The Travel Show: Africa; How to renew your passport Online

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now it's the Getaway Guru and my do we have
a great show lined up for you today. I've got
some exciting new cruise opportunities. We'll be headed to the
Great Migration in Africa. How to renew your passport online?
What are your travel deems? And if you had one
day in well, I'll be Amsterdam, what would you do?

(00:21):
Maybe you're there off a cruise or you're changing planes.
What is it that you would like to do. I'd
like to welcome back to the travel show my dear
friend and co worker, Wendy Fraki, a group department manager
with Morris Columbus Travel, the good sponsor of the show.
Take a look at the Morris Columbus website Morriscolumbus dot com.

(00:41):
That's Morriscolumbus dot com. And if you're interested in one
of the many outstanding Morris Columbus Escorted program so we
go to the homepage Morriscolumbus dot com, scroll down to
the third item, which is Morris Murdoch Escorted Tour and
then you if it's a cruised click on cruises or

(01:03):
a geographic destination. Wendy, welcome back to the show.

Speaker 2 (01:07):
Thank you so much and thank you for sharing that
information about how to find our tours. They really are amazing.

Speaker 1 (01:13):
They really are. Answer me this. The name of the company.

Speaker 2 (01:17):
Is what Morris Columbus Travel, but the name of the
escorted programs is different, Morris Murdoch. Why because of that
name Murdoch and the history that it has with travel
in this area and how many people connect to it,
and so our origins go clear back to the fifties

(01:38):
with that name Murdoch, and we have such a strong
reputation that we really felt like it was a name
we needed to hold on to. So Morris Murdoch Escorted Tours.

Speaker 1 (01:48):
Well, I think of it as General Motors and say
Chevrolet yep, you know, as a as a brand name.
I remember Murdoch as a young nineteen year old man
at when white shirt and tie and name tag catch us.
This is how old I am. And by the way,
this month, July twenty fifth, it's your birthday. Twenty days

(02:10):
it is my birthday. I turned seventy five years old.

Speaker 2 (02:13):
Congratually. You're thinking more.

Speaker 1 (02:15):
Now and having more fun than at any time of
my life.

Speaker 2 (02:19):
Why would you ever retire?

Speaker 1 (02:20):
I'll retire when I'm six feet under Okay, anyway, Murdoch
Travel sent me and this is how old I am
to my mission by train.

Speaker 2 (02:31):
We hear that so often train by train.

Speaker 1 (02:35):
Wow, my gosh, Oh my gosh. Well listen, you know
we love travel. We breathe, eat, sleep, travel. What is
it about travel, Wendy that captures us, that draws us in.

Speaker 2 (02:49):
I think it's the adventure. It's getting out of your element.
It is just realizing that there's so much more than
our little world, our little bubble, and there is so
much to explore.

Speaker 1 (03:01):
You know. Sometimes it's just I need to go somewhere
and just get away and veg. I think also exploring
new cultures, eating different foods. There's a lot of personal
growth and challenge if you do it right now. There's
nothing wrong with going to Cancun or Waikiki and just

(03:22):
crashing on the beach with a margarita. Actually, did you
know that many people think I'm an alcoholic.

Speaker 2 (03:30):
Because as you talk about margarita, well, it's.

Speaker 1 (03:33):
My drink of choice is a virgin pina colada. But
most for alcohol, most people sip the drink, don't they?
And you got drug it, I'll have another. This guy
is an absolute lush Wow, I'd love the virgin panut Colada.

Speaker 2 (03:52):
You know, the coconut and and you don't get a
cold headache from that.

Speaker 1 (03:55):
I do get brain freeze, but I get brain freeze
anyway if I'm not even drinking. But I think part
of relaxation. But I believe there's an innate human desire
to explore.

Speaker 2 (04:06):
Oh, one hundred percent. I just got back from a
trip to Switzerland with twenty two of our fabulous listeners
and clients, and you know what, they had an amazing
experience taking trains all throughout Switzerland. We didn't do it
on a bus, we did it by train, and that
was an education that they will always remember.

Speaker 1 (04:27):
What are some of your travel dreams?

Speaker 2 (04:30):
Oh? There are so many right now. I would love
to go to the South Pacific, and I know that
is one of your absolute favorite. But I also need
to get down to South America and explore that. Where
is Carlos when I need him?

Speaker 1 (04:42):
I tell me which Polynesian island these native greetings are from.
We're going to play stump the dummy.

Speaker 2 (04:48):
Okay, I'm so down there.

Speaker 1 (04:50):
I'm going to start easy Aloha.

Speaker 2 (04:52):
Oh okay, that was an easy one.

Speaker 1 (04:54):
How about bulavinaka a tonga ekai. That's no int meaning
I can speak enough Tongan to get by.

Speaker 2 (05:06):
Okay, to get in trouble.

Speaker 1 (05:07):
Yeah, Bullah is short for bulliby Knocka's Fiji.

Speaker 2 (05:10):
Fiji is going to say tahitian yorana okay.

Speaker 1 (05:14):
And then Tonga is malo lila. And then here's one kyota.

Speaker 2 (05:20):
Oh is that New Zealand?

Speaker 1 (05:21):
It's New Zealand. How about this one? Gooday? Mate? Throw
another shrimp.

Speaker 3 (05:26):
On the part.

Speaker 2 (05:28):
Oh that that's Australia, mate, it's Japan.

Speaker 1 (05:32):
Anyway. I love the South Pacific. It's I don't know,
it's just it just really grabs me. There's some you know,
people ask me all the time, Larry, you have been
everywhere one hundred and fifteen countries that had a couple
of new ones coming up this year, and they say,
what what is your favorite? And I have to answer
that with a question, what is the purpose of the trip?

(05:55):
Because for sheer absolute beauty that it overlooked ods the census,
the South Seas, Polydesia, the South Pacific for something exotic, different, exciting,
great food, great people, the culture where I would live
if it weren't for my kids and grandkids. Thailand.

Speaker 2 (06:15):
I was going to say, let's all say it together.

Speaker 1 (06:18):
Yeah, and then you know, for history, it's hard to
beat Europe in the East. Adventure we'll be talking about
this later this hour is a African Safari. I only
really like well, I like them all, but it's a
great migration which is only July, August and September, the

(06:41):
largest animal migration on Earth. But we're going back to
the South Pacific. Now. We have a program where I
will be your personal host and tour guide. Tell me
how cool this is. The dates are next year May
fifteenth to the twenty seventh, Tahiti to Honolulu. It's a

(07:02):
thirteen day crew, so I'm going to call it two weeks,
and we start in Tahiti. We visit Tahiti, which is
one island Morea properly pronounced Morea, and then to Bora Bora,
which James Mishner said was the single most beautiful island
on Earth. Right Yetaya, I'll tell you something about right Yataya.

(07:23):
There's an ancient temple there that I've hiked into. Owaiki
is the name of the temple, and the ocean going voyage,
as you'll think of Kontiki would go to Owaiki and
be blessed by the priests and set out into the
vast reaches of the Pacific, never to return. How many

(07:43):
were lost at sea, we'll never know. How many found
land in distant reaches of the ocean, we don't know.
But it's believed that the Hawaiian islands were settled by
the people from right Yataya, or we visit the islands
from the societal Rightietaya, and then north of Rhetea are

(08:06):
the is the island of Nukuheva and Heva oh the Marquesis.
So it's believed that the first, the first thrush, the
first arrival of new indigenous people is probably about nine
hundred a d. The second wave came in fourteen hundred AD,
and it's believed by many leaving from the temple of

(08:29):
Owaiki they named their new home, which we call Hawaii Hawaii,
and that's probably how the name came. You know, coconuts
and pineapples are not native to Hawaii, but they were
brought the pineapple probably by the Portuguese, and the coconut
by these early settlers. But so think of this itinerary.

(08:51):
You talk about rock in your dreams is we start
in Tahiti, we visit Morea, Bora, Bora ruh right yeteya,
the Society Islands, Loui cruise past the Tuomotu Archipelago, crossing
the equator, and then sail the Hawaiian Islands. And you know,

(09:13):
I don't know what the price will be Monday when
we open up again, but as of today, you're looking
for a two week cruise. Rates start at just one
nine and ten dollars per person double occupancy. But I
think one of the greatest things I want you to
explain that is the Norwegian Cruise Line free airfare offer,

(09:34):
which is really a buy one, get one free.

