Travel Reviews – Be your Own Judge

When we are planning or have planned a trip whether its an airline, resort, hotel, city, and the whole travel experience, were all intrigued, interested and wonder what the experience will be like, so if not most of us or all of us tend to venture out to the internet to find information on star ratings, hotel ratings, it amenities and more, however as much as we read people’s reviews, the ratings and all that, it is important to be your own judge to rate your travel experience yourself. You cannot go with what everybody else says. you need to form your own opinion.

As I have stated before, that yes doing research is a must to further prepare yourself for your trips, however do not go to review sites to research as it can be misleading. Go to real travel websites to find out information, Go to airline websites, and Federal Governmental Travel websites to find the correct information on Visa’s, Travel Documents, Travel Advisories, what countries to avoid, what the country laws are. So important to always go right to the source for information, not by what others share, then you will be problem free. People go above and beyond sometimes of what they write online on these travel advisor sites.

Enjoy your travel, be safe and have fun. 🙂 Bon Voyage!

Travel Gives Meaning to My Life – Exploring The World

for 21 and half years now, traveling has been a big part of my life with having the opportunity to visit many places around the world from most of the Caribbean, To few countries in Europe to visiting my homeland Armenia, visiting many US Destinations, Across Canada and more. I have had the opportunity to fly on many different types of Airlines, Going to different types of airports, traveled on cruise ships, went on road trips and just basically to live life to the fullest extent, to enjoy life and to make most of it exploring and being in the action. I love keeping travel brochures, aviation brochures, and collecting plane models.

That is why I have so much travel knowledge, efficient ways to travel, giving people advice, hassle free tips, and so much more. My friends and family always ask me for travel advice no matter where the destination and form of travel it is. You can as well. I am just an e-mail message and comment away. Traveling is a big passion of mine as you are observing now. It has been for 2 decades and counting. I love going to the airport and getting on a plane. I love experiencing the take off of the plane and the landing. I love the acceleration of the plane so much, and I always get window seat, so I can look outside, even if I am flying over clouds. Its beautiful. Whenever I am at Pearson Airport in Toronto YYZ, It always gives me energy, even if its just being around there, dropping people off, picking people up and of course going into the airport and taking a flight out. It excites me all the time. I love terminal 3.

If you can travel, do it. It changes your life, your perspective and outlook on things. Traveling makes you more independent, aware, explorative, gives you knowledge, and so much more. When you are a well-traveled person, there will always be something to talk about, talking about the world, being more familiar with geography, learning new cities and towns, whether its a moment you experienced, the type of people you met, the part of the world that is different from home, the way people live life and much more.

I cannot wait to travel more in the future. It is one of the best things to do in life. Never be scared of traveling. I never am. No matter what I hear on the news. What do you enjoy about travel? What is traveling to you? Would love to hear from you. Safe and Happy travels!

Things that Traveling Does To You

In life one of the best things to do is to travel, see the world and to get out of our local geographical location to explore and see other walks of life. It is a beautiful and great feeling to hop on a plane, get into a car, get on a cruise ship and so much more to discover. for 21 years I am glad, fortunate and thankful that I got to experience and hopefully will experience more of traveling in future. Here are things that traveling does to you:
1. You become more aware of the world

2. You get much better at Geography

3. You get to see how people live, and handle day to day life.

4. you will come across different types of people, personalities, and they’re actions.

5. you will see different types of Money currency

6. You become more educated, learn about the country, town.

7. You learn how to travel, and experience an adventure

8. You gain a new perspective on life, when you see the world you appreciate things more as some countries in the world are in poverty and do not have enough to eat, a bed to sleep on, not a roof over their heads and much more, which then opens up peoples eyes to quit complaining about not having everything, because we do have everything. Some people around the world do not even have clean drinking water. (I know it doesn’t take materialism to make people happy in those impoverished 3rd world countries, because I do see that a lot of those people are happy with whatever they have when I traveled to see these villages) However as a kid it opened up my eyes, and that is why I am more caring, appreciative, fortunate, and thankful for what I have and materialism does not interest me one bit.

