I. GLOBAL BRENDA'S MESSAGE
II. SUMMER BOOK SALE - "THE SINGLE PARENT TRAVEL HANDBOOK"
III. SINGLE PARENT TOURS
IV. KIDS FLYING ALONE
V. MEETING SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES
VI. UNCOVERED ­ SINGLE PARENT TRAVEL SPECIALS
VII. SUBSCRIBERS SPEAK UP-REQUESTS, INQUIRIES, COMMENTS

I. GLOBALBRENDA'S MESSAGE

Dear Readers,

Summer is upon us as I write this newsletter on a hot sultry night, so it is appropriate that I write about summer things for our June newsletter. What do we think of when we think of summer? Summer sales! "The Single Parent Travel Handbook" will be available at a special price- valid only for the summer months. See Section II below for details.

Travel, particularly travel involving children, is another summer tradition. Kids frequently travel cross-country by air to visit relatives and they often travel alone. Section III talks about the latest changes in airline requirements regarding unescorted children.

Next month I will spend ten glorious days hiking the high elevations of Rocky Mountain National Park along with a side trip from Denver to Moab, Utah to return to two of my favorite national park jewels - Arches and Canyonlands - both featured in my book, "The Single Parent Travel Handbook." I will write about these wonderful places in future newsletters. So grab your hiking boots or your bike or your beach towel and let's go enjoy summer!

Happy Travels,
GlobalBrenda

II. SUMMER BOOK SALE - "THE SINGLE PARENT TRAVEL HANDBOOK"

Over the last few months, we have received a number of books that were slightly damaged in shipping. We thought that we would sell those books at a discounted price of $9.99, plus shipping, until they run out. So, if you were planning to buy "The Single Parent Travel Handbook" and just didn't get around to it, this is the lowest price that you will find. Buy it now!!

Click here:
http://www.SingleParentTravel.net/Book/Sale.htm

For those new subscribers who aren't familiar with the book, here is a little description.

Hailed by such noted organizations as Parents Without Partners, The Single Parent Travel Handbook is the first and only book dedicated to traveling single parent families. The book, both informative and entertaining, tells you how to plan a trip for you and your kids that is fun and exciting and stays within your budget. It includes:
· Critical advice on the travel documentation needed for minors traveling abroad
· Information on over a dozen single parent worthy destinations hand-picked by Ms. Elwell
· A chapter on adventurous heartwarming stories from single parent dads
· An appendix of travel agents that specialize in single parent families-the only listing of its kind

III. SINGLE PARENT TOURS

Space is still available on our two summer tours: Adventurous Utah, August 1 to 7 and our all-inclusive Single Parent Week at Boscobel Beach in Jamaica, August 15-22.

In the fall we will offer our popular Single Parent Family getaway weekend at Rocking Horse Ranch Resort in Hudson Valley, New York - November 19-21 and we are finalizing plans for a "Haunted Weekend" in Salem, Massachusetts October 1-3.

For photos, details, and prices on these trips click on: http://www.SingleParentTours.com or call 877-GOGO SPT. Ask for Janet or Lynda.

IV. KIDS FLYING ALONE

Thousands of children fly unaccompanied across the U.S.A. in the summer. They may be visiting grandparents, the non-custodial parent (in the case of a divorce), or perhaps family friends. When my daughter was ten years old we sent her by plane unaccompanied from New Jersey to Florida to visit my former college roommate and her daughter of the same age. After Monique's ten-day stay down south, the two girls exchanged houses and flew back north together to enjoy the sights of the big cities of the Northeast and the Jersey shore. My daughter learned a lot about alligators and the slow pace of Florida in the summer. My roommate's daughter experienced the pace of big city life and learned a lot about the Declaration of Independence. It was an enlightening experience for each of them.

A lot has changed in the travel world since Monique's first solo flight at age ten. Let's talk about some of those changes. Children ages 5 to 14 flying alone may require an airline personnel escort. In some cases you can request an escort for a child up to age 18. Most airlines charge a fee for this service. (Southwest Airlines, which requires no charge, is one of the few exceptions). Rules have recently changed for some airlines so it is best to double-check restrictions even if your children have flown alone before. For example, United lets children 12 years and older travel as adults, but US Airways defines children 5 to 14 as "unaccompanied minors," which requires an escort by airline personnel. For that service US Airways charges $40 each way.

Some airlines have raised the age that a teenager must have reached to qualify as the adult companion for a younger sibling. Some airlines no longer allow very young children to make connections or, if they are permitted to make a connection, the fee may be higher. Some airlines will not permit unaccompanied minors to use e-tickets or to be ticketed through Web sites. Some airlines deny boarding to unaccompanied children when the weather is threatening.

