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Imagine Going There Travel
770.421.9627
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For Culture-Collecting Clients & Friends of Imagine Going There Travel THE COMPASS
OCTOBER 2022
Good for You!
Did You Know ... Viking has introduced three new Longitudinal World Cruises on their new Expedition-class ships? Ranging from 65 to 71 days, these itineraries include a wide range of ports from the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway, though the Panama Canal, into Patagonia and the Chilean Fjords. Then sail through the Drake Passage and visit remote South Georgia and The South Sandwich Islands before exploring the “Last Continent” of Antarctica. Contact Carol@ImagineGoingThere. com for more information, or visit Viking.com -> Expeditions -> Cruises -> Grand Journeys What About Water Levels? One of the unpredictable things about river cruising is the depth of the rivers! Whether the rivers are high from heavy spring rains or periods of drought in the summer, which create low water issues, the constantly changing river levels keep everyone guessing. But did you know Viking is best prepared to handle these issues? Unlike a lot of other river cruise lines with limited numbers of ships, Viking not only has over 70 river ships but also owns most of the docking locations in Europe, giving them a lot of options when river levels are questionable. Add to that, they have been in business for 25 years, making them the most experienced and best- equipped to handle whatever Mother Nature throws their way.
for his turn at the wheel, we browsed the museum and saw these beautiful new cars waiting for their owners to pick them up. I met this cute couple, Barb and Lou Mahoney, who were dressed in matching yellow Corvette shirts and told me they have had five Corvettes and would upgrade each time a new one came out. Lou said they’re a good investment as they hold their value, and he can sell them for about what he pays for them. They always choose yellow, and their license plate says “NANASPLIT.” Barb (83) and Lou (86) have been married for 64 years. They have seven children, 22 grandchildren, and eight great-grands. They use their sports car to go on dates, and their grandkids are also allowed to use the car for prom dates. Doug mentioned to them there was a hybrid option coming out and wondered if they thought about getting that version. Barb said that was two years away, and they didn’t have time to wait! They needed to do it now as they’re not getting any younger. I loved her sparkle and wit, and when I asked if she had any thoughts she wanted to share with our readers, she said, “I’ve never seen a U-Haul behind a hearse. Our kids want to see us enjoy ourselves, and we are!” CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 ...
My husband’s long-awaited, long- belated Christmas gift was The Corvette Experience at the National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The trip was initially delayed by a “COVID experience,” then the Corvette track had a “tornado experience” which tore through Motorsports Park and caused millions of dollars’ worth of damage, and it took several months to get it operational again. Finally, the time was right: The track was repaired, and the weather was perfect. Doug picked a 2022 Corvette to drive on the 3.2-mile race track. While we waited
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Great Vacations Matter Because Great Memories Matter Most
MEET SUSAN — A WORLD-CLASS SOLO TRAVELER! Tales From Our Sails
Susan, president of the Travel Club at Del Webb Lake Providence in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, is a world-class solo traveler! To this date, she’s been on a total of 36 cruises and is still counting — she’s a collector of cruise experiences! Susan thrives on adventure and has been traveling ever since a young age.
As a single traveler, Susan relishes the experience. “Traveling by myself isn’t at all intimidating to me! From the airport on the way to the ship, you can start meeting and interacting with other
Having worked in the travel industry, Susan was extremely impressed with her first Viking experience last year, sailing the Western Mediterranean Escape, which got her hooked on Viking as the way to cruise. “I was so impressed with the size of the ship and all they offer while you’re on board,” Susan tells us. “Along with the amazing attention
passengers,” she remarks. “There are so many opportunities to meet people once on board: while dining,
during activities, or in the common areas. Many couples even include me in their activities, and I’ve made some of the best friends!” The Viking guests are super-friendly and many have made lifelong relationships during their travels.
to detail and assistance from Carol and her team at Imagine Going There,
For Susan, solo travel is invigorating. There’s a big world out there, just waiting to be explored, and the key is to not be afraid to set out on an adventure. “There’s so much to see with culture, history, and architecture,” Susan says. “When you travel by yourself, you’re never alone, and I’d love to see more people traveling by themselves instead of shying away from it. When I travel, I find such peace and joy, and I wish for everyone to have the opportunity to experience that!”
from planning your cruise to following up on return, sailing on Viking cruises is enjoyable and real treat.” Susan recently returned from a Viking river cruise, the Danube Waltz, where she celebrated her 75th birthday.
