Randy -
I am so grateful to have experienced my first MegaDo in the much coveted Randy Class. Thank you so much for that opportunity. I didn't realize just how special the memories of SMD2 will be. As I boarded my flight home this morning I discovered that aztimm was on the same flight and in the same row. As we chatted, he told me of your decision - a little disbelief still in his voice. I was absolutely gobsmacked -

Like so many others, it seemed I had this great desire to travel with the hiccup being that I also wanted to travel well.... and in the front of the plane after I exerienced that for the first time. As a teacher, for the longest I had to be content with just that - a dream I wasn't quite sure how to channel that desire and bring that dream to life. When I discovered FlyerTalk I felt as though I had come home in a certain kind of way. Here I found a community of individuals - all ages, from all walks of life, a variety of backgrounds, living all over the world - who come together in this forum to share their love of travel and their love of doing that well..... only it didn't take me long to figure out that they liked to do it for pennies and miles.... and even for 'free.' And I began to see that it could work for me as well.

All of this made possible by you, for us......because of your own dreams.

Thank you for sharing, Randy.

I'll try to follow your example and keep paying it forward.

Best of everything to you and yours.

Cheers.