Still, it’s important to choose the active vacation that is right for you and your traveling companions. Here are a few basic things to consider as you start your search:

• What type of activity do you actually want to participate in for 5, 7, 10, 14 days? This first step might seem too obvious, but what you enjoy doing for 30 minutes on a Saturday morning might not be as desirable after five days and many miles, no matter how magnificent the scenery.

• What intensity level is best suited for you? Again, consider the length and time of which you’ll be participating in this.  Also consider the activity levels of your travel companions. You might have to find a middle ground that everyone can feel comfortable with.

• How long do you want your vacation to last, and what number of days during that time do you want to be “active”.  This goes hand in hand with the intensity level. Some trips revolve primarily around the chosen activity, while others involve days of sightseeing, food and wine tasting and other less strenuous options.

• Do you want a single activity trip or multiple activities? Multiple activities could mean less risk of burnout or overuse injury, but it also means additional training and potentially activity specific gear and clothing required.

• What type of trip do you want – private for your group, small group with others, large group tour?

• How much will the training and equipment cost. Some activities, such as walking or hiking, require very little equipment or “start up cost”. Get a few good pairs of workout clothes, some appropriate shoes and you’re pretty much set. Others, such as canoeing or biking, require a little more gear and expenses could add up.

• What time of year are you traveling?  Summer in your destination might not only be more crowded, but being active for hours out in the summer heat may take its toll on your body and possibly your health. Alternatively, your joints and muscles become stiffer in the colder weather, and you could risk pulls and strains from exercising without your body being sufficiently warm.

There are plenty of other questions and thoughts that can be explored. These will get you started on choosing the best active vacation for you. Once you have narrowed down the type of activity, intensity, group size and time of year, you can work on the details of picking the specific itinerary and training for your vacation.

I recently had the pleasure of working with two fantastic women at CaboVillas.com, Julie Byrd and Melisa Alvarez. These women impressed me so much that I had to feature them on my blog to bring attention to their customer service, CaboVillas.com and Cabo as a destination (which I learned much more about through working with these women). I decided the best way to do justice to them and their destination was to let them pass along their experiences first had via an interview. Here’s what they had to say:

Maya: In a two to three sentences can you describe what CaboVillas.com does?

Julie: CaboVillas.com (Earth, Sea & Sky Vacations) has specialized in Los Cabos travel for over twenty years. We represent 135 villa rentals and 50 resorts in the region and have long-established relationships with the very best vendors in the area. In addition to accommodations, we arrange weddings, catering/chef services, ground transportation, activities, fishing and yacht charters, golf reservations and in-villa spa services. Because we focus on Cabo, our entire team is intimately familiar with the destination.

Melisa: We have helped hundreds of happy couples and groups plan perfect events in Los Cabos, from casual beach weddings to lavish galas in private villa rentals. Whether it’s a memorable anniversary party or a completely customized destination wedding, our team of caterers, wedding planners, entertainers and vendors is the best in Cabo and we love working with each guest to customize their perfect day.

Maya: How long have you been with CaboVillas.com, and what is your main role/title?

Julie: I’ve been with the company for 9 years and my role is Director of Sales. I oversee our awesome team of sales agents and serve as the primary liaison with our villa owners in addition to handling in-travel client needs in conjunction with our Cabo concierge/service team.

Melisa: This is actually my second time working at CaboVillas.com. I left for a while to pursue my education but am thrilled to be back on the team as the Weddings/Events Specialist.

Maya: What are you top 3 favorite things about Cabo, particularly that make it stand out from others as a destination?

Julie: I love Cabo’s easy accessibility; it’s just a short flight from many US gateways and, because English is widely spoken in the resort areas, it’s a friendly, easy introduction to international travel. I also love Cabo’s gourmet dining options, there really are a wealth of outstanding restaurants.

Melisa: The natural beauty of the destination can’t be beat. There are pristine beaches, the unforgettable Sea of Cortez and that dramatic desert landscape. I also really love the unbeatable variety of accommodations available, from over-the-top luxury resorts like Las Ventanas al Paraiso and Capella Pedregal to beautiful villa rentals and even the fun all-inclusive hotels. There’s something for every taste.

