Day 1:

We touch down at the Nairobi airport after dark and were met by a representative from Micato Safaris named Thelma.  She greeted us with a warm and welcoming smile and escorted us through the busy airport to our transportation waiting outside. Exiting the airport there was a hint of wood smoke in the thick damp evening air.   We board our small motor coach and were driven to the Ole Sereni hotel for our first night in Africa.  Entering the hotel lobby we are introduced to our tour director’s Kennedy and George, our leaders for the next 10 days of adventure.  They presented us with a Micato Safari hat, our room key, and briefed us on the next day itinerary.  We are introduced to our Safari companions whom we joined for a nightcap and share our enthusiasm for the days to come.  I can’t believe we are really here!  It has been my dream to travel to Africa and I can barely go to sleep because of the excitement.

Kennedy and George, our leaders for the next ten days of adventure.

Day 2:

We rise early to avoid the traffic of Nairobi for our transfer to Wilson airport. I am surprised by the amount of people who walk in a city of 3 million people.  I could see why Kennedy wanted an early start the traffic was virtually stopped or moving at a snails pace. There are no trains or subways and traffic is bumper to bumper so many people walk over an hour to work everyday.  There were no paved sidewalks they just walk on the side of the road or on dirt paths worn from their daily trek.  Between the dust and car pollution the air was very stale and foggy.

Busy Nairobi Morning

Nairobi’s elevation is about 5000 feet above sea level, which keeps the temperatures cool.  It was in the high 60’s or low 70’s. These moderate temperatures came as a surprise especially being located so close to the equator.  We are going to board our flight to Samburu located in arid northern Kenya.  The Samburu Game Reserve borders the Ewaso Nyiro River, a key gathering area for wildlife. In addition to lion, elephant, reticulated giraffe and buffalo, it is home to several species only found north of the equator, including Grevy’s zebra and the long-necked gerenuk.

We arrive in Samburu late morning and I am immediately struck by the landscape.  It is not dry and arid at all but very lush and green teaming with birds and butterflies. The air smells fresh and moist.  Immediately after departing the aircraft I notice a tree full of hanging nests and I grab my camera to take a picture of these interesting creatures.

The Weaverbirds nests, Samburu, Kenya

Kennedy explains they are weaverbirds.  The male bird weaves a nest to attract a female.  If she doesn’t like what she sees he tears it down and starts all over again. Amazing the tree was full of them.  Kennedy and George introduce us to our driver Peter. He is a character but very good and great at spotting wild life.  We board our land cruiser with our safari mates and start out on our trip of lifetime!

On our way to Larsen’s Camp over rugged terrain we enjoy our first game drive.  Immediately our bond begins as we cross over the Ewaso Nyiro River enter the Samburu National Reserve. The sign to the reserve reads “Where Nature Defies Itself”, we would soon find out what this means!

Bridge over the Ewaso Nyiro River

This reserve is relatively small at 64 square miles and an excellent scrub desert of thornbush, forest and swamps.  It is located north of Mount Kenya.  The river was very brown and flowing swiftly with water levels higher than normal. The name of the river in Swahili means brown waters.  We are in awe as we soon spot giraffe, gerenuk antelope, oryx and the funny little dikdik.

With each new animal our enthusiasm is contagious and we are all finding ourselves laughing out loud like children with pure joy and excitement.  This is only our first day!

Bird cleaning an Oryx’s ear

Larsens Tented Camp is a peaceful camp right on the banks of the river.  Our tent is outfitted with everything.  Running water, flush toilets, a hot shower and a hair dryer.

Our home for the next two nights, Larsen’s Camp.

We have a hot lunch and few hours to settle in before we depart for another glorious game drive where we see even more animals and elephants!   You can smell their scent in the air when approaching a herd.  Kennedy explains they are a brown color because of the very brownish red earth of this region.

We return to camp for cocktails and a lovely dinner and then retire early because we rise at 5:30AM tomorrow for another game drive.

