Travel Wisdom

During a recent trip from the US west coast to JFK in preparation for a transatlantic flight, we had an 8-hour layover between arrival and departure.  What do you do in a major airport for 8 hours?  There is nothing more annoying and stressful than listening to announcement after announcement, the low roar of conversations, the smell of fast food and watching the poor travel habits of others.  Although a certain amount of people watching can be vastly entertaining, 8 hours of it can be too much.

After enjoy a nice lunch at the Palm Bar and Grill http://www.thepalm.com/JFK we decided to check out the Delta SkyClub.  Admittedly my experience with these airport lounges is limited, I wanted to find a place to plug in, sit quietly and have a drink/snack.  Although with an AmEx Platinum card, first class international board pass, etc. you can have complementary access to the SkyClub, we opted to invest the $59 per person for use of these facilities.

From reading reviews on my LoungeBuddy app dating from 2013-2015, it would seem this space was of poor quality and dirty.  We didn’t find this to be true.  Although the space is very busy, in fact frequently a line to check-in with one of the 3-4 agents, there is plenty of seating in a variety of configurations.  Nearly as many plug in’s as seats and wait staff for drinks.

Let’s break down the variety of seating options.  There are is the standard bar with TV’s, buffet food including build your own soups, etc.  There are many table and chair options in this large area. Nearby there are low back chairs for easy access to the bar and food.  On each side of this bar/lounge area are large areas with chairs and long high top tables with individual seating or conversations between small groups.  From each of these areas you can easily watch the coming and going of aircraft from all over the world and dream of your next destination.  Throughout these areas there are power plugs and some USB access.  One area is designated a quiet area where there are large high backed chairs with dimmed lighting and revolving, mesmerizing photographs on the large screen TVs.  We found fellow travelers napping, working but never talking or interacting with each other.  It was truly a quiet area.

There is a small business center with printers and work space for the last minute business traveler.  This area is near large windows that show you all the exotic places you should be exploring rather than working!

There are 6 individual shower rooms available within the DeltaSky Club.  They are free of charge, cleaned between each customer and have toiletries available.  I found this to be refreshing and quite welcome following a very early west coast departure, cross country flight and lengthy layover.

The DeltaSky Club outdoor lounge could be a lovely area for a breath of “fresh” air and a breeze.  I did enjoy it for an hour or so and was able to get some photographs.  The table service available throughout the DeltaSky Club is available in this area as well.  The furnishings are large outdoor patio style with rattan frames and large cushions.  Unfortunately, two woman thought this was a lovely place for nap.  We found them sprawled out across entire sections of the sofas.  Simply not pleasant or graceful when someone is sound asleep.  The temps were cool and eventually the noise of the aircraft coming and going became unpleasant so we returned inside.

View of the outdoor area.

PROS!

• Relative quiet when compared to the typical airport terminal.  Especially a terminal as busy as JFK!
• Plenty of power plugs
• Simple snacks and drinks, premium drinks available for an extra charge
• Safety of personal items.  We did see single travelers leave baggage briefly for the restroom or snack run
• A shower!!

CONS….

• Free drinks could produce loud fellow travelers
• The SkyClub is not exactly the quiet reprieve we had imagined
• $59 per person is still a bit steep!

We had a very lengthy layover and felt the freedom to move without navigating crowds at every move, the lack of constant announcements, clean restrooms, snacks and drinks were worth the investment.  If I had only 3-4 hours, I do not think I would invest the money.   If I had free privileges to the club, I would certain enjoy it even for an hour or so.

Enjoy your adventure!

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Who can beat late summer in southern California?  Cool, cloudy mornings with perfect sunny afternoons.  The weather is nearly like clockwork this time of the year.  Almost on cue, the clouds part and the sun burns off the last few wisps of haze by 11 am.  The afternoon turns perfectly lazy and warm.

What kind of a So Cal weekend are you looking for?  We have had the pure pleasure of two weekends out of three late the summer weekends and have enjoyed both although very different locations and plans.

The first weekend we stayed on Harbor Island.  We quite literally walked from the airport terminal to the “island” and to our Airbnb in the Marina Cortez.  It is an easy 20-minute walk with a bit of traffic but only one traffic light on the route.

During this visit we decided to use public transportation for our 4 days to see how efficient or convenient we found it to be.   In the past, we have driven or rented cars and found parking to rarely be easy or free in San Diego.

Unfortunately, the buses did not run on the weekends along North Harbor Drive to easily catch the bus into the Downtown, Marina and Gaslamp areas.  We were able to walk back to the airport to find the frequent buses (Route #992) to connect you to the Santa Fe station.  This will open up the city with the 3 Trolley lines, two Rapid lines, Amtrak and Coaster, etc.

The Compass card is a re-loadable fare card that makes traveling on the bus and trolley lines swift and convenient.  Once you pay the $2.00 fee for the card itself you reload it at designated kiosk or online.

https://compasscard.511sd.com/webtix/

As you enter the bus or trolley there is a well-marked panel that will allow you to swipe the card and determine the available balance on the card.  Keep this card for all future trips to San Diego as they are re-loadable for 5 years.  The cost of each ride is $2.50 on the MTS Trolley and $2.25 on the MTS Bus.

Although we found the card easy to use and the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) system easy to navigate, it can be a wide reaching system and does have as many routes although the bus stops or trolley stops seem far from each other and require a walk.

