TRAVEL TIPS THIS SUMMER 

Schools out, work is on hold, flight tickets and hotel all sorted ( well almost!) What next? well  don't you sometimes get on a vacation and then remember that although you 'planned' everything  you've left some major bits out. Yea yea I know you said planning for this summer will be better than last summer. Worst still if  you are like me and you have a partner who wants to stay blameless, (who keeps saying at every opportunity-I have left this holiday planning to you ...........just tell me where to seat) you just want to make sure all boxes are ticked. Believe me sometimes its the little things that ruin the holiday. I thought I should share some great tips from  Diane Gottsman, Owner Protocol School of Texas. However some of this can be sorted by having an excellent travel agent (wink!)

1. Start out with a checklist. Even a person with a great memory has multiple things to remember when planning for a trip. It's always best to be safe and refer to a list rather than running the risk of leaving something important behind. 
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3. Identify your suitcase. Your grandmother may wrap an oversized piece of yarn to her suitcase handle, but there are various attractive tags available to easily identify your luggage. Also, take a quick picture of your suitcase with your cellphone in the event your luggage is lost and you misplace your luggage ticket. This will serve as an additional way to identify your luggage with the airlines.
4. Create separate travel bags. Purchase travel size toiletries and pack a bag with items designated for travel use only. Replenish as necessary and when it's time to pack, all you have to do is grab and go. This easy step saves time, effort and worry when you are traveling to a last minute business meeting.
5. Designate a travel packing area a week prior to your flight. Choose a location in your home where you can collect travel items that you plan to take on the upcoming trip. A pashmina scarf that can be used as a soft blanket on the flight, a lightweight trench for rain and chilly weather, pajamas, clothing, ties, noise cancelling headphones, etc. I like to buy a second set of hair tools - one for home and one to keep in the suitcase. Pack a carry-on bag with necessary medicines and personal essentials in the event your luggage gets lost.
6. Purchase magazines at the airport. While it's easy to grab a few magazines in the checkout line at the grocery store, chances are you will end up reading them before your trip. By the time you are purchasing your bottled water and power bar at the airport, you will know which magazines you've already read and those you can entertain yourself with on the flight.
7. Bring an extra set of reading glasses, cell charger, and ear buds.Regardless of how careful I am, I always lose at least one of these per trip. Packing a backup is always a good idea.
8. Don't get caught without important phone numbers. I was recently delayed at an airport due to a fire in the control tower. There were no flights going in or out, counters were stacked, and the Admirals Club was overrun with weary and frustrated travelers. The airport hotlines were exploding with people attempting to reschedule their flights. Having all the airline information at my fingertips in my cell phone sped up the process of rescheduling. If you haven't already done so, download the app for the airline, and login with your credentials in advance.
9. The name on the reservation and identification should match exactly.Your name may be Charles but you go by your middle name, David, and it can be both confusing and detrimental should you be questioned or challenged to get out of line to reconcile the discrepancy in names. This simple step can save you from missing a flight.
10. For special requests, alert the airline in advance. If you need a wheelchair, have a child with a severe allergy or require a certain seat, it's best to let the airline know when you make the reservation in order for proper arrangements to be made. When asking for a special seat, earlier is always better as seat assignments can be requested on the airline website or app, and you run the risk of losing the seat to someone who is faster on the keypad.
11. Fly nonstop whenever possible. A direct flight can land at other airports along the way, allowing some passengers to exit while others board the flight en route to a final destination. A nonstop flight does exactly what it says; starts at one location and doesn't land until it has reached the designated state or country.
12. Culled from huffingtonpost.com

Maple Honeymoon

...Now that you've said your vows, cut the cake and danced your sorrows away. What better way to start the rest or rather the first day of the rest of you lives than a romantic getaway with your partner.

When you think of Honeymoons what crosses your mind is either one of two extremes; the first is a busy artistic choice with loads of sightseeing, art galleries and co. And the second, which a lot of us will agree is a more perfect choice (well I would) is the relaxed type with your feet in the sand, drink in hand, waking up to the sunrise.

