Why Uber is a great way to get around…

Liz Hough on

Have you Ubered lately?

Forget conventional taxi service, Uber is the new way to get around.

I was recently at a farewell party and one of the guests was talking about how she used Uber to get to the restaurant.  The person she was talking to ask her if she felt safe using this service and she replied, yes.  The person who asked the question said she would not feel safe using the service but has heard that people have had good services.  So it has me thinking, if I need a mode of transportation and didn’t want to use a taxi would I use Uber?

 

For those of you who do not know what Uber is here is the description of the business straight from their web-site: Uber is evolving the way the world moves. By seamlessly connecting riders to drivers through our apps, we make cities more accessible, opening up more possibilities for riders and more business for drivers. From our founding in 2009 to our launches in hundreds of cities today, Uber’s rapidly expanding global presence continues to bring people and their cities closer.  They are rapidly growing as the Uber service is available in 59 countries and 311 cities and growing.

 

So how do you Uber? You simply go on their website and sign up for their App which can be easily downloaded on any smart device through the Apple Store or Google Play store.  Once you download the app you put in your criteria of where you need to be picked up, what time, and what place to drop off.  They also pride themselves on having clear pricing for your trip and you can even pay through the app.  I feel that having already paid for the services up front is very helpful and I don’t have to worry about having cash or giving the correct change. 

 

Is Uber safe?  I know for certain that taxi cab drivers are not always the most reliable or safe drivers.  I have been swindled by a few taxi drivers overseas as they have taken the scenic route to get me to my destination.  What ends up happening is I pay an arm and a leg for what should have been a 2 minute ride.  We also hear about people who rob taxi cab drivers or vice versa.  Unfortunately, this is the risk involved when using these types of services.  Uber is on a mission thought to ensure the safety of both the passengers and drivers.  Each Uber driver must undergo a background investigation including a criminal background check.  They also make everyone take their code of conduct which Uber says gives everyone in the “vehicle has a shared standard for respect, accountability, and common courtesy.”  Make sure to ask the driver the name of the person they are there to pick-up.  This also helps with confusion and safety.

 

So will you Uber?  I really like that I can pre-pay my ride.  This helps with not allowing the driver to take you on the scenic route unless it is on their time and dime.  I would be more likely to use this service in the United States when I don’t have a whole bunch of luggage with me.  Carrying around luggage is already a hassle, then when your Uber car pulls up and it can barely fit your carry-on let alone the four other pieces of luggage you have with you can be nerve racking.  I think this concept is great as it has helped people who are drinking make sure they don’t get behind the wheel, as with the case of a few of our friends at this farewell party the other weekend.  I am always for a service that may save a life.

 

Next time you need a taxi, consider using Uber! 

 

P.S. Did you know that Uber is throughout Europe and a great way to quickly get around the city to see sights?  When you are ready to book your next European vacation, make sure to ask your travel agent the best way to go about using Uber. 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Windmills, Lions, Beaches, OH MY!

Liz Hough on

When you think of Greece you think of the iconic white-washed walls and grey cobblestone streets.  You dream of sunny weather, clear water, good food, and Greek Yia-Yia’s (Greek for Grandmother) inviting you into their home for some dancing and fun.  OPA!

 

Well, when you visit the Islands of Greece you can get this experience minus the Yia-Yia inviting you into their home.  One of my favorite Greek Islands that I visited was Mykonos.  The moment we stepped into Old Town I felt like I was transported into a Greek Island photo that I see on the wall in the local Greek Restaurant.  White-washed buildings with grey cobblestoned streets.  The streets were just wide enough to fit a small car through, but you won’t see cars on these streets. 

 

 

Mykonos offers a variety of things to do on the Island including enjoying one of the many beaches.  Of course, I wanted to see the iconic windmills.  The windmills look down a small part of the Island called Little Venice.  Little Venice is a tiny quarter of trendy boutiques, churches and whitewashed fishermen’s houses lining the seafront in Mykonos’ Old Town.

 

 

The four signature windmills up on a hill overlooking Mykonos Town are the most well-know and signature to the Island. Capped with wood and straw, the three-story conical windmills were built by the Venetians in the 16th century to mill flour. They remained in use until the early 20th century. 