9. You learn about other cultures, heritage, beliefs, history, and more.

10. You learn how to be more confident, aware, and learn new things all the time when traveling

11. You get to hear different languages, see different gestures.

12. You will get to listen to different types of cultural music, and music that symbolizes that country, city, town

13. you will be more aware and develop skills for traveling, sharing your travel experience, what you saw, what you did, who you met. etc…

14. as you travel more, you get more excited to explore, even if its a tropical destination where you lay down at the beach, and take in the sun, sand, the salt ocean, sea water, and relaxing at a resort

15. When you go on cruise ships, you explore more than one country in one vacation, city, town, and several and few hours of touring, and enjoying the city, village, town and you will then say, Hey I have been there.

16. You will know a difference between a getaway and vacation. A getaway is somewhere to explore, and be adventurous, going to museums, churches, world landmarks, backpacking, and all the trips that involve intense touring, hustle, bustle, and a vacation is somewhere, where you relax all week at a resort, where you need some much needed rest and get refreshed.

17. lastly, traveling requires research before you leave. to make sure that you have the right documents, visas, passports that have no expired and that will teach you responsibility of handling your own documents, and making sure that you have everything up to date and you are ready to take this special and beautiful journey of travel. You will learn about the local laws of the destination you travel to.

Enjoy Traveling. Not many people get lucky to do it! So if you can travel, and explore the world, do it! Some people have never even seen an airport which I have encountered people like that in my life. Traveling changes you big time and gives you a new perspective on life.

Protecting Yourself While Traveling – Tips to Keep you Safe

When Traveling and going to the Airport, it is very important to keep yourself protected and safe at all times and I have the advice, tips and ways to protect yourself and your identity, as it is easy to obtain your information from your luggage contact tags. Here are ways you can protect yourself:

1. Never ever keep your baggage tags visible with your contact information sticking out for people to see. Always tuck in your contact information such as your phone number, e-mail, home address. Purchase Bright coloured tags, but like a sleeve pocket that is not invisible. Unfortunately You will be surprised on how much crime is committed and how many identities have been stolen in the past and possibly until now. So keep your information tucked in.

2. A lot of bags now are similar in colour, sizes, and can easily be taken by mistake by another passenger, make sure you have tags that you know and are aware of what bags are yours, or buy baggage that is a different colour. We now see a lot of black, brown, navy blue, red, and dark purple bags, but get out from the ordinary and get something that you will identify quickly.

3. Make sure that you print and put your contact information inside the baggage too in case your luggage information tag falls out. Heaven forbid if your baggage gets lost or is left behind at an airport and did not make it to the plane, they can identify who’s bag it is and will contact you.

4. Always make sure you jot down the make of your baggage, the size, colour, contents, and write down the description of all your travel baggages on paper so that in case if it gets lost or left behind hopefully not, you can go to baggage claim department at the airport or you can directly contact the airline and quickly give in the information without struggling to figure it out. They will give you a number of your baggage on a white sticker paper and will put one on the baggage so that they can locate the bag in the destination that it was lost in.

5. Never ever leave your baggage and personal belongings unattended before going to the airport, at the airport, and on your return flight and arrival. When you go to the washroom, take it inside the stall with you, when you are going around the shops, always keep one hand on your bag, never ever leave your bag behind you, unless when it has wheels that you wheel it with you when you are going to the gate or where ever at the airport. – Someone can easily put something in it or steal your bag.

6. After checking in for your flight at the airport, have your carry on luggage locked until you head to the security screening, and then after going through security always lock your carry-on luggage to protect your belongings. If you have a carry on purse only, this does not apply to you, but those who just have wheeled carry on bags.

7. When boarding your plane, make sure that your carry on baggage is visible to you when you put it up on the overhead compartment of the plane and remember where you put it, so that you can keep an eye on it in case somebody else mistakenly takes it after landing to the destination.

8. Never ever accept any closed or sealed packages or bags to deliver because you never know what is inside. Then you can be fined, charged, and commit a crime unknowingly, then you can say goodbye to your traveling days. Always ask the person, and open it for yourself. Better yet, do not even bother. If that person wants that stuff delivered, let them do so by a courier company or let that person deliver it themselves. Never accept the responsibility of taking someone elses stuff unless you see it for your own eyes and make sure that it is accepted by security and customs by doing research online.

