Have Kids, Will Travel?

"There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million. "

Walt Streightiff

 

 
This posting is about traveling with children.  Now, those who know me will say - "Really?"  They know that I don't travel with children.  I'm 65 and our daughter has been a grown up for a long time.  And we have no grandchildren.  So, no - we don't travel with children.  We do travel with dogs, and in many ways it is similiar, but I think they might be easier.

However, when our daughter was a child, we did do some traveling with her, so we do have some experience.  And as a travel agent I certainly had clients with young children, and arranged travel for them.  So I decided it was time to write about this.  When I talk about traveling with children, I am talking about ones that are past the toddler stage.  I would suggest that traveling with babies and toddlers is not going to be a lot of fun, and if you can avoid it, then do.  Either stay home, or get a sitter. 

Books are quite often
good things to pack to keep
a child entertained

When our daughter Kim was very young, the travel that we did with her was mostly by car.  She and I did take one long train trip also, where we had to overnight on the train.  It was to visit my family in Washington and we were traveling from Southern California.  Whether it is a trip by car or by train, or even by plane, when traveling with kids the main thing is to keep them occupied.  They get bored fairly easy.  If you are in a car, then their boredom is only going to bother you, but on public transportation you don't want them to get disruptive, so keeping them busy and entertained is important.  No one wants to see your children running up and down the aisle of the airplane, or listen to them crying from boredom.

We were lucky in that respect, as our daughter was always an avid reader.  Give her a book and she is entertained for hours.  That doesn't work with every child.  Today there are things available that we didn't have.  You can always take a computer and some child friendly movies along, and that will usually keep them entertained for quite awhile.  There are different kinds of games you can take along also.  What ever your child is interested in, take things along that they will enjoy doing, and will keep them busy till you get to your destination.

Most Children love the beach

As for destinations, that should also be taken into consideration when traveling with children.  There are places that are much more child-friendly than other places.  And places that children will enjoy more than others.  For instances, a young child will probably not enjoy a trip to Europe where you are exploring historical sights or shopping.  They will get bored quite quickly.  But on the other hand, going to a beach is always fun for children.  A week on the beach in Hawaii can be quite a nice family vacation.  So plan a vacation that all will enjoy, and hold off on those other types of trips until the children are old enough to enjoy it.

Children at a Museum for children
Interactive exhibits

Even if you are going to a city, there are things you can plan around the children.  Most large cities have museums that are geared towards children.  They are usually interactive and educational, but also fun.  You might also find a play that would be fun for the children - such as The Lion King.   Most large cities also have a zoo, which can be a fun thing to do one day.  Find things that relate to your childs interest.

A cruise can be a great way to travel with children.  Especially if you choose a cruise line that caters to children, such as Carnival or Disney.  Both these ships have kids programs onboard, which will keep the kids entertained, while you have some free time to relax and enjoy yourselves.  And if you choose a destination that has shore excursions that they will also  enjoy, then you are set.  The Caribbean is always good, because kids love the beach.  Alaska can also be good with kids, there are things to see along the way from the deck of the ship.   You can sometimes see whales even.  And the shore excursions can be fun for kids.  There are train rides and you can spot moose and other wildlife.

Harry Potter Theme Park
at Universal Studios, Florida

And of course the ultimate vacation for any child is to go to any of the theme parks.  Disneyland, Disney World, Universal Studios with the Harry Potter area, Six Flags Magic Mountain or Sea World.   You can build your trip around one of these parks, and take in other things in the area while you are there. 

A word on taking your children to Disneyland or Disney World, or for that matter - any type of theme park.  These are always fun places for kids, and they will love going there, but if your child is under the age of 4, there is not a lot for them to do in these parks.  Most rides have an age or height requirement.  And a long day at the park is going to make even older children grumpy.  Small children need naps and have short attention spans.  If you wait until the child is older, then their first experience with the Disney parks will probably be more fun - for everyone involved.  I have seen people with babies at the parks, and I have to wonder what they are thinking.  It doesn't make any sense to me.  The baby certainly is not getting anything from the experience, and everyone else is limited as to what they can do.  Do yourself and the baby a favor, get a sitter and leave the baby at home!

Here are a few suggestions of things to keep kids busy while traveling:

Today many cars have DVD players built in.  These are great for keeping kids entertained if you are traveling by car.  On public transportation you could put the DVD on a small computer for them. There are also hand-held electronic games and you can also load and ipod up with each childs favorite music and they can listen to that while traveling.

Let the kids choose a few things they want to bring. Give each child there own “suitcase”—a laptop-sized bag—that he can fill with whatever toys or books they want to bring on the trip.

