It seems like every few months, a new travel app comes out, or some new website pops up promising the best deals ever.
 
And while certainly technology can make many things about travel more organized, the secret to the best trip of your life has been around much longer than aggregate travel sites. Because the secret to an awesome trip isn’t an app — it’s a human being.
 
Your Travel Agent has got the experience, the know-how, and the connections to help you design and plan a vacation that will create the best memories of your life. Here’s just a few of the things that make your certified Travel Agent the key to the perfect trip.
 
Your agent can save you time — as in, hours and hours of research, phone calls, emails, and online searching. She’s the one who knows the best spots to catch that breathtaking sunset on the beach. He’s got the inside scoop on which resorts give the best bulk discounts. She’s tracked the best time to look for plane or train or ferry tickets to your dream destination. She’s the one who knows when the crush of tourists will let up enough to allow you the most authentic experience possible. He’s got the answers to all those nitpicky questions about openings and closures, vaccination requirements and necessary documents, local customs and dress codes.
 
Your agent has access to deals and bookings that are not available to the general public, and sometimes can even snag free upgrades for you. People often assume that using a Travel Agent is more expensive than planning a trip on your own, and they are skeptical that hiring an agent can actually save them money. But this is the key: your agent has connections that you don’t. They have the inside track. The deals you spot on a website might be great — but they are also hit-and-miss, and they may or may not be in the sweet spot of what you’re looking for. So you might get a great deal on a hotel, but it might also be miles away from where you most wanted to stay. Your agent knows exactly where to go to find the deals — and has access and the ability to find bargains that line up with your ideal vacation.
 
If you’re planning a group trip, your agent is indispensable. Who else can find a way to accommodate health concerns, a variety of dietary preferences, and the needs of children, adults, and seniors on one amazing trip? Who else can make sure that the aunts who are best friends get adjoining rooms? Who else can ensure that all 16 of you get an unforgettable experience? All the details that give most of us headaches — these are the very things that a good agent thrives on taking care of and providing.
 
Many agents are on call 24/7 while you are traveling. There really is no price you can put on this kind of assurance and help. If you find yourself in Munich and you left your medications on the train, your agent can help you get set up again. If your passport gets stolen, your agent can help you get a replacement. If an emergency comes up and you need to re-route your trip, your agent is the one who can make those arrangements so you don’t have to stress about it.
 
For most agents out there, planning trips is so much more than just a job. They love what they do. They’re genuinely passionate about great travel. They love people, and they love creating the vacations that live on and on in fond memories and family conversations.  I would love to help you plan the trip of a lifetime, click here to head over to my website and send me an email or give me a call and let’s get started! 
 
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P.S. Do you have a friend or family member who loves to travel?  Please forward them this email and let them know how a Travel Agent can help them have the best trip of their life.  

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​You’d think after millennia of people traveling, not to mention how quickly the world has shrunk with access to the Internet, that we would have seen it all.
 
But here are four beautiful and intriguing highlights from places that might not be as familiar. If you’d like a full list from National Geographic of the best trips for 2018 – some familiar, some not – check it out here. 
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If you’re craving a break from busy-ness and noise, Haida Gwaii will give you the silence you’re longing for. A 180-mile-long archipelago off the coast of British Columbia is the ultimate getaway for nature lovers. May-September is the summer season, with more tourist services available, and a greater chance of seeing spectacular wildlife like the Orca migration. But if you’re into surfing, try October-May for the best waves.
 
To get a feel for what life was like for the Vikings, hop a ferry from Denmark or Iceland and check out the Faroe Islands. Located about 400 miles off the coast of Northern Europe and accessible by flights and ferries year-round, the Faroe Islands are ringed with dramatic green cliffs that plunge into the ocean, sparkling bays, and breathtaking Nordic scenery. In the city of Gjógv, stay in an authentic sod-roofed hotel and take hikes up into the mountains with a spectacular view of the gorge below. Go in July or August for mild temps and long days.
 
