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Up in the Air Life Features Black Travel That Gets Both Lit and Luxe

Black. Travel. Excellence.

It’s a concept that has literally taken flight—courtesy of skyrocketing black-owned and operated tour company Up in the Air Life .

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A glittery diamond on an increasingly dark travel-movement landscape, UITAL’s rep for serving up consistent black excellence from Cuba to Croatia is so strong, it’s caught the attention of corporate giants like Walmart and has caused the growing Washington, D.C.-based company to triple its revenue since its first trip in 2014. This year UITAL is projected to pull in $1 million.

The reason?

UITAL clients don’t take trips—they partake in epic, culturally curated adventures, whether that’s puffing poolside cigars with the boys in Cartagena, Colombia, or bouncing to Paris for the kickoff of Beyoncé’s world tour.

For passport-sporting millennials and Gen Xers, the opportunity to view the world through a prism of opulence and peak blackness is an opportunity too delicious to pass up.

“Put a group of fly, young, upwardly mobile black folk on a yacht or a plane together and magic happens,” says founder Claire Soares, who has built her empire part time working as a software sales rep.

“UITAL tends to attract like-minded groups of people—execs for companies like Microsoft and Google along with doctors, consultants and entrepreneurs—folks who are well-traveled with high expectations,” she explains. “The networking is often just as attractive as the experiences are.”

And what “experiences” they are: Soares and her staff of 25, located from Mexico to New York (she plans to triple her part-time fun consultant crew by summer), literally scour the earth to create the most memorable adventures for their clientele.

“We have an on-staff sommelier who takes clients on food and drink jaunts through Champagne, France, and Bologna, Italy, pairing five-course meals with some of the world’s best wines and champagnes,” says Soares, the self-proclaimed “Chief Memory Maker.” “In France, we’ve rented out one of the acclaimed Moet caves and thrown black-tie dinners. In Bologna, our clients have been able to toast to the patriarch of one of the oldest vineyards in Italy, and rub elbows with the Italian wine ambassador. They also get to learn how to make pasta and sauces from scratch.”

UITAL “offers only the best,” says Soares, because often black travelers are not made to feel welcome or appreciated.

“I think in life [our] people aren’t made to feel appreciated, so we go above and beyond to make our guests’ experiences special and unique,” Soares says. “Seeing them cry at some of the surprise gifts we’ve given them, or to see us chilling out at literally some of the most luxurious places on earth—like the Copacabana Palace in Rio—brings a smile to my face.”

The travel-related glee is both shared and apparent, as evidenced by the rise of such groups as Nomadness Travel Tribe , Travel Noire and the Black Travel Movement , which have hundreds of thousands of black social media followers among them. Then there are those who regularly hop off Facebook and onto a plane, or intend to: CNN reports that intent among black travelers went from 3 percentage points in 2013 to 6 in 2014, then climbed to 19 points in 2015 and went up another 18 points in 2016, per the travel and hospitality marketing firm MMGY Global . With many professional blacks following a nationwide trend that sees 20-, 30- and even 40-somethings getting married and having children later in life , they’ve got both the time and money to spend on travel.

But UITAL’s climbing sales among this prime audience speak for themselves: Last month, the company sold out three mega yachts for Croatia in August in just a few hours—when Soares had only planned on selling one.

“Close to 100 people jumped on this opportunity from all around the world,” says the Virginia native, referencing the pricey trip but also UITAL’s convenient “pay to play” layaway plan. “It’s been our fastest-selling yachting trip to date,” she says about UITAL’s continued presence as one of the few black groups at world Yacht Week. “Word has gotten out about our high level of service. We cater to Black clientele in a way no other company is doing.”

Thirty-four-year-old D.C.-based data engineer Dartanion Williams can attest to this.

Having been on six tours hosted by UITAL or Urban Yacht Life (Soares’ spinoff company) and counting since 2014, Williams says that being down with the UITAL crew has been a life-changing experience.

“I linked up with Claire and UITAL at a time I was ready to travel but a lot of my friends were not,” he says. “That meant I walked away with a whole new group of friends! I’ve connected with people who have inspired me to get uncomfortable in my life and make bold moves, such as leave a great day job to start my own consulting practice,” he says. “This year, I am working on starting a nonprofit organization whose core focus is to help create more minority data engineers such as myself.”

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Take one trip and I promise you will sign up for more. Claire is first-class along with her staff. She knows her business and her clientele. That goes a long way. The intangibles such as the nice gift gestures, great communication, and surprise trip amenities are a classy touch. Tyrone

Up in the Air Life is a great option to meet like-minded individuals that like lux travel. Trips are planned down to the last detail with great surprises along the way. Jennifer

I have been on trips before with other groups. This was the most professional and best put together of them all. I learned a lot about wine, travel, life abroad, and myself on this trip. All those things combined made it so worth every penny… Already planning the next one. Heather

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The Life and Times of Ben Weinberg

Entrepreneur, ESL Teacher, Traveler, and Writer

‘Up In The Air’ – Film Review and Analysis

“The choices he has made haven’t caught up to him yet, but he is on the path he has chosen that while unorthodox to most leaves him satisfied and content with who he is.”

Ryan Bingham has chosen a different life path than most people he knows. Instead of staying in his hometown, reveling in the glories past of high school and the diner down the road, he wanted to leave his roots and his family for his true passion in life: being up in the air and striving for excellence as a motivational speaker. The choices he has made haven’t caught up to him yet, but he is on the path he has chosen that while unorthodox to most leaves him satisfied and content with who he is.

Bingham (played by George Clooney) is at a crossroads in middle age where he has forgone the responsibilities that are normally achieved by most people his age with a house and a picket fence, being married, and maybe having children. He has forgone all that for an industry on the rise sadly at the time the film is set in and for being out on the road and up in the air for 250+ days of the year. He advocates for a life in motion because if he is not moving, he is not actually living.

