In this largely useless Friday entry, I would like to draw your attention to the expedia.ca site. If you advance through the booking pages to where you enter your travellers' information, you will see here you have a choice of personal titles via a drop-down box.
Look closely and you will see one of the options is "Master"... lol
Officially an outdated title used to address young boys, you can now be referred to as "Master" on your online expedia reservation. I wonder if the airline staff will also call you Master when you go to check-in?
Someone please try this and report back!
Friday, April 29, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
SMS - A Traveler's Best Method of Communication?
In this day and age, most of us feel pretty naked without our cell phones. One of the greatest challenges of traveling is we often have to switch off our phones, even if they do work on overseas networks, the charges for staying connected through email, social networking, and even good old fashion voice calling can be phenomenally high!
More and more wireless carriers are starting to offer travel plans, a flat fee for 'x' amount of roaming, and then a fee of 'y' dollars per min/mb thereafter. This helps to lower the costs, but ultimately you still need to be smart about usage or it can still cost you a small fortune. There's usually 3 types of roaming, packages are usually available for each and sometimes in combination. Voice roaming is the one that most people are familiar with, that's when you're making phone calls. Data roaming comes into play when you access your email, your social networking, and web. If you have a Blackberry, bbm will also fall under this. Then there's text roaming, which few people think about but I think has the most value.
I don't talk on the phone personally, I rather loathe it. But I can see how it's a necessity to some, I'm not talking about gabbing with your girlfriends while you're away, but maybe you have an elderly family member at home that you need to check up on. Instances like that you need the voice roaming. If that's not the case though, think carefully under want circumstances you might need to make a call with your phone. And of those circumstances how often will you need to exchange more than a few words? For example, if you're traveling with friends or meeting up with someone in another country, will you be able to coordinate a meet-up spot via text messaging?
Web browsing and social networking on our phones is pretty essential to many of us when at home, but our monthly packages come with large buckets of data where data roaming packages won't. The amount of web surfing and tweeting you're accustomed to may cost you dearly overseas. Really stop and consider how much tweeting/surfing/foursquare-ing you really need to do. Most hotels offer free or cheap wifi, so provided you print a few good maps before you leave and do all your additional research and social networking at the hotel, you shouldn't really be needing too much data while you're out taking in the sights.
At first texting (SMS-ing) seems pretty useless compared to the other two right? Well, think again. Text roaming packages usually come with a good number of included texts, and additional texts are rarely over 50 cents each. If your msg is concise you can get your point across in one message rather than take a minute of voice time, which would cost you at least twice as much than sending one text msg. Also you can do more that just direct message someone using SMS. Did you know you can Tweet via SMS? Blog via SMS? Get transit prediction info via SMS in some cities? Most advertisements featuring scan barcodes for your smartphone will also include in the fine print below, a method for those who don't have smartphones to send an SMS message instead to receive more info.
So next time you're assessing your wireless roaming needs, keep those text roaming packages in mind!
More and more wireless carriers are starting to offer travel plans, a flat fee for 'x' amount of roaming, and then a fee of 'y' dollars per min/mb thereafter. This helps to lower the costs, but ultimately you still need to be smart about usage or it can still cost you a small fortune. There's usually 3 types of roaming, packages are usually available for each and sometimes in combination. Voice roaming is the one that most people are familiar with, that's when you're making phone calls. Data roaming comes into play when you access your email, your social networking, and web. If you have a Blackberry, bbm will also fall under this. Then there's text roaming, which few people think about but I think has the most value.
I don't talk on the phone personally, I rather loathe it. But I can see how it's a necessity to some, I'm not talking about gabbing with your girlfriends while you're away, but maybe you have an elderly family member at home that you need to check up on. Instances like that you need the voice roaming. If that's not the case though, think carefully under want circumstances you might need to make a call with your phone. And of those circumstances how often will you need to exchange more than a few words? For example, if you're traveling with friends or meeting up with someone in another country, will you be able to coordinate a meet-up spot via text messaging?
Web browsing and social networking on our phones is pretty essential to many of us when at home, but our monthly packages come with large buckets of data where data roaming packages won't. The amount of web surfing and tweeting you're accustomed to may cost you dearly overseas. Really stop and consider how much tweeting/surfing/foursquare-ing you really need to do. Most hotels offer free or cheap wifi, so provided you print a few good maps before you leave and do all your additional research and social networking at the hotel, you shouldn't really be needing too much data while you're out taking in the sights.
At first texting (SMS-ing) seems pretty useless compared to the other two right? Well, think again. Text roaming packages usually come with a good number of included texts, and additional texts are rarely over 50 cents each. If your msg is concise you can get your point across in one message rather than take a minute of voice time, which would cost you at least twice as much than sending one text msg. Also you can do more that just direct message someone using SMS. Did you know you can Tweet via SMS? Blog via SMS? Get transit prediction info via SMS in some cities? Most advertisements featuring scan barcodes for your smartphone will also include in the fine print below, a method for those who don't have smartphones to send an SMS message instead to receive more info.
So next time you're assessing your wireless roaming needs, keep those text roaming packages in mind!
