I received the video at the bottom of this article from a co-worker and I just couldn’t help but laugh.  As a frequent business traveler, the holidays are probably one of my least favorite time to travel due to the large number of people that are traveling, but even more important than that, the number of people that are infrequent travelers that seem to make the experience even worse.

Don’t get me wrong… I have nothing against the infrequent traveler!  I just wish there was some way that they could be better prepared for the journey on which they are about to embark.   Things that would make the journey more pleasant for them as well as me.

Be prepared for Check-In. 

• If you are checking baggage know the piece count and weight limits for your airline.  Each airline has their own policies so check! 
• Have all of your bags tagged with identification tags before showing up at the airport.  Its also a good idea to put some ID inside the bag.
• Know what fees are being charged for baggage and don’t argue about paying them.
• Proper ID is required – no a credit card is not good enough and your your gym membership doesn’t count either.
• Don’t use the airport as a place to weight balance your bags so that you don’t have to pay extra fees.   Do your weight balancing at home!  Surely you have a bathroom scale that you can use to approximate baggage weight.
• Make sure liquids and gels over 3 ounces are IN your checked baggage.  This will include the jams and jellies, and the bottle of Scotch you got from your family for Christmas.

Be prepared for TSA Security Check.

• You will have to take your shoes off!!!
• They aren’t joking about the quart size bag with items of 3 ounces or less.  Don’t make them find the items you’ve tried to hide in your carry-on bag.  It doesn’t matter that you just paid $80.00 for that moisturizer if it is over the wight allowed you can plan on leaving it behind.   Make sure you have it OUT of your carry on and in a scan “bin”.
• Computers and large electronic equipment like video recorders and DVD players should be taken out of the bag they are in a placed in a separate “container” to go through the X-Ray machine.
• Hold on to your boarding pass… don’t send it through the X-Ray.  They are going to check it when you pass through the metal detector.
• Coats, hats, scarfs and sweatshirts have to go through the X-Ray machine.  Don’t make them ask you to take them off.
• Take off your jewelry, belts with metal buckles, cell phones, coins, etc… These are going to set off the metal detector.  Unless you are an authorized tester for the government you can be assured that these machines work and you don’t need to help with the testing process.
• Gather your things from the X-Ray belt quickly.  There are usually places past the belt to put your shoes, jewelry, coats, etc… back on.  The X-Ray scanner will hold up the line while you get dressed and there are other people waiting.

Be prepared for Aircraft Boarding.

• Everyone has a seat assignment (unless you are on Southwest)  Milling around the gate just slows up the boarding process as people try to get through the herd of people
• Frequent fliers get to board first.  It’s a perk for dealing with this hassle trip after trip after trip.  (If nothing else it assures us that our carry-on bags are going to have a place in the plane.)
• Most roller bags fit into the overheads lengthwise.  Depending on the plane it will be wheels out or wheels in.  The overhead doors are designed to allow for those wheels in most cases… Please try to fit your bags in this way first.
• Under the seat in front of you space should be used!!!  If you brought a computer bag and a roller bag one of them belongs under the seat in front of you.
• Wait to put your coats up into the overhead until everyone in the rows around you have had an opportunity to put their large items overhead. 
• Fragile items overhead?  I don’t think so just ship them!  You have a better chance at getting them there.  I was just on a flight where someone had a “very valuable” rolled up “poster” in the overhead.  When the passenger in the row across from them started to use the overhead space for a bag we were close to a fist fight because they might “crease” the poster.   The flight attendant made them “hold” it at their seat the entire flight and of course the customer complained the entire way – all 4 hours.  If I had to hear about this valuable poster one more time I think I might have had to “snap”.

Remember folks that those of us that do this week after week get into a routine and know the ins and outs of the process.  We get just as frustrated as you do but for different reasons.   The real trick is keeping your cool through the process.  Be pleasant, be tolerant, be understanding.

Now without further adieu the video:
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I’ve had my GPS unit for quite awhile.  In fact I even knew about geocaching but never really embarked on the adventure until this past summer.   I must say after about 30 cache finds so far I am hooked!

Geocaching, for those of you that are curious is an international “treasure hunt” of sorts.  Individuals will hide a cache that may contain small trinkets for trading, and post the coordinates to this cache online for others to go and find.  At a minimum a cache will have a log, and in some cases they are so small that a log is all that will fit inside.  Visitors to the cache are encouraged to sign the log.

