This past weekend I attend the New York Times Travel Show in one of my favorite cities. I love New York! This is the largest travel show in North America and it was impressive. I can hardly wait for next year’s event.
Here are the highlights of what I learned from the seminars, exhibits, vendors, etc…
CUBA
You can take yourself. No Group required. No special visa required. Identify travel activities in one of the 12 categories. As Arthur Frommer the “grandfather of travel” says book your own flight.
Best airfare prices
Domestic travel book at miminum 57 days advance
International travel book at minimum 171 days advance
Sunday is cheapest day of the week to purchase average 19% lower
Saturday, Tuesday and Wednesday are the cheapest days to fly
UPDATE on 12 Jan 2016: The official update from the Department of Homeland Security to clarify any rumors. The State of Illinois got another extension until January 22, 2018. That gives you plenty of time to get your passports now.
In case you have not heard the news TSA is in the process of reconsidering what is valid form of identification. For myself and friends in Chicago area this is urgent according to the news article; starting on Sunday January 10th the state of Illinois you may be required to provide an alternative government approved identification. The word straight from Department of Homeland Security is that passengers will be notified in advance so we are getting mixed messages here.
I personally always travel with my passport as identification partially because one never knows where a trip may end up taking you. : )
My advice folks is bring your passport to the airport for security to be safe. If you don’t have have a passport; what the heck are you waiting for? Get off the couch and get one!
So I booked this flight literally last Christmas Day 2014 as soon as the seats open for the award travel. It is a “hot award” ticket in the travel geek circle so much that I actually did not get my first choice of dates even though I was ready to book the day the seats opened 330 days in advance. I attend several travel seminars over the last few years and had heard about this trip in one of the sessions. After seeing a few aerial view photos it was immediately added to my wish list of travel ideas. So to say I was like a kid on Christmas morning getting ready to take this flight is an understatement. I had waited nearly a year. I had obsessed over which side of the plane has a better view and based on reading many travel blogs of those who completed the journey before me. I took their advice and choose to sit in a window seat on the right hand side of the plane (i.e. the right hand side when you are sitting down looking towards the cockpit).
United Premier Access in Honolulu
So the morning finally arrives I head to the Honolulu airport early in the morning to catch the 7.25am flight. I spent the extra frequent flier miles and I am traveling first class with my award ticket as the total travel time is over 14 hours. I have an official “house policy” after flying 25 hours in economy class return from Bali last year. House Policy: If the flight is over 10 hours either split the journey into multiple legs or fly business class.
My boarding passes for the day!
So my first class ticket, my TSA Precheck, my carry on luggage and I go to security. I get the TSA agent and the alarm bells go off. “Excuse me miss but you have security code SSSS on your ticket and this will require us to search all of your belongings.” OH NO! Seriously? So of course I am very patient as they do extra body screening and open all of my carry on luggage and test everything for chemical residue. So my only guess is that not many people would on purpose make all these extra stops through Micronesia and Marshall Islands so it caused some alert to trigger. There are plenty of direct flights from Honolulu to Guam that don’t stop 5 times along the way. Anyway moving onwards….. So by the way the TSA agent was so impressed with how incredibly organized my suitcase was on the inside. Apparently she had never seen anyone with packing cubes before. She loved them and was going to buy some!
Interesting facts about United 154
So a few interesting facts about this flight that I discovered in preparation and during the flight. Given that it is such a long journey with no nearby airports they take 2 entire sets of crew: pilots and flight attendants so they do not run into the FAA regulation. In addition the flight takes their own mechanic every time in case there is anything that needs to be fixed along the way. In the event that a part is needed the flight would be delayed until a new plane or part could arrive from Honolulu or Guam. Hmm okay let’s get ready to roll!
Boarding gate at Honolulu airport
Honolulu to Majuro (Republic of the Marshall Islands) There were some lovely views of Honolulu from takeoff that was great. The flight was about 5.5 hours with not much to see out the window during the flight. I enjoyed the flight with a lovely breakfast, a movie and a wee little nap. The arrival into Majuro had some amazing views. Oh and we crossed the International Date line which is exciting in a very geeky travel way but this was the first time I crossed the date line I awake. My historical trips crossing the International Date line I was sleeping as it was in the middle of the night on the way to Australia; by the way there is nothing to see when you cross the line…I checked : )
My first class seat for the day : )Breakfast is served!
