Bliss Travel Blog

www.blisstravelexperiences.com

[choosebliss]

Love standing in line for hours?  I definitely don’t.

I just spent a couple of days in Amsterdam on the beginning and end of a River Cruise through the Netherlands and Belgium.  It is such a wonderful city, but one where you definitely have some sites that are “can’t miss”.  Here are my top three things that any first-time Amsterdam traveler needs to know:

60 days in advance – If you want to visit the Anne Frank House (which I highly recommend), buy tickets online.  They open on the Anne Frank website about 2 months prior to the ticket availability. and they can sell out within a couple of days of being listed in high season.  So mark your calendar when you plan your trip (or have your amazing travel consultant do it for you).   The tickets online give you a timeframe to enter (15 minute slot) and cost 9 Euro.  

Entrance between 9am until 3:30pm is only for visitors with advance tickets.  If you are visiting and haven’t booked in advance, you can enter between 3:30-closing by standing in line.  Expect lines to be 1-3 hours in wait time (yikes!).  And, is it worth it?  The answer is yes…. it’s really moving and is a must-see for me in Amsterdam.  Get your tickets in advance and avoid the wait!

The best audio guide of a museum I’ve ever experienced – This honor is given to the Rijksmuseum, which was closed for 10 years for an enormous renovation and reopened in 2013.  This museum’s most famous work is Rembrandt’s The Night Watch… but as someone who is drawn more to modern art, I was most impressed by the layout of the building and the ease at which to explore.  Purchasing tickets online in advance (17.50 Euro) results in skipping the ticketing line, and I absolutely recommend the audio guide for 5 Euro.  There are 45 minute and 90 minute highlight tours in this multimedia guide that really guide you down each hallway and staircase as you navigate the grand building.  Even the café was beautiful, and had some tasty snacks! Don’t miss this place.

Vincent – If you can do 2 museums in one day, the Van Gogh is right next to the Rijksmuseum, and it is also so wonderful!  I even loved the gift shop.  My tip here is to go early in the morning – our tickets were at 12:30, and it was packed.  You had to wait a few minutes at each of the most famous paintings to be able to get close enough to have a look.  But the Almond Blossom and Sunflowers alone make this museum worthwhile… and it is really well set out with the paintings in chronological order through Van Gogh’s life from early career on the bottom floor to the last paintings of his life up on the fourth floor.  I would recommend buying timed tickets ahead of time (17 Euro for adults) as the lines can be very long outside, and the website shows the “quieter” times in green for the date you choose.   The audioguide here is also good (5 Euro) – the highlights take you on a good overview.

[choosebliss]

Where are people traveling this summer?

I did a little checkup on my calendar of all of the vacations I’ve planned for clients this summer, and thought you might find it interesting (and potentially inspiring)!  Between May 1 and Labor Day, I have clients traveling to close to 25 separate locations around the world... and don’t you want to know where?

The most popular summer vacation destination is actually Alaska!  I have 5 separate client groups heading to Alaska this summer on cruises - it’s a short season due to the weather there, so mid-May through mid-September is the time to go.  There are so many things to know about different ships, food, excursions and doing a cruise versus a “cruisetour” (which means the cruise plus a few days on land - if you do this, you’ve got a chance to explore Denali National Park - having a travel consultant help can be a gold mine of info!

Four spots tie for second most popular, and the photo above is Positano, Italy. 

Italy, France and the UK are the European hot spots for my clients this summer, with three families traveling to each of these.  In Italy, Florence/Tuscany and Rome top the list, with Positano and Venice also being on the agenda.  France clients are visiting Paris and the French Riviera, while UK clients are touring in London and Edinburgh.  

Peru is the other leader in this category, with three client groups heading to South America this summer to explore the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu.  Two of the families will be hiking the Inca Trail, which takes 4 days and is limited to only 500 trekkers per day.  When you consider that 150-200 of these trail permits go to porters and guides, it isn’t a surprise that these vacations need to be booked about 6 months prior to travel at a minimum when going in high season!

