Around the World in Three Years

Warren and Betsy Talbot dreamed of traveling the world. Someday. Then a young friend suffered a brain aneurysm and a 30-some year old family member had a heart attack. And the Talbots decided to live their dream now.

The couple had already embarked on a journey of simplifying their life by moving from the East Coast to Seattle and moving from a large home to a townhouse. Now, they got serious and set a date to leave on a 3-year world trip. They sold a car and paid off their credit cards. They started selling their things to friends and on Craigslist. In April 2010, they sold their townhouse and rented a couple of rooms from a friend. Friday, October 1, 2010, they departed for South America on the journey most of us will only dream about.

The Talbots have budgeted to spend $100 a day during their three-year trip. They know they will need more in some places (Europe) and less in others (Asia). They have used social media to find great deals on travel and to connect with the wisdom of other travelers. And they incorporated a month-long volunteer vacation on a nature preserve in Peru into their journey. "We'll spend $590 each for food and lodging, which is well under our $100/day budget, and the savings will allow us to go to Machu Picchu afterward," Betsy said when I interviewed her last September.

Betsy admitted to some fear as they embarked on their journey. They don't have a "plan" for their return. They may not even return to Seattle. Warren blogs: "Our desire now is to explore new areas, leave ourselves completely open to new experiences and be open to the possibilities." You have to love that.

The Talbots are in Europe currently and are a couple of months from celebrating a year on the road. A recent blog post comments and links on seven of their favorite posts so far. Don't miss it! Follow them on Twitter (http://twitter.com/betsytalbot), Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/MarriedwithLuggage), and read as they blog their adventures at http://www.marriedwithluggage.com.




(I originally wrote a version of this article as the Seattle Budgets Examiner but retained rights to my material.)

The TSA: Giving in to Reason

Today, the TSA issued a press release stating they were "taking the next steps to further enhance passenger privacy." How? They've decided to upgrade their scanners to a version they could have gone with in the first place and saved a great deal of time and expense. I wrote about this in 2009 when the TSA first started using their controversial screeners in some airports. When given the opportunity to choose slightly more expensive machines (estimated to be about $10,000 more) used by high-level security firms and proven to be effective without revealing detailed images of bodies, the TSA opted to go with the slightly cheaper machines that were controversial from the beginning.

If it were about security or even cost-savings to the taxpayer, that would be one thing.

But it wasn't. Because now they are making the change. And the cost was always more with the revealing machines because it required two TSA personnel to the the one required by the newer machines. My original article achieved a hot response from "James" who states he is a "TSA employee" who wrote: "...my thought is-do you want us to stand around and look pretty, or do you want real security?"

James, the problem is that I don't want you to stand around and look pretty. Nor do I want taxpayer dollars and airport security fees to be used to pay two of you when only one is needed.

And I don't want to have my privacy violated for no better reason than keeping people on the federal payroll.

For more, see the Fox News story.

Are You Taking a Vacation This Year?

From a European perspective, Americans have never been very good at taking a vacation. While three to four weeks a year of vacation is typical for most Europeans, Americans feel grateful if they take a week or two.

But what is a vacation? Work expectations while vacationing are on the rise, largely due to technology. To really get away, you may have to leave your computer and phone at home and find a deserted island. Thirteen per cent of non-self-employed employees report they are expected to work while on vacation. One in five said they weren't expected to work but had to be available should an emergency arise. If you are self-employed, the economy may demand that you skip the vacation in order to keep your struggling company producing.

And if you can get the time away from work, you may not be able to go anywhere. Nineteen percent of Americans who are taking a vacation are taking it at home this year. "Stay-cations" are becoming more popular with the majority of those taking them stating that rising fuel prices are a primary reason they are choosing not to drive or fly anywhere.

If you are stuck with little opportunity to travel, consider a getaway to a nearby location. Budget Travel put together a list of One-Tank Escapes for seven U.S. cities (in different regions). A short trip may not feel like enough. But it may be all you get.


Sources: Survey Reveals U.S. Workers May Change or Cancel Summer Vacations if Economic Volatility Continues
Top Reasons Americans are Choosing to Vacation Within Their State

Recession Blues: Airfare

If the economy is in the tank, why does airfare keep going up?

Many factors have contributed to taking airfares to their highest levels since 2008, despite the lackluster economy.

• High fuel prices. With higher fuel prices, airlines simply can't afford to fly you for less. 
• High taxes (and they may get higher) The Air Transport Association reports: "In 2010, U.S. airlines and their passengers contributed $3.4 billion in taxes and fees to the Department of Homeland Security, including $2 billion in taxes and fees to the Transportation Security Administration – a 50 percent increase from the amount collected in 2002." And now U.S. lawmakers are looking to increase those taxes, following their misguided ideas that you have to raise taxes on any portions of industry that are actually surviving. 
• Business travel is up. Indicators suggest that business travel is making a comeback. And while that is a good sign for the economy, it makes it tough for the average family to take a vacation. 
• Airlines have switched out larger planes for smaller ones making some seats more expensive. 217 billion passengers flew in the summer of 2007; 206 billion passengers are expected to travel this summer. Supply and demand has caused airlines to use smaller planes, utilizing less fuel to cut costs. This means less seats and thus more competition for those seats. 

