Is it bad to say the  G word??

The G word "Group"

Question: When is Group Travel okay? Even preferred?

Answer: Lots of times!

I used to have my nose up in the air about traveling in a group. What if I had nothing in common with the other people? What if I had no alone time? Well go on just one great group trip and those concerns go right out the window! 

I love designing groups to travel because I’ve found it’s one of the best ways to see the sights, taste the flavors, and truly experience amazing locations with the shared energy of like-minded companions. 

None of “If this if it's Tuesday, it must be Belgium”. When I create a group itinerary, l include the best of the best, in a fun-filled, yet thoughtful timeline. One that won’t leave you dropping exhausted into your bed every night, but still humming a happy tune while going over your photos from the day. One where you truly appreciate the sights and sounds of the destination. 

I get asked a lot about why someone would want to join a group? Well, it’s a great way to travel, whether you’re solo, part of a couple, with a friend or traveling with your adult kids. It allows you to see more and enjoy stress free time.

Travel is also about relationships. You make fast friends while still having the time and space to do things on your own or with a new friend you've just met. I’ve met some of my dearest and longtime friends when traveling in a group.

I love planning travel for my individual clients, but I don’t get to go on their amazing itineraries. If it’s one of my “Come Travel With Me!” groups I get to fulfill a bucket list destination and travel with you. That is the best of all worlds and you just know it will be spectacular! 

I’ve put together another fabulous itinerary. This time to Morocco! It’s perfect for a group- hitting all the highlights, exploring little known places, & enjoying the awe-inspiring views. Hot air balloon ride anyone? Camel ride to glamping in the Sahara? See the stars like you have never seen them before? I know this will truly will be the beginning of many beautiful new friendships! Travel is all about shared experiences that create bonds for life. 

We had a great time in Egypt!

Now Come to Morocco with me!

You’ll see stars like never before in the Sahara night sky. You’ll taste the flavors and culture as you take a bite of your delicious tagine dish. Play It Again Sam, in Rick's Café.

Check out my Mysterious Morocco experience.

I have space and would love to travel with you. This could be the perfect group!

What are your travel plans for 2023?

Everyone is still madly wanting to travel. Many opportunities for 2023 are already sold out. Don’t put off making plans now.

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La Orana: Tahiti

Photography/Post by Larissa Rolley

Tahiti: Maybe it's the sun-kissed beaches, the sparkling waters, the breathtaking waterfalls or the gourmet French Polynesian cooking.  Perhaps it’s the snorkeling and diving, the surfing or the amazing tours through the rainforests. Or is it that the mailboxes in front of each residence are actually for fresh French bread delivery, not mail. It could be the lagoons, the star-filled night skies, the fascinating culture and the welcoming Polynesian people that you hear calling out to the traveler, voyager, adventuress or wanderlust in you.

Traveler — one who is traveling or who travels often.

Our best memories come from traveling. It starts with that first trip, the one where we get hooked on discovering the unknown. We learn that with each exciting visit to a new locale, we unearth more about ourselves. Before first embarking to Tahiti, I thought "well, if you've seen one beach with a palm tree—then you've seen 'em all!" How wrong I was. Like the boroughs of New York or the arrondissement in Paris, each Tahitian Island has its own unique qualities that make it worth visiting. And if you can do it with a  friend, family member or a partner, you'll find that there is no more rewarding bonding experience than creating those South Seas memories together.

Voyager — one who goes on a long trip to a faraway land, especially by ship.

Authentic personal experience can only be obtained through face-to-face contact and cultural exchange. During a foray to the South Pacific, a place untouched by the masses, you'll have the opportunity to make these connections with the Polynesian people. Stop at a roadside food stand for a visit with the locals and pick up some fresh firi-firi (long, twisted pastry) or sink your teeth into the freshly-picked mango they offer you. At each island, you'll be welcomed with open arms and big smiles. Tahiti's natural beauty and treasures are laid in front of you; turquoise lagoons that teem with wildlife and yield luxurious pearls, lush forests that grow pineapples and breadfruit and maohi (native Tahitians) that warmly share their culture with you.