Many other spots to discover this summer, ranging from Belize to Switzerland to Norway for Bliss clients.  Let me know if I can help you in planning that next amazing getaway!

[choosebliss]

Heather’s Excellent Spain Adventure

Seven cities in 9 days?  No problem!

My big trip of the summer was to Spain for 9 days – it was the first time I had traveled to Europe in 2 years.  To say I was excited was a HUGE understatement!  On the front and back end of the trip were a couple of days in cities where I had visited before (Madrid with a side trip to Toledo on days 1 and 2 and Barcelona on day 9).  In the middle was a wonderful mix of Spanish cities that I knew very little to nothing about.  This post will serve as a sort of summary of the trip, with links within to access posts for each of the destinations with specific activities, sights, restaurants and suggestions.

My traveling companion was my friend, Karen, who has been everywhere from Greece to Costa Rica with me and many other destinations over the last 12 years.  We hooked up with 7 others for the first week of the trip through an escorted tour group called G Adventures.  More can be found on how/why we chose this method of touring in this blog, but in short, it was a great way to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time and meet some really great people!

Days 1 and 2 – After a 5 hour flight delay (ugh!), we arrived in Madrid on a Sunday and walked around the city on our own following our Rick Steves guidebooks (my favorite for Europe).  In the evening, we had a welcome meeting with our guide, Carlos (a native of Toledo, Spain) and went for tapas at the Mercado de San Miguel - photo above, a fantastic market showcasing lots of different foods that you can buy as small bites for 1-3 Euro each.  Wine, beer and sangria options were bountiful as well, and it was a really great opportunity for everyone to get to try some different things while getting to know each other in a very casual setting.  Afterward, checking out a street fair with dancing, carnival games and more food resulted in a really fun evening.  The next morning, we took a bus 45 minutes away to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Toledo, Spain.  We heard all about legends and lore from Carlos, tried Marzipan made by the nuns and pretty much walked our butts off.  Getting back to Madrid in the late afternoon, we split up into small groups and some toured the Royal Palace while others checked out museums.  I planned to walk the town and visit the Reina Sofia, but the line was pretty long and I ended up walking the city with U2 blaring from my iPhone.  Perfect late afternoon.  After dinner in the Plaza Mayor, we had done 28K steps for the day and were ready for bed.

Day 3 – We left Madrid on Day 3 for a trip to Cordoba – wow!  The crown jewel of Cordoba is the Mezquita - see photo below, which began as a mosque built in 785 by the Moors that still stands today.  In the 16th century, it was converted to a cathedral by the Christians by literally inserting a cathedral into the center of the building.  Stunning doesn’t even come close to describing it.

Days 4/5 – We left Cordoba to head to Granada for a two night stay.  This was the last major city to be “reconquered” by Spain in the 1492, and because of that, the Moorish influence has lingered here more than any other city.  Walking down some of the old streets in the historic quarter of the Albacin, it felt a little like what I imagine a street in Morocco to be with vibrant colors, flavors and hookah at every turn.  The highlight of Granada is the insanely beautiful Alhambra - photo below, one of the greatest accomplishments of Islamic art and architecture. The picture below is just a small part of the gardens at the Alhambra. Part fortress, part palace, the Alhambra stands on the top of a hill (yes, more steps!) as a wonderfully-kept monument to another moment in time.  Another highlight of Granada was a trip to the Hammam, an Arab bath house with pools of different temperatures, peppermint tea and massages.  Heaven.

Day 6 – We left Granada to head to Ronda for just one day.  This quaint town built on a gorge in the mountains is the site of Spain’s first bullring and gave us many reasons to understand why the one night trip was completely worth every minute of travel.  Below is a picture of the main part of town from our rooftop bar vantage point.

Days 7 and 8 – Leaving Ronda, we arrived in Sevilla for our last day with the group.  This city is just really special – there is a feel (especially in the Santa Cruz quarter) of a wonderful flavor and lust for life.  We also had our best dinner of the week on this last evening and topped it off with karaoke and hugs.  Four of us were still in the group to spend day 8 as a “relaxation day” in Sevilla, basically translating to sleeping in, strolling through town doing window shopping and a leisurely lunch.  I left on my own on a 6pm flight to Barcelona to finish off the trip!

