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4 Perfect Days in London

Written on . Posted in Europe.

Just a Few Days to Add Pre or Post? Pick a Great City and Go for It!

I joined two friends on a Norway-bound Celebrity ship out of Southampton this spring. It was a gorgeous cruise but only 7 days so why not take advantage of the long flight and enjoy a few extra days? This go-round, we selected one of my favorite cities in the world – London!

It does not matter how many times you visit this iconic city, there is always something new. And in London, the old never gets old. Here, a few highlights from our 4 days:

Day 1. The best advice after a long flight from the US is to stay awake till the sun sets! We settled in to our accommodations in Fitzrovia and walked to the corner pub for a light lunch and to explore the neighborhood. I highly recommend boutique hotels or apartments in one of London’s many neighborhoods. Shopping, restaurants, pubs, and museums abound whether you’re in Fitzrovia, Mayfair, Knightsbridge – or many other fabulous areas of this colorful city. And when you have just a few days, make sure to have a “must-do” list. For us, a must-do was fish & chips which we enjoyed at the Golden Hind – a mile walk down the road followed by a quick trip to the neighborhood Tesco to get a bottle of wine and some snacks for our apartment.

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Wildlife-Lovers Dream Come True – Galapagos Islands

Written on . Posted in Pacific Islands.

Bill and I were joined by 4 other Half Moon Bay couples on a life-transforming journey to the Galapagos Islands this month. As a travel advisor, I looked at many options and ways to experience the Galapagos – and was completely swept away by Silversea’s expedition itinerary aboard the lovely Silver Galapagos.

What Silversea offered:

• A fully inclusive experience from our US based flights to Ecuador, hotels on the mainland for 2 night in Quito and 1 day in Guayaquil, flights to the islands, and 7 nights aboard an elegant yet low-key ship

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Top 5 Reasons to Book a Mini-Vacation with Girlfriends: A New York Minute

Written on . Posted in North America.

Recently, I took a short trip to New York City – an action packed long weekend arranged through Bay World Travel’s relationship with New York City Vacation Packages. My friend Joanne came up from New Jersey, and 1 day into the trip I was surprised by two other friends who decided to join us for the weekend.

While I’ve gone to school in New York, worked in New York, and visited for business reasons through the year, I’ve never been a tourist in New York. I know New York is an amazing city but seeing it through visitor’s eyes provided a new perspective. Here are my top 5 reasons to make New York City a girlfriends’ getaway.

1. Convenience. I live in California so traveling across the US for a long weekend might seem to be a bit much. But honestly, flights are convenient, frequent and affordable. Plus no passport is required, and you’ll land in New York quicker than driving between northern and southern California. There are nonstop flights from the West Coast into New York’s two biggest airports – JFK and Newark – and lots of connecting flights into La Guardia and White Plains as well.

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Luxury and Biodiversity: Explore The Galápagos

Written on . Posted in Pacific Islands, South America.

Top 3 Reasons to Come With Us on This Once-in-a-Lifetime Expedition

Home to Charles Darwin’s famous observations, the Galápagos islands are home to rare animal species found nowhere else on Earth. Each of the group’s many islands hosts a unique ecosystem of tortoise, finch, and countless species of sky, land, and sea.

With so many ways to see these amazing islands, we always opt for staying and traveling aboard a cruise ship. SilverSea Expeditions® offers a number of seven-day Galápagos cruises, with the perfect balance of luxury and adventure. With the best expert field guides-per-visitor ratio, SilverSea is our cruise line of choice for the Galápagos. These are the things we love about this experience!

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Top 5 Reasons to Cruise to Mexico

Written on . Posted in North America.

I’m just back from a glorious 7-night cruise aboard Holland America’s MS Westerdam – joined by my sister and 2 friends to celebrate a milestone birthday.  We embarked in San Diego – bound for the lovely Mexican Riviera ports of Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta – but honestly many of the highlights were enjoyed right on board.  Here are the top 5 reasons I love this itinerary and cruise line –

1. Mexico culture immersion.  I’m not just talking about Margaritas though they were certainly featured along with a daily taco bar poolside – but the gracious Mexican ambassadors who sang, danced, and taught us about this beautiful country and culture.  My sister and I even braved a salsa and merengue dance lesson – technically not Mexican but the Latin vibe is irresistible under the warm Mexican sun.

2. Spa day!  3 leisurely sea days provided the inspiration for complete relaxation.  The hot stone massage was heaven as were the heated tile beds and steam room looking out over the gentle Pacific waves.  This Holland America ship was the most stable I’ve ever sailed on …. no rolling sensation on shore, just a gentle rocking to sleep every night.

3. Champagne Dreaming.  I fell in love with the Champagne Dream –one of Holland America’s signature cocktails.  This drink is light and refreshing but packs a punch too!   This was our go-to cocktail for the sunset. We visited several of the bars but our favorite bartender, David, worked at the Pinnacle Bar and was the super fun mixology class instructor.  Yes, my sister and I both got our degrees in mixology!

4. America’s Test Kitchen.  What an awesome partnership Holland America has with ATK.  Our America’s Test Kitchen host Abbie was just delightful and I came home with lots of practical tips and great easy fast recipes.  My husband thinks I’m an obnoxious kitchen know-it-all now!

5. Coffee break.  Smiling and gracious staff greeted us everywhere but we have a special fondness for the barista at the coffee bar – and we’d sit for minutes on port days or linger for hours overlooking the Pacific on sea days.  Great staff, good food, leisure time to enjoy the company of friends and family, and the beautiful sea sum up the Holland America cruise experience.

Interested in exploring Holland America itineraries and destinations?  It’s as easy as giving us a call to get you onboard.