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March 2019

Vacation Time is Family Time

By Travel Motivation No Comments

The best childhood memories usually are those spent as a family. No one reminisces about punching the clock and fighting traffic. Think of your childhood memories and chances are there’s something that makes everyone in your family laugh and more than likely its related to a vacation.  Who hasn’t watched Chevy Case as Clark W. Griswold and failed to see the ironic humor?

There’s something magical about a trip as a kid. Everything is bigger, better, scarier, and much more memorable than everyday life.  Virtually everyone can remember a family trip or two that makes you laugh or cry. It’s there forever. It brings back a carefree time when imagination was bigger than life.

Plan your family trip today. Make the memories that your family will recall for years to come. Want help getting started, just let me know.

Make Your Personal Adventure “Bucket List” Trips Happen

By Travel Motivation No Comments

Are you an adventure nut?  Like to simply sit back and relax?  Maybe a little of both?  Whatever the case, anyone can come up with a personal Top 5 Bucket List.  Did you know that if you write a goal down you are exponentially more likely to achieve it?  A Harvard study says so therefore it must be true.  In a few years, you’ll have a collection of photos, videos, experiences and memories that are priceless.  Having a hard time getting started?  Here’s a sample of how easy it is to create your list:

  1. Everest Base Camp – Base Camp at 19,000 feet would be close enough to be really cool.
  2. River Raft The Grand Canyon – Class 5 rapids make most people test their comfort zone. Maybe that’s part of the thrill.
  3. Hike to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro – You have to go through Africa to get there which is also part of the appeal to me.
  4. Swim with the Sharks – Off the Great Barrier Reef, in a cage, of course. Australia is another bonus of this trip. I love Australia.
  5. Hang Glide Rio de Janeiro – Jumping off the mountain side over the city of Rio de Janeiro flying over the jungle down to the city below would be glorious.

These are mine, what are yours?

Never Pay Full Price

By Travel Tips No Comments

Smart people know that saving a dollar is as good as making a dollar. They know how to get things for less. Not cheap imitations. Not ‘look-a-likes’. But real, genuine goods and services for less than the average consumer. Their secret is, they never pay full price.

Travel is one of those areas where deals are hard to determine. Confusion in the marketplace makes it difficult to know if you’re getting the best price for your trip. Even the discounted travel sites are misleading when it comes to price and value.

There is a secret in the travel industry, JIFU. JIFU is a travel club that offers its members wholesale prices with no mark-up. Let me say that again, no mark-up. For a small annual fee, members get access to their entire network of hotels, airlines, rental cars, cruises, vacation homes and condos. Major brands, world-wide.

Members can and have saved 40%, 50%, even 60% and more. If you save 50% on your travel that means you’re halfway to your next trip. Remember, saving is just like earning.

If you’re interested in saving hundreds on your next trip, it’s easier than you think.

Specialty Trips Are, Well Special

By Travel Motivation No Comments

Not all vacations need to end up around a pool with a cool drink in your hand. Don’t get me wrong, that scenario is just fine with me, most of the time. But when was the last time you took a vacation that catered to your special interest or hobby?

Are you a wine lover? Why not plan a week touring the vineyards in the Napa Valley or the south of Tuscany?

Are you a river rafter or a kayaker? There are literally hundreds of options that can take you down the river of your choice.

Is fitness your thing? How about a yoga experience in Greece?

Did someone say adventure? Skydiving? Scuba diving? Zip-lining? Cliff jumping? Hiking? Spelunking?

If you have a passion for history, how about a trip across Europe or a tour up the east coast visiting ancient historical sites in Europe, the Americas or Asia?

The options are as varied as you can imagine. If you have never taken a specialty trip, now is the time to look into planning one. Alone, with that significant other, or a group. This is the place to get started.

Take Some Time Off

By Travel Motivation No Comments

There is nothing wrong with working hard, but as the saying goes, all work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy.  Taking some time to sharpen the saw not only makes you happier but studies prove it also makes you healthier and more productive.

Here’s the JIFU challenge … get moving and take some time off.  Studies show that people outside the United States are twice as likely to travel away from home than Americans. The average American vacation is less than 4 days while Europeans average is nearly two weeks. How can you really give your body, mind, and soul the relaxation necessary to rejuvenate when after the first day or so you’re already thinking of what you need to do when you get back to work. It’s like like running down your iPhone battery to zero and trying to recharge it in just a few minutes. It might work for a little while, but not for long.

Take a minute and look at the calendar, mark out a 7-10 day period, write in big red letters “VACATION” then make it happen.

Put a Little Sunshine in Your Winter

By Travel Motivation No Comments

Winter seems to go on forever. Cold, rainy, snowy, dark, it’s a little depressing. Have you ever been talking to a friend when they say something like, “Oh ya, we’re heading to Hawaii for a few days. I can’t wait.” and not seen a smile fill their face? Me neither.

Why aren’t you that person? It’s not as hard or as expensive as you might think. Here are the top 5 destinations just to get you thinking:

  1. Hawaii – The Big Island has something for everyone whether you want to relax, sightsee, golf, or something more adventurous like scuba diving.
  2. Rome – Off season can make this a great place to visit. Avoid the crowds, take in the sites, and enjoy that legendary Italian sun.
  3. U.S. Virgin Islands – Think 75 – 80 degrees, white sand beaches, and the sound of waves crashing. That makes it pretty easy to forget the cold.
  4. Rio de Janeiro – Not too far away and yet worlds apart. Maybe a jungle tour or catch a football (soccer) match one night.
  5. Costa Rica – A place to get up and go hiking, zip-line through the rainforest, mountain bike, or enjoy a leisurely day horseback riding.

It’s easier and less expensive than you may think. Get going.

Insider Travel Secrets

By Travel Tips No Comments

Let’s face it, social media has infiltrated our world and everyday life.  Do you ever wonder why everybody’s life seems more exciting than yours?  As such, many quit checking Facebook and Instagram and the endless stream of selfies from beaches, European cities, and Hawaiian vacations.  The obvious bewilderment is where do they get the money.  The truth is that they don’t have any more than you do, they just know how to travel the way you want, they just do it for less.

Let me give you a few travel insider secrets.  Watch any sports on TV and you’ll see an endless stream of travel site ads that promise the best price.  The truth is they are all the same, literally, owned by the same two megacorps.  You can call a hotel directly and pay retail, get a bit of a discount through other sites or pay much less through an exclusive JIFU travel membership.  JIFU offers you the same price that the big online portals pay and mark-up to the customer.  To be redundant, with JIFU, you pay what they pay, no mark-up.  Same room, same destinations, huge discounts.  Any JIFU Member Affiliate can show you how.