Make a "Vacation Book" which will tell them about where they are going and activities that they might be interested in when they get there.  It can be adapted for non-readers by adding lots of coloring pages relating to your destination.

Consider buying your kids their own digital cameras. You can get some inexpensive ones.  They can take pictures along the way and document their trip.  And with digital you don't have the expense of printing up a bunch of pictures that don't turn out.  You can only print up the special ones, and they can have their own photo album of their trip.

 If driving, stop every couple of hours so they can take a bathroom break, stretch their legs and let off steam.  If you can find some fun places to stop, so much the better.  In Arizona there is a stop where you can see Dinosour footprints, and there are things like the "World's Largest Twine Ball.

Take tasty, but nutritious snacks along.  Avoid items with lots of surgar or caffiene since the last thing you want is for your kids to get overactive or hyper.

Enjoy your travels with your children, they do grow up fast, and before you know they are off on their own.  Those family vacations will be great memories for you and for them.

Tips for Getting Through Airport Security

"Most travel is best of all in the anticipation or the remembering. The reality has more to do with losing your luggage."

Regin Naelson

Going through security at the airport can be a dignity stripping experience.  I thought maybe these tips might help make it a little easier for you.

• Pack your laptop or any other electronic devices so that they can be easily removed to place in the bin. All electronic devices must go through the Xray machine out of their cases

 

• Knives, scissors and other sharp instruments cannot be carried in your carry-on. Either leave them at home or pack them in your checked luggage.

 

• If you are carrying liquids, they must be under 3oz. and be in a plastic bag. Have that bag ready to take out of your carry-on and place in the bin.

• If you are carrying gifts, do not wrap them until you arrive at your destination. Wrapped gifts may have to be opened for inspection.

• Have your ID ready for security personnel, including boarding pass and government issued ID (passport - if traveling out of the country).

• Have any watches, pocket change, jewelery, ready to place in bin. Any metal items can set off the alarm.

 

• Do not take drinks with you through the security area. They will be confiscated. You can purchase drinks once you clear securty.

 

• Be ready to remove your coat, belt and shoes. These will need to go in a bin to go through the Xray machine.

 

• Avoid over packing items in your carry-on to avoid spilling if your bag needs to be opened for inspection.

 

• Be patient and keep your sense of humor. Do as the TSA request and don't argue or make jokes, they don't necessarily have a sense of humor and people have been arrested for joking about hijacking planes.

 

• Have a safe and happy journey!

Festivals Around the World

"Life is a festival only to the wise."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Rides set up at the festival on the Canary Islands

My last posting was on festivals you can attend here in the United States.  Our cities and towns all put on local festivals to celebrate just about everything.  But have you ever been in a foreign country and accidentally stumbled across one of their festivals?  They are quite different from our festivals, and can really tell you a lot about that country.  And they usually don't have any problem with tourists joining in on the festivities. 

I can't think of a better way of appreciating a new culture than by taking part in one of its festivals. You'll find that some festivals are celebrated by an entire country, while others will be unique to a single city or region, but either way festivals play an important role in a culture's identity.

Festival on Tenerife
Carrying the Saint to the boats
for the blessing

When we were in the Canary Islands, on the island of Tenerife, we stumbled across a small town festival.   Most of the festivals in the Canary Islands are tied to their religion, which is Catholic.  This was definitly a religious festival.   It was in a very small fishing village near the town we were staying in.  We stopped there for lunch and found out the festival was going on.  There were rides set up for the children and lots of little events going on during the day.  They told us the main event was that night and invited us to come back. 

That evening we went back and had dinner in the local restaurant.  Afterwards we wandered around the village.  The kids were having fun on the rides.  There was street food available, some of which we sampled.  The main event started around 8 p.m.  There was a parade of people that came out of the church, they were carrying a statue of one of the saints on a special platform.  They paraded it through the streets and all the locals followed. They took it down to the sea where the fishing fleet was waiting. They then performed a ceremony onboard each of the boats.  It was a blessing of the fleet.  The ships were all decked out with lights.  After each ship was blessed it went out into the harbor and blew its horns.  After all the ships were blessed there were fireworks over the bay.  It was quite interesting to watch.  And different from any festival I had attended here in the states.