Day 9 – I spent the evening of Day 8 checking into my hotel and going to a late dinner in Barcelona…. This last day was a mix of sightseeing and really enjoying the last of Spain for a while.   I did a 4 hour long bike tour, which was awesome and ate lunch at the beach.  My flight left the next morning, and I hope that it won’t be the last I see of Spain for too long!

[choosebliss]

It’s already been a year!

When I started my travel consulting business 1 year ago (can’t believe it’s been a year!!), I did a blog post about the Top 10 reasons I left my banking career. It seems appropriate to follow up with a Top 10 of what I’ve learned as an entrepreneur in my first year...

1. Being your own IT department (with help from the Geek Squad) sucks compared to having a real IT department!

2. Don’t let others’ expectations of what your results should be define you. Setting realistic but stretch goals and challenging myself led to results far beyond what people told me to expect.

3. Always try to have a conversation with a prospective client prior to doing any work (vs communicating by email).  That conversation can tell you so much about how serious they are and about their priorities for travel.  It also would have saved me a lot of time.

4. Watching your savings decline each month as you’re ramping up your business is harder than you think it will be – even if you’ve prepared yourself well.

5. I can make a lot of people’s lives easier without charging them a dime AND run a profitable business at the same time.  How?  By understanding what type of business is a win-win for me and the client, allocating the right amount of time, and being honest with the client about my value proposition from Day 1.

6. Everything you do for the first time takes about 5 times as long as it should. Expect this a lot in the first year... but also know that things get easier quickly.

7. Karma is real. Those people who you developed relationships with and were nice to just because you are a good person?  They come out of the woodwork wanting to help you succeed.  And it feels absolutely amazing.

8. Being a financially-driven, projections and results person is a REALLY BIG asset when starting your own business. In my old job, I looked at company’s financials and projections all day long. However, the bookkeeping for my own business is a whole lot harder than I thought it would be!!

9. Sometimes the people you think will be your best clients will “pick your brain” and go book on Expedia... and that sucks.

10. Getting repeat business and referrals from clients is so very rewarding.

An enormous amount of gratitude to my clients, referral sources, friends and family for your support in this first year!  Cheers to many more!

[choosebliss]

Executing a Fantastic Summer Vacation!

On August 15, I left Washington, DC to embark on my first trip to Europe in 2 years.  This was going to be a combo trip - partly a group tour with a custom trip at the end.  I’ve always had a negative feeling about group touring mainly due to feeling herded on specific timelines through sites without really getting to enjoy the area like a local would and spend time relaxing in the cities.  Living in the DC area with millions of visitors following leaders with pink umbrellas held high probably didn’t help my perception!

Becoming a travel consultant last year opened my mind a bit as I learned about tour operators who do small group tours – some 8-12 people on average.  That sounded like a very manageable group size – no long days of driving around on motorcoaches with a few minutes to explore the area.  When I met a company called G Adventures, popular for their laid back corporate culture, choosing hotels that were located in city centers and tour guides dubbed “Chief Experience Officers”, I was really intrigued.

My kids were planning to head off on a vacation with their dad in August, so I set about looking for tours that were about a week long during a certain timeframe… and the top two choices were Moorish Spain and a Greek cruise around the islands.  I recruited a good friend to join me, and we decided on Spain for two reasons:  First, we weren’t sure about seasickness on a boat for a week; and second, we were a little afraid of being in such close quarters with 10 other people who we didn’t know.  What if we wanted to escape?!  

So what did Moorish Spain mean?  I’ll admit, I had no clue.  We would be traveling Madrid, Toledo, Cordoba, Grenada, Ronda and Sevilla (blog posts coming soon on individual cities, reviews and recommendations).  I had it in my head that it was a “Southern Spain” trip and was excited because all of the places would be new for me except for Madrid and Toledo.  Check out this blog post about the trip to learn a lot more about the overall theme of the trip and how the historical Moorish influence in the cities we visited left a lasting impression.

