Published at June 7th, 2011 in category
TravelLast Minute Vacations are perfect for grabbing an advertised deal on airfares or hotels. Of course you have to be flexible and maybe a little bit adventurous as you won’t have a lot of time to plan.
But, think what fun it is to just jet off to some destination on an impulse.
For some folks, it is a delight to be able to take Thursday and Friday off from work and spend three or four days on a mini vacation — a great way to recharge your batteries.
If last minute getaways appeal to you, start planning a little ahead. Start a “fun money” account so that when an opportunity shows itself you have funds ready and available to use.
The best rates on airfare and hotels are generally found for midweek travel so you may need to be able to add another day or two. Adding hotel and even a rental car to your flight can add up to an even better deal especially with the airline booking agencies.
Additionally, mid morining or early afternoon flights may be less expensive . Plus, you will have avoided the long lines at checkin and security as the busiest times are between 5:30 and 8:30 am thanks to all the business travelers and the early overseas flights.
Check-in lines are longer if you’re checking luggage and more so if you’re travelling internationally, so try to limit your packing to one carryon and a tote or a computer case doubling as a tote. (See the tips on “packing light” in the archives).
Security lines will be unbearably slow even if you have a “preferred check-in” pass– gold or platinum level elite airline cards.
So plan your departure time for mid-morning or early afternoon and give yourself plenty of time to check in — here’s where those airline lounge passes come in handy.
Alternatively, if you’d love a mini vacation and want to plan ahead, here are a few tips to make your search easier:
1) After deciding on a location, search the online travel booking agencies for hotel and flight combinations, add a rental car if you’ll need one.
2) Not sure where you want to go but desperate to get away? Check the vacation deals they offer.
3) Compare prices by going to the airline websites.
4) If there are great deals on flights, search for hotel deals in the area.
Check out the hotel locations carefully even though they seem to offer a great deal — you don’t want to be stuck near the airport, several miles from the town center or the beach.
5) Save research time by using one of those “meta-search” sites like Kayak or Momondo which will compare several online booking agencies at the same time.
6) Or, join the online booking agencies –Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity (to name a few) and you’ll get frequent alerts on travel deals of the day, the month, and even the country.
So, start dreaming of those places that would be perfect for rejuvenating your spirits, or just simply great for having a relaxing few days, do your research, pack your bags and have fun when you get there.
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Published at May 10th, 2011 in category
TravelReady to plan your trip to Bali?
There are so many more things to see and do than we talked about here… the Monkey Park, the Elephant Caves, the Flower Markets, Bali performing arts–percussion music and dance; Bali dances are a “must see”, get a Batik wrap at the factory–watch them dye and create the different intricate patterns.
Thanks to it’s lush beauty and attractive surroundings (the mountains, the beaches, the rice paddies, those magnificent temples), the art and crafts (paintings, stone and wood carvings), the food (ah yes– the food!), and the friendly people, Bali received the “Best Island” award from Travel and Leisure in 2010.
So– pack those bags (leave space for the handcrafts and batik you’ll be bringing back) and let’s book your trip!
There’s quite a choice in airlines and airfares. The best bet is to book flight and hotel together and presently, looking at dates around the September holiday, prices range anywhere from $2,500 to $8,000, depending on the airline, number of stops, and of course the hotel or resort (take a look on Expedia).
www.indo.com is a site devoted to Bali and its tourism and can help you plan your trip with details on different hotels and resorts, tours, maps of Bali, and cultural events. Give yourself a week at least plus travel time. There’s so much to see and do, you won’t want to leave.
Don’t forget your camera! The group from “The Traveler’s Life” (www.awai.com) came back with fantastic shots even with “point and shoot” cameras. Make sure you take extra cards and batteries… you will easily fill up a couple of 2-gig cards!
So– start planning for the vacation of your life! Look back at the previous posts on “packing light”, “buying luggage” and other travel tips.
