Safe Travels

This show is not for everyone. But if you're a biker, have a motorcycle, know a biker, or have seen Easy Rider...it's for you. Ben Van Leewarden runs PlanetChopper, a business that plans and operates guided motorcycle tours with small groups of up to 15 bikes. They handle route planning, lodging, dining options, know all the cool places to see, and even have a support vehicle that follows with a mechanic and extra bike parts. In short, it's pretty worry-free. But, he does have some tips and advice for getting ready for a trip like this, what to do, and what not to do. Enjoy!

My guest today has been travel podcasting about as long any anybody at 15 years, so he brings a lot of experience and insight into today's short show. Everyone is asking similar questions about travel. Should I start planning? Is it too soon? What are the safest options? Chris will share his thoughts on cruise line reopening, how to compare risk levels of different forms of travel, how he's handling a possible Galapagos trip, and more.  

The summer of the road trip has led many travelers to our wonderful National Parks...but many don't know what to expect. Our guest today is Alicia Filley from TheHealthyHiker.com. Alicia and her family traveled to 2 National Parks and has a full report of safety conditions on the road, mask usage, regulations in the parks, and tips for when to go for the best enjoyment. Please enjoy

With so many RVers hitting the road this summer, RV rentals are through the roof. But what if it's your first time renting an RV? What type should you get? Where should you rent it from? How does it all work? We have a pro today. Brooke Johnson is the founder of TumbleweedTravelCo.com, where she helps first time RV renters plan trips. She helps with all the RV details, itinerary planning, and more. Enjoy!

Travelers are pondering many of the same questions. When should I start planning again? Is it crazy to think about this now? What about a simple road trip? There is no clear, simple answer to this that guarantees a no-risk trip, but it is always helpful too hear what others are up to. Today's show is a Quick Take...only about 10 minutes. We'll hear from Nicolette Kay from SemiBudgetTravel.com. Nicolette is planning a short road trip, but will be crossing state borders and has taken into account several safety aspects to stay healthy.

Our guest today is parenting coach, author, and speaker Melissa Schwartz from LeadingEdgeParenting.com. Melissa has advice today for any family considering taking a travel or gap year due to coronavirus. The fall reopening plan for many schools has parents pondering taking a year off...but with that comes many concerns about school, family dynamics, and just getting along. Melissa shares tips about the importance of boundaries and routines, natural learning, and other parenting tips for these tough times.

Have you heard of Unschooling? How about Deschooling? Roadschooling? Worldschooling? I'm sure you've heard of homeschooling, and the bizarre words above are (mostly) all variations of homeschooling. Parents this year are facing an uncertain fall school start. Some districts have already gone to remote learning, some are aiming to go back, and others are in between. The only certain thing is this: No school will open exactly like they did last fall. With all of this uncertainty, some parents (who are able to) are considering taking some time to either home school...or hit the road for some travel and "road school" their children. It's a complicated topic, but today's guest will help guide you towards some answers.  Karen Ricks from OurKitchenClassroom.com is a 25+ year teaching veteran, she opened and later sold a Montessori school in Japan, and she has been traveling and worldschooling her son for years. Karen's love for teaching children is obvious, infectious, and will make you smile. It's a big topic so you won't walk away with a master plan. But for those thinking about homeschool that might be overwhelmed, I bet you will walk away inspired to try. Please enjoy!

Most people have heard of homeschooling, when families choose to skip the typical education system and teach their children themselves. Roadschooling is similar....it's basically homeschooling while traveling. It's a term that covers a lot of different styles from Worldschooling to Unschooling, and it's an overwhelming topic for parents. Today we are speaking with Caroline Makepeace from yTravelBlog.com. Caroline, her husband, and 2 daughters have been traveling the world and roadschooling for most of the kid's lives and she has a lot of experience. She has tips for choosing a style of homeschooling, find help with a curriculum, tackling the social aspect with kids, and more.