On this sunny warm and low paced weekend, we appreciated the use of the MTS system.  With the added use of ride share options, San Diego could be easily navigated without a car.

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Let’s establish my basic packing plan.  It is a simple plan and is easily summarized in two words.

CARRY ON

That was simple!  Easy to understand and easy to accomplish.

The only time I can justify the expense and time to check a bag is when there is NO other choice.  The only scenario I have justified these sacrifices is when scuba diving equipment is involved.  There is absolutely no method to pack a BC (buoyancy device) and fins in a carry on size case.  However I would always carry on my regulator and mask….that is a whole blog.

Returning to today’s carry on recommendations.  I love my Delsey Helium Aero Carry-On Spinner Trolley. It is a hard sided case and opens in a clamshell configuration with both sides being equal in size.  There is an additional zipper opening to access items when the suitcase is upright.

Within this area is a padded space for a small laptop computer although a full-size computer will fit in the entire space.

The sides are hard so hopefully a computer would be protected if the case fell over, however, this may be risky.  I typically place a small jacket, work-related files, travel file with reservations or other documents, maps related to my destination.

The case has a TSA approved Swiss army combination lock on the side.  You can set the combination yourself for easy recall.  The case is expandable by approximately 2 inches when a bit of extra space is needed.  I have never had a problem with the case fitting in the overhead bin space even when expanded.

There are 3 well-made zippers on this case.  The zipper connecting the clamshell parts of the case is larger than the expandable section or the front storage area, but all are smooth, well made and easy to pull.   The case is 21 inches tall including the wheels.

As I mentioned, the two interior sides of the case are of equal size, each with a strap and clasp to hold items in place when opening.  One side does have a cover to zipper over the entire space.  This cover helps to secure smaller items, for instance, I typically place my small cubes or other items (hairbrush, camera battery charger, phone charging cord, etc.) I need to throw in at the last minute.  One drawback on this side of the case is the frame of the retractable handle impedes the space.  Strategic placement of small items is needed to not lose this space.  I often place socks or snack bars in this space to utilize every inch.

There is a small pouch located at the fold of the two sides of the case.  I leave items in this pouch that are not often needed, but that I want to make sure are included on each trip.  For instance, a bottle of pain reliever, toenail clipper, a copy of my passport, etc.

The exterior of the case is also well made.  The retractable handle has the typically shape and button to raise and lower the handle.  As expected it moves between 3 heights for the handle.  There are two handles on the case itself at the top and side to help when maneuvering overhead.

The Delsey has four wheels which I believe is a MUST when traveling by plane.  These four wheels make the walk down the narrow aisle of the aircraft easy and smooth rather than pulling or pushing the suitcase while bumping into seats and people as you make your entrance apologizing to everyone along the way.   These 4 wheels also allow you to walk along with your case at your side when in the terminal which I find easier when maneuvering through crowded areas.  I have never had an issue with the smoothness of the wheels as the rotate easily when needed.  Each of the four corners of the case has a set of two wheels for great balance.

The overall dimensions are within the standard carry on requirements for airline travel.  As you can see, the entire case is 21 inches tall including the 4wheels and 10 inches wide when not expanded.  The weight is hard to judge but is only a few pounds when empty. The hard sides are is resilient and scratch proof.  After a year of use, I have one smudge on the corner.  I am not sure if this occurred during the one time the case was gate checked (another blog!) and taken through baggage claim.  However, I travel nearly every week with this case and carry it on each time.

The Delsey Helium Aero Carry-On Spinner Trolley is running approximately $100 is the best way to spend this money in my opinion!

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This is my thought for the day….what is yours?  Do you agree?

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I love this article!  These are awesome ideas.  My favorite is remembering that travel is not only far away exotic places.  We like to travel near our home as well.  There are amazing places to be found all over the world, including your own city or state.

Making travel a priority is so important.  It enriches us in so many ways.  Whether you are exploring new places close to home, sharing time with ones you love and enjoy or planning a repeat adventure because you enjoyed the first one so much.  Each of these are important and are a priority for me.

http://blogg.biveros.se/5-easy-ways-travel/

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I have traveled to Hawaii a few times now, but I don’t recall previous restriction related to United States Department of Agriculture.  I wanted to share my experience during a recent trip to Honolulu.

When departing the mainland and prior to boarding, the airline gate agents made announcements related to requirements by the State of Hawaii for documentation related to any animals being transported into Hawaii.  This included service animals.   Any animal being brought onto the flight needed to be declared prior to boarding with proper documentation presented.

Additional paperwork was required prior to landing in Hawaii, specifically O’ahu in this case. Approximately one hour prior to landing in Honolulu, flight attendants announced they would be handing out and later collecting a form declaring any plant or animal items being brought into Hawaii.  This form was simple to complete with a red “nothing to declare” box checked approximately mid-way down the form.  The form was then signed and dated at the bottom.  There was one form per family required.  The reverse side of the form was optional, asking routine department of tourism type questions ie. How long will you be in the State of Hawaii, what islands are you visiting, purpose of your visit, etc.  There was nothing additional to do after landing.

When departing Hawaii, all checked bags (no carry-on bags) are required to be scanned prior to check in with the airline.  This is also a requirement by the US Department of Agriculture.  These lines were short and moved quickly on my day of travel in July.

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