Roadtrip: the Maui Circle

If you're dreaming of a Maui escape, and you don't know what to do -  or where to stay --  

let someone with firsthand experience on Maui guide your journey.  

Call Melanie, owner of Tough Love Travel, today:  (609) 923-0304

Here it is... (drumroll please).... a clockwise route around Maui, discovering waterfalls, red and black sand beaches, bicycle-powered smoothie bars, swim up bars and swanky resorts,  ocean-rafting and America's Cup sailing, and - of course - the mystical 68-mile, hair-pinned Hana highway along Maui's east coast!  Put on your seatbelt, because here we go...

MAUI  ROADTRIP PART 1:  Airport to Surfing Goat Dairy
Only minutes from the Kahului airport in eastern Maui, you can find a charming goat farm where you can feed and pet the 4-legged creatures, then sample their udderly delicious products --  goat cheeses like Purple Rain and Ole!, and even goat cheese truffles.  Have a snack on the farm but also buy a tub and some crackers to go, because the Red Sand beach is right down Maui's Hana highway, and you'll enjoy a special picnic there!











If you're still hungry, make a quick stop at Sam Sotos in Kahului for a bowl of noodles and a teriyaki strip!  Or grab some authentic Maui BBQ to go, from the food trucks by the waterfront.
Then you're off to Paia for the evening.

MAUI ROADTRIP PART 2:  Paia through Hana
An overnight in Paia is key, to soak up Maui's surf culture, experience the very special Fish Market, and get a good night's sleep before you tackle Hana.
Where to overnight?  If you can get a room at the Green Tile Beach House, you'll fall asleep with the sound of the surf over your pillow and you'll awake to your own stretch of Maui beach below your porch!
The next morning, head south on Maui's cliff-hanger known as the Hana Highway.  Highlights start with a waterfall (which some crazy people think is jump-able), the Heulo Lookout fruit stand, and even the well-loved Maui roadside institution, the Bird Man.


A must-stop is the black sand beach at Maui's Waianapanapa State Park, where you can hike to sea caves too, then continue down this serpentine lane towards Hana town.





Will you stay in a treehouse tonight?   Or in a cabin at the state park? Or is a posh resort?

Which ever you choose, you must overnight, because you should really soak in some Maui ambience... the hippy Hasegawa general store, the organic pick-you-own garden, and the RED sand beach in Hana before heading further south, to...

MAUI ROADTRIP PART 3:  Beyond Hana
Ohe'o Gulch!  Allot 1/2 a day to hike up through the tinkling bamboo forests to the pools -- higher and higher up into the jungle crevasse, from waterfall to plunging waterfall -- until you find your perfect Maui spot.  It's called the 7 Sacred Pools!

MAUI ROADTRIP PART 4:   the decadent southwest coast
Savour your last snippet of this idyllic haven by stopping at the local smoothie shop, west of Ohe'o Gulch (here's the bicycle-powered blender) but save some daylight because your final stretch of today's drive is along Maui's remote, cliff-hugging gravel road that'll lead you back to civilization of Wailea, where a night of fancy resorts,  swim-up bars, water slides (and water elevators!) awaits!

MAUI ROADTRIP PART 5:  Lahaina
Lahaina was the capital of the Hawaiian kingdom in the 1800s and most of the whaling ships of the Pacific came through this port town on Maui's northwest coast, including the ship that carried Herman Melville.  Many of his tales for Moby Dick originated in this very village.


I suggest you finish up in Lahiana, Maui.  You can go on a sunset sail on an America's Cup Sailboat, or snorkel with the whale sharks of Molokini crater, or even ocean raft with the dolphins over to Lanai, Maui's next door island neighbor!   There are delectable dinner spots (disguising themselves as hidden shacks) for 5*+, $100pp dinners, and the best shaved ice on Maui.   No need to splurge on lodging here.  The Pioneer Inn does the job and it's RIGHT on the main drag and by the marina.

Now was that fun, or what?

Want more?    I offer complimentary 20-minute get-acquainted sessions where you can explore your travel dreams to Maui, and beyond!  Schedule a time that's convenient for you, right here. 

ROADTRIP: The Maritimes

Eager to get away this summer but don't have a plan?  I can help!

