For many years now I have been planning some of the most incredible vacations for my family and over the years family and friends would often come to me for advice while planning their vacations. The only thing I love about travel as much as the experience itself is the planning. I admit it…I have OCD when it comes to planning anything related to travel! I have a passion for researching areas of the world and finding everything imaginable that can be seen and experienced during our time at our destination.
In the past I would conduct hours of research into everything from where and when we want to go away to what we want to see and experience and even where we’re going to eat…I want to experience everything imaginable during the time that we have for our hard earned money. After doing all of the work I would then hand it all over to a travel agent for booking and they would get paid! The few times that I did rely on a travel agent to initiate all the plans I was always presented with a “lead in” sale package. You know, the packages you see advertised on line or in the newspaper. The prices always sound great until you look further into it…the flight doesn’t arrive at the resort until late at night….you lose a whole day! Or the hotel that they want to put us in is a cab ride away from all the action. In all the years of booking through travel agencies I was never once given any type of customer service. I was never once contacted after my trip to see if everything went well, what did we enjoy the most, what did we enjoy the least? Would I recommend the destination to fellow travelers?
Several years ago I finally decided that if I am going to do all the work then I am going to work directly with the hotels, airlines, excursions, tour operators, rental cars, etc. and it has been great. Yes, it is a lot of work but I love it and it satisfies my OCD!
After years of being told that I should open my own travel agency and after years of dreaming of one day starting my own agency I decided to finally “seize the day” and open my own home-based travel agency…Carpe Diem World Travel LLC.
“Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally used up and worn out, shouting…’MAN, WHAT A RIDE!’”…George Carlin