Booking flights: A bit of a treasure hunt

Last night I was laying on my sofa.  The TV was on mute, images flashing by in quasi-meaningful ways, my laptop perched on my knees while I investigated what wonders the internet had on offer.  In the process, I reran an old search on kayak that I had been eyeing about a week ago.

Sometimes I like to check flight prices or routings; see where I can go and how much it's going to set me back.  Sometimes I'm lucky and a truly ridiculous route pops up, one of the ones you just have to shake your head at because no one in their right mind would ever book it.

For example, did you know you can go from Toronto to Belize via London, U.K.?

Really!  Thank you British Airways!

Of course these crazy options come with equally crazy price tags, but they're useful to know about when it comes to booking an award flight where cost is less an issue and crazy routings make for cool layovers.

When I reran my search, I took a quick glance at the cities and dates but didn't look at much else.

The flights came up.  The lowest cost was $868 CAD from YYZ to BZE with one connection in IAH.

I was a bit disappointed.  You see, two weeks ago I could have gotten that flight for just shy of $600 CAD.  The Avianca option via SAL had been $622 CAD just the other day.  Now I was looking at over $200 CAD more.  I could argue that the flight with Avianca wasn't really an option for me, that I was looking at the United flight which had jumped to $741 CAD earlier in the week, but a 50% increase in price over a  two week interval was pretty stunning.

Then I noticed the booking class.

$868 CAD was the price for business class.

Well!

Well, well, well!  Not bad!  My $741 CAD United flight wasn't gone, but for $127 CAD more I could take that same flight in business class.  Of course it's only North American business class so it's nothing spectacular, but there is food involved, larger seats, and 50% more qualifying miles which will push me into their next tier.  Definitely worth it for me!

As it turned out, the friend joining me from the west coast was able to book the sale prices and we are set to meet in IAH.  A beautiful solution to a girl's getaway!

So my advice is this: play with your flight options before you make your choice.  You would expect that the results will be consistent, but sometimes you'll be surprised.  It's a bit of a treasure hunt, but if you strike gold you won't regret the time spent.

Where am I?

Update: Here I thought this was a hard one!  Good guess!

Poas Volcano is a gorgeous site a short drive outside of San Jose.  A private driver can be arranged for a nominal price, and it can be done in a half day.

A caveat to note is that seeing the volcano is weather and patience dependent.  Mist will cover the face for most of the time, but if you wait it might clear and you'll see the crater.  When it isn't clear, you'll see about five feet out before hitting a wall of white (think "The Nothing" from the Neverending Story).

***

Try this one out for size!  Not the country, the place!

Hint: It's in a  country famous for jungle excursions.

What is the most devalued airline frequent flyer program in north america?

Travel enough and you're bound to sign up for a loyalty program or two.  It might be for an airline or a hotel chain, something that offers free upgrades or even free travel if you visit often enough.

Over the last several years quite a few airlines have been hit hard by the global recession.  This has especially been the case in North America, where competition has become tougher than ever with the introduction of low-cost carriers like Spirit Airways.  This has resulted in scaling back on the offerings of many frequent flyer programs, and begs the question: what is the most devalued program out there?

I can't say that I know the answer, but an article recently went up on boardingarea.com that does.  The lucky winner?

Air Canada!

So perhaps all those flyers out there still clinging to their program might look elsewhere soon, because this program is starting to smell pretty bad.

Check it out!

Where am I?

Update: Seems this was a difficult one given no one got it!  Buenos Aires, Argentina.  Good luck next time :)

***

Because last week's was a bit easy for some, here's one that's a bit tougher.  Go for it!

Hint: This is a well-known area of a major city.

A guidebook that's just for fun

Sometimes choosing a guidebook is a difficult balance of pretty pictures and useful content.  There seem to be dozens of options, all jammed with information.

• Lonely Plant
• Frommers
• Rough Guide
• Let's Go
• Footprint
• DK
• Timeout
• Bradt

The list goes on.

Most of these I'm sure you're well able to track down, but for a bit of fun have a look at Jetlag Travel Guides.  Not useful for travel, but endlessly useful for entertainment.  Why?  Because they are guides to places that don't exist, and even if they did you can be certain you wouldn't want to visit them.
Leave one on your coffee table the next time you have guests over.  If someone asks, tell them you're considering it for your next vacation.  See what happens next.