Mardi Gras

Many years ago we were in Mazatlan, Mexico for a week in February.  It happened to be Mardi Gras week.  I have actually been in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, so I was somewhat familiar with what went on there.  So when I found out that Mazatlan also put on a huge Mardi Gras festival, we decided to go down to it.  There were quite a few floats, some similiar to what I had seen in New Orleans.  And people had beads.  But the most fun, were the eggs.  Everyone had eggs.  They were real eggs that had been hollowed out and were filled with confetti.  They would run by us and hit us on the head or shoulders with the eggs and we would be covered in confetti.  It was really kind of fun.  We were certainly a mess when we got back to our condo that night, but we had enjoyed ourselves.

Mardi Gras is celebrated all over the world.  The most famous of these are Venice, Rio de Janeiro and New Orleans.  I suppose they are all a little bit different, although also somewhat the same.  I know that the celebration has to do with the start of lent, which is again a Catholic custom.  Not being Catholic, I'm not altogether sure of the whole meaning behind Mardi Gras or lent, but I can enjoy the fun of Mardi Gras. 

There are some really unusual festivals that I found when researching this on the internet.  Here are some of the strangest that I came up with:

Jumping the Babies

Baby Jumping Festival
Villagers of Spain’s Castrillo de Murcia have taken baby blessing ceremonies to new “heights”. During the annual Corpus Christi, babies are laid down on a mattress for the ritual. Men in devil costumes jump over the babies for the little ones’ sin-cleansing, luck and good health. Recent papal orders have asked the local priests to stay away from the ritual that has been taking place since 1620.

Food Throwing Festivals

Ivrea Orange Festival

For some reason there are many food throwing festivals throughout the world.  One food throwing festival takes place in Ivrea, Italy each year.  The Ivrea Orange Festival started centuries ago when love-struck damsels in balconies threw oranges at suitors in parades. Soon the parade became an open-to-all orange slugfest which attracts tourists from all over the world.

Spain loves food trhowing festivals and is famous for them.  Probably the best know is Tomatina, which takes place in the Valencian town of Bunol.  In this festival participants get together and throw tomatoes at each other.  It is held on the last Wednesday of August, during the week of festivities of Buñol.  Many people wear goggles during this hour of chaotic fun, as the town becomes a red river of mayhem.

Another type of food festival is on June 29th and takes place in Haro, Spain.  This one though involves wine.  Bring a bottle of vino and prepare to be drenched in red wine in the heart of Spain's grape-growing region. After mass, crowds flock to the hills for the battle, where white shirts are stained bright purple by the end of the morning.

Hodaka Matsuri

Naked Festival
January in Japan is as cold as in other northern parts of the hemisphere. But the freezing temperature does not deter thousands of men running in the streets with nothing but a loincloth on them. Hadaka Matsuri is a festival for ritual purification held in different forms across Japan. In Inazawa, men in loin cloths struggle to touch a naked man called Shin-otoko for good luck. These naked festivals are fun events but with undertones of spiritual significance.

Color Throwing Festival

Hindo Color Throwing Festival

This is the only Hindu festival where people do not dress up for the occasion. In fact, the oldest of clothes are dug out from wardrobes in preparation for a huge color-throwing festival called Holi. In this spring festival associated with Lord Krishna, people play with colorful powders called gulal. Wet colors are also used in many parts of India. Food and drinks laced with a local cannabis plant called bhang are served during the festival feast.

Monkey Buffet

Monkey Buffet Festival
As the name suggests, this festival is a huge feast laid down for primates of Lopburi, Thailand.  Tons of fruits and vegetables are laid by devotees in honor of Hanuman, the monkey God. What follows next is absolute mayhem as hordes of monkeys swarm the site, start attacking the food piles and interacting with spectators. The festival over the years has become more lavish and has put this small province on the world tourism map.

Fish Swallowing Festival

Man swallowing live fish
in Belgium

This festival involves consuming fish, but in this case, the fish are still alive!  The last Sunday of every February, residents of Geraardsbergen, Belgium celebrate the Krakelingen festival, which commemorates an unsuccessful siege of the city.  They throw bread rolls at each other, and they gulp down small wriggling gray fishes called grondeling, which have been soaked in red wine.  The ceremony draws protests from animal rights activists who want to substitute the live fish with fish-shaped marzipan (which I am sure would taste much better).

Orange is the color for the Queen's Day Festivals

Queen's Day - The Netherlands
Although their queen's birthday is really during the winter, she celebrates it on April 30th, the country's official "Queen's Day" since 1949.  Orange is the national color, and the streets become a sea of fluorescent wigs, feather boas, and body paint, as crowds gather in the plazas and on boats in the canals.  Amsterdam is the center of the outdoor party, with many live music acts, but you will find similiar smaller festivals all over The Netherlands on this day.

