My Upscale Travel - Independent Outside Agent

27/06/2024

27/06/2024

She’s got this… she’s so right…

01/06/2024

01/06/2024

Looks like fun…. Must be nice to weigh 155 lbs … I’m at 236…

15/05/2024

Hey I'm posting a review of our river cruise to Bordeaux, France we took in spring of 2022. Feel free to reply/comment

Step into the shoes of a Chef in the heart of the kitchens of Château Ambe Tour Pourret. Like a professional behind your preparation area and your own cooktop, share a most convivial moment, and let yourself be guided by the advice of our Chef. Create a menu featuring seasonal regional products, an...

09/05/2024

Two words: volume control

09/11/2023

‘Hello, little girl, I have breakfast for us…’

Gruss euer Kämpferherz

07/06/2023

Russell Pickett, A-Co/116th Infantry Regiment/29th Infantry Division! First wave Omaha Beach 6th June 1944! He was carrying a flame thrower that day. So he was sitting down when he heard what he describes as a rumble. That small boat was hit, and he was knocked out. He woke up in shallow water on the beach. „I tried to get up and my legs wouldn't work. I wasn't hurting anywhere, scared to death of course which that might have been what was wrong with me," Mr. Russell said. He tried to pull himself with his arms, but he says he just dug holes in the sand. Later a nearby boat pulled him out of the water and to safety. „A company was 96 percent casualty within the first 30-45 minutes," Mr. Pickett said. "(They) figured half of them dead. The other half of the casualties wounded which I was one of the casualties." Only a few of the men of company A made it across Omaha Beach!
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31/05/2023

When someone dies, the first thing to do is nothing. Don't run out and call the nurse. Don't pick up the phone. Take a deep breath and be present to the magnitude of the moment.

There's a grace to being at the bedside of someone you love as they make their transition out of this world. At the moment they take their last breath, there's an incredible sacredness in the space. The veil between the worlds opens.

We're so unprepared and untrained in how to deal with death that sometimes a kind of panic response kicks in. "They're dead!"

We knew they were going to die, so their being dead is not a surprise. It's not a problem to be solved. It's very sad, but it's not cause to panic.

If anything, their death is cause to take a deep breath, to stop, and be really present to what's happening. If you're at home, maybe put on the kettle and make a cup of tea.

Sit at the bedside and just be present to the experience in the room. What's happening for you? What might be happening for them? What other presences are here that might be supporting them on their way? Tune into all the beauty and magic.

Pausing gives your soul a chance to adjust, because no matter how prepared we are, a death is still a shock. If we kick right into "do" mode, and call 911, or call the hospice, we never get a chance to absorb the enormity of the event.

Give yourself five minutes or 10 minutes, or 15 minutes just to be. You'll never get that time back again if you don't take it now.

After that, do the smallest thing you can. Call the one person who needs to be called. Engage whatever systems need to be engaged, but engage them at the very most minimal level. Move really, really, really, slowly, because this is a period where it's easy for body and soul to get separated.

Our bodies can gallop forwards, but sometimes our souls haven't caught up. If you have an opportunity to be quiet and be present, take it. Accept and acclimatize and adjust to what's happening. Then, as the train starts rolling, and all the things that happen after a death kick in, you'll be better prepared.

You won't get a chance to catch your breath later on. You need to do it now.

Being present in the moments after death is an incredible gift to yourself, it's a gift to the people you're with, and it's a gift to the person who's just died. They're just a hair's breath away. They're just starting their new journey in the world without a body. If you keep a calm space around their body, and in the room, they're launched in a more beautiful way. It's a service to both sides of the veil.

Sarah Kerr, Death Doula
https://www.facebook.com/SoulPassages/videos/610729049323633/?t=59

21/03/2022

WOW what a great deal from one of the worlds best river cruise lines -

FREE RIVER CRUISE for MEDICAL and FIRST RESPONDERS

Contact me for booking information

COMPLIMENTARY SAILING
For All Frontline Medical Heroes
CRUISE YEAR2022

We are immensely grateful for the remarkable sacrifices and dedication of our frontline medical heroes, especially during these times. As a frontline medical hero, you can now reserve your complimentary river cruise with one paying guest in the same stateroom on any Europe sailing within 90 days of departure.

Example:

Captivating Rhine
COUNTRIES: France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland
RIVERS: Rhine

2 nights Amsterdam, Netherlands, 7-night Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland cruise & 2 nights Lucerne + 2 nights Zurich

For full terms and conditions and for more information, contact me ASAP

18/03/2022

I’ve just finished my certification as an Independent
Agent CLIA certified cruise specialist. As an industry resource, CLIA offers training, information and relationships I will be able to use to make myself more valuable to my cruising clients. I joined using my own resources as an investment in myself and my travel business.

