It’s Time to Kick Your Bucket List and Visit That Special Place

By Richard Levy

After what we’ve all experienced over what is nearly two years, with COVID-19 and the impact it has had on our lives, my advice is don’t wait to take the bucket list trip you’ve always dreamed about taking.

Now is the time to kick that bucket list and all those trips you’ve yearned for all these years down the road. My astute travel writer advice to you is Carpe diem! Yes, seize the day!

Start making your plans right now to take that dream trip you’ve always wanted next spring or summer. Since COVID, we’ve seen how just how unpredictable and vulnerable our lives can be. So be thankful that you and your family have survived COVID’s curse and celebrate by taking the trip you’ve always wanted. Trust me, you’ll be thrilled that you did.

You’ll save money on airfare and hotels because airlines and lodging facilities are anxious to start booking 2022 business now. When you’re ready to book your trip, do what I always do and call The Travel Team at American Express Travel at 716-722-1172 and ask for Mai Provett. She’s amazing and will find you the very best fares and connections. Be sure to mention that Richard the travel writer suggested you call her.

After she finds you the best deal for your flight, Provett will help you reduce your airfare with your Amex Membership Award Points on your American Express card. For example, if your flight is $600 and you have 30,000 points, that will take $300 off your ticket. You can use your points to book hotels as well. You’ll also get membership miles for the new trip you’ll be taking.

For my hotel booking, I always use Booking.com because you can cancel your reservation and you don’t have to pay the hotel until you check in.

If by chance you’re one of the rare folks who doesn’t have a bucket list, here are my suggestions about where you should consider going on a spectacular vacation.

1. A 10-day unforgettable river cruise from Cambodia to Vietnam on the Mekong River. Be sure to book AmaWaterways. It’s my favorite.
2. A decadent week in the magnificent village of Bellagio, Lake Como, Italy. The Lake is surrounded by snow-covered Italian Alps.
3. Breathtaking Amalfi, Positano or any coastal village on the Amalfi Coast, Italy.
4. A very romantic week on the captivating Cote d’Azure in Nice or Saint-Tropez, France.
5. If you’re a wine lover, take a delightful tour tasting endless, amazing wines through the Loire Valley, France.

After a dreadful almost two years, wearing our masks, getting vaccinated, avoiding COVID-19, being sequestered in our houses, confined to our couches and endlessly watching Netflix, we all deserve a very special vacation getaway in 2022. Start planning your fabulous vacation now.

Since I’ve been to just about everywhere, if you need any advice about somewhere you’ve always wanted to go or haven’t been, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Lastly, make sure your passport does not expire six months from the day you leave or six months upon your return. You’ll risk being turned away at the airport, thus totally ruining your vacation plans before it begins. Bon voyage!

Hastings-on-Hudson resident Richard Levy is a former advertising “Mad Man” creative director and now a travel writer. He’s also an inventor of innovative new products and is writing and illustrating a new children’s book. You can contact him at RichardLevyTravelWriter@gmail.com.

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