Surprise Kiss

Archive for the ‘Romantic Travel’ Category

Do you have a special anniversary coming up and you want to go someplace special but don’t know where to start looking for a romantic getaway? Well you may want to pick up the latest Travel and Leisure Magazine annual Worlds Best Awards 2011.

Here is a quick over view from the Today Show of some of the places featured in the Magazine:

Worlds Best Award 2011

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Did you find a destination or perhaps one of the hotels featured on the Today Show? Since Larry & I would like to go to Boston, Massachusetts the Eliot is the place I would like to stay.

Do your research and find that special place you both want to go to and you will have the perfect getaway for romance.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2011, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

When you go on a trip with your sweetheart do you try to purchase something to bring home that reminds you of the special time you had together? Perhaps you just have enough money to pay for the hotel or inn you are staying at and your meals? You enjoy the area by taking in the free things available to you, like strolling along the streets or taking a hike in the beautiful outdoors.

Did you know you can bring something home and it won’t cost a dime?

• If you are staying near the beach bring home a shell or piece o driftwood and put it on a dresser in your bedroom.
• Take pictures of the two of you together in the area you are staying at, frame one special picture and put it in your bedroom.
• Bring home a copy of the brochure of the hotel you stayed at, frame it and put it in your bedroom.
• Frame a menu of a special restaurant you both enjoyed eating at and hang it in the kitchen.
• If you went on a hike look for a special rock that you could use as a paperweight.
• Gather several business cards of the places you went to, frame it and again put it in your bedroom.

These are all great reminders of the special time you spent together. Every time you or your sweetheart look at these items you will smile and feel good about your marriage and the special moments you had during your romantic getaway.

Over forty years ago my husband and I went for a walk along the beach. I remember it vividly, it was a cold windy February and we were walking hand in hand when we notice a gray lava rock, with lots of holes in it and tiny shells stuck to it, nestled in the sand. We picked it up and brought it home. I still have the rock and it is in our bedroom, every time I look at the rock I think of an ordinary day when we had a moment alone and found this rock. Would I remember this day if I didn’t have the rock to remind me? Probably not.

It doesn’t have to cost money to bring special memories home.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2011, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

My daughter, Denise and I were talking about vacations and how expensive it can get. Most importantly, when you go to an area you have never been to and you want to experience everything the area has to offer, i.e., bus or boat rides, jeep tours, horseback riding, ghost tours, cave tours, etc.  All of these can add up very fast and before you know it you have no money left and you are using your credit card. Your restful trip has just turn into a stressful one.

How do you keep from spending all your money and still enjoy the area? One of the things Larry and I do before we travel to a new place is we will research on line, buy a travel book in the specific area we want to go to and ask family and friends. Find out what there is to do in the area, top rated tours to go on and how much they are. Also, check out the Chamber of Commerce and find out what free events are happening on the dates you will be there.

You don’t have to see and do everything that is offered when you are traveling. Walking the streets, taking a hike, having coffee and watching the world go by while over looking a lake is as important as experiencing an expensive tour. Choose one or two you both would like to experience and budget for it.  Then enjoy the beauty of the area, whether it is the city or out in the middle of nowhere. Don’t forget to bring a folder with places you can go to without spending a dime.

Are you flying to your destination?  One tip you may not know about is to sign up for the airline’s email you plan on using. They will send you their latest deals and discounts. You might get lucky with a discount if you sign up months before you plan on going on your trip. Who knows there may be a super discount all of sudden delivered to your e-mail address.

When planning a vacation, remember the most important thing is to enjoy your time off and have a restful vacation, not a stressful one. Research, save and make your decision on where and what you want to see and do before you get there.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

Need help with cooking for romance, relationship or travel ideas? Then go to my Surprise Kiss Store above and click on the tab to see the authors I like to read and games that are fun to play with your sweetheart.

© 2011, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Yesterday Ann Curry on the Today Show talked to Sarah Spagnolo from Travel and Leisure Magazine about new luxury hotels that are priced around $300.00. They primarily targeted, in the video, 5 hotels under $300.00.

Four of the hotels were in the United States and one was in Portugal. They all seemed really nice so I wanted to make sure you didn’t miss this video.

New Luxury Hotels

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

I decided to look at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada and give you the brake down on what it would cost you to stay there for 1 night. Sarah Spagnolo mentioned you could stay there for $195 per night and up but I was able to find a rate of $170 per night in one of their Terrace Studio Rooms.

