Scenes from St Lucia's backroads!

If changing gears with your "wrong" (right) hand, while driving up a mountainside around hairpin curves is your thing, then go straight to St Lucia!  This southern Caribbean island, a neighbor of Barbardos where they drive on the opposite side of the road, holds many treats for those willing to explore.








Waterfalls that run warm from the live sulphur springs


...Local crab tests where you sit on picnic tables surrounded by townsfolk

...tiny ferries that cross small inlets to deliver you to intimate restaurants hidden in the jungle

...off-the-grid spots where your "painkiller" is served on tree-trunk-formed furniture, right by the sea

and sunsets, like this:

Want the full slideshow?   Check it out here!

Scenes from a St Lucia Roadtrip!

To catch YOUR island sunset, call Melanie today. 

She owns Tough Love Travel, where she researches and designs unique trips for adventurous travelers. 

To explore the possibilities, choose a good time for your complimentary 20-minute call here.

ROADTRIP: my 6-day London Loop

Can I design a road trip for you?  This simple 6-night trip never strays more than a few hours from London 

but it'll show you more than 700 years of history and some unforgettable sights. 

Schedule a complimentary call to learn more.

Ride "the Eye", witness the centuries-long Keys Ceremony, and sample Benachin in East London, but then head out of town on a 6-night loop through Stonehenge, Oxford, and the Cotswolds.   Here's the way....

DAY 1: STONEHENGE AT SUNRISE
Did you know that you can actually get INSIDE the stones of Stonehenge.  It requires a guide, advanced reservations, and waking before dawn, but it's well worth it!

For this sunrise event, you need to stay nearby.  I have a wonderful historic guesthouse, only  10 minutes down the road, and it's the perfect launching spot.

The next morning, you will do the highly coveted  "Inner Circle Tour".   Tightly permitted by English Heritage, you get to wander beyond the fences, off the path, and amongst the stones, an experience within the "temple" which many people find magical.

While you're on the site, don't miss the new-in-December-2104 Visitors Center. 

DAY 2:  A DAY IN THE COUNTRYSIDE
Set a day aside for some local attractions before you move onward.

Ready for crowds?  Head to Bath.  Yes, you can actually bathe in the thermal springs. Here's a good spot: The Thermae Baths, open 7am-9pm.
But the parking is obscenely difficult with off-site lots, outside of town, and complicated shuttle services.

Your time may be better spent with Jane Austen? 
Near Alton, in a little crossroads called Chawton, you can tour her home (£7), a former bailiffs' house where she spent her last 8 years and at a small round table in the parlour, put her final edits on Sense & Sensibility.

Detour to Salisbury's Cathedral House to view the venerable Magna Carta. Simply translated as "big charter", this legal document was issued by King John back in 1215 to avert a civil war, but it has since inspired centuries of people to strive for freedom.
There were many copies of this decree distributed in the 1200s but today, only 4 remain, and here lies one of them, its authenticity certified by the imprimatur, the King's seal, in the bottom corner.  Cost of entry is free but a donation of £6.50 is recommended.

DAY 3: ON TO OXFORD
Did you know you can sleep in a dorm in Oxford, and eat breakfast the next morning in the Hogwartz-esque grand dining hall.

Make sure you tour Christ Church, and get a Blue Badge guide if you want special access.

Then don't leave without a short outing on the river, so you can tell your friends at home that you went  "punting on the Thames".


DAY 4, 5, 6:  PUB-TO-PUB IN THE COTSWOLDS
You stay in cozy pubs and grand guesthouses in the Cotswolds, that range of rolling hills that rises from the Thames river bottom and is iconized by English gardens and tutor homes and rose-strewn cottages and scone-filled shops.

You can even hike pub-to-pub throughout this classic region, on a trail called the 100-mile long Cotswolds Way.  As you pass sheep, stop for a pint, and laze in the sunshine, your bags are transferred to your next overnight, meaning that you never have to double-back and you maximize your experience.   Here's the Ordinance Survey map to envision the possibilities:

Tempted to go? 

I would love to serve as your travel designer.  

Call me today, at (609) 923-0304

ROADTRIP: South Africa's Garden Route

Melanie Tucker, owner and chief designer at Tough Love Travel, is FUNDI-certified

and can help make YOUR South Africa dream come true. 

Select a 20-minute complimentary get-acquainted call with her today!

Almost every sojourn through South Africa arrives in Cape Town at some point.  The city's international crowd, rappelling thrills on Table Mountain, sailing on the busy waterfront, cooking in the Malay community, hearing jazz (in the home of a local!), and fine dining (even in a rose-petal-strewn antique bank vault!) will impress you.
Then loop down the Cape peninsula for penguins, wineries, and the big prize - the Cape of Good Hope!

But if you rent a car and head east, an entirely unexpected world awaits you, along the Garden Route, a (minimum) 2-day drive along the coast between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.

