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September 1, 2005 19:21 - Are you in search of the most up-to-date advice regarding hotel reservations.
Are you in search of the most up-to-date advice regarding hotel reservations. When you are looking for excellent information on hotel reservations, it will be tricky sorting out quality information from reckless hotel reservations proposals and support so it is wise to recognize how to moderate the information you are presented with.
Here's a few guidelines that you should make use of when you are searching for information concerning hotel reservations. Please be aware that the guidance we put forward is only appropriate to internet information concerning hotel reservations. We do not offer you any assistance or guidance for researching in 'real world' situations.
A terrifc piece of advice you can follow when offered information and suggestions on a hotel reservations article is to verify the ownership of the website. This may show you the people behind the site hotel reservations authorizations The easiest way to work out who is at the back of the hotel reservations website is to look on the 'contact' page or 'about this site' information.
All highly regarded sites providing information about hotel reservations, will nearly always have an 'about' or 'contact' page which will record the owner's details. The details should divulge major points regarding the owner's proficency and credentials. You can then arrive at a decision about the vendor's education and practical knowledge, to offer guidance about hotel reservations.
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About the author:
Tom Brown is the webmaster at datatabularmatternews.info
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September 4, 2005 09:47 - The rise of low-fare airlines in the New York area
Travelers now look for bargains and don't see why that shouldn't include airline travel bookings. But it is only in the last couple of yearst New Yorkers have been able to really comparison shop for airline tickets in Albany, Syracuse, Buffalo, Rochester and New York City airports. Well, now it's paying off for them.
For example, in 1999, before Southwest Airlines Inc. arrived at Albany International Airport, there were a total of 1.17 million passenger departures from the airport. By 2004, that number had jumped about 30 percent to 1.55 million, spokesman Doug Myers said. At the same time, ticket prices fell an average of 33 percent, according to federal aviation records.
"We usually drive, but when we do fly I go out and look at the low-cost carriers," One traveler said as she and her husband waited to check their bags at the Independence Air counter at the Albany International Airport. "I'm flying Independence because they were the cheapest." Now a days cost is the main factor in using the airlines vs other means.
Deals have become more plentiful now that carriers such as Southwest and JetBlue Airways Corp., have entered upstate New York markets, driving down the cost of flying for millions of New Yorkers and boosted air travel out of New York airports from Albany to Buffalo.
And the lower-cost carriers have thrived despite the industry's longest economic downturn mainly due to rising fuel costs.
"Southwest's arrival has really created a competitive atmosphere here among all airlines," said another traveler. "Once they announced they were coming, the fares began to decrease.
"We believe average ticket price has fallen by about $100. For seven million tickets, that's more than the cost of the airport. It has enabled people who have never flown before to fly and enabled business to expand their reach or put additional people in the air."
In 1999, Sen. Charles Schumer convinced low-cost carrier JetBlue to serve Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo within the first 18 months of its startup in 2000.
In exchange for getting landing and takeoff rights for his airline at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, JetBlue CEO David Neeleman brought his airline to Buffalo on its first day in business and started service to Rochester later in the year. JetBlue started serving Syracuse in 2001.
"We've definitely seen a positive impact with the air fares since the time they arrived," said Douglas Hartmayer, spokesman for the Buffalo Niagara International Airport.
In 1996 Buffalo was rated as the country's second most expensive airport. Now it's rated No. 55 out of 83, he said.
"That's a significant improvement based on the competitiveness low-cost carriers bring to an airport," he said. "JetBlue, Southwest, AirTran (Airways) and most recently Independence Air have all helped to create that trend."
The number of trips out of Buffalo for the first seven months of the year is up about 11 percent from 2004, Hartmayer said, even as higher jet fuel prices have led many airlines to raise ticket prices.
Nationwide, air travel is up 6.5 percent this year.
In Syracuse, trips made out of Hancock International Airport rose to 1.13 million in 2004 from 954,930 in 2003. JetBlue has captured almost 12 percent of the market, just behind United Airlines. Independence Air has a 5.3 percent market share.
The Greater Rochester International Airport reached a record high of 138,252 passengers in July, an 8 percent increase over July 2004. The total number of trips out of Rochester through July totaled 861,905, a 10 percent increase over the same period in 2004, according to the airport.
"JetBlue has really helped in bringing the fares down," said Lila Ford, the owner of Gallery of Travel in Rochester. She said that some legacy carriers have cut prices so much they are now cheaper than JetBlue on many routes.
Out of Rochester, JetBlue remains the only carrier with connections to JFK, a major departure point for international flights, Ford said.
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September 11, 2005 20:22 - The Exotic Country of Ecuador
Ecuador has 270,000 km2 (around 99,000 square miles). This country has the biggest bio-diversity per area in the world. In a study by Conservation International, Ecuador ranked among the 17 Mega Diverse countries, alongside the United States, China, Australia, Brazil and Mexico. With 9.2 species per km2, it occupies the first place in the world with regards to species per area.
