See vintage Maui Hawaii in this old home VHS movie from 1990 with John, Lainey and baby Danny from when John we lived in Tucson, I was a stay-at-home mom and John worked for ComputerLand well before I worked in travel and between periods working in radio-TV-film. I’m definitely rusty! Alex stayed home with my parents. See the Dole Plantation, Lahaina, the Hana Highway, Surfers, the seven sacred pools, waterfalls, whale watching, Buddy Ebsen and Tony Curtis artwork, USS Los Angeles and USS Chicago, Haleakala, luau and the beach. This is when I used to do very crude amateur editing on VHS videos with rental camcorders and controlling a VHS recorder using my Dad’s old Videonics mixer that I bought him before I worked for them creating awesome video editing products for computers. Who knew.
— Be sure to watch my full YouTube videos and please let Lainey book your next land or sea vacation. Follow all my links and please subscribe: https://campsite.bio/855gr8trip
My first time diving for my open water and underwater videographer padi certification in Cozumel. From my old days when I owned Arizona Sight & Sound Video Production and was not in the travel business.
— Be sure to watch my full YouTube videos and please let Lainey book your next land or sea vacation. Follow all my links and please subscribe: https://campsite.bio/855gr8trip –
Contact Lainey to plan and reserve your next trip, whether by road, air or sea. Call 855-GR8-TRIP, email lmelnick@dreamvacations.com, or visit http://www.855GR8TRIP to reserve your next land or sea dream vacation.
Follow me at all my links: https://campsite.bio/855gr8trip. Look for my other Costa Rica videos of the Guanacaste and Arenal Regions.
Chapters 0:00 Credits 0:46 Austin Airport 1:33 Houston Airport 3:06 Arrival San Jose Airport 5:19 Santa Teresa – Nantipa Hotel 11:45 Jason Tours Snorkeling 23:04 Nantipa Hotel 24:09 Bali Beach Deli Santa Teresa 26:10 Nantipa Hotel – Santa Teresa 40:24 Bahia Rica Bioluminescent Kayaking 52:52 Ferry 1:02:11 Villa Caletas 1:11:10 Manuel Antonio 1:11:23 Los Altos Resort – Manuel Antonio 1:35:05 Jungle Vista Resort – Manuel Antonio 1:40:20 Los Altos Resort – Manuel Antonio 1:43:21 Iguana Tours White Water Rafting 2:02:16 Manuel Antonio National Park 2:11:41 Los Altos Resort – Manuel Antonio 2:18:35 ATVs with Vista Los Suenos Adventure Park 2:28:10 Crocodiles on the Tarcole River 2:33:40 Arenal Volcano 2:34:23 Tabacon Resort – La Fortuna 2:47:29 Restaurante Don Rufino 2:51:29 Tabacon Resort – La Fortuna 2:54:20 Waterfall Rappelling with Pure Trek Canyoning 3:14:48 Sloth 3:15:53 Tabacon Resort – La Fortuna 3:56:34 Chepe’s 3:57:20 San Jose Costa Rica 4:00:03 Hotel Presidente – San Jose 4:15:45 Hotel Grano De Oro – San Jose 4:19:17 Departure San Jose Airport 4:28:46
Post Trip Covid Testing For the Costa Rica Immigration Health Form, go to: https://salud.go.cr
Join me via video for a 3-night getaway in Barbados at the Sandals Royal Barbados Resort with a site visit to Sandals Barbados Resort during the COVID-19 Pandemic October 2020 on a Sandals Education Experience (SEE) Fam Trip for Sandals Certified Specialists. Sandals is an adults-only resort for couples and is packed with romance, beaches, water sports, pools, views, cocktails and entertainment. My favorite part is that diving is included. This resort adds Bowling and Tennis. Contact Lainey to plan and reserve your next trip, whether by road, air or sea. Call 855-GR8-TRIP, email lmelnick@dreamvacations.com, or visit http://www.855GR8TRIP to reserve your next land or sea dream vacation.
— Be sure to watch my full YouTube videos and please let Lainey book your next land or sea vacation. Follow all my links and please subscribe: https://campsite.bio/855gr8trip
Follow along with me onboard Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas as I focus on the culinary experience, the key benefits, diving in Sint Maarten and San Juan, a perfect day swimming with the pigs in COCOCay and our Dream Vacations/CruiseOne/Cruises Inc World Travel Holdings #2019DAREConference. To see my minute videos with a number of my key supplier partners look for my #MinuteWithLainey video series. To see more about Symphony of the Seas, watch my Symphony Inaugural video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kW31E….
