Friday, November 23, 2007
Camping in Tallulah Gorge State Park
I just came back from camping in North Georgia over the weekend of the 17th and 18th. The Miami airport was really busy. I thought that no one would be traveling over that weekend, electing to do so over the Thanksgiving holiday, but I guess I was wrong. Anyway, I am making a change to my last posting in regards to renting a car. I previously recommended www.onetravel.com for car rentals, however, I have now found that they are charging $2.99 to book a reservation, a fee which I think is unnecessary considering that they should also get a commission from their car rental partners that they book, so I will only use onetravel, now as a search, and then book directly with the car rental agency web site. We flew up to Atlanta, a great airport, it seems, to fly into, and were quickly out and in our rental car from Alamo. I paid just $16 a day for a compact, which was perfect. We drove north until we reached Tallulah State Park in Georgia. It was about a 1 1/2 hour drive. The fall colors were beautiful on the way up with a few patches of brown here and there, but for the most part, we seemed to have arrived in the peak of the color. We arrived about 2pm at the park, and set our tent up quite quickly. On the way in we were smart enough to stop at the gorge, about 5 minutes south of the park. There is a little store that you can go into and get some hot cider, fantastic this time of year, and have a look down into the canyon. Once we were in the park we headed into the small town nearby for a shopping trip in Wal-Mart for some firewood and breakfast items for the morning. The next morning after a peaceful night in the cold mountain air (about 40F), we awoke and cooked our breakfast on the fire, dressed and went into the woods via the park's Stoneplace and High Bluff Trails that will give the visitor some great looks at some oak, maple, and dogwood, which were still showing some bright yellows reds and orange at this time of year. There is also a fantastic welcome center at the entrance to the park's walking trail, and apart from being very beautiful architecturaly, it has a lot of interesting facts about the park, the area and the history. It is a steep, hard walk, with a staircase of over 1,000 steps, which left me winded for awhile, but fantastic exercise. The falls were absolutely beautiful, and we spent about 2 hours enjoying the park. Afterwards, we hopped back in the car to head on over to Helen, GA. About 35 minutes by car. Helen is a small alpine village in GA. We had a wonderful lunch at a small German style restaurant, right next to a small creek, and then had a quiet walk through the town looking in the shops, and buying some Christmas decorations. We then went into the Unicoi state park. This is about another 15 minutes driving and well worth the trouble. The park is beautiful, and I had a hard time in deciding which park was more beautiful, Unicoi or Tallulah!!! Unicoi state park has some cabins that we drove by, which are really lovely looking and I am considering that the next time I am up in this area, I will try on of the cabins. They can be rented for about $75 and up according to the brochures that I read, but I guess that depends on the time of year. We then went past the camping area to the falls, which were breathtaking. This is a trip which is a must do if you are ever in Helen, GA. In the evening, we went back into town, where we had a nice meal at Huddle House, and then spent the rest of the evening cooking marshmallows over the fire at the campground. We packed up the next morning and had an easy trip back to the airport. I cannot say enough for Tallulah Gorge State Park. It is very clean and well tucked away in the trees, with a wonderful walk nearby. For those of you who are looking for a great camping trip to see fall leaves, or maybe just for some relaxing get away for a weekend, this is a wonderful place in Georgia to visit. I will be posting some pictures of the park as soon as I get them developed.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Rental Cars While on Vacation
Rental Cars While on Vacation
When you rent a car, you are essentially giving your credit, to cover a vehicle, which can easily run a minimum of $10,000, and up, so, what can go wrong? What can go right? Buy collision insurance, don’t buy it? What about driving in foreign countries?
Going on vacation and deciding whether or not to rent a car is something that most people go through with, without really thinking the issue through. As a flight attendant I have a lot of experience with car rental companies and what can be great and what can go wrong, and why you may or may not want to rent a car on that next dream vacation. I’d like to present a few tips that may make your vacation car rental go smoother.
