Whether you’re trading a villa in Tuscany for a beach house on Cape Cod, or an African safari for the wilds of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, one fact still holds true: “Travel insurance is the best way to protect all of your travels and trip investments during this challenging time,” says Jim Grace, President and CEO of InsureMyTrip.com, a leading online travel insurance comparison site. “While travel insurance can’t prevent things from going wrong, it can help ease your travel woes and get your journey back on track.”
The key is to plan ahead. Travel insurance, like all insurance, is predicated on the occurrence of unforeseen events. You need to purchase travel insurance before your trip for maximum coverage and peace of mind protection against the unexpected. “It only takes one bad travel experience for a person to understand that trip insurance is not a luxury, it’s a necessity,” explains Grace. “Travel insurance is your best defense against many of the most common risks affecting travel today.”
Trip Cost Protection: It happens all the time. Just before your family vacation, one of the kids gets sick, forcing you to cancel the fun-filled get-away. Travel insurance protects your financial investment so you don’t pay for a trip you cannot take.
Travel Delays/Missed Connections: A delayed flight can strand a person for hours or even cause them to miss a connecting flight to a vacation cruise. These events occur often and can wreak havoc on your itinerary not to mention your wallet for hotel accommodations, meals, and transportation caused by weather-related delays and cancellations.
Pre-existing Medical Conditions: If you, a traveling companion, family member, or business partner have a pre-existing medical condition (injury, disease or illness), trip insurance is a must. But plan ahead as the majority of travel insurance policies require that you purchase your policy within 7 to 21 days of your initial trip deposit to be eligible for pre-existing medical conditions coverage.
Hurricanes & Severe Weather: Mother Nature can be a powerful force to reckon with especially if you are traveling to earthquake, hurricane, or flood prone areas. Travel insurance provides coverage for weather-related trip cancellations, delays and interruptions as well as vacation rentals, resorts, and hotels made uninhabitable by weather.
Supplier Default: Most of the major U.S. travel insurers provide financial default/bankruptcy protection if you purchase your travel insurance plan within 7 to 21 days (varies by company and plan) of your initial trip deposit. Although some travel insurers will provide coverage for suppliers that have declared bankruptcy but continue to operate, once a company ceases operations it becomes a foreseen event and insurance can no longer be purchased.
Tour Operator Cancels: Travel insurance does not provide coverage if a tour operator cancels due to a lack of participants. However, some insurance companies do offer a Cancel For Any Reason policy that allows you to cancel your trip for any reason you choose, up to two days prior to your departure.
Unemployment: Most travel insurance policies will cover an unexpected loss of employment. Plans vary by company but all specify coverage for lay-off of a full-time employee.
InsureMyTrip.com allows consumers to review, rate, compare, analyze and purchase travel insurance from all the leading U.S. travel insurance companies in a completely secure environment. To learn more about the protection plans that best suit your vacation travel needs, visit http://www.insuremytrip.com/ on-line or call (800) 487-4722 to speak with a licensed travel insurance professional.
About InsureMyTrip.com
Established in 1995, InsureMyTrip.com is the leading, consumer-oriented online travel insurance aggregator worldwide. Featuring insurance comparisons from the top industry providers, InsureMyTrip.com is a unique, one-stop resource designed to meet consumers’ comprehensive travel insurance needs all in a secure environment. InsureMyTrip.com also specializes in providing integrated technology solutions for the travel insurance industry, with over 2,000 private-labeled and co-branded travel-related websites around the globe. InsureMyTrip.com is headquartered in Warwick, RI withadditional offices and data centers in Connecticut and Oregon.
Source: InsureMyTrip.Com
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
From quick weekend getaways to once in a lifetime trips to the other side of the globe, more and more women are realizing the value in getting away with their mom, daughter, sister, niece, and close friends. Check out these 9 Mother-Daughter trip choices by travelers at Fodor’s for reconnecting with the significant women in your life.
Read the full article at Fodors.com
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Check out Outside magazine’s picks for the best new trips, gear you’ll need in your carry-on, and essential tips, Web sites, gadgets, and more and navigate ‘08 in style.
Click here to read the full article
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Global warming. Arctic melting. Rising sea levels. No longer relegated to environmental doomsayers and apocalyptic prophesiers, these predictions are now being confirmed by top scientists and world leaders around the globe. With all eyes firmly fixed on the dire state of our fragile ecosphere, citizens and businesses alike are growing increasingly aware of the immediate need for conservation and changes in our gluttonous habits towards the Earth’s limited resources – and that’s where hostels come in.
Hostelworld.com recommends the following environmentally friendly hostels, which, truthfully, are anything but inconvenient.