As I depart Sevilla today for a couple of nights in Barcelona (individual city review to come!) on my own, I must say that I am beyond thrilled that I chose to do this tour with G Adventures. Our guide, Carlos (a Toledo, Spain native) was a font of information about each spot we visited, taking us to local restaurants and suggesting different activities and places to spend more time on orientation walks exploring each city.  Our group was 9 individuals representing 6 different countries - can you believe that?  USA, Australia, Canada, UK, Ireland and Belgium!  We liked each other so much, we even hung out together once the tour was over. Lastly, I can’t overstate how nice it was to be able to NOT have to worry about the planning and logistics. (Sometimes when you do things for a living, you really want a break from it on your time off!)  We covered a whole lot of ground in one week, and getting from place to place was a combination of trains and buses and 5 different hotels.  Carlos took care of everything from coordinating all of our train/bus tickets to checking us in and out of the hotels.  We paid the total price and then had only meals and some extra activities to pay out of pocket ourselves.

Escorted group travel may not be for everyone, and it is REALLY important to assess your priorities before you choose a tour operator.  That’s where I can really help when it comes to planning escorted tours (did you know that it costs NOTHING more to book with me than it does to book direct?).  What kinds of accommodations would you like?  Level of activity?  Size of group?  Age of fellow travelers?  Itinerary musts?  Part of the world?  Budget? There are many qualifiers to take into consideration prior to choosing a tour that will be right for you – and I would recommend working with a consultant to compare before committing to make sure you get the best experience and bang for your buck!

[choosebliss]

Itinerary Spotlight - Hawaii

Each month, I’ll be doing a spotlight on a recent vacation I’ve planned for clients.  Hopefully this will give you some ideas for future vacations of your own, in addition to letting you know the kinds of things I do every day!

I was approached by this client as he was looking to do a long-deserved escape to Hawaii with his wife and kids.  They wanted to take 3 full weeks and explore multiple islands.  This length of vacation involves a lot of detail - and the planning, execution and keeping track of those details is part of what I do best.  

Many people ask how I am compensated - and for an island vacation like this, I don’t charge a planning fee.  My compensation comes from the hotel/tour operator/supplier - and you will generally be paying the same or better prices, with great amenities, by booking through me.  Your trip doesn’t have to be this long or complicated, by the way - 90% of mine aren’t - but this is a great example of what’s possible.

Island #1 - Arrive in Oahu

3 nights at the Moana Surfrider - 

*Note that ALL hotels the clients chose for this vacation include amenities such as breakfast for 2, complimentary upgrades and early/late check ins.

Enjoy Waikiki beach… they can take impromptu surf lessons and outrigger canoe rides right on the beach and hike Diamond Head.

I also booked a private tour to visit Pearl Harbor with an awesome Hawaiian outfit that employs local guides to do these visits plus North Shore touring, private fishing/snorkeling trips and island adventures.

3 nights at Turtle Bay

After spending some time in Waikiki, this family will pick up their rental car and explore the North Shore, staying at Turtle Bay.  In addition to being a really cool resort, this hotel was used in the filming of the cult classic Forgetting Sarah Marshall.  While in the North Shore, they explore the town of Haleiwa, go watch the surfers at Sunset Beach and much more...

Island #2 - Arrive in Maui

Island hopping in Hawaii is generally a 30-45 minute inter-island flight. 

2 nights at the Ritz Carlton Kapalua

Getting to stay in Kapalua is awesome - it is close to the town of Lahaina, scene of the Old Lahaina Luau that I arranged for them.  This is considered to be one of the most authentic Hawaiian luaus and really gives the flavor of the islands.

4 nights at the Fairmont Kea Lani

The family then travels to Wailea, home to the Fairmont Kea Lani which is a fabulous luxury resort in Maui.  In addition to a spa credit I procured for them, we arranged an Outrigger canoe and snorkel trip on the beach in front of the property and special dinner reservations at Mama’s Fish House.  They also have reservations for the Trilogy sail to Lanai... a thrilling day of beauty and exploring.