The richness of this country lies in its DIVERSITY, both natural and cultural. Ecuador has 4 diverse and unique regions:
The Amazon Rain Forest
The Coast
The Highland Andes
and The Galapagos Archipelago
These four regions are subdivided into 22 provinces. Besides its exuberant bio-diversity, Ecuador is home to an impressive variety of ethnic groups, including some communities who still preserve their non-western or pre-Columbian values and practice cultural manifestations from ancient times.
LOCATION.- Ecuador is one of the smallest countries in America. It lies on both the northern and southern Hemispheres and is divided by the "Equator", which gave Ecuador its name in the 19th Century. Ecuador borders are: Colombia (North), Peru (South and East), and the Pacific Ocean (West).
POPULATION.- Approximately 13 million people.
LANGUAGE.- Spanish. It’s worth mentioning that in Ecuador most of the indigenous population speaks Quichua. There are around 3 million Indians in this country.
In many schools English is taught as the second language. There are 18 different languages among Ecuadorian communities.
RELIGION.- 95% are Catholics.
CURRENCY.- US Dollar. The government has produced a series of local coins of 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 cents and 1 dollar coin, that have the same value as the American coins (which are also accepted).
Banks open from 8h30 to 17h00 and on Saturdays only half day. Money exchange offered every day in main hotels and in Amazonas street in Quito.
GOVERNMENT.- Democratic. Current President is Lucio Gutierrez.
ECUADOR CLIMATE.- Ecuador is located in the Tropical Zone. The climate throughout the country ranges from tropical equatorial rain in the Amazon to perpetual snow on the top of the mountains.
Cities in the highlands have temperatures that vary from 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, while coastal cities' temperatures vary from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day.
The weather in the jungle is constant: rainy, humid and warm, however, temperature drops a bit during the months of June to November.
The Galapagos Islands are always sunny and warm, however, temperature drops a bit during the months of June to November.
WHAT TO WEAR: In the city of Quito and the highlands wear spring attire during most of the months except "occasionally" in March, April, May where temperature drops a little especially at nights. Bring warmer clothing like those you would wear during the fall. A raincoat or jacket would be useful at night since it gets pretty chilly.
Guayaquil.- and other coastal cities, wear summer clothing all year round. During the rainy months, December to May, the weather is still very warm. During the months of June to November the weather is cloudy and a bit colder. Bring along a light jacket.
Galapagos.- Wear comfortable walking shoes and casual clothing. Shorts, T-shirts and summer clothing will be just fine. Don't forget a hat, a camera, sun block, and a bathing suit. During the months of June to November the weather is cloudy and a bit colder.
Amazon Rainforest.- Wear clothing adequate for a rain. If you can get yourself a raincoat (poncho), take it with you, as well as several sets of light pants and long sleeve shirts. Shorts are less useful because of the insects and abundant vegetation that you will walk through on you excursions.
A hat, rubber boots and insect repellents are also a must. If you plan to take pictures, you will need high-speed film.
AIRPORT TAX.- There is a $25 tax fee for anyone leaving the country from Quito or Guayaquil.
TOURIST VISA.- Visitors can stay up to 90 days without a tourist visa.
TAXI RATES.- Approximately $3 to $4 dollars per ride from the airport to the city. These rates vary among the main cities.
TRANSPORTATION.- Main cities (Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca) have local airports serviced by the local airlines Tame, Aerogal and Icaro, besides international airlines.
The airports in Quito and Guayaquil are the only ones handling international flights. Both cities have grown to surround their airports, which have renewed modern terminals.
The government is building new airports in these cities that will be bigger and will have all the necessary modern facilities and technologies.
Bus lines offer Land transportation where you can just jump on the next bus leaving to your destination. Each city has its own terminal, with frequent departure to each one of the different provinces of our country.
OCEAN TRANSPORTATION: Ecuador's main port, Guayaquil, handles most of the countries imports and exports. Esmeraldas is the port for Ecuador's petroleum exports. Other ports of commercial and tourist interest are Manta and Puerto Bolivar.
There are a number of companies that offer cruises to the Galapagos Islands in special ships for this purpose, such as Santa Cruz http://www.galapagos-islands-tourguide.com/travel-to-galapagos-islands.html and Isabela II deluxe ship http://www.galapagos-islands-tourguide.com/cruise-galapagos-islands.html
Passengers may fly to the Archipelago from Quito or Guayaquil.
AWARD TO ECUADOR'S NATURE TOURISM.- This is an update information, where the Spanish magazine "Viajes y Turismo" awarded Ecuador for the "best offer of nature tourism, in a ceremony that took place at Aranda de Duro, approximately 150 km from Madrid.