Speaker 2 (09:36):
Yeah, they do a really great promotion that as long
as you're willing to accept the itineraries that they give you,
you get to pick your dates. Obviously, you just don't
the airline. They pick the airline and the itinerary. And
it is a really good first person rate. It's not
a jacked up rate. It is a really affordable first
person and the second person goes.

Speaker 1 (09:57):
Free, including the air tak Yeah.

Speaker 2 (09:59):
I was going to say there's no taxes are anything.
It is like literally two for one.

Speaker 1 (10:02):
Well, the cruise fair, which starts as of today. Again,
all rates are subject to change is nineteen ten, including
all taxes and fees and a buy one, get one free.
It's an incredible opportunity. I'll be your personal host and
tour guide. We have private excursions, things that the cruise

(10:23):
line does not do, and on board we have our
own private exclusive Itinicans. I'd love to have you join me. Now,
keep in mind, prices are not static. They don't remain
the same. Get a hold of Wendy and her group
department at Morriscolumbus dot com. When we come back, We've
got a Salt Lake Airport update and one of the
most exciting cruises I've ever seen. You're listening to the

(10:52):
travel show. I'm Larry Gelwix the get Away GOURU want
to remind you that Morris Columbus Travel will offer the
first ever Fall Travel expos Saturday, October eighteenth at the
Davis Conference Center in lighton. Over fifty travel vendors will
be their airlines, cruise lines, resorts, hotels, safari companies with

(11:15):
exclusive expo discounts and three hourly travel giveaways. Free airline tickets,
free cruises, free hotel stays that Saturday, October eighteenth at
the Davis Conference Center in Layton. Now, Wendy, we will
still be doing the January exposed in Saint George and
Salt Lake.

Speaker 2 (11:33):
Now absolutely, I'm so excited that we're doing this false
show though. I think it is going to be such
a huge benefits to our clients. But the January show,
you just can't top it.

Speaker 1 (11:45):
You know. I like that Fall Expo up in Leyton.
Before the Morris and Columbus merger, we at Columbus in
the month of January would have a fall have an expo.
We also had a Fall Columbus Day sale. It's important
to note that Columbus Travel is the only, or was

(12:06):
the only travel agency in the United States with a
national holiday named after its street, Columbus Day.

Speaker 2 (12:16):
Was it named after the agency or was the agency
named after Columbus.

Speaker 1 (12:19):
No, it was named after the agency. Okay, Wendy, what
makes you happy? That's my company?

Speaker 2 (12:25):
You You make me happy? You know what? Airplanes make
me happy because they're the gateway to adventure.

Speaker 1 (12:32):
You know. I was a man of the cloth for
three years in the California Fresno Mission, and of course
I drove everywhere. But two weeks after we released as
mission leaders in the California Fresno Mission, we flew to Calgary,
Kathy and I to a family reunion, and I remember
sitting there in those cramp seats in row fifty two,

(12:54):
I think it was, and I said to Kathy, it's
so good to be on an airplane again.

Speaker 2 (13:00):
It's like you're getting good.

Speaker 1 (13:02):
Well, gallup. The Great pole Stirs unveiled its twenty twenty
five World Happiness Report, which shared the happiest countries on
Earth and more importantly, what makes them so happy? For
the eight Now, there's going to be surprising people. For
the eighth consecutive year, Finland secured the top spot, thanks

(13:27):
in part to its citizens' commitment to volunteering, donating to causes,
and helping others in need. Finns indicated that they trust
those around them, with most people responding they think the police,
a neighbor, even a stranger would return their wallet if lost,
no questions asked, Yeah, try that around here. Wow. And

(13:49):
Finland isn't alone. All of the neighboring countries in Scandinhouvia
also Scarred scored high marks. Now as to what makes
these countries. So Happy Gallop explain that its citizens live
with an understanding of being kind to one another, and

(14:10):
they report that one of the one of the most
striking revelations that being kind and expecting expecting kindness from others.
Believing that your wallet would be returned if lost are
stronger predictors of happiness. Now. Finland, I will be in
Finland September, by the way, is famous for its sauna culture.

(14:32):
You know, I love the sauna. Oh, we have one
in our house.

Speaker 2 (14:35):
Wow, you're very committed.

Speaker 1 (14:37):
I we're very committed to go down and have a sweat,
you know. And of course lapland it's the quality of
life catch this. Finland has estimated one one hundred and
seventy nine thousand islands and more than one hundred and
eighty thousand lakes.

Speaker 2 (14:58):
Wow. I wonder if you left your wallet in one
of those islands, if you'd ever see it again.

Speaker 1 (15:03):
I think so. Hey. You know, last segment, we're talking
about our love of Polynesia. And I found a tour
this year that is Hawaii, Alaska and Canada. It's a
seventeen day cruise. You start in Honolu, you finished in Vancouver,

(15:24):
but you sail the Hawaiian Islands. You get an Alaska
cruise and Canada October first to the seventeenth. You don't
get into Polynesia, right, but you get different experience. You
want to go to the South Seas, but you sail
from from Honolulu. As I said, the Hawaiian Islands. It'll
be the big island Maui, Kawaii. Then on to Skagway, Juno,

(15:50):
icy straits, catch a Canada down to Vancouver. Rate start
for an inside cabin, which I wouldn't do, but actually
somewhere sixteen oh one, but for just sixteen sixty seven
sixty seven dollars more you get an otion view.

Speaker 2 (16:07):
Oh my goodness, now it's.

Speaker 1 (16:08):
A great it's a nice time to hopefully see the
Northern lights. And you get the end of the season
sales in Alaska.

Speaker 2 (16:17):
Well, and census is Norwegian. Would there still be the
two for one promotional.

Speaker 1 (16:21):
Air of course, silly question, my girl.

Speaker 2 (16:25):
You know what I should have known better, so that
even makes it a more would get free airfare?

Speaker 1 (16:31):
How do you get a hold of this special? It's
Morris Columbus Travel. Call your favorite Morris Columbus travel advisor
and you may have their direct line. Every Morris Columbus
travel advisor has a direct line. You don't go through
the automated system. But if you don't have a favorite
travel advisor, call one eight oh. This number is so

(16:53):
easy to remember. Eight hundred triple nine forty six forty six,
eight hundred triple ninety six forty six. You and I
were talking that the Salt Lake Airport has been named
as one of the top ten airports in efficiency and
ease in the United States. What do you like about
the Salt Lake Airport?

Speaker 2 (17:14):
Well, I like walking through it. I like the light
coloredness of it. But I like the list that they
gave and why it was so white was rated. That
is that they have such easy access to restrooms, which
we had a conversation about, as well as the affordable
dining options.

Speaker 1 (17:34):
Well, that is called street pricing, and for example Cafe Reo. Yeah,
what you pay for Cafe Rio at the Salt Lake
Airport is the same as you're going to pay downtown.
You know, in most cases they jacket up that fifty
cent hot dog at seven to eleven. It's five bucks
and it's been rolling on the rollers for five months.

(17:56):
But they have a requirement that it's the same pricing
and that is why we have no McDonald's at the
Salt Lake Airport. We've got Burger King, but no McDonald's
because when they made their application they said, we can't
do street pricing, we don't want to do it, and
the Salt Lake Airport very politely said thanks, but no thanks. Well,

(18:18):
when we come back with the roar of a Lion,
we're headed to Africa and the Great Migration. Here on
the Travel Show Jambo and welcome to the Travel Show.

(18:41):
Jambo is the native greeting in East Africa and that's
where we're headed. In fact, later this month I will
be in Kenya on Safari again with a wonderful group
of Travel show listeners. The most common remark that I
hear about the Great Migration Safari and there's nothing like

(19:03):
it in the world is an overused phrase life changing.
My wife uses that and every oh it's life No
people say that all the time. We want to welcome
back to the show our dear friend and colleague, Jim
Gee with Discovery Expeditions. It is the Safari partner of
Morris Columbus Travel. Jim Jumbombo.

Speaker 4 (19:25):
How are you doing?

Speaker 1 (19:26):
You know I'm getting old and fat, and so I
might be the lions are starting to lick their lips
when they see it. And No, seriously, what is the
great migration.

Speaker 5 (19:40):
That's the world's largest mammal migration of two point five
million animals. Majority of them will debese and the others
are the primary Zeida zebras and they're coming about on
a nine hundred mile journey from the southern Serengetti up
to the northern Serengeti.

Speaker 1 (19:59):
Which is on the Bar River.

