Travel news and deals of interest to YOU from around the Web compiled and edited by NoDebtWorldTravel.com

If you know any great travel stories or tips we all should read, please send it to me and I will put an acknowledgment of your contribution in the posting.

Frequent Flyer Miles for Dummies

Frequent flyer mile programs can be intimidating if you don’t know where to start. Perhaps the best way to begin is by signing up with the airline you fly the most. Real simple isn’t it? Then you branch out from there. Credit cards that give you more miles, hotels that have partner relationships with the airlines, etc.

The Most Expensive Airport To Fly Out Of Is…

Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) wins the prize, if you want to call it that, of the most expensive airport to fly out of. Which is why I always tells folks to look for airports nearby when pricing tickets. Kennnedy (JFK) or LaGuardia (LGA) are close options for Newark. Maybe even the airport in Philadelphia (PHL) if you are close enough.

Travel Video of the Week
Loading a Train outside of Yangon, Myanmar

And you thought your commute was bad? What about boarding a train..while it is still moving!?

The Seven ‘Deadly’ Airline Fees

The airline fees as compared to Greed, Lust, Gluttony, etc. Interesting analogy.

20 Ways to Get Out of a Travel Rut

Some people love traveling to the SAME place every year, even to the point of staying in the same hotel room. If room 302 is not available even though they have stayed there the past 5 years they are disappointed. I think I would go crazy if I was forced to do that. Some quick (and some not quick) ways that you can bust out of your travel rut.

What are the Top Items Most Often Left in Hotel Rooms?

The last thing I do before I leave a hotel room to check out – check underneath the bed and give the bathroom a once over. Otherwise I live out of my carry-on. The hotel is temporary so I don’t get too comfortable. Are you spending most of your time in the hotel room?

Free cruise contest roundup

Win a cruise, step right up and win a cruise here…

Don’t get scammed! 4 cons that target travelers – and how to spot them

Even the most experienced traveler can be taken. The most blatant is the squirting mustard on you and then the helpful passerby who comes to help who are actually there to pickpocket you. Don’t take any help if someone just runs up to you and squirts a condiment on you.

The 9 Best Places To Have A Cup Of Coffee Around The World (PHOTOS)

My Ethiopian coffee ceremony was alot of fun and I have a great appreciation for coffee now. First time I could drink a cup of coffee black with just a little sugar. Havana would be another place to get a good cup of joe. When I will be able to get there as an American is a whole other question…

Best Travel Deals and News – February 8, 2011 – How to Get Started with Frequent Flyer Miles, Get Out of Your Travel Rut, Win a Free Cruise, Where to Travel to Get Coffee is a post from: NoDebtWorldTravel

Travel news and deals of interest to YOU from around the Web compiled and edited by NoDebtWorldTravel.com

If you know any great travel stories or tips we all should read, please send it to me and I will put an acknowledgment of your contribution in the posting.

Bright new start: how the Masai are finally profiting from tourism

Talk about a win/win situation. The Maasai are able to make some money while protecting the wildlife and the environment at the same time. It would be easy to go for a quick money grab but destroy the habitat and in turn their very way of life. Some good forward thinking here.

Airline Fee Horror Stories: Are Worse Fees on the Way?
More Airline Fees in 2011? My Predictions

Two factors here: Airlines made a ton of money in fees, actually allowing them to turn a profit. The other: fuel prices are going up and don’t seem to be coming back down. The airlines want to stay in the black, so to compensate for those fees, they will find new ways to charge you once you’ve booked the ticket.

Travel Video of the Week
Tim Ferriss Says Everyone Needs a Mini-Retirement
Ferriss, author of “The 4 Hour Work Week” and “The 4 Hour Body” has been a big advocate of working for yourself, just so that you can take mini vacations. Many people, especially Americans, don’t take off long term unless they’ve just been laid off from a job (like I was). How about creating a lifestyle that allows you do this anytime you want?

Travel Trends for 2011

Vegas for a bargain? Yes you can these days with the glut of hotel rooms on the Strip. You can get hotel rooms on the Strip for less than $30 during the week. No need for a hostel for those prices, and I’m a huge advocate of the hostel life. I think traveling to learn a skill will also become big too. Not just to pick up a language, but also cooking. Like French cuisine? Visit the French countryside, drink wine while learning how to cooking like the French do. It gives even more meaning to your trip when you can take something that is NOT tangible home with you.

