The Travel Teacher

Travel to Europe on US Dollars!!!

There has never been a better time to visit Europe.  Let me count the ways.

• What kind of travel do you like to do?  Have you ever taken a cruise vacation?  This is a wonderful comfortable way to see Europe.  You pay up front in US dollars, both for the cruise and the excursions in your ports of call.  You sleep in the same bed every night and visit many different cities and countries.  You can even combine the cruise with a land tour before or after the cruise.  Or fly in early to the embarking city or stay later in the disembarking city.  Then we can book you a tour, book your hotels all prepaid in US. dollars.  There are different kinds of cruises - big ships, small ships, river boats, sailing vessels.  One is just right for you. 
• Another way to prepay in US dollars is to do a land tour with a company who specializes in Europe.  There are many.  Some give you total service from meeting and greeting to saying good bye.  For first time travelers this is a very comfortable and fun way to travel.  Many tour companies now keep you in some towns for 2 or 3 days and really give you a chance to see everything. 
• If you don’t want the fully guided tour, we can get you a rental car and/or train tickets and you can tootle on your way.  The main thing is that at some point in each city, get a tour from the Information Office in each city.  The saddest thing I have seen are people wandering around cities and have no idea of the history or anything about the buildings.  You may never go there again, so get someone to tell you.
• Don’t take too big a bite when you go.  Better to see just a small area fully than to jump from country to country just to say you have been there.  Check the distances and decide how you will travel between them.  Depending on when you go, prebooking a hotel may be necessary.  The good ones fill up quickly and sleeping in a train station isn’t the most comfortable or safe.  Again, these can be prepaid in US dollars.
• Why are you going to Europe?  Heritage tour?  Are there war stories in your family, then visit the battle fields?  Religious tour?  Taking your family to stay in a villa in Italy or France?  Church group going to Israel or Turkey?   Needing help with a group tour? 

Whatever your reasons, however you want to go, just don’t let the money stop you.  Call me to pre book as much as possible and enjoy your journey.

Location, Location, Location.  Sound like a realtor?  No, it is about hotels when you travel.

Having traveled the world for over 60 years, I have stayed in the worst and the best - and best is more apt to be better!!!

When booking a hotel online, there are oh so many things you don’t know.  Here is my “helpful hint” — use a Travel Professional!!!  You still want to do it yourself?  Then you have no one to blame by yourself when things are not as they seemed to be.

• Where is your choice hotel located?  Good area or bad?  You can’t even tell by the description.  No hotel is going to tell you about the gate they lock at 6 PM at night.  Or that the train runs by at 2 AM every morning.  Or that the beach is several blocks away.  Or that the restaurants are a taxi ride away and you are arriving late at night having had nothing to eat on the airplane.
• The different room categories.  Do you know what partial oceanview, oceanview, oceanfront, mountain view, cityview, and nothing about a view means?  I have toured hundreds of hotel rooms and read their descriptions and you can’t believe what you read.  How about the hotel in Hawaii that had fabulous priced rooms that faced another building about 6 feet away looking into their rooms?  Or the view of the top of the roof and the garbage dump area when the dump trucks came by at 5 AM.  What are you wanting to see?  Or, better yet, not wanting to see?  Or does it matter?
• Maybe the hotel is under renovation.  The pool is closed and the beach is a mile away.  The restaurants are closed and you need to take a cab to get food.  Even the highest end hotels have to renovate.  Here is a clue, if the hallways have carpet rolled up, go some place else!!!
• This one is probably the worst - bed bugs!!!  Doesn’t matter the class of the hotels, this has become a huge problem all over the world.  Take a flashlight and make the room as dark as possible.  Look around light switch sockets, bed railings, and edges of carpet.  They like dark.  Also fleas.  They are really hard to see.  Best suggestion is do not put your suitcases or clothes on the floors and wear slippers. 
• Comfortable beds.  In the last few years there has been a huge shift by hotels to more comfortable bedding, pillows, and comforters.  If your bed has a blanket in a sack - make them give you a new blanket.  They change the sacks, but I have had some filthy blankets.  Some hotels now have pillow menus.  If you have allergies, ask for the kind of pillow that makes you comfortable.
• Bathrooms - oh my!!!  At one time in my life, my husband and I were in the remodeling business.  My huge complaint is dirty, moldy bathrooms.  Check behind the shower curtain and around the bottom of the showers.  The floors around the toilet and under the vanities must be clean.
• Smoking/non smoking.  If you request a non smoking room and know someone has smoked in it, tell the desk at once.  If they are full and can’t change you, ask for an ozone machine and go out to dinner for an hour.  Some floors are totally non smoking, but in Asia, they can smoke in the hallways and it can come under the doors.  You might want to stuff towels along there before you go to bed.
• Hotel Management.  Many times the hotel is great and then the owners change managers and it goes downhill quickly.  I have resources to tell me how hotels are doing in the last few weeks or months.  There is a high turnover in management and that makes such a  difference in the condition of that property.
• Known chains.  These are the safest way to book hotels.  But not always.  I have my favorites and would be happy to share with you.  Then there are groups of hotels such as “Leading Hotels of the World”, “Small Leading Hotels of the World”, “JDB Fine Hotels”, “Orient Express Hotels” and many more.  To qualify to be in these groups, the hotels must maintain very high standards.  Price is not always the issue.  I can book any of them without a worry.  They are closely monitored. 

