Welcome to the September 2004 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.

To sign up for our newsletter go to http://www.SingleParentTravel.net. Forward this newsletter to a friend!

In this issue:

I. GLOBAL BRENDA'S MESSAGE
II. SINGLE PARENT TOURS
III. FAMILY FUN FOR THE FALL - DAY OUTINGS AROUND THE USA & CANADA
IV. SINGLE PARENT FAMILY FRIENDLY SPECIALS
V. MEETING OTHER SINGLE PARENTS
VI. SUBSCRIBERS SPEAK UP-REQUESTS, INQUIRIES, COMMENTS

I. GLOBALBRENDA'S MESSAGE

Dear Readers,

Our second annual Single Parent Tours August trip to Beaches Boscobel in Jamaica was once again a sell-out, with over 50 people participating. It was wonderful to meet so many of you at Beaches. We are now gearing up for another fun-filled November weekend at Rocking Horse Ranch Resort. We already have about 20 people signed up with many more inquiries coming in. We expect this trip to sell out as well. Read all about it in the Single Parent Tours section below.

As the weather turns cool and we approach harvest season, our thoughts turn to traditional autumn activities. Section III of this newsletter is devoted to fall family day outings throughout the USA and Canada. We hope you find something that will encourage you to get out there and "Carpe Diem" with your kid(s). If your local area offers a special fall activity, let us know about it and we will publish it in our next newsletter. We would also love to hear from our UK readers about fall family activities in your part of the world. Be sure to include any Web site addresses in your email. Our Travel Specials section has several new single parent specials and our popular Subscriber section has some very interesting emails, especially the one from the Single Parent Dad in New Zealand. Who says that single parent dads aren't organized? Those of you who have read my book, "The Single Parent Travel Handbook," know that is certainly not true. The wonderful travel stories written by single parent dads show them to be loving, resourceful and, yes, very organized! Our New Zealand dad is certainly one of those.

Happy travels, GlobalBrenda

II. SINGLE PARENT TOURS

Beaches Boscobel, Jamaica - August 15-22, 2004

"A good time was had by all" is certainly a phrase that applies to this trip. I joined the group for the last few days of the week and everyone I spoke to, adult and child alike, was having a wonderful time. Some families were trying to squeeze in every activity and other families were just kicking back and relaxing. For those few parents that I did not meet, I hope to see you at a future Single Parent Tours trip.

The Thursday night cocktail party/book signing/seminar provided some valued feedback on the trip. Based on your comments and suggestions we will consider the following:

· Some of you asked me to set up a Single Parent Family trip for Beaches in Turks & Caicos. This is a more expensive property but I will be happy to consider this, in addition to the perennially popular Beaches Boscobel trip. For those of you interested in doing Turks & Caicos for summer of 2005, drop me an email so I can get a head count.

· There were also several requests to repeat the rafting trip in August of 2005. We will consider that request as well. · A common request was to hold the single parent family get-together party at Beaches earlier than Tuesday night. I talked to Beaches Boscobel about this and here is what management said: They do not want to offer it on Sunday night as many people are arriving that day and often are too tired to attend a cocktail party soon after arrival. Monday night is the General Manager's Welcome Cocktail Party for all hotel guests so that presents a schedule conflict. Single Parent Tours will come up with some simple ideas to resolve this. Perhaps we can create some colored beads to wear that will identify you as a single parent family, making it easier for other single parent families to approach you and make friends upon arrival. Email us your suggestions!

Rocking Horse Ranch, Rocking Horse Ranch Resort, NY - November 19-21, 2004 Once again we are offering our popular all-inclusive fun-filled Single Parent Family getaway weekend at Rocking Horse Ranch Resort in scenic Hudson Valley. Last year this weekend sold out and we anticipate another sell-out this fall. Please book early to avoid disappointment. I can't wait to refresh my line dancing skills. Eeeee Haaaa!

