I love being in the travel industry, and one of the main reasons is because EVERYBODY likes to talk about their own travel or vacation adventures. Really, next time you’re in a group and the conversation starts going south or getting quiet, throw out a travel reference or question. “We had a GREAT time last month on our vacation in XYZ.” Or, “Did you ever have the security guards ask you to open your bag at the airport?” Or, “I’d love to go to XYZ someday.”

Talking travel is just easy and fun and happy. I guarantee that it will change the mood of the conversation and most everyone will have something to contribute. There are the horror stories, but given enough time, even they usually become something to laugh about.

BUT….what about blogging? Without the personal interaction, it just doesn’t have the same spark of excitement. I’m not sure what you might want to read about. Are you as interested in France as I am? Do you want to hear about the vacations I’ve been on and the crazy things that have happened when I travel? Are you looking for advice on where to go? Is it in the insider tips that some travel writers put in their blogs that you find worthwhile?

Personally, I’m a story person. I like to hear about what someone else experienced and I get to live vicariously through that experience. It’s another thing I love about my work. Every time I research a vacation for someone else, a little piece of me gets to go on that vacation through my research. You may sit at your desk eight hours a day, but I get to visit the world from my desk.

That’s where I’ve started, stories about the places I’ve been and the experiences I’ve had. I have more information on the Languedoc Roussillon area of France, but I’ve also visited some different islands in the Caribbean recently and have plans to visit a few more in the near future. I’m even thinking of having a guest do video spots for me on my next adventure in March. You’ll have to stay tuned for that.

In the meantime, feel free to send me ideas, or requests for blog content. I’m happiest when I feel useful, so let me know what you’re looking for and I’ll see if I can’t help you out! Tell me what YOU think makes a good travel blog.

There is a lot to know about this region, but let’s start with the comparison of the two sections of coastline.  The French Riviera is known for beautiful beaches and high profile tourists in Nice and Cannes and Marseille. The Languedoc-Rousillon area of the coast is much rockier, although they are sea rounded stones, so easy on the feet.

The clear water of the Med against the colorful houses of Collioure.

The water is equally clear and beautiful in both places, but the towns in the Languedoc-Rousillon area are not as popular with tourists…..yet….and so still unspoiled and old world.

The colorful shops of Collioure

The first town we visited, right on the Mediterranean was called Collioure and if you’re a fan of Fauvism, you might recognize some of its scenery in the paintings of Matisse or Derain. This is a medieval trading port, fought over by Spain and France until 1659 when ownership was claimed by France in the Treaty of the Pyrenees. You can see the Spanish influence in the architecture and brightly colored buildings, but also in the language spoken here, which is Catalan.

The colorful Catalan boats used to fish for sardines.

The primary industry here is sardine fishing and there are still Catalan boats in the port which were used by the fisherman.

The tower to the right, now part of the church, was originally a medieval lighthouse.

The history is evident in the Royal Castle, originally mentioned in 673 AD but added to and changed numerous times from the 13th century on. The church of Notre-Dame-des-Anges uses the old medieval lighthouse tower as part of its worship space. But the narrow cobblestone roads, and the numerous beaches, along with the views of the Mediterranean are what make this town so idyllic. The shops, galleries and restaurants that line the roads entice you to shop and spend time enjoying the beauty and fresh sea air. The Mediterranean calls to you for a swim….or at least to dip your toes!

I couldn't resist…..

Next, we’ll travel to Perpignan………….

I think whenever you travel, you should experience something new. Sometimes it’s a new destination, sometimes a different hotel property in the same destination and sometimes it’s the route you take to get there.

I decided on this trip to France that I would experience the TGV. What is the TGV? It stands for “Trains a Grand Vitesse” or high-speed trains, that run through France. Other countries in Europe have similar rail systems under different names that link with the TGVs. Instead of flying to Montpelier, I took the TGV directly from Charles DeGaulle airport in Paris, down through Provence to the Mediterranean coast and the infamous “south of France”.

Let me start by saying that getting the train tickets in advance was simple and efficient. It meant I didn’t have to stand in line when I got to Paris, all sleepy and slightly confused, to figure out what train ticket I needed to purchase. I actually purchased a 3 day France pass, allowing me 3 non-consecutive days in a month to travel on any of France’s railways. I also needed to purchase point to point tickets, which reserve your seat on the actual train you want to travel on. You can purchase point to point tickets only, but if you’re traveling more than once, it saves you money to buy the pass and then the tickets. The only thing I had to do at the train station in the airport was validate the France pass, and there’s a TGV office right at the station to do that.

