Believe It Custom Travel

03/26/2025

I shouldn't support this man, because he is a racist? But, he recieved the Ellis Island award along with Rosa Parks. For his efforts in knocking down the racial bias in construction practices in New York City, hiring more minorities?

I shouldn't support this man, because he will put me back in chains? But, was the biggest supporter of the NAACP. Donating over $825,00 over 20 yrs?

I shouldn't support this man, because he is not a friend to celebrities? But, when Jennifer Hudson's family was slaughtered by her brother inlaw. This man was the ONLY celebrity that came to her aid. PAID for the entire funeral for all three (3)...Her mother, brother and nephew. And, put Jennifer up at Trump Tower's downtown Chicago? FOR FREE! Wow...

I shouldn't support this man, because
He invokes God? When we had eight(8) yrs of a President that NEVER made a reference to God?

I shouldn't support this man, because over 25 years. He has quietly donates $10k to each fallen first responders families, who loved ones KILLED in the line of duty?

I shouldn't support this man, because he will not be a friend to Israel? When he was the FIRST President to move our U.S. Embassy to the holy land of Jerusalem, keeping his word?

I shouldn't support this man, because he stands between us and SOCIALISM? He vowed to the world, that we will NEVER be a socialist nation?

I shouldn't support this man, because he wants to bring industries BACK to America? And, restore our dependence on AMERICAN MADE products? that's a bad thing?

If this is YOUR argument? Then I am HONORED to stand with an extraordinary person who is putting AMERICANS FIRST. President Trump, is the right man to lead our country out of our most difficult times. He IS that man I am HONORED to support.....

HAPPY EASTER MR. PRESIDENT. I STAND WITH YOU, NOW & ALWAYS
~Peggy Hubbard~

09/21/2023

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09/21/2022

I would go back to Italy in a flash! So beautiful!

Rome by night!

04/08/2022

Such a beautiful experience on the river in a Paddlewheel Boat! We are very interested in doing another itinerary either in the fall or spring. Maybe Nashville to Cincinnati or the upper Mississippi. I would love to travel with friends, so if you are interested at all, let me know and we can figure out which one to choose! This is a great way to see the country and to learn so many things about the cities where we stop. So very relaxing and the food is wonderful!

Explore more with an exclusive premium experience credit on 2022 & 2023 voyages.

12/29/2021

Happy New Year

Hello Everyone! I hope your Christmas was wonderful and that you are excited about the New Year! I know that I am ready for 2022. I also have a couple of vacations lined up for which I am excited!

In March, I am going to travel on American Queen Voyages from New Orleans to Memphis. We will stop every day and experience excursions in each town, which by the way are included with the price of the cruise. By the way, food and beverages are inlcuded also. This cruise line offers many different cruise destinations on several different rivers I am very excited about this cruise and can't wait to tell y'all about it!

I just finished watching a virtual webinar with AmaWaterways and was it exciting! You can sail down the Rhine, Danube, or Rhone to just name a few. I hope that Mike and I will be able to take a River Cruise after he retires.

I know that many of you are eager to travel and we all wish Covid and its variants would just go away! The benefit of going on a small ship like the two that I mentioned above, is that you are not surrounded by so many people because the ship only holds around 200 people. I like the idea of a smaller ship with more personal attention. Both American Queen Voyages and AmaWaterways are small ships and carry around 200 passengers.

Where are you itching to go? I still want to get a group to travel together. Wouldn't that be fun? I am so very thankful that my illness is behind me and I can travel again! Let me hear from you and we can plan your special vacation!

Thanks for reading! Janis [email protected]

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03/30/2021

You Are TOTALLY Worth It!

I certainly understand that sticking to a budget can be extremely important when
booking a vacation, but did you know that there are several not-so-expensive
upgrades you can purchase that can really make a huge impact on the quality of your trip?

1. Private airport transfers
Somehow there is nothing more relieving than passing through customs after
a long overnight flight to Europe and seeing a driver standing there with a sign
bearing your last name…and a smile! Your driver can help you to a nice, clean
sedan and be on the road to your accommodations with a cold bottle of water
in the time it takes to wait in the taxi line and try to communicate where you
need to go. In the Caribbean & Mexico, private transfers can be the difference
between a 30 minute direct ride to your resort and a 1 hour trip that stops
at 4 other hotels along the way. Why not splurge a little and start your vacation
off on the right foot?