I deplaned and checked out the airport terminal which was a glorified bus stop. There was a small snack shop that appeared to have coffee, chips, candy etc. Although there was a local woman selling handicrafts at the gate….let’s be clear there is only one gate. I bought a lovely handmade headband from her for a reasonable price. We were on the ground for less than 1 hour then onto the next flight.
Majuro to Kwajalein (Republic of the Marshall Islands)
Once again the views at take off were amazing and I snapped photos like it was a major sporting event. In first class they serve a variety of light snacks on the 1 hour flight between the islands. The island of Kwajalein is in a coalition with the US Military and you are not allowed to deplane the aircraft unless you are Marshallese, US Military or have a permit from the military. US Miltary base with some crazy missile testing things going on here.
Kwajalein to Pohnpei (Federated States of Micronesia)
The flight to Pohnepei was just under 1 hour with continued incredible aerial views even with the rain! It is apparently one of the wettest places on earth. I deplaned to visit the small airport terminal to enjoy some free wifi! I also was surprised to see an NBA basketball game as the group choice on the 1 TV for entertainment while waiting for the flight.
Pohnpei to Chuuk (Federated States of Micronesia)
This was another 1 hour and 20 minute flight with again light snacks served in first class. They saved the best for last in regards the aerial views as Chuuk was absolutely incredible! The island has many tourist for diving and snorkeling here including many WWII remnants which became famous after Jacques Cousteau visit.
I deplaned to the terminal which was little larger in size than the others. I went immediately to the snack shop looking for something to eat of substance. They don’t really plan for people to join the crew for the entire days journey and while I had an amazing breakfast that was now 8 hours ago. The light snacks they served on the other flights were not holding me over. I was pleasantly surprised to find available chicken veggie bao; if you have never tried a bao bun before check it out. So while I am enjoying my bao from inside the terminal I am watching a heavy tropical storm blow from a clear blue sky. They wait until the storm passes before we board the plane for the next flight.
Chuuk to Guam
Phew last flight of the day! I am having a great time and totally enjoying this journey however the United safety video which is funny yet informative after the 5th time in the same day is wearing on me. So the last flight of the day is 1 hour and 40 minutes with more amazing views that never stop. On this last flight they served a light lunch which when the steward came to deliver he realized I had not eaten a meal for 8+ hours. He apologized as of course most people don’t join them for the whole day. No worries glad I always carry snacks in my bag as you never know what the journey will bring.
Summary
It was an absolutely amazing experience to visit these tiny little islands literally in the middle of no where. The views were so much more beautiful than I could have imagined or hoped for. I am so glad I brought the nice camera and reserved the window seat on the right hand side. It was a lot of flying time for the limited about of time I had to enjoy the aerial views yet I am very happy I had experience.
I had so many awesome photos I loaded them to a brief 1 minute video. Enjoy!
2015 travel plans emerged quickly based on some personal commitments. I had no intentions of going to Europe this year and yet I found myself there twice this summer; thank you American Airlines, United, and Delta airlines for having available award space for last minute travel. There were so many great travel memories from the year it is hard to choose but I will attempt a top 5 list. For reference of where 2015 destinations included take a look at the Recent Trips page.
Best Festival – Cordoba Spain: La Fiesta de Los Patios (May 2015)
I was so luck that my trip to Europe was timed perfectly to attend the festival as the patios are only open for 2 weeks in May. It was such an incredible experience to “visit” so many private homes to enjoy the gorgeous garden patios with flowers blooming.
Best Tour – Toulouse France: Airbus Factory (May 2015)
So my travel addiction takes me to seminars to talk about travel with other fellow addicts. In May a few of my long time friends and I had the pure pleasure to complete a wish list tour by attending a Mega Do event. The original agenda for our group was going to include factory tour of Airbus A350. However when we arrived they had a bigger treat for us that they NEVER offer anyone else…..a self guided tour of a Airbus A380 still in testing phase. Unfortunately we had anticipated we were going to be in the factory where no cameras were allowed; so while I got to sit in the cockpit I have no photographic evidence. However I was awestruck to walk around this plane which had merely the electronic equipment and the whole inside body was wide open. I have yet to fly in one of these planes as sadly Chicago Ohare is not yet equipped to support A380 planes. It is the largest passenger plane yet which can hold a maximum of 525 passengers, 3000 suitcases, 81,900 gallons gasoline and weighs approximately 590 tons. It is a beauty to see with a wingspan over 50% larger than a Boeing 747. For any airplane geeks like me check out the video but keep in mind that each airline makes configuration variances to their needs as some first class are now suites including showers!