Schedule a complimentary 20-minute get-acquainted session here. 

If you love lobster, seascapes, oceans and tides, and whales, then the Maritimes is YOUR kind of road trip.

From the northeast US,  ferry from Portsmouth ME to Yarmouth Nova Scotia, your first landfall in the Maritimes.  The ferry departs Maine this summer at 9pm, making an overnight voyage that arrives into NS at 8am AST.   For yourself, you can choose a flat rate or a cabin, but for your car, make a reservation early!

WELCOME TO THE MARITIMES
Enjoy your drive, counter-clockwise around this Maritimes peninsula.  Make sure you stop in Mecklenburgh, a quaint maritime-focused village, with offshore islands called the Tancook, which make an interesting day trip.

In nearby Lunenburg, you'll want to see if the Blue Nose II is in port.  Lunenberg is a world class shipbuilding port near Chester, and the home of the BlueNose.  If it's not off on tour, you can take a sail on this mighty schooner!

And another Maritimes' wonderful stop is Mahone Bay where you'll find a sailing school and opportunities to get out onto the water for a taste of this sailing life.

Before you leave the Lunenberg area, Ovens National Historic Site and Park is a beautiful series of sea caves, famous as the site of 1860's gold-rushing in this Maritime area.

Halifax marks the border between southern Nova Scotia and the Cape Breton National Park to the north.  You can stay overnight in Halifax at the lovely boutique Waverly, but don't miss the Press Gang pub!  It was named after the historic maritime practice of getting patrons besotted, and then pressing them into service, as they'd wake up from their hangover the next morning, miles out to sea.


NEXT MARITIMES STOP:  CAPE BRETON ISLAND
The northern half of Nova Scotia is Cape Breton Island.  Whale-watching is a big deal here, whether from the coast (like here off of Fisherman's Cove near Pleasant Bay where there's also a  Whale Interpretive Museum) or from a boat (like Captain Cox' Hazel Mabie, a 27' zodiac whale and seabird watcher with 97% success!)

Lobster-eating is also a Maritimes highlight.  You'll see little shacks sprinkled along the coastline but I love this place - the Chowder House in Neill's Cove at the northern tip.

And one of the most unique (and non-maritime) activities on Cape Breton are the ceilidhs.  These are pick up musical improvisations with celtic instruments -- fiddle and definitely a piano.   You can experience a ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee) at the Red Shoe Pub in Mabou, but there's an entire ceilidh route you can follow too.

NEXT MARITIMES STOP:  PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Ferry westward from Caribou NS to Woods Island PEI, and head westward along the northern coastline of red beaches.
Pretend you're Kate and William, the royals, and splurge on an overnight at Dalvay by the Sea, an old beach barn facing the quiet waters of the Gulf of St Lawrence.
Nearby is the storied cottage of Anne of Green Gables.  Bike the Confederation Trail, a car-free route that traverses this flat, pastoral isle, and then head down to Victoria, for some more lobster shanties and tidal flats which make for an unforgettable low-tide stomp.

One amazing activity to do on PEI, that's an iconic Maritimes event, is the Clam Dig.   Boat out, dig your own clams, then BBQ them on a beach -- all with the guidance of a PEI guide!

LAST MARITIMES STOP:   NEW BRUNSWICK
South over the bridge and into New Brunswick where you could spend a month, but if you only have a day, you should kayak the Bay of Fundy, one of the highest tides in the world (over 30'!)

THE BIG PICTURE:
Here's a map of these Maritime provinces so you can envision the counterclockwise route for yourself:

WANT SOME HELP? 

I'm Melanie Tucker, owner of Tough Love Travel where I specialize in designing unique trips for adventurous travelers. 

I have done this Maritimes trip myself, and in addition to the tips above, I have secrets for biking routes, hidden B&Bs, and wonderful guides whom I have vetted myself. 

Click here to select a time that's convenient for you to talk about your trip -- it's complimentary and it's right here:  www.MeetingWithMelanie.com

Roadtrip: Canadian Rockies

Welcome to my series on Road Trips for Summer 2014!  

I'm Melanie Tucker, owner of Tough Love Travel.

I am here to help YOU get on YOUR next adventure.  Contact me today!