His work like his constant travel is an unorthodox industry where he works as a human resources consultant traveling both domestically and internationally to do the dirty work of firing or ‘letting go’ employees in person and providing them with transition packet(s) that the company that’s firing them is leaving them with to help them in the ‘transition’ period. It is a rough job that due to the 2008-2009 global recession has made his HR consultancy firm as needed as ever. The one industry at the time that is gaining jobs rather than losing jobs, Ryan finds himself at risk of having his life of work travel outsources to advancements in video technology (about ten years before Zoom and Skype became mainstream).

While Ryan Bingham is not at risk of getting laid off like so many other working Americans during the period of the Great Recession, the worst since the Great Depression of the 1930s, Bingham is at risk of losing his life of travel on the road due to firing people via telecommunications video instead. To make matters worse, his boss Craig Gregory (Jason Bateman) is tasking him with having a new hire out of Yale University, Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) shadow his in-person firings for a few months as the company, CTC, makes the transition to virtual consulting instead of letting those employees go in-person from now on.

That is not the only change that threatens to upend Ryan’s life choice as he has met a charming, attractive woman who has the same lifestyle as him and appears to see life as he does with less commitments and more choice. Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga) is the constantly traveling business woman for whom Ryan may have finally met his match. While they started out as a casual fling, Ryan begins to develop feelings for her as he ponders his uncertain future of life on the road as well as the fact that once he achieves his life goal of ten million airline miles accumulated may not have much to strive for.

Ryan and Natalie may not show it at first but the firings and the emotional weight of being responsible for upending people’s lives cause them stress, anxiety, and a desire to break free of their own pains in doing the job they have chosen. While Ryan is content with travel on the road, he hears from his estranged sister, Kara, that his other, younger sister, Julie is getting married. Ryan left home when he first could leave and never looked back, and his family still remembers that. He is the ‘black sheep’ of the family, known to pursue his own gratification while letting his relationships deteriorate over the years.

Having Alex as a love interest has reignited his desire to see his sisters again and to be there for the wedding in northern Wisconsin. Him and Alex are still a bit of a mystery to each other, but they enjoy each other’s company, and he invites her to join him as the +1 guest, not wanting to be the ‘guy alone at the bar’ watching all the couples enjoy a dance together. There are these moments of vulnerability interspersed through ‘Up in The Air’ that remind the audience that all these characters have their own flaws and shortcomings. They are not perfect people, and the film does not judge them outright but allows the audience to decide if they are admirable or detestable or a bit of both. What I love most is that the film director and writers allow us to decide if we agree with Ryan’s choices or if we would have chosen to go the other route in life that he has neglected.

Sometimes, it is never too late to choose a different path than the one that we have set out for ourselves. However, whether we can pull back from previous choices made and to get a fresh start on a new path, is one of the underlying themes of ‘Up in The Air.’ Ryan can try to start a real relationship with Alex, make amends with his sisters and be more present in their lives, and still achieve his 10-million-mile goal but life can get in the way so it’s possible he will not be as successful in salvaging both his relationships, his career goals, and his need for travel. Even if he thinks he can be successful at keeping everybody in his life happy, he may have to make sacrifices as in life, it can be nearly impossible to keep all options available to you.        

The priorities we make now while end up defining us far into the future and there may come a time where the sacrifices, we make in one area may lead to a lack of connection or attachment or fulfilment in another area. Throughout the film during Ryan’s motivational speeches, he talks about the ‘stuff’ in life weighing us down whether it’s our relationships, our possessions, and even our desires. He makes the point in the audience that ‘life can be better footloose’ and not as tied down to suffer from it. However, what the film makes clear is that when you find real happiness in a relationship, can you pivot to slowing down with that heavier backpack you carry around because you feel fulfilled to do so? Can Ryan make room for a real relationship with Alex or his sisters to give up life on the road so his backpack will be heavier, but he’ll still be happier as a result, and maybe that what’s he was missing all this time around?

While Ryan is a ‘road warrior’ and enjoys not being attached to anyone or anything, who will be there for him if he must stay at his scant one-bedroom apartment in Omaha or if he were to be fired from his job where he fires other people. The film brilliantly shows real people who’ve been through real loss in terms of their jobs and livelihoods, and how while it is almost impossible to get through it, they could not keep going on without their responsibility to their families or the love that their families show for them in those tough times. In life, it always helps to have a good support system or to have good people like family motivating you to get you through the tough times.

Ryan may be prepared for a life unattached now, but he may find as he gets older, that his choice to not have many or any attachments at all may lead to the loneliness and pain that then can come from facing life’s hurdles alone, especially when you don’t truly get to know the person because you are so busy traveling and can’t make time for them at all. As Ryan says to his sister Julie’s husband-to-be, Jim, on their wedding day to help him get over his ‘cold feet’ at getting married, “Life’s better with company.”

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Author: Ben W.

Hello, I am an Entrepreneur in Online Education focusing on English as a Second Language Studies. I offer online courses and eBooks on English grammar, Business English, and English writing. I also recently released my first personal development guide. You can find all of these offerings below and please sign-up for updates to come! Thanks. View all posts by Ben W.

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Up in the Air Life - Food & Culture Academy

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Fantastic service and food... will come back again next visit to seoul 😍 ... loved that we got a... read more

This was the best Korean cultural experience I could imagine to do with my young children & hubby... read more

Up in the Air Life

The best experience ever! The food and the cooking lessons were awesome. Thank you. Deborah Renee Smith New York City

Thanks to you Deborah! It was so much fun last night! Hope you enjoyed the two dishes!!! Thank you again!!

We made amazing fried chicken and bulgogi!!! So dope!! The team is very nice and serves the food with beer.

Thank you sooo much for your great review and happy to hear that you had a pleasant time in the cooking class! Please get back to us if you ever have any questions or queries in the future! Thank you!!

