diana simon

love2trvl

diana simon

My love for travel has me eather planning or deaming about my next trip.
I completed my travel degree years ago and worked in the industry ever since. Knowing and understanding the policies and regulations of the industry made a great difference in my travel planning and I enjoy sharing my knowlage with anyone interested.

My travel experiences include Europe, North America, Central America and the Carribean....with hopes of seeing all the continents...

I hope that my 2 children will inherite my husband and my love for travel and adventure.



North America » Canada » Ontario January 12th 2012

Today's recession economy and oil prices forced most airlines to look at ways to cut costs. One places where they focus their attention is baggage allowance. To avoid additional costs, not to mention stress and hassle, you need to learn to pack smart for any vacation. There are 3 types of baggage that you may encounter in any airline baggage allowance notice: Personal Item, Carry-on, and Checked Baggage. The trick to pack smart is to understand these terms and what should go in each of them. Personal Item refers to a laptop bag, camera bag, purse...in the case of children a personal item can be a medium to small backpack with toys. Carry-on luggage is the piece of luggage which will travel with you in the airplane and has weight and size restrictions that MUST not ... read more

North America » Canada » Ontario January 5th 2012

How do you plan for your vacation? While booking a last minute may seem like saving a lot and getting a good deal you may learn that is not always the case....last minute deals are generally done on things that did not sale....and you should ask yourself Why? Learning the basics and doing a bit of homework may be the difference between a vacation that you will always remember and a nightmare you will never wanna remember. A good travel agent can provide you with all the information and guidance you need, but there are thing that you should decide on your own. Choosing your destination... The most important step to any vacation....this will determine the quality of hotels available, the food, things to do, and things to see. Keep in mind that not the entire ... read more


Another early morning...but if you wanna see the wildlife it is a sacrifice you need to make. It rained on and off all night and at 6 in the morning it looked like it will rain again...we were not even on the boat before the rain started again...first as a drizzle that halfway through the tour developed into a full tropical downpour. Rafael turned out to be an amazing guide, despite the weather he was full of energy, patients and a fountain of information. He tolled us about the different palm trees, the different fruit bearing trees and the rest of the vegetation. He knew every bird we encountered and everything about it. He knew from a previous conversation we had that I really wanted to see a Cayman and he was on a mission to ... read more
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This secluded village located on an island surrounded on one side by a series of canals and on the other by the Caribbean Sea can only be accessed by boat or small propeller planes. This seclusion kept urban development away and still offers a pristine environment to anyone that is adventurous enough to visit. There is a project in place to bring this wonderful place to the attention of more tourists, however the information was still limited and the accommodation photos where amature and did not provide enough visual to do them justice. I knew from the research I did that Tortuguero was small and very basic in what it offered. There are lodges that offer more amenities, but are not located in the village, and accommodations in the village are not only more affordable, but ... read more
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We had A/C
Art work in our room


While I prepared a very detailed itinerary for our vacation I decided that it may be better not to book all the accommodations in advance. This allowed me to alter the itinerary and if I were to dislike the accommodations I planned to use I could just move to the next hotel...no money lost...no issues. Other then the airfare and the first night of accommodation which where purchased in advance I also contacted a guide from Tortuguero to assist me with a transfer to the village and guidance to find accommodations there. Rafael, our Tortuguero guide, arranged our transfer from San Jose to Tortuguero with Jungle Tom Safari, a family owned tour company which offers day trips and transfers to various places. Tom met us in the hotel lobby and after he asked us if we ... read more
Jungle Tom minibus
Rancho Robertos
Cross Roads


Arriving in San Jose almost 5 hours late I was glad to see that it took us almost no time at all to exit the airport and since we traveled only with our carry-on bags we did not have to wait in the long baggage claim line. I was very happy to see that the private transfer I arranged with the hotel was waiting for us. After a short ride dashing through the San Jose traffic, which reminded us of the European traffic with more aggressive but very good drivers not afraid to use the honk, we arrived at our hotel, Hotel Presidente (the president). While there were more affordable hotels available the location and amenities of this hotel made it my choice. Located on Central Avenue Boulevard, a street closed for pedestrians only and about ... read more
Plaza De Cultura
"concert"
McDonald's


After spending the previous night at a hotel near the airport we were more then ready to start our adventure....if we would only know that the simplest part will become a story of its own... Our flight was an early morning connection on American Airline going from Toronto to Miami and then to San Jose, Costa Rica...we were expected to arrive in San Jose at about 11:15 am, but from before even boarding I got the feeling this trip will not go by the book...even with all my planning and careful consideration. In Toronto we saw the crew and captain board the plane so I knew that we will shortly start boarding....well...no...the captain and crew returned and we were informed that we will board a different plane. No big deal, it was the first flight of ... read more




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