Your Bucket List Buster

St Lucia , See, Taste, Feel St Lucia

Thought of the week- The excitement of getting ready for a trip is one of the best feelings in the world to me.  When I go on vacation it’s usually at a time that I really need it. I’ve been in the trenches since the end of January and I’m always preaching to you guys to disconnect to reconnect and I so desperately feel the need right now.  So as I start thinking about our upcoming trip I start to look at the things that need doing.

Host Karen Duncan Your Bucket List Buster is feeling the need to take a break in the heat of travel season.  As you prepare for summer vacation there are things you need to make sure you get done before you leave.  Karen discusses your To Do List before leaving.

Do you know what you need to pack or how to prepare to your personal space when leaving on vacation?  Your Bucket List Buster provides all the tips for this year's summer vacation.

Join, Your Bucket List Buster on Instagram Live at 7pm Central Time to learn more about St Lucia and travel this summer!

eWomen Network

Peeks Cruises & Tours

NACE

AWADAEhttp://AWADAE.org

What's Your Favorite Childhood Travel Adventure?

If you have a family member with special needs, or they are elderly, or has had a temporary setback due to a temporary injury the family vacation does not have to be postponed or cancelled.  Andrew Garnett president of Special Needs Group an organization that provides medical and accessible equipment around the globe discusses how he created this business that makes travel accessible to almost 100% of the population.

Also, on this episode Karen discusses Your Favorite Childhood Travel adventure and the best time to purchase airline tickets, cruise ship show productions stepping up their game, and other travel trends for the week.

Want to raise global and open minded children, treat vacation as a learning experience, include them in the planning and decision making and then teach them how to be global citizens by example.

Host Karen Duncan also provides some highlights from the best 32 travel things to do with special needs.  She also provides a little tease about her upcoming road trip and trip to the Bahamas to check out some resorts.

Your Bucket List Buster http://Facebook.com/Yourbucketlistbuster

Peeks Cruises & Tours

Host Karen Duncan talks about her new inspiration of cycling throughout the world inspired by guest speaker Russ Hoefer of Bike Tour Finders. Karen and Russ discuss the types of tours available such as brewery tours, wine tours, foodie tours, organized tours and the granddaddy of them all the Grann Fondos that's multi-day and destinations. Karen and Russ even discuss the different levels of tours and types of bikes to do them.

Then Karen is joined by Dave Deen of Too Many Adapters to have a discussion of which apps all international travelers should have on their devices in case of emergency. Did you know there is an app for people with food allergies that can help them stay healthy in a country where they don't speak the language? AllergyFT is just one of the invaluable apps available.  Others include Tripit that can house your entire itinerary so that you get notified of flight changes, cancellations, gate changes, tour times, and hotel confirmations. You'll never be without your trip details.  And Dropbox can be a huge help in the event of a lost credit card or even when your bank stops your card because you forgot to tell them you were leaving.  Loads of information awaits.

Join Your Bucket List Buster as she helps you discovers what activities are on your bucket list, or need to be!

Join Your Bucket List Buster this week for some exciting and fun details about the destination of the week, the Bahama Islands from 

PJ Douglas Sands 

Senior Manager

Bahamas Tourist Office - Houston

Bahamas Ministry of Tourism

Learn about the different islands, their personalities, and the activities they are known for to fit your bucket list. The Bahamas are so close the the coast of the US and you can get there without having a passport.  Loads of activities are available for those that have never traveled internationally and those that just need a quick getaway.  If golfing is your thing how about golfing at the Norman golf course at Sandals at Emerald Bay on the island of Exuma, an out island of the Bahamas.

Are you looking for peaceful, luxury, and wellness in one spot?  Find out about La Luna the creation of Bernardo Bertucci, the marketing master mind of Prada and Giorgio Armani.  Can you imagine the simple elegance of this resort with a million dollar view from the yoga pavillion.  Included at this wonderful resort are classes, massages, and solitude on a hill on the spice island of Grenada.

Your Bucket List Buster host, Karen Duncan will talk about trends revealed by 5 top executive women in the travel industry and the April selection of the 12 Cruise Bucket List Buster Activities to Copenhagen.

And Karen's Thought of the Week deals with how Americans are making their co-workers feel bad about planning and taking their vacations.  Did you know America ranks 34th out of 40 in benefit days according to research?  

Donate your $12 for 12 families for Adventures with Autism, Down syndrome, and Epilepsy

This show is a fun one, don't miss it and tell your friends and family to download Your Bucket List Buster weekly.  

Your Bucket List Buster will take you to New York this episode, it's the destination of the week.  Enjoy New York in the spring with lots of activities, tours, and culinary adventures. Learn about the different boroughs of New York and which ones have the activities of your choice, broadway shows, Yankee's games, Central park fun, , the zoo, etc.  And food all over.  New York is a bucket list destination.

Have you ever tried to book your travel yourself, or trusted someone that was not a travel professional and things just didn't go the way they should have?  Karen Duncan provides some situations when having a professional on your side would have saved you a lot of money and heartache as her thoughts of the week.

Do you have a written bucket list?  This episode talks about the percentage of us who actually have a bucket list and how our bucket list motivates us to getting in shape.  

Did you know that vacations should be included in your health and wellness plan?  This episode provides the top 10 reasons vacationing in Jamaica is healthy for you.

