Traveling With Bill Travel Blog

TRAVELING BILL

I've been traveling throughout the world and USA for 40 years always guided by my philosophy--meeting and engaging with people in their unique part of the world is the true reason for traveling.  Recalling all the castles, cathedrals, museums, beaches, monuments, historical public buildings and famous cafes is an impossiblilty for me and most travelers.  Pictures and guidebooks can refresh most minds.  Sharing a drink and small conversation with a Parisian, skiing the Alps with an international group, relating differences and similiarities with strangers over dinner who later become friends are the unexpected travel moments that create lasting memories.  The purpose of this blog is to provide current travel information and share with you my passion for travel.  This blog will include opinions, travel experiences, travel photography, and the latest travel news.  If you have any questions, comments or travel experiences, please email them to us.   

SHOULD I BUY A RAIL EUROPE PASS OR NOT?

Planning to go to Europe this year and staying for more than a week, then you are probably trying to decide how you are going to get around once you're there.  Forget discount airlines, there're  too many restrictions.  The most efficient way to travel is by train.  Since I'm planning to go to Spain and Lisbon for 40 days next year, I researched the cost of a rail pass versus buying individual tickets in country.  Remember, you can only purchase a rail pass in the USA.  After determining my itinerary, I went to the website, www.raileurope.com, to see what the cost of a pass would be for 8 trips, the number of days I would be using it.  Then I used the individual ticket section to get the cost of each ticket for all 8 trips.  Although the pass gives me 1st class seats, 2nd class seats are not much different and much cheaper.  After adding the cost of the 8 tickets, I bounced that total against the cost of the pass and the cheapest one won.  In this case, the pass cost was about the same price and I got 1st class seats.  Don't purchase individual tickets from Rail Europe unless you have to.  Their prices are much higher then purchasing them in country.  1st class seats require reservations.  Reservations thru Rail Europe are $12 each--they are much cheaper in country.  Finally, if you order your pass by telephone, there is a fee--online there is no fee.  Also, there is a $15 shipping and handling fee for each pass.  I hope this information helps you if you're going to Europe.  If you've had any experiences (good or bad) with Rail Europe, please comment and I'll share them with everyone.

REGULATION ROOM--GOVERNMENT'S OPINION SITE FOR AIRLINE PASSENGERS

Have you had a great flight recently?  You maybe one of the lucky ones.  Regulation Room, www.regulationroom.org is a website where you can give comments on the government's proposed new airline passenger rights rules. You will see there's alot to comment on.  This is one of the few chances you will have to make an impact on air travel for years to come.  Frequent flyers should definitely make the most of this opportunity.  Likewise, senior travelers should make sure that their needs are considered.  After the comment period ends, the Transportation  Department summarizes the comments and sends them to the transportation secretary for a final rule.  Rules go into effect early 2011.  August 9 is the closing date for comments.

NEW PASSPORT FEES---EFFECTIVE JULY 13

If your passport is about to run out, go to the main postoffice in your town and apply for a passport.  If you were thinking about getting a passport, get it now.

US Passport:  Adults 1st time: $135 and Adults Renewal: $110. Good for 10 years.  Minors (under 16) $105.  Good for 5 years.

US.Passport Card:  Used to travel to Canada, Mexico, non-US parts of the Caribbean.  Adults 1st time: $55 and Adults Renewal: $30.  Good for 10 years.  Minors (under 16): $40.  Good for 5 years.

Other Service Fees:  Additional Visa Pages: $82; File Search Fee: $150; and Expedite Processing Fee: $60.

For additional information, go to www.state.gov.

Paris In Spring--Outside Activities

  *Eat a baguette from Au Duc de la Chapelle Patisserie in the 18th.

*Visit the sculpture garden of Rodin Museum.

*Sit in the Luxembourg Gardens for idle people watching.

*Stroll down Rue Mouffetard on a Sunday.

*Skate through the streets of Paris with locals and tourists during the Friday night skating tour.

*Dance the night away by the Seine with the locals.

*Celebrate the dead at Paris's famous cemetery--Pere Lachaise.

*Take a long walk through Paris's many neighorhoods.

*See the sights of Paris on a Segway tour.

*Toast the city at sunset on the Pont des Arts.