Maya: Can you name 2 or 3 “surprises” about Cabo – things that people might not realize when considering it as a destination (ie everyone knows it for it’s beaches and resorts, but maybe other features/highlights)?

Julie: Many people think of Cabo as just a Spring Break destination, which definitely does not do Los Cabos justice. Cabo San Lucas is definitely a party town but there are also the tranquil beaches of the Corridor area and the historical charm of colonial San José del Cabo. I like to think that there’s a special Cabo for any visitor, whether it’s a group of buddies coming for a fishing/golf trip, families looking for variety, eco-tourists or couples looking for a romantic wedding and honeymoon destination.

Melisa: Within just a short drive from the bustle of Cabo San Lucas, visitors can explore the beautiful “Pueblo Magico” of Todos Santos, a historic surf town chock full of quaint art galleries located about an hour from Cabo on the Pacific Ocean. In the other direction toward the East Cape, visitors can snorkel and dive at Cabo Pulmo, one of only three living coral reef systems in North America.

Maya: What are some important things people should consider/know before coming to Cabo – i.e. any unique customs, requirements, cautions, etc?

Julie: Surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Sea of Cortez and miles of desert, Los Cabos feels like an island, isolated as it is and thousands of miles away from mainland Mexico and the US-Mexico border.

Melisa: One of the beauties of Los Cabos is how easy it is as a destination. As Julie mentioned before, English is spoken throughout the resort areas and dollars are widely accepted. That said, visitors should understand that they are not visiting an American city. In general, Mexico is known as a country with legendarily warm hospitality, and Cabo is no exception.

Maya: If you had to give your 2-line “elevator pitch”, why should people come to Cabo as a destination?

Julie: Cabo combines the best of luxury accommodations, unbelievable natural beauty and great activities.

Melisa: Our experienced team of wedding and event professionals can help you plan the perfect destination wedding or special family getaway in Los Cabos.

Thank you ladies! Please check out their website at www.cabovillas.com. You can also follow them on twitter @cabojulie and @caboweddings.

*Photos courtesy of CaboVillas.com

I recently decided to help organize an event put on by CitizenGulf. It’s a national organization that has asked several cities (I believe 12 at last count) across the country to hold a charity event on August 25 of this year. My home city of Philadelphia was lucky enough to be chosen, and I’m part of the organizing team for this. The event benefits the children of fishing families in the U.S. Gulf Coast area who have lost so much to disasters over the last few years. If the date sounds familiar, it was specifically chosen because it’s the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina striking the coast.

First, if you live in the Philadelphia area you can learn more and purchase tickets here: http://citizengulfphilly.eventbrite.com/ . If you do not, you can check out other cities that might be closer to you here: http://citizeneffect.org/projects/citizengulf_day_of_action

The point of this blog, however, is not just to promote this Day of Action, as CitizenGulf calls it. What really effected me about this event is how quickly most people tend to “forget” about these disasters, particularly in the wake of another catastrophic event. (How many people honestly remembered that 8/25/10 was the 5th anniversary of Katrina – I know I didn’t.) This year alone, we’ve had earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, the Icelandic volcanic eruption that luckily didn’t cause any death but did destroy farms throughout Iceland, flooding that left people homeless in Tennessee, and the oil spill in the gulf. And that’s just the major ones focused on here in the U.S. I’m sure there have been countless others that virtually slid under the radar throughout the world.

As a traveler, though, there are things you can do. First, you can support these economies that are hit so hard. This doesn’t necessarily mean donating money via a text on your phone. New Orleans, for instance is one of the most exciting destinations here in the U.S. Chile is one of the top adventure destinations in the world. Go, visit, tell other people that the city or country isn’t defined by the disaster that has hit it. Of course, be safe – you don’t need to go swimming in the oil in the gulf or wandering through ruins of what was a town which look like they could fall on your head any minute. I specialize in luxury travel, and I myself practice what I sell – I am a 5-star hotel woman all the way. But you can take even one day during your trip to help with a habitat for humanity project and then go back to your luxury resort for a nice dinner and a dip in the hot tub. Still, you’ve done something to help.

