Everyone's feeling the pinch of skyrocketing oil prices, and of course it directly translates to the price of gas. But that doesn't mean Girlawhirl wants to be chained to her apartment all summer long. She's trying to be creative with her finances – only allocating $50 for wardrobe refreshers like cute summer tops, and not spending too much on this summer's fashion essential: the gladiator sandal. She's also keeping her eyes and ears open for all kinds of vacation deals. And since hotels.com promises to foot the gas bill, she's not missing the opportunity to head to the beach this weekend…

Girlawhirl gets to Los Angeles on business quite frequently and she often tries to squeeze in a little sightseeing while she's there. But one of the things she had never done – until now – was visit the Griffith Observatory…

Girlawhirl has always been fascinated by how things are made. She just loves seeing how things are put together, which is why she is always willing to spend a couple of hours when she visits a new city taking a cool factory tour – especially if it makes a product she uses and enjoys. So when she was in Boulder, Colorado recently she just had to check out the free tour at the Celestial Seasonings tea factory…

When in Vienna there are a few stops Girlawhirl just has to make. The State Opera House is one, St. Stephen's Cathedral another, but one of her must-see Vienna spots is always the Hofburg Imperial Palace…

Girlawhirl knows that with fast flight turnarounds, there's very little cleaning going on inside aircraft between flights. Flight Attendants are picking up newspapers and making sure that no one leaves their used cups in the back seat pockets so the next flight can get off on time…

Girlawhirl is certainly not above enjoying the rides at Disney World's expansive theme parks. From the Rock ‘n' Roller Coaster^® starring Aerosmith to the Twilight Zone^™ Tower of Terror and the new Expedition Everest roller coaster in Disney's Animal Kingdom^® Park – there are certainly adult-sized thrills to be had. But beyond the amusements, there is plenty for Girlawhirl and Super Pals to do, which Girlawhirl discovered when she was lucky enough to steal a day while on business in Orlando to meet up with some vacationing pals…

Whenever she spends time in countries like Italy, France and Spain, Girlawhirl's always amazed at how many people – all ages and from all walks of life – she sees enjoying what appears to be an evening stroll. Sometimes the streets are so crowded she feels as if she has to plow through the crowd to get back to her hotel or make it to where she's going. And all the while she's trying to figure out just where everyone's going…