Successful winter travel is all about successful navigation of winter weather. We want all our readers to get to and from their destinations with minimum trouble and maximum enjoyment and, most importantly, to always arrive safe and sound, no matter what sort of snow, ice, sleet or freezing rain you may encounter. To that end, here are some tips, tactics and ideas to help you avoid spending your winter stuck in airports.
Excessive delays and cancellations, passenger strandings, and airport woes can happen anywhere. Although there are now federal regulations to prevent delays in excess of three hours, we are essentially still at the mercy of the airlines when snow and storms strike. Below are some tips to help you avoid some of the worst weather-related air travel problems.
The biggest, meanest problems for travelers frequently occur at connecting airports. If your first outbound flight is canceled and you end up returning to your own home from your local airport, that's one thing; if you are stuck in your vacation hotel hoping to get a flight home, that's a bit worse. But when you're stuck in a connecting airport calling hotels and praying for a place to stay, you're in what is call your worst-case scenario.
For this reason, you should fly nonstop whenever possible. To find nonstop flights, do all your initial flight searches with the "Nonstop Flights Only" button checked or better yet have your travel agent get you the best connections possible.
If you absolutely must fly with a connection, watch your layover times carefully. If a weather delay causes you to miss your connection, you might be out of luck, as the airline is not necessarily obligated to find you a seat on the next flight, and often cannot logistically do so if flights are full or unavailable. If you have a really tight connection time and your flight is running late, let your flight attendant know, and he or she may be able to make arrangements to hold your next flight, or at least get you off your first flight quickly.
Again, if you must fly with a connection, check weather at your connecting cities as well as at your departure and destination airports. We all want to know what the weather is like for the departure and arrival airports (particularly if we're traveling on vacation), but for the same reasons stated above you'll want to know what is going on at your connecting airport as well. If the weather looks very bad, you may want to contact your airline to see if it can reroute you; it may be in its best interest to do so.
If it does look like you will need rerouting, your chances of getting on a different flight will be greatly enhanced if you've already done the research yourself to determine which alternate flights might work best. Don't count on a gate agent to know about or search the schedules of other airlines it isn't likely to happen.
Try to book your connection through a southern city where weather shouldn't be an issue. There are no guarantees here, as northern airports tend to be better equipped to deal with winter conditions, and a snowstorm can almost wholly shut down an airport that more often suffers from too much sun. However, your odds are better in places that rarely see ice or snow.
Choose a morning flight, for two reasons: First, you are far less likely to have your flight affected by problems at other airports. Second, if your flight is canceled or badly delayed, your options for alternate flights are greatly increased, improving your odds for getting on a different flight by the end of the day.
Get ahead of the game at security. Before you even get in line, put all your gear and pocket change in a sleeve of your carry-on bag. With so much valuable stuff getting dumped into plastic buckets all day, every day, it's inevitable that some of that stuff gets left behind, dropped, damaged, broken or even stolen. If you take 15 seconds to stow everything, you'll make the time up twice over on either side of the security gate, and won't risk losing cell phones, wallets, keys and the like.
Finally, avoid peak travel dates as best you can, particularly holiday weekends.
Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your reservation needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com.
Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
rawhidetravel.com
Just as the luster of a pearl seems to change with the shifting light of day, so has Pearl Harbor changed in the shifting light of history. This remarkable port, home to the great US Pacific Fleet, has been called "majestic," one of the greatest harbors in the Pacific. In fact, it's long been the envy of every nation that has tried to control it. The sheltered blue-green oasis glitters with scenic, historic and strategic importance -- importance that predates the attack that drew the United States into World War II. Long before the morning of December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor had been captivating people with its dramatic beauty and provocative history.
The ancient Hawaiians called this area Wai Momi, or "Waters of Pearl," for the wealth of pearl-producing oysters that once rested on the bed of the peaceful bay. The sweeping shoreline that caressed the pristine bay also boasted the most fishponds of any area in the islands. This natural abundance made Wai Momi a prime location for fishing and diving. According to legend, a benevolent shark goddess watched over this precious natural resource and protected the area. Just as the Hawaiian people treasured Wai Momi in the old days, the United States honors and values Pearl Harbor today.
Throughout its history, Pearl Harbor has been revered as a place of great value. In the beginning, it physically yielded sustenance for the Hawaiian people. Later, it empowered America to conquer her enemies. Today, Pearl Harbor embodies the lessons of our past and our vision of the future. Its legacy is the assurance we will never forget the sacrifice that drives our hope for the future.
The USS Arizona Memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day of 1962 to commemorate the attack on Pearl Harbor and the men who died defending it. In 1989, the USS Arizona was designated a national historic landmark. Since 1980, the National Park Service has operated the Memorial and the Visitor Center to ensure the preservation and interpretation of the tangible historical resources associated with the attack — including the rich and vivid memories of its survivors. Veterans have always played a key part in maintaining this historic site. In fact, funding for the USS Arizona Memorial is provided in part by Pacific Historic Parks, who coordinates their philanthropic efforts with an active group of Pearl Harbor survivors and others interested in preserving this important legacy.
