Letters of Recommendation

May 21, 2005
Hi Rod!
Thanks for the note. Yes, the Coral Princess cruise was wonderful-they treated my parents like Platinum! It truly was the perfect 50th anniversary package for them. A little story: as we were sailing out of the SF Bay under the Golden Gate bridge, the Captain was blasting the horn, people on the ship and on the Golden Gate bridge were waving and my mom starts sobbing! She assures me they are happy tears and says "how did you know that your father proposed to me on a ferry as we were passing under the Golden Gate Bridge?!? And here we are on our 50th anniversary!" The thing is-I didn't know that! I think that set the tone for the rest of the trip. We had one wait staff, Hector, that pampered my parents to the point of spoiled-ness (if that is a word)! I was a bit miffed at Princess though because my sister bought a mini-suite and they upgraded her to a private suite, yet I bought a mini-suite for Jo and I AND a private suite for my parents but I didn't get upgraded! (Those Private Suites are really nice.) OK, enough whining!
The good news is that Jo LOVES cruising, so she is now REALLY looking forward to our Alaska cruise. (She used to get seasick on her dad's boat and had decided that anything on the water was bad.)
As to the Empire Landmark-what a great location and price. Our room appeared to be partially renovated, but my parents and brother's rooms were fully renovated and nice. I would stay there again. They were very nice with check in and out. What was absolutely fabulous though is the restaurant upstairs. It is on the 42nd floor and rotates like the Space Needle, but the food was excellent, much better than anything I have had at the Space Needle. I highly recommend it and would go there even if I were staying elsewhere.

Again, thanks for everything you did for us-it was great, and we are so looking forward to the Alaska cruise on Holland America.
Kathryn

19 May 05
Rod,
We had a fantastic time. Secret Harbor was so much more than we expected. We ended up with a two bedroom unit RIGHT on the beach. The service at the hotel was good, there was a great little restaurant there (Blue Moon Beach Cafe) which was tasty but a bit over-priced. They have a dive shop that offers SCUBA lessons and dives (which none of us took advantage of). Secret Harbor was in a nice location...between Red Hook, where the ferries come and go, and Charlotte Amalie, the "big" city.
I would highly recommend a day sail to St. John. We took "Ike Witt" charters, which was nice and personal (with a maximum of 6 people). The sail is unreal through the tropical waters and then the snorkeling off the boat is unlike any snorkeling I've done. We saw a TON of sea life because we were able to get to a secluded side of the island (only accessible by boat).
Having a car was good. I can't imagine doing the trip without one.
Thanks for setting us up for this wonderful vacation.
We had the trip of a lifetime!
Lis

16 May 05
Thanks Rod.  Good timing.  I had a note here to let you know how the trip went. 
The hotel was fantastic and probably the best one we saw in Playa.  Absolutely perfect location right in the center of town, but once in the hotel area, it was like being in a private oasis.  Keep it on your list as the best….and we aren’t that easy to please.  Also, very “family” friendly.  We saw quite a few brothers and sisters staying at the hotel, and for obvious reasons.  The place is fabulous.  The only issue we had was that the mattress was a bit hard for what we were used to, but that was nothing compared to all the positive experiences we had.  Our only regret is that we didn’t upgrade to an upstairs room with a balcony.  Bottom line is the hotel is definitely well worth it.
But, we didn’t spend that much time there anyway.  We were out and about so much each day, either on the beach (there is a “family beach” about 40 minutes walk north of Playa), wandering the streets in town, dining out (some of the best meals we have ever had and none were over $100 total even with drinks/wine and tip), or hitting the clubs (they even had one boys bar in town).  We went to the Mayan Ruins in Chichen Itza and also to Tulum.  All well worth the time to visit and great experiences.  We never made it to Cancun and had no regrets about that one.  Playa is a small town that retains it’s local feel and atmosphere.  The locals are friendly and the service is very good.  I would highly recommend this trip to anyone wanting a trip with the best of all worlds and at an affordable price.  We agreed we’d go back again but perhaps next time spend a couple of extra days in Tulum.  That place looked wonderful.  The beaches in Playa are beautiful but unfortunately were not very clean.  A lot of litter which was disheartening considering the beauty of the surroundings and the water.  I would highly NOT recommend any of the beach front “huts” or hotels on the beaches in Playa.  There is no privacy whatsoever at those places and the beaches tended to get crowded…right up to the porches of those expensive little huts.
Another hotel that is cool but should be reserved for the club kids is called Deseo. Very Miami/S. Beach and hip. We went there for drinks a couple of times and the atmosphere is really fun and funky.  It just wasn’t our style…but for the club boys it would be a fun place to stay.
All in all, it was a wonderful trip and we enjoyed ourselves immensely.  Thank you so much for your recommendation and help.  We both really appreciate it.
Jerry

