• Clearly label your tip – If you are tipping your chambermaid make sure it’s obvious. I like to leave it in a sealed envelope marked “tip.” Hotel staff might be hesitant to pick up loose cash on a nightstand.
• Don’t forget those local guides – Most Collette tours feature a guide who offers insight that only a local can offer. Be sure to show your support for their willingness to share.
• When in Rome – Do a little research on regional tipping practices before you leave. Customs vary widely throughout the world. And keep some small bills in the local currency on hand.

Plus, when in doubt TIP. As someone who has worked for tips (golf caddy not copywriting) I know first-hand that many people rely on your generosity to make ends meet.

Thanks to those of you who have read our blog, returned for another visit, and maybe even commented on one of our posts.

Traveling Well has been going strong since 2009 when we launched our first Reality Tour series showcasing South America’s wines and wonders. No one is more amazed that we have been able to continually contribute travel news, tips, and destination spotlights each week  than your regular contributors given what comes up in the course of any given business day at Collette!

So now, we hope you’ll forgive us but for the next four days, you will see rcycled blog postings while Johnny Quest welcomes a new baby and I am off for some R&R with my family on the lakes and in the mountains of New Hampshire.

Recycling is good since maybe the articles we have chosen to highlight this week were missed the first time around and this is your second chance to read some of our more popular postings.

It also gives your contributors a chance to re-charge. I am counting on the fresh New Hampshire air to provide new insight and informative dialogue for future blog posts and, for my colleague; well, maybe a crying baby will bring him running back to the office filled with crazy inspiration that comes from lack of sleep.

Happy Reading!

Tech on Tour:  Postcards from around the World

Five Fresh Travel Tips

My Top 5 Travel Books

Food on Tour

Israel: You have to see it to believe it

Here are a few travel tips to help you out on your next escorted tour.

1. Pack with Purpose - Bring a couple pairs of classic black pants – they go with everything.
2. Study Hard – Review your itinerary and research the places you’ll visit. That way you can really delve into a destination.
3. Copy Yourself - Photo copy your passport and leave it with someone at home (in case it would ever need to be faxed).
4. Wear Old Shoes – Don’t break in a new pair of shoes while on tour.
5. Drink Up – Keep hydrated by drinking a lot of water on tour.
6. Où sont les toilettes?- Ask your Tour Manager to teach you a few phrases in the local language. After drinking all that water it’s advantageous to know how to ask “Where is the bathroom!”

• Pack an extra tote or duffel for items you accumulate on tour.
• Wear loose, comfortable clothing and shoes you can slip off when going through security
• Use bubble wrap to keep things from shifting around and to protect souvenirs.

Happy Travels!

The best advice I received is to use my camera as I do my writer’s notebook. Record things that I will find useful later on when I have returned home and am going through several hundred images and pages of notes from a tour that lasts one week to several. 

 Here are some ideas:

That’s right. Whether you’re renting a cottage on the lake, or visiting the Eiffel Tower, make sure to bring a notebook with you on your next vacation. I know that in this day and age, a notebook might seem a bit dated. After all, many if us have smart phones or tablets with note-taking apps that will do the trick.

However, there is just something about scribbling in a traditional notebook, or journal made from real paper, with a real pen. I love my own little moleskin notebook. I like the feel of the lightweight paper between my fingers, as I page through my notes from last week, or last month. With that notebook in my pocket, I always have the write or sketch without having to use the back of a napkin, or running down the batter on my phone.

Why is the notebook such an important accessory for a photographer or videographer? It’s simple, unless you have a “photographic memory” (pardon the pun), you are bound to forget the times, locations and the subjects of at least some if your vacation photos.

I am constantly jotting notes while on vacation, especially when I am riding along on a value-packed escorted tour for my employer. I create captions for my photos on the fly. I also make sure I write down little tidbits I learn along the way, like how to spell Haleakala after watching the sunrise over that famous crater in Maui.

My notebook is an abbreviated journal for my travels. My advice: always try to write down the names of the locals in your shot, your tour guide, and your fellow travelers. You won’t regret it.

If you make good use of your handy-dandy notebook you’ll reap then benefits when you have your in-laws and neighbors over to see the photo montage of your trip to Machu Picchu. Your photos will become the backdrop for your storytelling, as you share your cultural lessons and vacation antics. The prospect of telling these stories is one of the reasons you chose your adventure anyway, right?

For you hardcore photogs out there check out Sean’s own blog – travelingmediaguy.com

Simplify, simplify –

The travel experience isn’t always perfect. But with the right attitude and these tips you can simplify your trip and avoid any hang-ups at the airport.

1. De-clutter your carry-on bag ahead of time. Make it easy for the transportation security officers. Uncomplicated works for you and them.
2. Stay within the baggage allowance. Those rules change. Do yourself a favor and check ahead.
3. Give yourself plenty of time. Whether it’s getting to the airport, visiting a museum on a free day during an escorted tour or grabbing a meal, I swear by this bit of advice.

Where ever your go, here are a few simple tips to consider when vying for that perfect photo.

Think of yourself as an artist painting a painting a landscape. Scout your location in advance, thinking about composition and lighting, especially if you are going to be staying in the same area for a few days.

Lighting: Consider the time of day, and the weather. I always enjoy taking photos on the beach at sunrise. On a calm day, just as the sun peaks over the horizon, your photos can portray the serenity of the waves lapping the beach and seagulls having their breakfast, before beach chairs and umbrellas overtake them.