3 Lessons Learned During My Trip to NYC This Past Weekend
As I alluded to in earlier entries, I was just in New York City for Easter long weekend. It was my 5th trip in 5 years so I really got this down pat. And yet...like every trip you'll ever take, there's always new travel lessons to be learned.
I took an extra day off work and flew down via Porter at 8am on Thursday. A few people asked me why I was on such an early flight? I couldn't really explain it either, I hate mornings and when my alarm clock went off at 5:15am I was cursing as soon as my brain could recall a swear word. I bought the tickets during a seat sale so I'm assuming I chose 8am because the 9am was already sold out.
For those not familiar, Porter is a small airline that flies out of the downtown Toronto Island Airport, it services nearby Canadian and U.S. cities. I was flying from Toronto to Newark, New Jersey, which is just across the bridge from NYC. On a regular business day, early morning flights are generally occupied by buisness execs taking same day flights out to meetings. The only sounds you hear are Blackberry keys clicking softly and the flipping of newspaper pages. However I didn't take into account that it was right before Easter weekend and found myself sitting behind 2 rows of children and another child across the aisle from me.
What I ended up having to endure was a crying child on landing and take-off (I know air pressure discomfort can't be helped but I'm still going deaf from the kid's wailing), hyperactive children shouting and chattering loudly, and parents having to speak over them to be heard. On a long haul flight most of that could be alleviated by earphones and loud music, and maybe a stroll to the washroom. Unfortunately most of the time spent on a short flight like Toronto/Newark is take-off and landing, where I'm not allowed to turn on my electronic devices. So what I really should've done was bring my earplugs, it's not like they take a lot of room to pack.
Lesson learned.
Prior to heading to the U.S. I looked into travel packs for my phone. I have multiple devices but this time I made the decision to bring my iPhone with me. I was only going for 4 days so my plan was to get data roaming only as I get very few calls and figured I could live with not texting my boyfriend for a few days. I do, however, enjoy "checking in" to places, tweeting a little, and posting photos. From what I've read, most data comsumption comes from watching videos, which I had no plans to do. I had a feeling GPS might rack up usage as well, but what's a few check-ins right? I wasn't planning to read my email so that should balance it out right? Wrong. I bought a travel pack that included 10MB of data and monitored the usage very carefully. After each login to FB and check-in it was almost 1MB gone, upload an instagram photo, another half a MB. Combine that with a few necessary google searches and map consultations, and I was struggling by the 2nd day not to hit my data limit prematurely. I averaged 2 check-ins, 2 photos, and a status update every day I was gone and I was still at 12MB when I left. Next time I'm getting the 25MB travel pack from Rogers, it's only $20 more. (It's $30 for 10MB)
Lesson learned.
Finally on my last day in NYC it was sunny, warm, and very lovely out, I'd filled my mini suitcase with my purchases and had to bust out my fold-up duffel to store the rest. When I arrived I'd walked down the 20 blocks from Grand Central (where my Newark Express Bus dropped me off) to my hotel with ease, of course that was downhill, with less luggage, in 10C weather. But clearly I didn't take that into consideration, so off I went dragging my heavy bags uphill 20 blocks in 20C+ weather. Boy did I live to regret that! I was huffing and puffing up Lexington where traffic was one-way going south, so I couldn't even change my mind and hail a cab. I made it up to Grand Central without any major calamities, and I was very glad I got to stay outside and enjoy a bit more of the day before heading back to chilly Toronto temps. Nevertheless, next time I get it in my head that I should do that again, please slap me and hail me a cab.
Lesson learned.
I took an extra day off work and flew down via Porter at 8am on Thursday. A few people asked me why I was on such an early flight? I couldn't really explain it either, I hate mornings and when my alarm clock went off at 5:15am I was cursing as soon as my brain could recall a swear word. I bought the tickets during a seat sale so I'm assuming I chose 8am because the 9am was already sold out.
For those not familiar, Porter is a small airline that flies out of the downtown Toronto Island Airport, it services nearby Canadian and U.S. cities. I was flying from Toronto to Newark, New Jersey, which is just across the bridge from NYC. On a regular business day, early morning flights are generally occupied by buisness execs taking same day flights out to meetings. The only sounds you hear are Blackberry keys clicking softly and the flipping of newspaper pages. However I didn't take into account that it was right before Easter weekend and found myself sitting behind 2 rows of children and another child across the aisle from me.
What I ended up having to endure was a crying child on landing and take-off (I know air pressure discomfort can't be helped but I'm still going deaf from the kid's wailing), hyperactive children shouting and chattering loudly, and parents having to speak over them to be heard. On a long haul flight most of that could be alleviated by earphones and loud music, and maybe a stroll to the washroom. Unfortunately most of the time spent on a short flight like Toronto/Newark is take-off and landing, where I'm not allowed to turn on my electronic devices. So what I really should've done was bring my earplugs, it's not like they take a lot of room to pack.
Lesson learned.