Best site – Seville Spain: Real Alcazar de Sevilla (May 2015) Well UNESCO sites never disappoint and this one is no exception. The photos I took will give you limited insight but here are the videos to virtual tour will give you better perspective. The architecture of this palace left me speechless. Every corner you turn the architecture and views only continue to get better!
Best natural site – Kauai Hawaii (November 2015) OMG! I said it before but I will say it again. One of the most beautiful places I have been. Everywhere you look it was continuously amazing views. Literally like living in a postcard! Put it on your wish list if you have have never been! Here are some photos to get you thinking about it.
Lost in Translations – Tokyo Japan: Tokyo train station (November 2015)
On my return home from the Island Hopper Bonanza I had a 24 hour stopover in Tokyo. I had never been to Tokyo and was a little apprehensive how things would go traveling on my own in a land where I could not even read the signs. I had done extensive research and prepared for my visit including printing out the train station map as I heard stories of people getting lost in train stations for hours. My arrival went relatively smoothly however my departure is where things fell apart. I entered the Tokyo train station which ended up being a mall and restaurant section but could not find any signs to the actual train platforms. After walking around for over 30 minutes I started to panic thinking I might miss my train and possibly flight home. A lovely Japanese woman approached me asking if I needed assistance. She then proceeded to guide me through the train station right up to the gates of the train station ticket gate for the train line I needed. I could not thank her enough. This experience reminds me of many other times I have gotten assistance from strangers when traveling. Random acts of kindness do exist.
So it must have been my lucky day as I waited for the train a Japanese women approached me with a small gift. Based on the packaging it looked similar to the small gift I received after making a purchase at the temple. While no words were exchanged it was clear that she wanted me to have it. Then about 30 seconds later she was back to explain to me that it was a charm that you attach to zippers on purses etc. I was blessed with kindness twice within one hour; once again travel reminds me to practice gratitude.
I wish you a very Happy New Year and hope that your plans for 2016 include travel!
Many of us will be taking to the roads this holiday season and while most of my focus is on flights or trains here are a few reminders.
Be sure to stay hydrated and always bring a bottle of water.
Take a break every few hours just to get out of the car and walk around for 5 minutes.
Check the weather and plan accordingly. Don’t be afraid to pull over for wait out a storm and take a coffee break.
Pack a blanket and matches in your trunk. In the event you end up stranded in the car on a cold winter night you will be glad you have it.
Never text and drive. It can wait.
Nov 2014: Bali
As my parents tell me every time I prepare for a road trip “Just remember greasy side down and shiny side up” . Safe travels to you and yours this holiday season.
I mentioned in my trip summary post that Kauai was amazing and that I loved it. I have a long time friend who is so incredibly lucky to call Kauai her home. She literally lives in a post card with incredible landscape views everywhere and lovely beaches around every corner. I was able to spend the majority of my time on the island with my friend and really get a true sense of the island’s social, cultural and economic life.
Kauai still has a very small town feel. Name one other place where traffic in both direction will immediately stop when you want to cross the street? The majority of the island has small towns with a few shops and restaurants that are independent local business owners. Sure you have your typical American chains of Walmart, McDonalds, KFC, etc but who wants to go there when you can have a lovely home cooked meal for the same price.
Given the landscape of the island you cannot drive completely around the island due to the rugged Na Pali coastline. The roads are generally two lane with many twists and turns which makes travel time longer than you may anticipate. However the long drives were always delightful with plenty of beautiful scenery to keep you occupied.
This a good website to help get you started if you are considering a trip to Kauai but let’s just keep this amazing island our little secret.
Honolulu
While I was only in Honolulu for 24 hours I don’t regret my limited time. Perhaps it was my personal mindset coming from the friendly relaxed Kauai island to the big city. However I did not like Honolulu….there I said it. Sorry.
While I am beyond the historic events that happened and certainly willing to forget the past tensions that may existed; I felt oddly uncomfortable visiting Pearl Harbor mourning the loss of American soldiers with the majority of tourists from Japan.
Here are 5 interesting USS Arizona facts. There are only 7 remaining soldiers who were on the USS Arizona on that fateful day. I had the privilege to meet two of them and thank them for their service to my country. Since the day of the attack the USS Arizona continues to leak about 1 quart of oil a day with no environmental concern. Many people call this oil leakage the USS Arizona weeping “black tears” and speculate that once that last soldier from the attack passes away the weeping will cease.
