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I was reading about these great travel tips from Carlo Alcos, from the MatadorNetwork.com.

Hindsight is 20/20, right? Well, foresight can be near to it when you have the expertise of some seriously savvy travelers at your fingertips. Like the Matador team.

If you’re starting out on your first trip, this is for you. Hell, even if it’s your 20th trip, this is for you too. I know I learned a lot putting it together.

On preparing for your trip

1. Print your entire itinerary and flight tickets/confirmations. Store these with your passports. You can’t always rely on Internet access or electricity to pull this info off your phone or laptop.

2. Keep a copy of your passport and never have all of your forms of identification or access to cash (ATM/credit cards) in the same bag. If that one gets lost or stolen, you are SOL.

3. Check in with friends and family from time to time, especially when traveling alone. It’s a good idea for someone to always know where your next movements are, just in case.

On talking to airline agents

4. Always be patient and polite. This person could be the difference between you getting the flight that night or having to spend it on the airport floor.

Bad: “Can you get me on the next flight out — I can’t miss my connection to Europe!”

Good: “Excuse me, Barbara. I totally understand you guys are slammed right now, but if you have one minute, I’d really appreciate if you could try to get me on that next flight out, otherwise I’ll miss my international connection. I really appreciate it. Thank you so much.”

5. Call the airline if you’re getting stonewalled, and find an agent that is willing to help you. Keep calling until you get the answer you want. Many times agents are trained differently and some are better than others.

On budgeting abroad

6. Travel in low season. In places like Thailand and India, food and accommodation can be half the price. And there is still plenty of sunshine.

7. Use the Share-a-bill iPhone app when traveling with friends. It helps to track who spends what so no more arguing about money.

8. Track your spending. If you have a laptop, use a spreadsheet and set up some simple formulas to automatically add up your purchases. Or simply write it all down in your journal. Be vigilant.

9. Set up a new account to pull from on the road. Limit yourself to that, so when it’s gone, you come home.

10. Check your bank account options. Withdrawing overseas can be a huge cost, so make sure you know the fees. It might be worth it to upgrade to a premium account that includes international ATM withdrawals (and sometimes your service fee can be waived if you keep a minimum amount in the account).

11. Know the exchange rate of your destination countries ahead of time.

12. Don’t use traveler’s checks. These are a pain to cash in, and the fees can be very costly.

13. Have local currency when you arrive (preferably small denominations). Having to exchange money at the airport when you land is expensive. If you do have to exchange at the airport, shop around a bit if possible. The first one you encounter is likely to be the most expensive.

14. Try your hardest to avoid currency exchange places. The exchange rate at these are the worst, especially in airports and train stations. Always better to get the local currency from an ATM.

15. Buy food and booze at large grocery stores, instead of going out to bars and restaurants.

16. Do research ahead of time and book a reservation at a hostel that is both nice and inexpensive. Walking around with a backpack on looking for a cheaper place to stay isn’t fun when you’re exhausted from traveling all day.

17. Check out Craigslist, HomeAway, Vacation Rentals by Owner (VRBO), and AirBnB for apartments to rent in the places you’re visiting — these are often cheaper than hotels and hostels.

18. Use Couchsurfing for free accommodations. [*Note: Never use this site solely for free accommodations. The main purpose is cultural exchange and to meet people. Reciprocate if possible when you return home.]

19. Don’t book domestic flights at the same time you get your international flights. Booking close to the departure dates from inside the country can be much cheaper.

For example, flying into Kathmandu from New York is really expensive if you make that your destination and book from the US. It is much cheaper to fly from JFK to Bangkok, spend a night or two, and then book the flight from BKK to Kathmandu on a local Asian airline.

On meeting people when traveling alone

20. Use Couchsurfing to meet folks for coffee or tea or to join in a group event. If you’re hesitant about it, check out Overcome Your Fear: How to Practice Safe Couchsurfing.

21. Sit at a bar and strike up a conversation with the bartender. They’re possibly bored, know a lot about the town and might introduce you to other regulars.

22. Stay in a hostel, even if you want to stay in a private room. You can always meet people in the common areas.

23. Share information with other travelers. What goes around comes around. When you give others a leg up, it comes back to you down the road.

[*Note: Meeting people is never compulsory. Don't feel bad if you're not up for it.]

On researching a trip vs winging it

24. Be flexible, situations can change very fast and you don’t want to miss out on things if you have a rigid plan.

25. Research Couchsurfing and similar sites to find forums for cities you plan on traveling through. Ask locals and expats questions. You might even make some contacts before you go. Don’t forget to check the Matador Travel forums!

