Archive | blog post shortcut RSS feed for this section

Exploring Ireland: How To See A Lot and Have a Blast

December 10, 2011 by Heather Lucier Stanley Comments Off

Sanctuary Ski Club: Ireland 2011 Trip Group Photo

Alan and I did a survey tour of Southern Ireland with the Sanctuary Ski Club. We started in Dublin, headed Southeast, South, and Southwest, ending in Shannon. I recommend this tour if you can arrive in Dublin and leave from Shannon.

One thing to note: The JFK Homestead may be closed. The relative of JFK who have us the tour said he was closing it for renovation. I did not catch a reopening date!

Enjoy my blogs about Ireland. One of my best European experiences so far.

Day 1:

01. Guinness Brewery Tour in Dublin, Ireland

Day 2:

02. County Wicklow and Glendalough Monastic Settlement
03. Dublin and Fallon & Byrne

Day 3:

04. Dunbrody Ship and Kennedy Homestead
05. John F. Kennedy Arboretum
06. Waterford and Arthur’s Day

Day 4:

07. Jameson Irish Whiskey
08. Cork
09. Blarney

Day 5:

10. County Kerry View
11. Irish Coffee at The Red Fox Inn
12. Ring of Kerry
13. Muckross House in County Kerry

Day 6:

14. Dingle in County Kerry

Day 7:

15. Bunratty Castle and Folk Park in County Clare
16. Cliffs of Moher and St. Brigid’s Well
17. The Burren National Park
18. Bunratty Banquet – The Grand Finale!

blog post shortcut

How I Traveled to New Zealand on a Budget

November 17, 2011 by Heather Lucier Stanley 3 Comments

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

In May 2011, I was elected as Secretary for the Austin Skiers Executive Committee, and shortly thereafter, Holidaze Ski Tours offered two spots on a New Zealand familiarity (FAM) Trip to the Texas Ski Council. The Texas Ski Council is comprised of 15 clubs and each club has approximately 12 board members. Of the approximately 180 board members across Texas, I volunteered to take one of the spots to New Zealand and I got it. From June 12-June 17, 2011, I was in New Zealand on a FAM Trip.

The purpose of a FAM is for the FAM participant to familiarize him/herself with the hotels, ski resorts, and other attractions and write a summary report to the Texas Ski Council. The Texas Ski Council has a detailed process for choosing ski locations in future ski seasons. The summary report for this particular FAM will be considered in the bid process for the 2012-2013 ski season.

A FAM Trip is a working trip and spouses are not invited. A FAM Trip is not a free trip. Board members pay for their own airfare – perhaps discounted, perhaps not – and the tour operator’s wholesale tour cost.

New Zealand FAM Trip Blogs:

Day 1 Auckland
1. Mt. Eden
2. Auckland hotel inspections
3. Auckland bus tour and Mission Bay stop
4. Auckland 3 mile run, happy hour, and dinner

Day 2 Auckland and Waiheke Island
5. View from the Sky Tower at breakfast
6. Ferry Trip to Waiheke Island
7. Waiheke Island Wine Tasting
8. Waiheke Island Olive Oil Tasting
9. Lunch at Mudbrick

Day 3 Queenstown
10. Hotel Inspection of Novotel Queenstown
11. Queenstown 3-5 Mile Run
12. Full Moon from Skyline Observation Deck
13. Kiwi Haka Maori Show and dinner

Day 4 Coronet Peak and Central Otago
14. Coronet Peak
15. Central Otago Wine Tasting

Day 5 Queenstown
16. Queenstown Hiking
17. Queenstown Hotel Inspections

Day 6 Queenstown, Shotover Jet Boat ride, and Arrowtown
18. Queenstown 10 Mile Run
19. Shotover Jet Boat ride and Arrowtown

blog post shortcut
Older Entries