"Insure" You Have a Great Time on Vacation

According to the National Weather Service, Americans live in the most severe weather-prone country on Earth. For example, each winter we deal with an average of 105 snow-producing systems and countless ice events that close businesses and wreak havoc on airports.

Plus, with winter weather continuing into April in many parts of the country, planes can continue to be grounded and travelers stranded. With that in mind, travel insurance isn't just an add-on in the winter months - it's a necessity. So be sure to remember the value and help travel insurance from Access America provides:

• Basics, with essential coverage for budget-minded travelers


• Classic, with the ability to cancel for business-related covered reasons


• Deluxe, with primary emergency medical coverage and concierge services

All three of these coverage plans offer trip cancellation protection, trip interruption protection, travel delay coverage, and baggage delay and loss coverage - features that are especially important in severe weather months.

To find out more contact me or visit accessamerica.com. We'll show you the best way to winterize your travel plans.

Russia- a magnificent land

Russia...mysterious and fascinating, anvient and modern, literate and passionate. The largest country in the world, Russia has been wandered by anvient nomads and tribes of Huns, Turks and Slavs; suffered invasion and occupation by the Mongolian Tatars; was taken back by the Czars; and more recently experienced the Soviet era. A journey through Russia is a journey through her long history, laid out before you in all its glory.

There is much to see in Moscow, Russia's capital. Visitors always head for Red Square to see the varicolored onion domes of St. Basil's Catheral and the tomb of Vladimir Lenin, then tour the nearby Krelin and ride on the city's world famous Metro system. St. Petersburge, with its romantic canals and baroque palaces, has a very different sensibility. It was designed to emulate - or perhaps surpass - Europe's most refined cities. St. Petersburg's Hermitage is not to be missed; historically the Romanoc Winter Palace, it is now an amazing art museum that possesses the world's largest collection of paintings by European artists from da Vinci and Michelangelo to van Gogh and Picasso.

As appealing as Russia's cities are, the countryside is even more so. Spend time in Moscow and St. Petersburg, but don't miss Russia's Golden Ring cities. These ancient towns, with names like Uglich and Yaroslavl, are living museums of Russian architechture from the 12th through the 18th centuries. Imagine touring majestic cathedrals, where flickering candles illuminate gold-leaf icons and you hear ancient choral chants echo off vaulted ceilings. Visit a 14th-century monastery in Goritzy and walk through the Open Air Museum of Architecture at Kizhi.

You will fall in love with this magnificent land, rich in resources and even richer in Russia's unique culture.

A Golfer's Paradise

A Scottsdale, Arizona golf package offers the best options for all golfing enthusiasts. Scottsdale has been regarded as one of the most popular golf locations in the USA. Scottsdale boasts a pleasant climate, cultural diversity and geographical abundance.

Many major golf tournaments are held in Scottsdale. Golf magazines give details of the tournaments held in different parts of the year and Travel Travel Carlson Wagonlit will be able to give you a package or itinerary to help you see the great names in golf tee off. Many tournaments are held in courses where spectators can have a full view of the entire course.

Accommodations in Scottsdale range from budget to five star, affordable to luxury, and in some parts of the year, rates drop down to affordable luxury. Many hotel suites offer breathtaking views of golf courses and of Scottsdale's natural beauty.

Golf packages offer golf vacationers the best options. A golf package generally consists of seven nights and five rounds of golf in different premium or elite golf courses, three nights with two rounds of golf in reputed golf courses or five nights and four rounds of golf in different golf courses. Tee times and carts can be booked in advanced and prepaid. Vehicles can also be rented to travel the distance between courses.

If you need a break from the course, you can hit up a relaxing spa, go shopping, grab a bite to eat, ride on a downtown trolley, or go for a hike. The possibilities are endless for visitors to Scottsdale!

