Disney’s New Genie and Genie+ Service

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Make your theme park visit easier and more fun by harnessing the power of Disney’s new digital itinerary services built right into the My Disney Experience app.

You’ve Never Had a Friend Like This!

Ever wish you had a Disney friend along with you in the parks? A digital friend who could show you the best ways to enjoy popular attractions? Or see beloved Characters? Or even find fan-favorite foods? Well, here’s a way that wish can come true! 

Introducing Disney Genie service and Disney Genie+ service, conveniently built into the My Disney Experience app. It’s like having a genie in the palm of your hand.Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned pro, tap into them both to enjoy a whole new host of features that help you get the most out of your visit to Walt Disney World Resort. 

You Have the Fun While Disney Genie Service Does the Work

Our complimentary Disney Genie service creates your best Disney day inspired by your party’s top interests. Upon launching Disney Genie service in the app, you’ll have the opportunity to share what you’d like to do in a few easy steps. You can plan specific attractions, foodie experiences and entertainment, and special interests like Disney princesses, villains, Pixar, Star Wars, thrill rides and more.Disney Genie service will then grant you a personalized itinerary that seamlessly and smartly maps out your special day—with updates that continue from morning to night. And, Disney Genie can even remind you when you’re eligible to book dining reservations and activities within our Enchanting Extras Collection.

When you let Disney Genie service be your guide, you’ll have quicker access to up-to-date park information, so you can be more spontaneous and have more fun—in the moment and on the go. 

Be sure to download the latest version of the My Disney Experience app, so you can take advantage of all of these features:

  • Tailored Recommendations – You’ll receive attraction and dining recommendations inspired in part by what you told Disney Genie service you’re most interested in doing. It even displays a good time to go to an experience and an idea of the forecasted wait. Need to swap a recommendation out? No problem. Like many popular navigation apps, Disney Genie will continue to offer new suggestions throughout the day, so you can make the most of your time during your visit.
     
  • A Personalized Daily Itinerary – Your “My Day” tab is where you’ll find Disney Genie recommendations and any plans you’ve made, including dining reservations, Disney Resort hotel reservations and activity bookings. You’ll also be able to virtually chat with a Cast Member who can help answer any questions that arise.
     
  • A Custom Tip Board – This new feature will let you see estimated wait times for your top attractions, entertainment and dining. You’ll also be able to order food, make dining reservations, check into a restaurant, request to join an available virtual queue (currently at Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure), and even book arrival times for our new Lightning Lane entrance at select experiences if you’ve purchased Disney Genie+ service.

Disney has essentially replaced their complimentary FastPass+ program with their new paid Genie+ Lightening Lane program.

Take Your Day to the Next Level with Disney Genie+

In addition to getting all of the great features that come with upgrading to the complimentary version of Disney Genie service, purchasing Disney Genie+ service will offer even more convenience and flexibility, for $15 per ticket per day. It’s the very best way to get the absolute most out of your visit—so you can spend more time enjoying the magic with family and friends.

  • Enjoy the Magic You Want with Less Wait – Save time waiting in line by purchasing Disney Genie+ service! This new service at more than 40 attractions and experiences throughout the Walt Disney World theme parks lets you select the next available arrival window for the new Lightning Lane entrances. You can make one selection at a time throughout the day—from classics like Haunted Mansion and thrill rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad to newer favorites like Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (experiences subject to limited availability). With Disney Genie+, you can select Lightning Lane arrival windows across multiple theme parks for those who have the Park Hopper option. 

    Beginning at 7:00 AM on the day of your visit, you’ll have the opportunity to secure your first arrival time.

Plus, you’ll also enjoy these additional features:

  • Disney PhotoPass Lenses – Access special Disney PhotoPass Lenses for your mobile device, allowing you to explore magical new augmented reality effects.
  • Audio Tales – Discover the parks in cool new ways through fascinating fun facts and behind-the-scenes insights you can listen to during your visit.

Starting October 19th, you’ll be able to add Disney Genie+ service to your vacation package before your visit. 

Guests are responsible for determining whether options and recommendations are appropriate for their party and for consulting all experience restrictions and advisories, including height requirements, health and safety advisories and accessibility guidelines.