Prior to heading to the U.S. I looked into travel packs for my phone. I have multiple devices but this time I made the decision to bring my iPhone with me. I was only going for 4 days so my plan was to get data roaming only as I get very few calls and figured I could live with not texting my boyfriend for a few days. I do, however, enjoy "checking in" to places, tweeting a little, and posting photos. From what I've read, most data comsumption comes from watching videos, which I had no plans to do. I had a feeling GPS might rack up usage as well, but what's a few check-ins right? I wasn't planning to read my email so that should balance it out right? Wrong. I bought a travel pack that included 10MB of data and monitored the usage very carefully. After each login to FB and check-in it was almost 1MB gone, upload an instagram photo, another half a MB. Combine that with a few necessary google searches and map consultations, and I was struggling by the 2nd day not to hit my data limit prematurely. I averaged 2 check-ins, 2 photos, and a status update every day I was gone and I was still at 12MB when I left. Next time I'm getting the 25MB travel pack from Rogers, it's only $20 more. (It's $30 for 10MB)
Lesson learned.
Finally on my last day in NYC it was sunny, warm, and very lovely out, I'd filled my mini suitcase with my purchases and had to bust out my fold-up duffel to store the rest. When I arrived I'd walked down the 20 blocks from Grand Central (where my Newark Express Bus dropped me off) to my hotel with ease, of course that was downhill, with less luggage, in 10C weather. But clearly I didn't take that into consideration, so off I went dragging my heavy bags uphill 20 blocks in 20C+ weather. Boy did I live to regret that! I was huffing and puffing up Lexington where traffic was one-way going south, so I couldn't even change my mind and hail a cab. I made it up to Grand Central without any major calamities, and I was very glad I got to stay outside and enjoy a bit more of the day before heading back to chilly Toronto temps. Nevertheless, next time I get it in my head that I should do that again, please slap me and hail me a cab.
Lesson learned.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
While you're still trapped at the office: Websites to read up on before you leave
I received my first request last night for topics to post on this blog! The question was whether I had a list of travel resource sites akin to "travel for dummies"?
Haha, well I think that just by asking that question, you've elevated yourself from "dummy" level. Outside of a basic list of to do's I don't think there's a real method to traveling, it's one of those things you learn along the way and create a style or rhythm that works for you. The most important thing really is to do a bit of research so you know what to expect. It's about taking out the nasty surprises and being aware of your surroundings. The two silliest things a traveler can do is unknowing wander into some place unsafe and miss out on something spectacular right under their noses because they didn't know it was there.
Almost every country and city in this world has some sort of tourism page online, that's a good place to start. Get your basic info: how to get into the city, what's the weather like, what languages are spoken, what currency will you need, and where is there tourist information. Most pages will also list major sight-seeing points, from there you can google places of interest directly. If you have a particular purpose for your trip (ie. shopping, fine dining, or to visit the grave of a music legend), google that, get tips and locations.
Once you have your highlights on what you want to see, go check the locations of these places on a map. Even if you're not great with maps, it's always a good idea to be somewhat oriented with the layout of the place you're visiting. You want to know roughly how you're going to get to these places (ie. will you need to learn the transit system/get the number of the local cab company?), where they are in relation to one another (to plan itineraries), and hopefully find accommodations nearby.
Now we can start looking at some specific websites... different countries will have different sites that are best suited for them, these are just a few sites (in no particular order) that I use as my starting point:
http://www.hotwire.com -- not as great as it used to be, but still features some good hotel deals in a large number of cities. They have a big selection of North American hotels, but as you head overseas the pickings may get slim. (That being said I got a great deal for a 4-star Barcelona hotel last year) The catch with Hotwire is that they don't tell you the name of the hotel until you've booked and paid (you are required to pay the full amount up front when you book), so if you have a serious hate-on for all Hilton hotels, there's no guarantee you won't wind up at one. It's worth noting that their star-rating is not the same as AAA (which is just a North American standard anyway), I have booked hotels that are rated 3 or 3.5 stars on Hotwire and they were 4 star hotels. The lower Hotwire rating may have resulted from poor service or a location slightly further away from the city centre.
http://www.hostelworld.com -- don't let the name fool you, it's not just strictly hostels. Their database includes a number of B&B's, guesthouses, and even campsites. They have extensive locations around the world and list a good amount of info for each place. The site is pretty user friendly and info is presented in a straightforward manner. You are required to pay a 10% deposit when you book and the balance when you arrive.
http://www.expedia.ca -- most Canadians who have done even a little traveling will probably know this site well. It's my go-to for comparing airfare, there are very few airlines that are not listed here. I find they always manage to encompass any airline sales that may be going on, so I don't have to worry that I may be missing out on a deal by not searching every airline specifically. I'm not as crazy about their hotel prices, again it's a good database to get names of places but like hotwire you're required to pay at time of booking. For the hotel prices they list, I can just phone up the specific hotel I'm interested in, ask them for a price-match (and they'll usually give it to you) and make a booking where I don't have to pay until I arrive.
http://www.seat61.com/index.html -- super comprehensive site about train travel in Europe. Seriously the amount of info packed into this site is amazing, I've known about this site for 7 years now and I haven't even made a dent in reading the content. Most applicable if your travel starts in the UK, but there's lots of tips buried in there for traveling between other countries. Just go down the left side and choose the country you want to visit. Included at the bottom of the "Country Information" section is the date the page was last updated, I don't know about you, but this kind of reassures me that the info I'm reading is current.