Traveling with Pets

Before you decide to take Fido on your vacation, make sure that you know the rules and regulations of the airline you are flying. Each airline's pet policy is different and can range from somewhat lax to very stringent. Check out your airlines pet policies below:

Airtran
American Airlines
Continental Airlines
Delta Air Lines
Northwest Airlines
Pan Am Airways
Southwest Airlines
Spirit Airlines
United Airlines
US Airways

Travel Travel Carlson Wagonlit in Fargo Encourages Area Residents to Use Rebate for Summer Travel; “Live Freely” and Boost Economy

Rebate Boon for Summer Travel:Travel Travel Carlson Wagonlit in Fargo Encourages Area Residents to Use Rebate for Summer Travel; “Live Freely” and Boost Economy

Fargo, ND February 14, 2008—Today, as Americans get official word that a generous rebate will soon be en route to their homes just in time for the summer travel season, Travel Travel Carlson Wagonlit in Fargo is encouraging area residents to stimulate the economy by spending the money on travel, one of the great symbols of American freedom.

The rebate checks of between $300 and $600 per person, with additional payments for families of $300 per child, will begin arriving in homes in May. The amounts will depend on income level and taxes previously paid. Social Security beneficiaries, handicapped veterans and their widows will also receive checks.

“Our government has said it’s critical to our country’s economic health that Americans heed the call to actually spend the money and get cash registers ringing from coast to coast,” said Sabrina Whiting, Director of Sales and Marketing for Travel Travel Carlson Wagonlit. “We’re strongly recommending that people solidify their summer travel plans now, not only to lock in the best value, but to give a much-needed jolt to the economy,” said Whiting.

Whiting provided several examples of how the Valley’s travelers could help fight off a red, white and blue recession with their rebate “green.”
You’ll be in good company with other American travelers if you visit one of the top five domestic destinations for 2008. They are:

• Las Vegas, NV
• Orlando, FL
• Honolulu, HI
• Kahului (Maui), HI
• New York City, NY
  

Options abound for visiting these destinations in style—whether it’s a tour package with deluxe accommodations and entertainment in Las Vegas or New York; a family trip complete with passes to the nation’s top theme parks in Orlando; or a pampering all-inclusive getaway to America’s favorite island escapes of Oahu and Maui.

Use the rebate to splurge on something you normally wouldn’t do on vacation, like treating yourself to a massage, playing golf at an elite course, or even springing for limo service to and from the airport. These types of extras can be arranged in advance by a travel expert. All Occasions Limo even offers limo service to and from the Minneapolis International Airport.

Plan a family gathering that helps support one member’s local community. “Multi-generational travel is more popular than ever,” said Whiting. If everyone in the family used their rebate checks to purchase an airline ticket and gather in one person’s city, they could then share the cost of lodging.

Take advantage of hotel and resort offers for families, such as two-for-one lodging or “kids eat free” with the purchase of adult meals.

Take a roadtrip. Utilize travel agent connections with hotels and car rental companies to get the most bang for your rebate buck.

Discover new locations, especially now that Fargo is enthusiastically welcoming new flights to Denver from Frontier Airlines.

“The beauty of travel – even right here in the United States – is that it provides a boost to the American communities where travelers eat, play and unwind,” said Whiting. “Not to mention, it’s the perfect time for us to remind ourselves of how fortunate we are to cross our own states’ borders freely and at will,” said Whiting.

When your journey from a dream to a great story includes us, you travel better. To learn how to make the most of your rebate dollars, visit Travel Travel Carlson Wagonlit 2000 44th St SW, Suite 103, Fargo, call 701-492-5000, or visit www.ttravel.com.

# # #

Travel Travel Carlson Wagonlit is a locally owned, full-service travel agency in Fargo, ND specializing in corporate travel, cruises, destination weddings, honeymoons, and leisure travel. Travel Travel is a member of the following travel organizations: American Society of Travel Agents, International Travel Agent Network, Cruise Lines International Association, Computerized Corporate Rate Association, Preferred Hotel Programs, and the Travel Agent's Association of Fargo-Moorhead.

Travel Travel Carlson Wagonlit is part of Travel Acquisitions Group (TAG). With more than 1,700 travel agency locations in the United States and Canada, TAG serves millions of individual leisure travelers, as well as select corporate clients and destinations.

