The Perpetual Tourist

I have been a Priceline user for a while. I can sometimes find better deals booking directly through the provider, especially when that provider is Southwest, but Southwest doesn’t fly to Medford, Oregon, and after comparison shopping on all the travel sites, Priceline had the best deal on a flight to Medford — or so I thought.

After yesterday, I am a very dissatisfied customer. Getting here was an incredibly stressful experience for me, and the problems I faced really shook my confidence in this leading provider of cheap airfare and hotel deals.

When I booked my flight, I got stuck with one of those multiple airline, multiple stop deals. Priceline scheduled me to fly from DC to JFK on Delta, and then switch from Delta to United Airlines for JFK to San Francisco, then Frisco to Medford, with layovers of just under 90 minutes each. It was going to be a long day.

By the time my Delta flight took off, nearly an hour late, I knew my chances of catching my connection were slim. We made up some time in the air, though, and were only about 30 minutes late arriving in New York. That still gave me an hour to catch my next flight. Right?

No such luck. JFK is a HUGE airport, and each major airline has its own terminal. To get from one terminal to another, you have to actually go outside and enter the new terminal through its own security checkpoint. I was screwed.

It took me 30 minutes just to get from the gate where I landed to the check-in counter outside the United terminal, where I found out my flight had already boarded and was pulling away. Furthermore, I was told, even if my first flight had landed on time, I still wouldn’t have made this flight. You have to check in at least 30 minutes prior to boarding to even be allowed through security.

“Who booked this flight for you?” asked the agent. “This is an impossible itinerary.” I was livid. It had been years since I’d flown into JFK. I didn’t realize I wouldn’t be able to get from Delta to United without going through security again — at most airports, you can get from terminal to terminal from beyond the security gate, so it didn’t even occur to me at all that I’d have to do that again.

I didn’t know better, but Priceline should have. This flight shouldn’t even have been available. Like the ticket agent told me, it was an impossible itinerary. Shame on you, Priceline.

I’m glad I decided against checking bags on this trip. Had I checked a bag on the first leg of my flight, it wouldn’t have made it onto the next plane — or maybe because of the multiple airline schedule, I’d have had to pick it up at baggage claim and re-check it — making catching the connection doubly impossible.

I’d never flown multiple airlines on the same trip before, unless you count airline partners, like the regional operators and international carriers that are still technically the same airline, for travel purposes. I am going to avoid this in the future. You need an incredibly long layover to ensure that you can make your next flight after crossing the airport, checking in again, clearing security again (where necessary), and re-checking bags (again, I don’t know if I would have had to do this, but I’m guessing that I would have), and who likes a long layover? And now with several airlines charging for each checked bag, would I have to pay twice if I flew two separate airlines? Just guessing again, but I’m thinking yes.

I did make it to Medford, and all my bags made it with me (but only because I packed lightly enough to carry everything on the plane), so I admit that this trip could’ve been a lot worse. Even so, I think my relationship with Priceline is over.

A kid at the beach can be completely entertained with nothing more than a shovel and a bucket in the sand, but unless you want to come home with a fried child, you’re going to want to limit the time you spend at the ocean and mix up your activities a bit. At a place like Myrtle Beach, your choices are endless.

My nieces are 2 months old and 4 years old, and they are here with us this week. Our schedule most days has been to go to the beach as soon as the girls wake up, and stay until 11am or so. This gives the girls — well, the oldest one, anyway — plenty of play time in the sand and water before the sun gets too strong. After lunch and a nap, our afternoons are reserved for other activities.

Our first priority was to try out one of the many miniature golf courses here. My niece couldn’t have cared less that we were playing golf, but she loved the pirates and the bright green water. All the mini golf places here have unnaturally bright water. They have names and themes, too, but we identify them as the place with the pink water, the place with the green water, and the one with the blue water. My niece picked green, which was also the place with the pirates and the ice cream when we were done. Most towns have a mini golf course or two, but if you want the courses with wild obstacles and crazy decorations, then you want to play mini golf at the beach. There are lots of courses both indoors and outdoors. I think playing outdoors on a warm evening is the best.

If the ocean doesn’t provide enough water fun for you, Myrtle Waves is South Carolina’s largest water park, with rides, slides, and hours of aquatic enjoyment for all ages. Ticket prices are completely reasonable, compared to other water parks I’ve visited. Park officials suggest coming on Sundays to avoid big crowds, as these are “by far” their slowest time of the week.

