Stay on top of highway closings if your timeshare vacation involves highway travel.

With drought conditions in much of the southeast US, wildfires have been a serious problem this spring. Already, roughly a half million acres in Florida and Georgia have burned during some of the worse wildfires in many years.

If your timeshare vacation plans include destinations in states affected by the fires, and you are traveling by automobile, stay alert for intermittent road closings that may interfere with your travel. Not only have some smaller state roads been closed, sometimes for periods of up to one day at a time, but major interstates have also been affected. In south Florida, smoke and limited visibility has repeatedly closed parts of Alligator Alley, the section of Interstate 75 that crosses the Everglades from Ft. Lauderdale to Naples. And on several occasions in recent weeks, portions of Interstates 75 and 10, near the Georgia-Florida border, have been closed for extended periods, sometimes shutting down both north and southbound interstate traffic and east-west interstate traffic at the same time. The St. Petersburg Times quoted Florida Transportation Department spokesperson, Pamela Griffiths, as saying, “As dry as Florida is, the wildfire situation changes every half-hour.”

Even if your timeshare vacation plans do not take you into the areas directly affected by the fires, smoke and diminished air quality can affect outdoor activities, especially for children, the elderly, and anyone with allergies, asthma, or other types of breathing problems. Shifting wind conditions and the large land area involved in some of the wildfires have resulted in poor air quality, sometimes hundreds of miles (and several states away) from the actual blaze.

Most states now offer the “511” system for providing up-to-the-minute information about travel conditions. While people know to call “911” in case of emergencies, many people are just beginning to learn about “511”. Dialing 511 is a free phone call from most phones; however, some cell phone providers may charge you for the call. Each state or municipality maintains its own 511 service, so features vary depending on your location, but in general, a phone call to 511 gives you information on road closings, traffic conditions, accidents, driving times, and alternate routes.

Another helpful resource to call is the timeshare resort or timeshare company where you are headed. Ask them about road situations and air quality in the local area, and for any advice on the best roads for getting there.

Investigation continues into timeshare fires in Tennessee.

In our May 29 blog, I told you about fires at the (Wyndham) Fairfield Glade timeshare resort and Oak Knoll timeshares, which are still under investigation by Tennessee fire investigators and the state fire marshal. Two fires occurred less than a week apart. The first, at Oak Knoll timeshare, did much less damage than the second, which destroyed six timeshare units at Fairfield Glade.

While I don’t have any updates about the investigation, I thought you’d be interested in reporter, Michael R. Moser’s article, that appeared in the Crossville Chronicle. According to the article (dateline May 26, 2007), Terry and Melissa Byrum were on their honeymoon when smoke and the sounds of the fire drove them from their timeshare unit, shortly after one o’clock in the morning. Melissa Byrum worried that not only did the couple lose their wallets, billfolds, and all personal identification, but they lost the list that told the couple who had given them each of their wedding gifts. The new bride worried how she would send thank you notes to her guests.

A few doors away, Bobby and Peggy Dawson of Kinston, NC, were at the timeshare resort seeking a peaceful and relaxing place to enjoy their wedding anniversary. Thankfully, Byrum, who first became aware of the fire, was able to awaken the Dawsons and help lead them to safety. And William Brown and Gene Saywill of Decatur, AL, were pleased to make it safely out of the fire, but were not so happy about losing their favorite putters, with a tee time scheduled for the next morning. Their timeshare stay was a scheduled golf outing at one of the five championship golf courses at Fairfield Glade resort.

Fire, especially a possible arson, is a frightening thought. But the good news here is that all six timeshare guests involved, got out of the fire safely. Representatives of Wyndham Resorts, the owner of Fairfield Glade timeshares, were on the scene immediately. They ensured that everyone had emergency lodging and the items they needed to get through the next few days. Wyndham representatives remained on the scene through the night and for much of the following day.

Good job Wyndham and Fairfield Glade timeshares for taking such good care of your timeshare guests, despite an unfortunate situation!

This month, police investigators in the case of missing person Jennifer Kesse, released new evidence that they hope will lead to her return.

As previously reported on the Timeshare Owners Blog, despite more than a year of intensive search efforts, the whereabouts of Jennifer Kesse remain unknown. At the time of her disappearance, Kesse was believed to be en route to her job at Central Florida Investments, the corporation that owns Westgate Timeshare Resorts.

What is perhaps most frightening about Jennifer’s disappearance is that it did not happen in an isolated area or in the middle of the night. Investigators believe Jennifer was abducted as she left for work, or possibly shortly before. Jennifer lives in an upscale condominium she purchased only a few months prior to her disappearance. Across the busy four-lane street from the entrance to her home is Orlando’s Millennia Mall, home to Niemen Marcus, Louis Vitton, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, and other top retailers. Jennifer’s drive to work is relatively short, taking her along busy, heavily traveled roads. Tuesday, January 24, 2006 should have been uneventful for Jennifer Kesse.

Instead, some person or persons are responsible for the disappearance of a bright, attractive young woman, leaving few clues to aid law enforcement officials in finding her. Since the mid-May release of video showing someone driving Kesse’s car about the time of her disappearance, the police have received new leads and may actually be looking for someone they now classify as a suspect.

The reward for information leading to Jennifer Kesse’s safe return is $1 million.

Jennifer Kesse Tips
5389 S. Kirkman Rd.
Box 103-125
Orlando, FL 32819

Again, I urge you to visit the website www.jenniferkesse.com. Study the photos of Jennifer and the evidence related to the suspect. Someone, somewhere has seen something that may help solve this case.

You-Tube video about the search for Jennifer Kesse.

Gas prices just keep going up and up. Plan your summer vacation accordingly.

Our blog entry for May 1 was all about the rising price of gas. Well, a month has passed, and gas is even more expensive. For most people, the price of gas affects almost every part of the family budget—especially the family’s summer vacation plans. In fact, gas prices are such a big deal that Sell My Timeshare NOW issued a press release recommending that people use their timeshares to plan a vacation at a resort close to home to save on both drive time and gas. We used the website www.gasbuddy.com as part of our research on just how much the record-high gas prices were impacting leisure travel.

Two weeks later, I saw an online article that voiced a similar sentiment. Author Kim McGrigg, had written a piece called, “High Fuel Costs Might Change The Way Americans Vacation.” McGrigg’s article appeared in www.azfamily.com (Arizona Family) and is based on a National Retail Federation survey and Money Management International. She recommends that vacationers:

• • Create a budget.
• • Plan out their trip.
• • Drive sensibly.
• • Stay closer to home.

McGrigg’s idea is that people shouldn’t cancel their vacations; they just need to cut costs in new ways in order to balance out the rising cost of gas. For example, “look for alternatives to expensive hotel stays, such as timeshare properties, cabins, hostels or stay with family and friends.”

I am always surprised by the number of people who do not know that you don’t have to buy timeshare vacation property in order to enjoy most timeshare resorts. Sell My Timeshare NOW has an extensive inventory of fabulous timeshare vacation properties for rent by owner. When you rent timeshare, you deal directly with the timeshare owner. When timeshare owners are unable to use their timeshare, rather than it being a loss to them, they often advertise their timeshare units as rentals, usually at very competitive prices.

Buying timeshare is a great way to cut the costs of vacationing over a lifetime. But when buying timeshare isn’t the right thing to do at the moment, don’t miss out on the great deals and cost savings you can find in timeshare rentals.