Finding the train station was quite simple, partially because my flight landed in Terminal 2 and that happens to be the terminal the train station is located in. There are many signs to follow, as long as you know that train station in French is a “Gare”, usually followed by the location name…..Gare de CDG (for Charles deGaulle airport).

There are sign boards with train departures, not dissimilar to the flight boards in the airport. They give you the train number, the departure time, the destination and the platform number. Again, everything is labeled quite well and there is an informational kiosk in the center of the station where you can ask questions if you’re unsure. The trains and platforms are announced about 15-20 minutes before departure, in both French and English, so if you’re listening, you shouldn’t have a problem.

It’s a little unnerving, I will admit, to find which car your seat is in and to know for sure you’re on the right train because there is only one steward for the whole train, so nobody is standing at the door to look at your ticket and reassure you.  There are electronic sign boards on the platform that show you what the car numbers will be when the train pulls into the station and you just have to count and then check the inside of the car when you board. If you’re off by one or two, you can always walk through the car to the next one. The seats are numbered, so that’s simple.

There are two downsides to taking the train instead of flying straight through. One is luggage.  If you have large luggage, you are dragging it, hefting it onto the train and then trying to find a place to store it for your journey. Carry-on luggage is not too difficult, as there are overhead racks above the seats. Larger luggage can be an issue, as it was on the train I boarded. A couple in front of me had three large bags, I had one and there were already three pieces of luggage in the storage area.  We all managed to find a spot, but it wasn’t simple, so keep in mind that packing light helps!

The other negative was the dining car. It was not a dining car, per se, but a car with a SMALL food and drink service station. There is nowhere to sit, no real food, it’s expensive and understaffed. If you want something to eat or drink, I would recommend buying it before you board the train. For longer train rides (mine was three hours), there are true dining cars.

On the positive side, the TGV is extremely smooth and quiet. It’s a pleasant travel experience, especially in first class which is not too much more than economy and well worth the price for longer rides and travel with luggage. The cars are air conditioned, the seats are large and comfy with plenty of legroom….WAY more than the airlines!….and there is a plug available at your seat for your electronics. The windows are large and watching the countryside zip by is quite pleasant. I enjoyed traveling through an area of France that I haven’t explored yet, even if I did’t get to leave the train…..

I know, the title of the blog is reasons WHY people hire a Travel Consultant, but I get asked the above questions SO frequently, it’s worth putting them out there for you to think about while I give you the reasons to hire me.

I also want to point out the difference between yesterday’s Travel Agents and today’s Travel Consultants. A Travel Agent used to sit in an office with the primary goal of booking airline tickets. They were actually “agents” to the airlines, serving more as an order taker than anything else. Today, the majority of people book their own airline tickets, and use Travel Consultants to help them make vacation choices and get advice about particular destinations, tours or cruise lines. Today’s Travel Consultant works for their clients, not for the travel suppliers/airlines, by making decisions and offering advice on what’s best suited for their clients.

#1 – I WANT TO KNOW I’LL BE TAKEN CARE OF!

When you go to someone to have your taxes done every year, you’re paying someone to take care of that task for you. Same with your oil changes, your lawn service or your website design. These are all tasks you COULD do yourself, with enough time, research and energy, but often you decide to let a professional handle the task, so that you can have confidence that it’s being done well and properly.  You expect that these tasks will be handled expediently, with your best interest in mind, so you choose someone you trust to take care of you. You like having a professional to ask questions of, watching out for you and taking care of your needs. It is the number one reason people use Travel Consultants. They want their vacations planned by a professional who works for THEM, that has their best interest at heart, that’s there to answer all their questions and to help if something does go awry. That’s exactly what I do for my clients.

#2 – TOO MUCH INFORMATION TO SORT THROUGH!

The internet is an amazing tool and one that I use every single day, both for work and pleasure. It does, however, have its downsides, and one of them is too MUCH information. When someone decides to book their family vacation online, they start, honestly, the same way I do…..researching. After a few nights of looking at multiple destinations, resorts, cruise lines and options, they often become overwhelmed with the amount of choices out there and find themselves saying….”I NEED HELP!” When we need help, the best practice is to look for a professional; in whatever field we need the help. Travel is no different. This is my profession, what I do every day and although I’ll never be able to say I’ve seen it, done it and been there, to every destination, I do have access to resources that give me the information I don’t have firsthand. I also plan vacations every day, not just once a year or every few years. My experience, education and resources make me knowledgeable in my field and worth hiring when you need help.

