Not going to lie, this has been the longest and most challenging week I've had to face. Unprecedented levels of stress with the outlook looking pretty long and bleak right now. We are in for touch times ahead here in Alberta with this global health crisis with COVID-19. It's not easy to get me this worries as I'm usually a very optimistic, positive and "glass is half full" kinda girl most of the time!
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And yes, I have faith in the greater good, that all is temporary and all will work out in the end and that what we know as our current reality may be very different when the dust settles.

I'm trying to stay positive, stay optimistic and focus on my blessings instead.
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We are all worried. I am worried, just like you. Just in one short week (or the longest week ever, depending on where you are viewing it from!), our whole world has been turned upside down like never before. And what we have known (and taken for granted) in our life has been removed (temporarily).

The luxury of travel, school and childcare, employment, access to our goods and services above our basic needs and of course, our health is all in question. Now with social distance measures required to help us ensure the most vulnerable in our population can be safe, our human need for social interaction has forced us to turn within.

In this continued time of uncertainty impacting the world, we need to remind ourselves to:

🤞Respect the decisions being made at this moment in time and that the decisions and direction can also change very quickly in this fluid and dynamic situation.

AND

🤞Have confidence and trust that the authorities above us from all levels and industries are making the best decisions they can to help us through this global crisis.

As worried as I am though, I also know this is temporary.

Breathe. It’s time to focus on simplicity.
To trust that all is out of our control, to allow us to trust in the greater good.
To have faith. To have faith in humanity and that the hard times ahead will force us to re-evaluate our own priorities, to bring us closer to each other by forcing us apart.

But we will come together in a way we are not used to. To individually and collectively make a difference. We must take care of each other in time of need. And we need each other now more than ever. But at the end of each day, we have each other.

Let’s not talk about yesterday. As we are so emotionally invested in what we do, it is challenging to stay abreast within a quickly changing situation. Cruises are starting to get cancelled. Upcoming trips are starting to get cancelled. Supplier term and conditions are starting to emerge for travellers who have affected travel plans but do not have travel insurance or trip cancellation insurance. Airlines are starting to change their schedules to accommodate a very quickly changing situation as the Canadian government starts to advise measures taken in response to COVID-19. 

I understand there are still a lot of questions, and lot of uncertainty with so many unexpected travel plans disrupted suddenly. Not all the details have been sorted out yet and there are more questions than there are answers because this is such a sudden and unprecedented situation that we have to assume that everyone is trying to do their best.

But, today is a new day. And another day to spend on hold for so many of us to find the answers for you, to rearrange plans for you as necessary

So please, wherever you go, whatever you do, thank you in advance for your patience and extending the grace to others as everyone on the front lines is trying to find answers and not all will be available yet.

Until then, I’m going to crank up the tunes, refine my playlist and am prepared for another long day in the trenches.

P.S. Please feel free to send wine my way…..😜
​(I may or may not have graduated to the whiskey yesterday to cope.)

Oh and Happy Friday the 13th! What else can we expect on this ominous day? 

​Take your kids and connect with nature with a visit to places like the Bow Habitat Station, Calgary Zoo, Inglewood Bird Sanctuary or Devonian Gardens downtown, a little piece of serenity in the middle of the urban chatter of downtown! There's nothing like connecting with nature - be it animals, birds, flowers or plants – any life being, to rejuvenate your senses and bring you out of the winter funk or cabin fever we sometimes get suckered into.
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​Head down to Chinatown for a little slice of Asia! Enjoy a piping hot bowl of noodle soup or grab some dim sum for lunch, then head to the Chinese Cultural Centre, a museum dedicated to preserving the culture and history of the Chinese. Spending the day in Chinatown can give you the feel that you experienced a little bit of Asia and take home some fresh buns from one of the many bakeries as a little souvenir from the day! 