A hidden travel gem lies in the Western Baltics, which is already a somewhat-unknown region that is brimming with breathtaking scenery and a proud cultural heritage. The Via Dinarica is a year-round adventurer’s wonderland. Love gorgeous summer hikes and biking tours? May-September, this trail stretches through 1,200 miles of varied terrain and eight different countries. If you’re into skiing and snowshoeing, hit the Via Dinarica from January to mid-March for a pristine wonderland. Stay in remote mountain shelters, or immerse yourself in centuries-old tradition by staying with local host families.  
 
We see a lot of Japan’s bustling cities, its towering skyscrapers, its industry, its bright lights. But if you’re interested in reclining into the contemplative heart of Japan, seek out Koyasan, a pristine monastic complex two hours south of Osaka by train and the seat of Japanese Shingon Buddhism. Many temples here offer guest rooms, and you can get a feel for what monastic life is like in the lush, misty mountain interior. Savor the simple flavors of clean Buddhist eating, take in morning rituals, or hike by lantern and moonlight along winding green mountain paths. After the intense and amazing sensory experiences that the large urban areas of Japan provide, Koyasan really is the perfect retreat into silence, simplicity, and mystery.
 
One of the many reasons I love what I do as a travel agent is that there is just so much to see, to take in, and to learn. We all have the amazing opportunity to launch out into new places, to find some new adventure that will change us forever — and I love getting to be a part of that process.
 
If you’re feeling that pull to places that are new to you, contact me today and let’s start planning your next adventure!
 

 
Vacations, even simple weekend getaways, can be full of adventure — that’s part of the great appeal, after all — but if you value a delicious, high-quality meal along with your adventure, then check out these four apps for different travel needs that can direct you to the best places to savor a great meal.

• When you’re stuck at the airport. Usually, airports are not known for their culinary quality, although that’s changing in some places. Yelp and TripAdvisor (available in your app store) are both great apps for finding the best food available at your airport — and you can get lists of restaurants in the airport and see reviews from fellow travelers. (Free, iOS and Android).

 

• When you want to know what you’d love. App developers have a knack for creating complex algorithms that essentially “get to know you” by analyzing your previous food choices. Foodspotting (free, iOS and Android) delivers up choices based on specific dishes you’ve indicated you loved (or hated) before.

 

• When you’re looking for advice from the experts. If you’re suspicious of crowdsourcing opinions on the best food, why not consult those who know best? ChefsFeed allows you to pick a major city (featuring major US cities, plus several Canadian cities, and London, with more coming soon), and up pops dishes that top chefs in that city would recommend from their favorite restaurants. (Free, iOS)

 

• When you want to know what the heck you’re eating. You might like a little mystery when you’re ordering in a foreign country — but maybe not too much, right? WordLens started as a standalone app and is now a part of Google Translate. It uses your phone’s video camera and optical character recognition to make translations in real time when you hold your phone up to the text. Even better? It doesn’t require a network connection to work, so when you’re visiting that quaint little hill town in Umbria, you can still know what’s on the menu. It’s currently available for Spanish, Italian, French, German, and Portuguese. (Free, iOS and Android, each language pack is $5.95)

 
Make the most of your trip and the food you enjoy while on your next adventure! Give one (or more!) of these apps a try and let me know what you think.

New York Times writer Susan Heller famously said, “When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money.”
 
Even when we have great intentions, it’s easy to overload our suitcases. We wind up dragging a lot of stuff around. There’s more to keep track of; it winds up being a lot of physical and mental clutter. And, of course, we wind up paying a ton of extra fees for the additional weight and luggage.
 
So, rather than viewing efficient packing as a practice in minimalism, I like to think of it as a challenge that helps you make the most of every vacation: you have what you need, you’re freed up to not have to lug around a bunch of extra weight, and you can put that saved money towards a special souvenir, a nice dinner out, or another cool experience.
 
So what are the secrets that seasoned travelers use to guarantee expert packing? Here are the top 6:
 

1. Remember the 80/20 Principle — that is, 20% of what you pack will be 80% of what you actually wear. If you’re like most people, you’ve already noticed this. You pack four pairs of shoes, but you really only wear one pair every day. You pack three sweaters and a shawl that you never use, because you wind up just wearing your favorite light jacket that goes with everything you own. 

