We would like Free Round-Trip Tickets to Japan!!

Sign us up please! My husband just sent me an email about about the possibility of signing up for free round-trip tickets to Japan!! We are all in on this one!

Yahoo news posted this little tid bit....

"If you’ve ever wanted to visit Japan, this may be your chance.

In a desperate attempt to lure tourists back to a country plagued by radiation fears and constant earthquakes, the Japan Tourism Agency‘s proposed an unprecedented campaign – 10,000 free roundtrip tickets.

The catch is, you need to publicize your trip on blogs and social media sites.

The number of foreign visitors to Japan has dropped drastically, since a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami triggered a nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Power plant in March. Nearly 20,000 people have been confirmed dead, while more than 80,000 remain displaced because of radiation concerns. In the first three months following the triple disasters, the number of foreign visitors to Japan was cut in half, compared with the same time in 2010. The strong Japanese currency has made matters worse.

The tourism agency says it plans to open a website to solicit applicants interested in the free tickets. Would- be visitors will have to detail in writing their travel plans in Japan, and explain what they hope to get out of the trip. Successful applicants would pay for their own accommodation and meals. They would also be required to write a review their travel experiences, and post it online.

“We are hoping to get highly influential blogger-types, and others who can spread the word that Japan is a safe place to visit,” said Kazuyoshi Sato, with the agency.

The agency has requested more than a billion yen to pay for the tourism blitz. If lawmakers approve the funding, Sato says visitors could begin signing up as early as next April."

We want to go! I'm not sure exactly where we should start our trip... but I will begin my research right away!

Let's go for a sail!

I don't know about where you are, but it's hot here in the south! How great would it be to jump on a sailboat for a couple of days? Nothing but water around you with the wind in your hair!  

 

  

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 Check out Maine Wind Jammer. This sounds like a fantastic vacation to me!

Beach Trip

My husband and I are hopefully headed to the beach soon a much needed vacation! Side note: I have a slight obsession with packing for trips... I have to make sure that we have everything we need. It is always better to be over prepared than under prepared! We have our typical pack list, but we have also learned a few tricks along the way!

For starters, we went to Asheville, NC for a weekend (The weekend we got engaged!) We arrived in Ashville and after the long drive from Birmingham and decided we wanted a cocktail. (Come to find out I think my engagement ring was burning a hole in my husband's pocket and he needed to relax a little.) However, everything was closed. Ever since then, we have packed 'the cooler' for road trips. We include all of the ingredients to make a cocktail of our choice, snacks, and a wine opener (just in case). I found the perfect cooler for us at LL Bean.

This cooler comes in three different sizes, family, picnic and personal.

Don't leave for vacation without it #2.The resort we went to for a honeymoon was all-inclusive. Which in turn means, 'Senorita, would you like another drink?' every time your drink gets slightly low. It is wonderful! The only downfall to being on the beach sipping a cocktail is your ice begins to melt and you can not finish half of your drink. A wonderful couple we met on the beach one day introduced us to a brand new use for an insulated water bottle. Pour your drink in and it stays cold and fresh until the very last sip!

This is when the Trudeau Cool Off Hydration Bottle comes in handy. It even has a straw that pops up when you slid the lid open! Add your favorite cocktail or a cool glass of ice water and you are ready to go!

A good beach chair is always a must as well! My husband hates to 'drag' it down to the beach. However, we all know that you cannot read laying on a beach towel without straining your neck. It's just not going to happen. Here comes another LL Bean favorite!

This beach chair is fantastic! It's very sturdy and allows you to stretch out your leg and relax at the water's edge, while keeping you out of the sometimes cold water.

Additional never leave for vacation withouts:

Ziploc bags are always a must for the beach! One large Ziploc holds all of your sunscreen, while protecting your beach bag from spills! Another protects your cell phone, camera, credit cards, and id.

One trick I learned from my mom was to bring garbage bags! Throw your dirty clothes, wet swim suits and towels in there to keep them away from your clean clothes!

Also always be prepared by bringing all of the medications that you 'may' need. Nobody wants a horrible headache or upset stomach while on vacation. Bring medications with you so you to have to make a quick dash to the store when you do not feel well. Minimus.biz has single dose OTC medications for a lot less expensive than the nearest convenience store. They also have a huge variety of other travel sized needs.