 Day 3

Today we rise early with a wakeup call of “Jambo” and a tray of piping hot coffee delivered to our tent. There is no better way to wake up in the morning.  We set out to explore more of the Samburu area.  We are on a quest to spot a lion or leopard.  While searching we see more giraffe, elephants, oryx.

We spot the blue necked Somali ostrich, martial eagle and ulturine guinea fowl but no cats.

We will be patient as our tour director promises we will see them.  The wet weather has pushed the game to the highlands and so we must explore more high ground.  The laughter continues as we explore the bush.  Back to camp for a hot breakfast a short break and we are off to visit a Samburu village.

We board our land cruiser and head to the Samburu Village on the way one of our safari companion’s spots in the distance two lion’s who appear to have just filled their bellies on a fresh kill.  With blood soaked mouths they walk through the bush toward our vehicle.  Wow what excitement they are females!  They actually cross the road right in front of our vehicle.  They looked exhausted from their feast and ready for a nap as soon as they find the right spot to rest or return to their pride. It was as though we didn’t exist they didn’t even look our way.  My mind is trying to grasp the idea that these lovely animals rule this land.  They are so beautiful and graceful.

The Samburu people are tall and slender like the Maasai people.  They both originally migrated down from the Nile Valley to Kenya and Tanzania about 1000 years ago.  The Samburu live in north central Kenya and their population is located well away from the main areas of tourist and government influence. They are nomadic cattle and goat herders. When pasture-land becomes scarce in this semi-arid land they pack up their small settlements and move to better pastures. Cattle are a sign of wealth and social standing for the Samburu people. They use them as a food source by creating a mixture of the cow’s milk and its own blood.  The warriors prefer to wear red blankets while the women wear beaded jewelry.

We are introduced to the chief of the tribe and his son who guide us through the village and explain the Samburu way of life.  The girls and boys dance for us to show us what they do when they reach the marrying age.  The boys who jump the highest are revered the most.  I embrace their beautiful smiles and the warm greeting we received.  We depart the village watching for game along the way and return to a hot lunch and a short break before our afternoon game drive.

The Samburu Village

Peter heads for the high ground looking for leopard and cheetah.  The road is bumpy but much dryer than down by the river.  We spot more game along the way.  The giraffe are common sights at this point and we continue to look at the rock outcroppings for the cats.  Unfortunately they elude us today.

Next we head for a look out point with beautiful vistas for our first “Sundowner “ in the bush.   We celebrate a wonderful day with a glass of wine while watching the sunset.  This is Africa… an alluring place where we are so lucky to have the opportunity to experience her wild beauty.  Mother Nature decided to end our Sundowner celebration early with rain and we take off in our vehicles again.  Our Micato team did not let the rain dampen the fun.  Kennedy and Peter decided to sing for us on the ride back to camp and our laughter continues, as we are now friends.  We all meet for dinner later at Camp.

 Day 4

The rain continued through the night and we have a change of plans, we are departing early for The Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club.  We will be staying there for two nights instead of the original planned one.  Throughout the night we are awakened from time to time by the sound of rushing water.  With a 5:30AM wakeup call we pack our bags and place them outside our tents and head to breakfast.  Leaving our tent in the morning we are amazed by the current and rise in the river.  The river was roaring and overflowing its banks.  It literally had waves that were higher than it’s banks.  Tree’s stumps and all types of objects were passing by with great speed and power.  From the dining tent we literally watched the water rise into the camp and surround some of the tents and buildings.  Before we finished breakfast the water had risen to the dining tent.  We needed to make a quick exit so we could cross the bridge at the parks entrance before it is flooded and washed out.  It was the only way to the airstrip where we were to board our flight to Mount Kenya.

Ewaso Nyrio River “Where Nature Defies Itself.”

