I live in Asheville NC. I’ve been very fortunate - I’ve lived in beautiful and interesting places in the US.  I grew up in Chattanooga TN, a place filled with history, mountains and rivers. After that, I lived in Manhattan for 11 years. It was an exciting place to live and I’ve always said “if you can’t travel the world, in NYC, the world comes to you.” In fact I lived just blocks from  the "crossroads of the world" also known as Time Square. I saw people from all walks of life, from different countries and a fascinating mix of cultures.

 

After that, I moved here to Asheville - decidedly less hectic and crazy. Within just a couple of years the economy collapsed and I was laid off from my marketing and advertising job that brought me here, so I got into real estate. Since Asheville is a beautiful small city nestled near the Blue Ridge Mountains and the French Broad River, it brings in folks who move here from all over the US and other countries. My real estate business enabled me to again cross paths with all sorts of folks and help them acclimate to the South.

 

As I grow older I realize my traveling hasn’t been as extensive as I dreamed it to be. I’ve traveled to France, Italy, Mexico, several places in the Caribbean and Australia.  I spent a week in France with a woman who lived there for three years and went on a tour with a friend to Italy.  My Caribbean trips and Mexico were with friends also, as was my first trip to Sidney, Melbourne and Brisbane, Australia. My second trip to Mullunbimby and Byron Bay came about in a very singular way. I intend to write about it in my Travel Diary soon. 

 

Then, I toured Ireland with a Vegan group. It was very different trip than the tour I took to Italy. The Italy trip was too many people and too much time spent on a bus. And as a vegetarian, I often didn’t get the plant protein I needed and there is just so much plain pasta I can eat in a week!

 

The Ireland trip was smaller and it was easier to form some friendships with the others. We spent evenings in the local pubs drinking Guiness after our sightseeing, tasting tours and visiting an animal sanctuary. I asked the tour operator, Gretchen Sheridan, if she would consider putting together a trip with me to Costa Rica. On the third and last time I was going to ask, she agreed. I wanted it to be an all women group (see reasons why under “Why Choose Gwen's Great Getaways” She worked on the itinerary and bookings and I did the marketing. I knew Gretchen would make sure that the vegetarians would be eating as well as everyone in the group and I wasn’t wrong. The restaurants and meals where we were served were outstanding and accommodating to vegetarian, vegan and meat eaters alike. 

 

I’m working with Gretchen, Tierno Tours, again for our Belize and Scotland trips.  Based on the excitement and feedback from our CR trip, I know it will be absolutely outstanding. I hope you will join us on these fun, women only trips! ( Vegetarian/Vegan will be an option, not an obligation, by the way)

 

Gwen

"I’d rather look back at my life and say I can’t believe I did that instead of saying I wish I did that."