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Save green on your Europe vacation and see the green of Ireland


If you’ve ever dreamed of Ireland, now is a great time to make plans and save money in the process!  CIE Tours, one of Ireland’s leading tour operators, is offering a discount of $150 per couple on any tour of 9 days or longer for bookings made in April.

Ireland’s weather pattern is similar to the weather in Seattle so May through September is the most pleasant time to travel.  You’ll have longer days, more sunshine and lots of that lovely emerald green.  The blarney stone, castles and leprechauns are available year ‘round!

Jennefer is Totem Travel’s Europe Expert, so call or email Jennefer@totemtravel.com and get yourself to Ireland!

Young adults seeking fun vacation in Europe


Thinking about a graduation trip to Europe? Want to see all the best sights but aren’t in to backpacking or youth hostels?  Like to travel with a knowledgeable tour guide, but not with a bunch of seniors?  Contiki has a huge range of escorted tours specifically designed for 18-35 year olds and right now they are offering $100 off a few specific European tours. 

Spanish Spree – April 18 (Start Madrid April 19)
European Encounter – April 24 (Depart London April 26)
European Impressions – April 28 (Depart London April 30)
European Vista – May 9 (Depart London on May 11)

These tours bring together young people from all over the world who want to explore the world.  So get away with people your own age and save bank!  Call or email Jennefer@totemtravel.com for more information.

Young adults save bank on vacation travel in Europe and the world



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If you’re a student, a young couple or a professional between the ages of 18 and 35 I can help you with a tour that’s made just for you, you can choose your own adventure, get some culture, party with people your own age and save bank while doing it!

Hey honeymooners, you’re married, not old, get out there and see the world!

If you are a parent or grandparent, make your kids day by sending them away……. On a Contiki tour with people their own age! Great for a graduation present from high school or college.

What’s different about Contiki is that not only do you have to be between 18-35 years of age to travel and believe me there are lots of you from all over the world traveling,  but also because of the experiences offered at each stop along the way. You certainly won’t fit into the old adage that ‘it’s Thursday, it must be Munich’. All you 18-35 year olds want to explore and see the world in a new way and with a new perspective; with Contiki you can do that.

Let’s start with the planning… and the question is… what planning? Contiki does it for you! They have tours starting at just 9 days long and stretching up to 35 days. You could focus on a single country, like Italy, explore a region such as Scandinavia or go for the 35 day tour and see 18 countries, including all of Western Europe and adding in Croatia, Bosnia, Albania, Montenegro and a Greek Island cruise and of course there are all kinds of options in between. Contiki also offers itineraries to see and explore Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Egypt, Canada and the USA.

As an experienced Contiki agent, they call us their Rock Stars, I am here to help you choose the tour that’s best for you. Once on tour you will meet other people in your own age group from all over the world, how cool is that? Kick it with some Aussies or check out the local scene with your new friends from Canada. Even your guides will be 18-35 years old, so they’ll really ‘get you’. You could dance until dawn in Barcelona, climb the Eiffel Tower in Paris, snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, toast in the beer halls of Munich, island hop in Greece or skydive in New Zealand, it’s not just the destination, its all about what you do once you’re there.

I can help you choose a tour that will include some of the legendary festivals in Europe such as Germany’s Oktoberfest, Scotland‘s Military Tattoo in Edinburgh, the Cannes Film Festival in France or the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain.

The Superior tours start at just $108 per day. You’ll sleep in comfy hotels that are centrally located with easy access to all the sights you want to see. And since you paid in advance for your tour, saving bank at such great rates with no currency exchange, you’ll have more money for shopping and spending on your holiday!

Whether you’re bringing your best friend, traveling as a couple or heading out solo, you’ll undoubtedly make friends with people from around the world; travel connections you’ll have long after the trip has ended, so call Jennefer at Totem Travel, remember, I’m a Rock Star and I’ll hook you up to the best Contiki tour for you, you’ll save money AND see the world!!

Call me at (425) 821-4100 or email Linda and we’ll be your new Rock Star travel agents!

Tartans and bagpipes are coming to Edmonds April 11


Totem Travel and Savvy Traveler are sponsoring Tartan Day on Saturday April 11 in Edmonds.  In past years the festivities have drawn a big crowd and this year should be even bigger with Homecoming Scotland events scheduled throughout 2009.

