A lot has happened over the last few years, and I wanted to take a moment to connect and share some exciting news with you.

I am still Lush Life Travel - and always will be. That is my boutique agency that I founded, and I fully incorporated last year - so, I've added an Inc. to my name - Lush Life Travel, Inc.

There've been some changes with my partner, Vision Travel, and their name. This will be largely transparent to you as a client of Lush Life Travel, but you will begin to see some logo differences on invoices you will receive from me for booked travel, as you'll see my affiliation with Vision Travel, a Direct Travel Company begin to move towards only referencing Direct Travel. So, let me share some background.

Lush Life Travel has been around since 2010, and an affiliate partner of Vision Travel since about that time as well.

Back in 2017, my affiliate partner, Vision Travel, merged with Direct Travel to become a North American travel company.  In 2019, the business travel side of Vision Travel, my affiliation as a host partner organization in Canada changed their name to Direct Travel (and les services Direct Travel in Quebec).  You would've noticed the name Vision Travel morph to show on invoices gradually as Vision Travel, a Direct Travel company. Our retail side was going to make the change in 2020 but then we all know what happened.

As we approach 2023, the decision was made to align with the rest of Vision Travel organization, and proceed with a name change to Direct Travel Personalized Experiences.

Of course, I'm still Lush Life Travel (Inc.) - that doesn't change.

I'm still here.

You still get access to me and my team, and through my affiliation, access to the broader Vision/ Direct Travel team across North America.

As my client, you don't visit the bricks and mortar retail shops of Vision/ Direct Travel largely in the Greater Toronto Area, as I work out of Ottawa. As my client, you and I largely communicate face-to-face, over email, over the phone, or over zoom or microsoft teams.

But with the retail side of my Vision partners, there'll be some new signage over the next few months. If I share broader team offers (because my being affiliated with a larger team means that Lush Life also gets access to exclusive and private offers that we share across the brands) this means you might see new logos n the shared links I put in my Sunday travel newsletter - such as the section below. And any invoices I send you for booked travel will still respect TICO (Travel Industry Council of Ontario) rules, and have the logos of my affiliate Vision/ Direct Travel - but you'll notice the red and blue Vision logo will be replaced by Direct Travel. But don't worry - you're still dealing with me and my Lush Life Travel team.

What will not change is my commitment to a more personalized approach to travel. That will never change.

Thank you for being a valued client and I wish you health and happiness in 2023.

It’s no secret that river cruising is one of the hottest trends in travel. More and more Canadians and Americans are intrigued by the small-ship intimacy, the off-the-beaten waves itineraries and generous inclusions to be found on a river cruise.

Most of our clients “graduate” to river cruising after taking a number of small ship cruises. If this sounds like you, here’s a little rundown on the differences you may expect:

Not surprisingly, ship size. A river cruise ship may hold as few as 36 or as many as 200 or so passengers – a huge difference from the big ships which now can host as many as 5,000 passengers. So while there’s not the room for the plethora of restaurants and bars, the exotic activities, shops and spas, the trade off is that your are never far from your stateroom; embarkation and disembarkation can take seconds rather than hours; and you’ll get to know the crew and your fellow passengers much more quickly.

Speaking of restaurants, most river cruise ships offer one or two restaurants. A bistro offering tapas-style dining a couple of times a week; and/or a Skydeck open for al-fresco lunches, weather permitting. Wine and beer is included with dinner (and speaking of drinks, if you wish to purchase alcohol ashore and sample it in your cabin, that’s permitted, unlike on big ships which will hold your purchases until disembarkation).

Evening entertainment may range from a visit by musicians or dancers to give you an insight into local culture. Tastings and informal lectures as well as port talks outlining the next day’s port of call are also part of the entertainment on a river cruise.

It’s worth mentioning that these days, river cruise ships are known for their modern comforts. Many were within the last five years, and they often feature spacious cabins with Wi-Fi, balconies or large sliding glass walls, marble bathrooms, minibars, movies on demand and more.

But for many passengers the real highlight is the opportunity to walk on and off the ship as you wish. You often dock in the heart of a city or medieval town and are welcome to explore when you want. River cruising also gives you the opportunity to visit smaller ports of call that larger ships are simply too big to get to.

Another significant difference with river cruises is that shore excursions are included, an excellent value when you consider the hundreds of dollars they can cost on a big ship cruise. 

The lists continue for adventure travel. 

