Travel plan idea blog

Canary Islands, Lanzarote

The Canary Islands see with more than 10 million vacationers (or perhaps I should say holiday-makers since many tourists are British or Irish) each year. They are more popular with Europeans than with Americans largely because they are located off northwestern coast of Africa which is more difficult for American tourists to reach than popular islands in the Caribbean or Hawaii.

My information comes from this Canary Island web site that has a map and a good overview for tourists. I also found a good web site for Lanzarote, the easternmost Canary Island.

Lanzarote's tourist attractions include a castle, a cactus garden, a volcano, and a Sunday market. After I move to Italy and go on my safari, I'll visit Lanzarote and stay in Puerto Del Carmen (the Old Town, not the New Town). The Old Town is said to be like an old Spanish village. The 'Strip' (New Town) is where you find bars and shopping more easily.

That's still a few years away, but I like to plan early and often!

Turtle Island, Fiji - exclusive vacation, private beaches

Contest update: Skip this paragrpah if you don't care about the writing contest and just want to read about Fiji's Turtle Island. So far I’ve received several emails from people who want to enter the 2006 summer vacation plan travel writing contest. Remember that anyone can enter, and that anyone can submit any number of entries, so start writing those travel plans. If writing about travel isn’t fun enough, think of the 1,000 US dollars in prize money…

Fiji's Turtle Island

I found an old issue of Traveler in my new office (it must have belonged to the previous professor) with an interesting article on Turtle Island, Fiji. Turtle Isalnd is one of the Yasawa Islands, and has lush jungle, white sand, and coral-filled lagoons. The original (1949) Blue Lagoon was filmed there.

Turtle Island is one of the most exclusive of the Yasawa islands and you get your own bure mama (housekeeper, valet, companion, and personal photographer. There is accommodation for 28 visitors. There are 14 beaches. Backpackers should try another of the Yasawa Islands… I’ll blog about doing Fiji Islands on a budget soon.

Interestingly the author writes that traveling to Turtle Island alone resulted in getting treated as a “holiday curio by both staff and other guests, like a peculiar piece of driftwood found on the beach, picked up and passed around the group for inspection.” Sounds like you should bring a guest when you go to Turtle Isalnd.

Typical activities include deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, and visits to nearby islands. Otherwise you can expect a private beach for the day (8 of the beaches can be reserved for private use), sunset cruises on Mondays, eating dinner with all the guests (you can make arrangements to eat alone).

To get there, fly to Viti Levu and then transfer to a seaplane for the trip to Turtle Isalnd. A seven-night holiday will run about 7,700 British Pounds according to the article. This includes all meals, drinks, activities, and excursions.

Travel writing contest: summer 2006 vacation plans

1,000 US dollars in prizes! See below for contest rules:

First place: 500.00
Second place: 250.00
Third place: 150.00
Honorable mention: 50.00
Honorable mention: 50.00

Prize money will be sent via PayPal or US bank check.

www.travel-plan-idea.com’s summer vacation plan travel writing contest guidelines:

Submissions must be sent to jtrotta@gmail.com and received before May 17, 2006. Winners will be announced May 31, 2006.

Each contestant may submit any number of entries.

Submissions should be vacation plans for the summer of 2006.

Vacation plans should be itineraries for trips from 5-21 days in the following format:

Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 3:
Etc.

Submissions should be vacation plans for June, July, or August 2006. Vacation plans that pass an initial screening will be published on www.travel-plan-idea.com and judged on the following criteria:

1. The vacation plan includes a daily itinerary: 0-10 points
2. The vacation plan discusses possible accommodations: 0-10 points
3. The vacation itinerary includes detailed information on activities (e.g. the attractions of a museum, the best hiking trail, the best restaurants, must see architecture, etc.): 0-20 points
4. The vacation itinerary estimates the cost of activities (e.g. museum admission price, cost for dinner in a recommended restaurant, etc.): 1-5 points
5. The vacation itinerary generated discussion on www.travel-plan-idea.com (readers left comments regarding the vacation plan): 1-5 points

See 2006 summer vacation plan travel writing contest entries to date.

Browsing through previously published vacation plans may give you some ideas for the contest. I recommend reading the German sausage tour part 1 and part 2, Rio de Janeiro and the Amazon vacation, the Nepal and Tibet travel plan, 14 day vacation to Northern France, and the 14 day vacation to 'the Capitol States' in the US. These don’t generally give hotel and restaurant recommendations but should give you some idea of what I expect from a travel plan. Contest winners will provide more detailed information to help readers use the vacation plan as a travel guide.

Summer 2006 vacation plan travel writing contest rules and fine print:

Entries that pass the initial screening will be published on www.travel-plan-idea.com and may not be published elsewhere. Author credit will be given. Winners will be announced on www.travel-plan-idea.com on May 31, 2006 and contacted via email. Prize amounts are in US dollars and prize money will only be awarded via PayPal or a US check. Submissions should be sent to jtrotta@gmail.com and must arrive before May 17, 2006.

How to become a travel writer

Enter my travel writing contest. Travel writers get paid to write about traveling so becoming a travel writer means getting people to pay for your work. The popular travel blog, www.travel-plan-idea.com will be awarding 1,000 dollars to travel writers who come up with the best vacation plans. Even some non-winners will get their work published on www.travel-plan-idea.com, where it will be read by thousands of travel enthusiasts. Whether you have a travel writing job or are a freelance travel writer, adding to your list of publications is one of the best to pad a travel writer’s resume or CV. Learn more about the travel writing contest being held by www.travel-plan-idea.com.

