Author Archives: simply three cents

June 25, 2012

I’ve Arrived!

By simply three cents

Upon arriving into Buenos Aires, I was one of the first from my flight to arrive in immigration. Thank you Business Class.

As you get into immigration, a representative asks where you are from. Because I have a US passport I was directed to the line for US citizens; however, I had already paid the reciprocity fee* when the boyfriend and I visited Argentina last year. When I showed the page in my passport confirming this, I was swiftly directed to a different line where I was quickly and efficiently stamped into the country (unlike in Miami upon my return into the States, but I digress).

The events that follow I can best describe as a clusterf#ck brought on by yours truly.

After immigration, I spotted a duty-free shop and asked where the American Airlines Business Class Lounge was. The woman working there did not know where the lounge was and directed me to another man, who worked for a different airline. I got nothing. I went through Customs and asked at a taxi stand. Nothing. Made my way to the to the American Airlines departures desk. Closed. The woman at the shared LAN counter told me I could only use the lounge if I was departing that day. Kind of defeats the purpose of having a shower upon arrival, no?

Hot (I was still wearing my fleece from the airplane) and eager to shower and put on weather-appropriate clothing, I continued to ask various people working at the airport where the lounge was. Nearly an hour later I decided to give up on that shower I had been dreaming of.

A smart girl would have asked on the plane, or would have referred to the map in the magazine – which I normally do look at. I blame this on my distraction with all things Business Class and thus neglected to figure out the lounge access situation prior to my arrival. Note to self: make this a priority before getting off the plane. Next time…

* Reciprocity fee is the equivalent to what Argentine citizens pay to enter the US. The entry visa is good for US citizens for ten years. Argentina charges reciprocity fees to citizens of Canada and Australia. The costs and validity vary. You can avoid the fees by traveling overland. Note: Chile also has reciprocity fees; however, I did avoid those by entering the country by bus.

Leave a comment   |  tags: | posted in air travel, observations

June 21, 2012

Leaving on a Jet Plane

By simply three cents

*If you are following along, yesterday’s post took us all the way to the end of the trip. We’re back to chronological order and … leaving (the US for Argentina) on a jet plane.

Soon after I booked my international flight, the boyfriend had encouraged me to upgrade myself to Business Class. I agreed and got myself on the list but the upgrade was not confirmed until the day before my flight.

The boyfriend’s reasoning was that if I were to have a panic attack, it would be so much nicer to have one in Business Class, than in Coach. I have to agree. So I hope you have a laugh with me as you see the irony of starting a budget travel adventure in Business Class.

Upon arriving at JFK, I made my way to the Business Class check-in. It was so pleasant! The gate agent actually invited me behind the counter to view the seat map and pick another seat since the one I had chosen on the phone not more than 24 hours prior was no longer available.

Nervous, because I did not have access to Seat Guru, I trusted the gate agent, and chose my seat based on her recommendation of the bulk head seat.

Once confirmed, I was directed to the Business Class lounge. I was even told that I could use the Business Class lounge upon arriving in Buenos Aires to shower (in hindsight…lies!).

Nothing says Business Class lounge like comfy chairs, great views and free drinks before a flight. Nothing says backpacker like yoga pants, a 60 liter rucksack on the back and small daypack on the front.

I was seated near four business people headed to Rio. I realized I was sitting there in the international departures lounge because I was heading to Buenos Aires! It was really real!

About three-quarters into my glass of wine, my flight was boarding. It was painless as I left the lounge and headed right for priorty boarding. I didn’t even see the seats in Coach as I took my seat in the front of the plane. Per the gate agent’s suggestion, I was in the bulkhead seat and since Business Class was half empty, I didn’t even have a seat mate.

Pre-departure I was greeted by my friendly flight attendant with a glass of sparkling wine. Soon after take-off I was handed a pair of Bose headphones and a menu, (a menu!), with my choice of drinks, dinner and dessert.

I took the first two hours of the flight to discover what was available to me in Business Class. I had down comforters, an assortment (yes, more than one!) of pillows, television, movies and music.

And buttons!

There was an entire panel of buttons to use to control my seat. The buttons kept me occupied for some time as I played around to determine just the right amount of recline for dinner, entertainment and (of course) sleeping.

Since no one was next to me, I took both toiletry bags…socks, eye masks, tisses, wipes, pens, extra toothbrushes and toothpaste…which came in handy since I quickly realized I forgot my toothbrush. At some point my flight attendant stopped by to check on me and my television situation. It was fine. He told me there were problems in Coach as most of the tv’s were not working. How pissed those people must have been…

But let’s not neglect dinner.