The best strategy is to book the reservation with a telephone reservation agent or a travel agent and ask about the rules. Bring proof of age when you take your child to the airport, along with all the other contact information required by the airlines. A cell phone for your child is not a bad idea either. My book, "The Single Parent Travel Handbook," lists over 75 travel agencies across the USA and Canada that specialize in single parent travel and children traveling alone. To order a copy, click on:
http://www.SingleParentTravel.net/Book

Below are some guidelines for unaccompanied minor travel for major airlines. PLEASE double check information before booking as rules change on a daily basis:

American
http://www.aa.com
Fee (Each Way): $40 nonstop, $75 connecting. International is higher
Restrictions: Applies to ages 5-14; no connections for 5-7

Continental
http://www.Continental.com
Fee (Each Way): same as AA
Restrictions: same as AA, plus travel must be early in the day

Delta
http://www.Delta.com
Fee (Each Way): $40 and $75. no fee for shuttle flights Fee for international (beyond Canada & Mexico is higher

Restrictions: Same as AA

Northwest
http://www.Northwest.com
Fee (Each Way): same as AA
Restrictions: Same as AA; no late flights for red eye flights

United
http://www.United.com
Fee (Each Way): $60 worldwide Late domestic flights restricted.
Restrictions: Applies to children 5-11; no connections for 5-7

US Airways
http://www.USAir.com
Fee (Each Way): Same as AA
Restrictions: Same as AA plus connecting flights (for those 8 and older) cannot be the last flight of the day.

Southwest
http://www.Southwest.com
Fee (Each Way): No charge
Restrictions: Applies to children 5-11, no connections allowed.

V. MEETING SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES

There are three single parents discussing meeting in the Adirondacks this summer for camping with their kids, see their conversation at: http://p080.ezboard.com/fsingleparenttravelfrm1.showMessage?
topicID=61.topic

African American single parents have found a discussion group here:
http://p080.ezboard.com/fsingleparenttravelfrm1.showMessage? topicID=57.topic

See all the bulletin boards at
http://www.singleparenttravel.net/BBoards

Please note that this bulletin board service is provided free of charge to our readers. The Single Parent Travel Network does not monitor postings or have any knowledge of the exact nature of the individuals doing the posting. BEFORE communicating with anyone on the bulletin board, please take precautions to protect you and your family. Also, please note that if you post your email address on the bulletin board, there is a likelihood that it will be harvested by spammers. Thank you.

VI. UNCOVERED - SINGLE PARENT TRAVEL SPECIALS

SP Special #1 - Single Plus goes to San Antonio, TX July 18 - 22.

Single Plus, the Single Parent Ministry at Second Baptist Church is sponsoring a trip to San Antonio, Texas. a city rich in Texas tradition! Trip dates are Sunday, July 18th through Thursday, July 22nd, 2004. Included is room at the Radisson Hill Country Resort and Spa, admission to a day at SeaWorld, a day trip to the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, sightseeing at the famous San Antonio Riverwalk, which includes a tour of the Alamo, private IMAX showing, and the Children's Museum. Most meals and other entertainment activities are included in the price as well.

Price for this wonderful trip is only $300 per adult, $200 per child, ages 13-18, and $100 per child ages 3-12. $100 deposit to reserve your family's space on the trip. Payment plans are available

For more info on the trip or to reserve a space contact 713.365.2335 or singleplus@second.org or
http://www.second.org/bible/bible_single_wo_singleplus.asp

Single Plus is a place for single parents to come, meet new friends, share challenges and triumphs, and worship God. The heart of this ministry is a commitment to seeing the lives of single-parent families change for the better through building a relationship with other single parents and with Jesus Christ.

(GlobalBrenda: A note to our readers - The religious views of our SingleParentTravel.net Web site are non-secretarian. We welcome notices on single parent family travel activities from places and organizations of all beliefs, races, sexual orientation, affiliations, etc.. Just send us your notice and we will be happy to post it, assuming it meets the requirements of single parent or non- traditional family travel).

SP Special #2 - Kids Stay Free at Palace Resorts in Mexico and St. Thomas

At the Palace Resorts in St. Thomas and Mexico from June 1 to August 31 Kids Stay Free at Palace Resorts. Both resorts are all-inclusive and have child care as well as lots of activities for kids and adults. Our particular favorite was the Mexican resort's turtle program. For additional information please visit http://www.palaceresorts.com and for reservations call 1-800-635-1836.

