Shereen Rayle's Blog, page 169

Super Useful Travel Links 5.4.12

I hope you are enjoying May so far and my first two reviews in REVIEWapalooza. I decided that so many review requests in a row was a good thing, especially with Summer coming. I still wanted to bring you fun travel links, too, so I am working around my own schedule to make it work. By the end of May, you will be totally prepared to travel for summer, though you could be more so by downloading a copy of my eBook, Secrets to Summer Savings, and learn how to also do it for less money! Use code...

Review: Magellan’s Essential Matte Jersey Collection

When the new Magellan’s catalog came to my mailbox, I was pretty excited to see what was new in the fashionable world of travel. You know as well as I do that those things normally do not go together, but Magellan’s makes it a point to make their clothing attractive, comfortable and easy to coordinate with their other pieces or with other things you have in your closet. The Matte Jersey collection immediately caught my eye, as it is drape-y and looks comfy to wear anywhere, plus all the piec...

Making a Summer Staycation More of a Vacation 5.2.12

We are all pinching pennies this year, what with the cost of gas and airfare making you want to cry every time you search for flights to somewhere you don't live. If you find your vacation budget is there, but just not enough to stay anywhere for very long or make it worth your while, then a staycation may be in your cards. Don't take a typical one, though. Anyone can stay home and drive around all day and then come back and sleep in their own bed. Why not make it a real adventure and be cr...

Backing Up and Organizing Your Travels Part 2 4.28.12

So, last time we talked about how it’s not so great to just leave everything to chance and only have one copy of your itinerary with you and just assume everything will go to plan. We all learned from Dr. Evil that things never go as you expect. What if you lose the one important piece of paper in your giant stack that you feel the need to bring on vacation with you? What if that one paper has your hotel name, number and address on it and you can’t remember any of those things? What will yo...

Backing Up and Organizing Your Travels Part 1 4.25.12

Ever had a horrible hotel experience? Check out mine at Interiors & Sources magazine. I realize now that this is the experience that has made me so obsessive about travel planning.




When you’re planning for vacation, do you end up with endless pieces of paper for hotels, car rentals and other stuff you’re doing? I know I do, but instead of printing out every last thing that I may or may not need, I now have learned that putting it all together online is a better method and helps me to...

Safe Travels 4.21.12

Vacationing is fun, but you can’t expect crime to cease to exist just because you’re having a good time. It’s still out there and many destinations are full of thieves that are playing Spot the Tourists and then quickly planning how to rob you blind. I hate to think of this side of travel, but it’s real and something to always be aware of. You don’t want your getaway spoiled by having your passport, credit cards or cash stolen or have even worse things happen to you. That’s a sure way to en...

Super Useful Travel Links 4.20.12

There have been many cool things happening in the travel world this month, and some not even related to travel, but I've tried to narrow down the most fun and useful links for you, otherwise, I could easily post this series twice a week instead of twice a month. Enjoy and hopefully these will help you out on your own travels and planning.









Am I the only one who kinda wishes they can take their gaming console on the road with them? Dustin at Too Many Adapters has given me new...

Using Your Tax Refund for Vacation Time 4.18.20

Did you know that almost half of Americans are either not using any or all of their vacation time? According to Raddisson and USA Today, 48% use less than half of the 18 vacation days they earn from work. That is a travesty in my book. Seriously. You work so hard all year and you never reward yourself? Sadness! Is it because they don’t think it’s enough time to go anywhere and actually relax? One thing is for sure, most people feel like they need a vacation from their vacation when the...

Yay for Renting a Car 4.11.12

When we travel, we often get a rental car, unless we are in a place with an awesome (or at least usable) transportation system, like Honolulu or London. We have learned a lot about what to ask for before renting and how to make the most of a rental by using things we already own, like insurance. We have full coverage on both of our vehicles at home, which covers us in any vehicle we drive, so we can skip the insurance at the rental counter. We also use a credit card with coverage, so we...

Vacation Rentals for Group Travel 4.7.12

You're probably sick of me talking about how vacation rentals are awesome, but since I genuinely think they can stretch your travel dollar further and use them myself, I will keep telling you until you do it – and probably afterwards – and see for yourself. Though we often stay in timeshare properties when it's just the two of us, it is even more beneficial for travelers who go as four or more, because it gives you room to stretch out and also get away from people if you need to. Being...