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February 28, 2009
How big of a honeymoon bargain can you get? And cruises vs. all-inclusive resorts
This article talks about how to have a great honeymoon in 2009. It mentions that prices are dropping and an inventive way to help pay:
Some are even making weekly deposits with travel agents. Tour America reports that weekly or monthly contributions from family and friends for the honeymoon have become a fashionable pre-wedding present.One other interesting note in that article is that prices in Dubai have dropped 40% - interesting because I was just writing about how the economy must be hurting Dubai, especially.
The article lists some "deals" but they don't seem all that special to me - most are over 1,000 GBP/person. I'm not saying that the prices are totally unreasonable - just that they don't seem 25%-40% cheaper than normal.
This article talks about how cruises and all-inclusive resorts make honeymoons less stressful - worrying about how much money you spend on each dinner would be a drag on your honeymoon. Personally, though, I think comparing cruises to all-inclusives is a bit misleading. As I wrote on my Alaska cruise review, I certainly saw people experiencing all kinds of stress because of the extra charges on the cruise ship (especially the very expensive photos). My wife and I ended up spending an extra $1300 on the shore excursions, specialty restaurants, photos, bowling, the mandatory tips, etc. Plus a bunch more money shopping.
At the resorts I've been to, there hasn't really been any temptation to shop. Most seem to be no tipping. I think the food is usually included - even when you do eat at a specialty restaurant. So you really wouldn't have to worry about spending extra money if you were to go to a resort like Sirenis, Punta Cana. On a cruise, you better expect to pay something extra.
February 27, 2009
Park West reminder, Mexico vacation deals
First, a reminder that I have someone at Park West who will answer our questions. I've only got one so far so please add a few if there's anything you ever wanted to know about buying art (especially on a cruise). I'm sending the question(s) in a few days so post them now please.
Next, we have Mexico vacation deals in the news. USA Today has 6 deals - the first one sounds really good - Isla Holbox or Holbox Island where you have undeveloped beach, kayaking, and nature viewing. The hotel they suggest is only $65/night.
And a press release on a website that offers Mexican vacations:
Time is running out for travelers to take advantage of deep discounts that reflect the travel industry’s aggressive reaction to economic conditions. BookIt.com, http://www.bookit.com/, has announced today an exclusive 69-hour $69 sale on all-inclusive resorts throughout Mexico, the Caribbean and Costa Rica.Travelers who book during the 69 hours can save up to 60 percent off regular rates at top all-inclusive resorts. Peak winter dates that are rarely discounted are available for only $30 more.
The 69-hour sale ends at 11:59 PM EST on Saturday, February 28, 2009 or while inventory lasts. Travel dates vary by resort, but most are available for mid-April through August.
BookIt.com’s 69-Hour, $69 sale, http://www.allinclusivespecials.bookit.com/, includes but is not limited to the following featured packaged deals:
Riviera Maya: Ocean Coral & Turquesa by H10
Punta Cana: Gran Bahia Principe
Los Cabos: Melia Cabo Real
Puerto Vallarta: Intercontinental Presidente
Puerto Vallarta: Crown Paradise Club
St. Kitts: Royal St. Kitts
February 26, 2009
About the travel blogger
James Trotta is in his early thirties and has been traveling since the age of 23 when took a teaching position in South Korea. Although he travels as much as he can, most of his time is spent in Seoul because he lives there with his wife and dogs.
What allows him to pay for his travels (and his travel blog’s web hosting) is his position as an assistant professor in the College of English (Dept. of English Linguistics) at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.
At the university he teaches various undergraduate courses, does some teacher training in the graduate school, and writes papers related to language learning. Vacation comes each summer and winter. He often returns home to New York but doesn’t really consider that traveling so he also tries to see something new each vacation.
He has been blogging on www.travel-plan-idea.com since January 2004. A couple of years after that the blog became popular. In an attempt to impress all the new readers, James put more effort into his blogging. Some might say that he started blogging well.
When he’s not teaching, publishing papers on language learning, blogging, or traveling, James exercises, reads and writes (for fun), rescues stray dogs, LARPs, and listens to music. He’s on Facebook and anyone who reads this is welcome to send a friend request; please also send a note so he doesn’t spend too much time trying to remember someone he has never actually met. He can also be reached via email, jtrotta@gmail.com.
February 25, 2009
Scary quotes from the Mardi Gras shooting
This article describes arrests made in the New Orleans Mardi Gras shooting. These two quotes were pretty shocking:
"I'm off to Afghanistan this summer. Damn, this is more dangerous than Afghanistan," Parry said.
"They had an ambulance out here picking the guy up off the street and people didn't stop vying for throws," Beals said.
February 24, 2009
Planning a West Coast USA summer travel plan
Reader submitted question: I am planning to go the the west coast this July. I have been to NY, Philly, DC and Miami. Loved all the cities.
I want to see as much of the west coast as I can in about 15-20 days. What would you suggest? My initial idea was to go with # 1, but now I am thinking more of # 2 because of transportation (I will not rent a car - just bus or train, which doesn´t bother me that much.)
# 1: Las Vegas-Los Angeles-San Francisco-Seattle
# 2: San Francisco-Los Angeles-San Diego-Las Vegas/Phoenix(Grand Canyon)
Am I way off in my selections? Will it be too much? is 4-5 days too little in the different locations?
Are there any hidden gems on the west coast a danish guy needs to see?
