamaran cruise along the shores of All Saints Lake also named Emerald Lake for it's vibrant color in Peulla. The lush green forest here is set in the Andes foothills and covers 220,000 acres. We photographed a succession of beautiful and powerful waterfalls cascading over volcanic boulders of the ice capped Osorno. Our vacation experience culminated back in Santiago with a farewell feast of seafood at a deluxe local restaurant. Prior to airport departure, we toured the Cavas del Maipo Winery. We enjoyed a lunch of fantastic BBQ steak and imbibed on endless wine, including several vintages which rank among the nations most esteemed exports.Ten days was sufficient here to see an eyeful. I've had my fill of salmon and lamb for a lifetime and reflect back on a journey well done. We had a wonderful group of 35 participants, most who met as strangers and returned as lifelong friends. The cost of this trip was $2397 plus taxes which included roundtrip air from Miami and all internal flights. The $100 Chilean entry visa was extra. It was a good value and the guides throughout were excellent. I have toured over 150 countries. The beauty here lies simply in the remoteness; pristine and unscarred nature in her finest glory. In Patagonia God created a perfect juxtaposition of New Zealand's fjords, Switzerland's Alps and British Columbia's forests and lakes. Chile is a misnomer with no connection to peppers. It was the Incan word for "land far away." I felt far removed in this narrow land that stretches to the end of the world yet was able to experience all the comforts of home. It certainly exceeded my expectations and I recommend it for any intrepid travelers list of must-see destinations of a lifetime. About the Author: Suzy Davis has traveled the world for nearly 30 years (she has visited well over 150 countries) as a flight attendant and now with her company Adventures For Singles http://www.adventuresforsingles.com/