EZTravelpad

Cherish the Moments

Sometimes life is filled with great joy, and other times not so much

One of the reasons that I enjoy this business of helping people with vacation planning is that it brings much happiness into my life. Helping people better enjoy their Honeymoon, Destination Wedding, Anniversary or Family vacation is a very rewarding business to be in - sharing in the creation of memories for people that will last a lifetime. Additionally it brings me into contact with a great number of people connecting with them on a deeper level...making new friends....sharing smiles.

Today though, I am filled with great sadness for a man who I consider to be a friend, a couple that I consider to be clients, and a lovely family that has been stuck by the deepest of tragedies - once again sudden and at the end of a firearm.

I do not, nor do I hope to ever know the intimate details of what happened yesterday in an affluent community on a gorgeous summer day, and this is not a politically pointed post - just something I have to relate....cherish every moment with your loved ones for you never know which will be the last.

Unbelievably this is the 2nd time this year that gun violence has struck down an EZTravelPad client- one completely random and the other apparently much less so.

As I sit here this morning perusing the photo entries sent in by clients for our photo contest ending in a couple of days I am taken with them on their dream vacation- sharing their joys, and it is very rewarding, yet it also reminds me of how fleeting those joys can be. A few months ago I awoke to the news of the senseless murder of a Honeymoon client - a husband and expectant father. Today I awaken to the news of another tragic loss of a beautiful young lady who was a daughter, a mother, a sister and a teacher. It's not been so long ago that I was helping this family plan their Disney vacation. In both instances their loved ones are left with only memories.

Tragedies are an inevitable part of the human condition - nothing we, or anyone does is going to alleviate great sorrows... we will all expereince them on vastly different levels, but what we can do is endeavor to make sure that those sorrows are outnumbered by great joys. How?

• Do things together (with your friends, family and acquaintances) - all sorts of things!
• Experience new places
• Connect at deeper levels with your loved ones
• Enjoy each other's company

I can do very little at this point for the family and friends left behind- a note, a card, a gesture, far too little. That said, I hope that at some level I already did something for them.... by helping make their last big vacation together more memorable for the loved ones left behind. I hope their pain is soon replaced by fond memories. I hope that this is the last time I awaken to such news.

Wishing you all Peace, Love & Hope-

Scott

 

 

 

St Lucia Hosts Sports Illustrated 50th Anniversary Swimsuit Edition

St Lucia - Gorgeous Setting for Gorgeous Photos

 

Being a travel specialist focusing on Honeymoons means that I need to know all about, and keep up to date on one of the world's top choices for romantic Honeymoons and Destination Weddings - St Lucia

I have written about St Lucia before, frequently. In fact the photo above is taken during a visit to Sugar Beach resort (featured in this blog post from a few months ago) and one of the locations for the Sports Illustrated 50th Anniversary Swimsuit Edition photo shoots featuring Kate Upton and other top models

I am a St Lucia specialist, but alas - I guess not so special as to have been given the opportunity to be there for the shoot..... maybe next time around!

Get a behind the scenes look at the body paiting portion at this link  featuring the likes of Jessica Gomes, Samantha Hoopes and more - and yes, the iconic Cheryl Tiegs fishnet suit is recreated with Hannah Ferguson....

Oh, and when it's time for you to consider your best vacation options, turn to "Your friends....in the travel busines" EZTravelPad

 

Related articles

The Best Videos From Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Photo Shoot

Honeymoon Planning - Don't be Late

Emily Ratajkowski shows off body paint bikinis for the Sports Illustrated 2014 Swimsuit Issue

Shaggy to Perform at Sandals in Bahamas

Shaggy Concert Set For Nov 2, 2103 at Sandals Royal Bahamian

 

Oh man... I sure wish I could pop down to Nassau to catch Shaggy at the Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort...

Shaggy is THE MAN!!

The resort is gorgeous - the private island is fantastic - and the food & beverage are excellent

If you have a hole in your schedule you should check it out - see more about Sandals Royal Bahamian at this link

 

Hillary Extolls the Virtues of Travel Agents in Contirbuting to World Peace

Hillary Clinton cites travel's role in world peace

Speaking recently to a group of travel professionals....

Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State and possible presidential candidate, was without question the star power that held the crowd to the very end of the ASTA convention in Miami this week.


Speaking for more than half an hour without notes, Clinton avoided the subject of politics and instead talked about the importance of travel in opening minds and making the world a more peaceful place.


In Burma, for example, she said the fact that its generals went abroad and saw the rest of the world helped propel the country away from a dictatorship.


"I am convinced that travel helped change minds in the military dictatorship of Burma," Clinton said.


She also recalled the importance of travel in her own life, reminiscing about the first time she traveled with "this long haired guy I was dating" in 1973, Bill Clinton, who proposed to her in England.


