You didn't think we were gone, did you? Well, of course we aren't. We just had to do a little "research" for our second phase of JetSetPilot.com once the first phase is complete and successful. So what did we research? Hawaii! Maui, in fact. We spent the last week taking in all the island could give us in hopes that JetSetPilot will someday include the U.S. The flight there was one of the most interesting parts......
We were supposed to take off last Saturday at 7:30 AM but found out at 4:30 that our connecting flight to San Francisco was "delayed" until about 10 AM. Or was it 9 AM? You see, between the calls from our travel provider and the carrier's website, we saw and heard multiple departure times. It was at this point that we realized that our United Airline flights had been sold to none other than our friends at US Air (the reason for not booking US Air in the first place was to avoid this kind of thing).
Anyway, we decided to go to the airport at the normal time to DEMAND that we be seated on another plane heading west so we could still get to Maui around the original 3 PM arrival time. To our surprise, they were more than accommodating and put us on a plane to Chicago at 8 AM. This meant one extra layover than the original trip, but we didn't mind at the time. We were ultimately supposed to be in Maui at about 5 with another stop in Phoenix.
Everything ran smoothly for the trip through Chicago and into Phoenix. In fact, we got onto the plane in Phoenix and we were ready to go! After taxiing for a little, we noticed the plane being "revved" like a car a lot and that it was a little warm inside the cabin when the pilot turned on the PA system: "Uhhhh, folks, as you might be able to tell, we are headed back to the terminal. One of the two main air conditioners is not responding. While we could run a normal domestic flight with just one AC, we can't for an overseas flight to Maui. We are not sure how long this repair will take."
We were worried that this could take forever but still hopeful it would be a quick fix. Relatively speaking, it ended up not being too big of a deal. After a couple technicians came in and out a handful of times, the problem was fixed and we were already taxiing again after about 45 minutes. No problem, we were going to HAWAII and the captain still said we could make up the time in the air and we'd get there at about 5. Next thing we knew, we were sitting on the runway about to take off when we made a 90 degree turn right towards the gate again......
It turns out that the FAA paperwork that is necessary to fill out on every fix was not filled out correctly. Rumor had it that somebody forget to "check a box". That wouldn't take long, right? WRONG! In fact, it took another hour before they had everything in order again and we backed away from the terminal for the third time. It was a good thing we had some comic relief coming from our flight attendant who made fun of intoxicated passengers and pretended to get sucked out of the plane door at one point.
Long story short, we left Phoenix and arrived in Maui 2 hours late at about 7 PM Hawaii time. That's 1 AM Eastern where we woke up at about 4:30 AM. You do the math! We were, however, in Hawaii and we did not care one bit the second we stepped foot on that amazing island (except for a minute when the baggage belt broke but we'll leave that for another time). We had a most wonderful trip that we'll blog about later in the week!
Don't forget, travelling is worth every little problem you run into on the way. Getting there is half the fun! This trip was no different.
(P.S. - our return trip with United went without a hitch!)
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
The Neighborhoods of Rome. Which one will you stay in?
The Neighborhoods: Il Centro is all of the center of Rome and is where most of the attractions lie as well as most of the hotels we will recommend on this site. This is a large area, however, so we have broken down the major areas of Il Centro starting with our favorites:
1. Piazza Navona/Pantheon: Talk about great location. This area is not only the in the center of Rome, it is the center of the center! This is area is the namesake of one of the greatest squares in Rome as well as the ancient monument that lies within it. This is area possesses incredible architecture as well as fountains. We highly recommend staying in this area.
2. Trevi/Piazza di Spagna: We may be repeating ourselves, but centrally located and the namesake of two more amazing sights: The Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps. We also highly recommend staying in this area, especially if you enjoy shopping!
3. Colloseo: What can we say, we love Rome and ALL its neighborhoods. Colloseo offers the best of ancient Rome, including the Colosseum and Roman Forum. Still centrally located, if you don’t stay here, you will spend much of your time here anyway! Not the most fashionable area, but perfect for history buffs!
4. Via Veneto: This area is perfect for those looking for quiet evenings in a pretty area. While there isn’t much to speak of in this neighborhood beyond nice hotels, become inspired by this laid back part of Rome and enjoy the tranquility.