Q  What is the difference between Disney Genie service and Disney Genie+ service?

A   Disney Genie is a complimentary digital service within the My Disney Experience app that can help you create your best Disney day. It will generate a personalized itinerary inspired by the things you tell us you want to do, offer tips for spending less time waiting in line, and also provide other helpful recommendations throughout the day.
 Disney Genie+ service is an add-on option offered for purchase that lets you select arrival windows for our new Lightning Lane entrance at select experiences throughout the Walt Disney World theme parks. Selections can be made one at a time, throughout the day. The service also includes access to interactive Disney PhotoPass Lenses and audio tales, featuring fascinating facts and behind-the-scenes insights about the parks. 

Q  How and when can I purchase Disney Genie+ service?

A Starting October 19, Disney Genie+ service will be available to purchase before you arrive as an add-on to a ticket or vacation package. It will also be available as a single-day purchase through the My Disney Experience app. If you have an existing package, call your travel advisor to add Genie+ to your vacation package. 

Q  How can I access Disney Genie service?

A Disney Genie is a complimentary digital service within the My Disney Experience app that can help you plan your best Disney day. In order to take advantage of Disney Genie service and its features, be sure to download the app from the app store or upgrade to the latest version of the app if you already have it on your mobile device. 

Q  What kind of planning can I do with Disney Genie service before my visit?

A You can begin selecting your favorite things to do and mapping out your days prior to your visit. Any Lightning Lane attraction selections—either as part of Disney Genie+ service or as an individual purchase—can be made on the day of your visit to maximize flexibility up until your arrival. 

Q  When will I be able to add Disney Genie+ service to my vacation package or tickets?

A Disney Genie+ service will launch October 19 at Walt Disney World Resort. If you already have an existing package and would like to add Disney Genie+ service, please call your travel advisor. 

Q  Do I need to purchase Disney Genie+ service to book a Lightning Lane arrival time?

A There are 2 ways to select times to arrive at Lightning Lane entrances, purchase Disney Genie+ service or purchase entrance to an individual experience. Each option offers a different set of experiences to choose from.

Option #1: Through Disney Genie+ Service
This new service lets you select the next available arrival window for the Lightning Lane entrances, one at a time, throughout regular park hours. More than 40 attractions and entertainment experiences across the Walt Disney World Resort theme parks are included in the service—from classics like Haunted Mansion to thrill rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad to newer favorites like Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (all experiences are subject to limited availability). Lightning Lane selections can even be made across multiple theme parks with the Park Hopper option. You’ll be able to make your first selection at 7:00 AM on the day of your visit. This service also includes access to interactive Disney PhotoPass Lenses and audio tales. It costs $15 per ticket per day.

Option #2: By Making an Individual Lightning Lane Entrance Purchase
Lightning Lane entry as an “á la carte” purchase will be offered at our most popular attractions not included in the over 40 Genie+ selections. This option can be purchased by all Guests—with or without the purchase of Disney Genie+ service—and lets you choose a time to arrive at the Lightning Lane entry at up to 2 attractions each day (purchased one at a time). Guests of a Disney Resort hotel can make their first purchase starting at 7:00 AM on the day of their visit. All other Guests can make their first purchase at the regular time the park opens. Pricing and availability will vary by date, attraction and park. Be sure to check the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit for current prices and attraction availability.  

Here are the attractions currently available with the Genie+ and individual Lightning Lane purchase:

Get Ready to Unleash the Magic of Disney Genie Service!

Be sure to reach out today with any questions and to get started planning your magical Disney vacation!

You Only Have 18 Summers. Don’t wait to travel with your kids!

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“One day…we’re going to take the kids to Hawaii!”; “We really want to travel over to Europe, but we’re waiting until the kids are older”; “We really want to go out West and see the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone, but our summers are just too busy”. Do any of those statements sound familiar to you? The average American family doesn’t think they spend enough time together (guilty). Between school, work, sports, and extracurricular activities it’s no surprise that we are all feeling disconnected and burned out. The best way to reconnect with your loved ones is to get away. No distractions and no excuses: just you and your kids (or Grandkids) spending “quality time”, enjoying each other’s company and maybe even experiencing an unfamiliar culture together. “Next Year, maybe” turns into the year after that… and so forth… until you “blink” and you’re sitting at their high school graduation wondering what the heck happened!