Are you still on the fence? afraid to travel alone? Would love to go but…
this recently-published book should help : http://www.fastpencil.com/publications/1643
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Rice paddies in Ubud
The View
Perhaps I should have started with this Post. The view as your airplane glides on its way down to Ngurah Rai Airport reminds you of the “Emerald Isle” thanks to the bright-green rice stalks that outline the terraced rice paddies.
The towns most famous for their rice paddies are Ubud in the center of Bali and the river gorge Tegallalang village.
As you drive up from Ubud en route to the Besakih Temple you’ll get the best view of it’s terraces on your left. There are places to stop and take your photos.
The tradition of planting rice in these precise rows up the hillsides, goes back at least 2000 years when the farmers used primitive hand tools to carve out the terraces.
Tending the rice paddies
Today, the tradition continues and these terraces are carefully maintained as you can see.
You’ll want to wander around Ubud if you aren’t staying in that town …. Ubud is the center of Bali’s art and culture.
Tegallalang is north of Ubud and is the “handcraft” capital of Bali. Here you’ll find every imaginable trinket that showcases the culture, especially unusual wood carvings and paintings. Visit the batik factories and watch as they create those colorful fabrics. Don’t leave without a scarf or gown or two.
Interested in a little import/export business? This is the place to pick up a variety of gifts to sell back home and the Tourist Center can give you tips on how to order and ship your items. Want to know more about setting up a lucrative sideline in import/export as you travel? Check out the program at: www.thetravelwriterslife.com/follow
Attendees at the recent travel/photography writer’s bootcamp in Equador did just that– picking up some really great treasures at ridiculous prices in the markets there.
If you’d like to learn more about what you can do in Bali, these two guides will help you.
For your Kindle:
Experience Bali: A travel guide (2011)
OR:
Bali and Lombok (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
Whatever you do, if you really want to treat yourself to an unforgettable vacation, where you not only experience a whole new culture but you learn some new skills that could add to your “bottomline” when you get back home.
Sign up NOW with Lori as there are only a few spots left:
Lori@thetravelwriterslife.com
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Bali is home to at least 10,000 temples and shrines. The inner sanctums are closed to visitors but you can enter the courtyards and view the incredible structures.
- Pura Ulun Danu Bratan Temple
The eleven-tiered “meru” of the Pura Ulun Danu Bratan Temple sits on the edge of Lake Bratan. “Meru” is named after the sacred mountain, Mount Meru in Hindu and Buddhist cosmology and is considered to be the center of all the physical, metaphysical and spiritual universes. It is also the home of Lord Brahma and the Devas (Demi-Gods). Inside the inner courtyards are various shrines and large pools or lakes for ritual baths.
Shrine
This gateway distinctly forbade my entrance.
Many natives have replicas of these temples in their homes.
I have a passion for visiting Temples and other religious structures in any country I visit and Bali did not disappoint.
The Pura Tirta Empul is distictive for its split gateway. Tourists can enter and look around the courtyard at the twin shrines inside. .
“Tirta Empul” refers to the crystal clear stream used for religious ceremonies.
Peeping through the gateway to the inner sanctum where a ceremony is taking place.
Gateway to the inner sanctum
This next Temple: The Pura Samuan Tiga has an interesting history and stunning architecture. it is set between two rivers and the remains of an ancient pool is still on the grounds. This was the royal temple of a Balinese King in the 10th century.
Samuan Tiga means “three meetings”… the meeting of Gods, deities and saints.
Pura Samuan Tiga
There’s a fantastic offer for you to see these and other Balinese shrines for yourself. AWAI’s Travel and Photography Group (The Right Way to Travel) has arranged a trip to Bali complete with travel writing and photography workshops taught by accomplished Travel writers and Photographers. These photos above don’t begin to capture the scenes you will experience and photograph yourselves. I took these long before I attended one of those photo bootcamps and am almost embarrassed to show these.
The trip is in March and lucky you– two spots just opened up! So– contact Lori at: www.thetravelwriterslife.com/follow
Contact her NOW!
..and if you go– come back here and share YOUR photos and experiences with us.
