Travel with us!
Beyond Voyage
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Destinations
  • Gallery
  • Pack
  • Tunes
  • About

Students of the World, Literally: How Minerva is Reinventing Higher Education

2/25/2015

0 Comments

 
I loved college. During my four years at Boston College, I had the privilege of learning from incredible professors, living with life-long friends, and learning just how good and well-meaning young people can be.  The positivity, hope and excitement for life that our campus exuded was palpable. And for good reason: the world was changing significantly and many of us would be a part of that transformation. 

I graduated over 12 years ago (sigh) when things like email, chat and Google were still new. Most people didn't have a cell phone. Across the Charles River, the first version of Facebook was being developed. In general, the world was far less connected. Looking back, the breadth of career possibilities and lifestyle choices seem so limited.  

I've always said that I'd go back to BC again in a heartbeat and I still think that holds true. However, I find a concept like the Minerva Project intriguing and it makes me wonder if our nation's top universities should be providing students with similar innovative global education options. 

Dubbed "The University of Everywhere", Minerva has challenged the traditional concept of higher education, opting to use technology and global immersion to develop a nomadic school comprised of students representing different countries from around the world.  At Minerva there is no minority or majority population. The campus rotates across seven different cities around the world so it's not rooting itself in just one history - it's rooting in many. Professors, physically located around the world, teach via an interactive online classroom. The curriculum focuses on critical and creative thinking as well as effective communication. If you think about it, this school must provide an explosion of diverse perspectives.

Imagine that by age 22, you've lived in San Francisco, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong, Mumbai, London and New York.  Your best friends might be from Israel, Brazil and China.  Long gone are the massive lectures that many students sleep through. Instead, most of your courses are small virtual classrooms (Google Hangouts style) where participation and debate are required from all. Since you are living in different cities you get to actually see much of the content you are studying first hand. 

Of course, this type of program is not for every student. In fact, I'd say it's not for most students, particularly those who are set on pursuing a specific field (ie medicine) or simply those kids already nervous about leaving the comforts of home. But for those outgoing students that crave adventure, this school could be a dream come true. Especially considering that it costs $10,000/year (USD) which is less than half of a typical US private school tuition.  

Of course, there are some concerns. For example:

  •  How does Minerva attract top teaching talent?  Their first hire was former Harvard professor Stephen Kosslyn so they are off to a good start.  Perhaps there is an appeal for professors to work virtually so they can live wherever they please. If I had to choose between living in - say South Bend, Indiana and Paris, I'd choose Paris in a heartbeat.   This also offers professors a way to continue teaching while doing in-market research for a new endeavor. 
  • $10K/year plus room & board is still pricey for many students, especially those coming from certain countries where the average household income is below $10K/year.  Will a for-profit university offer decent scholarships to deserving students?
  • Is an online classroom inferior to an in-person class? Based on my experience I'd say yes - it's far inferior. But then again, I'm not an 18 year old kid who grew up online.

The list of concerns is long, valid, and often originate from alumni and faculty from USA's most elite schools.  By marketing themselves as "elite", Minvera has certainly struck a chord.  While I'm not an expert in higher education, I support innovation across industries and I think travel can be a tool for both educational enrichment and relationship development. I hope our leading universities take note and start incorporating a nomadic education option for those students interested and capable. 


In college I spent a semester abroad in Spain and it opened up my eyes to a lifetime of thrilling possibilities. I still consider it to be one of the best decisions I've ever made because it threw me way out of my comfort zone, which is how I learned to be more confident. Travel set the tone for my adult life, pushing me to take risks, to learn from doing, and to gain perspective. I think programs like the Minerva Project will help young people thrive in our global economy as well as gain understanding and tolerance for people from other cultures. I'm looking forward to seeing how the program evolves and what its future alumni accomplish in the world! 

To learn more about Minerva, check out the video below  and this article from The Atlantic.
0 Comments

Fall Travel Fashion Finds: Outerwear

10/1/2014

1 Comment

 
Picture
In much of the world, October's brisk breeze and shrinking days cause the trees to flaunt their finest outerwear. Inspired by autumn's transformation, here are a few travel-friendly outerwear options for the fall:

Michael Kors Removable Liner Trench Coat [Macy's]

Picture
This classic trench is my go-to jacket for fall city travel. The removable wool liner and button-on hood make it highly versatile - a must for unpredictable fall weather. The outer layer resists water and stains, and holds its shape over time. Below is a photo of my coat from my trip to Paris in October 2011. I still use this jacket today! 

Picture

Faux Leather Biker Jacket [Zara] 

Picture
Faux leather works for travel because it's easy to care for and you don't have to worry about ruining real leather when you get caught in the rain.  I like this jacket because it has a detachable fur collar and various pockets.  While these jackets are a little bulky for a carry-on, I managed to travel with one in my backpack for the last four months of my trip around the world.

Anorak Jacket [Target]

Picture
I purchased this coat in gray earlier in the season and LOVE it for travel. It's wind-resistant, lightweight, has a hidden hood, optional cinched waist and the sleeves roll up allowing you to show off your favorite bracelets. So far four random people have stopped me to compliment me on this jacket. The best part? It's under $50! 