When a good cruise goes bad

Folks, your only real recourse when something goes wrong on a cruise is travel insurance. You can’t depend on the cruise lines to do the right thing, even when it seems like the logical thing to do. Businesses are not logical, they are looking at their bottom line.

TripAdvisor’s 10 dirtiest hotels in America

Needless to say, just check this list before you book your next hotel. Hotel Carter, I see you. Weren’t you on the list last year too? Shameful…

How to Take Photos of Yourself When You’re Traveling Alone

That is one thing people always asked when I traveled around the world by myself: How do you take pictures. Great article that lists different ways you can get into a picture, a good picture, when you’re traveling solo. One thing I’ve heard people recommend is a Gorillapod Flexible Tripod.
It’s a flexible camera tripod that can bend around arms, tree limbs and steady itself on uneven surfaces.

5 Top Worldwide Holiday Destinations for Disabled Travellers

A while back I posted a video of how a guy in a wheelchair gets around when he need to fly. Here are some ideas for disabled passengers who want to get out and travel. A disability should not hold back anyone who wants to move about the planet.

7 Reasons to Overland East Africa

This is a case where a guided tour would come in handy. Lack of a tourist infrastructure and public transportation makes traveling overland in Africa between countries not impossible, but more difficult. Wonderful pics in this post of the sights and sounds of the continent that many wish they could visit, but don’t have the faintest idea of where to start to plan.

New York: Free museum admission for every day of the week

Museums in New York City are a great way to pass the time in the Big Apple. Like many cities around the world, certain days of the week and times of the day provide discounted entry fees, free entry or the “pay what you want” option.

Win 22-Day Trip to Turkey in Travel Writing Contest

Aspiring travel writers take note. An opportunity for an all expense trip to Turkey.

The Littlest Cheapo: Baby’s first passport

Just had a baby? That’s not an excuse not to travel. One proud mom goes through the steps she took to get an American passport for her little one.

Saga of a Stranded Traveler and How Social Media Came to the Rescue

Great story about how being stranded because of snow storms led to meeting new people entirely by accident. I used LinkedIn when I was traveling, more so because I wasn’t that deep into Facebook and Twitter yet. The author only used Skype. Skype is not social media in the traditional sense but read on how he did it. Very simple but a way that most people would miss.

Hotel reservation agent: “I feel very guilty about lying”

When you are booking a hotel, ask for the ‘very lowest rate’. Asking for anything else will get you the fare that is low, but something that fits the hotel’s criteria for making a profit. Remember, a business, any business, is looking out for its own self interests. You should be doing the same.

10 Phrases You Won’t Learn in Spanish Class

Those Spanish classes in high school never taught you these phrases…

101 Things To Do in Nairobi

Every reason you can think of and some that you never thought of, right here.

25 Tips to Ensure Valium-Free Cruising

Great tips on cruising as it become more and more popular. Some people love it and swear it is the best way to travel, some would never consider it after a bad experience. Either way, take these 25 and make sure your cruise is as enjoyable as it can be.

World’s Strangest Hotel Jobs

There is someone who is paid to read you bedtime stories in a hotel in London. How about someone paid to rub suntan lotion all over guests poolside? This could a great thing or a horrifying thing, depending on who you’re rubbing….

Common phrases that you need to know when in Asia

Handy dandy little guide. Can someone make a iPhone/Android app out of this? Maybe someone will print this all out. Not me. I’m done with paper and books whenever possible.

Best Travel Deals and News – February 1, 2011 – Avoid Airline Fees, Dirtiest Hotels in the USA, Getting A Passport for Baby, How to Take Photos When Traveling Alone is a post from: NoDebtWorldTravel

Travel news and deals of interest to YOU from around the Web compiled and edited by NoDebtWorldTravel.com

If you know any great travel stories or tips we all should read, please send it to me and I will put an acknowledgment of your contribution in the posting.