#3 – NOT ENOUGH TIME TO PLAN A VACATION!

“I’d love to go on vacation, but I don’t even have time to PLAN one!” I’ve heard that several times from prospective clients. My job is to take that task out of your schedule, and find a vacation that suits your needs and desires so that all you need to do is pack your bags. It does take a lot of time and effort to plan a vacation, especially when multiple people are involved or multiple destinations are on the itinerary. I listen to my clients’ requests, take into consideration your tastes, time schedules and budgets, and try to recommend a vacation that works for you. I do all the planning, all the researching and all the scheduling so you don’t have to. A professional Travel Consultant has all the time necessary to plan and reserve the vacation you need!

My client base is diverse and varied;  groups, families, couples,  and individuals that travel once or twice a year, multiple times a month and some that only travel every few years. I have clients that book different vacations semi-annually, some that book the same vacation every year, some that book only their airline tickets with me and some that call me only for complicated itineraries. The reasons that they use my services are usually one of the top three reasons ANYONE hires a professional consultant of any kind. Call me, I can help!

Cruising through a fjord with the icebergs

            I was in Alaska five years ago on an Inside Passage cruise that I absolutely loved! I knew, though, that it was really only visiting a tiny portion of this very large state and that someday, I’d go back to see more.

 The state of Alaska is as large as 20% of the continental US and is broken into 5 regions. The Southeast, which is where I’ve been, is the portion that has the Inside Passage and borders British Columbia, Canada. It is a very popular cruise destination and has some great ports, including the Capital city of Juneau. My favorite port was Skagway where I got to mountain bike

White Pass runs from B.C. Canada down into Skagway, Alaska

down the Klondike Highway through the White Pass. It was an amazing experience!

 The other two regions that are most frequently visited by tourists are the South Central region, where Anchorage is and the Interior region, where Denali National Park and the city of Fairbanks are. The large ship cruises that continue into the Gulf of Alaska have two ports they start or end in, Seward or Whittier, and are generally combined with a land tour portion of the trip which include Anchorage and sometimes Denali National Park.

            Anchorage itself has an entire host of activities that are unique to Alaska. The small ship day cruises that are run either in Prince William Sound or the Kenai Fjord are a very different and intimate experience from the large ship cruises and well worth experiencing. There is the opportunity to experience salmon fishing right in downtown Anchorage, or visit a sled dog show and farm where you can learn about the Iditarod, the mushers and meet some puppies. There is the Alaska Native Heritage Center that teaches about the 11 major Alaskan cultures through stories, song and dance. There are free shuttles that take you to some of the major attractions and the airport even provides luggage storage if you have a late flight out and want to take advantage of the day in town.

            Denali National Park is an 8 hour train ride from Anchorage to be enjoyed as part of your adventure. Enjoy the glass domed rail cars that allow you to watch the beautiful countryside roll by and count the different species of wildlife you see along the way. Once in Denali, you can enjoy hiking, biking, rafting, gold panning and many other unique experiences.

            Fairbanks is a 4 hour train ride from Denali, and another town with adventurous options. You can visit a gold mine, see a portion of the Trans Alaskan Pipeline or visit the Botanical Gardens.

            The average climate in Anchorage between June and August is in the mid-60’s with around 20 hours of daylight. It makes for a pleasant vacation with lots of time to see and do so many unique things. I can’t wait to experience what the rest of Alaska has to offer!

Travel, leisure vacations in particular, are not a necessity, but a luxury that we indulge in. How does a travel consultant compete for that opportunity to spend money on a vacation?

Vacations are not just getting from point A to point B, they are an emotional experience. Talking about travel is easy, because who doesn’t like to take a vacation? Talking about the expense of travel and convincing people that the cost has value beyond the price gets a little more challenging. It’s gotten easier since “the bucket list” became a popular phrase, but in the end, desire is only a portion of the equation.

Having a travel consultant help you with spending that hard earned disposable income can be invaluable. We are here to take your dreams, listen to your desires and match them with a vacation that creates memories to last a lifetime. The experience and knowledge that we provide can make the difference between a budget hotel 20 minutes outside the city center and a mid-range hotel in the city center that saves you the time and money of having to travel into the city every day to see all the sights you came to see.

Spending your money when the choices are countless isn’t always easy. When it comes to vacations, using a professional travel consultant can make you feel confident that you have spent that money wisely.