Enjoy Ecuador’s dense tropical Amazon Rainforest, snow dusted Andes volcanoes, its beautiful beaches along the Pacific Coast of South America and of course the magic of the Galapagos Islands.
Ecuador is many worlds united by history, geography, and astonishing variety.
More information:
http://www.galapagos-islands-tourguide.com/ecuador.html
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About the author:
My name is Eduardo Landazuri better known as Zuri. I run my own travel business company and I write about Ecuador and its treasures, basically to promote this exotic land to the world.
Visitors in my country always have an exciting experience that will last for a lifetime.
http://www.galapagos-islands-tourguide.com/ecuador.html
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September 24, 2005 09:22 - London Travel
London is a very visitor friendly place and traveling around in London is very suitably provided by various forms of transportation. The most common mode of transport is the London Underground http://tube.tfl.gov.uk and it operates through out the day [from early morning to late night]. Other forms include buses, taxis etc. The whole city is divided into 6 zones with zone 1 and 2 referred as 'Central London'. With London's endless choice of theatres, sports and music venues, you won’t be short of entertainment. This is the place to be if you're looking for world-class art, exhibitions, music and more. More unbiased information can be found at Visit London http://www.visitlondon.com/.
Accommodation in London offers a variety of choices from budget low room rate [starting from £30] and to high-class luxury rooms [greater than £1000]. The best hotel which I have stayed in is The Ritz http://www.theritzlondon.com and the best priced [in terms of location, service and price] is Regent Palace http://www.regentpalacehotel.co.uk/. More information on the choice of the hotels, price comparison, amenities information, photographs of rooms, online booking can be done at London Hotels http://www.2pl.com/London/bs-1250300001.htm
Finding a place to eat in London is a difficult task not because of scarcity of restaurants but because of such a wide variety and number of places. Chinese, Indian and Italian are the most popular cuisines in London. London Eating http://www.london-eating.co.uk/ provides the easiest way to identify the closest restaurants of the choice of your cuisine. But London is an expensive place in an expensive country. So mind your wallet when going out for dinner. A rough guideline: £5 per person: Sandwich Shop, £10-20 per person: Pub, £15-30 per person: cheap to medium class restaurant, £50-100 per person: very nice restaurant, £100 and above: Savoy or Ritz.
For theatre loving people London offers unmatched opportunities of musicals, plays, comedies. The main theatres are located in Central London and all the information/bookings can be done in Leicester Square area. Online information and booking of theatre tickets can be done here http://www.londontheatredirect.com
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About the author:
Rishi Chandra is a noted online reviewer of London Hotels and Restaurants. He may be contact at : rishi_chandra@yahoo.com
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September 24, 2005 16:46 - Orlando vacation fun begins (or ends) with Gatorland
What’s Gatorland? Well, I’m glad you asked. Gatorland is a great “in between” place to visit while you’re in Orlando for vacation.
Let me explain.
When visitors first arrive in Orlando they often have half a day or so of time on their hands before they start touring the major theme parks. Or, maybe they find themselves in the opposite situation. They’re at the tail-end of their trip and they want something to do after they’ve already hit the big attractions.
Gatorland is a perfect place to fill this void. There’s enough to see and do here to take up a good half day (more if you want). But what you’ll see is enough to have the kids talking all the way home.
This family owned Alligator-themed park has been open for business since 1949.
Activities within its 110 acres include the chance to:
· See big alligators
· Take a Floridian wildlife train ride
· Visit a bird aviary and sanctuary
· Check out a “breeding marsh”
· Enjoy a petting zoo with your little ones
· Do a nature walk
· Visit a Gator gift shop
· And best of all - - 4 great shows.
According to the Gatorland website, this place started out as the dream of a man named Owen Godwin, Sr.
He built an alligator pit in the backyard of his home in the 1930’s and put a female alligator in it with her babies. He and the Mrs. would host visitors and sell homemade gator souvenirs while letting them see the gators.
Godwin apparently really enjoyed doing this. He planned for a bigger attraction that would show off more of Florida’s wildlife. In 1947, after the war, he bought 16 acres of property near Kissimmee. Since this was the dawn of 20th century American highway tourism, more and more families were visiting Florida.
With the help of a few investors his idea caught on. Now, thousands visit this park each year. As a matter of fact, Gatorland claims to be “central Florida’s first major attraction”. It now features all kinds of reptiles and Florida wildlife.
The 4 main shows at Gatorland include:
The “Gator Jumparoo Show” - featuring the alligators’ ability to jump out of the water in search of food.
The “Gator wrestlin’ Show” - with a 6-8 foot gator being subdued, put to sleep, then re-awakened.
“Jungle Crocs” - detailing 4 types of crocodiles and their environment.
The “Upclose Animal Encounters Show” – filled with differing animals from around the world - - including some dangerous snakes.