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

Single Parent Tours - 2005

We hope to post our 2005 tour schedule by the end of 2004 or early in 2005. Several readers have advised me that they would like to have a six-month or more notice of our trips. Often we are at the mercy of the suppliers and must wait until they announce their seasonal rates. That happened last year with Jamaica. We posted the dates as soon as we knew them and then posted the rates a month or two later. We also did that with the Rocking Horse weekend. Currently we anticipate sponsoring the following trips for 2005:

Late spring - Possible weekend to Philadelphia or Hershey Park, PA.
June - Caribbean cruise
August - Rafting trip in early August
August - Beaches Boscobel, Jamaica in mid or late August.
August - Beaches in Turks & Caicos November - weekend at Rocking Horse Ranch Resort

Stay tuned to the newsletter for further announcements. Or visit: http://www.SingleParentTours.com or call 877-GO-GO-SPT

III. FAMILY FUN FOR THE FALL - DAY OUTINGS IN THE USA & CANADA

Back in September and October of 2002 our newsletter featured a two part series on day outings in the fall, including informational Web sites for activities such as corn mazes, Renaissance Fairs, and animal parks all across the USA and Canada. Check out these two archived story for some great fall family fun ideas:

Fun Fall Family Day Trips

For those of you lucky enough to live within driving distance of Statesville, Alabama, we have a spectacular corn maze for you! Ted Johnson, the owner of Autauga County Farm, with the help of a lawn mower and a global positioning system, cut a 12-acre cornfield into the shape of the continental United States. State borders serve as pathways through the maze and each state contains information about the state itself - its nickname, the state bird, the date it entered the union. After exploring the maze you can visit the petting zoo and watch farm workers pick cotton and peanuts. This is my kind of family day - both fun and educational! For more information on the farm and the corn maze, click on: http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/NEWSV5/storyV5mazeex30tricw.htm

Heading further north, about an hour's drive north of New York City, is the Storm King Art Center. I visited this place several weekends ago on a clear summer's day and decided that this would make a great fall day outing. The art center contains a small art museum and gift shop but the main attraction is the beautiful and sprawling outdoor setting of rolling green hills on which are situated enormous outdoor sculptures. The sculptures range from delicate creative works of art to whimsical and sometimes heavy works of steel. Kids have lots of room to run around and plenty of opportunities to use their imagination when they view or stand under the sculptures. For those with little kids and tired feet, there is a free tram that runs around the park with periodic stops to view the sculptures. There are no concessionary facilities, but there are picnic areas so bring a picnic lunch and beverages. The admission price is a bit steep - $10 for adults, $7 for kids ages 5-12. (Under 5 go free), but it's worth it. Here's the Web site: http://www.stormking.org/

IV. SINGLE PARENT FAMILY FRIENDLY SPECIALS

Special #1 - Rocking Horse Ranch Resort, NY - November 19-21, 2004
Once again we are offering our popular all-inclusive fun-filled Single Parent Family getaway weekend at Rocking Horse Ranch Resort in scenic Hudson Valley. Last year this weekend sold out and we anticipate another sell-out this fall. Please book early to avoid disappointment. For photos, details, and prices on this trips click on: http://www.SingleParentTours.com or call 877-GOGO SPT. Ask for Janet or Lynda.

Special #2 - Canadian Rail
VIA Rail, the Canadian passenger train system, offers a Kids Travel Free program that provides an economy-class ticket for each child 11 or under when accompanied by an adult. The offer expires October 2nd. In addition, there are some half-price specials for adults for Saturday travel between certain Canadian cities, such as Montreal and Quebec City or Toronto and Niagara Falls. The discount can be used with the Kids Travel Free program. A one-day round trip rail ticket could provide an interesting way to visit a nearby city while in Canada. For more information visit www.viarail.ca/offers or call 888- 842-7245.

Special #3 - Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, Colorado until December 16, 2004
Consider Park Hyatt for get-a-way fall weekends. They have renewed their single parents package once again. The package starts at $404 per night for one adult and one child. In addition to the room, families get adult massage per night, three hours of Camp Hyatt time for the child, milk, cookies and room service, and breakfast for one adult and one child. Additional children in the same room are $55 per night. This special may be booked through travel agents or by calling 800-55-HYATT.