If you’re a family of sports fans, then you should definitely check out the Myrtle Beach Pelicans while you’re in town. This Single-A Braves affiliate baseball team draws a big crowd for its Carolina League games, no doubt thanks in part to all the entertainment at the games. There’s the standard between-innings promotional dizzy bat races and the like, but also a large kids’ area and a really cute tradition after each game where they let kids onto the field to run the bases.

Of course there’s lots more to do here, but we try not to push ourselves too much. Going out every day would be a little excessive with two little ones and a large, expensive family. For a more low-key activity, a walk around the fishing piers can be a nice way to spend a couple of hours. The one nearest our vacation house — on 37th Avenue — costs $1.50 per person to enter. The guys went fishing and caught some sharks (just eight inches long or so — not terribly fearsome) while my niece had her hair done in braids yesterday afternoon. The braids are a nice beach tradition — they’re festive and they keep the hair out of her eyes while she swims.

I’ve loved coming here ever since I was a tiny tot, and now that I’m older, it’s great fun for me to spend this time with my nieces. It’s also perfect being here with the whole family, because while the kids can just go and go, I like to have some down time in my day. Having lots of adults willing to take kid shifts will keep you from getting worn out.

For more ideas of things to do with your family at Myrtle Beach, the Sunny Day Guide has a very long list here.

When I was in second grade, my class “adopted” a whale when we were doing our ocean lessons. Researchers sent us photos and information about our class pet, and we watched a lot of slide shows of whales. I think we all thought of them as sort of mystical creatures that only folks with the absolute best connections would ever have the opportunity to see for themselves — you know, people who were tight with the president or something.

I guess this notion sort of stuck with me over the years, because I had no idea that regular people could go on whale watching tours and see real live whales in their natural habitats, until my friend Amy, self-proclaimed Whale Geek, started talking about all the whale watching she does. I grilled her on the subject so that I could pass on some information about what could be a fascinating hobby, or just a one-time adventure — great for individuals or family excursions.

Amy does most of her whale watches in the Gulf of Maine, off the coast of New England. She says that this is one of the best places to go whale watching because these waters are highly productive feeding grounds, with one of the best researched populations of humpback whales on the planet, because they are so easy to reach and study. And these humpbacks, Amy says, tend to be the most dramatic at the surface, giving onlookers quite a show as they eat, play, and go about their daily business. For a photographer like Amy, the North Atlantic is a great spot to take roll upon roll of film (or fill up a memory card).

All whale watching tours will have naturalists on board. Usually these are professional researchers who are there to give information and answer questions you have about the whales. If they have been working in the same area for a while, they will often be able to identify specific whales and give lots of details like the animal’s age, how many calves it has, and more. Sometimes the naturalist may just be a college intern, who won’t be able to give you as many details. When researching different companies for a tour, Amy suggests asking them about their naturalists, and going with the more seasoned scientists.

A typical whale watching tour will last 3-4 hours. Since you are going out into the animal’s natural habitat and not a large tank at an aquarium, there is no way to guarantee what you will see. Check with the company, as most offer coupons for another trip if you don’t see any whales your first time out, or if the trip is canceled for bad weather.

Here are some of Amy’s tips for a first time whale watcher:

• Bring a jacket, a hat, and sunscreen. It’s almost always cooler out on the ocean than it is on shore, as well as windier. You need to protect yourself from the sun — but be sure your hat has a chin strap, or you might lose it in the wind!
• Book your first whale watch with a smaller company; not someone with giant boats. The more crowded a ship is, the harder it is to get a good look at the whales, which can be frustrating.
• Be patient. It can take a while to get to the whales. Maybe you want to spend this time talking to the naturalist, asking questions.
• If you are prone to sea sickness, take something before you go out on the boat.
• Keep an open mind. When you go into it with lots of expectations, you are bound to be disappointed. Remember that these are wild animals, not Shamu doing tricks for you at Sea World. You don’t get to see a whale breach (leap out of the water) every time, but when you do, it’s really magnificent. Just enjoy watching these beautiful animals in an environment that not many people ever get to see.

Thanks, Amy, for all the helpful information as well as all the photographs used in this post! Visit Amy’s brand new whale watching website here, and check back regularly for photos from her latest trips.

When I was a junior in college, I had the opportunity to travel to Australia with my interterm class. Interterm is the three-week session in January at my alma mater where students can either get a dreaded requirement out of the way quickly, or go on trips or take a class that can’t be offered for a full semester (I got to take a swordfighting class my freshman year). One of my history professors took a group of kids to Australia each year, and I was lucky enough to be one of those kids.