Answer 1: I'd go with option 1 because San Fran is a must, Seattle is worth it but faaaaaaaaaaaaaaar from the others. LA you're going to want some time, it's all sprawl. Vegas is Vegas, don't spend a ton of time there ($$) but by all means go. If you want to know what Phoenix is like in July, go ahead and preheat your oven to about 350, and then open the door and stand there. When the heat rushes over you, envision desert and strip malls, and you are in Phoenix. The Grand Canyon is very nice, but also very boring.
I'd consider San Francisco to be far and away the best of that bunch, it's the only west coast city I really like. I'm extremely biased, and strongly prefer the East Coast with a few exceptions: San Fran, Chicago, New Orleans.
Answer 2: San Diego is one of the nicest cities I have ever been to, definately a better scene than Seattle. But honestly I'd do I'd do San Fran and Napa. Trying to do SF-LA-SD will tie you up too much driving. Make LA-SD another trip, where you can spend more time in each city. SF is my favorite US city, and if you like wine, Napa is great.
Answer 3: I'd go w/ #1. There is no better city than Seattle in the summer. It's sunny all the time and its right on the water and the mountains are right there too. That and San Fran will be phenomenal that time of year. The Southwest will be HOT but at least when you're in LA/SD there are beaches to go to. Spend as little time in Vegas as possible.
While the Grand Canyon is AMAZING (probably the coolest natural phenomenon ive ever seen), Phoenix blows and the canyon is way out of the way. Probably not worth the travel time. Stick to the coast and you'll have a great time.
Answer 4: I vote #1. The flight from San Fran to Seattle will be quite cheap but honestly, the drive is BEAUTIFUL. I would try to stop in the Red Wood Forest (amazing) and maybe Crater Lake although that might be a little bit out of your way if you're taking public transportation.
If you want to walk around, stay away from Southern Cal. San Fran is much easier to get around. Seattle doesn't have great public transportation but there are good places to walk around by the water.
Answer 5: I'd go Las Vegas-San Diego-Los Angeles-San Francisco-Seattle and spend a few days in each place. You could also spend two weeks in San Francisco. I think it depends on how each city appeals to you when you get there.
Answer 6: Heres how I would rank the cities you have and have not mentioned
1. San Fran
2. Seattle
3. San Diego
4. Portland
5. Vegas
6. Phoenix
Some things to keep in mind. There is a TON to do in Northern Cali, not just San Fran. There is Napa Valley and the rest of wine country, if you're into that at all. There's the Red Wood National Park in the very northern part of the state. There's Yosemite to the east. There's the beautiful coast. Basically you could spend a week+ easily in just the norther half of the state rushing around from site to site.
Answer 7: Regarding the parks, Grand Canyon is the best, but too far out of the way for you. It's a pain to get to even if you rent a car. I just don't think its quite worth all the travel time even though its the one place in the world where i literally stopped breathing when I first saw it.
In California, I'd definitely recommend Sequoia National Park. It's just as beautiful as Yosemite w/o the crowds. Lake Tahoe is incredible but a pricey. Death Valley is cool, but not as beautiful as Red Woods, Sequoia or Yosemite. Joshua Tree is awesome too in the southern part of the state. This is related.
February 23, 2009
Win a Caribbean vacation by predicting March Madness success stories
The Nisbet “March Madness Cinderella Hoopla Contest” asks fans to select the 2009 NCAA basketball teams they think will be named the Cinderella teams in this year's tournaments. Nisbet will draw two winners — one each from those who correctly guess this year's men's and women's Cinderella teams.
Entries must be received before Tuesday, March 17, 2009 — when the NCAA Basketball Championship tips off. Only one entry per email address will be valid. Winners will be announced by April 15. For complete rules and directions to enter, visit http://nisbet.luxuryhotelwebhosting.com/.
Nisbet is a resort on Nevis in the Caribbean, which is said to be unspoiled.
February 22, 2009
Disney deals, Bradd Pitt in Vegas, Malaysia struggles to attract more tourists, and a ruined honeymoon
Disney is offering discounts since attendance is down by 5%. Apparently you can get 7 nights in Disney World for the price of 4 (staying at a Disney resort). Disneyland has 2 night specials. Both have deals for military personnel and toward the end of the article they talk about how Disney's competition is also offering some deals: Universal Orlando Resort and Worlds of Discovery (they own SeaWorld and Busch Gardens).
Just the other day I wrote about healthy vacations and how spas were doing OK. Now I see an article about how spas may be in trouble.This article seems to be talking mostly about the Cleveland area but what they mention - people cutting back on spending and a large amount of spas competing for business - seems like it would apply to most areas.
Apparently Brad Pitt is taking advantage of the Vegas specials I wrote about recently. According to this article he stayed at the Hard Rock and saw a show (Kà by Cirque du Soleil at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino). He was with his sons, Maddox and Pax.
This article from Malaysia talks about how the economic crisis is affecting tourism:
The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) forecasts that growth in international tourism this year will be flat at best or may contract by 2%.The article goes on to discuss Malaysia's efforts to promote tourism.Similarly, Malaysia’s Tourism Ministry, acknowledging the global contraction, has also lowered its 2009 tourist arrivals forecast by 10% to 20 million.
Here's a story about a company worth avoiding: My Travel Ireland Ltd. (which trades as Panorama Holidays). The overbooked hotel I guess could happen to anyone but when they offered the couple whose honeymoon they destroyed a cheap voucher...
February 21, 2009
Lost your job – JetBlue can help! / Micronations
I thought this was rather a nice gesture by JetBlue given the state of the economy, and the number of people out of work. The airline has promised to refund passengers’ tickets if they have purchased a plane ticket and then lose their job before they fly. This policy applies for up to nine people traveling together and for flights booked between February 1st and June 1st of this year. Other airlines, take note!