These are just a few of the festivals that I found.  There are many more.  If you are traveling and stumble across a local festival, take time to check it out.  However, if they are throwing food, you might want to steer clear, unless you are wearing clothes you don't mind having ruined.  You really do learn alot about a culture and the people by attending a local festival.  So have any of you attended an unusual festival?  I would love to hear about it, if you have.

Local Festivals - A Weekend Getaway

"The First time that you escape from home or the small town that you live in - there's a reason a small town is called a small town: It's because not many people want to live there."
Billie Jo Armstrong

 

White Salmon, Washington,
The town I grew up in

I grew up in a very small town in Washington state.  It was a nice place to grow up, it was on the Columbia River and in a very pretty area.  Every summer we had the Huckeleberry Festival.  Now I have to say, that as a child I thought this festival was great fun.  We had a parade through town, and anyone could join in.  My older sister usually rode her horse in the parade.  One year my little sister and I put funny costumes on and rode our bikes.  It was definitly a small town type of affair.  There were some booths, a Huckleberry Queen, and there were food items made with huckelberries.*  Floats for the parade were flat bed trucks.  They even put on a small rodeo during that time, and my older sister usually competed in that.

There are lots of these kinds of festivals all over the country, all year long.  Most of them are a lot better then the little festival we had in my home town.  Some are quite elaborate, with lots of booths, food to sample, rides and entertainment.  These are fun festivals that you can visit on your weekends, to try new things and visit new areas. Or you can plan your vacation around visiting an event. I know that there are quite a few festivals here in California, and they can be a new type of destination for you.

Here are a few here in California that you might enjoy:

Apple Days Festival - Julian

Julian Apple Days Festival

Julian is a small town east of San Diego.  It is in the hills, and actually gets snow in the winter-time, something San Diego never sees.  People from the San Diego area drive to Julian in the winter in order to play in the snow.  But autumn is always the most popular time to visit Julian, because of Apple Days and their famous apple pie.  You travel into Julian through a patchwork quilt of fall colors, it is a beautiful drive.  The historic town was once a 1900's mining town and today it looks much as it did then.

Apple Pies
Ready to eat in Julian

This festival has been around since 1909.  It takes place from mid-September to mid-November.  Most festivals don't last 2 months, but this one does.  There are more activities on the weekends, and more crowds.  The town's altitude makes it one of California's best apple-growing areas.  During the harvesting period the entire community becomes a celebration.  Residents and visitors combine to present fine arts shows, musical entertainment, staged cowboy gun fights, arts and crafts, and apple-oriented seasonal activities.

There are plenty of fruit stands and pick-'em-yourself ranches, where you can fill up your car with apples, apple cider, apple butter, and other winter vegetables.  There are plenty of cute little shops, and some fun restaurants.  Very popular with the locals and visitors is the buffalo burgers with, of course, apple pie for dessert.  For more information -  www.julianappledays.com


Lemon Festival - Chula Vista

Chula Vista Lemon Festival

Since I live in Chula Vista I have to mention our local festival.  At one time Chula Vista was nothing but lemon trees.  The city has taken over the lemon orchards, they are no longer here, although many people do have lemon trees in their yards.  But every August the city puts on the Lemon Festival.  The street of Third Avenue in downtown Chula Vista is blocked off and vendors put up booths.  There are crafts, and local businesses with information about what they can provide.  Local politicians are usually around with their booths, or just shaking hands.  There are antique cars on display, musical entertainment, and local kids music and dance groups provide entertainment.  There is a beer garden and a kids fun zone.  It is a one day event that the locals look forward to each year.  For more information - www.thirdavenuevillage.com/events/lemon-festival

Balloon & Wine Festival - Temecula

Balloons Taking Off at the Festival

A tradition since 1983, this year the event is celebrating its 30th year and will be held May 31st, June 1st and 2nd.  It begins on Friday evening with the spectacle known as Balloon Glow, where tethered balloons remain grounded while the pilots simultaneously ignite their burners, forming an illumination of brilliant colors.  The Balloon Glow is synchronized to music.  It is repeated again on Saturday evening.

Balloon Glow

Early on Saturday and Sunday, more than 50 rainbow-colored balloons are launched from the festival grounds.  They return in the evening.  The festival offers beer and wine tasting (after all - you are in the wine country), and cheese tasting.  It also has top headline entertainment and a variety of family entertainment.  Kids Faire is a fun separate area devoted to kids 14 and under which generally includes rides, inflatables, a rock climbing wall, a petting zoo, face painting and other youth-oriented activities. 