Speaker 5 (20:01):
Yeah, so that's what everybody anticipated. It generally goes between
July and September.

Speaker 1 (20:09):
Is there one month that is better than another?

Speaker 4 (20:12):
Not in Nerirot necessarily, you know, but.

Speaker 1 (20:15):
Every year it's it's every but usually you can get
there for July, August, September. And I've traveled at different times.
I go every year. I haven't found that one month
is better than no. It's really what works into your schedule.

Speaker 4 (20:29):
It is.

Speaker 5 (20:29):
And they've got in the weather. People always think that
the weather is going to be really hot because they're
on the equator.

Speaker 1 (20:34):
Nay, nay.

Speaker 5 (20:34):
But we're at an elevation of an average of six
thousand feet, which is like Park City and so it's
actually cool.

Speaker 4 (20:40):
The highs will be seventy five.

Speaker 1 (20:42):
I think Nairobi itself is around fifty seven to fifty
eight hundred feet exactly, and it actually cools off it
and it's very very pleasant. You know. In the early
morning hours, I got long pants on, maybe a light jacket,
but for the afternoon runs, I've got shorts on at
a short leave shirt with that.

Speaker 5 (21:01):
Yeah, and the weather's perfect time of year, and we've
just got all the abundance of wildlife.

Speaker 4 (21:06):
And that's what what.

Speaker 1 (21:08):
Draws people to the dark continent Africa.

Speaker 4 (21:12):
I think the untamed wilderness.

Speaker 1 (21:15):
The rawness of life. Kathy calls that you see the
circle of life, you know, and for it's a it's
a daily struggle of life and death. Not that everyone's
going to get attacked by a prenator, but just just
you know, for the elephants, which are more or less
immune from the lions and things, it's a daily struggle

(21:36):
for them.

Speaker 5 (21:37):
They have to eat so much each day, the water
and the water exactly.

Speaker 1 (21:42):
What can one Why don't you just run through a
typical safari like I'll be taking later this month, a
group of travel shoulders. I can't wait to get back
in the course you'll be joining me. There go through
very briefly a typical Morris Columbus safari with with Discovery expeditions.

Speaker 4 (22:03):
What's unique. Number one, we don't limit the game drive,
so you'll have as many as you want.

Speaker 5 (22:08):
But we typically start around six fifteen in the morning
because we want to see the sunrise.

Speaker 1 (22:14):
And the animals are coming awake right and active.

Speaker 5 (22:17):
Right, and they're also the predators, especially the cats. The
big cats have been out all night, so you want
to get up early to watch that. And we come
back for a breakfast usually right around now, and.

Speaker 1 (22:31):
The meal service on this safari is second to none.
So then we go out again in the afternoon.

Speaker 5 (22:37):
We do, we go back out, we go come back
again for lunch, and then of course we go out
in the afternoon, usually right around four.

Speaker 4 (22:46):
Because they start getting active.

Speaker 5 (22:47):
Come back at dusk, yeah, when the sunsets, and so
we've watched the sunrise and then the sunset.

Speaker 4 (22:53):
We go back and have a nice dinner.

Speaker 1 (22:55):
And you know, one of the things about the Morris
Columbus Discovery Expedition safar as as you use these relatively
new Toyota land cruisers with the pop up that can
seat eight people plus the driver. Now, you and I
have seen most companies fill all or most of the seats. Now, Wendy,

(23:16):
there's a problem with that. If you fill every seat.
The animals have not yet learned to only come to
your side for viewing on your side of the vehicle.
Now we are working with them, we're trying to train them.

Speaker 2 (23:30):
But you go back every year, right, come back.

Speaker 1 (23:33):
But with four people, Jim, you could move from side
to side, front to back, you can stand up, and
the viewing is I mean, as far as I know,
the Morris Columbus Discovery Expedition Safar is the only one
that I'm aware of that limits it to four people. Now,
if you have a family or a group of friends,
that's our five or six. You say, well, we want

(23:55):
to put put all of us in one. We do that,
but that's at your request.

Speaker 5 (24:00):
Right with four, you have a three sixty no matter
where you're at in that vehicle. And plus you have
room to set your cameras down, binoculars and a light
jacket or whatever. It's not crowded at all, and you
really get to enjoy it.

Speaker 1 (24:13):
You know, we give you our guests a handbook, or
a little billgod a field book with pictures of sixty
seventy different species in them, or something. By day three, Wendy,
invariably we have seen over fifty species of animals, not
including the birds. Now I want to ask you, Jim,

(24:35):
do you have a favorite animal?

Speaker 5 (24:37):
Well, I have several favorites, but if I had to
give us one, it would be the leopard. Leopard's one
of the Big five, probably the hardest of the big.

Speaker 1 (24:46):
Tell us what the Big five is and what animals The.

Speaker 5 (24:49):
Big five is, the elephant, the black rhino, the cape
buffalo which will not to.

Speaker 1 (24:55):
Be confused with the water buffalo, right.

Speaker 5 (24:59):
Or the African and then we have the lion, and
then the leopard.

Speaker 1 (25:04):
What do you tell me about the leopards. There's usually
solitary animals.

Speaker 4 (25:08):
They're very solitary, unlike the lions, which.

Speaker 1 (25:12):
In groups of pride very social.

Speaker 4 (25:14):
Yea very social and they use that.

Speaker 2 (25:15):
That's why they're my favorite. I think, yeah, it's all
the socializeare lion to me.

Speaker 4 (25:21):
But the leopard is a solitary.

Speaker 5 (25:24):
You'll see a mother with a couple of cubs, or
usually only one, but they they're solitary and they're very
stealthy and they're only seen when they want to be seen.
And so we have a good time showing people all
of the Big Five. We've been very successful of that.
I can't think of one in thirty years that we haven't.

Speaker 4 (25:44):
Seen all of them. So of the Big Five.

Speaker 5 (25:48):
So a lot of people come to see the Big Five,
and you will have many opportunities, especially in the Marrow
where we have so many game We have so many
lion prides. As you will know, Larry.

Speaker 1 (26:00):
I love the lions. They're my very favorite.

Speaker 5 (26:02):
Very close to our lodge there on the Ashville on
Theamurra River, we have maybe three price and big price
of lions and we'll see twenty or thirty a day.

Speaker 1 (26:12):
You know, Wendy a fully grown male lion. His roar
can be heard up to five miles.

Speaker 4 (26:20):
Wow.

Speaker 1 (26:21):
And Bill, you mentioned the Ashnell Lodge. One of the
things that I think really sets the Morris Columbus Discovery
Safaris apart is the quality of the lodges. Now there
are over fifty game parks in Kenya. I call it
the Big Four. We visit three of them and the
fourth is over in Ambaseli, and you really won't see

(26:44):
anything there you can't. But we visit Samburu or Pagetta
and of course the Serengetti or the Mara. And I'm
going to talk about this lodge on the mar the
Ashneill Lodge. Everybody in their lion wants to get a dog,
but wants to get in. We have grandfathered rights. It's

(27:05):
located right on the Mar River by itself. It's like
the apex of where you want to be. Now. There
are some really good lodges up there, you know, and
there's nothing wrong with them, but many of them are
outside the game park itself. And to get where we are,

(27:27):
which is the apex, the center of it, it's an
hour to an hour and a half drive either way.
So they'll have breakfast come in the morning. The morning
drives really up on the Serengiion the Marrow. Really are
just the people at our lodge. And then afternoon I
got it. I have to say this. It's sometimes like
Grand Central Station because everybody and their lepard, you see,

(27:51):
and that's the way it is. They then have to
go back kind of late afternoon where we're just coming out,
and so they have a sack lunch. Nothing wrong with that,
but we like a hot lunch back at the lodge.
And so right there on the Mara River there's a
pod of hippos and you could hear them bellowing. Kathy

(28:13):
thought it was me storing.

Speaker 4 (28:16):
You hear them all night long.

Speaker 1 (28:17):
And the food, we gotta tell you the food at
the ashvil. Tell me about my favorites. The lions.

Speaker 5 (28:22):
Well, the lions, like I said, they're a team, a family,
and they all have their responsibilities. They have the big
males mostly in the marrow. The males will be four.
They have their brothers with them to this is tomorrow.
Very smart and very large. You know, the average male
lion in the mar is going to weigh close to
five hundred pounds. And so they're beautiful animals. We get

(28:46):
to see him and you, like you mentioned, you get
to hear them roaring from your tent right there at
the Astronauts.

