Gecko’s Adventures

Have you guys ever heard of Gecko’s Adventures? Maybe you have but until a week ago, I was none the wiser.

The travel company has been around for a few years and they specialize in international trips for the young adventurer on a budget. If you’re looking to lounge poolside at a swanky boutique hotel, then Gecko’s is not for you, but if you want to explore the Amazon Jungle, Gecko’s is the place to start.

They have trips to almost every exotic destination imaginable and all at affordable prices. Trips range from $200 for 3 days in Bangkok to 60 days in Africa at $7305. I have my eye on a 14-day Egyptian vacation for $940, which includes sailing down the Nile River, a trip to the Sphinx and lounging on the beach near the Red Sea.

Though sleeping accommodations can be bare bones and the prices don’t include flights, they’ve got you covered with lodging, some meals, activities and an informative tour guide. It’s also great for solo globe-trotters since most adventures consist of at least 9 other travelers.

Stay tuned for more news on Gecko’s, my friend Stephanie will be writing a first hand review of her experience when she returns from Morocco!

Tags: Gecko's, travel

Travel Deals of the Week

Fly from NYC to Chicago, only $139 round trip in February and March. And of course you’ll need a place to stay. Inn of Chicago, located right off of the Magnificent Mile, has rooms for $59 a night

My fave airline, Virgin America, has a west coast sale with fares starting at $44 each way.

Enjoy the sights of the Big Apple while resting your head at the new Times Square Distrikt Hotel. Rooms are $99 for February 1-11

Paris 6-night vacation, including airfare and lodginge, only $699.

Airfare sale from Florida to the Caribbean and Latin America

Travel Deals of the Week

JetBlue, that lovely airline that offers unlimited snacks and a free checked bag, is having a sale with fares start at $29 each way.

Take advantage of Southwest’s Click ‘N Save sale.

Before you book a flight, read up on when a non-refundable ticket can actually be refunded. Just remember the term Rule 260!

CheapCaribbean.com has a 99 hour sale on sunny, all inclusive vacations to Bahamas and Puerto Rico.

$999 gets you eight days and five nights in India, including tours and an elephant ride!

Happy Traveling!

Travel Deals of the Week

•Virgin America slashes airfare through June, starting at $39 each way. Some fares:
Los Angeles-San Francisco, $39
Seattle-Las Vegas, $59
Los Angeles-New York, $99
Ft. Lauderdale-San Francisco, $99
New York-Las Vegas, $99
Washington, D.C.,-San Francisco, $99

•Need a little sun? $499 gets you a 6-night vacation to Costa Rica, including round trip airfare, lodging, car rental and more!

•Rest your head at San Diego’s Hotel Solamar for $89/night through March. Named one of Conde Nast Traveler’s Top 100 Hotels in the U.S., rooms normally go for more than $200!

•Use your sea legs and luxuriate on a 7 night Caribbean cruise (St. Thomas, Puerto Rico and Bahamas) starting at $449.

Couch Surfing for Dummies

I’ve always wanted to try Couch Surfing to save cash when traveling but the idea of staying with a stranger freaks me out, so today we’re fortunate to have a guest blogger post from world traveler Jessica Jones.

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We all come across amazing airline deals that we want to snag, but then realize we don’t have money for lodging. Now you can book that flight regardless, thanks to CouchSurfing – the most amazing website on the planet that allows travelers to connect with hosts willing to let you crash on their couch.

I know what you’re thinking. Staying on a stranger’s couch is insane…and it could be (Craigslist killer is the first thing that comes to mind). But CouchSurfer tries to prevent any “incidents” by verifying surfers are legit.

Here’s how it works:

1.    You decide where you want to go and CouchSurfer shows you profiles of members in that area. (There are almost 1 million couches available worldwide.)
2.    Once you find someone that seems sane (most do), introduce yourself and ask if it is cool to crash on their couch.

As a veteran couchsurfer (Puerto Rico, Amsterdam and Paris), I can honestly say that this service has changed the way I travel – for the better. In Amsterdam and Puerto Rico, my gracious hosts gave my friend and I our own rooms (it felt like we were staying in 5-star hotels).

