Travel The Globe

Eating at the Airport

2009-08-08T17:39:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has traveled has been forced at one time or another to have a meal at the airport. We all try to avoid it, but sometimes you just don't have a choice. For me, whenever I have a long flight followed by a layover I end up having to purchase airport food. Here is one such story:

Frequent traveler Sammy Tawil walked up to a sandwich shop at New York's John F. Kennedy airport shortly before boarding a recent flight, though he says he wasn't really hungry. But knowing he wouldn't eat for hours, Tawil reluctantly bought a tuna sandwich, pita chips and iced tea. Total: $17.31, with tax.

$17.31 for fast food? These places know we are stuck behind security and have no options and even less time, so they hit us where it hurts! I have been to some airports where I have been able to go to a sit-down resturaunt and have a wine or beer with my meal and spend around the same price as Sammy's sandwich!

Some airports just choose to allow unfair pricing, plane and simple! What are the worst culprits? Here is a recent list for three items: 20-oz. water bottle, Starbucks tall latte, and McDonald's Big Mac value meal.

For the water, the best option was Phoenix ($1.34) while the worst was San Francisco ($2.79). Seattle, not surprisingly has the most affordable coffee ($2.25) while Denver was the priciest at $3.49. What about that fast-food classic, the Big Mac? Atlanta won at $5.11 while Los Angeles was an overpriced $6.79!

Whats the moral of this story? Pack your own sandwiches, snacks and bottled drinks at home if possible! Otherwise, try and go to a sit-down establishment because you will pay a similar price but at least get a place to sit and your food brought out to you.

Travel Attraction - Seattle's Pike Place Market

2009-08-07T21:10:00.000-07:00

If you like markets then you will love Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington! This place is truely a seafood lovers dream, with locally caught seafood as far as the eye can see. One of the biggest seafood attractions there are the fish throwers. These people have the world record for the most fish thrown and caught in an hour, and there is always a huge crowd there watching them. When someone places an order, one of the throwers will yell the order out and another one will get the proper fish and throw it over to one of the others who will then catch it and prepare it for the customer. It is truely a great site to behold.

Not a seafood fan? Well they have much, much more there! Fruits, veggies, jams, jellies, and all varieties of produce and crafts. There is also plenty of things that will entertain the kids, and many places to grab a delicious bite to eat. The best part is that whoever produces, farms or catches the products must be there to sell them so you are supporting small, local businesses.

How to get there? Ask any resident, taxi driver or bus driver and they will be able to tell you! It is south of the cruise ship piers on the Seattle waterfront and impossible to miss when you get there.

Check out Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington. You will not be disappointed!

Getting There – The Hague, Netherlands to Bern, Switzerland

2005-07-26T20:48:00.000-07:00

Our trip to Switzerland was a bit of a last minute choice. We only decided we were going to go a few days before we left for Europe, and as such it was a spur-of-the-moment type of trip. Since it was a short planning time, we knew we wouldn’t get a deal on transportation, so we settled on taking a nice scenic train ride. We bought our tickets, 2nd class tickets, in The Hague from the NS International ticket booth at the Central station. The one deal we did get was that after the first traveler paid full price, $97.40 EUR ($146.10 CAD) each way, the 2nd and 3rd passengers only paid $49.80 EUR ($74.70 CAD) each way. So the total return fare for the three of us, from The Hague, Netherlands to Basel, Switzerland was $394 EUR ($591 CAD). That works out to $131.33 EUR ($197 CAD) per person is you average the costs. The part of the trip was a short train ride from Den Haag Centraal station to Utrecht Centraal station. From there we took was an InterCity Express train; we were on the ICE 105 route (this train begins at Amsterdam Centraal in the Netherlands and ends at Interlaken Ost in Switzerland). The train left Utrecht at 8:30 and we arrived in Basel at 14:46 (2:46 pm), so the entire trip was about 6 hours and 16 minutes. After leaving the Netherlands, the train made most of its journey through Germany (stopping in Arnhem, Koln, Frankfurt, Mannheim and Karlsruhe) before entering into Switzerland.