Temecula is just north of San Diego and south of Riverside.  It has an old town area that has quite a few nice antique shops.  It is also an area known for its wineries.  You can visit the wineries and do some wine tasting while you are in the area. For more information on the balloon and wine festival, visit their web sight: http://www.tvbwf.com/

Renaissance Pleasure Faire - Irwindale, California
Renaissance - to be “reborn”, a time when individuals celebrated the awakening of a new idea, when light was let into darkness. The Renaissance Pleasure Faire celebrates the “spirit” of this period of history ~ where people have the willingness to try anything and everything.

This fair began in 1963 to create a "living history" for school children and families.  When we lived in Oxnard in the 70's we used to drive down to this fair, it has since moved to its current location in Irwindale.  The fair takes place in April and May each year.



Renaissance Players in Costume

There are plenty of people in Renaissance-style costumes throughout the fair.  There is a queen and you can have tea with her.  There is plenty of entertainment, all in keeping with that time period of history, magic shows, musical performances, mimes, puppets, horse shows and last year they had a performance by the Reduced Shakespeake Company (one of our favorite acts).  There are artisans booths, and booths for guests to learn to make items themselves.  And there will be plenty of food booths, to try all sorts of Renaissance foods - usually foods are eaten by hand, including large turkey legs, corn-on-the-cob, and all sorts of sandwiches and desserts.

There are Renaissance Faires all over the country, they are always popular, this is just one such fair of many.  For information on this faire - ttp://www.renfair.com/socal/tickets/index.asp

Garlic Festival - Gilroy

Gilroy Garlic

The Gilroy Garlic Festival celebrates everything garlic.  It is one of the largest festivals in the United States and usually takes place the last full weekend in July.  It has been going on since 1979 and draws huge crowds from all over the world. 

There are plenty of booths, and entertainment, and a children's area with arts and crafts and interactive displays.  There is a Miss Gilroy Garlic Festival Queen and her court. There are 3 stages for enterntainment as well as strolling musicians.  You are never far away from the great sounds of jazz, rock 'n' roll, country, blues, reggae, swing and much more.

A Taste Treat at the Festival

You can sample such diverse creations as garlic flavored ice cream and garlic french fries.  There is a Garlic Cook-off and celebrity cooking demonstrations, and a garlic braiding workshop.  And plenty of oppurtuinites to purchase anything garlic.  If you love garlic, as I do, then it is a fun place to celebrate everything garlic.  For more information - http://gilroygarlicfestival.com/

Dickens Festival - Riverside

Dickens Festival, Riverside

The Dickens Festival is one that my husband and I have attended for several years.  It always takes place in early February to coincide with Charles Dickens birthday.  It is a weekend event, and an event where not only the people at the festival, but also many guests, come dressed in the period.  An actor is always there as Charles Dickens and he gives several presentations during the day.  They also have other actor/authors from that time period, such as Mark Twain, Edgar Allan Poe and H.G. Wells, who also do presentations of their work.



Entrance to the Mission Inn
Riverside

There is a stage with musical entertainment.  I loved some of the sea shanties that are performed.  There are market vendors with items you can purchase that relate to that time period, strolling musicians and a couple of men on the old fashion bicycles.  And of course food vendors. 

The festival takes place near the Mission Inn, which is a landmark in Riverside, and is a wonderful old hotel.  If you go to the festival and have never seen the Mission Inn, you should take a little time and go in and look around.  You can even take a guided tour of the inn.  There are also a few nice antique stores in that same block.   For more information on the festival, go to: http://www.dickensfest.com/


French Festival - Santa Barbara

The Santa Barbara French Festival has been around for 24 years.  It is held annually on the weekend nearest Bastille Day (mid-July) and it celebrates everything French.  It has great food, wine, mimosas, crepes, sinfully good croissants and other pastries.  There is music and dance and over 30 different acts on three stages. They have the Can Can and other dances, and you can even take some dance lessons.   And they are famous for their Poodle Parade.  It is a two day event, and admission is free.

Doing the Can Can at the French Festival

 

There are over 50 booths, with henna tattos, face painting, beautiful paintings and photography and boutiques to buy your French Festival t-shirt or beret.

On Sunday afternoon Santa Barbara's four-legged friends take center stage with the infamous Poodle Parade! Poodles large, small and Wanna-Be will display their style and panache in one of the Festival's favorite events. All licensed poodles (even those who just aspire to be a poodle) are welcome to participate.  For more information - http://www.frenchfestival.com/

Huck Finn Jubilee - Victorville/Ontario

Poster of the Festival for This Year

This event has taken place every fathers day weekend (June) for the past 36 years.  In the past it has always been in Victorville, but this year for the first time, it will be held in Ontario, whichi is still close to its original town.

