The Art of Travel: Part 3 - Planning or Working With Someone to Set Your Itinerary

In this series discussing the Art of Travel, I've covered what happens once you have been bitten by the travel bug, and then some ways you may go about selecting your destination of choice. The next piece in this segment is to begin planning your itinerary. A lot of travelers may feel they don't need the assistance of a travel professional and chose to go it alone. Other travelers may retain the assistance of a travel professional to assist in their itinerary selection, and then there are a few who may do a bit of their own research, and then turn over their selections to a travel professional in order to complete their travel plans. 

Similar to the selection of your destination; planning your travels is drilling down to the nitty gritty of the who, what, when, where and how? These are some of the components you may want to take into consideration, whether you are working with a travel professional or doing it on your own:

• You've selected your destination and your dates of travel have been selected.
• If  you are flying out the country you will need to have your passport.
• Depending on where you are traveling, you may also need a visa. I recommend checking out that countries embassy site, so that you can see what restrictions they may have for entering their country.
• Accommodations - If you are traveling alone, this may not be a big issue; however, if you are traveling with others, you may need larger accommodations. With that being said, your budget is crucial in this aspect, because this component is typically the most expensive part of your travels (next to international air tickets). There are low budget accommodations; moderate; boutique; upscale, and pure out and out decadence. I wrote about selecting hotels before, so I've included the link: http://chicksthattrip-lobbybarconfessions.blogspot.com/2009/12/hotels-are-like-shoes.html.
• Flights - This sounds easy, but it can be trickier than you can imagine. When I work with clients, I try to be cognizant of the number of plane changes; amount of time between their arrival into an airport and when their next flight leaves, and a host of other factors that may increase the overall price of the ticket, but will assist in retaining a bit of sanity. I know that there are some people who will change flights five or six times to shave off $50 to $100 dollars. I, personally think there are other areas to shave money, rather than having to deplane a half a dozen times to save $50, but that's each individuals personal decision.
• Depending on where you are visiting, you may need a rental car, or you may not. When traveling abroad, say to Europe (especially for first timers), I strongly discourage renting cars; however, for those brave souls who have dreamt about tooling around the Amalfi Coast, or the South of France - they will not be discouraged. Make sure to read the terms and conditions closely, because renting a car abroad is not like it is in the United States. For those who aren't renting transportation, it's imperative to have a good map of the buses, rail systems, metros, etc. Also, here is a little tip I learned. When you are traveling, always take a few of the hotels business cards with you, so if you are in a place where you don't speak the language well, you can give the taxi driver the card so they know where to take you.
• Proximity to everything may or may not be important. Some people go away to - go away. Others want to be in the middle of it all. This may be another item you factor into consideration when selecting your accommodations.
• Tours are important to consider, because some of the popular ones sell out fast, so it is wise to pre-purchase some tour packages that are "must sees" before you arrive. Also, when visiting certain countries, make sure to check the days and times that the museums, art galleries, etc, are open, because a lot of them are closed on certain days. I know a lot of people have images of being herded like cattle in and around a country, but a lot of the smaller tour operators prefer smaller, more intimate groups. I work with some who specialize in certain things, and they prefer to have groups at 4-10 people. This allows for more interaction, and easier navigation. Also, another little tip I recommend. If you are going to a city that has a Hop on / Hop off tour bus, you should do that on the first or second day of your arrival. It gives a great lay of the land, so you can scope out places at a leisurely pace and not feel rushed. It's not a guided tour, so you are on your own; yet, you have the benefit of the driver who is making recommendations and telling stories while he/she is driving.
• Food. Yes, you knew it was only a matter of time before I brought up this important component. I am one who researches the heck outta' where I'm going to eat, but, I also retain some spontaneity, in that, I will stop in to any place that looks clean, interesting and engaging. 

These are just a few of the major components I take in to consideration when I am putting together an itinerary for a client, because there is only so much time, therefore, it's imperative that they get the most "bang for their buck."

