The best or worst destination weddings, Las Vegas for a girls' outing, overnight anniversary suggestions and more.
The Flight Crew
Washington Post Travel Section
Monday, May 21, 2007
2:00 PM
The Post's Travel Section Flight Crew will take your comments, questions, suspicions, warnings, gripes, sad tales and happy endings springing from the world of ... the world. Of course, the Flight Crew will be happy to answer your travel questions -- but the best thing about this forum, we insist, is that it lets travelers exchange information with other travelers who've been there, done that or otherwise have insights, ideas and information to share. Different members of the Crew will rotate through the captain's chair every week, but the one constant is you, our valued passengers.
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Andrea Sachs: Welcome wanderlusters to the Monday Travel chat, the last one of May (we are off next Monday for Memorial Day).
I just returned from an amazing wedding in Virginia Beach (congrats Jon & Monika, you devils) that was held on the Navy base there. Nothing like watching surfers tiptoe past the vowing couple on their way to some rad surf.
With nuptials on the brain--and in the air, since May and June are high "I Do" season--today's topic is wedding locales. Tell us about the best or worst destination wedding you have attended and win a prize--not a honeymoon, sorry, but something just as fun.
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Alexandria, Va: Hi there. I'm planning a girls' getaway weekend with 2 friends. We are thinking about Vegas, baby! Any suggestions for inexpensive hotels or packages, esp. places that have a spa? We are probably going in the fall, over one of the holiday weekends. Thanks!
John Deiner: Hey, Al. Vegas in the fall: Beautiful. Discounts on a holiday weekend: Far and few between.
If you guys are willing to split one room three ways, you'll have a lot more options, of course. But as a rule, any hotel with a really nice spa is going to set you back extra. I'd stay at one of the middle-tier casinos (Luxor, Flamingo, Harrah's, etc.) and then splurge at the spas in Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, Caesars, etc. A lot of them sell day-long spa passes so you can chill there the whole day. Or consider off-the-Strip spots that may be a tad cheaper on a holiday weekend, like Rio, the Palms or the Hard Rock (though, really, they can all be sky-high if the city is crowded enough). I'm checking out a new hotel in July that just opened (the Platinum), which is supposed to be really beautiful, but because it's casino-free and off the Strip, a bit cheaper than its Las Vegas Boulevard brethren.
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East Lansing, Mich: Hi Gang,
With the dollar so weak against the euro, will there be an appreciable effect of European travel this year, or does it take awhile for Americans to react...such as next summer, if it remains this weak.
Carol Sottili: Summer travel to Europe remains strong, although there are indications that U.S. travelers are looking to Eastern Europe in order to save some money. Also, flights remain full partly because Europeans looking to save a buck are flying here. Also, the Open Skies agreement is going to allow more discount airlines to fly between the United States and Europe in coming years, so that will create cheaper ways to get there.
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Washington DC: Eggs in carry on? This might seem bizarre, but I am wondering if one can take a carton of eggs in carry-on luggage, or if somehow that counts as a lot of liquid. The TSA site is no help. It actually has very little on food items in their prohibited/allowed list. I want to take some very fresh eggs from not just free-range but certifiably happy roaming chickens with me on a visit as a gift, but don't know if I will be waylaid (couldn't resist) by the screeners. Anyone have any experience with such matters?
Cindy Loose: While it's a lovely gesture, I'm thinking you could find a present that would be equally apprecaited by your friend but less hassle at the airport. TSA doesn't list yehs and nays with great specificity because, as your example shows, it's hard for them to predict and anticipate every item people might have some reason to bring on board. Suffice it to say, leave the eggs back home with the happy chickens.
wat home.
oele what people might be thinking of lehtem on varoiuevery itemeoist
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Falls Church, Va: Where do you buy travel insurance if you aren't buying a package?
Carol Sottili: Compare policies at www.quotewwright.com and/or www.insuremytrip.com. Read the fine print, paying particular attention to issues you are concerned with. For example, if you have a pre-existing condition, make sure the policy covers that.....If your sister-in-law is sick, and you may have to get back home suddenly, make sure that in-laws are covered.
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Tampa, FL: What's the outlook for highway travel this summer? On the one hand, the airlines seem to be going the full mile in convincing the public to drive by giving us the worst service imaginable. On the other hand, gas prices are so high that I can't imagine they wouldn't depress the number of cars on the highway.
Andrea Sachs: If Memorial Day weekend is a harbinger to summer travel, then take note: According to AAA, travel will be up slightly this Memorial Day holiday despite high gas prices and increasing vacation costs. The company estimates that 38.3 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, a 1.7 percent increase from last year.
And the Travel Industry Assocation says: Air travel is expected to be stronger than auto travel this summer, rising about 3% during the June - August season. Auto travel, however, will continue to account for about 8 in 10 summer leisure trips.
So, yes, expect busy highways--but we may see a drop in beef jerky sales at road stops due to strangling gas prices.
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Bethesda Mom: Travel Gurus:
Please help! My husband & I want to go away for a Tuesday-Wednesday night in a couple of weeks to celebrate our 25th anniversary, leaving the teenagers home alone. We don't want to spend hours traveling. Here's the rub: I've had a stressful winter and want someplace relaxing, where we can get a decent anniversary dinner, and was thinking of either the Easton Inn or the Chesapeake Hyatt on the Eastern shore. Spouse wants to go to Stratford, Ontario (flying to Buffalo & renting a car) and see King Lear, Merchant of Venice & Oklahoma in 2 days and doesn't much care if all we eat are tuna sandwiches.
Aside from the obvious question of how we've lasted for 25 years, is there anywhere you could recommend (aside from NYC, which is not relaxing) that is good for a nearby get-away that might suit us both?
KC Summers: This is not as tough as it may sound. A couple of thoughts:
* Charlottesville. Okay, your husband will have to forgo the theater but there's plenty of cultural things to do, great restaurants, romantic B&Bs, plus wineries, antiquing, horseback riding, shopping, that whole college vibe, etc. And it's just a couple of hours' drive from D.C.
* Philly. "Hair," "True West" and "Chicago" are a few of the theater offerings right now, and there are some good hotel/nightlife packages on gophila.com.
* Baltimore. An easy hour's drive away. Go see "Doubt" and stay at a waterfront hotel. This one's from Cindy.
Let us know what you decide....
