Most asked questions
How do you manage to travel the world? 
This is a question we both hear a lot. It is true that we both have jobs that have blessed us with travel opportunities, but I wouldn’t attribute all of our travels to that. The biggest contributor to our travel: BUDGET. I could write an entire post (and I probably will eventually) over budget.
Yes, you need money to travel…but you really don’t need as much money as you would think and I will tell you why.
1. Planning: Dylan and I make travel one of our categories in our annual budget. We plan for it! Plus, if you start planning early then you can make payments over time. A lot of vendors (especially if you book through a travel agent) will allow you to put down a deposit and then pay out your trip in more manageable payments. This is pretty much like a 0% interest loan and it doesn’t matter what your credit looks like. For example, if I want to go to an all-inclusive in Mexico for $3000 total, then I would plan it about 8-11 months out. I could put down $500 and then pay around $125 biweekly until I went on my trip. I honestly have clients of mine that set up their payments as low as $40 per week.
2. Manage Expectations: You cannot do #1 without understanding what things cost. I’ve heard things like “I want to go to Hawaii and my budget is $800” (that won’t even buy you the flights) or even worse in my opinion, “I don’t have a budget” (Most of us have or should have a budget). If you really don’t know how much a trip should cost then a good travel agent can give you an idea (I aim to do this with my clients -> but any agent should be able to help you out).
Personally, I know that my budget does not buy the Ritz Carlton. Sometimes we splurge and sometimes we stay in budget hotels; sometimes we travel to Europe and sometimes we stay domestic…but we always understand ~why~ we choose the options and destinations that we do.
For example, we took a 2 week road trip across Italy. There were a few times that we decided to stay in cheaper, mediocre places because we just wanted to BE near a certain destination and wanted money for more important experiences (i.e. like spending 230 Euro per person to dine in an Italian Cave). The Italian cave dinner was literally almost 5 nights of hotel stays combined….but we knew that and understood that. We made it fit in our overall trip budget because we really wanted to have that experience.
Another example (and last example before I actually write an entire blog post on this subject just in the FAQ section)…my husband and I both budget like this throughout our entire lives. Until this year, I had never bought myself a car. I drove a 12 year old hand-me-down my parents very graciously gifted me. Dylan actually still drives a 2009 he bought in college on the “cash for clunkers” program. Obviously, there isn’t anything wrong with new cars. Cars just aren’t our passion -> travel is.
Why a travel agency? 🤔
Dylan and I are both engineers by trade, so I have received this question multiple times because a travel agency doesn’t appear to fit with our training. I would argue otherwise though. We love exploring, managing varying components, and of course, air travel.
That being said, there are a variety of different reasons, but the main reason is that we want to share in our passion with people. Before I had the idea to start the agency, I checked Google flights and my favorite travel blogs EVERY SINGLE DAY. Actually, Dylan proposed to me on a trip to NYC that I found dirt cheap flights to. It was a 24 hour sale for 75% off direct flights from LAX to JFK. I just texted him, “you wanna go to NYC for a long weekend in 3 weeks?”
So that is our main motivation: bring that same joy and excitement to my clients <3
how much does your services cost? 
Travel agents get paid a commission from the suppliers for everything that you book. For example, if you book a cruise then the cruise line will pay the agent a commission. Therefore, there is no fee for using our services! Your cruise would not cost anymore in this scenario. Actually, sometimes there are special rates if you book with an agent so it can actually save you money in the long run.
That being said, agents only get paid when you book through them and AFTER you travel. So it is super disheartening if you ask for a customized trip, then book with someone else or book it yourself. We take pride in spending time to customize every trip to every customer. We also take a lot of time to find the best deals and have a price match guarantee. So if there is something you are not happy with, we want to know! Don’t be afraid to talk to your agent about what you are thinking 🙂
Is it hard travelling Gluten free or with dietary restrictions? 🍕
The short truth: sometimes. The more complicated answer: it doesn’t have to be.
It really just takes some additional planning. Most all airlines now cater to common dietary restrictions. Addionally, awareness in recent years has lead to more options on cruiselines, resorts, and in restaurants worldwide. While it is more difficult just “popping” into a restaurant on the street, there are surprisingly more options then you may think. Plus, restaurant research should be one of your top categories in vacation planning. It would be a bummer to visit a destination and miss out on the top restaurants in that city!