The Savvy Tourist

It Pays to use a Travel Agent

The general belief or myth is that is costs more to use a travel agent when booking your vacation. That is simply not true. Actually, the opposite can be true after you see what kind of special deals an agent has access to and the savings you will incur thanks to their expertise. I was a travel agent for many years and still get requests for assistance with vacations from my readers and past clients. I can offer advice but I no longer have any affiliation that allows me to book trips, so I ask anyone out there that is interested in planning a vacation, please call Carolyn, a.k.a. Blondie, at Why Not Travel. You will be in good hands.

For more information on why you should consider the services of a travel agent, check out a post I wrote a few years back, Why Travel Agents?  And don't forget to read How to be a Good Customer

 

Learn the Lingo, Beware of Dingos

If you’re heading to Australia for the first time, you’ll be delighted and surprised at some of the turns of phrase and slang terms used. Although essentially the same language as the Old World, Australian English has evolved its very own slang vocabulary, recognized across the world as something distinctly Australian. Many of the words and phrases were brought into the global lexicon via the golden era of Australian soap operas in the 80s and 90s. And they all tell us something about the history of this special country. 

Claimed for the British crown in the 18^th Century, eastern Australia was used by the empire primarily as a penal colony for Irish and British convicts, a practice that went on for 80 years, between 1788-1868. Quite a few Aussie slang words hail from this period, and betray their British origins. ‘Creek’, for example, is on old English word meaning a stream or small river. It has fallen out of use in the UK, and now seems a particularly Australian term. Similarly, ‘paddock’ – still used in England to denote a livestock enclosure – simply means any field in Australia. ‘Bush’ and ‘scrub’ refer to what Brits would call the countryside. And of course ‘mate’ is widely used by Antipodeans, passed down and still used by their English cousins, but never in other English-speaking countries like the US or Scotland. 

The origins of some Aussie phrases are a lot less obvious. ‘Fair dinkum’ is used to mean ‘authentic’ or ‘fair enough’, but its history is disputed. Some people believe that ‘dinkum’ originated during the Australian goldrush of the 1850s, and is derived from ‘ding kam’, a Cantonese expression meaning ‘top gold’. Others cite a redundant English dialect from the East Midlands, where the word meant simply ‘hard work’. Interestingly, since the phrase gained notoriety by being used in Neighbours, its usage is now more a self-parody than an authentic way of speaking – so be sure to say it with a smirk! 

Another well-worn Aussie word is ‘sheila’, the somewhat patronizing word for ‘woman’. It evolved in this very macho culture, probably from the Irish name ‘Sile’. ‘Bludger’, a great word to trip off the tongue, denotes a lazy person, and comes from the now-defunct British slang-term for ‘pimp’.

There y’go mate. Just a few Aussie words to help you blend in. To get yourself down under for a real taste of the Oz language, visit DialAFlight and fly to Australia for less than you might expect.

 

 

Cheapest Airfare

There are a lot of choices out there for booking airfare online. As a travel agent for many years, I have tried them all! After some good experiences and some not so good experiences, I have to highly recommend OneTravel for all of your flight bookings. They scour the Internet for "up to the minute" lowest airfare prices and they have never let me down. Included in their service is their "Lowest Fare Promise" where if you find a lower price they will pay you $10.00 per traveler. Check out their current airfare deals below.

A few hints while searching for flights:

• Be flexible with your dates and time if at all possible. The lowest fare may not be available on your first choice, but may be available the very next day or possibly hours later.
• Another great idea, depending upon where you live is to also be flexible with your departure and destination airports. There may be an airport just 30 minutes away that offers a better price than the one you originally wanted to travel out of.
• Don't be afraid to mix and match airlines. Sometimes another airline's schedule will fit your schedule better.
• After you book your flights, check out The Savvy Tourist's Travel Links page where you will find tons of useful information for your upcoming trip.

You may want to bookmark The Savvy Tourist's Airfare page for any future travel as they offer many different travel deals that I will keep you updated on. In the meantime, enjoy your experience today knowing you are getting the cheapest flights available.

 

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Orbitz Weekly Specials!

Just a quick reminder to check out the Orbitz weekly specials that are posted in the left sidebar. These are some incredible deals and you won't want to miss them. They change all the time and some will be expiring very soon so don't delay.

 

Jumbo Hostel

Here is an innovative new concept when it comes to the "all-nighter" on an airplane...the Jumbo Hostel. Now you can sleep in luxurious accommodations on an airplane without ever leaving the ground. You can actually spend the night on board a real jumbo jet and never leave the airport. To some, this may sound like an incredible waste of time, but to others it could be quite the novelty in sleep-overs.

The airplane, a decommissioned model 747-200 jumbo jet was built in 1976 and was last operated by Transjet, a Swedish Airline that went bankrupt in 2002. It was originally built for Singapore Airlines and later flew for Pan Am. The airplane is now located at Arlanda Airport on it's permanent concrete foundation after undergoing a complete conversion. Over 450 seats were removed to make room for what is now a unique sleeping experience for guests. The hostel is built like any house, subject to regulations and standards. It now serves as a spectacular and (not so) original landmark at the Arlanda Airport.

