Feel like you’re being milked and bilked for all you’re worth by the airlines when you make travel plans? Turns out: you are!
A U.S. House subcommittee on aviation recently found that airlines have charged fees for services that consumers would normally expect to have included in the ticket price, including baggage fees, seat choice, and reservation changes or cancellations.
While airlines counter that they’re able to lower their fares by unbundling these fees, the government feels differently, and that the proliferation of new fees can be “confusing and in some cases misleading.”
One proposal was to extend the airline excise tax of 7.5% to the full total, unbundled fee—currently, the added fees for services like checking a single piece of baggage escape the tax. The airlines argued that additional taxes would harm growth of the economy.
What this could mean for travelers, and A Traveling Dog readers? It could mean that government moves forward with pushing the excise tax and airlines (almost inevitably) decide to pass the costs on to consumers. Or it means that customers get savvier about being sure about what to book (without cancellations or changes) and get increasingly bigger pieces of carry-on luggage in order to avoid checked baggage fees.
Do you have tons of travel stories your dying to share with the world, but are lacking a soapbox to shout your stories from check out TravelBlog.org. The site allows you to update your personal travel travel diary from any computer world wide. So the next time you’re sitting in that internet cafe, far, far away from home, log into your TravelBlog.org account and start documenting your trip. It’s a fantastic way to keep your friends and family in the loop, while having a coherent record of everything you saw and experienced.
So start a Travel Blog today and have a place to look back on your favorite traveling moments!
For the traveler who rolls their eyes at the idea of staying in a hotel, and even bunking up in a hostel elicits a yawn, CouchSurfing.com is the answer to their prayers. CouchSurfing.com is a worldwide network linking travelers with the communities they’re visiting. Since 2004, member have been using the site to find places to stay in over 230 different countries. The site prides itself on serving as a bridge between people who would otherwise never meet. Hosts have the opportunity to meet people from all over the world without leaving their home and travelers have the opportunity to meet people and stay in another country for free.
Looking for a different way to stay abroad? Try an “untour”—a supported self-directed tour. You’ll stay in an apartment in the heart of the city furnished according to local custom rather than in a hotel. You’ll be able to immerse yourself in the country and culture at a depth that would be otherwise impossible.
Untours was founded in 1975 by by Hal Taussig and his wife Norma with a mission of offering Americans a profound exposure to other cultures. The company donates nearly all of its profits to charities since the Untours Foundation was founded in 1992. These donations take the form of low-interest social investment loans that build low-income housing, support Fair Trade certified products, and jobs for workers in the developing world and disenfranchised populations. Loan recipients include the Landless Workers Movement in Brazil (assisting over one million formerly landless people to reclaim fallow land and achieve self-sufficiency) to Fresh Look Hair in Delaware (a family business that offers all natural products to straighten hair without harsh chemicals).
Tours are available throughout Europe, as well as New York City, Buenos Aires, and Quebec City. Since these tours are about total immersion, they must last a minimum of seven days. Visit the Untours site and book your own unique and unforgettable trip at untours.com.
My favorite summer ever was spent picking green beans and watering olive trees on an organic farm on the island of Elba, off the coast of Tuscany, Italy.
It didn’t hurt that every day there was some swimming in the Mediterranean Sea involved. You know, on the pristine beach fifty meters from where I slept. I’d walk a sandy path past the vineyards in my bikini and straw hat, pull a plum from the plum tree, toss my towel down and enter the cool, turquoise water. Maybe grab an espresso at the café on the way back.
Okay, not maybe. Certo. This is Italy we’re talking about here, bella.
If you’re interested in organic farming and willing to work for your supper, WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) is an incredible way to experience a new part of the world without spending much money at all. There are participating farms all over the world, helping people share more sustainable ways of living. You meet great people, build muscles, and come home with memories to last a lifetime.
New Mexico features a wealth of things to see when on vacation, and it may be a little hard to delegate time to visit each one of the must see stops this great state holds. One definite stop for the adventurous types should be the Carlsbad Caverns. The main event here is the beautiful rock formations on the walls, ceilings, and floors of the caves. This journey isn’t for the faint of heart, you need to travel nearly 70 stories below the earth’s surface to get there.
