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Growing up, my family took a vacation every summer. At the crack of dawn, my parents would load me and my three sisters into the back of our minivan. We were crammed in there with a big cooler and all of our luggage, and we would drive for hours. Sometimes our destination was the Wisconsin Dells, the vacation mecca of all families growing up in the Chicago suburbs, so we only had to endure a few hours in the car. Other times, we would head to the Smoky Mountains in North Carolina or to Florida, which would take FOREVER! I’m not sure how any of us survived those trips!  My sister Anita, me, my sister Sheela, my Mom and my sister Suni, in the Smoky Mountains
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 I've been talking a LOT about food the last few weeks. What can I say - Florence has a lot of great food to talk about. Unfortunately, all of that pasta can add up around your waistline, even with all of the walking that you'll do. The last thing I ever want to do on vacation is think about working out, especially in a gym. I'd rather spend that time enjoying my vacation...or eating gelato. However, I've come across a great workout routine that you can do anywhere.
Disclaimer - I'm not a doctor or personal trainer. I didn't design this workout but a fitness expert did. I hope that you didn’t think that I could have Florence as my monthly theme without talking about the food. Florence has some of the most amazing food! You can basically walk into almost any restaurant (as long as they are not right on the Duomo) and get an incredible meal made with fresh ingredients. Just thinking about what I’ve had to eat there is making me hungry and I’ve just finished my breakfast! I’ve put together a list of some of my favorite things to eat in Florence and where you can get them.  Me in my happy place - sitting outside at a restaurant in Florence, about to eat an amazing meal!  Jennifer and Marnin are the parents of two adorable girls. I first started working with them a couple of years ago, and despite the fact that the girls were two and six year old at the time, they still wanted to travel. Jennifer has traveled extensively, including spending a lot of time in India, so I thought they would be the perfect family to offer some advice for traveling with children.
 Clayton and Dianne with their girls - aren't they gorgeous? Photo courtesy of Dianne August’s Clients of the Month are Clayton and Dianne. I used to work with Clayton and over the years, he and Dianne have become good friends. They are both busy with their careers (he’s a manager in a technology company and she is a certified healthcare technology trainer) and they are also busy with their family. They are the parents of three talented girls, one of which was the catalyst for their trip to Florence.
Since they knew that Italy is one of my specialties, they came to me for help in putting together their family vacation to Italy. I am one of the many people who love Florence, Italy. To be fair, I’m an easy sell for almost anywhere in the world. I can find something about almost any location that I like, even if it’s only an appreciation for the differences from my own home. But Florence gets to me in a way that very few places do. This is one place that I would revisit time and again, and for a girl who would always rather see new places, that says a lot. Florence is beautiful, sophisticated, quaint, mysterious, bustling and delicious! Between the priceless artwork, the many amazing restaurants and the beautiful Renaissance architecture, Florence truly has something for everyone.  An overview of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo  When you look at the picture above, what places comes to mind? If you are like most people, you're thinking of Tahiti. While Tahiti is a beautiful and magical place, it is also a very long day of travel. If you are considering a stay in an over-the-water villa, why not consider Jamaica instead? Sandals Royal Caribbean, in Montego Bay, is an adults-only, luxury, all-inclusive resort with a focus on romance. It is also one of the few places where you can fly for 4-5 hours and stay in an over-the-water villa. That's where the picture above is from, not Tahiti but Jamaica!
My May Clients of the Month are Henry and Brittany. I've known Henry for years through my past life in the corporate world and he's a great person. Obviously that means that Brittany is as well- guilty by association, right? :) Henry and Brittany are both busy professionals (are you sensing a theme here with my clients?) who wanted to plan some time for the two of them to get away and relax. One of the places that they were considering was Montego Bay and I thought that it would be perfect for them! Read on for their experience in Jamaica!  Photo courtesy of Henry V. Let's face it - Montego Bay has a bad reputation. I've talked to many clients who haven't been to Montego Bay but don't want to go because they've heard it's dirty, busy, dangerous, etc. The reality is that Jamaica is a beautiful country with friendly people and a lot of things to do. The beaches are picturesque, there are resorts for any type of traveler and it's got great food. Read on for five reasons why I think you should plan a trip to Montego Bay today!  Sunrise in Montego Bay  Do these people look boring or annoying? I get it - I used to think like you too. There was NO way that I was going to spend my precious vacation time stuck on a bus with 50 boring and annoying people, driving past the things that I really wanted to see and not getting enough time to spend at the places where we did stop. No thank you! However, after I changed my career from technology to travel, I started educating myself on what group tours were all about. SHOCKER, I even took a group tour myself. I found the right tour company that fit me and my vacation style.
You know what? I was hooked! Read on for five reasons why I think you should consider traveling with a group too. |
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