Ultra Light Down Quilted Jacket [Uniqlo]

Picture
The puffer jacket look can be polarizing. However, you won't look like the Michelin Man in Uniqlo's ultra-thin lightweight down jacket. These warm jackets are so thin that they can be used in the winter as an inner layer for your overcoat. They are an ideal solution for trip that involves both city and outdoor adventures. Plus, they scrunch up into a small bag making them perfect for travel. 

Smartwool Eternity Scarf  [Athleta]

Picture
Smartwool is beloved by many a traveler for its ability to moderate body temperature. This season, Athleta is carrying an eternity scarf and slouchy hat made of the popular marino wool material. I own both and they are incredibly soft and light. Whether at home or traveling, I will probably live in these items until spring. 

1 Comment

Five Destinations to Visit in Autumn

9/15/2014

0 Comments

 
While there are many things to love about autumn here in the northeast - apple picking, football, foliage - it is also the perfect time to travel abroad.  Fall usually means fewer crowds, more comfortable temperatures and stellar weather for exploring outdoors in both the northern and southern hemispheres.   Here are five of my favorite fall destinations:

1. Eastern China

Picture
I spent about three weeks in China last October and almost every day was perfection. Beijing, known for its relentless smog, is supposed to be clearest and cleanest in October and it did not disappoint.  Autumn brings colorful foliage in the northern countryside resulting in spectacular views from  the Great Wall.  It is warmer farther south, but not oppressively hot. Shanghai's weather was incredibly comfortable requiring a tank top by day and light jacket at night. My favorite place in China - Yangshuo - offered 70 degree F days,  perfect for biking through the karst mountains. While October is a great month to explore China, be sure to avoid the first week as it's a national holiday called "Golden Week", when prices and crowds skyrocket across the country.  Read more about my adventures in China here. 

2. Paris, France

Picture
While Paris is beautiful any time of year, I especially love autumn.  The crowds are significantly reduced since all the students are back in school, and while the temperature can sometimes be a bit chilly, it's usually great for long walks around the city.  We walked and biked all over Paris and Versailles and the cool air gave us plenty of motivation to continue moving!  Autumn is also the  perfect time to enjoy a warm drink at an outdoor cafe.  Nothing goes better with a glass of Bordeaux than a cozy sweater.  Read more about Paris here. 

3. Koh Lanta, Thailand

Picture
The high season for Koh Lanta - and the rest of the islands along the Andaman Sea in Thailand- is November through April.  We were there in late October/early November which is  technically "shoulder season" - the end of the low season and beginning of the high season. This meant great deals  and fewer crowds. For example, we had no problem booking hotel rooms or scuba dives a day in advance.   We only had one weather woe - a rain downpour that lasted about an hour.  The rest of the week brought sunshine, warm breezes and spectacular sunsets.  Interested in visiting Koh Lanta? Check out our guide to Koh Lanta. 

4. Ireland's West Coast

Picture
While it's been almost ten years since we've been to Ireland, we still talk about that vacation.  The weather was marvelous for hiking and pub crawls - two of Ireland's best pastimes.  The cooler temps meant we could hike without getting too hot and also suited the cozy cavernous pubs scattered throughout the countryside. Like the northern US, mid-October is the height of colorful foliage which looks extra beautiful surrounding Ireland's castles, stone walls and green hills. Definitely check out Galway, the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula this time of year. If you like stunning views, friendly locals and pub food you will not be disappointed! 

5. Eastern Australia

Picture
Since Australia is in the southern hemisphere, their seasons mirror ours in the north.  Therefore, Australia experiences spring during the months of late September, October and November.   Queensland summers are hot  & humid and monsoon season begins in late November through April.  I think we visited during the best time of year - late September/early October. With the exception of a freak wind storm in Airlie Beach,  the weather was beautiful and the water visibility was incredibly clear which made for phenomenal scuba diving. While the water in New South Wales required a wet suit, the crisp, sunny days were perfect for hiking and walking around Sydney.  Considering a visit to Australia? Read our tips for driving up Australia's east coast  and for more general Australia information see our Australia information page. 
0 Comments

The 10 Most Useful Clothing Items in Our Backpacks

2/19/2014

4 Comments

 
People often ask me and Chris about our favorite clothes from our 8 month trip around the world.  Since we were each living out of a 55L backpack,  we did our best to make sure every piece was multi-purpose, easy to wash and durable; traits that are hard to balance with style.  Here are our top 10 most useful clothing items from our trip around the world:

1. Merrell Dash Glove Women's Shoes 

These were my only sneakers for the entire trip and they were comfortable, light, flexible and easy to pack. After 8 months of hiking, walking, and running around the world, these Merrell shoes are still in great shape!  Chris originally packed a pair of Saucony running shoes but they quickly developed holes in the mesh so he parted ways with them and purchased a pair of sturdy men's hiking Merrells, which still look brand new today.  (As a side note, the Merrells were the only size 13 shoes he could find in all of Hong Kong, so it worked out well).
Picture