*View the varieties of flowers at the Jardin des Plantes.

*Get a picnic lunch at the Richard Lenoir street market on Thursdays and Sundays.

*Walk through Marais to view the many manisons and unique shops.

*Get aboard the Batobus to see Paris from the Seine.

*Take a morning walk on the Promenade Plantee.

*See Paris with a local guide.

*Observe a game of boules.

*Enjoy a mint tea in the courtyard of Paris's beautiful mosque--La Mosquee de Paris in the 5th.

*Enjoy a Lebanese lunch at the Le Ziryab on top floor of the Institu du Monde Arabe.

*Enjoy the Paris's cafe culture--people watching.  

Credit for article--Travel News From Fodor's Travel Guides.

Poplar Forest--Thomas Jefferson Retreat--Reopened To Public

When Thomas Jefferson left public office in 1809, he took his first extended stay at Poplar Forest, a planatation retreat near Lynchburg, VA.  The house is the first octagonal house in America.  It's an architectural masterpiece.  It reopened April 1, 2009 and will remain open through November.  It's hours are 10am to 4pm and is closed on Tuesday.  Admission is $10.  For more information, go to www.poplarforest.org.

When Thomas Jefferson left public office in 1809, he took his first extended stay at Poplar Forest, a planatation retreat near Lynchburg, VA.  The house is the first octagonal house in America.  It's an architectural masterpiece.  It reopened April 1, 2009 and will remain open through November.  It's hours are 10am to 4pm and is closed on Tuesday.  Admission is $10.  For more information, go to www.poplarforest.org.

Stuck In Coach!!! What Can I Do???

Since I fly using frequent-flyer miles, I'm usually flying coach.  I think I've flown first-class or business class only twice in all the years I've been flying.  Usually, the person next to me talks all the time or takes up his space and part of mine.  I'm sure you have experienced the same situation.  What can you do to be more comfortable in coach?  Here are a few suggestions:

FLY AT OFF-PEAK TIMES--MORE EMPTY SEATS.

FLY AIRCRAFT WITH FEWER MIDDLE SEATS.

COMPARE SEAT DIMENSIONS OF DIFFERENT AIRCRAFT--NOT ALL SEATS OR SPACE ARE EQUAL.

COMPARE ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS--SOME REQUIRE LESS SPACE.

SELECT A SEAT AT BOOKING, THEN KEEP CHECKING FOR BETTER OPTIONS.

ASK THE GATE AGENT TO MOVE YOU TO A BETTER AVAILABLE SEAT.

BECOME A MEMBER OF AN AIRLINE LOUNGE CLUB--CLUB AGENTS CAN OFTEN GET YOU BETTER SEATS.

Six Great Vegas Spas

Las Vegas is famous for 24-hour fun, gambling and and shows.  In addition, tucked away from the casinos and glitzing malls, is cutting-edge treatments and high-tech spas.  Although these spas are located in hotels, they're open to the public at least part of the time.  Some offer affordable day passses.

The spas are:

The Spa--Wynn Las Vegas    The $250 Good Luck Ritual is based on the five elements of feng shui.  A 80-minute full-body massage is also offered.  For additional information, go to www.wynnlasvegas.com.

Bathhouse--THEHotel at Mandalay Bay  This modern-looking facility brings a welcome intimacy to the Vagas spa experience.  Your candlelight bath with a choice of black moor mud and herbs is $65.  A computer selects the perfect scent blend based on your completed questionnaire.  For additional information, go to www.mandalaybay.com.

Red Rock Spa--Red Rock Casnio & Resort   This spa is located in nearby Summerlin.  Pediures change with the seasons for $85.  The best reason to come to this resort is the Adventure Spa which takes guests outdoors to go horseback riding and rafting down the Black Canyon.  For additional information, go to www.redrocklasvegas.com.

Qua Baths & Spa--Caesars Palace    This Roman-themed spa offers the city's best bargain--$45 day pass.  Offerings range from a banana-leaf body wrap-$170 to an energizing Lomi-Lomi massage-$170.  For additional information, go to www.harrahs.com/qua.