After a very bumpy ride over rugged terrain and constantly changing directions because of the rising water we finally made it to the bridge only to see it had already flooded and was not safe to cross.  Our wonderful team from Micato was in the process of a backup plan.  The drivers and guides were working together and talking on their cell phones with the Nairobi office working out a new plan.   As the water continued to rise around us we became restless with the thoughts of how will we escape this raging river.  Finally a decision was made we would drive to the Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club rather than fly.  When traveling on safari you must always be prepared for a change of plans.  The new route would be exciting and we all welcomed the change where we would have an opportunity to see more of the countryside of Kenya.  After 90 minutes of detours, our Micato team helping stranded vehicles, bumpy terrain, driving through deep water and muddy gullies we arrived on a paved road.  It was like we had found the Kenya Interstate. Only a two-lane paved road where we passed more herds of cows and goats than cars or trucks, our driver, Peter did a wonderful job. We arrived safely several hours later at Mount Kenyan Safari Club.  As we started our climb up the slopes of Mount Kenya the flat plains gave way to lush hillsides with fertile farmland.  The air was cool and misty.  The Fairmount Mount Kenya Safari Club is an exclusive retreat.

Sunrise on snow capped Mount Kenya

Situated on the slopes of Mount Kenya it has a reputation for casual elegance.  Many of the world’s most famous names, be they royalty, film stars or merely the rich, seek it out as a secluded haven where, although you don your safari gear during the day, you always dress for dinner. Guests can go trout fishing, mountain climbing, go on game drives, horse back riding, play golf and tennis.  Our suite was well appointed with our own living room with a fireplace.  It was the perfect spot to relax after such a long adventure from Samburu.

Day 5

Mount Kenya is the second highest peak in Africa.  It is an extinct volcano and its highest peak is snow covered and 17,058.feet.  This morning we were able to sleep in a bit and we didn’t meet for our game drive until 9:00AM. We visited the 24,000-acre Sweetwater’s Game Reserve, with its magnificent views on a clear day across the plains of Mt Kenya’s two peaks.  This game sanctuary is home to all the big five game, and has the highest ratio of game-to-area of any park or reserve in Kenya. One of Sweetwater’s’ main attractions is the chimpanzee sanctuary. You can take a boat trip through the sanctuary, which is only one square kilometer in size, and spot some of the 26-orphaned chimps that inhabit the forest. Another attraction is a resident tame rhino named Morani.  We spotted many Zebra, baboons, hyena, wart hog, topi, buffalo and waterbuck.

The new birds we saw were marabou stork, hadada ibis, grey crowned crane, secretary bird, and pied kingfisher. Our day ended with a dance during cocktails by a local tribe and a wonderful dinner in front of the grand fireplace in the main dining room.

Day 6

We climbed aboard our Micato Land Cruisers for our ride to the Nanyuki airstrip.  We bid farewell to our driver and friend, Peter.  He was part of the dynamics to our little safari group.  For the past five days he has been entertaining as well as informative and he will be missed.  There is a reason Micato Safaris has been picked as an eight-time winner of “ The Worlds Best Tour Operator and Safari Outfitter”. Their staff is hand picked and well trained and their attention to detail is unsurpassed.

Our flight takes off for the 50-minute flight to the Maasai Mara National Reserve.  We touch down at the Ngerende airstrip and are met by our new driver for the next two days, John.  John is a very kind man with a warm smile and a great eye for spotting game.  He could spot animals in the bush long before anyone else could.  We board our Land Rover and head to the Fairmont Mara Safari Club.  A beautiful tented Camp located on the banks of the Mara River filled with hippos and crocodiles.  Our tent is very comfortable with all the comforts of home including a our own coffee maker, unlimited bottled water, hair dryer, hot shower and flush toilets. We have a lovely front porch with unobstructed views of the river.

The Fairmont Mara Safari Club.

While the river is higher than normal it is not as threatening as the river in Samburu.