Speaker 1 (28:50):
You know last year when you and I were there.
By the way, Jim is with me on all the tours.
We have two tours i'll highlight for twenty twenty six.
Jim will be on both of them. I will be
on one of them. But I remember you remember we
came to this these two big male lion brothers that

(29:11):
were going to take over a pride, and the one
male lion knew he could not fight the two of them,
but he led them away. He knew exactly what he
was doing. They were chasing him while the lionesses and
the cubs which would be killed by the new males,
they took off in another direction, and that one male

(29:32):
lion knew exist and he finally, after he led the
two a long distance, he ditched them, and he knew
exactly where his family would be. It was the most amazing.

Speaker 5 (29:44):
Thing, right and we see a lot of that there
and tomorrow, especially with our location right there at the Nastronaut.
Well have that pride, We have other prides, but they
do have conflicts. They try to expand their territories, like
you just explained, So lots of lions if you like
to see lions, but it's a great opportunity to.

Speaker 4 (30:04):
See all those animals.

Speaker 5 (30:05):
We see a lot of cheetahs there there in the
marra as well, so all of the three big cats
you'll see plenty of as well as the migrating willoughby
which will be in the millions.

Speaker 1 (30:18):
You know, we have two safaris I mentioned Jim will
be on both. I will be on one mine that
I'd love to have you. It's already over half sold
out July twenty nine. This is twenty twenty six, July
twenty nine to August the ninth. The other one will
be August eighteenth to the twenty ninth. I really like

(30:39):
the month of August.

Speaker 4 (30:41):
No, August is very nice.

Speaker 5 (30:42):
The grass has been cut down a little bit by
the many will Tobys and zebras.

Speaker 1 (30:46):
Which means you can see the animals so clearly.

Speaker 5 (30:49):
Yeah, and the cheetahs love to hunt that time of year.
So they because they get traction in those open fields
and it's nothing like watching a cheetah rundown.

Speaker 1 (31:00):
Fantastic. Jim Ghee Discovery Expeditions our partner, friend and colleague
with Morris Columbus travel. That's July twenty nine to August ninth,
twenty twenty six with me and Jim, and August eighteenth
to the twenty ninth next year with Jim Ghee and
the Great Migration. Thanks Jim, Thanks Larry Paul, Thevesti. You

(31:21):
see more when we come back. We're hitting the rine.

Speaker 3 (31:28):
By now you've heard about the Mustang Challenge on the
Heckless Television Network. Now here's your chance to experience it
live July tenth through July twelfth at South Point Arena
in Las Vegas. Watch as America's wild Mustangs, once untouched,
go head to head in the ultimate test of trust, training,
and talent. Over one hundred and twenty five thousand dollars

(31:49):
in prize money is up for grabs, with fifty thousand
dollars awarded to the champion crowned Saturday night at six
pm with music, costumes, and jaw dropping maneuvers that will
leave you breathless.

Speaker 1 (31:59):
This is more than a competition.

Speaker 3 (32:01):
It's a celebration of the American Mustang spirit and the
horsemen and women who believe in them. Get your tickets
now at Ticketmaster or visit Mustang Challenge twenty twenty five
dot com. The Mustang Challenge presented by Western Horsemen and
the BLM Wild Horse and Borough Program five legendary Unforgetting
Me Only in Vegas only July tenth through twelfth at

(32:22):
South Point Arena. Get your tickets now at Ticketmasters or
visit Mustang Challenge twenty twenty five dot com.

Speaker 6 (32:29):
The Social Security Administration just announced they are now projected
to run out of money one year earlier than expected.
Benefits could be cut by as much as twenty three percent,
and the average person could lose more than one hundred
thousand dollars in lifetime income. This news could significantly change
when you file for Social Security. Discover how you could

(32:50):
get every penny out of your benefits with a free
social security analysis from Boss Retirement Solutions. If you've saved
more than three hundred thous dollars and have not filed
for Social Security, schedule your free analysis now by calling
eight zero one nine nine nineteen forty three. This customized

(33:11):
analysis could help you get every penny out of social Security.

Speaker 1 (33:15):
Call eight zero one nineteen forty three.

Speaker 6 (33:20):
That number again, eight zero one nine nineteen forty three.

Speaker 2 (33:26):
Boster Time in Solutions is not affiliated with the Social
Security of.

Speaker 6 (33:28):
The price of gold has risen fifty percent in the
last twelve months.

Speaker 1 (33:32):
Now most jewers have marked all their gold pieces.

Speaker 2 (33:35):
Up, even if they bought them back when the price
was money.

Speaker 1 (33:39):
Thank you for joining us here of the travel show
every week. I'm Larry Gelwicks to get Away Guru, and
may I express my appreciation to you for being part
of our travel show family, and I've got here in
the studio today. Our dear friend and group department manager
at Morris Columbus Travel, Wendy Frakesh'd say, the lovely and talent.

Speaker 2 (34:00):
Well, you know what, I've rebranded myself just as your
humble assistant assistant.

Speaker 1 (34:06):
No humble, No, So you're home for two Hey, what
did you and Art do yesterday for July fourth Independence Day?

Speaker 2 (34:14):
You know, we just enjoyed a time with our grandkids.

Speaker 1 (34:18):
Have a barbecue.

Speaker 2 (34:20):
We did not this year, but we did eat barbecue,
but we did not cook a barbeque. No, not at all.

Speaker 1 (34:29):
Well, we had a massive family gathering and barbecue. Of course.
My wonderful tradition son Keaton is turned into the ultimate
smoke and grill master.

Speaker 2 (34:43):
You're training him?

Speaker 1 (34:44):
Well, well, yes, my son smokes and I leave it
at that, but it's brisket and ribs and prime rib
that he smokes with that. You are a Christmas person.

Speaker 2 (34:56):
Well I am, And you know what, there's a lot
of There's two big celebrations that we have in July
that we know about my birthday. You're okay? Three? Your
Beer Day, Yeah, Paian Beer Day.

Speaker 1 (35:09):
PI and Beer.

Speaker 2 (35:11):
Beeray. The fourth. But did you know there is actually
another national celebrated holiday, Christmas in July, back in North Carolina,
back in nineteen thirty three is when Christmas in July started.
You've heard the term before, right.

Speaker 1 (35:28):
Yeah, what do they do? It's hot and humid. I
doubt Santa the Fat Red Man is showing up. What's
going on?

Speaker 5 (35:36):
You know?

Speaker 2 (35:36):
Think about that in nineteen thirty three at a girls camp.
What they were trying to do. They were trying to
to revive that spirit of the of the season, the joy,
the gift giving, the thinking of others, the celebrating of
the season. And it became so popular year after year,
and it just continued to spread and people started doing

(35:58):
holiday traditions in July and it was just such a
fun thing. And you've started seeing some of the different
sell promotions from different marketing companies doing the Christmas in July.
But it works really well for people like me who
absolutely love Christmas, but as well in the travel industry
because right now this time of the year is the

(36:21):
perfect window to be planning your Christmas celebration for this year,
not just this year, but next year. Because we have
a couple of really great celebrations, because what's the very
best Okay, I'll play your trick on you. Larry. What
did you get for Kathy for Christmas two years ago?
I kiss, I know, but talk about a trip. The

(36:45):
very first trip you and Kathy did.

Speaker 1 (36:47):
Oh I was San Francisco.

Speaker 2 (36:49):
See travel and memories. These are the gifts that continue
to give year after year. You guys are getting ready
to celebrate your fiftieth anniversary. You told me I am
so excited for you guys, and you remember a trip
fifty years ago, but you can't remember Christmas two years ago.

Speaker 1 (37:06):
Well that's because it doesn't diminish a sweater, a book
at a basketball But those are things as opposed to
Travel is an experience and we can reach back into
our childhood or earlier in our life. You mentioned some
Christmas things. What do you got going this year for Christmas?

Speaker 2 (37:27):
So for this year, we've actually got three different programs,
and I'm going to start with the one that's domestic,
the one that's in the United States.

Speaker 1 (37:34):
You're so domesticated.

Speaker 2 (37:35):
I am so domesticated. Have you heard of Branson, Missouri?

Speaker 1 (37:38):
Well, of course, do I look like some dummy?

Speaker 2 (37:42):
What a better way I was going to say you
saw I skipped right over there. What a better way
to start celebrating your holiday season than in Branson in
the mountains. And it's what state. It's in Missouri, Branson, Missouri.

