Until next time,
Lulu
This grown up artistic space. I can't wait for all the fun to be had in here. I also can't wait to add to our travel wall featured behind my desk. Still working on the spacing, but we have time!
Until next time, Lulu
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We've been to Disney's parks so often, I feel like I should open my own travel agency. Planning a Disney Vacation is incredibly simple mostly because, conveniently, (like their business depends on it or something) Disney has excellent vacation planning guides on their websites but it really all depends on what kind of Disney Vacation you want to have, however. We've done Disney in luxury, we've done Disney like hobos and every way in between. You can have a great Disney vacation on any budget. The Money Challenged Vacation We've all been there. There's more lint and old receipts in your wallet than cash and it seems IMPOSSIBLE that you could ever go on a vacation, let alone a Disney vacation. (Disclaimer, you will have to spend money to go on a vacation. That's the unfortunate money motivated society we live in. Sorry to burst that bubble, BUT, it will be for significantly less than you thought.) The key to this vacation plan is...Flexibility! (seems like a running theme...) Also, we are from out of state, so in-state people just have to worry about parking fees, tickets and gas. Lucky you guys! Han and I did a money challenged Disneyland vacation back in 2011. He was still in school working part time. I was working full time but not making a lot of money. We booked two RT flights on skyscanner from PDX to LAX for $121 each for a total of $242. (Flexibility will help you save the most $$ on airfare. Go on over to skyscanner and research it out.) Flights: $242 (First purchase, a few months out) We couldn't afford to stay on Disney property with our budget and in my experience (with Disneyland), there isn't as much incentive to pay the big $$$$ to stay on property in California as there is in Disney World anyway. There are a million hotels right outside the entrance gate to DL, unlike in Orlando, so we decided to stay at a little hotel about 15 minutes walk from the main gate. Rodeway Inn & Suites It's a rundown little shack at the far end of Harbor from the main gates, but the front desk people were very very friendly and accommodating. Offered to have us back again at the same price we booked ($34 a night) anytime we wanted. It was clean enough and under budget. We managed to book a room for 3 nights. (Looks like it's nearing peak season right now, so rooms are more expensive at $59 and keep in mind that because it's further down Harbor, it's cheaper than those by the gate) Taxi to and from the airport $16 per person, each way = $64 (We booked a shared shuttle van. Slower, but cheaper) Hotel $34 X 3 Nights = $140 (plus taxes and fees, let's round that to $140) Disney Tickets $250 a piece for 3 day park hopper = $500 (ticket prices have since gone up to $260 but they've added magic morning to it whether you stay on property or not, so that's a plus) (We discovered on the 3rd day of our trip that 3 days is just too much for us. 2 is perfect. So next time, we know to book the 2 day park hopper instead, but that's just us.) You CAN technically save money here by doing the One park per day tickets...but my suggestion is to just get the park hopper. It's not that much more, and considering how small the Disneyland resort & Cali adventure are (in comparison to DW), you'll want the autonomy to move back and forth. To save money on food, we went to The ABC Market on Harbor (It's on the corner of Harbor and Katella between The Candy Cane Inn and Desert Palms) They have everything you need or want for significantly cheaper than eating out in the parks. Buy your water here. It's like $8 a bottle inside the parks. We also bought food at our local Winco to take with us. Carried it on the plane in a reusable bag with no problems. You can fly with any kind of food (except liquids, so leave the capri suns at home) within the US. Food: ~$150 (we splurged at The Rainforest Cafe one night and that was 1/3 of our total food cost!) We didn't buy any souvenirs or food in the parks. Still had a lovely time and did everything we wanted to do. Total came to about $1100 for a 3 day vacation to Disneyland in "the off season" in September. How you can do it: Be flexible and non picky. The people who really know what it's like to be scrounging for money will understand the go with the flow mentality. You're just there to have a good time and do it cheaply! Anything else is a waste of time. Search booking.com and skyscanner for cheap lodging & flights. Do couchsurfing.org if you want to do it even cheaper. The Middle of the Packers Vacation This vacation is comfortable, but very much not ultra frilly. We did this style of vacation in September 2013. We did a few days in San Diego and then took a train into Anaheim to do 2 days at Disneyland. Again, we booked one way flights on skyscanner. We did PDX- SD and then LAX-PDX (took a train between SD & LA) Flights: $375.60 Train: $56 (one way from SD to Anaheim for 2 coach seats) Amtrak We walked from the train station to our Hotel. It was maybe 