STOP 1:   STELLENBOSH
Less than 2 hour northeast of Cape Town are the Durbanville Hills and the enticing wine country of Stellenbosch.  It's not officially part of the Garden Route, but I'd recommend it as a most worthy detour for your first night.
You can stay in the town, where quaint guesthouses put you within walking distance of wine-tasting rooms and incredible chefs, or you can sleep out amongst the vines.
Either way, you'll enjoy the "vine hopper", a hop-on-hop-off bus that circles the large vineyard country with several routes, allowing you to taste and tour cellars without the worry of driving.

2 good tips?

1. Buy The People's Guide, an exhaustive book about South African wines and culture.
2. Sample a pinotage, a uniquely South African blended wine, somewhere between a pinot noir and a hermitage. 

STOP 2:  THE WHALES OF HERMANUS

The next morning takes you down through wetlands, past flocks or flamingoes, and into the cliffside town of Hermanus, on a small cove that the Southern Right Whales love to  return to every June where they birth their calves and nurse their young.
Kayak off the coast here and you're sure to see seals lounging in the kelp, birds and penguins, and - yes - the whales.
If you're not a water lover, then be happy that Hermanus is one of the #1 spots for land-based whale-watching, too.
Stay in a guesthouse in this salt-sprayed village and walk the cliffside trail for kodak moments!

STOP 3:  TSITSIKAMA NATIONAL PARK
Driving east, you'll reach Knysna (pronounced Nie-s-na), traditionally known for its artists and oysters, but more recently acclaimed for its golf.

Next is Mossel Bay and some great seafood stops - even a lighthouse.

But your destination for the night is Tstisikama National Park, a slice of pie whose crust is the coast (where you can find oceanettes, 50 metes off the Indian Ocean surf, for $72/night) and whose heart is a gorge that extends inland.  I rode a jet boat into the gorge and was amazed at misty waterfalls, mixes of shadow and sun streams, and the most colorful lichen I have ever witnessed!

After your overnight, grab breakfast on the porch, admiring the surf, and then hike over the suspension bridges and up to the overlook.  Maybe you'll see a whale?!

STOP 5:  GIANT DUNES ON VAST SHORE
You've got a long drive today, and, surprising to some people, it is often not along the coast, but inland instead.

For deep dunes and mind-blowing stretches of beach, detour to the Gamtoos Coastal River Reserve.   Read all about that here. 

STOP 6:  ONWARD (TO SOWETO, OR KRUGER, OR BEACHES, OR....)
Pull into the airport in Port Elizabeth and fly on to Durban (sunny beaches and best Indian curries!) or  out to Nelspruit (for Kruger's lion watching!)  or back to Johannesburg, to meet my guide Mandy, who'll show you the hidden corners of Soweto.

Overwhelmed by South Africa's vastness and abundance of activities?  

I can advise you with my on-the-ground experience. 

Schedule a complimentary 20-minute call here. 

ROADTRIP: Italy's Chianti country

Welcome to my series of international road trips -- my favorite routes from 5 countries!  

Want to hit the road yourself?  I can help to get you on your way.   

Schedule a complimentary 20-minute get-acquainted call right here!

You've studied the Duomo, marveled at the David, and bartered for Murano glass.  Now it's time to leave Florence and head south into Italy's famed Chianti country.


ITALY ROADTRIP STOP 1:  Greve, the seat of wine country
Rent a little Fiat out of Florence (the Avis shop on Borgo Ognissanti puts you right at the south bridge to exit Florence, but beware the car-free zone because the Italians DO ticket!)

Less than 45 minutes drive and you'll be enjoying Chianti's storied landscape and pulling into Greve, with its overflowing markets and charming enotecos, or wine-tasting bars.

From here, you can get to the vineyards by either walking (or biking) the famous Strade Bianca (or white road) that's been used by farmers for centuries, or by driving, which permits you impulsive stops at little cucinas like this one, along the way!

There are vineyards and also olive farms, and detours (along back ways like the photo, right) will reward you with not only history and culture lessons of the area, but also proper tasting methods for both wine and olive oil.

Buono viaggio!  Chianti Classico!

ITALY ROADTRIP STOP 2:   Truffle Hunt
The old-school Hotel Brufani, perched atop the pinnacle town of Perugia, is the ideal stopover enroute to the truffle farm.  The head north, early the next morning, to meet Emma, the truffle-hunting canine (see her interview, here), hunt for the elusive culinary treats, and then spend a treasured afternoon in the farmer's kitchen, cooking... the savoring... a truffle feast.

Drive late to Sienna for a quick overnight in the horse-racing campo of Tuscany!   Check out this venue for your nightcap!

ITALY ROADTRIP STOP 3:  Etruscan country
Before you head south to the world of the Etruscans, grab a sunrise cafe and treat yourself to a hot air balloon ride over the rolling Tuscan hills. (champagne and classic farmhouse Italian breakfast included!)
Then detour south to Etruscan country:  deep ruts of ancient Etruscan roads, caves, and hot springs.  My favorite is a natural spring.  Yes, you WILL stoop under the fence, walk across a field, change clothes behind a bush, and crawl INTO the river alongside the locals for your free, and superbly atmospheric, soak!

