Most of us know at this point, airlines are doing everything they can to make more money and off-set their expenses.  If you haven't traveled for awhile, beware of these little things that can add up on your trip.

1)  Extra fees to check bags.  They may say $25 to check your bag, but you have to double it since you'll pay the fee twice unless you're flying only one way.

2)  Charges for in-flight food and alcoholic drinks.  This isn't new per se, but on many flights they won't even give you a snack.  You'll have a couple of small cups of water, juice or soda during your flight.  If you get delayed, the tummy could get a rumblin.  And, most carriers have beer priced at $5.  Yikes!

3)  Fuel surcharges have been in the press recently and added onto many ticket costs.  Always look at the cost they provide that says fuel surcharges included.

Please be wary and an informed consumer when traveling or looking into travel.

    

Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, it's all about quantity as they sell one beer during the big party.  At The Great American Beer festival in Denver, CO., it's all about quality as there are nearly 3,000 beers available for tasting.  Please visit our sister web site www.beerdiehard.com for info on these great events.

    

Look at the deals AirTran is offering.  There are some obscure locations and I'll be honest, I haven't had the best experiences with AirTran.  Check them out thru TravelZoo.com

• Richmond-New York City ... $49
• Milwaukee-Washington, D.C. ... $69
• Baltimore-Charlotte ... $79
• Atlanta-Baltimore ... $89
• Burlington-Dallas/Ft. Worth ... $99
• San Antonio-Memphis ... $99
• New York City-Charleston, South Carolina ... $104
• Chicago-White Plains, New York ... $119
• Detroit-Kansas City ... $129
• Atlanta-Los Angeles ... $139
• ... Travel to 50+ cities in all, including Las Vegas, 9 Florida cities and San Juan, Puerto Rico

 

    

This is part 4 of a series of articles from guest author, The Travel Madam.  She recently visited China and has decided to share some information for those of you who may find their way there.

From The Travel Madam:

For anyone wishing to travel to China, there are a couple key things to know ahead of time.  Namely: (1) you need to get a visa to enter the country, and (2) it's advisable to receive some vaccinations before you go.

The process for obtaining a visa can be somewhat grueling.  It involves standing in line at the Chinese embassy and bringing all required documentation as well as payment.  I recommend checking two different websites to be certain you have all the necessary paperwork with you when you go to the embassy.  There are some surprising items they require such as flight confirmations and hotel reservations.  Here are the websites I used, one of which is particular to the embassy in Chicago:
http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/hzqz/zgqz/t84246.htm
http://www.chinaconsulatechicago.org/eng/qzhz/qz/grqz/t174774.htm

An important note is that you can't pay by personal check or credit card, so make sure you read about the accepted forms of payment.  Also, I highly recommend paying for the "return visa by mail" option, otherwise you have to go back to the embassy and stand in line again to pick up your visa.  One last visa tip - when we found out we couldn't get the visa until our Tibet permit was processed (after waiting in line 3 hours), I asked the security guard what day is the slowest.  He recommended Wednesday mornings and told us the office begins giving out ticket numbers at 8:30 even though they don't open until 9:00; so it pays to ask about wait times and ticket procedures at your local embassy before you stop in.

For vaccination information, I recommend visiting your local hospital's travel and immunization clinic.  In Chicago, Northwestern Memorial Hospital has a fantastic facility with knowledgeable staff.  Check with your insurance company ahead of time so you know what to expect as far as payment.  For example my insurance didn't cover the $75 consultation fee but it covered the shots themselves.  Northwestern recommends Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and typhoid for people going to China.  You might also inquire about malaria pills.

Lastly, we booked a private tour with a company called Wild China (http://www.wildchina.com/).  It was expensive but worth it.  They took care of all our hotel arrangements and domestic flights within China, provided a private tour guide complete with a driver and a car, paid for admission to all the sights/museums, and paid for a good portion of our meals.  The driver was key because driving in China can sometimes equate to taking your life into your hands!  And the tour guides always provided plenty of water and snacks for us.  For us it worked out to roughly $250 per person per day, but considering we stayed in top-notch hotels and had most meals paid for, it seemed fairly reasonable.

    

This is part 3 of a series of articles from guest author, The Travel Madam.  She recently visited China and has decided to share some information for those of you who may find their way there.

From The Travel Madam:

I thought I'd reflect on some random observations and experiences we had in China.  For anyone wishing to visit, you may not believe some of this when you read it - but you'll be converted into a believer once you get there!

