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Memories MATTER

183:877336093 (Jay Shannon) — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 00:07:05 GMT

So I have a general question. How much is a memory worth ???

I like to pride myself on occasionally being a deep thinker and my question is how much is a memory worth? I know how much a new car is worth. I can pull out Kelly Bluebook do some research and know what I should pay for a car. I know what a new house is worth. I can talk to a realtor, check the comps in the neighborhood and figure it out. Shoot, I know what a gallon of gas is worth. It’s amazing how I will drive 15 extra minutes to save 3 cents on a gallon of gas…LOL.

But the question of the day is how much is a memory worth? What is the value of walking on the beach with that special person? Do you want to take your children to places you only dreamed about as a child or even take your parents to a far-off destination that they have only read about in a book?

I recently celebrated my 50 ^th birthday and I am months away from being an Official Empty nester and guess what I figured out. I WANT IT ALL…

I want to walk on the beach with my Boo…

I want to take my grandbabies on a cruise…

I want to see the look on my Mom’s face when she sees a Caribbean sunset for the 1 ^st time…

These things matter to me. I can’t put a price on any of them, all I know is that I’ve had some type of job since I was 16 years old and I’ll have all of these memories and more. I’m not rich so I’ll budget, I have a category in savings just for these experiences.

If your memories matter too let me help you. We became travel agents not to get rich but to help the people we care about and new friends have the experiences they have always dreamed about. If you already had the travel bug you know how much more fun it can be when you are with a close group of friends. Let us plan and coordinate your group trip. Stress-Free is for ME.

Let Boats2Beaches Travel help with your next adventure “ It’s Your Time ”

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Meeting new friends on vacation is part of the fun

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 16:57:51 GMT

Making new friends while traveling

Traveling with a partner or a group can be great. You have someone to plan your day with and explore new adventures. But what about the solo traveler? Even couples or seasoned travelers can find value in meeting new people while traveling. Making friends is advantageous because:

Widen your circle - It encourages you to get out of your comfort zone and do more activities. Widening your circle will invite you to explore with your new friends and experience more of the culture. When you connect with a group you commit to doing activities by scheduling meet ups with each other. It is a fantastic way to fill your itinerary and learn of even more wonderful things to do.

Cost effective – activities with more people can be cost effective. Share that taxi ride with your new friends. Be that couple that joins a larger group on their excursion and reap the benefits of a group discount and sharing the experience with your new friends.

Make lifelong friends - You and your new friends now have memories and share the love of travel. What a great start to plan your next adventure with your new travel buddies.

So how do you find your new travel buddy? Where is your tribe?

Take the initiative!

It can be scary, but put yourself out there. A proactive and open-minded approach will help you find your road dogs YOLO! Strike up a conversation. You will be surprised at the exciting things you will learn about people. Invite the people at your same dinner seating to a cruise event that is happening or to join you on an excursion at shore. Do as the locals do. Connecting with local residents will give you the best insight to events, restaurants, and how to navigate in your destination.

Be Active! Pursue your interests and passions while traveling.

One of the rewards of attending events, booking excursions, and participating in your interests is the instant connection you will have with likeminded individuals. Do you love live music – then book a trip to the Caribbean during Carnival. Do you love volunteering? Then find a local charity to volunteer at during your trip. Are you into a sport or fitness. Plan your trip around a race or sporting event you can participate in or attend. The more social activities you attend the more people you will meet. Look for events to attend during your vacation that peak your interests.

Find your tribe in online communities.

With social media, you can easily make friends online. Prior to your trip, search for Facebook groups interested in your specific travel destination or an established travel network. Join our Facebook group – Boats2Beaches Travel Group to be connected to people that love to travel and share experiences. Use Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and even Pinterest to research groups that discuss your destination. Start building your tribe of travel buddies that enjoy your same interests.

Where can you make friends online:

In advance you can Join travel Facebook and online groups interested in destinations you want to travel to. Using official Facebook and established online groups is always a safe option.
Also, do not forget about the online groups for Americans (Ex-Pats) that now live in these destinations. These Ex-Pats have the knowledge on what to enjoy. Also, many now run businesses that may interest you. Introduce yourself in these online groups and forums in the country you are traveling abroad in. Remember safety first. Choose to meet and hang in public and busier places for social events.
Find and make friends by joining chat groups on platforms like WhatsApp, Clubhouse and GroupMe with friends that you have met. If you will be traveling with these friends or during the same time, these apps will be useful in helping you plan meet ups and/or give great travel tips on places to go to in your destination.

The world is at your fingertips and it’s time for you to travel. Don’t let fear of traveling solo or to new destinations stop you. Travel is a great opportunity to socialize and connect with awesome friends just waiting to be discovered!

Hiking the Rainforest of Puerto Rico @ 17,000 ft. above Sea Level

183:877336093 (Jay Shannon) — Sun, 25 Jul 2021 02:48:16 GMT

I pushed my limits and the pay off was AMAZING

So how does a conversation turn into me grabbing a rope and scaling a 7-foot rock, sticking my foot on a two-inch ledge, and squeezing around a corner…LOL.

Let’s press rewind on the story. Before my most recent trip to the Caribbean, I decided I wanted to try some new experiences. No more just sitting on the beach for this guy, I plan on kayaking , snorkeling , biking , and yes hiking .

Time to book a hiking excursion, 17,000 ft. above sea level in the Puerto Rico Rain Forest. This hike included transportation, an early morning authentic mountain bakery to start the day, a moderate skill level hike to a hidden waterfall, and finishing up the day with a buffet of local foods.

Our guide Isaac was great he moved like a jungle cat bouncing from rock to rock, now I looked more like a Chicago Southside alley cat. LOL… but the more we hiked the more fun it was, challenging but exciting. We were headed to a hidden waterfall in the deep forest. I walked through a little mud, then a lot of mud. I around a few streams, then I waded through a knee-high stream. I climbed over a few tree trunks and on some medium-size rocks, then I climbed over some pretty big rocks.

(*Sidenote- Guess what happens in a rainforest??? Rain comes out of NOWHERE *)

Then finally my guide said the magic words “The waterfall is right around the corner”. Lisa and I cracked a smile and said yes it’s over. As we approached a group was passing us on the way down. One person looked at us and said “It’s beautiful, but the hardest part is coming :( :( . We approached and all we could see was a rope and a rock face. WHAT !!!, this is now a thing, then comes the jungle cat guide. He grabs the rope, puts his feet in a couple of spots then disappears around the corner. He then comes back and slowly shows us exactly how to climb up and where to put our feet. I’m thinking maybe it’s time to quit like one other couple but Lisa jumps into military mode and hits the rope. She was scared but much like Wonder Woman in her last movie Lisa grabbed that rope and disappeared around the corner. Not to be outdone I followed and actually, it looked harder than it was.

Once I turned the corner I had no words for how beautiful the waterfall was. It was like a little piece of undiscovered land that has been kept a secret for 100 hundred years. I’m just a kid from Chicago and this is beautiful in a way I haven’t seen. I swam a little in the freshwater pool then I climbed a little higher to take a couple of pics. The last thing I did was promise myself that this would not be the last time I challenged myself on vacation. I want to see the world through new eyes.

This was life-changing… now I just have to figure out how I’m going to get down out of this rainforest.

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