Love to travel...

I took a wrong turn somewhere between Being-Strong-And-Independent and I-Can-Do-Better-Than-This and wound up in a desert. A love desert to be exact. Now, I hate to be the cliche and whine about not having a partner and blah blah blah but whatever,it's my bloggy and I'll cry if I want to.

Now, you are correct, the desert is fabulous. For a while. But woman cannot live on sand alone. Every now and then, you need an oasis. Do you know why people get so excited when they hear about an oasis? Because its very rare. No one mentions that. Its like having children 20 or 30 years ago - no one talked about how terrible labour really is and how having children might not be high on every one's priority list. No one mentioned that and look, now we have entire generations of people who just don't get it. But I'm getting side tracked.

As I was saying, an oasis is hard to find. You only think it isn't because all your other female friends/sources-of-information have begun to dehydrate and hallucinate themselves. The result is that they end up calling every mirage an oasis. Like the Internet boyfriend and the ex that you keep getting back together with. Those are mirages. But for my own sake and that of this blog, I'll believe in the ever illusive oasis. In fact, I have one tall drink of water in mind - hence the hope.

The point is that while planning a trip to Brazil (alone), I had a thought...I'll be watching a fabulous tango show in some Plaza de Shag, eating and drinking something sexy and no one but me will live to tell the tale. Suddenly it struck me, what the world needs now is love, sweet love.

Revolutionary I know. Love. Tough one. But how bout we keep it simple in theory...let's leave love out of it and just talk romance. Yip, good old fashioned romance. Most people don't seem too keen on the idea of romance. It might be the reason that so many relationships struggle to stay alive. That and the fact that trying to sustain the I'm-so-great-I'm-like-a-travelling-circus idea in your partner's head, I don't know, that might be too much pressure. For anyone. I think what most people are trying to avoid with romance is the cliche. But let's just define it as being nice to your partner. How's that? Big step considering all the hissing and teeth bearing that I've witnessed of late.

For instance, I would forego a piece of jewellery for a holiday with the one I love. (Unless he kept the reciept). Truth is that people don't go on holiday enough. Yes, yes, economy, recession etc, its not just that - its that its not enough of a priority. But the fact remains - romance, romantic getaways, romance, romance, romance. Its the way forward.

I thought I would compile a list of romantic getaways, feel free to do your own and more than that - take yourself (and hopefully the one you love/like/are co dependent on) on a journey.

1. Paris - not the creative choice I will admit but come on...it's Paris.
2. A tropical island - it can be volcanic but make sure that they've built some "idyllic" white sand beaches
3. Cape Town is pretty romantic, the West Coast, the winelands...
4. Anywhere in South America
5. KZN is also romantic, especially the Drakensberg
6. Italy
7. Thailand, its romantic, cheap and if the romance doesn't work out you can always buy love from as little as the low, low price of five dollar
8. Northern Ireland. I have to say books and babies are produced along the Giants Causeway
9. A cruise - doesn't matter where you're going or where you've come from, the Titanic lives on
10. Greece, call yourself a local and pack some KY.

Ah, love travelling. Get on the road with Tourism Radio and take yourself to a romantic spot somewhere in the Western Cape or KZN. Visit www.tourismradio.co.za to find out how to get Tourism Radio in your car.

I'll have a number one romance meal please, with extra cheese and super size it.

Love,
t