If you want to get to Australia, this is a great way to do it. Traveling in a group made it much cheaper than going on my own, and going with a prof who’d been twenty times already was great, because he pointed out all the little things we might never have noticed as novice tourists of Oz. Our group spent time in Sydney, Canberra, and Melbourne, and we packed more into our time there than the Travel Channel could fit in a six-hour miniseries. For now I’m just going to focus on a few of the little things that you may not think about seeing or doing that made my time in Sydney spectacular.

Paddy’s Markets

People who like to shop will want to set aside a whole day to spend at Paddy’s Markets. If you’re not a real shopper, maybe four or five hours will be enough for you. Paddy’s is part mega-mall, part flea market, and it’s HUGE. I literally spent a whole day there and saw maybe 50% of it all. In the lower area, vendors set up booths and tables just like a flea market, and sell everything you can think of — food, clothes, souvenirs, jewelry, and so much more — all at very reasonable prices. When I was there, the US dollar was worth two Australian dollars, but now the currencies are trading almost one for one. Still, the prices are low and you’ll be able to stretch your spending money at a place like this.

Opals

Australia is famous for its opals, and once you get there, it will be impossible to miss all the stores selling the gorgeous gems. These make a great gift for loved ones who don’t get to make the trip with you, so keep that in mind. When you buy any high-dollar item in Australia, you will be charged the local taxes, but you can get a special receipt from the stores that allow you to recover this tax money when you leave the country (if you are not an Australian citizen, that is). Remember when traveling with opals that they are very fragile gems — pack them carefully.

Boulder opals and black opals are the deeply colored, dark stones you’ll find. These are much more rare than the white or milky opals typically seen in jewelry. They will be more expensive, but they’re cheaper in Australia than anywhere else, so if you want them, this is the place to buy. I had a very good experience shopping at Flame Opals in Sydney, but there are plenty of other opal vendors all around. Do some comparison shopping before settling on the first thing you see, because there are so many choices!

Indian Food

Australia has a large population of Indian people, and there are lots of Indian restaurants all over Sydney. The food isn’t Americanized like it is in the Western hemisphere, and I’ve had few meals in my lifetime as delicious as the Indian food I ate in Sydney.

Keep in mind when you dine out anywhere in Australia that tipping is not expected like it is in the US. Tips are always appreciated, of course, but servers are actually paid real wages and restaurants do not put this burden on their customers. A 10% tip is very gracious, and is about the most that would be appropriate for good service. If you are dining with large groups, tips are somewhat more expected, however.

Wine

Australian wine isn’t exactly world famous like French wine or Napa Valley wine, but Australia is the world’s 4th leading wine exporter. According to a coach (not “bus”) driver I had on a tour, Australia only exports the worst of its products — Foster’s, Kylie Minogue, and its bad wines. (His words, not mine.) In other words, just because you haven’t found good Australian wine elsewhere in the world, that doesn’t mean you won’t find it in Australia. I definitely recommend sampling the local wines when you dine out.

Sydney is one of my favorite cities in the world, and I hope one day I can afford another trip back. Maybe I should get in touch with my old professor and see if he’s accepting applications for chaperons. I’d recommend it to anyone who has the chance to visit. Of course you’ll want to see all the things the city is famous for, like the Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera House, and all the beaches, but you’ll be shortchanging yourself if you skip over all the little things that give the city so much flavor.

Enjoy your trip down under, and please bring me back some opals:)

The drive up I-81 from Virginia into Pennsylvania is fairly pretty, as car trips go. The traffic is never too bad, and there are mountains and rivers to admire all the way there and back, but when you’ve made the drive a hundred times or more like I have, even the four or five hour trip can be pretty miserable.

When I was a kid on family trips to visit my aunt in Philadelphia, my parents would break the monotony by stopping for little side trips, mostly educational like Civil War and Revolutionary War battlefields, historic houses, or the occasional detour that made them simultaneously the best parents ever (in my opinion) and the worst parents ever (in the opinions of anyone who had to deal with me afterward) — a trip to Cinnabon for ooey, gooey, goodness — in a box of twelve!

I’m quite a bit more health-conscious now than I was when I was eight, and I’ve seen those battlefields plenty of times now — the stories haven’t changed much in two hundred years, so I’ve grown out of that kind of pit stop. Still, I haven’t grown up enough to handle a multi-hour drive gracefully, so I need something to break up the journey, lest I become an unbearable travel companion.

My solution is live music. McKenzie and I are really into folk music, which is perfect because the venues that host these shows tend to be cozy and usually have tickets available on short notice. We always build some flexibility into our plans in case we find out that one of our favorites will be making a stop somewhere along our path to or from our destination. We’re familiar with lots of concert halls all up and down the east coast, but you don’t have to know the areas to find a good show. Pollstar is a great tool to find a show near where you are or where you will be, and you can search for all your favorite artists at once.