3 miles straight down Harbor. For us, being young and (kinda) supple, it wasn't a big deal. But you can catch an Anaheim resort bus right off the train on Harbor if you are not up to walking. The bus costs $2 per person. There is a gas station with an ATM right behind the bus stop where you can get cash if you need it. Hotel: This time we booked a hotel only a 5 minute walk away from the main gate. (Movin on up in the world.) The Desert Palms Hotel & Suites We managed to book this hotel for 3 nights at $323.62 (plus fee's let's round to $360) This was a STEAL. We found it this cheap on booking.com and it had free breakfast included. We also got a free upgrade to a suite facing the parks just for asking. Be polite, and don't expect anything. It just might work. Disney tickets: $420 Food: We still bought grocery items at The ABC Market to supplement at the hotel, but we also got snacks and ate out a few times at the parks. Including a swanky lunch at the newly built Carthay Circle Restaurant. I'd say we spent $250 on food/snacks. We also bought souvenirs for family back home (mostly christmas ornaments because they have literally the best ones ever. My favorites are the Disney Villains sets!) Souvenirs: $200 Total came to about $1660 for a 2 day vacation to Disneyland in "the off season" in (again) September. If we include the San Diego portion of the trip, that brings it to about $2100. How you can do it: The nice thing about this one is you can be less flexible and more picky. Spend more time perusing your hotels for the choicest selections. Free wi-fi, parking AND breakfast?! Of course you can. I still try to save some money, but I'm willing to spend more for worthwhile amenities. Key here is to spend within your budget but feel free to splurge a little when you deem it necessary. The "Insiders" Disney Vacation We did this one at Disney World in November of 2012 for our Honeymoon. It was my 2nd time there and Han's first. We also did Universal Studios for 2 days at the end of it. This time, we stayed at the Coronado Springs Resort It is considered a Moderate resort on the Disney hotel scale, but if you wanted me to talk to you about staying at the $680 per night villa suites at The Grand Floridian, this wouldn't be me and this wouldn't be my blog. I appreciate that Disney has those options for those that can afford it. It's how they've been so successful all these years, but that is insane and completely unhelpful to the rest of the poor dreamers (like myself) reading this. I won't tantalize you with false hope that I was able to afford something like that. Our resort was beautiful and we booked a "Water view King." The lucky break came when I had seen the "Free Deluxe Disney dining plan" when you book 3 nights promotion going around, but wasn't sure we could book it because we would be one day inside the black out for it. I called Disney and asked if we could still do it even though we were technically outside the date range by a day and they allowed it anyway. Kudos Disney because that officially won me over to your side. Flights: $650 Resort: $1000 X 4 nights Disney Deluxe Dining Plan: FREE with package purchase (normally ~$880) Tickets: $630 (no park hopper for us) Souvenirs: $200 Total about $2500 without paying for the dining plan. We absolutely loved the freedom the plan affords you and will probably purchase it in the future on our next trip for my 25th birthday! If you include our bookings at Universal, our total was close to $4000 for our entire Honeymoon trip. How you can do it: This trip was a result of incredible generosity shown by our wedding guests. We would not have been able to afford but half if they hadn't given us such amazing gifts. We also got really lucky with the dining plan. It's not pure luck,but you do have to be prepared to spend a lot at the Orlando resorts. It's possible to stay off site at Orlando, but the perks of getting free resort transportation are too good to pass up when it's 90 plus degrees outside. My family is unashamedly a Disneyphile family. I've been to a Disney park at least once a year since 2010 but we went many many times before that while growing up as well. We don't go because we're obsessed. We go because Disney has the reputation of being consistently fucking amazing, where no one else is. Check out these Disney Apps. The dining one is my personal favorite. Dining at Disney World is like a cut throat deal on the black market. You get in, you get the reservation and you hold onto it for dear life because about 50 people want that spot...and they're coming for you. Disney Dining App Cheaper hidden mickey app Expensive Hidden Mickey App Lulu I'm the first person that will tell to get off your fucking phone. We're too attached to the damn things. But Born out of engineering and attachment goo, were 6 rad apps that actually make life a little better while traveling. Because as much as I love it, travel can be a real pain in the ass sometimes and anything that makes it better (and pacifies the airport zombies with their always in the way roll-y bags) is cool in my book. GateGuru This app gives you an insiders scoop on airports. Security wait times, what to do, where to go, what to eat and everything