2. Mango Embroidered White Tank

I picked up this tank at Mango in Barcelona and wore it all the time.  I loved it because it was loose fitting (thus it didn't get sweaty when I got sweaty), the white color kept me cool, it was easy to layer, easy to wash, dried quickly, and it didn't really wrinkle. I wore it everywhere, as evidenced by the pictures below. 
Picture

3. Puma Anorak Sport Lifestyle Jacket

I purchased this Puma jacket in Boston years ago. It was perfect for my trip around the world because:
  • It's made of sweatshirt material but still has lots of structure so I could wear it hiking or out to a casual dinner.
  • It has a hood, which kept me warm and the two front pockets were useful for storage and as hand warmers.
  • The drawstring waist is flattering and and the length made it comfortable.  
  • It was easy to wash and light enough that I could squeeze it in my bag or wear many layers underneath. 
  • It wasn't waterproof, so I carried a lightweight shell in my bag that I'd wear over the jacket on rainy days.

I couldn't find the jacket online so I think Puma discontinued this product. Please comment if you find something similar!
Picture
Puma jacket at the beginning of the trip, worn with multiple layers underneath. It was perfect for the chilly morning hike to Machu Picchu.
Picture
Puma jacket at the end of the trip - a little faded and stretched out but overall it's still in decent shape!

4. Urban Outfitters Scarf

A scarf is a travel must.  I used this Urban Outfitters scarf every day.  I washed it regularly, dried it overnight and it never wore out.  Not one hole!  The pattern hid wrinkles and the color matched with most things. Originally, I had brought another colorful eternity scarf on the trip but eventually sent it home. While I love the way eternity scarves look, I don't recommend them if you have limited packing space.  Why?  Eternity scarves are less multi-purpose than a traditional scarf which can be used a shawl, "hood", sarong and even a substitute for a towel on the beach! 
Picture

5. Elastic Tube Maxi Skirt/Dress

I picked up this skirt/dress for $5 at an outdoor market in Cambodia and used it all the time. Since women are not allowed to expose their legs in the temples, the long skirt was perfect because it covered my legs, kept me cool-ish and when I left the temples I could turn it into a short skirt by tying it around my waist. I also used this as a beach cover-up/sarong as well as a beach "towel".  At night, the long skirt even kept the mosquitos off my legs.  No need to buy one of these before your trip - they are usually on sale at most outdoor markets in warm destinations. 
Picture

6. Aqua Print Dress/Tunic

I picked up this dress in a German department store called Karstadt. It was the middle of a very hot summer and I needed a lightweight sundress to stay cool and somewhat stylish.  This dress was perfect. I was so tired of wearing black and white so the colorful tribal print was a nice change of pace. The best part about this dress was that it was a loose-fitting polyester dress. This meant that it was incredibly lightweight, NEVER wrinkled, and dried quickly.  It kept me cool on sweltering days and on chilly days, I'd throw on a pair of leggings, scarf and my bomber jacket for warmth. You can find Aqua dresses at Bloomingdales in the US.
Picture
Sporting the Aqua dress on Rugen Island in Germany
Chris found the following items especially useful:

7. eBags Packing Cubes

These packing cubes were key. We each had 4 slim cubes in our backpacks and it made finding things so easy. We'd usually put warmer weather clothes in separate bags from cooler weather clothes so we'd only have to unpack a couple cubes at each destination. 
Picture

8. ExOfficio Boxer Briefs

Two of these ExOfficio boxer briefs lasted Chris 8 months!  They usually dry in just an hour or two.  Every night he'd wash one pair for following day. 
Picture

9. REI Convertible Pants

I'm not the biggest fan of convertible pants (especially on women), but Chris loved his REI Sahara convertible pants. They immediately won him over because they come in the hard-to-find 36" inseam.  Chris found them incredibly convenient for temperature change or when he had to cover up his legs to go into a religious site.  He also loved the cargo pockets and the super lightweight material dried in a jiffy (unlike the pair of Dockers he brought). One day he left them out to dry on our balcony in Berlin and the shorts blew away, never to be seen again. Luckily we were heading back to the States for a few days shortly thereafter so he was only deprived of his pants for one week. 
Picture

10. Gap Cotton Button Down Plaid Shirt

Chris purchased this shirt a few years ago and it was a staple in his weekend wardrobe prior to the trip.  So he brought it along and wore it frequently, in both hot and cold weather.  The shirt has snaps instead of buttons which makes it easy to take on and off and the loose fitting cotton material kept him cool in the sun. Other benefits were that it rarely wrinkled and dried quickly. 
Picture
Taking a rest after biking through Berlin
4 Comments

Travel Tip: Saving Money with Argentina's Black Market Currency Exchange

2/12/2014

1 Comment

 
I was recently at dinner with friends who had just returned from vacation in Argentina.  While enthusiastically discussing some of Argentina's delights - malbec & steak - we eventually arrived on the subject of money.  My friends saved a lot of money by brining cash (USD) to Argentina and exchanging their dollars for pesos using an unofficial exchange rate.      