26. Understand you never have time to see EVERYTHING. And be okay with it.

27. If you don’t have time to research or buy a guide, at least have a map, whether it’s downloaded to your handheld, printed, or bought.

On adapting to a new country

28. Get out and about as much as possible. Orient yourself as soon as you can, and learn at least some basic expressions of the language ASAP. Taking a course locally can help with meeting people, too.

29. Talk to the front desk staff at your hostel (if you’re staying in one), they will have all kinds of advice for you. They know what they’re talking about, so reach out to them.

30. Find a room in a shared house with locals.

On food

31. Learn food words in the local language. You’ll be eating three times a day in whatever country you’re in.

32. Have snacks (e.g. nuts, fruit) handy. There’s nothing worse than settling on something because you’re too hungry and annoyed to keep looking for the perfect restaurant.

33. Carry a couple Cliff Bars with you. The train might be late, the bus ride might last four hours longer than you thought. Keep your mind working at its best by staying nourished.

34. Avoid fruits and veggies that can’t be peeled or cooked when in developing countries. For more info, read Robin Esrock’s How to travel in India and not get sick.

35. Eat street food. In many places, this is how the locals eat on a regular basis. It’s a great opportunity to get an inside peak into the culture.

On taking taxis and other transport

36. Find out the procedure and price for getting a taxi. You will most likely get ripped off at least once, but don’t worry about it. Let it be a learning lesson.

37. Pay attention to how things are done, like observing how the locals get on the bus and pay. Every place has their own system.

38. If you’re driving in “sketchy” places, make sure the back doors are locked, keep your bags on the floor instead of on your lap, and be vigilant when stopping at intersections.

39. Always negotiate the price of a cab BEFORE you start towards your destination. If the cabbie is unwilling to agree on a price when you get in and he’s not using a meter, get out and find another cab.

40. If you’re on a long bus trip and there’s a break, always make sure you keep an eye on the driver — when he/she gets back on the bus, they’re going to leave.

On staying safe

41. Don’t keep all your cards and cash together. Use multiple pockets so if your cash gets ripped off, your ATM card doesn’t have go with it.

42. Carry a “dummy” wallet with some expired credit and bank cards. Hand that over if you get robbed.

43. Don’t carry your passport with you. Keep it locked in a safe if possible or hidden away. Carry a copy of the passport.

44. Keep your eyes peeled. Stay aware of your surroundings. If you get the feeling that something isn’t right, pay attention to it. That feeling is real.

45. Don’t get drunk. This is when you’re at your most vulnerable and can make poor decisions.

46. Wear a jacket with an upper-breast zipper pocket where you can put passport/docs, even camera/wallet. Pretty impossible to thieve from.

47. Don’t travel with a laptop unless it’s necessary (e.g. your work). There are cyber cafes all over the world for easy Internet access.

48. Don’t wear any jewelry, don’t carry your dSLR in a brand new bag that screams CAMERA, don’t carry a fat wallet in your back pocket, and don’t pull out a big stash of money when you are paying for something at a counter.

49. Keep all your valuables and documents close to you when taking long distance bus rides. Not in your backpack that’s in the luggage compartment.

Read How to NOT get robbed when traveling in a dangerous country for more tips.

On health while abroad

50. Drink lots of water. To help with jet lag, drink at least three liters in the 24 hours before your flight. Don’t let yourself get thirsty.

51. Pack some ciprofloxacin (aka Cipro). This is a miracle antibiotic that is used to treat all kinds of things, from a bad stomach bug to a bladder infection or UTI.

52. Always bring Neosporin and Band-Aids. Neosporin is another miracle medicine. It’s a simple over-the-counter ointment that will fight off infection in open cuts. It will also fight off any sort of rash or skin irritation and it can be tough to find in local pharmacies.

53. Carefully consider bringing malaria pills or not. Many places the health office says you need them, you don’t. Inoculation/immunization is big business and they want to sell pills. Do your research carefully and read forums with advice from other travelers.

Matador: How to ask for one more beer in 50 languages

On connecting with locals

54. Learn some of the local language. It will not only give you confidence, but will give you a ready-made excuse to talk to anyone (to ask for help or practice).

55. Avoid getting trapped in expat bubbles — tap their knowledge but don’t use them as a comfort blanket.

.56. Keep a “promise book” with you (can just be the back of your travel journal). Use this to help keep the promises you make to the people you meet on the road (e.g. sending the photo you took of them). Be good to your word.

57. Don’t just seek out conversation with your peers. Some of the best connections you can make abroad are with the very old or very young, even if all you get out of them is a warm smile.