Don't judge a book by it's cover

Ever hear the advice "don't judge a book by it's cover"?

Ever ignore that advice entirely?  No?  Really?

I was wandering in YEG the other weekend waiting for a flight back to YYZ.  Time on my hands and a very nondescript airport in which to spend it.  As much as I love the lounges, I wasn't in the mood.  That's how I found myself in the little book store across from the arcade and next to one of those anything/everything stores where you can buy overpriced cough drops because you forgot to bring any along (I wouldn't do this, of course).

I was flipping through the fiction aisle, not really intending to buy anything but always on the lookout for something interesting.

When I say I'm looking for something interesting, I mean more glancing and my focus is on the covers.

The fact is, while we can rely on the classics to have crap covers and still contain good writing, I have a hard time buying a more recently written book with an ugly cover.  My little pea brain doesn't translate low-budget printing into a quality adventure.  If a publisher wasn't willing to commit, why should I?

When I was in high school I bought a book by Steph Swainston called The Year of Our War.  It was a phenomenal book that I would highly recommend to fantasy lovers out there, however I didn't know that when I bought it.  My purchase was based entirely on the cover, which I fell in love with at first glance.

The cover was white as snow with the title and author's name scrawled across it in silver.  Simple, sleek, clean lines and no clutter.  I thought it was the most pretentious cover I had ever seen.  Consider this: in years past, classics were published with just the title of the book on the spine and the author's name scrawled across the front.  Picking them up, you knew you had something good waiting for you.  That signature was a promise.  Any author who is brazen enough to parallel the greats of literature is worth my judgement, for better or worse.

I still think that cover is pretentious, but I don't regret buying the book.

Back in YEG, I was looking for another The Year of Our War.  A cover that tempted, intrigued and drew my attention to the point where I couldn't walk away without it.  I was looking for a cover that promised to trade my life and my problems for someone else's, and perhaps a guarantee that it would all turn out well in the end.

All things considered, that's probably what I look for in a vacation destination as well.

Think about it.  How often have you decided you want to go somewhere because you saw some pretty pictures?

Yeah, I saw that guilty look.

Perhaps you ordered a brochure, looked up some sights on Lonely Planet, eyed a few hotels or pondered a tour.  You might be on a quest for relaxation or for a solid adventure that sets your heart racing.  Regardless of what it is, the fact is that likely you'll go in with expectations set.  You'll judge by the cover, so to speak.

It's not surprising that we do this.  After all, we've spent a lifetime building those expectations.

• Paris:  A concoction of the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame.  Flavoured with butter and crusty bread, and seasoned with the romance of lover kissing under bridges.

• Tokyo:  Filled to the brim with people, traffic flying by, lights and action and shinjuku girls with too much make-up.  Everyone eats raw fish with chopsticks and watches anime over dinner.

• Rome:  A city of ruins.  Italians out in the street shouting their conversations while wives hang sheets from the windows or berate their no-good husbands from kitchens suffused with mouthwatering smells.

These are cliches, obviously. Yet we cherish them as our book covers to the world.

In the end, I hope you'll think about this when their next opportunity to travel arises.  If you're booking because of the pretty pictures, be aware of that fact.  If you're after the culture, recognize that Hollywood has formed many of our preconceived notions.

I'm hoping to book a trip to Africa soon.  I've already been a number of times, but I'm not picky about where I go next.  I want to see more of the continent, but in myself I recognize that I'm not immune to judging without seeing.  For me, Ethiopia is a land blanketed in the dust of the past, in West Africa await the origins of voodoo and their curious practitioners, in Rwanda there will be hardship, and in Morocco the snake charmers sit in alleys playing music that permeates the city streets.

I know there's so much more than that.  This is why we travel.  The cover, it might be good and you might be tempted to fall in love, but there's so much more to be had.

So my challenge to you is this:  Don't be satisfied by the pretty pictures and inconsequential words.  Go out into the world, do things you never dared when the opportunities arise, roar at lions, walk in the Amazon at midnight, watch the sunrise from a mountaintop, drink French champagne on new years before kissing a stranger, and laugh because you're having the time of your life.