Speaker 1 (37:58):
Properly pronounced Missouri.

Speaker 2 (38:00):
Missura in Missouri. And I apologize to all the Missourians.

Speaker 1 (38:08):
So it's fantastic.

Speaker 2 (38:10):
December fifth through the tenth. It's an amazing five night trip.
Tim Taggart has been taking this group out. It sells
out every year. We still have a few spots left
on it. It's only sixteen twenty nine and it has
got NonStop shows. There's at least two shows a day.
It includes the majority of your meals. It just is

(38:32):
going to put the season right in your heart. You're
going to only be gone for a few days. You're
going to not miss any of those celebrations.

Speaker 1 (38:39):
And part of Southern Missourira is fantastic. I lived in Missira.

Speaker 2 (38:45):
And that's how you learned to say parents.

Speaker 1 (38:47):
Lived in Saint Joe, which is Saint Joseph, And my
grandmother taught me it's.

Speaker 2 (38:52):
Missira, it's Missura. Well, I think that that is just
always a very special trip for a lot of people,
and they do it year after year because those shows
are just so amazing. Now, if you really want to
go for the true purpose and looking for a holy
meaning to your Christmas celebration, we know that it is

(39:16):
still very sensitive, but we are still looking at helpfully
having tours to Israel this fallen and Christmas season, and
a lot of people look at going to Israel between
Christmas and New Year's over that break because they get
to take their kids and it's during their break. It's
a life changing opportunity. And we've got some fantastic Bayu

(39:40):
professors taking aut groups because they have that same break
that the kids do, so be looking for that. And
then I am so excited about the European traditions of
the Christmas market. Now we can talk about that in
a little bit as well as your big twenty twenty
six Christmas trips.

Speaker 1 (40:01):
So a lot of things to talk about. Hey, stay
tuned for our number two of the Travel Show. We've
got some exciting things to talk about some of my
trips and how to renew your passport online here on
the Travel Show. Welcome to our number two of the

(40:23):
Travel Show. I'm Larry Gelwicks, that getaway guru it's been
my pleasure to be your personal travel show host for
thirty four years. I welcome to the studio today, Wendy Frakie,
a group department manager with Morris Columbus Travel. Do check
out all the offerings for individual travel and group travel

(40:45):
with our show's sponsor, Morris Columbus Travel, winner for five
years in a row of the Best of State Travel
Award as the number one travel agency travel company here
in the great state of Utah.

Speaker 2 (41:00):
When a chicken dinner.

Speaker 1 (41:01):
That's right, five years in a row. Let's make it
six in twenty twenty six. Passports so important, well, we
have been promised. Now we broadcast on nineteen stations in
multiple states.

Speaker 2 (41:18):
And they all need a passport to travel to Utah.

Speaker 1 (41:22):
But Senator Romney, our former senator here in Utah, engineered
a commitment from the State Department to open a passport
office that would issue passports right here in Salt Lake City.
Date yet to be determined. Yeah, and as part of
the big beautiful bill. I don't think it's been budgeted

(41:46):
for that, but it's been made very easy Wendy that
you can now renew your passport online and the start
Department of State has fully rolled out it's online passport
renewal system, allowing you to apply for the documents from
the comfort of your home. Now. The system, which the

(42:08):
government first introduced as a pilot program in twenty twenty two,
is now fully up and running. The online application system
eliminates the need to print and mail a renewal application.
Now there are the devils always in the details. Exactly
to qualify for an online renewal Wendy, the traveler can

(42:31):
renew online if they are at least twenty five years
of age. We both qualify for that, Hey, s.

Speaker 2 (42:39):
Because of yourself.

Speaker 1 (42:41):
Currently live in a US state or territory. So you
can't be a US citizen living in Canada. You've got
to be living in the US state or territory. Have
a passport that was issued between nine and fifteen years ago. Now,
an adult passport's good for ten years, so it can
be expired and you can still renew it if it

(43:03):
was issued fifteen years or less and you have the
old passport with you. Applicants must not currently plan to
change their name, gender, date of birth, or place of birth.

Speaker 2 (43:19):
You can change your data birth you can't. Okay, I
didn't even know that was a thing.

Speaker 1 (43:26):
Excuse me, place of birth and data of birth. No,
that says you can't change your date of birth, your
place of birth, your gender, or your name. I understand
changing your name, I don't get the other three. Yeah, anyway,
The state Department said applicants should not plan to travel
for at least eight weeks after submitting their application. An

(43:51):
expedited service, which you can pay for to get it quicker,
is not offered on online renewals well. Currently, the process
time for passports is six to eight weeks for routine,
non online service and two to three weeks for expedited service,
which costs an additional sixty seventy bucks on that. So

(44:13):
here's how you do it. Go online to travel dot
state dot gov. That's travel dot state dot gov, and
then click on get a US passport and then click
on on the follow up page, click on I'm an
adult renewing online and simply follow the instructions to do that.

(44:36):
I think this is absolutely wonderful. Now, I will tell
you expedited service is usually two to three weeks. You
can make an appointment. Most passport issuing agencies do not
take walk ins. You have to make an appointment, but
they will have emergency services, you know, a family member

(44:56):
passed away or some legitimate emergency, and you have to
kind of prove that it's legit. This is going to
surprise you. Some people don't tell the truth. Ye, shocker, shocker.
But you can make an appointment. Fly down. We would
fly here from Salt Lake to San Francisco.

Speaker 2 (45:16):
Or I've sent many people to Denver.

Speaker 1 (45:18):
Yeah, anyway, a lot of fun. You know. I recommend
that you make three copies of your passport. One and
that is the information page that has your photo and
personal information. The first copy is a simple photo copy
printed out on paper. Make at least two or three
of them. The second copy you take with your cell

(45:40):
phone or device and take a photo and store it
in your gallery of photos.

Speaker 2 (45:48):
Yep.

Speaker 1 (45:48):
The third copy is to take that photo that, store
it in your gallery and download it to your server.
Now why three copies, Wendy.

Speaker 2 (45:58):
Because if you have to lose your passport or heaven
forbid to get stolen while you're gone, it is the
quickest way to get you home. It's to get that
replacement passport at the consulates.

Speaker 1 (46:12):
If you can prove your identity and citizenship yep. With
a photocopy, they can look up all the numbers, they
can look up the photo.

Speaker 2 (46:20):
They can they have access to what they don't have
that proof.

Speaker 1 (46:23):
You're calling at Myrtle to say, now, Myrtle, I think
our birth certificates are in the third drawer in the kitchen.
Will you have a look? Oh they're not. You have
to prove who you are.

Speaker 2 (46:36):
That's true.

Speaker 1 (46:36):
I can't just walk in. I remember, and I always
tell people, do not take your passport out of the
hotel or cruise safe. Take a photo.

Speaker 2 (46:44):
Not necessary. Yeah, even to get currency exchanged.

Speaker 1 (46:47):
That's right, that's right. Like in Thailand, you have to
use a passport, but a.

Speaker 2 (46:51):
Photocops photocopy will do.

Speaker 1 (46:52):
So we were in Rome for three days and then
we're jumping on a cruise ship at chivy Tevekia, the
port city of Rome, for a Mediterranean cruise, and one
very nice lady lost or had her passport stolen. She
decided that keeping it in a fanny pack would be
safer them locked in the safe in her locked hotel room. Yeah,

(47:18):
and she can't. So we're getting ready to we're at breakfast.
It's about seven point thirty and we are getting ready
to drive down to Saint Peter's Basilica and then to
Chivvy Well, then stop at the LDS Temple for the
visitors center. Beautiful visitor center there, clean restrooms and water

(47:40):
you can drink. You don't drink the tap water in Italy,
and then down to Chivy Tavekia. They were beside themselves.
She thinks she went to some stores and was buying
things and it must have fallen out, and I'm thinking, oh.

Speaker 2 (47:55):
Lady, why were you hearing that?

Speaker 4 (47:58):
Why?

Speaker 1 (47:59):
Anyway? I said, all right, and I always tell people
if you have your passport lost or stolen, come to me.
I know what to do. And so I said, okay,
it's seven point thirty. The US embassy opens at eight.
We'll take your luggage, we'll take everything, and we're going

(48:19):
to put it on the cruise ship and you may
have to catch up with us. But so I got
them a taxi. We had the concierge verify the address
with the taxi driver, took them over. They were first
in line at eight o'clock. By ten a m. They

(48:39):
had their new passports.