My First Flight

So do you remember your first time? You were nervous. You didn’t know what to expect. I’m not talking about THAT first time, but your first flight. I can’t remember mine, but I’m pretty sure it was to the Caribbean. The one flight I do remember from my childhood was when we hit severe turbulenace and people were screaming and luggage was dropping from the overhead. Thankfully that didn’t scar me for life and prevent me from flying. Maybe that made me want to travel more. Maybe I thought it was a fun amusement ride. Ah, the innocence of babes…

GetSetApp
Referred by loyal reader Karen

You may actually assume that one method of transportation is automatically cheaper than the other. Even if you didn’t there was no easy way to compare prices…until now. GetSet is a US based product that still looks early in its development, but has the potential to really allow you to compare all of your options, and not just compare airline to airline. Does renting a car or taking Greyhound make more sense? Sometimes it does.

The site does not seem to fully support the bus option yet, but I’m sure that will come along at some point.

Travel Video of the Week
Indie Travel Podcast – Ghent, Belgium
Out friends at the Indie Travel Podcast post video all the time and this one is a short piece on Ghent. You may not have heard of it and if you haven’t it’s a nice intro to the city. Enjoy!

10 Common RTW Planning Mistakes

The biggest planning mistake: thinking that you can’t afford it. Once you get up and start looking and realize that most anyone can buy a round the world ticket, these other tips will help you maximize the time and money you do have.

Strategies to Stretch Your Dollar in South America

South America is not as INexpensive as you think. Large cities and large distances over rough terrain means that the continent is not as cheap as Southeast Asia. But as with everything else, if you do enough research there is a way around everything. This article compiles some of that information for you.

Even McDonald’s is getting annoyed by airline fees

When large Fortune 500 corporations say they don’t like fees because they can’t accurately and manage travel costs, what does that mean for the average traveler on a limited budget who doesn’t have billions of dollars of revenue behind them?

10 great travel freebies around the world

From Amsterdam to Rio to Chicago, free stuff around the world for you to do.

Free Admission to Museums Nationwide

If you’re in the States, take advantage of what happens in London and the rest of the UK all the time: free access to museums. This will be only one day – September 25. For instance in New York City, the Intrepid, the Queens Botanical Garden, the Studio Museum in Harlem and South Street Seaport Museum as well as many others will be free for one day.

8 Reasons For a Family World Trip

Round the world travel or long term travel is mostly seen as a solo/single person trip. But what if you’re a couple with kids? Is this out the realm for you? Certainly not and the Soultravelers are living proof of that. They are a married couple with a pre-teen daughter that has been on the road continuously for 5 years. Their tips on why you should do it may apply to you.

Tips for surviving long haul flights with young children

More with kids. When drugging your kids is not an options, try some of these suggestions.

Learn to Shoot Photos in Low Light

We want the best shots in less than ideal conditions for taking photos. Here are some ideas on how to do that. Note that this does not mean that you must buy a super expenisve camera. Your camera that has served you well over the years is probably just fine. It may mean you need to use the many features you probably aren’t using now. Put your camera model number in a search engine and look for the operating manual. You’ll probably discover some things you may have never realized.

Top 10 Health and Beauty Tips for Travelers

One of the most interesting things: For my fair skinned friends, wear your UV protection not only at the beach at your tropical destination, but also on the airplane at 35,000 feet up. You’re getting a direct dose of sun and airplane windows don’t completely protect you from ultraviolet light. Wash your hands, drink water, try to get sleep and you’re halfway to staying upright and out of the way of hospitals when you travel.

The world’s least expensive cities in 2010

I can personally vouch for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A full service sitdown lunch/dinner for 3 can be $10-15. You’re not getting steak and lobster but you are getting a full belly, which is more important than a fancy pants meal when you’re traveling. Use that money for something else.

Illegal Wildlife Trade: 11 Of The Dumbest Animal Smugglers (PHOTOS)

Is it really worth stuffing snakes or birds down your pants? The potential payoff does not seem to be worth the potential jail time.

How To Make Money While You Travel

Difficult but certainly not impossible. Read on if you’re planning on not coming home or want to travel as long as you can.

Pop-Tarts Store Pops Up in NYC

Times Square used to be a den of seedy shops and women offering ‘a good time’. Now better known as the home of national chain restaurants, street vendors hawking wares (legally or illegally) and tickets for tours and Broadways show, it adds one more attraction. I would not even call this odd because this is New York after all.