As we were trying to decide on our plans for our return home from this week’s Philadelphia Flower Show, we got an email from the Steep Canyon Rangers saying they’d be in southeastern Pennsylvania for two weekend shows. Perfect! A quick internet search found hotel reservations for us for one night in York, PA, and plans to see tonight’s show and the Sunday matinee in Mt. Holly Springs on the way home. (This is definitely a band worth seeing twice in one weekend.)

I wish I had the experience to recommend the best venues anywhere in the US, but I do know a thing or two about Virginia music halls. The best ones are easily accessible from the major interstates and quite possibly along your route as you travel up and down the east coast. Off I-95 near Richmond is Ashland Coffee & Tea, a venue I’ve heard many artists profess to be their favorite stop on a tour. When the artist loves the venue, you’re sure to get a good show. Off I-64 in Charlottesville is my home away from home, the Gravity Lounge, featuring an extensive beer and wine list to go with all the best acts in the folk world today. And in the DC area, my top picks are Jammin’ Java for intimate shows and Wolf Trap for larger shows (and not just folk music; also a good mix of theater and other music genres).

Not only is live music a fun diversion from a long, boring car ride, but it gives you a much needed burst of energy, and you have the opportunity to pick up some new tunes for the car CD player as well. If you have the flexibility to take a few hours off your drive or add an extra night in a hotel somewhere, stopping for a concert can be the best way to keep from getting road weary.

My parents both retired when I was in high school, and ever since they dropped their 70+ hour work weeks for lives of leisure, they’ve been busier than ever. Lots of retired folks will agree that life tends to get even more hectic when you don’t have to go to the office each day. After all, you’ve spent the last few decades putting your own priorities on the back burner, and with retirement, it’s time to catch up on all you’ve brushed aside.

I couldn’t be more proud of how my mom and dad have spent their time in retirement. They are an inspiration for making a difference, and for this post. They’ve traded in their suits and briefcases for denim and toolboxes, and are out in the community almost every day doing volunteer work. My dad has thrown himself into Habitat For Humanity, and I could argue that working with this charity has done as much good for him as he has done for others with his hours of building homes for the less fortunate.

In addition to volunteering a few days a week in the local community, working with Habitat gives you lots of travel opportunities. When Hurricane Katrina devastated the gulf coast in 2005, my dad took off on a bus to Mississippi with tents and tools, and worked side by side with the residents who were trying to clean up and rebuild. Since then, he’s traveled several times to Mississippi and Louisiana, as the rebuilding process continues.

It’s not the type of vacation you take to see the world and relax, but you will get a different kind of enjoyment from helping others and seeing first hand how your own efforts are making a difference. It is a chance to bond with your fellow volunteers and feel good about yourself in ways that tanning on the beach will never accomplish — and hey, you’ll be outdoors a lot; you’ll probably still come home with a tan.

Volunteering trips are also great ways to travel when you don’t have friends or family who can travel with you, since you’ll be with a group of people who share your charitable interests.

If you are a student looking for things to do over Spring Break, ask around your school about volunteering trips, often called Alternative Spring Break. My college always offered Habitat for Humanity spring break trips to Florida to rebuild in hurricane-damaged areas there. You don’t have to put up much (if any) money of your own, and you get to spend a week with your peers — and it’s not all hard work. It’s more work than most of your friends will be doing on their precious week off, but at the end of the day, you’re still in a new place with a group of your peers, which is the essential formula for a good time, right?

If you’re a regular Habitat volunteer like my dad, you’ll get to see a lot of the country. Sometimes you’ll be in Nowheretown, USA, but when you’re with a good group of people doing the type of work you enjoy, the location doesn’t matter. And it’s a funny thing — hurricanes tend to strike worst in sunny, warm, coastal areas. Your charity tour of the country is bound to include some great vacation spots, which you can enjoy in the times when you’re not busy building houses.

Forgive me if this post isn’t full of the usual travel ideas and photos, but after a recent experience, it would be wrong not to use this platform to tell my story. 

The airline industry has been on shaky ground for the past several years, and Delta Airlines has had its share of financial woes.  I can’t speak for the company’s entire infrastructure, but my experience with the gate agents, the baggage sorters, and the flight attendants tells me that this is a company I want to support.

On Sunday afternoon, my fiance McKenzie and I were on our way back home to Virginia after spending the last six weeks on the road.  Our first flight was from Bermuda to Boston, with less than a one hour layover to run across Logan International Airport for our plane home.  When we landed in Boston, we turned on our cell phones to check all the messages from the week we’d been out of the country, and McKenzie had one of those calls you never want to get.  His beloved grandmother had passed away that morning, and his family wanted to know how soon we could make it back to Oregon.

