We provide reviews of travel experiences to help people plan trips.
Fantasy Getaway: Richard Branson's Necker Island
A quarter of an hour by boat from the small port of Limerick Bay on the island of Virgin Gorda, in the British Virgin Islands, is Necker Island, Sir Richard Branson’s private island paradise. Overlooking the deep blue waters of the Caribbean the 74 acre island sits surrounded by coral reefs and beautiful pristine white sandy beaches. The Island epitomizes the elegant lifestyle of the rich and famous.
When the owner is away, Necker Island can be rented exclusively for up to 28 people. Wealthy businessmen invite their friends for a birthday, wedding, the great escape away from Wall Street. On the visitors' book: Lady Di was there twice with her children William and Harry. Later, drummer Roger Taylor of Queen, Melanie from the Spice Girls and others like Harrison Ford, Steven Spielberg, Robert de Niro, Mel Gibson, Rosanna Arquette, Bryan Ferry, Annie Lennox or George Michael. They all stayed in the Master Suite with the pool on the terrace, an entire apartment rather than just a room.
Washington State's San Juan Islands
The San Juan Islands in Washington State are located approximately 150 miles north of Seattle, in the middle of the vast ocean inlet formed by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia. They consist of small groups of picturesque islands and rocky shores covered by dense forests and vast agricultural fields. The largest are San Juan Island, Orca Island and Lopez Island.
You can reach the San Juan Islands by flying directly from Seattle by airplane or seaplane. Or drive 100 miles to the north of Seattle, and then head west to the town of Anacortes. From there, the System of Washington State Ferries will take you to any one of the main islands.
Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco
A trip to Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco is a food lover's dream come true. We were lucky that the hotel room had a channel geared towards tourists and visitors.
The TV pointed out many of the best Restaurants in the area, which prompted us to get started early and visit them.
For example, we learned that Pier 39 in Fisherman's Wharf is the 3rd most visited attraction in the United States. It is behind only Disney World and Disney Land.
No visit to Pier 39 is complete without spending some time appreciating the barking sea lions.
Stuck on the tarmac
Feds to Airlines: Tarmac delays are your problem. I can see how the government doesn't want to tell the airlines how to run their business. Though I feel sorry for folks who have been stuck on planes for hours on end, I don't think that legislation is the correct response.
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| From Random Travel |
If the government provides guidelines, and airlines operations don't take customer service (mercy) into account, then people will vote with their wallets.
In the meantime, the Thanksgiving travel boom is expected to fall 10% from last year.
Airline Cutbacks Mean Less Holiday Capacity
According to the New York Times, Airline cutbacks mean lower capacity during holiday travel.
In the meantime air asia has ended their fuel surcharge.
TSA creates new "Family Lines":
Dealing with strollers and medically necessary liquids over 3 oz will get easier.
Low cost airlines, specifically Southwest and Hawaiian rated best in complaints and on-time respectively.
Hawaiian Airlines First Class Review - Part II
We were airborne and on our way to Honolulu. Out the left window we could see Palos Verdes on a beautiful partly cloudy day. After about an hour into the flight, the flight attendants began service.
We enjoyed hot breakfast including quiche, sausage, eggs, and fresh fruit. The menu was designed by a chef on the islands according to a story on the menu itself.
The breakfast and beverages really hit the spot, so we settled in for a movie.
Five short hours we were on the ground and the pilots were nice enough to let us have a quick photo in the cockpit.
Hawaiian Airlines First Class Review - Part I
There is no doubt that recently the airlines have been cutting back. I guess I still didn't expect the cuts to be as noticeable in First Class, but they were.
First let me say that this was our honeymoon trip, so we didn't want to leave anything to chance, we purchased the first class tickets full-fare.
After paying so much, we wanted the service that went along with it, and were disappointed before we even got on the flight.
Elite Travel Portal to Review Frequent Flier Programs
As our staff increases, and we have to continue far and wide on all manner of various business trips, we'll be updating our readers with benefits from frequent flier programs.
We are keen to analyze the differences among frequent flier programs, and use them to our utmost benefit. In turn, we want you to benefit as well. We encourage a discussion on frequent flier programs, so if you have valuable input, please let us know.