Finding Your Transfer Company at the Airport

Okay my awesome 1st time out of the country travellers…I have made a video JUST for YOU!  If you are a "seasoned traveller", you can stop reading now.  This video is not for you, and all you will do is make fun of my mad video skills!  :)

First-Timers...Keep Calm and Read On!  

If you have booked a fabulous all-inclusive vacation with me, chances are I have set up transfers to pick you up at the airport and take you to your resort.  So, this is a video of me---walking through the Cancun Airport---in search of my transfer company.  

The number one question I get from my "first time out of the country" clients before they leave is,

"How in the WORLD am I going to know WHO to go with?!?"  

And you're probably wondering the same exact thing!  

You're concerned for 3 reasons...

1)  This is new to you. 

2)  You are in a foreign country, so you're wondering, "Are they going to be able to understand me?  What if I can't understand them?"

3)  You don't want to go with the wrong person/company. 

Here are the steps you take: 

-After you go through customs, you will walk outside to find your company.  

-Keep walking until you find someone holding your transfer company's name on a sign.  (Side Note:  I will give you the name of your transfer company before you leave).

-Find the company and verify that your name is on their list.  

-If it is...MISSION COMPLETED!    

Now, here's a small video clip showing you what the Cancun Airport looks like when you walk outside to find your transfer company.  

Enjoy!  :)

CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO

Sand Collection

So back in July, I showed you the way I LOVE to display my vacations in my house.  If you didn't see that post, here it is...Travel Collage, Scrapbook, Picture, Display, Thing  but don't forget to come back and finish this post.  :) 

Well, another obsession of mine is collecting sand from all of the different beaches and islands I visit.  I saw this concept in a magazine years ago, fell head-over-heels IN LOVE with it, started my collection shortly there after, and haven't stopped since!  I just added my 11th vase of sand, and this is what my collection looks like today (when put all together).   

I'm not sure exactly what excites me the most...visiting these beautiful places, creating new memories, bringing a new sand home and being able to compare it to the others (color, texture, grain size, etc.), buying another funky vase, or just adding adding to my collection?  Who knows?  What I DO know is I LOVE IT!

More pics...

 

Now, how to start your collection is quite obvious, but I do have some tips!

1)  Go somewhere fabulous, make some memories, and bring home some sand! 
TIP:  The best thing to keep your sand in while traveling is an empty water bottle.  If you have a larger vase you plan to use, you will probably need two water bottles of sand.  

2)  Get a vase:  I purchase my vases from random stores.  I have found most of them from Pier One, but I've also found some from Wal-Mart, Home Goods, Dollar General, etc.  I try my best to have different sizes and shapes, but I DO prefer all of them to be plain clear glass (no color tints, no embellishments, no indentations, etc).  The lady in the magazine had hers in Mason Jars, which is great because it comes with a lid!  But, you do whatever!

3)  Make a cute tag:  I use an off-white thick card stock.  You want the tag to be thicker than normal paper for sure, because otherwise it looks cheap and flimsy.  Write what beach or island you were on, punch a hole in the top, thread a string through it, and tie it around your cute new vase.

4)  Find a place to display it and you're done! 

Each vase in my collection holds SO many memories.  I have the sand from the beach in Florida where I stood barefoot and said "I do" to my best friend, the 3 beaches in the Caribbean where I spent an exhausting but CRAZY FUN weekend island hopping with some of the best women in the world, the beach in Mexico where my husband and I honeymooned, the beach on Disney's private island where I spied (or at least tried to spy) on Steve Harvey, the beach in Jamaica where my husband and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary and also the baby we are expecting in March.  I could go on and on! 

Hopefully this has inspired you to start your own collection.  Maybe you aren't into the sand thing...think outside the box!  Be creative and find other ways to display your precious vacation memories other than a dusty old photo album that never gets flipped through.   :)

If you need any help finding an island to visit to start your collection, you know who to call!  :)

Hyatt Place Atlanta-North

So, we just arrived at the Hyatt Place Atlanta-North hotel for our overnight stay before Jamaica in the morning!  I chose this hotel for a few reasons. 
1)  Affordable rate
2)  Good reviews
3)  Its VERY close proximity to the ATL airport (7 minutes or less)
4)  Free Wi-Fi
5)  100% Smoke Free Facility

I was confident in my choice, but I fell in LOVE when I saw this.... a Self Check-In Kiosk!