The cool part is, since the hosts are locals in the city you are visiting, you get tips on what to do while you’re there. If you are lucky, your host will even show you around. To do my part, I try to let surfers stay with me when possible (not that often). I had a super sweet surfer from France this past summer. I got the chance to practice my French and she got to practice her English. It was a win-win.

I do, however, have a few safety rules:

1. No staying with men
2. No letting men stay with me
3. I must Facebook friend anyone who is staying with me to make sure they are who they say they are
4. I like to talk to the person over the phone before I crash.
5. I try to take my host out to dinner…or make them a meal to show my gratitude.

Bon Voyage!

To read more of Jessica’s work, check out her healthy living blog Whole Grain Grub or check out a video of her travel excursions at Square Rootz.

Jet Blue One Day Sale

Those crazy kids at Jet Blue are having another fantabulous sale. For today only (11/19), they’re offering flights starting as low as $29 one way. Sample fares include New York to Los Angeles ($89 one way), New Orleans to New York ($59 one way) and Boston to Las Vegas ($89 one way). There are tons more deals to be snatched up and travel is valid from December 2-16 and January 6-28 with some blackout dates in between.

Happy traveling folks!

Tags: Jet Blue

Los Angeles on a Dime

I couldn’t take a trip without giving you the details on how I managed to do so on a budget. You already know my airfare was $222, I absolutely loved Virgin America and I booked my room at the Sunset Tower for $129/night (normally priced at more than $200) through Jetsetter.

But before making my way to Sunset, I stayed at La Quinta near LAX for one night. At $69, the amenities really amazed me. Free shuttle to/from LAX, continental breakfast, fridge and microwave and near several 24 hour restaurants and fast food joints. But what I really liked was a shuttle that went to Manhattan Beach. The trolley picked me up in front of the hotel and dropped me off at the beach’s pier for only $3 round trip.

The next day I made my way to the gorgeous Sunset Tower, via an $18 Super Shuttle ride. Designed in 1929, the hotel housed the likes of Marilyn, Sinatra and Bugsy Siegel. I felt like I stepped into old Hollywood, but with modern touches like a flat screen television and gourmet mini bar. I stayed away from the mini bar, a $4 soda did not fit into my budget. Besides the super comfy bed, the bathroom may have been the main attraction. The marble countertop and brass fixtures were to die for. And the Kiehl’s bath products were great too. Other pluses included free wifi and being centrally located on the Sunset Strip.

I didn’t rent a car while in L.A., which some people thought was crazy, but not only was it not in my budget but…I can’t drive. Don’t judge me. But, I found a way to get around and hit all the spots I wanted. Starline Tours has a hop-on, hop-off bus that stops at 50 locations throughout the city. It was a great way to learn about the history of L.A. I departed the bus at certain stops, like The Grove, Santa Monica Pier, La Brea Tar Pits and Pink’s hot dogs. Of course I wanted to visit the typical touristy spots as this was my first time in L.A., but I also made it a point to explore a little further. After 10 minutes at The Grove, I grew restless and started walking around the surrounding area. And lo and behold, I stumbled upon some thrift stores on Fairfax. For $40, the tour gave me a two day pass to the city. Not bad considering I traveled all around L.A. and a single cab ride can cost at least $10.

Food is always a major factor for me. While at La Quinta, I had my first Carl’s Jr. burger. No, it’s not fine dining but the chain doesn’t exist in NYC so I wanted to try something new to me. I also enjoyed other L.A. spots like El Pollo Loco and Coffee Bean, which were less than a 10 minute walk from Sunset Tower. By the time I made it to Santa Monica one afternoon, I was starving. I typically stay away from food at amusement parks, beaches, etc as they’re usually overpriced. But right off of the pier was a cute taco and pizza stand. For $5, I had two filling carne asada tacos and a drink.

Before leaving NYC, I took out $200 from the ATM and that was all I needed. So, once again I proved traveling does not have to break the bank. It’s funny, the last day of my trip marked exactly one year since being laid off. I enjoyed my funemployment anniversary

Tags: airfare, eating out, Jetsetter, travel, Virgin America

Virgin America, You Complete Me…

Ah, after three relaxing days in L.A. I’m feeling pretty good. I slept better in the past few days than I have in a long time. But I’ll save those details for a post later this week.