So you may have to accept that your ticket will cost more this summer. Here are a few ways to find the best fare:

1. Whenever possible, buy from an airline that will refund a price drop.  
2. Use Bing.com's airfare predictor before you buy. Bing will tell you their confidence level about whether fares on that route for those dates will increase, decrease, or remain steady. 
3. Buy your fare on a Tuesday. While not always the cheapest, most airlines release sale fares on Tuesdays and offer a certain number of seats at that rate. When they've sold that number, the fare will go up a tier. 
4. Fly on cheaper days. Fridays and Sundays are the most expensive days to fly. Wednesdays are typically the cheapest, followed by Tuesday and Saturday. 

And if all else fails, drive. 


Sources: Air Transport Association
FareCompare.Com
Bing Travel

Hot Deal: Victoria's Beautiful Hotel Grand Pacific

Last year my family and I had a chance to stay at Hotel Grand Pacific in Victoria, B.C. It was by far the best hotel experience we have had. The staff were amazing and when we arrived they already had the pack'n'play set up in the room for our baby and an extra set of towels.

View from our room at the Hotel Grand Pacific

A side view of the hotel

The hotel sits right on the Inner Harbour next to the Houses of Parliament with a view of The Empress Hotel and the Marina. The four-star accommodations are lovely.  Don't miss the indoor pool with natural light pouring in from lofty solar panels, ozonated, and with a 2' foot wading pool for the kids. And the fully equipped gym, hot tub, sauna, and steam room are the best you will find anywhere. 

So now Groupon and Expedia have teamed up to bring an amazing deal on a one-bedroom suite at the Hotel Grand Pacific. To purchase this deal for as low as C$99, go here.  Purchase before July 18 for stays through March of 2012. Whether you take the family or celebrate an anniversary, you will love your stay.

Travel with Purpose: Build a Home in Mazatlan

Ecotourism is on the rise with many opportunities in different areas. One opportunity exists in warm, sunny Mazatlan building homes for the needy with Homes of Hope.

1. Raise a team of 8-12 adults (or up to 20 if your group includes families) and make a date. It takes three days to build a home, working 8 hours a day.
2. Raise funds to build the home and for travel.
3. Live out your values.

For more info, email programs@ywammazatlan.com
or call +1-310-455-6143 for more information, prices and available dates. Pricing and other information can be found at: www.ywammazatlan.com. 

20% Off a Mini-Vacation at the Oregon Coast

The beautiful Oregon Coast, Photo: M. Reitz

If the recession has done a number on your finances as it has on mine, a full vacation may not be in the cards this year. You are not alone. In years past, it was hard to come by a vacation house rental that didn't require a minimum of a week-long stay. But with rentals down, savvy Bella Beach and Olivia Beach vacation rentals on the Oregon Coast are offering a gap-stay deal. Submit this form with dates you are available, what you are looking for, and they will let you know of 1, 2, or 3-day stays available. And at 20% off, you might just get a beach getaway this year after all.

Paid Too Much for a Plane Ticket? You Might Be Able to Get That Money Back.

I've collected more than $400 in ticket credits this year. How?

Yapta.com not only tracks fares for flights you are considering before you purchase the flight; it tracks it after you purchase. An email notification lets you know of a price drop. And if you've purchased through two outstanding airlines Alaska or Jet Blue, you can get the difference between what you paid and the new lower price back. Other airlines will refund a significant price drop of $75, $100, or $150, but these two stand alone in offering savvy customers the best price for a flight. Period. Both companies issue credits vs. cash. And Yapta will provide you with numbers to call to get your discount.

It is that easy.

Need a Hotel Tonight?

Chances are if you travel often you are going to need a last minute hotel at some point. Now mobile phone users have a free, easy app that gives them access to great deals at the last minute. Hotel Tonight allows you to view hotels that have rooms available same-day. Booking is not blind so you can choose the area, type of hotel, and even view pictures before making a decision. And then you can book from you phone. Same day rooms are typically discounted, so you might just start living on the edge a little. Just for fun.

How Old is Your Airplane?

Southwest Airlines made the news  after one of its Boeing 737s suffered engine failure but safely landed. Not what the PR department was hoping for following the April 2011 incident when the ceiling tore open on a flight out of Phoenix. That plane was also a Boeing 737.

Despite these incidents, Southwest is lucky. They carry the distinction of having the safest record of U.S. airlines with no fatalities in the airlines history. (If you want to analyze a lot of air safety data, check out: AirSafe.com). But their 737s have the distinction of being the oldest planes in Southwest's fleet, ranging from 14-27 years old.

But the average age of a plane in Southwest's fleet is only 11 years.  Which isn't bad compared to many U.S. airlines. "Of the 5,363 jets used by U.S. airlines today, almost 1,300 are more than 15 years old and 235 of them were built before 1988, the year the government banned smoking on most domestic flights, " the AP reported in April.

But before you get too concerned, the good news is that since Congress passed the Aging Aircraft Safety Act in 1991, airlines are required to inspect aging aircraft more frequently. Which costs more and results in a greater frequency of delayed and canceled flights. 

Apparently the airlines are starting to be concerned as well. American plans to begin replacing its U.S. fleet and Delta plans to retire the 39 DC-9s it flies that date back to the 1970s next year. (Sources: AP and Seeking Alpha blog)

In the meantime, you might want to start paying more attention to what you're flying. And if your plane still has a place to discard your burning cigarette, it isn't good news.