Driving In Foreign Countries
Recently I was at a party and was talking to a close friend from high school. She asked me what route I was flying that month and I mentioned to her that I was laying over in London that whole month. “My husband and I hate London”, she said. I inquired as to why, such a beautiful city, with such a rich history, would cause her to be so displeased with her experience. “We rented a car and tried to drive around London. It was the worst experience of my life.” First of all, let me tell you that personally, I would never rent a car in a foreign country, unless I was desperate. First of all, it is best to check up at the library or at your local bookstore for books on your destination and review the public transportation in the area you are visiting. I have found that in Europe, the public transportation is fantastic. In London for instance, you can take a bus or a subway/train, right from London, Heathrow, London Gatwick, and London Stanstead. The problems with driving in a foreign country should be considered before really thinking about renting a car there.
Ok, so, what happened to my friend that ruined her vacation so much? Well it seems that since it was her first time traveling to Europe, she and her husband decided that London would be a great place to visit. They speak the same language, so how hard could it be to drive over there: it must be just like the United States. They told me that as soon as they got out of the airport, the problems started. Unkown to them, even taxi drivers in London study for about 5 years, to really learn the streets of London. You have to realize that the streets of London were laid out hundreds of years ago, and don’t necessarily follow a grid pattern like we do in the Untied States. They had a lot of trouble figuring out the foreign road signs. Other than Stop signs, and the red, yellow, green, like the U.S., they said that the street signs where difficult to interpret. Secondly, they had never seen to many “round a bouts”, or traffic circles, which are more prevalent in Europe, than in the United States. They found themselves lost more often, than they were able to find their way. My friend said that she finally would up in tears, after not being able to find their hotel. When they finally did it took them ages to find parking, and then there was the cost of fuel in London. They swore never to go to London again. I told them that they should give it a second try, only this time, try public transportation.
A few years ago, we were going to New Zealand for vacation and had toyed with the idea of renting a camper to travel all the way through the country. We decided that we did not want to deal with the issue of driving in a foreign country, especially with 12 hours of jet lag behind us. We wound up buying a New Zealand bus pass, and left the driving to the professionals. We were able to sleep when we wanted to, and enjoy the wonderful views of the countryside without the stress.
Second, is the language issue? Are you going to be able to understand the road signs, street signs, and other public service signs? For instance, most cities are becoming familiar with the automatic displays on public highways warning of traffic accidents a few miles ahead, or advising of a highway close down. If you are unfamiliar with the language in another country, you may not be able to determine that the highway will be closed down ahead for several hours, and that you should take an alternate route. Even more interesting is trying to find directions in a foreign country such as Japan, where the Roman alphabet is rarely used on street signs or anywhere else for that matter.
Next is the issue of liability. If you have ever rented a car before, you are aware that you will be asked if you wish to take out collision insurance, medical coverage, insurance for valuables etc. If you are traveling in a foreign country, do not assume that you insurance in the United States will cover you in another country. If your insurance company says that it does, get it in writing, and find out which countries it covers. Some insurance companies will not cover rentals in some countries. Likewise, collisions, liability, personal effects insurance, are usually priced out separately adding a large fee to your car rental bill. You should also be aware of the laws in different countries regarding what happens in an accident, or even worse, if you are responsible in an accident in which someone is seriously injured or killed while you are driving a rental car. I know of a case of a lady who rented a car on a layover in Japan and was involved in an accident that killed someone. From what I heard, she had a terrible time, dealing with local laws, language differences. Also understand that you may be held in prison for your liability. Simply being an American citizen, does not guarantee you the right to live under American law in another country.