If you go to geocaching.com and enter your zip code on the front page you will be absolutely amazed at the number of hidden locations throughout your area.  Our area literally has hundreds of them.  They range in size from very small (called a micro) to very large, and their difficulty ratings from very easy to extremely difficult requiring special skills and equipment to retrieve.

To participate in the game all you need is a GPS device that will allow you to enter coordinates, (Handheld since you aren’t going to be able to drive your car to the exact spot where these are hidden) and a computer so you can search for caches that you would like to find.

Check out a new website just starting called thegeocacher.com.  There are plenty of other sites out there as well… Why not get in the game?

Let’s start with the outbound flight  I was traveling from my home, through Seattle to Vancouver BC on Alaska Air.  Once I got to Vancouver I had to change to West Jet.  Just like Southwest, there is no “codesharing” so once you get to Vancouver not only do you have to go through all of the hassle of Vancouver immigration (I will post a blog entry about that as well.) but you then have to go out to the ticket counter and re-check-in and GOD FORBID you don’t have your WestJet confirmation number.   I tried using their Kiosk with the credit card that I purchased the ticket with and it was unable to find my reservation.   Since I didn’t have the confirmation I had to find an agent who couldn’t look it up.   After multiple failed attempts I finally found someone that could issue me a boarding pass for my connecting flight.

When we get to Calgary – the flight was from Vancouver to Calgary and then Calgary to Regina, SK – we were informed that our outbound flight was going to be delayed due to mechanical problems.   Apparently there was a crack in the windshield.   The staff at the Calgary airport were very unorganized and they really did not keep the passengers informed of what was going on.   Since I knew there was another flight and I had all of my bags I just went to the new ticket counter and asked that agent if I could get on that flight.   They were going to charge me to make the change.  Turns out most of those that were on the original flight heading to Regina ended up on this new flight anyway.   We were delayed but it wasn’t too bad and I’d rather fly in a safe plane than one with potential mechanical problems.

Once our new flight was loaded we didn’t seem to go anywhere.  We waited and waited and finally we were told that we were waiting for other passengers that were on another flight that was delayed.  After waiting nearly 45 minutes on this plane we loaded maybe 6 or 7 passengers and then we were allowed to leave.   Now mind you I don’t have a problem waiting for people if we know they are coming.  I only bring this up as a point of reference for my return flight where they consistently were inconsistent in their application of policy.

My return was originally scheduled for a Saturday.   My business finished early so I had my travel office arrange for a Friday morning departure.  After paying the change fees and additional airfare I was good to go.   Entirely my own fault I was late getting out of the hotel in the morning and I arrived at the airport 30 minutes before departure.  I waited in the check-in line and when it was my turn I was within 20 minutes of departure.   Now in a large airport there would be absolutely no way you could make the flight.  In Regina, SK this is just not the case.   I wasn’t checking bags and their security line is virtually non-existent.    The check-in agent called the gate and the woman at the gate indicated that they would not hold for me and that I would have to make other arrangements.  As I argued with the agent about there being plenty of time, and she knew that I was there and I was on my way to the gate, etc. I ultimately had no choice but to finally pay another fee for them to get me out on a flight that was later that evening with no guarantee of connections in Vancouver, and since they don’t “codeshare” with anyone there was no way of them knowing if I could make any kind of connection on a different airline to get me back to Seattle.

I proceeded through security, and then to the gate area where I watched the gate agent load the last couple of passengers for the flight that I was supposed to be on.  I again questioned her about it and she said it was a judgement call and she didn’t think I could get through security in time for her to have an on time departure.   I was livid at that point.   Went back out through security back to the ticket counter, explained what had just happened and asked for a refund.  Of course no refunds are offered because I was “late”.   I canceled my reservation on the later flight that I had that day on WestJet and walked to the Air Canada counter next door and booked a ticket to Vancouver 1 hour later which still let me connect to my other airline and make it home.

Long story short… WestJet is NOT the airline for business travelers that will frequently make changes to their itineraries or expect at least a basic level of customer service.   The gate and ticket counter agents are rude, and for the most part unhelpful.   In this day and age of struggling airlines, customer service should be king and it is the airline that treats their customers well that is going to survive the shakedown.  Sure something can be said for price of tickets but I believe the ones that are going to survive are the ones that are competitive in price but at least friendly and courteous to their passengers.   I’m not a piece of meat to throw into a seat.  Bad move WestJet.  I will NEVER fly your airline again even if you are hundreds of dollars cheaper than the closest competition.  It’s not worth it to me!!!