On carrying electronics

58. If you do decide to take a laptop, get a cheap and light netbook. You have the benefit of having a familiar keyboard and if all the computers are taken at the cyber cafe, you can just find wifi somewhere.

59. ABC. Always Be Charging. Whenever you can, plug those electronics in and keep those batteries juiced.

60. Find out what adapters you need for your trip and make sure those are packed. Also make sure your electronics meet the electricity standards of your destination (110V AC, 220V AC, etc).

On taking photos without being obnoxious

61. Smile. This is key; it will make you seem approachable and non-threatening.

62. Make an effort to communicate even if you don’t speak a common language besides “hello”, “thanks”, and “goodbye”. Hand gestures work as good as verbal conversations.

63. Observe their work and, if possible, momentarily partake in their work with them to let them know it’s not insignificant — whether helping a porter take down the tent, or lending a hand to a baker. This also builds a quick transient level of trust.

64. Respect and sensitivity should always trump the perfect shot. Let people pray or meditate in peace. Stop following that monk or little kid around. Let people pull you into their lives when they are ready.

65. Make eye contact with the people you are photographing, even if you are taking pictures of their merchandise. Make eye contact with parents when taking photos of children.

66. Show your photos to your subjects. Make good on your promise if you tell them you will send them copies.

On haggling

67. Haggling is not a competition — it’s a way for the buyer and seller to agree on a price that is acceptable to both parties. Humor goes a long way in defusing heated situations.

68. Try to learn a few sentences like “How much” or “That’s too expensive” in the local language. It’ll make the vendor smile and often will agree to lower the price.

Matador: How to haggle

On border crossings

69. Know well in advance the visa requirements for all your destinations. Some can take weeks to obtain.

70. Have solid and prepared answers when crossing borders, especially between the U.S., UK, and Canada. Check out these tips learned from an experience crossing from the U.S. to Canada.

71. Always check that your passport is stamped with a correct date before leaving the immigration center. If there’s a mistake, you can get in trouble (not the immigration officer).

72. Never say your purpose for entering a country is “work” if you are a journalist on a press trip. You can avoid the 20 questions game this way and also ensure they don’t try to charge you extra for a different visa.

On packing

73. Bring cable ties and Ziploc bags. Cable ties for holding things closed or tying bundles together. Ziploc bags for things that are wet (damp clothes, stuff that is stained, etc) or things that might break and mess up other things (sunscreen, that bottle of snake wine, etc).

74. Always pack a headlamp. You will be surprised at how often you will find a use for it.

75. Bring a sarong with you (men too). It can be useful for so many things like covering yourself in holy places, a bed sheet in shady hostels, a towel, a beach/park blanket. Tip: to keep cool at night in a hot place, soak the sarong and wrap it around you while you sleep.

On relationships

76. Sex with random people while you’re traveling won’t make you feel less lonely or forget the (ex)partner you have (had) back home.

77. Sometimes a stroll with someone you’ve just met, holding hands (with optional “make-out” session) in a plaza somewhere in Costa Rica or Mexico, feels better than anything.

78. You can’t expect it, but it’s possible to meet your life-partner while traveling. She or he could be right there on the bus with you.

79. Have reasonable expectations (or, better yet, none at all!). If you take a trip to heal a broken heart, be aware that you could potentially feel worse.

On place

80. There’s a tendency sometimes to think “this place will always be here. I can do more here later.” Places change a lot faster than you can imagine. Whatever it is you need to do, do it now.

© 2011 Matador Network, Matador Ventures, LLC.

1. Siesta Beach in Sarasota

2. Coronado Beach in San Diego

3. Kahanamoku Beach in Honolulu’s Waikiki district

4. Main Beach in East Hampton, New York

5. Cape Hatteras in the Outer Banks of North Carolina

6. St. George Island State Park, Florida Panhandle

7. Beachwalker Park on Kiawah Island, South Carolina

8. Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts

9. Waimanalo Bay Beach Park on Oahu, Hawaii

10. Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne, Florida

If you plan on getting to any of these beaches in the near future, lemme help you save a few or hundreds of bucks off your travels to these beautiful beaches or other places you plan to travel to with Resorts360.

Go like my page on Facebook Resorts360 Page, then join me for the one of the two webinars I am doing today!

“I used to always take work,” says Robinson, author of “Chained to the Desk: A Guidebook for Workaholics, Their Partners and Children and the Clinicians Who Treat Them.”

Robinson recalls his partner would search their luggage for telltale signs that he was smuggling work along on their vacation. But Robinson was careful to conceal tightly folded papers containing work notes in the pockets of his jeans, where they remained hidden.

