Welcome to the March 2005 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. CAMP COMMON GROUND
(Paid advertisement)
III. SINGLE PARENT TOURS
IV. KENTUCKY TRAVEL
V. SINGLE PARENT FAMILY FRIENDLY SPECIALS
VI. MEETING OTHER SINGLE PARENTS
VI. SUBSCRIBERS SPEAK UP-REQUESTS, INQUIRIES, COMMENTS
VII. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT - COACH JUDY

I. GLOBALBRENDA'S MESSAGE

Dear Readers,

Important News!!! Many readers recently wrote in to say that Mexico no longer requires a letter of permission from the absentee parent when a single adult is traveling with minor children. We wanted to confirm this in writing, but to date, all the Mexican Consulate Web sites we checked still indicate that the letter is required. Some of my readers sent me copies of emails from the Mexican Consulate and we have posted a sample email on our Web site in the Documentation Section. Once the Mexican Consulate officially updates its Web sites, Single Parent Travel will officially update ours as well. Until then, use your discretion and get something in writing, even if it is only an email, should you choose to travel to Mexico without the parental permission letter.

Summer is approaching, even though we Northeasterners are still schlepping our way through snow and cold winds. Summer means vacation. Camp Common Ground in Vermont offers unique family vacations in a community setting. Check out Section II below. Single Parent Tours (Section III) is offering 5 trips this year. Our April 1-3 weekend at Rocking Horse Ranch Resort has over 30 people signed up. There may be a room or two left if you call right away. Join us for a rollicking good time. If you cannot join us for April then consider the November weekend, which always sells out. Speaking of sell-outs, better book the August Beaches Boscobel Jamaica trip while the early bird rates are still in effect. This trip always sells out weeks in advance! We have 2 new trips this year - a June departure for Rock Springs Guest Ranch in Oregon and a July departure for Beaches Turks & Caicos. Bookings are coming in for both.

Many readers wrote in this month asking why we offer trips that are not convenient for their child's school schedule. I answered each one and included one example, a reply to Julie, in the Subscriber section. In this great big wonderful country called the U.S.A., school schedules can end in May and begin in early August and, at the other end of the spectrum, they end in late June and begin in September. There are other reasons why we do not plan all our trips for mid summer. The reply to Julie explains it all. By the way, for all you Canadians readers out there, do you have a standard summer schedule for school or does it vary by province? Drop me an email. I would like to know.

Our feature article this month is about Kentucky, graciously sent in by Victoria, one of our readers. Thank you, Victoria! Next month I will be writing about the national parks of Southern Utah. I visited them twice last year, summer and winter. In February our big day excursion was to New York City to see Cristo's 25-mile long saffron- colored series of gates around Central Park. It was quite unique and prettier than I expected. The orange draperies brightened up the winter landscape and looked so lovely when they furled in the breeze. New York City is such a happening place. Manhattanites really get into their local events. The crisp clear winter day brought out families, joggers, dog-walkers, and couples strolling along under the gates, many of whom were dressed in bright orange to match the drapes, even some of the dogs!

Lastly, under Special Announcements, I have posted some information about Coach Judy's new video, which deals with all the issues surrounding divorce and single parenthood. The video offers some real life scenarios and legal advice helpful to those of us in that situation. Coach Judy's Florida-based radio program is heard every Thursday 9-10am EST. I have been a guest on her radio show several times promoting Single Parent Travel, so check out the last newsletter section and support those who support us!

Happy Trails!
GlobalBrenda

II. CAMP COMMON GROUND
(Paid Advertisement)

Camp Common Ground in Vermont offers weeklong intergenerational summer programs for families of all shapes and sizes in a unique community setting. Come experience our inspirational programming and delicious vegetarian meals. Yoga, art, music, dance and more. In the mornings, explore your own creativity and get to know other adults while your kids enjoy our fabulous children's programming. Our afternoons are for multi-age community programs. For more information, visit http://www.cgcvt.org or call 1-800-430-2667

III. SINGLE PARENT TOURS

Our 2005 program in loaded on our Web site:
http://www.SingleParentTours.com
Click on any of the departures/destinations on the left column for details on lodging, activities, and pricing for each of our five trips. For reservations and further information, please call 877-GOGO SPT and ask for Janet or Lynda.