Some time ago, this blog reported that the world’s smallest country was up for sale although a quick look at the official website of the Republic of Sealand doesn’t give any further info on this. (However, there seems to be an interesting development in that a German who calls himself King Marduk has now declared himself the true sovereign of Sealand).
I was so intrigued by this concept of the micronation, that I ordered the Lonely Planet guide to micronations, called “Micronations” and was amazed to find that there are dozens of these places. Apparently, according to the UN, anybody can declare their island, town or piece of land to be a country as long as they have a permanent population, a system of government, defined territory and the capacity to enter into relations with other states.
Some of these micronations sound quite nice, like the Hutt River province in Australia; and the Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands.
Has anyone ever been to any of these micronations? I have been to what is probably one of the most famous – the hippy commune in Christiania, in Copenhagen, Denmark. That was about 25 years ago, but apparently, Christiania is still a thriving community as well as a tourist attraction. The whole subject of micronations seems to me as though it would make a fascinating and rather offbeat documentary for the Travel Channel..? Send Samantha Brown!
And talking of Denmark, apparently the famous (but rather unspectacular) statue of the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen is to leave Denmark for the first time to be exhibited in the World Exhibition in Shanghai, China next year.
I hereby declare my living room to be a nation (called the Republic of Mancunia) as it seems to meet all of the above criteria. Visitors are welcome, although there is a charge of $2 for a visitor’s visa. Immigration is open from around 8am to 10pm, depending on what’s on TV. Mancunia is easy to get to; it’s located in and entirely surrounded by the US state of North Carolina, with which it enjoys cordial relations.
Guest entry by Mancunian
February 20, 2009
Mardi Gras Tips or Advice? New Orleans restaurants?
Traveler's question: I'm heading down to Mardi Gras tomorrow. I've never been to New Orleans and I've done no research whatsoever. Anybody have any specific recommendations to share?
1) Wear old, sturdy shoes. They will get very dirty and your feet will get stepped on. For bars, if you get out of the quarter (you should) Igor's, on St. Charles around Louisiana, is a great spot from 4 to 6 a.m. You can even do your laundry. Cooter Brown's, near the intersection of St. Charles and N. Carollton, is a fun bar, too.
Walk over to Frenchman street and drop into Snug Harbor - maybe the best jazz club in town. Go late. House of Blues is good. Go to their website and see who's playing.
2) K-Paul was a great restaurant. A real casual place called Rita's Olde French Quarter had real good food. It's cliche by now, but you should get beignets and coffee at Cafe du monde one morning (or late night). Those things are delicious. And try a muffaletta. Central Grocer is considered the best, but I actually liked the place next door even better.
Visit Galatoire's. It's pricey and you need a jacket but you won't understand the city until you go there. No reservations. They'll ask you who your waiter is. Wing it.
3) Don't get arrested. Don't piss in the street or get into a fight or flash while standing next to a cop or touch a NOPD horse. The rest is cream cheese. You can't screw this up. Get some beads, get drunk, hook up if you want and go nuts. It's a fun time.
4) Watch your wallet and don't carry all your money around with you. (I did that). Staying safe also means not going into cemeteries without a group or tour guide. If you're drinking alcohol, you should be drinking water as well.
5) Get a good cheap lunch at Johnny Po' Boys. (Which is on my list from a long time ago). Also, Domilise's Po-Boys for great fried shrimp po boys and frozen goblets of beer.
6) Get to the parade routes early, the side streets are often less crowded. You might need a mask if you get queasy from car/truck fumes. (I didn't have the fume problem). Canvas bags are better than plastic, if you need a bag for carrying souvenirs like the coins, cups, and beads they toss from floats.
7) Try to get on a balcony at one of the bars and stay up there. I enjoyed watching Bourbon Street from above far more than wandering the street. The "Cats Meow" will give you a great view of the corner of Bourbon and St. Pete's which is probably the busiest area.
There is a bathroom and bar upstairs there. I went in 1999 and spent most of the weekend up there watching the madness down below. (I was there for about a week before Mardi Gras - Bourbon Street was fine until Fri. or Sat. night before Fat Tuesday. Then it got crazy crowded).
8) Take a tour or two. Go up the Mississippi on a steamboat (drink beer on deck to sober up from the night before and get a muffaletta from central grocery to eat on board). Take a swamp tour - byob.
9) Casamento's on Magazine Street has really good seafood. Fried oysters are the best in the city. Definitely not fancy. Higher up the food (and price) chain is Cochon. very good food, excellent martinis. you can always take the street car up Charles st., past Loyola and Tulane in the Garden District, to Brigtsen's. This place will cost you but it's worth it. Reservations required. Exact change only on the street car!
10) You might consider saving come money by getting your beads in advance. The ones in demand (and if you want to trade beads for pictures of the opposite sex flashing this is important) can cost $5-10 each so if you're gonna go through 20 or 50 bead necklaces you're talking about real money. Marijuana leaves, flashing lights, glow-in-the-dark bones, etc. Also, if you're taking pictures you might want to risk bringing a decent camera - disposables aren't always that great for night photography. Also, flashing is not a one-sided thing. Men can flash for beads as well as women - it's just a little less common.
February 19, 2009
Traveling for better health - what was your healthiest vacation?
This article talks about how spas are trying to change their image and that it seems to be keeping customers coming:
One reason, perhaps, is a marketing effort by spas to shed an image of extravagance and indulgence for one of necessity. The new approach, which McNees calls an industrywide sea change, focuses on health, wellness, and de-stressing. About 70 percent of ISPA members offer educational classes, from good nutrition to stress management, she says. "We're a vacation of need," says Tracey Welsh...So I was thinking, what are my options for getting healthier on a trip? I've thought about a few:
Kayak or canoe trips. Possibly rafting.