US Dollars are currently scarce in Argentina due to the government's tough currency exchange restrictions, intended to help the struggling peso and to discourage citizens from spending their money outside of Argentina. 

The result? Two exchanges - the official exchange rate from banks and ATMs, and the black market rate also called the "Blue Rate" or "Dollar Blue" which can be obtained from unofficial traders.  For example, you might get 7.80 pesos for $1USD using the official rate but you'd get 11.40 pesos for $1USD using the blue rate.  As you can see,  the savings are significant. Although the blue rate is technically illegal, it's published in Argentina's newspapers,  many news outlets report the blue rate when talking about the official rate, and travelers and locals alike regularly take advantage of the discounted rate.

Finding Unofficial Traders
In order to exchange money using the blue rate, you must find unofficial traders. Your best bet is if you know someone in Argentina who can direct you to a trusted unofficial trader. If that isn't an option, seek out a tour operator online before you arrive or ask your hotel to recommend a "cueva" (it literally means cave, but it's really a functioning exchange business). If that doesn't work, there will be people in the street yelling "Cambio!".  While this should be a last resort, you can ask them about their exchange rate and compare it to the published blue rate & official rate.  

Whether you exchange with unofficial or official traders, there is always a risk you'll get scammed.  Make sure you count your money, calculate the exchange and get them to agree on the trade amount BEFORE you hand your cash to the trader. There is also a small chance you might get counterfeit notes, so inspect your bills for signs of forgery.  

Changing Pesos Back 
When changing your pesos back to your home currency, you get a better rate on the official market than with the blue rate. However, it's harder to find official traders in Argentina who will take pesos for USD (or EUR/GBPs). You are more likely to be able to trade your pesos once you leave the country.  If possible, research beforehand and identify a currency exchange outside of Argentina that trades at the official rate.  

Arbitrage
This dual exchange rate presents an arbitrage opportunity assuming you have left over cash after your trip.  For example, say you bring $1,000USD and trade it at the blue rate quoted above for 11,400 pesos. If you were to immediately come home and trade your pesos at the official rate you'd get back $1,460USD, resulting $460USD in profit.  Now before you start thinking this is a way to make a lot of easy money, remember that you can't carry around anything over $10,000USD, otherwise you'd have to declare it.  And I really wouldn't recommend carrying around a ton of cash anywhere, especially in a foreign country.   

A Word of Warning
Argentina's currency is extremely volatile so keep a close eye on the exchange rate right before you leave and during your trip.  This currency has collapsed before and it may happen again. Keeping this in mind, it may be wise to exchange only as much as you'll need on your trip. The last thing you want is to return home with a bunch of pesos only to find out that the currency is worthless.

Now that you know how to save money during your next visit to Argentina, how will you spend your extra cash? 

Planning a trip to Argentina? Check out our recommendations.  
Picture
This was the bathroom trash can in the apartment we rented in Buenos Aires back in 2009. Smallest trash can I've ever seen!
1 Comment

Traveling to Cuba - Tips for Americans

12/20/2013

2 Comments

 
For our last international destination this year, we decided to visit my family in Cuba.   My mom, uncle and grandparents left Cuba during the revolution and I've heard countless stories about Havana and my family who still resides there. I couldn't wait to see it all for myself and finally meet the rest of my family in person. 

I'll provide more details about our experience in Havana and finally meeting our relatives in the next post. First, I want to talk about getting to Cuba, because traveling there is complicated, especially for US citizens. Therefore, I've put together some tips based on what we learned from our trip. 
Picture
The Embargo
The USA still imposes an embargo against Cuba.  It has been active since 1962, when the Cuban government nationalized everything, including the property of US citizens and corporations. The embargo was codified into law in the 90's, imposing further restrictions on Cuba unless the country moved toward democratization. This means that legally, most Americans cannot spend money in Cuba. 

There are exceptions.


We Traveled Legally


***UPDATE***  As of December 2014, restrictions for US citizens traveling to Cuba have been relaxed. Please read the latest guidelines from the US Government here. 

The Obama administration eased the travel ban in 2009, allowing Cuban-Americans to travel freely to Cuba. Students, religious missionaries, journalists, researchers and other special interest groups may visit if they meet specific requirements and apply for authorization from the Treasury Department. In all cases, Americans must have a purpose to travel to Cuba other than tourism - whether it's to see family, volunteer, or participate in some kind of research project. 

Our purpose was to meet and spend time with our family and see the neighborhoods where my grandparents lived and my mom was born. We read the government's guidelines, which permit Cuban-Americans to travel to Cuba as long as they have "close relatives" living there, defined as any individual related by blood, marriage, or adoptions who is no more than three generations removed from the visitor.  You are also supposed to adhere to the US Government's per diem spending limit for Havana. As we'll discuss in the next post, this is very easy to do in Cuba.

If you are a US citizen without close relatives residing in Cuba and are interested in traveling to Cuba within the US government's guidelines read this document to see if you qualify for any special licenses. 