Now I have had my say about booking a hotel.  Again I repeat, use a Travel Professional.  Now, if you only need one or two nights and are attending a convention or meetings, then book their convention hotel.  I’ve not had any issues in those situations.  But for a vacation or holiday, talk to someone who has an “ear to the ground” and can guide you.  I haven’t been everywhere, but I have resources who have and are going all the time.

Nighty night!!!

Is that right???!!!  You woke up this morning and that was your decision? Maybe you need some enlightenment.

Having owned businesses of various kinds for over 30 years, this is the most mentally difficult business I have ever owned.  The responsibility for a clients “dream” vacation or trip rests totally on my shoulders.  Even though there are a multitude of pieces in this puzzle, in my client’s eyes I am the airline, the cruise line, the hotel, the car rental and on and on.  24/7/365 is the length of responsibility.  You don’t clock out at 5 PM. 

In addition, you are holding control of thousands of dollars of someone else’s money.  Remembering the deadlines, keeping watch on all the supplier’s documents to be sure all the names, dates, dollars, destinations, etc. are correct.  Some of those supplier’s are minimum wage people who just don’t care!!  Let me break it down:

• Airlines.  Oh my, what can I say?  Getting harder all the time to work with them.  Every day we get “misconnects” and have to straighten those out.  They change people’s flight times, connections, even days of flying.  And they just aren’t nice.  Not to mention all the luggage regulations and new charges popping up daily.  Next you will need coins for the former attendants who have nothing to do now but sit at the bathroom doors and hand out tissue squares.
• Hotels.  Management changes, renovations, closures and on and on.  It can be a beautiful property one day and new management trashes it the next.  The biggest thing is location, location, location.  I have to know every little town in the whole world and where the good areas and bad areas are. 
• Car Rentals.  Not so much a challenge.  Just making sure the size holds all the luggage and size of passengers.  Automatic or stick?  Airconditioning?  And taxes…oh my word!!!  Almost more than the car rental.  And don’t forget total insurance coverage.  You can be stuck in a city or country for days if you try to use your own. 
• Cruise Lines.  Knowing all the lines and all the ships in each line.  What are the conditions of each ship?  Are they being maintained?  What are the new ships coming out?  Destinations…what are the ports all over the world?  What is the best and worst time of year to go somewhere?  And cabins…good locations vs. bad locations.  Cabin categories, what are they?  What sizes are the cabins?  Booking a cruise is like buying a pair of shoes..if it doesn’t fit you, you won’t ever cruise again. 
• Tours.  Escorted, guided, independent, and a mix.  The best and worst.  There are scores of tour companies.  Knowing them all takes a long time.  Getting passengers on a wrong one is disaster. 
• Destinations.  I am required to know the whole world, and to have traveled to all or most all of it.  That costs a lot of money and travel agents DO NOT travel free.  What is there to see in every area?  People often take too big a bite and have no idea how far distances are.  What are seasons for pricing? 
• Type of Travel.  There was a study some years back defining kinds of travelers.  Those who want total comfort to those who want a hammock in a hut.  Where do clients fit on that graph?  Now I have to find the right mix so they will come back happy.  And better still, tell all their friends and family.  Selling travel is about repeat business.

