The Power of Retail

Spring time is a great time to plan ahead for the summer, before things get too expensive and fully booked. This is especially true if you’re thinking of taking one of these Disney vacations which are in huge demand over the summer. Taking a vacation to high traffic spots in the off season is a great idea, to me. I’d much rather have the place a little bit more sane, a little bit more peaceful rather than the chaos that usually ensues when the peak season is on. It’s all about making your booking well in advance to take advantage of the cheap and exciting deals most companies have on offer.

Lately I’ve been remembering the trip that I took to Branson, Missouri when I used to work in Kansas City. It was a wonderful drive out through the Ozark mountains and the time I was there was cool, misty and rainy. Simply the perfect hill weather! My nostalgic vein of thought made me look up Branson tickets online and see if things had changed there and what the popular spots and shows were now. I specifically remember going to one show that had rain as part of it and I was mesmerized with the sight of rain falling so perfectly at the edge of the stage and draining into a special trough. It was the perfect show for the town I thought.

I was at the dentist the other day, and completely bored waiting for my turn, so picked up a magazine that I normally wouldn’t. Well, it was the only one lying there so I didn’t have any choice really. It was all about motor homes and recreational vehicles and had lots of articles of personal experiences of people who had used them for trips. Ever since the recession hit, the concept of motor home vacations has really become a hit, which really does make sense after all, since it is a much cheaper way to travel within the country, and gives a completely different experience than driving from one place to another. The magazine was also full of ads for related products such as motorhome towing, which shows how popular not only the magazine was but also how popular the concept is. So next time you’re planning a family vacation, maybe think of this type of vacation!

We were away on vacations for 72 days last year, at 6 different trips that covered everything from beaches to mountains to big city living and a rural retreat. On our trip to Canada and the US in November (our second one last year, the first one was in June) we stayed at a long stay vacation rental in Toronto for two weeks and then spent a week driving down from there to NYC stopping at the Finger Lake area on the way.

We love to stay at places that don’t seem generic and vacation rentals are anything but generic. It’s just so much more interesting to stay at a proper home, complete with living, dining and kitchen, when one goes for family vacations. Once you’ve tried it out, a regular hotel seems so boring and sterile, so we use them only when we go on business etc. I’ve gone through a lot of sites to find good vacation rental sites and SkyAuction is one site that I have come back to time and time again.

The success of SkyAuction is due to the amazing deals that the company has been able to get with its travel partners for hotels, airlines, resorts, cruises and much more. The site functions as an auction and anyone can bid for a vacation or airline fare by becoming a member in a few quick and simple steps.

As winter approaches, so does the snow and the inevitable ads for various ski vacation and trips. Even here in the desert, there are so many ads for trips that take you to snow covered mountains in Europe, so you can swish down the slopes in white powder. I love being in the cold weather for a while, but then I love going for a beach vacation and getting away from the cold and dreary winter…well, ours is neither cold nor dreary, but you get the point. Just the thought of a winter vacation, a getaway seems like a great idea.

The only time of the year it is possible to explore the country are the winter months…anytime between December and February are the ideal times to travel and explore the area. This was on one of our trips last winter to Fujairah, one of the smaller emirates that make up the UAE. This was the recently restored Fujairah Fort which is about 350 years old. It’s a cute little fort, not much to see in there, just one small central courtyard and tiny turrets, but it was interesting nevertheless.

As more and more people change the kind of vacations they take, there has been an increase in rentals of RVs and motorhomes in the US. Along with their increase, so has the need for motorhome insurance increased and a greater number of vacationers are trying out different ways to take vacations. It’s always good to experiment and make changes, or one can often get stuck in a rut, not that one needs a recession as a reminder to make changes, one should make them ourselves. But as vacations go, while the industry has been impacted, things are slowly looking up again.

I’ve written about how the vacation scene has completely changed due to the economic situation before. More and more people are preferring to take holidays in their local area, so if you stay in Florida then orlando vacations will be your most popular choice. Often, the case is that many people prefer to swap locations and homes with people in a driving distance so that they have a place to stay, while they explore a new place and no extra cost but that of food and fuel. It’s an idea that is fast catching on, not only on the time share and house swapping websites, but also through word of mouth.

The power of a vacation is such that it pulls at you and tugs you to take it or else! Lately, I’ve been reading about the number of people taking advantage of orlando vacations that have been advertised at amazing discounts. While many are vacationing in local area, most people in the States are making a concerted effort to vacation locally, and thanks to special discounts, Orlando is high up on the list of great vacation deals. What is so great about the Orlando area is that there is so much to do, as it has great conference facilities, amazing sporting options such as golf, fishing and so on and lots of shopping of course. So it works out as a destination that makes everyone happy!

I love taking photographs, and travel photos are a great way to remember the beauty and essence of the trip. I try to capture the good side of the place, rather than just a realistic view that might include too many people or litter and stuff like that. I mean, why bother capturing things like that anyway. It’s better to keep a nicer and more positive view of the trip and remember just the good things. This shot was taken on the helipad in Charabara, near Kufri, and while it looks peaceful and idyllic, it was crowded and somewhat dirty, full of tourist vehicles and vendors selling odd stuff like stuffed toys and caps. Why o why would people come to such a beautiful spot and then ignore the beauty to buy cheap trinkets that could be bought anywhere at all.