Starling Travel

I was compiling a playlist of songs to play when we go on road trips, so I thought I would share it with you. Just a note: all the links are iTunes links and we get a small cut of the proceeds if you buy them.

The ultimate road trip song, is Road Trippin’ by The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Let’s go get lost somewhere in the U.S.A. This video is like a vacation all its own.

Click more to see the rest of the songs: (Continue Reading…)

I’ve been on a few cruises over the years. My first cruise was on a ship with broken stabilizers, so every other cruise has felt smooth as glass. During that bumpy and lilting first cruise, I kept reassuring myself that we could not possibly sink because the last ship to sink was the Titanic. I had convinced myself that it was impossible for the modern cruise ships to sink.

Then I heard about the Costa Concordia sinking just off the coast of Italy last night and all my fears resurfaced.

Here is a video from Sky News in Great Britain:

Just short of the one hundred year anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, we are faced with the vision of another cruise ship in dire straits. I had just calmed my nerves enough to feel that going on a cruise was a perfectly safe method of travel, but all of that is gone.

Here is the panicked video of someone on the ship:

Here’s video from the air as the rescue was happening:

Here’s a video of the ship the next day:

The difference between this sinking and the Titanic tragedy is the death count. Even though the listing of the ship disabled many of the life boats, they were able to get many of the passengers off the boat and onto the island. As of this writing, only five people have been confirmed dead and 17 people are missing. That is a far cry from the hundreds who died when the Titanic sunk, but I can’t help feeling that I should just keep on camping instead of luxury cruising for my vacation.

More Info:

• Costa Concordia: How Could This Happen to a Modern Cruise Ship? – USATODAY.com
• Costa Concordia Pictures, Video – Francesco Schettino – Zimbio
• RMS Titanic – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This summer, many people have forgone their vacation to save money. You might think this was a new phenomenon, but it isn’t. Here is a war poster from World War II, advocating just that.

It reads:

Me travel?

… not THIS summer!

Vacation at home!

Whether you’re staycationing because of financial reasons or to “aid the war effort,” here are a couple of tips to make it a good one.

• Clean your house before your staycation starts:I don’t know about you, but I have trouble relaxing at home when there is clutter, laundry and cleaning to do. Make sure you do all your chores before you start, so that you won’t be tempted to work your way through your off time.

• Turn off the phone and the computer: Part of the fun of vacationing is being isolated from daily life. If your coworkers and in-laws can still pester you with a phone call or email, you won’t feel as refreshed after your week at home.

• Hometown Tourism: Before you would go on a trip, I’m sure you would research activities at your destination. Do the same for your staycation. Make a list of all the museums, tours, excursions and events in your hometown that will be available during your time off and schedule some into your week.

• How do you relax? After thinking about my favorite vacations of the last few years, I’ve realized that I relax by experiencing new things and by giving myself time to read good books. For a staycation to really work for me, I need to plan some new experiences and take the time to just let myself read, whether it’s in the sun or holed up in my room. Think about your favorite trips over the years. What was the best part of the trip? Make sure you schedule that into your staycation.

The idea of a staycation is an old one. The practicality of staying home during your time off work is appealing and can be just as refreshing as travel if you plan for it appropriately. Happy Staycation, Everyone!

Advert via: vintage_ads: Contest Entry

Whenever we fly, there is a new skid mark on our luggage. I always feel a little angry about the damage, but at the same time, I feel amazed that it arrived within thirty minutes of my disembarkation. I am constantly in awe at how airports are able to get my luggage onto my plane, transferred to my second plane and off the plane with as little damage as I see.

Sometimes, your luggage is damaged FAR more than the minor scuffs and scrapes. If it is, here is how to deal with it.

• Inspect your bags BEFORE you leave the airport: It might not be too late if you go home first, but you will have to make a trip back to the airport, so make sure your luggage is fine before you leave.

• Take pictures: Take pictures of the damage to your suitcase and then open your suitcase and inspect the contents. If anything is damaged within the suitcase, photograph it.

• Find the baggage handling service desk: This may be a bigger task than you realize, especially if your flight arrived late at night when the airport is nearly empty. Once you find the desk, you’ll need to show your ticketing information and the damaged luggage to make a claim.

• Damage reports are different for each airline: You’ll need to fill out a damage report, so make sure you are given one for the appropriate airline.

• Wait and then call and then wait and then call: Honestly, these claims take FOREVER to process and getting reimbursed is a lengthy process. Expect to call the airline SEVERAL times in order to find out how your claim is progressing.

In the end, it may not be worth your time to pursue a claim against the airline if your luggage is damaged. I have always just thanked my lucky stars that I arrived at my destination with all of my bags, whether they were intact or not.

I saw this advertisement for Greyhound yesterday and it sounded like traveling on a bus might be better than it used to be.

It reads:

The future of bus travel has arrived. Well ahead of schedule.

Introducing the brand-new, redesigned Greyhound bus. Learn more about the specific amenities our newly redesigned motorcoach has to offer.

New Amenities: Wi-Fi, outlets, legroom, safety and eco-friendly.

Being able to be online while traveling might make riding the bus better than flying or driving it myself, so I thought I would check the prices.