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Bowie, MD: Not necessarily the destination, it was the journey getting there: the mrs and I were married 3x in two days in 1978. Once in DC on April 7 at 3pm, to satisfy my parents, 7:30 PM in Dover, DE to satisfy her family, and then at 7PM on April 8th in Maryland to satisfy US. (Which was the original planned wedding as well). Lots of putting on and taking off of wedding rings during that 28 hr period...and yes, we're still married. (Don't think I could handle getting 3 divorces....)
Andrea Sachs: At least it was to the same woman!
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Moorestown, NJ: Will be cruising to Bermuda in October. Where can I book shore excursions for St. Georges and Hamilton? Or, should I just book throug the Cruise Line. Also, what are some suggestions for the best excursions in Hamilton and St. Georges. Thank you.
John Deiner: Hey, Moorestown. We generally advise folks to book through a cruise line, since the lines vet the outfitters who offer the excursions.
But having been to Bermuda a couple of times, I would say you can do whatever you want and (as long as the ship is in port, of course!) whenever you want by using the great bus system or cabs. The island is pretty small, and since you'll be in those ports, do some research ahead of time and decide what you really want. Plenty of boats offer snorkeling and such, but, really, I think the best thing to do on Bermuda is to hit the beach -- and the little pink buses that wind around the island stop at most of them.
Likewise, from Hamilton you can hike on the rail trail that ribbons along the island; just get a good map ahead of time and hike over to it (or use the ferry system). Cab drivers are more than eager to provide day tours, and divided by a couple of people will be much cheaper than the big bus tours offered by your cruise.
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Ice Packs on plane: Thanks for the informative chats Travel Crew! I would like to take food with me on a plane in early July - such as hummus - and would need to pack it with ice. Is that allowed? I didn't see anything on TSA's website, but my first thought is that ice wouldn't be allowed since it melts into water. Thanks for any information.
Cindy Loose: Even the hummus could be a problem, depending on the feelings and judgement of the TSA agent. Ice, that too maybe, maybe not. It's kinda like the fresh eggs from happy chickens--a gray area, and TSA might rule either way, or they might scratch their heads or run screaming from the terminal from frustration and confusion. The operative word: If in doubt, leave it out.
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Arlington, Va: When visiting San Diego, one of the treats is supposed to be taking the trolley down to Tiajuana to look around. What sort of identification do you need to do this, passport, other ID? How about for an eight-year-old?
Carol Sottili: If you're going in 2007, you won't need a passport, although it's a good idea. Passports are required for land/sea arrivals beginning Jan. 1, 2008. (They'are already required if you're flying). Here's the official requirements from www.travel.state.gov:
Land or sea travelers must have a valid U.S. passport (or U.S. citizenship documents such as a certified copy (not a simple photocopy or facsimile) of a U.S. birth certificate, a Naturalization Certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Citizenship are acceptable along with photo identification, such as a state or military issued ID).
Also, if you are traveling alone with your eight-year-old, read this:
Minors: Mexican law requires that any non-Mexican citizen under the age of 18 departing Mexico must carry notarized written permission from any parent or guardian not traveling with the child to or from Mexico. This permission must include the name of the parent, the name of the child, the name of anyone traveling with the child, and the notarized signature(s) of the absent parent(s). The State Department recommends that the permission should include travel dates, destinations, airlines and a brief summary of the circumstances surrounding the travel. The child must be carrying the original letter - not a facsimile or scanned copy - as well as proof of the parent/child relationship (usually a birth certificate or court document) - and an original custody decree, if applicable. Travelers should contact the Mexican Embassy or closest Mexican Consulate for current information.
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Washington, D.C.: Just read a great article in National Geographic Adventure about rafting the Grand Canyon. I'd love to do it! Only problem is their article is about doing it on your own, and I'm not up to that level of challenge. A little poking around on the Internet and I've found that there are many outfitters who run the river and many different types of trips (oars, motors, half canyon, whole canyon, etc.). It's a little overwhelming sorting out the options. Any firsthand experience or recommendations? I didn't see anything in the archives.
Cindy Loose: Most of the Grand Canyon rafting trips with guides etc. are at least several days or way more and thus tend to be quite expensive. There are one-day rafting trips from a Native American reservation that also happens to be the site of the glass skywalk over the canyon. Check it out at www.destinationgrandcanyon.com.
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Washington, DC: I may be heading to Honduras as a spouse for a year. The town would be San Pedro Sula. Anyone have any recent information regarding safety, areas of the city that are interesting, and also any info about house rentals?
Thanks so much.
I did just see Steve Hendrix's article about the language school. Sounds great!
KC Summers: Going to throw this out to the chatters since we haven't been recently. Anyone up to date on San Pedro Sula?
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Bethesda, MD: Hopefully I'll have a destination wedding story for you in a few months, but for now just a question. I am invited to a wedding at the Sandals resort in Ochos Rios, but do you know how that works for a single since Sandals are strictly couples only? Thanks.
Andrea Sachs: Go ahead and book that room at Sandals. Mainly, the resort promotes itself as an adults-only vacation. They do not want families or kids to ruin the mood. But as a single, you are welcome.
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Baltimore, Md: I had a very cheap (under $200) Delta trip from BWI to Charleston, SC this weekend. I know airlines changes schedules and switch flights on people all the time. Does the price you pay dictate how likely they are to change your flights? I ask because my return flights were changed from a reasonable (1 hours) layout and reasonable arrival time (8pm) to a 3 hour layover and an arrival time that didn't get me to my house until after midnight. The kicker was, when I checked in for my flight, I asked about getting on the original flights I booked. There was a seat, but they wanted a $225 change fee to put me back on the flight I booked.
I guess its a case of beggers (in price) can't be choosers. But it was very annoying.
Carol Sottili: I don't quite get what happened here. Your original flights weren't canceled, the airline just arbitrarily changed your flights? Airlines do change schedules, but they don't take you off your flight and put you on another one. Price should have nothing to do with this.
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Reston, Virginia: Thank you for taking this question. Please identify one must see attraction for the following Hawaiian islands:
1. Honolulu
2. Hilo
3. Maui (Kahului)
4. Kona
5. Kauai
John Deiner: Hey, Reston. Haven't been to one of these spots, but I'm hoping the clicksters can help you. Here we go:
1. Honolulu. I'd definitely not miss Pearl Harbor. It's an amazing, moving experience.
2. Hilo. Help! What do you say, guys? (Though my pick on the island would be Volcanoes National Park)
3. Maui. I love Haleakala -- the island is really pushing for visitors to see the sunset from atop the volcano now instead of watching the sunrise, and I can't see how you could go wrong either way. Biking down is a cliche, but really fun.