We drove a gauntlet through snow-iced mountains, glaciers poking at us from the left -- then the right.
We walked on these black- and gray-streaked glacier hulks, peering into turquoise crevasses.  Then we kayaked on avocado-colored lakes, biked along bubbling streams, and hiked to the summit for views that seemed to reach to the end of the continent.   We saw bulls in a rodeo and bears by our picnic table.
This was our summer road trip through the Canadian Rockies.

HIGHLIGHT OF CANADIAN ROCKIES (why choose this trip): 
#1:  Mountain scenery and cascading waterfalls!
#2:  chance to see, learn about, and walk on glaciers  
#3:  bald eagles (and elk and moose and even wolves) complete your alpine experience.

WHAT'S THE DRIVING ROUTE THROUGH CANADIAN ROCKIES:
There are many organized coach tours through this area, but if you want to travel independently, stopping to hike and take photos at will (and you WILL!),  rent a car.
It's a condensed route, too - a straightforward triangle connecting Banff, Jasper, and the Parkway to Calgary, your arrival city.
You can either drive out and back, or you can drive the loop through Edmonton.

A 3rd GREAT OPTION FOR GETTING AROUND THE ROCKIES:
Viarail!  Drive from Calgary through the Icefields to Jasper, then return your rental car and hop the train west to Vancouver.  You can choose a special glass-topped sightseeing car for this journey, or a regular coach, and both This one-way route is more expensive, but is by far the most efficient and allows you to also experience the great coastal metropolis, sometimes referred to as the City of Glass for its architecture!

WHAT TO DO IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES: 
We loved our bike ride along the creekside trail in Lake Louise.    Straight from our lodge (see below), our group of 8- to 45-year-olds could all enjoy this relatively flat route. Rent bikes here and check out a full biking guide with more routes here.

I also have a touchstone to Jasper's Lake Maligne where we kayaked in silence, in pristine wilderness, for hours.  Yes, the water really IS this blue.   Magical....


THE ICEFIELDS PARKWAY, A NATIONAL TREASURE IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES:
This 144-mile national park route is designated Top 20 Drives to take in a lifetime!
There's a shouldn't-miss visitors center and a snow coach ride that helps even young families and disabled folks get out to the face of the glacier.


ICEFIELDS PARKWAY LOGISTICS:

• only ONE gas stop that's very expensive and often backed up with long lines, so fill up before you enter the drive
• it's convenient to grab a snack at the Visitors Center, but it's ideal to organize yourself the day before and pack your loveliest picnic, to enjoy along the route. 
• this drive is do-able in wintertime but sometimes is closed for weather, so call for updates before you drive

WHERE TO STAY IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES: 
I highly recommend The Post Hotel in Lake Louise.  It's hand-heuned wooden king bed had the fluffiest mattress I've ever laid my body on, and I can still remember the crisp sheets and cozy duvet.  Either I was exhausted from a day of mountain biking or this place was extraordinary -- probably both!   If you're going to splurge anyway, take a cabin by the stream.

Have fun like THIS in the Canadian Rockies!

I'm Melanie Tucker, owner of Tough Love Travel, 

and I did this road trip myself a few summers ago. 

Want me to design a trip for you, too? 

Here're times for a complimentary Get-Acquainted call - 

pick one today and you'll be on your way

to the Canadian Rockies!

10 Unique things to do in much-visited Paris

I'm Melanie Tucker, owner of Tough Love Travel, where I design unique trips for adventurous travelers. 

Here are 10 wonderful things to do in Paris that many travelers miss.  

But don't YOU miss out!  Read details below, then

set up a 20-minute complimentary call if you have questions!

Join a French couple for dinner in their home
This is not about food.  It's about cultural exchange.
Meet the French owner, Emilie, will pair you up with one of her hosts who's got similar interests and lifestyle, and then you join them for a simple, catered dinner in their home.  Experience dinner like a typical Parisian, and make a friend along the way.
Website:  http://www.meetingthefrench.com

Visit Saint Chapelle, in light and dark
This tiny royal medieval chapel, right on Isle de Cite, only steps from Notre Dame, is a literal glass box with floor-to-ceiling stained glass windows towering floors above you.
Visit during the day to appreciate the color-infused chapel (a Museum Pass will help to skip the lines)
and return at night to be entranced by a quartet or chapel choir.
Website: http://sainte-chapelle.monuments-nationaux.fr


Sleep on a barge in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower
You'll enjoy a glass of wine on your OWN deck, under the twinkling lights of the Tower, and then step on the quay in the morning where you bike awaits for a short pedal to your nearby croissant shop.
You're in the heart of the action, yet set apart from the crowded streets.
And what a COOL place to sleep!
Website: http://hotels.about.com/od/paris/ig/Paris-/House-Boat-Seine-Dl.htm#.

