Travel Tips for The Amalfi Coast, Italy

"The pace of things in the Almalfi Coast is relatively relaxed. Bus services are infrequent but locals are calm about waiting for pickups and drop offs. This might be because the streets are so steep and ascents involve frequent pauses just to catch your breath. Staying in a villa was a good choice for us and we spent a lot of time on our Terrace enjoying the view. Internet service is often available but extremely slow so it was beneficial to pre purchase a data plan."

"Two historic sites that we visited included Pompei (we felt it was worth the extra expense for a personal guide) and Sorrento (which requires two days to explore). It was interesting to see local travelling by scooter with their cats or dogs riding comfortably as passengers."

Tailoring a trip to your interests

Trips compose of more value than just getting on a plane and staying in a hotel room. There is a value to the memories created and the excitement of an adventure to someplace new. Researching the activities available in your destination can greatly enhance the enjoyment of your trip. Most people start with the library but events guides and podcasts as well as downloadable travel applications are great ways to prepare for a journey.

Personally I have pre arranged show tickets, bicycle rentals and running tours prior to arrival and that groundwork has enabled me to explore a destination and meet people who share my interests. 

Touring Rome

We really liked the location of our hotel in Rome; it was located close to Termini Rail Station.even though the hotel was very small the staff were knowledgeable and focused upon enhancing our enjoyment of the city. Occasionally demonstrations occur in Rome that can disrupt traffic to parts of the city. The receptionist at our hotel was very good about advising us which areas of the city should be avoided on a specific day. She also recommended that we carry a photocopy of our passports while walking through Rome: it was conceivable that police might ask us for identification and that we could have to prove that we were tourists rather than demonstrators.  

New York Hotel

A client of mine has just returned from New York

Hi John,
     The staff members at our hotel were fantastic. New Yorkers have a stereotype of being impersonal  however I was travelling with my grandson and every day the doorman greeted him by name as did the concierge. The hotel room had limited storage space but there was an interesting partial wall between the two beds which gave each of us some privacy. Eating at the property was expensive but down the street was a well priced restaurant "Cafe Un, Deux, Trios" which is owned by french Canadians.

Positano, Italy

One of my clients just sent me this photo from her patio in Positano.

Melia Cayo Guillermo

I just had clients return from this resort:

"We had a wonderful time and great weather.  The beach was extraordinary with wonderful sand and beautiful turquoise water. This resort is popular with fishermen and the kids loved snorkeling off the pier. We saw needlenose fish, trumpet fish, lion fish, puffer fish, octupus, crabs, barracuda, and many small colourful fish.  The food was great! We all love sea food and there was a great variety.  The resort was smaller than the Ensenachos in Santa Maria but everything was close by and well cared for.   I would recommend this resort to anyone with children for it was very family friendly."

Is Bigger Better?

Last Fall I attended an event presented by Bruce Poon Tip of "G Adventures". One of his themes was "Is Bigger Better?" and examples he cited were mega resorts and mega cruise ships that seek to capture a larger proportion of the travel market. Often these projects result in excess capacity and reduced profits for the company. He countered this pursuit by inferring that many people travel to pursue new experiences and relationships that fall outside of mass market programs.

As an agent I recently have tended to establish working relationships with smaller companies that offer me services that match my needs. Like Norm in Cheers we like to be recognized by the people we do business with. Many of the suppliers that I now prefer are smaller companies that specialize in a destination staffed by representatives who handle a specific client's file exclusively. Their “ownership” of the project has led to suggestions which enhance the passenger’s travel experience.