Expected to be tested in England this year, Holiday Inn has decided to consider the hiring of human bed warmers to help guests get a good night’s sleep. These employees, dressed in all-in-one sleeper suits, will actually climb into your hotel bed before you in order to warm it up!

My research doesn’t exactly explain how they warm the bed, but my guess is that these “sleeper suits” simply allow an employee to join you in bed…but before you actually get in bed. Or, perhaps–no…better for this writer not go into other possible methods roaming through my head right now.

According to a sleep centre specialist, this could help restless business travelers and vacationers slip into a more restful and expedited slumber. Evidence shows that sleep starts in bed when body temperature starts to drop. The decline occurs partly because the blood vessels of the hands, face and feet open up and release heat. A warm bed is a good way to start this process whereas a cold bed inhibits sleep. Think how warm your bed is after you’ve slept in it all night. Warm and cozy, huh?

Holiday Inn spokeswoman Jane Bednall likens the service to “having a giant hot water bottle in your bed, warming it up before you climb in…”

She also states (you were wondering; admit it!) “of course they [the employees] jump out before you jump in.”

The human bed warmers will be a free service to hotel guests.

…if you’re so inclined.

Not to keep on bashing the airlines, but …OK, yeah, I’m bashing the airlines. They deserve it. They bring it on themselves and frankly, I’m tired of being mistreated. Even if the flight’s on time and I do get my Diet Coke before landing, the frill-less, kind-less and effort-less experience we are subjected to these days are worthy of some bashing.

Once upon a time, long long ago…..the airlines giveth. Today and for the forseeable tomorrow, they taketh. And taketh and taketh and taketh. They have taketh so much that what more can they taketh? We no longer have food, free lugguge, leg room or even kindness from the angels bestowed upon us to serve us.

Amazing Journeys 11th Annual sojourn to Alaska is heating up and we hope you’ll make plans to join us on our journey to the greatest show on earth.

Even if you’ve been…..like your favorite meal, or a 2nd date with someone you really like, its even better than the first! There’s so..SO much to see and do in Alaska, and its right here in our own country!

Come see Mother Nature’s Showcase and indulge your senses like you’ve never done before. An Alaska vacation will be etched in your soul forever.

From watching grizzlies fish to flying above a glacier, from hiking in the wilderness to spotting whales so close you could touch them, and from taking a dog sled tour to watching the ever-changing landscape sail by from the comforts of a luxury cruise ship…this is a vacation you just shouldn’t miss.

Add to this a great group of traveling friends and you have a vacation that only dreams are made of.

Make your dreams come true with Amazing Journeys. Call or email us today: info@amazingjourneys.net

800-734-0493

https://amazingjourneys.net/

Particularly when the frigid wrath of winter gusts across North America, few places lure like the Caribbean. Beaches with champagne-hued sand, infinitely clear water layered in deep greens and blues and tiki huts in a tropical breeze; those cliche images of a Caribbean vacation are accurate to a tee, and pretty much define relaxed resort living. But there are some things you should know about traveling in this region, as the Caribbean is home to some danger zones. And while most tourists will never face a threat during their vacations, dangers still exist in the prettiest of places.

Here are some islands where tourists should take extra care:

Jamaica –From its towering waterfalls, rushing rivers and the honeymoon-and-cruise ship havens Jamaica is one of the Caribbean’s most stunning islands. More than one million tourists visit here every year, most without incident. All-inclusive resorts operate as gated communities of sorts, and you’re unlikely to encounter any danger within their confines. Cruise ships offer organized tours that are quite legitimate and safe. But the country as a whole has one of the highest murder rates in the world (uncomfortably close to that of Colombia), and venturing off the beaten path anywhere in Jamaica should be approached with a serious measure of caution. Tourists should either cruise in or opt to fly into Montego Bay’s airport instead of Kingston. The danger of murders and robberies is a threat around West Kingston, and there have been reports of increased violence and gunshots on the Mountain View road, along the route to the Norman Manley International Airport. If you rent a car to tour the country, consult with locals on road conditions, as landslides may have erased sections of main roads. Never stop for any reason on lonely stretches of road.

Antigua –Several high-profile murders in recent years, including the violent January 2010 stabbing of a cruise ship passenger near popular Pigeon’s Point Beach, are indicative of a rising crime problem on this beautiful island, which has long been popular with the yachting set. Antigua’s population is 80,000, but the island’s per capita murder rate is roughly triple that of New York. Illegal drug activity is a major problem and has been tied to increased reports of violent crime. Most often, it’s a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Lessen your odds of encountering a threat by avoiding walking outside at night (take a taxi to your destination if you head off resort property, and ask the driver to return to pick you up at a specific time). If you arrive in Antigua by cruise ship, be sure to book land-based activities only with verified operators. Independent travelers should seek advice from reputable hotels when planning excursions.