Money
Since US banks can have no relationship with Cuban financial institutions, US ATM and credit cards won't work anywhere in Cuba.  This means you'll need to bring all your cash with you.  Even if you are not American, it's smart to bring a lot of cash with you as we've heard the ATMs are few and far between and can be very unreliable. Traveling with a lot of cash is a bit unnerving so take precautions - wear a money belt, keep your cash in several different places, and buy locks for all your bags.  Cuba is a relatively safe country, but it's always best to be careful. 

Exchanging Money
You can only convert money into Cuban currency when in Cuba - it is not available in any foreign countries.  The Cuban government imposes an additional tax of 10% when converting US Dollars to the local currency - this does not apply to other currencies.  Therefore, it can be more cost effective to convert your dollars to a third currency before going (ie Mexican Pesos or Euros), and then convert that currency to Cuban money when you arrive.  This will depend on the exchange rate you're able to get.  Since we were going to be passing through Mexico on the way to Cuba, we withdrew Mexican Pesos from the ATM there which ended up being much more cost effective than bringing US Dollars.

Cuba has two currencies - Pesos and Convertible Pesos - or as they are referred to locally, CUPs ("coops" or "pesos nacionales") or CUCs ("cukes").  Almost everything a visitor will buy is priced in CUCs. The CUC is fixed to the US Dollar 1:1. However, local people who work government jobs (which is the vast majority of Cubans) are paid in CUPs.  A CUP is worth about five cents.  These can be used to buy government subsidized necessities, such as staple foods, utilities or basic clothing.  We never ended up receiving or needing any CUPs while we were there.  For anything over and above these necessities that locals wish to buy, they will also likely need CUCs.

Only change money in official casas de cambio - usually called Cadecas. You will need your passport to exchange money. Hustlers will come up to you on the street and tell you there is a third currency in Cuba that has a much better exchange rate, but only Cubans are allowed to exchange the money - not tourists. They will then offer to exchange your money for you. Don't fall for this and never give your cash to anyone else to exchange (unless it's someone you know and trust).  These hustlers take all shapes and sizes - well dressed business men, kids, and older gentlemen. Just tell them that you are out for a walk and don't have any money on you. Eventually they will go away. 

Departure Fee
You are required to pay a departure fee of $25 CUCs ($25 USD) per person. When you arrive, exchange some money for CUCs at the airport and save $25 CUCs in your passport for your departure fee.

Flights
Since there are only a handful of direct charter flights from the US to Havana, we found it easier - and more cost-effective - to travel through a third country.  Since we were in Belize before going to Cuba, we booked a flight leaving from Mexico City. Originally we'd planned to travel from Cancun, but the flight ended up being sold out on the days we wanted to travel.  Also, the flight from Cancun was on Cubana Airlines, which made purchasing the flight with our US credit card challenging (Cubana also 'boasts' the worst airline safety record in the world, which made us a bit uneasy).  We ended up flying on Chris' new favorite airline, Interjet.  All visitors to Cuba are required to obtain a visa/tourist card before arriving - in our case, we were able to buy this when we checked in for our flight for about $19 each.

Internet
Internet is very scarce in Cuba. There are a few internet cafes and some hotels or casa particulares (B&Bs) offer access but the rates are very high and the internet speed is extremely slow. For example, Chris needed to send one important email while we were there and it cost $5/hour and it took him 20 minutes to send one email. If you plan on traveling to Cuba, let your friends, family and colleagues know that you will be off the grid and consider activating an automatic response on your email letting people know when you'll be back. We also sent the telephone number of our casa particular (B&B) to our parents so they knew how to reach us in case of an emergency. 

The lack of internet connection means you should book everything before you leave.  It also means you must research everything too. While we don't usually buy guidebooks when we travel since we can look up everything online, we would recommend buying one for Cuba. If a question comes to mind while traveling, ask a local (Cubans are very friendly!) and jot it down in a notebook so you can look it up when you get home. You might find that you get two different answers! It was useful for us to have family there, as we were able to get a lot of helpful tips, advice, and perspective.

Health Insurance
Your health insurance is probably not valid in Cuba (definitely not if it's an American company or is affiliated with one). Therefore, you must purchase the Cuban government health insurance for the duration of your trip. It's not expensive - about $5/day - and you can buy it from many different agents online. Make sure you print out proof of health insurance before you go as you may be required to show it to officials at the airport.  More importantly, you'll need it if you happen to need medical care while there.  This didn't happen to us, but you never know. 

We hope these tips prove helpful.  Stay tuned for the next post where we'll talk about our (stressful) journey from Belize to Havana!
2 Comments

Tips For Driving Up Australia's East Coast

9/16/2013

0 Comments

 
We had a wonderful time exploring Queensland's beautiful coastline.  Since this is a popular driving route with many choices, I thought it might be helpful to outline what I would have done differently, had I known then what I know now. 