Gatorland is open everyday, rain or shine, from 9am to 5pm. It's on Hwy 441 near Kissimmee. Tickets range from $19.95 for adults (ages 13 and over) and kids (ages 3-12) are currently $9.95.
I featured Gatorland at http://www.orlando-vacation-guide.com/Gatorland.html If you visit my site make sure you see if you can get discount tickets through the vendor on my website.
And say “hi” to the gators for us when you go.
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About the author:
Joe Farinaccio is a freelance copywriter who also loves writing about vacationing in Orlando, Florida. His website www.Orlando-Vacation-Guide.comoffers visitors lots of information on saving time, money, and finding interesting things to do while in Orlando to make the most of their vacation.
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September 25, 2005 09:24 - Secret Resorts in Germany – A Checklist to Find Them – Part 1 of 4
“Follow theses steps and you prevent disappointment” Since years the Wellness Industry experiences an upswing. The Baby-boomer wants to stay young, healthy and happy. A Wellness vacation is for this often a step into the right direction. Why not just take the time of a two week ease and escape the everyday life? Clearly, it is very pleasant to be able to be spoiled and refuelled with new energy.
But what if the Secret Resorts, also considered as Wellness Hotels, do not obtain the desired effect? What if you get a lousy bathtub instead of a Wellness Park? Nothing deceives more than brochures, intelligently selected words and empty promises.
Smart is who goes here safe and ensures whether the focused hotel offers really everything you expect. Finally you want to refuel new energy not new stress, right?
This four part checklist is a step-by-step guidance of how you select and find the best Secret Resorts in Germany and experience the highest possible relaxation.
Step 1 - Environment
Some of those so called ‘Top Secret Resorts’ are located at main streets - with tons of traffic of cars and trucks. If so, it doesn’t matter how beautiful the 'paradise' within the hotel is. The silence, fresh air and thus the relaxation is ruined. Day in and day out you are annoyed that you pay lots of money for noise and dirt.
Naturally you do not see that in most brochures. In the brochures you find the most beautiful pictures of the respective hotel. If the hotel is located at a main street with lots of traffic, it will show you photos of the rear garden, in order to divert you from their disadvantage.
It is understandably heavy to carry and place the hotel on another place in the village or just around the corner. It was built on that place. Period. Therefore you get to see the best possible pictures, because they want to attract as many customers as possible.
The real TOP placed Secret Resorts don’t have to stand for that.
But for heavens sake how now do you find out whether the hotel is positioned at a strongly frequented road or not?
Ask for the layout plan!
Exactly, ask the tour operator (or the travel agent) for a layout plan. The Travel agent may look funny or even angry at you, but it doesn’t concern his but your own vacation and your own deep relaxation! Thus you have the right to go surely that the hotel was built on a quiet place/area.
What if the travel agent stays stubborn and doesn’t want to show or procure you a layout plan of the hotel area?
Then ask for the local map. If he does not have one (which is probable), it is definitely possible to get one from the prospective Secret Resorts. At least by fax!
Yes, in my whole career I have never seen it happen that a good visited wellness hotel has NOT a map for travel directions to itself.
Anyway, this city plan finally gives you detailed information on where exactly the hotel is located. You make sure however that the plan does not only show a mini cut-out, but also the large environment.
What if you just get a mini cut-out?
Frankly, every day I experience our 'service desert' on earth and I am very annoyed about it. Do you know our service desert? By that I mean that only few understand something about customer service. Sometimes you see humans who react badly and disappointing, when you want something from them. Here I use gladly the quotation 'attention, customer threatens with order!' : -) And sometimes you must settle something on your own fist.
Anyway, ask for the entire address (street, city, URL) and do a research on the Internet by yourself! With the URL of the Secret Resorts you look with *impartial* eyes throughout the sites of the hotels to find the information you are looking for.
With street and city in your hand you go to an online route planner or city map. On the Internet there are free route planners. Some of them work international. When you selected yourself a few Secret Resorts in which you want to dip more deeply, go to these route planners and examine where exactly the hotels are. Make sure that you have the correct address and find the exact layout plan of the respective Secret Resorts.
It should not be directly at a through road. It is better, if it is at or in the proximity of a forest or at the outskirts of a town.
If you however have problems to find those maps and directions with your favourite route planner, go to http://www.smart-travel-germany.com/smart-travel-guide.html and sign up for my free Special Report. I show you step-by-step how you can use our German route planners and our travel information portal of German Rail (without any German language skill). You will have a quite comfortable way to find your most wanted Secret Resorts. And I am telling you, you will LOVE my videos :-)
Anyway, this was the first part of my checklist to find the Secret Resorts in Germany. In the next three parts I will go in details to the age, condition, wellness sector and the hotel classifications.
Enjoy your trip!
Marcus Hochstadt
© Copyright http://www.smart-travel-germany.com/ All Rights Reserved
You may use this article in its entirety with the Author Bio and links.