4. Kona. I'd pick Volcanoes National Park for this one too.
5. Kauai. Try to see the Napali Coast, by either hiking it, boating near it or flying over in a helicopter.
Any other ideas out there?
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Passport question in Alex, VA: Hello and thanks for taking my question:
I need to change my name on my passport. I also want to update the photo even though it's only 3 years old. For the name change, I know I need to submit the special request form, original court document for the name, a $65 processing fee, and an updated photo. But, where in Alexandria can I get a passport picture taken?
Thanks.
KC Summers: If you Google "passport photos alexandria" you'll get a handy list of stores that do this, complete with customer reviews. But in general, most Ritz and Moto Photo-type camera stores do this. You can also do it yourself with a digital camera -- just make sure you pay attention to the proportion requirements, which you can find online at http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html.
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Washington DC: Anyone up for a logic puzzle?
We've rented a house for a week in June (Saturday to Saturday) on the beach near Wilmington NC, but my husband has to be in Washington on Tuesday for work.
Options can involve any combination of driving and ONE person flying. I'm leaning towards driving down together early Saturday, him taking a flight from Wilmington to Washington on Tuesday and back to Wilmington on Wednesday, then driving home together on the second Saturday.
Any other brilliant suggestions? For what it's worth, the plane ticket is the same price either direction. We're trying to save both money and vacation minutes, as always.
Thanks!
Andrea Sachs: That seems to be the best plan, unless he can call in sick or work from Wilmington.
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Vacation Help!: I was about to book a 5-night stay in San Juan for the last week of June, but all of a sudden, flight prices have jumped unless I take a 2:15 AM flight out connecting in Newark (can you think of anything worse?). So now I need alternate plans. Any ideas for a 5 day getaway with a $1500 flight/hotel budget, with beach (or at least pool) and some daytime activities? Oh, please help me. I was counting on Puerto Rico...Thanks!!
Cindy Loose: If you were counting on Puerto Rico and have $1,500 to spend for five nights, I'm thinking you still should be able to find a way to do that. Have you looked at packages?
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Arlington, VA: Our friends had a wonderful wedding in Cozumel. They rented two huge, gorgeous waterfront houses far from the craziness of the port, and all the friends and family chipped in to stay there. We hired local cooks for breakfast and dinner. There was a pool and of course we were right on the beach. Everyone rented jeeps or mopeds for at least part of the time, and we spent the week before the wedding exploring, snorkeling, swimming and diving. The wedding was terrific -- outside in the lush garden by the pool at dusk. The reception was at tables set up all around the pool, complete with a mariachi band after dinner! Oh, and the invitations -- a message in a bottle, with sand, delivered to each invitee via USPS!
Andrea Sachs: Love it. Love that couple. Will they marry me?
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re WDC: You could probably ship your eggs. Eggs are very durable and if you package them right there should not be a problem. I would definitely make the packaging water tight. Overnight would probably be best but since there fresh eggs a couple of days by priorty mail would most likely not hurt them.
Cindy Loose: More on eggs.
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Columbia, SC: Just an FYI for the Vegas girls' weekend travellers - you can not use the Bellagio or Wynn spas unless you are a hotel guest. You can, however, use the wonderful spas at Mandalay Bay (both at The Hotel and Mandalay Bay itself). So if spa is really important, I'd try to stay closer to Mandalay.
John Deiner: Good point, Columbia. Thanks for the info!
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Fairfax, Va: Just saw an offer from the Mandarin Oriental in DC for $77.00 pp for 7/7/07 (Lucky 7). Can I win a prize for this great info?
Andrea Sachs: That's a great tip. If you get married there on 7/7/07 I will give you two prizes!
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North Bethesda, MD: best wedding I attended:
friends rented a whole B+B plus the one across the street in rural PA. Everyone drove up Friday night, hung out, partied while the bridal party had the rehearsal dinner. Saturday we all lounged by the pool, played volleyball, etc. Had the wedding in the evening. What a glorious weekend! It was truly a celebration of this couple's love and togetherness (they both had close families) rather than a tension-filled event.
Andrea Sachs: That is true wedding bliss.
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Washington, DC: What's the likelihood that I can find a reasonablly priced flight to Boston for the holiday weekend? What goes reasonablly priced now-a-days?
Carol Sottili: It's going to cost at least $270 round trip if you leave Friday and come back Monday. That's on either United or JetBlue out of Dulles. You can reduce that to under $200 round trip if you leave out of BWI on Southwest and fly into Manchester. That's high for Boston. It's not unusual to get airfares of $130 round trip when there is a sale.
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Bronx, NY: Not the most exotic destination wedding, but very sweet: an old friend and his better half have a thing for lighthouses, so they got married at the foot of the Cape May (NJ) lighthouse, by the mayor of the town. The entire wedding was attended by about 20 people, including officiant, attendants, musician (the bride's aunt, on hammered dulcimer) and guests, and lots o' seagulls and tourists. (My role in all of this was to navigate for the best man, who was driving down from NYC and is directionally challenged. Yes, I got us to the "church" on time.) It was a beautiful sunny day, the couple received a very nice ovation from the tourists, and the seagulls didn't cause any incidents. All invited guests then adjourned to one of the local inns for supper.
Who needs to have 500 guests and spend thousands on the Caribbean when you can have 20 dear friends in New Jersey?
Andrea Sachs: Agree: I'd much rather have seagulls--they clean up any leftovers afterward.
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destination weddings disasters: my stepsister got married at the Marriott Frenchmen's Reef in St. Thomas. It should have been a fantasy come true. Except, it rained, and they didn't have enough indoor spaces for her and the other 6 couples getting married that day. They offered her a hallway, which she declined, so we all stood around for a couple hours (no chairs or water even for the grandparents) along with the guests from the other weddings until her bridesmaids asked if they could use the restaurant (which didnt open til 6), then moved the tables and chairs (themselves) and had a quick ceremony with guests standing. But the icing on the cake (no pun intended)? When we finally got to the reception, they had confused the hors d'oeuvres with a kids party in another room, so instead of shrimp cocktail and beef wellington we were served chicken fingers and pizza bites! We had one unhappy bride, let me tell you...