As we've talked about before, 2020 us the summer of the road trip. Travelers are packing up the car, renting RVs, and finding any way they can to get out and explore. But, as we all know there are safety concerns. What are safety conditions like on the road? What are hotels doing? Are people wearing masks? What should I do to prepare? To help with all of this we are joined by Cindy Richards, who is the editor in chief of TravelingMom.com. Cindy has combined information from their almost 70 writers, and her personal experience, to bring you a report about what is going on out there. She has road trip safety tips, questions to ask your hotel before you book, and more.

You will probably learn something new in this episode, I definitely did. Here's the situation: Imagine grandma is in Florida and you want to move her closer to you in Boston. She has medical needs and is currently in a nursing home. How do you move her? She can't just get on a plane by herself, and you could help but she has medical needs.  Plus, there's air ambulance services, but the cost is way too high. Today's guest Bob Bacheler runs FlyingAngels, which is a non-emergency medical transport service, and they could help. Bob will answer all the basic questions, including how it works and the ballpark costs, in today's short episode.

The summer of 2020 is very different for travel. People are avoiding airplanes and taking road trips...and many are hitting the road in an RV too. Among those taking an RV trip are a lot fo newer users, and today's show is all about avoiding the mistakes that new Rvers make. We will speak with Marc and Julie Bennett from RVLove.com. They have been full-time RVers for 6 years, and know their stuff (they also joined the show before and are great guests!). These 12 tips, tricks, and hacks include everything from safety advice, cleanliness tips, and preventing the infamous "pyramid of poo"...we'll get to that. Please enjoy!

The summer of 2020 is the summer of the road trip...at least that is what everyone is saying. If you are thinking of hitting the road, you might be wondering what it is like. What safety measures do you need to know? Is it business as usual as you travel around? Are people wearing masks? What about laws and regulations in the states you will be traveling to and through? To help with all of this and more, I'm speaking with Megan Tenney from FamilyGapYearGuide.com. Megan and her family, including 4 kids, have been on the road for two years...including the coronavirus outbreak. She gives a very useful report from the road, including answers to all of the questions above.

By now all airlines are finally requiring masks for passengers (looking at you Allegiant), sometimes with the risk of lifetime bans for non-compliance. Who is requiring masks? Are they really banning people? How does it all work? The answers to this and more will be provided by Josh Grafman from JetBlue. Josh talks about the mask requirements, the process for dealing with belligerent no-maskers, fake cards, and more. Please enjoy.

If you are taking a road trip this summer, you will be joining millions of other people out on an adventure. But, what happens if there is a problem or accident on the road? It might be a medical emergency, accident, or anything else....but how what happens to your vehicle? How about your family? How do they get home? Today's show will feature Jeremy Murchland who is the President of Seven Corners insurance. Seven Corners is a travel insurance company, but in light of the popularity of road trips this summer they have put together a road trip plan called ARMOR.  This plan helps get you, your family, pets, or your vehicle back home when you're out on a road trip and something happens.  Jeremy will also talk about how Seven Corners has made some changed to some plan so they specifically cover coronavirus, which will become extremely important as people start traveling again.

There are still many unknowns about how the cruise industry is going to handle returning to the seas after coronavirus lockdowns end. When will they start sailing? What will be different? How will they handle safety concerns? Will anyone go? To help answer some of these questions, we are joined today by Nicole Ratner from CruisingWithTheFamily.com. Nicole writes unbiased information about the cruise business, and has many details about the reopening plan. She also has great general tips for planning a cruise, especially for first-timers.x

Coronavirus numbers are declining in much of the United States, and many people are starting to plan travel again (or at least thinking about it). Travel suppliers have enticing trip offerings with low prices and eased cancellation policies, and the deals are so good you feel crazy for not booking. But, since we're not 100% out of the woods yet it still makes most people nervous to book a trip now. What happens if there is another outbreak? What if you needed to cancel? How long will it take to get a refund? Today's guest might be able to help...or more specifically, travel advisors might be able to help. I'll be joined by Mimi Lichtenstein or TruVay travel, and she will share the many benefits of using a travel advisor.  Advisors can help with the problems above, but also help you get extra trip perks that you don't have access to. 