Speaker 2 (48:41):
That's yapressa for Italy anything.

Speaker 1 (48:44):
Yeah, yeah, it really is but they had it by
ten o'clock. They were in a cab. They met us
at Chivy Tavecia. They got they didn't miss their cruise,
but they had a copy of it on their cell phone.

Speaker 3 (48:59):
Yep.

Speaker 2 (49:00):
I mean, it just just saves everything right there. It
makes a difference.

Speaker 1 (49:04):
Hey, there's a new rage out there called airline seat swappers,
where you come to your seat and somebody else is
already sitting there and they know it's not their seat,
or in some cases it's well, couldn't you mind swapping
seats with me? What's the etiquette on this?

Speaker 2 (49:21):
The etiquette is, if somebody paid for a seat, you
should never feel like you need to give up your seat.
But if it's something that you feel like you can
do comfortably and it's not going to inconvenience, shoot, then
if you can be kind, be kind.

Speaker 1 (49:37):
It's got to be an equal swap. In the news
were a woman who got a complimentary upgrade from It
was on Air Canada from main cabin coach to business
class with the life flat seats and everything, and she
sat down. It was a complimentary upgrade because of her

(49:58):
medallion status. She asked the man next to her if
he would mind swapping with her husband so that they
could sit together. And he said, well, cher, I'll do that.
What seat is in he was back at the back
of the plane. She wanted this guy to give up
his business classrooms.

Speaker 2 (50:18):
I still don't even see how that's somebody in their
right mind. With all ever, consider now.

Speaker 1 (50:24):
If you have a seat swapper that refuses to move,
don't fall down and play dead and just let them
take advantage of you. Don't get an argument, don't get physical.
Call the flight attendant. They will move.

Speaker 2 (50:37):
That person absolutely. Have you ever done the thing where
you sat in a seat and you knew in your
heart of hearts that that was your seat until they
somebody challenged you on it and you looked at your
boarding pass.

Speaker 1 (50:49):
That's happened to me.

Speaker 2 (50:51):
That happened to me on the way home from Switzerland.
It was so embarrassing.

Speaker 1 (50:55):
Well, when we come back, I want to talk about
one in Amsterdam. What would you do here? On the
Travel Show? You're listening to the Travel Show. I'm Larry Gelwicks,

(51:16):
the getaway Guru. The Travel show is sponsored by winner
of the Best of State five years in a row,
Morris Columbus Travel. Check out their website Morris Coolumbus dot com.
That's Morris Columbus dot com where you always travel more
and pay less. I'm pleased to welcome Wendy Frakia, Group

(51:37):
department manager. You know it ain't bragging if it's true,
all right, And Morris Columbus Travel is the largest seller
of cruises in the entire Inner Mountain area. And that's
what your statement.

Speaker 2 (51:53):
I think you've bought them all.

Speaker 1 (51:54):
Thank you very much. And as a result, you know,
you buy one pencil, you pay one price. You buy
a case of pencils, you pay a different price. And
Morris Columbus Travel has incredible, incredible cruise deals. And I
tell people, you know, we can meet or beat anything

(52:15):
you find online. But you're gonna talk to a real person.
If you run into a problem, what are you gonna do?
Talk to your laptop?

Speaker 2 (52:24):
And you know, don't be scared to talk to a
travel advisor. I think there's so many people who are
just anymore. They don't want to make a phone call.
But even if you know exactly what you want to book,
all you need to do is Callumn and say this
is a ship, this is the date, this is the
this is the and they're going to say great, and
they're going to find a way to make it a

(52:45):
better program for you.

Speaker 1 (52:46):
You know, we even get some specials and promotion that
we talk about here on your travel show. But it's
been very interesting. There are some deals that the cruise
lines tell Morris Columbus Travel. You can talk about these
over the phone, are in person, but you can't advertise
them because all the other travel agencies that don't get
them go absolutely wild. They lose their mind.

Speaker 2 (53:08):
Yeah, then they have to deal with them at their
next sales meeting.

Speaker 1 (53:11):
They really do, you know. I was a ten days ago.
Kathy and I were on the Iceland to London cruise tour,
two week cruise. We spent a couple of days in
Iceland and then a couple of days in London. Just incredible,
nice group of people. And we spent one day in Amsterdam,

(53:34):
and I love the Netherlands. I love Amsterdam. If you
had one day, what are some of the things you
would do?

Speaker 2 (53:42):
So I had one day coming home from Kenya. Once
you guys just talked about Kenya. We had a ten
hour stop over in Amsterdam, so we took the group out.
We went on a canal ride, we went and saw
some of the windmills. We did a little shopping. We
walked around and had French fries with mayonnaise, which you've

(54:04):
already said is nothing.

Speaker 1 (54:06):
That is mayonnaise is disgusting.

Speaker 2 (54:08):
Oh it was fantastic.

Speaker 1 (54:10):
Way people love it. They love it.

Speaker 2 (54:11):
There's so much to do and you can just really
go and explore. There are besides the few things I mentioned.

Speaker 1 (54:18):
Well, Amsterdam was founded in the thirteenth century as a
fishing village. It was built on the river Amstell. Now
in the Dutch language, of course they getaway Guru fluent
in Dutch, Hell and all languages. In the Dutch language,
dom dam refers to a barrier built to hold back water,

(54:40):
you know, like the Dutch boy's ticking his finger in
the dike. It can also be used in the context
of cities, so as many Dutch towns are named with
the suffix dam and halland America the yeah, and she's
not swearing the bowlin Dam the Amsterdam the new that
is the joke. Yeah anyway. Additionally, dom dam can refer

(55:05):
to a causeway or barrier, depending on the context. Well,
it was built on the Amstel river, so a'mstell Dam
becomes Amsterdam. You know, there are one hundred and sixty
five canals in Amsterdam. Venice has one hundred and fifty.

(55:26):
Amsterdam has more canals than Venice, but they pale in
comparison to Bangkok, which has one thousand, six hundred and
eighty two clongs. That's the tie word. Of course. The
getaway guru fluent in Thai and all languages. But a
klong which was spilled klong A klong is a canal
in the tied language. You know, they're more bicycles than

(55:50):
people that have bicycle lanes. You can run a bicycle
and you better look.

Speaker 2 (55:54):
I was just gonna say, don't you think you can
walk in that lane?

Speaker 1 (55:58):
No, you can't, You can't at all. Now we often
refer to the country as Holland. That's not the name
of the country. That's a nickname the Netherlands, not Netherlands.
The Netherlands is the name of the country which has
twelve provinces, which we would call a state. Holland has

(56:20):
Nord and Zorn the like. Nord is the northern province,
and that's in these provinces is where all of the
commerce in Amsterdam the Hague is further down south, near
the Belgian border. But it's interesting. Have you ever heard
the expression, hey, let's go to lunch and we'll go Dutch.

Speaker 2 (56:41):
I have heard that.

Speaker 1 (56:42):
Yeah. Well, in the seventeenth century, England and the Netherlands
fought over trade routes and political boundaries. The British always
ready to insult somebody use the term Dutch as a
negative connotation, to imply that Netherlanders were stingsy and cheap.

(57:06):
And you've heard that, you know the Dutch could squeeze
blood out of a penny. Okay, yeah, so that does
what going Dutch means, you're stingy. But today it doesn't
have that same meeting.

Speaker 2 (57:17):
No, I've always understood it just meant that you're each
paying for yourself. It's like, I'm not buying your lunch,
you're not buying mine. We're going Dutch.

Speaker 1 (57:24):
Now, if I just had one day off a cruise
ship or maybe a long airline connection, yep, there's a
train right from the Skipple airport that's the Amsterdam International
goes right to downtown to Centrum or central and they
have yellow kiosks and then you buy your ticket, go

(57:45):
down and escalate and jump on the train. There's a
board that tells you how often the train has come.
If I only had one day, I think the very
first thing that I would do is the end Frank House.
I was there just ten days ago. It is moving now.
You can only buy tickets online and it sells out
every day. Buy them in advance, you can, there's no

(58:05):
walk up sales of that. I also love the reichs Museum.
It's the Masters, the Night Watchman, It's Rembrandt, the Van Go,
which of course is Van Go, The Canal Tour, total
total Touristy and I love it.

Speaker 2 (58:23):
It is well. They've got the little earphone that you
can listen to all the commentary as you're going through.

Speaker 1 (58:29):
That's right.

