Travel planning

Israel and the Steps of Jesus

November 15, 2020 by Joel Thornton

Israel is rapidly becoming one of my favorite destinations. It is not that hard to do, because Israel is a land that anyone who grew up in Sunday School has heard all the stories of ancient Israel—it is a part of our DNA. The first time I traveled to Israel was almost a year ago as I write this blog. I was full of anticipation because I love to travel, especially some place new. When we landed in Tel Aviv I was filled with excitement, but I had no idea what a magical time awaited me. I found Israel to be inviting. It was everything I had imagined and more. Everyone I knew who had ever been to Israel had told me that it was like nothing you could imagine. I did not believe them, thinking they were just talking in hyperbole. Little did I know they were right.

As a disclaimer: this is a steps of Jesus tour, so you should be prepared for a lot of walking, up hills, down hills, up stairs and down stairs. Israel does not make a lot of accommodations for the handicapped, so there is literally no wheel chair access to many of the sights we will be seeing. Likewise, there are no elevators or escalators either.

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Keeping Safe While Traveling Abroad

May 3, 2020 by Joel Thornton

Safety should always be a consideration whether you are traveling or staying at home. This modern world is filled with danger everywhere. The question is how do we stay safe while enjoying traveling abroad?

Use common sense;
Be alert;
Check in with locals;
Some simple points to look for in your surroundings.

There are things you can do to make sure you keep yourself and your family safe when you travel abroad.

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Safety, Always a Concern, Never an Issue

May 3, 2020 by Joel Thornton

Many people never travel abroad because of the fear of the unknown. I do not let that happen. I believe that, if we do our homework and take some easy precautions, we can avoid troubles while abroad and still enjoy traveling.

My family and I were living in Strasbourg, France on September 11, 2001. We sat in our apartment and watched the World Trade Center Towers come tumbling down. I knew that this one event would change how we travel for years to come if not forever. Tensions rose in Europe, as did anti-Semitism.

Not long after, we began to see refugees streaming into Europe unchecked, mostly from the most troubled areas of the Middle East. This changed the dynamic of Europe fairly drastically. And yet the world still spins on its axis.

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What I Carry With Me When I Travel Internationally

April 18, 2020 by Joel Thornton

Often the hardest part of any trip is deciding what to carry. There are a multitude of decisions that have to be made. There are also a multitude of questions that we have to know the answer to before we can make the decisions necessary for the trip to be successful. First, remember that you are not traveling to a third world country—unless of course, you are traveling to a third world country. Even then, there are many things you can buy locally rather than packing.

The most important thing to remember is to pack light. Rick Steves, the budget travel guru, says that he has never heard an experienced traveler say, “I wish I had carried more stuff with me.” Or something like that. I find that the more I travel the less I think I need to take. I have also found it valuable—on the keep things light side—to keep my wife out of the room while I am packing. She wants to add clothes that I know I will not be wearing. I usually humor her and unpack after she moves on to her next task.

I travel heavier than most people. I am an insulin dependent person who has recently had open heart surgery. I do not let those obstacles keep me from traveling, but I do carry more supplies than the average person because of the medicines, needles, etc. that I use on a daily basis.

Sometimes Smaller is Better

April 15, 2020 by Joel Thornton

Group travel is not for everyone. I get that. In fact, until I started working as a travel group leader, I never thought I would enjoy group travel. I am one of those individuals who likes to set my own itinerary, blaze my own path, take a left when a right was the plan.

So, I understand that you might be thinking I do not want to travel with 40 people who I know at various levels. If that is you, and you want to travel, but are nervous about going on an international trip with a small group of people, I can help you.