Nov 12, 2004
Hello Rod,
I don't know how I can put into words how completely fabulous this vacation was.  Both Chris and I loved Whalers Cove.  They seem to have designed the place with quiet and privacy in mind.  The kitchen in our unit was as well equipped as my kitchen at home and with the farmers markets on Kauai, we ate very well all week.  The view from our bedroom was awesome.  Every morning I woke up seeing my beloved's face and a beautiful sunrise over the cove.
The staff was very helpful when we needed anything -- advice, an umbrella, whatever.  Yet they were non-intrusive and polite.

Of course, there is a completely different kind of energy in Honolulu but we enjoyed the night at the Hyatt as well.

Thanks so much for arranging everything.  I look forward to planning other trips with you in the future. 

Anne

July 15, 2004
Dear Rod,
Loved the Premier Villa Resort in Puerto Vallarta! Terrific size hotel. Small enough not to be chaotic, large enough to have an excellent staff and amenities. Great ocean view, dining and pool. Good location for walking to town. The food was wonderful. The service was excellent. The room was cool comfortable and clean. The spa was outstanding (I enjoyed it more than the Elizabeth Arden Red Door in Tucson). A really good experience at a fabulous price.
Thanks!
Sarah

April 27, 2004
Dear Rod,
First off, we want to thank you so much for your efforts to find us accommodations close to our friend’s hotel.  It was great only being 1 1/2 miles apart. Regarding the Makahuena Resort, we were shocked to find out our garden view room had a great view of the ocean and it also was a 3-story, 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom condo!  I have a feeling we got lucky.  It was nice to not have to share a bathroom and to have a kitchen to sear Ahi at night, make our own Mai Tai's etc.  I read in a travel guide that those condos were older and not all kept up, but our was very comfortable, which we like. 
Thanks again for all your assistance.  It's been a long time since we've used a travel agent and found it to be worth it.
Cindy

April 1, 2004
Hi Rod 

It was an amazing holiday! Australia exceeded my expectations. Southern Cross was a perfect location in Sydney. The Sydney by Diva tour was the best time- made some great friends, took scandalous pictures and the party went on after the bus unloaded!

Turtle Cove was just paradise- I didn't realize how tropical (snakes and lizards but rare butterflies and beautiful gardens) and isolated it was until I got there. It was gorgeous, the staff is so fun, friendly and amazing BUT it was kinda weird because I'm so used to being able to go out, walk to bars, etc. I kept thinking "what the heck am I gonna go do for 5 nights?"  

One day I went snorkeling on the reef-which was the most amazing experience! Then I totally gave in to Turtle Cove- just take it easy- it was just days of total chilling = I have never been so relaxed. I met so many incredible people, including a lesbian having their wedding, there at Turtle Cove. 

Thanks so much for helping me plan one of the best experiences of my life. I definitely want to go back to Australia within the next 2 years. 

Talk with you soon, Will

March 25, 2004
Rod,

We really enjoyed our trip – and loved Ocean View Villas.  Tim, John and Ruben were great.  The place is small – 3 units and their house.  Each studio unit is quite large and the 2 bedroom unit is very big.  The central courtyard/garden area is great – good place to socialize.  The private patio and outdoor shower in back is wonderful for sunning and not socializing.  There were a couple of issues.  There are many dogs in the area who bark a lot at night which takes some getting used to (the windows and doors of the unit are left open for cross-draft so it’s not easy to shut the noise out).  Also, because of the openness, it is easy to hear the neighbors in the other units.  This was no issue when we first arrived as the folks in the other units were pretty much on the same wake/sleep schedule as we were.  However, after they left, the people who came to the big unit were up much later talking and watching tv.  There is no pool which could be an issue for people who like to sun by water. That said though, we would definitely stay there again.

The real problem was with DCA.  I would recommend that if you use them again that you advise clients that DCA is often late. As a result, we missed the connecting flight from Curacao to Bonaire and had to spend quite a while getting another flight.  It’s ok to use DCA from Bonaire – Curacao – Miami but there is not enough time between the arrival from Miami to departure to Bonaire.  That could be resolved by booking DCA to Curacao and then BonExcel to Bonaire – although that does mean getting luggage off one flight and onto the other.  There is some talk of someone having a direct flight to Bonaire soon.  KLM might be a viable alternative.  I just don’t know if they have flights from the states or just from Amsterdam.

