Pied Pipers of Travel

Welcome to Pied Pipers of Travel

I'm excited about this new blog.  Pied Piper travel is one of my favorite to experience and plan for others.  There is something so special about sharing an adventure with a group of like-minded people.

I recently went on a trip with several women friends for a milestone birthday celebration.  The theme was Martini Cruise and I brought wonderful little lite-up martini glass pins for everyone. Everywhere we went with our blinking pins, the other vacationers would point and smile! Our favorite spot was the ship's martini bar - the bartender loved us and earned his own blinking martini pin by the end of the cruise. Each day we enjoyed a theme beverage while sharing our experiences of the day.  We had a total blast!

That's the experience I hope you'll be interested in.  Whether it's a bus trip to Niagara Falls or an African safari to celebrate your 60th birthday, I can help.

On the pages of this blog I plan to bring:

• The latest travel trip information; land and sea
• Stories from other successful adventures
• Best practice tips on how to travel in other countries
• Photos from some of my favorite destinations
• Great packages to wonderful locations I've been to - you'd be amazed just how many places I've visited
• Occasional interviews with other Pied Pipers so they can share their story with you
• Nightmare adventures - isn't it funny how we enjoy reading about other's pain?  We've all had our own travel nightmares and it's easy to relate
• The latest in books, movies and resources for travel lovers
• Links to other travel blogs that I find of interest

I welcome your comments, suggestions and stories. I want this to be a two-way conversation, so join in the fun!

Happy travels,

Linda

Great news for the folks of Ft. Mill! Fort Mill Magazine is starting a Travel Club! One of the first trips will be on the Carnival Fantasy out of Charleston. Look for more information in the Spring issue.

6 Great Weekend Getaways

You don't have to travel far -- or break the bank -- to have a great adventure! Get inspired with our brand-new weekend getaway guides, offering lodging and dining information, sightseeing itineraries, photo galleries and more.

Go to http://www.independenttraveler.com/weekend-getaways/

Just How Can a Travel Agent Help?

In this day of "information abundance" the role of travel agent might seem unnecessary.  Afterall, individuals can research flights online, search for special vacation packages and set up alerts for the latest in travel deals.

But isn't your time more valuable than that?  As a travel agent, I not only have access to the latest in travel deals and trends, I've also been most places myself.  Travel agents frequently offer the additional benefit of personal experience; providing secret tips, best practices, and places to avoid.

In the recent Feb/Mar edition of Smart Shopper Magazine published by Consumer Reports, they highlight the travel agent profession.  They focus on three primary areas where a Travel Agent can be beneficial:

When you can't find exactly what you want. Think about it. Sometimes, you can spend hours clicking on every little link, and whatever you have in mind, just can't be found. Travel agents have more resources than you, the good ones, anyway, and so you can either keep clicking or contact someone who is in the travel trenches every day of the year.

When everything has to be perfect. Whether you work for a company that will be sending its CEO off to Burma, or you're paying for your very particular Aunt Sylvia to fly in, a travel agent can come in handy. Or maybe this is your first honeymoon, and you're planning a very elaborate European cross-country trip. Travel agents don't just book a few flights and rooms -- they can map out an entire itinerary.

When you need flexibility. Traveling, especially air travel, never goes perfectly. If you fear you'll need to change planes or plans at the last minute, a travel agent may be able to talk to an airline directly and keep you away from those headache hassles.

Have you had an experience where a travel agent offered a benefit for your travel experience?  What was the difference compared to a vacation you planned yourself?  Share your thoughts here.

When is the Right Time to Book Summer Travel?

If you are like me, you like to book your travel in advance - make sure you get the flight you want, in the seat you prefer, to the destination of your choice.

But is that necessarily the best way to go this summer?

Columnist and travel guru, Ed Perkins, suggests that you might want to consider waiting until the last minute.

If you're planning an extensive trip this summer, my advice is that you should hold off buying air tickets and making hotel reservations until two or three months ahead of time. Just about everyone who follows the economic picture is predicting a continued slowdown or recession. In response, I look for overall travel demands this summer to be sharply weaker than last year, and the traditional supplier response to weakening demand is price-cutting. Given the cost pressures on airlines and hotels, however, their promotions are apt to have fairly short windows—both to buy and to travel.

So what should you do if you are planning travel far afield from home this summer?

Sign up for one or more of the free email newsletters from SmarterTravel: Weekly Last-Minute Airfares and Deal Alert, bi-weekly Cruise News, and monthly Student, Senior, and Family travel bulletins.

Sign up with one of the big online agencies' fare notification programs: Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity all offer one or more free fare-tracking and deal-notification services.

Do you have a favorite online travel resource that you depend on for the latest travel information?  share it here.