Thursday, February 22, 2007

Spain!!!!!!!!

On March 23rd, I will be heading for Barcelona. I'm flying Swiss Airways. I have never flown Swiss Airways, i'm pretty psyched..[based on sterotypes] anything swiss has to be good right???

I have been to Barcelona before, but I was alone, and for 2 days and I didn't know where to go. This time, I will have a local to show me around, as one of my friends is studying abroad there for an entire year.
We are also thinking about going to Portugal as well. We shall see how that will work out.

I have a connection in Zurich, which I have already been to, so it won't be a loss cause if I stop there for just a little bit (as in, if I'm here, why don't I explore? type of ordeal)

I am very excited. Now, all I have to do is get through the next few weeks of papers and tests. And job searching.

AAHHHH!!! let the countdown began!

Monday, February 19, 2007

[tips] plane tickets

Getting a plane ticket to your desired destination can sometimes be a challange. If money is no issue, then chances are, skip this thread and move on.

Domestic: I have noticed that there are a variety of methods to use.
please note that if you use any sort of serach engine...that southwest airlines and jet blue will NOT come up. Usually, thier rates are so specalized, that it wouldn't matter.
Some search engines that has decent rates: Orbitz, Student Universe, STA travel (both are for students only....sorry), Lastminute.com and Expedia.
-->if you're really flexiable, the name your price websites may work out for you. although I cannot really comment, becuase I have never used it.
-->Also, Sometimes, it may auctally be cheaper to buy on the website of the auctal carrier. This will have to be done with careful price comparisions.
Sometimes, if you really really want to do a lot of work, then combining various airlines and deals may do the trick..however I have yet to try it.

International: One way, and the painless way can be to go by travel agent. However, sometimes you may not be conviced that a travel agent may know what to do...(FYI..travel agents usually only charge and I think are by law to only charge a &10 service fee..yup..tha'ts the same fee you would pay to the online website...this about it.)
If you are a student, always ask to see if you can find student rates. Websites like studentuniverse.com will give you student tickets. STA Travel (website and locations) will also give you student rates from the airlines. If you use a travel agent, just ask...they could have access to them.

Here are some websites that I know of:
studentuniverse.com
STA Travel
--> These student-deal sites are excellent.
LastMinute.com -->Good rates, BUT as I tried to recently book my ticket to Spain, I noticed that they had quoted me one price..but then when the conformation price came thru..the ticket price had changed..and got wayy more expensive. Again, this is due to the database thing..in which either thier database or the airline's database wasn't up to date.
AirLinguis--> they take you only to certian places. but this website can be GOD. With direct flights from Dublin to from LAX can be as low as 199 one way...but book fast..becuase i didn't and the price was up$100+ some 12 hours later!
whichbudget.com --> budget airlines for europe.
russiancrown.com -->UNCONFIRMED..but this site is owned my my friend's dad, who put this link up..and boy..it is very very very helpful..it was cheaper than most of hte options i was consterding when I had almost given up.

Major HUBS: London, Paris, Germany, Swizerland, Amasterdam.
Sometimes, getting a ticket into a larger HUB city is better (better auctally means cheaper) than just buying a ticket directly to your destination. For instance, you want to get to Denmark (like I did this summer). A Direct flight at the time on any of those websites are going to be more expensive because not as many people go there. Therefore, find a ticket to any major HUB city, and then go on whichbudget.com and search for a cheaper, charter european airliner (all are based on the Southwest Model, so be prepared to run for your seat).
This is not a fool proof plan. Theave a LONG layover time.
re are several things you have to constider:
1) how much of a layover would you have in between flights? Remeber...you're going to have to get off of your plane, clear immigration, get your bags, clear customs, then go and wait in your line to check into your other airline carrier....this is not as easy as it seems..for some of the smaller carriers tend to change counters, like they did in London's Gatwick airport.
2) how much time do you have?? if you just want to get to your destination ASAP..it's not worth doing this combo method esp if you are low on time..and patience.
3)IS It really cheaper?? After the currency coversions, taxes and fees? better make sure. (it is easy to get fooled and not pay attention to pounds or euros, espcially if you're quickly looking for the numbers)
4) MAKE SURE THE TRANSITION IS IN THE SAME AIRPORT!!! I cannot stress this enough...There are 4 london airports...unless if the transportation between them is easy and realtivley cheap, then go for it....take a little advanture. But if you know, like me, in London, the airports are not only semi far away, it's a consteridable distance away..and most of the time, are NOT joined by a train. Be prepared to pay lots of moulah to get from one airport to another.
4) how far away is your trip? some of the popular airlines, and the poplualr destinations..tickets may be very expensive the closer you book. Also consitder the day that you are traveling, and the airline, and what ctiy you are comming from.
5) how flexiable are you? if you're flexiable, then it's good. if not..i'm sorry. Remeber, they will most likly not forgive you if your flight into europe was delayed. Sorry, they aren't the company that delyaed you.

happy hunting!!!

Thursday, February 15, 2007

where have I been so far????

so, the big question is, where I have been? Well, here's this cool visited counteries map that I found online and i took it upon myself to generate a map



create your own visited countries map

Because of the size of the map, I'll list the places that I have been to (I will include cities, just to be more specific because just because you have visited one city doesn't really repesent the entire country.) [the list may be edited later if I ever figure out where I have really been]

North America
California: all over
MA: Boston and the greater Boston Area, Martha's vineyard
Mystic, CT
New York
Washington, DC
Arizona/ grand canyon
Utah: Salt lake city, bryce canyon
Las Vegas, NV
Grand Teton National Park
Yellowstone National Park
St. Lois, MO

Canada: Toronto, Nigara Falls
Mexico: Dirty old TJ

United Kingdom
Scotland: Skye, Edinbrough
England: Stonehendge, Brighton, London, Bath, Stradfrod Upon Avon, Warwick Castle, Blehimem Castle, Oxford, Cambridge, Windsor
Republic of Ireland: Bunratty, Galway, Irissmore, Sligo, Roundstone

Contiental Europe
France: Paris, Nice, Lyon
Republic of Monoco
Spain: Barcelona, Madrid, Alicante
Italy: Verona, Florence, Vience, Rome, Naples, Milan
Vadican City
Greece: Island of Ageina, Athens, Thessolonki
Sebia: Belgrade
Bulgaria: Sophia
Swizerland: Lucern, Interlocken, Zurich
Germany: Berlin, Munich
Belguim: Brussles
Denmark: Copenhaghan
Sweden: Lund, Helinsoborg
Norway: Oslo
Czech Republic: Prague
Slovenia: Bratslavia
Austira: Vienna
Hungry: Budapest
Slovakia: Ljubljana
Crotia: Zagarab, Pula
Luxenberg: Luxemborg

Aisa
Taiwan: all over.
China: Hong Kong, Shanghani, Bejing, Shunzhen, more to be added later
Japan: Tokyo, Mt. Fuji

hello!--first entry!

This is my new online blog.
What's it about you say?
Traveling.
I have been to 27 counties so far.
What do I have? I would hope a lot of experiences and stories.
This is my attempt to write about past travels, and what I remember the most about these places.
Because i'm currently stationary, there probally aren't going to be any new posts about any recent travels. However, there will be many posts on my old travels.

Disclaimer: I will try and research all of the different places taht I post on in an attempt to be a "good" writer. Please also note that I have pretty horrible writing skils

i hope you like it.