Passport Mania

We are, of course, keeping a really close eye on making sure that our customers have passports in time to travel this summer. I must say that the vast majority of folks are receiving passports within a reasonable time frame in time to travel.

We have had some dramatic stories though. Once last week I made a 6am trip to the airport to stand in the gap for a client who was begging the loading dock workers at Fedex to find her passport so she could get to the airport with 15 minutes to spare. (She made it.)

Another passenger was already weeping, assuming her adult son would be taking the trip they had planned together alone. The postal truck screamed up to the house and delivered the passport with 12 hours to spare.

I am personally handling all passport situations so that everything possible happens to make sure that no one misses a trip. The bottom line is:

1) Apply NOW.
2) Expedite your passport. (Overnight mail both ways - use a service if you're traveling within a month - we have referrals to give you.)

More Soon!

Watch this Video Podcast from the State Department about Passports

Recorded on April 11, Maura Harty, Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs, discusses the latest issues related to U.S. passports and visas with Department Spokesman Sean McCormack.


She also mentions travel insurance, a subject near and dear to my heart.

More Soon,

Cathi

It's Fam Season in Texas

Here in Texas, summer is vacation time. In order to assure that agents have current destination information and experience, our tour operators conduct familiarization trips.

A typical fam trip is three nights long and consists of between 10 to 15 hotel inspections. We are expected to be ready to load up at about 8am and we go all day in the hot sun hiking through resorts, looking at rooms, restaurants and public areas. In addition to the site inspections we are usually involved in activities of the area. For instance, in the picture here you can see Lindsey on a catamaran out snorkeling at Maroma Beach in the Riviera Maya.

Fam trips are usually a great deal of fun. They are hard work though, and you don't get much sleep.

Lindsey has been to Cancun/Riviera Maya and will be going to Puerto Vallarta next week. Marty is headed to Jamaica when Lindsey gets back. Terrah was in Cozumel a couple of weeks ago and will be in Cabo soon.

It's a rough job, but someone has to do it.

:-)

So, I found a baggie of a certain illegal substance...

Yesterday I left the office slightly earlier than usual in order to mark some nagging errands off my list. While I was walking back to my car after one of my stops, a baggie caught my eye. It was a sandwich baggie that appeared to have a dried green plant substance inside.

I initially walked past it then stopped and thought, "Whoa! I can't leave that lying around!" I backed up, picked up the bag and smelled the contents. (Like that was going to tell me anything.) I thought briefly about what I should do. Then, I called the Plano Police department, sat on the curb, and waited. At that point I was really hoping that the baggie contained what I thought it contained because I was going to feel especially stupid if they sent a squad car out to collect a bag of rosemary.

As I sat I thought about what might happen if the bags owner returned before the police got there. Before too long though, the police car arrived and he confirmed that it was indeed a certain controlled substance. He took my information, took the bag and told me that they would destroy the contents.

Just doing my part in the war on drugs. :-)

The New Iberostar Grand Paraiso

Tomorrow Philip and I will return home after three days here at this newest addition to the Iberostar crown. This adults only resort is the only Iberostar Grand. My understanding is that they will be building several throughout the world, but this is the prototype..the first. (Ed. Note: At dinner they just announced that they will be adding a Grand in Puerto Vallarta as well as Punta Cana.)

I'm really not sure what I was expecting when I got here. I'm quite familiar with the Iberostar product. I've sent hundreds of customers to Iberostars over the years. I've stayed at Iberostars many times myself, most recently at the Iberostar Cozumel just last weekend. The Grand differs greatly from the other Iberostar resorts.

Everywhere you look here is beauty. Setting aside, for the moment, the beautiful Caribbean Sea, the hotel itself is really stunning. It reminds me very much of a palace. Elaborate art is everywhere. Even many of the fixtures are art. Going to the restroom is even a delight because the bathroom sinks themselves are beautiful. They're not even the same throughout the resort, so you don't want to miss a single bathroom!

The food is really exceptional. Even the buffets are not really buffets. They are more a hybrid between the traditional buffet and an ala'carte restaurant. The service is beyond attentive and the food is truly to die for.

This isn't to say that they have all of the kinks ironed out. For instance, there was no room service menu in our room. The DVD player in the room doesn't play US DVDs. The butler didn't answer the phone the first four times I called. (I just hate it when the butler doesn't answer the phone.)

All in all though, exceptional. Really really exceptional. Unlike anything I've seen.

More Later.

One Down, One to Go....

The group at the Iberostar Cozumel went well. We are all home and safe with fond memories of the trip. Tomorrow morning Philip and I are headed down to the all new Iberostar Grand in the Riviera Maya.

It made for an interesting day. I just had one day in town between two trips and could only do the most urgent/important tasks. I had to be very clear about what needed to be done and what could wait. I understand that I'll have wireless Internet access at the Iberostar Grand so I'll be able to do some work down there.

More Soon!