My Travel Thanks

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. It is a perfect day for saying thanks for all of the great people in my life, for feeling gratitude for all the good things I have, and for an extra-special day with my family. No hubbub of Christmas yet . . . that will wait for the days after Thanksgiving. I have a 22 pound turkey and all the fixings on hand, and I will be watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade while I prepare dinner on a perfect autumn day.

I am very happy that I will not be flying anywhere during this extremely busy holiday travel week.  I hope your travels are easy if you are heading out this week to be with family and friends.

When it comes to travel, which is such a big part of my life, I am so thankful for:

• Pilots and flight attendants who get me safely to my destinations each week.  I board your planes with total trust, so thank you.

• The ability to meet men and women from around the world, to learn of their cultures and their lives … and to know that underneath the exterior differences, we are all the same.

• To feel excitement each time I begin a new journey because I know that new people, new places and new experiences are mine to find and discover.

• To have friends all around the planet.

• To have the ability to share my love of travel with my children, so that they, too, can experience the great world we live in.

• To have you as part of the Smart Women Travelers community. It is so fun to get to know so many of you and learn about you and your travels. 

I am very grateful for all of these things each and every day.

To those of you who celebrate the U.S. holiday this week, I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving Day. And to our friends outside of the U.S, I wish you a day of family, gratitude and happiness this week, and always!