Off the Beaten Path - Travel by Sam

04/06/2024

Pro travel tip: never ever waste an evening or early morning when traveling for work! 🇺🇸⚾️🚣‍♀️

22/05/2024

St. John’s, Newfoundland- so cold and yet so warm all at the same time 🥰⚓️🌊

And I made up none of these -> Signal Hill views -> The Rooms Museum -> Jelly Bean Row houses -> D***o -> Brigus -> Cape Spear -> Quidi Vidi -> Cuckolds Cove -> Tors Cove 📍

22/03/2024

By booking these low-cost carriers, you're really putting a huge gamble on your trip for a small cost savings. I don't trust these airlines with my own travel, and I definitely don't trust them for my clients!

Personal anecdote, I saw Lynx airlines advertising flights for a potential trip to Mexico I wanted to take for half the price of the other options on those days with tried and true airlines, a mere two days before they announced they were ceasing operations.

The Globe and Mail reports Flair Airlines has sliced its spring schedule by more than 600 flights, making cost-saving cuts to its domestic network even as it adds routes to sun destinations.

27/02/2024

If you’ve read the news recently you will have seen thst thousands of people have been left scrambling to save their later winter and spring travel plans after Lynx ceased operations as of this Monday

Personally I will not jeopardize my clients’ nor my own travel plans with budget airlines/low cost carriers. My advice when people ask about these airlines is, sure they are fine, if you are OK with travel plans being delayed at the last second by days at a time.. and most people are not OK with that.

I’m booking my own trip to Mexico at the moment, and up until days before they Lynx made their announcement, they were advertising fares at half the rate of the next cheapest flight for my trip - but like I said, I am not willing to take that gamble, and I am so glad that booking with a reputable airline is paying off.

https://ottawa.citynews.ca/2024/02/27/a-list-of-canadian-discount-airlines-that-have-left-the-skies-since-2000/

It’s not easy to make a go of it as an upstart airline in Canada. Here is a list of Canadian discount airlines, born since 2000, that no longer fly: Roots Air — A very brief experiment by Canadian clothing retailer Roots, this short-lived airline started and ended operations in 2001, after just ...

24/02/2024

There’s nothing quite like a sudden drop to “feels like -19C” to really kick my next beach escape travel plans into action 😂🥶🤧

The biggest myth that I always get asked about as a travel agent - “but doesn’t it cost more to book with an agent?” 🤔

The answer is a big resounding NO! 😁I sell flights, hotels, excursions and packages at the exact same rate as Air Canada, Sunwing, Transat, G Adventures (and so on) websites. In fact, your payment most often goes directly to that company via me, and then I am compensated by them for my work helping you choose the right option for you and answering your questions and concerns before, during and after travel. 📱

It’s not too late to book your beach escape this winter, whether it’s a short trip over the Easter long weekend or you can manage to take a week of holidays! 🏝️ ☀️ You can either drive yourself crazy searching endlessly online and ultimately just settle after you reach the point of choice fatigue and just pick the cheapest thing cuz it saves you ten bucks from the next cheapest thing (and rely on elevator hold music on a 1-800 number to answer all your questions and concerns)… or you can give me a call! 📞

We’ll start with a phone consult to discuss exactly what you’re looking to get out of the trip, what kinds of vacations you’ve enjoyed in the past and which ones were less than stellar, what you’re roughly looking to spend - and from there I’ll send multiple options for you to narrow down your search based on personalized and informed recommendations. If I haven’t been there myself, someone in my network has been, and I also have direct access to a representative for a vast majority of the products I sell to get all your questions answered. 🥰

I am spending the weekend at home in recovery mode from a nasty cold and this absurd weather, so give me a call if you’re ready to get away to the beach for a bit! 🤗

📸 overlooking the pool and blue ocean waters beyond at one of my favourite places, the Grand Palladium in Jamaica 🇯🇲

23/02/2024

Always be cautious on holiday - it can be easy to feel invincible! Always make sure you have adequate health insurance, and pay attention to beach warning flags - I think we all understand yellow and red, but did you know that the purple flag signifies dangerous marine life? During my trip to Colombia in 2023 we saw this flag quite a bit due to Portuguese man o'war - those were our pool days!!!!

The waters of the Mexican Caribbean have received an unwelcome group of visitors that travelers should be on the lookout for while swimming.

12/02/2024

Another lovely relaxing week in the sun in Barbados 🇧🇧 🏝️ 💕

Generally known to be a bit pricier of a destination, there are still some excellent places to get real bang for your buck - for folks who love monkeys 🙊, rum 🍹, fine dining and cocktails 🍽️ and prefer a quieter holiday on a beautiful sandy beach with turquoise waters, this is the place for you. ☀️

⚠️ Just be careful of the changing of the tides day to day! When the water is calm, it is absolutely stunning for snorkelling 🐠 , but when the waves look rough, steer clear and enjoy the view and the soothing sounds from your sun lounger. 🌊

22/10/2023

This time for Africa ♥️🌍🇿🇦

18/10/2023

Victoria Falls 🇿🇼—> 🐛 🥁 —> 🏝️ —> Chobe 🇧🇼🐒🦁🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘

15/10/2023

Swipe 👉🏻 for the homecoming Queen 💕❤️❤️🥰👑🥩🦏🇿🇼

07/08/2023

NASHVILLE OR NOTHIN 😍👢🤠🎤🎸🎶🍹🇺🇸

is really my new fav destination on the continent and I am so thankful for and the wonderful folks behind who literally treat travel agents like royalty 💕

I plan to make this an annual trip and if you enjoy live music and nice people I suggest you drop everything and book a trip to Nashville!!! ✈️ 🚘