Hikes - This Patagonia experience is pretty hardcore as was this Kilimanjaro climb. I'd be interested in something in America too - like hiking around the Grand Canyon or the redwoods in California or something. I started a Manali, India hiking travel plan a long long time ago but it's not really that far up my list at the moment.
Some sort of yoga or ayurvedic retreat. I do eat fairly healthily, exercise, and lift weights but I should stretch more.
I've even thought about some sort of sports camp or something, like the ones professional athletes might go to for sprinting faster or something. That just doesn't seem like a vacation though. There would have to be stuff other than training mixed in.
Anyway, my thoughts are drying up but what are your healthy vacation ideas?
February 18, 2009
Dubai: headed for a fall?
We've talked about Dubai which seems to be trying to survive as a high-end tourist destination. We also know that luxury travel is on the decline. This article talks about how the global recession is hitting Dubai.
Dubai certainly didn't help itself when they refused to give Shahar Peer a visa.
But some people may overlook the issues to see stuff like this. At that website, click on "Dubai Project" - I can't link to it directly. Here's a collection of Dubai photos:
So, what do you think will happen to Dubai? Can the city get what it needs from tourism to justify the money spent on construction?
February 17, 2009
Foundog: hope for recovery of lost items
So I finally got around to activating my Foundog laptop code (after I realized that I lost the charger cord and plug). Activating the code and stuff is very user-friendly and I hope I never lose my laptop to really test how well the system works.
But here's how it's supposed to work. If I lose my laptop someone finds it. They see the little Foundog sticker that says they get a reward for returning the laptop. They go to the website and report the item as found.
Somehow Found Dog picks it up and returns it to me. I'm not quite sure how that works if I lose my laptop in Korea or something. I did get this from the company:
For international recoveries, it's handled bynecessity in a 100% custom fashion. Basically, we assign someone at Foundog to the recovery of the item. It typically involves sending a courier to retrieve the item, and pack it via FedEx or UPS back to the United States.The person who found it gets a reward:
You will receive a $10 or $25 gift card - guaranteed - as a reward for being a Good Samaritan! Also, as a Foundog Good Samaritan, you become eligible to win a $1,000 shopping spree!The sticker itself is 24.99 (for a laptop). Camera and phone ones are 9.99. I think the registration lasts 2 years.
Vegas and Iceland discounts available
I wrote about Vegas deals about a week ago. Mainstream media agrees with me - Vegas is a good value right now. Iceland is also a good deal; not surprisingly, winter is their off season. That plus the collapse of their finance industry means they are working hard to attract tourists.
February 14, 2009
Time for romance? Honeymoon and related articles...
It seems that I haven't been to any of the 10 most romantic resorts in the world. Disappointing but not surprising I guess.
Here's a personal account of how traveling with someone can show you if a relationship might work. Nothing huge revealed here but it reminded me of my honeymoon, the first time I really traveled with my wife. For the first 4 weeks of our honeymoon I was actually studying full-time for a CELTA degree in Rome (Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults). There was some stress there, some arguments. After that we mostly argued about directions, especially in Assisi (good thing it's small and relatively easy to find your way).
This article on romantic holidays had some interesting information:
When John Lennon and Yoko Ono got hitched in 1969, they held their celebrated "bed-in" in room 702 – the honeymoon suite – of the Amsterdam Hilton. According to Lennon's "The Ballad of John and Yoko","The newspapers said, 'Say what you doing in bed?' I said, 'We're only trying to get us some peace." Peace is still available: a night in Room 702 costs from €1,837.50, with breakfast. The hotel is marking the 40th anniversary of the "bed-in" from 19-21 March with a photo exhibition (00 31 20 710 6000; hilton.com).They also mention Vegas as a wedding destination, like I have on this blog.Here's the travel troubleshooter, Christopher Elliott, helping out a couple that was lied to by Westin Aruba management about renovations - I guess they were lucky that they learned before they arrived on their honeymoon that the resort's pool would be closed.
This article recommends a couple of honeymoon spots, The Residence in Mauritius and Breezes in Zanzibar, plus some service for a wedding gift registry where people buy you honeymoon-related stuff.
All these articles reminded me of this interesting conversation on honeymooning in Disney.
Buffalo plane crash witnesses
I'm sure most of you have heard about the crash near Buffalo by now. As far as I can tell this is the latest, some eyewitness accounts of the crash. The speakers quoted in this story seem to know quite a bit about airplanes, far more than I do.
February 13, 2009
Fun with my NCL Mastercard
I wrote about travel credit cards a while back (well mostly you guys did the writing in the comments section) and I mentioned how I didn't really use my points wisely when I took that Alaskan cruise.
Don't feel sorry for me, but I felt like I had to take another NCL cruise because of that credit card and the points. In fact I have 200 extra points because last time I couldn't use all my upgrades (my travel agent got me a free upgrade so the coupon became unnecessary).
So I booked one to Bermuda this summer. Then I got a letter saying that the NCL points program was changing - they would mail me my certificates in January 2009 because old points had to be redeemed now whether you like it or not.
As an aside, that timing worked for me since I had already booked a cruise anyway, but there are some people left with coupons expiring in a year that may not want to - or may not be able to - take a cruise this year.
Anyway, I got my coupons. There were 200 points missing. So I found the letter from NCL to Bank of America (BoA) stating that they were giving me the 200 points back and called up BoA. They said they saw the 200 points in the system and they would transfer me to a colleague.