*Photo taken by That Chick Té

www.chicksthattrip.com

  

The Art of Travel: Part 2 - Selecting a Destination

Photo Taken at Hotel Teatro - Denver, Co

The Art of Travel: Part 2 - Selecting a Destination

I recently finished reading James Clavell's enchanting novel, Shogun. The epic tale is set in Japan in 1600, and weaves together the lives of multiple characters who are inextricably linked through: deceit, loyalty, treachery, opportunity, sadness and love. I could go on, but suffice to say, this eleven hundred plus page novel held me captive for several days. The novel itself was marvelously written and heavily researched. I won't give away any of the plots (to encourage you to read it yourself), but I will say that if you are reader who likes to be captivated by descriptive imagery, and an involved storyline - this novel is for you.

Some of you are probably wondering, "What does this novel have to do with selecting a travel destination?" Well - everything. It is oftentimes through conversations and simple reading that our curiosity is piqued. While I was reading Shogun I kept thinking in my head, "I have to go to Japan." That is not to say that I've never thought about visiting Japan, but it was intensified by reading the novel.

Selecting a destination sounds simple, but oftentimes multiple factors have to be determined, ie, budget, dates/time of travel, and if traveling with others, you must consider their input in the selection process. Sometimes you just don't know where you want to go, but you may have certain criteria, such as: relaxation, adventure, sailing, spas, shopping, etc. All of these criteria are crucial in narrowing down your final destination. When I am working with clients, some of them know exactly where they want to go, but a few don't have a clue; they just know they want to get away!

When you seriously start thinking about selecting a destination, along with the above-mentioned items, also consider some of the following:

• Your interest (as well as any traveling companions interests).
• Time of year. Some places are better (or worse) during certain times of year, so be certain that you consider that in your selection process. Also, some places are more expensive during some times of the year, but are still quite lovely at low season or shoulder season.
• What do you want to do while you are there?
• Health constraints. Sometimes it's simply not wise to attempt travel to certain places if you are not in reasonable health. Example - Peru is a lovely place to visit, but it requires some semblance of good health in order to traverse the various ruins, and mountainous terrain.
• Food can be another important aspect. If you or someone you are traveling with has certain food allergies, or certain foods that can not be eaten (vegetarians, etc), it's best to be aware and select your travel destinations accordingly. That's not to say that anybody can't travel anywhere they would like, but if they won't be able to find foods that they like or can eat, that may put a damper on their trip. Some people are more adventurous when it comes to eating unfamiliar foods, so for those less adventurous folks, it's best to be prepared.
• What do you want to get out of your travel? Some people travel for relaxation and to "get away." Others travel to explore unfamiliar places, and to gain further knowledge into other people and cultures. Some travel to find their roots. And a lot of people travel for pure adventures sake; to get their hearts pumping by pursuing death defying feats!

 *Photo taken by That Chick Té

www.chicksthattrip.com

What Luxury Hotel Properties Can Learn!

Westin Hotel - Downtown Denver

I just got back from a trip to Washington State, and during my stay at a Ramada hotel (which is not ordinarily high on this Chicks list of places to stay), I noticed some items that luxury properties could definitely take a cue from.

Now, when I lists these items, please be aware that I realize that every property can not be all things to all people; therefore, numerous chains (Starwood, Marriott, Hilton, etc) have different properties within their brands, in order to accommodate a large demographic of people.

Westin Upstairs Area By Bar

I have included the photo of the Westin property in Downtown Denver in order to make a point (also, my camera was not working very well on my most recent trip, so I was unable to get a lot of photos). The Westin properties, and other high-end properties within the Starwood brands, tend to have lovely and inviting seating areas within their establishments; however, like most high-end properties, you can sit in their lobby areas and utilize their internet service, but they charge for internet service in your room - that's amazing  to me, and not in a good way.

