“Remember…without a travel agent you are on your own and that can be uncomfortable and expensive.”

Nobody likes to hear me talk more than me, so I’ve decided to start blogging about something I am very passionate and knowledgeable about.  That is, the wonderful world of travel!  Plus, I would like to educate the general public about the many misconceptions people have about Travel Professionals and the travel industry.

But, first a little background about me and how I fell into the very glamorous and seductive world of travel.

My husband, Steven, and I have lived in C-wood for over twelve years now.  We love it here for all the same reasons you do!  We have two fairly wonderful kids, a son who is nine and a daughter who is three.  We moved to Jersey specifically to have these progeny. You see, at the time that we moved from Philly to Jersey the adoption laws for gay couples here were more favorable than in PA.  So without hesitation we packed our No Libs house and landed here to start our family.

During this time I was in Advertising Sales at the Philadelphia Gay News and Steven was, and still is, a Fabric Manager for a large maternity company.  Our surrogate was pregnant with our son in the spring of 2003 and we were in the throes of trying to decide on the best child care situation for our spawn. We ultimately decided that it would be best for me to leave my career and stay at home to raise our kid.  But what would I do?  Let’s face it, the first few weeks and months of a newborn’s life, while exhausting and exhilarating for new parents, can be a little like watching paint drying on a wall…boring!  I needed something to do to fill my time and also make a few bucks while doing it.

Ever since I was young, I really loved to travel.  I vividly remember the first trip that started my wanderlust was a trip to St. Maarten that I took with my dad when I was 12 years old.  And I’ve never looked back.  So I decided to take that craving for travel and turn it into a business opportunity.  While still at the PGN I took night classes at AAA in Voorhees to become a Travel Agent.  It was while I was taking those classes that I met a Travel Agent who worked for Gloucester Travel in Gloucester City, NJ. She told me that when I graduated that I should contact the owner of the agency, that maybe he would hire me as an Independent Travel Agent.  I graduated in June of 2003 and promptly called the owner of Gloucester Travel.  I became an Independent Travel Agent AKA At-Home-Agent in July.  Our son was born that September. And I’ve worked from home ever since.

It’s a pretty great gig.  I still get goose bumps when I’m putting together a trip for my clients, no matter how large or small, whether it’s an exotic month-long safari adventure to South Africa or a quick romantic week-end getaway to a Red Door spa in Galloway, NJ. I just love that I am helping people create wonderful memories. Chris Schwam…Travel Agent…memory maker.  I know, I know it sounds corny, but it’s really true.

I also get excited hearing about other people’s travel adventures, regardless of whether they have booked their vacation through me or another travel professional. It’s a big world out there, and I can’t be everywhere, though I try, so I live vicariously through the tales my clients, family, friends and acquaintances tell me.  I get to hear the dos and don’ts of a particular destination that someone visited.  Perhaps it’s a restaurant in Puerto Vallarta that was particularly decadent, or a snorkeling adventure in St. John that was beautiful beyond imagination, or a leather vendor in Florence’s outdoor market that gave them a great deal on a coat, or a great B&B in Lancaster County.

In the beginning, over the next several blogs I want to educate you, the travel lover, the benefits of using a travel professional over booking your travel plans yourself or even through an online agency such as Expedia.  Once I have absolutely convinced you, and I will(!) of the invaluable importance of using a travel agent versus booking it online yourself I will explore topics such as how to get the best VALUE for your money, not necessarily the best DEAL, the misconceptions of using a Travel Professional, all things Disney (I’m a specialist), GLBT travel, traveling with young kids (I’m a specialist in that too!), villa rentals versus a hotel, why you shouldn’t use a 3rd party online travel agency (Expedia, Travelocity, etc.), the absolute importance of purchasing Travel Insurance, and in-depth destination reviews.  I also welcome to answer any questions, or write about any travel-related ideas, that someone has.

Would I love for you to use my travel services? Absolutely!  But, more importantly, and I can’t emphasize this enough, I want you to be an educated consumer. The more knowledge you have the better your overall travel experience will be. Oh, and get out there and travel!  It’s a great big wonderful world!

“Remember…without a travel agent you are on your own and that can be uncomfortable and expensive.”