At the beach, when family and friends suggested a walk on the sand or a swim, Robinson would feign exhaustion and pretend to lie down for a nap. “I would work furiously while they were gone and then pretend to sleep (when they returned),” he says.

Robinson says there’s a distinct difference between a hard worker and a workaholic. A workaholic may seem happy on the outside, but underneath they’re driven by anxiety and fear.

“The workaholic is on the ski slopes screaming about how he needs to get back to work, while the healthy worker is at work dreaming of being out on the ski slopes,” he says.

Robinson’s vacation subterfuge is common behavior for true workaholics.

“It seemed perfectly normal and essential,” he says of his inability to leave work unattended while on vacation.

“That’s the desperation: You feel like you can never catch up. One of the things that you know is that work is a distraction, it gives you a sense of calm, helps you stay focused, but as soon as you finish a project, there’s that sense of getting out of control.”

Resorts360 Vacation Club to the Rescue!

For Robinson, a vacation away from work made him feel powerless and overwhelmed. And some studies suggest many Americans may feel similarly tethered to their cubicles.

According to a 2009 Vacation Deprivation Survey by expedia.com, 34% of employed Americans don’t use all of their annual vacation days, and 19% reported they postponed or canceled vacation for work-related reasons. A recent survey by Reuters/Ipsos found that 57% of U.S. workers use all the vacation days they’re entitled to.

For those of us who do break free from the confines of their cubicles long enough to dip their toes in warm waters or relax away from the office, many can’t seem to leave work behind. Expedia.com reports that 30% of vacationing workers feel work-related stress while on vacation.

“Companies should be very wary of the collateral damage that workaholics can inflict on their co-workers,” says Craig Chappelow, a senior faculty member at the Center for Creative Leadership, a nonprofit institution that specializes in leadership education and research.

Chappelow says work-addicted employees can create wear and tear with their hard-driven attitudes and expectations. It’s a behavior that companies must address before the workaholic burns out himself or creates too much friction with other employees.

“It’s hard because (workaholic tendencies) are rewarded in lower to mid-management levels, but at the executive level, that same work ethic becomes a disadvantage,” says Chappelow, who explains that workaholics tend to get away with their over-the-top behaviors as long as the people they affect directly work below them.

At the executive level, workaholics find themselves in tough company. Now, their obsessive behaviors may affect peers who don’t like being bullied.

Companies that want to create a better life/work balance should employ executives who model the behavior they’d like to see in their middle and lower management workers, Chappelow says.

“I don’t care much about written policies,” says Chappelow. “(Effective leaders) take all their vacation time, and when they’re on vacation they cut the cord.”

Senior managers should be wary of handing out promotions, bonuses and verbal praise to work addicted employees unless their goal is to foster an office environment wrought with fear and frustration.

“I’ve had patients who are afraid to take their lunch break — let alone a vacation — for fear that someone is angling for their jobs,” says Robinson. “They fear that they won’t be seen as team players.”

Robinson, who sought help for his work addiction after almost losing his family and friends, now counsels people who battle work addiction. He says some of his clients say it’s not worth taking vacation because the act of preparing to leave is overwhelming.

Others say they feel shadowed by their work as ubiquitous technology like e-mail, instant messaging, texting and Wi-Fi keeps the job just a few clicks away.

Robinson says workaholics who seek treatment are challenged to set boundaries in their lives that allow them to slowly reclaim a balanced life.

In the end, workaholics often confront major crisis in their lives — either mental or physical — before they seek help for their addiction.

For Drew (last name withheld to protect identity), an entrepreneur who had been working an intense cycle of 20-hour days for nearly eight months, a mental breakdown was the wake-up call he needed to seek help.

“My behavior was outrageous, but I just couldn’t see it,” he recalls. “Workaholics see themselves as indispensable and sometimes that’s true.”

“Many do rise in the corporate culture, but you have to choose if you want to live or if you want to work,” he added.

Drew sought treatment for his addiction and found help in Workaholics Anonymous, a 12-step program that has between 5,000 and 6,000 members nationwide.

“I started using the 12 steps and bringing more balance to my life,” says Drew. “I started looking inside and found that I was the problem. Self-honesty helps me make much better choices,” he says.

(CNN) — Mary Kole loves her job, but she’s been feeling like she’s lost the line between “work” and “not work.”

A literary agent for children’s books in Brooklyn, New York, Kole works from home and checks in with clients electronically around the clock — sometimes writers will even call her in the middle of the night with an idea. Stepping outside isn’t exactly relaxing either. “In New York, it’s just subway, office, people, talking, yelling, honking, all the time,” she said.

