Jean and I are on our way to Spain, from where I'm gonna be posting through all of May.

We like to travel at this time of year because 1) May is the hottest and dustiest month in San Miguel, 2) the weather is pretty nice in much of the rest of the world, and 3) we can avoid the summertime crush of vacationers.

In the past, I've booked flights and hotels over the internet. At one time, you could find better deals that way, plus you could play a lot of "what if" games without annoying your travel agent. Lately I've had second thoughts about this. For example, whenever I build an itinerary, I get a gnawing feeling I'm a greenhorn in a professional poker game. Am I getting a good deal? Have I found a hotel I'll really like? Is there a simpler route or better flight times?

A while back I needed to change a flight I had booked through Expedia. Expedia is difficult to reach via telephone, so I called the airline instead. Whoops! Airlines can't make changes if you bought your tickets through Expedia. Why? Well, you're actually buying your seats from Expedia, not from the airline. So it is they who have to request any changes. Good luck trying to get them on the phone.

My friend Judy mentioned that she always books her trips through Malinda Vértiz, a travel agent who has been in the business for many years and who has done a great deal of traveling herself; in other words, a pro.

"Sure, Malinda charges you a $25 fee for booking your flight, " says Judy, "but it's worth it in terms of convenience and helping to make good decisions, and besides, you have a person to call if problems" come up.

Well, all right then. So for the first time ever, I used an agent for pleasure travel.

I wish I'd done this years ago. Malinda booked the same Mexico City-Madrid flight I would have, but she found a feeder flight from Léon that I couldn't find, with pricing that saved me money over the cost of taking the wretched four-hour bus to Mexico City or paying hundreds of dollars for a shuttle van. So, even paying her fee, the trip cost less, and she cut out hours of transit and hassle.

But that's just the beginning. She made itinerary and hotel recommendations I never would have found myself, greatly enhancing our trip. I can't say enough nice things about her. If you live in San Miguel de Allende, you'll really do yourself a favor if you enlist Malinda's aid in planning and booking your trip. Check it out.

Viajes Vértiz S. A. de C. V.
Hidalgo #1-A Centro
San Miguel de Allende
GTO, México 37700

415-152-1856 (Voice)
415-152-1695 (Voice)
415-152-0499 (Fax)
(Dial prefix 011-52 in the USA.)

info@viajesvertiz.com

I'll be posting regularly while we're traveling.