I'm Outta Here Travel

02/11/2024

Continuing on the Christmas market theme -- oh yes, I love these, so I can't stop talking about them!

If you'd like to visit multiple markets, but don't want to have to pack and unpack every day as you explore, maybe the idea of a Christmas Market River Cruise sounds appealing. Check out the link below to explore the many Christmas Market River Cruises that Viking offers.

If you book your Viking cruise (Christmas or not) through me, I can score you up to $500 extra onboard credit (sliding scale depending on cruise length) -- so, please reach out if this tickles your fancy! :)



https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/search-b.html?q=christmas+markets

(edited with new link which hopefully works!)

02/11/2024

Halloween is complete, and it's time to start thinking of Festive Season! Where is your favorite place to spend the holidays?

My ideal Christmas is probably strolling a holiday market in Germany. It's hard to get more festive than charming wooden booths, warm drinks in holiday mugs, and the smell of gingerbread. If a visit to the European Christmas Markets is in your future, please reach out -- I've been to many, across several countries!

29/10/2024

Last October 29, we had the privilege of visiting Istanbul on Turkiye's 100th Republic Day. On October 29, 1923, Ataturk founded and established Turkiye as an independent republic. Such an exciting time to visit!

29/10/2024

Google Flights hack!

Use this when you know your travel dates, but undecided on where to go. When you visit Google Flights, type "anywhere" in as your destination. And it will tell you airfares all around the world for your desired dates!

You can also substitute continents for "anywhere" -- try "Europe", "Asia" -- whatever you want.

If you're like me, this may result in too many places you want to travel during your dates 🤣 but it sure does help when you want to stay in budget.

25/10/2024

Looks like TripAdvisor has a new feature: an AI chat that will help you plan your trip.

AI can do a lot to help us these days, but -- if you're looking for a trip personalized to you and your group's needs, nothing beats a real-time conversation with a real human, especially one that has been to your desired destination.

Let me know if you want a "real person" chat about your dream destination, or help figuring out your dream destination!

21/10/2024

It can happen to the best of us: setting off on your dream vacation, and boom -- medical disaster. You can plan for this (as much as one can plan for medical emergencies!) by choosing a travel credit card which gives you some degree of coverage, possibly offsetting the need for additional travel insurance. Curious about which cards to choose? Check out the link below in the comments.

20/10/2024

If you're ever wondering "how'd they do it?" when you hear a traveler talk about flying to exotic locales for nearly free using miles and points -- do I have the link for you.

No affiliate relationship -- I just think these guys have solid information for both newbies to the miles/points world and veterans. The Daily Drop will give you all the information to get started on your miles and points journey!

Let us be your go-to-guide for all travel hacks, news, and other helpful info as you plan for your next travel adventure!

14/10/2024

A day in the life of a travel advisor planning for herself.

(TL/DR: Weighed a lot of options for a last-minute pivot. Crunched numbers and found something that would work.)

We had a trip planned to visit Bruce's half brother in Tampa, leaving next Tuesday. Family and house totally OK (good), but trip wasn't going to happen anymore. But we still want to go somewhere.

I also have the Southwest Companion Pass through Dec '25 and have only used it thus far to take Bruce along on a few work trips.

Criteria:
1. We need to be here on Oct 21 and Oct 31, so squeezing in a quick trip
2. Of course, not too expensive with hotels/rental car
3. Ideally someplace new to us -- we've been falling back on our "comfort travel" places recently

My thought process:
*Denver? I've only passed through 40+ years ago. But would want to include driving through the western side of the state, and conditions could be snowy.
*Back to our beloved Outer Banks... but (first world problems) 5-6 days isn't long enough at my favorite place in the US. 😀
*Chicago? Again, just passed through, never been. But even in shoulder season, hotels are very spendy ($250+ per night)
*Came VERY close to flying to Nashville and driving up to Kentucky bourbon country (plus a few days in Nashville). But alas... SWA is no longer nonstop to BNA from here, and we'd kill a whole day each direction with layover.
*Last option -- fly to Vegas, rent a car, drive around southern Utah. But additional expenses from paying national park fees, so... off the table.

What did we decide on?? It's a bit of a cop-out, with with 8 days to decide, we're limited.

We are not flying at all (hope to get another SWA flight in December to take advantage). Between hotels in Vancouver being affordable, and that we can take our own car, we're going to go back there -- but rather than our typical 3 day weekend, we're going to spend enough time to day trip up the coast a bit. (Which is technically someplace new.)

Whew -- that was a mental tennis match!

(As a travel advisor, I can help you through your own analysis paralysis! Reach out if you're trying to nail down ideas for your next trip.)