The Mara River from our tent

Our porter explains there is a family of hippos that live right below us in the river.  After checking in we take off to visit a Maasai Mara Village.  We are greeted with a welcome dance and the chiefs smiling son.  He explains their customs and traditions as we tour their village and homes.  The day was very cool and wet and it surprises me how they live with constant mud during the rainy season.

The tribe had just moved to this area and they were in the process of building new homes. They use mud and cow dung spread over the wooden frames.  This keeps their homes cool when it is hot and warm when it is cool.

The Maasai Mara Home

I am fascinated their traditions have remained and little changes have been made in these modern times. All of the children do now attend school and I feel their ways will change greatly with the next generation.

The Maasai Mara Village people.

We enjoy some down time after lunch and meet for a game drive in the late afternoon.  The Maasai Mara National Reserve is a northern extension of the Serengeti Plains of Tanzania and has fabulous game viewing year round.  Here we see our first wildebeest and Maasai giraffe, which are a lighter color with a star pattern different from the reticulated giraffe of Samburu. 

 The open grasslands are beautiful with sweeping vistas of game.  The Maasai villages can be spotted in the distance as we drive through the plains and a lone warrior in his red blanket can be seen in the distance watching over his herd of cattle. Our driver stops the car for a closer look at a group of buffalo we can hear the faint sound of cows bells in the distance from the lone warriors herd.  The buffalo is the most dangerous and feared animal in Africa.

I decided to make a quick visit so that I could explore a bit and experience the new air service from Charlotte. Curacao-based airline InselAir International has started operating the route between Curacao and Charlotte. The new flights to Charlotte will operate every Wednesday and Saturday departing Curacao at 9.10AM, arriving in Charlotte at 1.25PM and departing Charlotte at 2.25PM and arriving in Curacao at 6.40PM.  Due to the interline agreement with US Airways, passengers can get ticketed through on US Airways flights and vice versa, making it possible to connect to 58 US Airway destinations within 2.5 hours of the InselAir arrival and departure time in Charlotte.

My visit consisted of a 3-night stay at the new Hyatt and I explored a large part of the island.  I covered a great deal of territory and found Curacao to be a great spot!

The new Hyatt Regency Curacao Golf Resort, Spa and Marina opened in September of 2010.  Located on the southeast coast of Curacao at Barbara Beach you feel as though you have escaped to a private island.  This gated enclave is set between the glistening Spanish Bay waters and the Caribbean Sea on 1500 acres of terrain encompassing mangrove estuaries, rolling Hills, with a beachfront and bay front.  With 350 beautifully appointed guestrooms you will feel right at home.  Extra pampering is available at the Hyatt’s Pure Atabei Spa where you can enjoy holistic treatments inspired by the Arawak people Curacao’s original inhabitants. The resort offers Peter Burwash International (PBI) tennis center with four Hydro-grid clay courts with night lighting. An outstanding 7,200-yard Old Quarry Golf course designed by Pete Dye and last but not least the Seru Boca Marina with 128 slips to dock vessels up to 150 feet long with rentals possible.  My stay was very enjoyable with a few moments spent each day at the pool and beach.  Relaxation is easy in such a beautiful place.

During my travels around the island I found many great places.  The first place I discovered and knew little about was the Jan Thiel area with several hotels and beach clubs. I feel the Papagayo Beach & Lounge Resort is definitely worth mentioning. The area is situated 22 km away from the airport, at the southeast side of the island. Jan Thiel is an area with an abundance of water and not only ideal for diving, snorkeling and lazing on the beach but also for sailing, surfing and kayaking.

Opposite the Papagayo Beach & Lounge Resort lies Jan Thiel Beach with the waterfront café-restaurants Zanzibar, Zest and Restaurant Tinto.  Papagayo Beach Club has a fabulous infinity pool right on the waters edge along with very comfortable lounge chairs with beach service. You get to the beach by crossing a quiet road, mainly used by joggers and cyclists. At Jan Thiel Beach there is a water sports centre and a diving school. For children there is a large playground that includes a swimming pool.