2. Private sightseeing tours
You know how you arrive at some sites and see a mile-long line of folks waiting
to purchase tickets? Or a group of 30-40 “sheep” being herded around with a
shepherd tour guide holding an umbrella up in the air? If that looks like your
worst nightmare, consider upgrading to a private tour guide. The cost can be
quite reasonable and the value you receive can be huge! You can move
quicker, learn more and focus on the sites and information you are really
interested in.

3. Premium Economy upgrades on your flights
Is Business or First Class still a little bit out of your financial comfort zone? Why
not consider upgrading to Premium Economy on your flights? The cost can be
very reasonable and those few inches of extra room, and sometimes added
amenities, can make the difference between a comfortable journey and a
cramped nightmare.

4. Airport Lounges
Do you have a long layover along your travel route? Consider purchasing a
day-pass for your airline’s Airport Club Lounge. It can be a very civilized way to
spend a few hours and many include complimentary Wifi, snacks, beverages
(sometimes alcoholic as well) and comfortable seats in a quieter location.
Check to see if your Frequent Flier Program or Credit Card company offers you
any discounts or perks for admission!

5. Travel Insurance
Very simply put….Travel Insurance can be a lifesaver! Even if you swear that
you are going on your vacation NO MATTER WHAT, you can’t predict weather,
illness, injury, cancellations or any of those other nasty surprises that can
come up when life happens. It should be budgeted into the cost of every
vacation, especially after the year we had in 2020! ‘Nuff said!

6. Upgrade that view
Sure, I understand that you may not spend a lot of time in the room at a resort,
or in your cabin on a cruise ship. But I do know that one of the most common
complaints I hear is about the view. At least check to see how much the
difference is to upgrade that view. You might find that it is a small price to pay
for waking up to that full-frontal sea view instead of the parking lot!

7. Pre- cruise extensions
Cruises usually start boarding around noon-ish on embarkation day, and
require that you be on board at least 2 hours before the ship departs. That
actually leaves a very short window of time to arrive, get checked in and safely
in your cabin. I ALWAYS recommend that my clients arrive at the port city the
night before departure….just to eliminate stress from all of the “what ifs” of
delayed or cancelled flights, major traffic jams in the interstate, etc. Most
cruises leave from very interesting cities…why not arrive a day or two early and
see what they have to offer?

Being offered any or all of these small upgrades to your vacation is a HUGE part of why using a travel professional (like ME) is the way-to-go in travel planning. We know how much each one of these suggestions can enhance your experience….and isn’t that what you really want when you take that much-deserved vacation? A more custom experience with added value? “Believe It Custom Travel” can help you choose the upgrades that bring the most bang-for-your-buck to your next travel experience….YOU ARE TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!!!

Thanks for reading! Janis [email protected]

04/25/2020

Planning Ahead!

I hope each of you have survived anther one of these unusual quarantine weeks! If you are like me, you may be a little bit bored! Well, if you are, maybe it is time to start planning your next vacation.

If you are like us, you may be thinking that travel in the USA may be the way to go for awhile. Yesterday, I was working on my certifications and wanted to be up to date on River Cruising in the USA. I have my certification and have booked cruises on one of my favorite United States River Cruise Lines. They travel up and down the Mississippi River, from New Orleans to St. Paul, Minnesota. There are several options for the Mississippi River, ranging from 4 to 21 nights.

They also have River Cruises of the Southeast United States, from either Baltimore south to Jacksonville, Florida, or from Charleston to Jacksonville. I am interested in the Historic South and Golden Isles cruise or the Chesapeake Bay Cruise.

The same cruise line offers Columbia River and Snake River Cruises in the Pacific Northwest. If you are a History Buff, they also offer the Lewis and Clark Cruise where you retrace part of their route during their expedition to cross the western portion of the US. There is also a Wine Themed Cruise and a Tulip Festival Cruise in this area.

There are cruises in the Northeast United States such as the Maine Coast and Harbors, Lobster Bake Cruises, New England Island Cruise, and the Hudson River Fall Foliage Cruise. These are from 6 to 10 nights. They also do Alaska and Puget Sound Cruises of 7 to 14 nights.