5. Borghese: If you enjoy luxury, look no further! Overlooking Rome’s grand park (Villa Borghese) are many of the five-star resorts in Rome. Why? Because not only is the park beautiful, but within it lies about the only tranquility one can find in Rome during the day. If you don’t stay here, make sure to visit the park!
6. Trastavere: For younger visitors, try this neighborhood. Along the western bank of the Tiber south of the Vatican lies this quaint, artsy neighborhood that has become a very nice place to stay in the last few decades. Here you can find an area with great food and nightlife.
7. Prati/San Pietro: Surrounding St. Peter’s Square and directly to the North is an area with good shopping and decent nightlife. You can find great deals from the hotels in this area even though it’s a very pleasant place to stay!
8. Piazza del Popolo: With an amazing square and THE place to stroll at dusk, this area does not have a lot of hotel options. However, it does have many fun bars, restaurants and places to shop.
9. Testaccio/Teatro Marcello: Similarly, these two neighborhoods don’t offer too many hotel options. Lying on the east side of the Tiber, these areas do boast beautiful homes, alleys, archeological sights and amazing nightlife. Repubblica: With an amazing square, a fun market
and some other great shopping, this area is a great option for those looking the best deals in Rome. Also, Termini Station (Rome’s main train hub) lies within this neighborhood.
1. Piazza Navona/Pantheon: Talk about great location. This area is not only the in the center of Rome, it is the center of the center! This is area is the namesake of one of the greatest squares in Rome as well as the ancient monument that lies within it. This is area possesses incredible architecture as well as fountains. We highly recommend staying in this area.
2. Trevi/Piazza di Spagna: We may be repeating ourselves, but centrally located and the namesake of two more amazing sights: The Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps. We also highly recommend staying in this area, especially if you enjoy shopping!
3. Colloseo: What can we say, we love Rome and ALL its neighborhoods. Colloseo offers the best of ancient Rome, including the Colosseum and Roman Forum. Still centrally located, if you don’t stay here, you will spend much of your time here anyway! Not the most fashionable area, but perfect for history buffs!
4. Via Veneto: This area is perfect for those looking for quiet evenings in a pretty area. While there isn’t much to speak of in this neighborhood beyond nice hotels, become inspired by this laid back part of Rome and enjoy the tranquility.
5. Borghese: If you enjoy luxury, look no further! Overlooking Rome’s grand park (Villa Borghese) are many of the five-star resorts in Rome. Why? Because not only is the park beautiful, but within it lies about the only tranquility one can find in Rome during the day. If you don’t stay here, make sure to visit the park!
6. Trastavere: For younger visitors, try this neighborhood. Along the western bank of the Tiber south of the Vatican lies this quaint, artsy neighborhood that has become a very nice place to stay in the last few decades. Here you can find an area with great food and nightlife.
7. Prati/San Pietro: Surrounding St. Peter’s Square and directly to the North is an area with good shopping and decent nightlife. You can find great deals from the hotels in this area even though it’s a very pleasant place to stay!
8. Piazza del Popolo: With an amazing square and THE place to stroll at dusk, this area does not have a lot of hotel options. However, it does have many fun bars, restaurants and places to shop.
9. Testaccio/Teatro Marcello: Similarly, these two neighborhoods don’t offer too many hotel options. Lying on the east side of the Tiber, these areas do boast beautiful homes, alleys, archeological sights and amazing nightlife. Repubblica: With an amazing square, a fun market
and some other great shopping, this area is a great option for those looking the best deals in Rome. Also, Termini Station (Rome’s main train hub) lies within this neighborhood.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
New Gateway to Paris from Philly
Alright, not to sound like I'm a Delta salesman or anything, but I received an email today about Delta opening up 5 new weekly routes to Paris from Philadelphia starting October 5th. Pretty cool, but one of their "partners", Air France actually already had those routes open. So what does that do for us? Well, considering the average cheap flight to Paris from Philly was about $600+ give or take $50, not too much. On my searches for straight flights between the cities, I regularly found the prices to be almost identical to the old ones: about $625.