IV. KENTUCKY TRAVEL

Recently one of my readers responded to a single parent father who was looking for travel ideas in the Kentucky area. Victoria's email was so informative I obtained her permission to publish it in my newsletter. Thank you Victoria!

"My name is Victoria. I saw your post in the SingleParent Travel bulletin, and have an idea for you for Kentucky travel. I am a single mom of two boys, 4 and 10. I love to take my boys traveling. At this point our travel has been mostly in the Midwest (we live in northern Indiana, near Chicago). There's so much to see and do here. Last weekend I took them to Mammoth Cave, Kentucky. I would highly recommend it. For just a little while longer, I think until the first part of March, the National Park Service is offering a great deal there at Mammoth Cave. It is designed for 2 adults/2 children, but it's still such a nice price that it worked well for the 3 of us. For $165 you get two nights lodging at the park hotel, 4 passes to the Frozen Niagara cave tour, 4 passes to nearby Dinosaur World, and a $24 voucher for breakfast at the restaurant. The Mammoth Cave. Hotel number is 270-758-2225. We had such a great time there. The cave tour was a good introduction to caves. All three of us loved it. I also took the boys to nearby Diamond Caverns and did their tour. I found that visiting the caves was really nice this time of year because it was so much warmer underground than above. And this time of year has the fewest number of visitors so you get a little more personalized service. For example, on the Diamond Cavern tour, there were only six people including us. And the boys loved Dinosaur World. Again, because of the time of year, we literally had the place to ourselves. I understand it gets pretty darn crowded in the summer. Some other things we have done in your area are camping/backpacking in Red River Gorge (near Slade, Kentucky) and also in Shawnee National Forest (southern Illinois). We really like camping and backpacking which gives us so many places to choose from. In the next year I plan to spend time backpacking with them in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Michigan. I have found that by backpacking, we can easily hook up with other people (some with kids, some without) or have alone time. It is a very economical way to travel. It usually just involves the cost of gas and perhaps minimal daily permit fees. Weekend trips are really nice. It's just enough time to rejuvenate without having to commit a lot of money or time.

I try to mix up our camping sites between backcountry and "car camping." This way the kids have an opportunity to sometimes splash in a remote creek next to a backcountry site and other nights to play with other kids in a car campground. They really are developing a great love of seeing new places and spending time in the outdoors. A nice little tradition that we have is to buy a magnet from every place we visit. Our fridge door is getting pretty crowded. They like to look at them and reminisce about past trips. Hope you can use some of these ideas."

GlobalBrenda: If anyone would like to email Victoria with questions on camping, please contact her directly at vicsaw@msn.com

V. SINGLE PARENT FAMILY FRIENDLY SPECIALS

Special #1 - Our Hearts Inn, Old Colorado City, CO Our Hearts Inn offers a special discount to single parents traveling children during the off-season (November through April). Many of the local attractions are still open. The Inn offers a rental vacation home with a full kitchen to single parents for $350 weekly. The Inn is 5 minutes from Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs and its proprietors, Andy and Pat, met at a Single Parents function and have been together for over 15 years. Call them at 1.800.533.7095 or go to their Web site at www.inn-colorado-springs.com .

Special #2 - This special is from one of our readers, "Hi, I am reading your letter with interest when it comes, I have been single for 7 years now and I love to travel with my kids (12 & 14). I have recently purchased a condo on the beach in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. It is very nice and relaxing specially when you have teenagers and they can move around independently in the resort and make friends. It seems they are lots of them around. There are also a lot of things on the island that we can do as a family and there is plenty of adult entertainment too - from nice restaurants to beach parties to very friendly people. But most I enjoy a beach chair and a book and my kids and also cooking together, a nice break from our fast paced life. I rent it out when we do not use it, so if anybody needs a beak they can check out our website http://www.paradisestt.com

Special #3 - Kids stay free at Woodloch, an all-inclusive resort in Hawley, PA, during Peter Cottontail Weekend, April 1-3. One child 12 and under (per adult) staying in the same room qualifies. Package rates include room, meals and activities. Check out their Web site at http://www.woodloch.com or call 800-572-6658.