Disney parks are planning to re-open soon, but there are many details that travelers ned to figure out. When are they opening? Which parks will open? Which resorts will open and when? What does my family need to know? To answer these questions and more, we will speak with Kevin Gillooly of TravelingDad...which is part of the TravelingMom media family. Kevin has been doing Disney for 40 years, so he knows the in's and out's of Disney planning...and he has all the details for the park re-opening. Besides the re-opening plan, Kevin also has great general tips for planning trips to Disney, mistakes to avoid, and a common myth to put to rest.

In today's episode you will get an inside look into the world of private jet chartering from a pro in the business. We will be joined by Scott Buss of AdventJets, which is jet brokering company as opposed to one of the membership clubs. Scott's core philosophy in business is based on trust and transparency, and it shows in the interview as he gives insights into the world of private jet travel. Business travelers will learn about the potential ROI of using private travel for work. High net worth listeners who have considered this form of travel will get an inside look, and the casual listener will get a peek at how it all works.

Disney parks are planning to re-open over the next month, but there is no simple answer to how they are going to open. Each park and resort is on a different schedule, which makes it hard to know how to plan your trip. Plus, there are new safety rules in effect that you need to know about for you and your family, and several of the classic attractions of the park will not be happening. Thankfully we have Disney expert Julie Elster from DoubleYourWDW.com to walk us through all the various questions we have about the reopening plan. Julie will talk about when various Disney properties are opening, what to expect when you get there, safety procedures, and what will be open/closed.

This show I am joined by Shy Bredewold from OdysseanTravel.com. Shy is a travel advisor and shares what he has learned in helping travelers plans their vacations, common mistakes, and myths to debunk. Shy was a pleasure to chat with, and the show ran longer than many Safe Travels podcasts but he shares a lot of good tips and stories about the world of travel advisors. 

Today's show is for new RV people, or those who are thinking about trying RV travel. Vacation plans are changing this summer, with many travelers switching from plane trips and cruises to staycations, road trips, and even RV trips. But, for those new to RVing, it can be intimidating to figure out what to buy, where to buy, if you should buy vs. rent...and more. Today's guest is Gigi Stetler, who is the first and only female owned RV dealership in the country. She has been in the business for decades, in every aspect, and knows her business. She shares advice for new RVers, tips for first-timers, mistakes to avoid, and also shares the benefits of her side projects...RVAdvisor which is the "Angie's List of RV" and her 501c charity grouo which is a consumer association for RV owners. Please enjoy! 

People that plan trips used to be called travel agents, but now they are called travel advisors. Today we're going to be speaking with Estee Gubbay from LuxuristTravel.com about the benefits of using a travel advisor. There are a lot of benefits in general, but now as everyone starts trouble again after coronavirus there are even additional benefits. There are many ways that travel advisors can help you travel worry-free, help you plan your trip, help you solve problems, and even get refunds for cancelled trips. Travel advisors have the ability to get you free upgrades, extra perks, and oftentimes get you the VIP treatment. Please enjoy the short discussion with Estee Gubbay about the benefits of using a travel advisor

Travel is slowly starting to happen again, but in general many people are still avoiding air travel because of coronavirus concerns. But, there are some people who need to travel for various reasons, and today's show is about what they can do to stay safe while on the go. I'm joined by Yuval Zimerman from Air-dr.com, a company that connects travelers with doctors through their app and website. Yuval has experience in travel medical issues, and will share the common problems he sees, tips to prevent frequent mistakes, and general advise to stay safe.

Last week we talked about travel insurance and how it covers coronavirus. There are a lot of different travel insurance companies, and each company has several policies, so it's difficult to compare plans and figure out which ones have which coverage. If you are in the stages of planning a trip and you want travel insurance that would provide some sort of coverage for coronavirus concerns, it's very difficult to pick up policy. But, in today show I'm going to show you how to do it easily by using a comparison website. Some comparison websites are better than others, so I do have a recommendation, and i'll tell you about that in the show It's a very short show only 8 or 9 minutes, please enjoy.