Cruise Line International Association’s mission:
CLIA is the global organization that fosters our members' success by advocating, educating and promoting the common interests of the cruise community.
CLIA represents the interests of the cruise industry community.
50+ Cruise Lines – From ocean to specialty cruise ships, CLIA lines represent more than 95 percent of global cruise capacity.
350+ Executive Partner Members – As key suppliers and partners to the cruise lines, executive partners play a major role in the successful operation of cruising, including ports & destinations, ship development, suppliers and business services.
13,000 Global Travel Agency and 50,000 Travel Agent Members – Our travel agency members include the largest agencies, hosts, franchises and consortia in the world.
CLIA Cruise Lines serve nearly 30 million passengers annually.

13/10/2020

Catching COVID On An Airplane About As Likely As Being Struck by Lightning: IATA

Anna Kroupina, Open Jaw
13.10.20

They could have used other examples of extremely low odds: a meteor strike, winning the powerball, finding a four-leaf clover.

IATA is using the dramatic comparison to a lightning strike to emphasize the relative safety of air travel.

The association's Director General and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac, stated in a news release that according to its data, there have been 44 cases of COVID-19 transmitted onboard aircraft among 1.2 billion passengers travelling since the start of 2020. That's one case for every 27 million travellers - actually much smaller than the odds of being struck by lightning.

IATA's medical advisor, Dr. David Powell, added that “the risk of a passenger contracting Covid-19 while onboard appears very low. We recognize that this may be an underestimate but even if 90% of the cases were un-reported, it would be one case for every 2.7 million travellers. We think these figures are extremely reassuring. Furthermore, the vast majority of published cases occurred before the wearing of face coverings inflight became widespread.”

IATA points to a joint publication by aircraft manufacturers Airbus, Boeing and Embraer to explain the marginal chances of infection in-flight. The manufacturers' report says the low numbers are, in part, to the efficacy of airflow systems on aircraft in controlling the movement of particles in the cabin, limiting the spread of viruses.

In the case of Boeing, the manufacturer studied the coughing passenger with and without a mask, the coughing passenger located in various seats including the middle seat, and different variations of passengers’ individual overhead air vents on and off.

“This modelling determined the number of cough particles that entered the breathing space of the other passengers”, said Dan Freeman, the chief engineer for Boeing’s Confident Travel Initiative. “We then compared a similar scenario in other environments, such as an office conference room. Based on the airborne particle count, passengers sitting next to one another on an airplane is the same as standing more than seven feet (or two meters) apart in a typical building environment.”

The Airbus study found that potential exposure to COVID-19 was actually lower when seated side-by-side on a plane than when staying six feet apart in an environment such as an office, classroom or grocery store.

“After multiple, highly-detailed simulations using the most accurate scientific methods available, we have concrete data which reveals the aircraft cabin offers a much safer environment than indoor public spaces,” said Bruno Fargeon, Airbus Engineering and the leader of the Airbus Keep Trust in Air Travel Initiative. “The way that air circulates, is filtered and replaced on airplanes creates an absolutely unique environment in which you have just as much protection being seated side-by-side as you would standing six feet apart on the ground.”

According to IATA, the High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, the natural barrier of the seatback, the downward flow of air, and high rates of air exchange all work together to reduce the risk of disease transmission on board. The addition of mask-wearing amid pandemic concerns adds a further and significant extra layer of protection.

IATA pointed to another study, a peer-reviewed study by Freedman and Wilder-Smith in the Journal of Travel Medicine, which also supported the low numbers of in-flight transmissions and pointed to the efficacy of mask-wearing in further reducing risk.

“There is no single silver-bullet measure that will enable us to live and travel safely in the age of COVID-19. But the combination of measures that are being put in place is reassuring travellers the world over that COVID-19 has not defeated their freedom to fly. Nothing is completely risk-free. But with just 44 published cases of potential inflight COVID-19 transmission among 1.2 billion travellers, the risk of contracting the virus on board appears to be in the same category as being struck by lightning,” concluded de Juniac.

Anna Kroupina
Anna Kroupina Journalist
Anna is OJ's newest member and she joins the team as a writer/reporter. She co-writes the daily news and covers events. Although she's new to the industry, pursuing a career path in travel/tourism has been a goal since her first family road trip to the Florida Keys sparked a desire to discover the world and this exhilarating, fast-paced industry.

25/06/2019

The Corries --- The Bricklayer's Song

When I started selling tours of Scotland, I came across this old song by the Corries. Huge laugh ... enjoy!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b0Kzje9nF4A

Check out http://www.corries.com for Corries DVDs and CDs ---------(sorry about the glitches in the film, it's an old videotape)

27/02/2019

I hope to see you on Saturday, March 2 at the RAF Lakenheath Travel Fair from 10am to 4pm at the Eagles Landing.