I recommend an overnight in the nearby village of Saturnia, before hitting to road back to Florence.  If you're willing to brave a one-way rental charge, another options is to head straight south to Rome - you're only 2+ hours away!

Melanie is a road trip expert!  Her client, Carol, says: 

You sent us to places and found us routes that we would never would've found on our own!  Thank you!

Melanie can help you, too.  Call her today with your questions:   (609)923-0304 

ALASKA ROADTRIP: Alaska's Kenai peninsula

I'm Melanie Tucker, chief designer at Tough Love Travel, and a certified Alaska Expert.

I offer an Alaska, like you've never imagined. 

Call and let me inspire you today:  (609) 923-0304. 

The word "road trip" and "Alaska" are rarely found in the same sentence - for good reason!  Alaska's size usually makes floatplanes much more practical than Fiats....but not always!   One great exception is the Kenai peninsula, that cone-shaped piece of land jutting south from Anchorage.  It holds the only walk-on glacier, world-famous King Salmon runs, artisans and eagles, and access to not one -- but 2! - more national parks.  

ALASKA ROADTRIP step 1:  start in Anchorage

There's no need to spend much time in this hub, but on your arrival afternoon, you may want to rent a bike and explore the 11-mile Tony Knowles Trail.  It's paved, relatively flat, and runs along the shoreline of scenic Cook Inlet, from downtown to Earthquake Park (where you'll learn all about the devastation of 1964)

I'd also buy myself a ulu knife, critical to Inuit native culture (and to my kitchen too) or taxi out to the Native Cultural Exhibit. 

ALASKA ROADTRIP step 2:  26 glaciers

Early the next morning, rent your car and drive down to Whittier to hop on the 12:30pm boat cruise called "26 Glacier Express".  Yes, you WILL see 26 glaciers.  You'll also learn the difference between tidewater and hanging glaciers and why the glaciers were named after Ivy League schools.  You'll probably see Orcas too!

Did you know that there's a 2.5 mile, one-way railway tunnel to enter Whittier?  It's part of the fun, but you better time it right.  It costs $12 and runs on a half-hour schedule.  Here are the details. 

When you exit the boat, head over to Seward, 2 hours south, for your overnight. 

ALASKA ROADTRIP step 3: Seward's Resurrection Bay

You can sleep in a restored railroad car, in a picturesque log cabin on the bay, or in a saltwater lodge, but when you awake, you'll want to get out on the water to see the wildlife of Kenai Fjords.  My favorite boat is the intimate, family-run Stellar Explorer that'll show you whales, calving glaciers, and natural history. 

You'll also want to tie on your boots for a remarkable coastal hike out at Lowell Point.   Yes, that means you'll have to drive the short but sketchy gravel lane OUT to the point, but that's part of the fun of this Caines Head Trail. 

Note of caution:  this trail is 100% tide dependent, so make sure you check a current tide chart before you set out, and consider hiring Miller's water taxi for a pick up if hiking and tide times don't jive. 

ALASKA ROADTRIP step 4:  fish, fish, fish

The Kenai peninsula is all about fishing!  Salmon run throughout the summer months, and the prized King Salmon can also be caught.  Permits limit an angler to one King per day, so you'll have to choose whether or not to keep a fish.  If he's a 45 pounder, should you put him back and wait for a 70 pounder?   What about bait?  waders and other equipment?  These are all things that a good guide will help you with.  They'll even make you lunch in the boat as you practice your fly casting from the riverbank. 

ALASKA ROADTRIP step 5:   Homer's eagles and artisans

Homer is one of my all-time favorite towns in Alaska.  Perched on a 2-mile spit of land at the bottom tip of the peninsula, Homer is all about halibut fishing, hand-knit sweaters and caribou earrings (yes, foraged straight from the tundra by this artist!),  kayaking, and seafood dinners. 

For dinner, take the Danny J ferry out to Halibut Cove, an abandoned herring fishing village that's turned its boardwalks and cabins into an artist colony.  Stroll the studio wharf and then enjoy dinner dockside at the Saltry Restaurant! 

ALASKA ROADTRIP step 6:  the grizzlies of Katmai  

From Homer, you can contract a guide for day trip out to Katmai National Park. It'll take you a bush plane, a float plane, a full day, and about $680 pp to do this, but it is a day in your life that you will never, ever forget!   Here's a story about the journey OUT to Katmai, and here's another tale about my own family's encounter with a grizzly bear, Awed by the Claws. 

Wondering how to pull all these ideas together? 

Don't have time to plan this trip? 

Want the coolest, off-the-beaten-path places to stay... cabins right on the bay catered fishing cabins, flats on Homer Spit where you'll have a front-row seat to watch the eagles? 

I can help you.   Schedule your complimentary 20-minute call now, but clicking here. 

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.