Also consider the fact that sometimes when you rent a car, you may return home with no problems, only to find a large credit card charges from you car rental company for damages that have supposedly occurred, but for which, you know nothing of. I have been reading Conde Nast Traveler for years and they have a wonderful section in their magazine called Travel Ombudsman, in which people write in letters regarding problems they have had while traveling, to see if the travel ombudsman can help them out. I have noticed that a relatively large number of complaints are from people who have rented cars, returned the cars, only to find that the car rental company has charged them, after the return for damages to the body of the car, or mechanical damages, that they claim the renter caused, but were not “discovered” until later. This also is compounded by the fact that car rental offices in other countries may not stay open 24 hours like they do in the United States, and people are often forced to return their car in the “drop off” area, in order to catch their flight home on time. This does not allow a proper inspection of the car when it is turned in, and it becomes a matter of the car rental companies’ word against the renter. Imagine how much trouble it will be to make phone calls and email or snail mail, back and forth to a foreign country, to clear up a charge for damages if this should happen. Compound this with a language difference and you can see a strong argument as to why I have a number of reasons for not renting a car in a foreign country. Now all this is not meant to scare, it is just my personal reason for not wanting to rent a car in a foreign country. Even earlier this year, when I attended my uncle’s funeral in England, my family wanted to make arrangements for me to use their car to get around and I declined. This is just a way to make sure that you are aware of all the issues that can arise when you take on the responsibility of a car while in a foreign country
As for renting a car in the United States, this is something that I really enjoy. It gives me a chance to try out a new car without actually committing to the purchase. I also feel more comfortable renting in the United States, since I understand the driving rules and conditions a lot better. If you are in the United States, renting a car, your own car insurance –should- cover your car rental. It is best to call your insurance company to make sure, and also get this in writing. Most major credit card companies will also provide some sort of coverage, but only if you decline the car company’s collision damage insurance. This is something that you will have to decide on. There have been a couple of times, when I have gone to some of the cheaper car rental companies, or the mom and pop agencies, where they will only rent a car if you have current proof of car insurance. Now this sounds a bit redundant, since you can purchase their collision damage waiver, but I was one refused rental of a car, in my own state, for not having private car insurance. This was at a time when I was living in another city, and just used to fly into Miami to visit friends and family. I told them that I didn’t own a car, and that was the reason for me renting one. Why would I carry car insurance if I didn’t have a car? “That is our policy”, I was told. No, it wasn’t state law that I carry insurance to rent a car, which was just their policy. After much arguing, and watching a few other folks get the same bad news, I walked out of the agency that day without a car and had to scramble to get another car from another agency, at a much higher rate, since I had to rent last minute. A good idea is simply to ask, when reserving the car, if you are required to have insurance. Don’t get caught with your pants down, so to speak. I think that the state of California does require proof of liability insurance, only for those holding a driver license from the state of California. I am not sure if this is correct, but what I have heard through the rumor mill. Somehow it doesn’t make too much sense, since I cannot see many reasons why someone who already has a car, would need to rent one too, but that is big government for you. I have very rarely taken the collision insurance out, unless I feel that I am in an area that I am uncomfortable driving in. I figure my credit card and my own car insurance should cover any damages I will need taken care of. Strangely enough, the one time that I did, for some unknown reason, take out collision insurance was the one time that I needed it. I had returned the car, undamaged, or so I thought, and when checking out, the clerk receiving the inbound returns told me that I had to sign a paper for her stating that I had had an accident so that the insurance company could pay for the damages to my car. “What accident”, I said, “I never had an accident.” “Yes you did”, said the clerk, “look right here at this dent.” What I was told to look at was a tiny little ding caused by what was probably a shopping cart banging into the car. I told her that I refused to sign anything that said that I had been in an accident. She told me I didn’t have to worry because I had taken the collision damage waiver out and that would cover the damages. The rental was one of the smaller mom and pop companies and it sounded more like a rip off to me, like the company was trying to bill the insurance company for damages to get money. I never did sign the papers admitting that I had had an accident, since I didn’t, and left, never hearing anything from the car rental company after that. This leads to the subject of making sure that when you take out a rental car, you make sure that you thoroughly check the car for any and I mean any damages. Even the tiniest of scratches can come back to haunt you if you get an over zealous car rental company, who is trying to collect on dings and scratches. I always mark everything on the form that is provided by the rental agent, and return the paper before leaving the lot. I even make sure to mark any damages to the interior of the car, since this can also be an area that the rental company may charge you back for.