These two guides will help you decide where else to go:
For your Kindle:Experience Bali: A travel guide (2011)
OR:Bali and Lombok (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
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Apologies to my Readers for the long hiatus between posts. Life got in the way..but I’m BACK!!!!
When I realized that the AWAI travel writers/photography group was heading to Bali I knew I had to get this out ASAP!!!
http://www.thetravelerslife.com/follow
Bali has two Hyatt hotels and I had stayed at Bali Hyatt, Sanur. As I revisited the hotel’s website, I realized that I “dated” myself… there was NO Internet when I was there!
But– here’s the highlight of MY stay– the SPA treatment. Picture this:
You’re in a villa whose roof is open to the sky. You can hear the birds and even catch a glimpse of one as he darts above your head. Bees and butterflies buzz around the floral extravangza outside (the hotel is known for its gardens and pools). But while all that sets up the ambience– that’s nothing compared to the experience about to begin.
I had signed up for the 5-hour package–Yes, FIVE hours!
Five hours of exquisite pampering at a price that you’ll never believe when I show you the comparisons with spas back here at home.
The package is advertised as ” A day of leha-leha with the Raharja–”serenity in heaven”… and it was.
When I made the appointment I was “interviewed” as to any health conditions that could preclude the sauna or other steam treatments. Then I got to choose the aromatic oils I liked, the type of bath (mineral or milk), the type of body scrub, shade of nail polishes, hair/scalp conditioner (dry,oily…) and any particular fruits I liked.
I arrived next morning and my attendant greeted me and reviewed my choices again and the day began…the villa was all mine for the day.
–A dip in the jacuzzi , followed by my sauna treatment complete with aromatic powders thrown on the coals
–finished off in the steam room and another dip in the jacuzzi
– I had chosen the milk bath and as I lay there, every pore tingling, my sinuses like open canals straight to my head, my attendant brought me a tray with fruit juices to rehydrate my system–BLISS!!!
–then my body was jarred awake with a coconut body scrub followed by a shower with an aromatic and soothing bodywash
– after the shower, I got the first full-body massage and then was led to a couch to “rest” for 20 minutes. I had a plate of fresh fruits and blends of fruit juices. As I rested, I could hear a lawnmower outside– so did my attendant , who hurried to tell the gardener that he was disturbing my ambience and should take his lawnmower elsewhere.
– Next: a scalp massage with conditioner and a deep-cleansing facial followed by another massage with aromatic oils and a reflexology treatment– I was almost asleep; I was so relaxed.
–another shower to wash my hair and then a “rubdown” with moisturizing lotions.
– My manicure/pedicure completed my treatment and I floated out of there on a cloud!
COST
Let’s compare:
Elizabeth Arden Red Door-
~2.5 hours: massage+body scrub+reflexology+
facial= $550.00
The Fountain, New Jersey-
~3.5 hours: steam+massage+facial+pedicure+anti-cellulite treatment=$502.00
The Raharja Bali- $205.00 (today’s rate)Do try their spa treatment even if you don’t have five hours.
More on my Bali experience next time. If you’re going with Lori and the AWAI Travel Writers Group, do share YOUR photos and experience on the comments page. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, contact Lori Allen at:
lori@thetravelwriterslife.com
These quick guides to Bali will also help you decide where to go, what to see.
For your Kindle:Experience Bali: A travel guide (2011)
OR:Bali and Lombok (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
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Choosing the best luggage for your travels
The luggage you choose to buy depends on your travel preferences.
Basically though, any piece of luggage you buy should be durable, useful, tough (have you ever watched the airlines load your bags?) and good value for the price.
You want luggage that makes travel easy and comfortable — not too heavy, but able to hold all the clothes and accessories you think you will need (the airline weight restrictions help you decide).
If your travel is mostly by car, then weight restrictions do not apply. You can stuff your cases as much as they can hold — just remember that at some point you will have to lift your bags in and out of the car.