What’s could be worse than forcing your friends to watch family slides of your vacation?  How ’bout putting those slides to music and making them available for the entire world to view?   I was cleaning up one of my old computers and found a Windows Movie I made that is a compilation of pictures from a 2004 visit to Yellowstone.  The piano is by a musician named Dax Johnson.  I think you can find his CDs online.

This trip was my last extended trip to the Park.  I’ve been back a few times for a day or two but nothing of any great length.  I really miss it sometimes.  I think I need to add a return to my to do list.  I have a few books that I would like to read and the overlook at Artemesia geyser is just calling to me.  

I hope you enjoy the 7+ minute video.  I assure you it is much better than having me invite you over for a slide show that could go on for hours.  As my wife would say… Once you ‘ve seen one hole in the ground bubble up… why would want to see another?  Click on the Write a Comment link below and let me know your thoughts.

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Yellowstone Vacation Video
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The National Park Service now has a web page dedicated to the live, full-motion, streaming webcam.  You can get there by going to: http://www.nps.gov/yell/photosmultimedia/yellowstonelive.htm.  From this page you will be able to Launch the camera, get the transcript of the audio portion of the feed, get help from the Frequently Asked Questions section, and find out about Cannon’s involvement with the camera.

Is the rule supposed to be liquids and gels?  Where do pastes fit into the mix?  When I’m not in a hurry I will keep a tube of toothpaste or a deodorant in my carry-on bag… about 50% of the time I am stopped and my bag is searched and I am told that I can’t bring a paste through security.  You can check out what is permitted at the TSA website.

I also always carry a computer through security.  We all know that our computer has to be out of the bag and scanned with no additional articles.  Again about 1/2 the time I am also asked to put my external CD/Floppy drive into a bin for scanning.  Apparently at these airports that device is considered to be in the same category as a video camera or a DVD player.  I guess the rest of the time it doesn’t matter.

At many airports on the initial screening (when they check your ID and boarding pass) I simply show them my boarding pass and id and I am pushed through.  Other airports the screener is writing stuff on my boarding pass.  I can only assume that the boarding pass marks are to keep people from bringing their 3 ounces of gel through screening, then leaving and bringing 3 more ounces and leaving, etc…

Other things I’ve noticed… 

• Very different procedures / processes for doing a manual check.  I’ve only had my “zipper cleared” in one airport.
• Settings on the metal detectors vary from airport to airport and within airports.  I’ve learned at my local airport which are more sensitive and will require me to take off my belt and which ones will not sound if I leave my belt on.
• Jackets and sweatshirts – some airports make you take them off, others will let you keep them on.
• Do they want my boarding pass AND id after I go through the metal detector?  Some yes on both, others yes on just the boarding pass.
• Corkscrew… I’ve had one in my computer bag for months… On my last trip an airport screener asked me to check it or surrender it.  You can take scissors as long as the blade is no longer than 4 inches…
• Sports Equipment… you can’t take a hockey stick on a plane but a cane or an umbrella are allowed.  Go figure!

Have you found consistent inconsistencies?

Hafa Adia (Pronounced: Half A Day, Means: Hello, Language: Chamorro) from Guam!  My recent business trip took me to the island of Guam.  It wouldn’t have been that bad if getting there were just a bit more convenient.  Our flights took us from Spokane, to Seattle to Japan’s Narita airport and then finally Guam.   All total with the layovers it was nearly 25 hours  of time.  We left on a Friday morning, got into Guam at about 2am on Sunday.  To make matters worse, most of it was on Northwest (affectionately known by me as North WORST) Airlines.

The island itself is quite beautiful.  It has a rocky, tropical rain forest feel to it.  Since we didn’t work on Sunday we decided to take a drive around the island.  We ventured from our hotel (Hotel Nikko) in the Tumon bay area and headed south around the southern tip and then back up the opposite side of the island.  For the most part the drive is quite pleasant with some absolutely gorgeous vistas.  I would encourage everyone that is there for a brief visit to at a minimum take the drive around the island.

As we were driving north, we passed a home right across from Jeff’s Pirate’s Cove that had bunch of sculptures in the front yard.  As many readers of my blog know, I love sculpture and these wood sculptures had a great “island” feel to them.  The artist – Michael R. Genereux has been a resident of Guam for 20+ years and his medium is IFIT wood which is a tree that is found only on a few of the islands in Micronesia.  It is actually against the law to cut a live IFIT tree so all of his sculpture is created from dead trees he has harvested from around the island.