Did you know that there are actually two dozen windmills on the Island?  The Bonis Windmill overlooking Little Venice houses a folklore museum, while others around the Island now serve as very unusual homes. The views from the windmills over Little Venice and the harbor are stunning, especially at sunset. Sailing into harbor, the windmills are one of the first sights of Mykonos.

 

 

Even though the windmills may attract you to this Island, there are many attractions to see including the Terrace of the Lions which are dedicated to the Greek God Apollo.  Originally in 600 B.C. there were up to a dozen big squatting guardian cats lining the Sacred Way.  If you were to visit today you would see only seven remaining due to weathering.  The current lions are replicas, with the originals preserved in the site’s museum, a short walk east of the terrace near the visitor pavilion.

 

If you are thinking of taking a trip to Greece you may want to consider adding Mykonos to your list of Islands that you visit.  With several amazing beaches, museums, sites, and over a dozen windmills to see you will not be disappointed nor will you go away with an empty stomach!

 

 

If you are thinking of taking a European vacation, make sure to include Rome in your itinerary so you can experience the magnificent of this museum.  Simply email Mary and we can start to plan. 

 

 

Remember, a Life is Better Traveling Travel Agent is here to help make your next European vacation amazing!

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Which type of road trip does your family take?

Liz Hough on

When my husband had the opportunity again to speak at a conference in Charleston, South Carolina we instantly decided to turn it into a family vacation.  We had taken the family two years ago when he had the opportunity to speak and we had so much fun.  Deciding to go again was an easy decision.  The tough part was getting there.  Flying to Charleston from Pittsburgh is easy as they now have direct, non-stop flights, but we decided to take an adventure.  A road-trip adventure. 

What comes with a road-trip?  There are two ways to do a road trip.  The first I like to call the “Just Go” road-trip which doesn’t involve much planning at all.  If you don’t like to plan, then this may be the option for you.  The “Just Go” road-trip involves leaving very early in the morning, way before the kids are even awake.  You can leave at 1am or 4am, just anytime before the kids would wake up for the day.  The night before you simply put the kids into their clothes they are going to wear the next day and let them sleep in them for the night.  When it comes time to leave, you move them from their beds into the car and “Just Go!” 

With the “Just Go” road-trip you can plan to stop along the way or you can drive straight through depending on how long it will take you to get to your destination.  Driving straight through is the goal, but as with many kids, the constant asking “are we there yet” can be a big reason to add in a stop or two along the way.  My recommendation for kids six years of age and under is to try to stop every four hours when they are awake.  Four-hours is a good amount of time that allows you to cover a large distance.  This amount of time also helps get the kids out of the car to expend some of that built up energy. 

The other type of road trip I like to call the “Scenic” road trip.  With the “Scenic” road trip you build in more places to stop and see various sites along the way.  This type of road trip takes a lot more advanced planning.  The planning that is involved includes mapping out places to visit along the way with shorter breaks in between, usually 2 to 3 hours in the car before a stop.  Each stop is something fun for the kids to do like a zoo, museum, battlefield, caverns, a farm, an Amish market, or the world’s biggest ball of yarn. 

Picture: Pixabay

The “Scenic” road trip also involves sleeping at various motels and hotels along the way until you get to your final destination.  Depending on the areas you will be stopping, you want to make sure the accommodations receive good reviews from other families who have stayed there.  You don’t necessarily have to stay in the same area as one of your stops.  If you plan to be in that area late, then it is a good idea to stay there.  If you decide that you want your road trip to be a “Scenic” road trip, you can easily map it out on Google Maps and find local hotels and sights.  You can also contact a travel agent to help you come up with a plan. 

You can also do a combination of “Just Go” and “Scenic” road trips.  There really is no right or wrong when planning a road trip as long as you are planning it to fit your family’s needs.  Just remember, Life is Better Traveling!

Stay tuned next month for more on my road trip adventure to Charleston and my family’s adventure.

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Is Hawaii safe to visit?

Liz Hough on

Are you thinking of taking a Hawaiian vacation but aren’t sure if the recent volcano eruption will make for a bad vacation?  Are you concerned all the Hawaiian Islands are affected?  At Life is Better Traveling, we are here to help you get a better understanding of what is going on in Hawaii so you can make an informed decision to book that vacation. 