I figured I was getting a manager, but after a slightly confusing exchange I figured out that Miguel was with NCL, not BoA. He said that they had screwed up the award certificates and would send some more. But since he didn't work for BoA and had no information about my account, he had no idea if those corrections would include my 200 points or not. Apparently the best I can do is wait and call again if I don't get my certificates by the 20th.
Also, I don't know what I'll be doing with the certificates. I learned last time that I should have gone for the money off instead of the room upgrades - just a much better value since the room upgrades are cheap compared to the money you can get off ($500 ofo for 500 points).
I thought I'd be getting 3 $100 off coupons but now I'm learning that 100 point coupons can only be used for room upgrades so who knows? My travel agent said she'd try to get me the discount. If that doesn't work I guess I'll have the nicest possible inside cabin on the ship.
February 11, 2009
The Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act
The Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act was introduced to the House of Representatives on Feb. 4th. I would expect a favorable reaction from Obama since he said he supported easing travel restrictions to Cuba during his campaign.
Long-time readers might remember that I'm in favor of travel freedom but there are issues people who may want to visit Cuba should be aware of.
1. Before booking a resort, realize that Cubans are barred from many of them. That's actually not too different from resorts in poor countries when I think about it. For example in Plantation Bay I met only one Filipino guest and in Sirenis Punta Cana I met only one Dominican guest.
2. Spending money in Cuba will probably help the Castro regime.
If you're curious, Rep. William Delahunt, D-Mass introduced the bill. Co-sponsors include Representatives Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., Sam Farr, D-Calif., and Ron Paul, R- Texas.
JetBlue & Sofitel sweepstakes, Orlando hotel deal, Myaffina $50 credit
I've been letting my press releases pile up. Now I have a ton to sift through. Here are four for now...
JetBlue is having a 9th anniversary sweepstakes with daily prizes. They emailed me a broken link, but I found the 9th anniversary thing on this page.
Universal Orlando Resort offers 2 nights free when you book a 3 night package starting at $689, which includes accommodations at a hotel near Universal and unlimited theme park admission. Families have until March 29 to book for travel that can begin immediately and run through October 8, 2009. Here's the link.
I got an email from Affina Hotels. They have something where you customize your room by decided what kind of pillow you want, whether you want to rent a guitar, borrow a yoga mat, etc. online before checking in. They also have some promotion where you get a $50 credit if you register for this customization site, www.myaffinia.com, before March 31.
So I filled out the information - it took 5 minutes or less. They asked me if I was interested in New York, Chicago, or Washington DC so they might only have hotels in those 3 cities.
I also noticed that I had wasted my time when I saw the fine print after signing up because I won't be staying in any Affina hotel before March 31, 2009. "Activity credit offered on future stays from 1/1 - 3/31/09." Oh well. That's not what their publicist emailed me: "If you sign-up for the My Affinia program between 1/1/09 - 3/31/09, you will receive a $50 credit towards your next Affinia stay." So I thought I'd get $50 off my next stay no matter when it was...
Beginning February 7, guests can stop into any of the North American Sofitel locations and enter to win a trip for two to a Sofitel Luxury Hotel in one of the following cities: New York; Washington, DC; Chicago; Philadelphia; Montreal; Miami; Minneapolis; San Francisco; or Los Angeles. On February 18, a winner will be selected to receive the romantic getaway including; round-trip airfare courtesy of American Airlines. The winner and their sweetheart will celebrate their love by indulging in a three-day, two-night stay at one of 10 exclusive hotels. For more information and full rules and regulations please visit www.sofitel-valentines.com.
February 10, 2009
Going to Romania
Reader submitted question:
This may be a longshot. I am going to Romania next month, not for any reason, just wanted to visit someplace I haven't been to before. I have several questions about what I should do, I am landing in Bucharest so I will definitely spend some time there, but I am not sure the merits and/or difficulty of trying to go somewhere in Transylvania.
Also, does anyone know about the discount airlines for travel within Europe? I was considering making a side trip to Budapest, but I haven't found any reasonable flight prices. I have found reasonable flights to Vienna, but I have to believe there is a way to get to Budapest by plane fairly cheap. And don't tell me about taking the train there, that is not something I want to do.
Thanks.
I’ll try to help but I’ve never been to Romainia or Hungary so this is all second-hand. If you can help feel free to comment below.
Flights:
Try Wizzair, a Hungarian discount airline based in Budapest so they've got flights just about everywhere for pretty good fares.
Bucharest:
Go to Cismegu Park and then check out the big parliament building. Otherwise walk around, that's the best thing to do. Spend 1 day there max honestly and then go to countryside.
The rest of Romania:
Check out Peles Castle in Sinaia if you can (the town is 70 miles north of Bucharest, so you might have a problem getting there). It is said to be one of the nicer castles in Europe.
Although the painted monasteries in Jassy are very attractive. Jassy has two important sites for Catholics: the church of the Three Saints and the monastery of the Three Hierarchs.
Budapest:
Most people seem to recommend Budapest over Bucharest so plan to spend more time there. Budapest is far more attractive and Romania is more for the hard core traveler interested in Eastern Europe.
Bucharest is somewhat up and coming, still pretty cheap, etc. Bucharest has a very good subway system as well which is a plus. However there just is not much to do. One day is plenty probably to see the main sites before making your way out to the countryside. On the other hand, Budapest is amazing with a great transportation system, tons to do, etc. Romania is cool if you’re feeling adventurous but go in with the proper expectation and don’t spend too much time in Bucharest.
