Trip Review: A Sadness Tour

We have booked our families on unique tours all over the world…in search of new experiences, exposure to new cultures, family histories, and more. A Sadness Tour is a new one for us, albeit very relevant during the times of COVID. Ilyse Shapiro of Wynnewood, PA found a need for such a trip which she satisfied with a visit to Chernobyl, Ukraine, and a World War II-themed group tour highlighting concentration camps throughout Germany and Poland. Ever since seeing a story on 60 Minutes over 30 years ago, Ilyse always had a vision of seeing Chernobyl.  She was intrigued by the eerie music the workers listened to and how they could only work for 90 seconds before getting contaminated with radiation. Her self-titled Sadness Tour began with a privately guided tour we arranged of this nuclear disaster site.  She learned that there is still so much radiation coming from the reactor that workers constructed an arch around it then sealed it up.  Afterward, she visited the town of Pripyat, where 45,000+ of Chernobyl’s workers lived.  Today, it is an entire town ensconced by a forest.  She visited the supermarket, movie theatre, school, amusement park, and more to get a sense of how folks lived and used a Geiger counter to test radioactivity.  In some spots, it would be low, but over sewage grates, it was quite high.  A waterfront cafe is expected to reopen in 2022 for the 70,000+ guests who visit the site every year thanks in part to the popularity of the television show of the same name.  Ilyse said that this was an amazing start to her trip – a once-in-a-lifetime experience!  Next up on her tour was a group tour with Globus.  Ilyse had previously been to Terezin outside of Prague and was eager to experience and learn more about the atrocities of the Holocaust.  Fortunately, there were only eight people on this tour (bus tours generally go out with up to 44) with a lot of free time included to explore.  Before the tour started, we arranged a private tour for Ilyse of the Warsaw Ghetto and the Treblinka concentration camp.  The tour group then visited the Auschwitz/Birkenau camps.  It was one of the worst experiences of Ilyse’s life – going from building to building where she saw a display that included two tons of women’s braids and buns, a display of walkers, crutches, and arms, and one with combs and brushes by the thousands.  Afterward were a few days of beauty to balance out the emotional toll.  The tour visited Wroclaw and Krakow in Poland and then onto the war-torn towns of Dresden, Torgau, and Berlin in Germany. Ilyse took advantage of another private tour we arranged in Berlin that examined the city’s Jewish heritage and history.  The group tour continued south to Weimar and Nuremberg.  Each town was quaint with busy squares filled with cafes where the horrors of the past were obscured.  They also visited the Buchenwald camp on a misty gray day which fit the somber mood. Next on to Munich and the Dachau camp where Ilyse learned the difference between a concentration camp and an extermination camp and how the nazis used crystal meth to stay focused and on task.  After a few days of beauty and tranquility in Munich,  it was time to go home.  Ilyse, who has traveled around the world on her own and with her family, is thankful to The Family Traveler for making this unique trip a reality.

Travel Tip: Food Allergy Cards

Traveling abroad can raise anxiety levels for people who suffer from food allergies because language barriers can make it challenging to express dietary restrictions. Equal Eats solves this problem with its handy dietary translation cards. Choose from a plastic card or a digital version. The cards provide details in more than 50 languages about food allergies and other dietary restrictions, such as adhering to vegan, halal, or kosher diets. The cards are growing in popularity in the U.S. as well, as diners discover that handing a server a card that clearly lists food allergies can be easier than trying to explain every detail. Equal Eats is also working more with the foodservice industry and plans to offer ways to help restaurants better address dietary restrictions for their customers.

Trip Review: Alaska Charter

Two generations of the Silverstein family of Parkland, FL and Raleigh, NC (parents and six young adults) chartered a boat to sail through the Inside Passage of Alaska in June.  They love the all-inclusive aspect of this style of travel and being able to customize their vacation experience.  Their rate included all meals and beverages, excursions, fishing gear, land transfers, and hotel stays before and after the sailing.  Plus a captain, crew, chef, and guide.  Their home for 6 nights was the Alaskan Story, a 90 ft. yacht that sleeps 10 with all en-suite cabins.  The ship is fully stocked with salt-water fishing gear for catching both salmon and halibut, crab and shrimp pots, a 17’ Boston Whaler, and three double kayaks for a nice variety of adventures.  They also found a tranquil area for stand-up paddleboarding.  The ship sailed from Juneau to Sitka through the Tongass National Forest in scenic Southeast Alaska and anchored in calm areas each night.  The family spent a few nights at the end of the trip in Sitka where they hiked to the Fortress of the Bear and explored the Raptor Center.  They also enjoyed a beer brewery, shopped for souvenirs, and found the best breakfast at the Mean Queen where they ended up eating most of their Sikta meals.  Highlights of the trip were putting down and raising the crab and shrimp traps which were both so delicious and thoroughly enjoyed for the next two days.  They mentioned that the shrimp they caught was the biggest they have ever seen!  Wildlife abounded. Some special experiences they had were seeing a mother bear and her two cubs while hiking and a mother seal and her baby pups while the ship was sailing.  They also took a variety of hikes and saw many glaciers.  Overall this delayed trip to celebrate one of their special birthdays was well worth the wait and the extensive travel to get to and from Southern Alaska.