If you’re not able to do something physical or really feel unsafe near the disaster zone, that’s ok. When I went to Zimbabwe last year, they told us that they’re happy to take old shoes and clothing that visitors don’t want anymore instead of payment in cash. While I don’t suggest paying in your worn out sneakers instead of money, why not bring some items you were going to toss out and leave them behind at churches, orphanages, or other places that can distribute them. Think of it this way – lighter suitcases to carry around for the rest of the trip.

In all seriousness though, travelers have a great opportunity to help the areas they visit, and a little help can truly go a long way. They also have the chance to show that an area isn’t just the disaster you see on TV or read in the newspapers. Incidentally, this also often provides the chance to see a region or city before it becomes touristy and loses some of it’s “local” appeal. Even if it’s just a short stopover on your next trip, think about it. We all love to use photos, blogs and countless other methods to tell of our incredible journeys – why not use them to share the stories of some of these places that become so easily forgotten.

6.  Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride… in a Prague taxi. Upon arriving at the train station, we realized it was the wrong station and the correct one was all the way across town. We flagged down two cabs which were not nearly big enough for 10 of us plus luggage, but had no other option if we wanted a chance at making our train. The hatch backs wouldn’t close due to the suitcases, so we had to lay over the back of the seat to hold onto our luggage, lest it fly out the back as the drivers sped as fast as they could so that we made our train. When we finally got to the train station, we were on the wrong side of the tracks, so our taxi drivers jumped down onto the tracks and threw our luggage onto the correct side so that we didn’t have to haul it all the way around.

7. Robben Island and District 6 tour in Cape Town. Like the DMZ, this is another eery one. Reading the stories of the people forcibly removed from their homes, touring the town of extreme poverty to which they were sent and learning about Robben Island from a former inmate was a very sobering experience. Even more sobering is that it only ended (officially) 20 years ago.

8. Drenching yoga retreat in Costa Rica. The rainy season in Costa Rica is no misnomer. My best friend and I went to Pura Vida Retreat & Spa for a 5-day yoga retreat in August several years back. It was a fantastic destination, both the retreat itself and the surrounding area. Highlights outside of the yoga included: Psoas Volcano National Park, Butterfly and Waterfall Gardens, a horseback ride and zipline excursion, a road block of cows for which we had to wait to cross the highway (for about 20+ minutes), and torrential rains that overtook the sky every afternoon from approximately 2 PM until about 7 PM. We often arrived at dinner (at the retreat, but across the resort) completely drenched. We once ventured into town and the water level went from non-existing to mid ankle within about 30 minutes. Even the rough sounding portions were all part of the overall experience and made for some great stories. Next time, though, I’ll go in the dry season!

9.  New Year’s Eve in Buenos Aires. I have celebrated New Year’s Eve in a variety of locations – Positano on the Italian coast, Costa de Saupe in Brazil, on a Caribbean cruise and multiple places here in the U.S. No place, for me, does New Year’s eve better than Buenos Aires (to not hurt feelings of friends and family, this doesn’t mean my best New Year’s Eve, it means what the city itself offers). The great thing about New Years Eve in this city is that while it’s great fun and a bit “crazy” it’s not the kind of wild you have to shield your children’s eyes from. We began with a delicious and thoroughly enjoyable dinner in Puerto Madera. As we emerged from the restaurant, we couldn’t help but join the crowd dancing on the sidewalk, at the other restaurants and in the streets. Everyone from young kids to groups of friends to couples was up and ready to have a good time. It’s tough to describe the feeling in the air on this New Year’s Eve, except it was truly a sense of togetherness and everyone setting aside their troubles to celebrate the coming of a new year and a new start. They also have a tradition of ripping up last year’s calender and throwing the shreds of paper into the streets – a custom I’ve seen no where else (or at least for a whole community – I’m sure individuals do it all the time).

10.  Traveling with private driver through Ireland. When you have a family of 11 people, ranging from the ages of 10 months to those old enough to not want their ages mentioned in my blog post, it’s tricky to find a vacation style that appeals to everyone. To ensure we could cater as best as possible to the group, we hired a private driver by the name of Tony O’Connor (I apologize if I’ve spelled his name incorrectly). Because of Tony’s knowledge, we were lucky enough to stop at Kylemore abby, drive through the Burren, take a half day trip to Conamara and spend an afternoon in Cobh (Cove) – all places we may not have thought of if not for him. Tony kept us laughing, informed and entertained for what were sometimes long drives and less than ideal pit stop opportunities along the way. I highly recommend a private driver in Ireland. You just don’t see it all by flying to the major cities and the train system isn’t as easy or expansive as it is in the rest of Western Europe.