There are 25 rooms on board this newly renovated Jumbo Hostel with a total of 85 beds in all. The rooms are configured with 3 bunk beds in most rooms. There are also quad dorm options, all with separate shared shower and bathroom facilities. There is one luxury suite in the converted cockpit with a panoramic view of the airport.

If sleeping in an airplane (when you don't really have to) is not exactly your cup of tea, well then, you can just stop by for...well, a cup of tea! There is a cafe' where you can purchase breakfast, coffee, cookies and snacks. You can also walk along the left wing observation deck and experience the feeling of standing on top of a real Jumbo Jet's wing.

In the travel industry convenience is a big plus, so if you have an early flight to catch, staying right at the airport (literally) may be the solution for you.

Hurry....TODAY ONLY!

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San Fran or bust......

I began my trip by flying First Class from San Diego to San Francisco via United Air Lines. There may be a better way to go, but I can't think of one. The service was great, the flight was uneventful (which is how I like my flights), and everything was on time. Of course I was not offered a meal, only a small bag of pretzels and a soda, but for an hour long flight, that seemed appropriate.
I always enjoy flying into San Francisco. People watching is a funny little habit of mine and San Fran certainly has an interesting mix of folks to watch.
I had already made arrangements for a rental car online with Budget so all I had to do was go pick it up and be on my way to my savvy little getaway in Tiburon, CA.  I had done quite a bit of research on the available rental cars for type and price and other miscellaneous issues involved in renting cars, and decided upon Budget. Well, I think that most of the people arriving in San Fran that day had done the same research and come to the same conclusion and were standing in the same line waiting to pick up their rental car. Just my luck! What I did learn, while patiently awaiting my turn is that Budget offers a new system called FastBreak where you can reserve your car and drive away without any hassles. No paperwork, no waiting, no added expenses. Just fill out the enrollment form online and the next car you rent will be the easiest thing you've ever done while traveling.

We asked the rental agent the best way out of the airport to 101 North towards Tiburon. (The last time we tried to drive directly through downtown San Fran while following a map which didn't bother to tell us which roads were one way). We apparently like to learn things the hard way. The agent muttered something about a convertible only being an extra $15, would I like to upgrade? No, I would not like to upgrade, what is the best way to 101 North? His answer was some sort of jibberish that sounded like 380 - 280 - 19th street. So that is exactly what we did, and amazingly enough, it worked. Golden Gate Bridge  here we come.

BTW- the extra $15 is per day not total, so don't think they are offering you any kind of deal at the last minute.

Sea Ranch and Gualala

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I will be headed to Northern California next month for a little business and pleasure mixed together. My intended destination is the area known as Sea Ranch located about 100 miles north of San Francisco along the coast. Sea Ranch is a quiet little unincorporated area that has become a popular vacation spot. Not widely known, Sea Ranch is actually filled with repeat customers every season as people are always coming back for more peace and quiet and getting back to nature once they discover this beautiful little part of the country. There are many ways to experience Sea Ranch. You can stay in an upscale hotel, a Country Inn, an historic hotel, or perhaps a small cottage in the tree covered cliffs. There are also many homes for rent, whether for a week or a season. There is also camping for anyone interested in sleeping with the bears.

Just about 10 to 12 miles north of Sea Ranch is a quaint little town known as Gualala. Gualala (pronounced locally as wa-la-la) used to be a very profitable logging town, providing much needed lumber to the San Francisco area after the earthquake in 1906. Tourism is now their main source of economic resource. Gualala is named after it's perfect location where the "river meets the sea". Being in Gualala is like being in a novel and turning back time. You can sit for hours on the beach and never get enough of the view or the undisturbed wildlife that surrounds you. I plan to take a "moonlight float' down the Gualala River while I am there, and of course I will also be using this wonderful place to refine my amateur photographic skills (or lack thereof). Speaking of photography, that leads me to the reason for my trip. I will be attending a photographic arts showing in the Burnett Gallery of the local Gualala Arts Center.

I have made my reservations for lodging at The Breakers Inn and I look forward to writing about it upon my return. I have made arrangements to take a tour of the property and their facilities so I will have more to share with all of you.

A savvy vacation choice

With the price of gas (and everything else) everyone is looking for new and improved ways to budget. Having been a travel agent, I can tell you that vacations are the first thing to either get thrown out of the budget completely or else purchased as cheaply as possible. Unfortunately, when you skimp on your vacation, you are essentially cheating yourself out of the best time you have with your family and friends. Personally, I would rather clip coupons and carpool than skimp on my vacation. I was always sorry when I booked a "budget" vacation.
There are ways to have a great vacation without skimping and one of them is by renting a house, possibly with friends and family, instead of paying resort prices. Sharing the cost of a house or condo is always more cost effective. You have facilities to cook some meals instead of eating out 3 times a day. You don't have to pay for parking your car, you don't have to walk through the lobby in your swimsuit, you don't have to tip anyone or cram 4 people (or more) into 1 hotel room. Everyone has a little more space to call their own and in some cases, you can take the family dog. One of the online booking agencies that I recommend is HomeAway. There are more destinations to choose from than you can imagine. Whether you prefer Italy or Martha's Vineyard, North Carolina or Africa, there is a home to suit your vacation needs. There are even homes for rent for RV travelers to "take a break" and spread out for a little while. I consider this a much more savvy way to travel, and I will always recommend it over timeshares any day.