The island is small and arid – but we found plenty to do.  Snorkeled nearly every day and explored by car a lot.  Ocean View Villas is probably about 3 miles from town (too hot to walk) and there are no restaurants in the area (although they have full kitchens) so a car is necessary.  Most of the hotels and apts are not in Kralendyk – and the beaches are spread pretty much up the entire west side of the island.  The beaches are definitely not lying on/sunning beaches.  They are covered with pieces of coral.  Water shoes are a necessity.  There was a large extensive tidal wave in 1999 which has affected the beaches and coral reef but we certainly saw a lot anyway – and many, many kinds of fish.
I think that’s about it.  Hope this helps

Ann

March 8, 2004
Dear Rod.
I just got back to Michigan yesterday and believe it or not I still have sea legs.  My house keeps bouncing around.

I thought the Oosterdam was as beautiful as a ship could be.  My friends who had gone on the Rotterdam last year also agreed.  No complaints about the Rotterdam but this ship was a more elegantly set-up.
The crew in every section of the ship were wonderful.  Of course we had more contact with the waiters and dining crew.   I have traveled a lot of the word and all of the U.S. and I have never had better service.
We really loved the Captain .  When he introduced the whole ships crewmembers one at a time he laughed so hard because of all the audiences reactions to each one.  Especially if he was really gorgeous.  I got the feeling this poor man had never had an all Gay ship before.
The R.S.V.P. dancers and Dragellas were fabulous.  We had a chance to meet some of the dances at other functions and they were great.  Amy and Fred blew me away.  I was told to go and see them I did and at every other opportunity I was there.  Of course standing room only or 50 more chairs brought in.
We attended all the parties and each one got better.  I even played Bingo the last game with that crazy, funny and witty Danny Williams.
We were not impressed with the stops we made.  We went on two land excursions-Casa Maya and Roatan, Honduras and liked Roatan because of the info about jungle gardens and medicines that are found there.  Of course not you and the Holland American people but Key West COLD-COLD-COLD.  Thank God had been there 20 times so we just walked and sight seen.
I hope this gives you a feeling about my First cruise.  I am hooked.
Thank you so much for the wine.  And I feel your handling of us was great.
Till later
Richard

March 2, 2004
Hi Rod,
Thank you for the email and for the bottle of wine!

The trip was wonderful, for me this get away was just about relaxing and being on the ship-as usual RSVP and Holland America did a wonderful job and I am very relaxed and ready to step back into my "life".

There was one small marring on the trip but I heartily applaud that RSVP quickly made me happy.

I am in customer service and have been for a long time-I make people as happy as I can and RSVP did that for me this time around.

We had seen that this cruise was open seating for dinner, and much to my regret I only found out on Sunday evening when we were underway that in the afternoon there had been a window of time for anyone interested to reserve a table for the week.  The friends we were traveling with were looking forward to the dinner as much as we were; the dining ritual of going to a lounge and being called to dinner then sharing our day has become an important part of our travel.

On night one we queued up for dinner and found there to be a stampede of nearly gold rush proportion to get to the tables.  We found a table for four and two of our group went to another table.  One of our group went downstairs and managed to find a four top and a two top side by side so we migrated there, only to find that each of those tables had separate servers and our meals came in an odd stagger, they got drinks while we got starters, they had starters while we had soup etc.  It was not what we wanted.  We also saw at least six tables in the lower dining room with reserved signs on them, which remained empty through the entire meal.

The next day (Monday 23 March at Sea) there was a lot of talk around the ship about the dining seating and I decided that if I had to camp out at the front door to the dining room at 6 PM I would as I did not want us to have to hurry to get a table while we were in formal wear.

I went to RSVP who explained that they had heard many complaints but that Holland America would not allow any more reserved seating due to the fact that guests had reserved tables the night before then not show up to use them.  I asked RSVP if tipping would help get an assigned table and was told that "it couldn't hurt" but that they were not telling me to (tip).  With a large bill in my pocket I hurried to the dining room and met with the dining room Captain who assured me that it was RSVP who had told Holland America not to take any more reservations because so many reserved tables had not been used the night before.  And I got the very distinct impression that this guy only thought of Tipping as a city in China and I wasn't about to slip him the $100 only to have him pocket it and say good day.

So back to the RSVP table I went, a reserved rage having built by then as I had spent a good part of the afternoon being shuttled back and forth between the dining room and front desk.

RSVP were so understanding at that point, especially after I told them that my friends and I were very happy with their company and had spent a lot of time "selling" RSVP travel to our friends.  RSVP assured me that they would have a table for me the next night-which I thought more than fair so I hurried back to the cabin and dressed before the rest of my group and was first in line at the doors of the dining room for second seating before first seating was even up to the salad course of their dinner.