Whether your backdrop is the ocean or a mountain peak, arrive before sunrise or at least an hour before sunset, and plan to stay a while. Then you can use what photographers call the “Golden Hour of Light.” During these hours the sun sits closer to the horizon and is less intense, creating softer and warmer hues with longer shadows. Learn how the light affects the look and feel of an image; move around a bit and take LOTS of shots.

Composition: Take photos from a variety of angles. Think about the foreground AND the background. Using a naturally occurring small object in the foreground, like a flower, a tree, or even a rock, can illustrate the beauty of the landscape behind it, and make your photo unique.

Make the most of your Camera: Try using different shutter speeds to play with the lighting and depth of field. This can result in a wide variety of perspectives of the same image. Try using different lenses, which will often give you a wider field of view, and a broader shot of your subject.

Experiment: Don’t be afraid to get dirty. Maybe you will find the perfect shot from climbing that tree, or from lying in the sand.

Most of all HAVE FUN!

For you hardcore photogs out there check out Sean’s own blog – travelingmediaguy.com

• Do you speak English? – Parla inglese? (par-la ing-lay-zay)
• Hello – Ciao (chow)
• Thank you – Grazie (grah-tsee-eh)
• Good morning! – Buongiorno!  (bwon zhor-no)
• Good afternoon – Buon pomeriggio (boo-on-po-mer-i-jo)
• Good evening – Buona sera (bwoh-nah seh-rah)
• Good night -  Buona notte (bwoh-nah noht-the)
• Goodbye -  Arrivederci (ah-ree-vuh-dehr-chee)
• Excuse me (to attract attention, apologize) – Scusi  (skoo-zee)
• Excuse me! ( to get past) – Permesso (per-mee-sso)
• How much does this cost? – Quante’e, per favore? (kwan-teh pair-fuh-vor-eh)
• You’re Welcome – Prego (preh-goh)
• Please - Per favore (pear fahv-oar-ay)

L-R: Melanie McDonald, Collette tour manager with Jacque Stacy in NYC

Member Spotlight:  Jacque Stacy

Ever thought how wonderful it would be to travel for free? As a group leader, you can do just that – but how do you get started and what does it entail? I decided to ask a successful group leader these questions and others in the following interview.

Self-starter and highly motivated Senior Circle Director – Jacque Stacy, South Texas Regional Medical Center,  impressed me with her initiatives and comprehensive outreach to her 1,000 members. This savvy Senior Circle Director uses travel with Collette Vacations as a way to increase member participation.

 Collette Vacations:

What made you start offering group travel to your membership?

JS:

I have a serious wanderlust so the idea of travel really appealed to me. Plus, I find that seniors like the idea of travel – it is a great stress reducer. Because Senior Circle chapters are in rural areas typically far from the big cities, we look for ways to make our members feel connected so that the first place they go if an issue comes up is our medical center. The excitement of travel affords me the opportunity to market the services of our health care family.

Collette Vacations:

Speaking of marketing, what is your strategy when it comes to marketing your travel opportunities?

JS:

In the beginning I talked a lot. I like to think of my strategy as relationship-building marketing. Word of mouth is the best marketing tool for us in a rural area. Because our membership demographics are over 65, email is not a consistent tool for getting the word out – not everyone has it and those that do have an email account don’t always check it. Our first tour was Back Roads of New England and I think my enthusiasm helped others get enthused about traveling. That first trip I signed up 31 people and from there we were off and running. Now I survey members once a year and have them rank where they would like to go – so now in addition to talking, it’s about listening…

Collette Vacations:

What marketing tools do you use to stay in touch with past travelers and prospective new travelers?

JS:

I promote an upcoming tour in our quarterly newsletter which goes to over a thousand members. I promote a slide show presentation “Travel Night” in the newsletter and on posters that Collette provides. I also write up a press release for our local newspaper that gives details about the Travel Night. Travel Nights are a great way to publicize an upcoming trip and the presentation really gets people excited about the destination. I also send postcards provided by Collette that I can customize to get the word out.

Collette Vacations:

What are the rewards of being a Senior Circle Group Leader?

JS:

When you travel with your members, you really get to know them. That is so important as it helps participation in so many other areas like our exercise program, Birthday Bingo Potluck and our physician hosted lunch and learn opportunities. There is great satisfaction in traveling and seeing a place for the first time with my members and I think there is a level of comfort in traveling with a group – that is probably why our Beijing trip was so successful. We’ve traveled to New York City a few times and I currently have 49 travelers booked to go to Ireland with Collette in March 2011.

Collette Vacations:

You are a Collette President’s Club member which recognizes successful group leaders and rewards them with a free trip. What makes working with Collette special?

JS:

Collette makes it so easy! It really is as simple as that. When I hear that other Senior Circle chapters are reluctant to utilize the travel program partnership with Collette Vacations, I find it hard to believe. Group travel opportunities with Collette Vacations are one of my biggest recruitment tools making it a win-win relationship.  The close working relationship I have with my area Collette District Sales Manager and inside group department really does make it easy to promote travel. Even if a Senior Circle Director has no interest in traveling, you can still host a trip – Collette’s escorted tours feature the services of a professional tour manager who is with the group throughout the trip.

Stay tuned for more tips on how to become a group leader and travel for free – next time I’ll show you how easy it is to “find” a group and build its numbers.