Savvy Traveler is known for its full range of travel products and accessories with everything from money belts to drip dry in an hour underwear to lightweight luggage.  The store is located in downtown Edmonds and open six days a week for your convenience.

Jennefer at Totem Travel has been a certified Scotsmaster since 2001 and will be naming her top 10 things to see and do in Scotland.  She’ll also review some of the best escorted tours available and provide tips and tricks for planning independent travel throughout Europe.  Totem Travel has been a top travel agency in the Seattle area for more than 20 years.

Call or email jennefer@totemtravel.com for more details on Tartan Day activities and brush off your plaid.  The bagpipes are coming!

Sandals Grande St. Lucia couples only all-inclusive Resort and Spa


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When I arrived at Sandals Grande St. Lucia couples only all-inclusive resort, that is actually the first word that came to mind- Grande. Not in any ostentatious way, but it is a Grande resort and perfect for a honeymoon. Starting with the lobby which is large and welcoming, it has comfortable couches for relaxing after a long flight rather than standing in line to check-in. After being greeted with champagne and a cool cloth you can forget the hours it took to get there and this is just the beginning!

As with all 12 Sandals Resorts, Sandals Grande has lots of different rooms categories to choose from, starting with a standard garden view room, to ocean view and beach front, to swim-up lagoon rooms and on up to a round room called a Rondoval Suite with private plunge pools and outdoor Jacuzzis, you can find the right room for you.

The pool areas are massive and include 5 swimming pools with swim up bars and a pool used just for scuba. There are 4 huge whirlpools and for those who enjoy swimming in the ocean, a beautiful white sand beach with easy access and water toys aplenty such as sea kayaks, water tricycles and hobie cats. There are also snorkel and scuba boats and waterskiing if you please.

After a long day in the sun you might be hungry, but don’t fret, there are 8 restaurants and 6 bars to choose from with such options as Italian, French Crepes, International buffet, Caribbean style, an English Pub and Grilled Specialties or Seafood. The Italian is a bit dressy and resort formal while the Seafood is served at Barefoot by the Sea and is more casual.

If none of that sounds good, please remember that you have full exchange privileges at the other 2 Sandals resorts on the Island, Sandals Halcyon has 4 restaurants and 7 bars while Sandals Regency LaToc offers 8 more restaurants and 9 more bars, in a week’s time you’d be hard pressed to try them all!

The Grande also offers a Spa where all the facilities are included in your cost, however if they touch you they charge you, so there is an extra charge for massage and facial etc.

Any way you look at it a vacation or honeymoon at Sandals Grande is a good choice for a great deal in the Caribbean. If you’d like more information about Sandals Grande please call Jennefer, a Gold Sandals Specialist at Totem Travel, (800) 321-7907 or shoot me an email at Jennefer@totemtravel.com.

Homecoming Scotland 2009- celebrations, festivals, whisky, golf, gatherings and more


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That’s what travel to Scotland in the year of 2009 in will bring. As a SCOTSmaster and Scots agent I hope to visit in April, but the festivities start in January with the Robert Burns’ 250th Anniversary weekend and don’t stop until end of November and the Finale Weekend packed with all kinds of celebrations across the country.

March starts with the International Comedy Festival in Glasgow or you can travel to Stanza for Scotland’s Poetry festival. We also have Aye Write! It’s The Bank of Scotland Book Festival.

In April throughout East Lothian is a new festival celebrating the life and legacy of John Muir, he is the ‘father of modern conservation’ and one of the most influential people in the worlds environmental movement.

May is Whisky Month and throughout Scotland distilleries open their doors to visitors and locals alike. You could choose a short tasting session or opt for a 3 day whisky course. The Spirit of Speyside Whisky festival starts off May 1-10 and Islay’s annual Malt and Music Festival will close out the month.

June is meet your ancestors month in Clackmannanshire, the Royal Highland Show west of Edinburgh and it’s the beginning of the world renowned Edinburgh Film Festival.

July brings The Gathering 2009! Join with clan members and witness Scotland’s largest ever Highland Games! They are taking place in Holyrood Park, along the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle. Visit the clan tents, listen to live music, watch the hill runners, the Highland Dancers and the Clan Parade on the Royal Mile.

August brings the Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle; over 12 million people have experienced this event and 40 countries have been represented over the years, so get your tickets early! August also brings Piping Live- Music of the Clans in Glasgow and the Johnnie Walker Golf Championship at Gleneagles.

