A few years ago I acquired his guide and have had the benefit of his insider tips each time I travel.  There are some things you just don’t get to know about budget travel until you are an insider, which Tony was for many years. I was happy to hear from him this week that he had updated “My Airfare Secrets“

and wanted to let you know as soon as possible, in the event you have travel plans. Using his secrets, you can save money every time you book a flight. ….leaving you more to spend when you get to your destination!

Isn’t that that the whole idea behind budget travel?

” It’s strange,  I live so close, but I’ve never been there.”
Have you ever received that response from a local, when asking about a nearby attraction?

It is indeed strange. Think of how many people come from far away to see the sights in your “back yard”. They might even have to fly in to do so. But you can save the airfare and enjoy the sights simply because of your proximity.

You can get great value for your travel dollar by visiting the attractions near your home. Because it’s so close to home you are not so dependent on the weather. If it is a nice day you simply choose that day for your outing.
You can also avoid the rush by visiting during the week or off season, even the time of day might make a difference.

For years, when it wasn’t possible for us to go on vacation, I would take my children on what I called “mini holidays“. On a beautiful day we would pack up our swimming gear and head for the  nearest lake for an afternoon. We all had a wonderful break from the regular routine with little expense.

Travelling to nearby places can also be less stressful. You already know the way, don’t have to make arrangements for a hotel, and you’re not spending an arm and a leg.

If you have not visited the attractions in your own back yard, I encourage you to do so.

The next time you are yearning for a change, remember the lake in your own back yard.

It is probably more than that, but I’ll settle on 10,000 as it’s a nice even number.

First we drove through the USA and put 6,000 miles on our 1971 Monte Carlo.

What surprised us was that the Monte got a lot of attention and appreciation. The central states have snow in the winter and after the salt does its job on the vehicles, there just  are not that many Monte Carlos in great condition. Over and over we heard comments of how people liked the vehicle.

Well, just a few observations this time….. as I’m a little pressed for time.

The Tica Bus:

On August 1st, we arrived in Panama City and needed to make our way to Costa Rica for an appointment. We thought we would catch a bus to David but after  seeing the line up at the station for the ticket purchase, we lost hope of leaving anytime soon. It was soooo long! However there was no line up for the Tica Bus…. and we decided to give it a go. The thought of a 15 hour bus ride was not that thrilling but getting to Costa Rica in time was important to us.

We were pleasantly surprised. The bus was quite comfortable and the service was excellent. Initially we received a fruit drink and a snack once we set out on our journey. At lunch and dinner we received a warm meal and pop or coffee or tea. We got more to eat on the bus than we did on our flights to Panama City!
The ticket was $35.00 one way, all the food included.

The border crossing into Costa Rica took 2 hours- an hour on the Panamanian side and an hour on the Costa Rican side.  I guess that is not unusual if there is a bus load of people to deal with.

There is a washroom on board, but bring your own TP- there may or may not be any on board. Also when you select your seat, don’t pick one too close the back. It can get a bit smelly back there or worse.

Payless Car Rental:

We have always had good service with Payless Car Rental and have had no reason to switch companies. This time, because I had no time to book ahead I was expecting to have to pay more than before. I checked all my usual discount suppliers but when I compared the price to the Payless website, the Payless website offered the best deal after we signed up for their perks program.

We discovered we paid even less by picking the car up in town, rather than at the airport. Apparently there was an approximately $40.00 dollar airport tax we managed to avoid! Definitely something I will keep in mind for the future.

Wireless Internet:

Wireless Internet is more prevalent than before, but not available at all the lodging locations. If you want a budget hotel, you might have to use an internet cafe, or wait until you have access to wireless. Even if there is wireless, they might not know how to make it work for you. Such is my experience at present. I will post this entry at my earliest convenience…….perhaps mañana?

Last week we made a quick trip to Vancouver Island to visit the Victoria BC Harbor. With BC Ferries CoastSaver Sailings in effect until June 30th, we set out from Tsawwassen to Duke Point paying only $25.00 one way (taxes not included), a substantial savings from the usual fare. On weekdays Monday to Thursday, seniors travel free with a BC Gold Care Card.

While the sky and water were both gray and wet as we left, the weather on arrival at Duke Point was dry and clearing up. Because we were on a mini holiday and not pressed for time, we didn’t mind the drive to Victoria. It is a scenic drive in any case.
We stopped in Cowichan Bay for lunch at the waterfront, and after a brief visit to Duncan, we made our way to the Victoria BC Harbor.
We stayed in a hotel right at the Victoria BC Harbor and it turned out to be an excellent choice. We parked our car in the hotel’s underground parking when we arrived, and it didn’t move for our entire visit. With restaurants, shopping, and the harbor all nearby, we could do all our sightseeing on foot.

