Welcome to the May 2002 edition of SINGLE PARENT TRAVEL e-zines - a continuing series of monthly newsletters created for the community of single parents who travel with their kids.

In this issue:
I. OUR SPONSOR: TRAVELOG.COM
II. TRAVELING OUT OF THE U.S. WITHOUT THE "OTHER" PARENT- PART II
III. RECOMMENDED READING IV. UNCOVERED - SINGLE PARENT SPECIALS
V. WANTED: TRAVEL AGENTS THAT SPECIALIZE IN SINGLE PARENT TRAVEL
VI. SUBSCRIBERS SPEAK UP-REQUESTS, INQUIRIES, COMMENTS
** MAY 02 ADDENDUM

On May 1, 2002 we broke 1,000 subscribers!! It is so exciting to get emails from you all each day. I know that my book, The Single Parent Travel Handbook, was delayed six months because I moved and found a new job, but I am back on track for publication this October. I spent last weekend starting the process for cover art. My daughter is handling all the requirements for getting the publishing company started. I am self-publishing and there is so much to do!

We need your help. The title of the book is "The Single Parent Travel Handbook", which is an informative and entertaining guide for adults who travel alone with kids. We need a catchy subtitle for the book and invite our readers to submit suggestions. If we use your suggestion as the subtitle, we will send you a free autographed copy of the book. Please send as many suggestions as you have to Brenda@SingleParentTravel.net. Thank you!

On another note, starting with this edition, we will begin taking in some paid advertisements in our newsletters. This will help defray the costs of maintaining the Web site and provide some income should we plan to upgrade the site in the future. We will only feature ads are pertinent to single parent travel and which have my personal endorsement.

Brenda Elwell

I. OUR SPONSOR: TRAVELOG.COM
(paid advertisement)

A Great Weekend and a Great Deal! Spend a wonderful weekend exploring the breath-taking scenic landscapes of America. You will be guided expertly to quaint villages, lighthouses, museums, wineries, parks, beaches and more on a Travelog recorded driving tour. With a Travelog tour, it's as if a professional tour guide is along for the ride, pointing out the sights, giving directions, telling stories, and explaining the history of each fascinating stop along the route. Travelog tours come with both a CD and cassette, a map, directions and a Tour and Save card that is good for great discounts on the tour route.

Visit http://www.travelog.com to learn more.

Founder's Note: My daughter and I spent quite a bit of time on Travelog's Web site and we think this is a really interesting product. They currently have tours for all the places we love to drive in, such as Nevada, New Jersey, and New York. Once I have finished my book, I will try out their Lower Hudson Valley tour. (Until then, I am stuck in front of the computer over the weekends.) We urge you to check out their Web site as well, as the sponsors help cover the costs to run SingleParentTravel.net.

II. TRAVELING OUT OF THE U.S. WITHOUT THE "OTHER" PARENT- PART II (MEXICO AND CANADA)

Last month we covered the requirements for one parent to obtain an U.S. passport for minors under the age of 14 and for entry into the UK. One of our readers, D.R. in the U.K, had some excellent comments and pointed out some serious omissions on our part. For clarity, I paraphrase some of his comment below.

"For the section covering entry into the UK, you should make it clear that you were referring to holders of US passports! Readers of your e-zine may well be of other nationalities. Even a permanent resident of the USA who holds (say) a Mexican or Filipino passport will require a visa to enter the United Kingdom.

Furthermore, the ticket requirement is for a return OR ONWARD ticket: someone who arrives in Britain from the USA who shows a ticket for further travel to another country (say France) is likely to be admitted to the UK (although they may later have trouble persuading the French authorities to let them in!).

Your basic point is correct: the British Immigration authorities do not attempt to verify that the adult travelling with a child has any right to move that child from one country to another. (This is also the case when leaving Britain, a fact which made possible the international abduction of my son.) However, the British (and US) authorities are exceptionally conscientious about returning unlawfully abducted children if the proper procedures are followed."

As a special note, D.R. did succeed in securing the return of his son from the Philippines: "assisted by lawyers in three countries, private detectives, the Catholic Church within the Philippines and even the leader of an Islamic secessionist movement there!" Thank you once again D.R. and happy travels to you and your son.

Onto the entry requirements for Canada and Mexico for holders of U.S. passports.

ENTRY INTO CANADA

Embassy of Canada
501 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20001
1 (202) 682-1740,

(From http://www.travelcanada.ca) "Travelers visiting Canada with children should carry the following: 1.Identification for each child similar to identification described for adults. 2. A letter of permission from the parents of any children accompanying them for whom they do not have legal custody. Please note: Divorced parents with shared custody rights should carry legal documents establishing their status. Unaccompanied children should carry a letter of permission from their parents or a legal guardian."

As of the writing of this newsletter, the Canadian consulate had not returned our phone calls. When we get updated information, we will let you know!

ENTRY INTO MEXICO

Embassy of Mexico
1911 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20006
1 (202) 736-1000

(From the Mexican Consular's Web site http://www.consulmexny.org/eng/english.htm)
"Minors (individuals under the age of 18) traveling alone, with only one parent or with someone other than his/her parents must have a notarized letter of consent, signed by both parents or the absent parent. If parents are divorced, a Parental Custody document is permissible in lieu of notarized letter."

(From the U.S. State Department's consular sheet on Mexico. http://travel.state.gov/mexico.html)
"In an effort to prevent international child abduction, many governments have initiated procedures at entry and exit points, including requiring documentary evidence of relationship and permission of the parent(s) or legal guardian not present for the child's travel. Parents of minor children (under 18 years old) should document carefully legal custody prior to traveling to Mexico. If a minor child is traveling with only one parent, the absent parent should provide notarized consent. If only one parent has legal custody, that parent should be prepared to provide such evidence to airlines and Mexican authorities. In cases in which a minor child is traveling to Mexico alone or in someone else's company, then both parents (or the sole, documented custodial parent) should provide notarized consent. If a child traveling to Mexico has a different last name from the mother and/or father, the parents should be prepared to provide evidence to airlines and Mexican authorities, such as a birth certificate or adoption decree, that they are indeed the parents.