* Don't have a travel agent? Then find one in "The Single Parent Travel Handbook" which has a listing of over 75 travel agents who specialize in single parent travel. Buy the book from any place books are sold or get an autographed copy from GlobalBrenda, the author, at http://www.SingleParentTravel.net/Book/

VII. SUBSCRIBERS SPEAK UP-REQUESTS, INQUIRIES, COMMENTS

M. U. from Florida writes:
I am trying to plan a great vacation, during July 3-11, with my two kids (age 5 & 7). The perfect vacation in my mind would be a cruise with on-shore adventures in rainforests, jungles, underwater minisubs, etc., that sort of thing...but I'm open to anything at this point. I'm having trouble finding anything for that week that does not penalize me because I'm not traveling with another adult! Please help me out; I know I need to book soon. Thanks.

GLOBALBRENDA'S RESPONSE:
Dear M. L.,
I have just the cruise company for you! It used to be called Temptress Cruises and has become part of Cruise West. Here is their Web site: http://www.CruiseWest.com/Costa_Rica

It promises lots of adventure and family fun. If you have already purchased my book, "The Single Parent Travel Handbook," you know that Costa Rica is one of my featured single-parent-family-friendly destinations and one of my personal favorite destinations.

Keep in mind you will have to pay the adult price for one of your kids. Cruises rarely offer single parent specials. I am negotiating with some cruise lines at this time for a summer 2005 cruise for single parent families. Stay tuned to our newsletter and the tour Web site for more details (http://www.singleparenttours.com). Buen viaje!

There were several replies to CB from our readers regarding the homesick questions:

From AG:
To CB, who plans to travel for 2 mos. with her 21-month-old: My feeling is that the more you can keep her on a schedule, the more comfortable this time away from home with be for her. It sounds impossible, but I'm sure there are several ways you can do this, even if it's just the same bedtime routine, like "first we brush our teeth, then we read Goodnight Moon," no matter what country you're in. If she's old enough, part of the winding down routine can be "let's color a picture for Daddy" or if possible, a nightly or weekly phone call to him. When my kids were small and away from a particular loved one, the "missing" of the person was often brief, but traveling with no regular routine upset them greatly. Good luck!

From KK:
Reply to C.B. - in my daughter's case it wasn't her dad it was her grandparents - as a single mom she used to stay with them quite a bit when I worked or when I tried for a little adult time. On our first trip going it alone I had my parents put messages on a tape recorder and I noted them on a piece of paper - everyday I would play one - it might be "Good morning Emily, have a great day and be sure to takes lots of pictures to share when you get home", or "Good night.... , my dad would repeat their special good night ritual that they shared when she slept over. I made sure that none of the messages said that they missed her or hurry home - they were all upbeat. I also brought her favorite picture with us of the three of them and every night she put it out and said goodnight to it. So perhaps dad could do something like that so she could hear his voice every day. I did allow one short phone call midweek of the vacation just to say Hi - it really helped. Hope this helps

In response to the problems one of our readers had with Continental Airlines, we had two replies:

KS writes:
I am a single parent by adoption and there is not and never has been a father in the lives of my children. I have been fearful to travel abroad with them for the exact reason stated by the person here (referring to the Continental Airlines problem in our earlier newsletter) - she can present herself with clear documentation of being the sole custody parent and they can still refuse you access to the plane. My brother is widowed and tried to travel with his sons, and they were not allowed onto the plane and had to return home to another distant city and delay their trip for a few days to go and fetch the mother's death certificate.

Could you write something about these rules and regulations for us single parents? It is scary to think about having your expensive (both in terms of precious time and money) vacation ruined by not following the rules.

GLOBALBRENDA'S RESPONSE:
Dear KS,
Every week, without exception, I receive several hundred emails, about 40% of which are devoted to documentation questions. I wrote a comprehensive chapter on documentation for single parents in my book, "The Single Parent Travel Handbook." You may wish to consider ordering a copy. It is quite informative and very entertaining. Here's how to order:
http://www.SingleParentTravel.net/Book/

In addition, we created a Documentation section on my Web site. It is less comprehensive, but still helpful. It was recently updated to include the latest passport application information for children that took effect February of 2004. Here is the page:

http://www.singleparenttravel.net/Writing/Documentation/

I would not let your fear of being rejected at the airport gate keep you from traveling. Do your homework, be over prepared and you will have a great time! People in your situation do it all the time. Read my book, read my Web site and you will have the information you need as well as some real life examples to guide you.