Thank you to all my co-stars, especially our hosts from Royal Caribbean, Vicki Freed and Michael Bayley. Our WTH HQ team, headed by our CEO Brad Tolkin, CFO Don Graff, our COO Debbie Fiorino, our GM Drew Daley, and all our amazing executives and staff who made this conference the best conference at sea. We couldn’t do this without our amazing presenters, supplier partners and sponsors, and of course my thousand+ peers, fellow travel agency owners and travel agents, who invest our time and energy into Delivering a Remarkable Experience to our clients. Thank you for your support!
— Be sure to watch my full YouTube videos and please let Lainey book your next land or sea vacation. Follow all my links and please subscribe: https://campsite.bio/855gr8trip
There are estimated to be 1,000 Mountain Gorillas left in existence making them the most endangered gorilla species. They can only survive in their natural habitat, the dense vegetation of Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and along the dormant volcanic Virunga mountain range that stretches across Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, Uganda’s Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Gorilla Trekking has become the largest tourist draw of these East African Countries and is considered a life-changing, once-in-a-lifetime privilege.
Trekkers pay the country that they are visiting for a gorilla permit to spend one awe-inspiring hour alongside these amazing primates in their home habitat, cloud forests that can reach up to 14,763 feet. Ugandan permits are less expensive than Rwandan, and Bwindi is home to half of the existing mountain gorillas. Rwanda infrastructure is a little more advanced and the terrain could be easier for viewing the gorillas in less dense vegetation with easier hikes.
The hike to reach your assigned gorilla family can be short and relatively easy, but more often, it is a strenuous hike over difficult terrain. Gorilla trackers follow their families, day and night, so they know where they are at all times. A guide leads a caravan of 8 trekkers to the easiest starting point to reach their gorilla family. The hikes from the starting point could last from an hour to several hours. A good guide will negotiate for a spot with the best hike for your needs.
Trekkers are encouraged to give back to the local communities in constructive ways. One way is to hire local porters. These local residents are paid to carry gear, water, and more importantly, help the trekkers over the terrain. Some trekkers even decide to use the “helicopter” service if they are concerned about making the trek. A group of porters carry the trekker in a chair up the mountain, but you still have to get off of the chair for the hour with the gorillas. The tips given to the trackers, guides and porters, go directly to them to help their families and support the local economy.
I’ve had the extraordinary privilege of gorilla trekking in both Rwanda and Uganda and create custom itineraries for my clients to give them the best experience possible.
Reserve your dream vacation by contacting Lainey Melnick, the owner of the Westlake-area branch of Dream Vacations, 855-GR8-TRIP, www.855GR8TRIP.com, lmelnick@dreamvacations.com. Dream Vacations – Lainey Melnick & Associates is an American Express Membership Rewards Agency and an affiliate of Travel Leaders. Lainey has been a part of the Westlake community and Eanes ISD since 1998. As owner of a Platinum Ranked agency, she is the recipient of the 2018 Travel Influencer Award, 2017 Club Med Top Producer, and 2017 OPAL Award for Women, WTH Certified Spokesperson and serves as Executive Committee Communications Chair for Austin Women Invest to Elect.
Join me via video for a 3-night girls getaway at the Riu Dunamar Resort in Cancun Mexico October 2019 with private premium transfers by Lomas Travel and hosted by Vacation Express. Riu Hotels and Resorts are family-friendly all-inclusive resorts with beaches, pools, views, cocktails and entertainment. If you’d like a more upscale adults-only experience, the Riu Palace Resorts are right next door.
— Be sure to watch my full YouTube videos and please let Lainey book your next land or sea vacation. Follow all my links and please subscribe: https://campsite.bio/855gr8trip
Join me via video for a 4-night getaway at the Sandals Grande Antigua Resort September 2019 on a Sandals Education Experience (SEE) Fam Trip for Sandals Certified Specialists. Sandals is an adults-only resort for couples and is packed with romance, beaches, pools, views, cocktails and entertainment. My favorite part is that diving is included. I even took a PADI Peak Performance class while I was there to take advantage of the wonderful on-site diving instruction.