Speaker 2 (58:29):
You see the leaning sisters they do.

Speaker 1 (58:32):
And I would rent a bicycle. It's all flat. There's
no hill on that. I love Amsterdam. It's not in Holland.
It's in the Netherlands. Hey more, Wendy's going to take
us around the world when we come back on the
travel show. You're listening to the show every week at

(59:01):
this time on this at the very station, you and
I can spend some time together. We dream, we eat,
we sleep travel. I am a hopeless travel junkie. There
is no cure for my ailment, and I love it.
I'm a willing participant. I'm Larry Gelwicks, that get away Guru.
Joined today by Wendy Fraki, a group department manager at

(59:22):
Morris Columbus Travel. Do check out all the group escorted tours.
Go to the home site Morriscolumbus dot com. The third
item down is Morris Murdoch Escorted Tours and click on that.
Then you would click on a geographic area that you're
interested in, or if it's a cruise, simply kick on cruises.

(59:44):
It goes by twenty twenty five and twenty twenty six,
and I suppose when at some point we'll have twenty
twenty seven.

Speaker 2 (59:51):
You know what, it's already starting to pop up there, Larry,
Is it really? It is? Some of your cruises that
we have been working on are going to start p
really soon.

Speaker 1 (01:00:01):
Fantastic, fantastic. I mentioned in the last segment that Morris
Columbus Travel was the largest seller of river and ocean
cruises in the entire Inner Mountain States, and I mentioned
sometimes we have promotions that are exclusive. Let me tell
you a couple of red hot deals that Morris Columbus

(01:00:24):
have that others don't. First, Viking Cruises, which sales both
ocean and river cruises. Yeah, we have a promotion that
will save you up to an additional two hundred dollars
per burkingy. It's a discount certificate that nobody else has.
They gave them to us, which means whatever promotion is

(01:00:47):
out there, whatever discount is out there, you can drop
up to another two hundred dollars per booking. It's a
discount on top of a discount.

Speaker 2 (01:00:56):
It's stacking them.

Speaker 1 (01:00:58):
It is and not to be done as Almah Waterways
with a five percent discount, and that is on top
of any and every other promotion. Now, these don't apply
to charters. They're on new bookings only and the number
of certificates is limited. So if you have a Viking cruise,

(01:01:20):
you know, if you even booked your own Viking cruise
direct you not through a travel correct and it's within
the last sixty days, you can bring that to Morris
Columbus Travel and in most cases we can add two Yeah,
with up to another two hundred dollars. We would then

(01:01:42):
manage the booking for you. It's just a great deal,
and that's some of the benefits of dealing with El
Numero Uno. Morris Columbus travel.

Speaker 2 (01:01:52):
Yes, I love it all right.

Speaker 1 (01:01:53):
You wanted to talk some more about Christmas.

Speaker 2 (01:01:56):
You know, I'm just not over you, missus Clause. There
are times where I absolutely feel like Missus Claus. But
we did not get to the root of Christmas traditions
in our last segment, which is in which country when
you think about the roots of Christmas Jerusalem, Well we

(01:02:18):
did get to that one. Okay, Christmas traditions like Germany,
that's right, Yeah, Europe. Europe is a birthplace of Christmas market.
What is traditional Christmas that all of us snow and
love so much? All of those.

Speaker 1 (01:02:40):
Yeah, oh shut the front door, and.

Speaker 2 (01:02:43):
They are they are amazing. So if you really are
a true, true lover of Christmas, you have got to
get an opportunity to go to Europe. And we've got
one this year and we've got one next year.

Speaker 1 (01:02:56):
So when you mentioned Europe, Wendy, there's a six hundred
year tradition of the chris Kindlemark in German, the christ
Child Market, yes, or festival Christmas christ Child Christmas. But
it's outdoor festivals and you know, like Vienna has twelve
different festivals, but it's wooden kiosk bedecked with evergreen boughs.

(01:03:22):
It's music, it's dancing, it's drink, it's food, it's shopping.
It's not a department store, do you know.

Speaker 2 (01:03:28):
It's everything that you see in a Hallmark movie.

Speaker 1 (01:03:31):
That's it a Hallmark movie.

Speaker 2 (01:03:33):
You're living in a snow globe. That has always been
my number one comparison is you're in a snow globe
in a Hallmark movie and there now you're in the
European Christmas Market. So the one that we've got going
this year, we're leaving the Saturday after Thanks Given.

Speaker 1 (01:03:48):
This is a land tour.

Speaker 2 (01:03:49):
Now, this is a land tour, yes, and we are
going to start in Germany. We're actually doing three different
countries of the traditions of Christmas, Germany and Austria. And
we're going to Innsbruck and to Salisburg, yes, and Salisburg. Well,

(01:04:09):
the thing that is so cool is besides the Christmas markets,
this is not just a shopping tour. We are going
to go and do the historical things and all the highlights.
So when we're in Salzburg. You know, we're going to
a Mozart concert. You know, we're going to sleigh rides
in Austria, We're going into Well, this one ends in

(01:04:33):
Switzerland in Saint Gallen, which has got the most beautiful
Brooke Library that goes back to the eleventh century. This
place is so it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site that
you have to take off your shoes just to walk
into the library to see the magnificent art and books

(01:04:55):
and everything they have on display. So this tour is
a fantastic land tour. It is both for couples as
far and for the singles. And I say that because
the majority of the people booked on that are our
friends and sisters and family members who are going on this,
but we do have some couples and so it is
really a trip for everybody. The best thing about that

(01:05:18):
this year is we've got eight ninety nine airfare from
Salt Lake City on that tour.

Speaker 1 (01:05:23):
Told me that, and that is insane.

Speaker 2 (01:05:25):
You know, you just don't see airfare like that to
Europe anymore. So when you can take advantage of eight
ninety nine airfare and we are going to your most
favorite Christmas market, on this store. We are going to
Nurremberg on this way. That's where we start.

Speaker 1 (01:05:40):
It's set in the old town, the cobblestone streets. That
part of town survived the bombing of World War two,
of course, where the Nuremberg Trials were set. It's the
old building, it's there is a magic to it. Yeah,
I love but you know what I love most about
Lurremberger sausages. Seriously, all the towns have their own. Think

(01:06:04):
of the size of a little Jimmy Dean's. Yeah, so
you order them usually about six to a plate with
a zimmer roll or something, some of that spicy brown mustard.
I always get those, but I have to have a
brought first in every town I go with.

Speaker 2 (01:06:19):
Just go ahead and try and get it right in
the casing word pops well, all the smell and everything
about it. But one of the things that we're also
doing when we're over there is we are doing the
Rothenburg Night Watchmen Tour, so we've got some unique touring
experience as well as the Christmas markets. This is really
going to be an epic tour and seriously, it's the

(01:06:40):
best Christmas present you can give anybody. But if this year,
you've already got Christmas planned. I want you to tell
everybody about next year's opportunity to go and explore well.

Speaker 1 (01:06:52):
Larry Gelwicks, Morris Columbus Travel, Kathy Gelwicks and i'm A
Waterways are teaming up. We have charged. We've bought half
the ship on a Rhine River cruise that will include Switzerland, France,
Germany and the Netherlands. Yeah, we'll be in Amsterdam.

Speaker 2 (01:07:10):
You'll be Amsterdam there, I'll be Amsterdam.

Speaker 1 (01:07:14):
So it's all the Christmas markets, but we get all
of the sight seeing that you would get any time
of the year. You pack and unpacked one time. Alma
Waterways is the ultimate deluxe river cruise company. We will
be offering a pre cruise several days there in Switzerland,
but you know the itinerary. We start in Basel, Switzerland,

(01:07:38):
we stop in Strasburg. Now I love Strasburg. Right there
at the Notre Dame Strasburg. Everybody thinks Notre Dame either
as the university in Indiana and South Bend or in Paris,
but the name of the cathedral in Strasbourg is Notre
Dame Strasburg. And that's where the biggest of the Strasbourg

(01:08:02):
Christmas markets. It's food, it's entertainment. It's surrounded by restaurants
and shopping. And then over to La Petit France, which
is Old Town France what it looked like with half
timbered buildings four five hundred years ago. There's a Christmas
market over there. There's a Christmas market in between them.