We had an amazing time at the food and culture academy in Seoul. Ellie and Eunice were amazing! They were friendly, and very knowledgeable about preparing and cooking Korean cuisine. You won’t be disappointed at all with this experience! Our group prepared Bulgogi and Dakgangjeong (sweet and spicy chicken). I’d absolutely book this again!

Thank you sooo much for your great review, Patricka!! We are so happy to hear that you had a pleasant time in the cooking class! Please get back to us if you ever have any questions or queries regarding the two dishes in the future! Thank you!!

We went as a large group and had a great bonding experience. The food was amazing and the ladies did a great job of teaching us.

On a foodie tour in South korea, and this was a surprise addition. Excellent facilities & teachers & recipes. Being new to South Korean cooking, this is the perfect way to begin with confidence. Will be coming back again In the near future.

We had a wonderful cooking class experience. We selected the above dishes when we made our reservations. Our chef was engaging, supportive and provided a deeper understanding about Korean cooking, such as matching oils and flavors, not just reproducing the recipes. We picked up a couple new cooking skills along with the delicious recipes. The facilities were great ( see the pics online). The food was so good that I brought the leftover gimbap and mandu to work the next day to share with my very happy coworkers.

Hi Daniel! Thank you very much for your excellent and warm review. Hope you had a great time cooking with us and let us know if you do have any questions or queries in near future. Thank you!

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'Up In The Air': Life, No Strings Attached

Kenneth Turan

Last Call: George Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, a corporate hit man hired to fly around the country and fire downsized employees. A frequent flier and a professional drifter, Ryan leads a life devoid of attachment. Dale Robinette/Paramount Pictures hide caption

Up In The Air

• Director: Jason Reitman
• Genre: Drama, Comedy
• Running Time: 109 minutes

Rated R: Language and sexual content With: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick

Watch Clips

'Order Five Meals'

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'Club Cards'

'Something Real'

Up In The Air makes textured filmmaking look easy. It blends entertainment and insight, comedy and poignancy, even drama and reality, and never seems to break a sweat.

Up In The Air stars George Clooney as Ryan, a corporate hit man who flies around the country firing people for companies who are too timid to do it themselves. Ryan loves the soothing predictability that goes with high-end business travel. At home in airports and on planes the way few people are at home anywhere, he's made a science of security lines and moves cards through optical devices like scanning was an Olympic sport.

Two women throw Ryan off his confident stride. First is a whip-smart number cruncher from his office, played by Anna Kendrick, who questions everything he believes in. She's frankly dubious as he tells her about his personal quest for 10 million frequent-flier miles .

Then Ryan catches the eye of a business traveler named Alex, who shares his love for frequent flying, and who is as passionate about the system as he is.

Played by the exceptional Vera Farmiga, Alex is so much Ryan's psychic twin that he finds himself synchronizing schedules with her so they can share steamy airport rendezvous.

Credit for all this goes to writer-director Jason Reitman , who used a novel by Walter Kirn as his jumping-off point. The question Up In The Air gracefully poses is whether Ryan's detachment can survive contact with genuine emotion.

The answer turns out to be gratifyingly complex, a further reason to celebrate a director who has filmmaking in his bones.

Entertainment | What a Life: Travel costs are high, but someone…

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Entertainment, subscriber only, entertainment | what a life: travel costs are high, but someone always cleans up.

When you get to the terminal, (usually after several tries at finding a place to park) the place is packed, and here you are, dragging at least one bag, maybe more, and you soon find that your airline has come up with more clever ways to lighten your wallet by charging you fees for anything they can think of, that you haven’t. ​ “Sorry sir, your bag weighs ​5​0 pounds, two​-tenths of an ounce, that will be an extra $50​ –​ oh, and by the way, you are only allowed one carry​-on, and that Snickers bar in your pocket will cost you.”

A​fter all of this, you ​leave the pleasant confines of the check in counter​ where you have spent a half-hour in line, now dragging a carry-on, ​and you see the maze in the terminal​.​ You have another half-hour to spend just to find your​ departure gate.

Ah, so much fun, and to think if you may be traveling with several other immediate family members, say a spouse, and should you be so lucky, a few grade schoolers or infants, then the fun is only multiplied.

When this is all factored in, it may make one think of possibly an alternate type of family vacation.

It brought back to me memories of a trip our family took from Orem, Utah to Yellowstone National Park.

We located a rental camp trailer and after being relieved of a hefty deposit for damage the trailer m​i​ght incur while in my possession, we hooked up and made our way north.

There were ​s​even of us in all, Sharon, myself and Patrick, Michele, Michael Jr., Kelly and Carrie. We were a carful​ and any trip longer than 15 minutes was tiring, and here we were, on a major road trip.

We were traveling with friends, who also had a rental trailer in tow. Their trip may have been a bit less stressful as they had only two children.

We made it to our campground late that afternoon and set up our site. We’d brought along some folding camp chairs, a card table and other necessities. We adults left the little kids in the care of our older ones and headed for the nearest dispenser of adult beverages. Our nerves a little less tense when we returned, ​w​e did a nose count and quick glance over the campers​ and felt relieved that everyone had survived​ intact.

We covered all the usual sights, from the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone to Old Faithful​, where Sharon and I had spent our honeymoon a few years before (staying in a cabin that we rented for the exorbitant price of $2 per night).

On our last evening, we had set up the camp chairs alongside the trailer, and one of them bumped the trailer, leaving a small scratch. I attempted a repair, and unless one had a magnifying glass, it was hardly noticeable.

When we returned home, Sharon immediately began cleaning, and when she was finished, the camper was cleaner than it was when we rented it, and I once more​ tried to fix the scratch.

When we deemed it was ready to return, I towed it to the rental spot, and our magnifier equipped inspector soon spotted the scratch​.

​“Oh no!” he exclaimed,  “you’ve put a huge scratch here, we’re going to have to repaint it!”