Now, for those of you who freak when you see ANYTHING with the word "Self" slapped on it, have no fear!  There is still a traditional Guest Services desk located in the lobby, with friendly hotel staff waiting with their nice little name tags on ready to help you.  But, please do me a favor and listen (or better yet, read) what I have to say about these terrific towers of technology.  

THEY ARE SOOOOO EASY TO USE!!!  Here's what I did.

1)  I touched the "Check In" button on the screen. 

2)  I swiped the credit card I used to hold the reservation and VOILA!  "Welcome Mrs. Cain!"

3)  I answered a couple of questions...

     a)  Where would you like you room...Lower Level?  Mid Level?  High Level?

     b)  How many room keys do you need...  One?  Two?

4)  The kiosk then prints out a confirmation that looks like a receipt.  It summarizes my reservation, gives me my room number, and even gives me instructions on how to find my room.  I obviously didn't need that, but hey...it would be nice to have if I did!

5)  After I pull my receipt/confirmation out, it spits out my room key.  Oh, and how CUTE is that room key?!?

I'm done!  I have just checked myself into a hotel in under 60 seconds, and THAT, to me my friend, is AWESOME!

Now here's what the room looks like.  These are real pictures, straight from my little Casio point-and-shoot camera.  No touch-ups like you may find on some websites.

 And if you're one of those crazy people who work out while on vacation...here you go.  Small, but it looks like it gets the job done.

I give it an A+!  
Great for business travel and over-night stays when you have an early flight out of ATL the next morning.  Good rate.  Rooms are very clean.  Nice modern decor and comfy beds.  Bathrooms are squeaky clean.  The staff is very friendly.  Although I didn't talk to anyone while checking in (because of the nifty kiosk), I got a call from the front desk within 30 minutes of arriving to see if I was okay and satisfied with the room.  "YES!" was my response.  To be honest, I didn't even know they knew I was here!  :)

Something about passports every BRIDE should know

Brides NEVER get back from their honeymoon with "change my passport" on their to-do list.  They're busy moving into a new home, writing thank you notes, finding a company to preserve their dress, calling their photographer on a weekly basis for an E.T.A on their pictures.  I know…I’ve been there!  :)  So, naturally the passport is no where close to the to-do list, much less ON it.  BUT if I told you it would save you $135, I'm sure you'd put it on the list, wouldn't you?

Now it's time for my BIG MONEY SAVING tip: 

If it has been less than a year from the date your current passport was issued and your name has been legally changed, you can have your passport updated without a fee!  Even better, you don't even have to go to the Post Office to do it!  This is all you have to do...

Mail in:   * your current, valid U.S. passport
                  * completed form DS-5504 (I provided the link below)
                  * original or certified copy of your marriage certificate
                  * a new 2x2 passport photo

POOF...it's done, and it didn't cost you a dime! 

Most people assume you have to apply for a whole new passport to update their name, so they toss their passport in a dresser drawer and forget about it until they get ready to travel again.  By that time, they've PROBABLY passed the 1 year mark so guess what...they're going to be spending a fat 135 bucks on a new passport. 

This is something I wish I had known 3 years ago!  I'm departing for Jamaica in less than two months, and guess where $135 of my money is going.  YUP!  Merry Christmas US Post Office, Love The Cains!   

If you're still within that year requirement, print this form out TO-DAY and get this done!  You WILL call me for another trip within the next 10 years, you WILL need your passport to be updated, and you WILL be glad you did it!

If you are past the year requirement, then girl...I know how you feel!  It's just one more reason women have it worse than men.  :)
 

Link to Form DS-5504:  http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds5504/ds5504_2663.html

Bride and Groom Stay Free Offer

We're going to MEXICO, and we’re, gonna get CASADO!!!

This is a fabulous offer from one of my FAVORITE all-inclusive resorts in Mexico, El Dorado Royale.  I have stayed here personally, and have sent lots and lots of clients here.  There are many reasons this resort is on my top 3 Mexican All-Inclusive resort list, but it's mostly because I know when my clients arrive, they will be well taken care of, have great food and activities to choose from, and will have a stunning 5 star resort to call home during their stay.