Now that your eyes are open, I will add a few more details.  You need education so you can educate your clients. 

• The Travel Institute has a 2 step process that takes about 6 years to complete.  It starts with CTA after you have been an agent for 5 years and then CTC, taking as long as you need.  A very difficult course.  I have my CTC.
• Cruise Lines International has a 3 step certification process starting with ACC - Accredited Cruise Counselor to MCC- Master Cruise Counselor to ECC-Elite Cruise Counselor.  This is an ongoing training until you reach ECC.  I was #43 to get my ECC out of 250,000 or so travel agents.  It took me 13 years to reach that point.  Very few home-based travel agents can achieve ECC because of the number of cruises we have to sell to reach that certification.
• Destination Specialist courses offered by The Travel Institute as well as Tourist Boards of various countries and cities.  These are ongoing.  I have several of these.
• Seminars, Conventions and Trade Shows are being held constantly.  In our local area there are scores of agents who never attend any.  There is no way to keep up on all the changes if you are not constantly being trained.  In larger agencies, representatives do onsite training and many will come to home-based offices. 

That’s a good start.  Now what do you think?  But most of all, what does the public think about someone who just hung out a shingle or someone who has been around the “block” and can give you the best service and advise?

traveling together in groups.

Since 9/11 people have wanted to travel in groups.  Why?  Safety?  Familiarity?  Common interests?  Whatever the reason, I am a Group Travel Specialist and love to help put these trips together.  Let’s look at some groups:

• Meeting groups.  Anyone who is a speaker and has a following, cruising offers the perfect venue for meetings.  Unlike hotels, theatres, conference centers or any other building setting, cruise lines offer their rooms - complimentary.  Bring on a speaker, musician, or entertainer of any kind, and we can set up a meeting room or breakout rooms.  Make it a Vacation with a Purpose.
• Incentive group.  How about a sales team that met a goal last year?  Or a department in a corporation who exceeded expectations?  Cruising is a fabulous way to build “community” in the business and solidifies committment among the staff.  You will close the revolving door in the HR Department.
• Reunion Groups.  Family, class, neighborhood, church, military, good old boy, or business reunions.  Cruising has something for every age.  Get a room to be the hospitality room for gatherings.  Go your separate ways during the day and eat dinner together in the evening.  No one has to cook or do dishes!!
• Non Profit Organizations.  Wanting to put the FUN into FUNdraising?  A great way to bring in some extra money and have a great time doing it.  Also, gives the donors a chance to spend quality time with the board of the organization and that can translate into more donations.  These groups can have mini family groups within the larger group.  Everyone has fun.
• Church Groups.  Do you have trouble getting to know people on a personal level?  Put together a group cruise and now you know some people you might never have met.  We had one of these last year and 2 couples who had had a disagreement were able to sit down and talk and resolved the problem.  Bring on a speaker or musician or just have a “hang out” room for a couple of hours to talk.  Great bonding.
• Sports Teams.  These are great groups for a cruise.  Bring on a celebrity and give some seminars.  Hold competition sports on the ship, i.e. basketball, golf.  Have some golf tee times set up at ports of call for your own group.
• Craft Groups.  Bring on your scrapbooking, quilting, cooking, photography, painting, or other groups.  We can set up rooms with sewing machines or other tools you need to make this work.  Cruising is very flexible for any of these groups.
• Card Groups.  You can have casino tournaments, bridge tables, or any other kind of games.  Just ask how these would work.
• Ethnic Groups.  Wear your native costumes, have a fun night of your own music and dancing.  We can request your own food.  Meet relatives and friends from around the world.
• Clubs.  Cars, chess, fishing, gun, motorcycle, camping trailer, country clubs or any other kind of clubs you belong it.  Maybe in the cruising ports we can find a club that you can join with for a day and get a private tour of their city or island.
• Fraternal Organizations.  Elk, Moose, Eagles, Masons, Knights of Columbus, Police guilds, Sons of Norway, or Veterans of Foreign Wars.  Make some connections with others of your organizations and invite other cities. 
• Families.  How long has it been since all your siblings got together?  Do they now have families and the cousins need to meet each other?  Don’t wait for funerals to meet.  Maybe there has been some strife in the family and it is time to reconnect.  Are your parents still living?  Is it time to give them a special treat and get all the family together?  So many reasons, but don’t wait until you have regrets that you didn’t do it.  Move on those impulses that say “we need to get together”.
• Friends.  How about a Girlfriends getaway?  How about a Single Guys Escape?  Maybe some couples want to spend quality time in a wonderful new destination.  Who do you like to “hang” with?  Plan a cruise together.  You know the saying “friends who cruise together, stay together”.  Well, I made it up, but we have a couple we cruise with every years.  They live far away, but we alway take a cruise.  During the day the guys go somewhere and we gals go somewhere else.  We always eat together and do shore trips together.  Great fun.
• Couples.  Husbands, how long has it been for a little romance in your life?  Need to get away from the kids, the jobs, and the pressures of life and rekindle that romance.  Nothing more romantic than a cruise.  Wives, drop a few hints like a chocolate on the pillow at night.  No matter the budget or the time available, there is a cruise for those special people in our lives.
• Weddings and Honeymoons.  Some ships have wedding chapels.  Have the wedding before you leave on the cruise.  Invite all your friends and family to come and celebrate with you.  Then you can sail away on your honeymoon.  Some ports of call have the ability of have weddings in port.  Many wonderful options and packages. 

If you haven’t tried this before, try it now.  You can have 3,4,5, 7 or more days from ports all over the US and the world.  You dream it, we will work on it.  I am the Group Travel Specialist.

Eat or be eaten….the law in the wild.      

My first trip to Kenya, West Africa, was a feast for the senses.  No matter where we went, every sight was like a dream come true.

After breakfast the first morning in Nairobi, we are off in our safari vehicles.  Not long after leaving the huge teeming city with it’s noise, pollution, we pull over to the side of the road.  Our driver/guide pops the top of the minivan and WE ARE ON SAFARI!!!  A cheer goes up.  Not far along the road we spot our first zebra.  A cry goes out “A ZEBRA A ZEBRA STOP STOP!!!”.  With a smile, our guide obliges us and out come the cameras.  Little did we suspect that 10 days later, we would pass herds of zebra and not one word would be spoken, unless there were babies kicking up their heels and playing.   And so the adventure begins.   

Miles and miles of beige grass and one would never know there was anything out there.  But a twitch or an ear or swish of a tail and our guide is off the road exploring all the sights that we can’t see.  As we stop to watch prides of lions, herds of elephants, sleeping cheetahs, birds of every description and on and on, not a sound can be heard from us.  We can sit for an hour and watch mamma lions with cubs and no one hardly breathes, let alone talks.   Suddenly the guide says, sit down, and off he goes over boulders, rocks, grass and anything else in the way.  We have no idea with he has seen until he stops under the only Acacia tree for miles around and there hanging over a branch is a sleeping leopard!!!   

One day driving along we see this very tall African man wrapped in orange and red with a stick in his hand and a herd of cattle.  So excited, I ask, “Is that a Maasai?”  “Yes”, says the guide and I am beside myself.  By the end of the trip, I have met many personally and learned about their culture. Fascinating.  Have also visited their villages and crawled into their dung covered huts.    