While I was sitting there one of my cabin mates arrived with a note that I was to see a steward, who told me that a table had been assigned to me for the rest of the week.  They only asked that I let them know if we were not going to be using the table on any night.

Other than that the cruise was wonderful, the stop in Mexico interesting, Guatemala poverty stricken (but I had such a wonderful experience there when I watched to "pretty boy's" bring cans of soda and glasses of ice to two of the women selling things on the dock-it was ash Wednesday and the boys had no idea that anyone saw them do the good deed). And I had the adventure of my life in Honduras as I have friends there who have developed a Cay there-they picked me up and gave me an insiders tour along with lunch on their custom yacht moored there.

We LOVED the Kinsey Sicks, spent part of the day in Guatemala with the (all gay-the boys at least) cast of the ship show (both of the ship shows were OK only), and have a new goddess in Kathy Griffin.  Danny Williams and the rest of the RSVP crew are great although they could say hello to a better cross section of travelers and not focus of the hot guys so much-I kind of force them to say hello to me although I understand they are not being paid for the trip.

We spent a lot of time talking up the Alaska cruise and Seattle in general and will be meeting next year with about a dozen guys who are booked for the trip although we are not going.

Overall, a simply wonderful vacation!

James

Feb 12, 2004
Rod, 

We had a wonderful time at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.  Our room was on the same level as their beautiful lobby.  Just about every morning, we had giraffe's grazing out side our window.  It was fabulous.  The hotel service was great.  Our last day there, the maid had two towels made up as white swans (heart shaped) on our bed.  And the two giraffe furbies that we take along for good luck were placed in front of the pillows on the other bed. It did not take them long to figure out that we were lovebirds. It was a lovely touch.   On Richard's birthday evening, we got a phone message that a package was waiting for him.  It was a wonderful Moet & Chardon champagne gift basket with two Mickey Mouse embossed flutes, truffles and crackers and cheese, all mounted on a bamboo-serving tray.  He was thrilled.  The only complaint we had about the Lodge was the system they use at the Cafeteria for recording food orders. They mixed up our order on two separate occasions.  The second time, I had to have the Manager readjust our bill, after they brought us food we did not order.  Just a minor issue.

Thank you for recommending the rental.  We covered a lot of territory.  It was a chore to figure out their road system; thank God Richard was along to navigate.  By day 5, I was starting to get the hang of it. (We did not go outside the "World" complex.) The Package deal was excellent.  The card got us into all of the Parks, parking, and we could charge everything else on it, including meals, just like the cruise ship system.   I highly recommend going in February.  We had one morning of a light rain and one night of cold temps, but the rest of the time the temp was mild.  The lines were very short, most rides we got on in minutes.   Richard coerced me into "Mission Space" and "Tower of Terror" which we did 3 times.  The rock & roll coaster and the GM test dummies track were awesome.  We had a lot of fun on the "Buzz Light Year" ride. We took the boat over to the Wilderness Lodge.  That complex is quite impressive. Tons of kids there however.  The thing I liked about the Animal Kingdom Lodge is that it is out of the way, and less kids. (At least while we were there).  The way I figured it, we must have walked at least 100 miles! The Animal Kingdom Park safari ride was awesome.  Their attention to the smallest detail in the variety of animal savannas is what makes Disney so special.

The flight was uneventful, although Richard felt the seats were smaller on the return flight.  I tried to tell him that this was the same plane that we came down on.  Putting us on the aisle seats was good, since I could stretch my legs out periodically.

All in all, we had a fabulous time. I would certainly recommend the Animal Kingdom Lodge to anyone. Thank you again for your excellent recommendations making a very memorable vacation.

 Jim

Nov 3, 2003

Hi Rod,

We got back Thursday night and got ready for Halloween.  Sorry for the delay on this message.

We had a great time.  The weather was warm, but the sky was mostly smokey the entire time.  It actually helped because it would have otherwise been hot.  The area we were in was not affected by the fires, except for the smoke.  The fires were such a terrible thing for many people.  It was the "talk of the town" and on the news constantly.

The accommodation were okay.  They took good care of us.  They had a shuttle that ran to Disneyland on the hour and returned to the hotel fifteen minutes after the hour.  That was most convenient.

The hotel was an older style Ramada, but they kept it nice and clean.  The room we stayed in smelled musty when we first walked in.  After we turned the fan/air/ or heat on, the musty smell went away.  There were actually two other newer Ramada Hotels that were closer to Disneyland, but they probably were more expensive.

