BY
CLAY LARROY
Traveling can be an important
part of your life, whether for business or for pleasure. Take time each day to
alleviate stress while traveling or
vacationing and you will thank yourself for it when you get back home. With all
the chaos, jet-lag, partying and other excitement of travel comes a whole lot of
stress on your mind and body. By the time most vacations are over, another one
is needed to recover so taking a few minutes each day to rejuvenate will make
it easier for you to resume your normal life when it's all over. When you want to
plan a vacation contact me!
Considerations
Tell
your travel consultant if you would prefer to travel independently or with a
fully-guided tour group. In an independent setting, your agent will create an
itinerary of wineries to tour, as well as any special events to attend,
transportation, and lodging. You will then be on your own to follow the
itinerary, which offers a great deal of flexibility.
A
fully-guided tour provides you and other travelers with a knowledge-packed tour
of the wine region. You will not have to worry about transportation, and the
itinerary will include fixed times to visit wineries and other attractions as
well as some free time to enjoy the wineries on your own. A fully-guided tour
is an excellent choice for those who are going to regions so large that the
options can be overwhelming, or for those who would rather leave transportation
and other logistics to someone else. In addition, most tour companies provide a
multilingual tour guide able to speak both English and the language of the
region.
Remember,
too, that you can travel a little more creatively. Hike or bike your way
through wine country, and have an experience you could never get from a car or
bus!
Prepare
for your journey by reading about the region and its wines. Your travel
consultant will obtain any materials from your tour operator to assist your
studies, including maps, itineraries or brochures. If you’re going to a region
where you don’t speak the language, learn a few choice phrases in the language
before you go as a courtesy to your hosts.
If
you are planning to purchase a lot of wine while you are on your trip and want
to ship it back home, research your home’s laws concerning importing alcohol
from outside the country. Your wine could sit in customs for days or weeks
before delivery, and in the heat of summer, wines could go bad while they are
waiting to be delivered.
Many
of the great wine regions offer seasonal festivals when it is time to bring out
the new wines. Bigger wineries will hold their own festivals, while smaller
wineries will often team with others in the region and have a festival where
guests can taste the new offerings from all of the wineries in the same
location. Travelers who time their wine tours right have a chance to experience
a true cultural celebration. Many wine regions also offer activities such as
spas, cooking classes, museums, arts and crafts festivals, music festivals and
other events - just ask your agent what’s available.
Most
wine regions also offer restaurants that showcase both local cuisine and
wineries. Also note the growing trend for restaurants that allow you to bring a
bottle of your own - visit wineries during the day and choose a favorite bottle
or two to enjoy with your meal in the evening.
It’s
impossible to come away from a wine tour without also getting a lesson in local
culture. Most winery owners are not only passionate about their wine; they are
also passionate about the land and region that supports their lifestyle. It is
not unusual to hear about an immigrant family that bought a piece of property
years ago and was told by their neighbors that they could never operate a
successful winery on the land - and who eventually proved them wrong.
Those
who choose a wine tour come away with much more than just a few new bottles of
wine. They leave having experienced a deeper cultural appreciation of wine and
those who make it.
REFERENCE SITES:
http://www.travelresearchonline.com/
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