Eger in Tokaj, Hungary - how to find good wine on vacation

The Tokaj wine region is located 125 miles east of Budapest, the capital city of Hungary. I never actually made it to the twon of Tokaj, but I did go to Eger, which is in the Tokaj wine region. Here's some advice on how to avoid the crappy tourist wine in Eger and find the real wine while your on vacation.

Tokaj is a very sweet desert wine. Sweet wines are not popular with everyone, but if you like sweet wines Tokaj is not to be missed. Eger is a popular spot to taste wine and it is only 37 miles from Budapest. You can travel down to what's known as the "Valley of the Beautiful Ladies". The valley consists of a few narrow streets and a few pinsze (the spelling might be pincze – I don’t remember) where you can purchase wine by the glass, bottle or bog (the wine is taken directly from the barrel and put into a plastic bottlelike a soda bottle).

The wine you'll probably be buying Eger is the legendary Hungarian "Bull's blood". There are commercial wine cellars all over the place but the catch is: it's the crappiest wine in the whole country. I've talked to so many tourists who have come home and complained about the awful wine in the famous Tokaj region.

While in Eger, I saw a man standing outside some private wine cellars and I asked him in my broken Hungarian, "Where is the best wine?" I had some of the best wine I’ve ever had in his private cellar. Other than "Bull’s blood", try to taste some Kekfrankos and Riesling. The Rieslings aren't typical because they're very dry. They’re also delicious. Any smaller town should have a commercial pinsze (the spelling might be pincze) where they serve decent wine at a few forint per decalitre. It might even say "pinsze". If you want to find one just ask someone. "Hol van yo bor?" – “where is good wine”? It worked for me.

By the way, you don’t have to drink wine all day, every day while in Eger. Eger has (or is near) medieval castles, 16th and 17th century mansions, churches, and historical villages and towns with great folk art.

Visiting Budapest - an introduction with some advice

Here's an anonymous article about Budapest, Hungary with some honest information about Budapest's drawbacks and some advice on what to do when you visit.

Budapest is an industrial city, which can be busy, loud, and dirty. Budapest is also called the Paris of the East. The architecture is interesting, there are lots of statues, and there’s a castle district You can also take a walk along the Danube. Travelers probably spend most of your time by the Danube where most of the baths, cafes, and restaurants are.

Many people speak some English so it’s not at all hard to get around. Public transit is reliable, especially the subway. The center of the city is very easy to navigate, so a walking tour is certainly possible. There are lots of sidewalks and pedestrian streets.

The Thermal baths are in the Turkish bath style with Ottoman architecture, reasonable prices, and massages. Massages can be orvosi (a relaxing medical massage) and vizí (a more painful massage). The Gellert, Rudas and Szechenyi Baths are popular for tourists. The Gellert baths are a bit more expensive than the others, but you get to swim in what may be the world's most beautiful swimming pool.

Service in restaurants ranges from great to awful and so does the food. The tip is included in the check. Tipping extra is fine. Just remember that there are reasons why Budapest is not famous for its fine cuisine or shopping.

Budapest is also a good starting point for many other excursions. Vienna and Bratislava are only three hours or so away. I highly recommend visits to Sopron, Eger, and Lake Balaton (Veszprem, might be your best bet). All the towns along the Danube bend are also quite nice. Then there's Eger in Tokaj and wine tasting. Eger is an esay day trip from Budapest.

Airline and hotel reward program experiences

Peter King from Sports Illustrated complains about: frequent-flier and hotel-reward programs.

I tried to make some arrangements last week for a June wedding and a King brothers Midwest baseball trip. I was taken aback by how many restrictions there are on travel and hotel rewards for some non-holiday dates. Flights have so many restrictions, it's almost worthless to get all those points. How about this one: I could not redeem any Northwest points unless I stayed over a Saturday night. That probably means I'll have those points a long, long time. I'll probably die with them in my account. And in some case, like on Continental, I can book a free trip, but a round-trip ticket in the U.S. basically costs what it takes me about 14 months, flying regularly, to earn. I give credit to the Hyatt Gold Passport program: A three-night stay at the Park Hyatt Chicago took exactly half the points it took to stay at a nearby Marriott Fairfield Inn in Chicago. I don't know whether to applaud Hyatt or to tell Marriott it's out of its mind.

I've only used up frequent flyer miles on Korean Air and Japan Airlines, but both have been fine. We once tried to upgrade on JAL and found that we couldn't because we had the cheap tickets. To me that's pure insanity - we were on a waiting list because they didn't have any seats in economy and we were'nt allowed to upgrade because of the ticket class - it was annoying to say the least. One time we upgraded to business class, and my wife is going to Tokyo free in about a month, using up a few miles.

Researching online travel agents and booking direct

The US-based Internet monitor Hitwise (which monitors more than 25 million internet users) said that visits to online travel agents remained stable last year, while visits to hotel and airline websites increased nearly 20%.

Hitwise said that travellers are researching travel agency websites but then booking directly with airlines and hotels: there was ''a big push to book directly with airlines and hotels at the expense of the online agents'."

How hard is it to find good fares online?

A recent investigation by Sophie Butler reveals some interesting things about finding low fares. The differences in price were larger than you might think. With a range of prices from 630 British Pounds to 1,038 Pounds, it clearly pays to shop around. The excuses different travel sites make are worth reading as well. What's the article about?

I was asking for the cheapest return ticket on a British Airways flight to Sydney, departing on February 27 and returning on March 21, and including all taxes and charges. Although I checked the websites, I confirmed the prices by phone to be sure I was being quoted for the right flights and airline.

