How Early Can I Book My Flights or My Timeshare?

Planning Your Flights

The earliest that you can book your flights is generally 330 days before the day you fly home. So that means that you look at your proposed travel dates and subtract 330 days from the last day of your vacation, put that date on your calendar. When that date pops up, call your travel agent to book your flights. Yes, I realize that many people try to figure out when they can get the best prices, but I want to know that it is done and that I have the best pick of seats, etc… Keep in mind that there is a challenge with such early bookings. The airlines are only estimating which flights will be available that far out. More often than not, when time gets close, the flight that you planned on is no longer available and they are switching you to another flight and they are often not very good about putting you in the seats that you already selected and paid for. Sometimes, they have changed planes but still have the same flight number. That also messes with you seat assignments. Just know before hand that you may be dealing with changes. I suppose this is another reason to use a travel agent who gets to take care of those problems for you.

If you don’t want to do the math, just click here for the calculator to do that work for you. Keep in mind that if it is a really big trip, you should have already booked the timeshare a couple of months ago. If it is a photo safari, I often book 16 to 18 months out to get the locations I want and generally I can get them at this year’s prices rather than picking up what is left over at next year’s prices.

Planning Your Timeshare Weeks

You face the same issue when you want to book your next vacation, especially if it is during Christmas Week, New Years, Holy Week or Easter Week. First of all you need to know what your timeshare rules are. For example, I can book my vacations 13 months before the first day of my vacation. If I am booking outside of my “club”, then the time is often reduced to 11 months or 10 months out. Here is another handy set of calculators to make it simple for you. Click here to go to my timeshare calculators.

Once you have done the calculations, just mark the date on your calendar and when that date arrives, make sure to get up early to book your special week. I know that my timeshare opens for booking at 6:00 am, so I put it on the day before with a note to set the alarm to get up to book the vacation.

For example, we always go to the same resort for Thanksgiving week for a mini family reunion. That means that I have to look up next November and figure out the dates that we want to stay at the resort, then mark down the date so that I am booking next year’s Thanksgiving vacation the month before this year’s Thanksgiving vacation. Plan ahead and you won’t be disappointed next year.

———————————————————————-

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.

Don’t hesitate to email us when you return from your trip with any suggestions that will make this document better for you and your fellow travelers!

You may also want to visit our Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/TeamEdwardsTravel

Are You Going To Create a New Tradition for Christmas Travel This Year?

I was thinking about writing a post about finding and visiting a new travel destination for the Christmas holiday, but this year we decided to stay home with family. We did travel to Oregon for Thanksgiving with my brother, and had a wonderful stay at Worldmark’s Eagle Crest Resort in the Redmond/Bend Oregon area. In fact, for the past three years, we have made the trip to Oregon, staying at a different resort on the way. So, since we are not planning a new family Christmas Holiday trip this year, I wanted to share an article that I read last month which talked about creating a new Christmas tradition.

This article is really more about supporting local businesses than about travel, but after re-reading it, I thought it would be worth discussing. Most of us spend most of our travel dollars on domestic travel, rather than foreign travel. Also, don’t forget that Team Edwards Travel is here to assist you with your travel needs.

So, as you plan your vacation trips for 2012, let’s really think about doing our part to support fellow Americans when we travel. Who owns that hotel or condo that you will be staying in? Are you buying your gas from a domestic company or a multinational company that takes the money overseas? Do you really need to buy that imported junk…I mean, treasure… at the souvenir shop? I am sure that there are locally produced crafts that are worth considering.

After you read the rest of the blog, you will know what to do.

I cannot take credit for the rest of the blog, but I also don’t know who to credit for this great work. I hope you enjoy it and you take the time to think about how you are going to handle your spending this coming year. When we travel abroad, we do spend our dollars on other places that do not benefit American workers. When we travel throughout the US, we can support the American workers. Do we support the local stores and diners where we are visiting, rather than a multinational chain store or eatery? Keep these thoughts in mind as you read the following article, and while you travel and enjoy our beautiful country this coming year.

——————————————-

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods — merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is!

It’s time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in imported wrapping paper? Everyone — yes, EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber? Gym membership? It’s appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.

Who wouldn’t appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American-owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plunking down the Benjamins on a foreign made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants — all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn’t the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks this isn’t about big National chains — this is about supporting your home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn’t use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy or gal?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day.

My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner-operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre? Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of light, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that other countries can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn’t imagine. THIS is the new American Christmas tradition.

Forward this if you wish or post it to discussion groups, throw up a post on Craigslist in the Rants and Raves section in your city or send it to the editor of your local paper and radio stations, and TV news departments. This is a revolution of caring about each other, and isn’t that what Christmas is about?

———————————————————————-

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.

Don’t hesitate to email us when you return from your trip with any suggestions that will make this document better for you and your fellow travelers!