It is a turn-of-the-century river festival and comes complete with catfishing, raft building, handmade crafts and barbecues.  The festival honors Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer.  They have plenty of country music (and have had some big names in the business play in the past) and bluegrass music.  There are hayrides, egg tossing contests, and lots of events for the kids and adults to enjoy.  There are craft and food booths.  For more information - http://www.huckfinn.com/

Date Festival - Indio/Riverside area

Ostrich Races

The date festival celebrated its 67th anniversary this year.  It is held every year in February and celebrates the date.  It is at the Riverside Fair Grounds, which is not far from Indio.    It is an event that lasts 10 days, with things going on mid-week as well as the weekend.  There are rides, lots of entertainment including some big name stars.  There is a queen and her court.  And of course, there is events built around the date, such as special foods, and cooking contests.

The fun thing about the date festival is the ostrich and camel races that take place daily.  The ostrich races in particular can be quite wild and unpredicatable.  Ostriches can actually run up to 40 miles per hour.  They also have pig races and bull riding.  There are lots of displays and booths.  And a battle of the bands.  For more information, go to: http://www.datefest.org/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx

Oktoberfests

Performers at the Oktoberfest
in La Mesa, near San Diego

I am giving this festival a general heading, because almost every city seems to now hold an Oktoberfest.  We have 2 here in the San Diego area every year.  Both Bonita and La Mesa have Oktoberfests.  They are of course held in October (or sometimes late September), and are German themed.  They have music and dance with people usually dressed in German costumes.  There are beer gardens, bratwurst and other German foods.  You will find lots of local merchants and arts and crafts people with booths.  And quite often local political booths, and other organizations who want to give out their infromation.  Of course, there are really big festivals all over Germany at this time of year also.  Munich probably has the largest of these festivals.

These are just a few of the festivals in California each year.  Of course there are also state fairs, and county fairs, all over the country.  Those are also fun to go to.  Usually they have lots of entertainment, animals, rides, booths, displays and food booths (not always healthy food, but certainly good tasting).  We have the Del Mar County Fair here every summer, and it is always fun to go to. 

So, if you are looking for something fun to do for just a day, or for a weekend trip, look and see if there are any festivals around that interest you, and consider adding that to your "things to do" list.  And if you are on vacation and see where there is a local festival going on, go join in.  You will learn a little bit more about that community.

*For those who do not know, huckleberries are similiar to blueberries, only they are wild berries and therefore, more flavorful. They grow wild in the mountains near our town, and every year we would go up into the mountains and pick the huckleberries. Mom would then freeze them in small cartons and we would have them throughout the year. They were good on ice cream, but my favorite was when mom would melt some butter and add the huckleberries and some sugar, and cook them down. Then we would pour that over our waffles in the morning.

Happy Mothers Day

"Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever."

 Author Unknown

 

To my readers in the USA, I would like to wish every mother a Happy Mothers Day.  I know that other countries also celebrate Mothers Day, but the dates vary.  I remember many years ago I received a Mothers Day card from my daughter.  It arrived in March.  My daughter was living in London that year, going to college there.  She saw Mothers Day cards in the stores and thoughtfully bought one and sent it to me.  However, I was a little confused when I got it, since it was not anywhere near Mothers Day.  That is when we both found out that England celebrates it at a different time from us. So for those of you who are celebrating Mothers Day today, I wish you a happy one, and to all the mothers everywheere - I wish everyday is a good day, and that your children are well and happy.

Finding the Best Airfare

This is a re-post of an article I did last year.

“Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”

Leonardo da Vinci

United Airlines plane on take-off

We’ve all been there, late at night, on the internet, looking for the best airfare. You may have heard that the airlines open up the best fares around midnight on Tuesday. Supposedly price jumps are on Friday and airlines play a wait and see game to see if other airlines will match the higher fare over the weekend. If not, the fares will drop again on Monday, and other airlines might try to start a “fare war” which will keep lowering the price on Tuesday. Usually the other airlines will match their competitors’ rates by Tuesday evening, and that is when the largest stock of cheap tickets are available. But if that happens, the lower fares will usually be pulled by Thursday to make room for the weekend price jump. Fares are almost always more expensive on the weekends.