Andrea Sachs: That is so sad, but very funny too. I'd love to have PBJ for my wedding.
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Washington, D.C.: The best desination wedding I have been to was in Las Vegas. Because there is so much to do and see, everyone was happy to be in attendance. It was held at the Manadaly Bay, which has a beautiful but simple chapel. The reception was at a restaurant that featured rum, the name escapes me. The food was delicious, nothing is worse than terrible hotel banquet food at a wedding. So it was a great low stress time had by all!
Andrea Sachs: Vegas, a classic, even for those who get engaged after two days of dating (not me, really!).
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Washington DC: We're planning a trip to England and Ireland this summer and are wondering if booking a package would result in much, if any, savings. So far, the provisional itinerary is: Fly from DC to London, rent a car and see England for a week, fly from Manchester to Shannon, rent a car and see Ireland for a week, then fly home from Dublin. Open jaw transatlantic flights are about $750 per person, Manchester to Shannon is around $50 pp (Ryanair), car rentals are around $40 a day plus gas (easycar). We're looking for budget lodging (but not too many hostels), which seems to range from around $50 to $120 a night, depending on the town. Would it be worth it to look for a fly/drive/sleep package? The ones I've seen tend to be more restrictive (no open jaw trips) or include more expensive lodging than we'd want. On the other hand, with the dollar so weak and England so expensive, it would be nice to save some money.
Cindy Loose: I assume you're talking $750 per person each way, right? If you're talking $750 roundtrip you've got yourself an incredible bargain, so I'm assuming you mean each way.
That said, I think your first instinct is right--unless you happened to find some tour that happened to combine London and Dublin, I'm doubting you'd find open jaw tickets in a package. Even if you did find such a tour it likely would include hotels a cut above what you seem tobe considering.
You mention "we." If there are only two of you, you might want to check into the feasibility of a combined train ticket/car rental, where the long distances are done by train then you pick up a car at the train station for short hops. If there are more than two of you traveling together then the rental car option with a cheap flight for long distances becomes more economical for sure.
I'd check one other option: Since flights from London to Dublin aren't that long or expensive, what happens to the airfare if you do a roundtrip into either London or Dublin and just plan to fly backto your originating city?
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Baltimore, MD: I recently graduated from grad school and am planning a road trip to the midwest to baseball stadiums. Are you guys aware of any websites or other resources that help in the planning of these kinds of trips? Thanks.
John Deiner: Hey, Baltimore. Not sure if there are sites that help you plan a trip like this one a la carte, but there are a number of agencies that offer package tours, like Big League Tours (www.bigleaguetours.com) or Diamond Baseball Tours (www.diamondbaseballtours.com), and will customize for you. These can be very pricey, however, and probably not what you're looking for. I'd pore over the skeds at Major League Baseball's Web site (www.mlb.com) and try to find a good date where teams are playing in relatively close proximity. Then piece together the trip yourself -- could take a while, but it will be far less expensive.
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RE: Grand Canyon: I know it's expensive, but it seems like it's worth the money to me. I want to do more than a day...I want the hiking and camping part too. However, I'm not sure if I want the whole canyon or if half is enough. I'm wondering if anyone had done any experience with any of the trips or the outfitters. (The NPS page says there is something like 16 licensed outfitters!)
Cindy Loose: No one on your current staff has done that trip---can anyone else help? I'd assume that any listed at the NPS site are likely to be reputable, and I'd choose one that has the kind of trip I like then call them on the phone to get a feel for em.
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Logan Circle, Washington, DC: Do you have any tips or websites in mind for arranging one-way airfares? Like DC to Berlin and then Prague to DC? My searches come up with very expensive options.
Carol Sottili: Don't book the trip as two one-way flights. Instead, book it as an "open-jaw." But even if you do that, flights are expensive. You'll only pay about $150 more for flying into Berlin and out of Prague, instead of doing a round trip to either city. Price for summer travel, however, is about $1,263 round trip for the open-jaw tickets.
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Calvert County, Md: We were in Philly for a wedding this weekend and had some trouble with the hotel Check in time for this weekend was important to me. I did not want to travel in the wedding finery and wanted time to get ready at the hotel. I found a hotel with a 3:00 check in.
Also we were travelling with kids so more room was important. We booked a suite with separate bedrooms. Easier for us to get ready and more condusive for the babysitter later.
We arrived at the hotel at 3:45. The front desk peron immediately "offered" us a downgrade from the suite. Why do you need separate rooms she demanded? Calmly, I stated I booked a suite I expexct to have one. Then she told me that she had know idea if my room was ready and no time line as to when she would know. Just keep checking back. When I pressed the need to have my room. She told me that the hotel had a noon check out and it was impossible to get the room ready for a 3:00 check in. And I should know that that is how hotels are.
I kept very calm but would get back in line and ask every five minutes and eventually got what I reserved. All told it took about 35 minutes to check in to the hotel. As I was dashing out to the wedding I overheard a much less calm guest screaming about his room not being available at this time it was about 5:15. Is check in time sacred as I had thought or is there way more flexibility. Should rooms be ready? Or should guests be more patient? If not really a guarentee what does one do for out of town weddings I cannot be the only person wanting to get ready at a hotel?
Andrea Sachs: The rooms should be ready for the check-in time, but guests should be flexible. Remember that with mass checkouts at noon, their staff has a lot of rooms to clean and make up. It is unfortunate, but a reality--though I do think that 5:15 is pushing it for tardiness.
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Waldorf, MD: For the Hawaii question, my wife and I just spent our honeymoon in Kona, and I second the volcano recommendation. There is a lava tube that is really need to see, and you must take the drive (19 miles each way) down to the ocean to see where lava and flowed through the years. It is really neat.
Also, on Kona, go to the southern most point in the US. There is also a hike to a green sand beach, the hike is hilly in spurts and all dirt, but once you get there, it is worth it just to see how clear the water is and the view if nothing else. The hike takes about an hour and 15 minutes each way, and most people take their 4 wheel vehicles to get there.
Another thing - there are many tour buses that go to the top of Mauna Kia. The sunset is unbelieveable from over 13,000 feet up. It is expensive, but worth the money. My wife and I happened to use Hawaii Forest and Trails for that trip.