An ideal route will depend a lot upon your specific interests and goals for your trip.  Our priorities were:
  • SCUBA certification & seeing the Great Barrier Reef
  • Seeing & learning about Australia's native animals 
  • Visiting our friends in Gladstone
  • Liveaboard sailing and seeing the Whitsunday Islands
  • Beach time

We spent about 3 weeks (22 days) on Australia's east coast - from August 20th through September 11th. Here was our itinerary:

What We Did 

Destination
Brisbane 
Noosa Heads
Hervey Bay/Fraser Island
Gladstone/Heron Island
Airlie Beach/Whitsundays
Magentic Island
Mission Beach
Cairns/Fitzroy Islands

Nights
5 
2 
2 
4 
3 
2
1 
3 


Notes
SCUBA certification - 2 days; Gold Coast day trip

Fraser Island day trip
2 nights on Heron Island
2 night sailing trip (sadly, canceled due to weather)


1 night on Fitzroy Island

View Larger Map
While we loved exploring the east coast, we would have made some changes. Specifically, we would have skipped Mission Beach, spent less time in Brisbane and dedicated more time to diving off the islands. In hindsight, this is what we should have done:

What We Should Have Done

Destination
Byron Bay

Brisbane 
Hervey Bay/Fraser Island
Gladstone/Heron Island
Airlie Beach/Whitsundays
Magentic Island
Cairns/ Islands

Nights
2
3 
2 
5
3 
2
5
Notes
Surfing
See city & koala sancturary
Fraser Island day trip (ideally in a small group)
3 nights on Heron Island - SCUBA certification
2-3 night sailing trip 
Snorkeling and Bungalow Bay Koala Village
2 nights in Cairns, 3 nights on Fitzroy or Green Island & at least 2 dive trips to the outer reef

If you Only Have 2 Weeks

Eliminate the first three stops from the itinerary above and start in Gladstone/Heron.  

If it's cost prohibitive to fly to Gladstone, then start and end your trip in Cairns. During this time you can drive as far as Airlie Beach, enjoying the islands off this part of the coast. It would be a shame to miss out on Heron Island but it can be a bit pricey to fly in and out of Gladstone airport, and the drive from Gladstone to Airlie Beach eats up a full day. 

If you Are A SurfER

Spend more time along the coast from Byron Bay through Noosa Heads.  If you also like to dive, then go as far as Gladstone and get your diving fix on Heron Island. 
0 Comments

European Short-Term Car Leases - Leasing vs Renting

7/11/2013

8 Comments

 
We chose to rent a car during our 2 months in Europe, as we thought it would be the best way to go off-the-beaten-path and maintain a flexible schedule.  This meant we'd need a car from mid-June to mid-August - 56 days to be exact - picking up the car in one city and dropping it in another.

One way to do this was to simply rent a car.

Another option was a short-term lease.  This is a program run by both of the large French car manufacturers - Renault and Peugeot/Citroen.  I believe they receive some sort of subsidy from the government for the program as it helps to drive tourism.  The manufacturers like it because they get to book a few additional sales.  Here is the deal:
  • Technically, when you sign up for one of these 'leases', you are actually buying the car.   The manufacturer guarantees they will buy it back from you at a set time and place, for a set price.  
  • The manufacturer registers the car in your name and provides full insurance for liability and collision, which is valid throughout Europe.  
  • You are allowed unlimited mileage.  
  • You pay only one price, which is the equivalent of the purchase price minus the buy back price plus the registration and insurance costs.  

The manufacturers claim that this is typically the best deal for those who need a car for at least 17 days.  So of course, we decided to crunch the numbers.


Car Rental:
First, we broke down the car rental costs:
  • Base cost to rent the car
  • Drop Fee: In addition to the rental cost itself, rental companies will also charge you a one-way or drop fee, which can be quite a lot depending on the beginning and ending cities you select.  In our case, beginning in Montpellier and ending in Amsterdam, the fee was actually pretty reasonable.  If we had chosen to drop it in, say, Rome, however, it would have been exorbitant.  
  • Insurance: On top of the rental cost, you have to decide if you want to purchase extra insurance for collision coverage, which is very pricey.  Most of the time, we do not purchase this coverage, as it comes with our credit card.  However, most credit card policies do not cover rentals over 30 days.  This meant we'd either need to do two separate back-to-back rentals of under 30 days, or buy the insurance.  

As it turned out, the drop fees associated with the back-to-back rentals made that option totally cost prohibitive.  And the collision insurance effectively doubled the cost of the car rental.

French Manufacturer Lease Program:
We next priced out the Renault and Peugeot/Citroen, lease programs for the same car class we had been quoted for the rental.
  • With these programs, you can pick out the exact car and options that you want, and the car is delivered to you brand new from the factory.  The only thing you can't pick is the color! 
  • There are extra charges if you choose to pick up or drop off the car outside of France.  The charges vary based on the city you choose.
  • In addition, your family members are allowed to drive the car, something for which car rental companies would charge extra.  

Interestingly, our quote came out very close to the cost of the one way rental plus the insurance.  The cost was essentially a wash.  We had read great reviews of the lease programs and how hassle and worry-free they are, so decided to go that route since we'd have a new car and everything was included in one package before we left.