04/08/2023

🌭 🍕 ☀️ 🏙️ + a little more 🍕

22/04/2023

Why go to Europe when you can go to Vegas baby!!!! 🗼⛲️🎰🌵🛬

10/02/2023

Another beautiful week spent in paradise, this time at the Dreams Karibana Cartagena Golf & Spa Resort in Cartagena, Colombia! 🇨🇴 🏝
Highly recommend this place for golfers, foodies, and those who appreciate top notch service, colourful architecture, exploring the local culture, and the most beautiful of beachfront sunsets alike. 🌅🥰

28/12/2022

Hope everyone is enjoying their holidays, whether snuggled on the couch for a staycation and planning your future trip or packing for your Caribbean getaway!!! 🛋❄️ -> ✈️ 🏝

In the wake of some of the travel chaos going on right now, I wanted to share a list of some lessons to be learned…

1.) Book with an agent, because agents care! I’m always happy to take care of new clients, or recommend you to a trusted colleague in the industry. ♥️ I know myself and my friends in the industry are busy making calls for cancellations, changes, insurance claims, checking on hotel supplies in the case of missing baggage, emailing our direct contacts in the industry and so on, while unfortunately there are many folks sleeping on airport floors and sitting for hours on hold with their airlines only to be booted from the phone queue. 📞

2.) Budget airlines are simply not worth the cost savings.. unless you have complete flexibility and are totally OK with having your flights completely cancelled or rescheduled to days later (and really who can travel like that?), I’d always recommend going with one of the slightly pricier, albeit far more reliable and trusted airlines. It’s kind of like rolling the dice and hoping for the best with these airlines, and I can personally say I will never take that chance on my own travel, or my clients’. 🍁

3.) INSURANCE!!! INSURANCE!!!!! INSURANCE!!!!! Folks who are protected with trip cancellation and interruption have coverage to make dealing with the mounting schedule change and baggage issues far less stressful. 😮‍💨

If you have any questions about your upcoming travel, please reach out, whether I’ve booked for you or not! My resources are limited when I haven’t made the booking, but I’m always happy to provide as much general guidance as possible. 🥰

04/12/2022

Whenever I travel, there are a handful of places that capture a really special place in my heart, and Manchester is one of them 🐝 💕 🥰

02/12/2022

Spent the day in Georgie’s homeland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🤍💚❤️

28/10/2022

🍎Unique New York🗽🇺🇸

05/10/2022

‼️Happy Hump Day! This is your 🪄sign🪧to start planning for your winter escape!!! 🥶—> 🏝🍹
I’m here to help! 😘 Based on the many FAQ I’ve been receiving, especially since COVID shook up travel and turned it upside down, below is my list of the top four reasons to book with an agent.🙌🏻👩🏼‍💻
1. First and foremost, I am an experienced traveller with a solid knowledge of current trends across the industry - from current pricing and promotions, changing COVID restrictions, to the exciting new destinations on everyone’s radar, I spend lots of time researching this info and have access to a network of other wonderful professionals across the massive Flight Centre family and beyond with our various brand reps (direct contacts for nearly every travel company out there). We keep each other informed! ❤️
2. I can book you pretty much anywhere - whether you want to visit downtown Toronto, Niagara Falls and other exciting places in our own backyard, make an escape to an all inclusive resort in Mexico, or cross the planet to Australasia (on a guided tour like G Adventures or a custom built itinerary), I‘ll be behind you 100% of the way. 🏠—>🌎
3. While many tour operators direct you to the cheapest deals on their website, I’ll give you an honest opinion on all your options. I work with clients to understand exactly what they are looking to get from their trip, and make it happen within their budget to the best of my ability. As an operator of my own small business, I want to see you get the most for your dollar. 💵
4. On that topic, I sell nearly everything at the same rates you can find online. Yes, you read that right! Example: you can book your trip on Transat’s website, or Marriott’s or even Expedia and booking.com and deal with all the unexpected hurdles and ridiculous phone queues solo. Or, you can book with me and leave those little details up to me while you focus on what’s important - getting excited for your holiday!! 🥰
I hope this post has been informative, but please feel free to reach out - whether you’re just starting to dream about the next trip or ready to put that deposit down and start counting down the days! 📅 ✈️

04/10/2022

Buenas noches beautiful Costa Rica.. until next time! ❤️💙🤍🇨🇷

30/09/2022

Swipe for a buncha monkeys 🤙🏻 🌴 🏄🏼‍♀️ 🌊 🍻
(Un)popular opinion.. rainy season might just be the best time to visit Costa Rica!!!
Next stop: Jacó

22/06/2022

Quick trip to the island for some big trees, big whales, beers, beautiful scenery and even better pals 💞🌊🏔

13/05/2022

I’ll always be 😂👌🏻

01/05/2022

🚗Putting that Ontario Staycation tax credit to good use 🙌🏻 Thank you to for an amazing stay 🌲 🏕 and .catering for a perfect fireside meal 🔥🥘🍷

10/04/2022

Never forget this beauty.. Beach Club 2003 🤣

02/04/2022

Beach club ‘22 is a wrap ✌🏻🏝💕

28/03/2022

Comin’ at u live from Grand Palladium Jamaica this week with 17 crazy members of the Trzuskot clan ✌🏻 even pre-reno and with a few COVID related closures, this place is great value and fun for all ages 💕🇯🇲

26/03/2022

05/03/2022

Slidin’ into the last year of my 20s like 🤯😫😬😅🙃🍻✈️

25/02/2022

Why is this so accurate 😂💯🌎💼🎒🧳✈️