Adventure travel for women!

Are you interested in travel? Are you a woman traveling alone? Are you interested in traveling with other women?

There are many women who are interested in travel but do not necessarily know how to go about it or don’t have anyone to travel with. Perhaps you are single, divorced, widowed or married with a spouse who is just not interested in traveling. Now you can come together with like-minded women—for the love of travel, make new friends and see the world in a safe and friendly environment. It doesn’t get any better than this!

MC DestinationTravel is dedicated to women-only small group travel. Our All Women Travel trips are exclusively designed to provide you the best in travel experiences. The tour we offer are designed for women, by women!

FYI! moesneverhome.wordpress.com is a travel consultant for MC Destination Travel (B.C. Licence #52999). Visit our website at www.mcdestinationtravel.ca

Our groups are ideally 10 to 12 and never more than 16. Age is no limit! Some tours will require more physical activity than others. This information will be provided in the trip details. You know what you can handle!

Our tours are designed to provide you the best in travel experiences. They are always escorted and offer a wide choice of destinations and activities. Not only do the trips vary in length, but also do the trip styles. The featured destinations will give you the opportunity to explore other cultures, enjoy the country you are visiting, focusing on the local sights, the people and the local cuisine. And of course, there will always be time for shopping! In some destinations, we will also have the opportunity to “give back” to support communities, schools and hospitals. And the best part! The logistics have all been taken care for you.

Why women only travel?

Statistics show that women-only vacation and girlfriend getaways are a growing interest in the travel industry. We make up 75% of cultural and nature tours. “An adventurer traveler is no longer a 28 year-old male, but a 47 year old female and….she wears a size 12!” says Ellen Slaughter of CMH Adventure Tours.

Don’t the word adventure scare you! The word “adventure” doesn’t mean that it has to be difficult; it just means to explore and experience new things!

We feature a monthly newsletter for All Women Travel offering up-to-date travel news, upcoming tours and information, things we love to try and buy, share our favorite recipes… and a bit more! Sign up by visiting http://www.mcdestinationtravel.ca/#!vstc22=page-4/vstc1=contact-us

Take good care of those passports!

Before you go to Mexico you need to read this!

I have reported several times (via e-newsletters) that some passengers have been denied boarding on a WestJet flight bound for Mexico because of the condition of their passport. I recently read another report just the other day that two passengers (from Vancouver) were denied boarding due to water marks on the back cover. Why is this happening?

Apparently, Mexican Customs and Immigration officers have become very strict in their examination of the passports of those passengers wishing to visit their country and have denied a handful of Canadians entry because of tips, tears, missing corners or water damage to the cover or inside pages.

As it is the responsiblity of the airline to transport the denied visitors back to Canada immediately, airline officials are now doing closer passport examinations upon check-in and are denying boarding to those they feel will be denied entry upon their arrival into Mexico.

Although WestJet officials clearly state that Mexico has adopted a tougher approach this year, the Mexican Embassy in Ottawa insists there have been no change in their passport policy relating to what customs and immigration staff are instructed to do relating to the condition of passports. They state that passports in generally good condition, as can be expected under normal use, are no problem.

So what is one to do? For travellers, the warning from WestJet presents a dilemma. No one wants to bet put in a position of having to renew passports any earlier than their expiry date. Forewarned and is forearmed! So as a precaution, I highly recommend that you check your passports now and make your own assessment about its condition, or go to the airport ahead of time to check with the airline personnel you will be traveling with to Mexico. It is best to be safe than sorry and take whatever action you can in advance to avoid disappointment.

Take good care of those passports!

WestJet ‘s posted advisory on their website: http://www.westjet.com/guest/en/travel/basics/identification.shtml

 

 

My New Year’s Resolution is to travel more! How can I make that happen?

 My New Year’s Resolution is to travel more! How can I make that happen!

Not only do I have a bucket of things to do and achieve, but I also have a bucket dream list of places to visit—climb Anapurna, float in the Blue Lagoon, bike through the Black Forest, river barge through the Loire Valley…just to name a few! I have been traveling for many years so my travel desires may be more ambitious than others, but no matter where we want to travel to, making the list is the easy part. Finding the time, money and know how is well, not as easy. Here are some ideas to help you achieve these goals.

Start with something small! Especially if you are a novice traveler!