There was no give on his part and, notepad in hand, he entered the camper​ to check how clean it was. Naturally, as one who had no plans to refund any of our deposit, ​he informed me that it wasn’t clean enough.

It was spotless.

He informed me that it was going to cost several hundred dollars to repair the scratch. I told him I’d take care of it, I took the trailer to a friend who owned a body shop, who repaired and painted it at no charge.

It was a family vacation to remember, and we did get our deposit back!

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Life begins, when you get Up in the Air !

Claire soares is the mastermind behind the flagship international travel company, up in the air life ..

Claire Soares is the mastermind behind the flagship international travel company, Up in the Air Life.  Claire loves to work her magic to secure substantial deals while creating a business of impact. Soares makes success look easy. And, she hopes to help you do the same.

Claire Soares is a strategic leader, influential cultural innovator, and successful entrepreneur. As a former Sales Executive, Claire’s professional background coupled with her personal business acumen makes her the woman to know when learning more about securing deals and building businesses. Claire speaks to groups throughout the country about venture development, impactful brands, and breaking away from the Black box many African Americans are stuffed in from childhood upbringings to career choices.

Work With Me !

My philosophy, do. be. live.

I believe in DOING what you love, BEING who you are, and LIVING life out loud.  I live each moment to the fullest and create my best memories with no regrets! If that means I’m jet-lagged from a 7-day excursion to Thailand…wheels up! If that means I’m working the hours when others are sleeping, I’ll take that chance. Are you living the life you want to live? Are you doing what it takes? Are you being who you really are inside? Are you living life to the fullest?

Are you afraid to fly?

Breaking away is the answer to living life in hd .

Pre-Order your copy of Breaking Away: The Story of Going Against the Grain.

Founder of Up in the Air Life, Claire Soares, shares her success story of how she achieved the dreams of her parents, but realized she wasn’t living for herself. She taps into the way she is shattering limiting stereotypes placed on African Americans seeking to live beyond the ordinary. She unveils how she transformed her life from ordinary to extraordinary.

In My Dreams, I fly !

me & my why

Hi, I'm Annie

I had a very fortunate opportunity growing up to be able to travel to some really amazing places with my family. Travel has become a big part of who I am and fuels my aspirations. So much so, that I started my travel life, post school, in the airline industry! Although a great job for someone who loves to travel, I realized that it did not allow me to come home to my family as often as I'd like. Because of that, I decided to move back home and join a local travel agency in my hometown. With travel so rooted in me, I knew I needed something to keep myself very much in the travel world. I quickly found my passion for mystery trips and group travel/destination weddings. With the help of my inspiring mentors, Up in the Air Travels blossomed.

Meet my Parents

For 22 years, my parents have been doing surprise anniversary trips for one another. Every year, they take turns planning and keeping the entire trip a secret from the other, right up until the day they leave. They usually give each other certain clues along the way like sharing a riddle or buying a swimsuit or warm gloves to give ideas on how to pack. I have found an admiration for the love, trust and adventure they share and give to one another. I created Up in the Air Travels to allow others to feel this same sense of adventure, trust, love and admiration.

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UP IN THE AIR Review

Up in the Air is a great movie.  The script is sharp, Jason Reitman's direction is astonishing, the cast is outstanding, and its story is as timely as its themes are timeless.  The film is a strong awards contender but rather than tap into important figures or controversial issues, Up in the Air finds its hero in the most unlikely of people: Ryan Bingham (played by George Clooney) a man who loves air travel and whose job it is to lay people off because their bosses are spineless weasels.  He's turns both travel and firing into an art, but discovers that a simple and satisfying life can be just as fragile as a personal life he'd rather leave on the ground.

Ryan Bingham has a peculiar goal in life: reach 10,000,000 frequent flyer miles.  He is the perfect flyer.  He travels light, knows which airport security line to use, and ranks car rental services like most people would rank cars they actually want to own.  He's able to accumulate this kind of mileage and travel expertise by working for a company whose sole purpose is to send "termination specialists" to various businesses and fire people.  This too is an art form for Ryan as he can spout the company's meaningless platitudes to the recently downsized (I still don't understand what, "Everyone who ever ruled an empire is sitting where you are right now,"; My world history is a little rusty but I believe no one ever fired Genghis Khan or Alexander the Great).  Ryan uses his lifestyle as a way to push his gig as a motivational speaker where he argues, like some twisted Buddhist monk, that both possessions and people do nothing but weigh us down and make our lives shorter.  Unfortunately for Ryan, people begin to enter his life as he starts to fall for kindred spirit Alex (Vera Farmiga) and provide field experience to neophyte Natalie (Anna Kendrick) who wants to turn the firing business digital, which would ground Ryan indefinitely by removing the need to travel.

The first half of Up in the Air almost sings with its light touch, funny dialogue, and breezy style.  Where the film begins to slow up is congruent where Ryan begins to touchdown and tries to build a meaningful relationship with Alex and reconnect to his sisters.  It can be slightly deflating to change gears so rapidly but the story necessitates it and it's the only way to get to the meaningful third act that will stick with audiences after they leave the theater.  It is rocky to go from such a light comedy to a contemplative drama but the payoff is worth it and it's a cinematic case of doing what's right for the film rather than trying to play into audience expectations for the easy cheer.

Almost everything else clicks perfectly.  Farmiga once again shows that while other female actresses may get sexy photo spreads, she's got talent to spare (that's not to say she's unattractive; when you see the film, note that she does not use a body double).  The film provides a breakthrough performance for Kendrick and after this film she's going to be high in demand, especially if she lands an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress (an accolade already bestowed upon her by the National Board of Review earlier today).  I'm not entirely sure if it's reflected glory but she does a fine job of hitting her character's emotional beats. Sadly, Kendrick disappears in the second half of the movie as do most of the small supporting roles from actors like Zach Galifianakis or J.K. Simmons who turn in some nice work despite only appearing in one scene.