9. Never keep your carry on baggage, purses, or personal items open. Always zip up your bags. Keep wallets, travel insurance documents, tickets and passports in the depths of your bag, but keep them together so that it takes only couple of seconds to get out from your bag, but never keep your passports and tickets on top of your bags and where its easy to be taken away. especially if you have money visible. Always keep that separate.

10. If you see or feel that anything is suspicious with a passenger or see something not right, right away tell your flight attendant, airport ground employees, security or whoever. Your name and yourself will be kept confidential. The eye in the sky will also monitor as well.

11. If you do fall asleep while at the gate waiting for your flight, always have your hands and your feet on your carry on baggage at all times especially if it is just you who is traveling and nobody else is with you, so that if you do feel like its being touched or something, you will wake up.

12. If some things are of great value to you, and if you have an emotional attachment to it, do not pack them in your carry on. best to keep it at home. Best bet is, do not bring valuables with you and expensive real jewelery with you or things that cost you a lot of money. Do not buy expensive carry on baggage or handbags or even your checked baggage.

13. Never pack medication, laptops, camera’s, small electronics in your checked baggage.

That is it, have a safe and great flight, but always keep in mind these tips to keep you safe and protected. It is very important. Also in daily life when you go out, always protect yourself and take extra measures to keep you and your personal belongings safe.

How Certain Airlines Can Improve Quality Service

In this day in age, some Airlines not to name them, but in the travel industry has drastically changed their ways in terms of quality service, taking away many great things such as dining options, and so much more. Some airlines still do just offer water, soft drinks, juice, coffee and tea on short flights and of course long flights, but a lot has changed and not for the better, but for the worst. Unfortunately it is not in the hands of the Flight Attendants, and other employees of those certain Airlines, but the ones who are high up in the Airline Travel Industry who govern and come up with these ridiculous ideas which to this day, don’t know how it has been approved. In a lot of Industries, Money and greed gets in the way of many things. Some airlines used to provide stationary napkins, disposable airline food plates, cutlery, giving candies, and other things, where headsets used to be complimentary back in the day. Nowadays, its very rare. Even now in US destinations they are charging to check bags in, and Carry on Baggage are getting heavier. Well, here are tips and tricks on Airline Quality that needs to come back. Besides we pay a lot of money for our trips, and to take us to our destinations, but Here are ways to improve it all:

1. US Destinations and all flight that go to the US, or get out from US, charge $25.00 or whatever the fee to check baggage, whereas passengers are making carry on baggage a lot more heavier, so they save on money. Besides the passengers pay enough for their flights and you would think that these airlines would offer checking bags as a service, not charging extra for it as it should automatically be a given. They do not think that people can boost US Economy by buying gifts and souvenirs, but are stuck for space because majority of the people just use Carry on to travel to those destinations. So people do not know what to pack anymore because of it. Ok $25.00 may not be a lot of money, but it is for others and nobody should have to pay that amount. They were doing well all these years without that fee, why out of the blue start with it now? Greed and Lack of service is the cause. More money in the CEO and executives pockets.

2. Say you are traveling from New York to California, which is a long flight of about 5 hours or so, These airlines do not offer complimentary dining anymore, you need to dish out more dollars to eat on a plane. They come around giving these small snacks to everyone, which has about 4 or 5 pretzels in it, or whatever it is. Nobody should have to dish out more money then what they paid for their flights to eat. It should be a given and a service that should be included. No matter the duration of flight, give passengers something.

3. Say you are traveling to Boston, Massachusetts from Toronto, Canada, but have to connect to say Newark, New Jersey which is more southern than Boston, which then the plane has to fly back north, whereas a flight from Toronto to Boston is about an hour and a half, which then becomes an all day event. It should not happen. Connecting flights, especially in the US. It is okay to connect flights in Europe and go to another destination from there, but if they are flights that are 30 minutes to 5 hours in length should not connect, especially those flights that go out of their way like say you are Flying to Florida From Toronto, but have to connect flights in Chicago which is more west, and then you have to take another plane to fly to Florida from there. It really does not make any sense to me. Its a 2 and a half hour flight from Toronto, Just take people there instead of having people get off the plane, to change terminals and gates and get passengers exhausted. — I know in situations, they need to fill up the planes, and get more passengers aboard, but whatever the case, People should be relaxed and comfortable. Not hussle and bustle through hundreds of airports to get to a destination.