You may also want to visit our Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/TeamEdwardsTravel

Worldmark at Kapaa Shores, a Review

Kapaa, Kauai

It is a great place to vacation. Just a few miles north of the airport. Not as far to drive as Princeville to the north or Poipu to the south.

Everything was very convenient. The Safeway and the Foodland were across the street and down a block. Costco and Wallmart, if needed for bulk buying, were in Lihue, just a few miles away. Several restaurants close by, although we mostly used the complete kitchen facilities in the condo. They also have a great county park bike and walking trail that runs several miles, right along the coast. Great for riding bikes, walking and jogging and of course, the condo had bikes available for us.

We were in Kauai for our daughter’s wedding in early September, 2011 . We had friends and family staying at Poipu, some in Lihue, and some just south of us at Wailua. After all the rush, to the air port, through the TSA, and onto the airplane, then landing, getting your luggage and getting your rental car; I must say that settling in to the condo came as a great relief.

The weather was great, the trade winds blew most of the time, and best of all, we had an ocean front condo.

We stayed at our Worldmark Timeshare Condo at Kapaa Shores. A small but well equipped and maintained condo development. A nice pool, lawns, BBQs, Bikes, and a view of the ocean that cannot be beaten. A little dated, compared to all of the newer condo developments, but it had everything we needed except a large frying pan.

Easy to find too, just drive north on Highway 51 to Highway 56 from the airport, just past the Safeway, right across from the Taco Bell. Can’t get much closer to the ocean that this one.

We had a two bedroom unit and our kids had a 1 bedroom unit in the same building. Both with the same great view from the balcony. What a wonderful sunrise each morning.

The only difference was the loft master bedroom we had in our unit. Plenty of room. Comfortable furniture. Free parking too. And best of all, quiet, except for the sound of the ocean.

We did spend some time exploring. If you have not seen it, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, is well worth the drive, as is the Hanalei Bay area. We also enjoyed a great boat trip to see the Napali coast.

We will be in Honolulu the following week and I know that it will be noisy, traffic, sirens, garbage trucks, and of course, you have to pay for parking. We used to love to go to Honolulu, but after this trip to Kauai, I think we will have to come back for another restful getaway in Kauai.

———————————————————————-

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.

Don’t hesitate to email us when you return from your trip with any suggestions that will make this document better for you and your fellow travelers!

You may also want to visit our Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/TeamEdwardsTravel

Can Team Edwards Travel Save me $$$ if I Am Using My Timeshare?

Can Team Edwards Travel save you money?

Maybe Yes, Maybe No

We all know that time is money, and that knowledge is king! And good travel agents, like Team Edwards Travel, can save the consumer time and with their knowledge, money. People in general associate the web with great deals, while in fact, great offers and amenities can be had by using an agent as well. But remember, pricing is not the only issue; the real issue is who will be there when things go wrong? Will you be able to get in touch with someone on that online site? Wouldn’t you just rather call your agent, and let them take care of the issues? Service is the hallmark of a good agent.

Now, let’s get on to the question at hand to see if your travel agent at Team Edwards Travel can save you some money. If your timeshare is within driving distance from your home, you probably won’t save any money if you use your travel agent to book your activities, but you can probably benefit from their knowledge of the area. They may have some great ideas about things to see and do that you may not have experienced before. That is another reason for working with Team Edwards Travel because we love to travel and love to share our experiences with you. You will have more fun and save money too.

For example, on our last trip to Seaside, Oregon, we took several side trips and visited some great sites enroute that I am sure you would love to do as well. Like, checking out the Spruce Goose at the Evergreen Museum in McMinnville, sampling cheese at the Tillimook Cheese Factory. We also took a great day trip up to Seattle for a visit to The Pike Place Market as well as to see a Cirque du Soleil show. If you don’t know what is happening in the area, you might miss out. Ask your agent what is happening. We may have some great ideas for you.

If you are flying to your timeshare, I am sure that you can save money by having your travel agent book your airfare and rental car, excursions, shows, etc…

As noted in an earlier blog, your travel agent needs to book a package of products in order to save you money and to get paid a commission, otherwise they have to charge you a service fee for their time and effort. They are not in business to work for free. They are service providers and expect to get paid for providing their services.

As an example, we travel regularly to Hawaii to make use of our timeshare. In fact, we will be enjoying our timeshare again this fall. This is a perfect example of where Team Edwards Travel can bundle the airfare, rental car and a couple of excursions, and save you some money. We can also suggest some great things to do. When we visit Kauai we really enjoy taking the time to see the Napali Coast either from the air or from a boat. Both are great excursions! It is a great hike too if you are in shape and ready for a workout. Booking all of these together saves money. On this trip, we will try out the Smith Family Garden Luau on Kauai and let you know what we think.

