jenjoy

West Ways Magazine

I have a little travel tip in the October issue (2008) of West Ways Magazine.  West Ways Magazine is the magazine for AAA of Southern California.  Unfortunately there isn't a link online. 

Magellan's Retriever Luggage Tags

I am always on the lookout for new, fun, helpful luggage tags.   Take a look at these luggage tags
from Magellan.   Instead of putting a copy of your itinerary in your luggage, you put it in your
luggage tag.  Sounds like a good idea.

What I Learned

I think that I learn something new on every trip that I take, things that will make the next trip easier, better, even more enjoyable.  Some lessons take several trips to sink in.  Here are a few from my latest trip:

1.  I need a new weekend bag.  The bag I have (purchased at Target) is a tad too big, the wheels are too small, and it topples over too easily.

2.  LAX is hell.   I MUST MUST MUST fly out of the much smaller Burbank airport whenever possible.

3.  Pay attention to the  dates for Spring Break.  The Sunday I got back from Phoenix was also the Sunday
that every single student enrolled in UCLA was flying back from Spring Break.

4.  I need a travel friendly haircut.  Something that doesn't has to be gelled and blown dry.  A style that
looks great right out of the pool or on a windy mountainside.

5.  I need a smaller, lighter computer.  My computer bag is always too heavy.  Maybe I need a new computer bag too. 

Emergency Pet Travel

I live in earthquake country,  landslide country, and an area prone to wildfires.   Southern California at its finest.    Evacuation is always a real possibility.

Watching the evacuation of New Orleans when Katrina hit and the heart wrenching scenes of people staying in their homes because they wouldn't leave their pets  struck a cord with me.    I could not leave my cats behind and, if separated from them, would do anything within my power to get home to them.  Yes, I am not ashamed to say, I would risk my own life for theirs.  But that is just getting dramatic.

As a responsible pet owner, I feel its my duty to fully prepare for any emergency travel.

Contents:
3 bottles of water
6 cans of food
1 large baggie of dry food
"treats"
1 container of powder (sprinkled on their food) to help calm them
2 harnesses
1 leash (with clips at both ends)
2 bowls
1 large baggie cat litter

In addition, on the inside lid I taped their chip ID number, the phone  number of the vet, and my emergency contact number.

The final element will be LOST poster with each of their photos.  That way the information can be distributed quickly.

Hopefully I will never need this handy little container but I sleep  better knowing its stowed safely
next to their cat carriers.

 

Unclaimed?

What does Grandma in a wheelchair, a puppy and luggage have in common?  All were lost at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.  I kid you not!   And those were just the stories I heard during a two week trip to Europe last summer.

According to the Bureau of Transportation,  6.73 out of every 1000 passengers claimed "mishandled baggage" in 2007.    (Our luggage wasn't mishandled or unclaimed.   Seriously, we'd claim our luggage, if only you could FIND it!)  The good news is that only .005% of bags are permanently "mishandled".  If you don't want your valuables and vacation souvenirs to end up at the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama,  there are a few things you can do.

1.  Travel Light:   Ship your suitcases ahead using FedEx or services like Luggage Forward or the more economical alternative; carry on your bags.  When I flew Budapest to Paris, I left my big suitcase behind (at a friend's apartment) and only took my overnight bag (plus my computer bag).  Upon arrival I found two of my traveling companions were sans bags.  Their luggage finally caught up with them when they arrived in New York about a week later.  Their entire trip to France was spent using borrowed items and the few pieces of clothing that the airline allowance covered.  At my age,I require too much maintenance to travel light for long trips but for a 2-4 day trip I can sacrifice. 

2. Identify:  Leave no doubt that your bag belongs to you and you alone.  Lets face it, all our luggage appears similar so try to make your suitcase look as unique as possible.  Tie a ribbon on the handle or if you have a hard case suitcase, affix travel stickers to it.  The most important thing you can do is  have a sturdy luggage tag and make sure the contact information is up to date.    In addition I keep an extra luggage tag inside my suitcase (to replace the  one on the outside when it gets torn off) and  a laminated sheet of paper with my information tucked into my clothing.   Keeping an extra copy of itinerary inside will also help the airline find you quickly.  Important security note:  I only write my name and city of origin on the outside tag and put my phone number inside.  I never list my address.

3.  Be Patient:   Don't despair and give up on your luggage.  Check other carousels and keep an eye on other travelers who may have mistakenly picked up your bag before standing at the baggage claim line.  When I arrived in Los Angeles from Mexico (via San Diego) last year, I dutifully stood beside the appropriate carousel, waiting for my luggage.  And waited.  And waited.  The baggage claim area was a nightmare, with frustrated travelers arriving late from weather delayed east coast flights, unclaimed luggage lined up in the rear and a long queue for the lost luggage claim counter.  The airline, while identifying flights for each of the five carousels, was in fact dumping all baggage onto one.   Suitcases were stacked two high, three deep and people were scrambling to grab their bags.   I walked between all the carousels, checking them all until finally, after 45 minutes I saw my bag, safe and sound.   I may have been at the airport longer than I wanted to be, but it was better than standing in line and then spending the evening worried about my belongings.

4. Take A  Picture:   I will never take the time to keep of list of what is in my suitcase, I'm always just happy to get it closed.  A quick picture could help jog your memory and serve as a record of what was lost.  Also take a picture of the outside of the piece, in case it gets damaged.

5.  Be Proactive:  Tip your skycap and he will take extra good care of your bag. Make sure it is tagged for your final destination properly and if you are changing airlines, don't assume you bags are checked all the way through.  Ask questions and know what is expected.

If the worse does happen, make sure you are prepared.  Pack medicines, jewelry, important papers and clothing for a day in your carry on.   Most importantly, don't let lost luggage ruin your vacation.  Explore and have fun! 

Traveling with Electronics

Cell phone, digital camera, Ipod and computer;  the bare necessities that I bring with me when I travel.   Between them there are three chargers, four batteries, two headphones, some cable things I can't identify, extra memory cards, computer wipes and the adapters for foreign travel.  In my suitcase it became a jumbled mess.   I lived in fear of leaving some vital piece behind.

Quart sized Ziploc baggies were my salvation.  I labeled one for each electronic device and filled it with all the essentials.  At home the baggies are stored in my day pack, which I also take on my trips. .  I tuck my computer and cell phone chargers in their appropriate places, throw the day pack into my suitcase and I am done. Packing is pain and worry free.   Life on the road and at home is much easier because I can always lay my hand on that mystery cable that is important for downloading my pictures.

Try this tip on your next trip and let me know if it works for you.

 

 

Southwest Airlines LUV

Customer Service in America is on a sharp decline and while we love to complain about it, we rarely
praise it.  Today that changes! 

Christmas 2006 I flew  Southwest Airlines, through Las Vegas from Little Rock, Arkansas to Burbank, CA.  My luggage didn't make the connection from Las Vegas to Burbank.  Southwest was kind enough to give me $200 voucher, good for one year. 

Now, as most of you know I did a lot of traveling last year, but none to Southwest destinations, and try as I might I wasn't able to slip in a quick trip to use the voucher.  At the end of December 2007 I sent the voucher to Southwest customer service and asked for an extension. 

Today I got the reply. "...as a one-time exception and  as a means of thanking you for your past, and hopefully, future patronage, I have issued you a new Southwest LUV Voucher, good for six months."
The beauty of it being six months from now, so I have until August 20, 2008 to use my voucher.

There are several valuable lessons to be learned here.  First of all customer service is not dead and secondly, you never know if a company will extend an offer unless you ask.  What do you have to lose?

Now......where should I go?  Any suggestions?