“TRAVEL TIPS & BITS”

BY Clay Larroy

People in general consider traveling as their personal interests.  Traveling can quickly become an interest simply because it is such an enjoyable experience. When you travel around the world and you will see a variety of different cultures and people.   There are two things to remember while traveling. The first thing is to be open-minded about people and their culture. The second thing and the most important, is to respect other cultures no matter how different. When you want to plan a vacation contactme!

‘To insure or not to insure’ That is the Travel Question

Travel Insured’s John Stone reminds us to protect the investment we have made in our holidays

Hamlet, Shakespeare’s fictional Prince of Denmark, was not the only individual to debate with himself about what choices to make when preparing for a life experience involving risk. Travelers, putting down their deposit for a cruise, tour or other vacation package, do it every day.

You may have recently had the debate with yourself or with your travel partner. ‘Should we buy a travel insurance policy to protect the cost of our trip and any potential emergency medical costs or not?’

Your answer might have been: ‘No, our credit card insurance will cover us.’ Or your partner may have answered, ‘Well we have Medicare insurance, don’t we?’ or ‘We can get a plan directly from the travel supplier, can’t we?’

You may also have seen a Consumer Reports article earlier this year, which recommended against travel insurance and said that travelers ought to ‘save their money for souvenirs.’ Less than a month later the respected former editor of Consumer Reports Travel Newsletter Ed Perkins wrote for SmarterTravel.com about travel insurance, and said he thought the Consumer Reports ’authors listened to some bad advice.’

We agree with Perkins, who wrote: ‘Far more trips are canceled because of accident or illness, and you don’t get any refunds for those. Any time you face a penalty or loss that’s more than you can comfortably afford, consider Trip Cancellation insurance.’

What about that credit card insurance? Most people, just as with rental car agreements, rarely if ever look at the fine print of their credit card insurance plan. Many cards’ plans are limited to accident insurance on a common carrier and baggage loss coverage. No trip cancellation, medical protection or emergency evacuation coverage is normally included.

In addition to the credit card being required to purchase the trip being insured, the card insurance terms are normally limited by an ‘excess coverage provision.’ It means coverage only applies ‘when all other valid collectible insurance benefits are exhausted.’

A comprehensive insurance plan is primary insurance that pays you first! The plan covers you for documented Trip Cancellation, the most important feature cited by Ed Perkins above. The Trip Cancellation reimburses you up to the full prepaid trip cost.

There is also Trip Interruption, in case you have to cut the trip short for a covered reason, reimbursing up to 150% of the prepaid trip cost and should include emergency medical protection and evacuation, missed connection, trip delay coverage, baggage loss and baggage delay. There is protection available for a Pre-Existing Medical Condition of the traveler, his or her travel companion and their covered family members.

As for Medicare and many other U.S. health care policies? They often do not provide coverage for you in a foreign destination, where hospitals and doctors often require payment in advance for treatment! A solid travel insurance program will guarantee that you will be admitted to a hospital or appropriate health care facility.

If you decide you can get the cheapest insurance directly from your travel supplier, check the small print again. Many suppliers’ policies, especially those that offer ‘cancel for any reason,’ only offer you a credit to rebook a trip with the same company. You do not usually get a cash refund.

Additionally, most suppliers’ policies only credit up to 75% of the original trip cost, and the credit for rebooking is only valid for up to one year from the originally scheduled trip that you cancelled!

By contrast, when a Worldwide Trip Protector covered claim reimburses you, it is a cash refund. It’s your money, use it again however you choose.

When you get to your vacation spot, your one wish is that your bags arrive with you. Unfortunately, the airlines don’t always make your wish come true. A Worldwide Trip Protector policy can reimburse you for up to $1,000 for lost baggage or personal effects, and up to $200 for delayed baggage. The latter will, at the least, get each insured into clean clothes and personal necessities until your bag, hopefully, reaches your accommodation.

Finally, if an emergency illness or accident happens far from home, nothing will be more welcome than a helpful voice on the phone working to get your assistance on the spot. Make sure your policy has a global emergency travel assistance service, which goes with you 24/7 with every insurance plan. You will be able to contact the service toll-free from wherever you travel, even when your family or loved ones are not immediately in reach.

As Shakespeare again might say, you can learn to ‘count the ways’ to love travel insurance when you get to know it as a steady travel companion. You can also say that having a comprehensive travel policy is much like having a knowledgeable, professional travel agent to arrange your trip. You will most appreciate both when they come to your assistance in a travel emergency. That’s when you’ll know you made the right choice to plan ahead.

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com/

I love to photograph the gorgeous landscapes when I travel.