— Be sure to watch my full YouTube videos and please let Lainey book your next land or sea vacation. Follow all my links and please subscribe: https://campsite.bio/855gr8trip
The latest trend in travel is to explore, experience and immerse yourself in global cultures. The continent of Africa offers the opportunity to dance with the Zulus, swim with great whites, hike with mountain gorillas, traverse among the big 5 and savor delectable wines and foods. You can create the bucket list vacation of your dreams by picking and choosing the destinations and activities that speak to you.
South Africa is a great place to start exploring this continent. It’s modern and westernized but still gives you that entry experience into the culture. The coastal scenery is breathtaking where the Indian Ocean meets the Atlantic and crashes onto the cliffside rocks at the Southern tip of Africa. Natural landmarks like Table Mountain and Victoria Falls are a must-see. Travel throughout this country to vineyards, animal reserves where you can get up close to elephants, monkeys and wild cats, and Kruger National Park where you can safari with the big 5. If you are looking for more of a wildlife experience, Tanzania and Botswana, are the best destinations to see the great migration and the Serengeti.
For a more personal experience, you can safari in private reserves where you can stay at luxury lodges inside the reserves. This allows you to off-road, get close to the wildlife and visit the parks at the more active times of sunrise and sunset as well as nighttime drives. If you feel more comfortable exploring South Africa with a guided group, Trafalgar Travel offers group tours to see the highlights of South Africa and also offers options for smaller groups with the private reserves. For smaller luxury group tours, Tauck, Abercrombie & Kent, African Travel and Micato Safaris have some nice options. If you’d rather have a custom private itinerary made just for you, we can create the perfect experience using luxury lodges like andBeyond. There are now several cruises that also have South Africa destinations this year. Azamara and AMA Waterways both offer all-inclusive experiences where their ship is your home so you only have to unpack once and travel between port destinations at night.
For a more immersive experience, travel to Uganda or Rwanda to find the last of the mountain gorillas in the world. You are allowed only one awe-inspiring hour with the gorillas after your hike to find them. Be prepared for a more rugged experience, but you can hire a porter to carry your equipment if you just want to think about your photos. Once-in-a-lifetime group, independent or custom gorilla treks are offered.
Reserve your dream vacation by contacting Lainey Melnick, the owner of the Westlake-area branch of Dream Vacations, 855-GR8-TRIP, www.855GR8TRIP.com, lmelnick@dreamvacations.com. Dream Vacations – Lainey Melnick & Associates is an American Express Membership Rewards Agency and an affiliate of Travel Leaders. Lainey has been a part of the Westlake community and Eanes ISD since 1998. As owner of a Platinum Ranked agency, she is the recipient of the 2018 Travel Influencer Award, 2017 Club Med Top Producer, and 2017 OPAL Award for Women, WTH Certified Spokesperson and serves as Executive Committee Communications Chair for Austin Women Invest to Elect.
Join me on my beautiful active discovery river cruise on the #danube from Budapest to Linz hosted by Avalon Waterways on the #Impression August 2019. We spent one night pre-cruise at the InterContinental Budapest and one night at Sofitel Chain Bridge to enjoy St Stephen’s Day gastronomy festival and fireworks where we also enjoyed a strudel lunch at Reteshaz and a wonderful dinner at Tigris Restaurant. Included are visits to Budapest Opera House, Dohany St Synagogue, Judapest, Vienna Museum of Fine Arts, Schonbrunn Palace, Judenplatz, Heurigen Wine Tavern, Belvedere Palace, Vienna Supreme Concert, Visegrád Knight’s Tournament, Linz Pubs, Engelhartszell, Grein, a canoe ride through the Wachau Valley from Krems to Spitz, the Castle Clam with the Count and Countess, and a very somber and heartbreaking visit to Mauthausen Concentration Camp. Live Music provided by Tom McKernan and the Untouchables. I flew on Qatar Airways, business class, from Cape Town through Doha, and home on Lufthansa economy from Linz through Frankfurt and Houston before getting home in Austin. See the photo album here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/855GR8TRI…
— Be sure to watch my full YouTube videos and please let Lainey book your next land or sea vacation. Follow all my links and please subscribe: https://campsite.bio/855gr8trip
— Lainey Melnick & Associates – Dream Vacations —
Lainey Melnick – Dream Vacations. Full Service Travel Agency for Land and Sea. http://www.855GR8TRIP.com
