Welcome to Che Bella Tours and the Bella Buzz, a monthly quick-readnewsletter for those passionate about small group travel and rich culturalexperiences. Not only do we hope you'll enjoy it, we invite you to help usshape it into a communication that is informative and valuable for you.

This month's question:What is the most memorable meal you have ever had on a

vacation?Send us your answer

and we will incorporate it into our next issue: The Taste of Italy

JANUARY 2016THE BUZZ: The Bucket List: traveling with the ones you loveWORLDVIEW: Do we stay or do we go?TRAVEL TIPS & TRICKS: The anatomy of a well-packed suitcaseMAKE IT WITH LOVE: Caribbean Rum Cake

COMING FEBRUARY: THE TASTE OF ITALY

FEATURED TOURS: Caribbean Getaway to the USVIItalian Dreams - The Great CitiesCustom Travel Services

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A treasured moment. Our family of 19 Serios gathered for two magical weeks at a villa

in Umbria. It was the last time my father traveled.

The bucket list: traveling with the ones we loveJanuary is a time when we reflect on the past year and consider what we want to experience in the

next. Last month's Bella Buzz question was: What's on your bucket list? Our readers, of course,

responded with exciting travel goals including Machu Pichu, cooking in Tuscany, The Alhambra and the

Great Wall of China.

I was struck, however, by how many people wanted to create specific travel experiences with loved ones

including ...

• propose to my girlfriend on a hot air ballon in France (wicked romantic!)

• have our family reunion at a Celtic castle in the Scottish Highlands

• show my granddaughter the town I was born in Sicily

• fish with my sons in Panama before they head to college

• cook, eat, drink wine, hike and do yoga with my girlfriends ... anywhere!

The opportunity for adventure, lessons about ourselves and life, and the sheer anticipation of something

new are all things travel brings. You can have all the experiences the world has to offer, but sharing them

makes it that much better. One of the gifts of leading small group tours is that it has brought so many

new and interesting people into my life. On tour, my guests step out of their comfort zone, their senses

are heightened and lives examined. Their relationships are strengthened while new friendships are

formed. We certainly remember the breathtaking sunsets, the exquisite meals and the sights we see, but

what endures are the memories of the people sharing these moments.

My New Year's wish is that you travel somewhere you have always dreamed of in the company of the

people you love.

The photos below are from previous Che Bella tours. Be open to possibility, check out our current

itineraries for 2016 or let us help create a custom itinerary for your group or family.

Happy creative travels,

Sandy Serio Gregory, CITM

Intrepid Traveler, International Tour Director and Owner of Che Bella Tours

sandy@chebellatours.com

Sisters and brothers with their 10 kids from the ages of 1 to 19 traveled through Spain

on trip of a lifetime celebrating love, life, loss and the importance of family -- while

managing to find every Irish bar in town.

Castles, wineries and cooking lessons - what better way to begin a new marriage.

A group of women created a trip to Tuscany to introduce their daughters to each other,

celebrating old friendships and new while enjoying adventure, beauty and great food.

And, of course, a toast to new friendships.

WORLDVIEWDo we stay or do we go?

Based on the current situation in the world, it's no wonder people are skittish about booking international

travel. However, if we love to travel we need to continue to travel. Terrorists do not damage an economy

by what they do, but rather by the reaction to what they do. They want one thing: they want people to be

afraid. There is, however, an important difference between fear and risk, and the key is to not let our fear

cloud our ability to assess risk. We must focus on fact rather than opinion, stay connected and informed

and most of all, travel smartly.

When we travel, we represent an extension of our homeland. It provides tremendous opportunity to

become a more informed global citizen, able to question preconceived notions and better appreciate the

interconnectedness among all human beings.

Practically, traveling in small groups helps avoid unwarranted attention and leaving the attitudes and

clothes at home that scream "American" is a commonsense precaution. At Che Bella, we have spent years

making ourselves familiar with our surroundings and developing relationships with our in-country

associates and friends.

Parisians have adopted the hashtag #JeSuisEn Terrasse -- which translates to "I am on the terrace" -- to

make the public declaration that they refuse to resign their way of life. Click here (CNN, Nov 21, 2015)

to view 26 reasons to travel to France again. I am going to Europe again this year, won't you join me?

TRAVEL TIPS AND TRICKSThe anatomy of a well-packed suitcase

While we provide a specific packing list for each tour, here are some solid packing tips learned from years

on the road. Packing with a purpose assures that everything is easily visable and accessible without

having to disrupt your entire suitcase and repack every time you change locations.

Try to travel with a 9" × 21" × 14" expandable rollerboard suitcase. This standard size fits in an overhead

bin in the US and trans-Atlantic flights and no matter how much you stuff it, it's hard to exceed the 50 lb.

international or even 44-lb. discount carrier weight limit. This size is easy to maneuver through crowds, lift

and store in your hotel room.

How to pack:

Lay out everything you think you need and the money you are going to bring, then put back half the

clothes and double the cash. We can now begin.

1. Stuff your shoes with their coordinating socks (1 pair for each shoe only) and stack them on the wheel

side of the suitcase so they don’t put extra weight on your other, lighter items while in the upright

position. Try to bring only 3 pairs of shoes, including 2 pairs of good walking shoes or sandals that you exchange

out every day, and one designed to wear for evening activities. Cobblestones and heels do not mix, so consider a

wedge if you must have some lift. If the weather is cooler, a pair of boots makes you look very European. Born and

Clarks have a full line of shoes, boots, exercise shoes and sandals for men and women that don't scream "American

Tourist" and are very comfortable. Helpful hints: Collect the shower caps at hotels and use them as shoe

covers. Bring a light pair of flip-flops to wear in your hotel room so you don’t have to experience its history

through the footsteps of its previous guests.

