Travel Blog

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It is summer, it is hot. You are enjoying gardening, walking, swimming and barbecuing with friends, but when fall comes you will have an urge to travel and yes, indeed, it is the best time to travel!

In many places it is the shoulder season, which means fewer crowds. In addition the weather is optimal, in the northern hemisphere, the summer heat has passed, but it is still quite pleasant; in the southern hemisphere, spring flowers are blooming; and in Asia the monsoon rains have ended.

Here are some of my favorite trips for the fall:

Hiking in Vermont: If you have not seen Vermont in the fall, you don’t know what you are missing. The fall colors there are simply unbelievable! With forests covering three-quarters of the state, and the highest percentage of vibrant maple trees in the country, Vermont can’t help but explode into amazing colors once the leaves start to turn. Whether you are touring the state on the scenic byways, or enjoying a crisp autumn hike outdoors, almost everywhere you look in Vermont during the fall months is alive with bursting reds, oranges and yellows.

Adding to the natural beauty of autumn in Vermont are a variety of festivals, events and activities that help celebrate the season. Harvesting fruits and vegetables, visiting farms, pumpkin patches and corn mazes, and game hunting are among the host of outdoor things to do that make fall such a special time of year.

Plus, the elegant inns, hotels and bed and breakfasts are perfect places to stay during a fall visit to Vermont, but let's plan your fall trip and lodging early, because when the calendar turns to autumn, virtually no place in America is more desirable to visit than Vermont.

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Penny Lane BeatlesFrom the birth of the Beatles to the creators of the kilt, this 7-day sojourn through England and Scotland was all about uncovering the best of Britain. Picture-perfect lands and charming cities make this a perfectly balanced way to spend a week in the U.K.

4/29/17 (Day 1) - Arriving in LONDON
After arriving at the Hotel Ibis London Earl’s Court, we all met in the lobby at 4pm. We were introduced to Brooke, the Trip Manager, and from there, we went to the Contiki Basement for a short orientation. Then, we drove to the Westminster Pier, across from the London Eye, for a 45 minute cruise on River Thames. There was champagne waiting for us at Zizzi’s, an Italian restaurant in Greenwich, where we were served way more food than we could eat. Afterwards, we rode back to the hotel in the coach.

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Walt Disney World"Magical" – This truly is the word for my most recent visit to Walt Disney World. The next best thing to an African Safari is a stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. With a Savanna View Room you can awaken to giraffes, ostriches, zebras and wildebeests.

If you prefer a Polynesian, princess, or pirate experience there is a place for you, too. A stay at the Wilderness Lodge, cabins or camping may be your thing. A luxury retreat at the Grand Floridian or overnight in a Disney Experience at the Little Mermaid, Cars or Lion King rooms at the Art of Animation might be your style.

Whatever you desire, Disney has a place for you! If you want to experience world cultures, food, and entertainment you only need to travel as far as Epcot.

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I have been very fortunate in my career to travel all over the world and enjoy the many cultures and local traditions of the countries I have visited. I also have had the opportunity to travel aboard some of the most beautiful ships in the world, a travel method that I really enjoy.

I recently took two South Pacific cruises, one 22 days and more recently a 30-day cruise. Both ships were fantastic, but very different.

The first cruise I took was a sailing aboard the Pacific Princess from Papeete to Los Angeles. I like to call this ship my little gem as she is the smallest of all the ships in the Princess fleet. The ship was beautiful with decor that was elegant, but not over the top.

I can tell you from experience 6 reasons you may want to cruise on this ship.

  1. Size: the ship is boutique in nature and you really get the feeling you're sailing on a large yacht.
  2. Service: the service is over the top; you are waited on with smiles from the staff and nothing that you ask for seems to phase them. It’s simply done.
  3. Ease: getting on and off the ship in the ports was simple and easy, with no lines at all.
  4. Cuisine: the food was awesome and we had no problems getting a reservation at the specialty restaurants.
  5. Cabin: we had a balcony cabin and the service from our steward was over the top. We enjoyed the 24-hour room service with no waiting and the meals were hot. 
  6. Social: I enjoyed this ship because you really have the chance to meet new friends and I have kept in touch with them still.
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This beautiful part of Italy is not a hidden gem anymore but it is still a very charming destination for just a few days. I just returned from three nights staying in the town of Vernazza and was able to experience hiking, train ride and boat ride. You can stay in any of the towns and still enjoy all three activities.

Monterosso Al Mare offers more hotels, Corniglia is smaller and less crowded. To avoid crowds on the trails, make sure to start hiking around 8.00am. If you are driving, you need to reserve a parking spot in advance on line. You can reserve in La Spezia or Levanto. For the real serious hikers, along with the main trail going from one town to the next, you have many other trails in the park. They are quite steep but it is worth every pain you might have the next day! You will be by yourself and you will have the most amazing views.

On your next trip to Italy, do think of Cinque Terre if you are traveling in the northern part of the country.

Happy trails…

Fondly,

Murielle Blanchard
(801) 483-6533