– Start by choosing a shorter and more manageable trip like a spa weekend getaway in the Napa Valley or spend a week in the sun biking through Cuba for instance as opposed to a three week Africa safari or an Antartica expedition.

– Consider traveling off-season—for instance, September is a great time to visit Hawaii and late winter is a great time to visit London, England. FYI! There are fewer crowds and hotel prices are typically less expensive, but be aware that some attractions may be closed.

Research your destination

– Read! Read! Read! And research where you plan to travel. Get inspired by travel magazines and guidebooks. Your local library is an excellent source for information.

– Contact your friendly travel agent—they are an excellent source of information and they’ve probably been there! And they always have the most current brochures and information booklets on hand to pass on.

– Stay connected! Sign up for email newsletters and blogs from your travel agent and travel companies about your desired destination. Get added to their Facebook page!

– Ask friends and families about their travel experiences.

Saving for your trip

– Start an automatic monthly savings account and label it “My Travel Fund”

– Choose a destination where your dollar stretches further ie. Thailand or Costa Rica

– Choose “time” instead of money when working overtime

– Use your frequent flyer points/air miles wisely. Be aware that sometimes it is best to pay for your airline ticket (by credit card! got accumulate those points!) and use frequent flyers / air miles points for flight upgrades, hotels, car rentals and/or tours.

– Book your airline ticket early and take advantage of seat sales. Let your travel agent know and he/she will notify you as seat sales are announced.

A novice traveller or just don’t know where to start. Consider joining a small group!

– Consider joining a small group departure. Traveling with a small group is like traveling with a group of friends, you just haven’t met them yet. I like small group departures because I find that with large 45-50 passenger group departures that you spend too much time ‘waiting’!

– It may not always be less expensive but small group prices are typically very comparable and best of all, the details have been taken care for you allowing you to get the most of the destination and experience. No need to worry about what to do next, how do I get to the next destination, how do I get tickets, etc. etc. etc! It’s planned!

– If you are a novice traveler you are traveling within the safety of a group. A tour director or guide travels with the group to ensure no ‘hic-cups’!

– And again, the hard part has been taken care of. All the planning and details have been taken care—you just need to show up and enjoy the culture and experience of the destination that you are traveling to. And you might even make a new travel friend!

Just do it!

There’s a quote I love that says, “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page!” by Saint Augustine.

What’s on your bucket list?

What’s on your bucket list?

First of all let’s determine what is a bucket list?

A bucket list is a contract you make with yourself that lists all the goals and life experiences you want to achieve and dreams you want to fulfill before you die.  Everyone’s idea of a bucket list is different. Some create lists to achieve financial and career goals while others create bucket lists for places to see and things to do!

If you do not have your list of goals written down on paper, you should. When it is written down, it will give you the motivation and will also make you accountable to complete some of the items listed.  There’s nothing more exciting than crossing out an item off your bucket list.

Personally I have two bucket lists! One of places I want to see and the other is my things to do list. I keep it to 10 per list. Just as I finish one goal, I’ll add a new one. However, I like to keep some of the things that I’ve already accomplished. It’s fun to look at some of the things that I have already done.

My Bucket List!

My Places to visit!

1. Machu Picchu in Peru – happening in March!
2. Pyramids at Giza, Egypt
3. Mayan Ruins in Chichen Itza, Mexico √
4. Soak in the Blue Lagoon, Iceland
5. River Cruise through France
6. China and Tibet
7. Venice, Italy √
8. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil √
9. Climb Anapurna, Nepal
10. South African Safari

Things to do!

1. Skydiving √
2. Be a blood donor
3. Drive a Nascar  Woo! Hoo! √
4. Get my motorcycle licence
5. White water rafting √
6. Speak Spanish fluently (working on it!)
7. Bungee jump
8. Sky dive again!
9. Zip Line
10. Hot air balloon ride √

Some of the most poular bucket list favorites are run a marathon, travel around  the world, climb a mountain,  learn a new  language and visit all the seven wonders of the world. Bucket lists are personal and are never-ending.

It’s all  about the journey of living life to the fullest!

If you have a bucket list, share it with us.

Welcome to my blog!

After officially retiring and traveling full-time for about 5 years, the idea of ‘settling down’ gave me the heebee geebees! So I combined my love of travel and expertise and set off to work and play in the world of travel! Visit my blog for a great combination of travel experiences, destination information, tips, general travel advice and more. Let’s learn to appreciate what the world has to offer!