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/

VI. MEETING OTHER SINGLE PARENTS

There is a dad of 9-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy in the Charlotte, NC area looking for day trips. Click here if you are nearby and would like to respond. http://tinyurl.com/5k2sk

There are a number of parents discussing an Easter trip to Miami in 2005. Click here to join in on the discussion: http://tinyurl.com/6h6ht

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.

VII. SUBSCRIBERS SPEAK UP-REQUESTS, INQUIRIES, COMMENTS

Marsha writes:
I was wondering whether you have considered a trip that is not scheduled weekend to weekend? This may be easier to plan for those single parents whose children are with them every other weekend. Maybe making an allowance for Monday - Sunday with any opening social events beginning on Monday? Just a thought!

GlobalBrenda:
Thanks for the input. I will mention it in a future newsletter to see if there is any response. However, hotel programs often run Sat/Sat or Sun/Sun. The Oregon dude ranch trip is a case in point. (Readers, anyone agree with Marsha?)

Audrey writes;
I'm a single mom with 2 children, ages 10 & 12. I'm very interested in the Beaches Turks and Caicos trip and am ready to book it, but want to make sure there will be other single parent families going. Is there any way I can get in touch with other interested families or that you can let me know if others plan on going? My e-mail address is: Aud59rn@aol.com. Thanks.

GB responds:
It is the strict policy of Single Parent Travel that we do not offer personal contact information to other readers without their permission. However I will post your message on my next newsletter and invite those interested in going to Turks & Caicos to email you. This is the first year we are offering a Turks & Caicos program so we have no booking history. If you want guarantees, I recommend you book Beaches Boscobel in Jamaica. We had 65 participants last year and expect at least that this year.

Theresa writes:
I'm Theresa - single mother of a 2 year old. VERY interested in the Jamaica trip but also very nervous about leaving the country with a small child. Could you give me some idea the age group of the children that attended last year. Is there any type of roster that might show the names and ages and if so if I could have access to email some of those parents to see if they would be attending this year? I guess I am looking for some other parents with small children so I would have company doing the little kid's stuff. Thanks so much. I've enjoyed all of your info.

GB responds:
It is the policy of Single Parent Travel and Single Parent Tours to keep confidential the emails of our readers and tour participants. With your permission, I can post your message on the next newsletter. Perhaps some parents will write you. I can tell you that, based on past history with our Jamaica trips, there have always been one or two mothers who traveled with infants so it is unlikely you will be alone. And, of course, there is nanny service. I can also tell you that reservations are continuing to come in and will do so until the hotel sells out so the group is not yet fully formed. As the Nike ad says, "Just do it!" You will have a blast. (Readers can contact Theresa directly at theresabaldwin@netzero.net)

Susan writes:
Are there any vacations planned with teen-agers in mind; I am the mother of a delightful 16 yr old girl, Rachel, and would be interested in meeting/talking to others with teens. (Readers: GlobalBrenda responded at length to Susan - in short all of the programs (week long and weekend) with Single Parent Tours offer a teen program).

Franklin writes:
I am a single father of two boys one just turning 13 and the other will be 8 in March of this year. The oldest is taking Spanish and learning about the Spanish culture and I was maybe looking at what you might suggest for a trip. Maybe something like the other trips you have (package deals) where other single parent families may go. Thanks and I really like what you do for single parents and their families.

GB responds:
A wonderful place to take your kids as a single parent family is the Riviera Maya, an area 50 miles south of Cancun. I wrote about it extensively in my book, "The Single Parent Travel Handbook." I also wrote about it on my web site www.singleparenttravel.net under Destinations. I recommend you buy my book however. I wrote it for people just like you. It is entertaining, informative and will save you money. As a single parent dad you will enjoy the 7 stories I have included from single parent dads.