2. Don’t pack for every possible situation. Pack for an average day. There’s no way you can cover every contingency. Look at the forecast, the average temps and weather for that time of year, and go with that. If there’s a freak week of rain in what’s normally a sunny season — unless you’re headed to an extremely remote area that sees few travelers, it’s very unlikely that you won’t be able to purchase a rain coat or an umbrella where you are. If there’s a cold snap, there’s probably also a store nearby with just the thing you need. 

3. It’s okay to wash. If you’re going to be gone for three weeks, pack enough clothes for one. If you’re a hardcore DIYer, almost every resort or town in the world has a Laundromat or laundry service. If you’re feeling like you want  break from daily tasks and routines and you’re really looking forward to the luxury of having other people pamper you, have your clothes laundered and folded for you. It’s still often cheaper than luggage fees!

4. For warmth, go with layers over bulk. Pick several thin layers with insulating, wicking fabrics — merino wool is a great one — over a big jacket. Heavier items like jackets and sweaters don’t offer the flexibility. They’re just hot, and when the sun comes out, then you have to cart around a huge coat. But a compact zip-up fleece can roll up easily into a bag or backpack in the afternoon and then come back out again for that sunset walk on the beach. 

5. Think: mix and match, simplified palette, and multi-function items. If three tops match three bottoms, you’ve got nine possible outfits. Add in a Swiss-Army-Knife travel item like the popular Chrysalis Cardi, and you’ve got one item that converts into eight different things. As travel blogger Fred Perotta says: bring pieces, not outfits. 

6. If you’ve got to have something bulky and heavy -- wear it, don’t pack it. Hiking boots, down jacket, that awesome cable knit wool cardigan — these might very well have a great place on your trip, but they shouldn’t be in your suitcase. Wear them on the plane. You can easily pack several versatile layers for the space that one sweater would take up.

 
If you’re ready to pack for an adventure, I’d love to talk to you about it. I know we can find a place that’s just right for you — and I’ll even give you insider tips packing suggestions for your specific destination! You can reach me today!

Sleeping well on a plane has developed into a certain kind of art — and into a healthy business — with savvy travelers constantly scoping out new ways to make long flights more conducive to actual rest. Here are a few that really seem to have some payoff.
 
Splurge on a better seat. Sure, not everyone can afford a premium seat in first or business class, where you can take advantage of fully- or almost-fully-reclining seats and loads of leg room. But for long-distance flights, it can still be worth it to spend the extra money on an exit-row seat, a bulkhead seat, or a window seat. Flying on off-peak days, like a Tuesday evening, will also increase the likelihood that the flight will be less crowded and quieter.
 
Do the best you can with flight times and direct flights. While crossing many time zones always poses its own sleep challenges, do your best to pick a flight time and schedule that will sync up most naturally with your sleeping and waking times. Leaving in the evening will work better than trying to get REM at three in the afternoon.
 
Know your cues. Which side of the bed do you sleep on at home? Book on that side of the plane. Do you usually have a cup of tea before bed? Bring a few packets of your favorite herbal. And grab your own small travel blanket and comfy slippers while you’re at it (the airline pillow or blanket can be used for extra cushioning or lumbar support if you like). Spritz your pillow with a mild lavender essential oil. The more familiar things you can do, the more your brain will recognize the cues that it’s time for rest.
 
Sweet darkness, sweet silence. On most trans-oceanic flights, you’ll see the blue glow of nearly every seatback screen flickering, no matter the time. We know that the type of light emitted by screens is proven to disrupt sleep. For any rest at all — let alone good rest — keep your screen off. Bring an eye mask or cap to block out as much light as possible. Use earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones to create the quietest environment you can.
 
Buckle up over the blanket. When the plane hits turbulence, flight attendants are required to make sure people are safely buckled in. If they can’t see that your seat belt is fastened, they have to disturb you to check. Make it easy for them and for you — simply click the buckle over the blanket.
 