Travel is proven to be a wonderful learning tool for children. Seeing how people live in other countries can open their minds and hearts and expand their imagination exponentially. Here are a few things that travel can provide for your family:

1. It can create lasting relationships… both between your own family members and people you meet while on the road. These folks that you run into along the way give you a glimpse of what life is like outside your regular circle of friends and can give you a fresh perspective on how other cultures live. A client told of one dinner in Lausanne, Switzerland when a spiked-hair, and heavily tattooed Aussie spent some time joking with her daughter and playing with her kids’ meal toy. At home, she would probably have been scared to death of him!

2. You can learn another language… There is something very exciting about being able to throw around a few words in French, knowing how to say hello and thank you in Portuguese, or ordering off of a menu written totally in Italian…and hoping you don’t end up with something inedible! And… knowing that if you do accidentally order goat’s testicles, that your whole family will still be laughing about it 20 years from now!

3. It gives you and your kids perspective… Meeting folks from other cultures will teach you that the way you look at the world (maybe through the distorted lens of our mass media) is not the way everybody does – and that you could be dead wrong about some things! We have had many meaningful conversations about why Europe is so far ahead of the U.S. in its transportation infrastructure, why people of Native Hawaiian descent still protest becoming a part of the US, and why so few French and Italian teenagers feel the deep temptation to drink alcohol to excess like ours do here in America. One client was fascinated that about 80% of the locals they met in Italy said… ”AAAhhhhh, Asheville?” when he told them he was from North Carolina. Who knew?

Are you reading this and thinking “Boy…I’ve always wanted to see the Colosseum with my kids”? If you want to do it now, you’ve probably always wanted to. You’ve imagined it, daydreamed about it, envisioned it. Guess what? Now’s the time to DO IT! I have several vacations on my desk right now for folks just like you, who are ready to finally take their 16- and 21- year-olds to Europe before they leave the nest… or who are celebrating a high school graduation with a trip to Hawaii – the destination chosen by their son. Remember… you only have 18 summers!

Book a call with me today to chat about your hopes and dreams!

No matter what happens, here’s how you can be the best travel companion

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Whether you’re going for a couple of weeks or even for months together, there are some foundational things that are critical to making travel with someone else successful. Ashlea Halpern is an editor at Traveler magazine who recently spent a year globetrotting with her boyfriend. Here are some of her best tips for making it work so you can come back from your journey stronger than ever.

Get clear on what you’re good at and what you’re not good at — and play up each other’s strengths. You might be awesome at small details, or you might be more of a big-picture kind of person. Either one is fine, of course — but be honest with yourself about where you excel. Use your gifts to help make the trip better, and let your travel partner do the same. If you hate navigating and you’re no good at it, then don’t insist on being the one to find the hotel at 11pm in a city of ten million people. Find another way to get that done. When you see yourself and your companion get more done when you balance each other out, then differences don’t have to be catastrophic.

Go ahead and step out of your comfort zone, but be clear about your boundaries. Yes, traveling is all about expanding and learning, and it’s good to try all kinds of new things. But don’t be afraid to set limits. If you absolutely do not want to go skydiving, don’t do it — but if it’s someone else’s dream, offer to be there cheering her on. If you really want to try roasted beetles, go for it! But if your friend refuses, respect that and move on. There are plenty more adventures ahead to enjoy together.

Find small certainties within the chaos. So much of travel is uncertain — you’re in a new place, surrounded by things you might not recognize, trying to navigate through language and cultural barriers. If you’re traveling long-term, you know the agony and exhaustion of flight changes, train schedules, taxi rules, late nights, early mornings. Fatigue can make you vulnerable to illness, impatience, and arguments. Take an honest look at yourself and identify one or two things you need to do every day to keep you grounded. Is it a good breakfast? A great cup of coffee? A reasonable bedtime? An afternoon walk? Time with a good book? Then, to the best of your ability, try to honor those needs, even when everything is up in the air. Compromise with your travel partner — if he’s an early riser and you’re a sleeper-inner, find a way to meet in the middle, or try to accommodate those natural tendencies. Maybe he gets up at six and reads the paper or works out while you snooze for an extra hour. These small concessions will pay huge dividends later on when the time comes where you have to make sacrifices due to schedules or other needs.