But Clooney is a different story.  The guy is talented as hell, but the question I found myself asking the second time I saw the film was this: would the role work as well or better if it were played by a character actor like Paul Giamatti?  Clooney's charm is undeniable but wouldn't that open up Ryan's world rather than keep it in the tight shell he's constructed for himself?  And why wouldn't a guy as good-looking and charismatic as Clooney be confident?  Would a performance of confidence from a character actor provided more depth?  I don't have the answers to these questions, but make no mistake: Clooney is the goods in this film.

The music, the cinematography, the editing are all aces with Reitman bringing it all together splendidly.  It's unfair that he should be this good at only his third film.  Shouldn't there be more of a learning curve?  I know he's the son of Ivan Reitman, but Reitman the Elder never directed films like Thank You for Smoking , Juno , or Up in the Air .  When a director is this good at so young an age (when he was nominated for Best Director in 2007 for Juno , he was the youngest director to receive that honor), it's terrifying to consider how much better he can be.  Up in the Air lifts Reitman to one of the best directors working today.

There will always be films where the acclaim is completely undeserved or it's difficult to see beyond the hype.  Up in the Air is not one of those films.  If you need any more convincing, it makes air travel look appealing and will have you cheering for a guy whose job is to bring misery into the world.  It does both without sugarcoating and never looks down on its audience.  Book your ticket now.

Rating ----- A minus

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The Elements of Spring - Immersion in the heart of Nature 2024

La Neuveville, Switzerland

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About this trip

A journey to learn about the alchemy of the 5 elements.

- release stress and elevate your vitality in a natural environment

Discover the magical and pure energy of "Le plateau de Diesse". Resource yourself in the heart of nature.  

Are you seeking ways to be more in tune with your own true nature? 

Are you passing through a life transition and would like to develop resilience?

Would you appreciate a moment of connection, detox, ease and quality times to nurture yourself? 

During these 5 days, we will share with you teachings and insightful experiences in a peaceful comfortable environment. 

Develop the 5 senses and discover ways to rekindle your whole being in serenity and vitality. 

We will stay at the luxurious boutique hotel, family owned,  "Hotel de l'Ours" in Preles 

Opening Cacao Ceremony 

Every day we will do a yoga practice and an immersion in nature that is related to the element of the day. 

Awakening the 5 senses for your wellbeing and happiness. 

The air relates to the breath and the mind. -> the smell

The fire relates to our willpower and our sense of happiness. -> the vision

The water relates to our digestion, to our relations and inner child. -> the taste

The earth relates to our vitality and to our embodiment. -> the touch

The ether is the space and soul being. -> the sound

The 5 elements are interconnected and in constant movement. They reflect our inner ecology. 

During the retreat, you will receive the opportunity to listen to your body and to what brings a spark of joy at this time of your life. 

May your heart sing everyday. It is our main mission :) 

Through the experiences and the five senses, you will recognize what makes your heart sing and what brings you a sense of ease, happiness and wellbeing. 

You will also receive practical tools that you can integrate in your daily life after the immersion. 

See "what is included" for more details. 

Enhance Resilience 

Embrace your true nature with grace  :) 

Lead instructor Christelle Chopard

Christelle Chopard is a dedicated woman who supports the wellbeing and evolution in our community and environment. 

After living thirty years through Asia, Australia and the Americas, she chose to live in a small village in the heart of nature and the elements: Diesse. 

With three decades of experience worldwide in holistic healing, therapies, coaching modalities and diverse ancestral ceremonies_ she is a pioneer and expert in leading people to release attachments and to access their true nature_ honoring life's constant evolution. 

Her background is in holistic foot reflexology, in healing modalities, massage, cranio-sacral therapy, qigong instructor, handwriting expert, yoga therapist (C-IAYT), E-RYT500, shamanism and other modalities. Her expertise is in balancing and transcending the five elements and five bodies, supporting people to connect with their inner gifts and to manifest their inspirations. 

She is the founder of DHARMI® Method, DHARMI-YOGA® and Vortex Meditation.  She supports people to navigate life transitions with clarity, compassion and integrity. 

What’s included

• Opening Cacao Ceremony
• Evaluation and healing personalized attention with evaluation of the 5 elements, healing and private coaching session with christelle
• Daily Yoga class Dharmi-Yoga of the 5 Elements, balance stira (strength) and sukha (flexibility), alignments, therapy, philosophy, mantras, asanas, pranayamas
• Accomodation 5x 5 nights at the luxurious family owned "Hotel de l'Ours" in Preles
• 3 healthy meals daily The meals are prepared with local products from Switzerland and the area.
• Daily Immersion i Nature hikes and experiences in nature to reconnect with your own true nature, healing and experiences in tune with the 5 elements
• Daily Vortex Meditation Based on Qi-Gong and the 5 elements in neochamanism for healing and to strengthen your electro magnetic field - balance your frequency with positive intention
• Journal medicine wheel Learn how to journal based on the medicine wheel for your wellbeing and to align with the frequency that best suits you
• one book of the trilogy christelle chopard is the author of a trilogy, a series of 3 books focused on the Alchemy of the 5 Elements and Ancestral Wisdom to support your wellbeing and self-development.

Available Packages

Available options.

Introduction to the program of the week 

Integration with the group and with the environment 

First map to get familiar with the 5 elements and the inner compass for wellbeing

3 course dinner 

Sunrise meditation 

Morning teachings and experiences with the Earth Element, symbology, 

Yoga practice indoor or outdoor if the weather allows 

Immersion in nature tuning with mother earth, PachaMama 

Vortex meditation 

Sunrise meditation Breakfast Morning teachings and experiences with the Water Element, symbology, Yoga practice indoor or outdoor if the weather allows Lunch Immersion in nature tuning with the waters (rivers, lake, ..) Vortex meditation Healthy Dinner

Welcoming the rising sun with yoga sun salutations Breakfast Morning teachings and experiences with the Fire Element, symbology

Creation of your mandala Lunch Immersion in nature tuning with the fire element Vortex meditation Healthy Dinner

sunrise meditation 

mapping your journey and creation of your vision board 

immersion to the top of the mountain to the Chasseral for a 360 degree perspective 

sunrise meditation

morning circle of light

enhance and strengthen your frequency 

farewell... the journey continues.. 

