Hint: take a photo of your luggage

 

With more and more bags being misplaced, sent to other destinations or just left behind it is easy to take a quick digital of the luggage you are lugging along. In my case this is all pretty colourful and no one is going to steal the Blue bag as I think my cat pissed on it - stinky!

Travel Websites recommended by the Montreal Gazette

Andy Riga  of the Montreal Gazette highlighted several websites that give practical information for  savings costs, from fares to accommodation.

I'd like to check them out but right now I'll just anchor them to this page so I can do so when I have a moment:

American Express Biz trave - 10 top cost saving tips for business travellers  http://tinyurl.com/5sazwx

Suites 101's guide to saving money on airfare http://tinyurl.com/69k6nt - might be USA oriented

Consumer reports http://tinyurl.com/554pmw

Hotel stays and how to get best deals http://tinyurl.com/63hjuz

Smarter Travel.com lowest fare spotter  http://www.smartertravel.com/airfare/guide

Booking tips before you book a flight: http://tinyurl.com/653td5; before you book a hotel http://tinyurl.com/63g4wx

About.com http://budgettravel.about.com
- useful hotel review sites http://tinyurl.com/5ljhp6
- cheap airfare page http://tinyurl.com/6zrwax

Budget Travel Magazine www.budgettravel.com - check out Tips & Experst section and Trip Coach

TripAdvisor.com
Kayak.com
PriceLine.com
Hotwire.com

Source: Montreal Gazette, Nov 8/2008  airga (at) the gazette.canwest.com

Check in Now! It let's you avoid at least one line up.

The one thing the airlines have done right - they allow you to check in on line.
And if you can't print out your boarding pass you can send it to your mobile.
Very cool.
Very smart.

(mind you there must be something wrong with by crackberry as the SMS doesn't seem to work on my phone).

And very good for people like me who arrive at the airport as close to the latest time possible.

At least I no longer get the lecture - you have arrived 3 minutes late and we cannot check you in even if the flight isn't for another hour.

Have you ever been brow beat by some uppity check in agent. They pretend they are being polite but really they are telling you off in the nicest way possible. Trust me - I've tried that trick before.

Airlines have had years and years to sort out the logistics of getting your luggage on board and herding us like domestic animals through the check-in progress

....the stand in line and drop your bags off line up

... the let me check your board pass before you go in for physical security clearance

.....the security clearance system where you might or might not have to remove your shoes, coat, belt, or you might not, the pull out your ID and wait to get into the plane line up, the loo line up and finally at long last the wait for my luggage line up.

Now I can't even remember where I was going with the rant. I think it had to do with line ups!

Travel Clinic Locations - Are my shots up to date?

Oh yes the concern of travelling without the right immunizations, vaccines or at least awareness of them is something that often crosses my mind - right about a week before I'm ready to fly - by then all the clinics are booked or there isn't enough time to allow for secondary shots.

General Travel Advice from the Pulic Health Agency of Canada can be found here.

Here is the link to travel health clinics are across Canada and the main page of the Canadian Society for International Health in case the link above doesn't work.

The clinic that I go to in Vanocouver stamps a little yellow booklet that I keep with my passport. If I happen to get a shot elsewhere and I don't have the little yellow booklet with me I get the stamp on a piece of paper and I just tape it into my little yellow booklet later on.

Ecuador - Travelling with a friend

Late March 2008 I ventured across from Vancouver, Canada to Quito, Ecuador.

With me came my backpack, a good friend, a passport, cash (no cheques), and a copy of Lonely Planet. And everything came back with me. There is one quick way to discover the base of your friendships - travel with someone and you learn how stubborn, witty, silly, flirty, pigheaded, rude, friendly, accommodating, kind, generous a person really is. Luckily for me this time it worked out. Both of us had our faults (I really don't snore - okay maybe when I've had a few drinks) but we worked it out and the memories are positive.

Some South American Ecuador hints:
1/ Make sure your passport is up-to-date

2/ Photocopy your wallet

3/ At least 6 weeks out check to see your medical shots are up to date. I didn't and I didn't become sick but I was a tad concerned.

4/ Take plenty of USA $1 (I took 50 single bills; next time I would take 100 single bills) - especially if you are leaving the larger cities

5/ Pack stuff that you can leave behind - it is a great way to travel, not only do you leave some decent clothing behind but you replace the contents with new discoveries helping the local economy

6/ Plan ahead of time - this is one piece of advice I don't follow often enough. I figure that as long as I have covered the basics I'm okay.

7/ Take some soft covered books - a few extras - as the one thing I found strange was that I often could not buy any books but it was easy to exchange books.

Turn the Meter On!

Hint: Always negotiate your cab fare before you get too comfortable - otherwise rider beware - no meter means you are in for negotation agony!

Ecuadorian taxidrives are a bit of a pain to deal with - especially if you don't speak the language. We've been charged rates left, right and all over the map.

Our final cab ride took place at 4:30 AM. He wanted $7; we settled for $6 even though the last time it was only $4.00 - however it was better than our first original fare of $10.00.

Now if you are landing at the Quito airport the taxis will charge you $10 - but, and this is a very easy way to save $6 - take a two minute walk (if that) - simply cross the airport taxi lane to the next road. There will be a set of lights - and hail a taxi there (as it is most likely there are cabs waiting for you).