http://www.raileurope.ca/index.html -- if The Man in Seat 61 site makes your head spin a little and you don't mind paying a little extra, the Rail Europe site can spell things out a little bit more simple for you. Don't get sucked into buying a rail pass though, in this age of discount airlines, a Eurorail pass is no longer the cheapest way to see Europe! Rail Europe offers a variety of tickets, which you can order and have physical tickets couriered to your home so that you will already have them in hand before you leave on your trip. The downside is that they don't include every single rail service available, so you might be choosing from a limited number of trains in some countries. Also Rail Europe prices are higher than if you book directly with each country's railway company.
http://www.sleepinginairports.net -- as mentioned in my last blog entry, this site amuses me to no end. It's not just for those who would actually consider sleeping in an airport, it also provides some insight to what individual airports are like.
http://www.worldtaximeter.com/ -- it's my hope that this site expands soon to include more cities. Or if someone knows a similar site with more destinations please let me know. A useful tool at home or abroad to see how much a cab ride is going to cost you, helps you to budget and even gives you the approximate amount of time it'll take.
http://www.xe.com/ -- an excellent foreign currency converter, also available in iphone app. I think the usefulness of this site is self-explanatory.
http://flights.traveleurope.com/ -- I've only perused this site a few times so I'm not ready to fully endorse it. However I've garnered some useful information in my recent flight searches. Everyone knows Ryan Air and Easy Jet, but there are actually a large number of other discount airlines in Europe that can fly you between cities for dirt cheap if only you knew the names of the airline. That's where this site comes in. I did a few searches and it pulled up a number of discount flights that I never would've discovered on my own. I have yet to do any booking through the site. Will report back when I do. They also have sections for hotels and car rentals.
The internet has made it so much easier to travel now than just 10 years ago, with google maps at the tip of your fingertips, online travel guides, and the ability to search just about anything you can imagine. There's really no excuse to arrive a place with no knowledge. Make good use of this resource. If you're savy you may never need to turn to another medium while planning your trip.
Haha, well I think that just by asking that question, you've elevated yourself from "dummy" level. Outside of a basic list of to do's I don't think there's a real method to traveling, it's one of those things you learn along the way and create a style or rhythm that works for you. The most important thing really is to do a bit of research so you know what to expect. It's about taking out the nasty surprises and being aware of your surroundings. The two silliest things a traveler can do is unknowing wander into some place unsafe and miss out on something spectacular right under their noses because they didn't know it was there.
Almost every country and city in this world has some sort of tourism page online, that's a good place to start. Get your basic info: how to get into the city, what's the weather like, what languages are spoken, what currency will you need, and where is there tourist information. Most pages will also list major sight-seeing points, from there you can google places of interest directly. If you have a particular purpose for your trip (ie. shopping, fine dining, or to visit the grave of a music legend), google that, get tips and locations.
Once you have your highlights on what you want to see, go check the locations of these places on a map. Even if you're not great with maps, it's always a good idea to be somewhat oriented with the layout of the place you're visiting. You want to know roughly how you're going to get to these places (ie. will you need to learn the transit system/get the number of the local cab company?), where they are in relation to one another (to plan itineraries), and hopefully find accommodations nearby.
Now we can start looking at some specific websites... different countries will have different sites that are best suited for them, these are just a few sites (in no particular order) that I use as my starting point:
http://www.hotwire.com -- not as great as it used to be, but still features some good hotel deals in a large number of cities. They have a big selection of North American hotels, but as you head overseas the pickings may get slim. (That being said I got a great deal for a 4-star Barcelona hotel last year) The catch with Hotwire is that they don't tell you the name of the hotel until you've booked and paid (you are required to pay the full amount up front when you book), so if you have a serious hate-on for all Hilton hotels, there's no guarantee you won't wind up at one. It's worth noting that their star-rating is not the same as AAA (which is just a North American standard anyway), I have booked hotels that are rated 3 or 3.5 stars on Hotwire and they were 4 star hotels. The lower Hotwire rating may have resulted from poor service or a location slightly further away from the city centre.
http://www.hostelworld.com -- don't let the name fool you, it's not just strictly hostels. Their database includes a number of B&B's, guesthouses, and even campsites. They have extensive locations around the world and list a good amount of info for each place. The site is pretty user friendly and info is presented in a straightforward manner. You are required to pay a 10% deposit when you book and the balance when you arrive.
http://www.expedia.ca -- most Canadians who have done even a little traveling will probably know this site well. It's my go-to for comparing airfare, there are very few airlines that are not listed here. I find they always manage to encompass any airline sales that may be going on, so I don't have to worry that I may be missing out on a deal by not searching every airline specifically. I'm not as crazy about their hotel prices, again it's a good database to get names of places but like hotwire you're required to pay at time of booking. For the hotel prices they list, I can just phone up the specific hotel I'm interested in, ask them for a price-match (and they'll usually give it to you) and make a booking where I don't have to pay until I arrive.