 Blake Lively
 

Experience life travel with those you love!

“TRAVEL TIPS & BITS”

BY Clay Larroy

Make the most of your travel experiences. Taking a cruise is a great way to see many different places when you travel. Cruises offer many activities and things to do while on the ship, while offering you the opportunity to explore different locations each time you arrive at a port. Travel is a great opportunity to learn more things. Time spent abroad helps you understand and appreciate diverse cultures. In addition, it encourages an acceptance and tolerance of ways of life that differ from your own. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!

SAVING BIG WITH INTERNATIONAL Consolidators AIRFARES

You want to go to Australia this winter, but published fares are through the roof. Guess kangaroos, the outback and Crocodile Dundee will just have to wait for your arrival, right? Not necessarily. With a little patience and a good travel agent, you might just luck into one of the real secrets of inexpensive travel... international airline consolidators.

 Before we go any further, a word of warning - do not try this at home. Your travel agent will be able to steer you to reputable companies that have actual contracts with the major airlines to sell discounted tickets. Trying to get a consolidator ticket on your own is a risky proposition. The United States Air Consolidator Association (USACA) sells their consolidator tickets only through travel agents. So with that warning...here is what you need to know.

Unlike domestic fares, international airfares are regulated by an airline organization, the International Air Transportation Association (IATA). However, every airline faces capacity problems... how to sell the most tickets at as high a price as possible. If the airlines always held out for their published fares, though, too many seats would go unsold. This is why many international airlines turn to consolidators for assistance.

The best consolidators have contracts with airlines to quietly sell their tickets at a discount through travel agents. In return, bona-fide consolidators purchase large volumes of inventory from the airlines at a discount. The effect is quite remarkable: travel agents can sell international airline tickets at fares less, and often much less, than the airlines themselves. This can save you literally hundreds of dollars.

Not every consolidator holds a contract with every international airline. Most have several contracts, and some specialize in only certain geographic markets such as Asia or South America. Your travel agent will know which consolidators to use depending on where you want to go, and they will often check rates with more than one. The key is reliability, finding a company with a history of providing good service to agents and their clients.

Using a consolidator ticket is identical to using a published fare ticket. On occasion, no fare is shown on the ticket, but this is normal. Your travel agent will also include the taxes and other fees that are a part of the actual ticket price. In some instances, but not all, the airline may even credit your frequent flier account for your miles, giving you a real bonus on your discounted ticket.

Consolidators are also the source for terrific bargains on ‘Around the World’ tickets. These unbelievably inexpensive rates are geared toward extended, sometimes months-long trips circling the globe, hopping from one destination to the next. Constructing an around the world itinerary is part art and part science. Around the World tickets have their own rules and regulations, but every armchair traveler dreaming of a world-wide excursion should ask their travel agent for more information.

So what is keeping you in your armchair? There are bargains to be had on international airfares if you have a travel agent in the know...and you do!

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com/

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.

Saint Augustine
 

Experience life by traveling with friends and family!

“ALL THE PLACES IN THE WORLD”

BY Clay Larroy

When you choose to travel, whether it is for business or pleasure, it is important to plan your trip well before hand. Here are some tips to help you. Don't be afraid to cash in your airline miles. Many travelers let their miles accumulate and never bother using them. Reap the rewards of your traveling and spend the miles you've earned! Miles have expiration dates, so be sure to use them before they expire. Travelling is a great way to use your airline miles.  When you need to plan a vacation contact me!

Belgium - The Best Kept Travel Secret

By Cindy Lou Dale

The secret of Belgium’s capital city, Brussels, is to go with the flow and allow yourself to become part of its charming everyday life.

Having previously been ruled by Spain, the Netherlands and France, Belgium is one of those countries that finds it easier to describe itself by what it is not: it’s not French, nor is it Dutch, nor German. Belgium is a country with an identity crisis, in the most positive sense of the word, as its population speaks French, Dutch, German, Arabic, and even English, due to a large segment of expat foreigners. With all the variety, Brussels takes the mix in stride and pulls everything together into an offbeat, almost bizarre sense of place.

With this cultural diversity it’s no wonder that Brussels has seized the new century with a fresh vigor, leaving other European cities wondering who stole their tourists. One source of the tourism influx is Belgium’s fashion market â? while other European cities rested on their laurels, Belgium became a might in style, surpassing France, while the buzzing sidewalk café scene has outmatched that of Paris.

Yet the urbanization of Brussels will not leave you woozy with its splendor, rather you will feel compelled to seek out its intimacy and explore its secret treasures.