Our date and time of pickup were confirmed, and when we arrived in Montpellier, the entire pickup process was fast and efficient.  Here is what we ended up with:

Picture
Citroen C4
This is a Citroen, which had 4km on the odometer when we picked it up.  It gets about 60 mpg, has good legroom, and a navigation system, which has already proven invaluable.  We are almost half way through our time in Europe and so far, so good!

In conclusion, it turns out that 17 days is not necessarily the break-even point at which buybacks become more cost effective than renting.  In our case, the break-even point was 29 days because our credit card covers car rental collision insurance for rentals under 30 days.  Since we needed the car for 56 days, the need to buy the collision coverage is what ultimately changed the economics for us in favor of leasing.  However, each situation is different, so it's always good to spend some time comparing all the options.

One final tip.  The lease programs are booked through a small number of agents in the US, which you can find online.  Here are a few of them:

http://ideamerge.com/
http://www.autoeurope.com/go/peugeot/peugeot-overview/
http://www.renaultusa.com/

It doesn't really matter which one you choose, but there is definitely some negotiating room built into their pricing.  Once you figure out which car you want and get your quote from their website, you can contact them to ask for a further discount.  You can then play the agents off one another until you end up with the lowest price.  We did this successfully and saved a bit of money.

8 Comments

Are Round-The-World Airline Tickets A Good Deal?

7/1/2013

1 Comment

 
Many people we’ve met have asked us if we purchased a round-the-world (RTW) airline ticket. The short answer is, we did not.  

However, we did spend time analyzing these tickets versus the alternative of simply buying our tickets individually.  Airfare comprises a meaningful portion of our travel budget, so getting the best deal is important.  We thought it would be useful to provide a short summary of what we learned during our investigation thus far.

How RTW fares work:

Each of the major global airline alliances – Star Alliance, One World, and Sky Team – offers a RTW ticket.  If you purchase a RTW ticket, you can travel from place to place on one of the alliance’s member airlines, assuming the overall trip meets certain parameters.  
You must determine the locations and order of your trip at the time you purchase the ticket, but the dates and times of your flights can remain flexible.  It is important, therefore, that the alliance has airlines that serve the parts of the world you want to visit.   We quickly eliminated the Sky Team ticket from consideration, as it is by far the smallest alliance with the fewest number of partner airlines, and did not serve some of the areas we wanted to visit.  This left the Star Alliance and One World tickets.

Both alliances' RTW tickets work similarly:

  • Both require you to choose the number of continents you’d like to visit 
  • Based on the number of continents selected, you are allotted a maximum number of flight segments 
  • You cannot change the direction of travel during your trip, or cross the same ocean more than once
  • The Star Alliance and One World tickets are priced comparably based on the number of continents chosen

Star Alliance imposes one additional restriction: it limits the maximum aggregate number of miles you are allowed to fly during your journey.  The number of miles you are allowed is based on the number of continents you’ve chosen.  After playing around with their online planning tool, it became clear that they came up with this mileage cap based on an efficient routing of flights around the world.  For us, this created a bit of a challenge, because we planned our trip based on the best times to visit each region of the world (for example, we did not want to be in Asia during monsoon season, or in Australia during the middle of winter).  This meant that the path we wanted to follow was not the most efficient from a mileage perspective.  For the Star Alliance ticket, there was no way for us to get all of our major flights into the round-the-world fare in the order we wanted, while meeting their mileage cap, which meant we’d still be buying additional long-haul flights, adding meaningfully to the cost. We therefore eliminated the Star Alliance ticket as well.

The One World ticket did not have this mileage restriction, so this is the one we ended up seriously considering.  Of course, as with everything, there are trade-offs.  While the One World ticket did not contain a mileage cap, the alliance does have fewer partner airlines than Star Alliance.  The good news is that these airlines are major global players like American, British Air, Qantas, Cathay Pacific, etc, and served all of the places we wanted to go.

We priced out the RTW fare on One World via their online planning tool, using our expected six continents.  Given our choice of six continents, One World permitted us a maximum number of flight segments (I believe it was 16).  After designing our journey online, it turned out that we could get  all of our major flights into the RTW fare using the allotted segments, but we’d still need to buy some local flights in certain places (such as within Peru, South Africa, Australia, China).  We priced out these local flights and added them to the cost of the RTW fare.

Next, we priced out our RTW ticket's itinerary on an a la carte basis, using comparison sites like Kayak and Hipmunk.  It was amazing to learn that it was significantly less expensive to buy the tickets individually.  In many cases, we found that we could also spend less time traveling.  Since you are not limited to one alliance’s airlines, you are not forced to connect in one of their hub cities.

Bottom Line:

We budgeted out our full trip using both methodologies.  We found that buying RTW tickets would have cost more than twice as much as buying tickets a la carte.  Of course, by not buying the RTW ticket upfront, we are running the risk that flights will increase in price by the time we ultimately purchase them.  However, we still have a huge savings cushion to work with vs the RTW fare.

So, how is our decision playing out so far?  