Terrance Hawkins allegedly scams Oprah fans with phony travel package

The Maryland Attorney General's Office has issued a cease-and-desist order against Terrance Hawkins from Temple Hills who allegedly took deposits from more than 90 people for a bus trip package to Chicago and Detroit that included Oprah tickets, hotel reservations and casino rebates. Hawkins could not provide them. Consumers who pay for a trip that is later canceled have the right to a refund, said Attorney General J. Joseph Curran Jr.

Terrance Hawkins, who did business under the names Royal Travel Group and Royal Stages Inc., must return more than $30,000 to consumers, the Attorney General's office said Tuesday. The Oprah Winfrey Show does not provide large blocks of tickets -- so Hawkins had no way to provide the tickets he was hawking.

Actually, this does give me an idea for a future travel plan, a vacation where you visit different talk shows like Leno, Letterman, and of course Oprah...

Rome museum and restaurant recommendations

As some of you will know, I love Rome and will be retiring there in 5 years. So I like to post about Rome and Italy and now seems like a great time for some advice to those readers in Torino who have a few days in Rome at the end of their trip to the Olympics.

Capitoline Museum on Piazza del Campidogliohas a great view of the Roman Forum. A new wing contains the original equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius. Open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Mondays. Admission $7.80.

To find Roman pizza, you have many choices (even some Chinese restaurants serve 10 or more types of pizza) I like Pizza Re (I belive there are three but I went to the one near Piazza Mazzini which has two large rooms and you can see the pizzas put in the oven). You can also try Pizzeria ai Marmi on Viale Trastevere, 53-59, but it's closed Wednesdays.

Maccheroni, Piazza delle Coppelle, 44, is near the Pantheon. The kitchen sticks out into the main dining area allowing you tp see them making your dinner. This is a bit more expensive than pizza and dinner for two, with wine, can run about $60. Maccheroni is open for lunch from 1 to 3 p.m. and dinner from 8 p.m. to midnight.

Where should I stay in Hawaii?

A fewd ays ago I wrote that I am planning a trip to Hawaii. One thing I ahve to consdier is where to stay. I figure I could go camping. get a hotel, rent a condo, or find a resot. I could possibly do a couple of those things.

Since I want to go to the Polynesian Culture Center, I found this campground interesting for its proximity to the Center and to Oahu's north shore including "Pipeline" and "Waimea Bay."

With 24 hour security, Malaekahana State Recreation Area (Kahuku Section) is said to be safe and they offer Campsites, Cabins, and Hales. The campgrounds are operated by members of the Hawaii Ecotourism Assoc., The Friends of Malaekahana. This community based non-profit organization has been managing this recreation area for the State Department of Parks and the Department of Land and Natural Resources since 1994.

I did find one home for rent in this Hawaii vacation directory but three bedrooms is a bit much for my wife and I. If I go to Kuai, Hanlei Bay Resort looks like a great place to stay. Another great looking place seems to be Kauai Condos at Kuhio Shores where (for example) 189/night gets you this Kuhio Shores condo. I noticed one for 170/night from January 14, 2006 to December 15, 2006.

I still have to do some hotel research, but a combination of camping and condo renting seems appealing at the moment.

Trang Thailand: caves, beaches, authentic Thai experience

Thai Day recommends Trang as one place where "Unseen Thailand" really exists:

The town is mostly made up of shophouses and small eateries – uncommercial and authentically Thai. The destination is not for everyone; many who end up gazing Trang’s Andaman coastline or frolicking in its underground caves are travellers who have already done the typical Thailand routine.

Attractions include an annual underwater wedding, cave systems, and beaches. The beaches sound especially nice: "The beaches in the evening are dazzling. At sunset, people can walk far into the sea and still only be ankle-deep – it looks as though they are walking on water. By night, the tide recedes for meters, and the puddles left in the ripple-patterned sand shine brilliantly from the reflection of the moon."

I think you also have to love that Trang "is undiscovered and very local, which means there is not an abundance of taxis, western-style bars touting European fare or shopping centers to get the latest fashions." Thailand is popular with tourists (it is a great place to visit), but it's nice to get away from the tourists once in a while.

Maybe it's time for a new travel plan - I can revise the Bangkok - Koh Samui vacation to include Long Beach on Koh Lanta and Trang!

Examples showing why Americans should buy travel insurance

The Witchita Eagle asks why Europeans buy travel insurance while Americans often don't. They have a long list of things that can go wrong:

We Americans, by contrast, are the eternal optimists. We fling ourselves to Italy and France without the slightest premonition that a transportation strike might hinder our ability to come home on time, as those work stoppages so often do. We clamber over the wet stones of Roman ruins without considering that we might slip and injure ourselves (as so many tourists do). We traipse to Mexico, Egypt or China sensing that we might get sick from the food, but take no steps to assure ourselves of medical care or even emergency evacuation home. And we remain oblivious, in general, to the real possibility that a business or medical emergency, suffered by us or a relative, may require that we either cancel or interrupt a trip, incurring heavy penalties or costs.

The article certianly makes a strong case for travel insurance although the one about slipping on some steps in the Roman ruins might not be too bad. My wife cut her finger in Assissi and we went to the Emergency room. The bill came to something lik 17.00 but there was no one there to collect our money (it was late at night) so the doctor sent us to a machine that didn't work. Even if we had been able to pay, it would not have been too bad. Of course it was a very minor injury.

Where to start planning a Hawaii vacation?