Of course all of this is just theory and doesn’t always hold true. Shopping for airline tickets can be both confusing and frustrating – ticket prices change frequently and with seemingly no rhyme or reason. It does help if you understand how airlines price their tickets. If you have ever talked to other travelers on your flight then you know that the price you paid for your ticket can be drastically different from the price the person next to you paid. The best website I found that explains the airlines pricing is at this website: http://www.farecompare.com/ask-rick/understanding-airline-ticket-prices-why-your-seatmates-airfare-cost-more-or-less-than-yours/

They used to say that waiting till the last minute would give you the best airfare. That is certainly not true today. Most airlines have cut back on the number of flights they are doing, because they want to fly as full as possible, and today many flights are even overbooked as a result. According to some experts the best time to buy a domestic ticket today, is 6 weeks in advance. For international flights they recommend 24 weeks. As a travel agent, clients were always asking me whether they should buy a ticket at that price or whether the price might go down. I always told them it was basically a crap shoot, their guess was as good as mine. You never know what the airlines might do, and they are just as likely to go up. If you are happy with the price, then I say grab them and don't second guess yourself.

Flying Economy Class

When looking for airfare the key is to be as flexible as possible. Flying in the middle of the week is usually less expensive than the weekends. Try odd connections. If you are flying long distance and have a stop somewhere, try looking at several different possibilities. Some of the search websites will automatically pick the stop which is the most convenient, but you can key in different combinations and you may find cheaper flights that way. For instance, we were flying to Zurich a few years ago. When looking for flights most of the combinations were coming up with stops in Philadelphia or New York, but I keyed in Washington DC, and got the flight for less. Sometimes you will have to book 2 separate tickets to get the fare, one ticket from San Diego to Washington DC, and a second ticket from DC to Zurich. But if you save enough money, it can be worth it.

Recently I was looking for fares from San Diego into Buffalo, NY, and a return ticket from Boston back to San Diego. We are doing a cruise that goes from Montreal to Boston, but I had decided to fly to Buffalo first and go over to Niagara Falls for 2 days prior, then drive up to Montreal to pick up the cruise. Part of my reasoning being that flying into Montreal and out of Boston was a really expensive ticket. Everything I had priced on that was around $800 per ticket. Flying into and out of 2 American cities was much less expensive for some reason. And besides, Niagara Falls is on my list of places to see.

So I started my search for Buffalo, and found that most of the airlines arrived so late in Buffalo that it would not be practical for getting from the airport over to the falls that same day, which I wanted to do. The one exception was Southwest Airlines which had a flight that lands at 5:30 PM. I then looked at Southwest flights from Boston to San Diego. I could have gone that way, it worked, but the flight was not non-stop from Boston, and I knew that United had a non-stop, because we had flown them from Boston before. So I then checked the one way fare for United and added the one-way fare on Southwest. I came out $50 per ticket cheaper by buying 2 one-way fares on 2 different airlines, and I got the times that worked for me, which I wouldn’t have gotten with either airlines if doing a round-trip with them.

______________________________________________________________

Tip: Remember to check Southwest Airlines websites when looking for domestic flights, and some of the cheaper European companies websites (such as Ryan Air or Easy Jet). These airlines do not pay to be on the popular comparison ticket websites such as Expedia or Travelocity. The only way to book them is through their websites or by phone. But it is worth checking their fares before booking someone else.
_______________________________________________________________

Ryanair plane

Did you know that there are several airlines in Europe where you can fly really cheap? They don't always use the international airports, for example, several of these airlines use Beauvais airport in Paris as opposed to Charles DeGaulle airport, which is the one most people fly into and out of. But there is transportation available to get to these airports. Ryanair and Easy Jet are the two I used most often as a travel agent. http://www.ryanair.com/en http://www.easyjet.com/EN There is sometimes a fee for luggage, and there are definite limits on size and weight, as these are smaller planes and limited on cargo space. So if you are going to use this as a way to get around Europe, be sure to pack light.

Consolidators also are a good way to go when looking for international airfares in particular. They usually have to be booked through a travel agent. Consolidators purchase tickets on flights at a cheaper rate. They actually have a contract with the airlines, and they have a block of seats which they can sell. The airlines cannot sell those seats until the consolidators release the seats they have not sold. The travel agent will call the consolidator and get a fare for the destination you are looking for, and then the agent will add a fee to that to cover their commission. If you are working with an agent on a tour or cruise, the agent may waive that fee because they are making a commission on the other portion. It never hurts to ask for the discount.

Also, there are tour companies who will sell air only packages, or air with car packages. These companies have also purchased blocks of seats on the airlines. One company that I used to work with all the time is Pleasant Holidays. They have air only packages to Hawaii, and I found that I could quite often get air fare for less through them. I had clients who had booked timeshares in Hawaii, or were going to be staying at the Military run hotels, so they only wanted airfare. Quite often I could do an air and car package for less than we could find air on its own. The client usually wanted a car anyway, and this saved them quite a bit of money. Another reason to check with your travel agent.

