Are you a fan of the “Amazing Race” reality TV show? If so, you’re in luck, another season is about to begin!

And by that, I mean, just 30 minutes!

This is season 18 for the show, and while I haven’t watched a show from beginning to end yet, I do love to catch episodes now and again.  I love the sites, I love the experiences. I love imagining if I were there, what choices I would make, what things I would do. Its a wonderful way to experience the world in less-than-stellar situations, right from my cozy armchair! There is the exhilaration of conflict, the arm-gripping suspense during decision making, and the tension of fast-moving discussion between team members. Despite whatever form the show’s angst might take, there is always the breath-taking beauty of one’s surroundings. You could be on the edge of your seat, yelling at the screen, waiting to see what happens next…but always able to enjoy the landscape and environment, indoors or out.

Its like the pleasure of a sweet and salty snack…something about the dissonance is making you happy, you just don’t know what!

This season, there will be 11 teams who previously attempted in win the race in seasons past. Will you be watching? What is compelling YOU to follow the Amazing Race?

Do you travel more often for business, or pleasure? When I think of traveling, I think of discovering new places, exploring new lands, and indulging in everything a new location has to offer. I work from home, so traveling for business usually means picking the kids up from school. I don’t often associate business travel with “traveling.”

But many of you do, and plenty of my readers only travel when it is business. This means you know that in the past three years, business travel has been on the decline. Thanks to the recession, corporations and companies have needed to cut back on employees and expenses. Company retreats and events dwindled dramatically; business heads knew they couldn’t continue to send their employees on to such luxuries in a time of bail outs, even if they weren’t recipients.

Slowly but surely things are turning around. New reports are showing a slight increase in all areas…airline usage, hotel bookings, and relationship-building corporate retreats. While the upswing is promising, companies are still encouraging their travelers to travel frugally and keep stays short. Quite frankly, this is a suggestion that could have well suited them over a decade ago. Perhaps a lesson will be learned…or will we see extravagant spending back on the horizon before too long?

Valentine’s Day is on Monday, and flocks of lovebirds are celebrating the holiday over this weekend. Are you one of them? Wouldn’t you like to know where some of the most romantic places can be found?

Much of the US seems to be affected by cold weather right now, from Texas in the south to Minnesota in the north. So think warm…who couldn’t use a dose of a sunsoaked beach this weekend?

Popular romantic locations tend to be the Caribbean. St. Lucia is a traditional hotspot. Then there is the Cook Islands or Bali, where you can lounge in bungalows over water, or rest in comfort on a bed on a sandy beach.

Are you more interested in the romance than worried about the heat? Incredible experiences can lie in places like Switzerland, where you can go on skiing adventures in the moonlight, or a sunset tango atop a gorgeous mansion in Argentina.

Or, you can stay home…step right outside your back door and visit the vineyards in Michigan’s Wine Country. Head to Vermont for some spectacular “mountain and meadow” views, either cozied up in front of a window by the fireplace, or on a snowshoe trek through the countryside.

Whatever you do, whether with a special someone or on your own, remember that a fantastic vacation can be created whether you travel half a globe away, or just drive down the road.

I love stumbling across online articles that give me the inside scoop when it comes to the best deals in travel, or really, anything with the word “secret” in it! I feel like I am in on the inside scoop, regardless of whether this story of tips and secrets was just blasted all over the internet!

Enter the article “Nine Best Secret Hotels in the World” by Budget Travel. What makes these hotels the best? Low on price and high on charm, in some of the most loved travel locations on this planet…from Italy to Greece to Jamaica. I can’t keep the secret to myself, now, so you can find that article right here: http://bit.ly/fKClBD

But even better than the dreamy locales described to whet your travel taste buds, is this book of clues~ “The Travel Detective: How To Get The Best Service And The Best Deals From Airlines, Hotels, Cruise Ships, And Car Rental Agencies.” Count me in! Tell me everything! You can grab this book too, for cost of less than two Starbucks’ coffees: bit.ly/ej3gxl

But don’t keep these secrets to yourself. However, it is ok to wait to share them until after you’ve booked your own reservations!

Well, the sweetest thing just happened to me…Kobo just added “Reading Life” to the apps you can get for your iphone! Ok, ok, I’m sure they didn’t do it just for ME…but it sure feels like it!

Now I can read my ebook “Travel Singapore: Illustrated Guide, Phrasebook And Maps” on my iphone ~ while I travel! Does it get any better than that?

I am reading this book because Singapore was rated as one of the safest places in the world for women to travel alone, by a group of travelers on a group of mine on LinkedIn. Traveling alone overseas is something I have on my bucket list. So thanks to the advice of a great group of fellow travelers, Kobo and their available books, and Kobo’s new “Reading Life” app ~ Singapore, here I come!

Are you interested in putting “Reading Life” on your iPhone, or your iPad? You can download the free app right here: bit.ly/ezoCmt

Thank you, Kobo!

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner…are you ready for it? Do you have any travel plans with your significant other?

Couples sometimes embark on vacations together in order to determine if it will make or break their relationship. More often than not, they discover the answer is, “break”! And usually, it is too late to go back and call a “do over.”

Sean Cunningham with CNNGo shares five “travel relationship killers” in his online article: http://bit.ly/hdjtz4

As Sean keenly puts it, “How we handle tough times reveals a lot more about our character than how we handle good times.” Vacationing with your love interest can certainly create a few tough times, so be aware of these pitfalls and you’ll be on your way to a happier ending.