I must admit I thought it was a very good train ride. The train was clean, the seats were fairly comfortable, and the scenery was amazing. The ICE high speed trains can really rip along, and they even have a display that shows the current speed. The way back from Basel to The Hague was very similar to the way there. We took the ICE 106 (reverse route of the ICE 105) from Basel to Utrecht, which left at 13:13 (1:13 pm) and arrived at 19:21 (7:21).

You may be a little confused now, since I said we took the train to Basel, but we spent our trip in Bern. When we got to Basel SBB train station, we went to the nearby Hilton hotel and rented a car. We used the car to get to Bern and back, and also from Bern to Lauterbrunnen. I must confess, renting the car in Basel was not the best idea. We didn’t need it in Bern at all, and we would have saved money by just renting a car for the day we went to Lauterbrunnen.

Destinations - Bern, Switzerland

2005-07-25T18:02:00.000-07:00

This outlines a side trip to Switzerland I made during a European vacation in November, 2004. We took a train from The Hague, Netherlands to Basel, Switzerland and then rented a car from there. Most of the trip was spent in Bern, Switzerland along with a daytrip into the mountains (stopping at Lauterbrunnen, Murren and Gimmelwald). I will post some of my experiences there as well as information about how I got there and what I did.

Getting There – The Hague, Netherlands to Bern, Switzerland
Accommodations - Bern, Switzerland
Attractions – SC Bern Hockey
Attractions – Bern: What a city
Off the Beaten Path – The Alps: Lauterbrunnen, Murren and Gimmelwald

Travel Rewards - Aeroplan at Futureshop

2005-07-24T19:51:00.000-07:00

Futureshop is a big box store that offers movies, electronics, and appliances. Not only can you find some neat gadgets there, but you can also earn Aeroplan points. If you spend $200 or more (before tax), then you get one point for every dollar spent, excluding tax. This offer doesn’t count for computers and laptops; you only get 500 points for each of those. Like with most of the partner offers, it will take a load of shopping to get you anywhere.

Travel Tips - Currency Conversion

2005-07-23T09:42:00.000-07:00

So you are going on your dream vacation. You have booked your tickets, saved up some spending money and even got a few new pieces of clothing. There is only one detail left to hammer out – “What is my spending money worth”. If you are leaving your home country, you will no doubt need to convert your national currency to the local currency. Also, when on vacation you need to know how much you are spending. Something that costs 10 British Pounds is a great deal more expensive that something that costs 10 Mexican Pesos. My favorite site for up-to-date, easy to navigate currency conversion rates is http://www.xe.com . Give it a try, and don’t get surprised and confused by using other currencies.

Travel Attractions – Ottawa Sporting Events

2005-07-19T19:11:00.000-07:00

My favorite sport is back in business after a lengthy labor lockout, so I will tell you about some of the great sporting events you can catch in Ottawa, Ontario. I am Canadian, and as you may expect my favorite sport is hockey. In Ottawa you can see the best professional and the best youth hockey in the entire world. The Senators are Ottawa’s National Hockey League team. If you want to see the best hockey on earth, this is definitely for you. They play out of the Corel Center, located on the western outskirts of town and easily accessible by car (down highway 417) or by bus on game nights, and tickets will run you between $35 and $200 CAD. So where do the NHL stars play when they are teenagers? The Canadian Hockey League. The Ottawa 67s play in the Ontario division of the CHL (there is also a Western Canada division and Quebec division). These games are a great chance to see the NHL stars of tomorrow, since most NHL players play junior hockey in the CHL. The arena, located at Lansdown Park, is just a few minutes from downtown and easy to get to with public transit. Tickets are less than $20, and well worth the price. Also at Lansdown Park is Frank Clair Stadium, home of the Canadian Football League’s Ottawa Renegades. CFL football has slightly different rules than the NFL, but will be very entertaining for any football fan. Tickets are between $20 and $70. Last, Ottawa has the Ottawa Lynx, a MLB farm team. This is the perfect sport to bring the family to, because tickets are only $7-$11! Games are played at Lynx Stadium, which is also very easy to get to by bus and car. All you sports fans have nothing to worry about when coming to Ottawa, there are plenty of great sports year round. Game on!