Eating in Brussels

The capital’s restaurants rival those of Paris and London - both in value and excellence. While it’s not an inexpensive city for dining, it has high standards, and restaurants that fall short of the mark simply close.

Mussels and chips is the classic dish and can be found in nearly all Belgian restaurants. However, certain districts of Brussels specialize in specific food: Ixelles has excellent Thai, African and Italian bistros, mainly around St-Boniface church. Place du Grand Sablon has an abundance of these restaurants, although they are a little more pricey.

Drinking in Brussels is a national pastime. The Grand’ Place is lined with terrace bars, full of life in the summer. Le Roi d’Espagne has the most ambiance, and Place St-Géry has designer bar terraces with oodles of mood, and the timeless art deco bar of L’Archiduc, which is claimed to remain open until dawn.

Sleeping in Brussels

Most visitors to Brussels are on business, therefore hotel rates drop significantly over weekends, so don’t write off the five-stars entirely. The most celebrated, newer luxury hotel is the five-star Amigo, only a few steps from the Grand’ Place.

Of the mid-range options, the Mozart is oddly kitsch, and often noisy, but located just off the Grand’ Place. Overlooking the flea market in the Marolles is the Galia; and The George V is a budget favorite near the bars of St-Géry.

Shopping in Brussels

The main pedestrian drag, rue Neuve, is full of soulless chain stores selling clothes and shoes. Inno is a big department store, and the City 2 shopping mall has a number of shops, the highlight of which is the impressive Fnac music and bookshop on the top level.

Escape the shopping malls and try something more idiosyncratic, like the shabby area between Boulevard Lemonnier and the Grand’ Place, where you’ll find second-hand book shops and music and clothing stores. Off the Grand’ Place is the Galeries St-Hubert, filled with designer boutiques and quirky sidewalk cafés.

Sightseeing in Brussels

The lower city is centered around the superbly ornate Grand’ Place, considered by many as the most beautiful medieval square in all of Europe, with its elegant 17th century guild houses and narrow, atmospheric lanes leading off. In the summer, it hosts daily flower markets, often accompanied by concerts. Nearby, St-Géry flourishes with stylish bars contained in an old, covered market on Place St-Géry. The cafés, restaurants and nightspots buzz in the summer months, as does St-Catherine, a canopied terrace lined with seafood restaurants. Immediately south of Grand’ Place, amid the grimy old stores in rue de l’Etuve, is the symbol of Brussels â?? the little statue of the urinating rascal â?? Mannekin-Pis.

Further south in the earthy Marolles quarter, rue Haute hosts the daily flea market at Place du Jeu de Balle. Throughout the lower town are murals of Belgium’s comic-strip heroes like Tintin.

The upper town boasts dramatic architecture and parks, with a string of grand names along its Boulevard. The Royal Quarter overshadows everything else with the palace and the fountained Parc de Bruxelles leading through to the Belgian Parliament. The Fine Arts Museum boasts old masters like Bruegel, Rubens, Magritte, Delvaux and Monet.

A short tram ride from Brussels Montgomery to Tervuren takes you through several parks and the beautiful Ambassadorial district. Tervuren is home to the African Art Museum and Léopold II’s spectacular monuments and parks.

Outside of Brussels

10 miles southwest of Brussels is the small Flemish town of Leuven. It has a big university and an even bigger history. Inhabitants amount to around 90,000 people, of which, students number around 22,000 - remarkable by European standards. The entire city lives off and with the University, founded in 1425 by Pope Martin V. It is considered to be the oldest catholic university in the world.

St. Peter’s Church is certainly worth a visit for its rich interior decoration. Go to admire the beautiful rood loft dating back to 1488, above which hangs a triumphal crucifix from around 1500. The chairs in the choir were sculpted between 1438 and 1442. Admire the magnificent 40-foot high sacraments tower and a baroque wooden pulpit in the nave. St. Peter’s Church holds two world-famous masterpieces in its treasury: ‘The Last Supper’ and ‘Martyrdom of Saint Erasmus’.

Leuven also boasts ‘the longest bar in Europe’, as it is generally called by locals -lining up more than 60 pubs that serve a great many of the 360 types of beer produced in Belgium. The Old Market Square offers plenty of choices to fit your mood. ‘Stella Artois’, the pride of Leuven, is probably the most uttered word on this square.

If you are seeking beer history, Belgium is full of it. In 1717, the master brewer Sebastian Artois gave his name to one of Belgium’s best-known export products â?? Stella Artois. And don’t miss the Den Horen - the oldest brewery in Leuven, dating back to 1366.

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com/

“I've always liked Belgian waffles, but I must say, I didn't think I would one day be having Belgian waffles in Belgium! I just sort of POOF found myself there and there I was with a gigantic Belgian waffle in my hands, standing on a sidewalk in Belgium!” 
― C. JoyBell C.