Grab a seat at the longest--continuously-running, French-language-only play in Paris
Ionesco's famous comedy, The Bald Soprano, is a one-hour show that has not missed a night since the 1950s.   Produced in the Theater de la Huchette down in St Germain off of Paris' Left Bank,  it's easy to get tickets to this 7pm ritual, either by calling the theater in advance, or just showing up at the door!  And don't speak French?  Ne vous inquietez pas!  It's absurd comedy, so you'll be able to follow.
Website: http://www.theatre-huchette.com/en/

Meet my bike guide for a 2-wheeled escort into hidden corners of the city
Pam is a local.  She knows where to pick up your Velib, what spots are particularly atmospheric, all the colorful history, and she can even devise you a route that's car-free!

Write your first chapter at Shakespeare and Company
This bookstore in Paris is an institution dating back to the early 1900s.  Run since the early 1900s by Sylvia Beach, it's now located right on the Left Bank, and you can rummage through this warren of literature, pause to tinkle the keys on the 2nd floor piano, or grab one of the many cubbies to write our your own first chapter -- or write a page in your travel journal!   Wonder if Ezra Pound or Hemingway sat in that cubby?   Just imagine!
There are frequent readings and book signings too.
Website: http://www.shakespeareandcompany.com

Take a romantic stroll through a storied cemetery
Pere LaChaise in eastern Paris protects the remains of Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, and many more notable characters.  The artful tombs are as much sculpture garden as cemetery and a stroll here - whether the day be still and sunny or gray and drizzl - will be a touchstone to your Paris adventure.
Meet me at Pere LaChaise is a wonderful little book (order it before you leave home) to self-guide you through this collection.
And afterwards?    Dinner at the trestle-tables, elbow-to-elbow with other travelers and locals, at Mama Shelter's bohemian outfit, is my recommendation!
Website: http://www.pere-lachaise.com/perelachaise.php?lang=en

Tango by the Seine
During the warm months in this City of Light, tango reigns on the banks of the Seine.  Drop-in classes start around 7pm , followed by open dancing which runs deep into the evening.
No partner needed.  And it's free!
Follow their Facebook page

Just hang out on the banks of the Seine! 
From picnicking to people-watching to accordion music to impromptu DJs, it's the best spot in town! Just watch this youtube!

Join an ex-60 Minutes-writer for a unique literary walking tour
David Burke is a published author of the literary writers' lives in Paris.  He guides small (or private) groups at very moderate cost on his different themed tours.   From Lost Generation to the Racey Writers of the Marais, you really should not miss him!
Website: http://writersinpariswalkingtours.blogspot.com/p/walks.html

Want to visit Paris' literary cafes on your own?  

I have designed a special Cafe-A-Day:  a self-guided route with stops at all the top cafes 

where Hemingway, Stein, and others hung out - 

L'Hotel where Oscar Wilde died

or Harry's, an American institution deconstructed from NYC and rebuilt, one Ivy League banner at a time, on Rue Daunou,

and many more. 

To get this complimentary report, email Melanie here. 

D-Day turns 70: Need a guide?

Want to learn about this pivotal moment in history, D Day, but have special requests?  A certain D Day beach?  A certain D Day story?  

At TLT, I specialize in designing a 100% customized experience for each client. 

Call me today to hear more:  (609)923-0304

Next week, D-Day marks its 70th anniversary on the beaches of Normandy, France.

• D Day was the largest seaborne invasion in history, Operation Overlord
• Of the 150,000 soldiers, almost 1 in 15 died by the end of that D Day.
• D Day forced the Germans to fight on 2 fronts, thus marking the beginning of the end of WW II.