Clinton visited 112 countries and logged more than a million air miles during her term as Secretary of State, making her "America's most frequent traveler."


She said she has a "deep appreciation for the magic you work each and every day" and thanked her own "terrific travel agent" for keeping her travels smooth. 


"You help Americans follow their dreams," she said. "You are in the travel business but also in the dream business."

 

I think Hillary nailed it - what do you think?

El Dorado Royale to Host 2013 Wine and Food Festival

El Dorado Royale is a Great Selection for Prestigious Food and Wine Festival

The Cancun and Riviera Maya Wine and Food in 2013 will be hosted at El Dorado Royale

El Dorado Royale is a favorite of EZTravelPad clients who frequently select this resort specifically for their attention to detail in every aspect of the dining and resort experience. The "Gourmet Inclusive" concept reaches far beyond the several a la carte restaurant choices, but excellent dining is certainly at the forefront.

See the recent news release-

MIAMI (September 10, 2012) – El Dorado Spa Resorts & Hotels and Azul Hotels by Karisma, Mexico’s premier, Gourmet Inclusive beachfront resorts in the Riviera Maya, today announced that El Dorado Royale, A Spa Resort, by Karisma has been selected as official host hotel of the 2013 Cancun-Riviera Maya Wine & Food Festival (CRMWFF). Recognized by the CRMWFF for its superior culinary commitment, El Dorado Royale will host celebrity chefs, notables and VIPs as well as the Celebrity Chef Cooking Demonstrations and a series of wine tastings during the event, taking place March 14-17, 2013.

“We are thrilled to name El Dorado Royale host hotel of next year’s Cancun-Riviera Maya Wine & Food Festival,” said David Amar, founder of the Cancun-Riviera Maya Wine & Food Festival.  “The resort, which affords guests the best in food and service as a part of its Gourmet Inclusive vacations, aligns perfectly with our commitment to provide an unforgettable gastronomic experience.  Not only does El Dorado Royale offer gourmet a la carte meals, premium wine selections, sommeliers at every restaurant, chef’s tables and 24 hour service, it is also home to the destination’s largest Greenhouse, a 100,000 square-foot facility that impresses locals, discerning gourmands, and world-class chefs alike.”

For more info on the Wine and Food Festival click here

For more info on Karisma Resorts click here or contact EZTravelPad

Here is an Awesome Opportunity For Your Cheerleader

Train with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and do it in paradise!

Here's an exciting last minute opportunity to experience training with the world-renowned Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders for a wonderful, three-day cheerleading camp at IBEROSTAR Cancún! For a fabulous rate of $599, for two adults and one child, it is not only a great opportunity for a family getaway, but it will also be the experience of a lifetime for their little cheerleader to dance with the famed Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders.

The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders are one of the most recognizable brand franchises in the world. And, what little girl wouldn't love an opportunity to learn cheers and dance routines from the world's best, and then take them home to impress their friends? And her family will be thrilled to enjoy the finest in hospitality, accommodations, recreation and dining at Iberostar's newest shining star, IBEROSTAR Cancún.

For more info contact "Your friends....in the travel business" at EZTravelPad

EZTravelPad Photo Contest - Your Chance to WIN!

Submit YOUR Photo for a Chance to Win EZTravelPad Summer Photo Contest

 

With sweet, sweet, summertime around the corner, EZTravelPad wants you to start your summer off right by entering our photo contest featuring your ‘Favorite Summer Vacation Memory’ to win a $25 gift card at Target.

Submit your photo with a brief explanation of where you were and why it's your favorite memory for a chance to win. EZTravelPad especially encourages past clients!

Contestants can submit their photos to [email protected] by June 30, 2012. After this deadline, we will post the pictures in a photo album on our Facebook page then send you an alert letting you know that your photo is posted. Be sure to tag yourself in your photo and encourage your friends to vote by ‘liking’ their favorite photo.

The photo with the most likes and comments by July 15, 2012 will win the contest and the $25 Target gift card. In the meantime, encourage your friends and families to submit their photos by the deadline and vote for their favorites! We look forward to seeing your gorgeous photos! –EZTravelPad

Beaches Turks and Caicos Suspends New Arrivals Due to Illness

Beaches Turks and Caicos is Latest Resort Affected by Illness

Here is 1 more really good reason to (A) Use a Travel Agent and (B) Buy Travel Insurance

For the past 6 weeks government officials and resorts in Turks & Caicos have been dealing with an illness that has recently forced the suspension of new arrivals to the largest resort in this chain of Caribbean islands until June 9.

Earlier the illness, which has apparently been identified as the Norovirus, had forced the suspension of new reservations to the high-end Grace Bay Resort and now government officials have forced the same fate on Beaches Resort leaving many guests set to arrive within the next several days to shift or delay their vacations to the resort.