If you're getting tired of modern life and want to slow things down a bit, then take a trip back in time. If we had a time machine, that would be a great idea! Instead, head down to Heritage Park for a visit to our historical past or head up to Sundre and visit the Pioneer Village Museum and experience what life was like as a pioneer. Taking a step back in time forces us to slow down and evaluate why we are so rushed and busy these days. Slow down and appreciate the little things in life. 

What are your favourite activities to enjoy to get out of the house and combat cabin fever? Share your favourite ideas with us! 

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Thank you to everyone at Kim's Kitchen for including me in this episode! It was a super fun morning, a great group of gals, and such a fabulous working crew behind the scenes! 

As we say good bye to one year and usher in a new beginning, many people think about New Year's resolutions and set goals for what they want to accomplish. Travelling is always on my list but I don't get to travel as much as I would like but that certainly doesn't stop my from dreaming! As I am sure that travelling more is on most people's New Year's resolutions list too! With that in mind, here are some New Year's resolutions for you, my friend, to keep travels on your New Year's resolutions list.

1. Use up your vacation days. You have vacation days for a reason so use them! Don't wait until the end of the year and have unused vacation days that you either "must" use up, or lose them. Plan ahead and maximize your vacation days with an actual vacation! 

2. Be open to adventure and be spontaneous about travel. This doesn't mean you have to do something extraordinary and life-changing....but keep your options open and you will never know what travel opportunities may arise! If you are flexible and can travel, sometimes the last minute planned trips are the best! (Some of my most favourite travel adventures have been the one with the least amount of planning involved!) 

3. Try someplace new. As the Dalai Lama has said "Once a year, go someplace you've never been before". 

So, pick a destination - a place you would like to visit and check off your travel bucket list. Then, choose the best time for you to travel. 

4. Start a travel fund savings plan so that you can have a plan to help with travel costs when it comes time to book. You can either set up a separate bank account to put money towards it regularly, or implement strategies to contribute to the travel fund. 

Choose something to sacrifice. Give up your daily Starbucks or Jugo Juice and use that money towards the travel fund. By making a choice to sacrifice something, the eventual vacation goal will be even more worthwhile. 

5. Once you've decided your destination and dates, put the deposit down! Usually the deposit is a small amount to secure your reservation so that your dates and prices are secured. Putting money towards your trip makes it easier to commit to the trip! It's just a deposit and changes can usually be made to the reservation if you change your plans. But the deposit puts money down to confirm your trip and make it easier for you to see the goal!  

6. Tell people! Telling someone the trip is confirmed will commit you to the trip and makes you accountable. And, if anyone wants to join you, the more the merrier! Travelling with family and friends will be even more fun! 

Vacations can be a huge investment. But they are an investment in you, your family and your relationships to create unforgettable memories and deepen your family bond. I can't think of anything more important than my family and my relationships to spend my money on. 

My resolutions certainly include travelling more. And with that, smarter packing tips, packing less, packing lighter and not buying so much stuff!! Souvenirs are great but I will aim to buy less, and invest in experiences, and create memories that we will have forever. 

What are your New Year's resolutions and how can I help? 

Centre Holidays is running a fantastic contest where you can enter for your chance to WIN $5000 towards your TRIP of a LIFETIME!! No purchase is necessary to enter! 

HOW to ENTER:

1. Join my TRAVEL CLUB at www.reneet.centreholidays.com and receive 1 ballot.
2. Book an all inclusive vacation or cruise, or Disney vacation by August 31, 2015 and receive 2 ballots.
3. Book an all inclusive vacation at any Karisma, Sandals, Beaches, Hard Rock, AMResorts (Dreams, Now, Secrets, Zoetry or Breathless) or Palace Resort by August 31, 2015 and receive 3 ballots.
4. Book a tour or river cruise by August 31, 2015 and receive 3 ballots.

The draw will be held at Centre Holidays’ corporate office (214-2155 Leanne Blvd. Mississauga, ON L5K 2K8) on September 25, 2015 and one lucky person will WIN $5000 to put towards their TRIP OF A LIFETIME!