Your Organizer

Photo gallery.

The South Africa Beaches & Bubbles Experience

The south african beaches & bubbles experience.

Winelands + Western Cape Beach Coast

Let’s face it – we need a break!  This trip is straight off the press and one for the books when it comes to Relaxation and Rejuvenation.  On this 7-day journey, we will explore the home of Pinotage and the Western Cape Coast of South Africa. 

You will leave this trip feeling refreshed.  This trip includes the option to extend your trip to Cape Town with a pre-built itinerary fit for royalty.

Join us on our 7-day luxury adventure in South Africa and experience the country’s relaxing vibes and natural beauties on a deeper level than any documentary you’ve seen. You can’t call yourself woke until you have experienced our ancestral home for yourself.

• 2024 Dates: Pick your dates!
• Trip Length: 7 Days, 6 Nights
• Activity Level: Low
• Luxury Level: 5 Stars
• Arrive Into: CPT
• Depart From: CPT

Love the trip but not the dates?

Go now or later with private trip planning —, here's your trip at a glance..

WHERE YOU'LL GO

We'll be exploring the Western Cape and the Winelands in South Africa. This is definitely an off-the-beaten-track trip full of relaxation with time for journaling, reflections, and quite frankly what we all need after the last year.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

We will be on an epic road trip and staying 3 nights on the beach and 3 nights at a Wine Vineyard and spa. You will be getting lots of rest and time with your new friends. Each day is filled with some activity and free time.

WHERE YOU'LL STAY

Luxury accommodations all the way are included on this adventure through South Africa. While at the Beach Lodge everything is included. At the Wine Spa Hotel, there will be ample wine and spa facilities to indulge in.

Explore the day-by-day itinerary.

THIS TRIP IS FOR YOU, IF:

• You need a break
• You love relaxing on the high-life
• You're a sucker for beaches and bubbles

THIS TRIP IS NOT FOR YOU, IF:

• You want to be on tours all day
• You don't appreciate the sound of waves
• You don't like to be still

Welcome to Cape Town, South Africa!

Arrive in Cape Town (CPT), where you’ll join the group for a VIP transfer to the Wine Country in the Stellenbosch region. South Africa is known for its wine region, and you’ll head to the place where Pinotage was born, enjoying the scenic ride through the Winelands.

On our first night, we’ll enjoy a wine tasting on our Welcome Dinner with a hand-selected menu by the chef. It’ll be a night your tastebuds will remember forever. Cheers to the days ahead!

After a healing night sleeping in the beautiful hotel rooms, you’ll wake up for a sumptuous breakfast at the hotel before blood-pumping activities. We’ll start the day with a walking Bo Kaap Tour followed by a Cooking Class, where you’ll learn to prepare a delicious meal.

Later, you’ll be delighted on a Sunset Wine Tasting and Cellar Tour guided by one of the Estate’s expert Wine Advisors, offering the opportunity to tour the working wine cellar and explore the rich history of Lanzerac Wine Estate.

You’ll get free time to relax in bed or join the facilities before we gather together to dine at a 3-course dinner together with fantastic wine right from their cellar.

Today is your time to rest and unwind. You deserve it! Whether you’re up to join an electric bike tour to immerse in the beauty of the Motherland or enjoy the entire day in a rejuvenation mood in the Spa, you’ll dive into a level of leisure you’ll hardly get somewhere else.

We are adding $200 in credits to your name for you to treat yourself to a decadent day of signature treatments at the Spa. Relax the senses and let the harmony and tranquillity of this majestic valley gently restore body and mind.

Sit back, reflect, sip some bubbly, and enjoy your free day in the Winelands before we head to the coast for more Champagne poppin’.

After our last lavish breakfast in the Winelands, we’ll head to the Western Cape beach area in Lekkerwater, a secluded paradise in the Motherland where we’ll indulge our senses for the next 4 days.

Every room of the luxury accommodations is ocean-facing for you to wake up every day to the most incredible views of the ocean and the colors fading over De Hoop Marine Protected Area, which we’ll have the time to explore later.

The Lekkerwater Beach Lodge is located in a nature reserve, the perfect way to indulge in paradise with no one around and have a great time to pause and relax. We’ll enjoy a sunset evening together, have time to get to know each other, and reflect on the days we’ve had.

Beach time! Today we’ll explore the coast searching for octopuses and other sea animals on the shore, and if you are up for an adventure in the mountains, an optional hike to boost ourselves with more exercise as we nurture our minds.

During the sunset, we’ll enjoy the jacuzzi on the beachfront, having a glass of bubbly soaking in the vibes.

Wake up to your last full day in paradise. Sleep in, order breakfast in bed, and enjoy your morning as you please. We’ll gather on the beach at noon to enjoy our last lunch together in this beautiful destination.

This place is really for reflecting and relaxing after everything that happened last year. Appreciate watching the water hitting the rocks, immersing in the beach jacuzzi, or enjoying walking around breathing the fresh air. This time is yours to relish.

If you haven’t got enough of the Cape Coast and the Mother City, extend your trip with a pre-built itinerary fit for royalty. But if you are ready to go home, your Up in the Air Life private driver sadly whisks you away to the airport to fly home or onward to your next adventure.

No matter where you travel, our standards are the same.

You can always expect to:, connect with amazing people..

We provide the opportunity to make friendships with people who share your worldview and won't ask why you wear a bonnet to sleep.