Best Travel Deals and News – September 21, 2010 – Your First Time on a Flight, Round the World Planning Mistakes, Stretching Your Money in South America is a post from: NoDebtWorldTravel

Travel news and deals of interest to YOU from around the Web compiled and edited by NoDebtWorldTravel.com

If you know any great travel stories or tips we all should read, please send it to me and I will put an acknowledgment of your contribution in the posting.

Resources for travelers with disabilities

I posted a video about a wheelchair bound traveler and how he got around. Adding to that are some more resources for disabled travelers.

Africa Then Versus Now, In the Eyes of a Pan Am Vet

Africa is still neglected by most of the US based carriers but that is slowly changing. A former emplyee for Pan Am who now works for Delta explains how and why Africa is becoming a more attractive destination for carriers all over the world.

Travel Video of the Week
A Cross Country Amtrak Train Journey: Trip on a Deal
Fellow travelers at Trip on A Deal produce a number of travel videos covering a wide range of topics. They happen to take on a trip I’ve always wanted to do myself, which is take a train across the US of A. I think I might be a little nutty after spending 4 days on a train going coast to coast. Does Amtrak have Wi-Fi?

Travel Contest: Win A $100 Credit At Scottevest

So what is Scottevest? A company that makes travel clothing. Their claim to fame are their jackets that have multiple pockets for passports, cell phones, camera, tickets, etc. They even have a jacket that has a pocket for your iPad. Yes, your 9.7 inch iPad can fit in a pocket. A round the world traveler is attempting to travel for 6 weeks with only a Scottevest.

Should you stick with that frequent flyer plan?

The knock on frequent flyer mile plans and hotel reward systems is that the points are hard to accumulate and even harder to redeem once you have them. Have you personally found that to be the case? Let us know in the comments below.

Six Things to Do in Buenos Airies, By Day Or By Night

Buenos Aires repreatedly has been called the ‘Paris of South America’, and is attracting lots of attention from travelers. Here’s a short list of things to do in Buenos Aires. Me, just point me to the closest place for some of that Argentinian beef everyone keeps talking about.

How to become a travel blogger in 7 easy steps

Good reading for me and my fellow traveler bloggers. It is a labor of love, but many of us would like to take it to the next level, whatever your personal definition of ‘next level’ is. I think these rules apply to whatever you blog is about so a good read for ANY blogger. New media, social media, etc. are playing a bigger and bigger part in the spread of information and dare I say it, journalism.

8 Adventurous Ways to Explore Africa

Just saying the word AFRICA is an adventure for some people. But for those who really want to see the continent, there are alot of ways. Tackle it on own or in a group. I like the bush pilot suggestion in the article. What’s the quickest way around a large land mass than flying yourself, or cargo or other people?

Five Reasons to Travel Over the Holidays

I’ve traveled on Thanksgiving before and the planes are much less crowded. By the actual day of the holiday most people are where they want to be. If you can travel on the holiday whether you’re going to friends and family or getting away for a real vacation, consider traveling when the crowds are not there. You’ll probably have a less hectic experience and can save money.

Southeast Asia: A Beginner’s Guide

I didn’t think it was possible to sum up a region of the world as diverse as Southeast Asia in a single blog post, but they’ve done it here. I’ve mentioned it before but SEAsia is great for all travelers, for women who are nervous about traveling by themselves. Great food, cheap accommodations, warm weather, plenty to do. Not much to NOT like about that part of the world.

Are Passports Required for Cruises?

For US citizens the quick answer: No – but (there’s always a but) you will need a passport card. But if you need the passport card, you might as well get the passport book. The passport card is very limited in where you can use it for. Might as well go all in and get the book.

Alumni travel tours link travelers to school spirit and each other

I think this is great idea, especially if you’re active with your alma mater, or want to be in the future. You get the benefit of group travel, get to reminisce about old times on campus and can network and connect with fellow alumni. Sounds like an outstanding time.

Best Travel Deals and News – September 14, 2010 – Better Travel Video, Be A Better Travel Blogger, Travel to Africa, Buenos Aires is a post from: NoDebtWorldTravel

Travel news and deals of interest to YOU from around the Web compiled and edited by NoDebtWorldTravel.com

If you know any great travel stories or tips we all should read, please send it to me and I will put an acknowledgment of your contribution in the posting.