Ponce Inlet, Florida for a beach / fishing vacation
The recommendation for Ponce Inlet comes from a friend who thinks it would be a good place for a Florida fishing vacation.
Ponce Inlet, Florida is a lovely seaside community a few miles south of Daytona. Ponce Inlet is completely residential and there are oceanfront condos that are very inexpensive to rent---well, at least compared to the mid-Atlantic.
There is the Sunglow Fishing Pier about 3 miles north and there is the Inlet Jetty right there in Ponce Inlet. Both are excellent for fishing.
In Ponce Inlet, the beach is beautiful and not usually crowded. Walk out of your condo and it's like a private beach. In fact, many people fish right from the sand on the beach there, which unlike Daytona, is auto free (ironically, Ponce Inlet was the home to NASCAR's first races on the road/beach course which eventually became the Daytona 500 after they built the Speedway).
There are numerous good seafood joints there, a historic lighthouse, a Sea Turtle refuge, and Deep Sea Fishing boats. I think it would be the perfect place for someone who wanted a little fishing break in Florida.
February 9, 2009
Canada and upstate New York music festival summer travel plan
I found this old travel plan from when my wife and I drove around Canada and hit two music festivals: the Ottawa Jazz Festival and the Falcon Ridge Folk Fest.
This travel plan won’t work any longer. Kind of like this baseball travel plan there were events that have probably shifted around some. I post it because it’s an example of a fun vacation plan and could be adapted or give someone ideas for a current one. Also, I planned and took this trip way back (2003 maybe) so sometimes I refer to it when I’m blogging and now I can link to this thing so people know what I’m talking about.
Day 1 (July 16):
Drive to Niagara Falls. We paid $50/night at Backpackers International Hostel + Inn. I can’t remember having any complaints but a car helps – I don’t remember it being particularly close to the falls.
Day 2 (July 17):
Head to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. Do touristy stuff like go to the observation platform where you get wet or go on the Maid of the Mists where you get wet.
Day 3 (July 18):
I’m sure we did a few things in Niagara Falls before heading to Chiefswood Tent & Trailer Park between Caledonia and Brantford where we paid $18 to set up a tent for the night. It’s near the 6 Nations Reservation, which I don’t remember being particularly fun. They had a visitor center that was kind of a small museum and a couple of shops, one selling art and one selling beads I think. I think we spent more time talking to our neighbors and relaxing at the campground.
Days 4-6 (July 19-21):
We drove to the Algonquin Eco Lodge where it was $410 for 3 nights. We drove to Ottawa (we passed Toronto but we had the bird flu scare back then so my wife was unwilling to go since Toronto was in the news a lot).
I was told that we took the most expensive road in the world. Apparently the Canadian government sold the road to a private company which then jacked up the tolls. I think the toll company took pictures of the cars and then sent the owner a bill or something. If you didn’t pay the government wouldn’t renew your license. It was all pretty outrageous but I believed the story – why wouldn’t I believe that a government was in bed with a private company gouging its citizens? But if you’re not Canadian they didn’t mail you a bill and my car had New Jersey or New York plates.
At the Eco Lodge I got to pump water for my showers. I got to pump water for my wife’s showers. They have a lake and a canoe so we took that out hoping to see beavers. My wife got lucky and saw some. I didn’t but I hear I came close (people on shore saw beavers splashing and stuff behind my canoe and were pretty shocked I didn’t notice the little guys). The Eco Lodge is about an hour from the main interstate going through Algonquin Park. On that road we saw a moose.
The trick is to stop whenever you see other cars stopped – chances are they stopped cause they saw something. That’s how we saw our moose. We did some hikes around Algonquin park and visited the logging museum.
And the Eco Lodge was the worst mosquito spot I have ever seen. Kind of like a horror movie where even though we reeked of OFF Deep Woods to the point where we had trouble breathing we still had big mosquitoes all over us and lots of itchy bites. Since the parking was a mile or so from the Eco Lodge (through the woods) we got lots of exposure to those mosquitoes. Then even more when we went outside to roast marshmallows or canoe on the lake. It was brutal.
Days 7-8 (July 22-23):
We drove from Algonquin Park to Ottawa. We paid 319 Canadian, about 250 USD back then for a Jazz Fest package that included a $50 dinner gift certificate and some tickets to the jazz fest one night. We thought Ottawa was great and we still listen to the Billy Bang CD we picked up after hearing him play at the Jazz Festival.
Days 9-11 (July 24-26):
The Falcon Ridge Folk Festival happened to be between Ottawa and home. It was crazy hot but we were introduced to Tracy Grammar there. We had gone to see Arlo Guthrie I think but now we have more Tracy Grammar / Dave Carter albums than Arlo Guthrie ones. I was vegetarian back then and they had some really excellent vegan food there.
And when it was over we went home.
February 8, 2009
Luca Marchio: Real traveler or naive tourist?
A while back I asked what it meant to be well-traveled. Here's a story about a pretty unique traveler: unique because he wants to see the entire world, including Iraq.
“I explained to him that it was not safe to move around,” said Renato Di Porcia, the deputy chief of mission at the Italian Embassy in Baghdad. “He is a little bit naïve.”
Can we call someone naive if they are able to get a 10-day Iraqi visa, enter northern Iraq, get to Baghdad, then go to Fallujah? And this is on his own - although he did hire a local guide in Baghdad - this guys was traveling solo.
What seems crazy to me is this: "An American marine working with the police suggested taking him to the city limits and dropping him where Falluja met the main highway."
How is abandoning a guy on the side of a road in Iraq going to protect him? Luckily, it seems like they didn't listen to that guy: "On Friday night Mr. Marchio was being held for his own safety, the Iraqi police said. “He will leave with the earliest flight tomorrow morning,” Mr. Di Porcia said."