Experience attentive and authentic hospitality.

Not only is the staff of Up in the Air Life dedicated to making sure your trip is flawlessly executed, but we are also intentional about choosing locales and vendors who celebrate Black travelers

Be pampered with only the best.

There is no need to take a break from your baller lifestyle when you travel with us. Our lodging, excursions, and dining are pure luxury.

Feel safe and secure.

Our experienced American guides and well-maintained local relationships mean that you will have peace of mind when you travel with us.

Say "goodbye" to FOMO.

Our trips are anything but basic. While we make sure you see well-known main attractions, we also develop itineraries that will give you unique stories to share with your friends back home.

HERE'S WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT

The South African Beaches and Bubbles Experience

What is included:

Our trips get you close to that Beyoncé-on-a-boat lifestyle. Let us handle your travel style glow-up.

• Up In The Air Life On-site Tour Leader
• A Bon Voyage Group Video Call to review your trip live with the Up in the Air Life Team
• Concierge Support before your trip to assist you in Upgrading Your Room and Booking Optional Tours
• Concierge Support before your trip to book your spa appointments
• Concierge Support before your trip to book your restaurant reservations
• Up in the Air Life Private Concierge Chat during your trip for dining/spa reservations and more
• 3-nights accommodation at a luxury hotel in Stellenbosch
• 3-nights accommodation at a luxury hotel in the Western Cape
• A celebratory Bubbly Toast to kick off our trip
• Daily Breakfast at the Hotel
• Welcome Multi-Course Dinner paired with wine
• All meals, snacks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in the Western Cape hotel
• Sunset wine tasting and cellar tour guided by one of the Estate’s expert Wine Advisors
• $200 in credits to use towards any of the spa’s signature treatments
• Beach Hike and Octopus Hunting Tour by the ocean
• Private ocean-side lunch
• Bo Kaap Tour with Cooking Class
• Transportation to all hosted activities
• VIP meet + greet and private airport transfers
• Personalized hand-selected gifts in your Swag bag

What is not included:

We take care of all the details on your itinerary once you land. If you want to further personalize your experience, go off!

• Round-trip airfare to and from the destination
• Travel Medical Insurance Insurance (Please note this is required to attend the trip.)
• Room Upgrades are available for purchase after booking
• Optional tours are available for purchase after booking
• Tips for Tour Leader, Guides and Drivers
• Passport or Visa Processing Fees
• Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the time of travel with at least 2 free visa pages.
• Expenses for vaccines that may be required

Can you envision yourself on this trip?

Download "The Beaches & Bubbles" trip brochure and keep it handy as you continue to explore, or take the plunge and book now .

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Contact Info

[email protected]

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Up in the Air

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Complete guide to earning and redeeming Avianca LifeMiles

Editor's Note

While navigating a foreign airline's frequent flyer program may seem daunting, your savings on award trave l can be significant. This is particularly true for Colombian airline Avianca and its surprisingly valuable LifeMiles frequent flyer program .

LifeMiles offers highly appealing redemption rates for Star Alliance awards and additional unique features that make this program worth your attention. Let's delve into everything you need to know about Avianca LifeMiles.

How to earn Avianca LifeMiles

Cardless recently launched two new LifeMiles-branded credit cards in the United States:

• Avianca LifeMiles Elite American Express Card : Earn up to 100,000 bonus miles — 60,000 miles awarded after $4,500 spent in the first 90 days and an additional 40,000 miles after $25,000 spent in the first 365 days. Earn 3 LifeMiles per dollar spent on Avianca purchases, 2 LifeMiles per dollar spent on dining and non-Avianca travel, and 1 LifeMile per dollar spent on all other purchases. Other benefits include a 10% award redemption discount on Star Alliance flights, 500 bonus LifeMiles each month, a 25%-off award redemption discount on Avianca flights and Star Alliance Silver status for as long as you have the card. Annual fee: $249.
• Avianca LifeMiles American Express Card: Earn a bonus of up to 40,000 LifeMiles after spending $3,000 with the card in the first 90 days. Earn 2 LifeMiles per dollar spent on Avianca purchases, groceries and restaurants, and 1 LifeMile per dollar spent on all other purchases. Other benefits include Star Alliance Silver status for as long as you have the card. Annual fee: $99.

The information for the Avianca LifeMiles Elite and Avianca LifeMiles cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The cards details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

You can also transfer your American Express Membership Rewards points, Capital One miles, Bilt Rewards points, Wells Fargo Rewards points and Citi ThankYou Rewards points to your LifeMiles account at a 1:1 ratio. These transferable rewards programs sometimes offer transfer bonuses .

Additionally, you can transfer Marriott Bonvoy points at a 3:1 ratio. Unlike with most major programs, you won't receive the 5,000 bonus miles for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer; LifeMiles was one of the programs that lost this feature in 2022.

Beyond credit cards, Avianca often offers regular discounts on LifeMiles purchases . In the past, we have seen prices drop as low as 1.2 cents per mile, although the typical sale price ranges from 1.3 to 1.35 cents per mile. These rates are significantly lower than TPG's valuation of LifeMiles at 1.7 cents each. While buying points speculatively is generally not recommended, these sales can be a good option if you have a specific redemption in mind.

If you frequently travel on paid tickets with Star Alliance carriers , it might be worth considering crediting your miles to Avianca. This can be advisable if you find more value in the LifeMiles program than in other options like United MileagePlus or Air Canada Aeroplan . Crediting your miles to Avianca is also beneficial if you don't travel enough to earn elite status but still want to maximize your redemption opportunities.

Related: Where to credit paid flights in each alliance for the most possible points

How to redeem Avianca LifeMiles

As a member of Star Alliance, Avianca allows you to use your LifeMiles for flights on the carrier or any of its partners. Additionally, Avianca has partnerships with Gol Airlines and Iberia, providing opportunities to earn and redeem LifeMiles on select flights operated by these airlines.