Today I'm speaking with K Campbell (goes by KC) who is a military intelligence veteran and currently a senior security and intelligence consultant at a company calledBlue Glacier Security & Intelligence. He has experience and training in intelligence; risk, threat, and vulnerability assessments; executive protection; counterterrorism, and business continuity. Even though a background like that seems like it's overdoing it for leisure travel, KC brings some useful perspective to what’s happening right now with coronavirus, and travel safety going into the future. He has specific tips about government warnings and how the different risk levels work, and registering your travels to stay safe.

This show is not just for rewards points gurus...but for new people too. Rewards points programs can be confusing to figure out (which is why I just have a United CC, good enough for me). But, many travelers are pros at earning, saving, and spending points with their favorite travel suppliers. They get to take free trips, upgrade to 1st class, and get hotel suites "on the house". However, with the coronavirus shutdown...most people are not traveling. They're not booking travel either, so that means nobody is using their points. And that brings up the dreaded thought of expiring points. Will you lose your balance while waiting for things to get back to normal? Today we're joined by Jamie Larounis from UpgradedPoints.com. Jamie will provide tips to put you at ease as far as expiring points, plus provide some general tips for those new to rewards programs. This show is short and to the point, enjoy.

Most travel is still shut down. But, as travel suppliers start offering deals too good to pass up...some travelers, are thinking of booking for fall and winter of 2020. However, with all the uncertainty surround coronavirus, additional outbreaks, and destination issues...travelers also don't want to lose their money. Travel insurance is usually the first thing we think about when we want to protect a trip...but how does travel insurance cover coronavirus? Today is a solo show with me (host Damian Tysdal) from Travel Insurance Review. I will cover all the ways travel insurance covers coronavirus, and how it doesn't cover it. Most importantly, I'll tell you my recommendation for booking future trips and how to protect them the smart way with travel insurance.

Today I'm speaking with Brian Altomare from Lugless.com. Even though most travel is still shut down, some parts of the country are starting to move around again. I was curious about getting some advice for those who were still concerned about coronavirus, but who needed to fly whether for work or other necessary reason. What could they do to minimize exposure and get through the flying process with as little concern as possible? Today’s show is a little different, because there is definitely a product pitch…but it’s a service that can help minimize your time in the airport and make your trip more worry-free. I’m speaking with Brian Altomare who founded a luggage shipping service called LugLess. Brian pitched this on Shark Tank years ago, and even though that didn’t go the way he wanted…he still managed the company and thrived...and was acquired afterwards. Brian will talk about how this service minimizes your airport time and therefore your exposure to coronavirus. He’ll talk about his Shark Tank experience. Then in a departure from the norm, he offers some entrepreneurial advice for those who might have an idea they want to run with.

In this episode we are talking about RV travel for the summer of 2020, and how to handle coronavirus concerns. I'm joined by Jeff Crider, who is a publisher and author for several RV and campground-related publications, and has been in the business for decades. Jeff is especially tuned into campgrounds and their specific procedures for handling coronavirus concerns this summer. He will share some of the actions campgrounds are taking, tips for smooth travels this summer, and some common mistakes that new RVers make and how you can avoid them.

In this episode I speak with Leslie Stroud of 7Wayfinders.com. She and her family (5 kids!) were traveling the world full-time when coronavirus came along and brought their plans to a halt....in New Zealand. Leslie talks about the very strict and thorough safety lockdown in New Zealand, handling this with kids, and plans to get out when things open up again. She also shares family travel tips, advice for road-schooling, and more.

