When I was around 12, My Mom, who worked in financial accounting for the school board, would work on Saturday since the big bookkeeping machine was free (pre computer days). I always tagged along so I could explore downtown. There was a travel agency a few blocks away that always left big travel brochures outside in a rack and I always snagged a few and dreamed about places to go. We were not in a position in those days to do all the wonderful trips, it was pile into the camper and drive for 2 weeks then. When we finally did the big trip in 1985 to Hawaii, Mom, Dad and myself enrolled in United's mileage program, thinking we would never go anywhere, but what the heck!

Since then, we have flown free back to Hawaii and stayed at the Waikloa Hilton on points, flown 1st class to OZ, Flown Business to NZ, and Europe multiple times. FT has been a godsend with all the info I would have never known about and gained so many miles from promos from the wisdom of other members. Now with over 2 million more miles (but a sick mom) I can't wait to still travel with Ned T. Bear, my teddy (who is insured with Lloyds of London) to more of those places that I remember seeing in those brochures when I was 12.............

JudyJFLA