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About the author:
Marcus Hochstadt travels extensively to countries, continents and Germany itself as a sales manager and entrepreneur since more than 14 years. He knows in almost each German city the points of real interest. In his free monthly Special Report at http://www.smart-travel-germany.com/smart-travel-guide.htmlhe reveales more valuable insider tips and travel secrets.
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September 26, 2005 18:39 - Climbing Mount Chimborazo
The climb up the glaciers to the summit of Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador isn't considered highly technical. Technically, it is mountaineering, but how hard could it be, considering that I went to 20,600 feet the first time I used crampons and an ice axe? Okay, I had used them once for practice, on a sledding hill near my house. I climbed almost forty feet while people walked by with their sleds, warning their kids to stay away from me. Driving Up Mount Chimborazo
It is easier to climb a mountain when the guide drives you to 15,000 feet. Don't get me wrong. Climbing that last 5,600 feet was one of the most difficult things I've done, but not for the skill required. The fact that the air was missing half of its oxygen is what had me quitting twenty or thirty times on the way up Chimborazo. It just gets difficult to move up there.
The Graveyard
The little monuments near the first refuge weren't for climbers without skill. The graveyard is a testament to the unpredictability of all high places. Chimborazo is very high, it randomly drops large rocks on you, and has weather that changes by the minute. Even as we were hiking to the second refuge, we could hear the rocks and pieces of ice falling somewhere above.
El Refugio Edward Whymper is a simple, unheated hut at 16,000 feet, named after the English climber who first made it to the summit of the mountain. Okay, it isn't entirely unheated. There is a fireplace, and when somebody feels like carrying wood up to 5000 meters, the fire might raise the temperature in the hut by 3 degrees.
We had "mate de coca" a tea made of coca leaves, which are also known for another product made from them--one that is taken up the nose. Then we went hiking for a short while. That was my acclimatization. We ate, and I slept for at least an hour before starting the ascent at eleven that night.
A Little About Mount Chimborazo
Chimborazo is in Ecuador, not far from the Equator (100 miles south). The elevation in the center of the country, and the moderating effect of the Humboldt Current, which runs along the west side of South America, gives the country near perfect weather. A bit hot along the coast and lowlands, but spring--like in Quito (the capital) , with daily highs in the sixties to low seventies year--round. Wonderful weather almost everywhere--until you get high enough.
Chimborazo, at it's peak, is the furthest point from the center of the Earth. Our planet bulges at the equator, making Mount Chimborazo even futher out there than Everest. It has the distinction of being the closest point to the sun on the planet, and yet still the coldest place in Ecuador.
Climbing Chimborazo
Paco, my guide, didn't like the lightweight part of this mountain climbing adventure. He frowned when he saw my sleeping bag, which packed up smaller than a football, and weighed a pound. My frameless backpack didn't seem to impress him either (13 ounces). In any case, although it did get below freezing in the hut, just as he said it would, I stayed warm--as I said I would. No problems so far.
Unfortunately, Paco didn't speak a word of English, and I was just learning Spanish. Since our whole group consisted of him and me, we did have some communication problems. I thought, for example, that the $11 fee for the "night" (a few hours) in the hut was included in the $130 guide fee. He thought that I was a mountain climber.
I think he was saying that he didn't like the papery rainsuit I was using as a shell, and he frowned at my homemade 1--ounce ski mask. When he saw me putting on my insulating vest, a feathery piece of poly batting with a hole cut in it for my head...well, I just pretended not to understand what he was saying.
I hadn't intended to go climb up Mount Chimborazo with such lightweight gear, but I had come to Ecuador on a courier flight, and could bring only carry-on luggage. Since I had only 12 pounds in the pack to begin with, by the time I put on all my clothes that night, the weight on my back was irrelevant. The weight of my body, however, wasn't irrelevant. Paco had to coax me up that mountain.
Hiking On Glaciers
The glaciers start a short walk from the hut, and hiking soon became mountaineering. I put on crampons for the second time in my life (there was that sledding hill). During one of my many breaks ("Demasiado" - too many, which I pretended not to understand when Paco explained in Spanish), I noticed that the tiny, cheap thermometer I carried had bottomed out at 5 degrees fahrenheit. I wasn't cold, but I was exhausted at times--the times when I moved. When I sat still I felt like I could run right up that mountain.
We struggled (okay, I struggled) up Mount Chimborazo, hiking, climbing, jumping over crevasses, until I finally quit at 20,000 feet. Of course I had quit at 19,000 feet, and at 18,000 feet. Quitting had become my routine. Lying had become Paco's, so he told me straight--faced that the summit was just fifty feet higher. Maybe I wanted to believe him, or maybe the lack of oxygen had scrambled my brain. In any case, I started up the ice again.
