14 Things I Learned/Discovered In Ho Chi Minh City
I’ve just returned from a short but fun trip to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam and thanks to some good tours, friendly locals, a bit of personal experience and a little bit of reading I discovered a variety of things about the city and the country that I never knew before – here are 14 of the things that I learned and that spring to mind (there are probably a lot more).
New York Residents Can No Longer Renew Or Apply For Global Entry
In December last year, the state of New York introduced a new law which allows undocumented immigrants to apply for a state driving license and, in a twist that few would have seen coming, this law is now being cited as the reason why residents of the state of New York can no longer apply for or renew Global Entry membership.
Welcome To Brexit – What The UK Government Wants UK Travelers To Know
The United Kingdom will officially leave the European Union (EU) at midnight Central European Time today, 31 January 2020, and it’s interesting to note that the British Government waited until approximately 36 hours before that momentous occasion before it updated its webpage setting out what effect Brexit may have on its citizens' future travel plans….and the details don’t make for pretty reading.
I Had No Idea You Could Enroll For TSA PreCheck At Staples Stores
I get TSA PreCheck as an added bonus alongside my Global Entry membership so perhaps that's why I've never realized (or noticed!) that some people can now avoid the hassle of a trip to a government enrolment center when applying for TSA PreCheck by visiting their local Staples store instead.
Las Vegas Taxi Drivers Will Soon Find It A Little Harder To Rip You...
Most frequent visitors to Las Vegas will have a story about how they were ripped off by a taxi driver who picked them up from the airport.
From stories about circuitous routings and stories about drivers deliberately taking the busiest roads to stories of drivers selling nightclub flyers as guest list passes, there are dozens of scams that a select number of Las Vegas taxi drivers have been inflicting on unsuspecting visitors for years.
Here’s A Great Example Of Why You Shouldn’t Rely On TripAdvisor Reviews
I haven't relied on TripAdvisor reviews (or reviews posted on most other travel/retail sites) in years but I know that a lot of people still, for some reason, put an incredible amount of weight in the opinions of strangers on the internet and they really, really shouldn't.
Be Careful! You May Be Paying Resort Fees You Shouldn’t Be Paying
Resort fees, destination fees, facility fees (call them what you will) have been around for some time but it’s only in the past year or two that they’ve really started getting out of hand.
They started out as fees charged by actual resort properties (hence the original name of ‘resort fee’) to cover spurious extras like sun loungers, snorkel set rentals and in-room water, but have now spread to properties of all types and are nothing more than a new way to rip off guests.
Former Boeing Engineer Claims 737 MAX Project Was Underfunded & FAA Was Kept In...
In an episode of Panorama which will air in the UK tonight (29 July 2019) at 20:30, a former Boeing engineer tells journalists that the 737 MAX production line was poorly funded, that the teams working on the aircraft were under continual pressure to keep costs down and that the FAA was deliberately kept in the dark on certain matters.
My Annoyingly Foolish Mistake You Should Learn From
I spend a lot of my time searching for great Business Class fares (sometimes Premium Economy fares) to various destinations around the world and I like to think that I have a fair amount of experience when it comes to (a) finding great deals and (b) booking the deals once I've found them. Still, sometimes I screw up.
Here’s A Big Reason Why I’m Already Booking My Trips For 2020
I happily admit to being one of life's planners so it's not entirely out of character for me to be planning trips a year into the future. Right now, however, there's an extra special reason why I'm already checking out flights and hotels for the first few months of 2020.
Two Great Trips That Have Got Me Excited To Travel Again
I'm incredibly lucky to be able to fly around the world in relative comfort courtesy of the miles and points hobby (and a lot of hard work) but sometimes I go through phases where the last thing I want to do is to get on another plane.
Will I Be Happy To Fly On Boeing’s 737 MAX Aircraft?
I’m pretty sure there’s no need for me to go over the reasons why the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft are getting so much attention right now (I’ve gone over that ground a few times before) so I’ll just focus on the question a lot of readers have been asking me over the past few weeks – will I be happy to fly on Boeing’s 737 MAX aircraft once the authorities have re-certified the aircraft as airworthy?
The Airbnb Rules In Los Angeles Are Emboldening Hotels To Rip Off Their Guests
From 1 July 2019 the City of Los Angeles will introduce a series of measures which will seriously limit the opportunities for residents to rent out their properties on sites like Airbnb, VBRO and HomeAway. The City of Los Angeles hasn't gone as far as two of its neighbors (Santa Monica and West Hollywood) who have already essentially banned short-term rentals outright, but the restrictions being introduced from July are still pretty severe.
I’d Love Airlines To Limit/Eliminate Seat Recline On All Short Flights
Right now Delta is in the process of reducing the amount of recline on offer to First and Economy Class passengers in over 60 of its Airbus A320 aircraft and it's a move I cheered enthusiastically when I first heard about it.
6 Unexpected/Odd Reasons I Loved Australia
There are plenty of reasons why Australia can be a great place to visit (the weather, the scenery and the food are just three of them) but I'm not going to discuss those here - that's what travel guides are for - here I'm just going to offer up a brief list of a few less obvious and, in some cases, slightly odd reasons why I really liked the parts of Australia we visited.
Boeing Will Release “Fixes’ For Its 737 MAX Aircraft By Tomorrow
We still don't know for sure what caused the tragic Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 disasters but we do know that neither Boeing nor the Federal Aviation Administration are coming out of the investigations looking particularly good.
No, It’s Not A Good Thing That The FAA Delegated Certification To Boeing
It's always fun when two bloggers disagree and right now I have a diametrically opposing view to Gary (View From The Wing) on the way the FAA appears to have handled the certification process for the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
The 737 MAX Disasters Have Opened Up Serious Trust & Credibility Issues For Boeing...