Corn Mazes Date Back to Ancient Greece? A HISTORICAL LOOK AT THIS WACKY FALL TRADITION
Exploring a corn maze is a great way to get outside and enjoy the fall season with friends and family — but who came up with the idea of wandering around a corn field for fun? As it turns out, outdoor mazes are an ancient tradition, and the American corn maze of the ‘90s sprouted from the mazes of 17th-century European gardens. Don’t believe it? Here’s a quick tour of corn maze history. THE MINOTAUR AND THE MAZE Have you heard of Theseus and the Minotaur? This ancient Greek legend tells the story of the hero Theseus, who ventured into an elaborate maze to kill the half-man, half-bull imprisoned there. The monstrous Minotaur was known to
solving. One famous example is the half- mile-long Hampton Maze, which was planted in 1690 and still stands today. THE CORN MAZE: AN AMERICAN INVENTION Garden mazes eventually hopped the pond to America but didn’t become interactive puzzles until Don Frantz, Creative Director of the American Maze Company, came on the scene. In 1993, Frantz created the “first ever cornfield maze for private and public entertainment” to attract college kids in Pennsylvania. Today, every small- town corn maze is a descendant of his “Amazing Maize Maze.” To learn more about that wacky history, visit AmericanMaze.com.
eat heroes, and the labyrinth was known to trap them, but Theseus managed to slay the Minotaur and find his way home with the help of a string he unspooled as he walked. GARDEN ART TO GET LOST IN Mazes formed from bushes began popping up European gardens in the 17th century. They were a popular artistic feature of upper-class gardens in England, more for looking at than
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“There are only two ways to live your life: One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” –ALBERT EINSTEIN
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Barb and Lou will take their time over the next two weeks making their way from Bowling Green back to Southern California in their shiny new car and enjoying every mile along the way.
Then we talked with Rob Herr, Sr. of Iowa, who was accompanied by his son to get his new car. Rob started out years ago with a small farm and a large dream and now harvests 9,500 acres of corn and soybeans each year. His son, Rob, is carrying on the farming tradition and took his dad up on his offer to join him in picking up his Corvette. Rob
Sr. has owned other Corvettes, and his son has great memories of going on dates and to his prom in one.
I’ve made these simple biscuits for years. They’re very tender and flakey (aka crumbly!) but are quick to prepare. These biscuits nicely round out a dinner of soup or stew or can be served as part of a hearty breakfast. Biscuits Supreme
You could tell he was so proud of his dad for what he’s accomplished over his lifetime. Rob Sr. said there’s no limit to what you can do if you work hard enough. “Most of us live life backward — we work hard all of our lives and don’t take time to enjoy it until the end, and then it’s too late.”
Ingredients • 2 cups all-purpose flour • 1 tbsp baking powder • 1/4 tsp baking soda • 2 tsp sugar
While Rob said it took eight hours to drive to Bowling Green, he expected it to take five hours to get back!
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar • 1/4 tsp salt • 1 stick butter • 3/4 cup buttermilk
It did my heart good to meet these folks — you could tell it wasn’t about owning a fancy car; it was about doing something together that brought a lot of fun and joy into their lives.
Directions 1. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center; add buttermilk all at once. Stir just until dough clings together. Knead gently on a lightly floured surface for 10 to 12 strokes. Roll or pat to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, dipping in flour between cuts. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake in 450 F oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. 2. Or you can do what I do and just drop large serving- size spoonfuls of dough onto a cookie sheet and bake until golden.
What is that for you?
For me, my joy was doubled … the first was sitting in the passenger seat watching my husband enjoy his Corvette
Experience (over 100 mph on the straightaway), and the second was when I was able to safely exit the car when we were done!
—Carol Shaddix
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Great Vacations Matter Because Great Memories Matter Most
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770.421.9627 | www.ImagineGoingThere.com 3600 Dallas Hwy, Suite 230-215, Marietta, GA 30064
Everything you love about Viking, only better! A great destination is just one part of an amazing vacation. Just like having a master chef prepare your meal at your favorite restaurant, as one of Viking’s largest representatives, we’ve booked these vacations countless times. We intuitively know how to enhance the outcome of your experience so it consistently delivers above and beyond your expectations (and know when those special promotions such as extra shipboard credit or free airfare are available you might not know about). Whether you are interested in an individual reservation or want to travel together as a group, call 770.421.9627 for your free consultation on how to make your next vacation even better than you expected! Tip: If you’ve already booked direct with Viking in the last 60 days, contact us to add some additional bonuses to your reservation!
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GOOD FOR YOU!
TALES FROM OUR SAILS
CORN MAZES DATE BACK TO ANCIENT GREECE?
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BISCUITS SUPREME
TEAM SPOTLIGHT: DARLENE ODOM
Team Spotlight: Darlene Odom
This month, the team spotlight is on Darlene Odom, who is technically called our Hospitality Specialist, but she also performs a lot of behind-the-scenes work for our team.
In their spare time, they love adventure, and some of their favorite spots are Utah, Jackson Hole, and Alaska. Darlene has been on a Viking
ocean cruise, and she and Wayne will be celebrating their 30th anniversary on the Rhine Getaway next April.
Darlene studied finance at Auburn University and has worked in auditing and accounting throughout her career. She is an absolute genius with reporting, and the way she can create spreadsheets makes all of our lives so much easier. Darlene met the man who would become her husband, Wayne, on her first day at the university, and they have been sweethearts ever since. Having raised three grown children, they are now empty nesters, except for their beloved dog, Duke.
What does Darlene like about working with Imagine Going There Travel? “My favorite part is in finding ways to let our clients know we are grateful for them. I am inspired by Carol’s passion to provide the best travel
experience possible, including creative ways to go the second mile for the people we serve.”
We are all so grateful that Darlene is on our team — none of us could ever imagine doing our jobs as well without her!
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