Category Archives: Trip Reports

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Poll Question: Do you Prefer Chatty or Silent Pilots?

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Do you prefer when a pilot gives you lots of information about your flight or do you prefer when they keep quiet? Or do you prefer some other happy medium?  Last week, I had a strange experience on an Alaska Airlines flight from Seattle to San Diego and want to see what you all think.  The flight time is about 2.5 to 3 hours, and during the whole flight the pilot said NOTHING. Not one word!

I didn’t even realize the pilot hadn’t said anything until my travel companion said, “I really don’t like it when pilots don’t explain or apologize when a flight is delayed.” Then it struck me, the pilot, he or maybe she, hadn’t said a word.

The flight did take off almost 30 minutes late. Nothing about that from the pilot, or the weather, or about seat belt signs, or about landing or temperature upon arrival. Nothing even about all the gorgeous scenery as we flew over snow covered mountains. No Happy New Year and thanks for flying Alaska. Not a word.  We did hear from a flight attendant on occasion about the Alaska Airlines Credit Card and using the appropriate bathroom for your class of service! Continue reading →

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PSA: Renew your TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI Membership Early

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Quick question, do you know when your Global Entry card expires?  A few months ago, I realized I hadn’t checked to see when mine expired. I’ve had it for years and yet couldn’t actually say for sure. So I took a look. Yikes, it expires in 2017! And as the idea of Global Entry has caught on, the numbers of people applying to the program has ballooned, and the turnaround time in getting both the new and renewed cards was SLOW! So I got on the ball and started the renewal process for my Global Entry card. You can renew your current card up to 1 year in advance, so it is best not to wait too long.

Luckily, the Global Entry program has a helpful step-by-step guide for renewing your membership:

  • Log onto GOES (click here).
  • Select Manage membership – the Trusted Traveler Program Enrollment page will display.
  • Select the blue Renew Application button – the Personal Information page will display.
  • Use the Application Wizard to change your personal information by selecting the specific category(ies) hyperlinks.
  • When complete, select U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Trusted Traveler Program List on the Application Wizard – the Trusted Traveler Program List will display.
  • Click the box next to each program that you wish to renew.
  • Select the enrollment center hyperlink to see a list of available enrollment centers.
  • Select Next – the Trusted Traveler Program Application page will display.
  • If a FIX Errors hyperlink displays, you must provide the information requested to proceed.
  • To continue, select Update to go to the Program Application page.
  • On the Program Application page, select Certify at the bottom of the page – the Certification page will display.
  • Answer Yes or No to “Do you certify?”
  • Select Next. The Final Review: Application Shopping Cart will display.
  • Select the box next to Fees. Fees are for application processing and are non-refundable. To agree and proceed, click here. The Home button changes to a Make Payment button.
  • Select Make Payment. The online payment page displays.

Continue reading →

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OC Meetup Saturday, February 4 @ 12pm at In-N-Out (Tustin District)

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Good morning everyone.  I will be flying down to Orange County this weekend to watch the Super Bowl with my family, so I decided to do a miles and points meetup on Saturday afternoon.  If you are free this Saturday, I would love to meet you and talk travel, miles and points, MS, and politics blogging.

  • Where: 2895 Park Ave, Tustin, CA 92782 (Google Maps)
  • When: Saturday, February 4 @ 12-2PM

In-N-Out Tustin District Map

Continue reading →

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11 Ways to Find Adventure, Have Fun & Stay Healthy While Traveling

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When I’m not traveling, drinking coffee, or thinking up and writing posts for TWG, I’m a holistic health and fitness coach. So combining traveling with finding fun, fitness-oriented adventures is my passion. And it keeps me healthy while on the road!  I also talk with many people about how they combine their travels with adventures in fun and fitness. And we all had great ideas.  So whether you travel solo or with family and friends, or whether you travel for work or pleasure, or a combination of both, see what you think of these ideas to upgrade your travel experiences.

1. It’s always great to get ideas from the locals, and in person.

When I’m in a new place, I always stop by the local running shops or sports stores to see what they recommend. Usually they have info not just about running but about biking or swimming pools, as well. Who knows, maybe you’ll join a local running event that you never even knew was happening while you’re visiting!

2. I’m old school when it comes to using maps.

Find a site you want to see that’s far from your accommodations and then plan a walk or bike ride to those sites.  I usually find a coffee house I want to check out that’s far from my lodgings and head there! Continue reading →

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Pay no VAT (Value Added Tax) at Argentina Hotels when using a Foreign Credit Card

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Good morning everyone.  This post only affects people who have plans to visit Argentina, but there was a new rule/policy passed recently that if you use a foreign credit card (any credit card issued outside Argentina), you do not pay the hotel VAT (value added tax) for your stay.  I’m not sure when the new rule/policy went into effect, but when I was staying at the Sheraton Libertador Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina 2 weeks ago, the front desk agent mentioned that if you pay with a credit card, you do not have to pay the hotel tax.  This caught us off guard, but we didn’t ask any questions.

According to the Latin America Tourism Association:

Tourists will receive a refund for the VAT, which today stands at 21%, when they pay for their accommodation.  To receive the refund, they must pay with a foreign credit or debit card, provide their passport number and confirm their address. Tour operators and travel agents who take bookings must provide this information on their behalf.

“We anticipate that the move to reimburse foreign tourists for the VAT on their hotel stays will boost tourism to the destination, increase the number of foreign tourists in the country and reinforce Argentina’s status as one of the must-see destinations in Latin America.”

“The new law not only emphasises the importance of tourism to the Argentine economy but will also improve the competitiveness of the destination’s tourism industry, which will inevitably have a long term positive effect on tourism numbers.”

“This new law, combined with the development of tourism infrastructure and the launch of new direct flights from Europe to the region, reflect the efforts being made by governments to open up Latin America to international tourism and to better promote the destination.”

There you have it, visit Argentina and avoid the 21% hotel VAT when you pay with a credit card.  If you have any questions, please leave a comment below.  Have a great day everyone!