By now, I’m sure you know the answer to the title question is… of course I would. Wether the experience was scary, humbling, drenching or just downright fun, each allowed me to enjoy an aspect of travel that one doesn’t necessarily intend on when planning a trip and I personally relish my vacations that much more because of them.

These certainly aren’t the only fantastic activities I’ve done, just some of the most memorable. The list also serves as a reminder  when I get stressed out about the soaring prices, delayed/changed/cancelled flights, rising exchange rates and more, that without dealing with all of that, I would not have memories like these.

1. DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) in Korea. For those not familiar, this is the region between North and South Korea that served as a “safe zone”. However, in 1975 it was discovered that tunnels were being dug for a surprise attach on Seoul. So far four tunnels have been discovered, as recently as 1990, and it’s expected that more remain hidden. This is one of those experiences that is simultaneously eery and amazing. Knowing the battles that were fought and the purpose of these tunnels sends a chill up your spine. Getting to explore the actual tunnels (albeit on a Disney World-type ride) and learning the history is fascinating. “X”s are still visible on the walls where explosives lie behind.

2. Ranch stay and bucket sheep in Australia. If you haven’t guessed, this was during that pseudo backpacking period. I participated in a hop-on-hop-off type of bus trip from Sydney to Cairns, and on one stop we stayed at a ranch. We slept in the converted animal stalls (in bunks, not the stalls themselves) and participated in an activity known as bucket sheep – a giant barrel tied to the ceiling by rope and covered with a blanket to look like a sheep; people pull on each of the rope, and you hold on for dear life as you bounce around until you finally can’t and fall onto the mats below (you end up more sore than you’d think). This falls into that ridiculous but just plain fun category. The ranch stay itself was a learning experience – it was a working ranch and meals came straight from the owners’ oven.

3.  Swimming with sharks and rays in Bora Bora. By swimming with, I mean the sharks were a few feet away and I could touch the rays. This wasn’t in an aquatic park type setting, it was in the actual water surrounding Bora Bora.

4. Taking a shower in Victoria Falls. This wasn’t intentional. We were told that there may be “a little bit of mist” from the falls. It was a bit closer to a downpour. Still, looking out over the expanse of Victoria falls with the “mist” splashing around you until you have to run for cover, is an incredible experience. It was even worth the camera that was sacrificed to water overexposure.

4.  A stare down with an elephant in Botswana. Our open air jeep was headed one way on the dirt track, a gigantic male elephant was headed the other. He continued steadily in  our path until his ear actually brushed our jeep. We could have reached out and touched him (we knew better). The picture below is using no zoom.

5. Getting speeding ticket in Croatia by a cop on foot. Never has a speeding ticket been so funny, or really even remotely funny. The cop stood on the side of the road, and walked out in front of our car with a hand written sign that said stop. We couldn’t contain our laughter, which I suspect upped the fine. Regardless, the drive down the Slovenian and Croatian coasts was worth the ticket. Though we probably would have gotten a better look if we hadn’t been speeding.

So, given the sore muscles, broken electronics, speeding fines and reminders of historical tragedy, would I do it all again? In a heartbeat.

I recently wrote a blog on vacation recovery, which covered reminders on pacing yourself when traveling, building in some actual relaxation time, and other suggestions focused primarily on physical stress. It’s equally important, if not more so, that your vacation doesn’t wear you out mentally – especially since for many people the purpose of a vacation is just the opposite.

As someone who’s also worked in the health and fitness field and an practicer of both yoga and meditation, I have a great interest in the mind-body connection, and have seen the benefits (and detriments) at work many times. It’s easy for people behind the airport ticket counter to tell you to “relax” or “calm down” when your flight is delayed and you’re set to miss connection, but they’d probably be just as upset if the shoes were on the other feet. Here are a few ways to help combat the stresses that come with traveling. Some focus on mind/body, some just focus on preventing stressful situations.

