Welcome to the November 2002 edition of SINGLE PARENT TRAVEL e-zines - a continuing series of monthly newsletters created for the community of single adults who travel alone with kids.

In this issue:
I. GLOBAL BRENDA'S MESSAGE
II. OUR SPONSOR: FAMILYTRAVEL.COM
III. SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN
IV. MUSSELS IN BRUSSELS - A SINGLE PARENT TALE OF THANKSGIVING
V. LOOKING FOR OTHER SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES TO TRAVEL WITH
VI. UNCOVERED - SINGLE PARENT SPECIALS
VII. TOOTING THE HORN - GLOBALBRENDA IN THE NEWS
VIII. SUBSCRIBERS SPEAK UP-REQUESTS, INQUIRIES, COMMENTS

I. GLOBAL BRENDA'S MESSAGE

"The Single Parent Travel Handbook" is in production. Printed copies should arrive within two weeks (hopefully sooner). The book looks terrific! Everyone who placed a pre-publication book order will receive an autographed copy by the end of November.

Several people emailed us saying they were not sure if they had purchased the book or if their order was processed. Everyone was sent a confirmation email. If you ordered a book and did not receive a confirmation email message, please email us with your NAME and HOW YOU PAID: PayPal or by check.

In light of the upcoming holiday, I have included in this newsletter a Thanksgiving-themed single parent travel story recently posted on the Web site of Parents Without Partners. Enjoy! And may everyone have a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

Happy Travels!

Brenda Elwell

II. OUR SPONSOR: FamilyTravel.com
(Paid advertisement)

FamilyTravel.com Founded by parents, for families, FamilyTravel.com is dedicated to making family travel fun and rewarding. We want you to have the best family vacation ever! From Disney World and all-inclusive resorts to family ski vacations and family adventures, we have the vacation ideas for you! We look forward to being your partner in family travel. FamilyTravel.com

Previous sponsors

III. SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN

This past month we received numerous inquiries and comments about traveling with children with special needs. This is a subject close to my heart as both my son and my daughter have dyslexia. My son also has ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). When he was a little boy, to accommodate his hyperactivity, I had to plan activity-intensive travel itineraries that kept us on the go from breakfast 'til bedtime. Once, on a college reunion weekend, the baby-sitting service handed him back to me after an hour. The teen-age sitters couldn't handle him. Always responsive to our readers, we now have a section for special needs children on our Web site at: http://www.SingleParentTravel.net/Writing/Special.htm

Below are some comments received from readers whose children have special needs:

D.B-C. wrote: "I was glad to read the letter from KB about having a special needs child. I have an 8-year-old boy with Down syndrome. I took him away for the first time this summer and learned that "next time" there will be someone there to help me. I wonder, however, would kid-friendly resorts accept a child like him, i.e., very charming and friendly, and also mildly retarded, not totally verbal, and not always cooperative? He can participate in some activities with other children but needs a bit more attention and supervision."

D. P. wrote "In response to K.B." in last month's newsletter, "some families I know who need R&R for EVERYBODY locate summer camp programs for children/young adults with developmental disabilities, and then take a hotel room or B&B nearby as their home base. I know there's an integrated program called Kamp for Kids in Westfield, Mass. That takes kids ages 3 to 22 with even very profound disabilities AND their able-bodied brothers and sisters for non-stop activities, swimming, ropes course, etc., about a six-hour day, five days a week. Gives respite time to other family members to go do sightseeing and vegging-out in the Berkshires, where activities abound."

D. P. continues, "Another family I know with a young teen with autism takes a Special Friend for Max along with them on vacations, a college-age student hired from local special ed. program at teacher's college. This friend comes along for vacation expenses, pocket money and experience, in exchange for set number of hours a day of Power Vacationing with Max while mom reads a book by the pool. (-:Good luck!"

D.P. provided us with an excellent recommendation. If anyone else knows of similar programs, please e-mail us at Brenda@SingleParentTravel.net. We will forward your suggestions on.

IV. MUSSELS IN BRUSSELS - A SINGLE PARENT TALE OF THANKSGIVING

The idea came to my head when the Sabena Airline representative visited my office and told me about their irresistibly low off-season fare to Brussels. Sofitel had offered me some complimentary hotel nights in return for some business I brought to their doorstep. I had never been to Belgium. The light bulb went on. Thanksgiving was two weeks away. My ex was taking our teen-age son to visit his family so I called my daughter at work and invited her to spend Thanksgiving week with me in Europe. She agreed but insisted on having an afternoon Thanksgiving dinner with her friends in Manhattan and suggested we fly out Thanksgiving night. "Alright," I said, "but that leaves me turkey-less. I won't have time for dinner, not with my commute to JFK Airport." "Not to worry, Mom," replied my daughter. "Just arrive early and bring your appetite." Continue the story at http://www.SingleParentTravel.net/Writing/Brussels.htm

V. BLURBS FROM BULLETIN BOARDS

Here is what you are saying on our bulletin boards... maggie94306 is looking for a travel buddy."Hi...Where are you located. I have a 10-year-old boy and am in Northern Ca. We are always looking for traveling company too...Best, Marianne " http://pub15.ezboard.com/fsingleparenttravelfrm1.showMessage?topicID=1 .topic

Anncorine asks "I would love to get info on traveling on military planes. How is it done? Ann " http://pub15.ezboard.com/fsingleparenttravelfrm1.showMessage?topicID=2 .topic

The boards can be found at http://www.singleparenttravel.net/BBoards/index.htm

VI. UNCOVERED - SINGLE PARENT SPECIALS

Once again, we have found specials that don't discriminate against the single parent family. You may contact your travel agent to book any of the specials below.