Travelers should be aware that Mexican entry regulations require Spanish translations of all legal documents, including notarized consent decrees and court agreements. Enforcement of this provision is not always consistent, and English-language documents are almost always sufficient."

We spoke to the tourist bureau who said that Spanish translations are not necessary, but are helpful. The Mexican consulate has not yet returned our phone call. When they do, we will let you know.

We welcome feedback on this topic ANYTIME. Did we miss your situation? If so, email us and we'll see if we can research your situation for an update. According to our survey results, these are the three most traveled to countries by our readership, but if you would like us to do research for any other destinations, please let us know.

III. RECOMMENDED READING

Another one of Chris Elliott's Web sites, is Ticked.com. Ticked.com is a daily ezine and Web site that features cutting-edge, opinionated and informed features written not only my Chris Elliot but other travel experts as well, including Terry Riley and Charlie Leocha. http://www.ticked.com

IV. UNCOVERED - SINGLE PARENT SPECIALS

Once again, we have found specials that don't discriminate against the single parent family. You can always contact your travel agent to help you book any of the specials below.

Divi Aruba and Tamarijn Aruba Beach Resorts
From now until December 20, 2002, the Divi Aruba and Tamarijn Aruba Beach resorts allow children up to age 18 to stay, eat and play for FREE when sharing a room with one or two paying adult(s). (Maximum two children per room.) The special is called the value-added Divi Aruba and Tamarijn Aruba mega Family Packages" and it includes a children's camp for ages 5 to 12. If you have more than two kids, then you can also take advantage of their Mega Family Extra. An add-on option to the resort's Family Packages, the Mega Family Extra, lets parents purchase a separate room for children up to 18 years (maximum 4 children per second room) for just $130 per night (April 1 to December 20, 2002.) The nightly room rates start at $150 per room (double occupancy) and include meals and activities. A standard room for one adult and two children at the lowest price would be $200. $150 for one adult, $50 for the supplement, but both kids not only stay free, but eat and play for free. For reservations contact your travel agent or call 800-554-2008. Their Web sites are http://www.diviaruba.com and http://www.tamarijnaruba.com

Quality Time Travel
Quality Time Travel is a tour operator that many of you have mentioned to us. They don't have "specials" for single parents, but they offer trips for single parents. Their weekend and week long trips are offered over every school vacation and half the trips are cruises. One interesting trip offered in August is a weekend for single parents but without their children. The destination, the Hudson Valley Resort and Spa, allows single parents to opportunity to relax and unwind and meet other single parents. Quality Time Travel's Web site is http://www.qualitytimetravel.com. They can be reached at 1-888-758-9386.

V. WANTED: TRAVEL AGENTS THAT SPECIALIZE IN SINGLE PARENTS

One thing that we would like to include in The Single Parent Travel Handbook is a list of travel agents that specialize in single parent travel. If you know of any, then please tell us, or have those travel agents contact us directly. A listing is free of charge. Please e-mail my daughter at Monique@SingleParentTravel.net. Thank you.

VII. SUBSCRIBERS SPEAK UP-REQUESTS, INQUIRIES, COMMENTS

B. from Australia writes: "Hi There, Im writing from Australia and I was surprised to see a single parent family website but glad its there. I'm a single mum with a five year old planning to go to Fiji next January. Do you have any recommendations for FIJI? Many of the resorts /hotels certainly seem to have kids clubs but there may be other issues I need to consider." Please respond to B. at bernmc@unite.com.au. If you copy us on your response, we will post it on the site for others to see.

Recently a number of international subscribers have signed up. We would really love to hear from you. What would you like to see in future issues of the newsletter? Also, we would like to hear from our subscribers who are grandparents, who are married, but often travel alone with their kids or who were former single parents and are now "Brady Bunchers." What type of information would you like to see in our future newsletters or on the Web site? What can we do differently?

We value the feedback tremendously. Have a great May!

Brenda Elwell

MAY NEWSLETTER ADDENDUM

SPECIAL REQUESTS FOR MY BOOK

Monique and I are full speed ahead for publishing the book this fall. In our last newsletter, we forgot to mention two items, so I am taking this opportunity to do so now. (For those who have just joined, I am writing a book entitled "The Single Parent Travel Handbook".)

SINGLE PARENT DAD STORIES STILL NEEDED FOR BOOK

One of my chapters is entitled "Single Parent Dads Tell Their Stories." I posted a request months back for single parent dad stories and received delightful heartwarming stories, but I still need a few more to round out the chapter. If you are a single dad who has traveled with his child or children, and would like to share your travel story, please contact me at Brenda@SingleParentTravel.net. You need not be a professional writer. You can write it and I will edit it or I can ghostwrite the story based on a phone interview. Contributors have the option of remaining anonymous. In exchange, I offer my heartfelt gratitude and a complimentary signed copy of my book.

Deadline: Stories (or phone interviews) must be completed by June 10, preferably before...

CELEBRITY IDEAS NEEDED FOR FOREWARD IN BOOK

My daughter and I would like to have a celebrity write the foreward of my book. We welcome any suggestions that you might have for famous single parents that you think would be appropriate. Also if you personally know of any celebrity who might be interested in writing a foreward for my book, let us know! Several examples of whom we plan to contact are:

* Rosie O'Donnell
* Nigela Lawson from Nigela Bites
* Jodie Foster

Thank you all and have a great rest of May!

Brenda Elwell