In addition I went over to Waikiki area which was so overloaded with tourists predominately from Asia spending hundreds of dollars on high end shopping. The Waikiki beach was crowded with people continuously stepping right directly in my path while attempting to capture my sunset photo. At this point I longed for the joyful relaxed beaches in Kauai.
However the journey continues as I was off the next day on the Micronesia Island Hopper flight!
WOW what a brilliant trip! I just landed this afternoon from a direct flight Tokyo to Chicago. It seems like I have been gone for about 3 weeks but in reality it was only 11 days, 14 flight segments, and 19,000 miles! I have brief summary of all the places I visited in this trip but I will be sharing stories, photos and details from the trip in the coming days and weeks.
Kauai: Amazing! Loved it! This seems to be Hawaii’s best kept secret or it was until now. I highly recommend a visit to this gorgeous island.
Honolulu: I visited Pearl Harbor and Waikiki Beach. I seemed to be one of the very few American tourists as the city was full with tourists from Asia spending hundreds actually probably thousands of dollars at everywhere I looked.
Republic of the Marshall Islands – Majuro: Amazing aerial views! The airport for all of these stops was an oversized and glorified bus station but was able to purchase some handmade crafts.
Republic of the Marshall Islands – Kwajalein: Not allowed to leave the aircraft. US Miltary base with some crazy missile testing things going on here.
Federated States of Micronesia – Pohnpei: Absolutely gorgeous aerial views even with the rain! It is apparently one of the wettest places on earth. The airport had free wifi and TV was playing an NBA basketball game.
Federated States of Micronesia – Chuuk: They saved the best for last in regards the aerial views! This island has many tourist for diving and snorkeling here including many WWII remnants which became famous after Jacques Cousteau visit.
Guam: Unless you are part of the US Navy there is not much here for visitors. I was only there for one day and got to cover most of the highlights.
Palau: PARADISE! It is a major scuba diver mecca with incredible and diverse dive sites. You can even swim with jellyfish that have lost the ability to sting you.
South Korea – Seoul: OMG! I cannot believe the Incheon Airport! The services they offer are incredible including onsite cultural programs, gardens, free relaxation room and showers.
But wait there is more….they offer FREE tours for passengers who a transfer of 2 hours or more. They have a variety of options ranging in duration from 1 to 5 hours with transit services right outside the airport doors waiting for you. Are you transferring from a warm climate and it is cold outside? No problem they even have jackets you can borrow for your tour! In case that is not enough at the end of the tour our guide gave everyone a small free gift; makes you want to schedule an extended transfer in Seoul. Right?
Japan – Tokyo: 24 hour stopover I was able to get into Tokyo check out a few sights and get back to the airport with no major issues. Thanks to the lovely Japanese lady who could see I was struggling to find my way to the Narita Express platforms when the only thing in sight was shops and restaurants.
I was inspired during this voyage and identified some great topics for future posts. If you ever have any topics that you would like to see discussed here just send your suggestions to 1girlwhotravels@gmail.com and I will add it to the queue.
Here are 2 of my favorite mobile apps that I utilize on a regular basis for travel and yes they are FREE!
Worldmate: It will store all of your flights, hotels, train reservations, car rentals etc. It is super easy to utilize. You simply email your confirmation details to trips@worldmate.com and it stores everything together. It allows you to export your trip details to share your itinerary with family, friends, or anyone else who might want to know where in the world you might be. It supports online check in and alerts you if you don’t have a hotel reservation for any dates in your itinerary. You can access it via the website or mobile device. It does everything but make your coffee!
Triposo: It provides a mini travel guide for many destinations around the world. I typically download the specific city or country I am going to weeks in advance so I can “save” my list of places I want to visit. My favorite feature about this app is that it allows you to access maps offline with GPS feature. In other words, I don’t have to find wifi or utilize expensive data plans to access GPS map functionality. This is extremely helpful for those rambling streets that change names and you suddenly find yourself lost. It also provides suggested walking tours or customized walking tours including places from your “saved list” which is an amazing feature! This can literally save me hours of work trying to find the places I want to visit on the map and coordinate options to plan out my days.
My Island Hopper Bonanza voyage begins this weekend!!! I will be traveling just over 19,000 miles in 11 days. Phew! Thank heavens I saved my air miles and I will be in business class the entire journey drinking champagne. I will have more frequent posts during my trip so watch this space. For all my loyal subscribers I respect your email inbox and you will continue to receive only 1 email per week.
