Where to go to see the fall leaves

Most of my growing up years were spent in North Carolina and Tennessee. And we had my grandparents as well as some other family in Virginia. When I think of fall leaves, I think of those places. We do some fall colors here in Georgia, but to me it isn’t as lovely. Today we are going to take a look at some places you might want to go to enjoy the loveliness of fall. And to be clear, the best time to see leaves is the middle to end of October, but it’s never too late to start planning.

• The best place to see fall leaves in the United States is anything anywhere in New England. Vermont is a great place, because you are going to also be to try their famous maple syrup.
• You are going to be able to find some great hotel deals in St. Louis. You are going to be able to find deals on hotels for around eighties a night.
• If you want to do a somewhat longer trip, consider going to Montreal. Canada has some excellent fall foilage. They will also have some great pumpkin and apple farms for you to enjoy.

I would love to know your thoughts about any of this. Please let me know.

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How you know you need a vacation

I do not have long. I’ve not had internet until now.. Today let’s look at some signs you may need a vacation.

• You just feel all of the time. You do not really want to do anything except what you have to do.
• Normally you love your work. But lately you’re completely unmotivated to do anything. You do not want to take on any new projects.
• Or maybe you keep coming down with something. That is not normal at all for you. But lately you’re just so run down that you can’t fight anything.
• You feel like you’re losing touch with your immediate family. You know you’re family. But everyone is busy doing their own thing.

Choosing your cruise #2

I have some personal things going on this week, which is kind of making work time shorter than normal.. I was kind of worried that what I wrote yesterday may have just been too basic, but people have liked yesterday’s post, and I’m not sure what else to write. So let’s get back to this. Today we are going to look at some of the more popular places to cruise.

• Alaska is one of the harder places to get to in the United States. If you drive, you are going to have a pretty substantial drive, at least several days of pretty much doing nothing except driving. Or if you fly you’ll have to catch several different planes, which can get tricky as well. But cruising you’ll be on a nice ship for your traveling. You’ll also have a nice place to stay if you cruise. People love seeing the scenery and wildlife of Alaska.
• Hawaii is another very popular place to cruise. And something I’ve learned from Norwegian Cruise Lines is that they’re the only cruise that allows you to see several of the ,main islands in just a week’s time. Hawaii is especially popular with people who are on their honeymoon. This is a beautiful place to just enjoy one another in the beaches.
• Cruises usually combine Canada and New England. Someone I know went on one this past summer, and I know one of the things she saw was Prince Edward Island. And for those that do not know, that is the setting for Anne of Green Gables.

I would love to help you plan a cruise to any of these destinations. Please let me know if you are interested.

Choosing your cruise

I know we’re talking a lot about cruises these days. Part of the reason is that Wave Season is coming up in October. Wave Season is an excellent time to get some fantastic deals on cruises. I would love to know what you’re looking for in a cruise. Let me know your ideas, and I will be more happy to help you look for and book something.

We’ve talked some recently about the different cruiselines. But that’s just one of the many decisions that you are going to need to make. Let’s look at some other things you’ll need to make..

• How long of a cruise do you want to go on? If this will be your very first cruise, it is usually wise to book a shorter cruise to make sure you enjoy this type of vacation.
• What kind of things are you interested in doing while you are on your cruise? Are you simply looking to relax, are you wanting to immerse yourself in history, or do you want to go somewhere to help others?
• Some cruises are perfect for those who want to do nothing except read a good book while looking at the ocean or being beside the pool. Other people are looking for some awesome adventure while they’re away. Which kind of person are you?
• Are you looking for a luxurious vacation where you will have absolutely no worries? Are you looking for a vacation you can take with your entire family?
• How do you want to travel to your ship? Some people refuse to fly. Other people love the convenience of getting somewhere quickly.

I think we are going to get back to this discussion tomorrow. I would love your thoughts about any of this.

Some cities your family might want to try

Figuring out what I need to do each day, and in which order, is a challenge. I’m trying to write more articles that will be paid for. I’m also looking for other ways to make money and save money on the business. With doing a little more at church these days, it’s been kind of crazy.

Cities make great places to take a family trip. Cities  are going to have a lot for families to do together. And you’ve likely to find inexpensive food and lodging. Let’s look at some specific cities you might want to try.

• Washington D.C. is rated number one for families. You will find a lot of museums there, because the Smithsonian complex is there. Not only do they have museums, they also have a fantastic zoo. And then you’ll also find a lot of the nanational national monuments and the Capitol buildings and all of that.
• Or if your children are studying the Revolution, you might want to go to Boston where so many of the main events took place. Again, you will find several nice museums toexplore. They’ll also have some nice restaurants and shopping centers in this city.
• If your family is looking to simply have some fun, Vegas might be a great destination. There is a lot to do besides gambling. You’ll find many tourist attractions, including many rides, on The Strip. You are also going to see a lot of interesting people there. A lot of what goes on in this city is funded by the gambling industry, so things like food and lodging are going to be particularly inexpensive here.

I would love to know your thoughts about any of this. Please let me know.

More discussion of cruiselines

Okay,Saturday we started discussing cruiselines, and things you might ant to know about each. On Saturday I gave you descriptions of the three biggest family cruiselines, where you can get cruise pretty inexpensively. But what if you’re looking for some more a little nicer, a little more all inclusive. Below may be some options for you.