To appreciate this staggering D Day story, wouldn't a guide be worthwhile?   Here are my 3 favorites:

Paul Woodadge, the famous D Day Historian: 

This gentleman is an Institution in the Normandy area.  He never subcontracts and never combines groups, but rather personally guides each client on their individual journey.
One of his favorites is the American Experience, for example, which runs every Monday/Tuesday.   He also offers Band of Brothers, and even a more specialty tour of the Falaise Gap.

Cost for private:  €600 for 9 hours


Guillaume Marie, of Normandy D Day Tours: 
 Private tours can be arranged with this local guide who is very eager and easy to work with.

Cost:  €260
What's included:  pickup and drop off from Bayeux hotel,  private transportation 5 hours of fully guided tour customized to your specific D Day interests

Group Tours through D Day Battle Tours: 
Recommended by Rick Steves, these D Day tours can be either private or public.

For €110pp, you can choose from 1 or 2 day journeys, and even ride in an authentic WW II jeep!



Want a concise history article about D Day?  Click here.

Interested in an excellent reading list about D Day?  Here's one!





I'm Melanie Tucker, owner of Tough Love Travel where I research and design unique trips for adventurous travelers.  

Look for more Normandy experience ideas on this blog, or 
select a time for a private call to ask all your questions!

Orcas under the rainbow (and other luxuries on Uncruise)

For an Alaska like you've never imagined... 

off the beaten path, full of glaciers and grizzlies, fishing and fireweed.... 

schedule a call with Melanie, owner of Tough Love Travel, today!

I spent last week in southeastern Alaska, cruising the Inside Passage on an Uncruise boat that was something between a ferry and a research vessel.   The cabins were modest, the shower resembled a contraption you’d find on a small sailboat, and the dining room was a row of booths.  There wasn’t an inch of marble countertop in sight. 

Yet, it was a decadently luxurious experience for me and my fellow 38 guests.  Let me tell you how… 

Someone heard that I was an early riser, after which coffee was brewed every morning at 4:00am.

We returned from snorkeling with the lavender sunstars of Saginaw Bay and were greeted by Chris, who’d set up a hot cider bar on the fantail (“Would you like a splash of Captain Morgans?”).  He served us in the hot tub!

Whales surfaced by LeConte Glacier.  

Our captain – free from a strict schedule and as giddy as a 6-year-old on Christmas morning– cut the boat engines so we could float around the bay, gawking at and photographing these giant migrants to our heart’s delight.   2 hours later, we moved on.

In the village of Petersburg, Uncruise hooked us up with an old salt named Grant who escorted us on a Dock Walk and introduced us to a deckhand on the Island Pride.   Tales of gaffing hooks and sneaky sperm whales gave us a taste of the purse seining culture upon which this southeastern Alaskan village was built. 

5’ seas and 50-knot winds broadcast through the radio, so the crew spirited us to sheltered Whitney Island where, free from foul weather, they set up a beach party on a narrow spit of sand, complete with low tide walk and s’mores over a beach bonfire. 

                                 

Phil, one of our adventure guides, surprised my hiking group with a sack of warm-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies, to buoy our spirits as the first drops of liquid sunshine fell in the fairy forest of Ideal Cove. 

Each evening we sat down to 3-course feasts – halibut and other Alaskan fish bought straight off the boats on Wrangell wharf, crunchy red kale salad with fresh grapefruit, and beautifully sauteed leafy green vegetables. 

Each morning started with a crisp fruit salad, complete with plump blackberries and kiwi. 

One morning I revisited the breakfast buffet for a 2nd scone (did I mention the full-time pastry chef who spoiled us daily with handmade breads, Alaska berry compotes, and a bottomless cookie jar?) and noticed that that bowl of amazing fruit salad had been devoured, leaving only delicious juice in the bottom.  I poured the juice into a glass, and (secretly, I thought) savored the remains.  Justin, the steward, did notice though, and the next morning, he greeted me with a glass of fruit salad juice, freshly pressed in the kitchen, just for me. 

One morning the Alaska State Ferry appeared down the channel.  It was the first (and would be the only) ship we saw all week.   All the typical cruise ships were relegated to the main channels and over-touristed port towns.  We had the pristine wilderness to ourselves!

And what a front row seat we had!

