Maui, Molokai, awards and new blog – oh, my!
Our latest trip in a nutshell (no, not around-the-world in a walnut!):
Those of you following me on Facebook or Twitter may have caught wind of the whirlwind past couple of weeks, during which we adventured to Maui and Molokai, snorkeled with sea turtles, beached with whales, conquered the Road to Hana, and occupied 5 of 9 seats on a tiny airplane that brought us in soaring over the world’s highest sea cliff at Molokai. What an adventure! As you might recall, traveling with me is generally far from relaxing, but oh, it can be FUN! That was definitely the case here:
- 11 days
- 10 nights
- 5 people
- 4 lodgings
- 3 rental cars
- 2 islands
- 1 big luau.
I can’t wait to share tips and recommendations from our latest adventure to the islands – stay tuned! It was also a great way to mark the completion of the 2nd edition Travels with Baby – which, by the way, has finally become available on Amazon Canada for those who were asking! PLEASE be sure to post a customer review to Amazon if you purchase a copy (I know how busy you guys are, so one million thanks & good travel karma to you!).
The world’s craziest news before our departure:
As I was packing up for our trip I received notice that I had won the 2013 Gold Award from NATJA (North American Travel Journalists Association) in the Budget Travel category for online articles. HOLY COW! (Going to Paris? Be sure to read: Why and How to Get the Paris Museum Pass for Your Family’s Visit.) And when I went to see which of my colleagues had won other accolades in the competition, I had the thrill of discovering my name listed in three other categories as well, picking up a bronze in the Intergenerational/Family Travel category, and inclusion as a finalist in the Leisure & Activities category for articles published online.
But what really knocked me out of my seat (well, pretty darn close)? When I saw that the Travels with Baby Tips Blog won the Silver in Independent Travel Blogs. Last year, you might recall, it received the Bronze in the category, and I had to wonder if I would ever live to see that again. Heigh-ho, Silver!
So much of 2013, I was struggling with guilty feelings of not doing as much with the blog as I would have liked to in order to get the book completed, so I confess it’s a strange feeling raising a glass of champagne in one hand while the other is still hitting me over the head with the I’m-not-worthy stick. 😉 The champagne tastes darn good, nevertheless, and I can’t wait to find out what my prize is for winning a Gold (I’ve been assured it’s better than a lamp with a fishnet stocking).
Big news: My next blog!
Now… more big changes I’ve been looking forward to, and let me tell you, the news from NATJA has definitely given me that boost of confidence I need to get my next blog off and running… and I hope you will be a part of it! I’ll have more details soon.
Planning upcoming spring or summer travel?
Don’t forget to check these online resources for Great Products & Gear for Travel, Flying with Baby & Toddler Tips, Road Trip and Car Seat Travel Advice, the Worldwide Directory of Baby Gear Rentals, the Directory of Hotel Babysitter and Vacation Nanny Agencies, and of course the Destinations page for recommendations and location-specific advice.
Safe travels,
Shelly Rivoli, author of the NEW 2nd edition Travels with Baby guidebook
The Ultimate Guide for Planning Travel with Your Baby, Toddler, and Preschooler
