And Speaking Of... Being OOO

As of today, July 12th, I am leaving for my epic European adventure of 2023 and will be "Out Of Office" until August 4th.

It is the longest OOO I have ever done, and I am ready. My soul craves time with my family, and I want my kids, Ethan (12) and Ella (8), to see the world beyond Mooresville, NC.

I have worked long hours for the industry I love while also getting Gifted Travel Network off the ground and to a great place. Now it is time for me to share the industry I have poured my heart and soul into with my family in profound and meaningful ways.

Before I take you on a journey of our truly amazing itinerary, you may be wondering what will happen to my weekly LinkedIn series while I am OOO, right?

Well, have no fear – my series will carry on, and you will be able to learn from colleagues and team members from GTN who have so much brilliance to offer.

I am thrilled to share this outlet with Sandy Adcox Saburn , Chief Membership Officer, Caroline Hollar , Director of Marketing, and Lisa Fletcher , Advisor Success Specialist.

Ok, back to my journey!

First Stop: Prague

My kids and I will fly to Prague and arrive on the 13th. We will join my parents, who arrive the day before us. We chose Czechoslovakia for specific reasons, as this is a genealogical-focused experience of my Father’s ancestral home.

We will experience the Andaz Prague , a luxury and lifestyle property by 凯悦 . Petr Vanicek and the Andaz Prague team are working hard to ensure our stay is memorable. As Andaz Prague is a Virtuoso Travel property, our transfers are included, which is necessary when you step off a long international flight. There is something so comforting when you see your name on that tablet...

On Friday the 14th, we will spend the day with the guide who conducted our genealogy project. We will visit the village of Hodice, where my grandfather was born, and pay our respects to a Jewish cemetery where our relatives who perished in the Holocaust are remembered.

We are planning to meet a relative and are hopeful this works out, as there are still some obstacles for that portion. For the remainder of our stay, we will explore Prague. I have also hired a photographer through Pix Around - Your Vacation Photographer , started by Francesca Onidi .

Next Up: River Cruise Aboard Emerald Luna

On July 17th, my parents, kids, and I board Emerald Luna in Basel, Switzerland.

The Emerald Luna is a special ship as this is “my” ship! I christened the Luna last year in Amsterdam, and it will be a thrill to sail on this beautiful vessel with my parents (first-time river cruisers!) and my kids. We are piloting a family river cruise program with Emerald Cruises .

We will be joined by family travel expert and Gifted Travel Network member Jen Campbell Boles of Explore More Family Travel . Jen is traveling with her twin boys (10) and her father. We are excited for our families to meet and embark on a multigeneration trip together.

We know this sailing to Amsterdam with stops in Breisach, Freiburg, Kehl, Strasbourg, Ludwigshafen, Heidelberg, Koblenz, and Cologne will be a huge success for the kids and teens on board, and Emerald Cruises will want to offer more family-focused sailings in the future.

We look forward to canoeing on the Rhine, visiting castles, hiking, visiting the Anne Frank Museum, and more!

On July 24th, we say goodbye to my parents (for a short while) and fly to London to meet with my husband, Don McGovern.

Donny will have already been exploring London for two days on his own. He will do a James Bond tour and visit the National Maritime Museum to view the top Astrophotography shots of the year. Taking photos of space is his hobby, and this will be such an incredible experience for him!

We will meet Donny at The Corinthia London , where Charlotte Weatherall and her team will take great care of us! We will stay for two nights and then transfer to The Savoy , where Claudia Polloni will also be waiting to take great care of my family!

During our time in London, we will experience the Harry Potter Studio Tour, a Black Cab tour, and a private guide experience of the Tower of London. Ella and I will see Matilda one evening; we have many pub visits and high teas planned! My heart is so happy to know that my favorite humans get to experience my favorite city: London!

On July 29th, we say goodbye to Donny and London as the kids and I fly to Barcelona and reunite with my parents. We made the last-minute decision to extend our trip as many family members from Canada and Peru were going to be in Barcelona over that time.

This trip is turning into a family reunion on my mom’s side, and we will stay with my cousin and her family through August 3rd. During our time, the kids and I, along with their cousin and my brother, Dan Lauer , will do a day tour of Barcelona arranged by Titanium Tours, ending with a timed entry and private guide at Sagrada Familia.?We will have a limited amount of free time for sightseeing in Barcelona, plus I know with the summer heat my kids won't do well in a lot of long lines, so I am thankful that we have amazing partners like Titanium (shout out to Dr. Jesús Repetto, DBA !) who offer these more private and streamlined experiences so we don't miss the important sites!

Phew! There you have it - The McGovern Epic Summer Adventure!

I am beyond ready to get this travel party started, and I look forward to being OOO so I can recharge my soul.

Thanks for reading, and please remember to support my team with the articles they will share for the rest of the month!

What are your summer travel plans?! I want to know! Please drop me a note in this thread below and share your summer travel plans or your favorite summer travel memories from past epic adventures.

See you in August!