Gyreum: Sligo, Ireland
Direct from Middle-Earth and nestled snugly in the Irish countryside, this solar and wind powered hobbit-hole is constructed from renewable resources, including sheep wool insulation and a “living roof.” Designed with a reverence to the natural world, the structure aligns to the dawns & dusks of the summer and winter solstices when beams of light enter into the great central hall. During the day, ocean-loving guests can carry their shortboard past the hostel’s organic garden to some of the best surfing beaches in Ireland. Landlubbers can trek in their Birkenstocks across the rich landscape that inspired Yeats, searching the nearby hills for hidden pubs that serve their own inspiration by the pint.
http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Gyreum-Sligo-4457
Enigmata Treehouse Ecolodge: Camiguin, Philippines
Channel your inner Swiss Family Robinson with a stay in this state-of-the-art treehouse, overlooking the ocean and surrounded by white beaches, soaring waterfalls and bubbling hot springs. Operated by a vibrant artist and environmental protection group known as the Enigmata Creative Circle, the treehouse’s existence and operation is a testament to environmental awareness, offering biodiversity workshops and conservation seminars. Visitors can dine in the outdoor garden among the blooming rain trees or spend an evening in the treetop bar and lounge, stargazing and moon bathing. Those seeking personal reflection can retire to the poolside poets’ nook or the meditation corner perched atop the treehouse.
http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/EnigmataTreehouseEcolodge-Camiguin-14147
Port O Call YHA: Port Douglas, Australia
The Port O Call hostel proves that it is not necessary to resemble an eccentric tree-hugging commune to be eco-conscious. Hostellers loll in a huge lagoon-like pool heated by the sun’s rays. Inside the hostel, funky tropical bedrooms use light efficiency and solar energy to keep you warm through long blustery nights. There is plenty of action to be found on the 4-mile beach and marina located a mere 5-minute walk away. At this snazzy seaside hostel you are sure to quickly befriend an outgoing crowd that appreciate the value of a cold beer and a healthier planet.
http://www.hostelworld.com/availability.php/PortOCallYHA-PortDouglas-6880
Eco Beach YHA: Apollo Bay, Victoria
A chic, 3 million dollar hostel located within walking distance of spectacular sandy shores, Eco Beach YHA uses passive solar energy to ensure the satisfaction of both the environment and its guests. There is certainly no need to shell out extra cash for a tasty meal out at this hostel; an array of herbs can be picked right from the surrounding garden, perfect for experimenting with in the spacious, fully equipped kitchen. Wrap your leftovers up in recycled aluminum foil and grill them up for tomorrow’s lunch before heading out to surf and paraglide along the seashore. The Eco Beach hostel offers its guests an elegant, earth-conscious experience sure to please all.
http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/EcoBeachYHA-ApolloBay-16568
Hedonisia Hawaii, Hawaii Big Island, USA
Don’t expect anything traditional at this hostel, as all accommodations have been fashioned from recycled materials and renewable products. A defunct school bus has been converted to sleep a family of four, a bamboo hut has been constructed with the couple in mind, and an old tractor has been renovated to house a lone traveller. Each sleep house has been placed strategically around the 3-acres of property to ensure that every guest awakes and steps outside to a breathtaking view, whether it is a gleaming ocean or the 2-acre volcanic crater located right on the property. But by far the most interesting view maybe found from the eco-friendly toilet which looks out over the jungle. Guests are encouraged to try their luck at living off the land, as gardens full of spices and salad greens make for nutritious ingredients. Hedonisia Hawaii Hostel offers the overworked traveller a rejuvenating break from consumer, mainstream society.
http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/HedonisiaHawaii-BigIsland-7941
HI Boston Downtown: Boston, USA
Located at the birthplace of the American Revolution in Boston’s Back Bay, H.I. Boston is at the forefront of another uprising – the movement towards environmentally conscious lifestyles in bustling urban jungles. This hostel not only provides guided tours of the Freedom Trail and kayak trips down the Charles River, but also an eco-program that pushes both staff and patrons to be stewards of the earth by offering recycling stations, energy efficient lighting and appliances, recyclable carpet and low-flow plumbing. Boston Hostelling International is located only a brisk walk away from all of Boston’s most popular attractions: luxurious Newbury Street shopping, Quincy Market, and Fenway Park. The surrounding neighborhood also boasts some of the areas top-notch bars, so if the cocktails don’t help you sleep easy, let your mind be put to rest with the knowledge that you are doing your part to alleviate accelerated global warming.
http://www.hostelworld.com/availability.php/HIBostonDowntown-Boston-1852
HI Washington DC: Washington DC, USA
This hostel just eight blocks from the White House is one of the greenest hostels in North America and is committed to being a positive force on environmental issues. Each floor has its own recycling centre, where they promote the recycling of aluminum, glass, paper and plastic. But that’s not all…the paper used at reception is 100% recycled; compact fluorescent light bulbs are used throughout the city and the soap used in the kitchen is environmentally friendly. They even show documentaries on environmental topics once a month. If you feel the people at the White House aren’t doing their bit to help the environment but you want to help when you are in town, make sure to stay here.
http://www.hostelworld.com/availability.php/HostellingInternationalWashingtonDC-WashingtonDC-1859
Reykjavik City Hostel: Reykjavik, Iceland
Iceland is a country steeped in natural beauty, from tremendous icecaps and explosive geysers to steaming solfataras and magnificent waterfalls. Reykjavik City Hostel, one of the capital’s top hostels, has received awards for both its responsible treatment of nature and its excellence in service and quality. The hostel promotes energy monitoring, erosion control and extensive recycling services, while offering its pampered guests high-speed internet access, laundry service and fully equipped kitchens. Outside of the hostel, enjoy excursions to the beautiful Blue Lagoon, botanical gardens and tremendous waterfalls, all of which can be organized by a friendly staff at the front desk.
