As a certified Good Travels Advisor, I'd like to take some time as we head into the holiday season to share some tips we can all follow to become more responsible travelers.

During my time in the Peace Corps, I learned quickly how even a short time in a foreign land can affect the lives of the people you meet. I lived in Bratsigovo, Bulgaria, a small town near the Rhodope Mountains in Eastern Europe for two years. While I spent a considerable amount of time integrating into the community and local way of life, I saw other volunteers visit for as short as a week. They still left a very indelible impact on the people they met, especially the children they encountered. I spent much of my time helping children translate letters to these volunteers so they could continue to keep in touch.

So no matter how long or short your stay, click here and consider these 4 tips.

Part one last week featured a three day trip recap exploring Machu Picchu. Part two is even more exciting, a little wild and of course culinarily adventurous.

What animals will you see?
What is "bush meat"?
What snake will you annoy? How do you know if that snake can eat you?
Is it safe to swim in the Amazon?
How many types of water are there in the Amazon?

You will just have to listen to find out!

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to take an incredible journey to Machu Picchu and explore the Amazon on a river cruise. I spoke with Megan about the trip in this two-part podcast. We talk transit to Peru through Panama on a regional carrier, some wild cuisine (possibly your pets), a bus trip to the top and an abandoned city 9,000 ft above sea level.

Click here to view the detailed itinerary and feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Click play below to hear all about it​. Be sure to listen next week for Part 2 and find out what is considered a "small" Anaconda...

It’s no secret that people tend to travel during the holidays, but for most, it’s not always the relaxing “travel” we hope for. From hours-long road trips to Griswold-esque disasters, holiday travel can be very stressful. We suggest starting a new family tradition, one that allows everyone to relax and simply enjoy the holiday spirit: cruising. Setting sail together gives your family everything you love about the holidays—the feasts, the time together, seasonal décor—without the hassles of preparing for every detail and cleaning up afterward.

Plus, the cruise ship gives your family plenty of space, activities and adventures to have the times of your lives, all while taking you to one exotic locale after another. The halls are decked, the holiday feast is prepared by a Michelin-starred chef, and the jolly man himself is onboard handing out gifts galore. Plus, your family can enjoy special shows and a choir of heavenly voices singing carols around the tree.

Sail AMA Waterways newest ship (AmaMagna) with an exclusive offering, Whiskies of the World Sailing! I joined Travel Radio Podcast to talk about my next group venture. It's a first of it's kind luxury experience.

Let me know if you're interested in joining this experience. Click here for more details.

Click play below to listen to what this cruise is all about.

​For many international travelers, the Global Entry program has been a godsend, allowing them to skip long immigration lines and head straight for baggage claim. What many travelers don’t realize, however, is that Global Entry and TSA Precheck have to be renewed every five years. As U.S. Customs and Border Protection doesn’t send out renewal reminders, many early adopters to this popular program are now being caught out by expired memberships. Don’t get sent to the back of the line—check your passport today (and know that you can renew up to a year before the expiration date). Click Here to learn more.

Have a few hours to spare before you can check into your hotel? Finished your meeting, but don’t have to be at the airport until later? Loaded down with luggage, most travelers settle into a restaurant or café to wait out the time, missing a golden opportunity to do something more exciting. But now, thanks to some creative start-ups, there are a host of convenient, safe and affordable luggage storage options in cities throughout the US and Europe.

Piggybacking on already existing businesses such as dry cleaners, nail salons, cafes and hotels, for only a few dollars an hour, luggage can be stored in a secure location complete with damage and theft insurance. LuggageHero has 250 locations in New York alone and plenty of others in London and Copenhagen. Knock Knock City is also popular in New York and has locations in San Francisco and Boston as well. In Europe, Stasher and Nannybag are the big players with hundreds of drop sites throughout the continent.

“Hope for the best, prepare for the worst” is a mantra to live by when traveling. Natural disasters and civil unrest derail the best of plans, but more often it’s the mundane things that disrupt our travel – a lost wallet, a bottle of prescription medicine left on the bathroom counter, a hotel reservation that can’t be found. Error on the side of caution by leaving vital information with a trustworthy friend, coworker or family member. More than likely you’ll never need it, but if the unexpected should arise, you’ll be thankful you planned ahead.

What information should you leave behind?
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• A copy of your passport and visas: If your passport is lost or stolen, a copy can help the local embassy replace your documents faster, saving you time and money.
• Credit card information: Having someone at home who knows how to quickly cancel or replace your credit cards can be invaluable if your wallet should go missing.
• Copies of hotel and car rental reservations, train and plane tickets: Help those who might need to help you, give them the information they need to find you as quickly as possible.
• Copy of prescriptions and contact information for your doctor: Having a prescription filled abroad is not always easy. Should you need an emergency refill, access to this information can save time and confusion.
• Consider registering with the U.S. Department of State so they know where you are in case of an emergency. Local embassies can’t help ensure your safety if they don’t know you’re in the country.

Click here for more tips to ensure you're prepared to travel internationally!

Airports can test the nerves of even the most well-balanced traveler. There are places, however, where calm and tranquility reign – where a comfortable seat is always available, fresh coffee and snacks await, and a glass of prosecco can be had a moments’ notice. We are talking, of course, about airport lounges. Rack up several hundred thousand air miles on the same airline, and you’re sure to get an invitation to join the club. For these rest of us, there are other options, and given the benefits, they’re worth exploring.
1. Join a Lounge Network
Depending on how often and where you fly, joining a lounge network such as Priority Pass might be your best option. Priority Pass offers access to over 1,000 worldwide lounges for an annual fee of $99 with a per visit fee of $27 (alternatively, an annual fee of $399 gets you unlimited access).
2. Buy a Day Pass
Have you ever been stuck at an airport for hours on end? Next time, a day pass to a lounge might be your saving grace. Prices vary considerably between airlines, but for around $50 you can have a day’s worth of food and drink, free Wi-Fi, and a quiet little corner to call your own.
3. Use Your Credit Card
Several credit cards, including the American Express Platinum card and the United MileagePlus Explorer card, offer free or reduced-cost lounge access. The drawback is that these cards often come with higher annual fees, but added benefits such as travel insurance, priority boarding and free checked bags might make the upfront payout worthwhile.
4. Upgrade Your Ticket
Buy an international business or a first-class ticket and more than likely you’ll also receive complimentary lounge access. This can be a particularly nice perk on long haul flights, as most international airport lounges have private shower rooms where you can freshen up after your flight.