Maybe this could work out for travellers in the future, though, as Delta/Air France need to sell more tickets. Who knows? Also, this could mean more deals for online travel agents who are trying to negotiate discount ticket prices with these airlines. I'm sure once we begin highlighting trips to Europe on JetSetPilot.com, we will all find out and we'll be sure to let you know!
Also, check out Delta's Sky Miles Rewards Card offered through American Express. This ended up being the card of choice for JetSetPilot and our travels as it presented the best, most straight forward point systems out there. Read up for yourself at http://www.americanexpress.com/ under "personal cards" or "business cards" if you need one for your company.
How have your experiences with travel reward credit cards been? Tell us about your favorites and why when you have the chance. I am sure we will eventually have a whole blog focused on this topic. For now, just read up and respond!
Monday, September 7, 2009
Budget Travel: Sleeping in airports?
Have you ever had to sleep in an airport, train or bus station? While this isn't something I'd recommend you do voluntarily, there may come a time when luck has run out and you are left with no choice but to sleep sprawled out across plastic chairs.
Thankfully, the one time our flight was cancelled we were offered a night stay at the closest hotel. But often times in situations such as foul weather you may not be offered this luxury and you'll need to fend for yourself.
Whether it is a voluntary or unplanned overnight stay, you may want to check out http://www.sleepinginairports.net/index.html. In addition to general tips for sleeping in airports, it also features an extensive collection of airport, train and bus station reviews. You can find the best and worst airports around the globe, along with specific pros and cons, as well as airport sleeping tips. (#2 tip - bring a cheap inflatable pool raft)
Sleepinginairports.net was actually created as a tool for the budget traveler who PLAN on sleeping in an airport. From my research, there are plenty of budget travel options out there and in my opinion sleeping in an airport should be your last resort. There are some fantastic all inclusive deals out there to be found for the budget traveler. Check back with us later this month when we launch http://www.jetsetpilot.com/ for all the latest deals to Europe!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Quick references: Time, Weather & more!
I've put together guide of quick references for Weather, Time, Exchange Rates and Translations.
Some of the links aren't the most glamorous sites, but they give you the information you’re looking for in an easy on the eyes fashion.
Weather -
To see the current temperature and weather in every city in Europe, Click here
Time -
For a quick view of the times around the world, Click here
Exchange rates –
To add an exchange rate widget to your iGoogle, Click here
To find exchange rates online, Click here
Translations
To add an iGoogle widget, Click here
For translations of useful phrases, Click here
To translate your own words or phrases, Click here
Some of the links aren't the most glamorous sites, but they give you the information you’re looking for in an easy on the eyes fashion.
Weather -
To see the current temperature and weather in every city in Europe, Click here
Time -
For a quick view of the times around the world, Click here
Exchange rates –
To add an exchange rate widget to your iGoogle, Click here
To find exchange rates online, Click here
Translations
To add an iGoogle widget, Click here
For translations of useful phrases, Click here
To translate your own words or phrases, Click here
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
The JetSetPilot Experience
For those of you who routinely follow our blog, we’d like to thank you!!! For those of you casually stopping by, we’d like to tell you a bit about ourselves. The writers of this blog include myself, Kristie, and my fiancé / business partner Brian. In less than one month we will be launching the latest and greatest in European online travel planning, http://www.jetsetpilot.com/.
JetSetPilot strives to provide a unique online travel planning experience. Most travel sites include hundreds, if not thousands, of links that not only clutters the page but also confuses the user, and probably drives them to leave the site. I’ll let you in on a little secret. What you may or may not realize is all those links on the homepage of travel sites…they aren’t there to help you!! They are there to increase the site’s rank in search engines such as Google and Yahoo. They are there to help increase the site exposure to the masses, but ultimately drive the user away! The thought behind JetSetPilot is to start with a clean slate, present a clean homepage, and provide clear direction through our “Pilot Search” tool on how to find the trip you’re looking for. We want to make it simple for you, the jetsetter, to find the exact trip you are looking for without visiting dozens of individual travel sites. How do we do this? We’ve partnered with the top online travel agencies, review each of their trips and feature only the best quality trips. Whether your budget is $500 or $5000, we have the trip you’re looking for. We also rate each trip based on hotel quality, hotel location, time of year, and many other factors.
