While in Fort Lauderdale last week I made some fantastic connections for our clients. I’m especially excited about the new connections made for clients visiting Egypt and Israel. There are some fantastic values for each location and many visitors are incorporating Jordan into a trip to either Egypt or Israel while they are traveling.

Want to go fly fishing in Scotland? I’ve got a guy for that! Perhaps you’ll catch a fish in the same rivers that your ancestors did in generations past.

Did you dream of visiting Africa after watching the magical interactions of Jane Goodall and the chimps? Maybe it’s time to turn that dream into a reality and visit not only Africa, but also take time to visit the chimp sanctuary on Ngamba Island, supported in part by the Jane Goodall Institute.

Have you imagined yourself cruising through the iconic rivers of Europe? Can you picture yourself on the top deck, enjoying the bottle of wine you purchased just hours earlier from the vineyard where it was aged, as you and your spouse toast the sunset? There are stunning new opportunities throughout Europe, but even further afield in Southeast Asia and South America.

Did you know that families can participate in the Stewards of Nature program while sailing through French Polynesia as part of a partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society? There are naturalist led programs each day to help enhance your child’s education beyond their classroom. Imagine their excitement when they make the connection between what they learned about conservation in science class and seeing the benefits first hand through their snorkel mask. That’s a lesson that will last a lifetime.

Whatever experiences you’ve been dreaming about each is unique to you and your family. These unique experiences are not pulled from the pages of a brochure. These are experiences that are created by the relationships we’ve made with travel suppliers around the world. By sitting down together and really talking through the expectations of your trip and what an ideal vacation day looks like to you we’re able to create an itinerary that is unique to your travel style. That’s certainly where my industry connections benefit you tenfold.

There’s a big world out there just waiting to be explored. When you are ready to experience this type of vacation I would love to be of service. Click here and let’s get started together.

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I made it to Fort Lauderdale for the Global Travel Marketplace conference! For those of you who have so kindly reached out with concerns of my traveling before being fully recovered from my ankle reconstruction, I had a very smooth travel day. I decided to come in a day early, knowing that when the conference starts I’ll be going nonstop.

One of the most common questions clients ask is “How early do we REALLY need to get to the airport?” and my answer is consistently, “I’d rather you have time for a second cup of coffee while you wait at the departure gate than your getting there later and wondering whether or not you’ll make it through the security check point before the aircraft door closes.”

This morning was no exception, even for me. I had no bags to check and arrived at the airport about 2 hours before my flight. I had wheelchair assistance ordered as I’m still limping severely and needing to wear a brace on my left ankle.

The TSA line for concourse B in Norfolk was about 45-60 minutes long at 6:30am. The TSA pre-check line was empty. I went right through, but had to undergo additional screening because of the brace on my ankle, which I ultimately had to remove. The TSA agents made the decision that the brace needed to go through the x-ray machine and that they needed to inspect the incisions on my ankle. All told, the additional screening probably only took 15-20 minutes. I was at the gate with plenty of time to spare before boarding.

The entire process was stress free because I allowed extra time knowing that I may have to undergo additional screening. Unfortunately, this also held up everyone else through the security check point, so those that were cutting their boarding times close really had to hustle to make it to their gate on time.

This is exactly why I recommend allowing extra time at the airport. You never know when the person in front of you is going to be checking 5 bags for each member of their family (true story, I saw it in Norfolk while awaiting my wheelchair) or you’ll forget your cell phone in your car and have to run back to the valet desk to have them get it for you (another true story from a colleague I met up with in Florida).

If you pad your schedule with a little bit of extra time you’ll probably sail right through with no delays and have time for that extra cup of overpriced coffee while you wait to board your flight. I would much rather your vacation start with a bit of relaxation than have you call me when you missed the flight because the person in front of you at the TSA line has an ankle full of metal and holds up the line for 15-20 minutes while she undergoes additional screening.

Please also keep in mind that TSA is really scrutinizing any food you bring through the check point as well as powders, including dried spices, protein powders for drinks, or even baby powder. Keep these items separate and easily accessible as you clear the checkpoint so they can be more easily examined. The rules for liquids, paste and gel remain the same in carry on luggage as does the additional screening for any electronic devices larger than a cell phone. Good news for travelers 12 years of age and under, 75 years of age and over, or TSA pre-check, you can keep your shoes on under most circumstances.