The above cruises are from only one of the cruise lines that offer USA River Cruises. The largest ship from this line has rooms for up to 184 passengers, with most rooms being balconies. With these smaller ships, they can get into areas that the bigger ships can't and they offer free excursions at every port, food is included, and drinks at lunch, dinner, and happy hour are included.

I don't know about you, but a smaller ship appeals to me. If any of the above cruises sound like something you may be interested in one of these days, let me know which one. If I had to pick, it would be the Historic South and Golden Isles Cruise or the New England Island Cruise. What about you?

Thanks for reading, Janis [email protected]

04/03/2020

Quarantine

I hope this finds each of you well and healthy! I am the type of person that must go somewhere each day, but I haven't even cranked my car in a week! Stay home and don't get out are the topics of convsation today! I am slowly getting used to the idea of staying home! I have begun to read more and the first two books that I read were stories that took place in the Pacific Northwest and the San Juan Islands. Mike and I were supposed to be traveling there next week, but of course, this trip has been cancelled.

Many vacations have been postponed for a a few months, but that doesn't mean that you have to forget about them. Mike and I have always wanted to go to the Pacific Northwest, so now I am visiting there through books and movies. I have some great friends that read a book that took place on Sanibel Island. They took a vacation there about 2 years ago to see in person about this beautiful place.

This is a wonderful time to start thinking about vacations for later this year or even next year. Where is it that you would like to go? New England? Europe? Alaska? If money were no object, where would you travel to on your next vacation??? I would certainly love to know where it is that you dream of going?

This quarantine has been a great time to slow down, be with those that you love, and to help each other! I have used some of my time to read about beautiful places to travel to. What are you doing to occupy your time while you are at home? Take care, stay safe, and please let me hear from you!
Thanks for reading, Janis [email protected]

03/25/2020

Believe It!
The following newsletter was one that I wrote a few weeks after our home flooded from Hurricane Harvey in August 2017. I have changed a few things in it, but feel that it is appropriate at this challenging time with Covid 19. Please read and comment as you see fit!

As most of you know, I had 32 years in public education, 24 of which were as a school counselor, and I am very proud of what I accomplished during those 32 years! I want to share of few things with you today that have meant so much to me over the years and most especially, mean so much to me at this time in my life.

I was a Coach in Meridian, Mississippi for 8 years. I can remember telling the girls that were trying out for our basketball team, that if they didn't Believe they were winners, then we probably didn't need them on our team! As a School Counselor, it is important to convey a message to the students that you must Believe in yourself and rely on your own abilities. You also must Believe that you can better yourself with practice and help!

It is also very important to me to Believe in God, that he has a direction for my life. We need to talk to him daily and submit to his will for our life.

For these two reasons, the word Believe has become very important in my life. As a school counselor, I can remember talking with students about Believing in their own abilities and the need to set their goals high and to work hard to achieve those goals.

For my 14 years at Rogers Middle School, I had a Believe sign over my office door and at various places in my office. Believing in yourself is so vitally important if we want to make a difference with our lives. It is so easy to let others get things done, but it is so important for each of us to make an impact on this world and those around us.

It is also very important to trust and Believe in others. There is strength in numbers. I can remember a demonstration with my students about this. I gave one pencil to a student and asked them to break that pencil. Of course, the student easily broke that lone pencil. Then, I took 30 pencils and put a rubber band around them to bind them together. I then asked the same student to break those pencils and they couldn't! That demo was to show the students that trusting the others in their classroom and sometimes asking for help, was okay. There is strength in numbers!

Our strength is being challenged right now as we are Social Distancing from our neighbors and friends. I do Believe that we will survive this and put our lives back in living order and recover as a world. It is a process, but we MUST keep our spirits up and Believe! I hope that each of you can truly feel the prayers and blessings on your family during this time by prayer chains throughout the world!

We need each other and we can continue to help each other during this hard time. If you plan to run to the grocery store, call a neighbor to see if they need something that you can leave on their porch. Call each other, but mostly, call those who live alone and visit with them by phone! Look for ways to help each other! We can survive this together! Believe It!

Thanks for reading, Janis [email protected]