09/10/2024

Last day of Prime Day sales! Forbes has put together this solid list of the best travel deals. And I appreciate that they're not just *things* -- there are some experiences on the list, too! (Like hefty discounts from Viator Tours and Princess Cruises.) Check it out!

The best Prime Day travel deals include up to 45% off luggage and steep discounts on travel accessories like neck pillows and weekender bags. Here's what to shop now.

09/10/2024

Not directly travel-related, but so important to my travel quality of life that it's worth posting here. Doing hard stuff pays off.

(reposted from 2022)
Five (ETA now seven) years ago today, I decided to change my life. Having just suffered an MS flareup that affected parts of my brainstem involving motor control, the major local hospital had declared that I would always need one of these or a cane to walk, from then on. Bruce and I kept recalculating our future, especially our travels. But shortly after my discharge, on October 8, 2017, I decided that I would fully dedicate myself to my recovery/my PT to regain mobility. I still have some minor left-sided disability, but it doesn’t get in my way much. This shows that hard work can get you a long way, if it’s something you really want!
(And the second picture: “no country music” under pain management. 😀 I was always trying to lighten the mood. Funny thing, though, after going to Nashville last year, I found I actually like a lot of current country songs…)

07/10/2024

One of my clients (not on social media, sadly) is gearing up for a Mexico/Caribbean cruise with her family. I wish them the best!

As the weather cools down, the idea of a cruise to a tropical destination sounds more and more enticing, doesn't it? I know I want to pack myself into my client's bag. 🤣

You, too, can be like my client (visiting tropical paradise) or like me (sitting at home wanderlusting). 😀 If you'd like to be like my client, hit me up for a chat! I can book cruises from budget to luxury, all sorts of destinations -- and you'd be surprised how often the fancier lines offer great discounts. (Don't limit yourself!)

05/10/2024

Having access to additional perks is *awesome*, but it adds a different layer of complication. In a good way -- don't get me wrong! 😀

Not only am I finding the ideal flight to get from Point A to Point B, but with my perks, I'm looking at layover length and lounge access. Is there a good Priority Pass lounge in this airport? Would I be able to get there easily in time? 😀 Like I said, these are good problems to have, right?

If you want to have the same problems as I do 😁 reach out to me, and I'll tell you some of the easy ways to Priority Pass membership!

03/10/2024

Hot off the presses! My October travel newsletter. This month, we explore ski resorts throughout the US -- whether you're on the east or west coast, this list has you covered. Click the link in the comments below to check it out!

02/10/2024

Sometimes, it pays to procrastinate!

(Tongue planted firmly in cheek. Don't try this at home, kids.)

I finally got around to buying SWA tickets for us to visit recently-relocated family outside of Tampa -- at the end of this month. (I know.... I don't always walk the walk!)

While I was berating myself because one of the legs had increased $20 in price -- I saw this fortuitous image before I checked out. 6X points during this week, when I use my SWA card? Yes, thank you very much! (Which meant I paid cash for the direction that was the worse cents-per-point valuation to take advantage.)

Procrastination is not my recommended strategy, but there was a silver lining this time. And -- how do I have 150K Southwest points? All part of my strategic credit card game. Ask if you're interested in learning about miles, points, and the coveted SWA Companion Pass (Bruce flies for $11 roundtrip)!

01/10/2024

Something I haven't mentioned in a while: my upcoming Pilates retreat!

My coworker Emily and I are hosting a Pilates retreat March 9-15, in beachfront Placencia, Belize. Flyer is attached (with early bird pricing listed) but a summary of what you will get:

*Two daily Pilates sessions -- your instructors have over 25 years' combined experience and can work with every body!
*Meals prepared by a local chef
*Accommodations minutes from the Caribbean Sea
*Option to add on local food tours

Escape the dreariness of the end of winter and make new lifelong Pilates friends, while enjoying the relaxing, warm Caribbean.

http://belize2025.imouttaheretravel.com/

27/09/2024

Incoming bad joke alert in my recent Turkish Citizenship (second passport) blog update. 🤣

Categories Uncategorized Do I Have… Post author By Brooke in Turkiye Post date September 27, 2024 No Comments on Do I Have… As mentioned in the last few posts, we learned that we had/have a lot more hoops to jump through before being awarded our Turkish passports and citizenship. Before this las...

27/09/2024

A great share from Global Debauchery. I have used these strategies so often -- and not only free/cheap, but a better slice of the local culture than just hanging out in the tourist zones all the time.

A quick Google search of "name of city" and "free walking tour" will usually give you tons of options, especially in the UK and Europe. Please remember that the tour is "free" but a tip to the guide is necessary.

Tourist boards can be found in most touristy places so take advantage of their knowledge too!