Now, take for instance, the Ramada in Olympia, Washington, they don't charge for internet service in your room, and I'll list some other items that were offered that travelers tend to like a lot, but are not (typically) offered in most luxury properties:

•  Free Parking - Yeah, it's free.
• Complimentary Breakfast - Ok, this has -0- appeal to me, but a lot of travelers love the idea of a "free" meal. And despite the fact that I am definitely a room service type of Chick, I have to admit that it was nice to go down and grab a complimentary bagel and orange juice before I hit the road in the mornings. By the way, their breakfast was not just a box of cold cereal and stale pastries. They had a waffle maker with waffle mix; fresh fruit (whole fruits as well as cut up pineapples, peaches, strawberries, etc); fresh (not stale) pastries; scrambled eggs; bacon and/or sausage; gravy; a juice machine that had cranberry, orange and apple juice, as well as one of those coffee machines that had the French Vanilla Coffee, and other coffee flavors too.
• In-room mini-refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, and a desk with ample amount of electrical outlets to plug in every conceivable device you may be carrying with you.
• Free Cookies - Yes, I had one peanut butter cookie when they just pulled them out of the oven one evening ...mmmm, yummy!
• Friendly Staff - Well, that may be something that is standard at most luxury properties, but it was worth mentioning.
• Oh, and just to mention it again - free internet in your room.

I will say that I was impressed by the service I received, the cleanliness of my room, and the overall accommodating feel I had during my three night stay at the Ramada in Olympia, Washington. With that being said, you know I have a thing for sexy, boutique type properties, and while this hotel was completely respectable, (and I won't have a problem staying here again if/when I am in the Olympia, Washington area), it isn't sexy. But, that's my thing, and fortunately for the Ramada, I'm sure most of their guests could care less about the zero sexy factor!

*photos taken by That Chick Té

www.chicksthattrip.com

The Art of Travel: Part 1 - Thinking About Going Away

Downtown Denver - Clock Tower

You look outside of your window and see the brewing of a hellacious storm. While you aren't against storms, you are tired of them. You don't want to see anymore rain, sleet or snow. Visions of a nice beach start wafting through your mind, or perhaps you envision yourself wandering aimlessly in the South of France, sipping on wine and enjoying the leisurely life of doing - nothing.

It used to happen to me a lot when I worked in the "Corporate" world. I'd find myself daydreaming about an escape and thinking to myself, "Hmmm, where do I just need to go?" I liken this period as the "outline." Just like a lot of artist out there, they will outline or draft what they want to paint, draw, or even write. This is the period of time where there isn't too much invested in it, and it may just turn out to be a passing fancy, and just fizzles out. But for those who are serious about getting away the process may look something like this:

• Rummaging through old photos and thinking about how much fun you had on your last vacation
• Scanning through your friends' Facebook pages and looking at their photos to gather some ideas
• Visiting some online visitor bureaus for some destinations you've been thinking about visiting over the years
• Pulling out your "bucket" list
• Spinning the globe and stabbing a finger at an unknown destination (I actually knew someone who did this)
• Checking your work account to see just how many vacation days you have available

It may start with initial daydreaming, but as you can see, a bit of work starts to take place as you decide if, in fact, you can escape get away on a nice vacation.

The next installment will be on selecting your destination. How do you decide where you want to go?

*Photo provided by That Chick Té

www.chicksthattrip.com

The Art of Travel

I have a love for travel, and despite some of the less than attractive aspects of traveling (in this new day and age), I am still excited when I travel. 

The art of travel comes into play from the first moment you think about getting away. While there may be multiple sub categories, the main categories in preparing for travel typically look like this:

• Thinking about going away
• Selecting a destination
• Planning or working with someone to set your itinerary
• Paying for your travel
• Gearing up for your future trip
• Departing on your travel
• Arriving to your destination
• Enjoying your time away
• Your return

In the next few weeks, I will address each of these components. Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, each of the above-referenced aspects come into play. Artfully utilizing the strategies I will outline in the coming weeks, you can almost guarantee yourself happy travels!

*photo provided by That Chick Té 

www.chicksthattrip.com

Travel Insurance Myths!

Travel Insurance Myths!

I worked in the insurance industry for many years (in various capacities), and during that time, there was an expression that all of my colleagues and I would chant sometimes as our mantra (paraphrasing), "Insurance is something you don't want to think about until you need it!" 

In this installment, I've also included the link to Travel Guard's "10 Reasons to Purchase Travel Insurance." (Ihttp://www.travelguard.com/whybuy/whytravelguard.asp?intcmp=clc-001-Nav-3-10Reasons ).