Kole finally tore herself away from business calls and conferences to take a vacation, one that didn’t take place in her home office. At the beginning of May, she went to Portland, Oregon, by herself and spent five days holed up in a rented house rereading some of her favorite books, cooking and listening to rain.

“I believe much more strongly now than ever that to be able to be good at what I do, I need to be good to myself, creatively, and refill my own creative well before I can be any less than a brain-dead zombie,” said Kole, 26.

Kole’s experience shows off the power of a vacation to help gain insights, appreciate the present moment and return to “real life” with a renewed sense of excitement.

Stepping back from life

Detaching from a familiar environment can help get new perspectives on everyday life, says Adam Galinsky, professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Consider that when you get advice from a friend, his or her suggestions are often more creative than what you would have decided for yourself — and scientific studies have confirmed this. That’s because your friend has psychological distance from the situation at hand. When you’re in the middle of a problem, it’s sometimes hard to untangle yourself from it to think about it clearly.

Similarly, many people have epiphanies when they travel because they can view their life back home from a more detached, outsider’s view.

“Not just taking time off from work, but actually getting away from where you live is really important, because that’s the only way that you can achieve that perspective,” Galinsky said.

Kole agreed. Unplugged from work and sitting on a porch enjoying nature, she realized it might be time to seek a more natural environment, either within New York or elsewhere.

Traveling abroad

If you’re lucky enough to leave the country this summer, there’s scientific evidence that it could help you with creative thinking.

Immersing yourself in a different culture has this effect, Galinsky said. Maybe you think there’s only one way of doing something, but in an unfamiliar place, there’s a whole other set of social norms and customs.

Galinsky’s research with William Maddux, a professor at the business school INSEAD, has found that traveling abroad makes people have a more nuanced understanding of themselves, while at the same time they also have a better sense of who they are.

Why you must visit a new destination and how to save money getting there

Even seemingly ordinary experiences such as eating in a restaurant can jolt your thinking: What’s on the menu? Is it customary to leave food on the plate, or eat every last morsel? Is customer service slower or faster? What time of day do most people eat their breakfast, lunch and dinner?

You might be wondering how much time you need abroad to reap these perks of travel. For creativity, Galinsky’s research found stronger effects among people who were living abroad than those traveling for short periods. But the reason is probably that the expatriates are more likely to adapt to local environments and try to understand the locals’ perspective.

“If you want to get the benefits of living abroad while vacationing, the key is to try to understand the world through the locals’ perspective,” he said.

Having a mindful vacation

But you don’t need to leave the country in order to get a fresh mindset to bring back to everyday life.

Ellen Langer, professor of psychology at Harvard University, sees these benefits of vacationing as part of being mindful. Mindfulness is a concept derived from Buddhism that’s central to meditation in that tradition, and involves being present and observant in a nonjugmental way. Langer and other groups have found tremendous benefits in health and wellbeing from being mindful generally.

America is the ‘no-vacation nation’

Part of the essence of being mindful is noticing new things, Langer said. Often people get into a mindless routine at work and home, which is broken only when they travel.

People set themselves up to see new things on vacation, which makes the trip exciting. But ideally you would have this frame of reference all the time: taking note of new people, objects and events around you.

“Boring,” she says, is a state of mind. And once you achieve a mindset of “everything is different and interesting,” it becomes a valuable souvenir to take home after the vacation.

“What people should do, I think, when they go on these vacations and experience the feeling of engagement, the feeling of being mindfully involved in your own life, is to find a way to bring that back to their workday,” she said.

Until the next time

Kole has been trying to practice mindfulness techniques since December. Every morning she wakes up early and challenges herself to write five pages in her diary about what she’s grateful for, and pay closer attention to her thoughts and feelings: “Otherwise you get so caught up in all the small things,” she said.

When she got back from her Portland vacation, she felt ready to dive into work and had a new sense of enthusiasm about it. After a few days, she headed to the Culinary Institute of America to learn more about cooking.

“I love what I do, but sometimes, after just nose to the grindstone, it can get difficult to be there and be present. I was so happy to start reading children’s books and so much less impatient, so much more excited,” she said. “I’m taking another vacation in July.”

First of all the trip would take about 18 hours to complete which is enough to make most people cringe, knowing they would be in a small seat for that many hours next to strangers. But I had a plan. Ipod was full of music, a few movies rented, and lots of games to pass the time.

On one flight from Australia, I ended playing with my iPad the entire flight, and did not loose the battery in the 10 hours!

So, back to the story…

We boarded our Delta flight ontime, and ended up sitting on the plane for 1.5 hours. The captain told us several times, there was a maintenance problem, and it would be fixed in 10-15 mins. Then 20 mins later, he would add another 10-15 mins. He did this to stall us for 1.5 hours!