Top trend of the week is GoBe.com the new excursion company that provides not your typical excursion experiences when cruising. GoBe can customize an excursion for you and is available in 97 countries and 896 cities. New off the beat and path experiences.  Karen will provide some examples of these new available experiences, from family, romantic, to culinary and adventure.

Are you looking for something different to do for Mom on mothers day, how about taking her to one of the best jazz festivals in the world.  St Lucia Jazz festival for mothers day will make you the favorite child in the family.

Your Bucket List Buster continues the conversation about family travel. This episode includes a great conversation with Juliet Perrachon President and Co-founder of BeBe Voyage a website and Facebook page that provides resources for families traveling with infants and toddlers.

Your host acknowledges some of the trends in family travel by providing some hotels like the Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons that have uped their game in the family market by providing activities and VIP programs for kids.  Royal Caribbean has joined other cruise lines in providing the services of life guards to insure the safety of children on board their ships. This is due to the increase in the family market and the number of water features on their ships.

Karen Duncan also discusses travel news that includes Sandals opening a all suite and butler property in Barbados, Island Routes new Mini Routes Driving Tour, and double pods on Qatar airlines.  And you find out that good old fashion road trips top the list of the AAA family vacation survey.

Learn more about why you should put your bucket list vacation experience in the hands of a specialist on this week's episode of Your Bucket List Buster.

Karen will discuss:
Popular spring break destinations,New out of the box destinations families are traveling to, When families are traveling now days, Who is paying.
Resorts and cruise lines are courting multi-generation travelers by creating spaces for everyone. 

Multi-generation travel is one of the fastest growing segments in travel. With baby boomers healthier and more active as grand and great-grand parents they want to spend time making memories on family vacations, not just sitting in the kitchen cooking during the holidays.

Your Bucket List Buster welcomes Kyle McCarthy Co-founder of the Family Travel Forum on the show to discuss some really interesting trends in family travel. the trusted vacation planning resource serving all who Have Kids, Still Travel!® with print and online guides since 1996. She has led FTF’s Family Travel Consulting strategic marketing team, working with travel businesses and the government tourism offices of Finland, Jordan and Goa, India to examine best practices in attracting the family market.

Also, included in this episode you will receive a great check list for air travel with children with special needs. Included in this information are ways to make your air travel less stressful when you are prepared ahead of time.  Who to contact in advance and preparing your child for the process of going on a family vacation.    And you will learn how you can help 12 families with special needs children get the chance of a lifetime, a Respite Cruise and Seminar at Sea. This trip will include therapists/staff who will provide time for Caregivers (parents) to have down time while their kiddos are engaged with people who understand their needs.

Listen Thursdays at 2PM

Jamaica Tourist Board representative John Woolcock talks to us about all the things to do in beautiful Jamaica.  Jamaica is not just for couples or adults, but has lots to offer families and multi-generation travelers.  John discusses the different accommodation options in Jamaica such as all inclusives, boutiquie hotels, and villas.  He also tells us all about the attractions and tours available on the different areas of the island.  Jamaica offers soft adventure, romance, and family fun.  Because it's so easy to get to from the states it's a great destination for a long weekend or for a bucket list vacation for multiple weeks. You can get there by flying direct from many US or Canadian cities or you can cruise to several ports.

Alicia Rovey President and co-founder of Travel Goal Getters App and the All Fifty Club describes their app that helps you keep track of all the destinations you have traveled.  The app is available on iTunes and can be downloaded for you to complete your map of the world.  If visiting all 50 states is on your Bucket List then, join the All Fifty Club and track the states as you visit or check the ones you've already been to.  Once you've completed all 50 you receive a certificate and become a lifetime member of the club.

Your Bucket List Buster also talks about how taking vacations can be an investment in your happiness and we finish the discussion on important tips on the Homeland Security Trusted Traveler programs.  And much much more

Meet Your Bucket List Buster Karen Duncan who introduces herself to those who love to travel and those who want to.

Your Bucket List Buster takes us through the passport process especially important information for minors.  She and Brenda Benson Vice President of Wireless Traveler talk about how to remain safe when using the internet abroad and the resources to do so.Your Bucket List Buster takes us to Keukenhof Gardens for the spring blossoms during Tulip season.  She talks about going on a river cruise to get the most of the destination and the best value for the dollar in Europe.  And she has a little fun by describing the first of the different traveler personalities and what types of trips are best suited for their preferences.Find out more about AWADAE the non-profit that provides respite vacations for families with special needs through scholarships.

Help sponsor 12 families. AWADAE.org

Contact Your Bucket List Buster through Facebook, tell herwhat's at the top of your bucket list?  And find links to topics related to the show.

Today I am saying good bye to all my great listeners and fans.  We've been on the air now for over a year and it's time for us to move on. 

I'm happy to say that Yolanda will continue Eatin and Sippin Locally so look for her to launch her new show.  I will be a guest speaker occassionally bringing you eatin and sippin from some exotic destinations I'm about to embark on with Mayflower Tours.

Peeks Cruises & Tours is still available to check off those boxes of your bucket list.  And in fact with my association with Mayflower Tours I will be looking for groups who dream about Europe, Asia, Africa, Cuba, not to mention our wonderful State Park system.

It has been a very fun ride and I'd like to thank all of you who have supported us.  Remember to live your passions!  Because we are..

Karen