John Deiner: Hey, Waldorf, thanks for the terrific info. When I was there, I missed the lava-meets-sea drama, and I regret it to this day. Good reason to go back, no?
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Lakes-bound: Submitting early so I don't forget...I head over to the UK for a vacation this weekend, and will be spending seven days in Manchester and Kendal. Does anyone have a suggestion for underappreciated/under-recommended places that absolutely shouldn't be missed?
Thank you!
KC Summers: Um, football? Here's another question we're going to throw out to the gang. Based on quickie research, though, I think Manchester's Chinatown sounds pretty cool (one of the largest in Europe). And Northwest England is gorgeous. But let's get specific tips from the chatters. Who knows this area well?
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Best AND Worst Wedding Locale: Twelve years ago last Saturday, my husband and I were married in a courthouse in Lyndon, Kansas. We were both in the Army in Germany and just made a quick trip back to get married so one of us wouldn't get reassigned. At the end of the ceremony, the JP gave us a "starter pack" of toilet paper and dryer sheets-go figure. The reception was a DQ ice cream cake in my mother's kitchen. A wedding to remember!
Andrea Sachs: After a dozen years of marriage, is seems like Lyndon was a lucky place.
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Puerto Rico flights: To the person wanting to go to PR in June, what about catching a cheap flight from here to Florida and then another one on Spirit or another carrier out of Ft. Lauderdale or Orlando? Not the fastest route, but could be a little cheaper. There are a couple of sales going on...
Cindy Loose: That's a very good idea. Generally Puerto Rico is one of the cheaper islands to get to, and I really think the writer can find a way to get there and stay 5 days for $1,500 or less. Other thing is, if the traveler has her heart set on the streets of San Juan, there's nothing quite like that in a Caribbean island with a cheap except Cuba, and you're not allowed to go there. If it's the history that is drawing her to San Juan then she could go to Cancun and drive down to some of the ruins, but that's still no hte same as San Juan. Thanks for the Spirit idea.
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Professional Wedding Guest: As a woman in my late 20's I have been to more than my fair share of weddings, bachelorette parties and other extravaganzas over the past few years. It's starting to wear down my patience and wallet. But I have some great stories. Worst destination: Lyle, Illinois. It's a suburb of Chicago with little other than a huge Hindu temple. I had to go there twice in two years and became intimately acquainted with the TGIFridays.
The best was Playa del Carmen. While I was dreading the expense and hassle of flying, I didn't have a choice being in the bridal party. The couple made the whole tropical weekend a blast complete with celebrity invites. The all inclusive resort turned out to be great because I go to know the other wedding guests.
So you win some you lose some.
Andrea Sachs: For every Lyle, there hopefully is a Playa del Carmen/
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Destination Wedding: My fiance and I are getting married this fall in Cabo. We are doing a beach BBQ the first night, an outside dinner at a restaurant in town the second, and a beachside ceremony with dancing and dinner looking over the Ocean on the third night. We can not wait!
Andrea Sachs: Can you invite one more guest?
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re flight to boston: How close to Boston do you need to be. Fly into Rhode Island from BWI. I have found that this is the cheapest.
Carol Sottili: Except that all the cheap flights are sold out for Memorial Day weekend.
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Rockville, MD: Can you help me explore the world of frequent flier miles? I used my United miles--spending them at the business class level--for a flight from DC to Anchorage and then from Vancouver to DC. Going to Anchorage I was given business class seats, but going home to DC I was given economy, even though I "spent" my miles at the business class level. I was put on the wait list for business, and told to call every 3-4 days to see if I can get business class going home.
I checked the flight online, and all the business seats were available on that flight! Why can't they give me the business class seats I used my miles to "pay" for? It just seems unfair that I'm using my miles at the business class level but might have to sit economy, even though business class seats are available as of now.
Cindy Loose: If you used the miles required for business both ways then you should have gotten a seat in business both ways. If they didn't have a business seat one way, they should have charged you the number of miles required for a coach seat, not the number of miles required for a business seat. You're owed a refund of mileage--the difference between business and coach on that particular flight.
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Destination Wedding: Last year I went to the mother of all destination weddings in Vang Vieng, Laos. It was a 3-day celebration. The groom's party marched through town and the bride's party formed a human barrier to try and prevent him from entering the wedding site (hey, it's tradition). The ceremony was conducted in Lao, with the families and friends sitting barefoot on mats. Afterwards, many guests jumped into the river in formal dress. I don't think I'll ever attend another wedding that surpasses it for good memories.
Andrea Sachs: That sounds amazing. Wish all weddings had that cultural experience.
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Alexandria, VA: Best destination wedding was on Maui. Much like the Cozumel invite earlier in the chat, invitation was delivered with a bag of sand (complete with shells), a plastic lei, and an inflatable miniature palm tree. Guests arrived three days before the wedding, luau in lieu of a rehearsal, and the wedding was on a hill overlooking the beach at sunset. Best part was that the thirty guests got to spend a few days with the couple before the wedding, and they left for a honeymoon on Kauai the day after!
Andrea Sachs: Did they take you with them?
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Gaithersburg, MD: OK, this isn't a wedding story, it's a honeymoon story, but it is close enough. My wife and I were to be married on a Saturday evening in September and to go to Jamaica for the honeymoon, leaving on Sunday morning. On Thursday night, a hurricane went through the island. On Friday, my wife suggested that I call the resort to make sure that they were still open. My response was that these things happen all the time down there and they will surely be open.
On Friday afternoon, I finally called and found out that they had no electricity or running water. I also had sunk all my money into the honeymoon and had nothing left to quickly change plans. After some careful maneuvering and a loan from Dad, I made revised honeymoon plans (Bahamas and Coconut Grove) at 5:30 on Friday afternoon.
Andrea Sachs: That's a good lesson in marriage--one that I won't write but we are all thinking!
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K Street: This is in response to a late question in last week's chat about worrying about what to do in Philippines for 10 days. Each time I've gone there, I stay for 15 days, and it's always too short for me! Here are some things to do/places to visit:
- El Nido in Palawan
- Boracay Beach
- Stay at Shangri-La in Makati and go crazy while shopping at Greenbelt (dollars go a LONG way there)
- Go to Cebu and see shrine to Magellan (he was killed there). While in Cebu, stay at Shangri-La (no I don't work for Shangri-La, I just love both hotels)
- See the sunset from Manila Bay
- See walled city of Intramuros
- Bargain shop at Greenhills
- For the ultimate getaway, go to Amanpulo.