Travel News - Cell Phone Travel Updates

2005-07-18T18:35:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are big into technology, a number of airports and airlines are offering the ability to check flight schedules and details with your cell phone. All you have to do is send a SMS message to a special number and the flight time, delays, and gate calls will be sent back to you. I think this could be a pretty neat feature. Let’s say you are out shopping, and you need to pick up your friend at the airport. Before you leave the mall you can use your cell phone to see if there are any delays, so if there is a delay you can keep shopping instead of sitting around an airport. This service is currently available at several international airports including Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta and London’s Heathrow and Gatwick. More about this is available at the following article.

Travel Rewards – Aeroplan from Car Rentals

2005-07-15T18:22:00.000-07:00

Whenever you travel, you need transportation once you get to there, right? Well if you are planning to rent a car, then you can earn Aeroplan points. Aeroplan is partners with some big name car rental companies so we get an excellent selection of cars to choose from. Alamo, AVIS, Budget, Hertz, National and Thrifty are all part of the team. Every car rental will land you a cool 500 points. Since you will get 500 points no matter which of the companies you rent from, the real trick is to shop around so you spend the fewest dollars to get your points. So just 120 car rentals and you are on your way to Europe!

Travel Attractions – Casino du Lac-Leamy : Gatineau, Quebec, Canada

2005-07-14T20:42:00.000-07:00

I know what you all are thinking – “This guy must be a gambling addict”. Trust me, I am not, yesterdays article just reminded me of another fine casino. The casino I will talk about today is Casino du Lac-Leamy is Gatineau, Quebec. For those of you who have never heard of Gatineau, it is right next door to Ottawa, Ontario, just a short bridge away. All of the gaming areas are located on a single, huge floor with restaurants and entertainment spots on other floors. Over 1900 slot machines, 71 gaming tables, Keno and electric horse racing give a tremendous variety of gaming fun. Not a gambler? There is a Hilton hotel right next door that is partnered with the hotel. The Hilton has a fitness center as well as a spa with 17 treatment rooms.

I am not a high roller by any means, but I do love the bright lights and the sound of money being paid out by a slot machine. I usually limit myself to $20 and try to make it as long as I can. I personally love the electronic horse racing because every bet you watch the horses run, and it takes much longer for me to lose my money. The casino website can be found here, and remember you must be 18 or older to get in.

Travel Attractions – Montreal Casino: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

2005-07-13T19:53:00.000-07:00

Feeling lucky? Why not try the Montreal Casino. It may not be the Vegas strip, but you can find plenty of fun on the five floors of the Montreal Casino. You can battle the One Armed Bandit by playing on one of over 3000 slot machines (nickel, quarter, dollar and two dollar machines), or try your luck at some of the other games. This casino has all of your favorites like Blackjack, Roulette, Poker (four types!) and many more. There are over 120 gaming tables to play at, electronic horse racing and two Keno games. Are you a high roller? The Montreal Casino offers big money tables as well as a VIP lounge. They even host Poker tournaments on a regular basis with tens of thousands of dollars in prizes. Not a gambler? There is still plenty of excitement. Top quality restaurants, musical performances and banquet facilities help make Montreal Casino a first class facility. You can find it on Parc Jean-Drapeau, right down the road from another of my favorite destinations, La Ronde. More info is available at the casino website, and remember you must be 18+ to get in. Good luck, I hope lady luck treats you well!