Here is what you would need to save if you planned on staying there at the rate I was able to find:

Price: $170.00 per night   Check-in: May 30, 2011    Check-out: May 31, 2011

1 night at $170: $170.00
Tax: 20.40
Total: $190.40

If you saved $5.00 a week x 52 weeks = $260.00 at the end of the year.

$260 saved – $190.00 hotel rate w/tax  = $70.00 left over to spend as you please.

If you follow my suggestions of putting additional monies away when you return something or get a rebate throughout the year then you should have a very enjoyable evening away in Las Vegas!

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

Need help with cooking for romance, relationship or travel ideas? Then go to my Surprise Kiss Store above and click on the tab to see the authors I like to read and games that are fun to play with your sweetheart.

© 2011, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Being prepared ahead of time for a romantic getaway will help to take the stress out of packing. Besides packing your basics, i.e. clothing and toiletries, have a box full of all the things you might want to bring along with romance in mind for you and your sweetheart. This is your go to box when you are in the mood for romance whether it is at home or an impromptu little getaway.

Fill a nice basket or decorative box with the goodies you always want to have on hand for a romantic evening:

[amazon_link id=”B003EH1F3W” target=”_blank” ]Classic Erotica Simply Sensual Vanilla Violet Massage Candle With Phermomones, natural soy, 4 oz.[/amazon_link]

[amazon_link id=”B001GR99MG” target=”_blank” ]M.L.F. Enterprises Sex Bubbles , The Bubble Bath for Lovers, 8-Ounce, Mango Madness[/amazon_link]

[amazon_link id=”B000H879MW” target=”_blank” ]Kama Sutra Massage Therapy Kit, 1 kit[/amazon_link]

[amazon_link id=”B000DZSZ6I” target=”_blank” ]Kama Sutra Massage Oil, Sweet Almond, 8 Ounces[/amazon_link]

[amazon_link id=”B00005YW4H” target=”_blank” ]Come Away With Me[/amazon_link]

Romantic Games (See “Dicey Love”)

Of course don’t forget to have pretty lingerie hanging in your closet ready for you and your sweetheart to choose from for any special romantic evening. And then there is always wine, champagne, beer or apple cider to consider having in your refrigerator or pantry to include for those special evenings too.

When you take the time to put all the things you need for a romantic evening in one spot you will always be ready for romance whether it is a night at home or a planned weekend away.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

Need help with cooking for romance, relationship or travel ideas? Then go to my Surprise Kiss Store above and click on the tab to see the authors I like to read and games that are fun to play with your sweetheart.

© 2011, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Websites to help you find travel deals and information:

SmarterTravel.com – Find low airfares, hotel specials, car rental deals

TripAdvisor.com – Price comparison and reviews by the average person

Priceline.com – Discounts on airfares, hotels, car rental & cruises

FamilyTravelForum.com – Family vacation ideas

Kayak.com – Hotel, flight and travel specials

11thHourVacations.com – Last minute cruises, hotels & flight specials

LastMinuteTravel.com – Last minute deals from travel sites

ExpertFlyer.com – Flight availability, flight upgrades, frequent flyer information

AirfareWatchDog.com – Flight deals & money-saving information from their airfare specialists

SeatGuru.com – Airplane seating, airline information & amenities

TravelZoo.com– Top 20 travel deals

UrbanSpoon.com – Restaurant menus, reviews and recommendations

Yelp.com – Individual reviews & recommendation on restaurants, shopping, nightlife, entertainment

Keep those sparks flying!

JoJo

Need help with cooking for romance, relationship or travel ideas? Then go to my Surprise Kiss Store above and click on the tab to see the authors I like to read.

© 2011, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Are you planning a flight to a romantic destination for a special anniversary this year? As you know planes carry all kinds of germs!

Here are 6 tips for keep those pesky germs at bay.

1. Bring alcohol wipes in your carry on bag. Wipe the table tray, your armrest and headrest. This should kill all the viruses and bacteria lingering on these items. Don’t forget to wipe your hands with them and your luggage handle when you pick up your baggage.

2. Don’t read the magazines provide for you on the plane. You don’t know who has been handling them and how sick they were. Those germs have a funny way of sticking on things.

3. You need to stay hydrated while on the plane so ask for an extra beverage to keep mucus membranes moist so they can keep those germs away.

4. Use an alcohol based sanitizer for your hands.

5. If you want to brush your teeth use bottle water instead of the water in the bathroom. EPA found one in seven bathrooms in planes have the E. coli bacteria.

6. When you board your plane spray saline nasal spray in each nostril. If you are taking a long flight do it again every few hours. This will help to keep your nasal passages nice and moist which will help to keep those germs away.

Follow these 6 simple tips and you will be less likely to get sick while on your romantic vacation.

