Travel Tip: The Airport ATM

We are distressed to learn about a new trend at airports in Europe.  Nearly all the European airports are taking out bank sponsored ATM machines and replacing them with ATM machines operated by currency exchange company Travelex.  There is no charge to use the Travelex machines, but the exchange rate is less than ideal compared to a bank ATM.  Travelex regularly pays out 10% to 11% less than the going exchange rate.   In light of this trend, it is wise to prebook transportation from the airport that is either prepaid or takes credit cards and then wait until you get to the hotel to find a bank ATM.

Trip Review: St. Maarten Condo

The Schumacher/Epstein Family from Philadelphia (two adults and two teens) traveled to St. Marten for winter break.  They were looking for a clean and comfortable two bedroom condo that would be located close to a friend’s house.  Princess Heights fit the bill with a spacious, modern and comfortable unit with 1,400 sq. ft. and a fully stocked kitchen.  Housekeeping even did the dishes!  The property sits on a hillside overlooking Dawn Beach and has a small pool and gym.  The family enjoyed exploring beaches around the island with beautiful blue water everywhere they went.  Restaurants were available within walking distance at the nearby Westin, but they chose to dine at several restaurants within a 5-20 minute drive.  Both the towns of Phillipsburg on the Dutch side and Orient Beach on the French side are within 15 minutes of the property.  It didn’t take long for them to figure out the hilly and narrow roads on the island which made it easy to explore.  They also took a day trip to St. Bart’s which was really beautiful and reminded them of St. Tropez.  Overall they enjoyed the island, the non-stop flight, easy access to great beaches and nearby islands and a nice variety of locally owned restaurants.

Travel Tip-Nervous Fliers

Does the idea of flying cause you to break out in a cold sweat? You aren’t alone. More than 25 million Americans suffer from some form of flight anxiety, making aerophobia (fear of flying) the second biggest fear in the U.S. after public speaking. If you do fall in this category, you’ve probably had friends and family remind you numerous times that flying is the safest mode of transportation. While that’s very true—your chances of dying in a plane crash are about one in 10 million compared with a one-in-272 chance of dying in a car crash—that’s not always enough to quell the jitters. And advice like showing up early at the airport to eliminate unnecessary stress is practical as well, but for the most nervous nellies among us, it takes a little bit more to get us up in the air. Budget Travel turned to the experts— Todd Farchione of Boston University’s Center for Anxiety & Related Disorders, Martin N. Seif of the Anxiety & Phobia Treatment Center, and Captain Steve Allright of British Airways’ Flying with Confidence program—to find out exactly what to do to help alleviate flight anxiety. Thanks to their advice, they put together a 10-step guide to help you conquer your fear—because nothing should stand between you and the vacation you deserve.

Give your phobia a name

Figuring out what triggers your fear in the first place is an important first step toward conquering flight anxiety. Different aspects of flying can trigger different fears depending on the person—for instance, one person may be afraid of turbulence and feel nervous during a perfectly normal takeoff, while an individual with germaphobic tendencies may be more concerned about the spread of germs in a confined space. “The common denominator for more than 90 percent of flight phobics is the fear that they will become overwhelmed with anxiety during the flight,” says Seif, a clinical psychologist who runs the Freedom to Fly program at the Anxiety & Phobia Treatment Center in White Plains, New York. It helps to recognize that your phobia is irrational, but you need to be able to pinpoint the cause of your fear before you can take that next step.

Familiarize yourself with airplane noises

You’re about to land and the plane is rattling like both of its wheels are about to fall off—is it time to panic? No, the carry-on luggage and the seat-back tables are shifting slightly—just like they do every time the plane takes off and lands. Sometimes all it takes to combat anxiety is a little information. Read up on the typical bumps and noises that may occur during a flight. It also helps to understand just how rigorous safety measures are for aircrafts.  “Our anxiety is fed by ‘what if?’ catastrophic thoughts. Once you become knowledgeable, your ‘what if’ thoughts will be limited by the facts,” said Seif.