Special #4 - Ireland - October 1 to December 31, 2004
Although this one-week trip does not qualify as a Single Parent Special, we wanted to bring it to your attention because the price is so special. Starting at $499 per person, you get airfare from New York, Baltimore or Boston; six nights lodging, one-week car rental; and full Irish breakfast daily. Prices vary by departure date and other departure cities are available for additional cost. Grab your kid and go or grab a friend and a kid and go! For further details call 800-896-4600 or check out Ireland.com/travel or click on the specific page for this trip: http://borg2.contourgroup.com/easyweb_data/start_ireland.htm

Check out all our single parent travel specials at http://www.singleparenttravel.net/Specials/

* 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/

V. MEETING OTHER SINGLE PARENTS
Vmburchell has a four-year-old daughter and both want to find someone to plan a trip to Asia. Reply to her on our bulletin boards at: http://tinyurl.com/4mjx7

carlala123, a single mom from California, is thinking of going to Costa Rica with her 12 year old son. If anyone has any suggestions, reply to her at: http://tinyurl.com/42hxt

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. SUBSCRIBERS SPEAK UP-REQUESTS, INQUIRIES, COMMENTS

Kasia Rezmer wrote: "I realize it is difficult to get discounts on ski trips but all the same there must be many singles out there who want to go skiing with kids, even at the normal price. It would be nice to get a group together. How do I go about that? I am looking at a spring break trip March 12-19." (GlobalBrenda's response: Anyone interested in joining Kasia and her 6-year-old should contact her directly at: kasiar@ureach.com)

GB: One of my readers was gracious enough to take the time to correct an error in an earlier newsletter. Thank you Missy! Missy writes: " I was reading your newsletter - very informative. I was also looking for Conti Farms - I found it - it is spelled CONTE - I wouldn't have thought that. The info for them is Conte Farm, 299 Flyatt Road, Tabernacle, NJ 08008. Telephone 609-268-1010 - I did not check to see if they have a website - I hope this is helpful." (GB- Although Conte Farms does not maintain their own Web site, a Web search will produce a number of articles about them).

Lisa from Louisville KY writes:
"I am a 45 year old single parent of a wonderful 11 yr. old son. We both love to travel and fortunately have been able to do some of that but not as much as I would like to. Our primary problem is finances. I find that flying most places is just too expensive. The cost of getting to places plus the cost of staying there usually is only something we can do maybe once a year. I am so glad you have started a site to assist single parents in finding information on travel. I wonder if there could be included more choices for those of us who can't afford resorts or cruises or going abroad. Even if it's places that aren't quite so exotic. Thanks for your help!"

GB responds: Thank you for your input. You will be pleased to know that my book, "The Single Parent Travel Handbook," addresses all those questions and requests that you raised. It was written for people just like you. I highly recommend you purchase a copy. It will save you money, show you how to plan a trip that is fun, exciting and within your budget, no matter how limited. It is also very entertaining. Here's how to order: http://www.singleparenttravel.net/book/index.htm Regarding single parent tours offering lesser expensive trips. - last year we offered 6 weekend trips

- San Antonio, Northern and Southern California, Northern Vermont and Estes Park, Colorado plus our sold out weekend to Rocking Horse Ranch Resort. All of the trips were priced between $350 and $500 for one adult and one child, all-inclusive - no single supplement. Interestingly enough, with the exception of the Rocking Horse Weekend, our biggest sellers are the one-week trips.

We are always open to other areas. Let us know where you would like to go and when. If you can gather up four other single parent families, we will be happy to run the trip, and do the marketing and negotiating. It takes a tremendous amount of time and financial investment to plan one of these weekend trips so we tend to target those areas where we know we will have a core group.

Karen M writes:
"I saw that you mentioned New Orleans as a good place to take children, but a few of my friends stated it was not.....I know they have a good children's' museum and some Fairyland Park that I read about. Is it OK as long as the kids stay away from Bourbon St.?"

GB responds:
I have been to New Orleans six times, two of those times with my children. During each of those visits I walked along Bourbon Street and the worst thing I saw were a few drunken tourists wobbling down the street. This is a sight I have also seen in New York City, London, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. Despite that scenario, there are wonderful things for children to see in each of those cities. In every city there is danger or unpleasant sights - homeless people, drunks, petty theft. Does that mean you should never visit cities? Of course not.

I assume you will be with your children at all times in New Orleans as I was with mine and you will be visiting things that appeal to you and your family. For example, the marvelous Aquarium, the paddleboat ride down the Mississippi, a people-watching coffee break at Cafe du Monde for some delicious beignets. My kids went nuts over the beignets! If you are there on Sunday you can shop the stalls of the French Market for fresh produce and spices and inexpensive handmade jewelry by the local artisans. Your kids will find lots of affordable gifts for friends back home and so will you.