They then told everyone to get off the plane, so we did where we sat in the airport for another 3 hours.

This caused my flight connection in Atlanta to get missed completely. So, now that created some interesting things. I found out the only flight to Israel was the next evening from JFK.

So after many phone calls, hotels, we got it all worked out. The plane was ready and we flew to Atlanta, got a hotel voucher to sleep at a local hotel, and got 3 hours of “sleep”. Then had to take first flight out to JFK airport.

From there on out it was normal.

But here is what delta did.

They gave us $50 voucher for our trouble. And a free hotel stay.

Is that good enough compensation?

We did not think so, so my travel partner complained to the airline and they immediately handled it. They gave us both a $150 flight voucher we can use. They would NOT have done this unless we complained.

When can you get compensation?

Usually, the only way you can get compensation is when it’s the airlines fault. Weather does not get anyone compensation, as the airlines cannot plan for good or bad weather. But, they can compensate you and should when it’s their fault, like a mechanical issue or when there is a flight crew mishap or missing captains to fly the plane.

Know your rights as a customer and if you don’t think your compensation is sufficient, then say something about it. Doing this, got us a $150 credit on our next flights. Is that good? Well, it helps, but I hope I don’t ever have a nightmare situation like I did there.

I’ve been traveling the world for years with my Resorts360 vacation membership and not had much of any delays or problems. I guess you could say I was lucky for not having much travel interruptions. But this one almost cost me a consulting job, due to coming a day late to Israel.

One thing I did was made sure I booked my travel 1 day early – Just in case and I am so glad I did that as if I would have missed the events I was traveling to, it would have meant $1000′s of dollars in lost revenue for my company.

But Americans are working like mad, and it’s not good or healthy.

Recently – CNN posted this story, which I’ve copied below.

Once you’ve read the story – make sure you TRY TO CHANGE the situation! Join Resorts 360 and let us help you escape the cubicle nightmares you face daily. There is hope and we’re here to help you!

Click the link below and LIKE my page – see how to get outa the rat race!

http://www.facebook.com/traveltheworldfans

(CNN) — Let’s be blunt: If you like to take lots of vacation, the United States is not the place to work.

Besides a handful of national holidays, the typical American worker bee gets two or three precious weeks off out of a whole year to relax and see the world — much less than what people in many other countries receive.

And even that amount of vacation often comes with strings attached.

Some U.S. companies don’t like employees taking off more than one week at a time. Others expect them to be on call or check their e-mail even when they’re lounging on the beach or taking a hike in the mountains.

“I really would like to take a real, decent vacation and travel somewhere, but it’s almost impossible to take a long vacation and to be out of contact,” said Don Brock, a software engineer who lives in suburban Washington.

“I dream of taking a cruise or a trip to Europe, but I can’t imagine getting away for so long.”

The running joke at Brock’s company is that a vacation just means you work from somewhere else. So he takes one or two days off at a time and loses some vacation each year. Only 57% of U.S. workers use up all of the days they’re entitled to, compared with 89% of workers in France, a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found.

Brock’s last long holiday was more than 10 years ago, when he took a two-week drive across the country.

‘Americans work like robots’

It’s a totally different story in other parts of the world.

Nancy Schimkat, an American who lives in Weinheim, Germany, said her German husband, an engineer, gets six weeks of paid vacation a year, plus national holidays — the norm. His company makes sure he takes all of it.

It’s typical for Germans to take off three consecutive weeks in August when “most of the country kind of closes down,” Schimkat said. That’s the time for big trips, perhaps to other parts of Europe, or to Australia or North America. Germans might also book a ski holiday in the winter and take a week off during Easter.

Schimkat’s family back in the United States teases her that she’s spoiled. But when she tells Germans that workers in the U.S. usually get two weeks of vacation a year, they cringe.

“They kind of have this idea that Americans work like robots and if that’s the way they want to be, that’s up to them. But they don’t want to be like that,” Schimkat said.

“[Germans] work very hard, but then they take their holiday and really relax. … It’s more than just making money for Germans, it’s about having time for your family and it’s about having time to wind down.”

No legal obligation to offer vacation

So what’s going on here?

A big reason for the difference is that paid time off is mandated by law in many parts of the world.

Germany is among more than two dozen industrialized countries — from Australia to Slovenia to Japan — that require employers to offer four weeks or more of paid vacation to their workers, according to a 2009 study by the human resources consulting company Mercer.

Finland, Brazil and France are the champs, guaranteeing six weeks of time off.