Find the best cruise for you...

As a travel agent, I took pride in the personalized customer service that I tried to provide my clients. If you are a regular reader of The Savvy Tourist you will know that is one of my pet peaves...customer service, or the lack thereof these days. If my clients are going to spend their hard earned money on a vacation then I believed that it should be custom tailored to their family's dreams. I have noticed in the business that when people book cruises they do not realize that every cruise line out there offers something different. Price is not the only factor to be considered. That is why you need to use a travel agency that specializes in cruises. It would be almost impossible for you alone to compare all the cruise lines and what they have to offer. For example, Royal Caribbean has always provided my clients with exceptional service and fantastic excursions for a reasonable price. Princess Cruises is a little "higher end", but delivers beyond your expectations. They are well known for their exceptional Alaska Cruise Tours that offer you the vacation of a lifetime. I had the privilege of attending a cruise seminar sponsored by Norwegian Cruise Lines once and I left there with my mouth watering from all the delightful meals they offer from their renowned chefs. So you see, even though all cruise lines can provide you with a cruise vacation, you need to understand that not all cruise lines are the same. If you are from the retired crowd and you want a quiet two week cruise as opposed to a fun filled week of partying and gambling, then you need the expertise of a travel agency that can provide the level of customer service required to find the right cruise line for you.

On The Spot Deals

This is the first week ever that I have received so many "On The Spot Deals" to post. It is finally the season when everyone feels like planning their upcoming travel. Check out the list in the left sidebar and see if you can take advantage of any of these great travel specials. Hurry, they do expire soon!

Getaway to Gatlinburg

Before I was so rudely interrupted by my  Las Vegas adventure, I started to tell you about my travels to Tennessee. Well, lets get back to the hills of Tennessee for a much more relaxing experience.
We arrived in Nashville late due to some unexpected delays on Delta as mentioned in my previous post Delta Disappoints. We were picked up at the airport by my in-laws and spent the night at my sister-in-law's town home in Nashville. We didn't really have time to tour Nashville on this visit, because we had bigger and better things to explore beginning bright and early the next morning.
I was under the impression we were just spending a few nights in a cabin up in the mountains, but by the looks of the packed trunk of my mother-in-law's car we were prepared for a month long pilgrimage. She is the queen of snack food and by God we had it all! We had to take the case of bottled water and stuff individual bottles in the spaces between the chips and canned chili. We had games to play, movies to watch, books to read and enough camera equipment to go on an expedition with. We even managed to get a few clothes and a change of underwear squeezed into the backseat between hubby and me, along with the Tassimo  machine and the laundry detergent. Keep in mind this is a 2 night trip. Despite all the crap we had managed to pack into the car, we were all looking forward to this peaceful outing in the wilderness. Now,when I say wilderness, or cabin, I am afraid many of you may get the wrong idea and think that I am roughing it in a cabin with just a wood burning fireplace for heat and an outhouse with a resident snake. Nope, not me! My mother-in-law rented us a gorgeous 3 story, 3 bedroom, 3 bath log home in the hills of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. She booked this cabin online with American Patriot Getaways which had many great cabins to choose from. Being the spoiled rotten travelers that we are, we opted for the cabin with the view and the hot tub on the deck. Our cabin was called Smoky Mountain Mist and we were anxiously awaiting our arrival there. Unfortunately, we had about 3 to 4 hours of driving ahead of us first............

And now....for the rest of the story!