After my table was set with a tablecloth and proper silverware, I chose to start with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. My main course was halibut and lemon risotto followed by another glass of Sauvignon Blanc and a cheese plate for dessert. I could have even had ice cream. I hadn’t been in the front of the plane on an international flight in years, and that’s because my job had paid for it.

According to the in-flight route map, I tried to fall asleep somewhere over the Dominican Republic and Haiti. I woke up somewhere on the border of Northern Bolivia. And then went back to sleep and woke up just an hour outside of Buenos Aires.

No more than five minutes after opening my eyes, my flight attendant gave me a breakfast menu. I chose the bowl of cereal, which was accompanied by a yogurt and croissant but Huevos Rancheros and other hot foods were on the menu.

I also took a look out the window and saw this.

All for 25,000 miles and $350. Well worth the investment. I’m not sure how I will ever be able to go back to Coach.

All those miles I have on various airlines…forget using them for free flights, let’s talk upgrades!

And that panic attack, well, with all the comforts of Business Class, it never happened.

Leave a comment   |  tags: | posted in air travel, career break

June 19, 2012

10 Ways to Get a Great Galapagos Deal, originally published on SmarterTravel.com

By simply three cents

I wrote this post for SmarterTravel.com. It appeared there first.

There are four classes of travel to choose from when sailing the Galapagos. They are Luxury/Deluxe, First Class, Tourist Superior, and Tourist.

I wound up sailing the Galapagos on a First Class boat and was able to get a deal that included airfare. How? I booked the day before.

Two of us together paid less than what one of our fellow passengers paid. The boat I chose had a capacity for 90 passengers but was just one-third full. Was this a terrible company to book with? Not at all. In fact, we found out later it’s one of the best.

Below are 10 tips to help you secure a similar deal, questions to ask, and what to watch out for.

Do your research. As you get closer to departure, ask around. Know the going rates for the dates of travel and the class you want to travel. You will be able to gauge if there is a fair amount of availability or if boats are at capacity.

Understand it may not be possible. I’m sure it can be done, but you’re going to have to work harder during the high season as more boats will be filled to capacity. I was able to pull this off mid-March. That’s considered shoulder season.

Be realistic. The Galapagos National Park has assigned all of the boats a 15-day itinerary. Unless you plan on doing one of these, you will not see every island. You can, however, choose your cruise by geography. The islands are categorized into the Western, Northern, Southern and Central routes.

Prioritize. Do you want a boat that offers hot water? Do you want a private bathroom? Would you prefer a doctor on board? Decide what you must have and what is negotiable. Then make sure your boat meets your needs.

Remember this is nature. It’s not a theme park. If your heart is set on seeing something specific, like albatross mating season, you will need to do additional research to ensure your itinerary includes the island of Española for several weeks in April. That said, this is nature and it’s unpredictable.

Set expectations. Remember it’s an expedition, not a cruise. I can only speak for the boat I took. We were well-fed, but if you are expecting a 24-hour buffet, casinos and Vegas-style shows, you will be disappointed.

Negotiate. I was originally offered a cabin with two twin beds. I asked if it I could get a full or queen at the same rate. The travel agent made a quick call and got the okay to secure my preferred room type at the same rate. 

Talk to other travelers. I had been traveling around South America for six weeks before I made it to Ecuador. Any time another traveler said they’d been to the Galapagos, I asked a ton of questions. And, in true traveler fashion, they were happy to share their experience. This came in handy as I started my research. 

Find out what’s included. Snorkeling was included, as were the mask and the flippers. Had we needed wet suits we would have been charged extra. Find out what is included in the cost. Hint: You don’t need a wetsuit in March.

Ensure that there are bilingual naturalists. This is quite possibly the most important piece of advice I can share. When you’re on land, you will be spending most of your time with the ship’s naturalists. Make sure that you will understand them. You can practice your Spanish with the bartender back on the boat.

Do you have any Galapagos trip tips to share? Have you had success using any of these methods? Tell us in the space below.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , | posted in boat travel, tips

June 16, 2012

Final Packing List

By simply three cents

What did I take for two months in South America?

Click here to read what I had originally thought I was going to take. Keep reading this post to find out what actually came with me!

And here she is, in all her glory, all packed and ready to head to JFK!

Deuter 60L +10 rucksack
Eddie Bauer foldable daypack

What’s inside you ask?