But employers in the United States are not obligated under federal law to offer any paid vacation, so about a quarter of all American workers don’t have access to it, government figures show.

That makes the U.S. the only advanced nation in the world that doesn’t guarantee its workers annual leave, according to a report titled “No-Vacation Nation” by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, a liberal policy group.

Most U.S. companies, of course, do provide vacation as a way to attract and retain workers.

But the fear of layoffs and the ever-faster pace of work mean many Americans are reluctant to be absent from the office — anxious that they might look like they’re not committed to their job. Or they worry they won’t be able to cope with the backlog of work waiting for them after a vacation.

Then, there’s the way we work.

Working more makes Americans happier than Europeans, according to a study published recently in the Journal of Happiness Studies. That may be because Americans believe more than Europeans do that hard work is associated with success, wrote Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn, the study’s author and an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Dallas.

“Americans maximize their… [happiness] by working, and Europeans maximize their [happiness] through leisure,” he found.

So despite research documenting the health and productivity benefits of taking time off, a long vacation can be undesirable, scary, unrealistic or just plain impossible for many U.S. workers.

Little appetite for regulation

Critics say it’s time for a change.

“There is simply no evidence that working people to death gives you a competitive advantage,” said John de Graaf, the national coordinator for Take Back Your Time, a group that researches the effects of overwork.

He noted that the United States came in fourth in the World Economic Forum’s 2010-2011 rankings of the most competitive economies, but Sweden — a country that by law offers workers five weeks of paid vacation — came in second.

De Graaf drafted the first version of the Paid Vacation Act of 2009, which would have required larger companies to provide at least one week of paid annual leave to employees. But the bill, introduced by then-Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Florida, in May of 2009, got little traction.

Opponents said that it would have a negative impact on business and that the government shouldn’t get involved in the workplace in this way.

“You would have had the idea that we were calling for the end of Western civilization. Comments like, ‘Oh, they’re going to make America a 21st-century France,’ as if we were all going to have to eat snails,” de Graaf said.

“I’m in no way anti-capitalist, I think the market does a lot of good things, but the Europeans understand that the market also has its failings and that when simply left completely to its own devices, it doesn’t produce these perfect results.”

But is more government regulation the answer? The debate rages on.

Back in suburban Washington, Brock — the software engineer who hasn’t had a long vacation for more than 10 years — is finally planning a real getaway. His 60th birthday is coming up in December, and he’d like to do something special, maybe go on a cruise to the Bahamas.

Will he be able to pull it off and get away from work? He’s still not entirely sure, he said.

——————–

Pretty sad commentary on the American obsession with all work and no play.

Don’t let it get you down. The vacation police at Resorts 360 are here to help you. Now vacations are affordable again. Plus, why not fire your boss and go work at home?

Make sure you like our page and let your friends, locked out of vacations know where to get hope!

http://www.facebook.com/traveltheworldfans

Have you even checked it out? Take a look at the NEW resorts 360 website!

New websites, new prospecting systems, new social media integrations, new videos!

Some of have been here a LONG TIME – and yet, are not very active, while others have been acting like a fly on the wall, waiting, watching, but not being active.

I’ve been somewhat in the 2nd category myself. It seemed, everytime, R360 got solid, with no changes, a new change would arise and then we had to learn new things and complans.

I think they finally settled down, which is good, they have a really good thing going now.

So good, leaders from all over the world are coming in… at the TOP PACKAGE of $9995.

Well, I am getting ready to create more residual income and get back to supporting my team with R360.

Here is what’s in the works.

1. New Online Marketing Lead Qualification system – this is a system that will create buyer leads for you, who will read our “decision kit” and then call our call center to get their questions answered. This kit will be ONLINE, not offline with postcards. I’ve decided to stop waiting on partners and just do something on my own.

2. Sunday night team calls – these are for my personal team only – it’s to rally around our successful people, tell success and motivating stories and plug people into solid marketing ideas to help them grow. It’s open Q and A – and it’s live. You’ll get your butt kicked into gear to DO SOMETHING!

3. Automated webinars – 3 automated webinar DAILY! This one is gonna be HOT – you’ll be able to send your prospects into this automated webinar system and it will spit out money qualified buyers.

4. One on one help from me. Need help closing a sale? Don’t want to use the sales center – call me and I’ll help you.

5. Better focus from me (not so scattered). Ya, I get critized because I do so many things. And that’s changing – I am eliminating a lot of businesses, selling off businesses and bringing my core focus around R360, so we can all succeed together.

So, what about you?

I’d love to hear what YOU plan to do.

I’d love to hear what YOU need help with.