*Photo Credit: Kristen Butera, Yoga Teacher and Owner of the YogaLife Institute www.yogalifeinstitute.com

1.  Your yoga and/or meditation regimen doesn’t have to stop on vacation. In fact, if you’re an avid practicer, you’ll probably notice it causes more stress to stop your routine while away than to take a few minutes a day, even if to do an abbreviated version. Yoga and meditation can be done virtually anywhere, as they require minimal to no equipment. Several companies make travel yoga mats which can weigh less than 1.5 pounds and are thin so can be easily folded into a carry-on or suitcase. If you use a meditation cd, load it onto your ipod or preferred travel music device. Meditation is a great way to relax (and keep from yelling at your obnoxious seat mate) on the flight. It can also be a mental lifesaver if you tend to not sleep on overnight flights and need something calming to pass the time.

2.  Plan ahead, but allow for some flexibility. I’m a planner. It’s what I do for a living. I’m always checked in for my flight 24 hours ahead of time, know what gate I take off and land in, know my connection time down to the minute and study the connecting airport map so I know the shortest route. Once I have the big things out of the way with, though, I have finally learned to give myself (and others traveling with me) a bit of leeway. People take vacations for a variety of reasons – to see a foreign city, immerse in the culture, attend a big event, or just lie on the beach with an umbrella adorned drink. Never have I heard someone say they’re taking a vacation to increase their stress level. In travel, as with everything else, nothing is guaranteed. If you need everything orchestrated perfectly down to the minute, I promise you will be disappointed. Next time you travel, take even a few hours to not plan something and do whatever comes to mind at the moment. I suspect it will be come as a relief to realize that it’s actually enjoyable!

3.  Journal. Even if you’re not traditionally a writer, keeping a travel journal can be both rewarding. Journaling is a nice way to unwind at the end of the day, which can help your mind ease and help sleep come more easily – a task that can be challenging with time zone changes. It doesn’t have to be nobel-prize-winning literature, just an outlet to get out your thoughts. It doesn’t even have to be fluid. Just jot down some things that you did, your impressions of your trip so far and anything else that comes to mind Secondly, it helps you relive the fun moments throughout the day, and going to bed with in a better mood can certainly help your sleep and your mood the following morning. Note: if something happened during the day that really stressed you out and you feel writing about it will add to that stress, you don’t have to include it. The point of this type of writing is not to create a completely factual account of each day, it’s to clear out your mind after a lot of stimulation that comes from visiting a new (or less familiar) destination. Finally, the journal provides a walk down memory lane in the future and a source of details when telling others about the trip.

4.  Put someone else in charge. I know, dreaded words for many people, including myself. This doesn’t have to be for the whole trip, or even a major part the trip. If just for a day, or a few hours, letting someone else deal with the planning, details and logistics can allow you to mentally let go. Make sure to pick the right person for the job – if you’re traveling with someone who constantly gets lost, don’t let them take the reigns on leading the way, or your concern of getting lost will overpower any relief you get from relinquishing control.

5.  Take pictures or video. Taking pictures or video allows you to focus on what’s right in front of you and live in the moment, which pushes stressors out of your mind, or at least on the back burner. Just make sure that getting the perfect shot doesn’t take over your trip. I’ve seen people so bent on getting certain pictures that they don’t get to enjoy and experience the surroundings they’re so intent on capturing with the camera.

Getting there: I can sleep pretty well almost anywhere. Anywhere, that is, except on a plane. This means that on every trip requiring an overnight flight, I land in my destination with maybe two to three hours of sleep if I’m lucky. It’s not a matter of not being tired. It’s a combination of the time difference (even though it’s morning when landing, it’s usually middle for my body clock) and the fact that nose-to-knees isn’t exactly my favorite sleeping position. For me, it’s critical to make up my sleep within the first few days. There are variety of tips out there for overcoming jet lag. My choice is to just go to bed incredibly early – usually around 7 or 8 PM – and just make up as much sleep as I can the first night. Whatever trick you use, make up this sleep early on. If you have a trick for getting more sleep on the plane, that works as well. If you recover from the lost night early on in the trip, you could be running on a deficit until you return home, which doesn’t exactly make for a restful vacation.