On Top Of Mount Chimborazo
We stumbled onto the summit at dawn. Well, okay, I stumbled. Paco, who seemed somewhat frail down at the refuge, was in his element at 20,600 feet. Dirtbag Joe, the nineteen-year-old kid from California with ten dollars in his pocket, borrowed equipment, and my Ramen noodles in his stomach, was waiting for us with a smile.
The sky was a stunning shade of blue that you actually can never see at lower elevations. Cotapaxi, a classic snow-covered volcano to the north, was clearly visible 70 or 80 miles away. Handshakes all around, and it was time to get off the mountain. I was told you don't want to be on Mount Chimborazo when she wakes up. She wakes up at nine a.m.
Paco kept looking at his watch and frowning. He told me to hurry, then he got further and further ahead. I thought he was going to abandon me on the mountain. When I finally caught up to him at the hut at nine a.m., I began to hear the rocks fall out of the ice above as the sun warmed it. Now I understood his concern with time. We really did need to get down to the refuge by nine. A thousand feet lower and my mountain climbing adventure ended with a photograph that mercifully doesn't show my shaking knees.
NOTES:
If you want to climb Mount Chimborazo, it is cheapest to wait until you get to Ecuador to make arrangements. Talk to almost any hotel owner or manager in Riobamba, and he or she will find a guide for you. It will be cheaper if you are part of a group, of course.
For more information and stories about Ecuador, you can visit the pages, "Information On Ecuador," and "Banos Ecuador" on the website http://www.EverythingAboutTravel.com
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About the author:
Steve Gillman first hit the road on his own when at sixteen, and traveled alone across the United States and Mexico at 17. Now 40, he continues to travel and backpack with his wife Ana, whom he met in Ecuador. Many of his stories, plus tips and information on travel and lightweight backpacking, can be found on his websites, http://www.EverythingAboutTravel.comand http://www.TheUltralightBackpackingSite.com
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September 27, 2005 20:21 - Cheap International Plane Tickets
The best place to buy cheap international plane tickets is online. We've tried travel agencies and they can't compete with the discount ticket websites. You can search google ("cheap airfare South America", for example), or go straight to one of the well-known sites, like Expedia, Travelocity, Cheap Tickets, Hotwire or Priceline. I just did a quick search for the cheapest airfare from Tucson, Arizona, to Buenos Aires, Argentina, using the five sites mentioned. They ranged from $1221 down to $873, and there were fares as high as $3728. Hotwire happened to have the cheapest, but they were the worst of the five when I searched for a domestic flight earlier. You cannot say which service will find the cheapest international plane tickets from week to week. My number one money-saving tip is to always check several websites when shopping for inexpensive flights.
My Accidental $1000 Discovery
Before going to Ecuador, I searched several websites that deal in cheap international plane tickets. The cheapest airfare from Traverse City, Michigan to Quito, was $1720. Out of curiosity, I checked Miami to Quito, and it was only $400. Airfare from Traverse City to Miami was $300. Book two separate flights and save more than $1000! The discount sites aren't set up to check in this way (yet), so you have to do this on your own.
If your first flight is late and you miss the second, you may not get a refund, but it is still cheaper (every time I checked) to just book a flight to Miami and catch a flight to Quito without a reservation, thus avoiding this problem. This strategy is best for those in towns without international airports. If you live in Miami, you already have cheap international airfare.
Courier Flights
As an air courier, you can get really cheap international plane tickets. Courier companies ship material in the luggage space of an aircraft passenger because it can be quicker, cheaper, and more reliable than sending the shipment unaccompanied, since checked luggage bypasses many of the typical customs delays. The courier company begins by purchasing airfare, and then they resell the plane tickets to you. In exchange for your luggage space, they give you a discount on the airfare.
An Example Of A Courier Flight
I saved over $150 on my plane tickets this way when I went to Ecuador the first time. I had to walk several suitcases of car parts through customs, but there was a representative of the courier company on either end, and I did get to look inside the luggage, so I knew what I was carrying. I had to carry a plane propeller on the return trip, but it wasn't too much trouble, and made a good story.
Limitations To Courier Travel
You generally can only be an air courier if you travel alone. Once in a while, a courier company will have opportunities for flights on or near the same date. Otherwise, your travel partner can pay full fare on the same flight. You also can usually only bring carry-on luggage, since the point is for the shipping company to use your checked luggage allowance.
Really Cheap Courier Flights
Sometimes air couriers fly internationally for free, and almost always very cheap. It is a matter of how badly the company needs you and how flexible you can be (can you fly to Paris on Friday?). In general air courier opportunities are becoming rarer, due to the recent heavier regulation of international flights. There still are opportunities for cheap tickets, though. You can find out more at The Air Courier Association Website (www.aircourier.org). The ACA can also help you get really cheap plane tickets by way of airline ticket wholesalers, discounters, last minute specials, and stand-by travel.