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I am honored to announce that I have been accepted as an attendee for Global Travel Marketplace (GTM) 2018 for the second year in a row. Next week, I’ll attend as an Ambassador. About 20 travel advisors are invited to return as Ambassadors, and are the only travel advisor attendees permitted to attend two years in a row. You may remember that Ann attended this same event in 2015 & 2016. GTM is an elite, invitation-only event for the top-producing travel advisors in North America. We each meet very strict requirements and undergo a rigorous vetting and interview process by the GTM team.

This is one of the premier events in the industry, it’s a chance to build our relationships with the suppliers we use when curating your dream vacation. It’s these connections that allow us to make sure that every aspect of your vacation is tailor made to your expectations.

During the three day event, at the Diplomat Beach Resort in Hollywood, Florida, we go nonstop. Starting on the afternoon of our arrival with small boardroom presentations by suppliers followed by an evening reception hosted by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau at the antique car museum. The agenda has us wrapping up the day at 11:30pm!

The next morning we start off with a breakfast presentation at 7am, from there we move between more boardroom presentations and individual appointments with suppliers before wrapping up the day just after 9pm. Don’t worry, I checked the agenda and we have a 14 minute break from 11:06am – 11:20am and another longer break of 25 minutes from 4:13pm -4:38pm in the afternoon – with that attention to detail in the schedule you can see this is a very well planned out event! Day three is pretty much a carbon copy of day two. There will be over 100 industry suppliers in attendance and a nearly equal number of travel advisors.

I look forward to deepening supplier relationships with those industry colleagues that we rely on quite often when planning your dream vacations. I also look forward to meeting new connections that can bring new opportunities and unique opportunities to our portfolio of suppliers. Another wonderful aspect of a gathering of travel advisors of this caliber is the opportunity to share innovative ideas that ultimately benefit you, the traveller.

When you are ready to plan your next dream vacation click here and you’ll see first hand what those connections can do for you!

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When should you book your next vacation?

My favorite answer to that question is “NOW!”

There was a time when waiting until the last minute to plan a vacation could provide a lower price. Those days are long gone! Hotels, resorts and cruise ships have realized that rather than rewarding those who wait until the last minute with lower pricing they are offering their lowest prices to those clients who book the furthest in advance. We then see prices continuing to rise as availability starts to disappear. Even today, when we do see a last minute discount on a resort or cruise, the last minute pricing for airfare negates any savings that clients actually receive.

Did you know that when cruise lines announce that their World Cruise itineraries are open for booking that they normally sell out within a week?

For those clients who are planning a milestone celebration we often start the process 18-24 months before their desired travel time, especially when they are traveling with extended family. These are celebrations for milestones such as anniversary trips, “big” birthday celebrations, graduation trips or group trips or even multigenerational trips when you have the schedules of several travelers to coordinate.

When we start working around school holiday schedules those dates fill quite quickly so it’s not uncommon to start planning 12-18 months out. We’ve got several families booked for Spring Break 2019 already because their dates were not flexible. We’re starting to do the same for Summer of 2019, especially for families who’s children are involved in summer sports and only have one or two weeks during the summer when they can travel. If your dates are not flexible you need to book as soon as possible to secure the best value but also your top choices for destinations, flights and activities. The other segment of clients who are starting to plan 12-18 months out are the honeymooners, once you have a wedding date set it’s time to start planning the honeymoon to make sure you get the best value for your vacation investment.

There are clients who are flexible enough to travel during any time of the year and can wait until 9-12 months before their desired departure date to start planning their vacation. These are the clients who are enhancing their children’s education by exploring the world beyond their classroom and traveling during the school year, empty nesters who aren’t tied to school schedules, and retirees who aren’t worried about vacation time allocation.

Certainly the actual time spent traveling is going to provide memories and happiness for years to come, but studies have shown that a great deal of happiness actually comes from the anticipation of the trip as well. So why not start that anticipation process now and cash in on the added happiness? You’ll most likely get a better value for your vacation investment as well.

If you’re ready to maximize the value as well as your happiness, make an appointment and let’s get started!

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Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” ~John Muir

Summertime is all about being outside and enjoying the sunshine (fully slathered in sunscreen, of course) We still have another week of school here in coastal Virginia, but the moment my daughter gets home she’s out in the yard. This week I’ve gathered my top 5 choices for enjoying the outdoors as you vacation this summer.