2. On top of your shoes, stack jeans, pants, skirts and dresses by tightly rolling them. Pants, skirts and

shorts: Fold in half lengthwise so that the back pockets face outward. Roll tightly from the bottom to the

waistband. Dresses: Fold each sleeve backward to create a rectangle. Fold the entire garment in half

lengthwise, smooth wrinkles. Roll tightly from the bottom hem up.

3. On the other side of the suitcase, line up your shirts and sweaters and fold them using a vertical

fold/roll. Fold each sleeve backward to create a rectangle. Fold the entire garment in half, smooth

wrinkles, then fold in half again, rolling in any extra material. Place these items vertically, as if you were

filing them into a cabinet. This will allow you to view all of your tops at a glance and spend less time

searching, sorting and sifting through your clothes.

4. Ziplock Bags are your friend. Undergarments, pajamas and belts are all together and easily

accessible if rolled and packed in large Ziplock bags. Bring two extra: one for dirty laundry and one as a

wet bag for hand wash, a bathing suit or raingear that needs to be transported before you have time to dry

it out. Put this bag on the outside edge of the suitcase to help cushion toiletries.

5. Your toiletry bag is cushioned between your shirts and your undergarment bag, again using Ziplock

bags to contain items that could leak. On top of everything, put your jacket or coat, folded to allow easy

access upon arrival for unfolding and hanging, or if you need to quickly to grab it.

Minimal movement is the key to keeping clothes smooth and prevent them from shifting and wrinkling, so

make sure you have a nice snug fit. Tide offers easy-to-pack, single-use hand wash packets and Downy

Wrinkle Release really works to remove wrinkles without ironing. Lastly, make a list of the total contents of

your suitcase. If your luggage is lost, the list will help you with any insurance claims. The most important

thing to pack: your sense of humor, everything else can be found locally or improvised.

MAKE IT WITH LOVEPam's Rum Cake - from scratch!

Pam Larsen is our Caribbean Destination wedding planner and an awesome baker. Her rum cake, with

dark rum baked into a delicious yellow bundt cake and drizzled with a butter-rum sauce, is a staple at our

social events where I live in St. Thomas. Click here to learn why rum is an important part of Caribbean

history.

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cake:

1 cup chopped walnuts

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup cornstarch

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1½ cups granulated sugar

3 tablespoons + ½ cup canola oil, divided

1 package of instant vanilla pudding

4 eggs

¾ cup whole milk

¾ cup dark rum

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the Rum Syrup:

¾ cup unsalted butter

1½ cups granulated sugar

¼ cup water

Pinch of salt

½ cup dark rum

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a standard Bundt pan (12-cup capacity). Sprinkle the

chopped walnuts around the bottom; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

3. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until light

and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the flour mixture and the 3 tablespoons of canola oil, and mix on

medium-low speed for a minute or two - the mixture should look like wet sand. Add the pudding mix and

mix again on medium-low speed until combined.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, rum, remaining ½ cup canola oil, and vanilla extract.

Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and beat on medium speed until thoroughly combined, about

2 to 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. (The batter will be quite thin - this is good! It

will be nice and moist!)

5. Pour the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a tester

inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

6. When the cake has about 10 minutes left to bake, start the rum syrup. Melt the butter in a medium-

sized saucepan over medium heat. Once it is melted, add the sugar and the water. Boil for 5 minutes,

stirring constantly. Turn off the heat and stir in the rum. Once it is mixed in, return it to medium heat for

about 30 seconds.

7. When the cake comes out of the oven, immediately pour about one-third of the rum syrup over the

bottom of the cake. Pour slowly so it has time to seep into the cake. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

8. Invert the cake onto a serving platter. Using a fork or a skewer, poke holes all over the cake - the top,

sides, and around the inside. Don't be shy - all of the holes ensure that the rum syrup seeps into the cake

evenly. Sloooooowly pour the remaining rum syrup over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the

sides. You want to do this step very slowly (it took me almost 15 minutes) so that the syrup actually

seeps into the cake and doesn't just pool on the bottom of the serving dish.

9. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature before serving. Leftovers can be kept, tightly wrapped, at

room temperature for up to 5 days.

Caribbean Sizzle

Getaways6 Days/5 Nights

Only $1875

Get out of the snow, get a

group together and schedule a

sunny getaway to St. Thomas

USVI! Includes: hotel right on

the beach, 3 included dinners,

tour of St. Thomas, nighttime

kayak trip, a day at Magen's

Bay, private air charter day trip

to Anegada BVI and more!

Join Us!

Italian DreamsVenice, Florence, Rome

May 22 - June 6, 2016

Explore Italy's great cities. We'll

have a lot of fun as we visit the

historic sights, the great art, the

beautiful countryside, the

dramatic coastline ... and of

course, the food and wine!

Join Us!

Custom Itineraries

Tell us where you'd like to go

and leave the details to us. We'll

work with you to design the

perfect itinerary and make all

the arrangements.

Not sure where to start? Check

out our list of suggested

itineraries and request our Trip

Planning Guide.

Trip PlanningGuide

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