At the back, the resort borders on the unique nature reserve of Jan Thiel, with its ancient saltpans, where one can regularly find flamingos. The nature reserve is also an excellent area for jogging and mountain biking. In addition, it is possible to hire buggies and quads for an adventurous drive around the region. 

Driving west we came to Sea Aquarium Beach one of the most popular beaches on the island, and its Curacao Sea Aquarium. It’s on the cutting age of the world’s aquariums that work to preserve the marine life habitat in its most natural state. Opened in 1984, this unique facility offers a series of tours and presentations that provide education and inter activities with the marine life. If you are on family vacations, you will discover that Sea Aquarium Beach will fascinate children of all ages for hours at a time.

Activities at the Curacao Sea Aquarium include touching and hand feeding stingrays, dolphins, and endangered sea turtles that nest on the northern beaches of the island, and even sharks. 

Beach has numerous facilities making it popular for family vacations. There are palm trees providing ample shade, several dining spots and bars, a good selection of stores and kiosks for shopping, dive shops, and numerous water sports opportunities.  Hotels near Sea Aquarium Beach Curacao include the prestigious Kontiki Dive and Beach Resort as well as the all-inclusive Breezes Curacao. Some of these resorts have great nightlife spots (including casinos), and there are also plenty of beach bars and nightlife spots offering music and other entertainment along the beach.

While exploring we also checked out some of the secluded beaches on the western side of the island like Cas Abao Beach and Daa Boo.  They were beautiful secluded beaches which offered counter service, a bar, beach chair rentals, water sports shops and restrooms.  They had beautiful blue water and white sand.  It’s definitely worth a drive to explore Curacao’s many beaches but be sure to rent a GPS the roads can be confusing.

Willemstad is a beautiful city steeped in the history of the island, one of fewer than twenty UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Caribbean. Local residents are justifiably proud of the facts about Willemstad Curacao and the remarkable preservation of this important Caribbean port city.  A good portion of the harbor is protected and dominated by Fort Amsterdam, the oldest of the several forts built on the island by the Dutch West India Company in the seventeenth century. For this reason alone, Willemstad tourism draws thousands of visitors every year, making it one of the most popular destinations in the Caribbean. As part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, it enjoys many European Union privileges. Its low import duties provide a wide array of shoppingbargains for world-class goods from around the world.  The fascinating Queen Emma Pontoon bridge connects the Punda to the Otrobanda districts of the city. 16 floating pontoon boats support the “Pontoon Bridge.” Also known as the “Swinging Old Lady,” it swings open using two powerful ship motors, allowing ships to access the port.   We enjoyed a lunch on the waterfront of the Punda district and enjoyed watching her open and close.  Check out my video on of it from the Otrobanda side of the waterfront.

My favorite Resort on Curacao was the 5 star Luxury Beach Resort Baoase.  Named to the 2010 Hot List by Condé Nast Traveler, Baoase is situated on an idyllic 300 meter beachfront on the South side of Curacao between its capital Willemstad and Sea Aquarium beach.

Nestled amidst tropical gardens and caressed by the azure water of the Caribbean Sea, the Baoase Luxury Resort is an idyllic retreat tucked away on the island.  Featuring luxury villas and suites, Baoase exudes a relaxing and inviting ambience of Asian style with every modern amenity.

The Baoase Beach Bar & Grill is open for lunch and dinner and is located directly on the beach in front of the resort. The Bar serves light fare, drinks.  Willemstad is just a few minutes away with all of it wonderful restaurant choices and Baoase’s warm and friendly staff  will assist you with making reservation.  This classy Resort even has it’s own Heli-pad for those who want to arrive quickly.  I would not hesitate to send anyone to this beautiful place where you will feel as though you are in paradise.