Live, Love and Travel to create memories that will last a lifetime!

“ALL THE PLACES IN THE WORLD”

BY Clay Larroy

In the world of traveling, there are plenty of great resources available to both new and experienced travelers alike. There are many websites, guides, books, videos, and other resources available. By writing this blog I hope that I am providing valuable information about wonderful vacation destinations. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!

 Where the Cows Are

by Sandy Zimmerman

Farmers brought their cows up into the higher Alps during the spring and autumn seasons following the weather to lead them down to what they called, ‘Going downtown to the village during the winter.’ In spite of all of the modern comforts and inventions today, the farmers keep to this way of life. The farmhouse was designed with a small stable to house 11 cows, the dairy cheese making room, a dining room/ kitchen, with another small building next door for their bedroom. This was a tour to remember!

Visitors can only take this dairy farm tour on Thursdays during the summer. Your travel agent can make arrangements that will be suit your schedule and preferences. Tourists are invited to the January Festival of ice sculptures and snow designs, January 19-24, and other events throughout the year.

‘Get Natural’ Switzerland Tourism says. Switzerland is more natural than anywhere else in the world! Get natural is more than a promise; it is an incomparable experience awaiting you. Because Switzerland is a small country, you can see more in less time. Thrill to glaciers, Alpine peaks and mountain lakes. All of the summer and winter fun awaits visitors. The great variety of attractions will amaze you! There is everything you could want, everything you could ask for in a vacation.

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com/

“There is nothing quite like climbing to the top of the Alps and looking down upon the earth. Everything in the world suddenly makes sense.”

-Anonymous

Travel to create marvelous memories for you and your family or friends!

“ALL THE PLACES IN THE WORLD”

BY Clay Larroy

Traveling can be a great way to meet new people and experience other cultures. New friends are waiting to meet you in places you have only dreamed of traveling. It can be a wonderful way to see all that the world has to offer. Travel can be a hobby and an adventure that will lead you to unexpected places.  When you want to plan a vacation contact me!

Where the Cows Are

by Sandy Zimmerman

The charming little village of Grindelwald offers a close-up view of life in the Alps. We were invited on a tour to visit a dairy farm to experience how cheese was made. I am a city gal and have never visited a farm before. Most everyone has seen pictures of the dairy farms in the United States, but this was very different. Grindelwald Mountain Cheese is prepared the traditional way, a ritual as the farmers did centuries ago. Recipes for this simple method were passed down from family to family.

The guide, Hans, drove along the one- lane road watching for oncoming cars until we passed the last local bus stop and reached the top of the mountain. After just 45 minutes and a climb of around 5,100 feet, we were surrounded by nature. He finally stopped at a wooden farmhouse with several exceptionally large cow bells hanging from the wall near the window flower box. We walked into the farmhouse to stand in a small room where the farmer’s wife was cooking cow’s milk in a huge iron pot. Hans explained that every day after the cows were milked, she was ready to make cheese.

As the milk thickened, the woman used a harp-like utensil to cut through the cheese because thick milk becomes difficult to cut. We tasted the thick and milky cheese before it became cheese, it was almost cheese! The only step of the process of making cheese that was not ‘Woman Powered’ was using a small mechanical mixer for 10 minutes. The lady placed a metal hoop inside cloth to make a primitive bowl/ bag as she reached down and scooped 20 pounds of cheese into the bag repeating this over and over again. Next she had to place the cheese in molds stacked on top of each other and she pressed them down into shape. We could hear the cow bells ringing while watching her. The cheese hut held all their stock of cheese each numbered with the date to identify the new and aged cheese.

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com/

“Join cheesemakers in a high valley, try to call the shepherds on an alphorn, and hike through some of the world’s most stunning mountain scenery.”

-Rick Steves

Travel  have fun and create wonderful memories for your family!

“ALL THE PLACES IN THE WORLD”

BY Clay Larroy

If you're looking to get away from it all with a trip away from home, don't forget to travel smart. Regardless of whether you are traveling to a nearby location for the weekend or taking a week-long destination vacation, you are always going to benefit from some tips and ideas on how to make the whole process, more fun and less stressful. Take time each day to alleviate stress while traveling or vacationing and you will thank yourself for it when you get back home. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!

 The Dinosaur Coast. ‘Surf the Tsunami, Anyone?’

By Robyn Leslie

It was a chilly night - we had all commented on it over supper, and the resurrected wind had forced me indoors seeking a jacket. With goodnights said, we closed our double-netted doors, turning on the fans to expel the heat of the day that lingered too long once the temperature outside changed.