Travel Tip: SkySquad Expands

SkySquad is expanding to the Philadelphia airport if you need an extra set of hands while traveling through the airport. Their concierge-style services are also available at all three Washington DC airports, Cincinnati, and Ft. Lauderdale.  Their helpful staff offers your family extra support for your departing, arriving, and layover flights. Four different service options start at $49. Their departure assistance begins at your car, to ticketing, through security, and right to your plane door! On arrival from your domestic plane gate, they will assist you all the way back to your car.  For international arrivals, they can help you after clearing customs.  SkySquad also assists during your layovers such as getting from your domestic to international gate along with providing food delivery. Their service is also ideal for seniors. Services need to be booked at least 24 hours prior.

Trip Review: Bay State Adventure

The Chow/Mansfield family of 3 from Los Angeles (two adults and a teenage girl, age 14) traveled across the country to Massachusetts last month for a trip to Cape Cod and Boston. The family flew into the Boston airport, rented a car, and drove to the Red Jacket Beach Resort in South Yarmouth on Cape Cod for a three-night stay. The property was a little too moderate for their taste, but they did appreciate its location for exploring and were able to get a room with two large beds. They had a fun time visiting Hyannis Port, Sandwich, and Provincetown which they liked the best. Lobster rolls, clam chowder, and homemade ice cream made the food line-up and the daughter especially loved the stuffed quahogs. They then drove to Boston and dropped their rental car. The Eliot Hotel, located right on Newbury Street in the Back Bay, was home for the next three nights. Mom described the hotel as “nicely decorated, spacious, updated, glamorous and had the wow factor that dad needs to be happy!”. The family was happy to stretch out in a one-bedroom suite.  They packed in a visit to Harvard, took a harbor cruise, the Nighttime Ghost and Cemetery Tour, a Black Heritage Walking Tour, had Boston Cream Pie at the Parker House Hotel, had dinner at the Union Oyster House, toured the Black History Museum, and more. They also had fun walking, shopping, and eating along Newbury Street and so much more. Overall, the family described the trip as a blast. Not as relaxing as planned with so much to see, do, and explore…they needed a vacation after their vacation!

Travel Tip: Uncovered by Insurance

Did you know that travel insurance does not cover certain risky activities in most of their plans, but can provide added coverage for many of these activities? It’s very important to let us know your recreational plans; so we can properly insure you. The list varies slightly by insurance provider, but you are generally not covered for any loss resulting directly or indirectly from activities including — but not limited to — the following:

• Skydiving, BASE jumping, hang gliding, or parachuting
• Bungee jumping
• Caving, rappelling, or spelunking
• Skiing or snowboarding outside marked trails or in an area accessed by helicopter
• Climbing sports, mountain climbing or free climbing
• Any high-altitude activity such as hot air balloons
• Personal combat or fighting sports
• Racing or practicing to race any motorized vehicle or watercraft (other can go-karts)
• Free diving
• Scuba diving at a depth greater than 60 feet or without a dive master
• Multi-sport endurance competitions
• Professional athletic events
• Rafting/kayaking above Class V rapids or canoeing above Class III rapids
• Running of the Bulls, or rodeo activities

We recommend reading your plan documents carefully to find out what’s excluded from coverage and understand that an activity may be excluded even if it’s not specifically named in your plan or addendum. 

Travel Tip: Travel Regulations

There are only a few good sources for keeping up to date with the world’s changing travel regulations. Even the airlines are struggling to keep up! Please be careful when doing random searches as information may not be updated. One of the definitive sights is IATA’s COVID-19 Travel Regulations Map at https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/world.php. Give us a call and we can help you sort out all the varied rules and regulations.

