You Only Live Once
Your Ultimate Vacation Guide
Your Guide: Bethany lowe
We’ve had a lot of friends and acquaintances ask us for travel tips and advice, and after several years of emailing and messaging people one by one, we both thought that compiling our experiences into a vacation website would be a better idea.
David and I have been globetrotting together since we started dating in 2009. He had quite a head start on me, having traveled to places like London, Egypt, Israel, Alaska, and most of the Caribbean Islands before we met. He thought I needed to add some places to my travel resume, so we became travel buddies pretty much right off. In 2010, a year after we started up as a couple, he proposed in Egypt, on the steps of The Great Pyramid, and we got married in Jamaica 2 years later.
Both of us hail from North Florida. I’m a University of Georgia grad and David is an alum of both FAMU “and Florida State University. We have five kids between us (2 of whom are grown and out of the house), a cat whose formal name is Socrates but who we call Kitty for some reason, and I have a horse and ride as much as I can when we’re in town.We’re both fitness buffs, we like sci-fi shows and Marvel movies, and we get along famously, which is important since we both work out of the house and travel together at least 2 months out of the year.-
Destinations
Learn how to travel to the most amazing destinations in the world on a budget, find the best accommodations, and know which attractions are most worth your time.
Travel Tips
Cruises can be great, but with a little of our experience your voyages will be amazing. Learn when to cruise, where to cruise and what excursions to consider at your ports of call.
Cruises
Learn how to travel to the most amazing destinations in the world on a budget, find the best accommodations, and know which attractions are most worth your time.
Top 5 Travel Tips
About a week or so before each trip, I make a list of items I don’t want to forget — which I WILL forget if I don’t write them down. It’s easiest for me to have a travel list saved as a Google Doc so I can access it online and edit it as needed.
We also take photos of our passports and driver licenses and keep them in our Google Docs and in files on our phones. You just never know when you need a backup.
We went to Amsterdam in the fall and I did a great job of looking at the forecast a few days before we left, but the forecast changed drastically 24 hours before we left and 85% of what we brought ended up being too warm to wear. Be sure to bring some extra items for weather conditions you don’t expect.
If you’re at checkout in a local shop and the cashier asks you if you’d like to pay in, say, Euros or dollars, say “Euros”. Your credit card company will automatically do the conversion into dollars so there’s no need to pay in dollars. If you say you want to pay in dollars, you will likely be overcharged because the stores may use a higher conversion rate.
Get into the habit of using sunscreen. I use it daily, regardless of the weather. You will likely be walking a lot more than you think, and even if the sun isn’t literally shining, you can get sunburned. Don’t forget to apply sunscreen to your hands and arms as well as your neck, chest, and ears, and don’t forget to reapply. I take a small lightweight container of sunscreen with me in my bag when I know I’m going out for the day.
Testimonials
Thomas &, Heather H.
Our London experience was indescribably stupendous, far surpassing any expectations we had. The itinerary varied slightly from your recommendations, but your guidance was invaluable. Also, the accommodations you suggested were top notch.
Dan &, Dodi D.
You put together a “trip of a lifetime”. We had an absolutely stunning time. We loved the Couples Sans Souci resort you recommended. The food, staff, and atmosphere exceeded our expectations. Our only complaint would be that we could not stay longer.
Joel &, Claudette S.
We had the most wonderful time in Ocho Rios Jamaica! What a perfect 7 day vacation. Many thanks for all of your help and advice of things to do during our stay. We were not surprised to learn that more than 60% of the resort guests were repeat guests.
Brandon &, Tonya J.
We loved our trip to Jamaica. The people are so friendly and we've come away with several new friends. The scenery at Couples Sans Souci is gorgeous. Dunn's River Falls was an amazing experience, but be careful of the locals trying to sell their wares on the way out.