Which Rental Company To Use
Personally, I don’t have a favorite, although, the bigger the company, the better the service you are going to receive, especially if you have a problem. Once while I was in North Carolina, I was driving a car from a large rental company, when suddenly, all the water from the air conditioning unit came pouring into the car, flooding the whole front passenger area in about 2 inches of water. I immediately called up the agency, who referred me to their nearest office, where I was able to change the car. Furthermore, I was followed up, with a letter of apology for the inconvenience, and a coupon for a discount on a future rental. When you rent from a smaller company, you may find that business houses, service, and complaints, my not be to your liking, although, the smaller companies, can also provide you with the lower rates in most of the cases. It is a trade off, for service, over price. Smaller agencies also usually have a smaller number of people working behind the counter, so you may wait longer to rent your car. This can be a real frustration when returning the car, if you have a flight to catch and have to wait a long time for an agent to assist you. The larger companies will usually be able to check you in and have you on your way without having to go back inside to the counter to return your car. I usually choose price over service, and make sure that I leave plenty of time on both the rental and the return end, so as not to inconvenience myself. You may also find that the larger companies have more cars with convenience features, such as built in GPS systems, which are fantastic if you are in a strange town. I used to use Alamo Rent A Car quite a lot. They are a medium sized car rental company, with a somewhat reduced level of service as compared to Avis or Hertz, but the prices are usually reasonable. For the lowest prices you will have to usually try a mom and pop rental company, and I usually use OneTravel.com to complete the search for the most reasonable price. Once I have found it, I usually call just to see if they can beat their own internet price. You should also try discounts, such as AAA and AARP. Good luck in your car rental search and remember, drive safely.
www.hertz.com
www.alamo.com
www.budget.com
www.onetravel.com
www.aa.com
When you rent a car, you are essentially giving your credit, to cover a vehicle, which can easily run a minimum of $10,000, and up, so, what can go wrong? What can go right? Buy collision insurance, don’t buy it? What about driving in foreign countries?
Going on vacation and deciding whether or not to rent a car is something that most people go through with, without really thinking the issue through. As a flight attendant I have a lot of experience with car rental companies and what can be great and what can go wrong, and why you may or may not want to rent a car on that next dream vacation. I’d like to present a few tips that may make your vacation car rental go smoother.
Driving In Foreign Countries
Recently I was at a party and was talking to a close friend from high school. She asked me what route I was flying that month and I mentioned to her that I was laying over in London that whole month. “My husband and I hate London”, she said. I inquired as to why, such a beautiful city, with such a rich history, would cause her to be so displeased with her experience. “We rented a car and tried to drive around London. It was the worst experience of my life.” First of all, let me tell you that personally, I would never rent a car in a foreign country, unless I was desperate. First of all, it is best to check up at the library or at your local bookstore for books on your destination and review the public transportation in the area you are visiting. I have found that in Europe, the public transportation is fantastic. In London for instance, you can take a bus or a subway/train, right from London, Heathrow, London Gatwick, and London Stanstead. The problems with driving in a foreign country should be considered before really thinking about renting a car there.
Ok, so, what happened to my friend that ruined her vacation so much? Well it seems that since it was her first time traveling to Europe, she and her husband decided that London would be a great place to visit. They speak the same language, so how hard could it be to drive over there: it must be just like the United States. They told me that as soon as they got out of the airport, the problems started. Unkown to them, even taxi drivers in London study for about 5 years, to really learn the streets of London. You have to realize that the streets of London were laid out hundreds of years ago, and don’t necessarily follow a grid pattern like we do in the Untied States. They had a lot of trouble figuring out the foreign road signs. Other than Stop signs, and the red, yellow, green, like the U.S., they said that the street signs where difficult to interpret. Secondly, they had never seen to many “round a bouts”, or traffic circles, which are more prevalent in Europe, than in the United States. They found themselves lost more often, than they were able to find their way. My friend said that she finally would up in tears, after not being able to find their hotel. When they finally did it took them ages to find parking, and then there was the cost of fuel in London. They swore never to go to London again. I told them that they should give it a second try, only this time, try public transportation.
A few years ago, we were going to New Zealand for vacation and had toyed with the idea of renting a camper to travel all the way through the country. We decided that we did not want to deal with the issue of driving in a foreign country, especially with 12 hours of jet lag behind us. We wound up buying a New Zealand bus pass, and left the driving to the professionals. We were able to sleep when we wanted to, and enjoy the wonderful views of the countryside without the stress.
Second, is the language issue? Are you going to be able to understand the road signs, street signs, and other public service signs? For instance, most cities are becoming familiar with the automatic displays on public highways warning of traffic accidents a few miles ahead, or advising of a highway close down. If you are unfamiliar with the language in another country, you may not be able to determine that the highway will be closed down ahead for several hours, and that you should take an alternate route. Even more interesting is trying to find directions in a foreign country such as Japan, where the Roman alphabet is rarely used on street signs or anywhere else for that matter.