in between. Good entertainment for those super long layovers...aside from people watching that is. Available on Windows, Apple & Android Stay.com I chose this app because it stores maps for you to use OFFLINE. Perfect for overseas vacations so you don't rack up huge data bills back home or that moment when you try to load google maps before you leave your hotel room only to find out that you didn't let it buffer all the way... so now it only shows you a useless half map. Available on Apple & Android Hipmunk Hipmunk is another travel aggregator (like expedia, priceline etc) BUT it includes airbnb and hostel listings. This alone, makes it worth it. Especially for the offbeat travelers who like meeting locals and traveling cheaply. Available on Apple & Android HAILO - The Taxi Magnet I wish we had known about this app when we were in London...and needed a cab. The nice thing about London is that the black cabs with the yellow signs are all government regulated, so you can feel safe and comfortable getting in one. PSA - DON'T USE A CAB THAT ISN'T GOVT. REGULATED IN LONDON. Anyway, this app only works in the cities they have listed, because essentially, they network with drivers in these cities, and then those drivers use the app to find customers so can find the nearest cab, quickly. Much nicer than trying, and failing to hail one if you're as socially awkward as me. Available on Apple & Android TrackMyTour, lets you create an online map of your journey for friends and family to follow along. I think this is a really great tool to keep your family and friends updated, especially if you're on an extended trip in remote areas. I'm going to give this app a shot when we're in the remote jungles of Mexico in September. Maybe you can all follow along as I trudge head first into a Yucatan version of the spider den from Harry Potter. I'm serious, if that happens...I will scream....SO....LOUD. Available on Apple Only TripIt! (My personal favorite) TripIt organizes all of your travel plans into an in app itinerary that has all of your trip details in one place. This is huge because now I don't have to spend hours compiling spread sheets to keep everything organized. I'm finally out of the dark ages! All you have to do is forward your confirmation emails to [email protected] and TripIt will automatically build an itinerary for your trip that you can access anytime, either online or from your mobile device. Available on Windows, Apple & Android I am not a rich person. I work full time and am a full time student with 2 more years to go. If I can afford to travel, so can you. 1. Priorities We all have to set them. I just so happen to set mine on two things. School & Travel. Sure, I can AFFORD to have a car, rent my own place and eat out all the time. but instead, I choose to save my money by taking public transportation, getting a house with family to save on rent and make most meals at home (we do go out from time to time.) All the money we save from foregoing these things, goes into our travel fund. We're even saving so much money by getting a house with family members, that we will both be getting new (super fuel efficient) smart cars soon but will still be saving enough in other areas, that this will be cost effective for us. We also don't overspend on eating out and novelties like coffees, shopping etc. We do every once in a while, but to us, that's just extra money being thrown away on calories we don't need and experiences we're missing out on. 2. Creative Thinking We always try to find alternative methods for income. One method (we are soon to try) is to use our cars for advertisements. Companies will pay you to advertise for them on your own vehicle, and they will pay monthly for it. You can receive up to $500 a month per vehicle doing this. More than enough to offset the cost of gas and even your car payment. I also do freelance illustrating, graphic design & teaching locally. These are small odd jobs, but it's something to add to the travel pot. 3. Flexibility When thinking about where we want to go next, I take to the internet. I search peak travel times in the countries we want to visit and look for the off season times when prices are going to be lower. Use tools like Skyscanner's anywhere/everywhere (just type in everywhere in the destination box) tool to search all flights leaving your city. Ultimate flexibility to be had here. Because of this, we usually end up travelling in the fall. Climates are cooler, not as many kids because they're all in school and lower prices makes for a great vacation. We also remain flexible by not tying our finances down into things like buying a house. It is definitely a part of the "American Institution of Tradition" for young people, when they reach a certain income level or point in their lives, to buy a house. Maybe this was a viable investment 20-30 years ago, but today it's fucking stupid. The US housing market has not quite recovered from the recession. You are essentially tying up your hard earned money in something that is depreciating rapidly (depending on your market.) You might get lucky, your house could appreciate and you might make a profit in a few years, but most likely, you'll just barely tread water