Here goes…

To make digging through my pack easier:

Eagle Creek Packing cube (1 quarter cube)
Eagle Creek Packing sac (4)
Eagle Creek Compression sack (1)
Mesh bag (for underwear, bras, socks and bathing suit)

Clothes:


Tank tops (3)
Short sleeves (3)
Long sleeves (1)
Sundresses (2)
Shorts (1)
Convertible pants (1)
Yoga pants (1)
Pajamas – tee shirt and bottoms (1)
Socks (3 pairs of Old Navy ankle socks)
Underwear (10)
Bras (2 regular, 1 sport)
Jeans (1)
Fleece (1)
Scarf
Bathing suit (1 top, 1 bottom)

Shoes:

Keen Voyageur trail shoes
Reef flip flops

Toiletries:

Liquids 30z or less (as seen in Ziploc photo above)

Shampoo (1 travel size)
Conditioner (1 travel size)
Toothpaste
Face wash (Kiehl’s samples)
Body wash (1 travel size)
Hand/body lotion (1 travel size)
Toner (small container)
Moisturizer
Eye makeup remover
Hair stuff (1 travel size)
Chapstick (1)

Non-liquids:

Razors (2)
Biore Facial Cleansing Cloths
Cotton balls
Q-tips (1 travel pack)
Deodorant
Toothbrush
Floss
Concealer
Eyelash curler
Mascara

Eye care:

Contact lenses (4 pairs each eye)
Contact solution (2 travel size)
Contact case (4 cases)
Dry-eye drops (2 travel size)
Glasses (1 pair)

First Aid Kit:

Chewable Tylenol
Chewable Pepto Bismol
Neosporin
Band Aids
Ayr gel
Bio Freeze (sample sizes)
Girly stuff
Sunscreen SPF 30+ (1 travel size)
Mosquito repellant DEET 30%+
Prescription medicine and notes from the doctors saying that I take it
Zithromax
Cipro
Malaria pills
Chewable Immodium
Pill crusher
Travel powder packets; Go Greens Veggies and Benefiber

Electronics (anything with a battery):

Netbook, case and charger
Camera, battery and charger
iPod, charger and earplugs
Petzl Tikka Plus 2 Headlamp
Alarm clock
Watch

Stationery:

Lonely Planet’s South America on a Shoestring
Vagabonding by Rolf Potts
Notebook
Pens
Moo cards

Important Documents:

Passport and copies of passport
Passport photos
Yellow card
Credit cards (2)
Debit cards (2)
Travel insurance cards and information

Miscellaneous:

Travel bath towel
Silk sleep sack
Travel clothesline
Sunglasses (2)
Money belt (1; just big enough for my passport)
Money belt (bigger one when I would need to put more stuff in it)
Waterproof money holder for pool/beach
Decoy wallet
Hand sanitizer (1 travel size)
Wet Ones hand wipes
Gloves (1 pair)
Whistle
Electronic door stop
Locks (2; 1 retractable PacSafe cable lock and 1 REI combination lock)
Hair ties
Shoelaces
Packets of Tide one load detergent
Packet of tissues
Plastic bags
Cheap earrings; wear in my ears
Travel toilet paper (2)
Duct tape; wrapped around a pencil
Carabiners (2)
Sleep eye mask
Ear plugs

I also mailed the following to A, so she could restock me when we meet in Chile.

One more travel contact solution
30 more Biore Facial Cleansing Cloths
Another travel size tube of suntan lotion
Go Greens Veggies and Benefiber powder packets

In retrospect:

Did I pack light? Yes.

Could I have done with less? Absolutely.

Did I use everything? Almost. If you are wondering why some of these things made the list, it will make sense as you keep reading along…

5 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in career break, packing

June 12, 2012

Chasing My Wanderlust

By simply three cents

I hope you enjoy the chronicles of my adventure, my stories and my observations.

More importantly I hope it encourages you to chase your wanderlust. No matter where it takes you, or for how long.

***

I finished packing mere hours before the car service was to pick me up and take me to New York’s JFK airport. I had time for a pedicure and some last-minute phone calls.

The first chance I had to catch my breath was as I readied myself to walk out the door of my apartment on 24 January. I was full of emotions and had some semblance of dual-personality disorder.

What was I doing? I can’t wait to land in Buenos Aires. I miss the boyfriend already. Do I have my passport? Is this the right thing to do? I can’t wait to be in summertime. Holy crap, I am really doing this! I still don’t know where I am sleeping tomorrow night. What in the world awaits me? Did I get to say ‘see you later’ to everyone?

Too late. The car service called to let me know the driver was downstairs. I called the boyfriend one last time, shut off my cell phone, shut the door sans keys and set off for an adventure!

I hope you join me as I relive it through stories and photos here on my blog!

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in career break, observations

June 5, 2012

I didn’t start packing until the morning of my departure

By simply three cents

Oops.

I mean I had written out my packing list, I had gone shopping and I had been collecting all the things I was planning to pack. I simply used my backpack as storage for these items.

When I say ‘used my backpack as storage’ I literally mean, I threw stuff in as I acquired it.

I just didn’t really try actually folding and packing everything until the morning of. Oops.