Happy Trails!
GlobalBrenda

Another reply on the Continental Airlines episode came from Donna McGhee who agreed to let us use her name and contact information:

Hello Brenda,
I agree with writing to Continental. It sounds like the Continental employee was not aware of the difference between full custody and sole custody. I would also recommend writing to the Mexican Consulate encouraging them to remind airline personnel what is and is not acceptable. This is not the first or the last time an airline employee has been misinformed.

For future reference - Did this client book her vacation with a travel agent or on her own? This is a good example of how a trained professional could have assisted in time of crisis. Did this client purchase travel insurance? There are several "cancel for any reason" type policies available. For a few dollars extra, she would have had some peace of mind by not having to lose her complete investment. For people who travel frequently (international or domestic) there are annual policies available at a discounted rate.

If it is at all possible, get a letter of consent anyway. There is no harm in being "over prepared". I always advise my single parents to send me a copy of the notarized letter of consent that I place in their file.
Hope this helps.

Sincerely,
Donna M. McGee
Independent Travel Agent
Direct Telephone: 1-732-704-1883
Toll Free: 1-866-878-7477 ext 113
Fax: 1-866-243-9068
Email: dmmcgee@ptd.net

BR writes:
I just discovered your website Friday. There are a lot of questions I will have over time. For starters, though, I am a single mom with a 2 1/2 yr old daughter. On vacation, I like to keep up with my fitness, but have difficulty finding places where there are good and safe running paths, as well as, fitness facilities for weight training. I also have trouble finding a holiday resort that will keep my daughter's attention in a safe and friendly atmosphere for that 2 to 2 1/2 hour work out session/day. Otherwise, I would like to spend the day doing things with my daughter, with the odd evening for an adult dinner or something. I have not done too much traveling with my daughter to date, but would like to start and don't really know where to look. Hopefully, you will be able to help us? GB: (Readers are welcome to send in their suggestions).

CL writes:
Can you post my vacation (on your website) to Oahu on July 29 through Aug 6, 2004? A single Mom and my 17 & 10 year old would love to meet with other single parent and kids.

GB: (Please reply directly to CL at her email address: clancast@utmb.edu)

Patrice in Michigan writes:
I am leaving next week with my 2 sons to go to the Dominican Republic for a week. Their father said he will sign a letter of consent, but I'm not finding any template forms on line. Of course the travel agent just says to have him write anything appropriate...that doesn't feel very comforting. Could you help? Thanks!

GLOBALBRENDA'S RESPONSE: You have come to the right place. We have a form online at
http://www.SingleParentTravel.net/Writing/Documentation/

Lastly, we exchanged some emails with J.O. regarding Mexican entry requirements. We are sharing these emails with you so our readers can benefit from J.O's experience or perhaps one of you can advise J.O. from your experience:

J. O. writes:
I have a question about traveling with my children. I have sole custody of both of my children, ages 12 and 14, as stated in my Divorce Decree. But several years after we were divorced, my ex- husband called me and said he wanted to relinquish all of his parental rights to both children. I had the papers drawn up, signed and notarized, but I never filed them with the court. My ex-husband lives in another state and I have no idea how to reach him.

Can I take my Divorce Decree, Relinquishment of Parental Rights Decree and my children's birth certificates if I were to take them on a cruise to Mexico? I was told that I would not be able to take my children on a cruise out of the country because the Relinquishment Papers had not been filed with the court.

GLOBALBRENDA'S RESPONSE:
That is a detailed question that you really need to ask Mexico. Please read the documentation section of our Web site that speaks in detail about who to contact, etc. Your question is rather specific (and one we have never heard before), so whatever info you find out, PLEASE email us and we will post your findings for the benefit of other readers.

J. O. writes back:
I did find a site that had the entry into Mexico requirements and it did not specifically state that it had to be filed through the courts, it only said it had to be notarized and that a Divorce Decree would (I think) be sufficient. Maybe you could look at that documentation and tell me if I'm reading it right? I would hate to book the trip, get to the boat and not be able to go. (http://www.consulmexny.org/eng/english.htm) and I asked for entry requirements when traveling with minor child and one absent parent. Thanks so much for your help and I will definitely email you with any results.

GLOBALBRENDA'S RESPONSE:
Even if I say the documentation is correct, that has no guarantee that it will be. You need to contact the Mexican Embassy or Consulate. If they do not respond by email, I would call, but getting something in writing (i.e. email) is a great idea.

Want to make a comment, have a request or an inquiry? Send your email to Brenda@SingleParentTravel.net. Please note that GlobalBrenda may take as much as 48 hours to respond.