Jamie Pearson is a mom who loves to travel, making her a real (albeit “virtual”) friend of the Vacation Gals. She’s a travel blogger too, and in a bizarre coincidence, she knows the mom who lives two houses down the street from me. Jamie was originally a bond salesperson in a Wall Street investment bank, but found things to be more interesting when she began writing hotel reviews for a family travel website. From there, it was a short trip to founding Travel Savvy Mom. It’s what she calls the perfect marriage of her interests: Writing, traveling, drinking vast quantities of coffee, and parenting. I like all those things (especially coffee) too! With so much in common, it just seems natural that she sit for a Vacation Gals interview.
I hear you do some fun trips with your kids. How do you decide where to go with them?
We tend to favor cultural odysseys over theme parks, beaches, and the great outdoors. I personally don’t like to be too far from good medical care, or too close to spiders. My children demand access to petting zoos, ice cream, and schlocky souvenirs. And to complicate things, my husband likes to get haircuts in countries where he lacks the requisite language skills.
Which has been your favorite travel experience so far?
We always have a blast in France. I’ve had 7 years of French language instruction, and I still manage to make an idiot of myself there on a regular basis. We especially love the Dordogne with its prehistoric cave art, cinematically beautiful rivers, and perfect food.
Is there any advice you can give a Vacation Gal regarding trips with kids?
My top three pieces of family travel advice are 1) Never leave home without peanut butter, 2) Virtually no child is too big for a stroller, and 3) Bring lots of new toys. $50 for 3 pounds of plastic crap will seem like the deal of the century at 3:00 AM in a London hotel.
What destination is tops on your “dream vacation” list?
We’re off on a custom guided trip to Costa Rica next Spring Break (all organized by Jenny Jensen at Global Family Adventures). I’m a little worried about spiders, to be honest, but I also can’t wait to see the kids’ faces when they see a jungle for the first time. We’re planning a trip to China in 2010, and I can also feel a dude ranch vacation coming on.
Hopefully, readers can see why we Vacation Gals love Jamie Pearson’s blog so much. Her warmth and sense of humor really comes across in her writing, making for a completely enjoyable travel blog. We read it all the time, and hope that you will, too.