More Tips On Cheap International Plane Tickets
When searching for fares using the discount websites, try several different departure and return dates if you can. The difference of a day or two can save you a lot. There is little logic to airfare pricing, so don't try too hard to figure it out. Just be aware that if you leave on Friday instead of Wednesday (or vice-versa), you may save $100.
Check the boxes that say "any time" for departure and "2 or more connecting flights". Even if you aren't sure that you want to leave at midnight, see what your options are-the savings might change your mind. Whenever the search criteria allow you choices, take the ones that are the least restrictive for the airlines. Again, if the savings aren't enough, you can always book first class, direct flights, or whatever you prefer.
Buying your plane tickets at least a week in advance is usually cheaper. Also, there can be a dramatic difference (but not always) if your trip is over thirty days. You may want to cut it from 32 days to 30 to save hundreds of dollars on your fare. Play with the dates on one of the websites mentioned. You never know what you might discover.
Want To Go Really Cheap?
You can take a bus to a major city, if you don't live in one, and then take an international flight from there to save quite a bit of money. My wife and I recently went to Ecuador for six weeks. The cheapest discount website plane tickets we could find were $3400 for the two of us. By taking a bus to Miami ($352 round-trip for 2), then flying from there to Quito ($622 round-trip for 2), we saved over $2400 - even after the taxi fare from the bus station to the airport. That's a lot of money to us, certainly worth an extra day-and-a-half on a bus. (The whole six weeks cost less than $2500.)
The bottom line is that if you spend a few minutes or an hour to do some research, you might save hundreds of dollars. Good luck and happy travels.
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About the author:
Steve Gillman first hit the road on his own when he was sixteen, and traveled alone across the United States and Mexico at 17. Now 40, he continues to travel with his wife Ana, who he met in Ecuador. You can find his travel stories, plus tips and information on travel in the U.S. and other countries on his website, http://www.EverythingAboutTravel.com
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September 28, 2005 19:36 - Secrets Of Cheap Travel
There are two ways to save money traveling. The first way is to get the best deals on the specific things you want. There is a limitation to this type of approach though. If , for example, you find the lowest price on the best hotel in Honolulu at the height of the season, you will save money, but still have a very expensive vacation. Trying to get exactly what you want, or what you think you want, will generally be an expensive proposition, in travel and in life. Be A Travel Opportunist
The other approach is to be a true opportunist. This will be difficult for some of you, and entirely unacceptable to others. Nonetheless, the travelers who get to travel the most, go to the widest variety of places, learn the most and do the most, are the opportunists. This will be true until you are so wealthy that you have no monetary limits.
The first time I went to Ecuador, I went there because it was cheap. If it wasn't, I would have had a great time - somewhere else. The trip lasted a month, and cost $1045, which included airfare and even the $130 fee for a guide to take me to the top of glacier-covered Mount Chimborazo.
I cut the cost by taking a bus from my home in Michigan to Miami, and back again when I returned from Ecuador. The round-trip ticket cost $158. The round-trip flight to Quito from Miami was only $256, because it was a courier flight, which meant I signed for some luggage (car parts), and could only take carry-on luggage.
Never did I feel deprived, or bored. I had a great time, eating wherever it was cheap and clean, doing all sorts of inexpensive, but interesting things, and traveling across the country to climb Chimborazo. I also met and fell in love with my wife Ana.
How To Become An Opportunist Traveler
Can you drink rum at a dollar per bottle, instead of your favorite beer? Can you eat chicken instead of steak? How about visiting the free sights first, and dancing in the street festival instead of the disco?
Being an opportunist means you'll have just as much variety, and probably almost everything you want - eventually. You just have to stop trying to get exactly what you want exactly when you want it. If the guide that took me up Chimborazo hadn't dropped his price from $200 to $130, I would have spent $2 for a bus and gone hiking on El Altar, another great Andean mountain. That would have left me with enough money for several other minor adventures.
More Secrets Of Cheap Travel
Plane Tickets: My wife and I were planning a trip to visit family in Ecuador. The cheapest airfare from Traverse City, Michigan to Quito, was $1720. Out of curiosity, I checked Miami to Quito, and it was only $404. Airfare from Traverse City to Miami was $300. Book two separate flights and save more than $2000! The discount sites aren't set up to search in this way (yet), so you have to do this on your own. By the way, the whole six-week trip, which we took in 2004, cost $2400, including losing $100, and being robbed of $174.
Food: Whether traveling here or in other countries, it is usually cheaper to buy some healthy snacks in a grocery store, rather than eat every meal in a restaurant. When you do eat in restaurants, it can be cheaper to to order individual items on the menu from the list of appetizers or side dishes. You also may get more variety in that way.
Accomodations: For a long trip, you may want to rent an apartment in an interesting city. We did this for two months in Tucson, for about $600 less per month, compared to even the cheaper motels. Watch for hotel coupon-books in gas stations. The coupons will often save you $10 on a room you would have stayed in anyhow. If you have a conversion van or RV, you can camp a couple nights a week, like we do, to save on motels. We love the hotsprings we've stayed at, for a $3 fee to the BLM, instead of $40 for the cheapest motel in the area.