Take a break: Beach destinations have a built-in break, which is fantastic. If you’re destination doesn’t include much in the way of sand and lounge chairs, it might be tougher to slow down your pace. It’s these trips, though, where it’s imperative to take a break. I generally pick a day somewhere in the middle of the trip where I allow myself to unwind. I don’t set my alarm clock (yes, I set an alarm on vacation. I really don’t want to miss anything), and I spend my day doing something relaxing. It might be that I just sightsee at a more relaxed pace, or I might choose to sit at a cafe for a few hours where I can drink coffee and people watch. Sometimes I take advantage of the hotel spa. Whatever it is, give yourself a day, or at least a half day, in the middle of your travels to rejuvenate. It will increase your energy for the second half of the trip, which is when most people start to drag.

Eat and drink responsibly: Sure, vacation is a time to let down your guard and kick up your heels a bit, and often times this comes in the form of food and drink. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the local cuisine, beverages and nightlife. But as you’ve heard countless times with just about every aspect of life, “everything in moderation”. If I notice by day five of my trip that my breakfasts have consisted solely of chocolate pastries, my afternoon snacks of beer and my dinners of pasta and gelato, I also usually notice that my pants are a little tighter and my energy a little lower. Give yourself some leeway in your dietary habits, but if you don’t show some restraint, you’ll inevitably regret it upon return – not only in your closet and your wallet, but also in how you feel. The kind of eating and drinking described above may lead to dehydration, high or low blood sugar and depletion of vitamins and nutrients. This certainly isn’t the ideal condition for getting back into the swing of things when you arrive home.

The trip back: It’s tempting to end your trip with a late-night hoorah as a final celebration of your vacation. This may result, however, in feeling less than pleasant on the return flight, and once again you are dealing with the jet lag and lack of sleep you did when you began your trip. Enjoy your last night, but try to get some sleep and start preparing your body for the day to day at home. I also always return a day or two before I go back to work, which allows me to take some time to rest up and get my bearings.

Post-vacation blues: It’s not uncommon for the high of vacation to leave you crashing down when you get back to “reality”. One of the ways to deal with this is to take a little vacation back with you. No, not the sand from the beach or the plants from the gardens, customs will stop you for that. Instead, remember what about vacation made it so enjoyable. If it’s that you gave yourself more time to relax, try doing this when you get back. Take some time each day to do something for yourself. If it was the culture or cuisine, try to find a way to recreate this. Discover a recipe or a restaurant that reminds you of your trip and go for it. If it’s missing the people you traveled with, make extra time to see them or talk to them. If it’s simply vacation itself, start planning your next, even if it’s more daydreaming than an actual plan. Trust me, it helps.

To be honest, I think it’s all of the little things, even more than the price increase, that are really frustrating everyone. I think, I hope, most people understand a down economy and the need to keep a business, even if you’re a major airline, afloat. I personally don’t want them skimping on breaks or engine parts to save a few bucks, so I’ll pay a little extra per flight. What I do mind, though, is that when I pay that extra money, it doesn’t include a snack, even a bottle of water, a blanket and pillow, my luggage or in some cases, even my seat – I have to pay extra to make sure I’m sitting with my travel companions. That is frustrating.

That being said, my question is: what should the airlines do? Price isn’t the only reason people aren’t flying, so lowering the price with the hope of getting more travelers may not help. In the past five years or so, we’ve had to deal with everything from a Tsunami that wiped out part of southeast Asia, to volcanic ash spreading from Iceland to Morocco, to the swine flu epidemic, to a man on board a flight with a bomb in his underwear. People are nervous to travel. They don’t want to take the chance of getting the swine flu or an act of terror (define that as you will) or volcanic ash shutting down their plane engines. They’re also dealing with job loss and may not be able to afford hotels on a vacation even if the flights were free. While I’m not supporting the airlines nickel-and-diming everyone (I am not and it certainly doesn’t help my job as a travel planner that they are!), I really wouldn’t have a better solution to offer. Sometimes, you can look at a situation in the news and think the answer is so obvious. This, it seems, is not one of them.