If you’re planning or even considering having a destination wedding, El Dorado Royal is running an awesome Bride and Groom stays FREE promotion!  Here are a few more details. 

GROUPS FROM 5 TO 11 RECEIVE:

·         20% discount off room rates or lowest promotional rates at time of booking

·         20% discount off private events (Only food and beverage)

·         $500 resort credit per room (2) $100 wine vouchers, (2) $100 spa vouchers, (1) Candlelight Dinner Voucher

GROUPS OF 12 ROOMS OR MORE RECEIVE: 

·         20% discount off room rates or lowest promotional rates at time of booking

·         20% discount off private events (Only food and beverage)

·         $500 resort credit per room (2) $100 wine vouchers, (2) $100 spa vouchers, (1) Candlelight Dinner Voucher

·         BRIDE AND GROOM STAY FREE in an infinity swim up casita!

Call or email me for more details!

205-538-2SEA (2732)

macycain@hotmail.com

ADIOS!!!!   

Travel Collage...Scrapbook...Picture...Display...THING!

I LOVE to share my vacations with people.  I blast pretty much every detail on facebook while I’m gone, I upload pictures, I blog, I hang pictures in my house, I do it all… but my most favorite way to share my vacations is with this collage/scrapbook/picture/display/thing.  I really do not know what to call it, but one thing I do know is I’m OBSESSED with making them!  Here's a step by step process of how I made my Las Vegas collage. 

Why am I OBSESSED?  I’m so glad you asked.  J

A lot of time, money, and thought goes into vacations.  You dream, save, and plan every little detail of them, so after living that dream, do you really want to bring those memories home and stick them in a plastic photo album to collect dust?  No thanks!   

How to make yours:

  

1) Keep EVERYTHING from your vacation!  Keep your boarding passes, receipts (gas, food, souvenirs, drinks), itinerary, hotel confirmation, luggage tags, brochures, show tickets, room keys, bus tickets, entrance wrist bands, restaurant information…EVERYTHING!  Obviously, you will not have enough room to use everything you collect; however, that’s not the point.  You want to collect a lot of stuff so you will have more variety to choose from while building your collage.

Side note:  I carry a file folder (with pockets) with me on my trips to throw all of my “precious junk” in.  Just toss it in there and worry about it when you get home. 

2)  Buy a shadow box.  I get mine from Hobby Lobby.  Just like everything else in that store, these boxes get marked down by 50% at least once a month, so wait until then to buy it.

 
3)  Sort.  Pull out your folder as well as all of your pictures from your trip.  Sort all of your stuff into three piles. 

  *Pile #1:  Must Haves:  things you must put in your collage.  I always choose pictures and/or items from the most memorable parts of my trips, what I enjoyed doing the most, hilarious moments, etc. 

  *Pile #2:  I like it, but it’s not a must:  Self explanatory. 

  *Pile #3:  Not going to use:  keep in mind, you’ve collected A LOT of items from your trip; therefore, there ARE going to be items you really don’t want to display.  If it’s not that interesting, didn’t have any significance to your trip, or you’re wondering, “Why did I keep this?”…this is the pile it needs to go in. 

#4:  The fun begins!  Start with your “Must Have Items” and get to layering.  Don’t glue/tape/pin anything down until you have every item placed exactly how you want it!  You have to play with this A LOT!  You will move things around, play some more, add items, take items away, and play some more.  It takes time before you get it how you want it, but the great part about this project is… there is no right or wrong way to do it.

#5:  Snap!  Take a quick picture of the almost final product.  It’s easy to forget where you had everything placed. 

#6:  Secure.  Remove all of your items and start securing them to the board.  I use pins, tape, and glue.  Layer it all back up (referring to your picture if needed) until it is secure and nothing falls off. 

#7:  Done!  Put the front of the frame on and hang it in your house…You’re finished!

Here are pictures of the other shadow boxes I've made from trips in the past. 

Disney Dream Cruise

2 Year Anniversary Carnival Cruise

Honeymoon El Dorado Royale Resort, Cancun Mexico

I hope you all enjoy making your shadow boxes as much as I do!  They really are the BEST way (in my opinion) to display your treasured memories.  They make me smile every time I pass by them!

I would LOVE to help you plan YOUR next vacay!