I only had three days to explore this exciting island and I am so glad I did.  Every island in the Caribbean has it own uniqueness and that is one of the reasons I love the Caribbean so much.  InselAir has made it possible for more of you to visit so start dreaming!

Becky’s Best Beach tips!

Beach chairs: This is a must. Go to your local beach supply store and find a chair that is lightweight, has a pocket to store things in the back and a handy strap for carrying. Generally walking to the beach can be a long haul over sand dunes the lighter chair you have the better.

Carry your own chair: Our family rule is to take your own chair down to the beach and bring it back!  Babies are the only ones exempt from this rule.

Towels: Pack two beach towels.  When you go to the beach take one towel for drying and leave the other in the outside shower.  When the day is over you will have a clean dry towel waiting for you.

Bathing suits: Take at least two suits with you.  Wear one to the beach and leave a clean one in the outdoor shower with the clean dry towel.  After spending time at the beach you can shower, put on the clean suit, and enjoy the pool or hot tub.  This really helps to keep both the pool and hot tub clean and sand free.

Beach Umbrella: This should be a good sturdy umbrella.  Not one of those flimmsy inexpensive ones that blows away in the first puff of wind.  We usually rent one at the local beach rental shop. This is a must to get out of the sun.  More than one child has fallen asleep under the umbrella and it is great for reading.

Sun Screen: Take tons of sunscreen preferably the higher SPF the better and apply often.  Every child in our family has had to learn this rule the hard way.

Lip Balm: Plenty of lip balm with a high SPF to protect those sensitive lips.

Cooler: Again shop a long time and get just the right one.  It should be lightweight with plenty of room.  We always take water, soda’s and plenty of ice cold beer.

Coozies: Again a must for keeping those beverages cool.  We like the neoprene ones because they fit in the pocket in the beach chair.

Sand Pail and Shovels: For all the kids young and old.  We always make some type of group castle or sculpture. The bucket and shovel kept my boys busy all day. Big Plastic Bucket or tub.  This is great for any little ones who can’t go in the ocean.  You fill it up with water and they will play in it all day while keeping cool.

Boogie Board: A boogie board is great to have for fun in the waves and a great floatation device in case of a rip tide.

Flip Flops: These are a must to prevent burnt feet.  I personally love my Reefs they are comfortable and light.

Soccer ball and Frisbee: Every year we take these to the beach for hours of fun and exercise.

Gold doubloons: We had more fun with this trick.  You can purchase fake doubloons at a local shell or souvenir store.   When the kids are digging a hole and they have their backs turned throw them in the hole.  When they start digging again they think they have found real buried treasure.  It is blast….the kids go crazy.

Snacks: We try to take healthy snacks to the beach.  Here are a few great ideas.  Kids can  dehydrate at the beach so we freeze flavor ice and pop them in the cooler.  It’s a great way for little ones to consume fluids and keep cool. We also freeze seedless grapes.  It is another snack that keeps you cool and healthy. Peanuts in the shell are a must.  We spend hours shucking peanuts.  We also pack peanut butter and jelly and other snacks like pretzels and chips.

Garbage: We take a garbage bag with us.  Keeping the beach clean is important so it is easy to take our garbage with us when you bring a bag to the beach.

Wipes: For the kids after digging in the sand.  It is great way to clean up before snacks.

Flash lights: A fun activity at the beach in the evening.  Once the sun goes down all types of creatures come out at the beach.  Children love looking for the crabs in the sand at night and a flashlight spots them easily.

Bug Spray: Never hurts to come prepared.  If it has been an exceptionally wet summer mosquito’s and sand fleas can be a problem.  Not to worry if you have bug spray.

Have a great time at the Beach and feel free to add any of your tips or suggestions.

Kim Heacox an award-winning author and photographer from National Geographic described Alaska as “the Africa of America”!  What a perfect description.  It says it all.