Rather than paying more for less in the airport, do some quick research before you leave to find the best travel pillow for you. There are dozens to choose from, and they range widely in price, portability, and visual quirkiness. Check out reviews like this one from the Travel + Leisure — and note how the reviewer coordinates the best pillows with each type of sleeper. Chances are, there’s a pillow out there that will support your head and neck and give you the rest you need.
 
What are your best tips for getting good sleep on an airplane? I’d love to hear them. And if you’re ready to plan your next (well-rested) journey, I’m here to help! 

​People are always talking about taking their “dream vacation” — but largely what people mean when they say this is that every detail of the trip was planned flawlessly, everything went according to plan, and the service and food were stellar.
 
But what if the key to having the best vacations of your life has as much to do with how you approach traveling as it does with where you go and the number of stars on your hotel?
 
Here are 5 Traveler’s Resolutions you can make right now to make this the best year of travel yet:

1. I resolve to take responsibility for enjoying my vacation. Sounds weird, right? Especially since we often think an enjoyable vacation means that nothing goes wrong. I mean, what if your flight is late? What if they lose your bags? What if the hotel shower has terrible water pressure? What if your passport gets stolen?  What if you get seasick — or worse?
2. If you resolve to be the one who decides if you enjoy your time, then you get to decide how you’re going to respond to each situation and what you’re going to make of it. Is it going to be a catastrophe that ruins your trip — or fodder for an exciting story at your next dinner party?
3. I resolve to take myself less seriously. Traveling is an act of vulnerability, especially if you’re headed someplace where the language, food, and culture are vastly different from your own. You don’t have to be an expert; you don’t even really have to know what’s going on. If you make a mistake, the world will not end. The more easily you can laugh at yourself, the easier you’ll be to travel with — and the more fun you’ll have.
4. I resolve to stay curious and humble. The world is full of surprises. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and be amazed by what you discover. Ever wonder why it’s so much fun to see regular everyday “boring” things through the eyes of a kid? They don’t know that they’re supposed to be “cool” and avoid looking silly in front of others — they just experience everything as if it’s the most amazing thing that’s ever happened. And you know what? They’re almost always having way more fun than those of us over 30. As adults, we have the choice to let go of cynicism and embrace wonder.
5. I resolve to trust more and be more generous. Anyone who loves to travel will tell you this: the world is mainly populated by good-hearted people who will extend help and hospitality when and if you need it. While it’s always wise to be aware and educated on potential scams and dangers — the truth is, 99 people out of 100 will gladly help you out of jam and will go out of their way to show you the best spirit of their culture. Open up a little and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what you find. And inevitably, you’ll have experiences and make real connections that will stay with you for years to come.
6. I resolve to let go of my attachment to The Plan. Perhaps above all, being a great traveler means you have to be flexible. Things don’t always go according to plan — and wonderful things can happen as a result. Think of the “wrong” turn you took that brought you to the most breathtaking vineyard you’d ever seen. Or the cancelled day trip that led to a day of meandering through spice-scented streets where you had the best curry of your life. Or the delayed train that allowed you to have late-afternoon tea with a charming shop owner in a crowded bazaar. 
7. In the most significant ways, like all of the rest of life, the most valuable and memorable parts of traveling can’t be planned. That is the enduring beauty and draw of striking out on a new adventure.

 
 
A common thread among these resolutions is the ability to let go of anxiety, relax and enjoy yourself. Hiring a Travel Professional is one of the best ways to avoid the most stressful parts of travel altogether. I can do all the planning, handle all the details, and you get to enjoy. I will also be on call for you while you are on your trip to handle any complications or emergencies that may come up. Let me take all the stress out of organizing and leave all the pleasure to you. Click the link below to contact me today!