Now back to Bourbon Street....Should you avoid walking down that street? That is your choice. You will miss part of what is the flavor of the Old Quarter if you avoid it. I suggest you walk down it during the day - lots of local musicians play for free on the street corners - music is everywhere in New Orleans, much of it on Bourbon Street. At night the street is more crowded and of course there is more drinking. You can tell your kids what to expect, have them stay close to you and explore the street for a few blocks to view the nighttime atmosphere. My kids and I found it festive, rather than intimidating. Policemen are on every corner. Tourism is a huge business in New Orleans so the city wants the tourists to feel safe. My kids were thrilled to walk Bourbon Street at night as they had seen this famous scene so often on TV or in the movies.

Housekeeping writes:
"I'm writing because I found out my ex husband is planning on taking my daughter out of the country without my permission to the Dominican Republic. Some people tell me that you can travel to the country without a passport or my consent. Please tell me what can I do to prevent this from happening. Also I have primary physical custody and we share legal custody. He might leave to his country in October."

GB responds: Call an attorney immediately. He or she will tell you what to do. If your ex-husband is planning to take your daughter out of the country without your permission, the attorney can arrange to have everyone surrender his or her passport.

Bozena writes: "Thank you Brenda for responding so promptly. I do receive your monthly newsletter and keep hoping that I will find some information that would help me travel more often with my son. However, I am finding that most of the trips recommended on your website are simply too expensive for me. I would have loved to go to Jamaica for the Single Parent Tour but I could not afford it. I do not know how other single parents do it. I love to travel with my 9-year old son but the only choice I have is to look for last minute deals and even that is too costly. How can I make the tour operators become more aware of the discriminatory character of their policies (prices being based on double occupancy, no single supplement offered only in few places and after season, no discounts offered for children traveling with one adult, etc.)?"

GB responds: I am sorry that it is not within your budget to travel on one of our trips. I understand as I was in your position when I first became divorced. It took years to get my career back on track so that I could afford to take my kids to more distant and exotic places. There are many ways to solve your budget problem. Why not organize a group of travelers so you can go free? It doesn't have to be single parent travelers. There must be family groups or workplace groups you could organize. How about your church or place of worship?

You mentioned some things about travel that are common misconceptions. The single supplement is not a discriminatory policy, rather hotels and cruise ships have to meet a certain cost for each room. If there are 2 adults, each pays a per person price. If you are single, the travel supplier adds something to the per person price to meet their costs. Keeping that in mind, have you considered traveling with a friend or family member to reduce costs?

Please note that on ALL our Single Parent Tour trips we have negotiated with the travel suppliers to ELIMINATE the single supplement. How did we do it? We convinced them that by eliminating the single supplement and taking a loss on the rooms, they will more than make up the difference in the added business that we will bring in.

One last thing - in addition to looking for last minute deals, you could also consider saving in advance for a trip or paying in installments. My booking agent has told me they are willing to work with single parents on that basis. Hope these suggestions help a bit.

Nirie wrote: "To Arlene who wants to visit South Jersey Wildwood is the best way to go, a lot more to do. I found another great way to go on tours is with colleges. I know my former school William Carey in MS offers overseas trips to lots of great places. Some of the professors sponsor them. The prices are reasonable and usually include meals."

DM writes in response to JT's inquiry about Russia: "I'm planning a trip to Russia in June 2005 to visit both Moscow and St. Petersburg. You're lucky you have a cousin in Moscow. Possibly you won't need a tour, but I've found the best way to go to Russia is with a tour group. I've found one that has Russian tour guides, which is an advantage. I have a 13 year old son and we are both into aviation. There is a museum/graveyard of Russian planes south of Moscow and I'm hoping we can do a side trip there. As long as you stay in the tourist areas of the cities, or with your tour, you should be fine."