(01:08:23):
But Strasburg itself is the largest city in the Grand
East region of eastern France. It's the official seat of
the European Parliament and catch this it has the oldest
Christmas market in France, dating to the year fifteen seventy
when Carlos was just a young man, and one of

(01:08:44):
the oldest in Europe. There's right there by the cathedral
there's over three hundred chalets as they call them, these
large wooden kiosks. They're spread out and I mean, it's
just it's the.

Speaker 2 (01:09:00):
Most picturesque place you really could imagine because of the
canals that you're walking down, and it's just everything about
the experience.

Speaker 5 (01:09:10):
You know.

Speaker 1 (01:09:10):
From the year fourteen thirty nine to eighteen seventy four,
of the Strasburg Cathedral Strasbourg Noredam was the tallest building
in the World. The spire rises four hundred and sixty
six feet. You're a short distance from the Black Forest,
and you know the best thing to buy in the
Black Forest is the cuckoo clock. I have one.

Speaker 2 (01:09:31):
I've got to They're famous for that.

Speaker 1 (01:09:33):
We also move on to Heidelberg. Yeah, that is that
college town we can you know, there's a youthful energy
there and a long pedestrian street past the Grand Church,
the Christmas markets. There is also a Christmas store there
that's open year round, and it's massive. Yes, and of

(01:09:56):
course I get my brought verse there, but maybe maybe
my favorite is rud Shine. It is Christmas year round
the whole. It's a village. It's a it's not a
big city. It's a village. There's a gondola ride there,
but you walk up and down these narrow alleyways. It's
in everything you dream. I am looking for elves.

Speaker 2 (01:10:18):
Well, they're probably there, they're just hiding from you.

Speaker 1 (01:10:21):
Yeah, and they do have Christmas stores that are open
year round. The dates are December third to the tenth.
Now that's the actual cruise date, so you'll leave at
least the day before to join us in Basel, Switzerland.
We'll have a. I think it's like a three day
pre cruise. Aren't you putting ride together yet?

Speaker 2 (01:10:39):
We're working on that both of these tours. We are
trying to hit it right after the Thanksgiving holiday and
getting you home after that first week in December, so
you really can still enjoy the whole festivities with your family.

Speaker 1 (01:10:53):
Yeah, you're home at least a couple of weeks before that.
And what in buying half the ship? We literally bought
half the ship. We all the cabins. The discounts range
anywhere from hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of dollars to
over one thousand dollars per person. I'm a waterway's going
to sell the other half the ship Mars is over

(01:11:14):
one thousand dollars depending on your cabin. Then if you
bought it directly from the cruise and again December third
to the tenth, that is next year, twenty twenty six,
And your.

Speaker 2 (01:11:25):
Dates this year is November twenty ninth through December seventh,
and you are home for Thanksgiving, and you're home for Thanksgiving,
you leave right after that. It's going to be fantastic.
I hope you'll count.

Speaker 1 (01:11:36):
We come back, we're going to talk about American Airlines
problem with lice date lice. Welcome back to the Travel Show.
I'm Larry Gelwiz, the get Away Duru, and I'll be
getting away later this month. I will be visiting England, Scotland, Ireland,

(01:12:00):
Northern Ireland and France and then fly straight from London
down to Nairobi, Kenya. Isn't that crazy?

Speaker 2 (01:12:09):
I'm gonna miss you so much. Absolutely, I'll be.

Speaker 1 (01:12:13):
Writing a wildebeest put a saddle on the back of that.

Speaker 2 (01:12:18):
I want that picture posted on social media.

Speaker 1 (01:12:21):
Absolutely, and I'll be in my Tarzan outfit.

Speaker 2 (01:12:24):
Do you know that you have a Facebook page, Larry.

Speaker 1 (01:12:27):
Well, I'm told that I do.

Speaker 2 (01:12:30):
It is it's on Facebook. It's the Getaway Guru Dash
Larry Gelwicks. That is your own personal Facebook page dot
com or there is no if. If people are on Facebook,
they know how to find you. But more important it's
it's Facebook. Yes, something like that slash the get Away

(01:12:51):
Guru Larry Gelwicks. We put we put your whole name
and your your social identity on it. But more important
than that personal page. Both Morris Columbus Travel and Morris
Murdock Escorted Tours both have very active Facebook and Instagram pages.
And one of the things that we've been talking about

(01:13:13):
the Christmas markets, I have neglected to mention that because
Christmas in July is a shopping event, we are going
to have some special discount codes, but you can only
get them on our social media pages. So make sure
that you go and like Morris Murdock Escorted Tours Facebook

(01:13:33):
page or Instagram page and look for our ads that
we're doing for our Christmas tours and those discount codes.
Now Morris Columbus or Morris Columbus pages, they also have
their own page, and we do a fantastic job of
putting promotions and all the new specials out there. And

(01:13:55):
I think one of the things you like the best
about those pages, Larry, is it's a wonderful way for
people they interact with you and tell you things about
the radio show, what they want to hear, comments, just
different stories. And I think that that's a fantastic ways
for people to communicate with you.

Speaker 1 (01:14:11):
And they can tell me where to go, I mean,
and how to.

Speaker 2 (01:14:14):
Get there, and then you can tell them where to go.
I'll tell you how to get there.

Speaker 1 (01:14:18):
Okay, have you ever had a life's problem, Wendy no,
but American Airlines has a life problem. It's they call
it gate life. Now, these are passengers. It's not the
little squiggly animal. Okay, thank goodness. It's passengers who keep
hanging around the desk and where you you know, show

(01:14:42):
your boarding pass and they crowd and crowd, and then
they're calling it by zones. We're now boarding zone two
and they're in zone four, but they want to get
on in earlier, and they just walk up and.

Speaker 2 (01:14:56):
Present their boarding pass like it.

Speaker 1 (01:14:58):
Yeah. Well, American Airlines has announced it's expanding a new
technology to end the process they call gate lice, which
is when passengers cut lines in hope of boarding a
flight earlier. And so what they do is they they
pilot had a pilot test at the Albuquerque Airport and

(01:15:20):
Tucson and Reagan in Washington, d C. Well, now they've
got such positive response from customers. I think it's fantastic.

Speaker 2 (01:15:29):
I think they should have one of those blue police
lights that if you try to scan your boarding pass
when you you know, before your zone, it starts flashing
and everybody knows what you've done.

Speaker 1 (01:15:39):
What about a trapdoor that.

Speaker 2 (01:15:42):
Would be good to page.

Speaker 1 (01:15:44):
You know, last week I talked about. Something that bugs
the daylights out of me is when airlines say those
who need a little extra time in assistence board. Now
you know, I'm all for that for maybe you know
grandma and grandpa, a wheelchair, a crutches, a cane, anyone,

(01:16:05):
maybe limited mobility or other issues. But I see so
many people, and here I am being judgmental that appear
to be perfectly healthy. They usually have three bags and shopping.
I'm okay with families with small children getting on early,
but I don't know, it just seems to be so abused.
I asked a Delta gate agent once you know, I said,

(01:16:29):
look at these people, I mean, they really need they
really need early boarding, and she simply said, I will
never challenge someone if they say they need the board early. Well,
soon we'll have the whole plane boarding early. So maybe
I should just join them. I don't know. I don't
know about that.

Speaker 2 (01:16:48):
Do you think people will question you?

Speaker 1 (01:16:51):
People question me, mostly the police and the FBI. Hey listen,
if you used the Salt Lake International Airport, I recommend
that you eat at the Blue Iguana on Terminal A East.
Yum' that's my favorite Mexican restaurant. I do know the owners.
You know, they're at the Blue Iguana and they it's

(01:17:17):
just a great restaurant. Anyway, we do recommend that you
park at Parking Jet. There are two major off airport parking.
There's the Spot and Parking Jet. Now there's nothing wrong
with these, but I like Parking Jet because they're locally owned.
Free car wash, but the money stays locally. And if
you want a twenty percent discount, they've already got low rates,

(01:17:41):
but an additional twenty percent. Go to Morriscolumbus dot com,
click on resources and then print to half a dozen
of them. Give them out to your friends and family.
I just keep it in my glovebox.

Speaker 2 (01:17:54):
I was going to say, call the office, any office
and they will email you the coupon.

Speaker 1 (01:17:58):
Yeah, or you can get it on the website. With that, well, listen,
that brings us to another rap of the Travel Show.
Thank you so much for joining us. I am grateful
for your loyalty to Morris Columbus Travel and to the
Travel Show. I'll be talking to you next week with
more hilarious stories. Hey, I'm a great week. God bless

(01:18:20):
you and God bless America.