Canyon Ranch SpaClub--Venetian and the Palazzo    The highlight of this spa is the Aquavana--a European-style circuit of soaking tubs and relaxation rooms.  In the "experiential rain shower", you push a button marked Tropical Storm for alternating warm and cool drenchings, the sound of birds and the scent of pineapple..  For additional information, go to www.canyonranch.com.

Spa Bellagio--Bellagio   In this spa there are 17 different facials incorporating everything from crushed pearls to French seaweed, a gorgeous Jacuzzi area lit by a crystal chandelier and a steam room issuing thick billows of eucalyptus-scented steam.  For $210 you can get a Watsu massage.  For additional information, go to www.bellagio.com.

Baggage Lost At Sea--Worth $100 to $300

Although airlines will reimburse up to $3300 if they lose your bag on domestic flights, cruise companies limit their liability to $100-$300 a bag.  Most cruise companies are not responsible for  jewelry, electronics or other valuable items.  Even locking them up in an in-room safe or at the purser's desk will not change the $100-$300 ceiling.  To protect your bags, you must take out travel insurance.  Don't bring what you can't afford to lose.  Make your bag stand out with colorful tags or straps.  Put your contact information inside and outside your bag.  Finally, always read the fine print of your sea voyage contract.

Although airlines will reimburse up to $3300 if they lose your bag on domestic flights, cruise companies limit their liability to $100-$300 a bag.  Most cruise companies are not responsible for  jewelry, electronics or other valuable items.  Even locking them up in an in-room safe or at the purser's desk will not change the $100-$300 ceiling.  To protect your bags, you must take out travel insurance.  Don't bring what you can't afford to lose.  Make your bag stand out with colorful tags or straps.  Put your contact information inside and outside your bag.  Finally, always read the fine print of your sea voyage contract.

Eurail

 

The prepaid multicountry ticket is still the easiest way to see Europe.  There are 4 different kinds of passes:  Global Pass, Select Pass, Regional Pass and One Country Pass.

Prices are based on three catagories:  Youth, Adult and Saver.  The prices in these groups are based on usage--number of days or months.  The Saver catagory can be used when 2 or more people are traveling together.  

For many years, traveling by train in Europe was the cheapest way to travel.  With the introduction of discount airlines, this is not the case today.  The greatest benefit for traveling by train is convenience and speed.  Since there are many fast trains in Europe, you can get to your destination as quickly by train as by airplanes with less hassle.  Most train stations are located in the center of the city which makes it easier to get to your hotel.

I have used the eurail pass often in Europe and find it to be easy to use and often cheaper since there is very little or no charge for baggage. The  pass must be purchased in America and validated at a train station the first time it is used.  It is recognized by most train personnel in all 21 countries.  If you are using it for 1st class or taking a fast train, you must have a reservation.  Unless you must have a specific departure time , you can purchase your reservations in Europe at a much cheaper price than buying them through Eurail.  Remember that the listings on the departure destination board at the train statiaon only lists the last stop which may not be your stop.  If you have questions, go to the information booth--someone will be able to speak English.

Enjoy the countryside and have a meal on the train--this is a great way to see Europe.

For more information, go to www.eurail.com.

A Safe Port For Cruising--GET TRAVEL INSURANCE!!!!

Unfortunately, no one but the owner knows the liquidity of a specific cruise line.  If a cruise line goes bankrupt, you will be left on shore with a worthless certificate.  With these tough economical times, cruise lines are selling less cabins than last year.  To be safe, you should purchase a travel insurance policy that includes the failure of a line as a covered peril.  These policies are bought on a per-trip basis and are priced as a percentage of the total trip cost--usually about 5% to 7%.

You should consider the following items before buying such a policy:

1.  Don't buy the policy directly through the cruise line.  If the cruise line goes under, the policy will not pay off.

2.  Be careful when you pay for the travel insurance policy.  Many policies require that you purchase it before 15 days of making the initial payments on the trip.  If this is not followed, the policy will be worthless.  If you hear the cruise line is in financial trouble after you are making the payments, it will be too late to purchase the policy.

3.  Be sure the policy includes coverage in the case of financial default.  Not all do.  Look under the "trip cancellation benefits" section of the policy's fine print.

Since you are paying a lot of money for your cruise, the small amount of money this policy will cost is nothing compared to the lost of the total amount you have paid.