It's simple really:  Savor the book, not just the cover.

Gorgeous Beachs You Won't Find on a Top 10 List

I'm going to be honest with you.  Really.  In kindergarden when all the other kids were learning to share, I'm pretty sure I was distracted by a butterfly.

Fact is, I'm not good at sharing.  I like things to be mine.  This especially holds true for beaches.  I don't like to share my sand.  As a result, most beach resorts aren't all that appealing.  I have tested this several times in the Caribbean and while the beaches were nice, they didn't make me want to shove my flag in the sand and claim it for Canada.

The biggest issue?  Too many people.

My favorite beaches don't include company.

So for all those beach-lovers out there, let's talk about the more remote, jaw-droppingly beautiful bits of sand out there that you aren't going to see on a Top 10 list.

1. Easter Island, Chile

Easter Island: better recognized as that island with all the statues of the giant heads.

Fly to Santiago, Chile.  Board a LAN jet and head straight into the Pacific for 5.5 hours.  If the captain is worth their title, they'll find the most remote inhabited place on the planet, Easter Island.  The next closest populated place is Tahiti, but that's almost 6 hours away.

Easter Island marks the southernmost tip of Polynesia and boasts a population just shy of 6,000.   Surrounded by an azure-blue sky that stretches to the horizon, the water here is as clear as Bombay Blue gin and as refreshing as cool breeze of a hot day.

There are multiple beaches on the island worth visiting, some framed with the island's famed moai (giant statues) and others utterly deserted.  The island also has an issue with wild horses, so if you're sunbathing and think you hear thunder, check behind you as a herd may be galloping past (note for parents: this fact should be shared with caution to your 10 year old daughter.  Side effects can include endless pestering to visit.).

Easter Island

2. Fiji

This south Pacific gem is more modernized and easier to access than the other islands on this list.  That said, it's still a trek to get there.  For North Americans, the easiest option is a direct flight on Fiji Airways (formerly Air Pacific) from LAX to NAN.  This flight runs on a regular basis and prices tend to be lower than other options.  In addition, Fiji Airways has flights continuing on to Australia which allow free layovers, an excellent break on the front or back end of a trip (or both!).

Fiji

3. Giza, Solomon Islands

The Soloman Islands make up a small nation in the south Pacific.  It is difficult to get to, which translates into a very low rate of tourism.  Giza is one of the 922 islands that make up this nation, some hardly big enough to land a plane on, or so you'll think as your captain heads downwards.

The waters are crystal clear and chalked full of tropical fish.  Many hotels simply dip a line off their pier to bring up a dinner of some of the most succulent fish you'll ever taste (note: if you don't like fish, you'll be challenged for options).  Biking, kayaking, snorkeling, diving, and kicking back in a hammock are the most popular activities on this island paradise.

Imagine for a moment being stranded here, no internet or cellphone coverage, just peace and quiet.  Not so bad, right?

Giza, Soloman Islands

4. Champagne Beach, Espirito Santo, Vanuatu

Vanuatu is another fun one to find on a map.  Like Soloman, it's made up of a series of 82 islands, not all of which are inhabited.  Espiritu Santo is the largest of these islands (though oddly not where the capital is located or the main airport), and also one that lays claim to one of the most beautiful beaches in the world: Champagne Beach.

You can find this beach by driving down a long dirt road off the main highway (this highway is paved, luckily, and allows for two cars passing at most points).  You might run into a couple other people there, but in general you'll have it to yourself.  Bring a towel, some food and water, and a bottle of champagne to toast not just the beauty of the place but that you managed to make it all the way there! 

Champagne Beach, Espiritu Santo

5. Eritrea

My final choice on this list is also my favorite.  Like the others, it's difficult to reach by entirely worth it.

Let's start with a geography lesson.  Eritrea: located on the horn of Africa.  It's surrounded by Ethiopia, Djibouti and Sudan, and sits across the Red Sea from Saudi Arabia and Yemen.  It's at war with the majority of its neighbours, and has strict requirements for tourists wanting to travel there.  That said, it's 100% worth the effort.