It’s okay to spend time apart. Especially if you’re an introvert, you might need alone time to stay sane. Or you might just want to spend an afternoon exploring on your own, talking to new people, doing different things. It’s okay! It’s normal to get sick of spending weeks at time in close quarters with the same person. A little pre-planned, cordial time apart might be the exact thing that helps you be at your best together.

When things get tough, stand together. It’s normal to bicker about small things. Everyone does. But when there’s something major, remember that you are a team. Hold off on blame, engage empathy, and get to work — together.

Don’t forget to be silly. Laughter has saved many a relationship. It brings us back to what matters. It helps us take ourselves less seriously. It reminds us that it’s more important to be connected than it is to be right. Recognize when your travel partner is trying to lighten the mood, and don’t be afraid to let go and be goofy together. That time when everything was going wrong, and you stopped and realized how ridiculous it all was, and you laughed so hard that you both had tears rolling down your cheeks — that will stay with you forever. Go with it.

If you’re ready to embark on the fun, crazy adventure of traveling with a new friend or a tried-and-true loved one, give me a call! I’d love to help you make it the best experience yet. You can reach me by clicking here.

Turn your red-eye into some shut-eye

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Sleeping well on a plane has developed into a certain kind of art — and into a healthy business — with savvy travelers constantly scoping out new ways to make long flights more conducive to actual rest. Here are a few that really seem to have some payoff.

Splurge on a better seat. Sure, not everyone can afford a premium seat in first or business class, where you can take advantage of fully- or almost-fully-reclining seats and loads of leg room. But for long-distance flights, it can still be worth it to spend the extra money on an exit-row seat, a bulkhead seat, or a window seat. Flying on off-peak days, like a Tuesday evening, will also increase the likelihood that the flight will be less crowded and quieter.

Do the best you can with flight times and direct flights. While crossing many time zones always poses its own sleep challenges, do your best to pick a flight time and schedule that will sync up most naturally with your sleeping and waking times. Leaving in the evening will work better than trying to get REM at three in the afternoon.

Know your cues. Which side of the bed do you sleep on at home? Book on that side of the plane. Do you usually have a cup of tea before bed? Bring a few packets of your favorite herbal. And grab your own small travel blanket and comfy slippers while you’re at it (the airline pillow or blanket can be used for extra cushioning or lumbar support if you like). Spritz your pillow with a mild lavender essential oil. The more familiar things you can do, the more your brain will recognize the cues that it’s time for rest.

Sweet darkness, sweet silence. On most trans-oceanic flights, you’ll see the blue glow of nearly every seatback screen flickering, no matter the time. We know that the type of light emitted by screens is proven to disrupt sleep. For any rest at all — let alone good rest — keep your screen off. Bring an eye mask or cap to block out as much light as possible. Use earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones to create the quietest environment you can.

Buckle up over the blanket. When the plane hits turbulence, flight attendants are required to make sure people are safely buckled in. If they can’t see that your seat belt is fastened, they have to disturb you to check. Make it easy for them and for you — simply click the buckle over the blanket.

Rather than paying more for less in the airport, do some quick research before you leave to find the best travel pillow for you. There are dozens to choose from, and they range widely in price, portability, and visual quirkiness. Check out reviews like this one from Travel + Leisure — and note how the reviewer coordinates the best pillows with each type of sleeper. Chances are, there’s a pillow out there that will support your head and neck and give you the rest you need.

What are your best tips for getting good sleep on an airplane? I’d love to hear them. And if you’re ready to plan your next (well-rested) journey, I’m here to help! You can reach me today by clicking here.

Enjoying Europe Through the Back Door

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My top 10 tips for avoiding the crowds on your European vacation

For those of us who love solitude, contemplation and escape, avoiding the crowds is an essential part of enjoying our travels. Of course, there’s some irony in being a traveler who complains about all the other tourists cluttering up the landscape, because of course, we’re all contributing to the crowd!