New Website Calculates ‘True Cost’ of Airfare

The true cost of airfare is not what you see when you book the airfare on the Internet. Baggage fees, taxes, overweight charges and all the various items can add up the double the base price of the ticket. This website tells you how much you will REALLY pay when you book a flight. Know beforehand as opposed to getting the shock at the airport check-in counter, as many of us have experienced.

Shorter vacations? Tighter budgets? Welcome to the new “normal” in travel

The world economy is coming back, but very slowly. While hotel and air tickets bookings are up, people are taking shorter vacations. Nervous about their own finances, the idea seems to be, “I’ll travel, but I won’t travel far and not for too long.”

Travel Video of the Week
Wheelchair Travel Tips – Boarding a Plane & Renting a Car

Travel can be difficult if you’re able-bodied. Imagine trying to travel around in a wheelchair. Not impossible, but definitely more challenging with its own set of problems to overcome. Great video where Mark shows how he checks-in, boards the plane and get his car rental with helpful tips along the way.

How to Maximize Limited Time on an International Trip

You have two real choices: Go full blast in a short period of time and hit as many locations as possible. Or stay in one place and go in depth. There are pros and cons to both and it really depends on what you really want to do. I did my round the world trip using the fast as you can method and I am happy I did it that way because I saw everything I really wanted to see. The trains of Tokyo, Muy Thai in Bangkok, The Louvre in Paris and so on. The next time on the road, I would try to stay places two weeks or longer. Going in depth in a place would bring a whole new set of experiences, even if you’ve visited before.

Digital Video 101 – A play-by-play guide to making movies you’ll actually want to watch when you get home

Everyone has a video camera, whether it is a ‘real’ standalone or the one built into your smartphone/cellphone. How do you get decent travel video that you are not ashamed to show your family and friends? This video (coincidentally enough) shows you how.

More destinations shut the door on vacation rentals

New York City banned the renting of space in houses unless the owner is in the home with the renters. More towns and cities are looking at concept and may try to ban it locally.

How Long Can You Travel on $1,000?

The short answer: As long as you can stretch it.
The long answer: It requires some work and planning, but $1000 can absolutely go long and far.

Did you know the Pentagon is open for public tours?

I would never think the Pentagon would open but it is. Many folks don’t know that the White House is open for tours too. Be prepared to have your background checked out if you’re planning either one of these tours. Have something questionable in your check and they probably won’t let you in.

Sitting House: How to Get House Sitting Jobs Abroad 


House sitting is one of the best ways to save while traveling. And it is not just for folks who are traveling long term. If you can house sit for two weeks that is two weeks of hotel/hostel costs that you can avoid. Great links in the post.

The Costs – And Savings – of Traveling Alone

How much you can save when you travel really depends on what you do, not where you go. Someone who goes to New York could spend much less than someone who goes to Thailand. Thailand is traditionally thought to be the cheaper destination in general, but if you’re spending money on fancy hotels and animal tours, you may be better off in “expensive” Tokyo walking around and taking in free attractions.

Free Local New York City Guides

I talked about Big Apple Greeters and there is a possibility that this program and those like it around the world could be cut back or even terminated because of budget cuts. Even though the guides are free there is a whole support network behind it that has costs associated with it.

Yuck! Smoking in Europe

While the USA has clamped down on smoking in public places and levied high taxes on cigarettes, in Europe and from my personal experience Japan, smoking is as common as breathing. In Tokyo you still have to ask smoking or non-smoking. Sometimes you don’t even get than and then end up chewing tobacco smoke with your yakitori or okonomiyaki.

How To Travel Outside Your Comfort Zone

The big problem with travel is the fear factor. How can you use all these great tips on NoDebtWorldTravel.com if you can’t even buy the ticket and get to the airport?

Five Ways to Score Luxury Travel Deals

Luxury can be cheap, if you’re willing to do the legwork and be in the right place and the right time. Nice resources in this post.

Bonus Video
Battle at Kruger

This video has over 50 million views on Youtube and for good reason. It shows the Circle of Life played out at an African waterhole. A young buffalo gets attacked by a pride of lions and it looks like game over for the buffalo. Look for the surprise ending in this one.