 

If you haven’t been following the eruption going on the past few weeks, the beautiful volcano of Kilauea on the Big Island of Hawaii is very active right now.  This volcano is the most active of the five volcanoes that make up the Islands of Hawaii.  It is located on the southern part of the Island of Hawaii, and this Island is the most southern of all the Islands.  But how does this effect the other popular vacation Islands like Maui and Oahu?

 

Picture by: Pixabay

With increasing concerns from travelers and people who are looking to book their upcoming vacation to Hawaii, Governor David Ige and State Department of Health Director Dr. Virginia Pressler have officially released a statement to answer questions to your concerns. 

 

Dr. Pressler commented, “The air quality for the vast majority of the Hawaiian Islands is clean and healthy. The emissions from Kilauea volcano are a non-factor for Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kauai. The weather is beautiful and warm with cooling trade winds everywhere in Hawaii and is exactly what travelers expect when coming here for a relaxing and fun vacation experience. This includes Hilo, Pahoa and the Kona and Kohala coasts on the Island of Hawaii.

 

 

Picture by: Pixabay

“The areas where precautions are required for people are in lower Puna where lava is flowing and downwind from there on the Island of Hawaii, particularly if they have respiratory problems. Because of heavy emissions of vog, as well as occasional bursts of ash plumes from the Kilauea summit, the southeast portions of the Island are also routinely experiencing concerning conditions. Those visiting areas south of Hilo should stay alert for air quality updates, especially when wind conditions change. Fortunately, when trade winds are blowing, the vog and ash routinely move in a southwesterly direction and out to sea away from the Hawaiian Islands.”

 

Governor Ige stated, “Hawaii’s air quality is being closely monitored on a continuing basis by scientists, meteorologists and the Hawaii State Department of Health. This team of experts says the air quality in the Hawaiian Islands is safe for residents and visitors, except in the affected areas.

Two other topics that I want to alleviate people’s concerns about are laze and the Puna Geothermal Venture plant. Laze is a natural reaction that occurs whenever lava flows into the ocean as it is doing now and has from time to time over the past 35 years. This is all part of nature’s way of creating new land for life to grow. Laze is limited to the area where the lava meets the ocean and is not a danger to people who keep a safe distance away.

 

“At the Puna Geothermal Venture plant, the state is actively directing protective actions to reduce the risk from lava flows moving nearby. The underground wells have been sealed and secured minimizing the threat to the safety of people and communities.

“The bottom line is that there is no reason for travelers to avoid making their vacation plans in the Hawaiian Islands due to safety concerns because of Kilauea volcano.

Visitors will be welcomed with open arms and treated to the hospitality, aloha, warmth and natural beauty that is found everywhere in Hawaii. The only area to avoid is lower Puna where the eruption is ongoing.”

 

 

Picture by: Pixabay

For the latest update on air quality in the Hawaiian Islands, please reference the State of Hawaii Interagency Vog Information Dashboard: http://www.ivhhn.org/vog/

 

If you are thinking of booking your next vacation to Hawaii make sure to contact one of our Hawaiian Destination Specialists, Mary Yohannan or Sonja Hester.  We are here to book all components including hotel, air, transfers, inter-Island flights, excursions, and travel protection.  Don’t book it all alone, have an expert make sure you will have the most amazing time in Hawaii. 

 

 

Remember, a Life is Better Traveling Travel Agent is here to help make your next vacation amazing!

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

What a GEM on the Adriatic Sea…

Liz Hough on

This Old Town in port has Old World charm with one of, if not the oldest pharmacy’s in the world.  This city has been a maritime city for centuries and due to its easy access to the sea, became one of the wealthiest port cities in Europe.  Over the vast years Dubrovnik has seen its fair share of destruction but you wouldn’t even know from the city’s beauty and charm.

 

When we awoke in the morning the ship was still coming into port and we were able to get some beautiful and very scenic photos of Croatia’s coastline.  I wasn’t really sure what to expect of Croatia.  The stories that I heard were the days when it was part of Yugoslavia, which was not always a good time.

 But the beautiful coastline melted away any apprehensions I had about visiting this country.  The ship we were on was too big to dock at the port so we had to be tendered into the port by life boats.  It was good to know that they worked.