Travel Attractions – La Ronde: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

2005-07-12T18:56:00.000-07:00

So you are in Montreal, surrounded by the best of what French Canada has to offer. The only problem about a faced paced town like this is too much choice! So how are you going to spend your vacation time? Let me recommend La Ronde, an amusement park that will have everyone in the family smiling. La Ronde is a Six Flags park, so that should already tell you it will be good. Located on a man-made island, Parc Jean-Drapeau, on the St.Lawrence River, La Ronde has an excellent location and an excellent atmosphere. My personal favorite rides are La Monstre (The Monster), a giant wooden roller coaster, and Le Splash, a water roller coaster than helps you cool down on hot summer days. If La Ronde isn’t enough for you, the Montreal Casino and the Biosphere are also located on Parc Jean-Drapeau. The parks website has directions on how to get there and current rates and dates. Keep in mind it has to operate around Canadian weather, so it is only open full time in June, July and August (also part time May, September and October). Have fun, and have fun screaming on the coasters!

Travel News – iPods: The new travel guide

2005-07-11T18:55:00.000-07:00

Apple computers clearly has a hit with the iPod, they are everywhere these days. But can you guess where they are finding a niche now? Travel Guides. CNN has an article about how travel companies are starting to piggyback on the popularity of portable music players by offering audio travel guides to their customers. Going to New York? Travel with Virgin Atlantic and they will give you guides to restaurants, sites, shopping and off-the-beaten-path attractions. If you stay at the Hardrock Hotel in Chicago they will even lend you an iPod full of tunes! Personally, I like travel guides too much to give them up completely, but audio travel guides sure sound like a nice little bonus.

Travel News - Are pets safe on airplanes?

2005-07-11T18:37:00.000-07:00

Our seats on airplanes may be uncomfortable, but it is much worse for our animal friends. We might complain about not having enough leg room, but that’s much better than being in a cage in the cargo hold. Animal rights activists have recently said they estimate at lease 20 000 animals die on US airlines every year, which has people worried about bringing their furry friends along on vacation. These numbers were just estimates, since airlines didn’t actually keep figures on the deaths, but 20 000 would imply that nearly 1800 die every month! Sounds like a death trap to me! Airlines in the USA have since started keeping actual death statistics, and according to a CNN article the actual number of fatalities for May 2005 was only 4! That is a much better total than 1800, that’s for sure. Two of the deaths were natural causes, one was killed by another animal (the killer animal got a life long ban from the airline), and one died after ingesting a toxic substance. What was the deadliest airline? Continental Airlines had two pet deaths on board. There was also one cat that was lost and never recovered. In my opinion, other than the natural deaths none of the other deaths (or the loss) should have occurred. If a costumer brings their pet on vacation, they clearly love it and will be furious if they die! So next time Fido or Whiskers are going to fly with you, make sure you pick a pet friendly airline so everyone arrives safe!

Travel Rewards – Aeroplan at Esso

2005-07-10T14:25:00.000-07:00

Esso Canada is a Canadian gasoline company that has a partnership with the Aeroplan travel rewards program. The main way to earn Aeroplan points is through the purchase of gasoline, snacks and other items. For every $3 CAD spent, you earn 1 point. This may seem alright, but keep in mind the number of points required for flights! The cheapest rewards cost 15000 points, so right there you would need to purchase $45000 CAD in gas! That would be $75000 CAD for a flight anywhere in Canada or U.S.A., or $180000 for a European flight! If you were to purchase $30 CAD worth of gas every week, it would take you over 115 years to earn your flight! Even the 15000 point flights would take you nearly 29 years. As you can see, filling up the gas tank at Esso can add a couple points here and there to your account, but don’t expect to get far with them. All in all, Esso points will probably only give you enough to fly one way to your neighbourhood gas station!

