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Packing Light – especially on an itinerary where you will be moving and changing locations a good bit – cannot be underestimated.   In fact, it can be the difference between an enjoyable vacation and a miserable one!  You will never meet anyone who says “I wish I had packed heavier” when they return from a […]

I was a total “Daddy’s Girl”!  Unfortunately, my beloved father passed away at age 61 from colon cancer – way too young!   I was lucky to spend a good bit of time talking with him before he passed and one thing that he told me was to NOT make the same mistakes he made […]

Unless you have had your head buried in the sand for the past couple of years, you are probably aware that Ocean Cruising, with its bellyflop contests and buckets of beer, is slowly giving way to a more “civil” mode of travel –River Cruising.  Most commonly thought of in Europe, on the Rhine, Danube, Seine, […]

If you ask 100 people to name their top choice for a Honeymoon or “Milestone Anniversary” destination, at least 30 of them would name Hawaii, according to a recent study.  Visions of tropical palm trees swaying in the breeze, drinks in coconut shells and sexy hula dancers create a very romantic image!  In addition to […]

Imagine enjoying a Hawaiian beach day with several of your closest friends or family and then returning to your temporary “home” at the end of the day to shower, rest and share a “Pau Hana” (Happy Hour) Mai Tai on the lanai while your own chef prepares an amazing dinner with fish that was caught […]

Do you love to travel, but the thought of the TSA security lines and the long waits at US Immigration and Customs are holding you back?  I have a great tip to simplify your life – and it’s called Global Entry.       I recently enrolled myself and was amazed at how simple and efficient […]

Hawaii’s tropical island paradise isn’t really the fountain of youth, but it’s close. Hawaiians not only live longer, but they’re also less stressed and happier than residents of any other state.  According to the Centers for Disease Control research, the average life expectancy for people living in Hawaii is 81.2 years, versus 75.6 years in, […]

Gelato is a mainstay in any Italian’s life and any tourist’s blitz of the Italian peninsula. The tradition goes back hundreds of years to the mountains in Northern Italy. Snow was used to keep the mixture of cream, sugar, eggs and flavoring at the perfect temperature all the way back to the 1500s. Italian children […]

Special thanks to Donna Manz at “5 Reasons to Travel Now”  for inspiring this article.   There is something to be said for fall travel While some call it “shoulder season”, “hurricane season” or even “off-season”, I call it “PERFECT”!  Summer is crowded, hot, humid and hectic at most destinations but when the calendar flips […]

This has to be, without a doubt, one of my biggest challenges as a Travel Professional.  No matter how extravagant or low-budget your trip may be, there are many things totally outside of your control that could change your dream vacation into a nightmare faster than you can say “SuperstormSandy”.  For many years I, like […]