I would list more things but I'm afraid I won't get to send this till after 3pm!
Andrea Sachs: Thanks so much for the suggestions.
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Reston, VA: I'm trying to pull together my itinerary for a trip to Spain next month (one week volunteering, and another exploring), and I'm thinking of spending the bulk of my time in Madrid, with a couple of days in Seville and the rest doing day trips to cities and towns just outside Madrid, like Segovia and Toledo. I would love to go to Barcelona and/or Valencia, since I'll be there around the America's Cup, but it doesn't sound like I have enough time. Any suggestions? My plans are still fairly flexible. Thanks!
Cindy Loose: Unless you're really, really into the America's Cup, I'd avoid Valencia at that time. I think you'll find it very crowded and expensive, assuming you can get a room at alll, which I would not assume. Plus Valencia is okay, but I'm not crazy about it.
I'd stick with your original list of places: Madrid, Seville , Segovia and Toledo. This is personal, but I like smaller cities and towns more than big cities, so I'd give Madrid a couple days then divide my time among hte other three, but that's just a personal preference. Anyone else want to vote on the itinerary?
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Dupont Circle, Washington, DC: I flew back to Dulles last Tuesday (5/15) from Charles de Gaulle on the 1:20 pm flight. Getting through security took almost 3 hours and I, along with close to 400 other passengers, almost missed my flight. Interestingly, there was no obvious reason for the incredible delay: no delayed flights, no backup of flights, no weather problems, no problems--at all--to speak off; just incredibly long, terribly slow moving lines. In the end, the planes (about 7+ US-bound flights) were held at the gates and we made our flights--we would not have made them if the flights had not been held.
I'm wondering if this is normal at CDG or if you might have any insight into what might have happened last Tuesday. The airport personnel and AirFrance employees acted as if this was normal (making me think this is just what happens at CDG) but most of the travelers were freaking out and decrying the French for their lack of efficiency (it was actually quite embarrassing, but that is another topic). Personally, I realized there was nothing I could do and I would either make my flight or not. Plus, I've had plenty of bad airport experience in the US. But I am curious if this is a normal occurrence at Charles do Gaulle.
Carol Sottili: I've flown out of Heathrow twice in recent months and had similar experiences. Also been through several long security lines at Dulles. I don't know that CDG has a corner on that market.
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Glen Allen, VA: regarding all the carry-on questions. I saw a great sign in the San Antonio, TX airport a few weeks ago that siad something like "if you can drink it, spill it, or spread it, you can't bring it." I think there were a couple more verbs listed as well. but I didn't get a picture of the sign. Of course, taking photos in the security area is probably not a great idea either.
Cindy Loose: Those verbs kinda cover it. Fact is you might get through with eggs or hummus or whatever, but the question is: Is it really worth the potential hassle and the potential confiscation?
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Turks and Caicos: I'm going to the Club Med in Turks and Caicos in July. Any of you have any reviews? Or maybe some of the chatters?
Andrea Sachs: We ran an item on T&C's Club Med two weeks ago in TQ&A, and then more suggestions from a reader. This is what I wrote:
Club Med is "almost incomparable," says David Gray, a vacation consultant with Carroll Travel on Capitol Hill. "It's a cross between an all-inclusive and a summer camp." Club Med recently renovated its Caribbean properties, including the T & C resort, one of the company's most popular vacation spots. The resort, oriented more to singles than families, is all about "wish fulfillment," Gray says.
Because of the arid setting, most of the activities are water-based, such as parasailing, snorkeling and diving. For land diversions, that's where Club Med comes in: "The property is where it all happens," Gray says.
This is what John Flood wrote:
John Flood of Vienna has some suggestions for staying at the Club Med on Turks and Caicos [Chat Plus, May 13]. Flood, who has visited the Caribbean resort twice, writes: "Go snorkeling or scuba diving on the club's boats. They know the best spots and go there twice daily, plus night dives. The beach at the village is great, with lovely thatched-roof huts. The pool is the center of daytime activities, with music, dances and water aerobics. They have fitness programs including walks, aerobics, stretching and other classes, plus a fitness center."
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Columbus, Ohio: Going to Philadelphia over the Memorial Day weekend to see
King Tut, plus Longwood Gardens. And what else do you
most highly rate as a "must see"? And good dining places to
suggest . . . excellent food without spending a huge chunk of
cash? Thanks!
KC Summers: Definitely do the Italian Market -- it's an amazing experience and you can find just about anything you want to eat there(and it's not all Italian). And of course, you have to get a cheesesteak at Pat's or Geno's. Stroll South Street for more restaurants, galleries, cafes, bars and shops. Of course, there's the new Liberty Bell Center, Independence Hall and all that -- musts if you haven't seen them.
Anyone have affordable dining recommendations for Columbus?
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Invite in a Bottle: Where did the poster order the invite in a bottle from?
Andrea Sachs: Not sure, let's ask:
Oh poster, where did you order the invites in the bottle?
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Arlington, VA: Those $750 roundtrip tickets to Ireland are not a fluke! I just booked my honeymoon - non-stop Dulles to Dublin, $510 per person, round trip. I am not kidding.
Now, if only we could find some way to get a cheap rental car. In an automatic....
Cindy Loose: If we're talking spring or fall I'm not surprised. But if you're talking prime time summer vacation time, then hats off to you.
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Columbia, MD: Best destination wedding -- Carribbean Cruise on the Grand Princess March 2001. About 40 people made the trip (brides mom was a cruise travel agent, so we got lots of perks) and the couple was married by the captain "at sea" with a small gathering in the "night club" at the back of the ship afterward. My first cruise and it was a blast. It was the same week as a terrible snow storm in NY, too so while I did miss work, I didn't miss any school since it got canceled!
Andrea Sachs: Why, that worked out well for you, didn't it. And you weren't even the bride/groom.
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re: puerto rico: My husband and I spent six days in Puerto Rico in early April. For both flights, lodging, and our food, we spent around $1600 total. It shouldn't be that hard. The best thing we did was use www.vrbo.com for the lodging. We got a great (albeit small) condo right on Isla Verde with a small kitchenette. It helped reduce costs and had great location at the same time.
