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Meet Sharon - your travel advisor
From Tourist to Travel Expert -
I will never forget the ferry ride my husband and I took from Wales to Rosslare Harbour in Ireland. As we arrived at our destination and drove off the ferry, I began to sob. When my husband asked what was wrong, I felt a deep overwhelming, emotional connection to the country. It felt warm. It felt inviting. I felt like I had come home. The feelings stayed with me the entire time we toured Ireland. When we returned home, I realized that visiting Ireland was life-changing for me. Just being on Irish soil was the spark that ignited my desire to bravely help others who wanted to travel. What if they could travel and find emotional connection as well? The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to be a travel agent...not just an agent...more like a travel concierge...someone who could build an itinerary of discovery. Since that trip, I have been able to explore six continents. I have met with hoteliers, tour operators, cruise line and transportation representatives. They all work with travel agents like me because 85% of their business comes from agents. Over 25 years in business, I have built many personal relationships with suppliers who, like me, take pride in making travel experiences filled with extraordinary moments. Because of these relationships, I trust my regional representatives to take good care of my travelers. Today people want expert help from those who have gained firsthand knowledge and experience. They want experts who know the inside track for getting the most out of their vacation, making it memorable and affordable. Clients want someone to say 'no, that's a mistake, I recommend this instead,' and to explain travel insurance, passport requirements, visas, customs and cultures, countries that are open and the requirements to enter. Travel agents are also able to act as a liaison if anything goes wrong. When you in trouble, it's great to have a knowledgeable and well-respected agent on your side. Let me ask. What has been your biggest challenges with respect to travel? Is there a place in the world you feel an emotional connection with calling you to come and visit? If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? I'd like to help you make your dreams become reality. It would be my honor to serve you. Contact me at 480-949-0637 or sharon@travelbysharon.com |
Sharon's Favorite Travel Memories
In my 24 years as a travel consultant, I have had so many travel experiences that it is difficult to pick just one. I have stood at the base of the Fox Glacier in New Zealand, cruised down the rivers of Germany - so close to shore at times I could almost reach out and touch the landscape, visited the birthplace of Pope Paul II in Poland, and was awed at the size of Vatican City. I have been greeted by the lyrical voices of Fijians as my boat arrived on shore, been serenaded by the beautiful voices of the Chinese Kindergartners as they tried out their English during my visit to mainland China and climbed into a Masai hut while touring on the Masai Mara in Kenya. I wept as my car left the ferry in Rosslare where I arrived in Ireland, feeling that I had finally "come home".
I have visited Australia more than a dozen times, and, once there, feel that I am welcomed back. I have walked the savanna in search of wild Koalas hiding in the trees, kangaroos with joeys in their pouches and wombats sleeping under the brush. I've seen the Remarkable Rocks on Kangaroo Island and watched the fur seals at play in the water.
I have visited Australia more than a dozen times, and, once there, feel that I am welcomed back. I have walked the savanna in search of wild Koalas hiding in the trees, kangaroos with joeys in their pouches and wombats sleeping under the brush. I've seen the Remarkable Rocks on Kangaroo Island and watched the fur seals at play in the water.
My fondest memory, however, was the night our group arrived at the Grand Hotel just outside Assisi, Italy. We were a hungry and tired lot by the time we finally reached the hotel. Dinner and bed sounded wonderful. Just before retiring, I was invited by friends to join them for a nightcap. I graciously accepted. Little did I know that the entertainment would be the highlight of the day.
Our bartender was a mime, piano player and dancer who kept us laughing as exhausted as we were. He was like Victor Borge, hilariously performing a one-man show for us. When he asked me to dance, tired as I was, I couldn't refuse. We waltzed around the floor until the music stopped and then he spun me into a pirouette. Ah Assisi! What a night!
Our bartender was a mime, piano player and dancer who kept us laughing as exhausted as we were. He was like Victor Borge, hilariously performing a one-man show for us. When he asked me to dance, tired as I was, I couldn't refuse. We waltzed around the floor until the music stopped and then he spun me into a pirouette. Ah Assisi! What a night!
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