I can go on for hours with horrifyingly TRUE stories that have occurred because an individual chose not to purchase travel insurance; however, I will list just a few that seem to come up over and over again:

• Myth #1 - I don't need travel insurance because I'm only traveling domestically. - The reality is that if you are traveling and there is an amount that you can't afford to lose and/or cover, then you need travel insurance. Example (which actually happened to me on a trip to San Diego) - the weather is fine where you are; however there is a snow storm/electrical storm, or some other natural disaster that causes your flight to be cancelled; thus causing you to have to either a. spend the night (or nights) in the airport, or b. go stay at a hotel. Well, if you are like quite a few travelers out there, most people can ill afford to have to pay out-of-pocket to stay in a hotel in another city for an indefinite amount of time. Some will say, "Well, isn't the airline responsible to put me up?" The short answer is, "No." 
• Myth #2 - I'm young, healthy and in good shape, so I don't need travel insurance.  - Regardless of age, anything can happen to anybody at anytime. The strangest flukes can occur to the youngest, healthiest, most able bodied individuals. 
• Myth #3 - Travel Insurance is a waste of money. - Again, it depends on what you are willing to risk. If you have no problem eating a $1000 - $1500 airline ticket to Europe, and any non-refundable hotel deposits, because you or a family member falls ill right before your trip, then no, you don't need it, but again, most people do not have the means to eat an expensive airline ticket and non-refundable deposits for hotels and excursions; especially since most airlines (with the current exception of Southwest airlines) charge hefty change/cancellation, etc, fees.
• Myth #4 - I have health insurance through my employer so I don't need additional medical insurance while traveling in another country. - Again, the short response to this is, "It probably won't be covered." This is something that obviously is a case-by-case situation, and depends on your insurance coverage and/or provider. And, incidentally, travel insurance for business is handled differently than leisure travel, so keep that in mind. I had a heart-breaking situation when I worked in personal lines insurance. A ladies brother was involved in an automobile accident in Mexico (many years ago), and his health insurance, nor his auto insurance covered the loss because he drove his personal vehicle into another country and did not have proper insurance on his automobile, and his employer's health insurance did not cover any of his medical bills or transport back from Mexico to the United States. He was in a coma for over two weeks, and his sister was distraught because she had no money or means to get him back to the United States.

Needless to say, purchasing travel insurance is a personal decision, and far be it from me to tell anybody what they should do, but the reality is that a trip is an investment and protecting that investment should be of utmost importance and concern for the traveler.

 

www.chicksthattrip.com

You Can Go Anywhere!

You Can Go Anywhere!

 I can't tell you how many times I've been in casual conversations with people and they'll say, "Oh, I would love to go to (fill in the blank), but I could never afford that!" Then, I start digging and asking probing questions about their likes, dislikes, preferences, etc, and lo' and behold, I give them a general realm of how much that fantastic trip would cost, and they look at me shell shocked and say, "Damn, I can afford that!" 

A delightful blogger, Paula Pant, over at afford-anything.com, wrote an impressive piece entitled, "Quit Your Job, Travel, and Live Remarkably," (http://afford-anything.com/2011/07/01/quit-your-job-and-travel/). You can jump over and read the article for yourself, but what I thoroughly appreciated about the article was the quashing of such misconceptions that people have about those who do travel. For example, a lot of people think that if you travel a lot, then you (or your family) must be wealthy; you are going into great debt; or you have someone else footing the bill. Generally speaking, nothing is further from the truth. Those of us who have a passion and thirst for travel realize that any and all travel is possible. Proper planning and budgeting can get you anywhere around the globe. Whether it's a once in a lifetime trek to the Himalayas, or monthly jaunts to hit every major city in the U.S., you are your only limitation. 