Sometimes though you may turn up sick, so don’t forget to bring aspirin & Alka-Seltzer.  Also, before you leave make sure your pharmacy is in the area you are visiting. When you are out of town you can call your doctor if you catch a bug or forget your medication and have it filled online and pick it up in the area you are visiting.

May you always have a healthy, happy and very romantic getaway for you and your sweetheart whether it is in the same town or across the country.

Website/Blog Changes Coming Up

Starting this week you will be receiving 3 blogs a week instead of the 5 days a week you are used to. This will allow me to direct my attention this year to making a bigger and more informative website for you. I hope you are as excited as I am to watch SusrpriseKiss.com grow and become the number 1 place you refer to when you are looking to bring more romance in your relationship.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2011, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Our daughter and her husband went to visit their daughter and husband a couple of weekends ago. Our granddaughter lives in Reno, NV near Truckee, CA. So Denise and Tom decided to stay in the quaint little community of Truckee. They drove up on Friday and came home on Monday.

Denise took the picture from her cell phone while traveling home on Donner Pass. I had to share it with you. Isn’t it beautiful!

They stayed at the Hampton Inn right in Truckee near the town’s small airport. We stayed there over the 4th of July weekend with them and really enjoyed ourselves. The lobby area has a huge fireplace and plenty of sitting area. The rooms are clean and the staff was very helpful and friendly. We ate at a couple of very good restaurants per their recommendations.

The Friday and Saturday rate with tax was $187.00 a night. On Sunday, Denise & Tom paid $146.11 with an AAA discount. FYI, this is a 100% non-smoking hotel. Here is the breakdown:

1 King Bed Nonsmoking:  $132.05 (1 night stay, midweek)

Taxes:                                  14.00

Total:                       $146.11

If you saved $5 a week for 52 weeks you would have saved $260.

Saved:                                     $260.00

Hotel Room:                            $146.11

Total Leftover:               $113.89

You have a $113.89 to spend on dinner! You don’t have to worry about breakfast at the Hampton Inn it is complimentary. Lunch and dinner is the only thing you need to think about spending.

If you live within 2 to 3 hours away from Truckee, CA you may want to spend your anniversary money enjoy the picturesque area and the quaint community.

Don’t forget to get what you need for a very memorable Christmas. See Romantic Christmas, December 2nd, 2010. Remember last year and the fun you had with your sweetheart? See Christmas Lights, Dec 18, 2009. The big reveal will be on Dec 21st.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

Do you have a picture you took while on your romantic weekend away? Would you like to hang it on the wall but you don’t want to have it in a small picture frame? Or maybe you would like to make a Christmas ornament? On Dec 3rd, 2010 I was watching the Nate Berkus Show and he had a photographer, MeRa Koh and they talked about some different ways you can use your photos.

Nate Berkus Show – Turn Your Portraits into Art

They talked about two companies you can use that I thought you might be interested in looking into:

CanvasRox

Shutterfly

There are so many options and new ways you can display your pictures. Hang that special photo of where you went on the wall in your home. Every time you look at the photo it will bring back the memories and feelings of the special weekend you took together. You will always be reminded of why you are saving your $5 a week and it will keep you committed.

Don’t forget to get what you need for a very memorable Christmas. See Romantic Christmas, December 2nd, 2010. Remember last year and the fun you had with your sweetheart? See Christmas Lights, Dec 18, 2009.
Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.

If you are planning a romantic trip in the near future and are wondering what the fuel cost would be to drive your car verses purchasing a ticket to fly then you may want to check out the AAA Club’s website:

www.fuelcostcalculator.com

You choose the starting city and destination then you chose the vehicle make, year and model and click calculate. It’s that easy.

There is one snag though you can only choose a few major cities in your state. For example, we live in Santa Maria, CA but the closest major cities were Los Angeles or San Francisco. The Los Angeles airport is approximately 3 ½ hours from our home and San Francisco is approximately 4 hours away, both are by car. And that’s if there is no traffic! If you live near a major city this would work better for you.

I did like the ease of using the site. They give you two calculations, a one way trip and a round trip. The calculations give you the miles, gallons used and fuel costs based on your vehicle and current gasoline prices. The calculations are approximate estimates.

The next time you are trying to decide to fly or dive you may want to check out www.fuelcostcalculator.com.  Always try to be a well informed traveler before going on any trip.

Don’t forget to make sure you have the items I told you to get in my blog “Romantic Thanksgiving” because tomorrow Wednesday, November 24th will be the big reveal.

Keep those sparks flying!
JoJo

© 2010, Surprise Kiss. All rights reserved.