26/09/2024

It's almost time for holiday travel! As your Certified Travel Advisor, here are a few tips and tricks I recommend to help your planning:

🎄Want to go somewhere warm? 🏖 Guess what -- you aren't alone! 😀 Right now is a good time to lock in last-minute deals for your favorite destination.

🎄If you are fine with warm-ish (maybe a 60-degree destination instead of an 80-degree) it's highly likely that you still have a few more options available -- but please don't use this as an excuse to wait on your planning!

🎄Be sure to familiarize yourself with any refund policies. Holiday travel can often be more strict, due to demand.

I am happy to help you plan and schedule your Festive season travel -- whether cold or warm, I can find the perfect place for you.

23/09/2024

As several of you know, we fly for (practically) free using miles and points redemptions. Spoiler alert -- we are not rolling in dough, we just strategize our travel wisely.

If you would like to learn more about how to make this work, click through the link below from the Daily Drop website -- no affiliation, but since they are super clear in their explanations, it's a great place to start. 😀

This site is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers.

21/09/2024

This Monday, Sept 23! Are you ready to Make Ship Happen? Come to the Virgin Voyages webinar to learn all about the newest sailings -- plus, an onboard credit opportunity *only* offered to attendees. Read below!

Learn what it means to SET SAIL THE VIRGIN WAY with Virgin Voyages! Join me, along with members of the Virgin Voyages Sales Crew to hear about all the excitement and BRAND NEW ITINERARIES sailing out of New York, Miami, LA and MORE!

Monday, SEPT 23 5PM - 5:30PM PST

*Sailing Caribbean, Mediterranean, UK, Iceland, Norway, Bahamas - Featuring Beach Club at Bimini - Virgin's Private Beach Club
*Adults Only - No Kids! *Food + Tips + WiFi + Basic Bevvies + Fitness Classes - $1000 Value
*Find out about the latest promotions and offers, including an exclusive booking offer, up to $400 OBC!

Ready to sign up? Click here! https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qLc-6a_0QFyV7ooipN1eFg #/registration

18/09/2024

Are you avoiding low cost carriers because you're afraid of, well, THIS? 🤣

Standard airlines are within your reach. I have the tips and tricks to find lower fares (especially if your travel dates are flexible) and to fly FOR FREE if you have miles/points! Let me know if you'd like to learn more.

18/09/2024

Been a minute since I've done anything with this. I'm finally posting some updates from our continued dual citizenship saga, if nothing else for my own documentation.

But worth a read if you'd like to hear more about our... progress?

Categories Uncategorized Still at #14… Post author By Brooke in Turkiye Post date September 18, 2024 No Comments on Still at #14… It’s been a minute, eh? Last time we chatted, we were on step #14 of the 15-step Turkish citizenship process. Annnnnd we’re still at Step 14, nine months later. W...

17/09/2024

"Eh, what's the big deal about planning flights? I can do that."

This is what I hear from so many folks when I pitch my services. But, let me tell you a story about how my extensive travel experience can truly get you a great deal.

Mr. I'm Outta Here (IOH) mentioned wanting snow and cold for winter. (While I'm a little reluctant, it *is* magical.) As always, we're trying to get the best bang for our buck. He mentioned enjoying Quebec as a child on family road trips, so last week, I priced out flights (prices subject to change, of course): just under $500 per person RT with two layovers.

But then, I had a random thought, as we also enjoyed winter in Krakow a few years back. What the heck, let's look at prices -- and the flights were ALSO just under $500 per person, RT (on a reputable legacy carrier). Also, only one layover!

Yes, it takes longer to get to Warsaw from Seattle than it takes to get to Montreal. But take into account that costs in Poland (still on their own currency, the zloty) are FAR cheaper than eastern Canada, and Poland has my vote. Mr. IOH is on board. (ha -- pun not intended!)

I'm always hearing from folks that it's "more expensive" to go to another continent than to stay on your own. With a little expertise (me), I will bust that myth!

16/09/2024

Who's on the hunt for another good road trip tune? Hit me in the comments below with your favorites! And -- you can plan your playlist well in advance. 😀

As summer winds down, we have a question: what was your favorite summer road trip tune? (Or anytime road trip tune?)
Post your suggestions down below!

14/09/2024

Hooray! to my first group booking going smoothly.

Thank you to my friends and clients Tom and Kris for trusting me to set up a group booking for friends coming in to Vegas. They had what looked like a super-fun gathering for Tom's 65th birthday (or, as he called it, his "Welcome to Medicare" day). I was told that everything was great and that there were no glitches!

Are you looking to book a block of rooms for a girls' getaway? A wedding? A SuperBowl party? No matter the reason for your group, I have the intel to get group rates at many hotels around the world. Please reach out!