Cindy Loose: Thanks for the advice. I say again, with $1,500 and five days you should be able to get to Puerto Rico.
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for Bethesda Mom: Actually in Ontario there is also Niagara on the Lake which also has theatre in the summer. Its mostly a B&B community.
KC Summers: Right, thanks. I think she was looking to stay closer to home, though.
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Rockville, MD: My husband and I were returning from Europe this weekend and had a problem with our connection in London's Heathrow Airport. We had 3 hours to change planes (Air Italia to Virgin Atlantic) and after spending one hour in the security line we arrived at the Virgin Airlines desk. The ticket agent told us that their flights close 2 hours before take-off. We had missed the deadline by 8 minutes. Virgin claimed they couldn't do anything for us and said they could not be held responsible for the long security lines. Is closing a flight 2 hours early (we were already booked and just needed to get boarding passes) a regular occurance? If so, doesn't the ticketing airline have a responsibility to notify customers of the flight closing window? After spending 8 hours in the airport, we finally boarded the next scheduled flight to DC and made it home. It was a very frustrating way to end our vacation and I'd like to warn others so they may be able to avoid the same problem.
Carol Sottili: The official Virgin Atlantic rule is 60 minutes. Don't know where the two-hour rule came from, unless that's peculiar to Heathrow. My guess is also that you ticketed the Air Italia ticket separately from the Virgin Atlantic ticket, right? If at all possible, it's better to ticket all the way through with one carrier, although that often costs more money. Also, I'm sure you did this, but always ask to speak to a supervisor when this sort of situation occurs.
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Arlington, VA: You often deal with petty travel complaints. May I offer one, just in case United Airlines is listening?
I spent several hours on Friday making complex reservations changes for a colleague who was already out of the office. Every time I went on hold, I thought I was hearing an original Edison wax recording of Gershwin! (Never mind that Edison's phonograph predates Rhapsody by almost 50 years.)
Bankruptcy or no, how do you think we could get UAL to spring for a new CD of Rhapsody in Blue? It used to be a favorite piece of music...now, I'm not so sure.
John Deiner: Great stuff, Arl. And Gershwin is sooooooo old hat, isn't it? You're a good friend to have spent several hours on the phone like that.
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Washington, D.C.: I know you get this question a lot, so I apologize in advance. My fiancee and I are flying to Spain for our honeymoon via Munich. Flying from Dulles to Munich on a Luftansa flight (operated by United) and have an hour and 10 minutes to switch planes to our Luftansa Munich to Barcelona flight. This doesn't seem like enough time to clear customs? Or won't we do customs until we get to Spain? Our travel agent booked these, so I'm assuming there ok, but I was wondering if I should ask him to move us to a later connecting flight.
Thanks! I really enjoy the chats, they're very helpful
Cindy Loose: That connection makes me a bit nervous. Since you have a travel agent I'd ask two questions: A. When will we have to pass through customs? Whether or not it's in Munich, are pi confident this leaves us enough time and B. If we miss this connection, when is the next flight and how full does it currently appear to be?
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For Logan Circle: You noted to the poster from Logan Circle that booking an open-jaw is better than two one-way flights. I'd also add that booking the one-way flights is a terrible idea because it will raise all sorts of red flags with the TSA, and your boarding pass will probably have the hated "SSSS" (meaning lots of extra harassment by the TSA at the airport).
Carol Sottili: Especially on international flights.
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Arlington, VA: For the recent graduate looking to do a baseball stadium tour in the Midwest:
Don't forget about the minors. Check out www.minorleaguebaseball.com where you can see all the teams by geography.
If you have an idea of what states you want to go to, you can see several A, AA and AAA teams in addition to MLB games.
It will take some leg work on your part, though, figuring out which cities to go to on your trip.
John Deiner: Ah, there ya go. Minor league games are so much fun, aren't they?
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Palo Alto, CA: Hi crew
I'm traveling in Northern Sweden next month from Lulea to Kiruna and having trouble finding the flight that I think exists between the two cities. Anyone have any ideas? thanks!
Andrea Sachs: SAS flies between the two cities.
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Las Vegas Wedding: My daughter got married in Las Vegas the past March. I was a little hesitant when she told me that that was what they were planning. However, it turned out well. About two weeks before the wedding, the hotel called my daughter and offered to put all her guest on the same floor. Good thing because the hotel has four towers!
This was my first trip to Vegas. Everything on the way out there went smoothly. Had no trouble at either airport and the weather was fine. The day of the wedding, things went smoothly. My daughter and I managed to avoid the groom on the way to the chapel in the hotel/casino; after the wedding, the party to a short walk to the Buffet where they'd arranged for all of us to be excorted to a back area where we had privacy but full access to all the buffet food tables. We toasted the bride and groom with champagne provided by the groom's father. After eating our fill, we disbanded back to our rooms to change.
After five days of warm, sunny weather (including the day that we flew from BWI), we landed back at BWI in a freezing, blowing, snowstorm and had to scrape the snow and ice off the car before we could start the hour drive home. Luckily, I had in the car my winter coat, and two blankets for my husband and son.
Andrea Sachs: Good things happen in Vegas, some of which you can talk about after.
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Travelocity Woes: Just got back from a trip out West, connecting in Phoenix. Booked the trip on Travelocity. It appeared that both legs of outbound were on United. We show up at the airport -- surprise! The first leg is a United codeshare being operated by USAirways. The second leg is operated by Continental. We're sent to USAirways to check in. Guess what? They can't check our bags onto a continental flight -- USAirways and Continental aren't codeshare partners, even tho both work with United. And we had 60 minutes for the connection, whereas they require 90 to transfer bags onto a different airline. United counter agent NOT helpful. No one on the phone seems to understand what's going on, but the USAirways counter rep says it happens all the time, with travelocity and expedia.
Bottom line - we had to retrieve our bags at our connection city, then get on a later flight (thank god there was room), and recheck bags. I feel like there was no way I could have seen this coming -- travelocity said they were both United flights (fine print didn't appear till the tix were purchased.)
Is there something I could have done to avoid this? Is this common and this is just the first time it's hit me?
Cindy Loose: This is a very interesting question. For starters, I don't think it's a Travelocity problem---I know a couple times I've booked flights on one airline and it turns out its a codeshare flight operated by another airline and the ticket didn't clue me in.