I am going to try and wrap this up in what I will refer to as "The Final Chapter" of the Las Vegas Liar and My Encounter in Sin City.
Now that I had escaped the clutches of Westgate Resorts , my son and I decide to relax and enjoy a leisurely breakfast and try to put all this behind us. We ate at a lovely place called Lombardis Romagna Mia where the service and the food were impeccable. That calmed me down a bit to once again be treated like a human being.
While waiting for my parents to complete their "3 Hour Tour", we decided to try and come up with something fun to do later when we were all reunited. We decided the Comedy Magic Show that my parents would have tickets to after the tour would be fun. I would just buy our tickets so we could all still go together, even though I was being punished. The show times were 1pm and 3pm so we planned on the latter. It was now only "noonish" (that is a technical airline term I have been informed by one of my readers).
One of the "perks" of staying at Planet Hollywood is it's convenient location to shopping.  Miracle Mile Shops is basically attached to Planet Hollywood. It is what used to be the really cool outside-like shopping experience at the Aladdin. The ceiling is painted to feel like the open sky above, and the floor is tiled like an old cobblestone walk. But don't worry, they are changing all those quaint little features into more glitz, glitter and excitement for your future pleasure. Anyway.....we window shopped while we waited for my parents. We waited........and waited.....and waited. By 2:30pm I was very worried and figured my father had picked up where I left off and possibly they too had been impounded for their behavior. Finally, nearing 3pm, I heard from them. It had been a horrible experience and had we not already paid for a second night at the hotel, we would be leaving immediately, I was informed.
This had been much worse than your typical timeshare routine. They had been given a tour alright! They showed them the model suite of the "yet to be built" Planet Hollywood Towers, the building site, and the lovely shopping mall. Then they dragged them into a room with what looked like a bunch of telemarketers (land salesmen) feeding everyone Kool-Aid and discussing their future on "vacation ownership". My parents have always been very "savvy" with their investments and were anxious to read the fine print and fully understand what the offer entailed. They wanted to read the paperwork, discuss their options and also talk to a lawyer. Can you imagine someone wanting to do all those things before buying real estate? They must be crazy!! Westgate was having absolutely no part of that. They either bought right now, on the spot, or the price goes up $3,000. If they walk out of that room to discuss anything with anybody (namely me), the deal was off the table. At this point, several options had been tossed at them, and all the facts and figures were very fuzzy. They asked if they could take some paperwork with them to look over for awhile. The answer was "NO". They needed to buy right away, before this opportunity to vacation next door to George Clooney passes them over. What? I am going to have to call George and see if he knows they are throwing his name around to sucker people into buying here. Believe me when I say "buying" is loosely interpreted. For your purchase, you get the chance (Las Vegas lingo) to possibly vacation at Planet Hollywood, if it is available, or possibly "somewhere else" just like every other timeshare offers. You also get the privilege of paying real estate taxes on the 1/12th of the ownership, but you do not get any income from the rental profit. Sound familiar?
After my parents repeatedly declined the offer(s), the original salesman just up and left the table. In walks "a higher up" to give them one last chance. He is the only one that has this ability, yeah right!! Do you feel like you are buying a car yet? Anyway, after once again declining the offer, yet another guy came in to "escort" them out. There was no thank you, nice to meet you, we appreciate your time, nothing!!! Just get the hell out!
Hey .....what about breakfast? Oh....you can grab a sandwich out of the cold box on your way out. OMG!! Can you believe the lack of professionalism here? I figured if the "product" was worth anything, it could easily sell itself. Real Estate usually does. Instead, these people try to shove it down your throat and then threaten you and withhold nourishment. So, if they had actually bought anything, would they get the "breakfast" carrot that had been dangled in front of them? Well, guess what? Not only have they not eaten anything all day, we have managed to miss the only 2 show times that were available for the Comedy Magic Show. There's some worthless gifts. As for the "rest of the gifts", we took advantage of the 2 buffet tickets to the Sahara and we managed to win $137.50 at the black jack table with the $100 worth of "non-negotiable" chips.
The next morning we got the hell out of there so fast it would make your head spin. Who wants to vacation in something that looks like the ass end of an old Cadillac anyway?

Being in college (and always thinking), my son decided I needed a "nice" business card, like the one I gave to Westgate, and a "not so nice" business card for times such as these. He said he didn't think they felt very threatened by my cutesy little pink and white card. So, a new business card is on the drawing board for "Annie Ego", the much feared travel critic. Any suggestions from my readers would be welcomed.

Who's afraid of the 34th floor?

Me! That's who!! You guessed it, my room at Planet Hollywood was on the 34th floor. How lucky for me, NOT! So, we checked in at the  PH front desk with little to no trouble. The rooms were prepaid and we could check in with Westgate Vacations for the rest of our package up until 10pm that night. After being in the hills of Tennessee without Internet service, I asked the guy at the front desk if Internet was provided in the rooms. He informed us that Wi-Fi and cable hook-up were provided in all the rooms. I was ecstatic! That is such a great amenity for hotels to provide these days. We proceeded to the elevator and I held my breath for 34 floors. Ordinarily not an easy task, but we had the "express" elevator that basically flies past the first 23 floors (again, lucky me). The rooms were absolutely fabulous! That particular floor had recently been remodeled (Planet Hollywood used to be The Aladdin) and we had a gorgeous bathroom with huge jacuzzi tub, large shower, and lots of room overall. There was a 42 inch wide-screen TV for our viewing pleasure and a very comfortable bed with lots of pillows. We were able to get adjoining rooms so that made it really fun, like being in a suite. So far, I was pretty impressed. Everyone else appreciated the view too. Me, not so much.
Anyway, I plugged in my laptop and began following the steps to hook up to the Internet. While reading the directions posted I noticed there would be a charge of $12.99 per day. I guess "provided" or "available" does not actually mean "complimentary". I was sure that front desk guy had left me with the impression the service was free, but then again, they have a knack for that in Las Vegas. You think something is complimentary, but you later find there is a catch that requires a purchase of some kind. At this point, I was so happy just to have Internet available to me I wasn't too bothered with having to pay for it. This could easily have been my error. (Please make note of how reasonable I can be, it will come in handy later). I followed all the procedures for Wi-Fi hook up as it really wasn't very difficult. At least not until I actually wanted to visit a website. My computer was pretty sure it was connected, but I couldn't navigate to anywhere. I called the Internet help number and was put on hold by a computer that was busy helping other customers for almost 30 minutes. Finally, after much time went by it was determined by Cox Communications that the hotel has not turned on the Internet access to my room because they do not have a credit card on file for me. Are you kidding? So, I called the front desk and tried to give them my credit card over the phone so as to gain access to the Internet. I was told I would have to come back downstairs for that......all 34 floors. Yikes!!!! Tell me they didn't know they needed my credit card when I asked them if I had Internet available in my room. Maybe that is another reason I thought it was a free service........silly me! Well, far be it from me to waste a good trip downstairs so I decided to go ahead and check in with Westgate Vacations and pick up the rest of our amenities (gambling chips). We did a rather uneventful check in that required a photo id and a signature and instructions to meet at 11:30 am for our tour the next day. Unfortunately, their "system" was down and they were unable to provide us with the dinner tickets, show tickets, or chips. They asked if we would mind waiting until tomorrow and pick everything up when we came for the tour. We were still very unsuspecting at this point so of course we were agreeable. Third flag up the pole........

