Introducing Cindy Almond, Your Personal Travel Consultant

Hello everyone, and welcome to my first ever blog post! What a busy year 2010 was! My sister and I (mostly I) planned the most excellent trip to Europe (Greek Islands cruise, Amalfi coast, and Paris!) for my mom's 50th birthday.  Upon returning from this trip, I just knew I had to change something in my life.  Turning 30 also seemed like a pretty big milestone which led to questions such as, Who am I? and what is my purpose?? Very deep. :)

On a flight home from a business trip to Vancouver I read a book that suggested turning your passion into a career.  Which led me to ask myself, what are my passions? The two things that distinctively came to mind - FOOD and TRAVEL.

I started doing some research into the travel industry to see what my options might be.  I am pleased with my government career and the benefits and flexibility it provides so I wasn't going to just up and quit my job!  I noticed a posting for an Air Transat Vacationer video blogger/destination reviewer position and applied, since I could take a year off work and see if this might be something i'd like to pursue.  There are no coincidences in life, and alas Air Transat was not meant to be my employer. However it did lead to my video application being found on youtube by Dennis Woodworth, TPI Travel Consultant and Program Development Team Lead for CanTravelClub.com. 

Through a number of conversations over the Christmas holidays, I have decided to join Dennis in becoming an Independant Personal Travel Consultant with TPI, a home-based travel agency with reps all over Canada.

I am SO EXCITED about this home-based opportunity because it is really the perfect opportunity for me.  I get to keep all of my jobs, including my federal government job and my Sensually Active Ottawa business!

I will be using this blog space to post about my food and travel related adventures in support of my new travel agency business and hope that you check back often to read about my experiences!

To conclude, I think I'm getting much closer to knowing who I am and what my purpose here is.. I've decided to sum it up in the following bio that will also soon be available on my new website: www.AuthenticFoodieTravels.com

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I am a pleasure-seeker. My friends and family would probably describe me using two words, Food and Travel.  Travel satisfies my insatiable need for the exciting and the exotic.  I like to be fully immersed when I travel and enjoy using all of my senses when I explore to really get to know the places I visit.   Each place that I visit changes me a little, and I feel I become a better, more authentic person.  No words or pictures can fully describe what it is like to watch the sunset over the Costa Rican beaches and mountains, or watch a lion cub nuzzle his mom on a hazy sunny afternoon in the Serengeti National Park..or partying in a Las Vegas club, for that matter. :)

I’ve decided to combine my passion for food and travel to become Your Personal Travel Consultant.  I have had the opportunity to personally travel to (and eat in!) many destinations: Costa Rica, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Greek Islands, Venice, Amalfi, Paris, Cuba, Dominican and other Caribbean destinations.

I would love the opportunity to share my stories and experiences with you while helping you plan for your next dream vacation.  Let’s do it together!