Florida- A Great Place to Visit

The perennial theme park favorites such as Walt Disney World, Sea World Orlando, Universal Studios and Busch Gardens are the focal points for the majority of Florida vacations. But Florida is not just about theme parks. The entertainment parks are complimented by superb natural attractions such as The Everglades, Florida Keys and the Gulf Islands that have been attracting visitors for many generations.

The state offers a wonderful mix of superb locations, each one providing unique opportunities to soak up the local history, enjoy some incredible golf and take advantage of beach and family vacations that cater to all tastes and interests.**

Florida Golf Vacations

An unrivalled golf vacation on the manicured greens of some of Florida's leading courses is a powerful magnet for any serious golfer. A mix of over 1100 public and private membership golf courses throughout the state cater to all skill levels. Given the enormous popularity of golf throughout the state, it's only natural that golf vacation packages are available to suit all tastes and budgets.

Most of the major courses are available via resort and vacation packages that incorporate an agreed number of rounds of golf combined with resort accommodation and access to the resort's guest facilities.**

Florida Beach Vacations

A Florida beach vacation is all about relaxing on the squeaky, fine powder sands, basking in the sunny warmth, cooling off in the clear waters and enjoying the relaxed Florida lifestyle. There are numerous beach vacation destinations to choose from within the 1100 miles (1760km) of incredible Florida beaches that fringe this unique peninsula. Both the east coast, west coast and panhandle region have numerous white sand beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see.

Nearly all of the best destinations for Florida beach vacations are available throughout the year. Birding, surfing, shelling, hunting for treasure, collecting sharks teeth, snorkeling in the emerald waters, reliving Florida's history, enjoying a romantic getaway are all part of the beach experience. You can be sure that Florida has a beach that's perfect for you.**

Florida Family Vacations

Family vacations are available throughout Florida to suit every taste and budget. It's easy to understand why family vacations in Florida are the preferred choice for both visitors from overseas and USA families. The lifestyle is relaxed, the prices are sensible and there is always something to do or places to see.

Some visitors come to swim with dolphins while others appreciate the preserved Florida heritage and history. Florida is driver friendly with an excellent road network and numerous RV parks.

A Florida driving vacation is a sensible option for visitors wanting to see more than just the theme parks. Overseas visitors need not be worried about driving in Florida as the state has a good network of well sign-posted highways and the local drivers are both courteous and well behaved.

It's not by accident that Florida is the 3rd most popular USA vacation choice after Las Vegas and New York. It truly is a wonderful destination for all ages, all tastes and all budgets.

Copyright © 2008 Terry Hely

Terry is an experienced traveler and author of several highly regarded, content rich travel destination guides. This article is an excerpt from his Florida destination guide which is a comprehensive whole of Florida travel resource.

Alternative Souvenier Ideas

Most people bring home typical souvenir items when they travel, such as magnets, jewelry, shotglasses, etc. At least in my house, these items will end up missing or placed somewhere to collect dust. Here are a few different souvenir ideas that are inexpensive - the more unusual the destination, the more interesting your souvenirs become!

Newspapers in the native tongue. You can frame these and it will have the date you were there on it. Newspapers also make great additions to scrap books or great backgrounds to photos you take.

Egyptian newspaper

Maps. Maps can be mounted or cut down to a certain size. You could even cut the map in half, frame each half and place on each side of a grouping of pictures from your trip. Maps are another great addition to any scrap book.

Australia

Stamps and Money. A piece of currence (either coin or paper) with a stamp placed next to it from each destination makes a great arrangement when they are framed in small frames of the same color and grouped.

German currency

Cookbooks in the native tongue with a kitchen utensil native to that country.

Children's storybook. Whether you have kids or not the artistry and writing from childrens books can depit an entire culture.

Marionettes - great for hanging in windows

Soaps. You can get these plenty of places on your trip. Try checking even the local grocery store. They will last as long as you don't use them! A basket full of soaps from different countries not only smells good but brings nice memories.