Adventuress — a woman who enjoys or seeks adventure.

An adventuress gravitates toward natural environments in remote locations that offer up exciting activities. Whether it is SCUBA diving, snorkeling, paragliding or following hidden trails through green valleys to waterfalls—Tahiti offers the adventure traveler a deep connection to land and sea. If it is a new endeavor, lessons and small group excursions are available to provide guidance and camaraderie.  And if you're an adventuress traveling solo—you'll share these incredible moments with new friends who share your penchant for adventure.

Wanderluster— one who has an innate desire to explore.

Being a traveler is not the same as a wanderluster, who is lured by the thrills of discovering new places. Social media and modern communication tools may bring the world to your fingertips, but one knows more of a road by having traveled it than by having seen pictures and heard descriptions of it. But what you see on social media is true; the water really is that color of turquoise. What social media isn't sharing with you though, is the scent of Tahiti and her islands. Oooh, those tiare flowers smell divine!

How are you going to see these islands? Unlike traveling by car or train, traveling by water brings out a different kind of awe—one you can sit back and appreciate as you take in the expanse and beauty of the horizon. Discover hidden coves, explore uninhabited islands, relax on private beaches. These extraordinary places will open up special, new experiences for you. Before you realize it, you'll slide into a new existence... one that you will not want to leave: Tahiti.

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We Make Travel Easy Celebrates The Virtues of Gardening and Travel...

Gardens and Travel, what do they teach us?

Gardening is one of the most rewarding, entertaining and healthy hobbies you can embark upon. It brings many positive influences that stretch far beyond what you might initially assume. For some, gardening is a way of life, their way to escape from the rest of the world in their own intimate grounds. For others, it’s a delightful passion that brings great joy, similar to travel.

While we’ve all been spending more time at home, many “amateurs” have discovered the “grounding” benefits that gardening brings to one’s mental, physical and emotional health. So, whether you’re a novice or an avid enthusiast, we want you to discover the top 10 reasons to love gardening.

Here’s what’s you need to know about the virtues of gardening (and travel):

1) Good for the Mind

Scientific evidence has shown that gardening is beneficial to those living with anxiety and depression. It offers a therapeutic and natural experience that is incredibly rewarding…providing many psychological benefits…as does travel.

2) Teaches Integral Life Values

As most plants and flowers do not grow overnight, one of the most important things you can learn while embarking on your gardening journey is patience. Gardening can be a great way to learn the value of hard work, endurance, determination and caring for others. Planning a great itinerary takes time and patience too.

3) Good for Your Physical Health

Gardening certainly requires physical effort and the calories that can be burnt when undertaking strenuous gardening activities such as digging and weeding are great benefits. This helps to keep you fit and lose weight or to simply stay active. And, each journey, whether in your garden or abroad, exposes you to healthy physical activity.

4) Your Own Space, Exactly How you Want it

Gardening is a chance to completely design and create your own space, one in which you have almost full control…weather dependent, of course. You can choose to create a private sanctuary in which to relax or share your labor of love with others. Is it starting to sound like gardening is a lot like travel? You get to create your own personal travel experience.

5) It Connects you to Nature

Gardening allows you to focus on something that will give you a feeling of true achievement. It also brings you a lot closer to the earth and the creatures with whom you are sharing your garden. Many horticulturists even build their gardens around the wildlife they want to attract. If indeed, you are an outdoor enthusiast, travel takes you to nature’s most beautiful places in the world.

6) Good Source of Vitamin D

Exposure to sunlight and fresh air helps the body to naturally produce Vitamin D, which is vital for a healthy immune system. However, always be mindful of the danger of overexposure to sunlight, especially if you're not wearing sunscreen. In addition to blooming your garden at home, you may choose to follow the sun, anytime of the year. There is always a beach, calling, somewhere in the world

7) Give Back to Nature

We often talk about “giving back” to nature, but, rather than leaving it to commercial or Government schemes, we can all do our part and give back to the environment by gardening. Planting wildlife-friendly trees and shrubs helps to create ecosystems to maintain a healthier environmental balance. And, as a matter of fact, you can choose to travel sustainably. There are several destinations in which you can volunteer your time, giving to a community’s’ need for “re-growth.”