Sin City Saga continued.....

I should probably fill you in on a little "back history" as to how we got involved in this mess to begin with. We wanted to visit some relatives who live in Las Vegas and I thought it would be a good time to show my parents some of the sights and maybe take in a show. So, I sent my mother on the great quest for a good "middle of the week" deal at a hotel on the strip. I figured if we were going, we might as well be where the action is, or at least some of the coolest hotels. Well, my mother is not only a "savvy tourist", but also a "savvy shopper". She can spot a deal a mile away. I told her not to go cheap, since you do get what you pay for in Vegas, but stay within reason. She found a great deal on the Internet for a "vacation package" offered by Westgate Resorts. When she called the toll free number they were anxious to book this package for her. Listen to all you get.........2 nights at Planet Hollywood, 2 tickets for the buffet at the Sahara Hotel, 2 tickets for a comedy magic show, a free breakfast presentation and $100 worth of gambling chips. All this for $149. We thought Mom had found her usual great deal. Apparently these packages were of "limited availability" and they only had certain packages available for a certain demographic of people at these prices. I figured this was some sort of promotional thing that happens in Las Vegas so as to rip people off in every age group, race, religion and sexual preference category. So as luck would have it, they had a package available for a married couple, and one for a single female. So, my parents took the "married couple" package and I took the "single female" package. I informed them that I was "traveling as a single female" (knowing my husband would be out of the country for work). The customer service rep informed us that we had to make at least $60,000 per year and fit into the category (married, single) that we booked to qualify for all the special amenities that we were being given, including and most important, the 90 minute breakfast presentation. (This is where the first red flag went up.) 90 minute breakfast presentation? I heard breakfast but I had no idea it was going to take me 90 minutes. For what exactly I asked. Oh, it is just a little tour and presentation showing us the new Planet Hollywood Towers I was informed. Tour? Who said anything about a tour? Anyway, the rep explained a few things about how Planet Hollywood was building a new resort and it was being offered as a vacation opportunity. Oh, now I get it, it's a timeshare! She tried to say everything except "timeshare", since it carries the same stigma as "Amway". Believe it or not, I was actually kind of excited to see this new "vacation opportunity" since I write a travel blog and hope to be that "much feared" travel critic some day. I planned to bring home lots of great information for my readers. The next step was being transferred to the Confirmation Center and having us answer these questions we were prompted for on a recorded phone line.(second flag up the pole). So, yes I make at least $60,000 per year, and yes, I am traveling as a single female. The damage was done, the trip was booked and paid for and we would be on our way to Vegas in a week for a fun filled adventure. Or so we thought............

Delta disappoints......

Everything started out pretty well with my travels on Delta Airlines. I printed out our boarding passes at home, which I think is a great tool for speeding things up at the airport. We went through the normal strip search procedures required at security. (I wished I had known I could've waited and dressed at the airport instead of at home.) Anyway, we had plenty of time so no worries. All was well until it came time to board and I believe we were only 10 minutes before scheduled departure. Delta does this "zone" boarding thing that seemed quite intriguing until I saw it in action. Silly me, I assumed that the "zone" boarding would allow people seated in the back of the airplane to board first or maybe all the window people to board, then the middle seat people, then the aisle people so as to alleviate the need to crawl over people. Well, if that was actually the plan, it failed miserably. We were seated in row 38 I believe, seats A and B (window and middle) and we were boarded almost last. So, if anyone knows the secret behind this "zone" boarding, I would love to hear it. This boarding took over 40 minutes from start to finish thanks to the people who still think it is appropriate to bring the kitchen sink on vacation with them. You see, although the rules (I think they are more like guidelines) state only 1 carry on and 1 personal item per person, there is no more reinforcement because of the "check in" at home process. I took them at their word and made sure I only had my suitcase and my purse. I even left a few items behind at home. I appeared to be the only one not carrying a suitcase, laptop and backpack. I guess rules mean nothing to people which is why I now refer to them as "guidelines".
We finally got on our way to Atlanta after the very amusing boarding process and I was pleasantly surprised by my new traveling companion. No, not my hubby, I already new about him. A gentleman that I will here in after refer to as my new friend, Fred, sat down beside me and we talked from take-off in San Diego to landing in Atlanta. That was such a pleasant experience for me especially since I do not usually spend a lot of time talking to people sitting next to me on airplanes. Fred had some wonderful stories to share about his family, especially his daughters, and their many travels. I am hoping to get them to guest author on here and share some of their experiences with us. He is also a great listener, which makes a conversation so much more enjoyable. So, no matter what Delta pulls on me from this point forward, I will always be thankful for meeting Fred. I know we will keep in touch.