2 nights at the Travaasa Hana

Driving the “Road to Hana” is a must in Maui... and for many, the ride there is amazing and the ride back is just... long.  For this family, they’ve decided to spend 2 nights in Hana, which is a totally different feel of Maui.  If they wanted to relax, this is the place... time really slows down in this less-inhabited part of Maui.

Island #3 - Arrive in Kauai

One of the things this family liked about their itinerary is that it got more and more exotic throughout the vacation.  Ending in Kauai really is amazing because this is truly an island known for its natural beauty and laid back vibe. Kauai is known to be an island where people get out and enjoy the day - hiking and exploring - and go to bed early, ready to wake up to more paradise!

3 nights at the Grand Hyatt Kauai

This hotel is the gem of southern Kauai, a perfect location to do a drive to visit Waimea Canyon State Park - the “Grand Canyon” of Hawaii.  There are zipline adventures, botanical gardens, and much much more!    

Final 3 nights - St. Regis Princeville

The vacation comes to a close at the amazing St. Regis Princeville on the north side of Kauai - the family has booked a snorkel adventure sail to explore the beautiful Napili coast while they are up in this area.  They can visit the town of Hanalei, more botanical gardens, or just sit on the beach an enjoy the view before heading back to reality!

[allthingseurope]

Prague (by Cristina )

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Prague - another one of those beautiful European cities that is a must-see!!  Just had clients return and RAVING about it.

[allthingseurope]

 (by Luciano Dionisi) Love love love!!!  So many clients heading to Italy this summer... I have never gotten to Venice but it is on the list!

[allthingseurope]

Venice (by Paolo Trabattoni)

[choosebliss]

Quick Getaway Ideas from the East Coast!

One of the requests I get constantly is about quick getaways - long weekends of 3-4 days to escape reality and recharge.  Many times this is from couples who are looking to reconnect and spend some time away from work and the kids.  I absolutely love working on these vacations!  There is nothing better to me than helping people find great resorts that really fit the bill.

Here are some of my favorite destinations for people looking to do a luxury getaway from DC.  If price is no object, these are my favorites. The most important thing is getting nonstop or really easy 1-stop flights, as there isn’t much time to waste!   

1) Dorado Beach, Ritz Reserve - This is an absolutely amazing resort and just a 45 minute ride from the San Juan, PR airport.  There are no hassles with currency exchange or customs.  This resort also boasts fabulous food - Jose Andres has the signature restaurant on property, Mi Casa.  Finally, the apothecary and spa sits on 5 acres of the property.  No, that isn’t a typo - 5 acres dedicated to the spa!

2) Rosewood Mayakoba - This is a beautiful property just south of Cancun, with rooms that sit on lagoons and the ocean.  It’s hard to imagine better pampering and service than what you will receive at this resort!

3) One&Only Ocean Club - This property in Nassau boasts the most beautiful beach in the Bahamas.  It’s no wonder it received a 2014 Travel & Leisure World’s Best Award!

4) Rosewood Tucker’s Point - This list wouldn’t be complete without my favorite summertime vacation destination - Bermuda.  High season is April - September, and there are nonstop flights on certain days of the week from DC.  This island is really special and just plain stunning.  It has a fabulous local flair and tons of nooks and crannies to explore.

5)  Little Palm Island - This list ends with a remote spot in the Florida Keys.  Your flight is a little shorter getting to Miami, but you will have a 2 hour drive down to Little Torch Key.  Once there, a complimentary motor yacht takes you to to the resort.  Can you live without your phone and tv?  If so, this is the spot for you...

[choosebliss]

My mom just tore her rotator cuff and needs surgery...

On top of that, huge disappointment because she has a cruise planned in just 3 weeks with her girlfriends.

This post is all about why to purchase travel insurance.  I will admit that I never did prior to becoming a travel consultant - I guess my line of thinking is that I am a pretty healthy person and it’s not something I am likely to need.  I have car, health and life insurance… but those extended warranties they offer when you buy a refrigerator?  Never.

