Our Secrets for Travel and Adventure at Your Fingertips

Happy October!

Is it acting like autumn where you are yet? It’s not here. I’m staring at a deck refinishing project (x2) and wishing it would quit being 90˚+ every day! Come on, winter! I have a massive pile of books to read, sipping tea while it gently snows. A girl can dream.

This blog is going to be a bit different. At the beginning of the year, you may remember us mentioning that Jason took on a new position at the University that put him in charge of his whole department in the business school. Plus, he somehow landed on the strategic planning committee for the entire University. What!? Well, that means he was suddenly very NOT available for group travel, only work travel. Womp, womp. For reasons I’m not going to get into, I can’t really do our big group travel trips without him, currently.

So.

As is the usual course in our household, I have been talking with folks and brainstorming for months. I have concluded:

Y’all want some help planning your trips!
I happen to LOVE planning trips.
So, I’m going to begin creating custom itineraries this winter for trips that you can book yourself. I’ll plan out all the details and make all the recommendations for you to choose from; you just need to do the booking from an easy little checklist!

Isn’t this what a travel agent is for?

This is a little different than relying on a travel agent. We are not licensed travel agents; therefore, I cannot do the booking FOR you without us being physically present on a group trip. But that’s no problem, you’ve got this!

Why would you want to go this route instead of hiring a travel agent to do ALL the work for you?

Personally, I believe the more involved you are in your trip planning, the more you will get out of your trip. In a house full of academics and knowledge seekers, we’re always looking for ways to expand our minds. This is a simple way to build confidence (anxiety sufferers unite!), problem solve, and just learn a ton about where you’re going.

Some benefits to booking yourself:

You can pick and choose what you want to do without being stuck with a pre-set package.
You have control of your budget. We’ll share our tips and tricks for getting the best price.
You can make last-minute changes and spontaneous decisions as you go.
You’ll build confidence in yourself while developing skills.
You get to read all the reviews before you make your choices.
You’ll be able to choose from a much wider range of options for your trip.
You’ll have us throughout the planning process. We’re always happy to answer questions.
Plus, a HUGE bonus: you get to keep all your points and miles so you can benefit from the massive savings through the brand’s booking portals!

Ya, that sounds like a lot of work…

What if you just want to sit on the beach or ride on a boat for a week to decompress? Great! Get with a travel agent and go do that! That’s not what we’re doing here. *wink*

We all travel for different reasons, but if you’re looking for a deep dive into another portion of the world, let’s talk. We’ll ALWAYS tell you we have the most fun learning new things, trying to speak phrases in new languages (badly), and feeling really accomplished when we catch the correct train going the right direction when you really can’t read the signs. Ha!

Going forward

Be on the lookout for more details in the future. I’m currently thinking I won’t be able to set this up or give it the needed attention until after Christmas. I have a massive to-do list for home while the weather is still cooperating (kinda), a family trip to Scotland (woohoo!), and a few trips to Iowa to squeeze in before the end of the year. Plus, Jason lives on campus, so this little project is all me!

If you are interested in being one of the very first, send us a message on Facebook, Instagram, or email thedebodeway@gmail.com. We will first focus on locations we have visited, so check out our trip journals for ideas. We’re VERY familiar with the US, Scotland, and Spain, but also have a lot of knowledge in France, the Netherlands, Germany, England, Wales, and Ireland.