On Ohau, we like to visit the Polynesian Cultural Center which is a great day trip, ending with a luau and a show. Don’t forget the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor. This is another area where combining the airfare, car rental and the excursions will save you money. On this trip to Ohau, we will check out the new Disney facility, The Aulani, and let you know what we think. It’s Grand Opening will be on August 29th; so if you are a big Disney fan, you will want to vacation there the next time you go to Ohau.

Just make sure to contact us before your next vacation, so that Team Edwards Travel can show you how we can save you money and increase your enjoyment.

———————————————————————-

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.

Don’t hesitate to email us when you return from your trip with any suggestions that will make this document better for you and your fellow travelers!

You may also want to visit our Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/TeamEdwardsTravel

I Am Staying at My Timeshare. What do I need to bring?

In addition to using our regular packing lists for Women and Men’s personal belongings, you really need an itemized list of what to bring when you are staying in a condo. Since we usually drive to the condo we are staying at, it is much easier to bring items from home that we know we will need.

It is a bigger challenge when flying to Hawaii or Florida or Cabo to stay in a condo. Do you really want to bring half the kitchen with you, especially when you have to pay for extra suitcases? Heck, at $25 or more for an extra suitcase, you can probably buy and toss most of the “Bring from Home” items and save some money as well.

Of course, the first thing you need to do is check with your timeshare company, either by phone or on their online site, to see what is provided at the timeshare. Then, of course, you need to decide what you will want to eat and do so that you can create your personal shopping list.

To give you an idea of what we bring, check out “Our Must Haves List” below.

Our experience has shown us that the items in the first group on the left are not available in most timeshare condos, so we bring them from home. The second column at the top are items we bring from home so that we don’t end up buying things in larger quantities at the store that we won’t completely use on this trip and we already have them at home. Also, depending upon the size of your family group, it may be cost effective to bring pancake mix and/or Bisquick from home too. The home-made apricot jam, of course, goes with the peanut butter. But we also spoon it over pork chops along with a little white wine for a great juicy pork chop. Also works great if you are doing a little sweet and sour sauce, use the jam and the vinegar. The celery seeds and vinegar can also be used for making coleslaw. Buy it ready-made if you prefer.

“Our Must Haves List”

Bring from Home (If Driving)
Utensils & Misc.		Spices & Misc
	Apron		Apricot Jam (Home Made)
	Baggies-Ziploc		Celery Seeds
	Cookie Sheet		Cinnamon
	Duraflame Logs		Flour (2 cups for roux)
	Foil (Aluminum)		Garlic
	Lighter for BBQ		Pappy’s or Grill Mates
	Recycled Grocery Bags		Popcorn
	Robber Gloves		Rosemary
	Sharp Knives		Salt & Pepper
	Storage Containers		Sugar
	Tongs		Taco Seasonings
	Wine Opener		Vinegar (1/2 cup)

With the following items, we can make breakfasts, lunches and dinners throughout the week.
Don’t forget to plan on a couple meals out. Don’t want to be a slave to the kitchen!

Pick up at Store
	Apple or Orange Juice		Pancake Mix & Syrup
	Bread, Croissants & Butter		Peanut Butter
	Biscuits or Bisquick		Pork Chops
	Chips & Dips		Shredded Cabbage
	Deli Meats & Cheese		Shredded Cheese
	Eggs & Bacon & Sausage		Soda & Beer
	Fresh Fruit & Veggies		Sour Cream (2)
	Ground Beef & Steaks		Spaghetti & Sauce
	Ground Italian Sausage		Tortillas (for Tacos)
	Hamburger Buns		Valveeta
	Lettuce & Tomato		Vegetable Oil
	Mayo/Ketchup/Taco Sauce		Water
	Milk & Cereal & Fruit		Wine & Wine Coolers

Click here for our Timeshare Packing List which includes meal plans, shopping list, etc… The bottom line is that if you do a little pre-planning, you can save some money, eliminate some stress, and have a great vacation!

———————————————————————-

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you. Check out the important links below.

Don’t hesitate to email us when you return from your trip with any suggestions that will make this document better for you and your fellow travelers!

You may also want to visit our Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/TeamEdwardsTravel

Planning Your Flights

Planning Your Timeshare Weeks

Turning Dreams into Memories, One Vacation at a Time. Bon Voyage!!!

Turning Dreams into Memories, One Vacation at a Time. Bon Voyage!!!

Kapaa, Kauai

Turning Dreams into Memories, One Vacation at a Time. Bon Voyage!!!

Can Team Edwards Travel save you money?

Just make sure to contact us before your next vacation, so that Team Edwards Travel can show you how we can save you money and increase your enjoyment.

Turning Dreams into Memories, One Vacation at a Time. Bon Voyage!!!

Turning Dreams into Memories, One Vacation at a Time. Bon Voyage!!!

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!