For now, I’m just going to tell you about my flight.  I’m in love with Virgin America. A little background: Virgin was named Conde Nast Traveler’s best domestic airline, I nabbed a great deal from NYC and I normally hate flying. Yes, I know there’s a better chance of getting into a car accident than being in a plane crash but I’d rather have an accident happen on ground.

However, this flight was painless. I was distracted left and right so I had no time to think bad thoughts. Mood lighting, pleasant flight attendants and movies on demand made 36,000 feet more bearable.

Pretty Little Things
Call me a silly girly girl but I don’t want to step on to a plane that looks like it’s had a rough life. The plane was sleek, clean, gentle mood lighting overhead and no weird smell. The seats were leather (or maybe the coach seats were “pleather”) and easily wipeable so there weren’t any questionable stains on the seats. I heard one big guy complain about the leg room but everyone else looked mighty comfy.

Sh*ts and Giggles
I appreciate a sense of humor in a man and I feel the same way about my airline. I normally hate those cheesy safety videos before every flight but these were actually cute and funny. I even let out a chuckle or two. My return flight was called the “Superfly.” How cute is that? And the attendants were young, friendly (not in that annoying way though) and even attempted to make mundane procedures comical. “Today’s flight is brought to you by the letter “S” for safety.”

Technology for Dummies
I like tapping screens (ATMs, iPods, etc), so imagine the squeal I let out when I realized every Virgin flight has a small touch screen in front of all seats. With a slight extension of your arm (or use of the built-in remote on the armrest) you can order snacks or a meal ($3-$10), watch TV or request a movie ($8). There’s also a cool chat function. Notice a cutie in the row ahead of you? You can initiate a seat-t0-seat IM-like chat or there’s a general chat room you can join. You can also access basic info like how many more miles are left in your flight, how fast you’re traveling or look at a map of exactly where your flight is! Oh, there’s also music if you don’t want to drain the battery of your iPod. You can choose everything from Bach to Beyonce to Billie Holiday. They noticeably didn’t offer any hip hop artists but I quickly got over that after listening to Jill Scott and Janet’s “Pleasure Principal.” But the feature most people seem to like is the wifi. Though it normally costs ($6-$13, depending on flight length), it’s free until January 15.

Feed Me Seymour
In addition to the entertainment features on the nifty touch screen, you can also feed your belly. The attendants offered everyone a round of beverages at the beginning of the flight but if you want a drink or bite to eat after that, just a few taps (and a swipe of your credit card) and you’re taken care of. Though the food selections looked good, I grabbed a bite before boarding. I did order beverages though. Water, coffee, tea, juice and soft drinks are gratis and unlimited.

Virgin America officially gets two snaps and a twist. And there just so happens to be another sale going on…

Tags: Virgin America

Traveling FLY on a Dime

I’m blogging from 30,000 miles in the sky. I’m a nervous nelly when it comes to flying but I’m doing OK right about now as I have tons of stuff to distract me on Virgin America, which was named Conde Nast Traveler’s best domestic airline.

The mood lighting is relaxing but I’m more impressed with the free wifi (normally it’s $6-$13, depending on the length of the flight) and the touch screens in front of every seat. You can listen to music, watch TV, view a movie (at $8, I’ll refrain) or order food. There’s no way I’m paying for airplane food, so I’m just sticking with the unlimited, complimentary beverages (coffee, juice, tea and bottled water). With a few taps on the screen, I ordered a cup of OJ and water. Two minutes later a friendly flight attendant was handing me the goods.

And remember, the trip from NYC to LA was only $222.

I’ll check back in tomorrow with a full review (everything from the customer service to the cleanliness of the restrooms) of the airline.

Tags: travel, Virgin America

Southwest Sale

There’s yet another Southwest sale going on for those who love to jet set. With fares starting at $59 each way, you can afford to catch the travel bug.

Yes, I love saving money but more than anything, I love enjoying life. So…I’m heading to L.A. today. I really didn’t start traveling until almost two years ago but since then, I haven’t been able to stay in one locale for too long. The world’s my playground!

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”
~Saint Augustine

I still get super nervous about flying but I’m actually looking forward to this flight since I’ll be traveling on Virgin America. They were named best domestic airline by Conde Nast Traveler. I’ll report back and let you know if they live up to all the hype.

Tags: Southwest Airlines