Did You Forget Something?

June 18, 2019

It’s June and we are mid-year. How did that happen so fast??? Have you been busy with work, family, friends? It’s amazing how taking care of others, can often leave us at the back of the line.

You know all the studies have proven that travel contributes to happiness, health, success at work and in relationship, creativity and a general all over well-being.

Did you forget to plan time to disconnect from technology and reconnect with your loved ones? Well if that got overlooked, not to worry. There are some great travel deals out there; for the fall and even for this summer.

If you are not a procrastinator and want to get a jump on your 2020 vacation, you can snag some early booking specials for the spring 2020.

AMA Waterways has some great deals on their itineraries. If you can match the dates, you can save $250- -$1000/person. Some sailings are offering a choice of free economy air or 2 for 1 business class.

Is seeing the Christmas Markets been on your Bucket List? Those are on sale too. You can even get a discount traveling over Christmas and New Year’s. When does that happen?

If you can take advantage of a Mekong River Itinerary in 2019, you can get 2 for 1 land program savings, complimentary gratuities and cabin upgrade. You can’t afford to stay home at this price!

So why is a luxury river cruise line like AMA Waterways offering such deals? 2018 was a record drought year in Europe. The rivers were low and it affected many itineraries, especially on the Danube. Because of that, bookings are off. The water levels are back to normal now, but people are still concerned. If you ever wanted to experience a river cruise; this is your opportunity. The rivers are back to normal, but the crowds are thinner and the deals are richer.

Email me and I’ll send you a brochure with all the deals and dates.

Don’t wait too long. The ships are small, 150 passengers. At these prices, it won’t take long to fill those cabins.

Let’s get your booked and off on a wonderful adventure.

Call me, let's talk! 415 931-1945.
Prefer to email? info@WeMakeTravelEasy.com

Don't forget to renew this!

June 4, 2019

This is the 5th anniversary of my first newsletter. For those of you that have been loyal readers for years, know I am a big proponent of Global Entry and recommend that over TSAPreCheck. For those of you that are not familiar with Global Entry, it is the Trusted Traveler Program, that not only gives you TSAPreCheck but also expedited return, through passport control, when you return from an international flight. Click here to learn all about it.

For a $100 fee, you have the benefits and privileges for 5 years. Several credit cards will even reimburse you for the fee, when you pay for it with that card. It’s a bit of an inconvenience to get approved, since you do have to go to an airport office for your interview. But that’s a one-time inconvenience for all the benefits you receive over 5 years.

Okay, so why am I telling you this again? Well I just went through my first 5-year renewal and I want to share some things, so you can avoid problems.

First, they say they will notify you of when your Global Entry is ready to expire. I don’t know how close to the expiration date that might be. I did not receive a notice. I happened to be curious as to when mine was. I went online in January, to see when mine was expiring. Surprise, it was on my birthday in June 2019. I immediately began the renewal process.

You may remember, we had a government shutdown in January. My renewal application got caught in the middle of all that. Then for months, it was pending, with a big notice across the page, that applications were backed up due to the shutdown. It wasn’t until late April, that my renewal was approved, to book my in-person appointment.

Luckily, I had to be picking someone up at the airport, on June 1st and was able to book my appointment at a convenient time, before the pick-up. The interviews are taken as booked. It goes quickly, you get your new picture taken and fingerprints again. Your number remains the same (you don’t have to update all your airline passenger info with a new number, like you have to with your passport) and you will get your new card in the mail in a few weeks.

What to be aware of:

Check your expiration date. It’s always 5 years, on your birthday, after you get your card. As an example, if you get your card in February and your birthday is in July, your card will expire five years on your birthday, not in February. You get a few extra months from when you were approved/renewed.
Don’t miss your renewal. Your card is canceled and you will have to apply for a new card.
Don’t cut it close. Government shutdowns have become frequent, don’t get caught up in needing to renew and you are delayed. The good news is, once you have your application pending, they do allow you extra time, past your birthday expiration date, to complete the renewal process. You must apply to renew before it expires.
What is Enrollment on Arrival? “With Enrollment on Arrival, Global Entry applicants who are conditionally approved can complete their interview, the last step of the Global Entry process, while they are clearing through United States Customs and Border Protection or Pre-clearance.” You can do this at most major international airports in the US and several in Canada.
Fingerprints This has always been a problem for me, my entire life. I have light prints. Every time I need to be fingerprinted, it takes several times and never great results. Well this time they had some wax in a can that helped; first time great prints. The agent told me when I return from a trip, to put hand lotion on, before I place my fingers on the pad. That will help. Just a tip for those of you that may have the same issue.
Sometimes you may get lucky. Some people, I know, were not required to go for an in-person interview and got their renewal in the mail. I asked the agent why that is. She said it’s just random.
Update your passport. If your passport expires during the 5-year period, you must go online and update your Global Entry account with your new passport number.