National parks – with nearly 60 National parks in the US the choices are very diverse. While the in park accommodations in places like Yosemite, the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone book out about a year in advance, there are still some options close to park entrances if your dates are flexible. 

Galapagos – Can’t you just picture your kids exploring the diversity that only the Galapagos can provide? From Blue-footed boobies to the land iguanas you’ll see wildlife here seldom seen outside of zoos. The experiences you have here will be remembered by all for years to come. 

Alaska – Imagine the looks on your kids faces when you ride in a helicopter and land on a glacier where your family can get out and walk around to see the unique features? Not into helicopters? Perhaps a paddling a kayak through the sound in search of whales is more your speed? Whatever you choose, Alaska’s great outdoors has something to offer every family and there’s no better time to visit than during the summer. 

Northern Ireland – An afternoon spent hopping the unique stone formations at Giant’s Causeway is like something out of a fairytale. Kids will get lost in the story of the Giant and his battle. Being so far north means that your daylight hours are maximized. 

Hawaii – What kid wouldn’t love to spend their summer vacation hiking lush rainforests to discover a hidden waterfall, or learning to surf on the gentle waves in the shadow of Diamond Head? Now, I know you’re all saying, but what about the volcano that’s erupting? While certainly devastating for those in the path of the lava flow, that’s on a very small corner of the Big Island of Hawaii. There are still several islands that are completely unaffected, as is most of the Big Island. There’s plenty to see and do on these islands without visiting the Volcano National Park.

Are you ready to incorporate some outdoor fun into your next family vacation? Click here and let’s start brainstorming the destinations that will best fit the travel style of your family. 

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My husband and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary this past weekend. Neither of us are the easiest to buy for, we’re at the stage where if there is something we want we buy it for ourselves. One thing that we’ve always been able to exchange is the gift of travel. I was looking at the traditional Anniversary gift guide last week with a colleague who is a romance travel expert. There are certainly some traditional gifts on the guide that are just begging to be interpreted as a vacation! I’m sharing the most obvious with you this week.

Year 3 – The traditional gift is leather. When I think of leather I’m immediately transported to the leather markets of Florence. Can you picture yourself strolling through the magical streets of Florence hand in hand with your spouse?

Year 7 – The traditional gift is listed as “copper and wool” this is just screaming for a trip to Scotland! What could be more appropriate than tracing your family tartan and visiting some of the iconic whisky distilleries as you explore this popular destination?

Year 11 – The traditional gift is steel. I’m picturing a long weekend in Napa visiting world class wineries and tasting straight from their stainless steel tanks.

Year 15 – The traditional gift is crystal. A visit to the iconic Waterford factory in Southern Ireland would certainly fit the bill for this. While you’re there you can also spend time getting to know the Irish people who are known far and wide for their friendliness towards visitors.

Year 20 – The traditional gift is China, which started off this whole concept of using a destination as a gift. I think you’ve figured out by now that China would be a great destination to visit for your 20th Anniversary.

Year 25 – The traditional gift is silver. There are many countries that are known for their silver products. One of the most popular is Peru. Maybe this is a good opportunity to visit the iconic Machu Picchu while you’re taking in the sites.

Year 30 – The traditional gift is pearl. Tahiti is known for it’s stunning black pearls. Your 30th anniversary is the perfect opportunity to escape to the south pacific and indulge in an overwater bungalow.

Year 35 – The traditional gift is coral. It’s time to dive into Australia’s Great Barrier Reef! To quote the author Dave Barry, “There’s nothing wrong with enjoying looking at the surface of the ocean itself, except that when you finally see what goes on underwater, you realize that you’ve been missing the whole point of the ocean. Staying on the surface all the time is like going to the circus and staring at the outside of the tent.”

Year 40 – The traditional gift is ruby. Rubies have been traditionally mined in Thailand. Perhaps this wasn’t even a destination you had considered before, but from the breathtaking beaches to the ornate shrines of Bangkok there is a something for every traveler to enjoy.

Year 45 – The traditional gift is sapphire. Picture yourself and your spouse enjoying a romantic dinner for two on your private terrace as you gaze over the famous blue roofs on the island of Santorini in Greece. Between the roofs and the beautiful sea there are many different shades, I’m sure one qualifies as sapphire, but you’ll need to be the judge and let me know after your visit.