I think it comes down to the fact that 1) I don’t like reading all the fine print and want to keep it easy and 2) I have just assumed travel insurance is for suckers. Now that I’m in the travel business, I realize that it is a pretty dumb move not to purchase it.

Some people will tell you that they have travel insurance to help cover lost baggage or something happens to a hotel or tour operator and they don’t provide the promised goods/services.  I’ve always figured that I have credit cards that help cover that stuff.  (And credit cards do provide assistance - some more than others)  However, just these 3 types of real life examples have convinced me to pony up the cash in the future.

1)  Someone gets seriously injured on your trip - did you know that it could cost $100k+ to have someone medevac’d out of a foreign country?  Medicare doesn’t cover outside the US.  Some health insurance plans cover you overseas… but some don’t.  Do you know the fine print in your plan?  This could really set you back if you had to start paying out of pocket.

2)  Someone dies while on vacation - Unfortunately, this happens.  A friend of mine lost her dad a few years ago when the whole family was on a ski trip in Colorado.  The cost to bring your loved one back home is incredibly high.

3) You get injured prior to the trip and can’t go - This is the one that just happened to my mom - she fell about a week ago and dislocated her shoulder. We were hoping it wasn’t a big deal, but it slipped out twice more in the next week and when she saw the orthopedist, he confirmed that she tore 3 muscles in her shoulder.  It will require surgery and she will miss the cruise scheduled for Memorial Day weekend with her friends.  Because she paid for the insurance, they can be fully refunded.  She is so disappointed - the only positive in the whole situation is that they won’t lose the money spent on the cruise!

I have done surf trips, ski trips, zip lined, gone horseback riding… I feel really fortunate that I’ve never been injured.  I’m going to count my blessings and not take chances in the future.

Consult a travel professional if you have questions about what is and isn’t covered.  The company and the policy obviously make a big difference.

[choosebliss]

Small groups... with a guide... and how it’s awesome!

I do a lot of planning for people going on vacations - obviously - and all of these people like having the details taken care of.  When I do a customized itinerary for a client, they could be visiting 1, 2, 3 or 7 cities.  It all depends on the length and style of the trip.  All of those spots include lots of variables - hotels, getting from one city to the next, day trips, restaurant reservations, walking tours, etc etc etc. 

 Sometimes you like to not only have someone plan your trip, but you want to have a guide with you.  And you want to know how much you're going to spend.  There are all kinds of ways to tour like this, but today we're going to focus on G Adventures. 

 My biggest personal issue with escorted vacations are the big groups.  I don't like feeling like a tourist, even when I am a tourist!   I like to feel like a local - go to the restaurants in Rome where the locals are eating... sit in piazzas and people watch all afternoon...

 G Adventures is a tour company that does trips focused on immersing yourself in the culture and local living.  Groups tend to be around 10 in size, with max of 16.  A local guide is with your group, guiding you during the group activities and giving you insider tips when you want to explore on your own.  They do vacations all over the world... and for all lifestyles.  They are known for being pretty simple - expect 3 star+ accommodations but nothing ritzy.  Everything from Active trips for hikers/bikers/swimmers, Yolo trips for young people looking to do a lot of travel on a limited budget and Comfort trips with upgraded hotels for those who can afford a little more. 

 Let me know if you'd ever like to talk about a G Adventures trip!  I have clients doing the France and Italy Adventure in July/August 2015 and can't wait to hear all about it - Paris-Burgundy-Avignon-Nice-Monaco-Cinque Terre-Pisa-Florence-Rome - over 14 days.  Wow!

 www.gadventures.com

[allthingseurope]

Lake Como, Italy (by Ken Quantick)

[condenasttraveler]

Top 10 Hotels in New York City: Readers' Choice Awards 2014

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The top 10 hotels in New York City, selected by Condé Nast Traveler readers.

Quick slideshow for those of you who love NY!  I have stayed at one of the top 10 - the Mandarin Oriental - and it was as good or better than advertised. 

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Places as Memories

  What is the one place from your childhood where you went on vacation over and over again?

That place that seemed larger than life...