We had access to special places that most people only dream of, thanks to Uncruise’s maneuverable shallow-draft ship.   Its flexible port-free sailing plan enabled us to pause for wildlife when it magically appeared, and its doting crew – well, they made the trip!  

So as bald eagles put on a fishing show, diving a mere 20’ in front of our skiff, their mustard colored talons piercing their fish as they winged away with might and grace… 

and as Orcas breached under a brilliant rainbow one afternoon (you can’t make this stuff up!)….

not a good shot - but I had to prove to you that Orcas and rainbows were in the same shot!

We soaked in an Alaskan cruise experience that was quite rare, and entirely unforgettable. 

I finally understand what Uncruise means by:

“Unrushed.  Uncrowded.  Unbelievable.”

You want to see an Alaska that is unique, and natural?   I did too! 

Let me share my secrets with you for an Alaska, like you never imagined!

The "Slow Safari"

To have your Safari trip custom-designed just for you, Melanie Tucker, owner of Tough Love Travel, is the one to speak to.  Select your complimentary consultation time by clicking here.

Would you like to laze in bed and hear the Bush wake up around you, rather than you wake up the Bush?

Would you like for the animals to come to you, rather than go on a wild jeep chase in search of them?

Would you like to feel immersed in the safari? 

Then consider the newest concept in safari experience:  The Slow Safari

No Schedule on Slow Safari

At a typical safari park, the morning game drive starts at the crack of dawn.  Don't get me wrong.... I love having coffee service to my tent at 6am, but it's not exactly relaxing. 

On slow safari, you can sleep in, waking at your leisure and - from your pillow! --  listen to the hippos bellow from the river or the zebra graze the grasses just outside your canvas. 

If you want to get up early for a day trip to Ngorogoro Crater, that's fine too. 

But it is your choice. 

You absorb, not attack, the Bush on Slow Safari

On slow safari, you can float in the pool as the dikdiks ramble past, only 100 yards away.

On slow safari, you can lounge over lunch, from your perch in the Eagle's Aerie, the private dining space atop the main lodge.  From here, you can see a warthog nurse her 5 piglets, and the giraffes sitting for a spell, on the far savannah.

Every Last Detail is important on Slow Safari

Sundowners (or sunset drinks and snacks) are standard at many safari parks, but how often do you arrive at the lakeshore at sunset, with a private table set up just for you?  A uniformed waiter appears from behind the jeep with your favorite drink, and you wonder:  "How did they know I preferred Captain Morgan's and how did it get out here?"

As the sun creeps below the far ridge, the flock of flamingoes on the far shore fades from view, but the guide lights torches and a small campfire to warm you. 

Other details on slow safari?  

Each tent is nestled in a private setting so you can photograph the zebras at their watering hole as you enjoy your breakfast in your bathrobe, on your personal deck, with 360* coverage. 

And for you food aficionados out there, the cuisine is flawless!  A cooling gazpacho is accented by the tiniest crunch of vegetable afloat...  the table is decorated with bright linens and weighty hand-carved forks... the freshest fruit and delectable petite biscotti is offered...  

I never sat down, in the lounge or by the fire pit lounge, without one of the staff arriving within minutes to offer me a beverage. 

Dinner - flexible times, and venues - on Slow Safari

Most safari parks serve dinner at 7:30.  I find it so frustrating to arrive from the afternoon's bush walk to a welcoming bonfire, and to be just soaking in the warmth (of the flames and the scene) when they push me off to a dinner table. 

At slow safari, you just stay there,  until YOU are ready for dinner. 

Then, they'll lead you to your own mysterious dinner venue.  The first night, we meandered down a foot trail into the woods where a small table was set with candles and ice bucket, cloistered under the umbrella of a large tree in whose trunk tiny tea lights had been set. 

Another couple was escorted to the open air library, replete with leather couches and a spotlight on the bush just below them. 

Each party receives their own personal venue and service.  This is a trademark of slow safari. 

Personal Service on Slow Safari

You'll never ask for a towel at the pool, or a drink on the porch.   It simply appears.

Your personal ascari (or watchman) stands at the end of your boardwalk throughout the night, in case you need anything!

There are only 12 tents so your hostess greets you personally and attends to your every preference. 

Where is this Slow Safari spot?  Call Melanie @ Tough Love Travel to find out!  (609)923-0304