SP Special #1 - Hyatt Orlando

The Hyatt Orlando has a Family Getaway Package. Rates start at $184.00 per package/per room for a two-night stay. The applicable dates are Nov. 1 - Dec. 30 (`02 &`03) and Mar. 24 - Sep. 30 (`02). The package includes a two-night stay in a deluxe guest room, tokens for game room, one in-room movie, one child per each adult eats at half price in the hotel's restaurants, transportation to Disney, milk & cookie turndown and taxes and gratuities on above. Book through your local travel agent or 800-233-1234, www.hyatt.com.

SP Special #2 - Holiday Inn Family Suites - Lake Buena Vista, Florida

Holiday Inn Family Suites is offering a Single Parent Package at their Lake Buena Vista, Florida resort. The package is available through Dec. 21 2003 and includes accommodations in a two bedroom kidsuite or Classic Suite, free hot breakfast buffet, shuttle service to Disney, family actives, 5x7 family portrait, $25 in Family Suites Bucks and a kids eat free program. The last part is really great. Up to four kids can eat free (from a kids menu) with only ONE paying adult! For reservations contact your local travel agent or Holiday Inn at 877-387-5497.

SP Special # 3 - Fairfield B&B Shreveport, LA

At the Fairfield B&B in Shreveport, LA kids stay free with only ONE adult in the same room. On a seasonal basis, they also offer a 15% discount on single parent, single child visits, except for Christmas, I-Bowl and New Years. Janie wrote to us about the myriad of local attractions: the children's and state museums, lakes, nature trails, the Barksdale Air Force base, American Rose Center, too many things to list. Contact her at (318)222-0048 or review her Web site http://www.fairfieldbandb.com .

SP Special #4 - Apartments and tours in St. Petersburg, Russia

Dmitri of Alliance Travel offers a 10% discount for readers of this newsletter on accommodation in his network of private apartments and 15% off the overall price of guided tours in St. Petersburg, Russia. More information can be found at http://www.spb.narod.ru and http://www.alliancetravel.tut.ru/

VII. TOOTING THE HORN - GLOBALBRENDA IN THE NEWS

Brenda was recently interviewed by "My Generation" Magazine, produced by AARP, for an upcoming article on Single Parent Travel with older children (teens and up). "My Generation" focuses on the 50-55 age group of readers.

On or about November 17 our Web site and Brenda's upcoming book will be featured in the STAR-LEDGER, North Jersey's premier newspaper. Don Groff, the Star-Ledger's travel editor will write the article.

VIII. SUBSCRIBERS SPEAK UP-REQUESTS, INQUIRIES, COMMENTS

L.D. writes, "I have found a wonderful solution for my active children that allows us to spend time together as a family without pressure on me to provide the entertainment. The Poconos Environment Education Center www.peec.org runs Family Nature Study weekends several times a year. Families stay in a cabin with bunk beds. Meals are served in the dining hall. There are scheduled activities from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 at night that appeal to every age child from the littlest toddler and up. You might spend your morning learning about fossils and then go for a guided hike in the woods in search of a specimen.

In the summer you can take a canoe out on the pond. Muckraking was a favorite for us -- you take a net down to the pond and see what you can drag in. Bird watching, beaver study, worm experiments... lots of opportunities to learn and get dirty. There are also craft activities, an evening campfire, square dancing and an ice cream social. Price is per person and very affordable, with no penalty for single adults. Each family gets their own cabin with running water, full bathroom and heat in the winter. The staff is absolutely terrific -- very knowledgeable and great with the kids. Check it out."

L.F. writes, "The provider of the Amazon portion [of my son's and my Peru trip] Explorama, gives a 50% discount to children 11 and under for each adult package booked. Since we did the Tuesday eight day combo special at $899 per adult, the child rate was $449.50. The normal adult rate for the program that starts on a day other than Tuesday is $1,199, or $1,400 for a single supplement. So for the two of us it was $1,348.50 for the entire week, all inclusive of everything, except airfare, to and from Iquitos. I had a few little problems with their American booking agent, but in the end it all worked out ok. This is their website: http://www.explorama.com/ ."

M.M. asks, "I am looking for places in the Northeast to go skiing, for the first time, with my eleven year old daughter. If you have any suggestions please let me know."

BRENDA'S REPLY: "Thank you for writing. You did not say where you live or how long your vacation is. Are you talking about a weekend, a 5 day trip or a week's trip? I am going to assume you live in the NYC area. "

"All the major ski areas have facilities for children - Killington, Mt Snow, Sugarbush, Stowe. The best skiing (i. e. snow conditions, faciliites, etc) is in the state of Vermont. "

"If you are looking for a one week vacation that includes lessons I highly recommend going up to the Canadian Laurentians. The Laurentian resorts do a wonderful job of learn-to-ski and all inclusive ski weeks. The instruction is good, you know your costs up front, the atmosphere is friendly and cozy and the exchange is extremely favorable right now. When my daughter was 5 and learning to ski we took her up to the Laurentians. It was a wise choice. I was married at the time but it is still a great place, married or single. " "I would also advise you to check with your local ski shop. Most employees there are hard core skiers and know all the areas well and can make appropriate recommendations for you and your child. Hope this helps. You'll have a great time!"

If anyone else has any suggestions for great ski locations for single parents, please e-mail me at Brenda@SingleParentTravel.net and I will post it on next month's newsletter."