Wow! When the 2003 single parent travel survey was finished, we had almost 1,000 responses and FORTY pages of comments. We read EVERY SINGLE COMMENT several times and have taken all the wonderful advice to heart. Those comments are critical in convincing travel suppliers that single parents have needs, so we thank you very much for taking the time to write them and fill out the rest of the survey.

We would also like to thank Beaches for not only sponsoring the survey by offering a great free trip giveaway to one of the respondents on the survey (the winner will be announced later), but also for hosting SINGLE PARENT TOURS' inaugural trip this August for single parents. There is still plenty of time to sign up, check out http://www.SingleParentTours.com or call 877-GOGO-SPT for more info! From those forty pages of comments, we saw a few themes emerging.

The most frequently mentioned was COMPANIONSHIP. Single parent families just want to meet other single parent families.

"I know I am not the only single parent out there with a special needs child who wants to vacation with their child and still have some sort of social life too."

"I would like to go were other single parents travel just once.my kids think we are an abnormal family because they only have one parent."

"Once while on vacation, we met another single parent, became friends and now travel together. This scenario I feel is rare. Usually I feel like I am the only single mother around. But I am proud to be single and accomplishing it all by myself."

"I would like to know about a local group of single traveling parents. It would be great to get together every month or two. Do you know of any in Michigan?"

GLOBALBRENDA'S ANSWER: There are lots of local single parent groups. We list a few suggestions here: http://www.SingleParentTravel.net/Resources/SPT.htm. For Michigan information check out: http://www.ParentsWithoutPartners.org .

As in the 2001 survey the SINGLE SUPPLEMENT was a big problem. For this survey, you also brought up other complaints about PRICING.

"I traveled a lot before I had my son, but because packages only have double rates I have not used them. As a single parent I'm always on a budget, but I don't want to have to wait for somebody else before we can go on vacation, so we can have two people."

"Packages charge per person. Ridiculous when you can pay one rate for one room filled with three people."

"Being charged a full adult rate for [my son] is unfair and it has prevented us from taking more trips."

"It's very hard to find travel offers that don't require *per 2 adults*."

"We would love to do a tour or resort that waived the single supplement."

"Finding deals with single parent and teenager are just about impossible. It seems the age group is for 12 and under with a parent."

"The PPDO rates really burn me up. Tell me the cost of a room, and I will budget for it. I hate explaining that there is only one adult, one child."

SAFETY was a topic that came up frequently in this survey, but was rarely mentioned in our previous one.

"Safety is a big issue too for women traveling with kids. I will leave a motel that doesn't have good security and proper locks on the doors and windows, and so I like to know their security situation up front. Also, as a corollary, camping is a scary thing alone, so I enjoy group camping trips designed for families and resorts that let you enjoy the big outdoors."

You gave some great TIPS & RECOMMENDATIONS, too.

"Have passports (even for the kids) and other documentation prepared in advance, especially a notarized letter from the other non-traveling parent which is required to allow a child to travel outside the country."

GLOBALBRENDA'S ANSWER: See our documentation section for detail on this http://www.SingleParentTravel.net/Writing/Documentation.

It is very important that ANY adult leaving the country with a minor child read this section.

"British Airways now offers a HOUSEHOLD frequent flier account. So all miles earned by all specified members of the household go into one account. Good idea and method to accumulate miles."

"My 2 ½ year old son went to the Pinelands Resort that was recommended on this site last summer and we loved it..I will definitely be returning."

"Tried a Disney Cruise this year and loved it."

"Last minute cruises have seemed to be the best bang for the buck."

"We went to Cape Cod with Quality Time Travel for single parent families last year and had a good time."

"I have a single burner hot plate that has been probably the single most economical product I have ever purchased for our trips. On cruises we pack our own drinks and snacks. Carry our own snorkel equipment, catch the local tours instead of the ships."

"I have each one of my children get a book bag and pack it with things to do in the car and they also pack up food and drinks. Don't forget a trash bag and toilet paper."

"I just came back from FDR in Runaway Bay, Jamaica, where each family has a Vacation Nanny.I highly recommend it for single parents!"