Each year, the USS Arizona Memorial welcomes more than 1.4 million visitors from around the world. To accommodate its international and out-of-state visitors, the site has brochures written in over 30 different languages including English, as well as an audio program which is currently offered in seven different languages.
Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your reservation needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com.
Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
rawhidetravel.com
This month the tree is all shiny red and green as it prepares for Christmas. Minnie has gotten all wrap up in the Christmas Spirit.
The little holiday tree is a year old. We have had fun with it during a year of holidays, stay tuned to find out what the holiday tree has up it sleeve for this next year of holidays.
Did you know?
The custom of sending Christmas cards started in Victorian England. Earlier, some adults had written Christmas letters. But letters took time to write; and people wanting to share season's greetings with many others had a daunting task.
In 1843, British businessman Sir Henry Cole asked artist John Calcott Horsley to print some Christmas cards. One thousand cards were printed in black and white and then colored by hand. The cards, which depicted a happy family raising a toast to the recipient, were criticized for promoting drunkenness. In 1851 Richard Pease, a variety store owner, commissioned the first printed Christmas card in the U.S.
London printers Charles Goodall & Sons became the first to mass-produce Christmas cards. In 1862 they created cards saying “A Merry Christmas.” Later, they designed cards with various designs, including robins, holly, mangers, snowmen, and even Little Red Riding Hood.
Call Rawhide Travel and Tours and start planning that special vacation or event today. 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com
Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Road # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
rawhidetravel.com
An Air New Zealand Boeing 777-300 aircraft shows the mythical dragon Smaug in the second installment of Sir Peter Jackson's "Hobbit" movie trilogy, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug."
New Zealand's national airline unveiled a giant image Monday of the dragon Smaug on one of its planes to celebrate the premiere of the second movie in the "Hobbit" trilogy.
Air New Zealand showed the 177-foot image that's featured on both sides of a Boeing 777-300 aircraft. The plane is scheduled to fly to Los Angeles in time for the premiere of "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," which screens Monday at the Dolby Theatre.
It was the first time fans got a chance to see director Peter Jackson's interpretation of Smaug. In the first movie, the director revealed only the dragon's eye.
The Hobbit trilogy, based on the book by J.R.R. Tolkien, was filmed in New Zealand.
The movie opens in theaters in mid-December.
The image is a decal, or giant sticker, produced by special effects studio Weta Digital, which also worked on the movie.
Air New Zealand spokesman Andrew Aitken said it intends to keep the decal on the plane for at least a year, until the opening of the third Hobbit movie. The airline also used a decal to celebrate the opening of the first movie.
New Zealand has sought to use the popularity of the movies as a way to market itself and boost tourism.
"An airline brand comes to life when it can bring a feel of the destination it's flying to, onboard," said Shashank Nigam, CEO of SimpliFlying, an airline marketing and consulting firm. "Air New Zealand has often done this through special liveries, like the latest 'Hobbit'-themed one. Even before boarding, passengers get a feel of their destination — in fact, anyone who sees the plane is likely to think about flying on it."
Looking for that uniquely different vacation destination. Call Rawhide Travel and Tours today 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com. We can help!
Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
The National Christmas Center is the only Christmas museum in the entire world. Owner Jim Morrison unwrapped the museum in 1998 with just 3 exhibits. Today the museum overflows with hundreds of thousands of Christmas items, some more than 200 years old.
Be entertained, educated and mesmerized as you travel around the globe and through the centuries in fifteen galleries and 20,000 square feet of life-sized, indoor exhibits that showcase both the secular and the sacred aspects of the holiday. Visitors can meander through a life-size retelling of the The Christmas Story, followed by Tudor Towne, a whimsical village full of cuddly Christmas creatures. Make sure to stop at the North Pole for a dazzling display of Santa's workshop filled with animatronics.
Christmas season is also shopping season, and the National Christmas Center pays homage to the ghost of Christmas-shopping past with a Woolworth exhibit. This re-creation of a 1940’s – 1950’s-era five and dime showcases vintage Christmas toys and merchandise displayed in a realistic store setting. The shelves are stocked floor to ceiling with such treasures as the Red Ryder BB gun, Yakity Yak chattering wind-up teeth, tin soldiers on horseback, and 5 cent phonograph records.
The elves are busy in this toy-making wonderland! Animated reindeer nod from their stalls as bears and elves craft toys, wrap packages and sew dolly dresses. Santa presides over all the activity in this life-sized exhibit.
Realistic scenery and lifelike, life-sized characters take you on a journey from "Nazareth" to "Bethlehem". Hear latin and Aramaic being spoken and music from that time period. Walk among palm trees and through a valley in this total environmental experience. At the end, step into the stone grotto and behold the Birth of Christ.
There is an exhibit showcases a ¾ life-sized hand-carved wooden Nativity, nearly 100 years old. Twenty-two figures include the Holy Family and 3 camels which stand nearly 6 feet tall.
