TRAVEL NEWS

CURRENT TRAVEL NEWS   Southwest Airlines begins service to LaGuardia Airport in New York City.   Delta Airlines installs in-flight Wi-Fi on its first wide-body 767-300 transcontinental routes July 13.   Ryan Air announced early next year no more check-in luggage, there will be unlimited for FREE carry-on luggage that you will check yourself at the cargo hold.

WTMY Interview

WTMY RADIO INTERVIEW   Tune in Sunday, July 5 to WTMY 1280am at 5pm Eastern to hear host Roy Lowey interview us on our recent trip to Cancun and Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. The show will also be archived on his site at www.ttrn.com   Be sure to check out www.realresorts.com to see the Royal Resorts.

CLEAR GONE

CLEAR FAST LANE GONE   June 22, 2009 Clear Fast Lane at the participating airports ceased operations. Gone is the express line at airports. Gone is shortening your security line wait in half. Gone is the chance to move to the front of the line. Verified Identity Pass Inc., the parent company of Clear has been unable to continue operations.  It is currently unclear what will happen to the membership fees paid into the program.

JUNE 27 SHOW GUESTS

TRAVEL PLANNERS JUNE 27 SHOW GUESTS   Vandalia, Il First Annual Bluegrass Festival guests pre-recorded on location the previous week.   Mayor, Ricky Gottman Historian, Lincoln Waysides, Dale Timmerman Old State Capitol, Mary Cole, Superintendent Economic Development & Tourism, JoAn Givens Bluegrass Festival Committeeman, Walt Barenfanger (Fire breathing Dragon owner) City Council Committee Member, Dean Black Abe Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln Impersonators Soroptomist International - Vandalia In Bloom, Joy Clymer National Road, Mary Truitt

VANDALIA BLUE GRASS FESTIVAL

FIRST ANNUAL VANDALIA, IL BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL   Kevin and Sue were invited to broadcast from this small town (7,000 pop.) in central Illinois for the first bluegrass festival and Kevin was one of 5 judges (including the Sheriff and a Council Member) for the BarBQ Cookoff.  Kevin really enjoyed sampling the ribs, steak and chicken.  The sampling ended in a tie.  Homemade Ice Cream served by the Senior Citizen Group and Corn Dogs served by the Boy Scouts showed us it doesn't have to be a gourmet meal to be good.  Of course, there were 4 bluegrass groups playing on Saturday too.  We will have some of the broadcasts on soon on our different stations.  We even got an interview with Abraham Lincoln and his "wife" Mary Todd Lincoln!!!  Vandalia was the first state capitol of Illinois and is a place to go for Lincoln history.

Playa Del Carmen and Cancun

PLAYA DEL CARMEN AND CANCUN Kevin and Sue just recently returned from the ROYAL RESORTS in Playa Del Carmen and Cancun.  www.realresorts.com   With the fear of the H1N1 flu scaring off tourists to Mexico we were invited to visit and see how safe from the flu it is.  Most of the cases centered around Mexico City and inland Mexico...no cases were ever reported in Cancun or Playa Del Carmen.  The resort owner feels secure in offering free accommodations for three years if someone comes down with the flu while at their resort.  Airfare and hotel/resort prices are down considerably and it is a great time to check out their website for outstanding bargains.  Real Resorts has two of their properties for families.  Our flight down and back on NW Airlines/Delta Airlines was packed full and a lot of honeymooners were heading for the area.  We watched one beautiful beach-side wedding from our balcony that was performed in a gazebo with the ocean breezes and sounds of lapping waves.  How romantic is that?

THE ROYAL SPA TREATMENTS

Make sure you sign up at Spazul THE ROYAL'S spa for a spa treatment.  Kevin tried out the Relaxation Massage with therapist Marisol, followed by a dip in the Hydrotherapy Jacuzzi, Sue tried out the FOUR HANDS massage and a dip in the Hydrotherapy Jacuzzi.  I had always wanted to try the FOUR HANDS and would highly recommend it.  While Adrianna  did reflexology on my toes and feet Elvira was massaging my head and neck...talk about Heaven.  This was a very relaxing massage as each lady gently and sometimes not so gently massaged, kneaded and stroked by whole body head to toe with soothing lotions.  A soothing scent of Eucal

PLAYA DEL CARMEN AND CANCUN

Our NW Airlines flight from STL to Memphis and on to Cancun and Playa Del Carmen was comfortable, snacks of nuts and cookies were served along with the usual coffee, water and cold Pepsi.  The plane was full and we noticed a lot of honeymooners on board.   We had a short layover in Memphis so we had a delicious BBQ pork sandwich at Jim Neeley's Interstate Bar-B-Q in a Memphis food court.  We would highly recommend this sandwich $7.95 which came with a layer of cold slaw on the bun and it was stacked high and a container of additional sauce for dipping.   We were picked up by a shuttle that had been sent for us by Best Day Tours for a 45 min. drive to our resort THE ROYAL RESORT in Playa Del Carmen.  The resort looks like a palace and ooohs and aaahs were emitted as we pulled up to the portico.  More to come on check in to our resort where we will be staying for two nights before moving to THE ROYAL RESORT in Cancun for one night.  We will also be visiting sister properties of the REAL RESORT properties. Sue and Kevin McCarthy