Reawaken Your Soul (and Stomach) by Traveling on an ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ Journey
Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love explores simple pleasures and pizza in Italy, devotion in India, and love in Bali, bringing readers with her on a one-year journey of self-discovery and empowerment. Taking the bookshelves by storm in 2006, the book spent more than 200 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, eventually translating into a movie starring Julia Roberts and selling over ten million copies worldwide. As a result, readers have been inspired to begin their own soul searching, and perhaps even more noteworthy, to travel more as part of a journey to self-discovery. After the ten-year anniversary of the book in 2016, Elizabeth Gilbert released Eat, Pray, Love Made Me Do It, which chronicles the stories of more than fifty people who were inspired to make a big change, from taking a solo road trip to chasing their dreams of teaching abroad.
Whether you’re a fan or a critic of the memoir, it has undoubtedly changed the lives of its readers and prompted transformative trips around the globe. While people may not have a full year, like Gilbert, to immerse themselves in destinations, there are thoughtfully designed itineraries that encompass these cultural and educational experiences in one to three week long itineraries. Most notably, the Eat, Pray, Love travel Learning Journeys Series which offers immersive, women-focused itineraries across the world.
Based on your interests, trips may focus on cooking, dancing, yoga, photography, and more.  You can even travel to Malta, India, or Greece with a group of like-minded adventurers by organizing your own private tour with ten of your family members, friends, or members from your book club. The trip is entirely customizable based on your group’s interests. Want to go hiking? Practice knitting techniques? Learn to belly dance? Whatever it is, every traveler will find something that fills their hearts and feeds their soul on their own journey to self-discovery and empowerment. Here are some of my favorite trips for 2019.
For a focus on wellness, gastronomy, and fashion, the Mystical Malta eight-day trip takes place in Gozo, Medina and Valetta, offering a hands-on cooking class and a trip to a local horse farm. Travelers will learn the sustainable art of painting, jewelry making and ceramics from a local artist at her studio and there’s a chance to visit the fashion house of Charles and Ron, renowned international fashion and lifestyle designers who have a distinct Mediterranean flair.
A transformative journey to the birthplace of Western Civilization and the land of muses, gods, and goddesses, the Greek Goddess Journey of Wellness In Crete offers an eight-day itinerary that includes daily yoga and meditation, a lesson in Greek dancing, and cooking classes with a local figure. There’s ample time to experience wine tasting and experience the vibrant culture of the city.
The sacred land of Bhutan, untouched by the modern world, offers sacred temples, ultimate peace and serenity, and a warm local community with the 14-day Sacred Bhutan- The Land Of Happiness trip. The itinerary includes visits to the well-known Tiger’s Nest Monastery and the Kyichu Lhakhang Buddhist temple. Enjoy your meals in the sunshine, explore the museums, and learn traditional Bhutanese weaving.
The 11-day sojourn, Spiritual Northern India, is designed for personal reflection and growth. In addition to visiting key destinations like the Taj Mahal and Red Fort, travelers can shop for sarees at the market with a local fashionista, participate in community service projects including a visit to a girl’s orphanage, take cooking lessons, meet an astrologer, and much more.

Contact Us to help plan your Inspiring Journey. Book a 30 minute Exotic Travel Planning Session

As you get ready to embark on your own summer vacation, here’s a quick list of smartphone apps that can help you get organized, find great deals, and save you money along the way.

1. Waze  – Whether your trip involves a lot of road travel, or you just want to find a faster way to get to places in your own city, consider Waze. Recently purchased by Google, it uses social media input to give real-time updates on traffic situations. So, for example, if there’s a game downtown in the city you’re visiting, as you’re trying to navigate that same area to get to a restaurant, Waze will let you know where the jams are so you can avoid the tangle and the time (and fuel) wasted waiting for game-goers.
2. GasBuddy – GasBuddy is another app that takes advantage of the constant updates and interaction of crowdsourcing. People input gas prices and keep an eye out for low prices, so users can quickly and easily search for gas stations nearby and compare prices to ensure the best deal in their area.
3. TripIt Travel planner - This is a great tool to use in partnership with your travel agent! Reservations, tickets, events, meetings, personal gathering with friends or family — you can basically have all the important details of your trip at your fingertips, all in one convenient place. You know all those confirmation emails that you get from hotels, airlines, car rental services and the like — the ones you frantically search for in your Inbox the night before you leave on a vacation? Your travel agent can simply send all these emails along to plans@tripit.com, which will then magically generate a digital itinerary that you can refer to on your mobile device. It also provides weather info and maps of your destinations. You can add multiple trips to TripIt if you're a frequent traveler, or just use it for a single vacation. TripIt was awarded Best Travel Mobile App for 2011 at the Webby Awards. All the services described above are free, or you can upgrade to a paid version for even more cushy service and alerts.
4. Around Me  — Ever find yourself in an unfamiliar city, and you just want a decent cup of coffee or a place to buy an extra toothbrush? This application tells you all the points of interest that are located near you. It detects your current location, and lets you select from categories like bars, cafés, hospitals, pharmacies, and hotels to filter though the results.
5. Road Trippers  — This is a fun travel tool made for the iPhone as an app, but that is also available via mobile web so you can use it with Android, Blackberry, and other smartphone platforms. Here’s how it works: you type in your starting and destination points and it tells you distance, time and estimated gas costs. This is great for day trips — think of a great tour of Napa while staying in San Francisco (or vice versa!). While the distance-finding feature in itself isn’t necessarily groundbreaking, RoadTrippers goes one better and tells you about all of the attractions worth seeing along the way, from the obvious to the wonderfully ridiculous.

