Tag: fly

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How Do You Travel?

When traveling, do you pay attention to what you do and how you act?

Check out these simple suggestions. Maybe you have more you’d like to share…

Don’t leave a mess. This is true whether you’re staying in a hotel, camping on the beach, tenting in a national park, or hanging out in a vacation rental. It is a good idea to clean up after yourself and make sure everything is back where it belongs before you check out.

Be respectful of the local culture. That means you may need to research local customs wherever you are going. Clothing, language, shaking hands, when to speak, and more. Learn some key phrases. Please and thank you go a long ways. If you say it incorrectly, at least you tried. You could always ask how to pronounce a word.

Have you engaged with the locals? Ask questions. Find out the best place to go for coffee or an afternoon spritz. Ask where the best place is to buy a few groceries.

Take photos…but enjoy the scenery. I’ve been in places where someone is trying to get the perfect shot. Guess what? There are dozens of people in their way also looking at the same thing. Don’t worry about your perfect photo. Enjoy what you’re looking at and get a few shots at the same time. Also check if you can use a flash when you’re in a museum or palace. Pay attention.

Shop local. Need a souvenir? Check out the neighborhood markets, street fairs, and local shops. I look for interesting spices and cooking gadgets to bring to my friends. Last time in Saint Remy, I brought knobs for a dresser. Make your shopping unique.

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What Do You Do On Long Flights?

If you’ve ever been on a long flight, you’ve probably encountered some of these issues.

You’re sitting for a nine-hour flight to Paris. When you arrive, you notice your ankles are three sizes larger than when you left. What’s up with that?

Because you sit for so long, your ankles and lower legs will probably expand. The blood is beginning to pool in your legs and ankles. Since this is not something you want, try wearing compression socks on the flight. I swear by them every time my flight is over three hours.

Have you also noticed you are thirstier, your lips are more chapped, and your hands feel dryer, especially on long flights? It’s the low humidity in the cabin.

Bring your own water bottle. Empty it before you go through security, then fill it up before you get on the plane.

Bring lip balm and hand cream. You might need eye drops to help with your eyes drying out.

I’ve read our sense of smell is weakened on planes. Have you ever noticed that?

I’ve also read you can actually get a sunburn if you sit next to the window. I guess it makes sense, as we are closer to the sun. What are your thoughts?

Do your ears plug up and then pop? The pressure increases as the plane ascends. Yawning or blowing my nose helps me to clear my ears. What do you do?

Some people experience motion sickness every time they fly. Not just in turbulent weather. Why? Because your eyes don’t detect any upcoming movement, but your inner ear knows you’re flying. It’s the imbalance between your eyes and ears which causes the motion sickness. If you need, ask your doctor about medication.

Any issues you encounter when flying long distances?

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Saint Emilion…Worth a Trip

Saint Emilion

Travel 20 or so kilometers from the bustling city of Bordeaux and you’re surrounded by vineyards. Some of the world’s most famous vineyards, these were planted here in Roman times.

Spend a day in Saint-Emilion, exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its Eglise Monolithe. This church carved out of the rocky hillside in the 11th century is now one of the largest of its kind in Europe, with its underground caverns and catacombs.

For a true wine tasting experience, set up a wine tasting class where you will learn about the subtle differences in wines where the same type of grapes are grown only a few feet from each other.

Bottom of the slopes, gravel terraces, sandy soils, limestone, high, low…all produce a slightly different taste. Cru, Grand Cru, large estates, small estates, non-classified, Premier Cru…there’s so much to learn! But, it sure is fun.

We weren’t there long…we’ll be back.

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Is This Your First Time?

I’ve covered some of these tips before. Many of them bear repeating…especially if you happen to be a first-time traveler to Europe.

Let’s start with packing… You don’t need to overpack. Huge suitcases are no fun to drag down a cobblestone street, lug onto a train, or cram into a small car’s trunk. Heavy ones create more problems than you can imagine. Just pack the essentials. Plan your clothes around one or two colors. Take items that can be easily laundered…either by you or at a facility. If you absolutely need something you didn’t bring…go shopping.

Remember to use public transportation. Subway, Metro, The Tube…are easy to negotiate and more reasonable than taking a cab everywhere. High speed trains are an amazing way to travel.

If you are in Europe for the first time, you may think you can cover a lot of ground. After all, it looks smaller on the map. Right? Keep in mind, there is so much to see and do in almost every city, town, and village. In order to have a truly fun vacation, don’t overdo it. Decide what is most important to you. Trust me…you aren’t going to see it all in one visit.

Do your homework on local customs. Learn a few polite phrases. Understand what is acceptable or what isn’t. Learn how to read a map, street signs, and your bill at the restaurant.