Take a “trip on the wild side” and visit East Africa.  Call me for more exciting details and how and when to go.  Don’t leave the world until you have seen Africa.

What is your opinion about the cruise Industry?  Maybe I can shed some light.

Starting with Noah’s Ark, people have floated on the water.  All kinds of vessels, all kinds of bodies of water.  We just love floating around the world. 

Contrary to those who have served in the Navy, today’s cruising is very comfortable, informative, entertaining, and can be the ultimate vacation.  But it is like a pair of shoes, if it doesn’t fit you, you won’t be happy.  How do you know if it fits you? 

First of all, you need professional assistance.  As the highest certified professional in the industry, I am constantly monitoring all the cruise lines and all the ships in each company.  Just because your neighbor or Aunt Suzie cruised on a particular ship does not mean it is right for you.  I build a personal relationship with you to find out as much as I can to put you on the best fit.  Each time you cruise, those criteria may change and I have to know how to change you.  So, let’s start with the basics.

There are about 4 different classes of cruise lines, in my humble opinion.

• Luxury
• Premium
• Mass Market
• Assorted miscellaneous types

LUXURY - From very small yacht-type vessels to very large ocean liners, these are set apart by the ratio of staff to passengers.  Also, the inclusions such as wine with meals, stock bars in the cabins, suite-type accommodations, included shore excursions, high quality linens and bathroom amenities. Some overnight in ports of call.   Many longer cruises that are better suited to the older passengers, Just simply, like a more luxurious resort or hotel, the level of service is superior.  Definitely an adult only atmosphere.

PREMIUM - A small number of companies in this category.  Ships of various sizes, interesting ports of call with some overnights, high ratio of passengers to staff, may have some limited children’s programs, champagne on boarding, high quality service and food.  Pricewise, a step down from the Luxury brands

MASS MARKET - Larger ships, more family orientated, lots of onboard activities, many places to eat, busy and active ambience and priced for the maximum population.  Many newer ships and new builds coming all the time.  Great for goups of all types with meeting room capabilities.  Generational groups with activities for all ages. 

ASSORTED MISCELLANOUS TYPES - In this category you have

• River cruises both in the US and around the world
• Sailing vessels
• Paddle wheelers
• Small ships in many places around the world
• Theme ships such as Disney Cruise Lines
• Expedition-type ships
• Barges in the US and France-self guided or escorted

We will explore these in depth in future postings.  In the meantime, remember to get a CLIA (Cruise Line International Association) certified professional such as myself to assist you.  I know the industry and the industry knows me!!!

Can a Home-Based Travel Professional compete with the big agencies or the Internet?

I recently received a magazine that comes regularly from a very large organization who does travel as well as other things.  The front 2 pages are always cruise and tour specials.  So, I thought I will check to see how their pricing compares to what I can get.  To my surprise, I beat every single special by at least $100.  A home-based agent beat goliath!!

In the travel industry there are consortiums.  These are organizations of travel agents coming together to buy travel packages, tour, and cruises in bulk and allow travel agents to book into the block.  There are scores of these consortiums.  The biggest of all is Vacation.com.  In order to become a member, an agency has to meet many criteria.  This is very hard for some home-based agencies.  But if they can get in, the special pricing is extremely competitive and will beat the internet and the giant travel companies.  So, yes, we can be competitive.

Although price competition is important, there are other factors that make the home-based travel agent special:

• The personal service that home-based travel agents offer is just as important, and maybe more important, than the priced..  Home-based agents are service driven.  They will go to your home, office, club or wherever you need to meet with them.  They may even fly to your city to meet you at your convenience.  The hours they work are not 8-5 5 days a week, but from morning till late at night any day of the week. 
• They also form a personal relationship with their clients.  They have been known to take people to the airports, baby sit children and animals, be at their client’s homes with meals and a multitude of other services you never find from a brick and mortar agency who has “store hours”.  Bottom line, home-based agents care about their clients and they become friends.  This goes way beyond the small saving you “may” find on the internet.