Selecting the type of luggage
Buy suitcases ideal for most of the kinds of trips you take.
– Hard-sided or soft-sided? Suitcase, garment bag, duffel bag, or backpack?
– Size: 24 – 36 inch, 22 inch or less for carry-on, expandable or not, matching tote or train-case.
– Two-wheeled, four-wheeled, pull-strap, pull handle…
– Clamshell — polypropylene or polycarbonate (yet lightweight)
Unique features are the reasons some luggage costs more than others do. Here are a few good features that you should look for:
- Telescoping handles and inline skate wheels for easy mobility (inline skate wheels are also less likely to fall off)
- Extra-large zipper pulls or YKK® “self-healing” zippers
- Reinforced or hard bottoms
- Expandability and/or compression straps to adjust volume (for all those souvenirs!)
- Padded straps for non-rolling luggage
- Multiple compartments such as suiters, internal bags for shoes, or built-in pouches for dirty laundry
- Waterproof pockets for wet bathing suits (so you can take one last dip before flying home)
- Waterproof finish (luggage can sometimes sit on rainy tarmacs for extended periods, soaking your clothes inside)
Before making your final selection, research the different types of luggage on the Internet. Check the sizes and weights offered. Look at the fabric used — leather, denier, clamshell, and the features mentioned above.
Then, visit any luggage store or the luggage section in one of the well-known department stores. Find the bags you researched online and open them up. Do they have the features described? Lift the suitcase and check the weight, then imagine it full of clothes.
Picture yourself at the check-in counter at the airport — would it beat the 50lb rule? How about lifting it into the trunk of your car, or carrying it up a flight of stairs?
What about the carry-on or tote? Will you be able to lift it into the airline bin, or will it fit under the seat?
When you find the pieces of luggage that fit the bill, compare prices in the store with those offered from the online stores. Do not forget to figure in the online shipping fees (if any). Having the luggage shipped to your house is a plus — no need to lug them home from the store.
Don’t forget to put luggage tags on all your bags. Do NOT put your phone number on your luggage tags, your address will do. If you insist on using locks– you’ll need to get the TSA locks so Security can get in (they will get in at any cost).
Many bags look alike, make sure yours stand out– add some ribbon or a colored strap to the handle.
Enjoy your travels knowing that your bags CAN withstand the Baggage handlers.
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Beating the baggage rules– one Traveler goes to the Extreme
Thanks to Steenie Harvey for sharing this news flash.
I have been talking “lightening your load” with lighter suitcases. This traveler increased HIS load by carrying all his baggage on his person.
Read all about it here!
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Fnews%2Farticle-1292933%2FHow-help-16-pocket-jacket-I-beat-Ryanair-game.html&h=40e17tQyVtcr9-IjuA0rSBIz7Fw
You wouldn’t want to try this if you’re flying out of NJ or NY–just the walk into the airport in the 100 degree temp would kill you! Plus– not sure if the TSA would have the same sense of humor as did the French.
By the way, if you really want to enjoy travel “off-the-beaten track”, you need to follow Steenie’s travels on International Living (IL): www.internationaliving.com
Until next time–travel lite and be safe!
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It’s Travel Season Again!
So you’ve learned how to pack lightly– see my previous Posts on 2/15/10 and 2/16/10.
But–those suitcases still wear you down. Even the ‘carry-ons’ have you muscling up to hoist them into the overhead compartments, and you’re still in dread of that airline 50lb rule.
Relax! There’s HOPE! but you need to hurry!
Luggage sales are on at some of the major department stores but you need to know which ones to buy. Online luggage stores are also offering some bargain deals — see the sidebar ads.
Here are some great finds–guaranteed to beat the 50lb rule and NOT break the bank. Check out some of the features– no guessing involved!
DELSEY– absolutely made for travel in 2010 — helping you to beat the airlines at their “luggage” game!!!
