The Source of the Trouble plays 20 questions!

"The Source of the Trouble", aka mom, has been a travel agent for years and years.
It's been a great to have her as a resource when I travel.  She's helped me many, many times over the past 10 + years whether getting last minute flight deals or finding a decent place to stay for business travel.  Without her help on my recent trip to Marfa, TX the guys and I would have been driving 45 minutes every morning to get to work.  She worked some magic and found a house for rent right in town, just a 5 minute drive, and for less money than the available hotels.
And because of her connections and knowledge, I was able to bank thousands of extra Marriott points while working in NYC which I later used to stay free at Marriott properties all over the southeast.
Going places is fun.
Going places free is way more funner.

Dee, one of her friends and clients, recently interviewed "The Source" for her blog.
Results are below.
Way to go Mommy!!!

If you would like to read Dee's blog, write to me and I'll connect you.


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September 2014

Twenty Questions With Judy

My friend Judy and I met in our wonderful book group, The XXXX Book Club. Our dynamic leader runs a very loose ship but it’s always lots of fun. In the meeting last Saturday Judy mentioned she could use some marketing help with her travel business.  I met her for lunch on Monday and we brainstormed.  All of my clients are attorneys, so it was fun to talk about a different profession for a change.

I was intrigued to find Judy is a travel agent. I honestly thought nobody used travel agents any more.
Judy is an independent agent for Company X Travel.  It’s great that she gets to work from home.
Judy specializes in tours and cruises.

“People don’t realize that most of the time a travel agent can find the same or better rates, even finding perks not accessible to the public.“

I know from my own experience on my adoption trips, it’s great to be able to call your travel agent if there’s an issue, like the hotel room isn’t available or you need another ticket for your flight, etc. Judy handles that sort of thing for her clients and she’s a lot easier to reach than the 800 number of the airline or hotel company.

She often books travel a year in advance. “Often times a cruise line or tour company will have great rates that are only available months in advance.”

Where do most of her clients like to cruise?  I asked her. “In this area, most people want to cruise the Caribbean seeking out warm weather. However, I’ve done several European cruises this year. I was able to find a great rate on an Alaskan cruise for a couple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.

She gets a lot of repeat customers. “Frequent travelers tend to be a bit more adventurous and take longer trips.”

Judy is only a phone call away. You don’t necessarily need to be in Atlanta. You can reach her at xxx-xxxx.  (I'll be happy to put you touch with The Source.  Just write to me here.)

I asked her how the industry has changed now that everyone uses computers. “Most of the cruise lines use electronic tickets same as the airline industry. If you not familiar computers or have a printer, I will fill out the necessary informational forms and mail paper documentation,” she explains.

Judy has been on many cruises. “I love cruising. You either love it or you don’t.”

What type of cruise does she like?   “I like the river cruises best. The boats are much smaller making it easier to dock in smaller ports. The smaller boats take you to small towns and you get a better feel for the people and area. Cruising on The American Queen on the Mississippi River is fun and a part of American history."

(I would be thinking of Mark Twain the entire time if I could cruise the Mississippi!)

The river cruises in Europe serve recipes made with local fresh foods which I like. I don’t want to go to Europe and have a hamburger from McDonalds.”

Why cruises?   “A cruise is great because everything is right there. Adults have activities and entertainment and the kids usually have a kid’s age appropriate program. There are numerous dining options and you don’t have to get off the ship in port.”

The ships usually pull into a port in the morning and stay anywhere from 8-12 hours. Most of the port calls are for a day. Sometimes a European cruise will port overnight.

“Over Thanksgiving I am taking a Celebrity cruise out of ------. Our ports of call are XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX.

One of Judy’s passions is for genealogy. “I’ve only been to Italy once but it wasn’t a genealogy type of trip. I belong to an Italian genealogy group. I’ve done quite a bit of research. The internet makes researching a whole lot easier. I used to troop through old cemeteries, visit small libraries, and go into dusty old basements in little courthouses. Genealogy is a history puzzle. That’s why I like mystery books more than anything. That mystery part in genealogy goes into that mindset – why my ancestors came to this country and when. My dad’s side of the family is Italian. They were from San Lorenzo, north and east of Naples.”

Where else would she like to go? “I haven’t been able to do all the traveling I’d like to do. I’d love to go to Australia and New Zealand but there are other places closer I haven’t seen. I’d love to see all the US national parks.”





What is your full name? Judy X.

Where would you live, if you could live anywhere in the world?  Right now I am actually perfectly happy with Greater Atlanta.  Greater Atlanta is a unique little area that offers a lot. I’m close to art galleries, the airport, the Fox Theatre, but it also has a hometown feel. I would really have to think about that a while.

What is your favorite movie and why? I am not a movie person. However, I loved the Harry Potter movies.

What was your least-favorite subject in school when you were a kid? Probably Geography. (Ironic!)

What was your nickname when you were a kid? I don’t think I had one. I don’t remember anybody calling me anything but Judy.  (I've taken care of this for her ,))

Do you believe in God? Yes. I don’t think there’s a person sitting in the sky. I think of God as an energy force, a force of love and goodness.

What sound or noise do you love? Wind chimes. I have a whole slew of them – probably 5 or 6 out front. I love the sounds of the wind chimes.

If you could do anything other than what you do, as a profession, what would it be? I’d still travel. I hated Geography in school. I didn’t realize or care about geography or history until I started genealogy research-- and all of a sudden history and geography really meant something.

If heaven exists, what do you think it is like?  I don’t envision it as a building or a place. I think maybe it’s less specific, more of a just an area…

Do you have siblings? Yes. (How many?  Male/Female?  Alive?  Where?)

What is your favorite memory of childhood [something specific]?  Not a special day but a special time when I was little and I lived with my grandparents on their farm. It was a laid back, peaceful time.

If you had to choose between one week traveling around the USA by car, or one week traveling around Europe on a train, which would you choose and why? I’d want to do BOTH! I’d want to get off the train a lot. I’ve been to Niagara Falls and the Grand Canyon but there are so many other places to see and things to do here in the US.

What or who inspires you? Probably my sons, they really do.  (awww...)

Which holiday do you prefer, Christmas or July 4th?  July 4th because it’s a fun time and there’s not a lot of pressure to make everything perfect. Not a lot of cooking, no worry about gifts. You just enjoy the day.

What project or idea are you most passionate about, right now? I want to dig deeper into family history. I love family stories.

Do you know how to cook? Yes. (Lasagna?  Hello?  Pleeeeasssseee?)

What is your favorite thing to cook/eat? I have a special pound cake recipe that came from my grandmother and it’s a very good recipe. I have sent it to my sons many times. Cakes have gone to California, New Jersey, foreign military bases, all over.  (Yes, more pound cake please!!!)

If you could go on vacation anywhere in the world, for 2-4 weeks, all expenses paid, where would you go and why?   I would go to Italy. I’d really like to go and do more in depth genealogy research.

Who do you love the most in the world?  My children and grandchildren.

What question has nobody ever asked you, but you wanted to answer?  I don’t know.


Editor's Update:  If you would like info on travel feel free to contact me and I'll put you touch with The Source!