JUNE RADIO SHOWS

JUNE RADIO SHOWS NEW TO OUR BLOG - We will be letting you know each week who our guests will be on our TRAVEL PLANNERS RADIO SHOW.  Depending on what part of the country or world you are from you can listen to our show on different media outlets.  The shows will broadcast first on GAB - Global American Broadcasting and then over the next week or two will be broadcast on the other stations.   www.globalamericanbroadcasting.com  NEW TIME SAT., JUNE 13.  8- 10am CDT   Angela Jackson, San Francisco CVB Tom Parsons, BestFares.com Henri Wolfe, Chief of Security Radisson Resort, Aruba DePalm Tours, Aruba THE ROYAL RESORT, Playa Del Carmen Kevin - Travel News/Sue - Travel Tips New Passport Info as of June 1     LOCAL ST LOUIS AND CENTRAL ILLINOIS Sundays 6 - 8am KZQZ 1430AM and 3 - 5 pm WBGZ 1570AM Listen to us on the Internet www.kmox.com Thursdays 11am - 1pm

Fox News Channel 2

Lucky #7 Sue's 7th appearance on Fox News Channel 2 with Randi Naughton and John Pertzborn Friday, June 5 around 8:10am   Be sure to watch Fox News Channel 2 for these tips:   "Tips For Ladies Traveling Alone" Don't stay home from traveling if you don't have anyone to go with you. Travel, but be smart.   When you make your hotel reservation, ask what kind of neighborhood the hotel is in and if it is in an area safe for a woman traveling alone.   Leave a complete trip itinerary with a friend or family member.  If your flight is delayed going or coming home, call or email that friend or family member so they know where you are.  If you have plans for visiting attractions, botanical gardens, museums, theater or amusements, etc.  be sure to put this on your itinerary.   When checking in observe who is around you at check in desk.  If the reception says your room number out loud, ask for another room and explain why.  Ask for two keys in case someone is "lurking" nearby it will look like you are not alone. Be aware of who is around at the check in desk, the elevator and hallway to your room, if you feel you are being followed walk past your room and return to the lobby.  If there is a knock on the door, ask first who is there before you open the door.  If they say security, maintenance or the maid and you don't feel comfortable then call the front desk and ask if someone has been sent to your room.  Call or email your friend or family member saying you have checked in.   Carry a hotel business card with the phone number and address so you can show it to the taxi driver on your return trip, no lost hotels this way.  When you do venture out be aware of your surroundings.   Keep your money in two separate places on you so it doesn't look like you are carrying a lot of cash.  Better yet, keep some of it in the hotel safe.   Make an extra copy of your passport or driver's license (leave a copy with the friend or family member at home) and keep it in the hotel safe.   Don't wear a lot of flashy jewelry.   When eating alone at a restaurant don't make it obvious that you are alone.  Ask to be seated at a booth or a table towards the back of the restaurant.  If you spot another solo woman traveler ask if you could join her.   Don't drink too much and don't leave the bar or restaurant with anyone you don't know or trust.  If a man offers to buy you a drink trust your instincts and never walk away from your seat leaving your drink where someone could put something in it.   We just returned from Aruba where a young woman disappeared a couple years ago after leaving alone from a bar and her friends with three young men.  Aruba is a very safe island, but unfortunately something did happen to Natalie Holloway.   There isn't any reason a woman shouldn't travel the world alone, just be smart about your travels, be safe and ENJOY!

THANK YOU American Arilines

We made it back to St. Louis last night about 10pm after a fantastic trip to, and broadcast from Aruba. After picking up our checked bag we headed for the parking lot. I reached into my pocket for the car keys and my wallet. It was then that I had that sinking feeling of realizing my wallet was not where it should be. In fact, it was nowhere to be found!   I knew that I had my wallet at the airport cafeteria in Miami and I thought that I had probably left it there. They were closed by the time we got home so I spent the next three hours canceling my credit cards and not looking forward to having to get a new drivers license etc.   I call the La Caretta restaurant in the Miami Airport early this morning and They were very willing to assist me, but the night manager would not be in untill late thisafternoon. At this point I figured it was a lost cause.   At 10am we received a call from Dottie at the American Airlines baggage claim office at St. Louis Lambert International Airport. She had my wallet!   I sincerely want to thank the employees and staff of American Airlines. The cleaning staff on the airplane, the ground staff at the airport, the baggage clain staff and everyone else who may have been involved, did their job the way it should be done. Their attention to their job, their honesty and willingness to do what is right should not go without recognition.   I got my wallet back, intact, and I now have a sincere respect for American Airlines.   "Thank You" is not enough to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who made this story have a happy ending. You are the best.   Kevin McCarthy