As I take a moment to reflect, I want to thank you for your support and especially thank all of you who have used me to book and plan your travels this year!
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This year I took off from new trip inquiries for a couple weeks to ensure I had plenty of time to do holiday activities with my family. The kids and I enjoyed making 6 different types of cookies/treats to give out as gifts to some friends, family, and neighbors - and all were gluten free and dairy free (aside from butter, which my kids tolerate).
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Thailand is a mesmerizing destination that seamlessly blends rich cultural heritage with stunning natural landscapes, making it an ideal getaway for diverse travel experiences. Nestled in Southeast Asia, Thailand boasts vibrant cities, ancient temples, and pristine beaches that cater to a wide range of interests. Bangkok, the bustling capital, offers a kaleidoscope of experiences with its vibrant street life, opulent temples like Wat Arun and Wat Pho, and a lot of delicious restaurants and eateries with authentic Thai flavors.
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This month for the holidays, consider planning a trip for your whole family. I can't think of a better gift to give your loved ones. Of course I'm always here if you'd like me to work on the trip!
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This family was referred to me by another lovely client (thank you for referrals!) and they wanted to spend their kids' Spring Break in London & Paris. As they wanted to ensure they made the most of their time there, they opted for private tours for many of their activities.
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Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the States, and a perfect time to stop and reflect on what I'm thankful for both personally as well as professionally.
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Most people think of the desert when they think of Morocco, and rightly so! The Sahara Desert connects with the country, but there are also the Atlas Mountains, and warm sandy beaches on the coast to enjoy. Morocco shares many traits with Mediterranean countries sometimes more so than other African countries, due largely in part to the Atlas Mountains separating Morocco from the rest of Africa.
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Peak season for Europe travel is between June and early September. If you're thinking of using summer break to get your family to Europe, it's time to start the planning to ensure you have a good selection of hotels and activities still available!
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A previous client of mine contacted me to inquire if I could help. She had a complex trip to plan, with 8 people who came from 5 different airports going to a warm weather destination for a long weekend in January. She wasn't quite sure how to do this on her own, and frankly, didn't want to take the great amount of time needed to figure it out herself. She knew I could help and indeed I can!
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October is one of my favorite times of the year (obviously second to August and the State Fair) because it means family costuming for Halloween! We always try to come up with handmade/homemade costumes, where we can find thrift store treasures to complete our outfits. Typically, my husband also participates, but one of his favorite bands is playing in concert on Halloween proper this year, so he got the boot... this time.
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Being the 5th largest country in the world means whatever I write here will be just a drop in a bucket of what could be covered, but I'll do my best. Brazil holds the title of being the most biodiverse country in the world as well, so for those flora and fauna lovers, you may want to add this country to your bucketlist. It's landmass encompasses 60% of the Amazon rainforest, the Brazilian Highlands, the Pantanal (a wetland area shared with Bolivia and Paraguay) and the Great Escarpment along the coast. Having this much of a diverse geography also means the wildlife is diverse throughout the country, with everything from jaguars to tamarins to toucans, and everything in between!
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We're heading into the tail end of fall, and if you're from the midwest, you know that means cold is coming (if it hasn't already arrived where you live). If you've got ideas to get away from the cold this winter or spring, you should start on them, like, yesterday!
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This client had recently had her position eliminated at her job and wanted to capitalize on her time away from work to see some of the world. The one catch was that it was very short notice - less than 2 months of planning time! Her wishes were: to be somewhere that she would not have to speak another language to survive, not to pack up her suitcase too often during the trip, and for beautiful landscape and scenery. An Avalon river cruise along the lower Danube was just the ticket!
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Türkiye, or Turkey as most English speaking countries have called it until recently, is a unique country straddling Europe and Asia. It's not often that one city (in this case, Istanbul) can claim residence in two continents! Being off the Mediterranean and near the Middle East, it has a vast history spanning multiple empires and country names.
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We are less than 6 months from St. Patrick's Day, so if you've ever thought about spending it on the Emerald Isle, now's the time to plan it for 2024! See if you can spot a leprechaun, or take the time to enjoy a Guinness or Jameson in a local pub. Ireland over March 17th is a special event. And bonus: Delta flies nonstop to Dublin now!
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This last weekend I had the privilege of winning two awards at my host agency's travel conference that I attended (Travel Quest World). Out of 3000 or so agents, I won the Best Email Newsletter award (so hopefully you enjoy these!) and I also was one of about 20 or so that won Monarch Agency awards, which highlights travel agencies of excellence for sales performance and growth, support of other travel agents (I'm big into community over competition), and utilization of travel programs and products in my business. This is my 2nd consecutive year of winning the Monarch Agency award, so I must be doing something right!
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This summer has been a busy one - my Google calendar is full of color, with events many days of each week. But that's the way we like it in the Brown household. From the first fireworks my son has ever experienced to visiting the zoo, arboretum, our own family vacations, and heading up to the cabin with the full extended family, it's been fun. And the best is now: we're right in the midst of the Minnesota State Fair, and for the next 5 weekends the Renaissance Festival will have its gates open too! Take a look below to learn more about each of these fun seasonal festivities!
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I don't get too many inquiries for truly off the beaten path destinations like Papua New Guinea, but this country is definitely a special one to see for yourself. The work to get there and get around makes it worth it when you meet the people and learn about the multicultural island roots.
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As I start thinking about how many times I'll attend the Minnesota State Fair, you can start thinking about your bucketlist trip to Southeast Asia - countries like Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, or even the Philippines.
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I love a good repeat client, and this family is no exception! They've had me plan travel for them before, but this time they're heading over the Atlantic to check off some amazing sites from their bucketlists. From Giza to Rome to the Amalfi coast, they'll be seeing a lot in their 11 days! And included in the 11 days is their layover in Paris - with a long enough span to go into the city briefly!
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