We almost got to Atlanta close to on time, but just enough off for Fred to miss his shuttle connection for home. Sorry about that chief!!! Hubby and I knew we had time to grab a bite to eat before continuing on to Nashville, what we didn't know is that we had time to take in a show to go along with it. There was some noise about a missing flight attendant coming in on a late flight. Well, I completely understand that issue having come from the industry and that being one of the daily nightmares thrown my way. This really didn't bother me much and besides, I wasn't going to miss any connections, as this was our final destination flight.  (Notice how understanding I am being?) So, after a few hours of standing near these automatic trash compacting contraptions that are plugged in every 10 feet or so, we boarded the plane and headed for Nashville. This was a pleasant flight with a lot of cool air coming out of the overhead a/c so I was a happy camper. Or so I thought I was until the Captain kept telling us to expect turbulence from the storm surrounding the Nashville area. There never really was much turbulence to speak of, but since he kept speaking of it, there were a few green people on board. Go figure! We arrived in Nashville almost an hour late. Little did I know at the time, this was just the beginning of things to come.

Well, the Delta saga will continue but I have decided to write about my trip in chronological order so you will have to keep checking back to hear more about my adventures in Tennessee first.

Do you know what they have in Tennessee that we don't have in California?  Varmits!!! And I think they live in something called a "Holler". What's a holler?

Travelin' to Tennessee

We are off to Tennessee tomorrow morning. I actually bought my tickets online through Travelocity and we will be traveling on Delta Airlines connecting in Atlanta. Believe it or not, I have never traveled on Delta and I am very excited to see what they have to offer. After all, since I plan to be a famous "Travel Critic" someday, I better start paying attention to detail while I am actually traveling. I usually use travel time to completely zone out, but this time everyone better be on their toes, because here comes Annie, the soon-to-be much feared Travel Critic. (Okay Jay, you can stop laughing now!!) My hubby calls me "Annie Ego", after the not so beloved food critic, "Anton Ego" from Disney's Ratatouille.

The main focus of the trip is to visit family in Nashville, but we will all be headed to the Great Smoky Mountains for some much needed R&R in a beautiful cabin in the woods. How cool is that? This is also going to be one of those trips where we try to implement our amateur photographic abilities and get some really great pictures. So, I am being told I will be out of touch this weekend as there is no Internet access available up at the cabin. We shall just see about that!!! Isn't there a Starbucks like every 100 feet now?

Valentine's Packages to 4 Cities

Just for couples: Air France Holidays is offering specially priced Valentine's Day packages to Paris, Nice, Rome and Barcelona.

The Paris package includes roundtrip airfare on Air France, 3 nights' hotel accommodations, the Paris Panorama Tour, daily continental breakfast and a Paris city map.

The Barcelona package includes roundtrip airfare on Air France, 3 nights' hotel accommodations, a Gaudi and Picasso tour and daily continental breakfast.

The Rome package includes roundtrip airfare on Air France, 3 nights' hotel accommodations, and a tour of Rome's ancient sites and daily continental breakfast.

The Nice package also includes roundtrip airfare on Air France (in case you hadn't already figured it out), 3 nights' accommodations in Nice, Villa-Beaulieu/St. Jean Cap Ferrat and daily continental breakfast.

All packages are priced from $799, except the Barcelona tour, which starts at $859. All packages also include hotel taxes and service charges and airline fuel surcharges but do not include airport taxes and fees. For more info go to Air France Holidays.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

(This is not a paid post, just a good idea I wanted to share)

Cheap..oops, I mean... Inexpensive Flights to Europe

Back in school, I was taught that the word "cheap" was a great advertising word. It gets attention. In the travel industry, I was taught that "cheap" is taboo! It makes people feel that the quality of their vacation is being cheapened. We would always use "inexpensive" as opposed to the formerly mentioned taboo word. Well, now I am "niche" blogging and have no idea what the rules are, but I wanted you all to know that there are some flights to Europe being offered right now that might not cost very much, but you can be the judge of that. You can click on my Travelocity affiliate link below for more details, but be aware this special expires January 31, 2008.

Round-Trip Flights to Europe starting at only $383

Travel Specials and Updates

Does this cold winter weather have you dreaming of warmer climates? Well, check out my Travel Specials page where Pleasant Holidays  has teamed up with Marriott Resorts  to offer you some great deals for travel to Hawaii, and Palace Resorts  has some great incentives for traveling to Mexico (like you need incentives).