Ifit has some interesting characteristics.  It is quite heavy (I know… I carried a piece through airports all the way home).  It also has a dark, very rich coloring and he finishes his pieces with a high gloss polish making them quite stunning to look at.  Ifit does not float and is so hard you can not drive a nail through it.  An added benefit, probably because it is so hard, it is termite proof.

Needless to say I left the island with a one of a kind Genereux sculpture and had it not been so heavy or so large I may have come home with additional pieces.  If you are ever in Guam… head south on highway 4 on a Sunday and you will see his work on the right side of the road.  Stop and enjoy the stories, enjoy the art, and perhaps bring a piece home as well.

Our stay in Guam had us at the Hotel Nikko.  The room rate was quite reasonable considering every room in the hotel has an oceanview.  From my room I could see Two Lover’s Point a tourist destination not to be missed and miles and miles of sandy beach.  Hotel Nikko also has a couple of absolutely gorgeous wedding chapels, but it is not a unique feature of the Nikko as they are spread throughout the island.  If it wasn’t so far to go, it would be a perfect place to have a nice private wedding with family and friends in an absolutely gorgeous surrounding.   This picture is of the wedding chapel on the point at the hotel.

If you like shopping you have all the big names in Guam.  There are a number of malls including the one in Tumon that has Tiffany, Armani, Channel, Bulgari, Coach, etc..  If you are more into off price you can shop at the outlet mall, or even the Micronesian mall. 

A couple of additional recommendations for you… Hagatna Grill for a Kahlua Pork sandwich.   Wednesday nights I would recommend that you take in the “Evening Market”.  You will find a number of reasonably priced food vendors, handcrafts vendors, and music and dancing.  You might even get to have your picture taken riding a Carabao

For my short stay on the island I had a great time even if I was there for work.  I’m sure if I were there for a vacation I would have spent quite a bit more time doing tourist related things.  Golf seems to be a big tourist attraction especially for the Japanese.   If you like the warm weather (80s most of the time), friendly people, great water, and interesting history… check out Guam as a possible vacation.

Since travel involves more than just a hotel reservation TravelHero has also interfaced with airline reservation systems, and rental car companies. You can also find some great bargains on complete vacation packages and activities like Luau’s in Hawaii, Cirque shows, or even traveling Broadway events.

For a great alternative to the “big guys”, that spend millions of dollars in advertising to get you to visit their sites, try out TravelHero.com.

I travel quite a bit and while I haven’t heard all of these directly many are quite familiar…

• On a Southwest flight (Southwest has no assigned seating, you just sit where you want) passengers were apparently having a hard time choosing, when a flight attendant announced,  “People, people, we’re not picking out furniture here, find a seat and get in it!” 

• On a Continental flight with a very “senior” flight attendant crew, the pilot said, “Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights.  This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants.”

• On landing, the stewardess said, “Please be sure to take all of your belongings.  If you’re going to leave anything, please make sure that it is something we’d like to have.”

• “There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane.”

• “Thank you for flying Delta Business Express.  We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride.”

• As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at Ronald Reagan, a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: “Whoa, big fella…. WHOA!”

• After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in Memphis, a flight attendant on a Northwest flight announced, “Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted.”

• Form a Southwest employee:  “Welcome aboard Southwest Flight 245 to Tampa… To operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle and pull tight.  It works just like every other seat belt; and, if you don’t know how to operate one , you probably shouldn’t be out in public unsupervised.”

• “In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the compartment above you.  Stop screaming, grab the mask and pull it over your face.  If you have a small child traveling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs.  If you are traveling with more than one small child, pick your favorite.”

• “Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but we’ll try to have them fixed before we arrive.   Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you, or your money, more than Southwest Airlines.

• “Your seat cushions can be used for flotation; and, in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments.”

• “As you exit the plane make sure you gather all of your belongings.  Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants.  Please do not leave children or spouses.”

• And from the pilot during his welcome message:  “Delta Airlines is please to have some of the best flight attendants in the industry.  Unfortunately, none of them are on this flight!”

• Heard on Southwest after a very hard landing: “That was quite a bump, and I know what y’all are thinking.  I’m here to tell you it wasn’t the airline’s fault, it wasn’t the pilot’s fault, it wasn’t even the flight attendant’s fault…it was the asphalt.”

• On another less than perfect landing:  “We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal”

Share others that you have heard, or received in emails..

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Airline Pilot?
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