Month: March 2012
Lost Passport
What if you lose your passport while traveling?
If you are traveling overseas, first contact the police and then your embassy. You will need to show up in person to apply for an emergency one, which is only valid for a limited time. Once back in the US, you will need to apply for a new passport.
To make things easier create a passport emergency kit and take it to the embassy with you. This includes two passport photos, a photo ID, proof of US citizenship like a birth certificate or social security card, airline ticket or booking confirmation, and a police report if necessary. Seem like a lot of stuff that you do not normally travel with in your luggage? Most embassies will allow you to present an affidavit of identifying witness. This will be filled out by a fellow traveler, with a passport, who can attest that you are who you say you are.
If you are in the US you can report your passport stolen by first contacting the police. Then fill out a DS-64 form and mail it to the National Passport Information Center or call 1-877-487-2778.
It’s a hassle any way you look at it. Keep your passport safe!
Hotels
Searching for hotels for your summer vacations? How many sites do you search? I really don’t think there is a one-size-fits-all site out there. But there are several great ones you can use in combination with each other to find some amazing deals.
You may want to add these sites if you don’t already have them on your list:
dealbase.com: find the breakdown of all amenities included in your hotel’s cost
hotelsweep.com: for travelers who prefer staying at independently owned properties
hipmunk.com: previously a metasearch site for airfare, you can now find hotels
momondo.com: find hotels overseas using this metasearch engine
room77.com: this unique site researches room by room for amenities you want
roomkey.com: seven hotel chains (Best Western, Choice Hotels, Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, InterContinental, Wyndham) list their rooms together in a new search engine
yourroomkey.com: mostly for business type hotels located at America’s largest airports and financial districts
Some of these you need to create an account, some offer email deals, some you just need to look at for great deals. Check them out.
Beach Blanket Babylon
Beach Blanket Babylon continues to delight audiences with its witty somewhat irreverence to the city by the bay. Amusing audiences since 1974, Steve Silver’s hit show has become a jewel of San Francisco.
One thing you will notice is the hats…the HUGE and crazy hats. In fact, they are supposedly the largest hats in the world. No photos are allowed inside. Trust me…the hats are amazing if not crazy at times.
This is a treat everyone should see. We keep going back because the show keeps changing. Nothing is left out. If it’s in the news…you’ll find it here. If it’s outrageous…you’ll find it here. Pop culture, politics, music, love, the world, San Francisco, Elvis…you just can’t describe it. You have to see it to believe it.
Good luck…Snow White. Or was that Snow Cone?