My wife and I have wanted to travel to Hawaii ever since we got married. We were considering taking our honeymoon in Hawaii, but we ended up in Rome. The problem with planning a Hawaiian vacation is that there's too much to do. Which islands do you visit? Which attractions do you skip?

I think you start with things you really want to see. For me, it's the Polynesian Cultural Center, a luau, and a nice beach.

The Polynesian Cultural Center is said to be worth at least one full day. It's on Oahu. Also on Oahu: the Pali Lookout, with its spectacular views of the windward side; Iolani Palace, Punchbowl, Waikiki, Pearl Harbor, the pineapple fields; the north shore (I don't surf but may want to watch), Waimea Bay, Pipeline, Sunset Beach. Oahu vacation rentals are one possible alternative to hotels.

That will keep a vacationer busy! However, I think I'd like to visit at least one other Hawaiian island and Molokai seems like an interesting choice. A condo in Molokai might run around 800/week. This is considered the "most Hawaiian" island, and features the 2774-acre Kamakou Forest Preserve. Kamakou is home to 5 species of endangered birds and over 200 Hawaiian plants that don't grow anywhere else. It's very laid back (not much night life).

I suppose I now have some direction for my Hawaii vacation plan, but there's a lot more left to think about so expect more in the future. My goal is to have a Hawaii vacation more or less planned and scripted in a month or two.

Panning for gold in Jamestown California

I've always thought that panning for gold would be a great way to relax on vacation. I've heard one person saying good things about Gold Prospecting Adventures (18170 Main Street, P.O. Box 1040, Jamestown, CA 95327-1040) in Jamestown, CA. This is about 2 1/2 hours north of Yosemite, three hours east of San Francisco and three hours west of Lake Tahoe. The camp is wheelchair accessible.

Jimtown is a replica of an 1849 Gold Mining Camp run by Gold Prospecting Adventures. Along with panning for gold, vacationing prospectors can explore the camp's old mine tunnel, Indian grinding holes, live animals, and Mark Twain's cabin.

Jimtown has been the site of several movies and documentaries. "Little House on the Prairie", "Pale Rider", "Bad Girls", and "Back to the Future III" are a few of the projects filmed in Jimtown.

Vacationers in Jimtown help with chores which include working the old rocker boxes, long toms and flumes. Two-day adventure packages have modern lavatories and showers. You choose to sleep in a tent, cabin, or dormitory style rooms with meals and a swimming pool. The camp provides the pans necessary to "pan" for gold and boots to keep you dry in the river. All the gold you find is yours to keep.

You might think very little gold is left but one person recently panned a nugget weighing a bit over a quarter ounce. It was the largest nugget found in a while, but smaller nuggets are not uncommon.

Traveling by train from New Delhi to Agra & Taj Mahal

The train from New Delhi to Agra (where the TajMahal is located) has been cut 40 minutes with the introduction yesterday of a 95mph-train. The trip now takes just under two hours. New Delhi to Agra takes more than four hours by road.

I'll be working on a travel plan for India to take advantage of the new fast train and I did cover the topic not too long ago if you want to read more about train travel in India. I also briefly covered transplants & medical tourism in India a while back.

Occheaceal/Serendipity Beach guide, Cambodia

Sihanoukville Cambodia is about a four hour bus ride (the roads aren't too bad) from Phnom Penh and its most famous beach, called Occheaceal or Serendipity Beach is a popular vacation spot for Cambodians and Westerners.

The sand is white and the tiny grains feel great swishing between your toes. It's food and accommodation is affordable. Food ranges from Khmer to pizza to fish and chips. Along the beach there are a hundred or so little beer bars. At night, the candles from all the bar tables make for a romantic glow. Some bars might have a little bonfire going.

It's easy to take trips to the local islands. Ream Nah Para has a mountain view and a great beach. Snake Island has birds and monkeys while Koh Thas Island has birds and nice views of the ocean. Ta Kiev Island has snorkeling and coral while Russey Island has snorkeling and coconut trees.

Bokar Mountain is a slighlty more involved day trip, about 2 hours away. The entrance fee is $5 and another 5 dollars lets you stay the night. If you're feeling generous, you can take food to the monks who live on the mountain. That has to be good karma!

Note about taking the train from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville. This will be memorable but probably not comfortable (not that I recommend it, the bus is better for many travelers). Look for a seat among the broken benches, make sure your baggage is not near any of the holes in the bottom. When travelers can't get a seat, they sometimes carve holes in the wall to hang up their hammocks or climb up on the roof to get some sun. At least that's what I'm told. It does seem somewhat hard to believe.

Transportation to and in Las Vegas

Many low-cost airlines fly to Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport (LAS). People I know have had good expereinces with jetBlue Airways. At the airport, a 10 dollar shuttle-bus takes vacationers to The Strip, the Convention Center, and downtown Las Vegas. Taxis are easy to pick up and the 24-hour Las Vegas Monorail (5 dollars a trip, 15 dollars a day pass) has 7 stops within the city.

Purple mini-buses leave the Hard Rock at the top of each hour from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM. They only make a few stops, but you can flag them down between stops. Check out the comfortable seats (fake leopard fur) and enjoy the rock music.

Taxis start at 3.20 and naturally go up from there. There are city buses, but I never try to figure out buses. You might check with your hotel to see if there's a bus from the hotel to the Strip or wherever it is you want to go. A one-way fare on the Strip is $2 (route 301); off-Strip fares are $1.25 one way. Strip routes run 24 hours. There are also double decker buses and a trolley.

I recently wrote about nature around Las Vegas and weddings in Las Vegas.