 

 

 

Once we got off our tender we entered through the gates into Old Town.  Now a word of warning: we were offered bathrooms right before going through the gates.  These bathrooms were more traditional for the area, nothing more than holes in the ground with stainless steel foot-grips.  Not a wonderful experience.  Once we got into Old Town, modern facilities were available.  So I recommend holding it if you can!  Now back to walking through the gates, I felt like I had gone back in time.  The light colored stone buildings one on top of the other lining the cobblestone streets was like something out of an Audrey Hepburn movie.  This is not what I expected at all.  It was beautiful and it looked so well preserved!  We were there so early in the morning that nobody was on the streets yet except the local cats.  Yes, I am a cat person so there will be pictures of cats in my blogs.

 

 

Since not much was open yet, we were told to walk around for about 30 minutes and then our tour would start.  This is the point where I start walking around as fast as I can while taking in the sites.  You never know where these tours are going to take you so I always sneak off to get into some stores or get some unique pictures of the architecture.  There were so many narrow alleyways with steep staircases to get to the top.  Each alleyway had an array of shops, restaurants, eateries, and apartments.  Again, nothing was open so I couldn’t get any good shopping in yet.

 

The tour started in front of Onuphrius‘ Fountain.  This is a beautiful large stone fountain that people congregate around through out the day to get pictures, relax, or fill up their water bottles.  Which I personally would never do in a foreign country.  We headed into the Franciscan Monastery which is one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe.  When you walk in you can see the set up of the pharmacy and they still have some of the tools on display.  We also walked the inside court yard area of the monastery, which is beautiful.  The blooming flowers and well manicured garden just made for a picture perfect morning.  There really isn’t much else that we ventured into here, but we did enjoy reading some of the burial markings of old monks.  We then made our way back out to the fountain and down Stradun.  This is the main street.  There are a lot of great little stores that have anything from jewelry to knick-knacks.  There was also a fresh produce market going on in the square.  There were fresh figs threaded through some yarn that looked like a necklace.  They were the biggest figs I have ever seen.  There are many days that I kick myself for not trying them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was now time to leave the city center and start our bus tour.  We did a lot of driving around and the scenery seemed very bare.  It almost was desert-like to me but this changed when we came upon our restaurant.  The restaurant was far from the port but lush with trees and a small stream going through the center of the property.  The ambiance of the restaurant was beautiful and the food was really good too, typical lamb and potatoes but it hit the spot.

 

After leaving the restaurant we headed back to the coast but further south.  We hit a nice resort area where apparently a lot of celebrities like to go for peace and relaxation.  There were a lot of boats on the water but we didn’t see a lot of people swimming.  The water was really choppy that day but it was this beautiful deep blue color that I have never seen before in my life.  We took the mile walk around the lagoon and noticed that there were several beaches.  Well, not exactly what we would call a beach.  Their version of a beach at this lagoon was large rocks.  Apparently you just jump off of them to get into the water.  Some of the rocks had ladders attached to them so you could get back out.  I think I will stick with the sand.

 

I call Dubrovnik a hidden gem because its’ beauty and charm were something I really didn’t expect.  Places like this, the ones that truly surprise you, are the ones that remind you how much Life is Better Traveling.

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

5 Travel scams to avoid when traveling

Liz Hough on

Travel Scam #1: Free Items – Be aware of people who approach you with “Free” items, especially items that they try to put onto your body such as a bracelet or necklace. Many times the person will put on the bracelet and then demand money from you. When you don’t pay them they start to make a scene drawing attention to them and you. 

  • What to do: Avoid having people put anything onto your body and when someone tells you that it is “Free” believe that it is NOT “Free”

Travel Scam #2: Taxi Drivers – Taxi drivers get a bad reputation but that is because some of them do have a bad reputation. There are two scams I would like to let you know about with taxi cab drives.

Be aware of a taxi driver who refuses to turn on their meter as soon as you get into their taxi cab. Sometimes they will tell you that you can get a better rate only to take you on the scenic drive and you end up paying a lot more. Also, taxi cab drivers will start to ask you a lot of questions to get you talking while distracting you from knowing how long you have been in their taxi cab. Again, when they are VERY interested in knowing about you they are also increasing the meter which means costing you more money.

  • What to do: Make sure to have the driver turn on the meter before you start to move to ensure that the meter is actually working. Find out in advance which taxi cab companies are reputable. If the driver starts to ask a lot of questions, tell them you are tired and just really want to get to your hotel.

Be aware of the taxi cab driver who tells you your hotel is overbooked or closed. Many times, they will tell you this and then make a recommendation which is a more expensive hotel, and they pocket a large commission.