But this problem is like an algebra question that I have never heard of before: Airline A codeshares with Airline B and Airline B codeshares with Airline C but Airline C doesnt codeshare with Airline A and were really messed over.
Does anyone out there know how these passengers could have antipated and thus avoided this problem?
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Honeymoons: The poster from Gaithersburg reminded me of my parents' story of their honeymoon (some years before I was born, of course). It was August 1969, the same weekend as Woodstock, and they got married in Brooklyn; my uncle is still, 38 years later, angry that he couldn't go to Woodstock due to this. They were scheduled to go to the Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia, for their honeymoon, then continue back to Charlottesville where my father was a student at UVA's law school. However, that weekend was ALSO the weekend when the remnants of Hurricane Camille dumped 31 inches of rain on much of Virginia to the southwest of the Charlottesville area, flooding out all the roads and causing massive mudslides. They wound up having their honeymoon at a motel in Warrenton, went on to Charlottesville, and didn't make it to the Homestead until their 25th anniversary in 1994 (they specifically picked the Homestead for that trip).
Seems somehow symbolic to me--because their anniversary fell at the time of year at which we always took family vacations when my brother and I were kids, they often wound up eating at McDonald's for their anniversary because we'd be in the middle of nowhere in rural Canada and McDonald's was all that was around....
Andrea Sachs: Ah, memories of . . . McDonald's.
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Hawaii Traveler: If you're going to be in Maui I'd definitely head to Molokini - it's a collapsed volcanic crater out in the water that is accessible by boat and some of the best snorkeling out there. Likewise, if you're going to snorkel on the Big Island, head to the Point of Refuge. Wonderful area to snorkel. Personally I'd skip the sunrise on any volcano for an early morning dip in the ocean.
John Deiner: Great, HT. Molokini is wonderful -- too bad our clickster couldn't time it during whale season.
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Sterling, Va: am wondering if it is safe to take my 87 year old father to India to see the Taj Mahal. He and my mother had been all over the world but my mother would not go to India. She passed away 3 weeks ago and my father has asked me to take him to India. He is in reasonably good health but is 87 years old and I am mostly afraid of diseases that could make him sick.
I would love to take him since this has been his dream since he was a child. Am I crazy to even be considering this? Should I get with a special needs tour?
Cindy Loose: I'd take him. First I guess I'd check what the Centers for Disease Control has to say--www.cdc.gov, and go to www.travel.state.gov and click on India, but I think if you can afford to stay in a first world hotel and buy food at first world restaurants, he should be fine.
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Little Rock, AR: My wedding theme was twos - my sweetie proposed to me with one engagement ring, then a second time when the other ring she'd ordered arrived (they were meant to arrive together and be fused as one before I got them). We had our first ceremony in Arkansas with our church - two wedding cakes, one that I made and one store bought by a friend. The honeymoon night was in the same suite as the engagement was.
The second ceremony was in Florida, at my sister's house. Only one wedding cake - two tiers, though, even though there were only 15 of us. Ourdoors, by two bodies of water - my sister's swimming pool framing us, and overlooking the marsh she lives on.
Two destination honeymoons, too - one immediately after the second ceremony, in Orlando, and the other one a few months later, on a cruise. Daughter (13) got to go to both.
I'm just hoping that all these twos make up for the fact that we still have two last names - we can't legally marry in our home state.
Andrea Sachs: Nothing like doubling up on the love and marriage!
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"Destination" wedding: The summer after graduating from college, friends a year ahead of us were married in LaGrande, Oregon, on the eastern side of the state. Used frequent-flyer miles on Southwest to fly BWI-Las Vegas, where a friend working there that summer picked two of us up at the airport there, then we drove the 950 miles to Oregon. The wedding was nice, but the trip was mostly about the road trip! Small town, small ceremony in the groom's family's church, then an outdoor reception at the groom's parents' home, a lovely property with lots of space a little ways outside of town. The locals and family were wonderful to the few of us who made the trip all the way out there-- beautiful scenery and a fun journey! Souvenir photo: flatland outside Salt Lake City with the caption "Somewhere in Utah, 5:00 AM."
Andrea Sachs: Another vote for small weddings.
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Arlington, VA: Message in a bottle -- she (the bride) made them! Burned the paper to look like old parchment and everything. She probably bought the bottles at Michaels.
Andrea Sachs: Thanks for sharing!
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Best Destination Wedding: My sister's in Punta Del Este, Uruguay, December 05. Every New Years, this tiny beach down becomes 'the South American Rivera', as wealthy Brazilians and Argentinians descend for the week between Christmas and the New Year. My sister was marrying a native Punta Del Este-ian, whose mother owned a real estate company and knew practically everyone in this town of just 1200 year-round residents. The wedding itself was a beautiful yet casual affair (the audience was made up of 16 Americans and over 100 Uruguayans - all of whom were invited by word of mouth). We held it at sunset on the front lawn, as joggers and bicyclists and locals all passed by, shouting out 'I love you!' and 'Marry me!' and 'You can still back out!' in Spanish, which my sister fortunately found hilarious. Fireworks over the water followed the ceremony, and the reception began at 9 and continued until breakfast the next morning - as is Uruguayan tradition.
Andrea Sachs: Funny!
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Native New Jerseyan: Not really an exotic destination, but the first plane trip I had since 2003. The "Wedding of the Year" started out with my stay at the Washington Athletic Club (known to insiders as "The WAC"). I was looking for the sauna with the old guys wearing towels - I know it's there somewhere. The rehersal dinner for 90 was held at a trendy bistro's catering site, complete with Dungeness crab cakes and slide show of the bride and groom as kids. The weekend just got better and better - the wedding ceremony was great, reception food was great and the band flew in from Las Vegas. Like I said, not exotic, but I hadn't been to Seattle in a number of years, and just enjoyed sitting at lunch overlooking Puget Sound and watching the tourists at Pike Place Market waiting for the fish to be tossed -(I don't think they do that on Sundays).
Andrea Sachs: Every place can be exotic--it's about the adventure, not the zip code.
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washingtonpost.com: To Live and Dive in Honduras, (Aug. 8, 2004)
Andrea Sachs: For the Honduras-bound.
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Andrea Sachs: Well, that's it for us. Another Monday--and May--down. For the couple who wedded 12 years ago in Kansas: You won my heart. Email me at sachsa@washpost.com and I will send you something you can use for another 12 years of marriage.
Thanks all! See you in June.
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