There is a wide selection of shops to visit. We enjoyed the bookstores, the shoe shops, the import stores and a visit to Victoria’s China Town.
Victoria BC Harbor instantly gives you the intuitive feeling you are on a holiday. Pleasure boats docked in the harbor and artisans displaying their creations on the promenade contribute to the holiday atmosphere.

There are many local attractions in the immediate area as well, such as the Provincial Museum, Parliament buildings, The Royal London Wax Museum and the Pacific Undersea Gardens.

June 26-29, 2008 the Victoria BC Harbor will host The Tall Ships.
There is an impressive display scheduled. You can catch a preview here at http://www.tallshipsvictoria.ca/content/view/25/50/. This is an immensely popular event and it is a good idea to get your tickets and book your hotel well in advance if you are planning to visit the Victoria BC Harbor to enjoy the Tall Ships. These stately ships transform the harbor. We visited the exhibit in 2005 and I highly recommend the experience.
As you can tell from the pictures, this location is very picturesque. I hope you will soon find time to visit the Victoria BC Harbor!

You might be asking yourself: “Do I Need to Know Spanish before I leave for my Costa Rican Vacation?”

While it is beneficial to know Spanish, it isn’t absolutely necessary. Many people in Costa Rica speak English, especially in the hotels and restaurants in the cities. In the country and small towns it might be harder to find someone who speaks English.

Knowing even a small amount of Spanish before you go is very helpful. Your public library probably has an introductory course on CD you can borrow and listen to on your way to work a couple of weeks or months before you leave for your Costa Rican Vacation. Before I went to Spain for a Spanish immersion program ( not knowing any Spanish) I studied The Living Language Course . I was glad I did. At least I could ask where the washrooms were, or tell the taxi driver to drop me off at the hotel, bank or restaurant.

Of course, knowing the language of the country in which you travel enriches your experience. When you communicate with people, you also get to know them better. People are happy to tell you about their country, its customs and culture, but if you don’t know Spanish you might not have your questions answered right away.

Visiting and traveling through Costa Rica is an effective way to learn and practice Spanish. You might be shy and hesitant to speak at first, but the best way to learn is just by doing. Locals appreciate your willingness to learn their language and are sympathetic to your efforts. If you ask them to speak slower or tell them you didn’t understand they will often rephrase their sentence to help you.

As you meet more people you will find several who also wish to practice English with you…

Just think, as your vocabulary and knowledge of Spanish improves, you’ll know some Spanish and will no longer be asking the question: “Do I Need to Know Spanish?“

Playa Dominical is one of my favorite travel spots in Costa Rica. It is located south of Quepos and north of Uvita on the west coast.

There are not as many tourists here as some of the other beaches and life seems to proceed at a slower pace. Playa Dominical has a long sandy beach that is great for walking or jogging.

(more…)

What should you pack, now that you’ve decided to take a Costa Rican Vacation? To a great extent what you bring depends on what you plan to do and what your personal preferences are.

To give you an idea of what you might want to have along, I’ll let you take a peek at what I pack in my suitcase for my Costa Rican vacation.

Ideally you want to travel as light as possible, without sacrificing comfort. (more…)

A great solution is to enroll in a language school. There are options for attending anywhere from a week to several months.

The school we signed up with arranged for us to be picked up at the airport and taken to our home stay family.

This solved the problem of where to stay the first week and how to get there. (more…)

We rented a vehicle this last time as well. While renting a vehicle is costly compared to traveling on the buses, we enjoyed traveling on our own schedule and exploring the countryside. The cost was cut down considerably by reserving the vehicle online weeks ahead of our scheduled arrival.

As on our previous trips we departed from Seattle. There are flights to San José from Canada but because we live close to the border we can cut costs by almost half by flying from Seattle.

The dentist office provided us with a list of accommodations nearby. The Apartotel La Sabana near the Sabana Park and ICE building fit our budget. They have a reduced rate if you stay over a week and we anticipated doing just that because of our dental appointments. The La Sabana proved to be a terrific choice. Their aim is to provide their clients with a “home away from home”…… and they exceeded in our case because at home I still have to make my own breakfast!

What they provide is a clean room with a comfortable bed and pillows, and a bathroom with hot water that proceeds from a regular shower head instead of the standard suicide shower. The whole place is kept immaculate by a group of ladies dressed in uniforms. The courtyard contains the swimming pool, patios, lush vegetation and secure parking…. a wonderful place to stay for your Costa Rica vacation.