or break even. If you don't sell it, that's 30 years of debt and upkeep to deal with on top of everything else...like student loans. We've worked really hard to keep our debt to just our student loans and cars because putting yourself in a lifetime of debt like that makes no sense (to me.) I'm just speaking from a lower middle class perspective. Travel isn't impossible if you lay the ground work now. 4. Be Realistic We don't stay in the poshest hotels and resorts when we travel. We certainly don't stay in rat infested hovels, but in order to travel more, we sacrifice extreme luxury. All the places we've stayed at overseas and here at home have been perfectly adequate and lovely to us even though I'm sure most people would turn up their noses upon first glance. In fact, some of them turned out to be wayyy better than we expected. If you really want to travel, but feel like you can't unless you stay in that super expensive hotel, I guess you'll be waiting for a while then won't you? Obviously, my way is not the one size fits all method. I'm sure a lot of people will read this and think we are goddamn lunatics that live like hobos. We don't. We are happy with this arrangement & the freedom it affords us to travel. Anyone can cut corners to put $ into a travel fund, it just takes action rather than wishful thinking. Feel free to ask me any questions in the comments and check out some budgeting resources below as well. Until next time, Lulu
Ireland: Where their (debatably) oldest pub is older than my entire country, was surprisingly, a fluke in our travel plans. It was really, originally, just the cheapest place to fly into, so we decided that if we had to fly in, we might as well spend some time there. Dublin ended up being our favorite stop of the entire trip. We flew into Dublin just before Christmas 2013. It's weather was very similar to The Pacific Northwest, so we felt right at home. I didn't feel like I was going to get mugged just walking around like most tourists fear on their first foreign excursion. Even in the wee dark hours of the morning or late at night. The city is pretty damn safe. We took a tour of the Eastern Irish Coast and drove along winding narrow roads with our guide (who could have freakin qualified for the Indy 500 with all of his driving skills. Dude was insane. In a good way.) We made it to this stop along Loch Lorne as a storm was rolling in. Eventually, after 6 hours of Driving north and seeing the very separated Protestant vs. Catholic towns & other interesting sights We made it to The Giant's Causeway The Causeway is made up of columns of Basalt (iron rich volcanic rock) You can see the same phenomenon in The Gorge in Washington and on the 84 outside of Portland, Or. We just barely missed a Hurricane at the coast (and we ended up having to leave a group of 3 people from our tour there at The Causeway because they never showed back up...) and drove 6 hours back to Dublin. The next day, we decided to walk around the city and see Dublin Castle They built the gardens because it was formerly a bog and they couldn't build anything else on it. I like this better, personally. We also made our way down to Trinity College Library I got the same feeling walking into Wizarding World in Orlando, that I did walking into this Library. Dublin is absolutely magical. It has a pulse and feeling to it that I could never possibly describe accurately. Except on Sunday's before 12pm. The city is apocalypse deserted before then and almost everything is closed. So much history & old world magic merges with the new but they found a way to integrate with it, without destroying it (unlike the US.) I could wander around Ireland forever and still not see enough. So if you're on the fence about it and if my endorsement means anything, GO. Look below for where we stayed and who we booked with! Until next time, Lulu The Deets
Almost always, restaurants and shops around the areas most frequented by our countrymen are over priced. They know how to play the game and they will often try to hassle you or talk you into making a purchase. Don't. Be polite, but firm and walk away if you don't feel comfortable. Look around some. Chances are you'll find the exact item for cheaper in a grocery store or likewise elsewhere. If you don't, go back and get it. No big deal.
Be aware of your surroundings. Movies like "Taken" were based on SOMETHING. It has happened and it could happen. Don't go out alone at night. If you do it anyway, always let someone know where you are going, for how long and how you are getting there. Walk in well lit areas, near large groups of people. Walk with your eyes directed straight ahead. Walk with purpose. If someone harasses you, keep walking like you have serious business to get done. Your confidence and direct path will (usually) steer the hecklers away from you. You clearly mean business, I ain't gon mess with that. Attend your bags. Don't leave them slung on a chair at a restaurant or absent mindedly unzipped at the museum. You are a pick pocket's wet dream. Rich stupid american with all your fancy gadgets. Don't let em be right! Happy to report that I bought this bag for our Europe trip and it is fantastic. I use it every day now.