Bahamas – Just 50 miles off the coast of Florida, the Bahamas are a string of diverse islands home to everything from placid villages that are likely as safe as your own neighborhood to dangers zones best off avoiding entirely. A recent surge in violent crime in Nassau, the Bahamian capital and its largest city, means tourists are best off avoiding New Providence Island altogether (if your cruise ship stops here, inquire with the concierge for the most up-to-date safety information). Petty crime is a problem throughout the country. As a general rule, the Out Islands tend to be the safest havens for both resort tourists and intrepid travelers looking to venture off the beaten path by staying in small guest houses and dive resorts.

Trinadad and Tobago –These neighboring islands off the coast of Venezuela comprise one nation and offer a rich visitor experience-although not without threat. There have been increased reports regarding violent crimes and murder in Tobago. Visitors flying into Trinidad’s Piarco Airport should be particularly vigilant, as armed robbers have been known to follow newly arrived passengers to remote areas of the airport parking lots or even to accost them on the road to the city of Port of Spain. Tourists should avoid walking around downtown Port of Spain at night, and should not stop at scenic overlooks after dark.

Dominican Republic – The country that shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti has long been popular with European tourists, and increased flights from North America of late have lead to a surge in tourism from our part of the world. Petty crime is a problem throughout the island, but the thing worth worrying about here is Dengue Fever–a mosquito borne disease that is endemic to the Dominican Republic. Malaria, although a lesser issue, is sometimes seen, too (after Haiti, the DR is the riskiest place in the Caribbean for mosquito borne diseases). Tourists staying at the beach resorts in the country’s eastern La Altagracia province should be extra vigilant by applying insect repellants with DEET and wearing skin-covering clothes, particularly at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active. Visitors who venture into the countryside for adventure activities are particularly prone to come into contact with disease-carrying mosquitoes.

By all means, don’t let any of these or other warnings keep you from your dream vacation. Some vigiliance, preparation and basic common sense are most of what you need to avoid adding any risk to your much needed vacation. If you sit back…relax….and be smart, you can enjoy the ride as much a puppy with his head out the window of your highway drive in the car.

For more information on other experiences you can be a part of on an Amazing Journey, visit https://amazingjourneys.net/

Go on…guess.

Its not what you think.

…As a tour leader I am often witness to many moments of bliss as lifelong dreams of seeing far away lands are fulfilled. These once-in-a-lifetime snapshots of time are a driving force behind me loving what I do so much.

As a byproduct of leading my own clients, I also get to watch the goings-on of other travelers who may be sharing in some similiar experiences. Most every tour begins and ends in an airport somewhere, and here is where the truest emotions of travel rear their moments in time. For some its anxiety as one enters a new country for a first time. For others its excitement because “I’m finally here!”, and the dream of seeing a new land is about to be fulfilled. For many, however, its an arrival of emotion when after finally landing, navigating through customs proceedings and finding baggage one can exit the rooms of rules and enter a room of reunion with loved ones.

I’ve been fortunate to spend, on occasion, upwards of 6-7 hours on a given day welcoming my arriving passengers in the baggage claim area of a foreign airport. While standing on my feet for that amount of time holding a welcome sign and assisting my passengers is a burden on the lower extremeties, the emotional gamet of arriving passengers gives the sideline observer more pleasure than the first lick of a chocolate ice cream cone on a hot summer day.

This is a feel-good phenomenon that few people, I believe, have ever considered as a true lifting of one’s spirits….but I suggest a step outside the box of life’s usual pleasures for a moment to experience the true G-Spot of the universe.

The joys of seeing a little child run into his daddy’s arms after he returns home from a business trip, or a boyfriend/girlfriend reunion after months apart, or an emotional wife or mother embracing their military son after a deployment to Iraq….or the first sight by grandparents of a newborn grandchild are all moments-in-time best seen in, of all places, the baggage claim area of any airport.

If you’re ever feeling blue, just take a ride to the airport and head over to the international arrival area and get a good spot among the sign holders, limo drivers and tour leaders. I promise you, before the first plane deposits its final passenger you will be smiling ear to ear feeling the love and joy of the reunions of loved ones.