Check the turbulence forecast

While turbulence is a perfectly normal part of flying—it happens when the plane encounters normal weather patterns like air currents or clouds—the idea of shaking while in the air can be very unsettling. Turbcast (iTunes, $1.99) was designed by a pilot and analyzes weather patterns as a pilot would, giving fliers an inside look at factors like air pockets and thunderstorms that can cause turbulence in the first place. Translation: The more you know about what causes that shaky feeling and how much of it you can expect while you’re airborne, the less you’ll be afraid of it.

Bring a photo of your destination

Visualizing your destination and imagining yourself there can be a powerful antidote to stress—and can help keep you focused on the prize at the end of the journey. You can do this with or without a photo, but having a physical image to refer to—whether it’s a picture you’ve downloaded on your phone or a postcard—can help to keep your mind from wandering. Allright says another method is to “imagine yourself in a safe place, somewhere you feel comfortable and safe. Your bedroom, perhaps, or on a beach. Take yourself there with your eyes closed and relax.” The idea is to take your mind off the little things that make you nervous about flying and focus on the positive aspects of your journey.

Read more: http://www.budgettravel.com/feature/travel-advice-overcoming-flight-anxiety,12630/#ixzz3LL2syCoq

Trip Review: South American Rendezvous

The Rosenbloom Family (2 adults and 3 teenagers) from the Boston area traveled to three countries in South America this month.  Their first stop was in Buenos Aires to meet up with their oldest who was studying there for the semester.  They enjoyed their stay at the Alvear Palace in the heart of the Recolata and seeing the city from their daughter’s point of view.  Activities included a Jewish tour of the city and a tango show at Esquina Carlos Gardel (tacky touristy, but fun).  Next stop…Brazil for the amazing Iguassu Falls.  They stayed at the hotel closest to the falls, the Belmond Das Cataratas.  The highlight here was the inflatable boat trip up to the falls with a hike in the jungle as well.  A true wonder of nature as they described.  The trip ended in Uruguay in the laid back beach town of Punta del Este and a stay the Il Belvedere hotel in a spacious house rental.  Overall a very smooth trip with plenty of great meals and a nice mix of urban vs. natural settings.  Having one family member fluent in Spanish also helped!

Travel Tip: Giving Back

When packing for a vacation, your family can make a difference by planning to donate to one of the non-profit groups in the area. Pack for a Purpose (http://www.packforapurpose.org) makes it easy.  This non-profit organization is dedicated to helping travelers make an impact in the communities they visit. And it doesn’t take much. By simply leaving that extra pair of shoes at home and packing 4 deflated soccer balls or 400 pencils instead, you can make a big impact on the lives of children in the destinations you visit.  Their website provides supply lists for destinations in over 50 countries. These lists are provided by the local, community-based projects which receive and use the supplies. Because these lists are directly provided by specific communities around the world, they enable travelers to make informed decisions about the items they bring with them abroad.  Through the help of Pack for a Purpose, The Family Traveler recently brought school supplies to Jamaica for distribution to local schools through Beaches Resorts and The Sandals Foundation.

Trip Review-Jamaica Mon!

The Family Traveler’s Lauren and fiance Evan traveled to Jamaica in November.  Our hotel stay was split between Montego Bay and Negril at two very diverse and adult only all-inclusive resorts.  We also toured two family all-inclusive resorts.  Our first stay was at the new Riu Palace Montego Bay located just 5 minutes from the airport.  This 238 room resort was quite compact.  Very modern and clean with a small beach, plenty of decent dining options (4 a la carte options + buffet), infinity pool, small gym and plenty of activities and entertainment.  Guests have full use of the Riu Montego Bay next door for watersports, additional dining options, spa, etc.  Fellow guests ranged from honeymooners of all ages to several groups of Girls’ Getaways.  We then moved onto Negril to Couples Swept Away.  This resort is old school Jamaica with lots of wood in the rooms and mature tropical foliage.  Negril Beach is definitely a highlight despite all the local vendors roaming the beach.  We found this 312 room resort ideal for active adults with superb tennis facilities (with daily clinics and round robins), lap pool, outdoor gym, fitness classes, watersports, spa and yoga on the beach.  Food service was good overall (3 a la cartes, buffet and vegetarian pool grill).  Catamaran sails, snorkel trips to a nearby reef and shuttle to nearby shops are included in the rate.  This property caters to couples (of all ages), but only requires two per room.  Many couples we met were repeat guests.