Description of a wedding in Las Veags

It's Vegas day! While I was on the subject of the nature around Las Vegas, I figured I should share this little story about getting married in Vegas. The writer tries to make some sort of deep statement, but really it's the depiction of the wedding that's interesting. It involved Elvis and the Wedding Queen. Anyway, heres one couple's reasoning for getting married in Vegas:

But why Vegas? Why a wedding chapel? And why, oh why, Elvis?

"Why not?" says Rafael with a grin. "It's Vegas, how can you not have Elvis? It's cheese, it's all about cheese, isn't it? That's the whole idea. Have a bit of a laugh."

They did laugh, this couple and their children and their friends and family, as Elvis finished singing, snarling and swaying. Then The Wedding Queen stepped forward.

"Well, what a joy," Charolette exulted. "What happiness has been brought to your hearts this very moment as you become husband and wife. And that's what life and marriage is all about. It's about being happy, isn't it? It's about being together and belonging to each other forever and ever."

Las Vegas, flowers, mountains, parks

I found some good advice for seeing flowers around Las Vegas on Inside Bay Area's travel section. Someone asked when the best time to see the desert plants in bloom within driving distance of Las Vegas was during February or March?

Best bets include three California parks: Death Valley National Park (especially Salisbury Pass), the Joshua Tree National Park and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. In the vicinity of Nevada and Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Arizona, wildflower hot spots include Northshore Road and Willow Beach. Spring, Virgin, and Newberry mountains are also possibilities.

The wildflowers are generally at their best between mid-March and mid-April. But the flowering schedule and the number and size of blossoms is highly dependent upon winter rains and temperatures. In this case, waiting until the last minute might be the way to go, check frequently with the visitor centers of each national park.

Long Beach, Koh Lanta, Thailand

Yesterday I mentioned Long Beach on Kecil Island in Malaysia as an off the beaten path travel spot. On Koh Lanta in Thailand is another off the beaten path beach, also named Long Beach.

Unlike Koh Samui, Koh Samet, and Pattaya, Visitors to Long Beach, Koh Lanta report being welcomed into the local community after stays as short as a week. Bars will often stay open until the last customer heads off to bed while the guest houses and bungalows are right near the bars and the beach.

Koh Lanta is on the Western side of Thailand along the Anderman coast. To get there, take a bus to Krabi and then find a boat to the island. Two touts that come recommended are Sita and Bong.

Long Beach, Kecil Island, Malaysia

As some of you will remember, I love traveling in Malaysia. So when i happened to find a little blurb about Long Beach, Kecil Island, Malaysia I felt compelled to share.

One thing that sounds good about this beach is the lack of electricity. No roads and 12 hours of electricity a day. I once went to an island in korea with no roads an electricity from 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM and only 28 inhabitants. It was an interesting experience that makes for a greta story so I'm sure Long Beach, Kecil Island, Malaysia will as well.

Anyway, there are two islands next to each other and I read that the water is very very clear with great diving spots to see sharks and turtles. The islands have only three computers online (you ahve to walk through the jungle to the other side of Kecil Isalnd to get to them), very little alcohol, and are open during the hot months from February to September.

To get to Long Beach, take one of three small fishing boats that leave the main coast at Kota Bharu (sometime in the early morning) for the one hour "cruise".

Consumer Reports on Priceline.com and Hotwire.com

Consumer Reports' Lisa Lee Freeman has compared Hotwire.com and Priceline.com.

Both Priceline.com and Hotwire.com were significantly cheaper than travel sites like Travelocity, Orbitz and Expedia. Priceline and hotwire both require you to be flexible.

At Hotwire, you type in when and where you want to go to get prices. Then you choose the level of service you want: a three or four star hotel, for example.

With Priceline, you "name your own price" in a bid. You may have to modify your plans to get the price you want on a trip and that can be time-consuming. I've written about this before, as I used Priceline to find a hotel in Hong Kong. We saved a few dollars. I tried to use Priceline to find a hotel in Taipei, but ended up wasting a lot of time. One thing about Priceline that's inconveneient is that you have to wait three days before changing your bid price (assuming you leave everything else - such as hotel quality and location - the same).

According to Consumer Reports, Priceline.com is cheaper than Hotwire.com. But Hotwire.com is said to be easier to use. I've never tried it though.

To use Hotwire or Priceline, first, check out traditional travel sites to get the going rate for a trip. On Priceline you would then place your bid based on the research you've done. Be sure to input your information carefully. No refunds or exchanges.

Note that when using Hotwire and Priceline for flight tickets, you won't be earning frequent flyer miles.

When to go and what to do on your African Safari

One dream of mine is to go on an African Safari so I’ve been talking to Michael over at Africa dream safaris.com about planning it. Here’s what he said about timing:

We recommend plannig safaris 3 to 18 months in advance depending upon the proposed month of travel. For example, the busiest times are around the holiday period (late December to early January) and summertime (June to September) and during these months we recommend to plan at least 12 months in advance. However, it's very ironic that these busy times have nothing to do with the best times for wildlife viewing. The highest concentration of animals in the Serengeti are always during the end of the green season (March, April and May), which is actually slow season in Tanzania. During these months only 3 - 6 months in advance is really needed to plan an optimal safari.

Here's one possible safari vacation plan:

Day 1: Kilimanjaro

Day 2: Central Sernegeti, including Seronera valley. There are a number of lodges here and during July, August and December careful planning is important because of the “crowds”

Day 3: Eastern Serengeti. During the wet season (November through May - also called the green season) a day trip (or more) is highly recommended for every Safari itinerary. This area is the best place to see cheetahs and hyenas as they follow the Thomson’s Gazelle migration.