Continuing on the the road trip theme, tourist attractions are a staple in Americana and a must-see for anyone traveling highways and byways. We’re not talking about beaches and theme parks either. These places speak to lovers of the strange and bizarre and probably aren’t in your standard travel guide.They’re like America’s deformities: so weird, we just can’t look away! Here is a list of a few odd U.S. tourist attractions that still attract hundreds of road-trippers every year.
Babyland General Hospital (Cleveland, Georgia):
This institution is sure to cater to the 8 year-old girl in all of us. It’s the magical place where Cabbage Patch Kids are stuffed and certified. Although the craze for Cabbage Patch Kids has died down since the 80s and 90s, they still have quiet a few visitors in the summer.
Precious Moments Chapel (Carthage, Missouri):
What’s creepier than those popular teary-eyed, angle-winged Precious Moments figurines? A whole chapel adorned with Precious Moments characters painted Sistine Chapel in a Missouri church. Still, this place rakes in the visitors every year.
Prehistoric Forest (Marblehead, Ohio):
Dinosaurs are cool! Dinosaur replicas are less cool. At Prehistoric Forest in Marblehead, you can gaze at dinosaur statues that are set up to look like a less threatening Jurassic Park. The coolest part is the tram ride in which visitors are handed fake M16’s and are told to “kill the monsters”.
There’s nothing more American than a good old-fashioned road-trip.
It’s a great way to travel and explore the country you live in, see the underbelly of areas that you often overlook, and bond with your fellow road-weary traveling partner in the process. A cross-country road trip is on many people’s bucket list, so if you’re looking to cross that off of your’s, National Geographic has what you need to get some inspiration.
On their website they have a really great section profiling the most scenic highways and byways in the US. It separates the suggested routes into regions, so whether you want to head north, south, east, or west, there are plenty of facts and information to get your travel bug going.
One that’s definitely on my list is the Blues Highway drive. Blues Highway, also known as Highway 61, is a route between Memphis and Vicksburg that runs along the mighty Mississippi River. It’s a road trip must-drive for any music lover. On this highway traveled by Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Bessie Smith, and BB King, you’ll find smoky juke joints nestled under pine trees, the sweet sounds of southern gospel music billowing through open church doors, and of course, some famous Memphis BBQ. Memphis is home to Stax Museum of American Soul Music, which is named after the famed Stax records that put out Otis Redding, Issac Hayes and the Staple Singers.
To read more, or find another incredible road trip destination, check out the website.
Travel insurance is a highly debatable commodity in the traveling world. Some people struggle with the decision–to purchase, or not to purchase?
Here are 9 reasons to buy travel insurance according to TODAY, check them out:
Reasons to buy travel insurance
1. Your flight has been cancelled.
2. Your bags are lost and your medication is in it. You need to have an emergency prescription filled.
3. Your passport and wallet are stolen, and you need emergency cash and a replacement passport.
4. You’re involved in an accident and adequate medical treatment is not available. You need medical evacuation.
5. You need to cancel your trip due to illness.
6. Your cruiseairline or tour operator goes bankrupt. You need your non-refundable expenses covered and to get to your destination.
7. You have a medical emergency in a foreign country.
8. A terrorist incident occurs in the city where you’re planning to visit and you want to cancel your trip.
9. A hurricane forces you to evacuate your resort, hotel or cruise.
Procrastination is widely viewed as a bad habit and sure sign of someone who just doesn’t have their stuff together. But sometimes, procrastination pays off.
A few days ago I stumbled upon this great site called Lastminutecruises.com. They offer incredible deals on Caribbean and Mediterranean cruises for the person who just can’t book things in advance. For example, a 3-night cruise from Miami to the Bahamas was $169… that’s nearly 61% off regular ticket price.
In addition to the traditional Carribean cruises that go to Mexico and the Bahamas, there are several different destinations that one could consider if they want something a little different. Other cruise destinations include Alaska, Bermuda, Canada-New England, Hawaii and North Europe–at amazing prices!
Feel like you’re being milked and bilked for all you’re worth by the airlines when you make travel plans? Turns out: you are!