  • What to do: If your hotel is truly overbooked or closed your travel agent will let you know in advance or your hotel will contact you directly. If you have not received information from either one of these two places, then your hotel is ready for your stay. 

Travel Scam #3: ATM Scams – These are becoming more and more popular. Sometimes a “friendly” person will come up and tell you that you can avoid the service fees. They tell you to cancel out and put your pin number in again so they can show where to avoid the fees. While this happening another person close by is gathering your information from a reader. Also, someone might approach you after you have left the ATM saying that you dropped $20 or 20 Euros. Don’t take the money, this is scam. They want to know where on you your wallet is so they can bump into you later and take your wallet is located. Men, always put your wallet in your front pocket.   

  • What to do: Do not let anyone distract you at the ATM. If someone comes up to you while at the ATM cancel your transaction, take your card, and leave. Also, don’t let anyone know where on you your wallet is. 

Travel Scam #4: Hotel Calls during sleeping hours – Be aware of scammers who call your hotel room saying they want to confirm the credit card information that they have on file. They may tell you that they have this card with the last four digits of something you don’t have, which then prompts you to give them the correct credit card information. The hotel collects your information during booking and at check-in or check-out. They will not call you in your room to collect information. 

  • What to do: If you do get a phone call to your room, politely tell the person that you will come downstairs to give them your information. If they tell you that you don’t have to do that they can do it all over the phone, tell them you prefer to do it in person or not at all. 

Travel Scam #5: Free Food – Be aware of the free food that is brought to your table. In the U.S. we are very accustomed to having bread brought to our table while we are waiting for our meals to arrive. However, when you are in a foreign country many times the waiter will bring you various small dishes of appetizers like pickles, cheese, etc. They will tell you that it is part of your meal but when the bill comes you have various extra charges for those appetizers sometimes as much as the meal. 

  • What to do: if the waiter comes with something you didn’t order then question what it is and why they brought it to your table. Do not accept anything that you didn’t order and if they put it on the table and leave, take it right back to the kitchen. 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

 

 

 

We went looking for Dracula but instead fell in love with Romania…

Liz Hough on

Yes, believe it or not I had spent an entire week in Romania traveling around the country with a guide in his very tiny vehicle, while enjoying the country of Romania.  How did I come about taking this journey through Romania?  One word…Dracula!  I absolutely love Halloween and so one year my husband had the great idea that we should take a Dracula tour around Romania during Halloween.  Intrigued, I looked into tour operators who did this and actually found a reputable one.  After everything checked out, I booked our flights, hotels, and tours and we were off to Bucharest.  Unfortunately, no Dracula tour was offered over Halloween so we opted for the beginning of November.   This ended up being a great time of year to go because it wasn’t too hot or too cold. 

 

I would love to talk about our whole trip in one article, but it would be way too long, so for this article I am going to focus on Bucharest, Romania. So what is there to see in Bucharest, Romania?  Surprisingly, a lot!  On our day we opted for a full-day, private sight-seeing tour of Bucharest.  We first stopped at the Dimitrie Gusti National Village Museum which I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect.  After touring the grounds for two hours, we ended up having an amazing time looking at various structures that have been built throughout Romania including wooden churches dating back 1000 years.  All of the buildings and monuments were physically transported from all over Romania and placed here to preserve them. 

 

Did you know that Bucharest is one of the few cities like Paris, New York, and Rome to have an Arcul de Triumf (The Triumphal Arch)?  That’s right, it is located in one of the busy intersections so if you were going by it and blinked, you might miss it.  This city also has its own little Times Square with billboards and lights that take over the side of buildings.  Some are in English, but most are in Romanian. 

 

 

My favorite tour of Bucharest was their parliament building which is called the Palace of the Parliament, and was built in the 1980s during the reign of Communist dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu.  It was a long and arduous project building this massive complex, but it is now the largest parliament/administrative building in the world, even larger than the Pentagon.  The palace houses the Romanian Parliament which consists of the Chamber of Deputies, and the Senate, as well as the National Museum of Contemporary Art. The building boasts one of the largest convention centers in the world. 

 

 

You can see the massive parliament building even in the thick fog.  This was the view from our hotel room. The view from our hotel room. You can see the massive building even in the thick fog.