Best Travel Deals and News – August 10, 2010 – The New ‘Normal’ in Travel, Traveling with a Wheelchair, Housing Sitting To Save Money is a post from: NoDebtWorldTravel

Travel news and deals of interest to YOU from around the Web compiled and edited by NoDebtWorldTravel.com

If you know any great travel stories or tips we all should read, please send it to me and I will put an acknowledgment of your contribution in the posting.

Volunteers give free tours in cities around the world

I forgot they had this program in Tokyo when I was there. Fantastic idea wherever you go so do a quick search whenever you hit a big city. It is pretty nice being in a new place and having a local lead you around, making YOU feel like a local.

Flying Pasties hide your privates from full body scanners

For those of you so concerned about being exposed to the TSA agent behind the counter, you can now cover up. But when they can’t see anything, don’t you think that would just bring more attention to yourself and your privates?

And always remember you can ask to skip the full body scanner and get the full body patdown by a TSA employee.

Travel Video of the Week
How To Get Your Seatmate To Shut the Hell Up
I think the title says it all…

Learning a Language From an Expert on the Web

The language barrier scares a lot of people from taking the plunge and traveling to a foreign country. As the Internet has revolutionized everything else, learning a language has become as easy as getting yourself a microphone so you can speak with a native speaker of any language you want to learn, anytime, from anywhere.

Surprise! Fall bargains will abound — and here’s where to find them

It’s never too early to start thinking about your travel plans. Vegas is a great location because of the glut of hotel rooms. $25 per night on weekdays/$55 per night on weekends if you can find the right deal on The Strip. Continue to watch the euro vs. the dollar and frankly the euro vs the currency of your home country.

World’s Scariest Airports

Some of the takeoffs and landings from these airports would turn even the calmest flier among us into white-knuckled, seat gripping scaredy cats. Why you would put an airport in the middle of mountains is beyond me, other than there really was no other place to put it.

How to Volunteer Your Way Around the World

There are always ways to travel around the world. Volunteering you can help others and get your fill of new people and new experiences. Win/win situation.

Getting Married with Your Sights on Long Term Travel? Check out the Honey Fund

If you’re getting married to someone else who shares your love of travel, the Honey Fund will help you save up the funds for the trip. The typical wedding registry has gifts from a particular vendor. The Honey Fund allows you to collect cold hard cash for your honeymoon or extended travel.

Who needs another toaster anyway?

The Worst U.S. Airlines for Canceled Flights – May 2010

This makes sense. Hawaiian Airlines, which flies mostly in Hawaii (surprise!) had the least cancellations. One thing that would be helpful would be to know if the cancellations were caused by weather, mechanical issues or some other reason.

How New Yorkers Can Spot a Tourist

As a New Yorker I had to drop this in. Just one tip for visitors to the NYC – Nothing annoys us more than a group of 6 tourists who walk side by side down a city block…and then move with the speed of cold molasses. A New York City sidewalk should be thought of as like a highway. Keep to the right for slow strolling, picture taking and examining your map.

Travel Deals and News – August 3, 2010 – Free Tours Around the World, Learning Language from the Internet, Scariest Airports is a post from: NoDebtWorldTravel

Travel news and deals of interest to YOU from around the Web compiled and edited by NoDebtWorldTravel.com

If you know any great travel stories or tips we all should read, please send it to me and I will put an acknowledgment of your contribution in the posting.

20 Reasons to Hate the Airlines
From loyal reader Karen

Airline travel has become mass transit. You’ll hear many talk about the good ole days when air travel was a luxurious, elitist type experience. No more. Anyone who has a few hundred dollars can fly thousands of miles. The safety of flights is better than it has ever been. And yet there are things that the airlines can do to make the experience even better. HATE is a pretty strong word, but some of the items on the list would probably garner that reaction from you.

Giving Birth Abroad: Setting up Your Child with a Second Citizenship

I’ve always wondered how it worked if you gave birth outside your home country. Is the child automatically a citizen of that country? Dual passports? What happens if the child is born in international airspace? Is the child a citizen of the first country the plane lands in? Wouldn’t it be nice if she/he was just a citizen of the world and could go anywhere unhindered? I know, I know, wishful thinking in the world we live in….

