Prolific Living

frequent flyer

The Case for Micro Vacations: Quick Travels to Far Destinations

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Train Station Interlaken Suisse

Micro vacations are one answer to experiencing the world on limited time and money!

We spent US Labor Day holiday in Switzerland. Before that, we spent President’s Day in London and in Thanksgiving, we will take off for a getaway to the historic city of Berlin. Our home base is the east coast of North America so these destination spots are not exactly a “hop”. Any country in Europe would be 6-8 hours flight from NYC.

Most everyone would immediately dismiss a European vacation more so for lack of time than lack of budget. Perhaps waiting until “someday” is a wise and well-thought-out strategy for some but it won’t do for a travel hungry soul like mine and perhaps, it won’t do for you either. If you share my dilemma, dispel the notions of excuses and adopt a new perspective when it comes to vacations.

Forget setting aside a small fortune and waiting years to find the right two or three week slot of earned vacation. Think instead small, dense, and compact. Think a micro vacation! [Read more…] about The Case for Micro Vacations: Quick Travels to Far Destinations

Travel Like a Pro: 11 Reasons to Not Check Luggage. Ever.

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How to Not Check Luggage on Your Next Trip

In Style at Zurich Train Station“I refuse to compromise my stylish looks, my elegant clothes and having smart outfits for my many moods in exchange for a bit of convenience and a few hours saved on vacation. Is that clear?”

This is what I would retort to my husband, the expert flyer and travel planner of our family, at the onset of every packing stage before a big trip.

He assures me this is not a sacrifice but the liberation of a truly professional traveler.

I do not like to admit it too loudly but unfortunately, he is right!

I may put up a fight but I have rarely ever checked in luggage in the last 3-5 years – check one of many occasions in my post Smart Tips for Travelers, with all my luggage on a 2-week trip to Italy.

I have learned over the years of serious travel – 100,000 flying miles per year is no joking matter – a combination of business and pleasure, national and international – that I can have style, variety, smart looks, all my necessities, a few luxuries and still never check in luggage! [Read more…] about Travel Like a Pro: 11 Reasons to Not Check Luggage. Ever.

10 Smart Tips for the Savvy World Traveler in You

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Tokyo Harajuku Crowds travel memories

Being a savvy traveler is an exceptionally smart skill to have, easy to develop and hard to do without once you firmly establish the habit. When I look back at our initial travels, I shudder at the immature ways I went about them. I can almost pinpoint the day that my husband read an article on becoming a minimalist traveler, and overnight, forbid me from checking in luggage, regardless of our destination! (You bet I put up a fight!) Around the same time, he decided that if we were going to be traveling the world, it is imperative for both our sanity and our budget that we become expert travelers.

[Read more…] about 10 Smart Tips for the Savvy World Traveler in You

Frequent Flyer Miles: Executive Platinum on American Airlines

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Travel with ConfidenceAmerican Airlines and Frequent Flyer Miles

I was not expecting to get a call from the Executive Platinum desk at American Airlines this week.

This year (2009) has been really tough on our travels – we moved, we did a ton of things before the move, we got busy with the daily minutia of life and we forgot to, gasp, travel much!

As someone that even wrote a book on travel, I was certainly not proud to admit to these calls but alas here it came!

“Hello Mrs. Brock, this is the AA Executive Desk”
“Oh yes, hi. How can I help you?”
“Well, we were just wondering where you are spending the holidays next year. We haven’t seen you fly as much this year.”
“Uhm. Oh. Yeah I am fine. I am sorry. We moved this year – and well they have cut corporate travel. You know? But has it really been that long since I flew? I suppose it has been – gasp – months…”

So I assure the nice lady at American Airlines that I will start flying again – especially with the fantastic use of ExpertFlyer, which my husband so smartly puts to amazing use for us and you should totally try it. It helps us accumulate those frequent flyer miles. [Read more…] about Frequent Flyer Miles: Executive Platinum on American Airlines