Day 4: A different Central Serengeti experience

Day 5: Southern Serengeti. This is where the famous wildebeest migration can be seen (December to May) and the accompanying predators: lions, cheetahs, and hyenas.

Day 6: A different Eastern Serengeti experience.

Day 7: A different Southern Serengeti experience.

Days 8 and 9: Ngorongoro Crater. This world heritage site is home to black rhino, elephant, hippo, buffalo, eland, zebra, hartebeest, wildebeest, waterbuck, warthog, Grant’s gazelle and Thomson’s gazelle, baboons and vervet monkeys, lion, cheetah, hyena, and jackal. Leopards, servals, bat eared foxes and ratels also reside in the Crater but are elusive.

Day 10: Lake Manyara. Famous for tree-climbing lions, you are actually more likely to see lions in trees in the Serengeti. Come here for the baboons and the jungle (very different from the rest of your safari).

Here's more information on African safari planning in April, and this is a neat little safari planner where you put in when you want to go and what you want to do and they give you a possible itinerary. Then you'll want to talk the experts I'm talking to. They are friendly and they know their safaris.

Singapore Airlines specials departing from SFO, LAX, or JFK

I can personally recommend Singapore and while Bangkok isn't one of my favorites, it is tops on some lists. If you are going to Bangkok you want to read my recent Bangkok, Koh Samui travel plan and my older Thai massage overview. Anyway Singapore Airlines special fares for February:

New York - Frankfurt from $430
USA to Singapore from $709
USA to Bangkok from $809
USA to Manila from $809
USA to Jakarta from $849
USA to Phuket from $849

These fares do not include government taxes and have variable ticketing and travel dates. Check fare conditions for details. Primary dates of travel availability on featured fares from the United States are between February 5 and May 23, 2006, and reservations must be ticketed by February 28, 2006.

Easy Rider motorbike guides in Vietnam

Mark Gilbert from Bloomberg writes a very interesting article about his Easy Rider motorbike tour of Duong Truong Son, the Truong Son Road, known outside Vietnam as Ho Chi Minh Trail. While the recap of the Vietnam War seems a bit forced, I recommend this article for the travel aspect:

We spend our first night in Jun, a village that's home to members of the M'Nong tribe, expert fishers who build their houses on stilts to store their livestock beneath.

A pig fight that breaks out 4 feet (1.2 meters) below my mattress at about 3 a.m. is, thankfully, quickly over. We've brought a Polaroid camera, so in the morning we present the local chieftain, Buot, and his wife, Mai, with photographs of themselves. Instant photos prove popular everywhere we stop.

There are about 70 Easy Riders motorbike guides based in the southern town of Da LatHiring (an inexpensive domestic flight away from Ho Chi Minh City) an Easy Rider costs $60 a day per person, which covers all food and accommodation. Easy Riders have numbered blue badges and ride proper motorbikes, not mopeds. Helmets are required and Easy Riders are safe drivers who speak fluent English.

Where do items confiscated by TSA end up?

Have you ever wondered what happens to items confiscated by TSA at American airports? Sure things like mace get disposed of, but much of it ends up on Ebay! For example, Pennsylvania sold a 39-pound box containing 500 Swiss Army knives sold on eBay in 2004 for $595.00.

TSA makes no money, and state surplus property offices get first crack at the items (some are not interested, some states have no such office, and a few make good money selling the confiscated items). Unwanted items go to Science Application International,a contractor which collects and discards them under a five-year, $17 million government contract.

According to the article, this revenue stream may begin drying up:

Fliers can expect to surrender fewer scissors, nail clippers and tools this year. On Dec. 22, TSA started allowing passengers to carry through checkpoints scissors with a cutting edge of 4 inches or less, and tools such as screwdrivers, wrenches and pliers smaller than 7 inches.

AirTran domestic US flight sale

Fly AirTran to top US cities for $83.00 or more (roundtrip) through May. Get away to popular US cities this winter or spring with reduced fares from just $83 round-trip on AirTran. Valid for travel through May 24, you'll find: Boston-Philadelphia $83; Chicago-Orlando $173; DC-Atlanta $163; New York-Dallas/Fort Worth $213; Savannah-Atlanta $83; and more. Just be sure to book 10 days in advance, and no later than February 14. Here's a link to the AirTran specials page.

Recommending train travel in India

Here's an article that recommends getting around India by train and gives us an idea of what to expect. I was interested to learn that crime is rare thanks to 8 policemen on overnight trains and that there are four train accidents/year. I wasn't surprised to learn that train travel is inexpensive in India.

Bangkok and Koh Samui vacation plan

This travel plan will be flexible, so you could do Koh Samui first or Bangkok first. Personally I would do Koh Samui first so that I wouldn't have to worry about getting back to bangkok for the departing flight.

Since you'll probably be coming from Bangkok, it may be night time when you arrive. Dinner at Baan Chantra at the Le Meridien includes entertainment in the form of traditional Thai dance performances. Le Meridien is one of the Koh Samui hotels I recommended yesterday. If you are in Chaweng, you can have dinner at Three Monkeys, a Thai Seafood restaurant on the main street in Chaweng.Service can be slow, but the food is good. There is some sort of karaoke entertainment (certainly not for everyone).

Now many tourists in Koh Samui spend their days on the beach, get a massage in the early evening, eat dinner, and then start partying. Wealthier tourists will schedule a spa visit or two. You can do that (if you do remember that the famous Chaweng beach is the most crowded and touristy), but here are a couple of alternatives.