Just a heads up - I am starting a series of posts on Sydney, Australia. My husband has been spending some time there for work and has some fabulous pictures to show off. Having never been there myself (but planning to go soon), I would love some input from my loyal Aussie bloggers as to things to do in Sydney or great places to stay and eat. So, keep an eye out for my upcoming "Disoriented Down Under" series. Here's a sample of hubby's photographic prowess.........

And here is the biggie.......I finally released my Disney blog this week for public consumption. Keep in mind, we are still under construction, but please stop by and visit Mickey and Me...........A Love Story!
I currently have Jay over at Dat Money working on a cool banner for Mickey. Jay is running a fabulous special for the month of January and does some really great work. Check him out!!

Sandals On Sale!!!

My vendors have been bombarding me with the sale that Sandals is currently promoting so I thought I would put it out here for all to see. I have included some details below, but please be aware that this is a limited time offer and is only good for booking until January 31, 2008. You can travel all the way up until Christmas of 2008 (blackout dates may apply, as usual), but you must book early. Usually, it only requires a deposit to book your trip so if the holidays have left you short of funds, don't worry, you don't have to pay for the whole trip now. It is kind of like putting your vacation on layaway!

Not only are they offering your 7th night free, but they are very excited about their "Suite of the Month" sale at Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort. Here is a quick link for booking an incredible vacation at an incredible price:

Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort & Offshore Island, winner of the prestigious Five-Star Diamond Award, stands alone as the premier destination for people in love who demand only the very best. From our offshore island - a veritable resort within a resort - to world-class dining in 8 gourmet restaurants; from rooms and suites, ranging from the merely sumptuous to the over-the-top lavish, to Versailles - like gardens filled with stunning statuary - you will know beyond a doubt, that you've discovered paradise. For a limited time, book one of three luxurious suites for seven nights or longer and the seventh night is FREE! Plus, save up to 45%!

Luxuriously-furnished suites offering spacious, elegant accommodations, 24-hour room service, exclusive butler service, VIP Rolls Royce or Mercedes Benz airport service and exclusive dining at Gordon's on the Pier. 

Choose from 3 luxurious categories and receive a 7th night FREE and SAVE up to 45%:   

• Royal Windsor Beachfront One Bedroom Suite (WS)   
• Royal Bahamian Oceanview One Bedroom Suite (RS)   
• Royal Village Honeymoon Villa Suite (BV)

My biggest recommendation is to purchase trip cancellation insurance! I will follow up soon with a post on trip insurance, but in the meantime, do not reserve your trip without it!

Working behind the scenes.......

When you don't see your favorite blog putting out a new post every day does that mean that your favorite blogger is just lazy? No indeed!! It means we are working hard behind the scenes to bring you a more enjoyable experience. First of all, let me remind you all that I am working diligently on my Disney blog that I hope to unveil in a few short weeks (or sooner).
I have also updated the way I offer you links to book online travel. There are now separate pages for each category such as Airfare, Hotels, or Car Rentals. This should make things simpler since I will be adding new affiliate links every day and this will eliminate the clutter.
For anyone looking to get away from the winter blahs.....Pleasant Holidays is offering some pretty good deals to Hawaii, so check out my Travel Specials page.
There is more to come for the new year so keep checking back and oh....don't forget to send me those postcards .

What is your travel personality?

I read in our local paper about a web site launched by two travel industry veterans, Dr. Stanley C. Plog and Bahir Browsh. Their site helps travelers select destinations based on their own distinct personality. I visited this site to see just how this works. Well, you take a very short quiz, and from that they determine if you are a Venturer, Mid-Venturer, Centric-Venturer, Centric-Authentic , Mid-Authentic , or an Authentic. It is really quite interesting, although I do not know how accurate it is. Of course, accuracy is based highly on how honest we are with ourselves on the quiz. I came up as a Centric Venturer, and as skeptical as I was, I think they get me!!!!! I wonder how much Dr. Plog charges by the hour?

Anyway, once you have determined (or they have determined) your destination needs, they provide a lot of detailed information to assist you in your vacation planning. So, check them out at Best Trip Choices.

 

Crystal Ball....or Farecast?

One of the questions that used to give me the most distress as a travel agent was "Do you think the price will go down if I wait?" UUGGHH!! How the heck should I know? It is a crazy world out there where airfares are concerned and if I could've looked into a crystal ball, then I still would not have known!! Airfares and travel prices in general are based on so many things that are not always predictable. Availability is a huge factor. Supply and demand. If there isn't much space left, then you are going to pay premium prices to get it. The seasons are also big players in prices for some things. Of course Caribbean cruises are cheaper during hurricane season and airfares are cheaper to London during the rainy season. Today's economy has forced all transportation vendors to gouge us with a fuel surcharge for all of our purchases. Who saw that coming? Okay, maybe that's not such a good example!