The Europeans do not have the same carry on dimension bin sizes as we do in The US. They are much smaller....annoyingly so. I bought a standard carry on size roll-y hard case bag to take with us to Europe and ended up having to check it on every flight we had over there. This cost a lot. Don't do this. Now I know, to carry a back pack and not over pack a million clothes into a suitcase. Just take the basics. Mix and match. Buy something if you need it while over there.
I was worried about this when we went to Europe as I had heard of people using RFID scanners to scan your unprotected passport and glean your info off it to be used to commit dastardly deeds of evil in your name. This is a giant load. The only info on your passport they could get IF they could (the scanners only work from about 10 inches away) would be the info already publicly available. They can't get your social security ID because it's not in the passport... That doesn't mean you shouldn't still worry. Keep a close eye on your passport and don't leave it laying around in your hotel room. Photo copy it and store it online on dropbox or a similiar cloud application in case your real passport is stolen, so it can be accessed from the embassy or a personal computer (assuming they didn't make off with that too...)
Like I mentioned in an earlier post, do your research. Don't just assume you got the best deal. Continue to watch hotel rates until the night before your stay. Compare on different sites. If you see the rate go down (significant or not) call the hotel and let them know that you'd like to take advantage of the new rate you saw. Usually, (so far) they will have no problem. Sometimes though, you might have to cancel your reservation and re-book under the new rate. Also, Don't be afraid to ask for free upgrades! When we went to Disneyland last year, we stayed off property at a hotel called The Desert Palms right next to the park. When we arrived to check in, I (being friendly, not insistent) asked if they had any free upgrades available. We were upgraded to a suite facing the parks so we could see the fireworks for no extra charge. Being friendly went a long way, and I never expected her to give us anything. I just took the chance and asked. I should note that we were there in what is considered the "off season" in September, so it's likely this will not work during the peak of summer time when rooms are more likely to be full, but go for it anyway!
Don't eat pre-packaged, cooked food from the little foreign super market that's on sale at the end of the day... I did this. It was a chicken and veggies dish made in a supermarket called Sainsbury's in London. I didn't cook it long enough in the microwave, since I am accustomed to eating food not molten lava hot at home. BIG MISTAKE. Within 6 hours, I was violently (and painfully) ill. I puked and shat my guts out for 2 more weeks before getting home and finally finding out I had gotten a type of Salmonella poisoning that was eventually treated by an antibiotic used to kill ANTHRAX... Yeah. See your Dr about necessary vaccinations & antibiotics before leaving. We are going to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico in September. Internet sleuthing has shown me that the area is at risk for Malaria and Yellow Fever. We are considering Yellow Fever vaccinations, but Malaria is rare (unless in the jungle at Sun rise or Sun set when the nasty skeeters are out.)
Look, we're just going to let this out of the bag now. I am not a fan of kids. Now, with that said, I'm sure you love em. You squeezed em out and somehow, it's gone from a little lumpy potato to a zany mini-you that can be pretty cool sometimes...and pretty uncool sometimes. We all know, it's ok. Don't bring your kids to the ultra adult oriented spa getaway. You're gonna have a bad time. The facilities were not made for them and I'm willing to bet that the other adults would not appreciate your kid, even though I'm sure they're an angel, they won't be one 100% of the time. Why do that to yourself? Take a vacation away from them sometimes. It's cool, nobody will think you're a neglectful, evil parent. In fact, the time away can help you re-establish the bond with your partner (or even yourself, sans partner.) Which can only be good for the little ones.
This is not very hard to do whether you've done something wrong or not. Not declaring food is a big one. Fresh or no, if they catch you with it, that's a $300 fine. Yes, they're fucking serious and no, they don't have a sense of humor about it (trust me on this one.) Coming Home with too many Souvenirs. The US Govt. doesn't allow you to come here with more than $800 in souvies and merch "duty free" from another country unless you want to pay taxes on it. Keep an eye on that. Visiting a Farm or Being around Livestock They don't want you tracking in germs with you, especially if your hand was in any animal orifices. They will ask, and I hope to whatever deity you revere that you tell them the truth. I'm not dealing with a Zombie Apocalypse because of you, man.