In this episode I speak with full-time RVers Marc and Julie Bennett about the challenges, and benefits, of RV travel during coronavirus. The Bennett's are not only full-time RVers, but make a living running RVLovee.com where they produce a wealth of content. They are also the authors of "Living the RV Life: Your Ultimate Guide to Life on the Road". Much of the country is still in some phase of lockdown, but many travelers are starting to think about summer travel. But, cruises and maybe even air travel are out of the question, so many travelers are thinking of alternatives...including RV travel. In this show wee talk about the ways RV travel is perfect for social distancing, tips to get started, RV selection advice, and common mistakes new RVers make and how to avoid them.

Travelers are playing the waiting game. On one hand, much of the United States is still on some sort of shutdown in an effort to slow the spread of covid-19. Because of this, it's hard to feel comfortable booking any sort of travel for the future. On the other hand, travel suppliers are offering deals to entice travelers back to booking. Janice Lintz is a world traveler (139 countries and counting) and is on her way to visiting every country. She is also a writer and consumer advocate, and she has strong opinions about booking future travel now. Short answer from Janice: Don't....yet. Janice shares the criteria she will be looking for to feel comfortable booking travel again, plus some general travel tips and advice from her many years of experience.

In this episode I speak with Jason Epperson from RVMiles.com...and we're talking about RV travel as a good alternative during the coronavirus situation. Many travelers who might usually take flights or cruises are looking for something more low key, with social distancing options, and staying a little closer to home. In this show Jason talks about: "Roadschooling" strategies for RVing with kids full time Why the National Parks might be very busy this year How the "2-2-2" rule helps keep you sane on the road Resources for planning Common RVer mistakes and how to avoid them Why RVing in cities is not impossible

In this show we try to answer the concerns of many travelers who are thinking of booking travel for after coronavirus. "How can I book post-Coronavirus trips, but also stay safe and protect my investment?" I am joined by Simone Collins of TravelMax, a travel management company. Simone discusses the ways they have assisted travelers during the pandemic, tips for booking flights, which airlines are the cleanest, and some general travel tips and hacks.

In this episode I'm joined by Kirsten Maxwell from KidsAreATrip.com. Kirsten is a former teacher, and now runs a blog that documents her travels with her family of 3 boys. In addition to her main blog Kids Are A Trip, Kirsten runs a Facebook group and separate site for multi-generational travel planning. In the show she shares her coronavirus cancellation story, advice for family travel, and some tips and tricks from a former teacher on how to make it educational. For more information, shownotes, timestamps, transcript, and links visit: travelinsurancereview.net/safe-travels

This episode I'm joined by Tamara Gruber from We3Travel.com.  Tamara is a self-described "obsessive travel planner", and her website shares in depth information about destinations and travel advice. In the show she shares her coronavirus cancellation story, advice for getting refunds from various travel suppliers, family travel tips, and mistakes to avoid. For more information, shownotes, timestamps, transcript, and links visit: travelinsurancereview.net/safe-travels

Cruise travel has come to a complete halt throughout the world. In fact, with thee no-sail order from the CDC and many ports not allowing entry, many currently sailing cruise ships are at anchor or waiting to dock...with up to 80,000 crew members on board. And what if you have a cruise booked for later this year? Should you cancel, and if so how do you do it? Today's short show is about getting a refund or credit from the cruise line, and tips to make the process easier.

Coronavirus travel deals are getting hard to pass up. Travel suppliers are offering huge discounts on airfare, hotels, cruises, and more. Flights are 50% off, 5-star hotels are 80% off, the list goes on and on. But who isn't a little nervous about booking trips while thee country still deals with coronavirus? Today's show has 4 tips for how to protect yourself  when you do decide to book travel.

Travel is done....for now. But it's not dead forever. Travel will return slowly as we work our way out of the Coronavirus lockdown. But many of us have trips planned for the summer, fall, and beyond.  And the question is, "Should I cancel those trips now or wait to see what happens?". Today's show discusses how to answer that question, why, and how to make the right call.

Travel deals are abundant right now, but is it crazy to book them? Since Coronavirus shut down virtually all travel, the vacation industry is trying hard to get you to book a trip for the future. To do this, they are changing some of their long-held policies regarding fees and cancellations to get you to commit now. Today’s show talks about how to take advantage of the great deals now, while still protecting your investment and making sure you can stay safe.