Some first-class seats make into beds, which are great for long trips

And of course thrown into all of this, you have to consider the fees the airlines now impose on almost everything. Luggage fees, fees for premium seats (with a few extra inches of room), fees if you want an exit row seat. And if you want a meal, that will cost you on most flights today, as will a movie on some flights. It's always good to look at those things and compare them. Southwest doesn't charge luggage fees, so something to think about when booking. And I also take into consideration flying on airlines where I have mileage. Because if I get enough mileage accumulated I can upgrade to first class, for a fee, but well worth it on long trips.

It can be frustrating finding a fare you can live with. It's always a gamble. Should I grab this fare, or will it go lower? Chances are it could go higher too. Sometimes you have to just bite the bullet and decide that you are going to commit, and once you do there is no going back. Good luck with your hunting.

The Solo Traveler

“A person needs at intervals to separate from family and companions and go to new places. One must go without familiars in order to be open to influences, to change.”
Katharine Butler Hathaway

Traveling on your own can have its rewards, but the cost of the travel is not one of them.  If you are traveling with someone else, than the cost is less per person, because the tour/cruise company splits the cost of the lodging.  But if you are on your own, then you have to pay the same price as a double, because the cost of the lodging is set.  If you have always traveled on your own, then you are probably used to what it costs, and you don't have a problem with it.  But if you have recently lost a travel partner and are newly on your own, it can be a shock.

When I was a travel agent I quite often would have a client come in and want to book a cruise or a tour, and they no longer had a travel partner.  Maybe their spouse died, or the person that they had always traveled with was no longer able to travel.  Whatever the reason, they were not ready to stop traveling themseleves.  When I would tell them the cost of going single though, they were quite often surprised at the cost.

Cruise ship in port

Cruise lines and tour companies price their products "per person, based on double occupancy" and charge singles almost twice as much as each member of a couple.  The reason is because it costs the  cruise or tour company the same amount for a room in a hotel or on a ship as it does for one.  When they price it per person, based on double occupancy they have divided the cost of that room in half.  For the single person they have to add the cost of the other half of that room in.  Plus cruise lines look at the whole picture, as to how much revenue they will be receiving  They will do better with two people in a room, with both people spending money onboard.

Solo travelers are becoming a force to reckon with, due in part to the rising number of single people.  More than 50% of American adults are single, according to surveys.  The travel industry is taking notice of this.  Some tour and cruise companies are now setting special fares for single travelers.  They will still be slightly higher than the per person rates for double occupancy, but they are giving some discounts for select cruises and tours, in order to attract the solo traveler.

On the Great Wall of China
Went with a friend because my husband
didn't want to go

There is also the option for most cruise and tours, which is the guaranteed share programs.  Ask for a tour or cruise company that has this.  They guarantee to find you a single traveler (of the same sex) to share the room with you.  In the guarantee program, if they do not find someone to share then you have the room to yourself and you still pay the same rate you woud have paid if you were sharing.  The company absorbs the extra costs.  The down-side to this is that you are sharing your room with a stranger.  It may work out fine and you may find a new friend or even a new travel partner.  It also might be a complete nightmare.  They may want to party all night, while you want to sleep.  They may snore so loud you can't sleep.  Or them may just be completely obnoxious.  Who knows, you take your chances.

If you have suddenly found yourself on your own,for whatever reason, and you still want to travel but don't want to pay the higher costs of traveling on your own, then the other option is to look around at everyone you know and start asking friends if they would like to travel with you.  And you don't have to look at only single friends.  Some of your married friends might want to travel, but their husbands prefer to stay home.  You might be surprised.

My friend Bonnie and I at the Christmas Markets
in Germany

A few years ago I wanted to go on a Christmas Markets of Germany tour that I saw advertised at work.  I came home and told my husband.  He travels with me everywhere, and said he would go if he had to, but it really didn't interest him.  Sounded like mostly shopping to him.  That didn't stop me.  I called a friend who lives in another state.  She was my room-mate in college and we have stayed in touch.  I asked her, she said yes.  She has a husband too, but he doesn't always like to go with her everywhere she'd like to go.  We had a great time and have traveled together several times since.  We still both travel with our husbands, but we both know we are available to go almost anywhere if the other needs a partner.

So wether you decide to go on your own and pay more, or if you find your own partner, or take a chance on what you will get if you go with the share program, don't give up on traveling.  Keep going for as long as you feel like going.