See more at this link

Would travel insurance cover this expense? Perhaps, depending on the policy

Would a Travel Agent be a good resource to go to for help in a situation like this? Absolutely!

 The Beaches Resort (the family friendly brand of Sandals Resorts) issued a statement over the weekend-

BEACHES TURKS AND CAICOS

STATEMENT

2nd June 2012

We can confirm that there has been reports of a short-term gastro illness that has affected a small number of guests staying at resorts in Providenciales over the past week.

Like other resorts on the island, Beaches Turks and Caicos has agreed to follow a recommendation by the Ministry of Health not to accept new guests at the resort until Saturday 9th  June 2012 in order to undertake precautionary cleaning programs and break the 14-hour incubation of the illness.

At Beaches Turks and Caicos, we operate to the highest standards of health and safety in the world and whilst we have experienced a very small number of cases at the resort and in fact now have a fewer number of people affected by the illness. We continue to monitor the situation very closely and are working with the resorts and country’s healthcare professionals to ensure that health and safety practices are followed.

We advise guests booked to stay at Beaches Turks and Caicos over the next seven days to contact their travel agent or call 1-800-SANDALS as soon as possible in order to revise their booking.

We apologize unreservedly for any inconvenience that this may cause and extend our thanks for your patience and understanding. We would like to thank the Government and Ministry of Health of the Turks and Caicos Islands for their help and cooperation.

 

 Is there reason to be overly concerned? No - but there is reason to have someone on your side - someone like a travel agent....Doing things yourself can seem like fun - until something goes wrong.

Busier Than Normal During May in Indy - Working With Interns

New Interns Joined EZTravelPad This Month - Welcome!

Butler University Student Interns Working Several Projects This Summer

The month of May in Indianapolis is traditionally a crazy month with all of the festivities revolving around the Indy 500

• Mini Marathon
• Pole Day
• Carb Day
• Parade
• Indy 500

The weather starts breaking so you can get outside more, yard work commences plus this year saw the Indiana Pacers with a playoff run so May was such a busy month already.....

Add to that mix the fact that 4 interns joined EZTravelPad this May and you can imagine how busy it has been (oh yeah - business has been really strong also...)

So I would like to officially welcome Becca, Jessica, Kirk and Lindsey to the EZTravelPad team. This group of Butler University students will be working on all sorts of projects that include website development, social media outreach, brand development and more - so if you see a bit of a spike in tweets and blogs posts this summer, you have our new Butler interns to thank. I am confident they will do a great job in helping improve EZTravelPad's internet presence and help spread the message that you can get help with your travel planning and you won't pay more by working with EZTravelPad

Stay Tuned to see what these Butler Bulldogs have to say!

It is Shatner's World....

"Shatner's World - we just live in it"

In case you are not aware, there is a new theater production crossing the US and it is Shatner's World - a One Man Show starring who else - William Shatner (yeah that one - Captain Kirk, Denny Crane, The Negotiator, Alexander the Great, TJ Hooker, even a recording artist - check out this awesome little nugget a video that ends with part of a great song from his album "Has Been").

Wait, you say - this is a travel blog, what's up with a theater review? Well, that's easy - often when you want to go to a performance like this you need to spend the night in the city and who helps with the hotel? The travel agent...

On a deeper level, EZTravelPad is not just a travel agency helping clients arrange transportation and lodging, but a source for better information and ideas. The real reason that I do what I do is that I decided I wanted to enjoy my life better through experiencing new places, people and events, plus I enjoy helping people enjoy their lives a little better too - THAT is why I have the best job in the world.

So with that in mind, I have to confess- I am no theater critic, but I loved Shatner's World. My wife and I recently saw the show in Chicago and while it lacks the drama and spectacle of other performances I have witnesses before, it is just a little bit life changing.

If you had told me a month ago that I would spend 2 hours in an uncomfortable chair listening to an 80 year old guy ramble on about his life experiences I might not have believed you, but this Shatner guy has lived quite a life and I wanted to know more- and more I did learn.

Shatner spent just short of 2 hours telling stories about his most incredible experiences, stories about people he has loved, stories from his childhood, stories about his marriages. Some stories were not exceptional - some were and most were funny - for example the punch line to one such story is....

"and somewhere in New Orleans a family is living in a house that my kidney stone bought"

 What did I take away?

• Live
• Take a chance
• Say YES

You never know what it might lead to. That philosophy has certainly worked for Shatner and it brings me back around to my life, and how I like to live, and how I like to help you with yours....I know I am going to seize every chance to do new things - what about you? 

When you are ready for a new experience (or maybe to revisit a great one) get with EZTravelPad and see why so many other people are turning back to travel agencies - it make sense