As travel agencies build volume with their preferred suppliers, the special pricing and other offers increase.  A relationship builds with that supplier and as the agent is faithful to them, they in turn are there for the agent when an emergency or need arises.  So many times a client is handed their documents with a smile and told to “have a wonderful trip” and behind the scenes the agent has been working day and into the night or nights to fix a problem that occurred.  The client will never know the sweat and tears that went into putting that trip together.  Fortunately, most travel is without incident.  But there are many times we are up late at night or early in the morning trying to hold a dream trip together.  There are times we think a job at McD would be great.  But we love what we do and that crises passes. 

To build a great relationship between a client and agent, communication is the key, the same as any relationship.  Let the agent know your likes, dislikes, dreams and wishes.  Most agents keep files on their clients and can begin to watch for special travel that might be of interest.  The travel industry is huge and probably has some interesting facets that you never knew about before.  Let us share them with you.  The world is a fascinating place and we know how to explore it.

Brick and Mortar to Home Based

“Where did the travel agency go?  It was here last week, last month, last year?” 

This question has been asked daily from coast to coast as travel agencies by the hundreds have closed their doors.  What happened?

About 10 years ago, the airlines decided to start cutting travel agents commissions on airline tickets that the agents issued.  Just cut a little, then a little more, and a little more until about 6 years ago, the commissions vanished altogether.  Those agencies that had the bulk of their business in airline tickets, and were not watching the situation, got caught without the bulk of their business.  They had not diversified into selling leisure travel such as cruises, tours, and packages.  So, the doors began closing. 

Many owners who had known the “good old days” and were old enough, decided to retire.  Others took their business and moved their offices home.  Enter the “New Face of the Travel Agent” - home based.

In years past, a home-based agent was not taken seriously by either the clients or the suppliers.  They were thought to be “part time” and just “in it for the travel benefits”.

Perhaps that applies to some.  But in the past 5 years a new force has emerged and the home-based agent is very committed and very serious about their business.  In fact, travel for the agent is very difficult because a large number work alone from home and have no back up.  Others work through a “host agency” who acts as the back up should the agent want to go away.

In the past 5 years, any conventions or seminars for travel agents are showing at least ¾ of the attendees are home-based.  These agents are education driven and getting all the knowledge available to give the best information to their clients.  There are many certifications for travel agents.  There is the CTC (Certified Travel Counselor), the highest available for a full service agent.  This course requires many hours of classes, either in groups or by themselves and a very difficult test at the end.  You also have to have been in business for several years before you can even apply for the course.  Not to mention the cost of the courses at several hundreds of dollars.  Anyone with this certification, is a very serious agent.

In the cruising industry there are several certifications available. 

v     Starting with ACC (Accredited Cruise Counselor)

v     MCC ( Master Cruise Counselor)

v     ECC (Executive Cruise Counselor). 

Many hours of classes, some requiring travel to other cities to take the required courses, courses at the University of Miami, many actual cruises on various cruise lines, and scores of ship inspections, as well as a set number of cruise sales, all total up to meet the above requirements.  Again, these courses cover a number of years and a very high cost to the agent qualifing.

In addition to the above, an organization called The Travel Institute has scores of classes that can be taken with testing at the end to receive DS (Destination Specialist) certifications.  Many of these are in conjunction with tourist boards of various countries and after the tests the agent is invited to visit the country for on-site training (at the agent’s expense). 

The majority of travel agents participating in the above training are home-based agent.  No longer content to be order takers sitting behind a desk waiting for the phone to ring or someone to walk in, these are pro-active and extremely knowledgeable about travel around the world.

The big question that is being asked by travel suppliers is “How do we find you?  We know you are serious and we want your business”.  There are 2 home-based organizations to which most belong.  One is NACTA (National Association of Commissioned Travel Agents) and the other is OSSN ( Outside Sales Support Network).  These organizations have conventions and seminars and are pulling all of these home-based agents together to support each other.  Instead of being in competition, as was the case with the brick and mortar agencies, these home-based people are supporting each other, and having a great time doing it. 