First full day in Koh Samui: The elephant trek is a pretty standard thing for tourists in Thailand. I've never done it, but most people choose to so here it is in the travel plan.

I've read that 30 minutes is enough because riding elephants is actually pretty rough and elephant steps really jolt you. Also, the 30 minute one drops you off closer to the waterfall for hiking.

Which brings us to... Hike up Namuang Waterfall, which is a good hike. It takes about an hour hike to get some good altitude. The path is difficult, through rocks, trees, and water. The waterfall isn't that spectacular, but the views are great.

Second full day in Koh Samui: Sea Kayaking at Ang Thong National Marine Park

Some hotels (like Le Meridien) can arrange this. The Le Meridien would be relatively private and more comfortable (in a speed boat). There are alos tour operators with guided kayaking tours of islands, sea caves, and lagoons. These guys are normally cheaper than going through the hotel. The boat won't be spectacular and it might be crowded. The islands will be crowded with people from other tour groups.

Third and fourth days in Koh Samui: Go to the beach, go to a spa, see the big Buddha at Wat Phra Yai. Wat Phra Yai is in the Northeast of Samui on route 4171 near the airport.

There are a ton of things to do in Bnagkok. I've only been there once so I rtainly can't tell you all of them. Also, I was only there for one day because my wife found the stray dogs to be very depressing. Going elsewhere in Thailand didn't help us avoid seeing stray dogs, however. Anyway, this shoud keep you busy for one day in Bangkok.

First, Take a trip to the Palace the morning of your first full day in Bangkok. The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo are astounding, but dress well. My wife wasn't allowed in because her jeans had tears in them. They are fairly strict about letting people in. There are things you can borrow, but this takes time and makes you look funny.

Wat Phra Kaeo has the amazing Emerald Buddha. The guards a re pretty strict in there too. As I was getting up to leave I put my hat on. The guard tapped my head in a very stern manner (touching someone's head is a big insult in Thailand but I suppose I deserved it - plus I didn't realize I should have been insulted until I'd already left).

From there you can walk to Wat Pho. Now even here in two of the most famous tourist destinations in bangkok which are surrounded by guards, you must be very careful not to get scammed. When we were in Wat Pho, we asked a guard which way the palace was. The guard didn't answer, but the guy next to him did. He told us that the palace was closed because it was a Buddhits holiday and that we should go to a tourist information booth somewhere. He would be willing to take us. We had been warned about people telling you that famous attractions are closed and are pretty familiar with Buddhism, so we didn't fall for whatever that guy was pulling. We didn't get our directions either, but we did find the palace, which as I said is very very close to Wat Pho.

So after looking around Wat Pho, which features a gigantic gold plated Reclining Buddha some 46 meters long and 15 meters high, go to the massage center which is attached to the temple (they run a week-long Thai massage course here that I would love to take with my wife at some point). I recomment the herbal massage where they take a hot cloth dipped in yellow liquid and incorporate that into a typically painful Thai massage.

That night, we took the Skytrain to a night market. I can't remember the stop, but any hotel or guidebook should be able to help you out there. Anyway, it was different. On the main street we bought a nice pair of sandles and went into a few nice stores on the street. But the real action is on the side streets off the main one. Almost as soon as we made the turn men started asking us if we wanted sex. My wife and I didn't, but we got lots of offers. If you go far enough down the side street, you see rows of prostitutes lining up outside. We found it to be rather depressing.

I don't remember any of the restaurants I ate in when I went to bangcock, so I have only one recommendation (you can certainly get many more from the guidebooks, but my wife and I end spending a lot of time looking for those places and it's ahrd to get someone who speaks English well enough to give you directions in Bnagkok unless you ask in a hotel (Most people disagree with me on this point, but anyway, when I was in Thailand I didn't meet many English speaking Thai people.

Anyway, here is one restaurant you can try: Eat Me (+66 02 238 0931) on 1/6 Soi Pipat 2, off Convent Road. This intimate restaurant/gallery offers a weekly menu of international food reasonably priced and served with a smile. The modern decor is classy and inviting, with changing photo exhibits on the walls. Butcher paper covers tables and is accompanied by sharp colored pencils, convenient if you are struck by an artistic thought while dining. For vegetarians, the pumpkin ravioli with tomato sauce (THB80) and the Grilled Eggplant Bocconcini Stack (THB250) are satisfying. Seafood lovers could go for the fried fish with chips (THB230) or the Grilled Trevally Fillet with Spinach and Seafood Sauce (THB250).

I don't recommend or remember the name of the hotel we stayed in, but I have heard good things about The Oriental Bangkok hotel (2-236-0400) on 48 Oriental Ave by the river. It is possible to get a room overlooking the river and people say the service is good. It's very pricey.

Thailand vacation, staying in Koh Samui

Soon, I'm going to be posting a vacation plan for Samui and Bangkok, but first a word about getting there and hotel recommendations.

You'll first need to fly into Bangkok. Naturally, you'd want to check with your local travel agent and do a few searches online (I like mobissimo.com). Some people are afraid of Thai Airways, but I've flown thema few times and the service is pretty good. On a short flight from Hong Kong to Taipei, they must have given my friend and I 10 beers between us (they seemed proud when we told them how delicious Thai beer is).

Anyway, get to Bangkok. Then you'll probably fly to Koh Samui (I understand it's possible to take a train and then a ferry but I'm not sure how it's done) on Bangkok Airways for about 150.00/person round trip.