There are tons of apps to explore, of course, and this is just a glimpse — but these should add some fun and help you plan and save a few dollars. Once we’ve worked together to plan your awesome summer vacation, give these apps a try and let me know how it goes!

Book A Complimentary Exotic Travel Planning Session Here. ​

There are, of course, thousands of possible trips out there. There are plenty of great trips to choose from — and then there are trips that are great for you. Being honest about what you want and need and getting to know your own personal travel profile can save you from the but-it-looked-great-on-paper trip disappointment.
 
Here are a few simple things that can help you better understand your unique and personal travel profile:

1. Make a quick list of the twenty most fun memories you have of trips you’ve taken in your lifetime. Notice if there are any themes. While you don’t necessarily need (or even want) each vacation to be a carbon copy of things you’ve already done, you can use those larger themes to guide your planning of future trips. That way, if you decide to step out a little from your comfort zone, you’ll at least have a solid idea of what makes the most meaningful moments for you. Is it time with friends or family? A certain type of weather or geography? Certain activities? Quiet time? When you can build some of these elements into your travel, you’re more likely to come home energized and restored.

 

1. What do you like to do to relax, unwind, have fun, or re-energize when you’re not on vacation? Do you like to be still or active? Quiet or surrounded by crowds? Scheduled or free-form and spontaneous? Simplicity or luxury? Inside or outside? These might seem like silly questions — but you’d be surprised how often people book vacations that are filled with activities or set at a pace that they otherwise don’t really enjoy.


2. It’s possible that you’ll love a week of biking in Tuscany even though you’d never go cycling at home — but more likely you’ll be tired, saddle-sore, and wishing for a car. That’s not to say you shouldn’t try new activities every now and then; there’s plenty of room for new adventures on trips. Just make sure that you incorporate new activities in small bites — say, an afternoon bike tour with plenty of stops — to see if it’s something you’d genuinely like more of. 

 

1. What is the purpose of your trip? What do you want to take away? Part of what makes travel so amazing is its capacity to broaden and deepen our cultural, relational, and emotional horizons. Are you looking to create tons of new memories with your kids? Are you hunting for the perfect gift(s)? Maybe you’d like to immerse yourself in a new culture and language, or do a service-oriented trip that allows you to give to others while you’re getting an invaluable adventure. Plan your trip around the kind of experience and emotional takeaway you’re looking for.

 

1. Do you prefer to be in control, or are you happier when someone else is at the helm? This can be a huge factor in overall enjoyment of a trip. Sometimes people think they’d love to be in charge of everything — but when faced with the reality of hundreds of details that need taking care of before, during, and even after a trip, the fun gets sapped right out of the vacation. When you work with me, you can create the best balance of autonomy and assistance in order to maximize the fun, adventure, and relaxation on your trip.

 
 
When you take a little time to get to know how you travel best, your vacation can be more than just fun; it can actually be fulfilling. And you can come home refreshed, energized, and brimming with great new memories.
 
Are you ready to start planning an incredible experience for yourself or your whole family? Contact us  today and let us help you get there! Book a complimentary Exotic Travel Planning Season. Just click here.