To ride from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas, it would cost me $107 and take me 8 hours (which is three hours longer than driving it myself). For comparison, I checked Expedia to see how much it would cost me to fly from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas and it was $133 and take me only an hour and a half.

Why would anyone take the bus when flying costs only thirty bucks more?

I thought that maybe there would be better savings if I tried comparing a bus ride and flight from Salt Lake City to New York. There IS a better savings ($100 VS. $278), but the difference in travel time is 53 hours VS. 8 hours. Is it worth $178 to save 2 DAYS of travel time? To me, it is, so I wonder how Greyhound stays in business. They can barely compete on pricing and lose EVERY time when they compete on travel time.

The future of bus travel? Sorry, Greyhound. Wi-fi and electrical outlets just can’t compete with saving TWO DAYS of travel time. In fact, the future of bus travel looks a lot like the past…

Ad via: vintage_ads: Greyhound 1948

I was enjoying the prosh sounds of Mod Scene. I imagined that at any moment Michael Caine could walk up to me and ask for a shag. Then this song came on: Air Travel by Chris Farlowe.

It was a song extolling the convenience and joys of air travel. As far as I could tell, it wasn’t being ironic.

Here are the lyrics:

(Chorus)
Air travel (air travel) it’s the thing of the day
Air travel (air travel) it’s doin’ fine
So come on everybody now let’s get on board
We`re gonna take a trip around the world

(Chorus)

Can you imagine it? A time when people ENJOYED flying in an airplane? No strip searches at security. No elbows and shoulders crowding you for hours. I imagine it to look a lot like this:

Ad via: vintage_ads: United Airlines

This advertisement for Delta Royal Service Flights seems surreal to me.

It reads:

Extra hands assure extra luxuries on Delta Royal Service Flights.

Not two, but three alert stewardesses assure you of every attention in the brief span of a Delta Royal Service Flight. So linger over your luncheon or dinner with its complimentary champagne and choice of entree (tenderloin steak to order, Rock Cornish hen or seafood on appropriate days). There’s also music by Muzak, fast baggage handling, and beverage service for the discerning passengers who specify these luxurious flights.

I have to admit that every flight I’ve been on has had at least two and usually three flight attendants, but the idea of tenderloin steak served with champagne on an airplane is completely foreign to me. I’ve heard that air travel used to be something one dressed up for, but I’m not old enough to have ever seen it.

Personally, I like my flight the way it is. I don’t want to be fed on an airplane unless they hold me hostage for eight hours on the tarmac. I don’t even want an in-flight movie. What I’d really like is free Internet connectivity and three more inches of personal space. If I have to wear a pink Jackie O suit and pearls to get it, I’d be willing to do it.

Advert via: vintage_ads: Оригинал   (733×1024)

I love these comparisons of travel posters.

• Flavorwire » Vintage Travel Posters vs. Today’s Versions

It’s interesting to see what the old posters looked like compared to how they are advertising travel today.

Via: Vintage travel posters – Found in Mom’s Basement

I love this story from Kitykity about her flight:

• Susan’s Journal » Blog Archive » Interesting travel.

Normally while on a flight, about ten minutes or so before it lands, they go through that whole put-your-tray-tables-up thing. Well, this time, they started talking to us about forty five minutes out. The pilot came on, and he said, “There are thunderstorms in our destination city. We are not going to divert the plane, but we are going to experience some violent turbulence. You have about ten minutes to use the bathroom, then we are going to lock it and start cabin preparations.” I could tell the hunk next to me was nervous. The poor guy. What a flight to be on. So I strapped in, turned off my electronic device, checked my seat and tray table, then held on tight.

She obviously lived to tell the tale, but it’s just great to hear about scary plane flights.

This old advertisement for Greyhound Bus Lines made me smile.

It reads:

For fun-filled trips to Winter Playgrounds…

This year, take all or part of your vacation in Winter – when you need it most!

We know a man who can show you how to relax in Southern sun at scarcely more cost than staying home! He’s the Greyhound agent in your town – and he’ll arrange your trip in easy-riding, well-warmed coaches, select optional scenic routes and stopovers… he can even make hotel reservations and plan special sightseeing. All this at rates so far elow those of conventional travel that you can spend extra days in the sun.

Your Greyhound agent (man or woman) will explain the advantages of Limited schedules with extra luxury – or Express service, which will take you straight through at no extra fare, often without change of bus or baggage.

Start planning now – and see your Greyhound agent soon – he’ll make your plans come true!

I have always felt like traveling by bus was far too expensive compared to the convenience of flight or driving myself. I checked fares for a Greyhound bus to Las Vegas from Salt Lake City and the prices ranged from $91 to $121. When I checked Expedia for airfare, the prices ranged from $285 to $457. So riding in a bus is FAR cheaper than flying.

But how does it compare to driving?

I can drive to Vegas on two tanks of gas, which is about $80 round trip. So riding with Greyhound is only slightly more expensive than driving myself. When I drive myself, however, I don’t need to rent a car in the town I’m visiting, which saves me a bundle as well.

Maybe when this advertisement was made, traveling with Greyhound was an inexpensive way to go, but now, it just doesn’t compare to driving myself.

Ad via: vintage_ads: Greyhound Bus