We also upgraded our car to a Ford Mustang Convertible.  That was nice, except for all the ash in the air.

We had a great time in West Hollywood.  We went to the "Black Party" at The Factory on Oct 25th.  That was a great experience and we had a wonderful time.  The dancing down there is high energy and non-stop.  I think some of the DJ's in Seattle/Tacoma/Olympia area could take a few lessons from these guys.  It was fabulous!!!  A few of the other hot spots were The Attic, Rage, and Mickey's.  They were expecting 100,000 plus people for Halloween.  They were going to close part of Santa Monica Blvd. for the hugh party.  I'm sorry we missed that!  The people were great and very hospitable.  It was nice to walk around and feel comfortable about being gay.  West Hollywood really embraces the gay community; at least it appeared that way.

Thanks again for making the arrangements.  We kind of thinking about a trip to Palm Springs to a gay resort.  It would be a relaxing type of getaway.  I'm not sure when the best time of year would be.  We noticed, in a few gay publications, several ads for these resorts.  Do you have any information on these resorts?  Thanks again.

K and K

Oct 22, 2003

Hey there!  Thanks for writing to us about our trip.  The Buenaventura hotel was a nice place to stay.  Lots of pools and the people who worked there were EXTREMELY FRIENDLY.  The beach on the other hand wasn't so nice so we ended up at the pool daily.  Our room was okay, wish we had a balcony though.  The all inclusive deal is well worth the price, just stay away from that so called dinner buffet, or was it a plated??  Still a little confused.  Breakfast was muy bueno.  If we ever return to Puerto Vallarta we would stay there again.  Thank you for making this an easy vacation.  We will go to you the next time we're looking to vacation .  maybe next year. 

Jaime

Oct 11, 2003

Hi Rod-

I had a great time in Pollina.  Sicily was absolutely beautiful ... this time of the year the weather is perfect.  It was around 78-80 degrees during the day, 68 degrees at night.  No humidity.  It was if you couldn’t event feel the air on your skin.   The resort was very good – great venue, great beach & pool area. Rooms were clean and large but had minimal views / light.  Food was average.   

There were about 550 men plus a few women ... about 200 British, 100 French, 100 Italians plus people from Israel, Australia, Netherlands, Germany and about 15 people from the states.  I would not characterize it as a “circuit event” ... too small for that but a very pleasant week with dancing and shows every night.  I would recommend it for people looking for a week’s holiday on the Mediterranean with other gay  boys – you could either relax / read / sit by the pool or go down to the beach and windsurf or go out on sea kayaks.  There were daily excursions – I only ventured away once to see the Stromboli volcano – a long but pleasant trip.  I liked the diversity of the group ... the multiple languages made some people stick with their groups but English was pretty much spoken by everyone.

Travel arrangements went smoothly.  No complaints.  Overall, a good value for anyone wanting a holiday on the Mediterranean.  
Regards, Bill 

July 29, 2003

Rod,

Christopher and I made it make safely and as scheduled.  We had a fantastic trip. And we're so thankful for your help in putting it together for us.  The accommodations were wonderful, as I think I mentioned in an earlier email.
You might note that the B&B in Edinburgh that you booked us in has a  new operator/owner as of three weeks ago.  She seemed a bit scattered and not always helpful, but that may be due to being in transition in taking  over the business.  According to the news in Britain, the unions still haven't worked out a real settlement with British Airways.  They are sounding like they might take official walk-out or strike votes to coincide with heavy mid to late August  air traffic.  Fortunately for us, today everyone was working.

You definitely get our recommendation.
We'll be encouraging our friends to see you if they need a trip planned!

Thanks again!   
Mark

July 8, 2003

Gay Italy With Enzo -Like no other tour you have been on!
If you’re a person who loves to travel and be with other people but NOT always having to be together, Enzo’s Tour is the way to go! Some people need the constant attention that a mainstream tour group offers, if this is what you’re looking for I would not recommend this type of tour. Enzo is the tour escort, he isn’t a traditional escort as some of you might know, BUT he is VERY Popular in Italy. That is why traveling on one of his package tours is the way to see Italy. The hotels are very European; so if you’re looking for “The Ritz” or a “Westin” don’t expect this (you’ll have a bathroom in your room). What you can expect are very nice, clean, quaint and centrally located hotels. The hotels include breakfast, which is a nice way to start your day off, but again don’t expect flapjacks or corn muffins, what you can expect are the local traditional breakfast’s, which might include cheeses, assorted breads, fruit and some dry cereals just to mention a few items. But not to worry coffee of all kinds will be there, Italians LOVE their café!

