Category: Travel

We were flying home from New Orleans to Denver … via Washington DC. No amount of begging, pleading or whining could get United to put us on the direct New Orleans to Denver flight. At one point they said for $200 they would put us on the waitlist. So we showed up at the airport and asked to fly standby. They said no, because the direct flight to Denver was 30 minutes after the DC flight. Argh.  But then, while we are sitting at the gate waiting for the DC flight, they page us, and give us vouchers for free roundtrip tickets and confirmed seats on the direct Denver flight! Turns out the Washington DC flight was overbooked and up until then nobody had realized that we would have been happy to help them out with that problem. We would have done it for free but we’re delighted with the free ticket vouchers.

Home four hours early with free tickets for our next vacation.

Today’s USA Today says there are now medical clinics and pharmacies in airports for travelers. Because they spend so much time in the airport and they aren’t allowed to carry syringes and the like. While we are at it, why don’t we just build some condos, daycares, grocery stores, … Then we could just go through security once, when we’re born – well actually if you’re born in the airport hospital, you’ve already passed security – anyways, we’d live in a security zone. We’d eat with plastic knives and forks, go to the doctor for routine shots because you can’t own your own syringes, knit with plastic needles, buy all cosmetics in 2 ounce sizes (no need to store the bigger sizes from Sam’s), buy your vegetables precut, no cars because I’m sure you could build a bomb out of one (think of all that money you’d save in gas!), … but you’d be safe!

I got a new offer from United: create a team and compete with other frequent fliers. The team that flies the most wins. The catch? It’s not who flies the most miles, it’s who flies the most miles MORE than last year. So if you flew a 100,000 miles last year, and you fly 105,000 miles this year, only 5,000 will count in the contest.

I actually think this is a good promotion for United. (A much better idea than the pay $20 for 1000 miles.) Frequent fliers love bragging about how much they fly and now they’ll not only be trying to fly even more, but they’ll be recruiting others to fly more.

Hmm. By the end of April, I’ll have flown as much as I did all last year. Maybe I should create a team … except I hate to do anything that might encourage me to fly more.

You can use your cell-phone as a boarding pass now on American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, Southwest and Alaska. From the New York Times, Paper Is Out, Cellphones Are In.

I don’t get it. You can now pay United more money so that you get an extra measly 1,000 frequent flier miles on your next trip.

Receive an extra 1,000 bonus miles on your next United roundtrip for just $20. Simply register
and pay $20, and your account will be credited with 1,000 bonus miles after your next paid,
qualifying flight on United, United Express® or Ted^SM.
         

Nobody needs 1,000 miles for $20 unless you just happen to be 1,000 mile short – and then you’ll be short when you are trying to use your miles to fly somewhere not when you are buying a ticket to fly!  To put it in perspective, you need 25,000 miles to fly anywhere so you’d be paying $500 for a roundtrip ticket in the US – something that currently goes for about $250.

I’ll stop ranting now and try to figure out why in the world United thinks this is a good offer. Or even a valid offer.

I travel with two bags: a Keen Oswego messenger bag and a Dakota Rollaboard. 

During my last week long business trip, I packed, carried and wore the following 89 plus items on board in my carry-ons:

• Keen Oswego messenger bag
• Dakota Rollaboard
• Laptop (6 pounds)
• Power cord for the laptop
• Logitech IO2 Digital Pen
  
• Logitech IO2 Travel Cradle*
• Paper notebook for my IO2
• Index cards for notes and lists
• Books – at least one book (On my most recent trip to Australia I had six.)
• 1 ballpoint pen
• 1 mechanical pencil
• My wallet – 2 credit cards, debit card, drivers license, health insurance card, cash
• Cell phone
• Cell phone charger
• iPod nano
• iPod usb cable
• Shure E2c-n Sound Isolating Earphones
  
• Business card holder with business cards
• Travel cards – frequent flier cards, hotel cards, parking punch card
• Polar Bear Coolers 6 Pack Soft Side Cooler* (for the hotel)
• Eagle Creek Pack-It 2-Sided Half Cube
• Eagle Creek – Pack It Half Cube
• Eagle Creek Pack-It® Cube
• Eagle Creek Pack-It® Folder 15"
• Toiletry case
• Toothbrush
• Comb
• Deodorant
• Feminine products
• Lipstick
• Plastic bag (for security)
• Hair gel
• Toothpaste
• Anti-zit cream
• Under-eye concealer cream
• Passport (on every trip – an alternate form of ID)
• Plastic folder with printed itinerary and other papers
• Sunglasses
• Digital Camera
• USB converter for camera's sd card
• Camera battery recharger*
• Keyspan PR-US2 Presentation Remote
• Snacks: nuts, salami, jerky*
• 1 USB thumb drive
• Ibuprofen
• Benadryl
• Immodium
• Pseudophed
• Bandaids
• Wireless headset*
• Wireless headset "docking station"*
• Charger for wireless headset*
• 1 sweater
• 1 suit
• 1 pair sandals (or tennis shoes)
• 1 pair of comfy shoes that will work with suits
• 2 sets of pjs
• 2 bras
• 8 pairs of socks and underwear
• 4 tshirts
• 2 blouses
• 3 pairs of pants
• 1 belt
• Eagle Creek Comfort Travel Pillow*
• Bottle carrier – in case I buy any duty free*
• 3 power adapters for Australia*
• wireless router (for hotel room)

*Indicates things I might not carry on a shorter trip or a non-international trip.

Last week I flew down to Australia on Air New Zealand and back on United. I’d fly Air New Zealand over United any day for two reasons: seat comfort and entertainment.

1. Seat Comfort. After four hours in the United seat, my bottom was sore – that seat was hard!  In contrast, I had no issues with the Air New Zealand seat.  (I flew in economy on both flights.)
2. Entertainment. Air New Zealand has screens on the back of every seat. Not only I was able to pick from 20+ movies and lots of games, but I could start, pause and change them at will. I felt in control of my life! As much as you can feel in control while strapped to seat at 15,000 feet. The United flight not only didn’t have personal tv screens, but the three tv’s I could see were all out of focus and had poor color.  Not to mention that the magazine that listed movies was from the previous month and so the only way to find out what movie was coming on next was to wait and see.

So even though I fly over 50,000 miles on United every year and they are pretty good to me,  I’d fly Air New Zealand over United any day for long flights.

I went down to Melbourne’s Queen Victoria market to buy a (toy) boomerang for Jacob.  The first place was selling them for $15, the next for $18.   The third place had the best selection but no price, so I asked how much.  They said $14 and I thought ok.  Luckily I only thought ok because as I stood there deciding which one was the best, the price dropped to $12 and then to $10!

And if you think $10 AUS ($8.90 US) is a lot to pay for a painted wood piece of wood, I agree.  And then I’d point out that a 20 ounce coke at the convenience store cost $3.50 AUS ($3 US)!