You’ve got the Hyper lite, the Fusion lite, the Pro-H lite, the Super lite–so many to choose from! Let’s look at the features:
- The Hyper lite series have rip-stop polyester, stain-resistant, and a vapor barrier to keep the interior dry (ever see your bags on the luggage trolleys in the rain on the tarmac?). The 25-inch weighs 9.5 lbs, the 29-inch, 10.5lbs, and the carry-on 7.5lbs.
- The Super lite – same durable construction. The 21- inch carryon weighs 7.4lbs, the 25-inch, just 9 lbs and the 29-inch weighs 10lbs!
- The Fusion lite series are a little heavier– the 25-inch is 11lbs, the 29-inch is 13lbs. Could not find a 21-inch.
- The Pro-H lite series come in slightly larger sizes and are 1-2lbs heavier.
- All have inline skate wheels and are built to challenge the best, “luggage-throwing” baggage handler!
Here’s the best part — the larger suitcases in the Fusion lite series help you avoid those overage fees at the check-in counter. They have a built-in scale which lights up to indicate if you’re overweight.
Now isn’t that just “sweet”!!! I can’t help a little smirk as I lift my bag onto those dreaded scales (so much for that 50lb rule)!
So– RUN to catch these at the summer sales online or at the Malls. At the last count the online stores like Irv’s and Luggage Online were at least $10-$15 cheaper than the big department stores.
So– get your bags and come back to visit. Let’s talk “Cooking Tours in Tuscany”
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MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS FOR
YOUR TUSCANY COOKING TOUR NOW!
Spaces for the Fall tours are going fast. Contact me ASAP!
Romance, Culinary delights, the whisper of the wind through Olive Groves, and the fine wines of Tuscany and Chianti… more than a vacation, it’s a dream come true!
Come with me to The Best Cooking School in all of Tuscany!
The Casa Innocenti Cooking School in Arcidosso is set in a medieval Villa next to the Castle– the home of Master Chef, Carlo Innocenti.
Villa is the building on the right of the castle – the central point of Arcidosso.
The villa has 5 floors and a cellar with the central point being the large kitchen where classes are held.
The kitchen, dining room, and sitting room are on the ground floor with a door to the patio and gardens.
The Chef’s Master Suite is on the first floor, bedrooms and bathrooms are on the next floors. The fifth floor has three bedrooms with 2 ensuite bathrooms, and a separate bathroom. There is a fireplace and a sitting room and one of the rooms has a small balcony (mine).
Despite the age of the villa, there is baseboard heating in the winter (much to the cat’s delight). She can curl up on the warm floor.
On a clear day you can see across all of Arcidosso from the top floor balcony.
View from my room!
All the houses have these red-tile roofs.
To get to the Villa, you climb up a fairly steep, cobbled street which has a network of other steep, narrow streets, all the way to the top, from the main street below.
- Entrance to Casa Innocenti
This was our home for 7 days and 6 nights
It’s not just cooking. Each day you’ll have a trip to one or other of the interesting, off-the-beaten track, Tuscan towns within an hour or two from Arcidosso. You’ll visit wineries, drive through olive groves, climb up Mt. Amiata, dip in the geothermal spring, spend an afternoon or morning) at the beach and any “spur-of -moment” stops along the way.
Of course, every day involves a cooking class with Carlo and his partner, Pascale — a delightful French Dame, who fell in love with Italy, discovered Arcidosso and stayed.
Have I peaked your interest yet? Start thinking succulent Wild Boar; fleshy, “sink- your -teeth-into” porcino mushrooms; crisp, juicy sweet peppers; fat clams and mussels dripping in garlic, sopped up with freshly-baked bread; freshly-made pasta… and on and on.
And–you’ll have cooked most of these meals!
So–start planning. Tuscany in the Fall is wonderful… everything is emerald green (funny, Tuscan fields aquire a bright green, vibrant color in the Fall and Winter); the Tourists are all gone; the olives are freshly harvested and ready to be pressed; and the wine is ready for drinking!
Come tour with me in the “Tuscan Way” tradition– a tradition that has been bringing folks to Villa Innocenti for over 12 years.