To date, we've booked all of our airline tickets through Australia.  While a few fares have in fact increased in price since our original analysis, we are actually under budget versus what we originally calculated in our a la carte analysis.  This is, in part, because we’ve discovered a few additional benefits of buying the tickets a la carte:

1. You can use frequent flier miles you earn during early segments of the trip toward flights later on.  For example, we had a few long flights early-on with One World airlines that gave us enough additional AAdvantage miles for free flights to Australia, an otherwise fairly expensive ticket.


2. If you are somewhat flexible on times, you can use sites like Priceline or Vayama to get even cheaper tickets.  For our flight to Africa, we bought a ticket with a “Mystery Carrier” on Vayama for about half the cost of the lowest advertised price.  You are given the dates and time ‘windows’ during which the flight will take place, but you don’t know the specific details until after you’ve agreed to purchase the flight.  The mystery flight turned out to be a British Airways trip connecting in London, which we got for a fraction of the advertised price.


3. There are lots of great low-fare airlines popping up all over the world.  A couple we’ve used are Star Peru (in Peru) and Mango Air (in South Africa).   There are also a number of new low cost airlines serving comprehensive routes throughout Asia.  If you are a bit flexible on flight times, you can get some great fares with these guys.  


4. The large airlines based in the Middle East are offering some great deals on intercontinental flights – sometimes as much as 50% of the price of the competition.   Airlines like Emirates, Etihad and Qatar have published some very low fares on long-haul trips via connections in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or Doha, respectively.  These are actually fairly efficient connection points between Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.  These airlines are not affiliated with any of the major alliances (though it sounds like Qatar is in the process of joining One World).

In conclusion, once we did the analysis, the RTW ticket did not make much sense for us.  The main advantage of one of these fares is that much of your airfare cost is locked in before you go, which could provide additional peace of mind.   However, in our case, the savings and flexibility afforded by not buying one of these was so significant that it was really the most logical choice.  So far, it seems to have been the right decision, but we’ll provide a full analysis at the end of our trip.

1 Comment

two great, yet different, layovers

6/4/2013

0 Comments

 
Everyone usually hates long layovers, but we recently had a couple of good ones.  First, on our flight from Bogota, Colombia to San Juan, Puerto Rico we had a stop in Ft. Lauderdale. Lucky for us, my old roommate from Chicago, Krista, lives in south Florida and swung by the airport to pick us up and join us for dinner by the marina. We haven't seen Krista in a few years and had so much fun catching up!  Next time, we'll plan a longer visit and hit the beach with this surfer girl!
Picture
Dinner with Krista in Ft. Lauderdale!
The other layover was definitely less fun, but necessary! We had a grueling flight schedule from San Juan to Cape Town:  

3.5 hr flight from San Juan to JFK (4 hr layover)
6 hr overnight flight from JFK to London (7 hr layover at Heathrow)
11 hr overnight flight from London to Cape Town, arriving in Cape Town first thing in the morning
ssss
Since we would be traveling for 2 days straight we needed a shower and a nap in London.  Unfortunately, 7 hours is a bit too short to make heading into town worthwhile, so we booked a Yotel Pod at Heathrow. Essentially, for about $40, we got a room the equivalent of a ship cabin for 4 hours.  You get a bed, tiny shower & bathroom.   It was perfect because it was close by (in the airport terminal), pitch black and quiet. We slept for about 3 hrs (much needed since we didn't sleep on the plane), and then used the last hour to shower and change.  Afterwards we had enough time for dinner before we boarded our long flight to Africa. 
Picture
Chris in our Yotel pod. It's so small, I'm taking the picture from the bathroom.
0 Comments
    Picture

    Author

    Eva has been traveling for 15+ years, including an 8 month journey around the world.  

    Archives

    October 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013

    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Amalfi Coast
    Amazon Rainforest
    Amsterdam
    Argentina
    Art
    Aruba
    Asia
    Austin
    Australia
    Austria
    Award
    Baby
    Bali
    Barcelona
    Beijing
    Belize
    Berlin
    Bogota
    Boston
    Brazil
    BVI
    California
    Cambodia
    Cambridge
    Canada
    Cape Town
    Caribbean
    Cartagena
    Central America
    China
    Colombia
    Connecticut
    Costa Rica
    Cuba
    Culinary Delights
    Cusco
    Europe
    Family
    Family Travel
    Flights
    Florence
    Florida
    Food
    France
    Germany
    Hawaii
    Hong Kong
    Hotels/resorts
    Iceland
    Indonesia
    Ireland
    Italy
    Itineraries
    Lake Titicaca
    Live Like A Local
    Luxury
    Machu Picchu
    Maine
    Malaysia
    Massachusetts
    Mexico
    Nantucket
    New England
    New York
    New Zealand
    North Carolina
    Pacific Northwest
    Pack
    Paris
    Peru
    Pisa
    Planning
    Prague
    Provence
    Puerto Rico
    Puno
    Rhode Island
    Rincon
    Rome
    Rtw Trip
    Safar
    Safari
    Shanghai
    Sharks
    South Africa
    South America
    Spain
    Switzerland
    Thailand
    Travel Education
    Travel Tips
    Tunes
    Turkey
    Usa
    Vermont
    Washington
    Where To Stay

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.