The food is the best that I have EVER tasted (and I have been to many parts of the world) having lunch or dinner with a native in his own country it’s the best. The taste of Italian food and many incredible wines are ones that you will remember for a LONG time, just trust Enzo, let him order for you and just sit back and enjoy the many flavors that your food will offer your taste buds, just remember dinner really doesn’t start until about 8 or 9pm. The group will gather as a whole for dinner nightly to reflect on the day and share stories! Dinners can last up to 2 hours, which are VERY relaxing!

Italian Men are, well shall we say salivating at the VERY least! You will need to pack a neck brace for your travel home as you will be turning your head A LOT to see the next and the next man, it will definitely take its toll on your neck muscles, but it will be worth it! The sites are some that you will definitely remember, whether it’s a hike up to the opening of the famous and dangerous Mt.Etna, the beaches of Taramino or walking the streets of Catana, Rome or cruising the old streets of Pompei you will have a great time.

Being a part of an Enzo tour enables you to have the flexibility to be a part of the group or venture out on your own to explore the new sites and sounds of these accent cities. Shopping, GOD let’s NOT forget this favorite past time for many of us! Italy has some of the MOST beautiful fashions around, and most of them are not even in the states for another year! Shoes are VERY reasonably priced, linens, such as tables clothes are very nice and priced good. Some of the cities, such as Catania in Sicily have daily flee markets in there downtown area which are open from 8am – 1pm, good prices on many items but remember EVERYTHING closes up from 1pm – 4pm for R&R (something Americans don’t get) and then reopen at 4 until 7pm. Restaurant’s are usually open until 3pm. 

Italy, ahhhhhhh what a country! 

Chip.

July 7, 2003

Hi Rod...

Coll and I are back from Hawaii as of a few days ago and are making the
difficult transition back to a work schedule. 2.7 weeks away is quite a
wonderfully long time...

As far as input on the lodging -

WAIMEA PLANTATION COTTAGES (Kauai) was Coll's favorite. I enjoyed it too. Ours
was a three bedroom cottage - comfortably appointed. We spent a lot of time at
the pool and the brew pub - when not hiking the Napali or exploring great
beaches at the ends of 10 mile dirt roads only accessible by 4WD. Budget
fortunately upgraded us to a 4WD SUV. Quiet, if you ignore the roosters.

PRINCEVILLE CONDOS (Sorry, I was never able to get a grasp of Hawaiian - so I
can barely remember the names of anything - especially those places with too
many vowels). These were nice condos - everything you could possibly need to
make it home base as we explored the rest of the island. Pool was good, but I
had to hold in my stomach when walking around since it is overlooked by the
restaurant. They tucked us in at the back of the compound, no where near the
ocean - but the advantage was that the two story condo didn't have anyone above
or below us. The condo's own beach retreat was really sweet - if a bit hairy of
a climb up and down. We actually did our first snorkeling at that beach.

KONA SEASIDE - Well, you know what happened there. We were spoiled by our
experiences in on Kauai. Kudos to Randy who took care of us after closing hours that Friday.

KEAULOU RESORT A comfortable hotel, the
first air conditioning we encountered on the trip. Great property, views, and a
nicer part of town. We were very happy. Although along with everything else in
Hawaii, it was a little run down - even though apparently recently remodeled.
The breakfast buffets were great. Snorkeling at the public beach next door
great.

KALANI Randy was worried that if we didn't like the Seaside, we wouldn't like
the rustic qualities of Kalani. But we ended up enjoying it... it was a very
interesting experience. Most of the people that were there were "volunteers"
who paid a monthly stipend to live and work there. I'd say about 75% of them
were. The rest of us were the people who rented the bigger cottages. The pool
was the best I've ever been in. Not too much chlorine, painted a dark grey,
deep, and clothing optional. Met some other tourists who we would be happy to
call friends - but the volunteers are all a bit standoffish and a bit too
fabulous to interact with people who are just seeking a brief respite from the
rat race. Maybe if I spent all of my life doing "watsu" and giving "dolphin
dancing" lessons in the warm pool, I would be able to hang out with them. Puna
definitely has an edge, but the waves crashing on the cliffs were spectacular,
and being close to the volcano was great - hiking out to the lava flow at night
was probably the highlight of our trip. We'd go back.

MOLOKAI SHORES Molokai was fascinating - hiking down to the Leper colony, and
that spectacular beach at the East end of the island... but it was the only
island we couldn't see moving to. A little too sparsely populated, a little too
religious (even with the transgender "mahu" making up the majority of wait
staff and car rental staff). But the condo unit was a good home base, okay
pool. We apparently got one of the nicer units - recently remodeled... and we
could watch the water and Lanai across the channel. Only three functioning sit
down restaurants left on the island, so food options were limited. Two of the
larger hotels there are now boarded up.