First of all, Westerners who look very Western (pale skin tone, tall, etc.) not only stand out like a sore thumb but are quasi-celebrities.  We were in Tiananmen Square among all the tourists, and groups of Chinese tourists would ask if they could take a picture with us.  Apparently many of the farmers and people living in the countryside have never seen a Westerner before, so they treat you like a rare specimen - touching your skin and wanting a photo with you.
Second, the food in China only minimally resembles the Chinese food we eat in America.  No egg rolls or Kung Pao chicken on the menu!  Some sample menu items: pig's ears, deep-fried chicken feet, pigeon, and any part of the cow you can possibly imagine.  I will say that the duck over there is delicious!  Yak and jelly fish were tasty as well.  Yak is basically a red meat, so you can order yak steak, yak meatballs, etc.  It's mainly served in Tibet.
Lastly, for the ladies out there, the buzz about toilet paper is real - it's not provided in public restrooms so you must bring your own.  Although due to the upcoming Olympics, public toilets in Beijing now have toilet paper (as mandated by the government)... it'll be interesting to see if the idea sticks after the Olympics wrap up.  One would think if you get used to having TP in the bathrooms there would be an uproar if it disappeared - but wait this is China we're talking about.  They have bigger fish to fry, for example maybe they could address the pollution issue with better ideas than only letting cars drive on every 2nd day.  Do they really think a month of fewer cars on the road will make a dent in the pollution that's been accumulating for the last 50 years?
 

    

This is part 2 of a series of articles from guest author, The Travel Madam.  She recently visited China and has decided to share some information for those of you who may find their way there.

From The Travel Madam:

The second stop on our trip was Lhasa, Tibet.  A mere 10,000 feet above sea level.  Although technically part of China (it's termed an "Autonomous Region" of China), aside from the heavy presence of Chinese soldiers in the streets, it looks and feels like a completely different world.  Buddhism is present everywhere - from the Jokhang Temple in the middle of the street markets, to the Potala Palace which sits on a hilltop and can be seen from virtually anywhere in Lhasa.  Potala Palace is the official residence of the Dalai Lama (when he's not in exile) and therefore I expected a more modest structure.  It has 10,000 shrines, 200,000 images and 1,000 rooms.

The people of Tibet reminded me of Native Americans due to their wide noses, dark skin tone and long hair.  They only slightly resemble Chinese people.

The tragedy of Tibet is that the Chinese government has no interest in preserving the Tibetan culture.  Children are schooled in Tibet through the age of 12, and then by Chinese law are sent to interior China for the remainder of their education.  They return in their 20's fully integrated into Chinese culture with no interest in Tibetan rituals or beliefs.  That's one clever way to decimate a culture.

    

Diving in Barbados for 7 nights at $702.  Includes all taxes, airport transfers, breakfast, accommodations and 5 days of guided boat dives.

You must book by 8/1/08.

    

This is part 1 of a series of articles from guest author, The Travel Madam.  She recently visited China and has decided to share some information for those of you who may find their way there.

From The Travel Madam:

I just returned from Beijing, where they have found an interesting way to honor Mao Zedong - the father of the modern Chinese governmental system.  The Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, also known as the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, is located in Tiananmen Square.  It contains Mao's body - obviously.  The interesting part is that his body was embalmed in a way that has preserved it for public display.  Considering he died in 1976, it's either impressive technology or one of the greatest hoaxes in modern history.

As the story goes, Mao's body is contained in a crystal coffin.  At night the coffin is submerged into a substance that preserves the body, and during the day it's raised up and put on public display.  But there is speculation that the embalming isn't as effective as the Chinese government would like you to believe.  This speculation stems from a few circumstances: (1) visitors reporting the waxy appearance of the corpse; (2) the speed with which visitors are ushered through the viewing area; (3) the limited hours during which the body is on display (at most a few hours each day, and there are further restrictions during the summer).

So, is it really Mao in there or simply a wax figure?  We may never know, which I have a feeling is exactly the way the Chinese government wants it.

    

We will be having a quest author write a series of articles in the coming weeks about her trip to China and things to know, do and see if you should be so fortunate to visit.

    

I found another great article showcasing unique hotels around the globe where you can rest your weary bones.  I'm not sure what the rack rates are to sleep in a comfy sewer, rest like hobbit Frodo, or hang in a tree house Tarzan would drool over, but you'll remember it for a long time.

There are others which will widen your eyes as well.

Click here to view