LifeMiles follows a standard zone-based award chart for most flights. However, flights within the U.S. sometimes deviate from the standard award chart. Dynamic pricing is typically unfavorable. However, these discrepancies have often worked in favor of travelers, offering advantageous redemption options.

Here's a one-way economy flight from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) that prices out 1,000 miles cheaper than Avianca's award chart suggests:

Redeeming LifeMiles is typically straightforward. You log in to the LifeMiles website and search for your desired award flight.

However, it is important to note that while Avianca should have access to the same Star Alliance award availability as United Airlines and Air Canada, the carrier's information technology is known to have limitations. This can result in phantom award space , where seats appear online but are not bookable.

Conversely, Avianca may not always display available award space on United or Air Canada. Therefore, it is advisable to double-check your search using another Star Alliance search engine or tools like ExpertFlyer (owned by TPG's parent company, Red Ventures) before transferring points to Avianca. This ensures you have accurate and up-to-date information before proceeding with your redemption.

Related: The best websites to search for Star Alliance award availability

Avianca LifeMiles sweet spots

In most cases, you are faced with a trade-off between low award rates and high fuel surcharges or spending more miles to avoid extra costs. However, LifeMiles is one of the few programs that excels in both aspects. It offers highly competitive rates for Star Alliance awards and does not pass on fuel surcharges to LifeMiles members.

As a result, you can expect to pay minimal taxes and fees when redeeming an award ticket.

Lufthansa first class from the US to Europe

Between Porsche amenity kits and gourmet inflight dining, Lufthansa's first class is often a dream come true for award travelers.

United typically prices Lufthansa first-class awards to Europe at around 154,000 miles each way. When there's award space, Air Canada charges 90,000-100,000 points. While Asiana Airlines and Lufthansa offer lower award rates for first-class redemptions, both airlines impose high taxes and fees.

Meanwhile, Avianca offers one of the best ways to book Lufthansa first class on miles. Award rates start at just 87,000 miles each way and carry minimal taxes and fees.

At 30,000 and 63,000 miles, Star Alliance economy- and business-class awards aren't bad deals, either.

ANA business and first class from Honolulu to Tokyo

If you want to travel to Japan on a shorter daytime flight, consider flying from Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL).

LifeMiles charges just 27,500, 48,000 and 66,000 miles for one-way flights in economy, business and first class (respectively) between Honolulu and Tokyo's Narita International Airport (NRT). These award rates are at least 10% less than what Aeroplan, KrisFlyer and MileagePlus charge for the same route.

Business class from the US to Asia

As expected, award rates from the mainland U.S. to Asia are higher, with one-way flights from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) costing 47,000 miles and 90,000 miles in economy and business class, respectively.

Nevertheless, this can still be a decent way to reach the continent for fewer miles than you'd see through other programs.

Business class to New Zealand

Although premium-cabin award space on Air New Zealand can be difficult to find, another LifeMiles sweet spot is the carrier's business class to Auckland Airport (AKL), with flights costing just 80,000 miles.

As Aeroplan sells these awards for 75,000 points , you might consider booking through Air Canada — though if you're buying LifeMiles, it's still a sweet spot worth knowing about.

Business class to South America

LifeMiles also offers great award rates on certain South American flights. Business-class awards cost just 35,000 miles from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Jorge Chavez International Airport (LIM) in Lima, Peru — a hidden gem for a flight of this length.

Mixed-cabin awards

When traveling in long-haul business or first class, it's common to encounter mixed-cabin awards through LifeMiles. This happens in the following situations:

• When airlines don't offer first class on shorter routes, requiring passengers to connect in business or economy class
• When there isn't award space in your desired cabin

Most loyalty programs determine the award rate based on the highest cabin class of service used. However, LifeMiles takes a different approach. It prices each leg of the journey separately based on the class of service booked, which often leads to a discounted rate for mixed-cabin tickets.

In the above example, you can save 3,040 miles on a one-way ticket to Europe by starting your trip in economy class at Orlando International Airport (MCO). The total cost would then be just 59,960 miles. The flight from Orlando to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) doesn't have award availability in United's domestic first class, so this is a great way to still get the award you want.

Alternatively, even when there is award availability for your entire journey, you may decide it isn't worth using extra miles for a shorter connecting flight. Even then, you can pick economy and save some of your rewards for later.

Related: The best ways to travel to Europe using points and miles

Problems with Avianca LifeMiles

Despite LifeMiles offering appealing award rates, it might not be the program for you. The program has a reputation for error-prone information technology and inconsistent customer service.

LifeMiles members often encounter website glitches when redeeming their miles. Additionally, if you reserve an economy award ticket and business class becomes available, LifeMiles requires you to pay a cancellation fee to redeposit your miles. You can then rebook your flight in business class.

While you may save thousands of miles booking with Avianca, canceling your ticket could be tedious and costly. You typically can't cancel award bookings online, and Avianca is slow to issue refunds.

However, Avianca LifeMiles is reportedly working on rectifying some of its customer service issues and implementing changes. Most recently, Avianca launched a subscription-based miles service, LifeMiles+. If you sign up for the Basic, Pro or Max account, you can enjoy no change or cancellation fees on award tickets. If you're a frequent flyer of Avianca or use the carrier's loyalty program to book partner award flights, this subscription service could be for you.

Bottom line

Avianca LifeMiles is a frequent flyer program that has proven its worth in the award travel world. With its attractive redemption rates, lack of fuel surcharges and partnerships with major transferable points programs , LifeMiles offers great value and flexibility to its members. While there may be some customer service challenges and quirks to navigate, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks for many travelers.

So take the time to explore Avianca LifeMiles, delve into its sweet spots and unlock the possibilities it presents for your future travels. With a little research and planning, you can make the most of this valuable program as you consider where to transfer your credit card points.