September brings the International Youth Tattoo, the Cowal Highland Gathering, the Angus & Dundee Roots Festival, the ‘Clan Scott’ Society gathering and the Isle of Bara Whisky Galore festival.

October brings ‘Beautiful Journey’ that is focusing on Glasgow’s future by launching a new ship every night along the River Clyde and a celebration across the highlands for a fortnight with a series that explores and celebrates the way the Scots have shaped countries and communities around the world.

November brings another whisky week throughout Scotland along with St. Andrews festival 2009, the Scots Music awards in Dumfries and celebrations galore across the country during the Finale Weekend. In December all Scots will be resting!

If you’d like to attend any of the events above or find out about traveling to Scotland call Totem Travel and ask for Jennefer, 800-321-7907 or email Jennefer@totemtravel.com. I have been a SCOTSmaster for over 7 years, traveled there multiple times and can help make your trip to Scotland all you dreamed and more.

Berlin- Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Wall, Check Point Charlie and more…


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My first trip to Berlin was in 1990, it was summer and the ‘Wall’ had just come down the winter before. I remember peeking through the wall between the pieces of rebar and cement and I even brought home a few pieces.

I grabbed a postcard with a colorful guy that had a purple Mohawk; he was standing under a street sign with the wall behind him. I found that same street sign and took a picture of me standing under the same sign, but in my picture the wall was broken and only pieces of it could be seen. I remember thinking I was lucky to be there at such an historic time.

Of course we also saw the Brandenburg Gate and Potsdam and another vivid memory is the Pergamon Museum on Museum Island where they have a 2nd century BC altar from Greece as well as the Ishtar Gate from Babylon among other gigantic ruins from Asia Minor. I was overwhelmed with the sheer size of them and to this day remember it with awe. Today Museum Island is a World heritage Site.

As an agent at Totem Travel I returned to Berlin as part of an escorted tour with Trafalgar and so much has changed. That street sign I have a picture of me under, now has a through street with no wall behind it at all. A little further away is the Check Point Charlie Museum and the left over sign saying “You are now leaving the American Sector” in English, French, German and Russian. The museum is a must see and a bit chilling when you realize the extent to which people will go to better their lives when oppressed.

Each time I am back in Berlin I also visit Kurfurstendamm, or better know as ‘Kudamm’, which is Berlin’s liveliest shopping street. At one ends stands the Kaiser-Wilhelm church, it was almost completely destroyed in a bomb during the War but a new belfry and church were erected around the shell of the old tower as a reminder.

Along Kudamm are shops and galleries as well as parks and squares to stop and shop or eat or simply watch people. At the other end or Kudamm you find the Tiergarten park which leads you onto the Brandenburg Gate that today is free to walk through. The avenue of Linden trees leading away on either side is stunning and the Soviet War Memorial is also nearby.

Berlinhas many parks and green space too. It’s a young city that is re-inventing itself and is always changing so you can go back again and again and always have a new experience. If you’d like help planning your time in Berlin, call Jennefer our expert in Europe group tours at (800) 321-7907or email her at jennefer@totemtravel.com.

Chenonceau, another Chateau in the Loire Valley of France-


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On my last trip to France I was excited that I would be visiting the Loire Valley, a region I had not seen on previous visits. My time was to be spent visiting the Chateau’s and I had no idea I would love it so much, I should have, knowing how I love visiting the castles of England and Scotland.

One of my favorite was Chateau de Chenonceau, it’s the stuff fairy tale’s are made of. Starting with the long tree lined drive, walking in was like walking through a tunnel of trees, I can only imagine arriving by a horse drawn carriage back in the 13th century when the Chateau was built. As you come to the end of the tree lined drive you get your first glimpse of the beautiful Chateau. It’s built along and actually above the Cher River and is boarded by deep moats on the other sides.

The Chateau has had many owners and guests come and go over the years including Francois I, Henry VII and VIII, Catherine de Medici, Francis II and Mary Stuart to name but a few, giving the Chateau a rich and varied history. The architecture shows not only the influence of those in the Loire Valley but also Italian Renaissance as well.

Inside the Chateau you can visit the chapel, the drawing rooms where the kings received their guests, the Gallery over the river where great dances and parties were held, the kitchens that fed all the inhabitants and guests as well as the bedrooms of the famous owners and we haven’t even mentioned the art collections. The Chateau has a great IPod guided tour that is definitely worth the time to take, it’ll be a few hours long.