My special guest at the show and sharing my booth with me is a new company I have associated with, Rabbie’s Tours. A small private company out of Edinburgh, Scotland, they provide small, intimate van tours of Scotland, England an Ireland from one day to a week duration. I’ve “auditioned” them on three tours (a long tour of Scottish Highlands and Isle of Skye, a one day whiskey distillery tour and a four day trip to southeast England) and enjoyed them immensely.

Come swing by my booth and sign up for a special give away drawing of a free Rabbie’s trip and special discount pricing!

27/07/2018

One of the most popular themes of vacation travel is food. “Foodies” love to eat, learn about food, learn about wine and are interested in taking classes in advanced cuisines, wine pairing, brewing beer, distilling adult beverages and learning where their food comes from.

You may be a Foodie If you have ever ...

1) taken a cooking class
2) been to a vineyard to look at the vines
3) gone on a trip or shore excursion to try the exotic local “whatever” (Mozzarella, wild game, fish, blueberries ...).

Let me know the kind of food experience you’re hungry for! I might even be able to recommend a personal favorite restaurant...

03/06/2018

BBC Scotland

I’m now an agent for Rabbie’s Tours and have been exploring Scotland for the best trips to recommend for my clients. Skye was a wonderful and intriguing place and well worth the time to explore. Golf, whiskey tours, lochs, Edinburgh ... let me help you plan your trip with my insider knowledge and experience. Come see me and leave a message here or at the My Upscale Travel FaceBook page.

The remarkable ancient aerial discovery on the Isle of Skye.

31/05/2018

Northern Lights Exploration - GJ Travel

One of the reasons I’m an Iceland specialist - let me book you on trips like this. I have been working with this company for Iceland travel for 9 years

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OWipq470xyo

SMALL GROUP ON SELECTED DEPARTURES & BESTSELLER WITH 85-98% AURORA VIEWING SUCCESS. Experience the best of Iceland’s winter! Our Northern Lights Exploration ...

09/05/2018

My Upscale Travel - Independent Outside Agent

07/11/2017

www.myupscaletravel.com

Discover what's new at Club Med Punta Cana

We’ve just upgraded your next Caribbean vacation with an improved dining experience and refreshed wellness amenities. Come and see for yourself!


A Brand New
Dining Experience
Indulge at the revamped Samana and Hispaniola restaurants, featuring completely redesigned stations, a variety of new specialty corners and more.

Enhancements To Our
Wellness Amenities
Watch the kids dive into our newly renovated main pool as you lounge on our refurbished deck, or for complete relaxation, unwind in our re-done Zen Oasis whirlpool bath.

ALL-INCLUSIVE ESCAPES TO PUNTA CANA
from

$129*

per adult, per night


WHAT'S INCLUDED - AND SO MUCH MORE!
My Upscale Travel
15 Clark Court
Palmyra, VA 22963
www.myupscaletravel.com
*Sample price is per person, based on double occupancy in a Club category room on select weeks at Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Prices on other dates and/or at other resorts may vary. Offer requires a 3-night minimum stay. Available at select resorts. Does not include airfare. Valid for new individual bookings only for select travel dates with check-in on or after 6/23/2018 and check-out on or before 10/28/2018 and must be booked by 01/09/2018, subject to capacity control and may increase at any time.

General Conditions: Blackout dates apply, including holidays and other dates. For Turkoise all guests must be 18 and older. Guests at Columbus Isle must be 2 and older. Club Med Membership fees of $60 per adult and $30 per child are additional. Other restrictions apply including brochure terms and cancellation/change fees. Not responsible for errors or omissions. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. CST #: 2020955-50.

01/08/2017

Gary Sadler Sr VP

Sandals is calling ... so email me to book ...

Happy Emancipation Day to the land I call home.

09/02/2017

I'm adding Scotland as a specialty. I took a market research trip and stopped at the "Monty Python" castle from "The Holy Grail". Remember the cow flying over the wall? Well...

09/02/2017

Now is the time to book for summer. Message me for insider tips and my number 1 tip on how to book smart.

24/07/2016

What kind of beer can you get in Iceland?

01/03/2016

WHERE IN THE WORLD ...?
Is this building? Hint: it's a hotel

26/05/2015

Jah, Mon! One of my favorite places in the world. We sell brands like Sandals and Club Med, but also any kind of Jamaica vibe experience. Bob Marley, rum, coffee, history, nature, it's all there. Think blue water, sand, Jamaica and My Upscale Travel. Call soon, Mon. Peace, Love, Respect.
Email at [email protected].

19/03/2015

Mobile Uploads

19/03/2015

The CaddyWagon has a new home. Guess where?

23/09/2014

You know those cans of Coke in hotel mini-bars that cost hotels a fraction of what they charge the guest? Suppliers should provide the soda at no cost to guests, then build the cost into their rates.

Agree?