October 2021

10/1/2021

Greetings Friends,

I hope you had a nice September, and are looking forward to having a wonderful October.

We had another busy month in my house. Over Labor Day weekend we visited family in Michigan. It was a nice, quick visit. The kids are still getting used to the car ride. Last weekend, we visited friends in Chicago. On the way home, we stopped at an apple orchard. We picked a lot of apples and had a lot of fun.

In the middle of September, I was lucky to be able to do a solo trip down to the Riviera Maya region of Mexico for five days. Flying down, I couldn't believe that it had been four years since I had been to my best-selling destination.

The primary purpose of the trip was to tour resorts with other travel agents on my team. We toured fifteen resorts. Family-friendly, adults-only, and even an au natural resort were on the itinerary while in Mexico. It's touring and experiencing these resorts that help me make recommendations for my clients.

Our team did manage to have fun while in Mexico. One afternoon, we took a few hours and visited a cenote in the area. These are sinkholes that are naturally formed in limestone rock. The water is natural and refreshing. Little fish nibble on your feet when standing on the rocks. Who needs to pay a spa for this, when you can get it done at a cenote?!

In addition, we made it a point to give back to the area that we were visiting. For this trip, we went shopping for supplies to donate to Te Amo, a group that gives to families living in rural parts of the country. Our team loaded up over $700 worth of supplies and dropped them off with our partners. Knowing we are having a positive impact helps to make these trips worthwhile.

For October, I wanted to highlight one of the adults-only resorts we stayed at while I was in Mexico, Secrets Akumal. My clients love this resort. After having spent two nights there, I can say that it was a wonderful experience.

Secrets Akumal is located in between Playa del Carmen and Tulum. The beach is beautiful. It also feels very lush and tropical on the grounds, almost jungle-like. Akumal means "place of the turtles", and this region is known for its turtle population.

Not only were the grounds and rooms beautiful, but the team of staff went above and beyond at every turn. Both dinners were highlights that I won't soon forget. The first night we did a sip and paint right on the beach. For not having any artistic ability, I was thrilled with how my sunset picture turned out. The second night we had our dinner in a garden area with performers and musicians entertaining us the entire time.

I had chilaquiles for breakfast each day. For those that don't know about this specialty - think breakfast nachos! I definitely can't wait to go back for a longer visit.

With 2021 now in the home stretch, it isn't too early to think about your 2022 travel plans. Spring break is fast approaching, as well as next summer.

As always, if you have questions about anything travel-related, I'm here to help.

Have a great weekend,

Brian

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September 2021

10/1/2021

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Greetings Friends,

Happy first Friday in September. I hope your month has started off well. The end of the summer always moves quickly, and this year was no exception. We've been getting back into the school year routine. The kids are enjoying going to daycare. And Sandy is excited to have students return to her library after having virtual lessons for all the 2020-2021 school year.

The past month we continued to spend time outside enjoying hikes, splash pads, playgrounds, and pools. We also began to harvest a great crop of tomatoes from our garden. Each August I look forward to making my favorite sandwich - toast, mayo, tomatoes, salt, and pepper.

For September, I'm featuring a favorite resort of mine, Playacar Palace. I first visited this resort on a travel agent FAM trip in the fall of 2015. I instantly loved it, and two years later was excited to take Sandy and our then ten-month-old daughter, Sarah, for a visit. It is an all ages resort, located in the heart of Playa del Carmen. You might remember a few months ago I featured the Sun Palace. The Playacar Palace is a sister resort.

The property sits right in the middle of Playa del Carmen, next to the famous shopping on 5th Ave. It also is next to the pier that where you can take the ferry over to Cozumel. Included at the resort are the signature luxury features that Palace Resorts are known for. Wonderful service, dining, drinks, and accommodations.

The resort is big enough to have variety, but not too big that it feels overwhelming. With our young daughter, we spent a ton of time in the pool. There was also a small kids area with shallow water to spend time in. In addition, the Playacar Palace had a great kids club.

The staff working was wonderful in accommodating us. For every meal they brought us a high chair without asking. They entertained baby Sarah at every turn.

Switching gears a bit, I have access to an exclusive promotion next March at the Hard Rock Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. This lines up with Spring Break for many, as well as March Madness. If you are a gambler, the casino at this resort is the largest in the Caribbean. For more information, please click here.

Lastly, this is my third month in a row saying it, but I can't emphasize enough how important it is for you to check your passports. Two different clients contacted me to get vacations booked last month, but their passports are expiring soon and they wouldn't get a new one in time. If you're thinking about traveling internationally in the next 12-18 months, I would recommend beginning the passport application or renewal process soon.

I'm always here if you need any help or questions with travel.

Have a great Labor Day weekend,

Brian

Contact Today

P.S. - I've added all the previous First Friday emails onto my website. You can find them here.

October 2021

Greetings Friends,

September 2021

Greetings Friends,

From your
travel advisor

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October 2021

Greetings Friends,

September 2021

Greetings Friends,

From yourtravel advisor

Archives

Categories

Connect

From your
travel advisor