Incidentally, there is always more than one way to skin a cat, errr, I mean, go on a trip. Some of the non-traditional methods out there are becoming ever popular among a segment of the population, and while these tactics may not be for everyone, some may be appealing to those who want to hit the road and stick to a tight budget:

• Couch Surfing - This type of travel is most definitely not for everyone, but for the more adventurous and trusting souls, this may be the perfect way to see the world. The premise behind this type of travel is that you essentially call on friends and family members, and spend time on their couch while you are traveling.There is even a site committed solely to securing lodging (these are not family and friends, but people who sign up on their site http://www.couchsurfing.org/).
•  Home Swapping - A wonderful move called, "The Holiday," (Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet were the actresses in the movie); these two found themselves seeking an escape from their day-to-day lives, and with the help of an online house matching service, Kate spent the Christmas holiday at Cameron's ultra modern home in California; while Cameron trekked to Kate's modest, but charming home in England. I can not promise that your experience will be as fun-filled as it turned out for them, but if this is an avenue you are willing to explore, there are numerous services out there that assist in the vetting process (background checks, monetary exchange, etc).
• Educational Travel - It is becoming more and more popular. Typically the accommodations are fairly modest because the schools/institutions will utilize the dorms and or lesser expensive apartments in the city to accommodate the students; however, this is a great way to travel, meet people, and have an incredible learning experience to boot!
• Hostels - Well, they've been around forever. A lot of people swear by hostels; however, if I had to stay at a hostel, I'd be swearing. 
• Rent An Apartment - When you are traveling abroad, if you are going to be in Europe for an extended period of time (say two or more weeks), renting an apartment is an attractive alternative to save money. What I particularly like about the apartment renting concept is that you can have a primary location where you keep all of your "stuff," and if your primary base is in, say, Paris, you can jump on a train and explore other surrounding cities and spend a night or two in varying locations without schlepping all of your stuff. And even though you will need to secure accommodations in those other cities, it's far less expensive to explore while you are there on that continent, than to do separate trips flying from the U.S. to Europe. 

Now, go on and get to traveling!

*Image used from: http://flash.atlrec.com/diggy/images/jetsetter.jpg

www.chicksthattrip.com

Benefits Of Using A Travel Professional!

On the Today Show, there was a great segment on the benefits of using a travel professional. Obviously this is on my radar since I am a travel professional, but also given the recent incident with the cruise ship in Italy, many people are understanding the benefits of utilizing a travel professional to assist them in the "ins and outs" of setting up any insurance claims they will need to file for such occurrences, like the one that transpired on the Costa Concordia.

Happy viewing!



http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/46054707#46054707

www.chicksthattrip.com

The Destination Is Only Part Of The Journey!

"Lhasa had never been anything for me other than

a way station en route to Everest.

Now, for the first time, I was focused on this 

place and its people."

High Exposure, by David Breashears

I recently finished reading David Breashears novel, High Exposure. I would do a grave injustice if I attempted to recount the events he described on his multiple ascents of Everest; however, the quote I chose to use in this post resonated with me, because I've often felt that during our travels we tend to disregard everything else, until we reach our final destination; but what could we be missing along the way?

A friend of mine took a road trip during the holidays, from Arizona down to the Santa Barbara area, and then back home through Palm Springs, on her "Tour de California". As I read her post, I thought about how many times I have driven through Palm Springs, but never stayed in Palm Springs. Sure, it's a wonderful stopping point to stretch your legs on that journey to and from Arizona to Los Angeles/San Diego, or any other Southern California destination, and lest not forget the crucial stopping point in Cabazon to survey delightful finds at the outlet mall; however, it was always a place I went through to get me where I wanted to be.

 This year, I plan on doing some travel to areas that are oftentimes places where you simply gas up and continue on until you reach your final destination, but in my travels, these little (not that Palm Springs is little) places will be my destinations, and not just for passing through.

I look forward to blogging about these destinations, and I hope that as you plan your travels for 2012, you consider staying a night or two, in some of the lesser known places as you make your journey to your final destination.

 *photo from: http://mi9.com/uploads/landscape/1972/icy-mountain-on-the-ocean_422_24970.jpg4.me/view

www.chicksthattrip.com

Happy New Year!

Best wishes for a happy, healthy & prosperous New Year!

Chicks That Trip 

photo used from: http://www.vectorjungle.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/champagne_background.jpg