Travel Talk

Checked My Email & Booked a Flight to Denver!?

Good day,

Yesterday afternoon I got online to check my email and ran into Vic from Pommie Travels who is in Las Vegas. She said she was going to TBEX aka the Travel Blog Exchange in Keystone outside Denver, and that I should reconsider. An hour later, in true SHABL style I had a return ticket to Denver and a ticket for the event, huh!? Big “Thanks” to Greg Vaughn for having posted an early bird special ticket 2 hours before, making my impulsive decision just click….

At first I wasn’t going to consider attending this year as I have a ticket from Ottawa to an “undisclosed location” on the 23rd of June aka it makes no sense going that far for ONLY 4 days!? Then I realized that I spend more time on SHABL than I do my “core business” which pays all my bills. Also this entire industry is on the verge of developing into something spectacular. It’s ready to be that curious caterpillar that morphs into a majestic monarch. Big things are happening in the blog scene these days as companies are starting to realize lots of their audience is hanging out online.

Finally and most importantly, every single person who has a ticket to TBEX is very similar to myself at the core. Everyone there is obsessed with traveling and blogging, does it not make sense for “a gentleman who travels and blogs” to make an appearance and connect with like minded souls? I’m also curious what it will be like hanging out with hundreds of people who literally eat, sleep and breath travel like I do.

Anyways I’m EXCITED but before we get crazy, know I didn’t just jump on the internet and pay full retail for a flight… While talking with Vic I looked at tickets … The cheapest one I could find was $1250 and that my friends, is a lot of coin for only 4 days… However, do remember that I’m a loyal Aeroplan Points collector… I located a round trip with incredibly short layovers for 25,000 points and $143CDN. Having points makes a difference? I always hold my points for these types of last minute type things, it works wonders and makes me reconsider the value of my usual 10,000 points and $100 one-way ticket to Boston…

I’m looking forward to connecting with so many like-minded individuals in a location that is as inspiring / photogenic as Keystone. As it happens everyone flies into Denver and there are some events before people make their way to Keystone for the rest of the activities.  Turns out that Expedia is having a special dinner that I just returned my RSVP for, let’s hope I’m not too late.

I had better check the weather, I’m assuming 2,000 feet above sea level is a bit cool…

Well anyways, this is spontaneous and I’m excited!

Tips hat,

P.S: This is NOT the big announcement I have to make, that’s the undisclosed location…

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