Below are examples of two islands located off the coast of Eritrea in the Red Sea.  Both were reached by power boat, both were entirely uninhabited, and on both we were left entirely to ourselves.  The water was warm and filled with fish, the boats having to edge around the reefs to make their landings.  Truly, I haven't seen anything to match the stunning beauty of these bits of sand.  For the brave, this is an experience not to be missed.

Desert Island, Eritrea

Sand spit, Eritrea

Note: These are just beaches I've come across in my journeys.  The fact is, the more remote you go the more spectacular they get.  There are tons more out there, just waiting to be discovered!

Where am I?

Update: Apparently this one was too easy!  Guesses are bang on.  NYC, and one of the most beautiful murals I've come across.  Wouldn't it be nice if Toronto hired this Kobba for a bit of work!

I promise to make the next one more of a challenge.  Prepare yourself.

***

Any guesses?
Hint: A phenomenal city offering just about anything you could ask for... at a price.

The Friendliest and Unfriendliest Cities in the World

"Excuse me," I said politely in my English-accented French.  "Do you speak English?"

I had just walked into a travel agent's office in Libreville, Gabon.  Large posters of airplanes and exotic islands peppered the yellow walls, many with Africans posing happily in the foreground.  Wooden desks that looked unmovable purely based on how chunky and old they were stretched across the front of the shop.  Behind two of these desks, a pair of women sat chatting.  They hadn't looked up as I walked in.

"No," one of the women said, answering my question while seeming completely disinterested in my presence.

I shifted my feet.  I may be Canadian, but my French was similar to my Mandarin; I could wish you happy new year, but that seemed to only go over well one day of the year.  The rest of the time I got odd looks.

Regardless, I tried.

"Le passport picture?"  I held up my passport and camera, looking hopeful.

The woman frowned.  "I don't understand."

Personally, I though it took a special sort of intelligence to misinterpret my gesture.  Her expression clearly showed that she understood perfectly and was disinclined to help regardless of my request.

"We don't speak English here," she continue in English.  "We cannot help you."

She turned back to her friend and they continued their conversation.

I turned and walked out.  They obviously weren't going to help me, likely didn't even want me there.  Ironically, I didn't want to be there either.  I was hunting for a shop that did passport pictures so I could tag one on a visa application to Congo and get the hell out of Gabon.

For me at least, Libreville was the most unfriendly, pretentious, unenchanting city I had ever visited.  Sadly, my experience in the travel agents shop was what I had come to expect from the city.

Conde Nast Traveler recently posted their list of the friendliest and unfriendliest cities in the world.  It's an interesting collection, definitely offering some food for thought.  Can a whole city really be considered friendly or unfriendly?  Should we base our decisions where to travel on personal judgements that would ultimately be heavily biased?

I don't know.  I did notice that Libreville wasn't on their list, but just as the ladies in the store ignored me, I would prefer to ignore their glorious capital city as well.

Have a look at the full list here!

A Highlight of Portugal: Monseratte Palace

Sometimes pictures are worth a thousand words.  I'll keep the commentary brief and let them speak for themselves.

Location: Monseratte Palace, Sintra, Portugal

Getting there: 

Half hour outside of Lisbon by train.  Trains run multiple times per day.  The train station in Sintra is a brief, easy and beautiful walk away from the town center.  Follow the other tourists down, or catch one of multiple taxis waiting.

The visitor center has maps and information on the area, including which buses go to which castles.  Stop by to get the most recent information before proceeding.

Getting around:

Taxis are available but expensive.  Instead consider the buses.  These are geared towards tourists, run in loops and have fantastically easy-to-understand signage.  The drivers are trained to address touristy issues, and locations are announced when they arrive at them.  This is one of the easiest bus routes I've come across, and shouldn't be a concern for anyone.

Sights:

Most cities in Europe have a proportionate number of castles to their population and general importance.  Sintra missed this memo.  As a result, they have a plethora of very different and absolutely stunning castles.  There is a Moorish castle which mostly lies in ruins across the mountaintop, a castle designed by a Hollywood set designer in the early 1900s, a fairy-tale palace resting on the top of a hill (with a fantastic restaurant!), and the stunning Monseratte Palace.  The sights can be sizable, and the savvy tourist would choose several to visit rather than trying to cover them all.