 

Walking through this massive building makes you feel as though you don’t belong there.  However, the building is so massive that curiosity really got to us.  There are marble stair cases, meeting rooms that are larger than my house, carpeting that rivals the carpeting in Kensington Palace, and many treasures.  We only did a 2-hour tour but we could have easily done an entire day in this building. 

 

It is quite cheap to travel around Romania as when we were there one USD was equivalent to almost four Romanian Leu.  Full meals would cost us $3 and that was with a beer.  The food is very good there, and if you ever go you must try the smoked lard. 

 

NOTE: I must give warning that in the 1980’s when many people were forced out of their homes and into apartment style living.  They had to leave their pets outside.  Bucharest and southern Romania have a large dog population that roams freely and they sometimes form packs.  As Americans, we are kind to our animals but if you were to travel here you must be cautious when approaching any animals. 

 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

5 LESSONS we learned about having sick kids on vacation

Liz Hough on

Imagine, you have been planning a vacation for several months and the time has come to finally take it. You get there and the place is beautiful. Everything is planned down to the hour, and you feel excited that after months of preparation you are finally here. You get out your schedule and gather the family to tell them the game plan for the week. One of the kids comes up to you to tell you they aren’t feeling too well. Maybe you shrug it off saying something like it was all the excitement of getting here, or we have been traveling for a long time. You think, there is no time in the schedule for a sick kid, but then it happens. They get sick!

Now what? With months of planning you never took into consideration someone getting sick. Do you go to a hospital or an urgent care? Do you have someone come to your hotel or resort room? How will you get medicine? Is a nap enough to just hope they feel better when they wake up? Question after question starts to run through your mind. What do you do?

Pixabay

 

Personally having traveled to over 19 countries and counting, getting sick is always going to happen as there are germs everywhere. The airport, the bathrooms, the plane (OMG, don’t get me started on the number of germs on a plane), the bus, the lobby, and the hotel room to name just a few places. You and your kids can pick something up anywhere and quickly. I have learned a few really good lessons as to what to when you or the kids get sick while one vacation.

 

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Lesson 1: Don’t panic. The first thing many parents do, including myself, is panic as to what they are going to do. Stay calm and find out what the symptoms are first. From the symptoms, try to figure out the amount of medical assistance that is going to be needed, i.e. hospital, urgent care, or just a trip to the pharmacy. Once you know this, find the nearest place.

Lesson 2: Know where the nearest hospital, urgent care, or pharmacy is located that will take your insurance plan. When you are vacationing in the United States many people believe that their health insurance covers any health-related issues. This isn’t always the truth, and people end up with large medical bills. Make sure to contact your health insurance company before traveling, and find out where the nearest hospital and urgent care are located that are covered under your insurance. Same holds true for when you travel internationally. If you do not have coverage outside of the United States, then I highly recommend purchasing travel protection.

 

know where local care is located if you get sick

Pixabay

 

Lesson 3: Understand that kids are resilient. They may be down for a day or two but they quickly recover. Give them the time they need to rest while making sure they have plenty of what they need to be comfortable and bounce back quickly.

Lesson 4: Be amenable to adjusting your schedule. When we had a sick kid in Walt Disney World, even with all the months of planning and reservations, we had to adjust the days where we just couldn’t make it to the parks. We found fun activities at the resort they could do and made sure there was plenty of time for naps. When we were in Charleston, South Carolina with a sick kid, we watched TV and played games on their tablet. We adjusted the schedule to make sure they were comfortable and got plenty of rest.

Lesson 5: Consider bringing some over-the-counter medications with you on all your vacations. It is so much easier to have the medications on hand, then having to find them. Some medications that you may want to consider taking include: cold medications, allergy medications, stomach medications, headache medications, aches and pains medications, and a traveling thermometer. When I got sick on one of our many Walt Disney World vacations I paid $4 for 2 tablets of a cold medication on property. Paying over $40 in cold medication for what would otherwise cost me $10 at the local pharmacy, was a waste of money. Yup, lesson learned. 

NOTE: When traveling internationally, some medications may be illegal to bring into the country without proper identification. Try to make sure that you have all over-the-counter medications and prescribed medications in their original containers to avoid confiscation.