http://www.seat61.com/index.html -- super comprehensive site about train travel in Europe. Seriously the amount of info packed into this site is amazing, I've known about this site for 7 years now and I haven't even made a dent in reading the content. Most applicable if your travel starts in the UK, but there's lots of tips buried in there for traveling between other countries. Just go down the left side and choose the country you want to visit. Included at the bottom of the "Country Information" section is the date the page was last updated, I don't know about you, but this kind of reassures me that the info I'm reading is current.
http://www.raileurope.ca/index.html -- if The Man in Seat 61 site makes your head spin a little and you don't mind paying a little extra, the Rail Europe site can spell things out a little bit more simple for you. Don't get sucked into buying a rail pass though, in this age of discount airlines, a Eurorail pass is no longer the cheapest way to see Europe! Rail Europe offers a variety of tickets, which you can order and have physical tickets couriered to your home so that you will already have them in hand before you leave on your trip. The downside is that they don't include every single rail service available, so you might be choosing from a limited number of trains in some countries. Also Rail Europe prices are higher than if you book directly with each country's railway company.
http://www.sleepinginairports.net -- as mentioned in my last blog entry, this site amuses me to no end. It's not just for those who would actually consider sleeping in an airport, it also provides some insight to what individual airports are like.
http://www.worldtaximeter.com/ -- it's my hope that this site expands soon to include more cities. Or if someone knows a similar site with more destinations please let me know. A useful tool at home or abroad to see how much a cab ride is going to cost you, helps you to budget and even gives you the approximate amount of time it'll take.
http://www.xe.com/ -- an excellent foreign currency converter, also available in iphone app. I think the usefulness of this site is self-explanatory.
http://flights.traveleurope.com/ -- I've only perused this site a few times so I'm not ready to fully endorse it. However I've garnered some useful information in my recent flight searches. Everyone knows Ryan Air and Easy Jet, but there are actually a large number of other discount airlines in Europe that can fly you between cities for dirt cheap if only you knew the names of the airline. That's where this site comes in. I did a few searches and it pulled up a number of discount flights that I never would've discovered on my own. I have yet to do any booking through the site. Will report back when I do. They also have sections for hotels and car rentals.
The internet has made it so much easier to travel now than just 10 years ago, with google maps at the tip of your fingertips, online travel guides, and the ability to search just about anything you can imagine. There's really no excuse to arrive a place with no knowledge. Make good use of this resource. If you're savy you may never need to turn to another medium while planning your trip.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Sleeping In Airports: You are NOT too old for this sh*t
I've gotten into a number of stupid adventures in my life - travel-related or not, but one of my favourites has got to be sleeping in airports.
Am I daft, you ask? Well, I don't think that's the point ;) There are actually more reasons to sleep in airports than you might think. Sure it's a great way to save money, but the practicality of it doesn't end there. Say you have a super early flight, and really, for international flights anything 9am or earlier is early -- especially if the country is foreign to you. You need to arrive up to 3 hours ahead at some airports (now I'm not one for arriving early anywhere and don't feel you need more than 2 hours at the airport before an international flight, but let me tell you, when you're flying out of certain airports like Heathrow London, DO show up for the recommended 3 hrs... that story another time) which means getting there for 6am. Most airports are about 30min cab (which is potentially expensive) or 1hr transit away from city centers, so you should get moving by 5am. I dunno about you, but it takes me about an hour to wake up and get showered & dressed. Maybe more if I need to pack up the last of my suitcase too, so better set that alarm for...3:45am. 3:45am?! I cannot fall asleep before midnight, and prefer going to bed closer to 2am as it is, so why bother sleeping at all?
On the flipside, most airport transit runs until 11pm or 12am. So you can potentially arrive at the airport as late as 1am. Take a wander around the terminals for a good spot to settle, go brush your teeth, by then it's around 2am and you can hunker down for a good 4 hours. Wake up at 6am and you're already at the airport on time for check-in! Once you're through customs the seating will most likely be more plentiful and nicer, at which point you can doze near your gate for another 1.5hrs. By the time you get on the plane, you will be adequately tired enough to hopefully sleep through the flight. This definitely sounds like the better plan to me. Bonus: you can check out of your hotel a day earlier and save on one night's cost.
Not everyone will agree with my logic, and I'll be the first to admit that some of my overnight trips at airports have been flat-out disasters. But in travel, disasters are just another story you have to tell right? There have also been times when I stayed over at an airport with no intention of sleeping at all. This was an exhausting but good decision when I was flying home from Rome. On the way to the train station I got caught in a torrential downpour the likes of which most Southern Ontarians (Canadians) never see, my pants, my sneakers, and luggage were soaked through. It being the end of my trip I had no clothes to change into and it took most of the night for my jeans to dry (to the point of slightly damp anyway), I would never have been able to sleep in them. I arrived at the airport quite late and the good sleeping spots were already all occupied. We sat in a cluster of metal-armed (so there was no way to lie down on them) benches with an older couple, and another young lady, who had also chosen not to sleep. We conversed on and off through the night and swapped some travel stories, I also took a walk around the terminal and took some photos. Mostly of the numerous airlines serviced in that terminal, and the Da Vinci sculpture, but also of the people sleeping. I thought about how hilarious it would be to swap everyone's shoes around while they were asleep, but refrained from actually doing so. In the end I wound up trading emails with the young lady from Iran, Sarah, and we are still in touch today.