For my vote, Monseratte was a favorite.  The interplay of light and shadow in the building is enough to drive photography geeks nuts, and the detailing in the building is sumptuous.  Not to sway  your trip, but below are pictures of this beautiful palace, highlighting why a trip to Sintra is well worth the effort.

Monseratte Palace exterior

I

Many of the ceilings were stunningly ornate.

Another ceiling.

It's possible I'm obsessed with ceilings...

There was some construction onsite, however they didn't cordon off the areas and it was fascinating to see the work in progress.  Most of the building was complete however, so this wasn't burdensome.

This gives an idea of the state the original was in before the renovation began.

The library: empty of books, but with another phenomenal ceiling!

The carved wooden door to the library.  Very difficult to get a shot that included the entire door, which was substantial and absolutely stunning.

Besides the ceilings, the walls and windows had ornate detailing.

The main entryway from above.

A statue in a still fountain.

For photographers, the cast of light and shadow in this building was like a toy to play with.

One of the main hallways.  You can see how ornate the latticework was over the arches.

A lone fountain at the end of one of the hallways.  It wasn't running but did have water.

The exterior of the building was in many ways as ornate as the interior, and just as fun to shoot.

Looking back, besides ceilings I might also have an obsession with windows.

Monseratte Palace is not a busy tourist destination.  It was easy to wander alone through the garden paths, though a bit of patience was required for some of the longer hallway shots above.  Completely worth the effort in my mind.

Many castles in Europe are essentially large buildings with drywall or stone interiors.  Some or complete, others are not.  Here is a smaller palace that has been completed with stunning flare.  Next time you're in Lisbon, I would suggest taking a day and heading to Sintra to check it out!

If $$$ were no object, where would you go?

Too often I find myself mildly inebriated when someone asks that dreaded “what if?” question.

• What if you only had a year to life?
• What if you could travel anywhere for the first time?
• What if you won the lottery tomorrow?

Bored yet?

No one is going to walk up to you one day and tell you when you’re going to die.  There are no opportunities for “do-overs”, and winning the lottery is not something I would bet on.

All the same, it is nice to dream…

So what should die-hard travelers dream about?  I have a few suggestions. 

Beware: These trips are moderately to obscenely expensive.  Drool if you like, but don’t fall in love. 

1. The Ultimate African Safari:

 

Imagine a jeep to yourself in the wilds of Ngorogoro Crater, camera ready as a leopard leaps up onto a strategically placed log in the distance.  Not ten minutes previous you were surrounded by lions sunning themselves in the grass, a pair of cubs playing while their mother studiously ignored them.  The sun will set soon, at which point tables will be laid out with chairs and drinks will be poured.  You’ll toast to a day well spent before returning to your luxurious hotel for a sumptuous meal, a nightcap, and a restful sleep.  Repeat as necessary in the days to follow.

Micato is a safari company that can offer this and more.  This family-run company is based out of Africa and doesn't pull any punches when it comes to the perfect safari experience.  They have won awards from "Travel & Leisure" year after year, are featured as the best safari operator in east Africa in "1,000 Places to See Before You Die",  and reviewers can’t speak highly enough of them.

In terms of safari experiences, you can expect a personalized trip regardless of whether you choose to travel in a group or solo, overland or by private plane.  Just book, then charge your camera batteries because there's nowhere quite like Africa for obsessive photographers and their favorite toys!

The website: http://www.micato.com
The catch: Starting at ~$8,000USD per person, double occupancy

2. Round-the-world on a private jet

Why settle for just Africa though?  Aren’t we intrepid souls out to see the world?  So why not do it in class, in style, and in luxury on your own private jet.  

You like?

Just think, numerous flights that won't leave until you arrive.  You are simply driven onto the tarmac, flash a bit of ID, and while your baggage is whisked away you stroll leisurely towards the bar where your champagne or Johnny Walker Blue are waiting.  Does it really matter where you go?  For once we can all agree, half the joy of the trip is the flying!