Have fun…

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LugLess Info

I recently heard about this company. Has anyone used this one or one like it?

LugLess introduced the first cost-competitive alternative to checking bags at the airport by enabling travelers to ship luggage directly to their destination for as little as $15.

Problem: Carrying, checking, and reclaiming bags at the airport is inconvenient, time consuming, and increasingly expensive. Travelers will pay more than $4.5 billion in checked baggage fees this year in the US alone.

Solution: LugLess leverages existing logistics networks to make shipping luggage easier and cheaper than checking a bag. Our shipping search engine finds and compares the absolute lowest UPS and FedEx rates to generate the cheapest shipping label for any travel itinerary. If that’s all you need from us, there is no other cost to using our platform.

But if you need a little more help with your shipment, we’ve got you covered. For an additional fee, you can add extra features, like additional coverage or a doorstep pickup. You can even opt for live support, which means you’ll have access to a LugLess team member who will answer any questions you have.

Key features:

 ➔ Rates: Starting at $15/bag. Rates based on distance, size and speed of delivery. On average, people pay $28 to ship one bag or $54 to ship two bags.

➔ Model: After getting the cheapest shipping label, users can add extra features, such as additional coverage or live support, for a fee and only pay for what they use.

➔ Users: Mass market, budget conscious travelers including: families with children, golfers, skiers, students, and people making small moves.

➔ Scale: In the same way that Amazon leverages UPS and FedEx to bring the shopping experience to your front door, LugLess leverages these carriers to let travelers avoid the hassles of checking luggage.

➔ Technology: The LugLess platform is integrated with multiple carriers to find the lowest rates and generate shipping labels instantly. The LugLess API allows publishers and travel booking platforms to fetch rates and create reservations in their own environment.

➔ Geography: LugLess provides service to and from every zip code in the United States.

Team

The LugLess leadership team has worked together for fifteen years. They have launched, acquired, and operated businesses in the logistics and travel space, including Luggage Forward, which is a premium doorstep to destination luggage delivery service focused on the global luxury travel market. The introduction of LugLess’ ultra-low-cost service provides a no-frills luggage shipping solution to the frustrated traveling masses who are increasingly dissatisfied with the inconvenience and rising costs of carrying and checking luggage at the airport. www.lugless.com

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Does Your Dog Need to Stretch His Legs?

When I travel, I see other travelers with dogs. Some are in carriers. Some on leashes. Some are definitely service dogs. Others are pets.

I’ve often wondered what you do if you have a dog in an airport terminal.

I found several airports with places for your furry pooch. There are probably more. Do you have any favorites?

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

The Pet Patch is located east of Terminal 2. The Pet Paw Pad can be found in Terminal 3, outside on the West End. The Bone Yard can be found on the west side of Terminal 4, near baggage claim.

Nearby PHX Sky train stations, pet relief areas are also available. The East Economy Park & Bark is near the East Economy parking garages and The Park ‘n Play is on the northwest corner of the 44th Street PHX Sky Train station.

San Diego International Airport

Seven different pet relief stations are available. You’ll find artificial turf and waste bags. These pet relief stations can be found throughout the terminals outside of the airport, as well as indoor at Terminal 2 West.

Philadelphia International Airport

At Philadelphia International Airport, there are seven Service Animal Relief Areas, called Pet Ports. These relief areas have a mulch surface, a bench, biodegradable pet waste bags, and a garbage can. All stations are available for both service animals and pets.

Boston Logan International Airport

In Boston, the relief areas are no-frills, but plentiful. These rest areas are located on the arrivals level curb outside every terminal. There is also a pet-relief area located in Terminal E, after security, and near Gate E7.

Denver International Airport

Denver International Airport has spots for pets with artificial turf, bags, and a sink on each concourse as well as right outside Jeppesen Terminal. After security, these are located in the center cores of A, B and C Gates. A pre-security pet restroom area is located just outside door 200 on the west side of the Jeppesen Terminal.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Indoor Service Animal Relief Areas here are available throughout the airport and can be used by service animals and other traveling pets. They can be found in every concourse. This airport also has a dog park, located in the Ground Transportation area on Domestic Terminal South. This fully fenced-in park offers biodegradable bags along with benches.

Reno-Tahoe International Airport

This airport has three dog parks available. Gate K-9 Bark Parks are fenced, ADA accessible, and have running water, mutt mitts for cleanup, and a canopied area for when the weather isn’t so great. Indoors, an area is available on the second floor of the terminal building.

Do you have others you know about?

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May I See Your Medical Insurance Card?