The best-known places are always going to draw lots of people, and usually with good reason. So how can we see the sights without feeling like we’re stuck in a herd of camera-toting sheep? I take great pride in carefully scheduling a great travel plan…designed to minimize crowds and time in line and maximize your enjoyment. Here are our top ten tips for avoiding the worst of the vacation crowds:

1. Hire a local guide

My very first suggestion is to hire a private guide, if your budget will allow. A guide knows when the busiest places will have lulls in the crowds, and exactly where to go to soak in a city’s ambiance without being joined by thousands of others with the same idea. I have several well-vetted private guides all over Europe that I use frequently for my clients. You will get so much more out of sights when you see them with a local guide who can make the history come to life. Your tour guide really DOES know it all!

2. Skip the line!

Did you know you could do this? A major benefit of working with a travel advisor who specializes in Europe (like yours truly) is that we often have the ability to help you skip right past a 2-hour long line-up and whisk you inside the attraction you’d rather not wait to see. Some of the most important spots with “skip the line” privileges are the Louvre and Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Vatican and Colosseum in Rome and the Accademia (to meet Michelangelo’s amazing David) in Florence.

3. Take advantage of jet lag

What does that mean? Imagine you managed to stay up until 8pm after an overnight trans-Atlantic flight. Now it’s 5am the next day and you’re wide awake. Get out of bed and go for a wander through near-empty streets as the city quietly stirs. Enjoy a coffee alongside locals on their way to work. Early morning can be a magical time to explore the streets of Europe.

4. Travel off-peak

Have you ever been to Paris in August? The locals have fled the city for their summer vacation, leaving the tourists to take it by storm. A lot of stores, cafes and restaurants are closed. Consider traveling in your destination’s shoulder season (May and September-October) – and avoid school holidays like the plague! If you are worried about taking your children out of school, get over it! A family trip to Europe will contribute so much more to their future than a “Perfect Attendance” award in 6th grade.

5. Do your research and plan museum visits accordingly

Many museums have “free” days once a month; these are always going to be busy days, and best to avoid. Some major attractions (e.g. London’s Tate Modern) stay open late one or two nights a week; visiting the gallery during these extended hours tends to offer a quieter experience.

6. Investigate “alternative” destinations

Everyone talks about the big ticket destinations – Rome, Paris, London, Prague – but there’s much magic to be found in Europe’s smaller cities. For instance, if you’re looking to experience Dutch culture, Leiden or Haarlem are beautiful and less crowded alternatives to Amsterdam. I can suggest some great alternatives to the hustle-bustle where you will get the true “feel” of the destination you are visiting.

7. Benefit from local insight

Talk to the locals to learn about what’s popular with people who live in the city, rather than what’s popular with people who visit it. A good way to incorporate this wisdom into your trip-planning is to work with an experienced travel advisor. Many of our partners actually live in the destination you are visiting and can give us some great “insider” tips.  

8. Choose attractions off the beaten path

Of course you want to see the icons, and I know how to do that without the crowds. Perhaps the icons don’t interest you. Just because it’s there, doesn’t mean you have to visit it. You won’t get a failing grade for skipping the supposed “must-sees”. You can visit London without going to Buckingham Palace. You can experience Italy without snapping a photo of yourself holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa. There’s much more to a city than its icons, so let the icons draw the crowds, while you ferret out more unique ways to spend your time.

9. Stay in locally owned smaller hotels that are centrally located

Choosing a smaller hotel in a more residential neighborhood with easy access to the places you want to visit is a nice way to escape the crowds at the end of the day. You didn’t travel all the way to Europe to stay in a Holiday Inn or Best Western, did you? Plus, the owners and staff are super helpful in suggesting some little-known jewels for dining and sightseeing.

10. Be aware of cruise ship dockings

If you’re staying in a port-city, find out when the cruise ships dock – then hightail it out of there! And if you’re one of the people debarking from the ship, see tip #1… then hightail it out of there with your private guide! Today’s megaships can dump 3000 people off in Monaco… all at the same time and all heading for the same sights.