Since I was packing the morning of my departure, it was an ‘as is’ situation.

For example, I couldn’t find my adaptor for Argentine voltage. Would need to put a converter on the packing list. Could every back up toiletry fit in my quart-size Ziploc bag since I did not want to check my bag? Of course not. Did I forget my toothbrush because I was so crazed the morning of? Yup. What about the cord to upload photos from your camera to your computer? You guessed it, I forgot that too.

In retrospect, did I really need those toiletries I left behind? Nope. There are <gasp> stores that sell similar products at a quarter of the price in every country I visited in South America.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in career break, packing

May 24, 2012

It’s not so much that what you are doing is particularly dangerous

By simply three cents
I think this is an appropriate post today. The 24th is significant. It was the day in January I left, and it was the day in March I returned.The 24th of May is significant because I have now been back on US soil as long as I was gone.The time back on US soil has largely not been in my own home so I am still settling in. I have loads of friends I have yet to catch up with. I have had to revise my answers to similar questions, not because I am not sure of the answer, but because there are so many stories to tell and I don’t want to regurgitate the same ones!Where does one even begin? I knew once I started writing that part would be easy. The stories and the photographs speak for themselves. It was where to start that was difficult.I have decided that a good place to start is here. At the beginning. Or the end. However you want to look at it.Before I left I received the email below from a friend of my sister. Well, I should say she is my friend too. My sister happened to meet her first. We have very similar personalities. No wonder my sister, J, took to P so well.P sent me this email before I left but because I was so crazed with preparations I didn’t get a chance to read it until I was on the road. I did not realize the impact until I was traveling.

I cannot count the number of times I reread this motivational email on my trip (when I actually had an internet connection).

************

Hi there,

I’m sure if you had calmed down or if you are back to freaking out.  There is something about quitting your job without having another that is akin to a leap of faith.  Jumping off a cliff without surveying the water below.  I’ve felt that and the uncertainty that comes along with it, so I get it if you are all nerves.  I hope you are mostly excited, though.

I just wanted to write you before you leave and tell you how completely jealous I am.  I’ve been thinking about you this last week while I trudge through the misery of daily life/work and I admire your bravery.  It’s not so much that what you are doing is particularly dangerous, but I think that choosing to travel solo is a brave and uncommon thing (for most people).  It’s going to be such an amazing experience.  I wish I were as brave as you because even if I had the money I can’t say that I would be able to get up the nerve to travel around a foreign continent on my own.  Even though I secretly long to!

I hope that you have the time of your life!  Once you are back let’s secretly plan to ambush J with a trip of sorts…even if we have to bind, gag and carry her away in the night to do it.

Safe travels!

Love,

P

2 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in career break, things that make me smile

March 31, 2012

And I’m back on US soil

By simply three cents

Just need to get myself situated. I also need to see if I can read my notes scrawled in notebooks while on bumpy bus rides 😉

All you need to know is that my adventure was absolutely amazing. Leaving for South America was by far the best decision I have ever made.

If you want to know why, you’ll have to stay tuned for my stories, observations and thoughts.

To put on the top of my to do list: Figure out when I can go back to visit the friends I made, see all that I missed and return to the places I loved.

And if you need help planning a trip to Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru or Ecuador, I think I can make you a pretty sweet itinerary in any of those places!

2 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in career break, things that make me smile

February 8, 2012

Hola!

By simply three cents

I apologize for my delay in posting anything. Wi-fi is REALLY difficult to find so I have been taking notes in a notebook and writing on my laptop. But hard to get the wi-fi to load the posts. And when I find wi-fi, I need to sort accommodation!

Also, I can’t post photos because I forgot to pack the cord that loads photos. So need to wait til A and C get to Chile and bring the cord to me (the boyfriend will mail it to A)….yes, I forgot some important things and have been unloading other things.

New posts to follow shortly documenting my trip thus far. Have been taking many notes and there are a lot of stories to tell. Currently in Mendoza, Argentina and will start from the beginning.

We’ll talk soon. Just know the blog will be three weeks to a month behind…

1 Comment   |  tags: | posted in career break

February 4, 2012

Buying Travel Insurance

By simply three cents

For something that caused me so much stress and had me doing so much research, actually clicking ‘purchase’ for travel insurance, was strangely simply.

So simple that I had to triple check that I wasn’t missing a step.

You could buy in increments of weeks or months. But the way they count the month, my return would count just over two months. Like just over, as in a day. I decided not to risk it and purchase enough to cover myself for the duration of my trip, even if it was to cover that extra day. It actually worked out cheaper to buy three months, than to buy two months and add a week.

For something so important, it’s really reasonable. Let’s just hope it’s a purchase I never ever have to use. Ever.

Leave a comment | posted in career break