Call Me - Let's Talk ! 415-931-1945
Prefer to Email? info@WeMakeTravelEasy.Com

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Tis the Season...

May 7, 2019

May and June are traditionally wedding season. You or your daughter, son, granddaughter, grandson may be tying the knot very soon. Hopefully they have planned a fabulous Honeymoon to begin their life together as Mr. & Ms. One that will create beautiful memories they will pass down generations. I still love the stories my mother told me about her Honeymoon to Niagara Falls, (That was the Honeymoon hot spot in her day). Looking at the pictures, with her beautiful smile and bridal glow, you know love was oozing.

If you just got the news of an engagement and/or are in the throws of wedding planning, the Honeymoon can get pushed to a back burner. Before you know it, you’re down to the wire and the planning gets stressful. It’s not the dream trip you imagined. It’s now another stress point.

With so many things to plan and decisions to make, why not give this very special romantic trip, for just the two of you, to a professional. You don’t get any Brownie points for DIY’ing your Honeymoon. What you want is the dream to become a reality.

A colleague of mine told a story about a couple who wanted an overwater bungalow in Tahiti. She planned a perfect trip for them. Then the groom said he could do it on Expedia, for less. Well when they arrived, it wasn’t what they wanted. They spent days of their honeymoon, trying to contact Expedia customer service (Is that an oxymoron?) by phone from Tahiti. Needless to say, that’s not the memory you want to have.

The April 29th issue of Brides magazine has 9 reasons why you should hire a travel professional to plan your Honeymoon. Click here to read what they recommend.

In my book, every trip should be the trip of a lifetime.

Leave it to a professional to make sure it is.

Start with your Honeymoon. You’ll be glad you did.

Call Me - Let's Talk ! 415-931-1945
Prefer to Email? info@WeMakeTravelEasy.Com

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Meet Our Travel Scout Wandering New Zealand's Wine Country

April 23, 2019

It'a great asset for a travel business to have a roving reporter.

Meet our Travel Scout: Zoe Stricker

Hi,

My name is Zoe, I have been living in Argentina and Chile for the past 2 years and as this is my first post, I want to give you a little background on me. I initially started working for Sandy to help her out with her online presence. Now I have the travel bug again and decided to be on the road for the next 8 months, taking on the role of Travel Scout. I'll be "scouting" and reporting on places and experiences, not to be missed. For the next few weeks, I'm in New Zealand.

I loved visiting one of the country's older and more organic wineries, Fromm Winery.

Fromm is a family-owned, organic winery located in the (ever-expanding) wine country, of Marlborough, in New Zealand's South Island. Fromm Winery was established in the early 1990s, at a time when there were only 5 other vineyards in the area. Today, the number of wineries has grown to 170. Fromm, which places an emphasis on quality over quantity, handcrafts 70,000 bottles of wine per year (70% is Pinot Noir). Relying heavily on solar energy, the winery values conservation, and sustainability. Because of that, they are able to save 10 million liters of water a year. The winery distributes worldwide to exclusive wine shops, and you might even find their organic bottles at a wine purveyor near you, especially if you are in San Francisco, We Make Travel Easy's home city!

Looking around the beautiful estate, I could see why New Zealand would be such a perfect home to wine grapes. Its mountainous hillside paint the vineyard background beautifully, as the sun beams high in the sky. International and local tourists "pour" in from all over on bike tours or in buses and vehicles to sample glasses of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Malbec and Syrah (Fromm is one of the few wineries in the area that produce these varieties).

The beautiful tasting room has a glass wall separating patrons from the barrel room, where wine ferments in large oak barrels. Their outdoor patio lets you sit and sip, surrounded by breathtaking views of the vines and mountains. You also must check out their amazing corkscrew collection. You'll learn more about wine and most important; how to get it out of the bottle!

New Zealand has so much to offer, no matter what your palate prefers.

From Adventure to Wine, New Zealand has it all.

We love planning New Zealand itineraries. Let us plan yours.

Are you a travel enthusiast?

Do you want to share your unforgettable travel experiences? Well, our doors are wide open for you. We are looking for guest bloggers who have the passion of traveling and writing about their travel experiences. We can feature your work on our blog as your portfolio. Get in touch with us!

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