Travel Video of the Week
Deep Fried Snacks in Taiwan 鹽酥雞
Can you ever go wrong frying something? It’s really simple to stick a piece of food in scalding hot oil. Every society does it. But just like everything else, every culture does it differently. Taiwan has their own deletectable fried treats the next time you find yourself in Taipei. Remember, everything in moderation folks, especially fried foods.

Shhh! Don’t tell anyone your frequent flier miles are expiring

Seems like the airlines do everything to NOT let you know when your miles may be expiring. Without being proactive and calling to find if and when your miles may expire, you could be at their mercy, begging and pleading to get those hard earned miles back. If you’re a frequent flier junkie and accumulate miles like other people collect comic books or stamps, call the airlines every 6 months just to check on your status. Whether by accident or intent, sometimes you don’t find out in time.

10 ways to travel Europe for under $1000

They mentioned Couchsurfing but not hostels. Many of you are still wary of hostels, especially the shared room aspect of it. Remember you can find a hostel and get a private room with an ensuite bathroom. You don’t need to share a bathroom and get a place where you can lock the door. You get the best of both worlds: privacy and cheap prices.

8 signs of travel burnout

I could relate to this story. I’ll give you another sign of burnout.

Not knowing where you were the night before.

I decided to leave Rome and come home. I was passing through Heathrow after leaving Rome and first stopping in Amsterdam. The border agent at Heathrow asked me a simple question:

“What country where you in last night?”

I could not remember.

If someone put a gun to my head I could not remember. I stood there for 5 minutes while he named off countries and I said I wasn’t there.

I’m surprised he didn’t pull me aside for more questioning. I probably would have done that if I was in his shoes. A traveler who suddenly can’t remember where he’s been in the last 24 hours is a plot out of a movie…or something more ominous. He looked at me, took mercy and let me get on my flight to JFK.

It’s then I knew it was time to go home…or at least stay in one place for two weeks without passing through an airport terminal.

The Credit Card Choice: Miles or Points?

From the article:

While there is no perfect travel-rewards card for everyone, cards that offer points instead of miles might be a better option for people who aren’t particularly loyal to a single airline since points can usually be redeemed on many airlines.

10 Death Defying Rooftop Hotel Pools

The Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore combines the fears of many – a fear of heights AND a fear of water – with an infinity pool 55 stories up. How many pills do you have to pop before you consider stepping into this pool?

Cathay Pacific Has Big News: In-Flight WiFi and iPad Connectivity to Come

I love this trend. But the next question always is: How many power plugs do you have on these planes to support all the devices I could potentially use?

Oh yeah and I’m still waiting for the first case of air rage over a crazy conversation using Skype while flying…

Walking With the Herds in Kenya

Remember, hippos kill more people in Kenya than any other animal. Ummm, not sure how you’re going to use that info, but I thought you needed to know that.

Moroccan architecture

Brought back memories of Marrakesh.

Bonus Travel Video
Jambo! Welcome to Magical Kenya
I always advocate people investigate the countries of Africa for their vacation plans. I liked the video posted and I thought you might like to see it too. Since the violence after the Kenyan elections in 2007, I haven’t heard much news about the country, good or bad.

Best Travel Deals and News – July 13, 2010 – Visit Kenya, 10 Ways to Travel Europe Cheap, Giving Birth Abroad, Expiring Frequent Flier Miles is a post from: NoDebtWorldTravel

Travel news and deals of interest to YOU from around the Web compiled and edited by NoDebtWorldTravel.com

If you know any great travel stories or tips we all should read, please send it to me and I will put an acknowledgment of your contribution in the posting.

Airlines add fees for peak summer days

I talked about the surcharges last year in a previous post, and the airlines figure that with passengers filling the seats, if they tack a charge on they can make more money.

The surcharges discussed previously were supposed to end Memorial Day and now will be extended until August 22. Isn’t there collusion involved when the big 5 US based carriers: American, Continental, Delta, United and US Airways, are slapping on the same fees at the same time?

You can anticipate this being ‘permanent’ from now on. Around August we’ll hear of new surcharges stretching until the holiday season. And the cycle will repeat again…

Couchsurfing 101: 10 Foolproof Ways To Receive Stellar References

Fellow travel blogger Leigh from The Future is Red wrote a great piece on what it means to be a fantastic hostee if you decide to couchsurf. I think it can be summed up as being extremely helpful and open beyond what anyone would expect. Many see the free accommodations, take it for granted and don’t show appreciation beyond a simple thank you. Doing things you were not asked to do go a long way toward making the experience not only a pleasure for you, but for your host.

