“My three sisters and I are close in age and get along well. Although we all have families of our own, we enjoy taking a girl’s trip together, too. It all started when the oldest sister turned the milestone 40. We planned a surprise birthday party in Phoenix, which has expanded to a surprise trip with the four of us.

Each year when one of us has a milestone birthday coming up, three of us get together and take great pains to plan the next trip — plotting and researching about where to go, and sending clues each month so the birthday girl can guess where we’re going. Then we ‘kidnap’ her for a mystery adventure.

As was the case in May 2017 when our oldest sister turned 60. We sent clues of sea turtles, pitchers of limes, a photo of a swim up bar, flip flops, and other little trinkets that kept her guessing for months. Finally, we converged on her and whisked her off to the airport, changing planes that kept her guessing just a little longer. Finally, we arrived at the Margaritaville Vacation Club Rio Mar in Puerto Rico.

In typical Margaritaville style, margaritas were awaiting us at check-in. Our adventures took us on a nighttime kayak in a bioluminescent bay, hiked to a waterfall in the rainforest, toured Fort El Morrow, and enjoyed great food and many margaritas (of course). The resort was beautiful, the staff very professional, and our rooms were a comfort to come back to each day.

My sisters and I keep planning our trips. In the summer of 2020, we’re taking our second oldest sister for her 60th birthday. We’re thinking North and South Carolina — but don’t tell her, it’s a surprise!

I have a favorite quote that I think says it all, "The world is a book and those that do not travel have only read one page.’”

Linda Dombrausky
Honolulu, Hawaii