I was just nodding off when we heard the phone ring, heard the clattering of footsteps up the stone stairs to our rooms.

The panicked voice of our neighbor, Becca, sounded. ‘Robyn! Robyn!’ She began hammering on our door, the loud and consistent drum of urgency. I stumbled out of bed, pulling on shorts, the jacket I had just thrown on the floor over my nightgown; shoes yanked on without undoing the laces. Someone shouts at us ‘Passports! Grab your passports! Another voice, lower, more stressed - ‘we have got to get out of here’.

The camera goes over my shoulder, the passport in my bag. My traveling companion is zipping up her backpack and grabbing our water bottles. We don’t look at each other. We run outside to where the rest of the hostel has gathered near a battered minibus. Bryan is trying to throw his backpack on the roof, but it keeps falling. He shoves it aside and hustles Helen inside. I realize I still don’t know what’s happening. Von, one of the Swedes, turns to me. ‘The water levels dropped 30 meters. It’s a tsunami alert.’ The immediacy of these words is lost on me for twenty or so seconds, and then found with startling clarity. We begin bundling ourselves into the van, my mind spinning. Where is the highest point? Far enough? How much time have I got? A tsunami? Surf’s up.

Helen begins to panic. Bryan is shouting ‘What? All of us in this van? No way, are you crazy?’ They both jump up and try to force themselves out. The disordered bus entry turns into a panicked run into the darkness. I look in despair at their disappearing backs, and decide better with the crowd than without - we join the dash. Luckily, the road seems to be heading upwards. I sprint up the hill so fast I have to wait, shivering, for people to catch up so I won’t be alone. My fear has now settled in the pit of my stomach and I am searching, straining my eyes for a hill, any hill. ‘Get me away from the sea!’ my head screams at my body.

Ignoring private property signs, we all duck and edge through barbed wire fences. We are heading up the nearest sand cliff - and it is not made for passage: loose earth, rocks and holes are everywhere, and the thin, white thorn trees are invisible in the moonlight. No matter, the fifteen of us storm up the bank, fear pushing us up and over, falling but getting up, ripping ankles, legs and t-shirts but never - never - stopping.

We are all out of breath once we have summited, and if we had the mind space we would have congratulated ourselves at the rapidity of our ascent. So now what to do? We range ourselves on the hill top, all angling towards the ocean. We sit, staring at the sea.

Fifteen minutes. What danger are we in?

Twenty minutes. Are we as high as we can go?

Thirty minutes. Someone asks if it is possible to surf a tsunami.

Matt mentions something he heard on CNN - tsunamis have a lag time of 2 hours. ‘We have 2 hours?’ I think. That is another kilometer inland at least - but I say nothing for now.

The waiting is telling, and people start to make jokes. ‘This is my mother’s email address - any survivors, please tell her I found God before I died, she’ll be so happy!’ ‘Now I can phone home for more money - a tsunami will definitely panic my parents’ bank account into action!’

Forty minutes. A cell phone ring. In quick Spanish, Lucie explains where we are. Her boyfriend in Lima has seen the alerts on TV and promises to call back when he knows more. The minutes tick by.

Lights go on and off at sea, and it appears to me that a fog is forming. People start to take photos. Quietly at first - as if it might be irreverent - but soon emboldened to direct ‘little to the left - now face me!’ With over an hour of no action, almost everyone now starts to relax. People are talking freely and joking around - ‘anyone pack some rum?’

The hippies, who in their madness or ignorance have not left their beachside tents, begin to play their drums. This strange music quiets the loud voices. The eerie half world sound winds and writhes its way up to our hilltop, the rhythm floating ominously in the suddenly dead-still air. I think I stopped breathing. This forgotten coast seems to be rumbling, as if the dinosaurs of its private namesake are stirring in their fossilized graves, insisting on attention, stamping their feet as if demanding that the face of the world looks their way. Lucie’s cell phone begins to trill and the group falls silent immediately. Instinctively, we all move closer together.

She answers. The tsunami alert is over. An extreme tide had pulled the sea back thirty meters, and it was safe to return to the town. The drums below beat on. Later, the hippies would take credit for holding the tsunami at bay. A few of the surfers bravely express disappointment. I’m back in my hammock.

Two days later, the blockades were pulled down and our company of traveler’s leaves, each seeking their own new locations. We were back on the sand the next day, watching the tide roll in.

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com/

Going to Peru is, well, if you ever have an opportunity in your life to go there, you should do it because it is absolutely mind boggling.

Dean Stockwell
 

Travel to experience life with those you love!