Fortune Smiles on an Oregon Couple
“After local auditions for Wheel of Fortune contestants, I was invited to come on the show,” said fellow traveler Matthew Goldman of Portland, Oregon. “My wife, Kasie, came with me and we walked into the studio in Portland and started looking around, just waiting our turn. It turned out one game that day was special and the grand prize was a Collette guided tour to the French Riviera with an extension to Paris.
“I got on that show and thought to myself, ‘Wow! I could win a trip to France!’ It was just a lucky draw — none of us had any idea we’d be on that show with that prize.
“As the game progressed, I knew the answer, but I couldn’t get a good spin. The other two players had chances and missed. Finally, it came back around to me and I gave it a good spin and it landed on ‘France’! The answer was “Wandering around in circles” and the only letters missing were the “c”s. I solved it and that’s how I won this trip! It’s been a blast.
“I’ll tell you something else,” said Goldman. “In local auditions, you solve puzzles to get selected. The first puzzle I had to solve was ‘Looking for adventure.’ How prophetic was that? This entire experience has been an adventure from start to finish and we haven’t even been to Paris yet!”
What were my takeaways from this Collette “Spotlight” trip?
• This concept works for younger travelers. Unless you want “around the clock” sightseeing plans made for you, this is a great mix of a thorough orientation followed by lots of free time.
• The length of the trip is perfect for people with careers. If I can go somewhere far away and enjoy its food, culture and lifestyle in a week, count me in.
• I want to be able to walk out of my hotel and into the destination. At the Hotel Ellington, we were on a quiet street two blocks from the heart of the city. Getting around on our own could not have been easier.
For more information contact Collette at 1-800-340-5158 or go to www.gocollette.com.