Just reply back to me and post a comment on my blog and I can make a note of what I can do to serve you better in 2011.

My goal – $100,000 in personal sales this year and I know I can do it.

Let me know yours!

Jeff Mills
651-769-2189
Call if you wanna chat, anytime!

If you’ve been on the fence, wondering which home based business you’d like to join for 2011, it’s time to get off the fence immediately.

Into it’s 3rd year now, Resorts 360 Vacation and Travel Club has clearly and publicly shown it’s a travel club, with a great business opportunity attached, that simply blows away any of the handfuls of travel companies out there.

Whether you are in Coastal Vacations, Global Resorts Network, or any of the other travel club businesses, Resorts 360 is now the KING. It’s the top shelf choice for credibility, integrity and reliability.

It’s a no brainer decision to get started by using the Resorts 360 Travel Club as your wealth vehicle in 2011.

Just announced: Resorts 360 is adding a new Luxury Class level. And in doing so, is updating all their membership levels AND raising prices!

Anyone who comes into the program before January 11, 2011 (1-11-11) will get entry at 2010 prices and ALSO get the benefits of Price GRANDFATHERING into the ELITE LEVEL – ONLY if they join at CURRENT VIP Prices before 1-11-11.

For example – the current (before 1-11-11 price) VIP membership is $3995.

If a member joins at $3995 in a full payment, or using the financing options still available, this members membership will be Grandfathered automatically, into the ELITE 99 Year membership which will cost $9995 after 1-11-11 to NEW members.

This membership, when sold will pay $2500 commission to associates who have not made their first two sales. And $5000 commission to Managers who have made their 3rd sale and beyond.

No other travel club has a $9995 Luxury Level with a comparable product to line it up side by side – it just does not exist.

Based on this update, time is running out DAILY for people who are serious about working with the:

• Right Company
• Right Product
• Right Compensation Plan
• Right Marketing Plan
• Right Sales Center Closers

… well then… you need to move before 1-11-11 when the deal is off and all VIP sales will still be $3995, but for 10 year membership, plus with less bonuses.

There are immediate bonuses available for people who take this offer worth $8500 – to find out what these bonuses are, you need to call my helpful and friendly sales staff, who will answer your questions.

1-877-597-7406 with ID 1302

Now, I recently hosted a webinar with my 2011 Predictions -

The first 30 mins of the webinar, I broke down how people can position themselves infront of a growing market trend, $9 trillion dollars strong, and have their money buckets out to collect massive financial windfalls.

The 2nd Video is a video explaining the Resorts 360 Product and also the Sales Center System, how we close membership sales and enrollments for you, if you join us.

The 3rd video is a video explaining the Resorts 360 Profit Plan. This shows and explains the compensation plan and clearly shows you details about the new upgrade plan for 1-11-11 and the price and commission payouts.

I advise you to carve out some dedicated time – right now and watch all 3 videos, then call the phone # to get your questions answered immediately. 1-877-597-7406 with ID 1302 Time is running out for 1-11-11 date.

View My 30 Minute 2011 Predictions Video

View the Powerful Product Presentation

44 Minutes Long

View the Profit and Compensation Presentation

1 hour 20  Minutes Long (Question and Answer at End)

I advise you to carve out some dedicated time – right now and watch all 3 videos, then call the phone # to get your questions answered immediately. 1-877-597-7406 with ID 1302 Time is running out for 1-11-11 date.

We launched the Resorts 360 business to my list over a year ago in May of 2009, and it was fantastic. We put in over 400 people into my group since then, but I took a passive role in the program as Resorts 360 figured itself out.

What happened was, there were several programming changes, price changes, product changes, and Resorts 360 was trying to make sure it differentiated from the Market and stood out as truly being unique and one of a kind.

So, while all this was happening, I focused on my other programs until the timing was right for me to begin promoting the new comp plans and marketing systems from Resorts 360.

I am proud to say, with the new compensation offerings, the sales center available to close your sales, our new private marketing system websites, that are all strictly call center focused, as well as some new hands off marketing tools to help you grow your business OFF the internet and through direct mail, I believe this will be the year our team does a huge amount of sales.

I’ve been updating a new business plan overview powerpoint and I should have it ready in a couple days to post to the site to show everyone what our new marketing systems look like. We’ll be taking live sales and q and a calls to our sales center IMMEDIATELY – to see how to do that, go to: http://resorts360closers.com/join.

We’ll be scheduling weekly, then nightly webinars, as well as 24/7 webinars that you can send your prospects to.

Then over the summer, we’ll be releasing several direct mail, and postcard marketing systems, which you’ll love!

Standby, we’ll have an update soon!