There are so many considerations when planning a trip, and one of them is addressed in this guest post by my friend Sue.  Hope you enjoy it!

Guest Post by Sue Rogers:

When you want to travel you may ask yourself if you should hire a travel agent or just go through a travel aggregate site like Orbitz.com to book your own trip.

There are advantages to booking your own trip – direct booking means that you don’t have to pay a travel agent. But there are a number of advantages to hiring a travel agent, as well. Let’s consider some pros and cons:

Advantages

• Eliminating worry. Traveling can be difficult – especially if you don’t have a lot of experience with it. Going through your travel agent allows you to simply give them a request and let them take care of things on their end. If you want to get used to what it feels like to travel, working through a travel agent is not a bad idea.
• Access and contacts. Because travel agents have more experience in the world of travel than – in all likelihood – you do, they also have the access, information, and contacts that you might be lacking. Booking a trip through a travel agent allows them to give you tips and strategies for getting the most out of your trip. They might remember a client who remembers their favorite part about a trip to Italy, for example, and be able to pass that kind of information on to you.
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While we’ve spent quite a bit of time exploring other parts of the world, Laura reminds us that there are so many vast expanses in our own continent calling to us.  Kathy’s father worked in the Yukon many years ago, and though we’ve never visited, Laura’s description below started us talking about how fun it would be to go camping in that great white north!

Guest Post By Laura Graham

I spent over 25 years raising my family in the Far North, the Yukon Territory to be specific. At first our summer vacations always saw us traveling ‘outside’ (driving down the Alaska highway or flying back home) to see grandparents and other family members. There never was time to really explore the territory.

There is only one highway, the Alaska Highway. One either drives up it (north-west) or down it (south-east). There is excellent signage along the highway indicating camping spots which are always stocked with ample wood for campfires. (Over time we eventually learned which roads to turn onto from the highway to discover secluded camping spots.)

Some ‘roads’ soon become two meandering ruts with big potholes. It’s always best to be driving a vehicle with high clearance so rocks and tree roots don’t damage the oil pan or other critical parts of the vehicle’s undercarriage.

As a visitor to the Yukon it is wise to have travel insurance before you leave home. The Yukon is a vast land filled with breathtaking scenes of mountains, valleys, lakes, streams and wildlife but communities along the highway are hours apart. The territory has one city, Whitehorse, which has a modern hospital but the smaller communities only have nursing stations. If you need urgent medical attention, you’ll be flown out to a major centre such as Vancouver, BC on a commercial airline. If it is by stretcher, nine seats will have to be paid for. Also, you’ll have to make arrangements to have your RV driven back down the highway. Although it is most unlikely you’ll need medical attention, it is best to be prepared to avoid the stress and worries.

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Travel is one of our main passions, and it’s always great to hear about places you’ve not been or the “hidden treasures!”  For those of you traveling in California, “the Delta” looks to be a place not to miss!  Lisa shares some history about this “off the beaten path” destination!

Guest Post By Lisa Riddle

Those interested in a quick day trip from Sacramento need only look as far as the San Joaquin Delta – or simply “the Delta” to locals.  While the Delta and its maze of rivers and tributaries is popular among boaters, it offers something for everyone from fine dining to bird watching to sites of historical significance.

The Delta’s northernmost boundary is about 10 miles south of Sacramento, and just west of Interstate 5. From Sacramento and I-5 South, you can take the Pocket Road Exit, head east and then turn right almost immediately on Freeport Blvd. Just past the Barley Cavanaugh Golf Course, you’ll traverse the tiny Freeport Bridge and then turn left onto South River Road (County Hwy E9). As its name implies, you’ll skirt along the river’s edge as you make your way south to Clarksburg.

You can’t miss the Old Sugar Mill on your right – and you’re correct if you guessed it was once an old sugar mill! Construction was completed in 1935 and it was home to several sugar mills over the years until it finally closed production in 1993.

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