To further prove that I'm not a sole nutcase for occasionally sleeping in an airport, I'd like to direct you to one of my favourite budget travel sites: sleepinginairports.net
The Sleeping In Airports site is a mix of useful and entertaining. Whether you actually spend a night in an airport or not the list of tips is worth reading. They also have annual lists of the world's best and worst airports -- not just for sleeping but overall comfort/convenience/etc. I sure wish I'd known about this site in 2004 before I tried sleeping in Paris' Charles de Gualle airport. Some of their suggestions are a little out there (ie. I will never pack an inflatable mattress or raft for my travels, if I get to an airport and there's really no space, I'll just sleep sitting up) others make so much sense I can't believe I ever went anywhere without some of these things (ie. disinfectant wipes, eye mask, and earplugs -- I learned the hard way this past weekend that no flight is so short that you don't need earplugs).
To comment briefly on their best and worst airport lists:
Best - http://www.sleepinginairports.net/bestof.htm
I was at Singapore Changi Airport last year and have to admit it's a haven. The daybeds, immaculate washrooms, and indoor gardens! No one told me about the slide or else I would've gone looking for it! However I still prefer Hong Kong (which is #3) for their shops, food stalls (great congee!), and bright clean feel. I've been to Seoul before but that was over 20 years ago, many renovations ago and all I remember was overcrowding and a lot of people sitting on the floor. I'm sure it's completely different now.
It's also nice to see Vancouver on the top 10, I'm sure it's also largely unrecognizable after upgrades for the Olympics (it's been 9 years since I've been there. On arrival I was anxious to leave and get downtown, when departing I was incredibly hungover and lucky to find $10 to pay the airport fee so the airport itself doesn't leave much of an impression on me)
Worst - http://www.sleepinginairports.net/worst-airports.htm
I echo every bad sentiment about CDG. I only wish there were a way for me to fly into Paris without having to come through De Gualle. Every time I'm there something goes wrong. It's been a very long time since I've been to O'Hare, not that I have any inclination to go back. I just remember it being crowded and confusing with staff that wasn't overly-friendly. London Luton doesn't seem like a significant enough airport to make a world top 10 list, however I will have to agree that it's small and not a place you'd want to spend the night. Their bus terminal is about as confusing as Toronto's bus terminal only without the indoor shelter, if you're lucky enough to figure out which queue you're supposed to be in, you still have to worry about getting run over by a bus as you try to make your way over there.
So whether you decide to give this sleeping in airports thing a try or not, I will leave you with a list of my basic tips, some of which coincide with the website -- still the best source for getting the lowdown for sleeping in airports!
1. Do your research, do not sleep in an airport you're not familiar with or haven't read up on. The last thing you want is to encounter is safety issues or find the airport is closed overnight.
2. Do not sleep in the airport alone. You can probably do it without any major risks in a number of cities, but it's better if you're with someone, if only so they can watch your stuff while you go to the washroom.
3. If you're serious about actually getting some sleep (as opposed to just having an adventure), arrive early and be sure to pack the essentials: eye mask, ear plugs, music device + headphones, pillow (a rolled up hoodie works), blanket or extra layers to wear, and passport holder that can be hidden under your clothes
4. At the risk of looking like a complete idiot, I feel most reassured when sleeping in a position where I'm in physical contact with my luggage at all times (ie. I'd be able to feel it if someone moved my bag). So often this means sleeping with my arm through one strap of my bag hugging it and a leg slung over my suitcase. Like I said... complete idiot but I sleep better...
5. Bring tissues, wet wipes, and water. Trust me, they'll come in handy.
Am I daft, you ask? Well, I don't think that's the point ;) There are actually more reasons to sleep in airports than you might think. Sure it's a great way to save money, but the practicality of it doesn't end there. Say you have a super early flight, and really, for international flights anything 9am or earlier is early -- especially if the country is foreign to you. You need to arrive up to 3 hours ahead at some airports (now I'm not one for arriving early anywhere and don't feel you need more than 2 hours at the airport before an international flight, but let me tell you, when you're flying out of certain airports like Heathrow London, DO show up for the recommended 3 hrs... that story another time) which means getting there for 6am. Most airports are about 30min cab (which is potentially expensive) or 1hr transit away from city centers, so you should get moving by 5am. I dunno about you, but it takes me about an hour to wake up and get showered & dressed. Maybe more if I need to pack up the last of my suitcase too, so better set that alarm for...3:45am. 3:45am?! I cannot fall asleep before midnight, and prefer going to bed closer to 2am as it is, so why bother sleeping at all?
On the flipside, most airport transit runs until 11pm or 12am. So you can potentially arrive at the airport as late as 1am. Take a wander around the terminals for a good spot to settle, go brush your teeth, by then it's around 2am and you can hunker down for a good 4 hours. Wake up at 6am and you're already at the airport on time for check-in! Once you're through customs the seating will most likely be more plentiful and nicer, at which point you can doze near your gate for another 1.5hrs. By the time you get on the plane, you will be adequately tired enough to hopefully sleep through the flight. This definitely sounds like the better plan to me. Bonus: you can check out of your hotel a day earlier and save on one night's cost.