Labels. Take labels from wine, beer, soda or water bottles you drank while on your trip. Soak them off and let dry, then place in the pages of a book or anything that will keep them flat. Also, cut the front panel off a box of tea or chocolate or a collection of chocolate candy wrappers. These all make a fun and colorful display in either frames or a scrap book!

Beer label from Scotland

Menus - Grab a menu from a restaurant you visit that has local dishes on it. Frame the menu and hang it in your kitchen!

Mississippi Trys to Keep Overweight Guests OUT of Restaurants

I came across the article below this morning. In summary, lawmakers in Mississippi are proposing that restaurants should avoid serving food to people who are obese. It is difficult to believe that such a proposal would ever be made! The concept of not accepting customers because of their weight is unconstitutional, discriminatory, and just plain horrible. Overweight citizens still need to eat and who is to say someone is obese?

Imagine a person walking into a restaurant with their friends and family for a nice relaxing dinner. The hostess motions to the manager who then turns away the guests because of their weight problems. The humility and embarrassment would have a horribly negative effect on ones self esteem!

What do you think? Should restaurants be able to turn people away because they are overweight?

Grill of rights

Report by David Wilkening

Fat foreign tourists and Americans as well in the future might want to avoid Mississippi where a state lawmaker wants to ban restaurants from serving food to obese customers. ''I was trying to shed a little light on the number one problem in Mississippi,'' said Republican Rep. John Read of Gautier, who acknowledges that at 5-foot-11 and 230 pounds, he'd probably be hungry himself under his own bill.

Mammy's Cupboard is a restaurant built inside a 28-foot tall black woman's skirt. The original restaurant opened in 1940, and has endured cycles of decay and restoration. Highway 61 N, Natchez, MS

More than one-third of adults in Mississippi are considered obese, according to a 2007 study by the Trust for America's Health, a research group that focuses on disease prevention.

Rep. Read says he never intended his bill to be taken too seriously, however. The bill had no specifics about how obesity would be defined, or how restaurants were supposed to determine if a customer was obese.

Nevertheless, passage of the bill could hamper foreign visitors. Finland, Germany, Greece, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Malta all have a higher proportion of overweight adults than the United States, according to a report by the International Obesity Task Force in 2005.

Explore the streets of London

Submerge yourself in the culture, history, beauty and enchantment of one of the most visited places in the world: London.

The streets of Sherlock Holmes offer an adventure for each and every visitor. Museums, cathedrals, cruises, and bars are top attractions in this historic city.

One of the newest attractions that any visitor would enjoy is the London Eye, built to celebrate the new millenium. Visitors to the eye can gaze over London, spotting all of the famous landmarks. On a clear day, you can see up to 25 miles from the Eye, which is the tallest observation wheel in the world.

Once you have experienced London from a bird's eye-view, head over to the aquarium where you can see everything that is going on under the water. The aquarium is home to 350 million different species!

If you lose track of time, take a look across the street at the infamous Big Ben. Don't forget your camera, because you will want to take a picture of this one-of-a-kind monument! Alongside Big Ben are the Houses of Parliament, also known as the Palace of Westminster. The House of Commons and the House of Lords are here.

Opposite the Houses of Parliament is Jewel Tower. This medieval tower originally had a moat around it to guard the King's Privy Wardrobe, a treasury of personal royal valuables and rich robes. Today, you can explore the inside of this tower, and look through an interesting exhibit about British government.

Even the travelers who love to explore all day long need a chance to relax! Climb aboard a city cruise, put up your feet, and take in all the sites of London while you cruise down the river. Showboats are also available and feature dinner, cabaret, and dancing.

Westminster Abbey is one of Britian's finest gothic buildings. When you visit, you can also see the Grave of the Unknown Warrior, Royal Tombs and Shrine of St. Edward the Confessor, the Coronation Chair, among many other things.

Art and history museums and theaters are common throughout the city; which embraces the fine arts.

Delicious food is available in pubs and restaurants all across the city, along with fresh brewed ale, direct from London breweries.

Don't miss out on anything that London has to offer. Tours are also available from multiple operators if you don't want to visit alone. Your travel professional will be able to help you make the best plans for your interests and budget.