Yohannan Family in Animal Kingdom

Remember, don’t panic if your kids or you get sick on your next vacation.  Take a page from the lessons that I have learned so you can enjoy your time with your family. It really is as simple as making adjustments for a few days while your resilient child springs back to their original, healthy self. After all, Life is Better Traveling!

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Lost Luggage : It happened to me.

Liz Hough on

When packing your carry-on bag for your next vacation, a good rule of thumb is to have two days of clothes packed.  The thought is that if your checked baggage would be lost, you would have two days’ worth of clothes, and the clothes you were wearing, until they found your luggage. 

After many trips to Europe, I learned that two days’ worth of clothes in your carry-on is the perfect amount.  It gets me through the first two days without having to open my larger luggage.  On the other hand, I decided that I wasn’t going to lug around that huge suitcase anymore.  I was tired of herding around the luggage carousel like a cow at feeding time.  After a long flight waiting for my luggage to come out was even more tiring.  I learned to go to Europe having only my carry-on allowance and never checking a bag again.  Since having kids, I now have to check my luggage because it is impossible for me to lug suitcases and kids through an airport.  So now my worst fear when I travel is that the airline will lose my checked luggage. 

 

Questions run through my head like:  What if they lose my bag?  Will I have to find a store to buy the kid’s more clothes and shoes?  How long will it take for them to find it?  What if they don’t find?  How long before they let me know if they have no idea where my luggage really is?    Will I be reimbursed for these precious belongings?  

 

Well, my worst fear happened to us.  We didn’t lose a piece of our luggage but they lost our car-seat.  Yes, the one thing that you truly need when transporting a child, the airline misplaced it.  What did we have to do?  It was actually quite simple and painless, and exactly what you would do if they lost a piece of your luggage.  You need to go to the airline’s customer service counter located in the baggage claim area. Talk with their representative and tell them your baggage did not come out of the carousel.  This is where you will start to fill out paperwork so you can start your claim.  Most airlines will reimburse you for any checked baggage fees you had paid.  For us, they provided us with a car seat that they had. 

 

 

If your carry-on baggage was flagged to go under the plane and it was misplaced, do the same thing.  Thanks to the US Department of Transportation, if an airline loses your carry-on luggage they are required to reimburse your carry-on fees for all flight segments and any “reasonable expenses” if they completely lose it, damage it, or it is has been delayed.

 

Remember to make sure to put your claim paperwork in a safe spot. Better yet, take a picture of the paperwork on your phone so even if you misplace it you still have a digital copy of it.   Having piece of mind about what to do if your luggage is misplaced and two days worth of clothes in your carry-on makes Life Better Traveling!

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

New U.S. Travel Advisory Reaffirms Mexico’s Major Tourist Destinations are Safe to Travel

Liz Hough on

We would like to take this opportunity to highlight the important updated U.S. State Department Travel Advisory system, classifying Mexico’s major international tourist destinations as safe for travel.

This week, the U.S. State Department introduced a new system for alerting Americans about possible security risks while traveling abroad. This system classifies every country based on four different risk levels, as outlined below:

  • Level 1: Exercise normal precautions
  • Level 2: Exercise increased caution
  • Level 3: Reconsider travel
  • Level 4: Do not travel

We are pleased to share that the following major international tourist destinations in Mexico, where Life is Better Traveling offers as destinations packages to customers, have been explicitly listed as having no travel restrictions:

 

  • Baja California Sur: Cabo San Lucas, San José del Cabo
  • Quintana Roo: Cancún, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Riviera Maya,
  • Isla Mujeres
  • Jalisco: Puerto Vallarta

The de-escalated warning confirms our consistent position that we consider the above tourist areas of Mexico a safe destination for you to enjoy. In fact, more than 35 million travelers come to Mexico each year, often as repeat visitors.

As part of this new system, different states such as Guerrero and Jalisco, can carry different warning levels by region. That considered, it is worth noting that despite the overall state’s higher advisory levels, there are no restrictions on U.S. government employees staying in the tourist areas of Puerto Vallarta falling within the same classification as major travel destinations such as Rome, Paris, and Bali.

Life is Better Traveling is committed to sharing information. As the new system continues to evolve and updates are received from the Mexican Tourism Board, we will endeavor to share the information.

Thank you for your supporting our family owned travel agency, and we look forward to continued success in providing the highest quality of service.

For more information about the U.S. State Department Travel Advisories, visit their website for ongoing up-to-date information.

 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

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