Let me help you plan carefully!

Do you have any tips to add?  I would love to see them in the comments below!  Reach out to me to help you plan an amazing and unique Europe vacation.  You can connect with me here.

Observing African-American History Month

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We have come, somehow, to the end of February, and with it, the end of African-American History Month.

When he officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, President Gerald Ford declared the need to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

The “father of black history”, author, journalist, and historian Carter G. Woodson, fought for a national recognition of black stories and perspectives. Woodson believed deeply that equality was only possible by way of acknowledgement and understanding of a race’s history. He dedicated his life to the study of African-American historical research.  

I’ve tried to take some time this month to learn more about African-American achievers I’ve been inspired by.  Far from a writer, I would likely do them injustice trying to sum up their lives and accomplishments.  So I’ll leave it to the pros whose stories fascinated me, linked within.

We seem to have made great strides in terms of equality, evidenced by recalling the history of the treatment and segregation of African-Americans in our nation.  But for this history, you wouldn’t think any progress has been made.  There is much work still to be done.

Thank you for taking the time to enjoy these heroes with me.

Discover Your Travel Profile for the Perfect Getaway

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Photo by Olivier Brugger on Unsplash

There are, of course, thousands of possible vacation options out there. There are plenty of great trips to choose from — and then there are trips that are great for you. Being honest about what you want and need and getting to know your own personal travel profile can save you from the but-it-looked-great-on-paper trip disappointment.

Here are a few simple considerations that can help you better understand your unique and personal travel profile:

Make a quick list of the twenty most fun memories you have of trips you’ve taken in your lifetime. Notice if there are any themes. While you don’t necessarily need (or even want) each vacation to be a carbon copy of things you’ve already done, you can use those larger themes to guide your planning of future trips. That way, if you decide to step out a little from your comfort zone, you’ll at least have a solid idea of what makes the most meaningful moments for you. Is it time with friends or family? A certain type of weather or geography? Certain activities? Quiet time? When you can build some of these elements into your travel, you’re more likely to come home energized and restored.

What do you like to do to relax, unwind, have fun, or re-energize when you’re not on vacation? Do you like to be still or active? Quiet or surrounded by crowds? Scheduled or free-form and spontaneous? Simplicity or luxury? Inside or outside? These might seem like silly questions — but you’d be surprised how often people book vacations that are filled with activities or set at a pace that they otherwise don’t really enjoy. It’s possible that you’ll love a week of biking in Tuscany even though you’d never go cycling at home — but more likely you’ll be tired, saddle-sore, and wishing for a car. That’s not to say you shouldn’t try new activities every now and then; there’s plenty of room for new adventures on trips. Just make sure that you incorporate new activities in small bites — say, an afternoon bike tour with plenty of stops — to see if it’s something you’d genuinely like more of. 

What is the purpose of your trip? What do you want to take away? Part of what makes travel so amazing is its capacity to broaden and deepen our cultural, relational, and emotional horizons. Are you looking to create tons of new memories with your kids? Are you hunting for the perfect gift(s)? Maybe you’d like to immerse yourself in a new culture and language, or do a service-oriented trip that allows you to give to others while you’re getting an invaluable adventure. Plan your trip around the kind of experience and emotional takeaway you’re looking for.

Photo by Vaida Tamošauskaitė on Unsplash

Do you prefer to be in control, or are you happier when someone else is at the helm? This can be a huge factor in overall enjoyment of a trip. Sometimes people think they’d love to be in charge of everything — but when faced with the reality of hundreds of details that need taking care of before, during, and even after a trip, the fun gets sapped right out of the vacation. When you work with me, you can create the best balance of autonomy and assistance in order to maximize the fun, adventure, and relaxation on your trip.

When you take a little time to get to know how you travel best, your vacation can be more than just fun; it can actually be fulfilling. And you can come home refreshed, energized, and brimming with great new memories.

Are you ready to start planning an incredible experience for yourself, you and your partner, or your whole family? Contact me today and let me help you get there! Just click here.

Scientists may have found the “wanderlust gene.” Do you have it?