Where the ice cream tasted better than any you had ever eaten... 

The sunsets were prettier than any you had ever seen...

Everyone in the family got along with no bickering... okay, I'll admit that maybe I've gone a little too far with that one!

For my kids, that place is the Central Florida Gulf Coast beaches.  My side of the family lives in Tampa area, and we've gone down to the Redington and Madeira beaches since they were babies. 

When I think about the sheer number of people at any one time who are visiting, it may not sound so enticing - at least 5 families join us every year - 11 adults and 12 kids. Those are just the regulars.  We get visitors, and lots of them.  Extended family, high school and college friends with their kids... anyone and everyone is welcome, as long as you bring food!  It is a bit of barely controlled chaos.  We set up two large tents on the beach and basically camp for the day - kids are back and forth to the pool, digging for sand crabs and building forts.  Someone is always complaining about sunscreen in their eyes.  Lesson learned this year:  Do not pit the boys against girls in a water balloon fight at the forts.  12 year old baseball players have strong arms.  

Above is a picture of the Candy Kitchen, a must do place for us at the beach.  I've put some additional photos on the blog - even the bathroom walls are decorated in candy wrappers floor to ceiling.  Lines out the door every night.  Why do people go through the trouble to brave the crowds?  Because someday those kids will be in the car driving their kids to school, and a song will come on.  Maybe Jimmy Buffett "Floridays", maybe Kenny Chesney "Summertime", maybe Kid Rock "All Summer Long".  Their kids will complain about the "oldies", but the driver will be smiling.  He or she is remembering just how that mint chocolate chip cone tasted on nights at the beach at the Candy Kitchen.

So where are you going to make your memories?  Somewhere new every time to explore and learn about different places and cultures?  Or maybe a traditional spot where everything is familiar.  Whatever you choose, travel and is an experience not to be missed.

  PHOTO CREDIT :  Parker Christian (Flickr)

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"The Autumn leaves may fall... But I can still recall... A summer sky" Louis Armstrong

As I stepped outside on Saturday night, it was pretty evident - Fall was here.  The wind was whipping and I was wearing tall boots for the first time since March.  Here we go again...

For a native Floridian like me, it is hard to say goodbye to Summer.  I grew up in a world where the warmest jacket I owned was a J Crew Barn jacket (google it if you don't remember these!).  I remember moving to DC in October 1996 and going to SYMS to shop for a long wool coat to wear to work.  Would I have moved "up North" if I had any idea that coat would be my uniform for the next 5+ months?  To be honest, probably - but I wouldn't have liked it!

I fought against the winter months for a long time after I moved to the DC area.  I appreciated the leaves changing colors but dreaded the chill.  Getting through New Year's was ok, but January and February were very tough.  I was counting it down in my head until the forsythia would bloom... and then I realized that the Spring that I looked forward to and enjoyed so much (we have a beautiful Spring, with the forsythia and daffodils in March followed by cherry blossoms and tulips, azaleas, hydrangea and crape myrtle throughout the summer months) didn't exist when I lived in Florida.  So I had better appreciate those seasons, because you don't get them everywhere! 

At the end of my day, it is all about gratitude.  My Aussie/Maine friend (fantastic combo, btw!), Mish Morgenstern, formed Happier Outside, a community of people who better our world through how they experience it and share it with others.  Wow - sounds like a gratitude movement to me, and totally in line with the Bliss Travel Experiences mission of taking vacations to the next level.

So, while I will appreciate the ushering in of Autumn and have gratitude to live in such a beautiful community, I will be planning a couple of warm getaways this winter to soak in the Vitamin D without a turtleneck.  Where will your getaway take you? 

[condenasttraveler]

Photo by @trevortraynor at Machu Picchu, Peru: “I remember the journey the most. The long, dark, and humid hike to the ancient Inca ruins. By 5 a.m. I stood in the clouds almost 8,000 feet above sea level.” #machupicchu #peru #takemethere (at Machu Picchu)

[choosebliss]

Planning this Peru trip is so exciting!!  Looking at these pictures is just incredible!