To me, it’s a three-part fix, only one of which we individually have much control over. First, people need to have jobs (at least most people) in order to take vacations. Until people feel a little secure in their finances, they’re probably not going to spend what they have on travel. Second – and this is the part I hope I as a travel professional can influence – people need to get excited about travel again. All the negative press in the industry lately tends to block out the magical memories of traveling and people figure it’s not worth the hassle.  I’ve heard that exact phrase many, many times. Finally, they need an incentive to travel. It bursts their bubble when they do finally get all excited about their trip and then realize the airfare alone will be over $3500 for two people. This, is where airlines come in. The difficulty they face is that people don’t look at the flight as the highlight of their trip. They’re willing to still pay a lot for the hotel with all of the amenities where they feel like a king or queen. They’re willing to pay extra for an authentic (insert the name of the cuisine) meal to feel that they’re experiencing the culture. But they look at air travel as a way to get there and simply aren’t willing to pay extra for what they consider transportation (this may not prove true on luxury airlines and charter, but I’m looking at your average traveler).

So I’m curious – what do you think the airlines should do? When fuel prices and landing fees are high and travelers already don’t want to fly, how can the airlines turn things around without going out of business?

It’s not an easy task. For the travelers part, I suggest this – get out your travel photos, read some blogs about destinations you’ve wanted to visit, talk to your friends about their most recent trips, start making your travel wish list again. If you are concerned about a potential road block (not literally, although possibly in some cases), talk to your travel planner. If you don’t have one, get one! Trust me, it’s our job to make sure you have a happy, safe trip, and we’re not going to tell you it’s OK to travel to the middle of a war zone just to make a sale – clients caught in cross-fire do not make for repeat business! For travel professionals, get out there and share your passion for travel. Blog your travels, post your photos, host a travel night where people share their stories and pictures, coordinate with others to have a joint travel event. Do what you can to truly show people what it means to travel.

1. Choosing your seat: One of the most common requests I get from clients is a seats in the exit row or bulkhead, because these have more leg room. Unfortunately, these seats generally cannot be booked ahead of time unless you are in a wheelchair or have small children. Here are some options for getting the best seat possible:

• Log in 24 hours before your flight. Sometimes they will release the exit row at that time if no has requested it (they still generally hold the bulkhead).

• Most flights have premium seating. When you check in online, you can pay approximately $30 each way to upgrade to this premium seating. It might sound expensive, but isn’t it worth $30 to sit in on the aisle with an empty seat next to you rather than in the middle of the middle row on a long haul flight?

• If you don’t want to pay $30, show up very early at the airport. If these premium seats haven’t been taken, they may upgrade you without you having to pay – after all, people may be on standby and they’d love your middle seat just to be on the plane. In some cases, you may even be able to go to first class, but don’t hold your breath on that one.

2. While it doesn’t come as an outright request, generally speaking, travelers would like to actually be allowed on the flight they’ve booked and paid for. Guess what, if you don’t have your information submitted properly to the airline, you probably won’t be allowed on. These days, your name on your ticket has to be EXACTLY as it is on your passport. No leaving out the middle initial, the Jr, or that real first name that you’re embarrassed by so you go by your middle name. If you do, you may not get on. They also require your birthdate and gender, though the latter may not have as dire consequences if the first two match.

3.  Of course, it only helps to get on your flight if it’s actually going to take off and get you to your destination. In the last month or so, this concept hasn’t been one you can take for granted. So what do you do if your flight is cancelled, or delayed enough that you are going to miss your connection? Call your travel planner. I can’t emphasize this enough. That being said, I can’t promise they can bump everyone off the next flight and get you to your connection all without it costing a dime. However, there is a passenger bill of rights which entitles you to probably much more than the airlines are telling you. Travel planners should have this handy and can contact tell you what to demand (politely) of the airline if you’re not getting all that you are entitled. They also know which airlines fly most frequently from your airport and the best route to your destination and may be able to offer alternatives that the airline will not.