You’re traveling to a foreign country and you have your passport an appropriate visa. Right? It’s probably in your wallet.

You have insurance. Right? Where’s your proof of medical insurance?

When preparing your wallet for traveling, did you clean out your insurance card and leave it at home?

If so…not a good idea.

Did you realize more countries are requiring you to show proof of medical insurance before you enter the country? Right now, Iceland, Ecuador, Turkey, the UAE, Norway, and Switzerland are ones that want to see your insurance cards.

What do you do if you don’t have it? You can buy a policy right there. Or, you can go home.

Neither is a good option. Carry your insurance cards.

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What Toothpaste Is In Your Carry-on?

Toothpaste…we all travel with it. Do you buy the little tubes to put in your carry on? If so, how long do they last and what do you do with the leftover tube?

If you are like me, you throw them away. I mean…what else are you going to do with the worn-out tubes? Right?

Did you know that over 1 Billion tubes are thrown out every year? That’s a lot of toothpaste tubes. But, we need the toothpaste.

How can we rethink our travel toothpaste? That’s what one entrepreneur asked herself. Since she’s also concerned about unnecessary waste in our landfills…she had two reasons to develop a solution.

So, she did something about it.

And, recently I discovered what her solution is. It’s a different kind of toothpaste, delivered in a different kind of container. The company is called Bite and the toothpaste is called Bits.

I ordered it…I tried it…I’m a believer and it will be the only toothpaste I travel with from now on.

When I interviewed Lindsay McCormick, the CEO and founder of the company, I learned how she decided to do something about saving our planet from the waste of the discarded tubes of toothpaste. Not only did she want to do something about the tubes, but she was also concerned about the ingredients in the toothpaste. She talked to dentists, she got feedback from travelers, she experimented with tastes, and she wanted high quality ingredients and materials.

Keeping with the sustainable mindset, the Bits come in a glass bottle. They are shipped in recycled boxes and everything is compostable. When you reorder, your Bits come in recycled envelopes and you add them to the original bottle. They’re made in the US, with the lab in southern California.

Her company is working to get ADA accreditation for a fluoride line sometime in 2019.

Like I said…this will be the toothpaste I travel going forward. You’ll have to try it for yourself.

To learn more about Bite, go to https://bitetoothpastebits.com/.

The company did not pay me to try them, nor give me any products.

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How Does My Hair Look?

Security at the airport. Changes have already started at some airports.

How about this? You only need to look at a camera to be identified when traveling through an airport. Sound like a better idea than keeping your ID handy?

This facial-recognition technology, biometrics, is being implemented at airports around the country. Delta rolled out a facial-recognition option from curb to gate for international travelers leaving from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s Terminal F. Other airlines have begun limited use of biometrics.

‘At the check-in desk or self-service kiosk, you can choose the biometric option and have your photo taken. The photo will then bematched with others in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) database, such as those for passports or visas. If there are no red flags, a green check mark will flash on the screen and you will be able to go directly to the TSA security checkpoint (where your face will be scanned again), then to the gate (scanned again) and finally to yourseat on the airplane.’

Of course, you still need your passport. But, this may offer you one less thing to keep in your hand and help speed your check-in process.

Other airports testing this include Miami, Orlando, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Chicago. They are using this at check in.

One goal is to catch imposters, which apparently has already begun.

The next time you head to the airport, you might want to comb your hair. Just sayin…

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Does Your Phone Travel With You?

AARP conducted a national, online survey about travel last September. There were 1,724 people answering, both male and female. All were over 21, but not necessarily retired. They had taken at least one trip of 50 or more miles with a two-night stay away from home in the past two years. All had indicated intentions of taking a trip in 2019.

Reading some of their results, many echo trips I’m planning.

Check out these results and see if they match your plans for travel in 2019.

Baby Boomers expect to take at least 4 leisure trips this year, with half of those abroad. Many have already selected their destinations…and it’s only January.

The survey found many people book their trips abroad at least nine months in advance. Is that true for you?

Domestic trips for 2019 revolve around weekend getaways, summer vacation trips with the grandkids, and bucket list destinations.

How about technology? We all know it plays a role in vacation planning. What about once you’re on vacation? Apparently, 92% of travelers bring a smart phone with them on domestic vacations. Photos and email seem to be the main reasons why. For international travel, 54% bring one.

What about you? Do you bring your phone and use it as a phone or just check your email?

For me, I do book nine months in advance if I’m looking for a particular destination. I also take my smartphone and use it for more than email. Traveling internationally doesn’t mean I can’t use my phone. It also doesn’t mean I have to pay high fees. There are many options for using your phone while abroad.

What about you? What are your plans for 2019?