If you belong in the second category, congrats. 

Maple travels has mapped out the perfect honeymoon for you and your beau. Seychelles, officially the Republic of Seychelles, is a 155-island country spanning an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, whose capital, Victoria, lies some 1,500 km east of mainland Southeast Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar. The climate in Seychelles is pretty ideal, always warm, and without the extreme or harsh weather that many other tropical destinations experience. It's a little humid at times, but not uncomfortable so--much less than many Caribbean countries in their summers. Seychelles is a member of the African Union, which means there is no Visa requirement to visit.

Also very vital side bar, the Duke and Duchess f Cambridge (Prince William and Kate Middleton) honeymooned in Seychelles after their widely spread extravagant wedding. We are just saying. 

Maia Luxury Resort & Spa 

is a resort with luxurious villas overlooking the Indian Ocean.

Facilities

A gourmet restaurant, a private infinity swimming pool, free Wi-Fi and an iPod docking station are standard in each of Maia Luxury Resort’s villas. They also have a kitchenette, an outdoor gazebo and a sun deck.

Guests can enjoy a candle-lit dinner on the beach or arrange a private BBQ on the terrace of their villa. Tec Tec restaurant serves gourmet cuisine, and is flexible to prepare dishes outside of set dining hours.

Massage treatments in the spa as well as rose-petal baths can be arranged by the 24-hour private butler. Yoga, qi gong, or work out in the techno-gym.

Distance from Seychelles International Airport- 10 km.

Price – Call for more info or send a mail to honeymoons@mapletravels.com

 Coral Strand Smart Choice       

     It is located in the beaches of Beau Vallon Bay. It features an outdoor pool, rooms facing the Indian Ocean. It also has a bar and on-site shops.

The Ocean Deck Pub is located directly at the beach. A buffet breakfast is served at the hotel, whilst is it also possible to have the afternoon tea accompanied by a selection of cakes and crepes.

Guests can relax by the swimming pool enjoying a drink on the poolside deck. The sandy beaches

are also just a few metres away where it is also possible to practice snorkelling, windsurfing or diving.

The Seychelles International Airport is a 20-minute drive.

Total Package 791,856 for 5 nights – flights, hotel and breakfast inclusive (2 people)

Kempinski Seychelles Resort

    Located in the exclusive south end of Mahé, in the famous Baie Lazare, Kempinski Seychelles offers luxurious rooms with a balcony or terrace. Kempinski Seychelles Resort has spacious, elegantly decorated rooms with modern wooden furniture. All units feature either a balcony or a private terrace and include a satellite TV, iPod docking stations, tea-and-coffee-making facilities and a minibar.

Facilities

Outdoor pool and spa facilities.Café Lazare is the resort’s all-day dining venue, serving a rich breakfast buffet, a la carte lunch, and themed buffet dinners. L'Indochine offers a selection of traditional dishes. Cocktails and snacks can be enjoyed at Windsong Bar while Planter’s Lounge and Bar entertains guests with life music every evening.

Guests can enjoy activities include snorkeling and kayaking.The Seychelles International Airport can be reached within 30 minutes by car.

Total Package -894,086 for 5 nights – flights, hotel and breakfast inclusive (2 people)

Yours To Dream , Ours to achieve..................................

Honeymoons.... The second most important aspect of the wedding not any less important.

Planning a wedding isn’t easy, especially in Nigeria (and some parts of the world) where apart from the stress of planning any wedding there are external factors that further complicate matters.

Before I go any further let me introduce myself. My name is Tiwa and I have been given this task of birthing the honeymoon division of the company. For a few days I have been thinking about how best to go about this: formal or informal?

My boss said to me ’Look Tiwa this thing is a woman’s thing, I don’t know what direction it should take, just do what you think is best’. So I hope my best is good enough. I’ll get to work!