Gone are the days when travel agents did not charge fees for their services.  This was the only service profession who “gave away” their services.  Now they are charging fees for their assistance and rightly so.  They are knowledgeable and have spent a great deal of time researching travel for their clients, so they deserve to be compensated.  Oh yes, there are still commissions being paid by suppliers, i.e. cruise lines, tour operators, and wholesalers, but it is not enough to make up the difference from airline tickets.  There is no set amount of these fees, as each agent sets their own levels.  But why should they not be paid as professional the same as attorneys, doctors, and accountants?  Some who have been in the business 10 or more years, have much knowledge to share with clients that will help them realize their dream trips.

Why do I need help?  I can do this MYSELF!!

How many times I have heard that.  After come the tears.  “I should have listened to you”.  “I spent all this money and didn’t see anything”.  “I spent all my time trying to find a bus or train or whatever”. 

The value I bring to you is worth every penny you “think” you are saving.  The internet is a great research tool.  Dig in there and see what you can find.  But there are many things it won’t tell you.

• Why would you give your credit card to someone you can’t talk to in person? 
• Everyone can make a web site.  How do you know this one is legitimate?   A relative of a client called having booked a Mexico trip.  It was a week away and she had received no documents!!!  What can I say- I am so sorry!!!
• The airlines go bankrupt and you are left with tickets you got “cheap”.  Now you have to buy more and will never get your money back and this is your honeymoon.
• The “cheap” hotel you just booked in Hawaii is under renovation and the pool is closed.
• The location for the car you rented has closed
• A hurricane came to town and the cruise ship you booked online isn’t coming into the port.  Where is it going?  My question, did you know it was hurricane season when you booked?
• Your cabin on the cruise ship was right over the disco that went on all night - it seemed.  Either go join them or sleep by the pool on the deck.
• I am a member of XYC group and I didn’t know there would be 40 motorcoaches on this trip.  I couldn’t hear the tour guide

And on and on come the stories.  But some of you have learned your lesson and are coming back. Horray for you!!!  I am here when you make that decision. 

I HAVE A DREAM VACATION.  HOW DO I MAKE IT HAPPEN?  Part 2

WHERE??

Get a nice big map of the world.  Try to visualize the distances you are considering.  If this is a new destination for you, make a plan to take small bites, thinking you may not come back again.  Then do a thorough tour of the area.  Or do you just want “notches in your belt” for having stopped in a city or destination and the sites are not important, in which case you can go as far as your time and money permits.

v     Family trip?  Consider the ages and how much information they can handle.  A vacation at a beach is easier on younger people than a tour of a country.

v     Group trip?  Church, organization or club trip needing a tour bus and guide.

v     Couple trip?  Sun, sand and surf or skiing.

v     Heritage research?  Where are your ancestors from and how did they come to your country?

HOW??

Whether you think so or not, you DO need some professional assistance.  Even the simplest of trips need someone who knows and understands the travel process.  Without a travel professional, you are on your own and that can be very expensive and uncomfortable.  When you reach a destination, how do you plan to tour it?  Have you read up on the history and know what you will be looking at?  Going to a foreign place gives you a chance to learn about this history of the people and places.  A tour guide for a day or for the whole trip is worth every penny.  You can find them at Information Offices all over the world.  Some cities/countries require special documentation for visiting. 

v     Are you backpacking?  You probably need an airline ticket and perhaps a hotel for the first and last night.  Maybe you need a train ticket and some tips on the countries or cities you want to visit. 

v     Group tour?  This is so comfortable and a great way to learn a lot.  No worries about what hotel or what restaurant.  Someone to hold your hand from start to finish

v     On Your Own?  You may need a car rental, train ticket, a tour guide for 1 hour or 1 day.  Maybe knowledge about driving in certain areas and what kind of license or insurance is needed.

Your own research is part of the adventure.  A travel professional may have been there, done that, but that person doesn’t have the very same likes and dislikes you do.  Give us some ideas and we can fill in the blanks.