Not everyone will agree with my logic, and I'll be the first to admit that some of my overnight trips at airports have been flat-out disasters. But in travel, disasters are just another story you have to tell right? There have also been times when I stayed over at an airport with no intention of sleeping at all. This was an exhausting but good decision when I was flying home from Rome. On the way to the train station I got caught in a torrential downpour the likes of which most Southern Ontarians (Canadians) never see, my pants, my sneakers, and luggage were soaked through. It being the end of my trip I had no clothes to change into and it took most of the night for my jeans to dry (to the point of slightly damp anyway), I would never have been able to sleep in them. I arrived at the airport quite late and the good sleeping spots were already all occupied. We sat in a cluster of metal-armed (so there was no way to lie down on them) benches with an older couple, and another young lady, who had also chosen not to sleep. We conversed on and off through the night and swapped some travel stories, I also took a walk around the terminal and took some photos. Mostly of the numerous airlines serviced in that terminal, and the Da Vinci sculpture, but also of the people sleeping. I thought about how hilarious it would be to swap everyone's shoes around while they were asleep, but refrained from actually doing so. In the end I wound up trading emails with the young lady from Iran, Sarah, and we are still in touch today.
To further prove that I'm not a sole nutcase for occasionally sleeping in an airport, I'd like to direct you to one of my favourite budget travel sites: sleepinginairports.net
The Sleeping In Airports site is a mix of useful and entertaining. Whether you actually spend a night in an airport or not the list of tips is worth reading. They also have annual lists of the world's best and worst airports -- not just for sleeping but overall comfort/convenience/etc. I sure wish I'd known about this site in 2004 before I tried sleeping in Paris' Charles de Gualle airport. Some of their suggestions are a little out there (ie. I will never pack an inflatable mattress or raft for my travels, if I get to an airport and there's really no space, I'll just sleep sitting up) others make so much sense I can't believe I ever went anywhere without some of these things (ie. disinfectant wipes, eye mask, and earplugs -- I learned the hard way this past weekend that no flight is so short that you don't need earplugs).
To comment briefly on their best and worst airport lists:
Best - http://www.sleepinginairports.net/bestof.htm
I was at Singapore Changi Airport last year and have to admit it's a haven. The daybeds, immaculate washrooms, and indoor gardens! No one told me about the slide or else I would've gone looking for it! However I still prefer Hong Kong (which is #3) for their shops, food stalls (great congee!), and bright clean feel. I've been to Seoul before but that was over 20 years ago, many renovations ago and all I remember was overcrowding and a lot of people sitting on the floor. I'm sure it's completely different now.
It's also nice to see Vancouver on the top 10, I'm sure it's also largely unrecognizable after upgrades for the Olympics (it's been 9 years since I've been there. On arrival I was anxious to leave and get downtown, when departing I was incredibly hungover and lucky to find $10 to pay the airport fee so the airport itself doesn't leave much of an impression on me)
Worst - http://www.sleepinginairports.net/worst-airports.htm
I echo every bad sentiment about CDG. I only wish there were a way for me to fly into Paris without having to come through De Gualle. Every time I'm there something goes wrong. It's been a very long time since I've been to O'Hare, not that I have any inclination to go back. I just remember it being crowded and confusing with staff that wasn't overly-friendly. London Luton doesn't seem like a significant enough airport to make a world top 10 list, however I will have to agree that it's small and not a place you'd want to spend the night. Their bus terminal is about as confusing as Toronto's bus terminal only without the indoor shelter, if you're lucky enough to figure out which queue you're supposed to be in, you still have to worry about getting run over by a bus as you try to make your way over there.
So whether you decide to give this sleeping in airports thing a try or not, I will leave you with a list of my basic tips, some of which coincide with the website -- still the best source for getting the lowdown for sleeping in airports!
1. Do your research, do not sleep in an airport you're not familiar with or haven't read up on. The last thing you want is to encounter is safety issues or find the airport is closed overnight.
2. Do not sleep in the airport alone. You can probably do it without any major risks in a number of cities, but it's better if you're with someone, if only so they can watch your stuff while you go to the washroom.
3. If you're serious about actually getting some sleep (as opposed to just having an adventure), arrive early and be sure to pack the essentials: eye mask, ear plugs, music device + headphones, pillow (a rolled up hoodie works), blanket or extra layers to wear, and passport holder that can be hidden under your clothes
4. At the risk of looking like a complete idiot, I feel most reassured when sleeping in a position where I'm in physical contact with my luggage at all times (ie. I'd be able to feel it if someone moved my bag). So often this means sleeping with my arm through one strap of my bag hugging it and a leg slung over my suitcase. Like I said... complete idiot but I sleep better...
5. Bring tissues, wet wipes, and water. Trust me, they'll come in handy.
Some Light Travel Reading
Despite the growing number of countries where the number of smartphones and computers are starting to outnumber the human population, sometimes when you're traveling, there's nothing more reliable than a good old paperback for some entertainment. You don't need reception, you don't have to be worried about getting charged for roaming, and the batteries on it never die.
