New Adventures

I am taking the plunge. . .not into a pool, but moving my business from home based (have computer will travel) to a storefront office. So now you will have an opportunity to stop by and visit ME!

Opening soon (before February 1) my office location is 1515 Aquarena Springs, Suite 101 here in San Marcos. Close to Texas State University, just off 1-35 between Austin and San Antonio so easily accessible for everyone.

For a while, my hours will be by chance or appointment, but I will be there as much as possible between 9am to 5pm. Of course, I do have meetings with my clients to deliver documents and take care of other business.

And I will let you know when I have my office warming party so you can come and celebrate with me!

Meanwhile, call me TODAY and see how affordable that getaway can be. 512-805-9500.

TGIF

Fridays are special to me. . .the represent the "end" of the traditional work week and having time ahead to relax for a couple days. Bet most of you are ready to kick back and go out to dinner or just relax in front of the TV tonight.

But for me, I do not stop working for you. Yes, I'm here for you and answer the phone when you call. And if you are on a trip and have problems or need changes made to your hotels, I am here. This service is not available if you book your travel online at the big wholesale sites. Calling an 800 number will not give you the help you need from an anonymous person; they don't know you.

Service is what we do for our clients. We do CARE about your trip and making things run smoothly for you. We treat you like family and want you to trust us to return for the next vacation. And we are HAPPY if you refer us to your friends and family.

So call today 512-805-9500 and I'll be at answering the phone.

The picture above is Newschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany. Built by King Ludwig (who almost bankrupted the State of Bavaria). And it is this castle which was the inspiration for Walt Disney when he built Cinderella's Castle at both Disney World and Disneyland.

Keeping YOU informed

Dream away--above is the pool and swim up bar at the Melia Cabo Real in the Los Cabos area, a 4 star All-Inclusive resort. Good food, nice rooms, quality drinks. Yes, it is a fabulous idea to have a swim up bar. . .no getting out of the pool to refresh yourself!

My job is to travel and lend my experiences to my clients, but another crucial part is to keep my clients informed about travel news and how it impacts them. This involves not only the newest sales, but also changes in policy like the new Mexican law which took effect on September 14, 2010. The new law limits the amount of US Currency that will be accepted in Mexico on a daily basis as well as a monthly. Below is a link to check it out.

http://www.travelagentcafe.com/uploadeddata/nwc/wl/12841529399090.pdf



In the past, if traveling in a tourist area like Cancun, Riviera Maya, Los Cabos, Puerta Vallarta or even Ixtapa, I typically would not change my American dollars to pesos. Everyone would quickly accept dollars with no hesitation.

My attitude is that every time you change money, you lose purchasing power. This was brought home to me on a trip to England. I purchased American Express traveler's checks (for a fee) and then when I wanted to exchange them for British pounds, I was charged another fee (5%) to change them. Ouch!

Credit cards are pretty well accepted all over the world now, so it is easy to use them instead of cash. But before you travel, call your credit company and tell them you will be out of the country and what dates. You do not want to be standing in a line to purchase tickets to the Tower of London and have the purchase denied!

At the same time, also check with them about any extra fees they charge for changing the local currency to US dollars. Sometimes it is worth it to pay for purchases with the pesos or pounds or euros and NOT your credit card.

So call me today to book your trip to warmer climates! 512-805-9500 or 1-888-811-4497.

This cold snap has me dreaming of WARM places to visit.

On the left is Sandals Cay, at Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort near Montego Bay, Jamaica, one of the two private islands you can enjoy when you visit the Sandals Resorts.

But my favorite one is located at Sandals Royal Bahamian in the Bahamas. By having these islands included with your resort, you not only have the wonderful luxury included resorts to enjoy, but a short boat ride that will whisk you away for your own island experience. More fun and great value. They have restaurants, private beaches and in the Bahamas a pool with a great swim up bar.

I pride myself in matching the resort with my client to give them the best experiences and satisfaction possible. So by using my expertise in travel, I can save you money, time and give you the very best vacation possible. Right now, Sandals is having a sale with up to 65% discounts on the resorts. What a deal!

Happy Monday!

I'm always happy to start a new week, it is almost like a clean slate and I can start over. Hope you feel the same way.

Just got an email with great deals to Hawaii! Limited time deal. . includes airfare (from San Francisco), 5 nights at a hotel and an Avis Car. ..all for one set price. Oahu starts at $825/person;
Maui from $910/person; Kauai from $904 and Hawaii from $1397. So from here in Austin, you would just need to add flights to and from San Francisco. This picture is from a client who wanted to share how beautiful it was on the beach in Maui.

Call today to take advantage of this limited time promotion! 512-805-9500 or 1-888-811-4497.

Sunday Musings

Today it is raining here and overcast. . .Texas winter with a coming cold snap for early next week. All I want to do is to run away to warmer climates!

I would love to enjoy some of the great Spring Break specials I have, but think I'm too old right now (yes, you are as old as you feel) but all the wild craziness is no longer for me. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE to party and have fun, but a bit more sedate.

The pictures above should give you some ideas! The one on the top is at the Los Cabos area in Mexico and the one at the bottom is taken at one of the Sandals Resorts in Jamaica. Yes, I have been to all of the Sandals and Beaches Resorts in Jamaica. . .all the better to preview them for you. I love helping match people and resorts.


For the great Spring Break specials geared to the college crowd, check out http://www.ststravel.com/?repcode=00630000. This will get you directly into my site to book directly. . .or you can CALL ME (what a novel idea!) at 512-805-9500 or toll free at 1-888-811-4497.

And coming SOON you will be able to personally VISIT us at Trips and Travel with our new office located on Aquarena Springs Drive, after we sign the lease late next week! SO you can pop in, get brochures and personalized help, all at no cost to you! I'll keep you posted as to when we are open, but it will be soon.

Meanwhile, think warm thoughts, dream of your vacation and then CALL me so I can make your travel dreams come true!

New Beginnings for 2011

Finally it is the New Year. . .all the hustle and bustle is GONE. Time to get back to work and FUN!

My resolution is to blog almost daily. And add lots of pictures and good info here for all my readers. But no boring stuff.

The cold weather makes me think of tropical getaways. The picture above is of the Sandals Resort in Negril, Jamaica. Only 7 miles of beautiful white sandy beaches to walk on barefoot and lounge on the beach enjoying Margaritas. Right now there are some great specials for Sandals and their sister Family Resorts, Beaches. Time to call and find out how easy it is to work with a travel agent! Call me today! If I cannot travel, then the next best thing is helping others plan their getaways.