Good Vacations verses Great Vacations

    Now that the world is just beginning to open up to travelers again,  I am getting calls daily from my clients with questions about Caribbean cruises, river cruises, and luxury train travel in Europe.   And I gladly answer every question easily; however, one question that I’m asked most often now and is “How much can I do in two weeks?  (Yes, I know everyone has this pent-up need and wants to travel.  Yes, I know that you want to make up for lost time due to the COVID-19 world shutdown.  Yes, you have all the money that you saved!!!! )   So, I thought I would address this question so that my experience over the years may assist anyone who has been to many destinations but not experienced very much. 

     First, take a moment to think about your last vacation.  Did your last vacation seem to mirror the classic movie, VACATION?  Were you on a schedule?   Did you rush through a museum or did you take your time to appreciate the collection?  Do you remember what day it was when you took that tour and where you were when that photo was taken? Is the entire time a blur with only a smattering of details?  Did you come home exhausted or were you energized? Are you smiling?  If you answered yes to my questions, congratulations!  You have reaped the benefits of a GREAT vacation experience.  If you answered “NO” then you had a good vacation.

 

 

  Upon a clients’ return from vacation, I always call to inquire about their experience.  Many of my clients begin their responses by saying ….” I need another vacation!” with a laugh, of course. Then I pose several specific questions about the trip. Truthfully, I’m disappointed when clients do not have but a vague remembrance of specifics, but vivid memories of the hotel pool and the hotel room. On the other hand, some clients do respond very differently when I pose the same questions.  They speak about the people they’ve met or the local food they tried, and the private tours they took. They remember the details of their vacation experience very vividly!  These clients had a wonderful experience, and have made memories to last a lifetime and, not coincidentally, are ready to look into their next travel experience.  I always want my clients to experience great vacations. Great vacations are lodged in the excitement of voice and the smiles on faces as they retell their experiences.   

The first step to any great vacation is planning.  Call me so that I can assist you in planning a great vacation….. I’m just overflowing with ideas that you’ll love.

     So, to answer the question of “How much can I do in two weeks?”  You will always be able to do a lot in two weeks for a good vacation.  For a great vacation, you will have a richer experience if you plan, relax, slow down, be yourself, try different things such as a new food, wine, ride a bike, dance the waltz, scuba dive, try a new drink, or even bake scones and don’t hesitate to share yourself with others, focusing on the similarities rather than the differences.  Finally, appreciate your surroundings and be grateful for the time and opportunity to travel this beautiful world.   The choice is always yours to make.  My motto is “Say No to good and Yes to great!”