Coronavirus has caused travel to come to a screeching halt throughout the world. Flights are empty, cruise ships are waiting in port, and everyone's waiting to find out when they can start planning trips again. But, much like after 9/11, there will be changes to how we travel. From flights to cruises, it's safe to expect several changes in procedures, regulations, and traveler habits. Today's show discusses several of the most likely changes coming in the wake of Coronavirus.  

The Coronavirus outbreak seems to be peaking right now. And although it has been devastating for many, it seems to be less so than many models predicted...which is great news. The hard work of medical workers, travel bans, restrictions, and social distancing have combined to keep this under relative control. As we work through this, one of the next questions for many becomes, “When can I start planning travel again?”. Or first...”When will we know it is safe to travel again?”. This show covers a few indicators to watch for that will answer this question, plus a few things to not pay attention to. Selected Links from this Episode WTTC (World Travel & Tourism Council) US Department of State Travel Advisories CDC (Center for Disease Control) Coronavirus Page WHO (World Health Organization) Coronavirus Page Travel Insurance "Cancel For Any Reason" Coverage Show Notes & Timestamps The Billion $$ Question, Travel Statistics 00:01:19 When will we know it’s safe to plan travel again? 00:02:06 Other things to watch for to let you know 00:03:19 3 Indicators you can probably ignore 00:05:11 Summary 00:05:50 Follow Damian Tysdal & Travel Insurance Review https://twitter.com/DamianTysdal https://www.facebook.com/TravelInsuranceReview  

In this interview we discuss the basics of travel insurance, how it covers Coronavirus, tips for planning travel in light of the virus, and some general ideas for worry-free travel. The interview features Jeremy Murchland from Seven Corners Insurance. Jeremy is an expert in travel insurance and international medical insurance, and has been President of Seven Corners since 2019. Coronavirus has virtually shut down travel (both international and domestic) but travelers still have plenty of questions. Does travel insurance cover COVID-19 cancellations, does it cover medical emergencies related to it, can I still buy insurance. Travelers also want to get back to trip planning once the Coronavirus quarantines have eased, and they want to know how they can protect their trip investment.  Jeremy and I discuss these questions in this short interview. Selected Links From the Episode Jeremy Murchland LinkedIn Damian Tysdal Twitter Seven Corners Insurance Travel Insurance Beginner's Guide Cancel For Any Reason travel insurance Travel document tips Travel.state.gov STEP Program

As the US enters a second week of widespread shut downs due to the Coronavirus pandemic, travel has almost completely shut down. However, instead of planning their next trip, travel fans (and everyone else) are looking for ways to help out. In this show I talk about many non-profits who are directly helping in the Covid-19 effort, how they are doing so, and how you can get involved

The US State Department issued an unprecedented Level 4 travel advisory on March 19th, recommending all US citizens to avoid international travel. It also recommended that all US citizens currently abroad return to the US as soon as possible. What should you do if you are abroad during this warning?

Travel has screeched to a halt and most citizens are social distancing. This means they're not only avoiding travel...but not even going out of their homes unless necessary. Small businesses around the country are seriously hurting from the lack of business, so here are some tips for those who want to help out. 

As the country enters a "self quarantine" for a while, many people want to think ahead and plan trips. But with the uncertainty surrounding coronavirus it's hard to plan too much.  Here are some tips for planning travel in the uncertain times of coronavirus.

President Trump declared a 30 day travel ban from all European countries on March 11, and we’re going to talk about what you need to know.

Today we're answering some common questions travelers are asking about their travel plans and coronavirus. 

On Sunday March 8th the US Department of State issues a statement advising US citizens to avoid travel on cruise ships, in response to the growing concerns of Coronavirus. The statement includes recommendations and we discuss on the show some of the key points.

In this episode we talk quickly about how travel insurance covers cancellations due to Coronavirus, and tips on how to get coverage as we go forward.