Booked By Barthel Travel; Creating Memories, One Vacation at a Time

When you work in an industry that you really enjoy, you often feel lucky and blessed. When you feel lucky and blessed, you feel the need to give back. What better way to give back than to join others in your industry and pitch in to give back to your industry. That’s exactly what I did last week with 350 other tourism industry professionals.

Under the incredible organization called Tourism Cares, we all headed to Mystic, Connecticut to volunteer our services at the beautiful Mystic Seaport. This historic maritime “museum community” is a gem for Connecticut tourism and American maritime history. This family oriented site is home to tall ships, a re-created 19^th century coastal village complete with educators in period costume to role play what life was like then and a preservation shipyard where you can watch work being done to preserve our maritime history.

It was an incredibly gratifying experience to be part of this effort. We met up at the Mystic Aquarium, also a great tourist attraction right in Mystic, where we met the staff and all the volunteers and received our team assignments for the next day. It was a nice chance to meet and mingle and I have to admit, a great chance to see this wonderful facility.

Bright and early the next morning, it was down to the waterfront to receive our work assignments. The entire project was so well coordinated, and must have taken a collaborative effort between the Mystic staff and the Tourism Cares staff to decide on the projects that needed to be, and could be, accomplished in one day. They had us broken up into groups according to the type of work we signed up for….light to strenuous…and we were given group coordinators that guided us to our areas. All of the support staff was ready to receive us with instructions and supplies and we got right to work.

Painting the hull of the Joseph Conrad

I was lucky enough to be on a team that worked on scraping and painting the exterior hull of a tall ship, the Joseph Conrad that is used for educational sailing camps. It was a beautiful day, and this meant that I was on the water, outside all day, doing something helpful for this community. Mystic Seaport is a private, not-for-profit organization that exists on private donations, grants and operating income and it has suffered financially in our difficult economic times. Our team of 350 worked on landscaping, painting, repairing and maintenance of the grounds, ships and 15 out of 30 buildings on the campus. It was amazing!

Tall Ship "Joseph Conrad"

 Giving back to your community, in the local sense or the global sense, is an important part of our humanity. If you can accomplish that in junction with a group of like minded individuals, whether it be your neighborhood, church group or industry, it makes it that much more meaningful and enjoyable. I loved being part of this group and effort and hope that I can join Tourism Cares in future projects. Find something that moves you and get involved!

 I just want to reflect on this whole week’s experience. I have to thank Avalon Waterways for providing our home base on the BEAUTIFUL Avalon Creativity. This vacation style and form of cruising is quite a gift. The history that we found in each town and on each excursion was amazing, and the comfort, level of service and quality of food that we received onboard was comparable to any 4 or 5 star hotel property. No, there’s no gambling on the boat, there’s no spa, it’s definitely a very DIFFERENT sort of cruising. It’s intimate and civilized, educational and relaxing and attracts people who are well traveled, friendly and a pleasure to share the journey with. It exceeded my expectations in many ways.

If asked what my favorite part of the trip was, I’d actually be hard-pressed to come up with an answer. Paris is my favorite city in the world and I just love being there. However, the old French towns had me enamored….I could spend days just soaking up that ambiance. The countryside, the art, and the beauty….need I say more? And in contrast, the history and horror of WWII and the landing beaches of Normandy were so humbling. So many died for the rest of us…..

But then there’s sailing quietly up the Seine and through the locks, the onboard activities that the cruise director provided and the INCREDIBLE 2-3 hour dinners that were a daily event. All of these added to the experience. The dinners were organized as open seating, so you could choose to sit with the same or different people every night, as few as two others, as many as six. We met some of the most interesting, friendly and fun people and we really looked forward to dinner. The fact that the food was excellent, perfectly portioned and plated, and that the wine flowed freely was almost just a benefit. Honestly, the French do know how to enjoy a meal and make it into an occasion!

The staterooms were quite comfortable, considering the size restrictions these boats are constructed under. They are small, but not confining and the upper decks with the sliding glass doors were definitely a nice addition. The bathroom was small but sufficient and there was plenty of closet and storage space. The beds were SOOO comfortable, we really slept great and the rooms were kept very clean by the staff and well stocked with towels and toiletries and bottled water.