All trips must be booked and paid for in full by August 31, 2015. Prize is not redeemable for cash.

Full details of the contest can be found here. 

Go join my travel club today!! Book your vacation package to gain additional ballots!! Good luck to all! Contact me if you have any additional questions or concerns! 

As I delve further into the Romance and Luxury travel niche, and work on solidifying relationships for destination wedding and honeymoons, I have added a new opportunity in form of a honeymoon travel registry! So even if clients are not looking for a destination wedding for their primary wedding option, there is always a honeymoon that follows at some point in time! And many times brides and grooms do not require additional traditional wedding gifts so why not set up a honeymoon travel registry so guests can contribute to the honeymoon to help kickstart honeymoon travel plans! You can choose whichever upgrades you would like, spa treatments and even cash to help fund the honeymoon! 

Check out www.reneetsangtravel.honeymoonwishes.com for more information and to set up your very own honeymoon registry! 

Happy New Year! 2014 was a fantastic year and a great start to my new travel business, and increased my travel opportunities significantly over the last few years. I had to opportunity to visit Honolulu, Hawaii, and had  the pleasure of staying at Aulani, Disney's newest resort on the island of Oahu. I also took the family to Disneyland in Anaheim at the beginning of the summer, and went on a Disney cruise to Alaska in the middle of the summer! It was the year of Disney and the Disney train continues! 

I was also fortunate enough to participate in a FAM trip to Los Cabos, Mexico hosted by AM Resorts, and enjoyed their newest property, Secrets Puerto Los Cabos Golf Resort and Spa. It was a luxurious experience and further fuelled my passion to delve into romance travel, destination weddings and honeymoons! After all, travel is best shared with those you love. And while family vacations are fun and create memorable adventures for the kids, romance travel brings the spark back into a relationship and build unforgettably romantic memories for couples. 

In November, I was able to participate in a Travelsavers Bootcamp held at the beautiful Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. My colleagues and I studied hard for our Distinctive Destination Wedding Specialist exam and are happy to announce our new certifications as Lifestyle Specialists! 

The Travelsavers Banff Bootcamp was also the perfect opportunity to connect with my fellow Centre Holiday agents, learn valuable tips of the travel trade, meet with many current and new supplier contacts and finally meet the owners and managers of Centre Holidays head office from Ontario who made the trip out to Alberta to help us grow Centre Holidays in Alberta! 

The Bootcamp provided ample opportunity to increase our focus to our desired specialities and travel niches. As time goes on, I will continue to further my knowledge and expertise in different travel areas to help clients get the most out of their desired travel plans. Look for big things coming in 2015!! 

I am so excited to be joining the Family Fun Canada team as a travel writer for their website! I will be writing a monthly column featuring travel deals, unique travel experiences and different things related to travel for Canadian families! Look for my first article in the next couple of weeks featuring August travel deals and so much more to come!! 

I have a website now!! Check it out on www.ReneeTsangTravel.com! It's still a work in progress but most of the page are up and running so go take a look and let me know what you think! 

One of the first training course I wanted to complete was the College of Disney Knowledge! Who wouldn't want to immerse themselves in all things Disney??!! Then after I completed my Akamai Level Hawaii Destination Specialist course, I knew I needed to experience Hawaii for myself! And if you have both Disney and Hawaii certifications, then that can only mean one thing........a visit to Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa is a definite MUST DO on our list!! Stay tuned for all the details of our visit! 

It is the beginning of 2014 - a new year and a new career! I have recently decided to become a home-based travel consultant to begin feeding my travel interests and look for new opportunities to travel, and share my love of travel, food and culture with others as well! I thoroughly enjoying researching and planning vacations so I might as well make a career out of it! Even if I don't get the opportunity to travel to many of these places myself, by researching travel opportunities for clients, I get to immerse myself in new locations all the time! 

I have also decided to begin writing a blog about some of my travel adventures. Join me as I try new things and let's see what this new year will bring forth in THIS new career!