Tips For Traveling South In 2023

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Meggan: Hey everyone, and welcome back to Travel Tip Tuesday. We're so happy to have you here.

How are you, Jenn?

Jenn: I'm good. How are you Meggan?

Meggan: I'm delightful. Thank you. And I wanted this week to dive into, you know, a topic that comes up this time of year for a lot of people, which is traveling uh, south, so the Caribbean to warmer places to escape the winter.

Jenn: Yeah.

Meggan: So I just had a few tips I wanted to talk about.

So, Peter and I recently booked a two week trip to Cuba in February, 2023, and it kind of got me thinking like about a few things I wanted to share from my own experiences and also what we're hearing. So I'm very much into enjoying like natural surroundings of destinations, so not as many manmade structures. So that's why for me, like I cannot wait to like bask in the sun and sand. But first and foremost, if you want to travel to warmer climates this winter, I really suggest booking now, like when we found the resort and room type we wanted within a few days, like we mulled over there was only one room left in the type that we wanted.

And you know, some places try to create urgency, so you're like, is there only one room left or are you just telling me there's only one left? So like, we'll book it. But we did book it, it worked. And lo and behold, after we did it, we checked a few hours later and there was no more inventory in that room.

Jenn: So they were serious.

Meggan: They were serious. So a trust your gut book the room if you want it. And overall, from what we're hearing from travel agents, Lorie spoke about this from Memory Bank Travel when she was on. Also, what you're sort of seeing online is resorts and rooms are going fast. This is really the first winter where people can travel freely from start to finish

Jenn: mm-hmm.

Meggan: And people are really taking advantage of it. So finalize those plans so that you don't miss out. And also technically we are still in a pandemic and we had a bit of an active hurricane season as well. So when you are traveling this winter, keep in mind, especially places like Cuba Um, they may not have everything you are used to or that you expect.

So I think another tip is to really be patient and be kind. You aren't going to have the exact comforts of home, so pick your destination carefully, do your research read reviews. I can't stress that enough, and then go in with the proper expectations. You know as for my other tip and final tip that's on the room type, so I love an ocean view.

Honestly, seeing the ocean and even like hearing it is super zen for me and I love to read on the balcony and then look up every now and then and just see the ocean. Anyway, I'm very excited. So that's what we booked this trip. But the key is really to know yourself and like what you want. And there are usually resort rooms facing the garden the pool or the beach.

So keep that in mind. If you wanna have like an afternoon siesta. That you aren't necessarily facing the pool because that could be the big party scene. Maybe you are looking for peace and quiet, so maybe a garden room is best for you. And honestly, garden rooms actually are usually the cheaper room type.

So often an ocean view room comes with an extra price tag. So is that worth it to you? Like, is that what you want for your trip? If so, be prepared to pay a bit more. So whether you're spending one or two weeks or even there's some five day trips available, really think about like what do you wanna see and hear out your window to make your trip that much more enjoyable.

Do you wanna hear less or more ? So I've , that's my advice.

Jenn: Fair.

Meggan: Right. A garden or pool room likely cannot be a hundred percent guaranteed, although again, garden is more frequent in terms of what's available. They're pretty standard, but it never hurts to request what you want, especially if you use a travel agent.

Make sure you let them know what kind of room type you want and they can try their very best to get you. If you pay for the upgrade, you'll get the upgrade though. So Jenn, if you were to like book, what type of room type do you think would suit you best as a traveler? I know you've not done all inclusive, but if you could picture what might work for you.

Jenn: Yeah, I mean, this is really hard because I've never done it, and I definitely see how having someone like Lori book your trip whose been to a lot of these resorts can be really helpful. So I would wanna be close to the pool slash beach. And I, in general, I don't really care about the view. But then when you said about reading on your balcony, I was like, oh. Well, maybe I do want that .

Meggan: I'd like it all thank you

Jenn: I dunno. Maybe someday I'll actually do like an all inclusive type of trip. I feel like it would be more fun for me if I went with like a group of friends versus just me and my husband because we really tend to enjoy more museums, more history, more exploring, and not really spending time in the room.

So that would just be a totally different type of trip than, than what I normally do. But yeah, I think, I think I would want, now that you said it, I want the ocean view. I want, I'll just pay the upgrade.

Meggan: Changing. Changing minds and lives out here. I think the thing about the room to keep in mind too is like we're not in it that often either, but the afternoon is usually like for us anyways, a little bit more of a downtime.

You've been outside for most of the morning. You go in for lunch and then like you can only be in the sun so long, so. It's, it's a part of what you're doing, but it's not like also the biggest part. But if sort of getting up in the morning and seeing the sunrise or set, depending on where you are, you could just do that from your room.

Like there are some advantages, but it really depends on sort of each individual person's sort of wants, I guess.

Jenn: Yeah.

Meggan: Well that is it. I mean, happy travel planning, no matter what you intend to do. Local, international, personally, after the most exhausting vacation of my life this past year in June, I've never been more tired and I'm not complaining, but I was never more tired in my life.

I'm really looking forward to resting and relaxing in the sun. But either way, let's get out there and have fun this winter. We have to get through it somehow, you know?

Jenn: Exactly.

Meggan: Yeah. So as always we'd love it if you would leave us a five star review on Spotify or Apple Podcast. It's the holiday season after all.

Gift your favorite podcasters with a five star review. I mean, come on. We'd also love to hear from you on social media at Travel Mug Podcast. Our website is travel mug podcast.com. Or you can buy us a coffee where you get access to bloopers and other fun stuff. You literally support us that way. If you'd like to , that would.

So, so until next time, everybody. Bye.

Jenn: Bye!