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You know them when you meet them: those people who always keep their passport on hand, who can pack for an international trip in about twenty minutes flat, who’ve almost never met a travel idea they didn’t like, who would rather take three international trips a year than own a car. They never get tired of exploring.

Scientists might have discovered why some people tend towards wanderlust and others don’t.

One gene in particular, simply known as DRD4, is associated with dopamine levels in the brain. Dopamine is one of the brain’s natural “feel good” reward chemicals. For example, it’s released when we eat a delicious piece of chocolate cake or when we win at a race after training for months.

A derivative of DRD4, called DRD4-7R, is what’s come to be known as the “wanderlust gene.” In people who have it — only about 20 percent of the population — it shows up with an increased curiosity, restlessness, and desire to explore. And the one thing that almost all people who have DRD4-7R share in common? A history of traveling.

While nailing down the urge to explore and travel to only one piece of DNA might seem a bit simplistic, part of this unique gene mutation might be linked to the fact that the human brain and body are uniquely suited for exploration: unlike other primates, we have legs and hips that are designed to walk long distances; we have hands that can perform incredibly detailed tasks; and our brains are large and are naturally wired for creativity and change. Another source of the 7R gene might be those people groups in human history that experienced mass migration over long distances — they cultivated and passed on a relentless curiosity about new territory because that was what they were doing for generations.

Dr Richard Paul Ebstein, Professor of Psychology at the National University of Singapore, explored the question of the “travel gene” more in depth in this recent article. Regardless of its origin, Ebstein notes that people who possess the 7R mutation are people who exhibit “novelty seeking or extroverted behavior”.

Sound like anyone you know?

If you’re longing for your next great adventure, let’s talk travel! You can get in contact with me today by clicking here.

Spiritual Vacations

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Four types of spiritual vacations — which one is right for you?

Researchers speculate that the surge in spiritual tourism involves several factors, ranging from our skewed work-life balance to the current global popularity of Pope Francis. Bestselling books like Eat, Pray, Love and Wild can make spiritual tourism seem like a relatively new phenomenon, but as author Lori Erickson points out, “People have been making treks to holy sites for millennia — in fact, these types of locations are probably the oldest form of tourism.”

The stereotype of the seeker-traveler is the unencumbered college student who’s trying to “find himself.” But people of all ages and all walks of life seek meaningful experiences for many reasons: a longing to reconnect to the Big Questions in life, as a response to dramatic life changes (grief, loss, milestone celebrations, overcoming adversity), or simply out of genuine curiosity and devotion. Whatever the varied motivations, over 300 million people will visit the major religious sites each year (this year being an exception), and a quarter of all Americans say they’d like to plan a faith-centered trip. Even if you don’t consider yourself a religious person, there are many ways to approach this type of travel, depending on what you’re interested in. Here are four ways to consider planning your spirit-nourishing trip.

1. Person-centered journeys. While this type of trip might be more common for people who practice a specific religion, it can also be centered around people you’ve deeply admired, are curious about, or who’ve had a profound impact on your life. It’s a wonderful way to connect with the history and cultural context of people in religious history, and to connect with the real stories of spiritual figures.  Examples: Visiting places of significance to Jesus, the Buddha, Rumi, Mother Theresa, or St. Francis. Or picking a theme, like your favorite women in religious history, or the hometowns of your favorite saints. Where: The Holy Land, Montenegro, India, Turkey, Italy and more.

2. Location-centered journeys. There are certain places that in and of themselves are thought to be spiritual. This can be connected to their histories — specific events such as Oberammergau’s nearly four-centuries-old Passion Play, certain people or groups of people that lived there — but it also can be the surrounding landscape or the breathtaking architecture in that location. Sometimes places are considered spiritually “charged” because of the presence of certain magnetic or energetic fields in the area (this is common in deserts). Examples: a holy temple, synagogue, mosque, or chapel; energetic vortexes in deserts; mountaintop monasteries. Where: Rishikesh, India; Sedona, AZ; Angkor Wat, Cambodia; Mt. Shasta, CA; The Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey; Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (Ayers Rock), Australia; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