"I really like the Backroads.com Web site." "Check out Lilly's place. It is in Illinois."

"Here in Oregon, there are wonderful places like Sun River and Black Butte Ranch where I can rent a condo or house and let the kids run free outdoors."

"Check with local community colleges that often offer mom/daughter trips to Europe. Ours hosts an evening of slides and Q&A time for information before signing up. It is still a little too expensive for me, but it might be a good option for others."

"I love the Disneyland hotel, not for fancy rooms, but for simple things - a line to hang out swim suits in the bathtub, and empty refrigerator, lifejackets at the pool and a pool that is designed for kids."

"Hosting foreign exchanged students and visiting them in their country has been a great way to travel with children."

"I have attended many singles events and clubs and [Club Getaway in CT and Great Expectations in Stamford, CT] are the best."

"[While at Playa del Carmen, south of Cancun, I] always stay at an Iberostar property."

"My daughter and I have traveled with FamilyHostel, which is run by the University of New Hampshire in Durham. It is pricey, but it has been a wonderful experience for us...we also take a weeks vacation every year to go to a family church camp together. I really recommend this to anyone who belongs to a denomination that sponsors such a thing."

"I returned a couple of weeks ago with my children after spending 8 days at Beaches, Sandy bay in Negril. Awesome vacation!!! The only minor disappointment was that they had suggested that they had a single parents event twice per week during which they took care of the kids. No such thing existed, though when I asked, they said they would try to figure something out. Nothing was ever figured out."

"I am a member of Single Mothers by Choice. They do excellent annual trips. We have gone each year. The group only selects places where there are kids camps/day care for the kids. This makes the vacation pleasurable for both me and my daughter. She gets the other kid time, I get grown up time and we both hang out together at night, or on some of the days."

REQUESTS FOR SUGGESTIONS

"We have trouble with food on trips. Boys eat all the time and restaurants are slow and expensive. Any ideas are welcome."

GLOBALBRENDA'S ANSWER: My new book, "The Single Parent Travel Handbook," contains many suggestions on how to save money on food. Here are three:

1) Eat breakfast in your room (No, not room service!) The night before, buy some cereal, fruit and small milk containers and store the milk in your mini fridge. Often you can order a small refrigerator in your room for just a few dollars a night. It is a fast, healthy and cost efficient breakfast.

2) Do a picnic for lunch. Pick a scenic area.

3) Carry snacks in your backpack. Before I even leave my house for the airport or the road, we take one backpack filled with healthy snacks. We carry it with us throughout the trip and replenish as needed.

"I would be interested in reading how other parents have felt when taking active teens on trips where safety can be a concern. Last summer I took my two teens to the Grand Canyon, and though the sunset was gorgeous, I was relieved to be getting away from the rim with both my kids."

GLOBALBRENDA'S ANSWER: Having traveled for eighteen years with two hyperactive kids, I can appreciate your concern. Yes, vigilance is a constant concern. It helps to keep your itinerary busy and full. Whenever possible sign up for activities that include a guide. Ranger guided hikes are free of charge and the rangers make it a point to keep youthful hikers involved. Adventurous activities that include a guide are wonderful activities for parent and child alike, such as white water rafting, kayaking, biking and horseback riding. The guides take on some of the responsibility giving you some time to enjoy yourself. .

And lastly.THINGS TO THINK ABOUT "Single parent vacations are difficult, as you know, because I have to do all the planning, all the packing, all the loading, all the driving, all the organizing, all the paying. It's tiring. And the rest of the world (including family members) with 2-parent households has no comprehension. My sister-in-law for example, is always complaining, but she gets to sleep while my brother drives. He packs, she plays with the kids.Is there any way we can education the rest of the world?"

"There is so much to gain from showing your children this wonderful world. If you start at an early age they grow up realizing that anything is possible - the world is open to them."

"I have been traveling with my child as a necessity rather than an opportunity to bond and share the exciting world of travel with him. After reading this web site, I have penciled in my planner all of the places that we must visit and all of the things that we must do.out of necessity to be with one another."

Click here for the second part of the results, the statistics