After my years working abroad spending Thanksgiving away from family I have made travel is my new tradition. I have spent Thanksgiving in some amazing locations including Iguazu Falls, Mendoza, Buenos Aires, Bali and for that I am forever grateful. I wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!
Here are few highlights from last year’s Thanksgiving in Bali.
Have you ever struggled to read websites in a language that you do not speak? I often find myself doing research for a trip and looking up local events on a website I cannot read. Good news there is a quick and easy solution! Many of you may already use this but past weekend I was talking with a friend who was not aware of this trick so I thought I would share it.
Thank goodness for Chrome translate option for your browser. You simply complete the setup then every time you visit a website that is not in a language that you are familiar with it will ask if you want it to be translated. It actually will save your preferences.
Check out the cute little YouTube video in the link and you will be reading Japanese websites today. Please keep in mind that not everything will translate perfectly but it will most likely get you 90% of the way there.
Bon voyage. Gute reise. Ασφαλή ταξίδια. Viaggi sicuri. 안전한 여행 Säkra resor.
Bezpečné cesty. Teithiau diogel. आशा है आपकी यात्रा सुखद हो
Or as they say in English ” Safe Travels”. For the first person to identify all of the languages above without utilizing a translator I have a prize for you.
So for a big trip I will start packing usually 2-3 weeks before; my project manager personality takes over here; I will start by simply setting specific items in the guest room.
Packed and ready to go!
#1 Packing cubes: Hands down one of the best travel inventions ever! It is a lot like the iPhone; I don’t know what I ever did before they existed. It allows me to organize clothes and better yet it compresses the volume so more actually fits into the suitcase! I put absolutely everything in my suitcase into a packing cube. There is nothing left to roll around freely. Warning these cubes are addicting, several friends and the majority of my family members have joined my addiction.
#2 Walking shoes: It is very important to have comfortable walking shoes especially if you are traveling internationally. Most Americans don’t really walk anywhere on a daily basis. However in many countries it is very easy to live without a car. Wait what? There are people in this world that live without a car. Huh! So get ready to move those legs and ensure you have comfortable shoes on.
#3 Flat packable water bottle: I always carry one of these so it can be easily stored away when not in use. I hate paying for water in countries that have perfectly fine tap water. Save your money for beer.
#4 Earplugs: You never know when you will be on a plane next to the crying baby or a noisy hotel room. I have had good luck with this brand.
#5 Face clothes: Many countries do not have washcloth size towels. I like this brand because they start out dry and you just add a little water which is nice for travel as it reduces spaces.
#6 Collapsable duffle bag: I mentioned in a previous post but it can come in handy for transporting travel purchases on the return journey home. I have also utilized it to toss things into when moving on to the next city catching a train / taxi / bus etc.
#7 In Flight Seat Pack: For long flights I always ensure I have organized myself a small in flight personal amenity kit. In business class most airlines still provide an amenity kit and on a few airlines you can still find amenity kits in coach. Regardless I hate fumbling around in the dark looking for my headphones, cough drops, contact lens case, mints, etc. This handy seat pack can actually hang on the tray table hook as well.
#8 Clothes: It depends on the destination and schedule of events but majority of trips I generally focus on bringing clothes that are practical and versatile for the trip. Think layers and recycle clothing articles during the trip i.e. one sweater that matches most things. I usually have one outfit for evenings out black skirt/pants and dressy top so if I end up going to a nice restaurant or theatre I am prepared.
Ask yourself “Am I actually going to wear this on the trip?”
On several trips I have done “disposable clothing” where the clothes only get a one way ticket. It may be clothes that I was getting ready to donate anyway or hit the super clearance racks. This can be very handy for quick overnight trips however this strategy has yielded interesting results. Last year in Indonesia on an overnight trip my friend and I both left behind our clothes that were worn the previous day in 100+ degrees. While we were waiting for the taxi to the airport a gentleman came running over with our clothes. He was quite bewildered that we would intentionally leave behind our belongings however we requested that he donate them.
Let’s pack!
So once I have gathered everything I think I need for the trip I begin to prioritize. For anyone who knows me from a professional level you will appreciate that I apply the Must – Should – Could agile principles to my suitcase. I start filling the packing cubes with anything that is an absolutely “must have” take on the trip and if capacity allows I add in some “should have” or “could have” items. Now let’s go to the airport!
This past weekend I attend the New York Times Travel Show in one of my favorite cities. I love New York! This is the largest travel show in North America and it was impressive. I can hardly wait for next year’s event.