Julie writes:
Brenda, At last, finally a Single Parent event in the Northwest part of the United States! I have been waiting for this for years, scouring each email for something in "my neck of the woods". And the venue is absolutely perfect for a single mom with 2 boys. But why would you plan the event before the kids are out of school? I can't pull them out of school for a week right at the end of the year!!! I can't imagine that many parents able to pull their kids out of school for a week. I'm so disappointed. I would have attended this event if it were just a bit later.

GB responds:
Much as we try, we can't please all of the people all of the time. The Beaches Jamaica August program has been very successful and families come from all over the USA and Canada and the UK. The Single Parent Week sells out every year. Despite that, I have families complaining, especially those in the South and Southwest, that the dates are too late and would I please run a trip in early summer so that they can participate, hence the Oregon trip in June.

What many single parent families forget, or are not aware of, is how hard we work to change the travel industry for the benefit of the single parent family. We have negotiated with hotels and resorts to eliminate the single supplement, to have the kids prices be applicable when there is only one adult in the room, instead of two, to arrange for special activities for single parent families so they can enjoy each other as families as well as adults and as kids.

In short, we ask a lot of our suppliers. We ask them to not only change their way of thinking, but also to reduce and change their rates to our benefit, not theirs. Like any business, there is give and take. The travel suppliers we work with may agree to our conditions, but in return we agree to set up our trips on dates that are "soft" weeks for them, dates that usually do not sell out in full. By bringing in single parent family groups, we help them sell out their hotel during a time when they usually would have some rooms left empty.

If we go to suppliers and ask them for group rates and special concessions during their high season weeks, weeks in which they will fill each and every room at top dollar prices, the suppliers would not be interested in negotiating with us.

But we keep trying. Last year we ran a rafting trip in early August to Utah. This was the perfect date for everyone. We secured a very good group rate. Everyone was out of school and the rapids were at the perfect level for families to enjoy. That trip was not a big seller; even though many single parents had requested it, especially single parent dads. There seemed to be little interest this year, so we dropped it.

If you know of an all-inclusive moderately priced resort that caters to families in your area, let me know and we will look into it. I would love to do some off-season weekends in your area. We contacted several dozen ranches and family resorts in California several months ago, inquiring about weekends for 2005, but they were all frightfully expensive and unwilling to give us single parent family group rates. But we will keep searching. Change does not happen overnight. We thank you for your input, which we value, and we hope you will be able to join us on one of our future trips.

Cinnebar writes:
Are mothers and stepchildren allowed to go on these trips? I would like to take my former stepchildren? And what about single grandparents with their grandchildren?

GB responds:
Absolutely! The trips are designed for single parent AND non traditional families. Besides single parent families we have parents who come alone, parents who come with infants or grown children, even single men and women who bring a niece or nephew or younger sibling. Come join us!

Theresa from Canada writes:
I am Canadian, and was hoping for a list of vacation choices, in Canadian funds. Are there any other Canadians on your site, and how do I access your site?

GB responds:
We are always delighted to hear from our neighbors up north. Yes about 10% of my readership is Canadian and another 5% hails from the UK, Australia and parts of Europe. Our Jamaica trip to Beaches Boscobel attracts Canadians as well as Brits. My booking agent can convert the funds for you upon request.

Mike S. writes:
Hello, My Ex-Wife wanted to take the children on a cruise to the Grand Caymans as well as Jamaica. She called a couple of days before she left and asked for a permission letter. I told her that I didn't have enough time to have my attorney draw up the letter before she left. She went to her attorney and had him draw up a document that said she had sole custody of the children, which couldn't be farther from the truth….. Surely this isn't legal, is it?

GB responds:
I am not an attorney so I cannot give you legal advice. I do not know what your ex told her attorney. If you have concerns about this matter, and apparently you do, my suggestion would be to contact an attorney on your own. I hope everything works out. I certainly understand your concerns.