Before leaving be sure to stroll through the gardens and marvel at this beautiful Chateau and the stories it could tell if walls could talk.

If you’d like to book a trip to France that includes Chenonceau or other Chateau’s of the Loire Valley contact Jennefer the France Certified Specialist at Totem Travel by calling 800-321-7907 or shoot me an e-mail at jennefer@totemtravel.com.

Ireland- Irish Pubs, the Ring of Kerry, the Blarney Stone and more….


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I have just returned from a 2 week trip to Ireland and yes, it is that green, take a peek at my slide show for proof! It’s been a while since I was in Ireland and boy has it changed! The growth is amazing but the things that haven’t changed are the fun people and the stunning scenery.

I started my journey in Dublin, from there my friend and I picked up a car for a few days of roaming the country roads on our own and yes, even I drove on the other side of the road and only hit one curb! We headed west for a castle stay and a couple nights B&B inland then picked up a tour with Trafalgar Tours.

On our Trafalgar Tour we went north to Belfast and Derry/Londonderry and onto the Northern most tip of Ireland called Malinhead. From there we headed down the west coast for Castlebar, Galway, Limerick and Killarney before heading east towards Waterford and then north back towards Dublin.

All along the way we encountered the famous Irish charm in pubs and restaurants, we saw lots of sheep and rolling green hills with splashes of yellow gorse and stone walls crisscrossing as far as the eye could see. Golf courses were aplenty as were Castles and castle ruins, special monuments to all the Saints and those the Irish would make saints if given the chance. We saw the famous graffiti in Northern Ireland from the times of the ‘Troubles’. We went to the National Stud Farm (Slide Show) in Kildare and the Giants Causeway, the Cliffs of Moher, the Belleek and Waterford Crystal factories (Slide show) and Craggounowen, the discovery park where we learned about life in Ireland in BC, just to name a few of the places and sights.

I am in the process of completing my Shamrock training which will give me the distinction of being an Ireland Expert to go along with my other Destination Specialist certifications such as BritAgent, SCOTSmaster, Bavaria Expert, Spain Specialist, Holland Expert and Certified France Agent. As a travel agent it’s important to see new places and explore the places people are asking about, this year Ireland has been highly requested and it was time for me to return and see all the things Ireland has to offer as a destination and believe me it wasn’t lacking at all!

Keep checking back at TotemTravelBlog.com and you’ll hear all about the sights listed above and more in detail. If you’re interested in help planning your trip to Ireland contact Totem Travel and ask for Jennefer, the Europe Expert or shoot me an email at jennefer@totemtravel.com and I’ll give you the up to date news on travel in Ireland.




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If you think you’ve seen Europe, try Budapest


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If you’ve already done the requisite cities of Europe such as London, Paris and Rome you might think of expanding your horizons and plan a visit to Budapest in Hungary. Not as well know as some of the other European Capitals but definitely worth a visit.
Budapest is actually 3 cities with the legendary Danube running between them, you have Buda on the hilly side and north of that is Obuda and on the other side of the river is Pest which is as flat as Buda is hilly, but back in the late 1800’s Budapest became the city it is today.

Probably the most well known is Castle Hill and the Castle District, however you’ll need the funicular to transport you up the hill as there are really no roads. At the top is where you’ll find the Royal Palace, Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, Holy Trinity Square, National Hungarian  Gallery, Budapest History Museum and the Vienna Gate among others.

Between Castle Hill and the river is what’s known as Watertown with its aged peaceful lanes, and many churches such as Taban Parish Church, St. Elizabeth Church, St. Anne’s church, Chapel of St. Florian and Capuchin Church.

Crossing either the Chain Bridge or Margaret’s Bridge will lead you to the Pest side where you can visit a myriad of old neighborhoods such as the Jewish District, Pest Inner City, Theresa Town and Leopold where you’ll find the Houses of Parliament, Freedom Square, Inner City Market Hall and the State Opera House.

If you’d like a day out of the city, a visit to Szentendre is a great place, especially during the summer where it becomes a huge handcraft and souvenir market. You can stroll along the Danube, have café in a small coffee house and shop till you drop for all kinds of fun items from Hungary such as antiques, coins, folk craft, porcelain and pottery and don’t forget to bring back the Hungarian Paprika.

If you’d like help planning your travel to Budapest, please call Totem Travel and ask for Jennefer, the Europe Expert at 800-321-7907 or jennefer@totemtravel.com

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