Vacation Never Ends: Travel Chat

Not on my travel list but I'm going to Romania

I get to go to Romania for work.  It was never a place on my travel list but I'm very excited to go.  I wish I had to time to go to the nearby mountains from reading the reviews it sounds like a must see. 

I will be in Bucharest, which is also a must see.  I have been spending hours looking for hotels in Bucharest.  I  finally booked a hotel.  I might change it but I have a room which feels good.  I read all the reviews and it sounds like the downtown location is spectacular, but the rooms are small.  I can handle a good location with small rooms! 

Travel Tips on Flying with Kids from Other Moms

I'm belong to a network of mothers in my neighborhood.  We share ideas, ask questions, and give support.  Just recently another mother sent a message summarizing travel tips she had received from other mothers on flying with kids. 

Here are the ideas/tips that she posted:

• Pack lots of snacks for both plane and day to day travel
• Let toddler run through the airport before boarding plane to burn
  toddler fuel!
• Pack crayons and paper for coloring
• Portable DVD player for the plane ride
• Scotch Tape - YUP! Bring Scotch tape - sticky and interesting for
  plan ride
• Bring light and portable stroller
• Check car seat at gate along with stoller
• Bring little new toys (cheap) but ones that will go a long way
• Pack lite
• Utilize the city's resources for Mom's and Dad's (google search
  depending on city)

BRING YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR!!!!!!!!!! 

Travel Group Planner - Notifications Enabled

We have received numerous comments that users do not know when members of their travel group have made changes, suggestions, additions to the trip in Travel Group Planner.   

We have just added better email notifications to Travel Group Planner.  Jump in there and try it out. 

Thank you for feedback!  Please keep it coming.

Orlando Hotels - For Disneyland Stay

We are going to be staying in Orlando for two night in June so I'm looking for a hotel in the area.  I thought this would be pretty easy but there are so many to sort through and I'm just not sure which one is best. 

You enter in Orlando hotels in google and man there is a lot of junk.  Those are probably very competitive search words.  I am going to have to spend some good quality time sorting through the reviews and the availability. 

Well, here I go, wish me luck.  Feel free to email me with any good hotels in the Orlando area. I'm looking for a good Disneyland feel hotel.

Summer Camping Trip - What Dates Work for Everyone in the Group?

We go lake camping every year with the same couple of families.   Each year we email each other to find the right weekend and lake.  We cycle through lakes in Wyoming and Colorado.

Last year we couldn't get our trip scheduled which really disappointed me.  I know we won't have the same problem this year since we can use the new tool we created with exactly this situation in mind.

For our summer trip, I know the people, the general timing - summer 2008, the general place - a lake within 3 hours of Denver, now we can figure out the rest.

The possible Lakes

• Carter Lake, CO
• Guernsey WY
• Glendo, WY
• Horsetooth, CO (The water is too cold, so I will have to vote no on this lake)
   

That picture will be me in a couple of years, just because I have been skiing since I was 6 and I don't look like that when I ski doesn't mean I can't do it eventually.

Crazy Waterfalls - The Devil's Pool, Zimbabwe

I have to go here.  I totally added this to my travel wish list. 

There is a picture here with a little girl in the pool.  I don't know if I could let my little one do that.  I would have to tie a rope from her to a tree, then maybe I would feel comfortable.

I wonder which of my friends would want to do this too.  I'm setting up a trip in Travel Group Planner to see if anyone is up for it. 

Starting your day off at Ski School Base

My daughter has been in ski school so we have been starting our ski day out at the ski school base. Starting your day from this spot in most resorts is the not the best, since you have ride lifts traverse runs, to get to the part of the resort you want to ski.  My daughter is an attention hungry girl, so I have to come back to this side of the mountain to watch her ski at least once during the day. 

I think ski resorts should have a 'fastest path out of here' indication on the trail map so I can get right to skiing. The ski season is almost over, I need to get up there a couple of more times and soon.

Happy Skiing.

Moms Relax the Rules on Vacation - I do!

I came across an article talking about how mom's relax the rules when the family is on vacation.  Kids get to stay up later, eat more sugar, sleep in late, swim in the pool, play in the snow, and get money to buy things. 

I know I'm guilty of all of these with my kids but it is mainly because I want to do all these things on my family trips as well.  The one exception is swimming, I prefer to sit by the pool reading a book to  swimming.  My mom had the same preference when I was I kid and I thought she was crazy!   I see that same confused look in my daughter's eyes when I tell her "Mommy's not swimming right now."

A picture of the house we will be staying at in June, can't wait.

Winter Park Ski School

I hadn't intended to review every ski school in the Colorado but here is another.  We took my three year old to Winter Park's ski school this week.  The best thing about every time I take her is, she loves it!

The check in process at Winter Park was really easy and it felt good to leave her there.  The kids seemed to wait around at the top of the tiny little hill for their chance to ski with the instructor.  The hill was bigger than Breckenridge or Copper so the instructor was with the kids the whole way down. 

So after three days in ski school she has made good progress for a 3 year old.  She has the ski boots down.  She  seems really comfortable on skis.  Each time I come to watch she gives me a big smile and totally wants to show off. 

I keep wanting her to do more skiing but she is so exhausted at the end of the day, I don't know if she could handle more.  We stopped to drink some coffee before heading home and she fell asleep right there on the table in Starbucks. 

Everyone is together! Hire a Photographer on your Group Trip

There is always the photo moment on the family trip. You know where you take advantage of having your family all in one place at the same time.  You have to get through all the combinations, Joe's family, Jill's Family, Grandparents with grandkids, cousins, etc.  Don't forget that you have to take one photo of each pose with everyone's camera.

And of course you have to the do the timed camera, tripod, group shot so you can get everyone together.  I have been talking to a number of photographers lately and I think it would be ideal to hire a professional photographer on your group trip to take advantage of having everyone together. 

We are doing a family reunion in June and it would be great to have someone take some photos for us.  In Travel Group Planner, I suggested this activity for our trip in the Things to Do section and started a conversation around it.   

We have all the great-grandkids with their great-grandmother.