With all these Christmas memories, it's no wonder more than 40,000 people visit this museum every year. Put a smile on your family's face, and make a stop at the country's most Christmasy museum during this year's 12 days of Christmas.
Looking for that uniquely different vacation destination. Call Rawhide Travel and Tours today 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com. We can help!
Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
rawhidetravel.com
Wherever you're heading, if you're traveling during the holiday season, you need to realize that everyone else in the world is, too. But don't let invasive security scanners, terrible drivers and long lines at airports get you down. Here's some tips to help you survive the holiday travel season without a meltdown.
Do your research.
Plan alternative directions if traffic makes your way home too overwhelming. Is there a scenic drive that might be longer but have less traffic? Break up a long drive by finding a few places to stop that will get the kids more excited than a truck rest stop. When flying, make sure you check the airline’s restrictions ahead of time on carry-on luggage and fees for checked bags.
Stay connected.
Stock up on the latest travel apps before you leave home. Flight Status gives you real-time updates on delays, baggage numbers and more, and GateGuru gives you approximate times you’ll spend in security. Heading out on the road? Find the cheapest gas and cleanest bathrooms on the road with GasBuddy and SitOrSquat.
Pack light.
Avoid checking bags altogether if you can. You won’t have to wait for your luggage on the conveyor belt, and you won’t have to worry about your mom’s Christmas present getting lost in the airport. If you do check luggage, make sure you have all your medications and important documents and a change of clothes in your carry-on in case your luggage gets lost.
Pack earplugs.
Short of doing yoga in the airport, the best way to mentally escape your stressful surroundings is to turn the volume down. And the easiest way to do that is with earplugs. Crying baby next seat over on the plane? Earplugs. Sister’s music in the car driving you mad? Earplugs. And if you really want to check out for a bit? Bring an eye mask (as long as you aren’t driving).
Eat Up.
When your hungry, your mind can’t think straight, and you could unknowingly get in the wrong line, take the wrong turn, or worse, upset an innocent flight attendant. Pack snacks and drinks, so you and your family will be fueled up for a road trip. If you’re flying, definitely get some grub before you board the plane, so you won’t have to rely on airline food if you’re sitting on the tarmac for hours.
Ship gifts or give gift cards.
TSA suggests to ship wrapped gifts or wait until you reach your destination to wrap them, as they might have to unwrap a present to inspect it. Ship gifts ahead of time or bring the gift that can’t go wrong: gift cards to their favorite store.
Travel on off-peak days.
A better option is to leave early on the holiday day and avoid the record traffic the night before. Same goes with flying: if you fly on the actual holiday itself you’ll be avoiding the long lines and hoards of travelers.
Travel early or late in the day.
Flight statistics show that planes traveling earlier in the day have a better on-time performance. And if your flight is cancelled, you will have the option of taking a flight later in the day. Also, there will be fewer lines at security. Best time to hit the road? When every one else is asleep, early morning or late at night. You can always take a nap when you arrive at your destination or on the ride there (if you aren’t the driver, of course).
Have a Plan B.
Have only a half hour before connecting to another flight? Traveling during snow season? Think ahead and plan accordingly. Leave extra time before flights to deal with security, extra time between connections and, for road trips, pack tire chains for snowy conditions, flashlights, and of course, a few band-aids never hurt either.
Breath.
The overly friendly person next to you on the plane, the cancelled flights, the luggage that fell off in the middle of the highway? All of it will make for great stories over dinner when you finally make it to your destination. After all, holiday travel stress is just as much of a tradition as pumpkin pie.
Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your reservation needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com.
Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100rawhidetravel.com
Given its remote location and notoriously bad weather, Aniakchak is one of the least visited units of the National Park System. A vibrant reminder of Alaska's location in the volcanically active "Ring of Fire," the monument is home to an impressive six-mile wide, 2,500 feet. deep caldera formed during a massive eruption 3,500 years ago.
Are you contemplating running the Aniakchak River from its caldera headwaters through treeless tundra to the sea? A commercial guidebook says: "The weather on Aniakchak is severe; life-threatening conditions can develop rapidly. Extremely violent winds in the caldera, particularly near 'The Gates,' can shred tents and prevent air rescue." A hefty budget and pre-tested skills and gear are absolutely necessary.
When Father Hubbard first climbed into Aniakchak Caldera in 1930, his first dramatic experience, after the scenery, was with a female brown bear and her cub. Brown bears remain numerous throughout this area because of good forage conditions and seasonal availability of ample dietary protein in the form of salmon.
Aniakchak is truly a wild and unpredictable place. For the prepared visitor however, these very characteristics can make for the adventure of a lifetime.
Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve encompasses 586,000 acres of pristine Alaska wilderness. While rafting the Aniakchak River, hiking the caldera floor, and sport fishing are among the most common activities pursued, the possibilities for adventure are limitless for those visitors determined and prepared enough to experience Aniakchak on its own terms.
Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your reservation needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com.
Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
rawhidetravel.com