Day 1 in Koh Samui: Check into your hotel. A friend of mine strongly recommends a kind of bungalow which was "real good, clean and cheap." It is in Lamai Beach, which is the second most popular beach in Samui. It's less expensive and less crowded than Chaweng. The name of the place is Lamai-Wanta. You can probably ask the taxy driver but just in case he does not know it, you can ask to go to Marina. It's right next to that. My friend "stayed in a small room, which had a great shower with hot water, an airconditioner, a television, a bed, and a fridge inside and some chairs and a table outside, for 800 Baht for a night. Oh, and it is for two. I feel like I'm working for Lamai-Wanta, hehe. It was that good. Believe me, there is nothing better if you want a cheap, clean and good one." (The price has probably increased).

It has a beach right in front of it and pubs and restaurants behind it. You can email them at lamaiwanta@hotmail.com or call at +66 77 424550. And the address is 124/264 Moo 3, Tumbon Maret, Koh Samui, Surat Thani, Thailand 84310.

Le Royal Meridien Baan Taling Ngam is another hotel that comes recommended. The hhone number is 77-423019 and the address is 295 Moo 3, Taling Ngam Beach, Koh Samui, 84140, Thailand.

This hotel is said to have remarkable service. It's isolated from the throngs of tourists because it's located on the other side of the island. "The food was great, the private beach relaxing, and swimming in that pool gives you feeling like no other." However, they do say it is difficult to get off the hotel grounds.

So soon I'll post the Bangkok and Koh Smui travel plan. Stay tuned!

England vacation - Harry Potter theme

Alnwick Castle is the ancestral home of the Duke of Northumberland, in Northumbria, England. The Quidditch lessons scene in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. took place on the castle’s green. The castle also showed up in Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves.

Oxford University was the setting for a number of scenes: the staircase where Mrs McGonagall greets the schoolchildren, the Great Hall on which Hogwart's dining room was modeled, the library where Harry creeps at night under his invisible cloak, and Hogwart's hospital.

The Norman Cathedral of Gloucester was the setting for the ghost Moaning Myrtle, and the mysterious red writing on the wall. There are tours of the grounds, towers and crypts. Of course the guides talk about more than Harry Potter. They will also tell you about the Victorian refit.

London is the beginning of a Hogwarts Express journey at King Cross Station, where you can check out platform 9 and 3/4. The Hogwarts Express ends its journey at Goathland Station (aka Hogsmeade Station) in the Yorkshire Moors. The landscapes are dramatic and nearby is Mallyan Spout, a 70 foot high waterfall.

George Clooney urges Americans to travel and learn

Actor George Clooney says Americans need to0 travel internationally and learn about non-US cultures. According to Contactmusic.com, Clooney believes that global understanding can reduce international conflict. I tend to agree.

Yesterday I had the unpleasant experience of reading and getting involved in a message board thread (on a popular New York Giants football forum) about the recent outrage at some European newspaper's cartoon depicting Mohammed and the reaction of the Muslim world.

And some of my fellow Americans are very ignorant and anxious to post their stupidity. I read disgusting generalizations about muslims overreacting all the time, not being able to take a joke, wanting to eliminate non-muslims, imposing their values on others, 9/11 and 3,000 reasons to hate muslims, etc. The owner of the message baord said "I've never met a muslim with a sense of humor." I have but so what? I don't want to go into too much detail because it's upsetting.

Clooney said: "Here we are in Morocco and three times a day a siren goes off and everyone stops their cars, gets out in the middle of the street, kneels down and prays. We are dealing with a passionate belief system and anyone who thinks you can bomb that ideal out of them needs to travel more.

"I just wish more people in our country travelled more. They'd learn a lot about how hated we are."

And if you went to my football message board you might know why we are so hated.

AP article recommending travel insurance

Here's a good AP article on travel insurance, basically recommending that you buy travel insurance for expensive trips and travel medical insurance when you go abroad. There are also tips on where some policies may be lacking (for example if you cancel because of a sick parent you're not necessarily covered) and website links for further reading on insurance.

American Express Travel insurance urges cruisers to buy insurance

American Express Travel Insurance urges people going on a cruise to buy travel insurance before sailing off.

Joanne Field, marketing manager at American Express Insurance Services, said: "When people are taken ill at sea and need urgent treatment, transportation from the cruise shop to the nearest hospital can be an added complication." She added that an emergency medical transportation service could cost "four if not five figures".

American Express Travel Insurance has a "Premier Plus Policy", which offers overseas cover for travellers for up to 120 days. "By opting for a cruise, your holiday begins the moment you board, so make sure travel insurance is something that you never set sail without," concluded Ms Field.

Medical evacuation is certainly rare, but it is expensive. Make sure that wheatever travel insurance you use covers emergency medical evacuation.

French travelers waiting for visas for US

There are some interesting articles in the news about French people unable to visit the United States do to new US visa regulations and politics between French unions and the French governent. The International Herald Tribune reports that France has promised to begin issuing new high-tech passports demanded by the US in May.

The new US regulation affect 26 countries, and say that passports delivered after Oct. 25, 2005 must include an electronic chip with the image and fingerprints of the passport holder. The articles I've read seem more critical of the French union than anything else. Monsters and Critics even says that this is an example of whatt's wrong with the French economy:

The reason offers an insight of sorts into France's economic blues -- fostered in part by its seemingly all-powerful unions, which both protect workers and incense many victims of its strictures. When the French government tapped a private company to churn out the biometric passports, French unions blocked the move -- arguing the state-owned printing company should have the contract.

Regardless of who's to blame, as more French people apply for visias to the US because they don't ahve the high tech passport, the wait for visa issuance from the US Consulate gets longer and longer.