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Stories

Our latest impressions and news

To Fly Or Not To Fly

When the pandemic started, most people cancelled their travel plans and did not want to travel by plane.  As summer approached, Paul and I were trying to decide if we would make our annual summer trip to Bay View, Michigan, I have never missed a summer there in my life.  And when the airlines came out with the policy of waiving penalties for any changes, we thought, what the heck, we will plan and see what happens next.  Fast forward to July, with our travel dates approaching and the worsening of the pandemic, we were questioned by friends and family, are you really going to fly?   I had been following the industry announcements and webinars with great interest and was confident that if the proper protocols were in place, we would be safe flying.  So, on July 17th, we boarded our flight to Chicago armed with masks, face shields, wipes, and hand sanitizer.

 

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Beautiful Places Aboard Rocky Mountaineer

I had the privilege of taking my parents – at the time both in their early 80’s – for their last vacation together aboard the Rocky Mountaineer.  And I’ll never forget my father standing overlooking Banff and commenting, “I believe this is the most beautiful place on earth.”  My Dad was a world traveler as an Air Force officer and he and my mother had enjoyed several fantastic journeys together to Europe, Hawaii and Alaska.  He was also a quiet man, so this was high praise coming from him!

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COVID-19 Coronavirus

At Bay World Travel, our highest priority is the safety and well being of our travelers. As we continue to see COVID-19 (Coronavirus) all over the news, we’ve been working to compile the most reliable information from local, state and national governments, as well as from travel industry sources. We understand that every traveler has a unique set of circumstances and your own individual risk tolerance when it comes to making a travel decision. We hope to provide as much information as possible so we can help you make the best decision that you’re most comfortable with regarding your trip. Please keep in mind that much of this information is changing daily and we’ll continue monitoring any announcements and provide general updates on this page as frequently as we can. Here is list of travel specific resources and guidelines that we’ve been using to stay up to date:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

World Health Organization

State Department Travel Advisories

Travel Insured International

 

The Zen of An Ocean Crossing

Mary & Bill Cross the Atlantic on the Royal Clipper

Working in the travel business I meet people with 2 divergent opinions of cruising –

Opinion 1:  I want to enjoy the port experience.  Cruising is a convenient way to get from port to port.  Yes, the cruise ship and its amenities are important but the immersive port experience is what drives the choice of cruises.

Opinion 2:  I want to enjoy the ship.  In fact, I don’t care if I ever get off the ship.  I love the casinos, the onboard entertainment, lectures, and the food and drink.   I love hanging out in the lounges, restaurants, library, and coffee shop – hanging out with new friends I meet onboard.

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The 3 C’s of Southeast Asia: Culinary, Culture and Crafts

I recently had the privilege of traveling to Thailand and Laos with Kay Tran, founder of V’Explore Tours and expert in Southeast Asia destinations, on a small group tour.  Our group was also hosted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.   With an emphasis on visiting emerging destinations, this was a very special opportunity to see things few Americans do through the eyes of locals.

What an experience!  This tour immersed our group in food, culture and customs, and even hands on crafting.   Our 11-day exotic adventure took us from Bangkok to the northeast Thailand cities of Sakon Nakhon and Nakhon Phanom – from whence we traveled into small villages; then over the Friendship Bridge 2 to Savannakhet, Laos and on to its capital city of Vientiane and finally to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Luang Prabang.

Thai-beef

Culinary

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