So, all in all we were very pleased with the trip you set up for us - we can
see how the Seaside was a good deal, but we are becoming less forgiving in our
old age, and couldn't see spending five days there.

Feel free to let me know if you want any other input - but thanks for the great
vacation!
Simon

April 15, 2003
Dear Rod:

We are back from our trip to So America.  We had a wonderful time.  Thanks so much for all your help in planning it for us.  And thanks for the flowers in our stateroom.  They were very nice and lasted about a week.

As for a critique of the trip...  Celebrity Cruises did OK.  Their food was a notch above others we have been on, but other than that, about the same.  We were a little put out with some "attitude" of some of their customer service people, fair entertainment quality, and the timing of the ports, and going through beautiful Fjords and glaciers at night instead of day.  But still had fun.

The last week in Peru was WONDERFUL.  And Avanti did a great job.  Always punctual and the hotels in Cuzco and Machu Picchu were wonderful.  It was mostly cloudy and rainy at Machu Picchu, but so beautiful.  And yes, I can say I survived the hike up Huaynu Picchu.  Thanks for talking us into that last week.

If I can answer other questions... just ask.

Thanks Again;

David

April 11, 2003
Dear Rod,

Our trip to Hawaii was AWESOME!!! We had a great time. We're already trying to figure out when we can go back. Next time we'll bring our kids.  The hotel at Waikiki was nice. The room wasn't that big but we didn't spend a lot of time in it anyway. We really enjoyed our tour of Pearl Harbor and the city. Our bus driver was a real crackup. We had fun with him. We were glad that we left on Friday because the hotel got crowded. It was pretty quiet before that. The restaurant in the hotel had excellent food. We really enjoyed walking around at night. Lots of night life.

 We love Maui! The hotel was great. Lots of things to do. I even won a free dinner at the restaurant there which was very good. Our room was nice and big and the view was incredible. We would get up in the morning and watch the whales just a little ways out. They would slap their tails a few times and then go down. Farther out they were breaching. It was really amazing. Our housekeeper was really sweet and left us fresh flowers from her garden and made us a yarn lei. We took a catamaran snorkeling. We tried to book a boat out to Molokini but waited too long and it was spring break and everything was full. Next time we'll know better. Mark did get a chance to go deep sea fishing. Didn't catch anything but got to see a lot and enjoyed talking to the captain and crew. > I guess you can tell by my rambling on that we really had a fantastic time.

Like I said, we can hardly wait to go back but I think before Hawaii we will probably need to think about going to Disneyland at the end of the year or after the first of next year. Thank you so much for all your work and putting together such a memorable trip for us! We will never forget it. Oh, I forgot. The luau was a lot of fun. We had a front row table. Enjoyed sampling all the different food and the dancing was great.

The only thing we would of changed out of the whole trip was to have a bigger bed. Both hotels we had doubles.

Thanks again. Brenda

March 27, 2003
Dear Rod,

Thanks for the note and interest in our trip .... it was absolutely wonderful!
The time of year was perfect for the weather.  Cairns was a bit hot and humid for a fair haired country boy, but that was to be expected.  We found XXX Hotel to be filled with a lot of attitude; not the resort, but the clientele.  Most wouldn't talk to us as we were older than the remainder of the crowd and not in the perfect shape as the rest of the guests.  But still had a great time on the Barrier Reef and Rain Forest trips.  Met a couple from Phoenix and enjoyed them very much.  Very worthwhile seeing the area.

The rest of the hotels were all very good, especially Hotel XXX in Christchurch.  I am so happy you talked us into New Zealand as it was absolutely beautiful - Queenstown was spectacular.  The only regret I have is that I was to cheap to pay $164 to Bungee Jump.  Looking back, I wish I would have, it looked like great fun.
The people from the rental car agency were also very friendly, helpful and accommodating.
The only thing I would have changed would have been to only spend one night in Franz Joseph instead of two, as this is a very, very small town with not much to do but look at the glacier, got back to Christchurch earlier so we would not have had a long drive to get to the airport for a 3 PM flight out to Auckland and begin the journey back.  BTW, we got bumped to Business Class on the flight from Auckland to L.A. which was wonderful and couldn't have happened at a better time!  Wow, that was nice.
Rod, thank you so much again for your assistance.  It truly was a wonderful vacation made even better with your advise.
I took over 300 photos -- how many of them do you want to see !!!!!     HeHeHeHe.