8) Source of Healthy, Organic Vegetables

By growing your own vegetables, you know exactly what has gone into them. Plus, you'll save money on pre-packaged, commercially-grown produce….and you can share the “fruits” of your labor with others. Visit some of the best Farmer’s Markets while you’re on the road…taste what locals eat in other places!

9) It Lets you Build Relationships

Building a garden with a friend, family member or partner is a rewarding bonding experience. You'll work together on a project, while learning about each other every step of the way. This makes gardening a great tool for socializing and bonding with others. Travel lets you reconnect and build relationships.

10) It Provides Excellent Gifts

Gifting store-bought plants and flowers is quite common, so imagine receiving a lovely present, knowing that the gifter has planted, nurtured and grown it themselves. Bringing back a gift, from a far-off place, can be extra special. 

Gardening, similar to travel, offers a huge number of benefits and is a great way to express yourself. Each year, as you look at your garden or travel the globe, you will notice and appreciate how it changes you and grows a brighter future.

If you are a gardening or travel enthusiast, you must check out Floriade 2022 Expo and We Make Travel Easy’s Floriade 2022 and Beyond as it’s an experience not to be missed. What could be more perfect than combining garden and travel?

Floriade 2022 and Beyond

We are proud to feature our guest blogger: Molly Blaisdell from Hook, Line and Thinker.

Starting on 14 April 2022, The Netherlands’ town of Almere will be the stage for the International Horticultural Exhibition Floriade Expo 2022. During Floriade, the Dutch horticulture sector in conjunction with national and international participants, will exhibit green solutions that can make cities around the world more fun, livable and sustainable. This highly reputed Dutch horticultural event is held just once a decade and is the largest international floral expo. In 2022, for the seventh iteration of the expo, nature lovers and the sustainability-inclined will be heading to the garden city of Almere to enjoy educational opportunities and view many international floral pavilions. Around two million visitors are expected to attend the exposition.

A celebration of green

In 2022, the Floriade theme is "Growing Green Cities," which will focus on the future needs of combining nature and cities. New technologies for greenery, food, energy and health will be researched and implemented at this living laboratory. Visitors will be touched by what they see, smell and taste. The park consists of permanent elements and expo-specific ones. All of which contribute to Floriade’s four sub-themes: Greening the City, Feeding the City, Healthifying the City and Energizing the City. Inspiring gardens, conferences, workshops and exhibitions will be mixed with impressive attractions, surprising tasting sessions, art and culture. The site will be full of energy and action. Naturally, all in wonderful, green surroundings.

The Greenhouse Complex

The Dutch horticultural sector is a real pioneer with innovations that set an example for the rest of the world. You can see that at Floriade Expo 2022, which is all about making cities more fun, livable and sustainable. The Greenhouse Complex is the place where Dutch Horticulture will present itself to the world in the broadest sense of the term. The greenhouse is 170 meters long and is divided into five parts: The Reception, a High-Tech Greenhouse, an Experiential Greenhouse, a Technology Innovation Center and a Greenhouse Restaurant. The implementation and design of the Greenhouse complex is aimed at taking both visitors and foreign (trade) delegations into innovations and developments in, among other things, circular agriculture, climate adaptation, biodiversity and food supply.

Floriade 2022 and Beyond

In order to accommodate floral enthusiasts and professionals, Sandy Lipkowitz of We Make Travel Easy has designed an incredible 10-day Floriade 2022 and Beyond itinerary, for this important International Horticulture Expo.

In addition to the featured expo, a visit to the international flower auction, the Floriade 2022 and Beyond itinerary will include a post-Floriade private ship charter aboard the luxury AmaWaterways’ beautiful AmaPrima to experience several very special gardens in The Netherlands and Belgium. The ten-day itinerary is scheduled for May 29-June 7, 2022.

For more information

To get you in the mood, check out Sandy’s NPR interview with Tom Wilmer and visit her website.

Happy Sailing!

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Call Me - Let's Talk ! 775-671-0148
Prefer to Email? Lois@wemaketraveleasy.com

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