Trip Review: Road Trip

One of our Philadelphia families with their New York-based young adult children in tow took to the road this summer with a trip to Santa Fe, Durango, and Telluride.  The family spent five nights in New Mexico’s capital city (a return visit for the parents) at the Inn of the Governors.  They found it to be warm, friendly, and comfortable…a bit faded in many respects, but a good value that fit the family’s budget.  A room with a fireplace was appreciated by the parents and they loved the hotel’s location near the city’s main plaza.  They enjoyed a private e-bike tour of Santa Fe through Heritage Inspirations with plenty of historical dialogue.  They found the guide to be knowledgeable and the ride well-conceived.  They always enjoy the amazing Mexican cuisine at Gabriel’s about 15 minutes outside of town and this visit was no exception.  They then drove onto Colorado.  Their one-night Durango stay was sadly marred by maintenance issues at the Best Western Plus Rio Grande Inn.  They rented bikes from a local shop and rode on the riverwalk which they said was great.  The young adults enjoyed a hike on the Smelter Mountain Trail which was short, but steep.  They made a quick stop in the charming town of Ouray, but recommend spending more time if you can.  In Telluride, the family stayed in a condo in town for 3 nights that we rented through a local management company.  They found the location to be a great choice and loved the views from everywhere.  They said the condo was really clean and the management company was super attentive and also helpful with pre-trip planning.  They said riding the gondola was pure joy and rode it many times.  They also loved the sunsets, stargazing, and hiking the Bear Creek trail a few times.  The young adults also hiked Jud Wiebe Memorial Trail and boasted about the amazing views.  Overall the trip was a great success!

Travel Tip: The World Opening Up

We are starting to get an increase in post-pandemic international travel as more countries open their doors to US travelers each and every day. Entry rules; rules for travel to, from, and through each country; what is open once there; COVID protocols and more are still complex, confusing, and constantly changing.  While it could be a while before any travel is “back to normal”, we know our families are truly eager to get away and start exploring the world once again.  We are here to help you sift through it all to make sure your trip is seamless and enjoyable!

Trip Review: Jamaican Villa Getaway

The Rabbino family of 6 (2 adults and 4 teens ages 14-18) from Bala Cynwyd, PA enjoyed a spring break villa rental in Jamaica for a week-long getaway this past March.  The family loved the low-key and calm nature of the experience away from the hustle and bustle of Jamaica’s resorts and towns.  Perfect for post-COVID travel. The waterfront Noble House is located just 30 minutes west of the Montego Bay airport made even easier with VIP arrival services from Club Mobay.  The staffed villa, with 10,000 sq. ft., gave the family plenty of space to stretch out.  The one-story house featured 4 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms along with expansive grounds, gardens, pool, and beach.  The narrow stretch of beach was shared with two other villas (although still a public beach where locals congregated at times).  The family loved the large, air-conditioned bedrooms and bathrooms with nine decks to relax and take in the views including a rooftop deck ideal for morning yoga.  They appreciated the really large and deep pool and especially the baskets of towels placed all over the house!  The teen boys slept in the pool house while the large living room and connected deck were the main gathering space in the evening to play games, have drinks, watch movies, or just take in the ocean.  The property also featured a fish pond and a huge yard for recreation that included equipment for volleyball, badminton, and croquet.  Kayaks and standup paddleboards were also provided (although some windy days and seaweed made this a challenge). There were some minor/quality maintenance issues at the villa that will hopefully be addressed for future guests.  A highlight of the experience was having a private chef who provided excellent meals.  The family said Chef Jerome was truly exceptional and very attentive to their special needs and requests.  One child’s dietary needs for gluten and nut-free meals turned out to be more variety than he gets at home!  The chef is adept at kosher meals too.  The entire house staff (which numbered more than the family!) included an excellent butler, driver, and housekeeping staff who laundered their clothes as well.  The family did venture off the property with an outing to Dunns River Falls where the knowledgeable guides there helped them safely navigate the climb up the falls…a very unique experience.  A ride back to the villa off the main road gave the family a good insight into Jamaica’s daily life and standards of living.  They also had terrific meals off property at Houseboat Grill (on a floating houseboat) and Scotchies, a Jamaican institution for jerk chicken.  Overall the villa was perfect for what the family needed and they were also appreciative of The Family Traveler’s attentive service and planning for this last-minute getaway.