3. Activity-centered journeys. Maybe you’ve been practicing yoga for several years and want to learn more in an intensive course. Maybe you’re looking to deepen your meditative practice. Maybe you’re searching for ways to give back, to have your travel also be an act of service to others. There are many places that offer a wide variety of ways to nourish your spirit by engaging in activities that are meaningful to you and to others. You can even be a monk for a month — a cultural and spiritual immersion program in Nepal, Cambodia, or India — if that’s something you’re interested in trying. Examples: Yoga intensives; silent retreats; voluntourism with a reputable organization; writing, art, or music retreats. Where: yoga centers around the globe; Taize in Burgundy, France; Nepal; Thailand; Cambodia; South Korea; India; meditation centers in the US and globally; anywhere where trusted organizations operate and organize volunteer opportunities.

4. The-journey-is-the-destination journeys. The poet Gary Snyder said, “Walking is the great adventure, the first meditation, a practice of heartiness and soul primary to humankind.” Perhaps there’s no better evidence for this than the ancient tradition of taking a walking pilgrimage. Sometimes silent and often lasting for days or even weeks, these journeys provide the unique opportunity to still the mind and spirit, to be in nature, to take a much-needed break from screen time, to challenge the body, and to experience the warm hospitality of strangers along the way. For the devout and non-religious alike, pilgrimages often prove to be powerfully transformative undertakings. Where: El Camino de Santiago, Spain; Char Dham, India; Kumano Ancient Trail, Japan; Machu Pichu, Peru.

Given the frenetic and frantic pace of modern life — and how easy it is to feel disconnected from the things that matter most to us — a vacation that is truly a retreat might be the exact thing you need right now. If you’re feeling the urge to reconnect with a part of yourself that’s essential and meaningful, but that sometimes gets lost in the busyness of daily living, I’d love to help design your spirit-centered journey. Contact me today!

xo, Jenny

A Proven Way to More Happiness

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We know that travel comes with a host of great benefits: you get to spend time with people you love; you get to see new things and try new things; you get to relax away from the pressures of work and everyday life; you get the thrill of realizing dreams you may have had for years and years.

As it turns out, travel is the best way to spend your money. Of all the things you can buy, the experience of traveling gives you, by far, the most bang for your buck. All these great elements of travel have been proven to make people happier.

And even more than that, every part of the travel experience — before, during, and after — is more satisfying, more enjoyable, and has longer-lasting positive effects than buying stuff.

In 2003, Thomas Gilovich published his landmark study called “To Do or To Have? That Is the Question” – a study that, more than a decade on, continues to influence social psychology and the study of what brings us true contentment. Gilovich looked at how economic choices affect well-being and analyzed the differences between experiential and material purchases on human happiness. His unexpected discovery has changed the way we look at our buying habits: Across the board, doing things makes people way happier than having things.

The reason for this is that we get to live and re-live the joy of experiences. Buying an expensive TV or even a new car gives a momentary spike in good feelings that lasts for a few days. But when you take an amazing trip, you get the memories and the good time together — and every time you think of that trip, or you see something that reminds you of it, or you look at the picture on your desktop, your brain registers those joyful times and releases mood-enhancing chemicals that make you feel like you’re re-living the happiness of the experience itself. It stays with you, and you get to access it whenever you want.

It’s not like we need another reason to start planning that dream trip — but another study out that Gilovich co-authored has found that even the anticipation of experiences outdoes the lead-up to material purchases. People waiting in line to get tickets to an event are happier and more excited than those who are waiting in line to buy something.

So, even something as boring as waiting in line is more fun when it’s connected to your travel experience. But it makes sense when you think of it, doesn’t it? You’re waiting to, say, get your passport photo taken, and associated with that time are thoughts of where you’re going to go, what you’re going to see, and all the adventure that awaits. When you’re planning that trip with your advisor, you get to make progress, take steps towards realizing your dream, and each step is actually a part of the adventure itself.

As travelers, we know the many positive benefits of getting out and seeing the world. And now we can feel even better knowing that those benefits continue to improve our lives, long after the trip is over.

Are you convinced? Ready to start taking the steps towards your next travel adventure? I am now planning 2021 and 2022 vacations. Give me a call and let me bring a little more happiness to your life! To contact me click here now!