Year 50 – The traditional gift is gold. Enter the golden gates of the Palace of Versailles and you’ll find yourself surrounded by even gilded statues and over the top opulence. Versailles is an easy day trip from Paris. I can’t think of a better place to celebrate your 50 years together than a trip to Paris, a city so closely associated with romance.

Are there destinations you’ve visited while you celebrated an anniversary? Perhaps this has given you some ideas to celebrate your next anniversary, click here and we can get the planning started today!

May is a month of celebrations in our family. We celebrate anniversaries, birthdays and of course Mother’s Day. While many people celebrate milestones like these with vacations. With vacations come questions, especially when traveling internationally for the first time, or even for the first time in a while. This week I wanted to share with you some of the questions I’m asked most frequently.

My passport doesn’t expire until a few weeks after I return home, why do I need to renew it before my trip? As a general guideline, passports need to be valid for 6 months after your trip. This is the requirement that the US Gov’t uses for people entering the US, therefore it’s reciprocal for most US citizens traveling abroad. While there are some countries that will permit entry for passport holders with 3 months remaining on their passport the airlines adhere to the 6 month requirement.

What’s the best way to get the local currency? Before you leave home, check with your bank regarding fees associated with using your ATM card while traveling. The ATM is your most convenient way to get local currency. Depending on your bank’s fees, it’s also generally the most economical way as well.

Will my credit card work? This is going to take another call, this one to your credit card company. Let them know where you will be traveling and the dates. It’s also a great idea to check the foreign transaction fees associated with using your card while you travel. Make sure you use the one with the lowest fees!

How much cash should I carry? That’s a different answer for everyone. Generally I ask whether a client generally uses more cash at home or if they tend to put all of their purchases on their credit card. For clients who aren’t using cash regularly at home, vacation isn’t the place to start. Credit cards are going to give you the highest level of security. Should your purse or wallet become lost or stollen while on vacation you can call the credit card company and have the account shut down and even a new card delivered if necessary. If you loose a wallet full of cash there isn’t much protection.

What about tipping? This can be very location dependent, but a general rule of thumb is to always tip the driver, the luggage porter, housekeeping and tour guide anywhere from $1-$5 per interaction.

Will my phone work? Yes, but you need to familiarize yourself with the fees associated with using your phone in the country or countries you’ll be visiting. Personally, I do not use cell service while traveling internationally. I put my phone on airplane mode when leaving the States and utilize wifi while traveling.

What do I need to be able to use my electronics? Adapters and converters are required to plug anything in while you’re traveling internationally. We’ll advise you of the particular requirements for the countries you’re visiting.

Should I keep my passport with me at all times? NO! Don’t keep your passport on you while you’re out sightseeing during the day. Keep it locked up securely in the safe of your hotel room or cruise stateroom.

If there are other questions that you have that I haven’t answered here, please reach out, I’ll be happy to help. Click here and let’s get started today.

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You may remember that I recently shared my advice in the article titled the kids guide to overnight flights. I promised at the end of that article to share more tips on how to keep your kids entertained and engaged while on vacation, so here goes!

The kids guide to having fun on a family vacation

Get involved in the planning process – ask Mom and Dad questions about where you’re going and what you’ll be doing while you’re there. You can contribute to the planning by checking books out of the library about the places you’ll visit. You’ll enjoy the experience a lot more if you know a little bit about the destination.

You be the navigator – take charge of the map and lead your family back to your hotel or through the ever confusing public transportation system. You’ll learn some valuable skills and take some of the stress off of Mom and Dad in the process.

Keep a journal – as you’re reading about the destination before you even leave home, jot down some of the sites you want to visit or interesting facts about the things you’ll see that you can share while you’re there.

Take photos – you’ve got a different perspective than Mom and Dad – use your camera, phone or iPod to take photos along the way that you can add to the family collection when you return home.

Kid friendly tours – Ask Mom and Dad about the possibility of some time with a local tour guide who gears his or her knowledge towards kids and their interests – the Vatican museums are a lot more interesting when you hear the stories behind the treasures in a way that you can understand.