4. When passengers board the planes, give the passengers a complimentary headset, or a keepsake with the Airline logo, candy, chocolate with the logo, a re-usable shopping bag with the airline logo on it, or something really nice for passengers. Besides we the passengers keep these planes flying and we are the ones who boost the travel industry. Without passengers, the industry will go bye bye, and we do not want that, do we?

5. Flight attendants, Ground Crew, Airline stewards, Pilots, Co-Pilots, and other employees are trained to do their jobs from how each airline operates their services, where the CEO’s, Supervisors, Managers, and those high up tell them what to do all the time, and tell them how to operate, but some Airlines I have traveled with, they do not smile, and the quality is not there as it used to be years ago. They work so hard and they should be appreciated more, Give them bonuses, give them appreciation because Airport, Airline industry is one of the hardest jobs to do, and when airports are bigger it takes a lot out of them with the many long hours due to delays, or other reasons. They deserve a lot of respect, and maybe the Airline Crew will smile, and feel more appreciated for the work they do with paying them to make ends meet and basically the passengers pay enough for their flights, so money management and using that money wisely to further improve quality of service is a must. Greed does not get anybody anywhere in life. Just makes things a lot more complicated.

6. Baggage handlers and those responsible for getting your bag to your planes, need to be more careful with peoples bags, and to make sure that checked baggage gets to the correct planes, and not left behind at airports, and to make sure that those bags get to their owners when they arrive at another airport. I have seen the way that these baggage handlers operate and it is not good. No wonder why some baggage gets lost, damaged, and does not make it to the other destination. Need to double triple check the luggage tags and where the destinations are, So that we do not run into problems with baggage all the time, and focus on energy on important things such as getting passengers to their perspective destinations safely with all their belongings.

What other ways can Airlines improve? I would like to hear from you and your opinions on how airlines need to change rules for the better and to make flying a fun, enjoyable, comfortable, relaxing and exciting thing for all travelers.

Safe travels and hope that your airline experience is a pleasant and happy one.

All Inclusive Resorts — Sun Destination Travel – Useful Tips

WARNING: This is not in anyway telling you how to go about your vacation, and telling you what to do and not to offend or point at anybody, this is just in general, these are just tips and advice, suggestions and my opinion as a well traveled person who has seen it all.

It has been a long winter in north parts of the world, and we just want to simply escape to hot sun destinations to the south. Some of you may have planned a trip, or are planning a trip, or have Gone to an all inclusive Vacation for the first, multiple, dozens and many times before, but some people just do not understand the concept of knowing how to vacation, using your time wisely, whether you are going for a week, 2 weeks or whatever the case maybe, but always make each moment count, and do not spend time sleeping in. I will explain why in my tips below:

1. I know a vacation to Sun Destinations and All Inclusive resorts are exciting and a time to catch up on some sleep, but your time is limited at resorts and every minute is precious. If you are going to sleep, put on your swimsuit, or some summer clothes and spend time sleeping on the beach, or pool side. Not in your room, unless its for personal reasons, but take in the sun, the outside, and enjoy the heat, and get your rest there.

2. Always pack sun screen and sun protection gear like after sun cream, Aloe Vera Lotion, Moisturizing cream, Lip Balm that has sun protection on it. It is very important to everyone, especially to those who burn, and not tan very easily. Check the SPF content on the sun screen SPF 30 or greater is the best bet. Preferably pack the spray kind, where Lotion can get messy.

3. Before you go to your resort and when you are on the plane heading to your destination, some destinations may have documentation to fill out, as soon as your flight attendant gives you the papers, make sure that you fill it out on the spot and carry a couple of pens with you and do it right away, so you do not fill it out at the airport at your destination and so you can quickly grab your checked bags, hand in your documents to the airport authorities, and then all you do is find your bus transfer or cab to your hotel so you can start your vacation quickly.