Thai tourism seeking recovery from protests

One hotel went from 80% occupancy to 3% over the course of four months. Protests have slowed down, but the repercussions will linger for a long time.

Travel Video of the Week
Masai Mara Safari – Lonely Planet Travel Video
My favorite Disney animated move is “The Lion King”. Many have fantasies of going to Africa and seeing the Big 5 of the continent: lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino. That is still on my list. Enjoy the circle of life in this video. Warning, this video has video of animals kills. Like I said, the circle of life…

The Readers Say: Take the Fantasy Trip

A Wall Street Journal columnist floated the idea of taking his son on a six month excursion from Africa, through the Middle East to Europe.

One thing a reader wrote that really stuck out to me was called the Rule of 86. When faced with a decision, pretend you’re 86 years old at the old folks home. Will you say I’m glad I did that or not? That is how you should determine what to do.

Cool hidden cities and underground explorations

I feel like I may have talked about this before but it’s so cool it’s worthwhile to bring up again. Some of the most interesting things to visit are off the beaten path. I visited the Catacombs in Paris and took pictures, but had problems with my camera. Haunting, creepy, but it told another side to French history.

If the bones and skulls are not your thing, the other tours are just as entertaining and not nearly as scary.

A Close Distance: The Bangkok Protests From an Expat’s Eyes

Another perspective of recent woes in Bangkok from the ex-pat.

Five Things You Don’t Know About Your Airline Ticket

We buy the ticket, show up at the airport and take off into the wild blue yonder. But we know by now things are never that simple.

You can be bumped very easily from a flight because there is a common practice of overbooking. Of course the airline is suppose to take care of you by getting you on the next flight or putting you up in a hotel until the next day.

Important to note: You are NOT guaranteed to travel even though you have a ticket.

Packing Light: Ten Ways to Fit it All in a Personal Item

The next time you take a trip, really really examine what you are taking with you. Can you get from one piece of checked luggage to just an overhead bin carry-on? From an overhead bin carry-on to an under the seat backpack? From backpack to just the clothes on your back? These are the games travel geeks try to play…

Woman left on plane sues United Airlines

Common courtesy folks. When you see someone dead to the world on a bus, train OR plane, give them a slight tap to wake them up. You never know where people might end up.

Oh and of course, the woman who fell asleep and was detained on the plane by security is a lawyer. Good luck with that United!

Hundreds flee Guatemala volcano

Did you even know that Guatemala was having an ash problem like the one in Europe? I sure didn’t. When someone mentioned they were stuck in Florida trying to get to Guatemala, I asked if the European closures prevented her from flying from Florida.

Duh.

I had no idea that was going on until I saw the news reports and put it all together. The Pacaya volcano, one of the most active in the world, is blowing her top even more than usual.

Terrible Travel Scams and Ripoffs: Part Two

More travel scams for you to avoid. I’ve talked about travel scams before in this post and another post here.

Best Travel Deals and News – June 1, 2010 – Airline Surcharge Dates, Travel Scams to Avoid, Couchsurfing 101, Hidden Cities and Underground Explorations, How To Pack Light is a post from: NoDebtWorldTravel

Want to Get Into Harvard? Take the Year Off

You’ve got to differentiate yourself from all the high testing valedictorians from all over the world. Take off a year to travel and volunteer. The admissions office will be impressed and you’ll be a year older and much more mature than your fellow freshmen.

Ten cool and unusual hotels in New York
From loyal reader Karen

Hip. Funky. Fresh. For Karen, who will not go within 500 feet of a hostel, this is what gets her going. The counterpart to the stylish, boutique HOSTEL is the stylish, boutique HOTEL.

The Global Dinner Network

The Global Dinner Network is a community for WOMEN travelers who want to network. Women meeting men over meals can sometimes be misconstrued and this is a way for women to network hassle free in a new location.

Best Travel News and Deals – December 15, 2009 – Gap Year to Get in an Ivy, Frequent Flyer Tips, Using a Bidet, Swim with Crocs, Win Trip to Africa is a post from: NoDebtWorldTravel