Come back to www.followmyfeet.com/Blog for a full itinerary and further details. Then read the comments from the group I took last year and start thinking TUSCANY.
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Let me take you through some of my favorite Tuscan towns.
ARCIDOSSO
Arcidosso on the slopes of Mt. Amiata
Arcidosso lies on the slopes of Mt. Amiata and is 2 1/2 hours from Rome. The town is in Grosseto province and is 58 km (36 miles) from the town of Grosseto.
How to get there?
Fly to Rome or Pisa and rent a car and take a leisurely drive up the winding roads between the green hills and valleys lined with vineyards and olive groves. Or, take the train from Rome to Grosseto, get the car there and in 30 minutes you’ll be in Arcidosso.
As you can see in the photo, the most outstanding feature as you approach the town is the Castle, the Aldobrondeschi Castle built in 896. The houses in the village with their red-tiled roofs are clustered just below the castle.
Up to last fall, the castle was inaccessible to visitors as it is undergoing restoration -
A side view of the Castle
Our ”Pied a terre” was the Casa Innocente, a villa right next to the Castle making it the highest house in the village. The five story villa dates back to 1100 AD. Although a typical terracotta stone and wood structure with a wine cellar and wine bar in the basement, it has baseboard heating to offset those cold winter months from Late Fall to early Spring.
Arcidosso is a small vibrant village which draws tourists from all over the globe thanks to its reputation for outstanding traditional Tuscan food and wine. That was why we had come. Casa Innocente is the home of one of Tuscany’s world-famous Chefs; Carlo Innocente.
The Innocente family are revered in Arcidosso almost like Royalty and their ancestry can be traced far back to the early settlers.
But– more about Arcidosso. The villagers are artisans and farmers. Everyone seems to have their own little Olive Garden and of course, they grow their own vegetables. Everything they use in cooking is picked or bought fresh every day – large, gorgeous-looking red,yellow, and green sweet peppers bursting with crisp flavor;
Sweet Peppers
Fat Porcini mushrooms
Plump Cherry Tomatoes
fat porcini mushrooms fresh-picked from under the trees on the slopes of Mt. Amiata; plump, juicy, rosy red tomatoes; vibrant green basil, oregano, parsley, and other herbs; and of course there’s always a side of wild boar or a brace of rabbits waiting to be flavored with all those juicy vegetables and herbs.
It’s not quite the “sleepy” village as it would appear. Visit during the Chestnut festival in October, or the Olive festivals in November and the whole town square is alive and vibrating with excitement as everyone turns out to celebrate almost all week.
The sidewalks are crowded with stalls of crafts and pastries and breads made from chestnut flour. And of course, numerous carafes of red wine; house wine from the cafes and trattorias along the main street as well as more vintage brands of chianti from the neighboring vineyards.
Walk along main street in the morning and be greeted by the friendly “buon giorno” by the villagers going to work or just hanging about the main square by the fountain or sipping their lattes outside the cafes. Join the line in the pasticceria, a Tuscan pastry shop, and get your own latte or “kick yourself awake” with an espresso. Get a sweet pastry to dip in your coffee and listen to the bustle around you and respond with a smile (unless you speak Italian and can understand the chatter around you). This is the town coming awake!
It’s a great walking town– little shops with tuscan crafts and pottery, the “olde” teashop, the historical monuments in the piazza , the park that overlooks the houses below the piazza, and the old medieval churches.
Arcidosso is home to three medieval churches which are well worth a visit, if only to admire the paintings, icons, and frescoes – the San Salvatore Abbey, the Chiesa della Madonna dell’Incoronata (Church of the Madonna Crowned), where pilgrims journeyed to pray for the end of the great plague, Chiesa di San Niccolò built to honor the patron saint of Arcidosso, and the Chiesa di San Leonardo.
Looking for a quiet but interesting and friendly village where one could retire or spend a lazy vacation each year? you could very well consider Arcidosso.
More to come about Tuscan cuisine and the best cooking school in Arcidosso
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