Thanks again.
SD

November 1, 2002

Dear Rod

We had a wonderful trip! I would say that given two weeks, four countries and about 10 different cities and/or ports that we visited it went amazingly well. Your suggestion to take the Windstar Cruise really balanced the trip out between traveling and having a more "known" environment. It's hard to say which part of the trip was our favorite as we enjoyed it all.

Venice was great, a bit difficult to navigate with jet lag on the second night, but we made it. We really liked the hotel in Venice, great find! We loved Florence and would like to spend more time there.

The cruise ship was mostly US citizens and while the food was not exactly a "local" cuisine, they did a great job with quality and service. A majority of the passengers seemed comfortable with us being a couple and some invited us to join them for meals, cocktails, etc. There were at least two other gay couples on board. We spent some time with both. I'm attaching a picture of one couple from San Francisco, with David and I on the beach on southern coast of Sicily. We would highly recommend the cruise.

We were wore out by the time we got to Paris, but enjoyed a whirlwind afternoon of seeing the highlights. Some friends of ours from here in Montana recommended a small restaurant not far from the hotel that we would pass on to others, as it was a great dining experience.

As far as feedback, your suggestions and putting the itinerary together was most appreciated and made the trip work. 

Again, David and I fell that given what we were doing it went amazingly well. Thank you for your help in putting the trip together. In addition to the picture from Sicily, I'm attaching a picture of David and I at Pompeii, what great memories we have of the trip.

Also, please feel free to post part or all of my e-mail on your website.  Let me know if there is anything else we can do as your service was invaluable!!

Finally, thank you for the bon voyage gift on the Wind Surf!

David and Dan

Sept 20, 2002

Hi Rod:

Thank you for planning such a fabulous trip for us. You do a truly great
job. We tell everyone we know, if they need a great travel agent, they
should use you.

Each hotel was located in such a way that we were able to enjoy all that
we wanted to do and see with minimum confusion. The Astrotel in Salzburg
was an especially gracious host, as was the Hotel Mueller
in Hoenshwangau. We fell in love with Salzburg, it is a magnificently
alive city...the music, the art, the architecture, etc...

Thanks again, and we will be using you on our next big adventure.

Best regards,
Angela and David

July 9, 2001

Rod,
Good evening.  Thank you again for your assistance with my travel itinerary to San Francisco and for helping my partner Danny with his flight back from Phoenix.  In both situations you and your staff eased our concerns and in Danny's case, you saved us a not inconsiderable sum of money from what was quoted on one of the Internet sites.  Kudos all around.  Take care.

 David K

February 15, 2001

Dear Rod:

    Thanks so much for saving us $600 on our trip!!!   I wish I had spoken to you first, because then I could have also saved myself about six hours on-line.  (But then again, I might not have realized how much money you saved us.)
    I was first referred to you by David M. when I "almost" went to.... Well, that didn't work out, but I remembered that you very quickly responded with lots of good info and that was why I contacted you this time around. I didn't have your e-mail address, but I kind of remembered the name Capitol Hill and was able to find your website.  Well, that was a nice surprise. I didn't realize that you were "family."  In case you had not already figured, so are Phyllis and I.
    This time, I won't lose your e-mail address and next time, I'll go to you first!  I'll also refer other travelers from here, so that 800 number will be getting lots of use.  Thanks again.  I look forward to continuing to do business with you.
    Sincerely,
    Robin S.

January 18, 2000

Hey Rod,
Just thought I'd tell  you the Four Seasons was absolutely first class. I've stayed in deluxe hotels before, but they really take the cake. The service was in a class by its own. We never wanted to leave the hotel.....
You should send as many people there as possible - it is well worth the money spent, and we had a wonderful anniversary.

Thanks for the recommedation and the reservations,

Yael S.

January 13, 2000

Dear Mr. Schepper

I've recently called upon Capitol Hill Travel for my travel needs and wanted to discuss my experiences with you.

I recently moved to Seattle, and Bryan worked with me to arrange a flight for my first visit home. He was prompt and courteous and even followed through with flight changes after my ticket was purchased to help me avoid confusion at the airport.

Just this week, a close relative of mine passed away. This time I worked with Jim to arrange a last minute bereavement flight to be with my family agian. Jim worked very quickly and pushed the airlines to get information back to me as quick as he possibly could. I was able to get a flight the next day and make it to the funeral services thanks to his hard work. He also voiced his concern and sorrow for my loss.

With employees and service like this, it's apparen to me that you intend to run a quality business and I intend to bring all my travel needs to you in the future.
Thank you for such a positive experince.

Sincerely,
Jimmy H.

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