Having two new aircraft of the same type involved in tragic and fatal accidents in the space of five months is a very unusual state of affairs but, without any solid information from the authorities investigating the crashes, it's important that we resist the urge to start apportioning blame for those disasters.
Who Actually Checked That The 737 MAX Was Safe? (Did The FAA Devolve Responsibility...
An article in yesterday's Seattle Times makes for worrying reading if you're a flyer, a Boeing shareholder or a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) manager because it suggests that the certification process for the Boeing 737 MAX was hurried, botched and, to a significant degree, passed back to Boeing engineers to do themselves.
Boeing 737 MAX: Is The US FAA Playing Politics With Passenger Safety?
The European Union, Australia, China and India are just an example of the regions and countries where the 737 MAX aircraft may no longer operate (temporarily) but the US airline regulator (FAA) and the US airlines who operate the aircraft are, at the time of writing, sticking firm in their stance that the aircraft is perfectly safe. Why?
Are People Using Mobile Devices In Public Getting More Thoughtless?
I'd like to get some opinions on something that I'm seeing more and more of as I travel and I'd like to know what you guys think, whether I have a point or whether I'm way off base....and I'd like to hear what your recent experiences have been like too.
737 MAX 8 Issues: There’s Nothing Boeing Can Say – We Just Have To...
There's no doubt that Boeing has a big issue on its hands with the rapidly growing perception that all may not be quite right with its 737 MAX 8 aircraft but, right now, all we have is speculation and commentary from (mostly) uninformed sources and people demanding that Boeing makes reassuring noises in the direction of the general public.
I Have Absolutely No Willpower Whatsoever……
With so many carriers now offering a Premium Economy option across the Atlantic I recently took the decision to start reviewing some of these cabins to see what they offer and to see if they're worth the premium they charge.
Selecting Airline Seats Is About More Than Just Avoiding Galleys, Bassinets & Lavatories
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Award Wallet Saved Me $250…And Quite A Bit Of Embarrassment
As you have probably noticed, I write about miles & points quite a bit and, despite the fact that I have a large number of credit cards and loyalty program accounts (31 at the last count), I like to think that I'm good at keeping on top of my accounts, tracking spending and earnings and generally knowing where I stand at any given moment in time.
Los Angeles Cracks Down On AirBnB – Good News For Renters, Bad News For...
Santa Monica essentially banned residents from renting out their properties via AirBnB over a year ago (AirBnB lost an appeal earlier this year), the City of West Hollywood followed suit in the first half of 2018 and now the City of Los Angeles (covering by far the biggest area of the three) has announced new rules to curb the rapid growth of AirBnB within its borders.
My Rio de Janeiro Decision (And A Big Thank You)
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Time To Legislate: This Hotel Rip-Off Needs To Stop
If you ask a group of frequent travelers what five aspects of the offerings they get from hotels and airlines they dislike the most you're likely to get a host of different answers.
Some will probably point to the inability of certain airlines to keep to a schedule (that would be you AA), some will probably comment on hotel rooms that don't offer enough power outlets and some will complain about the ever decreasing amount of space passengers are given on an aircraft.....but I'm willing to wager that one ever more apparent aspect of travel will appear on most of their lists - Resort fees.
I’m A Little Worried About A Trip I Have Planned – This Is New...
I've been fortunate enough to have visited a variety of countries around the world both for pleasure and for work and not all have been destinations you'd necessarily wish to visit with your family.
Some of the places I've visited (in parts of Africa and in parts of Asia) are definitely not tourist destinations and, to put it bluntly, they're not very safe....but I was ok with that.
Using The Airport Railroad Express (AREX) To Get From Seoul Incheon Airport To Downtown...
As we often see nice Business Class fares published for travel between Europe and Seoul, and as Korean Airlines is a popular Chase points redemption from the US, I thought I'd share my experience of getting into downtown Seoul from Seoul Incheon airport on the off chance that this helps someone out.
We’re Off On Another Mystery Trip….And It Should Be Very Good!
Tonight Joanna and I will be flying out of London Heathrow for 11 nights on a trip that Joanna knows very little about. She has no idea where were flying to or if we're visiting one location or more but she does know that we'll be going somewhere warm - a girl needs to know what to pack! I did something similar for Joanna last year as a "thank you" for putting up with the hours I work and the numerous trips I take throughout the year...but this year I think I've done better.
Hong Kong Airport Express, Free Hotel Shuttles & Kowloon Check-In
Before I even arrived in Hong Kong I had decided that I was going to take the Airport Express from the airport into Kowloon (where I was going to be staying at the Hyatt Regency). I didn't want to take a taxi because they can be expensive (especially if you get caught up in traffic) and I didn't want to use Über because I don't have a great roaming plan on my phone and that's a bit of an issue when you're reliant on your phone to call and find your car.
Connecting At Zurich Airport – A Quick Look
As I often suggest travelers take "positioning flights" around Europe (and the US) to make the most of any great Business Class fares that come around or to make the most of award availability that appears somewhere that isn't your home airport, I thought I'd share my experience of doing just that at Zurich airport.
Should An OTA Be Allowed To Demand This Information?
I like to think that I've made my fair share of internet hotel bookings. Whether it's been directly through a hotel chain's website, via an online travel agency (OTA) like Expedia and Orbitz or via the more opaque sites like Priceline, I've booked a fair few rooms over the years.....so I thought there wasn't much that could surprise me during the booking process. Well, it turns out that I was wrong, as Agoda decided to prove to me just the other day.
The Sheikh Zayed Mosque Abu Dhabi (In Pictures)
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Travel Selfies: It’s Hard To Overstate Just How Much I Hate Them
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