http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/ReykjavikCityHostel-Reykjavik-8792
Grampians YHA Eco-Hostel; Grampians, Australia
Forget the grocery store, this hostel offers a delicious array of organic, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and herbs in the backyard. Throw some freshly picked vegetables together with eggs straight from the estate’s chickens, garnish with some succulent fruit and indulge in an unforgettable breakfast before heading out to do some hardcore rock climbing and bushwalking in the Grampians National Park. Return home to a cozy lodge and warm-up next to an inviting wood heater that consumes 50% less energy than a traditional heating system while also serving as the main meeting spot for guests.
http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/GrampiansYHAEcoHostel-Grampians-16573
Deepdale Backpackers Hostel, Burnham Deepdale, England
Built around a partially covered stable courtyard and dating back to the seventeenth century, Deepdale transcends time, mixing old world traditions with new age amenities. Located on a working farm, which in 2004 was voted the most beautiful farm in Britain, the hostel engages in all forms of environmental and energy conservation including the use of solar panels for all accommodations. Deepdale is currently working with major universities to explore new forms of environmental approaches such as water recycling, wind turbines and bio-diesel fuel.
http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/DeepdaleBackpackersHostel-BurnhamDeepdale-531
Source: The Castle Group, Inc.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Traveling for business, leisure, a wedding or simply just planning a summer vacation? Want to make sure the picture of the room and hotel you saw on the hotel website actually resembles what the room looks like in person?
Who hasn’t felt a bit lost trying to pick a hotel, with little information and no visuals to help? Or disappointed by a hotel room that doesn’t live up to the impression it made when it was reserved? Now there’s a website where you can check out your hotel before you book. TVtrip.com has 115 destinations, 5530 hotels, 494008 reviews, and 4937 videos of hotels in popular destinations such as Madrid, Beijing, Paris New York, San Francisco, Miami and Chicago, so you can “check out” your next hotel before you check in.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
THE WAYFARERS’ NEW FALL CINQUE TERRE WALK IS PERFECT FOR A GIRLFRIENDS GETAWAY FOR ALL AGES
Guaranteed in US Dollars
Enjoy the camaraderie of a fitness-oriented and pampering vacation with the Wayfarers’ new “girlfriends getaway” Cinque Terre itinerary. An energetic walk that covers mule tracks by road, and hills via stone steps, Cinque Terre offers an immersion into the area called by many the most beautiful part of Italy and one that is best visited by foot. Accommodations are in a former 16th-century Franciscan monastery with a state-of-the-art Wellness Spa and in a hotel with its own sandy beach.
A World Heritage site, Cinque Terre or “Five Lands” sits near Genoa in Liguria, in a corner of Northern Italy originally forged by the Romans as trade routes. Linking five enchanting villages set in the cliffs and harbors of the Italian Riviera, the pathways and rocky terraces of the area offer views of pastel houses that reach from hilltop to the blue Ligurian Sea, terraced vineyards, and olive groves. A food mecca, the region is synonymous with olive oil, basil, pesto and the dessert wine Sciacchetra. Of particular interest to women, the Walk features a tour of Rapallo’s lace museum; lunch in elegant Portofino; shopping in Sestri Levante, a town known for its fine linens; a crossing of the Riviera di Levante by boat, rail and cable car; and a visit to a mountaintop monastery. Days are punctuated by meals of local delicacies, wines and limoncello between walks covering three to five miles. Dinner is a lavish affair preceded by a cocktail hour designed to further foster conversation and friendship.
Priced at US $3795 per person, based on double occupancy, the seven-day/six-night walk takes place on September 21-27 (women only) and October 5-11 and includes 6-8 miles of walking per day. A single supplement is priced at $470.
The Wayfarers, named one of the “Best Outfitters on Earth” by National Geographic Adventure, marks its 25th season with 83 diverse Walks through 15 countries. All Wayfarers Walks are US dollar guaranteed, so travelers can book with no worries about fluctuating exchange rates. The Wayfarers 2008 schedule includes Walks in England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Austria, France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland and the United States.
About The Wayfarers
Offering an eco-aware “walking” holiday of both culture and fitness, The Wayfarers’ newest Walks/hikes include South Africa, Slovenia, New Zealand and California. A new women’s-focused program with Girlfriend Getaways and Mother/Daughter walks adds shopping, museums, spa treatments, and more. Other popular walks are the Founders’ Walk on the Isle of Wight, Croatia, Austria, Amalfi Coast, and Czech Republic. Now in its 25th season and named one of the “Best Outfitters on Earth” by National Geographic Adventure, The Wayfarers offer exclusive entrées into homes and gardens otherwise closed to the public, graceful accommodations, outstanding cuisine, and meetings with local residents. Walks range from 5-12 days and are rated easy to challenging, with distances of 4-5 miles, 6-10 miles or 12-15 miles per day. www.thewayfarers.com, 800- 249-4620.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".