Ask to speak to a consular officer at the American embassy or consulate. It is your right under international agreements to receive assistance from your government. So, be polite, but insistent, and keep asking until you are placed into contact with an American official. Please note that the Embassy can get you assistance, but they cannot get you out of Prison or give you preferential treatment. You are in another country and must abide by their laws, regardless of your citizenship. Here is a full version of what the US will do for Incarcerated Americans Abroad
Travel is a gift that so few take the opportunity to afford to themselves. I always told myself that I wanted to travel while I was young. I wanted to experience the world first and then carry those experiences with me into my old age as my battle armor. When you are on a trip, you worked so hard for it! Don't waste that opportunity to step outside your shell. I'm not saying go bungy jumping on that sketchy ass rope bridge outside Bangkok or run from the bulls like a crazy person. I'm telling you to learn something new about yourself or the world. My first attempt to step outside my shell was to try (very key word here) to get over my extreme fear of heights by crossing the Carrick a Rede rope bridge in Northern Ireland last Christmas. Named the 5th Scariest Bridge in the World.
I didn't know this before I crossed it obviously, but I was fine until I got to it. You descend a little staircase (let's be honest, it was a thin slippery steel LADDER welded into the side of the rock face and I started crying on the 3rd step down when my foot just barely slipped a half inch, but I continued on) to the thin slat bridge. Sure, it's steel wiring, but that doesn't comfort you much when the gusts pick up and you're left bobbing and swaying like a kite in the wind 98' over a watery grave. I cursed at and moved inch by inch towards the other side while my husband (very kindly) tried not to burst out laughing at me. Took a lot of my courage to go back across it. I scrambled up the fucking ladder on my hands and knees and RAN away in the opposite direction hoping to never set foot on it again. It was scary, but I lived to tell you all the tale of how (much of a pussy) brave I was for 5 minutes in Ireland.
Framing Travel Postcards
A travel tradition Han and I started is to buy our favorite postcard from the cities/countries we have visited together and find a unique salvaged frame to match it with to hang on our wall back home. This beats having to think of ways to bring back those, though super neat, oddly shaped and fragile chotchkies (I had to look up how to spell this word because I've never actually seen it written down. It's an old yiddish word used to describe useless decorative objects...ha) back from our journey's (especially abroad.) I salvagw)ord
I salvaged all the frames from the local Value Village. (essentially a smaller Goodwill) and there are always surprises to be found there every time I go, like that Paris frame up there. $1.99. And look at how the Seven have blessed me with that frame for Florida! I am overly excited about that one.
Had to do a little tearing and bending of some nails to get some of these to fit, but overall it wasn't too bad of a process.
Fun way to show your friends and family where you've been and I can't wait to add to it. Next addition to the wall: Chicago and Mexico! Until next time, Lulu Seattle is that overcast city on the West Coast where coffee runs in it's people veins and the rain never stops. I'd say that's a pretty accurate description of Seattle about 350 days out of the year but during the dead of summer, it's actually pretty damn beautiful. Han and I decided to take a day trip to Seattle last summer for our anniversary (on my prompting.) I had heard that Seattle's Underground was far more impressive than Portland's Shanghai Tunnels (Terribly disappointing and I do not recommend that tour to anyone, especially someone who pays to travel to Portland.) We walked around the Market a bit (don't have any photos for this post because it was crazy crowded the day we went. No time or room to take photos inside.) and then walked down to Pioneer Square to buy tickets for the Underground Tour. Underground Tour Website We waited in a bar before the tour and sampled some of their wares. The tour itself starts in Seattle's First Saloon. They give a brief history, and then you walk outside to the first entrance. Down a murky set of stairs in a dilapidated building... Seattle, the original one, is underneath the current one. Poor city planning and flooding led to the city rebuilding the streets above the old mess. Some stores still existed on the ground level though and shoppers were forced to climb down ladders to get to them The underground was very cool. We exited and entered from several different buildings in the downtown area.
I definitely recommend it if you go to Seattle. Tickets were $14 a piece for students. The tour involves a few tight spaces. (I'm claustrophobic and I was fine.) You are underground and the floor is pretty (very) uneven in spots. May not be best for the elderly, immobile and I really don't recommend any young children (I'm talking infants- maybe age 6. Kids older than that should be able to navigate ok with supervision and have some semblance of manners if they weren't raised by cave men, which they weren't so you're golden right?). Seattle is beautiful any time of year, but I liked it best in the Summertime. Until next time, Lulu I see a lot of people who have never really traveled ask questions like "Well where the hell do I even start?!"