There are a lot of tools available now like Orbitz, Hotwire, and Travelocity that at least make you feel like you are getting the best deal out there....today that is. Tomorrow is another story. There will be a different, and possibly better deal available. Too late....you booked yesterday!!! It is kind of like buying a car. You do the research, you save the money, you make the deal. You feel good about your purchase. A week later, they offer better financing and bigger rebates that you didn't get when you made your "good deal". The same thing is true in the travel business. You have to do your research, but you have to feel good about your purchase when you finally decide to make it. There is no magical way to  figure out ahead of time when that great cruise deal is going to be offered or when the airlines are going to drop their fares. You have to know what your vacation is worth to you and be willing to pay for it.  You might get lucky and  actually get the best deal going. You can also book your travel with a vendor that offers a price guarantee. If they drop their prices after you book, then your price goes down too. Your travel agent will know who these vendors are.
In the long run, can you put a price on a great family vacation?

Just in case you need some reassurance that you might be getting the best deal (or at least a darn good one), try the newest tool out there....Farecast. I think they may have that crystal ball I have been looking for all these years.

Why Travel Agents?

"Why Travel Agents?" is an open letter to the media written several years ago by Joel M. Abels (1926-2007). Mr. Abels was editor and publisher of Travel Trade Publications and CEO of Travel Trade Productions in NYC. Mr. Abels was a man I wish I had met. It seems he did the travel industry a great service and was a widely respected individual. You can read more about his accomplishments by clicking on the link at the end of this post. For now, I would like to share with you his letter "Why Travel Agents".

Taking the inevitable ravel out of travel, and making it easier for both pleasure travelers and business travelers to make their travel arrangements, is something which retail travel agents have been doing for them for the last 75 years.

This fact was driven home to virtually everyone traveling in the immediate aftermath of “9/11”, when flight schedules were disrupted nationwide and worldwide, and airline passengers scrambled to return home to nervous loved ones.

The overwhelming majority of these passengers, those who had booked their air travel arrangements through their local travel agent, were able to call their travel agent who rebooked their flights for them, almost immediately, by telephone. Meanwhile, those unfortunate travelers who had made the mistake of booking their own flights, either directly through the airlines or via one of the new Internet ticket selling “monsters”, in most cases found themselves stranded, waiting on long airport lines attempting to rebook their flights — often unsuccessfully or only after extensive delays.

Most of today’s American travelers aren’t even familiar with the post-World War II “do-it-yourself” syndrome, and have been raised to believe that professionals do it far better than “do-it-yourselfers”. This is why, until recently, some 90% of all those who flew made their travel arrangements through a local retail travel agency. At least 75% of today’s air travelers still do, despite the inroads of highly publicized Internet giants such as Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz and other so-called “10,000-Pound Marketing Gorillas”.

When it comes to cruises and tours, over 90% of today’s cruise and tour passengers continue to rely on their local travel agent to help them select either the right ship or the right tour, and at the right price, which is best suited to their personal tastes, needs and pocketbooks. The overwhelming majority of pleasure travelers have learned that local travel agents really care, and go to great lengths to get them the best deal on the best travel products and services which suit them best.

Virtually every cruise line and tour operator is dependent on travel agents to sell its wares and to keep their customers happy by correctly matching clients to the right cruise or tour package.

But, if travel agents are really so indispensable, and if leisure and business travelers find their services so time-saving and, in most cases, so cost-saving, why the rush to write them off? Why is the obituary for the travel agent industry being written about and talked about with increasing frequency in local and national media?

The simplistic reason being advanced, one which is being encouraged by the airline industry in its effort to eliminate payment of commissions to travel agents, is that travel agents are no longer needed in today’s “Age of Technology”.

Of course, they are not needed if you have the time and patience to spend 30 minutes to an hour on the Internet making your own airline ticket arrangements and feel confident that an impersonal Internet provider will get you the best ticket at the best price.

And, one other thing — ticket yourself if you are confident that you won’t be the one in approximately every three airline ticket buyers who finds it necessary to reticket for any of a myriad of reasons. Because, if you are one of the latter, the odds are that you will never want to be a ticket-yourselfer again. Either the additional cost or the added time and aggravation will convince you of that.

Mainly overlooked in all of the discussions about the future role of the retail travel agent is the inescapable fact that travel agents are truly the “Ultimate Search Engines”. Today’s new breed of travel agents, and there are over 250,000 accredited travel agent sellers nationwide, use all of the tools of the Internet and of modern technology to provide their clients with fast, accurate, low cost, knowledgeable service.

Professional travel agents have the ability to provide present and future customers with far better information, and far superior service, than any dot-com mega monster is capable of coming up with. In brief, why should any potential travelers waste hours searching the net for either new travel ideas, travel bargains or travel values when, for a modest airline ticket service fee, his or her local retail travel agent is a far better search engine for this task than either Google, Yahoo!, Lycos or any of the others out there.

For as long as travel agents can continue to do it better, and get you the best deal, neither the airlines nor the mega Internet monsters will write their obituary for them. Because, as the American Society of Travel Agents proclaims, “Without a Travel Agent You’re on Your Own”.

To read more about Joel M. Abels and his wife, Lenore please follow this link:

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