Suppose you were an astronaut planning an expedition to the moon. Would you just up and take off without any help? Of course not! You’d be backed all the way by ground control: a team of ultra-serious eggheads to make sure you don’t forget to bring enough air, or slam your rocketship into the moon at a speed of 1 million miles per hour.
And those are space miles. They’re much longer.
Now, suppose you were vacationing someplace more exotic than Altoona. Would you embark without the best-laid plans, and constant assurance that everything will go swimmingly even if said plans go sideways? Perish the thought! The last thing Eden Prairie Lifestyle needs is to have one of our precious readers get marooned outside our distribution range.
But you don’t want eggheads. You want a tireless, meticulous, ebullient travelista to usher you across all creation without your having to give any thought to the p's and the q's.
You want Alana LaBissoniere: founder of ALL Travel.
“It was a precarious start,” reminisced Alana. “I launched my travel agency only a couple of months before that virus hit. Fortunately, I had also taken the age-old advice and not quit my day job. Not just yet, anyway, though I still had plenty of time left over to dedicate to my new side hustle and passion project: traveling, and sharing the best of the world with my clients without uncertainty or stress.
“I spent my days as a budding travel advisor training extensively (which included lots of the greatest kind of travel there is: tax deductible). I worked on getting my name out there, and networked my heart out (thanks in no small part to Eden Prairie’s wonderful Chamber of Commerce) – so much so that 80 percent of my current clientele are either repeats or referrals.
“All that legwork confirmed what attracted me to travel consulting in the first place. It’s all about building relationships; relationships with your clients, who you must understand personally to serve them the best; and relationships with vendors, who, ultimately, can make or break the whole trip.
“I’m a waterways specialist. I can put you on any ocean, sea, or river on earth (within reason; though I’m certain it’s lovely there, you’re quite on your own if you decide to embark on a scenic cruise down North Korea’s Taedong River). Once I’ve learned all about your globetrotting ambitions during a discovery call, Zoom, or in-person meeting, I’ll present you with multiple itineraries. Choose your favorite, help me understand any adjustments you’d like to make, and voilà! We’ll have your whole trip plotted out, just like that.
“I’ll help you avoid potentially trip-ruining errors. For example, if you take prescription medication, we’ll make sure your pills don’t attract unwarranted attention from foreign customs agents. And if you were unaware that you were contemplating doing something truly regrettable – such as taking that plant to Jamaica, where it is surprisingly illegal – then I’ll talk you right out of it.”
Jamaican prison. Not a fun place, if you can believe it. You certainly won’t see any pictures of it accompanying this article. What you will see is a small sampling of the kinds of destinations Alana specializes in.
“I just went on a cruise through the fjords,” Alana continued. “Breathtaking! If you’ve been to Alaska and thought it was beautiful, then you’re still totally unprepared for what awaits in Norway. You’ll wonder why so many Minnesotans’ ancestors left the place.
“I often wonder the same thing about my own, because I adore every part of France. Sipping local vintages while floating down the dramatic Rhône? Devouring everything in sight in Lyon, the uncontested gastronomical center of the world? Gaping in awe at the majesty of Avignon’s Palais des Papes, which is the largest medieval Gothic palace ever built? And the south – the sunny and charming Mediterranean south, where no scenery would look out of place in a James Bond movie? C'est le paradis.
“But I’m not Francophilic to a fault. I also love the Netherlands and its watercolor canals; the living-museum cities of Hungary; every single country the endless blue ribbon of Danube unravels across, really. Wherever Europe takes you, I’ll see you throughout your voyage in high style.
“And the same goes for the rest of the world! I recently trained on tours of the Galápagos, where environmental conservation is gospel. Rightly so, because Darwin’s old stamping ground is unlike anyplace else on earth; downright alien fauna, including tortoises that could easily be mistaken for steam locomotives.
“I’m putting together a Land Down Under trip for a mother and son right this moment: Sydney, Melbourne, and Cairns, followed by the quick float across to New Zealand. They’ll be awestruck by Lord of the Rings mountainscapes, as well as the world-famous Waitomo Glowworm Caves which would be pitch black were it not for the millions of little bioluminescent bug larvae hiding out there.
“Life’s too short to spend it all in Eden Prairie. Yours is also too busy to leave enough time for methodical, inspired travel planning. If you want to take the shortcut to your most memorable moments, then I’m right here and ready for you!”
Don’t travel like some dogged fugitive, constantly wondering if you’ve booked the right cruise, hotel, and restaurant reservations. Don’t find yourself up that creek without a paddle when something goes haywire. Visit ALLTravelAdvisor.com, or call (612) 802-9785 to speak with Alana: your ticket out of this place!
"Darwin’s old stamping ground is unlike anyplace else on earth; downright alien fauna, including tortoises that could easily be mistaken for steam locomotives."