Next is the issue of liability. If you have ever rented a car before, you are aware that you will be asked if you wish to take out collision insurance, medical coverage, insurance for valuables etc. If you are traveling in a foreign country, do not assume that you insurance in the United States will cover you in another country. If your insurance company says that it does, get it in writing, and find out which countries it covers. Some insurance companies will not cover rentals in some countries. Likewise, collisions, liability, personal effects insurance, are usually priced out separately adding a large fee to your car rental bill. You should also be aware of the laws in different countries regarding what happens in an accident, or even worse, if you are responsible in an accident in which someone is seriously injured or killed while you are driving a rental car. I know of a case of a lady who rented a car on a layover in Japan and was involved in an accident that killed someone. From what I heard, she had a terrible time, dealing with local laws, language differences. Also understand that you may be held in prison for your liability. Simply being an American citizen, does not guarantee you the right to live under American law in another country.
Also consider the fact that sometimes when you rent a car, you may return home with no problems, only to find a large credit card charges from you car rental company for damages that have supposedly occurred, but for which, you know nothing of. I have been reading Conde Nast Traveler for years and they have a wonderful section in their magazine called Travel Ombudsman, in which people write in letters regarding problems they have had while traveling, to see if the travel ombudsman can help them out. I have noticed that a relatively large number of complaints are from people who have rented cars, returned the cars, only to find that the car rental company has charged them, after the return for damages to the body of the car, or mechanical damages, that they claim the renter caused, but were not “discovered” until later. This also is compounded by the fact that car rental offices in other countries may not stay open 24 hours like they do in the United States, and people are often forced to return their car in the “drop off” area, in order to catch their flight home on time. This does not allow a proper inspection of the car when it is turned in, and it becomes a matter of the car rental companies’ word against the renter. Imagine how much trouble it will be to make phone calls and email or snail mail, back and forth to a foreign country, to clear up a charge for damages if this should happen. Compound this with a language difference and you can see a strong argument as to why I have a number of reasons for not renting a car in a foreign country. Now all this is not meant to scare, it is just my personal reason for not wanting to rent a car in a foreign country. Even earlier this year, when I attended my uncle’s funeral in England, my family wanted to make arrangements for me to use their car to get around and I declined. This is just a way to make sure that you are aware of all the issues that can arise when you take on the responsibility of a car while in a foreign country
As for renting a car in the United States, this is something that I really enjoy. It gives me a chance to try out a new car without actually committing to the purchase. I also feel more comfortable renting in the United States, since I understand the driving rules and conditions a lot better. If you are in the United States, renting a car, your own car insurance –should- cover your car rental. It is best to call your insurance company to make sure, and also get this in writing. Most major credit card companies will also provide some sort of coverage, but only if you decline the car company’s collision damage insurance. This is something that you will have to decide on. There have been a couple of times, when I have gone to some of the cheaper car rental companies, or the mom and pop agencies, where they will only rent a car if you have current proof of car insurance. Now this sounds a bit redundant, since you can purchase their collision damage waiver, but I was one refused rental of a car, in my own state, for not having private car insurance. This was at a time when I was living in another city, and just used to fly into Miami to visit friends and family. I told them that I didn’t own a car, and that was the reason for me renting one. Why would I carry car insurance if I didn’t have a car? “That is our policy”, I was told. No, it wasn’t state law that I carry insurance to rent a car, which was just their policy. After much arguing, and watching a few other folks get the same bad news, I walked out of the agency that day without a car and had to scramble to get another car from another agency, at a much higher rate, since I had to rent last minute. A good idea is simply to ask, when reserving the car, if you are required to have insurance. Don’t get caught with your pants down, so to speak. I think that the state of California does require proof of liability insurance, only for those holding a driver license from the state of California. I am not sure if this is correct, but what I have heard through the rumor mill. Somehow it doesn’t make too much sense, since I cannot see many reasons why someone who already has a car, would need to rent one too, but that is big government for you. I have very rarely taken the collision insurance out, unless I feel that I am in an area that I am uncomfortable driving in. I figure my credit card and my own car insurance should cover any damages I will need taken care of. Strangely enough, the one time that I did, for some unknown reason, take out collision insurance was the one time that I needed it. I had returned the car, undamaged, or so I thought, and when checking out, the clerk receiving the inbound returns told me that I had to sign a paper for her stating that I had had an accident so that the insurance company could pay for the damages to my car. “What accident”, I said, “I never had an accident.” “Yes you did”, said the clerk, “look right here at this dent.” What I was told to look at was a tiny little ding caused by what was probably a shopping cart banging into the car. I told her that I refused to sign anything that said that I had been in an accident. She told me I didn’t have to worry because I had taken the collision damage waiver out and that would cover the damages. The rental was one of the smaller mom and pop companies and it sounded more like a rip off to me, like the company was trying to bill the insurance company for damages to get money. I never did sign the papers admitting that I had had an accident, since I didn’t, and left, never hearing anything from the car rental company after that. This leads to the subject of making sure that when you take out a rental car, you make sure that you thoroughly check the car for any and I mean any damages. Even the tiniest of scratches can come back to haunt you if you get an over zealous car rental company, who is trying to collect on dings and scratches. I always mark everything on the form that is provided by the rental agent, and return the paper before leaving the lot. I even make sure to mark any damages to the interior of the car, since this can also be an area that the rental company may charge you back for.
