Jambo from East Africa!

Submitted by John & Joan Cook After a very long day of travel from Chicago to Nairobi through 8 time zones and 16 hours of flying on KLM we arrived at 11:00pm to the beautiful Nairobi Serena hotel. The hotel is located in the downtown area, near several embassies and consulates. This hotel featured nice […]

Travel Tips for Kenya & Tanzania

Here are some tips for traveling to Kenya & Tanzania. Cell phone Turn the data plan off. When Wi-Fi is available, turn your phone on to receive messages. Check with your cell phone provider for the best international plan. Credit cards Visa and Mastercard are widely used, except on several occasions when trying to use […]

Essential Holland and Belgium

Amsterdam Canals My mother and I set out for our Essential Holland and Belgium Avalon River Cruise knowing that our panoramic suite, discovery dining and personalized service would be spectacular. What we did not realize is that this journey would open our eyes to the dance between Mother Nature’s water and the need for human […]

An Austrian Adventure

Between the beautiful countryside, picturesque towns and bustling metropolitans, Austria is a diverse country that offers different types of journeys for all types of travelers. If you’ve ever been to Austria, then you know the hills really are alive with the sound of music. Julie Andrews gave us a peak into the gorgeous landscape and […]

Prost, to Oktoberfest

Germany, like the US is broken up into states. There are sixteen Germany states, and today we are going to focus solely on Bavaria or Bayern in German. Bavaria is the largest of the German states and is home to cities such as Nuremburg, Würzburg and of course Munich. Munich is the capital of Bavaria […]

AZAMAZING… through the eyes of my clients

Recently I accompanied 24 clients on an Azamara cruise we labeled the Wines of Western Europe because the itinerary was such that wine lovers could not pass it up! The cruise departed from Southampton England and traveled the coast of France, Spain and Portugal. I mean... it’s a perfect way to hit some of the […]

Finding Yourself While Away

A travel spa & wellness retreat can last from two hours, to a full day, to nearly a week depending on your interest, time, and of course, budget. The variety is immense and your professional travel counselor can guide you in the right direction. Spa and wellness travel is well suited for solo travel as […]

Review for Hurtigruten

We have recently returned with a group to Norway sailing on Hurtigruten. We traveled from Bergen up the coast of Norway, across the Arctic Circle, and ending in Kirkenes, the top of Norway. We were pleasantly surprised with the Hurtigruten voyage. We sailed on the MS Finnmarken, a working ship holding 600 people. The ship […]