Tips for driving in France

We’ve just finished two weeks of driving around the South of France, and for the most part, it was a very pleasant experience. After picking up our rental car at the TGV station in Avignon, we visited St.-Remy-de-Provence, Arles, l’Isle sur la Sorgue, Fontaine de Vaucluse, Gordes, Roussillon, Bonnieux, Lourmarin, Aix-en-Provence, Cap d’Antibes, Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, …

Tips for creating travel directions and maps for your next trip

Very few things make us grouchy right off the bat. But getting lost does. And to be honest, our grouchiness probably ends up inhibiting our ability to regroup and find our way. That’s why we always take detailed maps and travel directions wherever we go. Plus a GPS. For us, knowing how to get where …

Trip planning basics – creating an itinerary

Back in the old days, when you were going somewhere, you went to a travel agency, and they arranged everything for you. They reserved your flights, hotels, and rental car with a Computerized Reservations System (CRS) like Sabre or Apollo. And when they were done, out popped a written itinerary showing every detail of your …

Travel agencies — when you should and shouldn’t use them

Ten or fifteen years ago, travel agencies made money by selling travel services to consumers.  Airlines, cruise lines, hotels, and rental car agencies paid travel agents commissions every time they made a reservation.  So their services were essentially free to consumers. Back then, there was no reason not to go to a travel agent for …

Trip planning basics – three key questions to ask yourself before you plan a trip

Almost everyone we know loves to travel.  But for the average vacationer, trip planning can be a real hassle.  Just figuring out where to go and what to do can take hours of research.   Is it any wonder that most people just take the easy way out and book a cruise or vacation package? …