Our tour of Azul Sensatori Jamaica on Negril Beach was a pleasant surprise.  Formerly Beaches Sandy Bay, this upscale, modern and renovated property offers 136 rooms and suites.  It opened last year with a family section and adult-only section.  The highlight on both sides is the swim up rooms.  Family-friendly rooms include one and two bedroom suites complete with crib (and adorable baby sized bath robe), monitor and other baby neccessities for families traveling with their little ones.  All restaurants are on the family side.  The property also has a nice kids club with shaded outdoor play areas.  Watersports, spa, gym, several pools, daily activities and evening programs round out the facilities.

Beaches Negril is popular resort for our families due to its great variety of rooming options (with rooms and suites with up to 3 bedrooms that sleep up to 12) and extensive day and evening children and teen programming.  Other family-friendly amenities include a waterpark area with large slides, tennis, Sesame Street characters, Scratch DJ Academy, game room, Xbox Play Lounge and tons of dining options (some with kid size tables). Parents and grandparents will enjoy the spa and gym.

Check the website for more photos and trip details.

Travel Tip: Passports

Here are seven things you might not have known about your passport:

Fall is the best time to renew your passport. 
If you obtained your passport after age 16, it’s valid for 10 years.  If before, you get 5 years.  As some countries require at least six months beyond your travel dates to enter, it’s always wise to keep tabs on your family’s expiration dates. The best time to renew is in fall when applications are at a low before Thanksgiving and holiday rushes, the State Department says. You’ll likely get yours processed faster.

You can get an XL passport with extra pages — for free!
The traditional U.S. passport comes with 28 pages, but you can request a 52-page one for free when you apply for your first passport or renew an old one. You can also add pages to an existing passport, but for an $82 fee.

What is a passport card?

It’s wallet-sized and it costs less than a regular adult passport. But you can only use it to re-enter the U.S. from land border-crossings and sea ports of entry in Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda.

Your passport is one of the most powerful in the world.
If you’re from the U.S., your passport affords you free access to 172 other countries. Not many other global citizens can say the same.

If you got your passport after 2007, there’s an electronic chip in it. 
That chip on the back stores the same personal information printed on your passport’s photo page, plus a biometric identifier (aka a digital image of your face). If you have one of these “e-passports,” agents can use facial recognition technology to confirm the passport is indeed yours.

You don’t have to take your passport photo at the drugstore.
The picture must be square, unaltered and on a white background, but you’re allowed to take it at home.  Check http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/photos/photos.html for details.

You may get barred from boarding if your passport doesn’t have enough blank pages.
“Some countries require that your passport has two to four blank visa/stamp pages,” reads the State Department website. “Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement in not met.”  Always check the requirements for your specific destination before you go.

Trip Review-Harry Potter and Universal

The Harrison Family (2 adults and 2 teenage girls) from Collinsville, IL traveled to Orlando in July to experience the newly opened Diagon Alley at Universal Studios and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventures.  The family stayed at the Loew’s Royal Pacific which is an on-site hotel.  They really liked the convenience of walking from the parks to your room in under 10 minutes.  One night they were rather tired and took a pedicab to get back.  You just pay the driver what you feel is appropriate.  The family enjoyed the hotel and its tropical ambiance.  A nice respite from the parks.  They felt like they were on an island rather than in the middle of Orlando.  The breakfast buffet was very nice with excellent service albeit pricey.  So they also opted for the lobby bar which serves an a la carte breakfast every morning.  Jake’s American Bar got high marks for lunch and dinner.  Despite long lines for a ride or two at the parks, the family had fun exploring Diagon Alley’s shops and displays and sampling butter beer and pumpkin juice.  Daughter Rachel’s favorites were the Olivander’s Wand Experience and Nocturne Alley. They noted that Diagon Alley felt more spacious and less cramped than Hogsmeade.  The Forbidden Journey ride in Hogsmeade was great fun and the Hogswart Express train was really cool too.  The entrances and exits to the ride really made you feel like you were in an actual train station.  Following Orlando, the Harrison’s traveled to Vero Beach for a few days at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort.  They said it was very relaxing (although 2 nights was not enough) with an OK restaurant.  They found plenty of other good dining options in the cute town of Vero Beach.  Overall a really fun trip!

