Check out my fantastic feather headdress! I felt very glamorous, but only for a few minutes, because I had to return it to a beautiful dancer from Aruba. She had invited me to try it on - potentially the first step in getting me to visit Aruba. I was surprised that it was lighter than it looked, though difficult to balance.
For expo pictures from Saturday and Sunday, visit PHOTO GALLERY.
I also enjoyed presentations from world travelers Marybeth Bond, author of Best Girlfriends Getaways Worldwide and Patricia Schultz, author of 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. Bond, an animated speaker, packed her talk with amusing anecdotes and great tips for women traveling together in groups or pairs. Schultz, more softspoken, detailed her journeys to special places she believes men and women should visit during their lifetime.
On the Expo floor, I visited business associates who have become friends through our membership in the Adventure Travel Trade Association. Washington, D.C.-based Tonya and Ian Fitzpatrick are founders and hosts of Travel'n On Radio. On Saturday, they broadcasted live from their ATE booth. One of their three segments featured Andrew Zimmern of the Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods of the World. He was one of my favorite speakers this weekend. Very funny and down-to-earth. Travel'n On Radio's next major event is a live broadcast from the French Quarter Festival, April 11-13 in New Orleans.
My last stop of the day was at the Expo was the Da Vinci White booth. I asked how teeth whitening was related to adventure travel. I learned that this cosmetic procedure using hydrogen peroxide (but not strips) is becoming a popular service on certain cruise ship lines! No dentist necessary but to receive the treatment, customers do sit in a dental chair equipped with technical-looking apparatus in their mouths. Apparently, whiter teeth can result after a 15-minute session.
Overall, the ATE was well worth my trip from Santa Cruz, CA. Tomorrow, I head to Philly for two days before returning to the West Coast Thursday morning.
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