Barbara writes:
Enjoying your newsletter as usual. I noticed an inquiry from Shelley
A. I live one hour north of NYC and would be happy to answer any questions she might have on sightseeing. If you want to pass my email along to her, please do. (Readers: Barbara's email is bctv22@yahoo.com).

Robin writes:
Brenda, with regard to the guy looking for last-minute travel, tell him to try VacationsToGo. They have a great listing of last minute resorts, escorted tours, and cruises, and I have found them very easy and reliable to work with. Also AmEx always has a long list of last- minute vacations and although many of them are upscale, some are not; I've liked them a lot.

Liza writes:
I have a seven-year-old son and we are planning a trip to Dinosaur National Monument along with a one-day "dino dig" in August 2005. We'll probably drive through Utah/Colorado area and would love to meet up with other single parents with children about the same age. Are you planning anything in that timeframe in that part of the U.S.?

GB responds:
1) Single Parent Tours does not have a trip planned for that part of the USA at the time you are going but I will post your message in a future newsletter with your email address so people can respond to you directly. (Readers can respond directly to Lisa at leeeza_h@yahoo.com.

2) I wrote about that part of the country extensively in my book, "The Single Parent Travel Handbook." I recommend you buy a copy. Here is how to order: http://www.singleparenttravel.net/book/index.htm

3) I recently did a write up on my Colorado/Utah on one of my newsletter.
Go to my site and click on the newsletter section and you will see the archived newsletters with titles. Have a wonderful trip!

Peggy writes:
Dear Brenda, I just rec'd a message from your newsletter. How exciting! I am interested in connecting with other single parents who might want to plan long or short getaways and adventures. I'm a single parent of an 8-year-old girl and I live in Nassau County, Long Island. I like nature trips and I'd love to be able to plan some trips to the Caribbean, Italy, etc. during summers and school breaks. I have plenty of ideas but most of them require at least two adults to make them do-able and enjoyable. And of course my daughter would enjoy having other children around. Please share my e-mail: Peggysus2@Juno.com Thank you so much for this service. Sincerely, Peggy

Joanne writes:
Hello! I'm a single mom in Louisiana. My son and I go skiing every year during spring break, but unfortunately, I haven't met too many single parents here who ski. Do you have any way we can connect with other single parent families that may be going skiing? We are going to Beaver Creek this year after Easter. Thanks for what you do. I think single parent families are an untapped market. I know that around here we don't have much going on for single parent families! (Readers can email Joanne directly at zmomma94@yahoo.com.

Joy writes:
Brenda: Have you considered offering some weekend trips in other parts of the country, such as Atlanta, GA, Tallahassee, FL, or Jacksonville, FL? The panhandle of Florida also would be nice. Places such as Panama City, FL, weren't damaged heavily by the hurricanes. GB responds:
Florida does not appear on my surveys as one of the top 5 areas, however if you can organize a core group of 5 families, we will promote this and hopefully come up with a larger group. We would love to do weekends all over the country but so far the support has not been there, other than Rocking Horse.

A Single Mom in Nashville, TN writes:
I just found you! I'm going out right now to find the book! My little girl will be 2 in May and I wanted to do something really fun. This is SO awesome!!!!!! Sometimes I just feel like I am awful at getting stuff together that is interesting and fun--but this will make it so much easier. Thank you!

VII. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT - COACH JUDY

Coach Judy has prepared a two-hour video of practical knowledge for facing divorce and single parenthood. The video will save you time (avoiding court hearings), money (knowing the facts), and frustration (having a support group to share information. The video normally retails for $99.99 but you obtain it for only $59.99 plus $5.00 shipping and handling. Just mention GlobalBrenda or Single Parent Travel when you place your order. You can mail a check to: FYI 101 Inc., 5367 Park Place Circle, Boca Raton, FL 33486 or check out the Web site: http://www.judyromanoff.com. Judy said she is setting it up to receive credit card payments. For further information contact Judy by email: judy@judyromanoff.com or call 561-361-9432.