See https://www.forbes.com/sites/everettpotter/2022/11/10/5-new-multi-adventure-trips-for-2023/

Which notes:

In the world of adventure travel, multi-sport trips are now often referred to as multi-adventure trips. This may be because "adventure" sounds so much more adventurous than "sport" does. Regardless of the nomenclature debates in the marketing department, they mean pretty much the same thing.

It's a trip with multiple activities, ideal for those who want to stretch different muscles, for travelers who get easily bored, and for those who want to try something new. The activity menu is typically some combination of hiking, biking, e-biking, kayaking, paddle boarding, and rafting, with a location that is usually pretty spectacular. Here are five new multi-adventure trips for 2023 in Greece, Southeast Asia, Argentine, Chile and Uruguay.

I believe the best resolution for a new you in 2023 is to travel.

And there are wellness trends in 2023 as well.

See https://www.globalwellnesssummit.com/blog/the-biggest-wellness-travel-trends-of-2023/

Which notes:

Going on vacation used to be an excuse to leave our diet and workout routines at home. These days, we plan trips rooted in relaxation, but also self-improvement and wellbeing. Wellness travel has become one of the industry’s fastest growing sectors, and hotels and resorts are taking note: It's no longer just med spas that are weaving diagnostics and medical-grade treatments into therapy offerings—at the newly opened Aman New York, for instance, you can get a cognitive health scan by day, and dine on stellar Italian food and catch a show at the hotel’s jazz club at night.

After a lengthy period of forced solitude during the pandemic, a closed-off indoor hideout is the last place most travelers want to escape to: People are craving physical activity, and increasingly seeking wellness in the wild: Mindful movement is a new buzzword, and travelers are getting their fix on newly opened hiking trails, pickleball courts, and even on skis and paddleboards. Plus, after all that physical exertion, there are recovery rooms to ensure you'll never have achy muscles. Not the outdoorsy kind? Resorts are offering everything from pottery to weaving and painting to center the mind—and keep us away from our screens.

There have never been more excuses to be well on our travels. Here are the wellness travel trends and destinations, resorts, and retreats that will entice you to reboot both mind and body in 2023.

I’m headed to Greece with my family next July, and I'm inviting my clients to come along. My husband and I will act as the Azamara Virtuoso Voyages host for the July 8, 2023 sailing onboard the Azamara Quest, roundtrip Piraeus for a Greece Intensive Voyage, for 7 days. I've already booked several clients to come along. 

One of the things we love most about what we do is matching our clients tastes' with the greatest hotels in the world.  And with our preferred status with these industry leading hotel brands it means our clients are instant VIP's with upgrades and special perks that you only get working with an elite partner.  So, not only do we have the best rates, but more importantly you get an exceptional experience over and above what you would booking direct or with a credit card.

See the special programs I'm affiliated with below, and lLet me know if you’d like to discuss a specific hotel stay.

For specific articles about why you should book with an advisor, rather than book by yourself, see here:

Why Wouldn't You Do It Yourself

Booking a Cruise Yourself vs With Advisor

Booking Hawaii Yourself vs Through Advisor

Booking Rocky Mountaineer Yourself vs With Advisor

Hotel Programs

Peninsula Fan Club , 

Rocco Forte Knights Program , 

The Belmond Bellini Club Program, 

Hotel Programs - Four Seasons Preferred, 

Dorchester Diamond Club , 

The Mandarin Oriental Fan Club ,

Marriott Stars & Luminous ,

The Couture by Langham , 

Pearl Partner Oetker, 

Rosewood Elite , 

Accor Step & Fairmont , 

Preferred Hotel Program, 

IHG Hotel Program , 

Hyatt Privé Program , 

Small Luxury Hotels ,

Luminous Hotel Program , 

A&K 100 Club , 

Hilton Impresario  ,

Jumeirah’s Passport to Luxury , 

The Kempinski Club 1897

Spotlight on the Mediterranean https://www.visiontravel.ca/sheilagh/en/travel-spotlight

Take me to the Islands of Australia

https://www.visiontravel.ca/sheilagh/en/vacation/14369/11-Day-Sydney-and-the-Whitsunday-Islands

Expeditions of a Lifetime with Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic

https://www.visiontravel.ca/sheilagh/en/active/14421/Expeditions-of-a-Lifetime-with-Lindblad-Expeditions-National-Geographic

Free Land Package with AmaWaterways https://www.visiontravel.ca/sheilagh/en/cruise/14433/Free-Land-Package-with-AmaWaterways

Shake Up Your Perspective on Guided Vacations

https://www.visiontravel.ca/sheilagh/en/active/14435/Shake-Up-Your-Perspective-on-Guided-Vacations