Trip Review-An Iceland Adventure

The Fisher Family from Philadelphia (2 adults and 2 young adults age 22 and 18) ventured to Iceland in late May for a belated high school graduation trip. The trip began in Reykjavik and a stay at the Hotel Holt. From the capital city they experienced the gorgeous Blue Lagoon (a geothermal spa) and took an ATV ride that explored multiple Icelandic volcanic features and black sand lava beaches.  The Fisher’s liked their hotel’s central location in town and it’s European boutique feel.  To experience more of the country, the family rented a car and moved onto the dramatic Hotel Ion.  This upscale hotel sits in the middle of nowhere and hangs over a cliff!  From here they launched their Golden Circle tour by Super Jeep which also included a memorable snowmobile adventure on top of a glacier.  They also visited Thingvellir National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the location of the only two tectonic rift valleys in the world), various waterfalls and hot springs.   The family then moved onto South Iceland with a Hot Springs Hike on the way.  They stayed at the more rustic Ranga Hotel with its log cabin style lodging.  The family was impressed by the hands-on general manager and access to telescopes to probe the night skies.  From this region they took a river rafting trip on the Hvita River for a different vantage point of Iceland’s amazing landscapes and ended their adventures with a South Shore Safari with Glacier Hike on the Solheimajokull Glacier. Definitely a highlight.  Hiking is done with crampons (spikes that you put on the soles of your shoes) and other specialized gear.  This glacier is a magnificent place; the ancient ice flow is crevassed riddled with huge ice ridges and spiraling sinkholes everywhere. In the ice, ashes from past volcanic eruptions are hidden. Overall the trip was a success with so many amazing experiences on this unique island nation.

Travel Tips-Avoid Overpacking

Overpacking is one of the dreaded aspects of traveling.  Here are some helpful tips to help lighten your load:

Shrink your shoe collection.
First and foremost, limit your shoe obsession to two pairs. All you need is one casual pair and one that’s slightly dressier. This will lighten your luggage immensely. Next, pack your shoes on the bottom of the bag, but don’t leave them empty. You should stuff sneakers with socks, belts, and other small items to save space.

Pack early.
Don’t wait until that last minute to pack your bags, since rushed packing usually leads to overpacking. Packing efficiently is like a science, so take time to really assess what you’ll need and what you can leave at home. Lay out everything you want to bring—then cut it in half.

Leave it behind.
Leave toiletries at home. Hotels usually provide shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, and anything else you need you can easily pick up in a convenience store at your destination. Also, forget your hair dryer. Most like they will have one for you. Insider tip: Toiletries and hair dryers might be hard to come by in places like Cuba and Cambodia, so double check before visiting an “exotic” destination.

Pack clothes that match.
By choosing a color scheme for your clothes, you’ll be able to mix and match everything with ease. For example, try packing black and white clothes with one accent color. This will make picking outfits easy and ensure all shoes, shirts, pants, and jewelry coordinate.

Abide by the roll.
Rolling clothes is the best way to save space when packing. Use rubber bands or Velcro straps to hold everything tight and keep items from unraveling. Pack a small bottle of wrinkle release to help smooth out clothing creases that might form during travel. For clothes that you can’t fold, like suits or dresses, try placing them in a plastic bag from the dry cleaner. The plastic creates a layer of separation and decreases wrinkling.

Layer on the plane.
The best way to transport bulky clothing items is by wearing them on the plane. Wear heavier items, such as sneakers, boots, jeans, and sweaters, on the flight to save yourself baggage space. The overhead bin always has room for a jacket or sweater if you get too hot on the flight.