4. Getting through immigration and customs painlessly: I don’t know about you, but I always get nervous standing in the immigration line. It’s not that I have something to hide, or a reason to be stopped, but I get nervous all the same. I’ve also never had any trouble with this – until last month when I flew into London. The immigration officer was particularly grouchy and seemed to be looking for trouble. He questioned me thoroughly and then asked me to produce a copy of my return flight itinerary and hotel confirmation. Much to my disbelief, I couldn’t find it in my bag! I looked and looked and the guy basically told me unless I had it I couldn’t enter. Finally, after I produced about six credit cards to prove I could support myself there if I wasn’t leaving the day I had told him, he let me through. Morals of the story: 1. Don’t panic, they don’t like that. 2. Always carry multiple copies of your itinerary in different places, in case one walks away. 3. Make sure you have a way of proving you can support yourself in case you were to get stuck in the country (credit cards). Tough but valuable lesson learned!

5. Mileage credit on partner airlines: You can sometimes accrue miles for your preferred airline when you fly on one of it’s partners (i.e. US Airways and South African Airways). However, this is often only true if you fly in the correct “class”. Flights are divided into more classes than economy, business and first. Within economy, seats are given classes and differentiated by alphabetical letters – J, K, L and so on. An airline’s mileage program might state that you can only redeem airline miles when flying in certain classes, and if you don’t have a seat in that particular class (say that they support J, but not K or L) they you cannot get credit for the mileage.

Being in the travel industry, and having started traveling overseas at the age of 16, I almost assume everyone, or at least every adult, has a passport. To me, it’s like a drivers license or a social security card (if you’re a U.S. citizen) – perhaps I shouldn’t assume everyone has those either.

Furthermore, I also tend to forget that it’s not “common knowledge” that you now need a passport to go to Canada, the Caribbean and basically everywhere in the world outside of the U.S. The exceptions to this are the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, US Samoa, and a few other US territories, where I tend to send clients who want to travel in the near future and do not have a passport.

I am a firm believer that everyone should have a passport. I believe that at a certain age, everyone should have to apply for it like they do a social security card. I also believe they should be less expensive, so that everyone, or at least virtually everyone, can actually afford this. I’m not saying to make the process easier; the government can do their background checks all they want – thats a whole other rant of mine for another day. However, I firmly feel everyone should have the option to travel, and without shelling out over 80 bucks for a passport and more if you have to get it rushed, you’re not leaving the U.S. (except to those territories described above).

There are two reasons I feel this way. First is the more practical. There are many instances in which people have to travel out of the country – either for work, family emergency or even out of safety such as in a natural disaster – and guess what: no passport, you’re not leaving the country. Yes, you can get a passport at the least minute. However, you may have to personally go to the customs office and pay much more than  would if you had just applied for it in advance before you needed it rushed. (There are other ways to do it, though the customs office is often the quickest). We’re lucky here in Philadelphia that we have an office close by in center city. If you are living in a small town in the midwest, say, where the next big city is a few hours away and that’s where you have to go to apply for your last minute passport, it is much less convenient.

Secondly, I simply feel that with a passport people feel more free to travel, allow themselves to consider a wider variety of destinations and at least feel they have the opportunity to explore destinations outside of the U.S. and it’s territory if they chose to do so. I’ve had a surprisingly large number of clients want to plan a trip in the near future and tell me “but it has to be in the US or a place that I don’t need a passport.” I do offer them the information about the rushed passport but the (additional) downside of the rushed passport is this – you have to have your flight receipt or trip itinerary to get it. That means, you have to purchase your flights or pay for your trip before having the passport needed to take the trip. Now generally, there isn’t a delay in these rushed passports, but these days it seems people’s stress levels are high enough that asking them to pay for a vacation and “hope” that they’ll get the passport in time is a bit much, and I can’t say I blame them. So instead of applying for the passport, people just opt to stay closer to home. Indeed there are plenty of worthwhile destinations within our country, but wouldn’t it be nice to at least have the option to go elsewhere?

So, do you have a passport? If not, what is your reason for not having one? I am simply curious of people’s views on this – of what stops them from getting a passport, if they think they’d travel more if they had a passport, etc. I’m guessing that people who read this blog enjoy travel, so I figure that it is not a lack of desire to travel that has kept them from getting a passport. And finally, so I don’t exclude those who already have a passport, what is your favorite stamp in your passport?