Usually about this time during the winter I’m sick of the cold. This hasn’t been the coldest of winters here in New York City (It was 60 degrees Fahrenheit earlier this week!), so I guess I can manage another month. At the same time, I do love the fact that I live in a place which experiences all four seasons. I’d be sad if I couldn’t enjoy some wintry weather at some point.

I love that the rooms make you feel as if you are sleeping in nature but are really luxurious at the same time.

Since it’s the start of a New Year, why not dream about pushing ourselves to the limit? I can’t think of anything else more challenging than setting out to climb one of the tallest mountains in the world. While I’m not a big hiker, climber or trekker, I could see why people would want to add climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to their bucket list.

When I hear the words “Orient Express”, I think of elegance and Agatha Christie. How can you not? When I decided to write this Fantasy Travel Friday post, I was shocked that the Orient Express train still existed. When I think of the hey day of train travel, I think of the early to mid-20th century, and the fact that people slept and ate sumptuous meals in the comfort of a train. I take the train at least three to four times per year here in the Northeast U.S., but it pales in comparison to the luxury of the Orient Express (and it’s only for four hour rides).