I have recommended and planned trips for my clients over the years to Alaska knowing it is a grand destination and I have never had a client return disappointed.  Everyone has always loved Alaska and enjoyed their vacation whether it was a land package or a cruise package.   I was perfectly happy they were happy and thought about traveling there one day but it is a big world with so much to see… it was not on the top of my bucket list.  The opportunity came up to experience small ship sailing with a Lindblad Expeditions and I jumped on it.

I just returned from Alaska where I spent 7 glorious days cruising on the Lindblad National Geographic Expedition ship the Sea Lion.  This is a small-ship expedition Alaska Cruise that takes you where others can’t, with the experts who know Alaska best. What a splendid time.  Each day was so exciting and I have to say each day truly exceeded my expectations.

The allure and fascination that came over me as we explored the inside passage of Southeast Alaska changed me.  I loved learning the history of Glacier Bay National Park the crown jewel of Southeast Alaska with its fascinating bay and ever changing ice flow. This park is literally untouched by humans with no roads, no trails just wilderness for miles and miles. It excited me to know wilderness actually still exists in our country.  Thank you to all who were responsible to recognize the need to preserve this beautiful land.  No photographs or words can really describe its grandeur.  Lindblad knows Alaska well. Their first trip to Alaska was in 1982 and they have been traveling there ever since.  The experienced cruise ship captain and passionate Expedition team took us to hidden coves and narrow channels.   The naturalist on board would gather us up and we would take off with our cameras on the zodiacs to see what was around the next bend or small cove.  They were our eyes and ears throughout the trip they pointed out and explained all that Alaska has to offer. It made the trip exciting and enjoyable and by the end of the trip we felt as though they were our friends.  We saw whales, sea lions, harbor seals, black tail deer, brown bear, black bear, river and sea otters, squirrels, wood peckers, wrens, hummingbirds, warblers, puffins, countless ducks, galls, terns and of course the dozens of unforgettable bald eagles!  Everyday we were delighted with sightings of different creatures. We explored little villages like Elfin Cove and Petersburg and we hiked through rich moss covered forests that gave way to lovely marshes teaming with life on unoccupied islands.  It was thrilling kayaking through tidewater lagoons and ice filled glacier fiords with canyon walls so high and steep you could not see the top.   The stillness of the icebergs as they floated by with the tides and the call of the artic terns that had flown all the way from Antarctica really moved me.  The smell of the fresh air of the sea, the moist and mossy smell of the forest will be engrained in my mind forever.

The crew of the ship catered to our every need without all the glitz and glamour of a traditional large ship.  We ate like kings with fresh food of the region and slept like babies in our very comfortable accommodations. Meeting others on board was easy and we had the opportunity to learn and share our stories of what we had experience at the end of the day.

I have only touched on some of the highlights of the trip.  We saw and experienced so much more.  Alaska is calling me back ..I didn’t get my fill.  There is so much more to see and experience.  I just touched a small but very beautiful part of Alaska…. “The Africa of America”.

Lindblad believes in giving back. In Alaska, Lindblad works with the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council (SEACC) and the Alaska Whale Foundation (AWF). Their work with AWF assists with research projects on humpback whale communication and behavior, which is shared with guests through the research team’s visit to the ships.

Feel free to make a contribution to one of these organizations and help to preserve this beautiful place for our children and their children for years to come.

I have been working with Becky for many years and she has helped us plan many family vacations. This most recent vacation to Club Med Punta Cana turned out to be a perfect and fabulous vacation and gave us everything we asked for. The teen club was a huge hit with my kids (11 and 13) and gave my husband and I enough down town to enjoy our vacation as well while the kids were doing their own things with the teen club.