It's super simple. I will walk through the steps of how I go about planning Han and I's trips. Whether they be small inter country trips or big overseas adventures.
Example: Our first trip to Europe/UK was on what you would call a "budget." We booked flights in the off season (typically August-February) as it's typically cheaper than the high season (about March-July) to Dublin, Ireland as it was the cheapest place to fly in to at the time. We flew in to Dublin Dec. 16 & flew out the 30th. Tickets were $846 per person.
Since your budget is the biggest factor, this should be a no brainer. You pick and you are super excited to start. (I know, I've been there.)
Probably goes without saying, you can't travel internationally (if that's your goal) without a passport from your country of citizenship. Getting one is a pretty long process and a little pricey (last year, cost was $135 total) Be very careful when applying as any information that is wrong or off can put your application in purgatory for a while. (Apparently, the US Government does not accept State ID's as valid Identification in lieu of a Liscense...This caused a rejection of my application the first time. I had to submit a whole slew of documentation proving I was indeed a US citizen and not a terrorist, but that's a story for another blog post.)
Transportation is usually the most expensive portion of our trips and therefore the first thing I book to make it as cheap as possible. However you choose to get there, you need to do some research. No ONE website will be your hail mary for all travel unfortunately...I spend many hours tirelessly combing the internet for flights on websites like Skyscanner.com ITA Matrix Google Flight Kayak Explore and most recently Norwegian Air I then continue to monitor the websites for a few weeks to see how much the price fluctuates. Make sure you do this in Incognito Mode. These websites often have tracking cookies that store information to load the site faster, but it also tells them that you've been there before and it will cause them to raise the price on you every time they find you checking them out. Incognito prevents them from storing cookies, so you see the real fluctuations.
I usually end up booking our lodging separately from transportation because so far while doing my research, it's been cheaper to do that than book a package. It's not Always cheaper though. Our upcoming trip to Cancun, Mexico was booked as a package through Priceline and it ended up being significantly cheaper than booking separately as I usually do. The only way I knew this was from a lot of research. I highly recommend using Booking.com - typical hotel booking site. Cheapest is my experience. Airbnb - pay to stay in entire apartment or a room in someone's home. Great opportunity to meet locals and get inside experience Couch Surf - this is by far the cheapest method. Stay free in someone's home. May not be on some people's comfort levels but a great way to make friends and be immersed in local culture.
I am a huge advocate of having travel insurance for overseas trips. Domestic trips...well it tends to be kind of a waste for us because we have health insurance and it works at any emergency room but Internationally, it is an absolute must. I got extremely ill on our first trip to London this last Christmas. Ended up bedridden and in terrible pain for the next two weeks until we got home and I immediately went to the ER. I WAS STUPID and I will not let you be. Just buy the damn insurance. Better to have it and not need it than need it and blah blah ya know? I got sick in fucking London, England. It can happen anywhere.
I keep a rolling spreadsheet of expenses and bookings on my laptop. Once I book the transportation. I put the relevant information into a spreadsheet to keep track of cost and to make sure I don't forget anything (like the time I accidentally screwed up our flight date from London to Paris...and that was even WITH an organized spreadsheet.) I place all things that need to be printed (confirmations, tickets etc.) in a folder on my desktop and get it all printed out before we leave and carry it around with me in a thin folder in my backpack. This may seem a little "analog" but you never know what will happen to your electronics and then you'd be lost. Better to have a back up. Sometimes bookings you make on "Third Party Sites" (this is usually the term given to websites like priceline, kayak, expedia and all those assorted travel deals sites) may not get accurately recorded or a glitch in the matrix will happen and you'll be very glad to have your good ol' paper back ups to prove your bookings are legit.
This is pretty important. I try to do this a week or so before we actually begin the trip to make sure that I haven't forgotten anything. I call our lodging and the airlines to make sure we are all good on that front.
Now stop worrying and go have fun! You just spent a lot of time and money planning this biz. Enjoy it. If anything bad happens, you have the travel insurance to fall back on. :) |
Hi!I am an artist currently living in Portland, Oregon with my artist husband and this is a blog about our travels as a young couple fresh out of college and starting our lives. Archives
July 2016
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