I would highly recommend this trip to couples or friends interested in seeing Europe in a different manner. I would not recommend this type of travel for children, unless they are true history buffs, or for anyone with mobility issues. There is a lot of walking involved with the tours and even just getting on and off the boat can be a bit difficult. The towns are old, with a lot of cobblestone streets and uneven walking surfaces. This particular itinerary is a must for people with a passion for art, history and even flowers or gardening and the spring time is a great time to experience it. We were extremely fortunate with the weather and had not one cloudy day, but this is not typical for this region, especially on the coast. I enjoyed this trip immensely and if you’d like to hear more details or ask me any questions, please feel free to contact me directly. Thanks for joining me on my journey!!!

My early morning wake up call.

I lay in bed, under the duvet and blanket, with the morning mist still on the Seine and the countryside gliding by, while birds sang and the sun rose right next to me. It was almost like being in Heaven, with the smell of Wisteria wafting in and the water quietly lapping against the boat as we sailed upstream toward Les Andelys.

And now, as I write this, I am again sitting on my bed….on top of the covers, fully dressed as it’s 4:30pm…but again with the curtains and the sliding door wide open. The sun glitters on the water like stars in a dark sky as we glide out of the lock and on towards Paris. The birds are still singing and now there is wood smoke wafting on the air, from some local home’s cooking fire, I assume. This has been an extraordinary day, one I will NEVER forget.

King Richard the Lionheart's Chateau Gilliart in Les Andelys

Les Andelys is a small river town that was home to King Richard the Lionheart in the 12^th century. On top of the hill in town are the remains of the fortress that King Richard had built in one year to protect that portion of Normandy from French attack. It’s amazing after 800 years what still remains, but even more amazing to me was the view from that fortress. It was almost storybook perfect, with the winding river, the 12^th century church and quaint timber houses on narrow twisting streets of cobblestone. There was a boulangerie for fresh baguettes, a patisserie for fresh pastries, a café for the strong café au lait that I just love, as well as a grocer and butcher and I’m absolutely positive they could access high speed internet somehow! I could live here and pretend I was living in a different era….except for the high speed internet… truly charming.

We continued our journey this afternoon and got to sample some of the local Normandy cheeses made from unpasteurized milk that you can only get in France. Quite a treat! We are now sailing toward Paris as our last day fades slowly away with the charming countryside. Tonight we have the Captain’s Farewell Dinner, which should be much fun!

We started with a two hour bus trip early in the morning that took us to Arromanches, a small seaside town between the Gold and Omaha beaches. I’m embarrassed to admit how ignorant I am of the history surrounding this war, but what I learned on this trip fascinated me. This is the beach where the British constructed an artificial harbour in order to bring in all of the supplies and reinforcements they needed to have success in this campaign.

Part of the artificial harbour created by the British in Arromanches

The engineering that went into this, not to mention the manpower and tons of steel and cement, was incomprehensible! That Churchill had the foresight for the need and the architects had the design skills to bring it to completion just boggled my mind. Part of the artificial port is still visible from the shore and there’s a museum in town showing all the history and details behind it.

Next we headed to Pointe du Hoc, at the edge of Omaha Beach. This area was won by the Allies due to ill preparedness on the part of the Germans, but it also has been kept as a memorial to the war. You walk through a landscape with huge craters made by the Allied shelling and several of the German bunkers and gun platforms are still intact.

Evidence of the Allied shelling of Pointe du Hoc

It’s frightening, thinking about what went on there and how it affected the whole world. We stopped briefly on Omaha Beach, which is now a park with several monuments where families go to remember or just enjoy the beach and I did pick up a small shell, just to help me remember all those that fell there.

Finally, we visited the American military cemetery. This land was donated to the US by the French for all the Americans who died in the battle that started in Normandy but accomplished freeing the country from the Germans. It is maintained by the US and is on a hill overlooking the coast. It’s very lovely and very somber at the same time. About half of the soldiers’ remains are here, with the other half being sent back to the states for burial according to the families’ wishes.

Our cruise line, Avalon Waterways, had an extraordinarily moving service at the main memorial for us. It was short; playing our national anthem, then taps and then a moment of silence and then they requested any military vets among us to step forward so that we could pay them tribute. We had quite a few in our group, and it was an honor to recognize them. Honestly, I have tears in my eyes just remembering how moving it was and knowing how much we owe to our men and women of the military. We were then given flowers that we could choose to put on any grave marker or near the wall of the unclaimed soldiers, which lists all those soldiers missing in action whose remains were never found. It was an unforgettable experience.The guides we had gave us much of the history of the war, and the battles that happened on these beaches, as well as the rest of France. If you are a history or war buff, this is a great place to visit.

Graves of some of the men who lost their lives in Normandy.