Travel Expenses: Do more and travel less. It is often the traveling part that costs the most, due to the cost of gas, convenient fast food, and expensive hotels you are forced to pay for when you just can't drive any further. So if you find a place with a reasonable motel, and a lot to do in the area - stay for a while!
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About the author:
Steve Gillman first hit the road on his own when at sixteen, and traveled alone across the United States and Mexico at 17. Now 40, he continues to travel and backpack with his wife Ana, whom he met in Ecuador. Many of his stories, plus tips and information on travel and lightweight backpacking, can be found on his websites, http://www.EverythingAboutTravel.comand http://www.TheUltralightBackpackingSite.com
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September 29, 2005 19:29 - A Prison in Paradise
In the middle of San Francisco bay, framed by some of the most beautiful and majestic views in the country lies Alcatraz Island. A federal penitentiary is not usually included on the list of one’s vacation plans, however the history and beauty of this island warrant an exception. From 1934 to 1963 a number of the most feared criminals in the American penal system called “the rock” home. Famous for the stark contrast between its stunningly serene surroundings and the harshness of life and character inside its walls, Alcatraz has found its way into American lore. Originally named “Isla de los Alcatraces”, or “Island of the Pelicans” it was later changed and shortened to Alcatraz. Today looking out from the island visitors see a picturesque view from the Golden Gate Bridge, and downtown San Francisco, to the Bay Bridge, and Treasure Island. One can for a moment imagine this location as the setting of a luxurious resort. Turning from the views outside the island to its interior contents however, quickly brings back the notion that this island was the scene of a less comfortable history.
Most famous for its role as a prison, Alcatraz was initially a military base. When gold was discovered in California in 1848 San Francisco’s population jumped from 300 to 30,000 in a matter of years. With this new influx of population and wealth there was a need for the United States government to protect the area from other nations. In 1850 when California became a state, a triangle of fortifications was planned to protect San Francisco Bay. Upon its completion in 1853 Fortress Alcatraz took on the lead role as the most powerful coastal defense on the western coast. The landscape of the island was incorporated into the design, and high walls were built on the rocky isle, leaving the dock as the only access to the fort.
Alcatraz was never called upon to defend the bay, however a number of small incidents during the Civil War brought the island into the spot light. As its use as a defensive fortress lessoned, the island began to take on a new role, that of military prison. Eleven enlisted men were incarcerated in the guardhouse basement in 1859, and slowly deserters, thieves, and other military criminals were sent there from the San Franciscan forts. Finally in 1861 Alcatraz was named the official prison for the Department of the Pacific. The island served this role until 1933 when the cost of importing supplies led the Army to leave, sending prisoners to Kansas and New Jersey.
At this point crime in America had become an increasing problem, fed largely by the troubles associated with prohibition. A new prison was sought that could take the worst of the country’s criminals, and seclude them from the public. While land in Alaska was originally considered, the Army’s recent departure from Alcatraz cemented the island as the choice for America’s new “super-prison”. The facility was to take in the most troublesome of inmates from other prisons around the nation.
In 1934, Al Capone, perhaps the penitentiary’s most infamous prisoner, arrived as one of the first official transfers. His arrival generated enormous interest, and sparked more headlines then the opening of the prison itself. Previously while imprisoned in Atlanta, Capone had been able to achieve a lifestyle within the jail that was unheard of for other prisoners. A carpeted cell and a radio were among the niceties he was able to procure through bribes and other methods. He was even able to continue to manage his organization through relatives who established themselves in a nearby hotel. For this reason he was put on a secure prison railroad car without notice, and shipped to Alcaztraz in the hopes that the lack of outside contact would be the government’s answer to the Capone problem. On the rock Capone was never able to manipulate the warden or guards, and was confined to menial duties along with the rest of the prison population. Staying only 4 ½ years due to health complications Capone left for FCI Terminal Island in 1939.
Despite J. Edgar Hoover’s displeasure with the idea, rising costs and a new federal prison in Illinois brought about the closing of Alcatraz in 1963. Capone, along with other famous inmates such as George “Machine Gun” Kelly, Alvin Karpis, and Robert Franklin Stroud (the birdman of Alcatraz), ensured that the prison would live in American minds for years to come. Today the island is run by the National Parks Service, which offers daily tours of the former prison. Visitors can marvel at the wildlife, gardens, and fantastic views from the high cliffs before entering the cell house where they can be locked within one of the solitary confinement cells. There in the cold pitch black room they can experience for just a brief moment what life must have been like at the prison in paradise.
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About the author:
Nate Soule is a travel enthusiast and helps maintain the travel website AcrossDistance.com
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