Journey through your Journals

Journals, journals can be cute or plain; they can be big or small.  Write a journal of your trip/travels/vacation.

Moving right along with our A-Z challenge and today's letter is J=Journal.  Keeping a journal can serve several purposes.  If you're taking a family vacation, getting the kids involved in writing a journal about what they see, where you're going is a excellent way to keep them busy.  AND it's far more productive then letting them tune out with an electronic something.  They can keep track of mileage, dollars spent each day, particularly if you're travel by car.

Writing a journal is a good way to remember your trip.  What day you went where; even as an adult and makes for a nice momento.

Journals can aid you identify your pictures after the fact also.

Journals are a good educational tool also for the kids.  When they write about what they saw, what they learned, what they liked etc.  Find those places on the map, learn how to spell those words.  All very positive.

For a J destination, here's my post on Joshua Tree National Park

**REMINDER, please leave the url to your actual blog post, NOT your google+ page, NOT your blogger profile/dashboard page.  Use the name and url option, or leave a hyperlink.  As we all try to visit throughout the a-z network, leaving links that are not your actual blog post cause frustration and time loss.**

Pop in Often, remember Menu Mondays for dining tips, Traveling Tips on Thursday, and any day for vacation destinations.

Interval International

Interval International is the topic for today (but if you want a destination that starts with I, here's my post on The Iwo Jima Monument)  because it starts with the letter I.  If you're a member of Interval International you can travel the world more affordably.  People who belong to various timeshare groups have the ability to deposit the time share weeks to trade to go somewhere beyond their home resort.  You can purchase travel insurance through them as well, pretty reasonably priced.

There are multiple levels of membership, each providing additional benefits to the member.

• Regular, you can exchange your time share week, Getaways (vacant weeks more affordable then regular rental rates), E-Plus (options for re-trading your week for a different location or date), and travel insurance
• Gold, in addition to the above benefits you get $25.00 discount when you book a Getaway, ability to book short-stays (turn your week into 2 stays of 1-6 nights), Interval options (turn your timeshare week into a cruise, golf or spa specials), Hertz Gold (discounts on car rentals).
• Platinum, same benefits as above but, $50.00 discounts for Getaways, membership in airport lounges, free quest certificates (when you book a vacation for someone else there is a charge to change the certificate to their name, this fee is waved with this membership level), Priority Getaway viewing (you see the options before the other members

I've found the staff at Interval International to be very helpful and whenever possible very accommodating.  If you're a timeshare owner, I highly recommend you join Interval International.  Decide which membership works for you based on how you tend to use your timeshare, and how often you travel.


Pop in Often, remember Menu Mondays for dining tips, Traveling Tips on Thursday, and any day for vacation destinations.

Historic Destinations

Moving right along with the A-Z challenge today brings us to H.  Words that start with H and have to do travel.......for hubby and I the biggest word is History, Historical.  We love visiting historic landmarks around the country, and elsewhere.  Touring and learning the story behind something to me makes it all so much more enjoyable.  Whether we stop to read an historic sign, or tour a historic home, or visit historic battlefields or enjoy the art that surrounds historic monuments; we always learn new things in our travels.  Doing this gives us a better understanding about how our country developed.

One thing hubby and I don't share an interest in though is a haunted tour.  I always want to take them, and he never does.  A haunted tour takes place at night, and I don't want to do that solo; so...it's something I've yet to do.

However, I've lunch at a Haunted and Historic Tavern.  Click here for the story about the murder.
Where....right here in Ohio.

Pop in Often, remember Menu Mondays for dining tips, Traveling Tips on Thursday, and any day for vacation destinations.

Group Travel

Group Travel.......or Gettysburg  you decide.

Group travel can be fun, it can also make travel less expensive; but it's not for everyone.  It could have you feeling a bit blurry like the folks in the picture.  Things to consider before you sign up for a group travel:

• Will you have any free time?
• Does everyone in the group want to do the same thing?
• Does noise and chaos bother you?  If so, group travel might not be the best option for you.
• How many meals are included in the group price?
• Is it a walking tour, or a bus type tour?
• Will there be opportunities to take pictures?

Other ways to save money without doing a complete group tour in your travels...check Groupon for the area you're going to.  Sometimes there are good deals in tourist areas for dining and entertainment, as well as lodging.

Maybe a combination of your own vacation with a day or two for a group tour is the way to have quiet and group time.  Fun and relaxation.  It's also a good way to visit someplace you've not been before.

Hubby and I used to do group type vacations, not organized group tours and find as we get older trying to get everyone organized is a bit of a chore.  Who wants what for dinner, who wants to go out vs those who want to stay in; how much money do people in the group want to spend can lead to lost time and uncomfortable situations.  Think about your needs, there's much to consider beyond the price tag.

Pop in Often, remember Menu Mondays for dining tips, Traveling Tips on Thursday, and any day for vacation destinations.