Several companies offer luxury round-the-world vacations.  These include flights, hotels, meals and tours.  Basically everything, including guides with impressive credentials.  The one challenge consistent with the itineraries is the locations, which tend to be less adventuresome that I would like.

National Geographic Expeditions: http://www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com/expeditions/around-the-world-jet-tour/detail
The catch: ~$70,000 per person for 24 days

Smithsonian Journeys: http://www.smithsonianjourneys.org/tours/around-the-world-private-jet?display=itinerary
The catch: ~$70,000 per person for 23 days

Abercrombie & Kent: http://www.abercrombiekent.com/discover/private-jet/
The catch: ~$105,000 per person for 25 days

3. Visit Every UNESCO World Heritage Site

So if my complaint is that most round-the-world trips aren't adventuresome enough, this trip is the solution.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site List includes 981 locations of cultural or historical significance (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list).  Most travelers will visit at least one of these on a given cultural/historical trip.  Common examples include:

• The Great Wall, China
• Machu Picchu, Peru
• Stonehenge, UK
• The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
• Yellowstone National Park, USA
• Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Some travelers count not just the countries and continents they've visited, but also the world heritage sites.  With so many, it’s hard to think that someone might be able to visit them all.

Until now.

This two year trip sells itself as an opportunity to visit every UNESCO World Heritgage Site on the list (excluding those in war zones where safety issues may arise).  The company will help travelers arrange a schedule that meets their travel objectives, offering both luxury and flexibility.

The catch: To date, only one of these trips has been sold for a reported £990,000 per couple (£1,370 per couple per day).  Based on this cost, the trip is touted as the most expensive overall vacation currently available.

Offered by Very First To (note this site requires a login): http://veryfirstto.com/experiences/view/every-world-heritage-site-in-1-holiday/

Write-up by the UK's Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2295636/Around-world--962-Unesco-sites-Luxury-experience-company-offers-ultimate-trip-long-TWO-YEARS-990-000-spare.html

4. Space

Perhaps Earth has gotten a bit blase?  Virgin Galactic is your solution.  Details are still somewhat sketchy, but the itinerary appears to include several days of pre-launch training, followed by a single flight that has a brief period spent in zero gravity conditions.  Tickets have already been sold to several hundred passengers globally, and passengers are welcomed to attend special events Virgin Galactic hosts in advance of the project launch.

If you're someone who wants to stop looking at the stars and start experiencing them, this trip is one to watch.

The website: http://www.virgingalactic.com/
The catch: $250,000 per person

5. Antarctica

Space may be considered tempting for the elite traveler, but not to be missed back on Earth is the stunning scenery of the seventh continent. 

Recently the international community decided to disallow large cruise ships from sailing through antarctic waters.  This means the only options remaining are the smaller and considerably more costly expedition ships.  These set sail only a few months of the year, but are better equipped to provide experiences that not only include viewing the scenery, but shore landings, kayaking, camping, and authentic Antarctic snowball fights.

National Geographic has partnered with Lindblad to offer several fantastic itineraries to the frozen continent.  These are guided by renowned scientists and photographers, have chefs aboard prepared to cook extraordinary feasts, and a variety of luxurious bedrooms that make it hard to believe you're on an expedition ship and not a private yacht.

The website: http://www.expeditions.com
The catch: Starting at ~$12,000 per person

As with many trips, it's not just the locations themselves but the company you keep while seeing them.  These trips almost guarentee fascinating joiners, and if you get tired of those you can always entertain yourself asking dozens of uninformed questions to the expert guides or convincing the professional photographers to teach you a few tricks.

So next time you're drunk as a skunk and someone asks that dreaded "what if..." question, don't roll your eyes.  Instead, tell them you have a list of choice travel options, but you'd prefer to start with a new drinking game called "Name that UNESCO World Heritage Site!". 

Where am I?

Update: got it right in 1!  

The beautiful picture below was taken at 5am at the gates to Dubrovnik, Croatia.  Rain had been falling through the night, leaving the cobblestones shining as they reflected the lamplight.  

***

For all you travel snobs out there, take a guess where this picture was taken!

Hint: This city has one of the most complete and walk-able city walls in Europe.