The beginning of the vacation started on a bad foot when we got bumped off the flight due to the airlines overbooking the flight. Here we are in Newark Airport at 7:20am Saturday morning with no tickets!!! I call up Becky to let her know the situation that they have put us on a later flight to Santo Domingo Airport which is a 3 hour ride from the Punta Cana Airport which was our original destination. The airline counter agent is telling us to take a bus from one airport to another and I told Becky this and she advised me not to take this route. Instead, Becky went to work at 7:30am on Saturday morning to find us private transportation from Santo Domingo Airport to our final destination of Club Med in Punta Cana. Being that this was Easter week, this was no easy task. It took Becky about 5 hours to find us private transportation for a 3 hour drive from Santo Domingo to Club Med in Punta Cana, reconfirm with Club Med that we are coming and to not give away our room, to arrange a personal welcome from the Club Med team, and who knows what else Becky had to do. All I know is that it was a very calming feeling being in Newark Airport and knowing that I had a caring and knowledgeable friend and travel agent working for me and making sure that my family and I were taken care of.

All in all, Becky made a bad situation good again and we are grateful for being one of her clients. Our vacation was great and we truly appreciate the advice about the white chocolate bread (HAHA)!

Sincerely,
Iris, Jeff, Marissa, and Seth Katz

Because we wanted to go to the Caribbean, I chose Becky. I contacted Becky, and although it was just six weeks out, she jumped on it and with a few emails and phone calls, we planned the whole thing. We just got back from Jamaica and had a fantastic trip.

Especially noteable were the arrangements she made for a family vacation at Christmas in St. Johns. A difficult and high travel time, she made the effort to get us great accommodations, rental cars and recommendations for good places to eat and visit. We also appreciated the professional way she worked with our daughters as they made “secret” plans for our 50th anniversary Caribbean cruise.

Moreover, we have used her extensively for travel elsewhere in the world. Her wide variety of contacts assured us of high quality and perfect accommodations and travel.

Especially to be noted is her constant communication with us as she made our plans to be sure that our every need and preference was being met. That skill is much appreciated in this day and age.

The best part of having a relationship with Becky Veith is that you find yourself with not only a competent travel agent but a friend as well.

Clifford and Joanne Cox
Edinboro, Pa.

This letter is to express great appreciation and fondness for Becky Veith. Becky held my hand via long phone calls and emails in the weeks before the wedding, made all the contacts, communicated with Nick and Norma at Seahorse Inn about my wishes, and was a reassuring, experienced cheerleader for a worried mother of the groom who wanted perfection (food and drinks, atmosphere, table settings, table centerpieces, dining experience) at this special event — and got it, thanks to Becky.

In addition, when I did some research on the Internet later and read a description of a wonderful way for our gang to get to know the island by visiting a shore bird sanctuary island, snorkel in the Atlantic Ocean, have lunch in a restaurant in a tree house, etc., Becky tracked down the tour organizer who created a custom all-day tour. Susan Ramrattan arrived at the hotel early in the morning of the tour to meet me and offer assistance during the weekend, and she chose a wonderful guide for our tour who has a degree in ornithology from Southhampton University.

Thanks to Becky, our tour and rehearsal dinner were wonderful and just as I hoped they would be. Becky’s knowledge of the Caribbean is encyclopedic and her commitment to ‘customer satisfaction’ extended to her asking me to call her on the weekends. All thanks goes to Becky Veith for her help and advice and huge amounts of time spent with us and for us over many weeks!

Jeanne V. Reed
Bexley, OH

http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/articles/10383?pageNumber=29

In January of this year we visited the island of St. Lucia with a group of people. Becky Veith was instrumental in making all the arrangements and as far as my wife and I were concerned went the extra mile to make sure we were all happy.

We are now planning a trip to Peru. In the past, I believed I could always do a better job than a travel agent, but Becky has done it again. With her help we are able to secure our trip for substantially less. In fact her knowledge of the travel business knocked off over $1700.00 from our trip! With the money we are saving my wife and I will be able to add an additional day to our trip.

Sincerely,

Tom and Ortrud

Thank you so much for all you did to make our trip to Mexico so memorable. My husband and I had to keep pinching ourselves; we could not believe how beautiful it was!

Looking forward to going back next year.

Thank again,

Tom and Pat