Which Rental Company To Use
Personally, I don’t have a favorite, although, the bigger the company, the better the service you are going to receive, especially if you have a problem. Once while I was in North Carolina, I was driving a car from a large rental company, when suddenly, all the water from the air conditioning unit came pouring into the car, flooding the whole front passenger area in about 2 inches of water. I immediately called up the agency, who referred me to their nearest office, where I was able to change the car. Furthermore, I was followed up, with a letter of apology for the inconvenience, and a coupon for a discount on a future rental. When you rent from a smaller company, you may find that business houses, service, and complaints, my not be to your liking, although, the smaller companies, can also provide you with the lower rates in most of the cases. It is a trade off, for service, over price. Smaller agencies also usually have a smaller number of people working behind the counter, so you may wait longer to rent your car. This can be a real frustration when returning the car, if you have a flight to catch and have to wait a long time for an agent to assist you. The larger companies will usually be able to check you in and have you on your way without having to go back inside to the counter to return your car. I usually choose price over service, and make sure that I leave plenty of time on both the rental and the return end, so as not to inconvenience myself. You may also find that the larger companies have more cars with convenience features, such as built in GPS systems, which are fantastic if you are in a strange town. I used to use Alamo Rent A Car quite a lot. They are a medium sized car rental company, with a somewhat reduced level of service as compared to Avis or Hertz, but the prices are usually reasonable. For the lowest prices you will have to usually try a mom and pop rental company, and I usually use OneTravel.com to complete the search for the most reasonable price. Once I have found it, I usually call just to see if they can beat their own internet price. You should also try discounts, such as AAA and AARP. Good luck in your car rental search and remember, drive safely.
www.hertz.com
www.alamo.com
www.budget.com
www.onetravel.com
www.aa.com
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Mexico City Layovers for the month of September and October
Two months of laying over in the same city could become very boring. Thank goodness that these layovers were in one of my favorite cities, especially for fantastic food. El Fogoncito, the name of a fantastic restaurant, has, in my opinion, some of the best food I have tasted in Mexico City. This restaurant has been constantly patronized and recommended by fellow flight attendants for years, but only recently did I stumble upon this site. Located on the corner of Mariano Escobedo street, it is fondly referred to by crews (probably those who have trouble pronouncing the name), as the restaurant with the yellow awnings. The restaurant is open air and the cool Mexico City temperatures help keep the inside comfortable. When you walk in, the first thing that calls the attention is the pork, on a skewer, cooking on an open flame. You absolutely have to try the "Aztec Soup", a tortilla soup, packed with fresh avocado slices, tortillas, and wonderful spices. I tried the steak tacos also which were wonderful. All together, a meal, with a soda, runs about $10. A real deal for fantastic food.
Welcome to AA Flight Attendant Travel Tips
Hello, my name is Andrew Wright and I have been a flight attendant for American Airlines for the past 15 years. I worked for Pan Am for 3 years prior to becoming a flight attendant. I have traveled to over 60 countries around the world. I am creating this blog to try and dispense travel tips and ideas for people who love to travel. Go ahead ask any questions.
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