4. Time is very limited and you have a week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks at a sun destination, make each second count, do not spend so much time in your room. You can do that when you get home, you are there to enjoy the sun, the beach, the outside, the warmth, the clean air. Just go shower, change, sleep for few hours, and get back up again and enjoy yourself. I know I have no right to tell people how to and what to do on their vacations, but you spend a lot of money for your trip. Make it worth while, and take advantage of the heat and great weather.

5. I know they say its all inclusive, its all you can eat buffet, all you can drink drinks, but I have seen people waste so much food, Its unbelievable and fill their plates up so much like a mountain, and then do not eat half of it. So many drinks that are left untouched, which then attract flies, and other bugs, that are left all around the resort. I have seen my fair share of vacationers just leaving plates of food on tables, drinks on the ground, on the sand. Portion your food, and to try something put a small piece on your plate and if you like it, you can go up again and get more, but try not to waste food. It is not good to waste food. That country you are in, in the Caribbean or somewhere else have so many people like the local residents of that country who are hungry and only live on quantity of food per month that gets delivered to them or have to get their water from a well or something. Bottom line is, do not waste. – Some locals make $15.00 a month and some $20.00 a month.

6.  Some people make a big deal on getting the luxury suite, the gigantic room, ordering room service, and always staying in the room. Why go on vacation to a tropical destination, when all you will do is spend it all indoors? I don’t care as long as its a working good shower, good toilet, good bed, and clean room, and a place I can change quickly, and head back out, is all I care about really. All those other fancy things, is something that does not interest me one bit.

7. Always request to get a room safe. Some resorts have a fee, but its a good thing to spend money on. Some even give your deposit back. It is where you put your tickets, passports, wallets, cell phones, Ipods, and other personal items. Never ever leave your valuables hanging around in your room, always make sure your room is neat and tidy, clothes tucked away and not cluttered all over the place. Medications and important things should never be left out. Should always be in a bag and tucked. Before you leave your room scope it out and make sure not to have anything on the bed or beds.

8. Try to participate in something going on at the resort, like dance lessons, mini golf, disco, nightly entertainment, request info or go to the lobby desk and ask for the days activities or get information about the destination or something, mingle, meet people, make friends, and make your trip fun and enjoyable. Some people come back from trips and I Hear a lot about how miserable they were and how things weren’t as what they expected, make it happen, if people do not approach you, approach them, say Hi, or something. Have fun, unwind, and just make your vacation fun. Do not come back from your trip and tell people that you didn’t have fun or it was boring and not a good time…. Well, it all depends on how a vacation is spent. Some people just need to live a little, let loose and enjoy. Besides that is what you are there for.

9. If you want to get out from your resort, take a day out of your trip to just go out in the town, the attractions, if you want to buy things or get out and enjoy the town and see how people live, but limit your time. Remember some go for a week or 2 weeks or whatever duration. Make sure you always plan your days you are there and go with it.

10. Do not worry about star ratings, advisors. Besides you are the ultimate person who will do a rating for yourself. Just because another person had a problem, does not mean you will too. You make the decision, not what another person writes on the internet. Some can be lying and over exaggerate a problem that is not even valid. Some can go over the top. Judge the resort for yourself. Some people who rate resorts may have never even been there and they just go with what everybody else says, so be careful when reading rating comments on the internet.

11. Do not disrespect, treat your room maker, or any staff at the resort terribly, and demand things from them instantly. They are human beings too and only can do so much in so little time. Depending on the size of the resort and depending on a situation they maybe in, do not make it a world war, and fight. be respectful, and take it easy. Unless its something that is so terrible, take it up at the lobby and address the situation, but in a respectful and good tone. I know it took a lot of hard earned money to get there, but there is always the bottom line. Its not okay to treat resort staff in a disrespectful manner, then expect to be treated like royalty after. Not good and not appropriate.

If you have other questions about resorts, please do not hesitate to message me. Have fun, Make your vacation fun, and enjoy every moment.