Learn a few words in the native language – sure, smiles are the same in any language, but it’s nice to be able to say “Thank you” or “Hello” in the language spoken at your destination

Get your hands dirty – Mom and Dad might not like this tip too much, but I think you’ll enjoy it! Go to a local park and see if you can participate in an informal football match (we call it soccer, but you still know how to play) – Go to a local playground and get some energy out after your long plane ride, even with the language barrier you’ll find you have something in common with the kids there. What about a pizza making class or a french pastry class? That sounds like a great way to get your hands dirty while you learn about the culture.

Lastly, remember the tip about discipline not stopping on the airplane? Well, it doesn’t stop on vacation either. The most important thing to remember is that even though you’re away from home and not in your normal routine that Mom and Dad still make the rules. 

Are you ready to make vacation memories with your family? Click here and let’s get started today.

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Take the stress out of airport security screenings

It’s become abundantly clear to me while stuck yet another week on the sofa recovering that’s its really important to know where things are and equally as important is being able to get to them easily. I think these are really good things to also keep in mind when you travel, especially knowing what’s in your carry on as you fly and navigate the airport. Here are some tips that I hope will make your next trip to the airport a little bit less stressful. 

It sounds like a no brainer, but it’s important to know exactly what is in your carry on as you prepare to clear the security check point with TSA. Don’t wait until it’s time to put your bag on the conveyor belt to start pulling items out that need additional screening. Prepare them in advance so they are easy to access.

If you are wearing a jacket take it off while you’re waiting in line and put it in your carry on.

Empty your pockets and take off any jewelry or a belt that would delay your screening process. If you have a special pocket in your carry on to put each of these items it’s nice to keep them all in one spot in your bag, rather than using the small screening bowl only to wonder if you collected everything afterwards. If you do not have a spot in your bag for these items, I recommend that you carry an empty ziplock bag that you can put these items in as one easy to grab item from the screening bowl.

Everyone loathes taking their shoes off for security, but unless you are 12 or under, 75 or over, or have TSA pre-check, you’ll need to remove your shoes for security screenings here in the States.

Expect that all electronics larger than a cell phone will now need to be pulled from your bag and put in individual screening bins as laptops have been for several years.

Pull the quart sized zip lock back that contains your liquids, pastes and gels, each not exceeding 3oz and put the bag in the screening bin.

Any food or powders that you have packed in your carry on will also most likely need to be screened separately as well.

It’s not unusual for TSA personnel to require that books, magazines and large stacks of paper also be removed for screening.

You may be asking, what’s left in the carry on? There may not be much, and you’ve most likely got a train sized row of screening bins! That’s why it’s so important that you know exactly what you’ve got when you start the screening process so items aren’t left behind when you clear security.

Lastly, I also recommend that you tape a business card to any larger electronics such as laptops, tablets or other devices. Should you happen to leave one behind at security, agents can use the information on the card to have you paged or call you regarding the lost item.

What tips do you use to make the security process less stressful? For me, it’s TSA pre-check!

If you’re ready to start planning your next vacation adventure click here and we can get started today!

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I hope you all were able to get out this past weekend and enjoy the Easter and Passover holidays. I was able to get out of the house both Saturday and Sunday, it was a welcomed change of pace from my time on the sofa with my leg propped up.

One of my favorite stories around the Easter holiday was of the young boy who was able to not only fulfill his wish of getting a kiss from the Pope, but then took a spin in the Popemobile. That’s certainly a once in a lifetime experience that this child, and his family will never forget from their vacation in Italy.

Did you hear how it actually came to happen? It was his tour guide! That’s right, the tour guide had connections and knew how to position the family in the spot most likely to get them noticed.

Connections can make all the difference when planning a vacation and ultimately can help to provide experiences and memories that will last a lifetime.

While it’s true, I’m not aware of any of my clients having taken a ride in the Popemobile while on vacation, there are plenty of other experiences we’ve arranged.

Here are a few of my favorite client experiences so far:

~surprising a client by arranging for a B&B in Ireland that was next door to the home that her Grandmother had lived in as a child

~arranging a skydive onto the beaches of Normandy for two young men who’s Grandfather had landed on those same beaches on D-Day

~arranging for a client to have the top layer of his wedding cake recreated exactly from a photo. We then arranged for him to have it presented to his wife as dessert on their first anniversary dinner while on vacation!

We, at Slaydon’s Travel pride ourselves on the connections we’ve made in the travel industry during the past 42 years. We would love to help you create once in a lifetime experiences during your next vacation as well. Click here and let’s get started today.

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