• Luxury cruises are going to be more inclusive anyway, that is just the way things work in the cruise industry. Regent Seven Sea is one of the most inclusive that you are going to find. There want will be no extra charge when you go to their specialty restaurants. All your drinks will be free of charge, whether you’re at the restaurants, in your rooms or elsewhere on the ship. Regent’s ships are big enough to offer a nice variety of restaurants and entertainment, but small enough that you aren’t completely lost on board.
• Silverseas would make an awesome romantic cruise, or an occasion to get several couples of good friends together. It is rare to see a child on board one of these ships. And again, you are going to find that there are not many hidden charges on board. Their smaller ships make it easier to connect with your fellow guest, and you’ll also be able to visit smaller ports.
• Holland America offers a lot to the single cruiser. They will have their own parties and gatherings. The ships have a lot of rooms for singles as well. They also have a program that will pair you up with a roommate if you would like. Want to be part of a group that meets up for dinner each evening? They can do that as well.

Interested in taking your first cruise? Here are some ideas

There are many different kinds of cruises. There are cruises for history lovers, or is art more your thing? Are you looking for a relaxing cruise with just the one you love, or are you looking for something you can bring your extended family on? Are you someone that loves to eat fine food and maybe want learn how to make some more interesting dishes yourself?.. And I haven’t scratched the surface of the types of cruises that are out there. If you’re thinking about taking your first cruise, today we are going to talk about some options that might work well for you.

• We’re going to talk about Carnival first. They are definitely a cruise that would be good for large families. You can get a cruise with them for around eighty dollars per day per person. They focus on the popular destinations of Mexico, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean. And they’ll also have plenty to do on board their ships. I have heard that they are one to always be looking for a tip wherever you go.
• Norwegian Cruise Lines has huge ships that they want to fill, and so they’re usually sending out deals. They are going to take you pretty much anywhere that you want to go. I don’t think they have much going on in Africa or Antarctica, but those are the only exceptions that I can think of. You are going to get a lot of free entertainment, think Broadway and concerts. They offer a lot of restaurants that will not charge you anything extra for eating there. Norwegian is a very flexible cruise company, they want everyone to have everything they want when they want it.
• Royal Caribbean is the cruiseline for families with tweens and teens, because they cater to that age group. Royal has all kinds of activities for this group that is often harder to please. They’ve developed youth programs that work well with this group. And they even have spas for this younger set. These programs will make them feel grown up while giving you peace of mind.

We will continue this discussion on Monday. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Finding the right travel agent

We all know that finding the right people to do business with is important. There are some really great doctors out there, but if you see your health differently than they do, you are going to clash, and that can be no fun of either one of you. The same can be true for any number of professionals you may work With, and that includes travel agents. People may have personality conflicts, or you may not like how they’re always pushing you to spend more money. Today let’s look at some questions you may want to ask before deciding to work with a travel agent.

• Your first question should always be to ask if the travel agent has a specialty. We are told to specialize all we can, to learn specific destinations and sell them all we can. Knowing the destination will help the travel agent answer all your questions about what you want to do and if this is the right place to take your vacation.
• Make it a point to ask for their references. Like a lot of businesses, it would be good to talk to some people who have worked with this travel agent recently. Ask the people who have worked with them before questions like, are they timely, is their information reliable, and if they feel the travel agent is friendly.
• Is the travel agent well traveled? Travel agents can get special deals on trips. And being there lets us know how accurate what we’re reading and learning online is. Travel agents should travel often and to various places to always be learning.
• How much do you charge? Some agents charge a service fee up front. Others work for the commissions they’ll make when you book your vacations through them. You’ll want to know exactly how the money side of things works.

Shorten your time at the airport

I know that everyone is busy these days. My days and weeks seem to be getting fuller. Part of that is church stuff, part of that is work.. Anyway, let’s get on this post.

When you are busy, having to wait is hard. You have things you could be doing, you don’t want to be stuck in line somewhere. And that may be especially true at airports. You just want to get where you are going. Here are some tips that might help..

• You never want to fly the day before a major holiday. Fly a couple of days before or a couple of days after. Fly on the holiday itself, you might just find some special perks.
• You will want to go through the online check in process. That way, you only have to check your bags and go through security while you’re at the airport.
• And if you will pack really lightly, you can just bring your carry on, and so you will avoid that line as well.
• People that are not high risk for security can apply for what’s known as “Global Entry”. You will need to be approved for this, but it can be well worth the process and cost if you do a lot of traveling.
• There will also be perks of less waiting time when you fly with just one airline. That’s just part of most airlines’ reward packages.

Things to do the week before your cruise #2

I must confess that I’ve felt pretty busy lately. I have a couple of bi studies and things like that I’ve starting this week. I’m also trying out a communication device and need to give some that working on that each day. So I’ve kind of been rushing through my “necessary things” with work. I haven’t given much time to my writing. I always feel bad about that. Doing that first seems to work better for me, and I am going to work on that… Okay, let’s get back to talking about things you should do the week before you cruise.

• A lot of the documents that you will need will be available online. But some will not. You will need to go on and print those documents and make sure that you have them all in a folder that you have with you. You can also usually do all your registration online, which will make it easier to get to your fun on board the ship.
• Doing pre cruise packages are getting more and more popular. And sometimes people fly in the day before the cruise starts so they’ll be sure not to miss the boat. If you’re arriving early, try to get in touch with some of your fellow cruisers. Cruises are more fun when you have a group you’re part of. Now of course, if you’re on your honeymoon or other romantic trip, that is a little different.
• But you will want to be sure that you get some good sleep the night before your cruise. Cruises are usually pretty relaxing. But most people don’t want to “waste” time sleeping. You are going to have so many things that you’ll want to try once you’re on board that you’ll not want to be in your room sleeping.
• There are all kinds of places online where you can discuss your cruise experience. This is a fun way to keep your memories alive. It can also be helpful when you want to plan your next cruise.

 

I would love to know your thoughts on any of this. Please let me know.