Travel Tips – Choosing an airline seat

2005-07-09T20:39:00.000-07:00

Until they invent devices that get us to our destinations in a blink of an eye, we will have to spend some time in transit. The travel time can be especially troublesome. Unless you have the cash to travel first class you will need to put up with the uncomfortable seating of economy class. No leg room and cramped seating can take a toll on even the easiest going people. So what can you do? You need to try and get the good seats and avoid the bad ones. The main advantage good seats have is a slight increase in leg room and usually occur behind emergency exits or bulkheads. The bad seats are usually in front of emergency exits or walls and don’t allow the seats to recline. There is no need to guess which seats are going to be good, just check out Seat Guru. The site allows you to look at seating charts for most popular types of aircraft and highlights the good and bad seats. It is an excellent resource to make your long distance travel much nicer.

Travel Rewards – Be Smart With Your Aeroplan Points

2005-07-09T13:39:00.000-07:00

In a previous article, Travel Rewards - Aeroplan, I explained about the Aeroplan rewards program and how many points were required to fly to different destinations. It is important to use your points wisely so you get the most value. You need to keep in mind that although it may cost the same amount of points to go to nearby destinations, if you were to pay cash there might be a significant difference. For example, to fry from Ottawa, Ontario to either Los Angeles, California or Miami, Florida would cost 25000 points. However, if you were to pay to fly to those destinations (in mid August 2005) it would cost $735 CAD to fly to L.A. and only $616 CAD to fly to Miami. That is a $119 CAD difference! So as you can see, your points go a good deal farther when you use them on the L.A. flight. Another example of this if comparing travel from Ottawa to Vancouver, British Columbia and London, England from December 26th to January 4th. In terms of points, Vancouver costs 25000 points and London costs 60000. In dollar costs, Vancouver costs $742 CAD and London costs $745 CAD. The prices are nearly identical, but you could take two trips to Vancouver for the same points it takes to get to London, and still have 10000 left over!

Although this article tells you to make the most of your points, don’t go to a location you don’t want to just because “it is a better deal”. Travel to the place that will give you the most joy and excitement.

Travel Rewards - Aeroplan

2005-07-09T13:25:00.000-07:00

Aeroplan (http://www.aeroplan.com) is the loyalty rewards program offered by Air Canada (http://www.aircanada.ca). Originally, Aeroplan points were exclusively earned through Air Canada flights but the program has quickly evolved to be one of Canada’s best loyalty programs. Points can now be obtained from every airline in the Star Alliance (http://www.staralliance.com), literally dozens of airlines all over the world, including Lufthansa, BMI, US Airways, Air New Zealand and many more.

The most exciting thing about Aeroplan is the ability to earn points from non-airline companies. Car rental companies (AVIS and Budget), hotels (Sheraton, Marriott, and more), FutureShop and Esso have all partnered with Aeroplan. Everyday purchases of gasoline at Esso or electronics at FutureShop can quickly send your point total soaring! Aeroplan has been aggressively looking for new retail partners and the number of stores where you can earn points is increasing quickly.

You may be wondering if the travel rewards are actually obtainable, or if they require an outlandish amount of points like many loyalty programs. The answer is an absolute yes, and rewards actually come quicker than you might imagine. The number of points needed for a trip depends on how far away the destination is.

- Nearby provinces and states – 15000 points
- Canada or Continental US – 25000 points
- Mexico – 35000 points
- Caribbean or Hawaii – 40000 points
- South America – 50000 points
- Europe – 60000 points
- Asia, Tel Aviv, Australia – 75000 points

The number of points listed above is for economy class tickets, although executive class tickets can be purchased for more points.

Are there any downsides to this program? Of course. There are a limited number of free seats available for each flight, so you need to order well in advance in order to reserve your seat. This is an issue with every flight reward program I have ever heard of, since no airline can afford to fill an entire flight with people who are not paying. Just be smart and plan your free trips well in advance, and keep in mind you will usually need to pay if you leave bookings to the last minute.

Get out and travel

2005-07-08T17:07:00.000-07:00

The world is a wonderful place to live in and explore. Every country on the globe is just a plane trip away. Although there are many great travel books at your local book store, this site aims to provide actual advice from actual travelers. City guides, transportation reviews and great money saving suggestions are at your fingertips. Just remember, the world is not going to come to you so get out there and travel!