Gregg in MD writes:
" Just returned from a trip to Costa Rica with my daughter, (now 13). This was a hugely successful trip that entertained and educated us both. It included watching sea turtles lay their eggs on the beaches at night, lots of wildlife (monkeys, sloths, toucans and other birds, etc.), horseback rides and wonderful beaches. I'd highly recommend it and would be happy to share specifics with any one that has an interest. Best, Gregg"

GB responds: Thanks for the feedback. Costa Rica is one of the featured destinations in my book and one of my favorite countries. I will pass your offer onto our readers in our next newsletter. Readers, you can email Gregg at GPBoers@aol.com.

Barbara from the UK writes:
"Thank you for including me in the emails. I have now found a single parent group within Scotland where I live and am hoping this will provide the support and friendship I need. The Group is called Scottish Single Parents and it is on MSN Groups - currently there are only a few members but I am sure (new members) would be extremely welcome. Please feel free to pass on my email address to any single parent in the UK who would be interested in linking up and chatting. (Barbara's email address is: carseggie69@yahoo.com).

Poor in Delaware writes:
" In reference to comments from JH about Hawk's Cay -- JH must have a great paying job, I would not be able to afford 1,400 for a hotel room for 5 nights. My hotel price range is $100 per night, give or take, depending on the area and time of year. Am I a tight wad or crazy to think I will get a vacation for that price?"

Mark in New Zealand writes:
(GB: Our last item is from a single parent dad named Mark from New Zealand. Although lengthy, I am publishing his email in its entirety because it is so informative. Thank you Mark for taking the time to write it!) "I'm responding to KK's question about travelling to New Zealand with a one year old. I live in NZ with my two sons (8yrs & 6yrs) and have done a bit of long haul travelling with them to the US. There are two things to plan, getting to NZ and what to do once here. Getting here is pretty straight-forward (by plane) but there are a plenty of "gotcha" when travelling with a 1 year old.

- Direct flight - Insist your flight is direct to either Auckland or Christchurch (it's at least 14 hours). It will be cheaper to have one or two stops on the way, but in my opinion it's not worth the savings, particularly with a 1 year old. If you have a stop off, you will have to get off the plane, a real pain if you are in the middle of a sleep (I made that mistake only once). The flights leave late evening in the US and arrive first thing in the morning in NZ.

- Bassinet or seat for the 1 year old - depends, if he/she is just 1 and can't walk, probably a bassinet, if he is 1 3/4 and quite mobile, a seat would be better. I think most airlines allow you book a bassinet so long as the child is under 2, but if the kid is very active and closer to 2, I would look at getting a seat. Your co-travellers will also thank you.

- To drug or not to drug - this may not be politically correct, however I would strongly recommend you get some sleeping medicine for your child from your doctor. I use an anti-histamine liquid medicine on my kids and it makes a world of difference. Both of you will get jet-lag, try to limit the effects. I may not hurt getting something for yourself, I wouldn't go for over-the-counter as from my experience they aren't as good and leave you drowsy when you wake. This may be obvious, but I can't overstate this, avoid all alcohol after dinner and drink loads of water.

- Stroller or backpack on plane - you will want a sturdy stroller (NZ is a very outdoors type country) while you are here. You may be able to rent one here, but I don't know of any places for this, otherwise check one in. However on the plane, I think you should have a backpack to carry your child around. That way your hands are free. -

Airlines - My recommendation is Air New Zealand, the other ones aren't bad, but with Air NZ you have more choices and everything with one airline, international and domestically in NZ. Also, Air NZ flies direct to LAX from either Auckland or Christchurch (starting in November 2004). This allows you to arrive in Auckland and depart from Christchurch or vice versa. Also, service wise, Air NZ are really good. You can book -

- What to bring - It depends, first you should be able to find just about everything you would find in the US, however under different names. So if you forget something, no need to worry. Food - customs are practically paranoid about foreign pests getting into the country, so raw or opened food is a big no-no. You can have it on the plane, but leave it there.

- When to come - The seasons are opposite down here, so the high tourist season is from December to February. I would specifically avoid most of January, that is the main school vacation time, so all the vacation places are packed. If you want warm weather, then Feb or March are your best bets.

Once here, what to do? If you are into outdoors, then NZ is the place for you. There is virtually no other place in the world with such diverse scenery in such a small place. A really good website to help you decide what to do is: http://www.newzealand.com/. Also, there aren't any real dangerous animals or pest that can do you harm. So camping or taking long treks in isolated places is quite safe from that perspective. I hope this helps Cheers - Mark