Anyway, if you're looking for something to do, please read the article and think about whether Luca Marchio is a naive tourist or a savvy traveler and share your thoughts by leaving a comment.
February 7, 2009
Time to get a good deal and to visit an empty Vegas?
Business in Vegas is down and has been for about a year now. In the past 12 months there have been new construction shut downs and casino employee's benefits cut. Everyone in Las Vegas used to always say that the "gambling business" was recession proof, now they know better.
With that being said, Vegas is still Disneyland for Adults. In some ways, from a consumers point of view, the strip has never been better or more affordable. Now business has been down and this is the Vegas dead period: January and February are their emptiest times... starts to really pick up around March madness time.
I spoke to someone who just got back from Vegas. Right now the pools are cold and empty. Restaurants are empty, tables are empty. Some restaurants are closed certain days of the week. Even at Ceasars!
So you could go now and it'd be cheap but you can also lock in sweet deals for a few months from now. I know one guy going for 4 nights in April (Thursday to Monday) for a family wedding and staying at MGM Grand for $316 total, plus tax. He had previously had Mandalay Bay for $400 for the same 4 nights but canceled when he saw the MGM deal.
His father in law emailed him with a deal for the Luxor - $226 total for the same 4 nights. I don't think he's doing that one; MGM is really nice and Luxor not so much - but, generally speaking, if you can make it to Vegas these days, I can't imagine that prices are going to get much lower than this.
I spoke to someone else on the email list for Mandalay and Venetian getting great rates emailed to him every week... the other day he got an email from Mandalay with rates from $65 a night at Mandalay and $85 a night at The Hotel.
I threw a few Vegas blog entry links in the blog above but I have more:
Vegas party and hotel tips
Vegas golf recommendations
Grand Canyon helicopter
Vegas timeshare comments
Vegas transportation (prices may be out of date)
Marriage in Vegas
February 5, 2009
Ethiopian Airlines sale: buy one, get one free
Ethiopian Airlines has a sale to honor the “historic inauguration of President Barack Obama” - and it'a a big one. Buy one, get one free! I've never heard of anything like it in the airline industry.
Ethiopian Airlines flies direct from Washington Dulles to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Then, of course they connect to other places in Africa. I did a search for Washington-Dulles to Cairo departing Feb. 7 and returning Feb. 14 to see what kind of money we're talking about. They didn't have my exact dates but around that time was $1400 each. A free ticket would be pretty meaningful...
I don't know if this is only flights from the US to Africa or if the sale also covers flights to Africa departing from Rome, Paris, London, etc. - cities that Ethiopian says they fly to.
For more information, the website says to either call - 1-800-445-2733 - or email wascto@ethiopianairlines.com
If anyone has more info on the sale or has flown Ethiopian Airlines before, please share what you know by leaving a comment.
Any questions for Park West?
Someone from Park West (the art dealer running auctions on most cruise ships) saw one of my previous blog entries, probably either this one about the art dealer who told me Park West didn't have any good deals or this one about how I wasn't buying some of the complaints I read online.
The Park West people are willing to open a kind of dialogue with us so I'm going to collect any questions you may have (leave a comment below) and in about a week I will send the questions to my contact at Park West. Park West will then hopefully come back with the information you're looking for.
February 4, 2009
Luxury travel deals
Here's an interesting article that has me getting ready to contact my travel agent. They talk about how the economy is killing luxury travel and how airlines are cutting fares on business class seats (though not American Airlines apparently).
They talk about one hotel offering a good deal: Dublin's Merrion Hotel (199 euros instead of 455).
Then they talk about how luxury hotels are cutting back:
Ritz-Carlton hotels are substituting potted plants for the fresh flower arrangements
The recently renovated Plaza Hotel on New York's Central Park was forced to close its once-iconic Palm Court restaurant.
Hotels are reducing housekeeping staff
There'll be less extensive and elaborate room-service menus.
One luxury hotel recently switched to a cheaper brand of bathroom amenities.
They'll lay off switchboard operators and route calls to the front desk, which means you'll spend more time checking in because the front-desk people are overworked.
And one luxury hotel group recently dismissed its security staff. A decent reporter might have found out which hotel that was for us but Joe Brancatelli wrote an interesting article even considering that flaw.
February 3, 2009
Helpful hints for Cancun
I’ve collected a few tips from a football message board on what to do during a vacation to Cancun, Mexico. I’ll list the tips below but I hope some of you will add your own comments like we did recently with Europe and Savannah.
1. Try to head south and see some ruins. The Tulum ruins are a 1/2 day type of thing and are pretty damn amazing. Chichenitza is even more so, but that's a full day trip (and a long one).
2. Do the party bus and don't drink the water, even a dabble on your tooth brush. I’ve heard you can drink the water in hotel restaurants/bars/clubs. If it’s all inclusive use bottled water to wet your tooth brush and drink. The maids will re-stock your fridge daily.
3. I have been begging the wife to go to Mexico for so long and the only damn excuse she gives me is that she is scared of the water situation. It frustrates the hell out of me and then our friend just got back and got some stomach sickness from the water. That didn't help.
4. Remember there is lots more to the Yucatan than Cancun. Rent a car and heading south to Tulum to see the oceanside Mayan ruins, scooting over to nearby Akamal for some seriously good diving, then taking a local road due north to the unrestored remains of Coba. Follow the road north then west to Merida (capital of the Yucatan and an outstanding example of colonial architecture). Take a few days away from Cancun and you'll be amply rewarded. Lots more to do/see but this should get you started.