We’ll also continue to update our blog with the latest travel news (see our recent post on WiFi available on select airlines here), suggestions on where to travel in Europe, and we’ll also regularly post our best rated or last minute trips.
We can’t wait to launch and start helping you make that dream European vacation a reality. What most people don’t realize is you can take a week vacation in Spain for about the same price as a cross country U.S. trip. You just have to find the right deal, at the right time. Subscribe to our blog and newsletter once we launch so you don’t miss out on all the best deals to Europe!
And so we ask, "Where can we take you?"
JetSetPilot strives to provide a unique online travel planning experience. Most travel sites include hundreds, if not thousands, of links that not only clutters the page but also confuses the user, and probably drives them to leave the site. I’ll let you in on a little secret. What you may or may not realize is all those links on the homepage of travel sites…they aren’t there to help you!! They are there to increase the site’s rank in search engines such as Google and Yahoo. They are there to help increase the site exposure to the masses, but ultimately drive the user away! The thought behind JetSetPilot is to start with a clean slate, present a clean homepage, and provide clear direction through our “Pilot Search” tool on how to find the trip you’re looking for. We want to make it simple for you, the jetsetter, to find the exact trip you are looking for without visiting dozens of individual travel sites. How do we do this? We’ve partnered with the top online travel agencies, review each of their trips and feature only the best quality trips. Whether your budget is $500 or $5000, we have the trip you’re looking for. We also rate each trip based on hotel quality, hotel location, time of year, and many other factors.
We’ll also continue to update our blog with the latest travel news (see our recent post on WiFi available on select airlines here), suggestions on where to travel in Europe, and we’ll also regularly post our best rated or last minute trips.
We can’t wait to launch and start helping you make that dream European vacation a reality. What most people don’t realize is you can take a week vacation in Spain for about the same price as a cross country U.S. trip. You just have to find the right deal, at the right time. Subscribe to our blog and newsletter once we launch so you don’t miss out on all the best deals to Europe!
And so we ask, "Where can we take you?"
Broadway in London....seriously!
For all those theatre lovers in the U.S. who believe Broadway is the outright best place in the world to find musicals and other shows, you might want to learn about The West End or "Theatreland" in London. For instance, you know Les Miserables, the hit that keeps going on and off Broadway for some reason? Well, in London, Les Mis has been playing for 24+ years straight with no interruption! Sorry CATS lovers out there, the other Andrew Lloyd Weber musical is not played here either! Check out some of the shows that are being played currently:
You get my point? This part of London has been battling for the best place to watch a show for years. In fact, the West End has been around since its first theatre was built in the mid 1500's. The longest running show, The Mouse Trap, has been playing since 1952. While you should definitely see a show there when you visit, try not to spend too much money! Considered to be one of the most expensive parts of London (already a very expensive city), The West End is home to great restaurants and pubs that will cost you a pretty "pound".
Have you seen a show in the West End? Tell us about your experiences in maybe the highest level of musical theatre in the world! We look forward to hearing from you.
1. Stomp
2. Wicked
3. Chicago
4. Phantom
5. Lion King
6. Grease
7. Mamma Mia!
8. Hairspray
9. Les Miserables
10. The Shawshank Redemption (who knew Morgan Freeman could sing?)
2. Wicked
3. Chicago
4. Phantom
5. Lion King
6. Grease
7. Mamma Mia!
8. Hairspray
9. Les Miserables
10. The Shawshank Redemption (who knew Morgan Freeman could sing?)
You get my point? This part of London has been battling for the best place to watch a show for years. In fact, the West End has been around since its first theatre was built in the mid 1500's. The longest running show, The Mouse Trap, has been playing since 1952. While you should definitely see a show there when you visit, try not to spend too much money! Considered to be one of the most expensive parts of London (already a very expensive city), The West End is home to great restaurants and pubs that will cost you a pretty "pound".
Have you seen a show in the West End? Tell us about your experiences in maybe the highest level of musical theatre in the world! We look forward to hearing from you.
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