I've taken all types of books on trips with me and the only kind I would blatantly not recommend is hardcovers (self-explanatory), however my preference is often collections of short stories, and books related to travel. I choose short stories because they're kind of like the quick food stall meals you wolf down before dashing off to catch a train/plane/etc. When I'm on the road, my window of reading time is often finite and I can easily be distracted, so shorter formats that get to the point and don't leave me hanging if I suddenly have to close my book and run is often more satisfying. Travel books serve a number of purposes, while in one country I might read a guidebook for the country I plan to visit next so I'm familiar by the time I get there. Or if I select travel fiction or other travel stories, I find those more easily relate-able when I'm also journeying myself because I'm already in that frame of mind.
Sidenote: If you're into comics I find it provides a good balance to bring a book and a (thin) graphic novel. After staring at pages and pages of words it's nice to be able to break it up with some artwork and a different format. I'm not much of a magazine/newspaper reader myself but I can definitely see their appeal while on the road too.
My favourite travel-related book (which ironically I did not read while on the road) is The Ridiculous Race by Steve Hely& Vali Chandrasekaran, 2 TV comedy writers who challenge each other to see who can make it around the world faster without the use of airplanes. Interesting bet, but don't expect miraculous and innovative results, it's more about the absurd and ridiculous things they do along the way. It's not highbrow, but easily digestible and so-wrong-it's-hilarious. Also it's a lightweight 300 page trade paperback, perfect for stuffing in your backpack or handbag. As much as I highly recommend this book for travel, I would never recommend it for the gym. I nearly fell off my elliptical machine three times because I burst out laughing and let my foot slip.
The Ridiculous Race can be found in some book stores or bought on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Ridiculous-Race-Steve-Hely/dp/0805087400
(it's also availble on Amazon.ca)
What do you like to read while on the road?
I've taken all types of books on trips with me and the only kind I would blatantly not recommend is hardcovers (self-explanatory), however my preference is often collections of short stories, and books related to travel. I choose short stories because they're kind of like the quick food stall meals you wolf down before dashing off to catch a train/plane/etc. When I'm on the road, my window of reading time is often finite and I can easily be distracted, so shorter formats that get to the point and don't leave me hanging if I suddenly have to close my book and run is often more satisfying. Travel books serve a number of purposes, while in one country I might read a guidebook for the country I plan to visit next so I'm familiar by the time I get there. Or if I select travel fiction or other travel stories, I find those more easily relate-able when I'm also journeying myself because I'm already in that frame of mind.
Sidenote: If you're into comics I find it provides a good balance to bring a book and a (thin) graphic novel. After staring at pages and pages of words it's nice to be able to break it up with some artwork and a different format. I'm not much of a magazine/newspaper reader myself but I can definitely see their appeal while on the road too.
My favourite travel-related book (which ironically I did not read while on the road) is The Ridiculous Race by Steve Hely& Vali Chandrasekaran, 2 TV comedy writers who challenge each other to see who can make it around the world faster without the use of airplanes. Interesting bet, but don't expect miraculous and innovative results, it's more about the absurd and ridiculous things they do along the way. It's not highbrow, but easily digestible and so-wrong-it's-hilarious. Also it's a lightweight 300 page trade paperback, perfect for stuffing in your backpack or handbag. As much as I highly recommend this book for travel, I would never recommend it for the gym. I nearly fell off my elliptical machine three times because I burst out laughing and let my foot slip.
The Ridiculous Race can be found in some book stores or bought on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Ridiculous-Race-Steve-Hely/dp/0805087400
(it's also availble on Amazon.ca)
What do you like to read while on the road?
Monday, April 25, 2011
Take a journey with me
Everyone is a blogger, a tweeter, a repeater these days. What makes me think I deserve another piece of web space?
I'm not the most articulate person you'll ever meet, nor the best writer you'll ever read, nor the expert of all things or any thing.
I can't promise to be interesting, but the fact remains, I like to travel and tell stories. I like to save a buck and share what I know. I'm fascinated by old, new, common, and obscure. Which should in theory make for a pretty diverse blog with useful bits of travel info in between tales of follies (which you might learn from too).
Let's get to know each other, through our wanderings, our interests and explorations. Piece by piece. May we trace each others footsteps and share the world together, friends and strangers alike. There is no greater learning experience in life than to travel. Whether you wind up enjoying it or not, it puts life and your significance in this world into perspective. I encourage everyone to do a bit of traveling in their life, it's good for the soul.
I'm not the most articulate person you'll ever meet, nor the best writer you'll ever read, nor the expert of all things or any thing.
I can't promise to be interesting, but the fact remains, I like to travel and tell stories. I like to save a buck and share what I know. I'm fascinated by old, new, common, and obscure. Which should in theory make for a pretty diverse blog with useful bits of travel info in between tales of follies (which you might learn from too).
Let's get to know each other, through our wanderings, our interests and explorations. Piece by piece. May we trace each others footsteps and share the world together, friends and strangers alike. There is no greater learning experience in life than to travel. Whether you wind up enjoying it or not, it puts life and your significance in this world into perspective. I encourage everyone to do a bit of traveling in their life, it's good for the soul.
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