Edit: that reminds me of this Mexico travel plan.
5. Wear a bullet-proof vest. Maybe not but there has been a rash of tourist robberies and murders in Mexico in the past year or so. They look for who is exchanging money at the airport, follow them outside, and then rob/murder them. The police are often complicit in the crimes. I would not stray from the resort into the real Mexico...
6. I just got back from Playa Del Carmen (a little bit south of Cancun). I did the all inclusive resort thing. I stayed at the Iberostar Tucan. Don't really have any tips, the resort more than took care of all of my needs. Trip came at a perfect time for me, since I left a couple days after the Giants loss.
I did some kayaking & snorkeling, but other than that I just ate like a king and drank like a fish. Hottest it got was around 85 degrees, coolest it got was about 70 degrees at night. I'm seriously thinking about taking some of my tax returns and hoping on a plane and flying right back to Mexico.
7. Go to Xcaret, it's an eco park 30 minutes from Cancun with snorkelling, hiking trails, and lots of other fun activities.
8. Waterproof sunscreen. Wear it. Love it.
9. Mexican currency is invalid if it is damaged (even a little) Do not accept anything that is not in good condition.
10. My hotel said specifically not to drink the hotel sink water. I had a red X with the picture of a sink in my bathroom and they had signs by the front desk. I stayed at the Dreams Cancun. I'm sure most hotels filter the water. If they don't, they will notify you. But I would avoid the tap water anyway – just to be safe. You don’t want to mess up your vacation.
10. I drank beer. But they had bottled water in the mini fridge and also a bunch of half-gallon jugs of water. Had no problems with any food or drink. The first morning I was down there, I saw a guy die on the beach (heart attack / drowning). Did it ruin my day? Maybe 5 minutes of it. Normally, I'd like to think seeing a guy die in the morning might bother me for the rest of the day, but it's just too nice & sunny there.
11. The Cancun area is much safer than the border areas. However, you should always exercise caution in a 3rd world country. If Chitzen-Itza is still open, I can't recommend it enough.
12. I would recommend XCaret but it’s more of a family place. If that's the type of trip then absolutely go to XCaret, and plan on being there for the day. It’s basically an eco-amusment park. Hiking trails, beaches, tubing, a zoo, cultural exhibitions, horseback riding, food, and in the evening a totally fantastic show featuring Mayan sporting events, singing and dancing. If you are up for something more family-oriented, XCaret is a must-see destination on your list.
13. I have circumnavigated the Yucatan many, many times. Don't be afraid to leave the resorts. Drink beer, wine or cokes instead of water when on the road (no ice!). Avoid unwashed fruits and vegetables. that's about it. We were robbed once in all of our travels there (spare tire was boosted from our rental. It's a common scam.). The Yucatan is populated with charming people. It's distinctly different from the border towns and lawless regions you might have read about.
14. I've been to Cancun/Cozumel many times. I can't stress enough how beautiful the water is... if you are not a diver, at least take a snorkeling trip! The coral and sea life is outstanding. Some of the best diving you'll ever experience.
Beaches are beautiful, as is the water, so sitting your ass on the beach all day with a line of drinks works too. Oh, and Isle Mujeures (sp?) is a great little trip. Take a little boat/ferry over. Lots of topless, tan women.
15. Playa Del Carmen is awesome for single folks. Crazy chicks from all over the place ready to rip it up. Playa Del Carmen was insane with females but I went with my girlfriend. :( My girlfriend's brother made out like a bandit down there though.
16. I know people who got hit with over $1000 bills for using Blackberries in Cancun. Verify you have an international plan, or prepare to be shocked when you get the bill.
17. Do a day trip to Cozumel for some snorkeling. Best in the Western Hemisphere. Then go back to Playa Del Carmen and spend the night eating dinner (Casa De Agua is excellent place), then bar hopping up and down 5th avenue. Good time, guaranteed.
18. I went last year for spring break. Make sure that you don’t drink the water. All inclusive is NEVER all inclusive. Make sure you cake yourself with sunblock for the first day and get progressively less as you go on. BE CAREFUL OF THE TIDE, IT GETS CRAZY THERE. But other than that have fun!
February 2, 2009
A couple of cruise articles: how to find a good deal
I'm supposed to work all day so I won't have much time for blogging. I do have a couple of cruise articles for you though. The first one offers some tips on how to find the best deals. My next cruise will be an NCL cruise departing from Boston but in the end I didn't have as many choices as I'd have liked. It had to be NCL because of my credit card (I'll be getting a lot of money off by turning in credit card points). Next time that shouldn't be an issue because I'm getting rid of the card.
But I did have some options. Leaving from Boston was cheaper than leaving from New York. Leaving from Baltimore was even cheaper, but my sister lives in Boston so a free bed the night before and free parking makes up for the difference.
This second article I link to only because the title is interesting. Are cruises a worthy investment? In general I think vacations are good investments because relaxing is good for your health.
But no time for me to relax. I'm going to go write some more test questions...
February 1, 2009
Quick question: country or city vacations?
Well I just arrived at my university's Yong In campus to work on some test questions. I normally teach at the Seoul campus. Seoul, of course, is a 13 million person city. Yong In is more country - lots of trees and open fields and stuff.
On the way here I was talking to a professor from Salzburg who prefers country living to city living. That got me thinking about vacations - I usually vacation in city areas because they are close to airports. Every once in a while I'll fly in to wherever and then take a bus or whatever to someplace relatively far away from an airport. But not usually.
So I thought an informal survey here would be interesting. When you travel do you see more city or more countryside?