Lizzie Bean Goes Away....

It all started with the need to get away and run...

I've been running since I first got my license in 1977. I started exploring the US first. I went from PA to Florida... then to Atlanta, Oklahoma, New Orleans and up to Virginia. There were many places in-between. Then in 1982 I left for Europe. I spent most of the six months I was there in Rome, but traveled throughout Italy and Austria. When I returned to the States - I started running again. I continued to go back to Rome whenever possible over the years that followed...

That feels like a life-time ago. One old, worn out marriage and four kids later - I find myself running again. Some trips are not so far away from where I now call home - Boyertown, PA.

I have a new travel companion, since my husband decided to run away too - but in the opposite direction. My companion, confidant and best friend, Adam, gets dragged along, like it or not, on all my excursions. He too, I must say is well-traveled as he's made his way through Germany and the surrounding countries, a good portion of the US and in the very near future - we'll be off to British Columbia, Canada.

That's my introduction. Now on to the travels...

We'll start in November 2005 when we ran off to Las Vegas, NV - first time there! The event was to enjoy the wedding of one of my best friends.

Now, Adam and I had actually never been to Las Vegas. I never had the desire - I'm not much of a gambler - as I said before, I'm a runner and I stand by that. But, I wouldn't miss Cat's wedding for anything! We'd been waiting YEARS for her to find the perfect man. And finally - she did. So, everyone was invited to Las Vegas - and off we went.

I must say it was a beautiful city to fly into - sitting there in the middle of the desert. A bizarre metropolis surrounded by nothing - except beauty - for endless miles. The parts of the city that we saw were clean, alive and packed with people - and this was two weeks before Thanksgiving.

We stayed at the Sahara, which was very unimpressive. I guess I expected it to be something special as it was a huge, well-known casino. But, much to my dismay, it was old, falling apart and not particularly clean. Now that I've seen other places in Vegas - next trip - and there will be a next trip - we'll stay somewhere else. And there were many options. I would like to try Caesars - if only for the pool alone.

We did a good bit of gambling. Me - I stuck by the slot machines - so, I lost. But, Adam played some blackjack - with much success.