We hurried to the gate for our scheduled flight, and as that plane was boarding, we explained our situation to the gate agents and asked if there was any way we could possibly change our tickets on this extremely short notice.  Christina W. and the team of agents at gate A10 that day worked furiously to help us out.  At times there were up to four people on the phones at the same time on our behalf — making sure our tickets could be changed, working with customer service agents to be sure we received credit for the value of our original tickets and keeping the price of the switch down, contacting the baggage sorters to pull our luggage to a new plane, and holding the Oregon-bound plane at the gate so we could make it back across the airport before it was in the air.  These guys were heroic in their efforts for us, and when we got to our next plane, a flight attendant was waiting for us with bottles of water, boxes of tissues, and a compassionate smile.

We flew first to Salt Lake City, where we had yet another very short layover before boarding our final plane to Oregon.  So far in the extended travel day, everything had gone as smoothly as possible, thanks to the helpful and efficient gate agents back at Logan, but we figured that with our last minute change in itinerary and the two very short layovers, it would be a miracle if our luggage made it to Portland with us — but there they were at baggage claim.  All four of our 50-pound bags sealed the deal for us:  we love Delta. 

It’s not just the people — the planes are nice, too.  The seats were clean and comfortable, and the in-flight entertainment choices were surprisingly varied and good.  On the five-hour trip from Boston to Salt Lake City, I caught up on my trash TV with some E! countdown shows, then brushed up on the candidates in time for Super Tuesday by watching reruns of the latest Democratic debates on CNN, and finished off the flight with highlights from some football game on ESPN.

Aside from the unfortunate circumstances, it was a highly positive travel experience for the two of us, and we remain grateful to the Delta employees who worked so hard to get us to where we needed to be in this difficult time.

The countdown is on. In just under two weeks, I’ll be getting on a plane and leaving life as I’ve always known it. It’s not that I’m dropping everything and starting all over again — I’m not that dramatic — but my life is going to be very different, and I expect that I am going to be quite happy with the changes.

Up until now, I’ve lived by a schedule. Wake up, go to work, come home and struggle to stay awake for the few enjoyable hours of the day, fall asleep, repeat. If I wanted a vacation, it was always up to someone else. Actually, there were quite a few factors. Did I have enough money? Did my schedule line up with the schedules of my fellow travelers? Would my job allow me the time off? How much stress would this cause at the office when I returned to a week’s worth of backed up projects and communications? I’m very sorry to those still living with all these questions. I’m so glad I’m not.

A month ago, I quit my full-time job to be a free lance writer. It’s not that I hated the office, but the schedule sucked my will to live, and I’ve vowed that no matter what becomes of my writing career, I will live by my own schedule from now on. So after I left the office for the final time, I bought a plane ticket. I’m going to be traveling with my life partner (and bridge partner), McKenzie, who is also self-employed and free to roam the earth on his own terms. Our first stop is Salem, Oregon. He grew up there, but I’ve never been. I’m excited to see it, but we’ll be there less than day before taking off on a drive through Oregon and California en route to Reno, Nevada.

We’re going to play in a bridge tournament there with a few of the other under-30 players in the American Contract Bridge League. There aren’t many of us. You and your friends may not play bridge, but I’m sure all your grandparents love the game.

Between bridge hands, I’m hoping to make $100 last as long as possible in the casinos. I’ll be sure to report back on my success or failure in that regard when the time comes.

Reno is just the start of what is shaping up to be a whirlwind year of new places and faces for me, and I really can’t wait to get on with it.

I’m too young to have regrets, but I have always regretted how little traveling I did during and after college. I was so anxious to be an adult that I took summer classes, worked full time, graduated early, and bought a house, all before I could legally drink. Those “achievements” meant that I’d never do the backpacking across Europe thing, or the two week cross country drive, or any of the other adventures my friends were having while I was working all the time to pay for the life I thought I wanted. Luckily, being young means that I don’t have to regret this forever.

I’m cutting back on responsibilities and picking up on adventure, reclaiming my time, and stepping out of what you might call my comfort zone. But that term doesn’t work for me, because offices and sleep deprivation and unrealized wishes were never all that comfortable for me. Until recently, I also wasn’t comfortable with the idea of leaving it all behind. After all, it’s a big risk. Credit card debt is my biggest fear — so you see how giving up a salary made this a difficult decision for me. But it was definitely the right decision.

It will be so wonderful to write about things I’ve done instead of the things I want to do.